Summary: Things don't happen like they are supposed to.

Cause guys like me, we all vow to become
Clear and free of the fife and the drum
And block the circulation till we all completely numb

- Aimme Mann
"Guys Like Me"

It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to be a cold-hearted man. Living the good life. Never having to even glance at poverty-ridden places. There was a holiday just for him, along with an hourly special every Sunday evening on the TV. He was evil, or at least that's what people shouted at him while he walked the streets of Midgar. That is, the ones who didn't quiver in fear, hiding behind whatever was within a second's distance as he walked by.

He wasn't supposed to be in love.

Eying the bar wearingly, he spotted the meeting place. He had to admit, Costa Del Sol was the perfect place for a rendezvous, as no one really was there. And those who were, didn't recognize him through the ends of their beer mugs and blurred vision. No, the people left in the bar were definitely professional alcoholics. The air smelt heavily of cigarette smoke and hard liquor. Normally, this scent would have bothered him, but just for today, he would be able to stand it without demanding that someone do something about it. Probably. After all, he was used to things around him being perfect, filled with fear. There was that fear thing again. It encased most his daily tasks. He was ever so good at it too. So why in blazings was he in this bar, looking for, none other than a woman, that he undeniably had some feelings for? He didn't really have an answer for that.

She was waiting there for him, her legs crossed. She was wearing dark pants, that he really couldn't tell the color of due to the lack of light in the bar. A skirt was pulled over those pants, topped with a cute belt that seemed to have no real purpose. For a top she wore two layers of shirts. A green collared shirt had a red baby t-shirt pulled over it. Her earrings, her necklace, her bracelet, were all made of materia. Her hair was messy, but it was controlled. That was the look she was aiming for, he assumed. She looked very trendy, according to those ridiculous magazines that Scarlet was always reading. Compared to what he was wearing, who had only taken off his signature white trench coat leaving a black turtleneck and white pants, he felt a little plainly dressed. The President feeling plain. This was not right at all.

He wasn't supposed to be plain.

Before he reached the table, she was already looking up to him, smiling. Her ninja senses had honed into him long before he walked into the bar. She knew he had been coming, but she waited until that very moment to look at him. The dim light in the bar made her eyes look even more seductive than he remembered. He remembered that their auburn pools had never failed to drag him in, but now they were swallowing him whole. Suddenly his mouth was very dry. His body was now being pulled towards her. He had long since lost control.

Gravity was a damned thing.

She waved to him, "Rufus-chan! Over here!"

Instantly, any feelings of lust he was feeling towards the small ninja girl were overtaken with a sense of absolute horror and embarrassment. He felt heat rush to his cheeks, a sensation that often did not happen. And when it actually did, she was involved with instigating it somehow. Quickly taking a seat at the table, he scowled at the girl sitting on the other side. "I asked you not to call me that."

If possible, her smile grew larger. "Oh you did?"

He frowned deeply. "You know quite well that I did, little vixen."

"Awww Rufus-chan," she said, pouting. "And after I came all this way to come see you. Lying to my comrades... going clothes shopping so I could pretty myself up for you. I even had to get on a boat and everything- that's not very nice at all."

Rufus clenched his teeth. "It was your idea to come here."

"But it was your idea to meet." She sighed, "I can understand if you don't want to see me, Rufus-chan." Always the one for dramatics, she pretended to be upset, almost bringing tears to her eyes. "After all I am just a commoner to you- I don't deserve to even speak to you." She looked up at him, her eyes glistening in the smoke-filled bar. "I'll go," she said as she began to stand.

"Wait," he said, placing his hand on top of hers. She paused, looking into his glowing eyes again. "I want you to be here... Yuffie."

Smiling, she sat back down and said, "Yeah I know, I was just testing to see how far I would have to go before you said something." Snickering, she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

Shaking his head, Rufus muttered, "I really hate you sometimes."

"Awww," Yuffie patted his hand reassuringly, "I love you too, Rufus." He looked up and glared at her for patronizing him so. "No really," she defended, "I do love you. More than materia."

"I very much doubt that," he said, nodding to all of her materia-adorned jewelry.

She looked down to the table, her lip trembling a little. "Why don't you believe me when I tell you how I feel?" And then she added in a whisper, "Do you even care anout me anymore?"

It was as if someone had smacked him hard in the chest. Breathing had become difficult and his heart raced. How could it be that such a little vixen had this power over him? Before he knew what he was doing, he slid is chair in close next to hers. Wrapping his arms around her, he brought her in close and whispered in her ear, "You know how I feel about you... Kisaragi... Yuffie."

She moaned as his voice tickled the inside of her ear. "Yes, but," she said, trying to regain her composure. "Yes, but... why won't you tell me. Why can't it be like back in Wutai?"

"We were just kids, back then. We are adults now." Or at least I am, he said, noting that Yuffie was still very much a child herself.

Smiling, she turned her head slightly so she could look him in the eye. "Don't get me wrong, Rufus-chan," she said. "There are... perks with us being adults," as she spoke, her hand snaked down to his thighs, inching towards regions that he would not be able to control if she kept touching him like that. "However," she added, taking her hand away from his leg, "I don't see why you and I could be closer like we were back when we were youn-"

"Because we are hardly those naive children any longer, Yuffie," he blurted out harshly.

