Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny's Truth ❯ My True Destiny ( Chapter 5 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Trick Sparrow 
Our favorite ex-Turk realizes what is more important than his inhibitions.
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.16.2001 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 369 | Status: Completed
Our favorite ex-Turk realizes what is more important than his inhibitions.
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.16.2001 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 369 | Status: Completed
I leaned against Yuffie's bedroom door as I waited for her to finish changing. She had insisted on wearing traditional Wutainese garb to the Lantern Festival. I was surprised the young woman even had any formalwear.
Without warning the door opened behind me, and having been leaning against it, I fell promptly to the floor. I heard stifled giggles as Yuffie helped me back up. On my feet again, I finally looked at her, and my knees almost gave out again.
She was dressed in a full-length kimono made of light blue silk. A navy blue obi was wrapped around her waist, and a flock of white cranes was stitched intricately above the hem, near her feet. Her chestnut hair was pulled up into a bun, with a few loose strands framing her face.
She was nothing less than a vision.
"Yuffie Kisaragi," I finally managed to say. "You look beautiful."
She blushed, self-consciously brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Thank you, Vincent," she said politely.
I offered my arm silently, and she linked hers in it. Together, we walked down the path to the celebration.
Lanterns were everywhere; on posts, hanging from streamers, lined on top of fences and railings. Each one was painstaking crafted by the townspeople, therefore each different from the next. Mine and Yuffie's hung next to each other over the creek, glowing softly. The whole village was bathed in warm candlelight.
"Ahh, Vincent, Yuffie," called Lord Godo, motioning us over to him. "You're just in time. We're judging whose the best lantern is."
I leaned in close to Yuffie. "Yours will definitely win."
She snorted. "Of course it will." When I looked surprised, she explained, "I'm the Emperor's daughter. They're SUPPOSED to let me win."
I frowned. That didn't seem fair to the others. I released her arm and walked up to the judges, who happened to be Gorki, Chekhov, Shake, and Staniv. "Fellows," I whispered to them, "even though Yuffie is very skilled at lantern-making, she doesn't think it fair of you to let her win."
Chekhov frowned. "Sometimes we do not understand Miss Yuffie's wishes, but we will respect them."
I strode back to Yuffie as the winner was announced, an old woman named Yukiko. Yuffie smiled up at me. "Thanks, Vinnie."
"Don't mention it, Yuffie-chan."
Long after the townspeople had gone inside, Yuffie and I still sat on the edge of the bridge, warmed by the many lanterns surrounding us. Yuffie exhaled happily, planting her hands in the smooth fabric of her kimono. "Now do you believe in destiny, Vincent?"
I looked at her, confused. "What brought that up?"
"Even though this all started when you got attacked by that Behemoth," she said softly, never taking her eyes off the water, "it gave us a chance to get even closer. This has been the best week of my life." She finally looked up at me. "That means destiny MUST be real. We were meant to be together."
I fumbled for words, but none came to my lips. I looked at her, longing to say the words, but too spineless to let them out. Yuffie noticed my uneasiness and wrapped her arm around my waist. Growing more uncomfortable, I sighed.
"Yuffie, love," I finally said, "as much as it pains me to say this, it just isn't appropriate for us to be feeling this way."
She bit her lip, hugging me tighter. "Don't you think I've already run all that through my mind? I'm well aware you're fifty-nine and I'm only eighteen. I'm well aware the whole situation is weird and WRONG. I'm also well aware that when I'm a crusty old lady, you'll still be just as hot as you are now."
That thought had never entered my mind.
"But I don't care!" she cried, her eyes shimmering. "I don't care anymore, because I love you, Vincent!"
Those words stung as much as any insult. "Don't say that, Yuffie," I said quietly. "You don't love me. No one could possibly love me. I'm more monster than man."
"You're wrong!" She suddenly became angry. "You just can't get it through you're skull that you've CHANGED! And don't you DARE doubt me when I say I love you!"
I wrenched free from her, unable to look at her anymore. "I'm sorry, Yuffie," I said, avoiding her gaze. "This is one of those things that was never meant to be."
I could tell she was trying not to cry. Instead, I heard her footsteps as she ran off the bridge. I did not follow her. I looked at the water miserably. "I am a pathetic coward," I whispered to myself. "I hurt the person I love more than life itself. But it was for the best."
*If you really loved her, you would go after her,* a voice inside me sneered. *You'd find her and hold her in your arms and TELL her you loved her. But you're a worthless fool, Valentine. You're worthless.*
I suddenly stood up in determination. What was I thinking? How could I let my ridiculous inhibitions ruin the one chance I had for a life full of love?
As the great Cloud Strife put it, "Love is more important than age difference, or any of that other crap."
Yuffie was not in her house, so I searched for her in the only other place she could possibly be: Da-Chao. I scaled the sculpted mountain, trying to ignore the disturbing gazes of the statues. I found Yuffie sitting on the peak, her knees drawn up to her chest. Her kimono was covered in dust, and her lovely face was tear-streaked. Apparently, she had no longer been able to hold back the well of emotions that had no doubt been bubbling up inside her.
