Violet Shadows (FF7)

13) Distance

The next day I get a call from Yuffie.

"Hey! This is Violet, right?"

"Yes."

"Cool! Um.. So it turns out, Cloud got mako poisoning and he might not get better, so we're going to get some huge materia today. Cait overheard Scarlet say something about launching the rocket, but we don't know for sure, so it's really just a heads up. Okay?"

"... Okay."

"Are you tired or something?"

"Yes Yuffie, it's four in the morning."

"Sorry! Geeze!"

"Goodbye."

"Bye!"

Groaning, I set my phone back down on the side table and look over at where Vincent sleeps on the floor. At least her call woke me from another nightmare. With a sigh, I stand and grab my cloak, adjusting it around my neck before opening the door.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk. I can't sleep." Vincent gets to his feet and I roll my eyes.

"Seriously, why do you follow me everywhere?"

"I can't sleep," he shrugs. "Who was that?"

"Yuffie."

"Hm."

We slip out of the house silently and onto the empty street, walking side by side in the cool morning air. It's days like these I consider Vincent a friend, others an annoyance, and still others I have no idea if I want to punch him or grab his hands and skip in a circle. He probably wouldn't like that too much..

"My demons seem to know much about you," he finally says. "How you are feeling and such."

"Oh?" They can't read my mind, can they?

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

"Apology accepted, I was just being moody."

"That time of the month already?"

"Vincent!" I scold, hitting his arm while he chuckles.

"That is my name."

"I hate you."

"You're going to wake the neighborhood up," he reminds me. I roll my eyes and shove him playfully before looking up at the starry sky.

"Do you ever feel like she can see you from up there?"

"Considering that the Lifestream is underground, not exactly." I glare at him, annoyed by his playful attitude.

"You know what I mean."

"Then no. I feel like she wouldn't care." He looks up at the sky anyway. Suddenly, I find that I can't move my eyes away, locked on things I never noticed before. His prominent jaw, his high cheekbones, the way his long, thick lashes fan over his unique crimson eyes. Even from the side, he has to be the most perfect looking... No. Don't do that. I blink and force my head to turn away, my face burning a bright shade of red. "Of course, if David could see you, he would probably be smiling," he adds. What's that supposed to mean?

"He'd be smiling if he were blind," I force a laugh, shoulder bumping him. It's just a silly crush, that's all. That always happens when people get close, right? If I just stop being around him so much, it'll go away.