Yuffie pulled back from his grasp with a quiet gasp. Rufus scolded himself for being so harsh. She never liked it when he snapped back like that with her- it was the President coming out from within him and she hated it.

When they were younger, it was very different. Scared by his father, she often found him crying and trembling. And she would always be there to make him feel better. To comfort him. But then the day came that Wutai and ShinRa had officially split ties, and were even threatening war. And that was the day her Rufus-chan grew up. Since then it was playing message-tag with the Turks. And always having to cover up the true meanings of his messages. He hadn't seen her this close in almost a year. Yet she still came to him, still happy and anxious to see him as if they still were children.

From the other side of the bar, the door opened. Reno and Rude of the Turks walked into the bar. Reno looking excited by the amount of alcohol in the building. Rude looked less than thrilled by the foul stench of stale cigarette smoke.

He spotted them before they spotted him. Quickly, he brought Yuffie in close once more. "I don't have a lot of time, Yuffie. I wish that I could stay longer."

Yuffie looked away, still a little frightened of what she had just seen. "No, it's fine. I understand. Go do your job, sweetie." Rufus did not like upset that she sounded. He probed her with his blue eyes. "Rufus-chan," Yuffie said, looking at him once more. "Go do your job." She brought her hand up to his cheek and traced his cheekbone, "And I'll do mine."

"One day this fight will be over," he said. He still held her tight, not wanting to let go of her small body. Ever.

She smiled then, "One day."

"And then... I'll keep you this close to me, forever." Pushing his lips against hers, he probed her mouth with his tongue. Once again Yuffie moaned in delight.

This was not supposed to excite him in the way that it was. He should have not wanted to ravish her right then and there. He should be arresting her, or, oh-yes that flick of her tongue felt good. No! This should not be pleasure to him. It should be pain. Yet the only pain that was registering with him was the fact that he would have to pull away from this before long.

"President-san."

Pulling away from their kiss, Rufus glared at his two bodyguards who were looming over them. He knew that he could not have circumvented the Turks for long. They were made to find these things out. At least he had a few minutes alone with her.

"One moment," he replied with a glare.

Rude adjusted his sunglasses, "If we do not hurry, sir, Scarlet will soon find out where we went."

"Yeah," Reno nodded. "And she'll be like seriously pissed to see what we just saw- Shit and here all this time I thought you were just playing mind games with the bitch."

Rufus narrowed his eyes, "You would do kindly not to use such language in front of Kisaragi-san, Reno- or you might not wake up in the morning."

Whistling, Reno turned around and headed for the bar, "Shiiiit man, he's got it bad for her."

Turning his attention back to the hapless girl in his arms, Rufus smiled slightly and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm sorry I have to leave now."

She smiled in return. "Some date this turned out to be. See you in the field, I suppose."

"I'll see you, but you won't see me." He then leaned in for another kiss.

However he was stopped by Rude clearing his throat.

Annoyed, Rufus sighed and stood up. As he did so, he slid Yuffie's arm so her hand would slide into his. "Alright, Rude. I'm coming."

Yuffie stood as well, looking into his eyes with such longing. "I love you," she whispered.

Once again, his heart began to race. The three words from her mouth should have not gotten such a reaction out of him. He was the President of ShinRa, Inc. after all. Hearing such words from a traitor should have brought fury forth. Instead, his whole body was aching to hold her against him once more. "Me too," he whispered back.

As he slipped his hand away from hers, it felt as if the Planet was trying to swallow him whole. His steps were heavy as he walked away, trying not to look back at the small girl who was, no doubt, still standing, watching him leave. Wrapping himself up in the hate and power of his position once more, he followed Reno and Rude out of the bar with his heavy steps. Back to his world of absolute power. Back to his world of fear. And away from the embrace of the small girl who smelt of strawberries and his freedom.

He wasn't supposed to be in love. But by Shiva, he certainly was.

Fin

Notes:
Okay, this was just a playful thing for me to write. This was inspired by a drawing I did a few months back of Rufus and Yuffie just looking cute while out on a date (Yuffie's outfit description is taken from the picture), and so I started writing this but got stuck halfway through because of real-life issues and things like that.

However, I recently have had my FFVII obsession refueled by the new Advent Children preview and I just had to do something. And as much as I would LOVE to see Rufus/Yuffie action in FF:AC, I know there's no chance in hell that there will be. Not to mention, ummm scarred and burned much? That's why he has the sheet over most of his body... nn And if you try to argue with me that the guy in the wheelchair is not Rufus, you haven't seen the third trailer. The voice actor for Rufus has been announced (it's the same as Roy from FMA), and trust me, that's him. squeal

ANYWAY, this could be read as a supplementary chapter for Just You Average Fairytale... as it uses the same background and things. Rufus is just more conflicted than he was in JYAF.

Disclaimer:
Final Fantasy VII is owned by the RPG Gods, SquareEnix. Standard disclaimers apply.