I simply sat next to her, looking down at the village, which was lit up by hundreds of lanterns. "Wutai certainly looks beautiful from up here," I finally said.
"Shut up, Vincent," she replied, though without a trace of malice in her voice.
"No, it does," I insisted. "The light from the lanterns bouncing off the pagodas, the moon reflecting off the creek..."
"Just tell me why you came up here."
I took her in my arms and kissed her. She gasped, but closed her eyes and kissed back, running her fingers through my dark hair. I bit her bottom lip gently and pulled away after a few blissful seconds, resting my forehead against hers.
"I changed my mind."
And now, three years later, I am happy. Truly happy. I think of Lucrecia now and then, but with more fondness than sorrow. Here in Wutai, life is what I used to imagine it would be like for normal people. I've begun dressing in less funereal attire, and I've smiled more this year than I probably have in my whole life. Though by Yuffie's urging, I had kept my long hair.
She thought it was "sexy".
"Yuffie's certainly changed you, Vincent," commented Red XIII as we walked back from the general store in Wutai. We had invited everyone to our house for a week.
"Red's right, man," agreed Barret. "You turned into a real softie!"
Cid snorted, blowing cigarette smoke out his nostrils. "Don't talk so soon, Barret. Vince could probably still kick the &^%$ outta you."
We walked through the front door, and I set the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. "Here you are, darling," I said to my wife, who was sitting at the table, trying to feed our eighteen-month-old daughter.
"Thanks, Vinnie-baby," she replied, grinning up at me. "You put up with so much."
I bent down and kissed her forehead. "I do it all for you, Yuffie-chan."
Tifa, who was holding the baby, punched me in the arm. "Vincent, you sly dog, you! I never imagined you would be a family man three years ago."
"None of us would have!" added Reeve.
Cloud smirked. "Eh, I had an inkling."
I lifted my daughter into my arms carefully. I had become extremely worrisome about injuring the infant with my fearsome claw. "And how are you, Clara, love?"
The girl responded by decisively slinging strained green beans in my face.
Everyone around me burst out laughing. Yuffie smiled and wiped my face clean with a dish towel. I looked down at my daughter, who suddenly looked very innocent. I realized that this, THIS was my destiny, and I smiled.
I love family life.
------------------------------
Ahhhhhhhh I'm finally finished! Well, Vinnie's a fine, upstanding gentleman now, a loving husband and father. Weren't expecting that, were you? Ha! Wow, I love this story. Probably more than any story I've written. I hope you loved it, too, so I expect REVIEWS, PEOPLE! Don't get cheap on me!
Trick Sparrow
Without warning the door opened behind me, and having been leaning against it, I fell promptly to the floor. I heard stifled giggles as Yuffie helped me back up. On my feet again, I finally looked at her, and my knees almost gave out again.
She was dressed in a full-length kimono made of light blue silk. A navy blue obi was wrapped around her waist, and a flock of white cranes was stitched intricately above the hem, near her feet. Her chestnut hair was pulled up into a bun, with a few loose strands framing her face.
She was nothing less than a vision.
"Yuffie Kisaragi," I finally managed to say. "You look beautiful."
She blushed, self-consciously brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Thank you, Vincent," she said politely.
I offered my arm silently, and she linked hers in it. Together, we walked down the path to the celebration.
Lanterns were everywhere; on posts, hanging from streamers, lined on top of fences and railings. Each one was painstaking crafted by the townspeople, therefore each different from the next. Mine and Yuffie's hung next to each other over the creek, glowing softly. The whole village was bathed in warm candlelight.
"Ahh, Vincent, Yuffie," called Lord Godo, motioning us over to him. "You're just in time. We're judging whose the best lantern is."
I leaned in close to Yuffie. "Yours will definitely win."
She snorted. "Of course it will." When I looked surprised, she explained, "I'm the Emperor's daughter. They're SUPPOSED to let me win."
I frowned. That didn't seem fair to the others. I released her arm and walked up to the judges, who happened to be Gorki, Chekhov, Shake, and Staniv. "Fellows," I whispered to them, "even though Yuffie is very skilled at lantern-making, she doesn't think it fair of you to let her win."
Chekhov frowned. "Sometimes we do not understand Miss Yuffie's wishes, but we will respect them."
I strode back to Yuffie as the winner was announced, an old woman named Yukiko. Yuffie smiled up at me. "Thanks, Vinnie."
"Don't mention it, Yuffie-chan."
Long after the townspeople had gone inside, Yuffie and I still sat on the edge of the bridge, warmed by the many lanterns surrounding us. Yuffie exhaled happily, planting her hands in the smooth fabric of her kimono. "Now do you believe in destiny, Vincent?"
I looked at her, confused. "What brought that up?"
