Lean On Me (FF7)

39

~Yuffie's POV~

             I stand waiting with Denzel, outside the palace I grew up in. I can't believe he did that. What did Cloud ever do to him? He's not a drunk, he's not a coward, and he's a really nice, sensitive guy. The other guys my father tried to offer me were the polar opposite. Jerks too. He does this every time I make a decision for myself. If it doesn't add more cash to his treasury or fame to his face, he automatically throws it in the trash. Not that I'm scared he'll have the palace guards come and chuck Cloud in a dumpster, but he could do some definite damage if he wants to.

"What's up with him?" Cloud groans, stepping outside.

"A lot. Why, what did he say?"

"Something along the lines of 'Leave my little girl alone or I'll have everyone you care about killed, starting with the boy.' Absolutely ridiculous," he shakes his head.

"He wants to kill me?!" Denzel looks horrified.

"I won't let him," Cloud crushes him against his side in a side hug. Cuz, you know, you side hug someone with your side? No? Okay. I almost smile, noticing how Denzel is just up to Cloud's shoulder.

"Cmon, let's go do something on our day off," I nod towards the exit.

"Like what?" Denzel follows me, easily standing over me just like Cloud, although he's only taller by an inch and half ish. Okay maybe two and a half. It's not fair that I have to be the shortest person on board. Except for Marlene, but she's only seven and I bet she'll be pretty tall since Dyne was about six foot. Why am I talking about height?

"I don't know. We can't go into Midgar though," I shudder.

"Please no," Cloud begs.

"There's Kalm," I offer. "They usually have that fair thing on Saturdays."

"It's Saturday?" he frowns, looking at his shoes.

"Yeah, lost track of time already?" I bump his shoulder.

"Yeah, actually."

"It's been one month since you came back," Denzel looks at him in amazement.

"Only one month? Feels like it's been an eternity."

"I know," I sigh, resting my head on his shoulder as we walk. He links our hands and swings them once weakly.

"How does it seem like it's been three months, yet it passed by so fast?" he frowns.

"That's how the world works. It likes to suck our time away but make it seem slow and unnoticeable so we don't realize we're eighty when a week ago we were celebrating our fifth birthday," I yawn. "Geeze, I just quoted a whole two sentences from a book I read when I was ten."

"I knew that was a little too smart for you," Denzel smirks back at me.

"I hate you," I roll my eyes.

"So that means it's, what, late September already?" Cloud looks up at the sky.

"Haven't you been noticing the chillier weather?" I raise an eyebrow. "And it's almost October, Cloud."

"It's kinda hard when you dress like it's July on the sun," he accuses.

"Hey!" I hit his arm. Then I sneakily slip one hand into his pocket and pull the keys out, shoving them into my own.

"Hello car," Denzel says, patting the hood before climbing in the back.

"Driving," I call suddenly, jumping into the driver's seat.

"Crap. Find something to hold onto, Denz, we're about to die."

"Shut up and give me the keys," I roll my eyes.