"Even though this all started when you got attacked by that Behemoth," she said softly, never taking her eyes off the water, "it gave us a chance to get even closer. This has been the best week of my life." She finally looked up at me. "That means destiny MUST be real. We were meant to be together."
I fumbled for words, but none came to my lips. I looked at her, longing to say the words, but too spineless to let them out. Yuffie noticed my uneasiness and wrapped her arm around my waist. Growing more uncomfortable, I sighed.
"Yuffie, love," I finally said, "as much as it pains me to say this, it just isn't appropriate for us to be feeling this way."
She bit her lip, hugging me tighter. "Don't you think I've already run all that through my mind? I'm well aware you're fifty-nine and I'm only eighteen. I'm well aware the whole situation is weird and WRONG. I'm also well aware that when I'm a crusty old lady, you'll still be just as hot as you are now."
That thought had never entered my mind.
"But I don't care!" she cried, her eyes shimmering. "I don't care anymore, because I love you, Vincent!"
Those words stung as much as any insult. "Don't say that, Yuffie," I said quietly. "You don't love me. No one could possibly love me. I'm more monster than man."
"You're wrong!" She suddenly became angry. "You just can't get it through you're skull that you've CHANGED! And don't you DARE doubt me when I say I love you!"
I wrenched free from her, unable to look at her anymore. "I'm sorry, Yuffie," I said, avoiding her gaze. "This is one of those things that was never meant to be."
I could tell she was trying not to cry. Instead, I heard her footsteps as she ran off the bridge. I did not follow her. I looked at the water miserably. "I am a pathetic coward," I whispered to myself. "I hurt the person I love more than life itself. But it was for the best."
*If you really loved her, you would go after her,* a voice inside me sneered. *You'd find her and hold her in your arms and TELL her you loved her. But you're a worthless fool, Valentine. You're worthless.*
I suddenly stood up in determination. What was I thinking? How could I let my ridiculous inhibitions ruin the one chance I had for a life full of love?
As the great Cloud Strife put it, "Love is more important than age difference, or any of that other crap."
Yuffie was not in her house, so I searched for her in the only other place she could possibly be: Da-Chao. I scaled the sculpted mountain, trying to ignore the disturbing gazes of the statues. I found Yuffie sitting on the peak, her knees drawn up to her chest. Her kimono was covered in dust, and her lovely face was tear-streaked. Apparently, she had no longer been able to hold back the well of emotions that had no doubt been bubbling up inside her.
I simply sat next to her, looking down at the village, which was lit up by hundreds of lanterns. "Wutai certainly looks beautiful from up here," I finally said.
"Shut up, Vincent," she replied, though without a trace of malice in her voice.
"No, it does," I insisted. "The light from the lanterns bouncing off the pagodas, the moon reflecting off the creek..."
"Just tell me why you came up here."
I took her in my arms and kissed her. She gasped, but closed her eyes and kissed back, running her fingers through my dark hair. I bit her bottom lip gently and pulled away after a few blissful seconds, resting my forehead against hers.
"I changed my mind."
And now, three years later, I am happy. Truly happy. I think of Lucrecia now and then, but with more fondness than sorrow. Here in Wutai, life is what I used to imagine it would be like for normal people. I've begun dressing in less funereal attire, and I've smiled more this year than I probably have in my whole life. Though by Yuffie's urging, I had kept my long hair.
She thought it was "sexy".
"Yuffie's certainly changed you, Vincent," commented Red XIII as we walked back from the general store in Wutai. We had invited everyone to our house for a week.
"Red's right, man," agreed Barret. "You turned into a real softie!"
Cid snorted, blowing cigarette smoke out his nostrils. "Don't talk so soon, Barret. Vince could probably still kick the &^%$ outta you."
We walked through the front door, and I set the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. "Here you are, darling," I said to my wife, who was sitting at the table, trying to feed our eighteen-month-old daughter.
"Thanks, Vinnie-baby," she replied, grinning up at me. "You put up with so much."
I bent down and kissed her forehead. "I do it all for you, Yuffie-chan."
Tifa, who was holding the baby, punched me in the arm. "Vincent, you sly dog, you! I never imagined you would be a family man three years ago."
"None of us would have!" added Reeve.
Cloud smirked. "Eh, I had an inkling."
I lifted my daughter into my arms carefully. I had become extremely worrisome about injuring the infant with my fearsome claw. "And how are you, Clara, love?"
The girl responded by decisively slinging strained green beans in my face.
Everyone around me burst out laughing. Yuffie smiled and wiped my face clean with a dish towel. I looked down at my daughter, who suddenly looked very innocent. I realized that this, THIS was my destiny, and I smiled.
I love family life.
------------------------------
Ahhhhhhhh I'm finally finished! Well, Vinnie's a fine, upstanding gentleman now, a loving husband and father. Weren't expecting that, were you? Ha! Wow, I love this story. Probably more than any story I've written. I hope you loved it, too, so I expect REVIEWS, PEOPLE! Don't get cheap on me!
Trick Sparrow