When You and I Collide

24) The Man in Heels

~Fang's POV~ YES, AGAIN. NO WHINING ;)
Distant. That's how the voices I hear sound when I start to awaken. Like I'm listening from underwater. Actually, it feels like I'm suffocating, like the air is heavy and I can't breathe. Yet I'm warm, and so comfy. But I can't breathe... As a panicked instinct, my body forces me to sit straight up and my eyes widen as I gasp gulps of sweet air. Freezing sweet air.

"You're awake!" I hear Vanille squeal. I blink at the bright light of a fire beside me and the two people beside me. "You fell asleep on Vincent and he couldn't wake you up! I've never seen him so worried!"

"...Vince?" I say quietly. Ugh, my head really hurts.

"Oh, he wouldn't stop staring at you, so Sazh made him go get firewood," she waves me off. "Anyway, we couldn't wake you up and he said something about hypothermia and piled his cloak and gloves on you. That's when Sazh took over and now you're all toast now, I hope." Guess I wasn't suffocating, I think, looking down at my now gloved hands and hug the cloak tighter around my body.

"How come you didn't freeze?" I furrow my eyebrows at her. She shrugs.

"I was using a flame spell on myself and then curing when it hurt too much."

"You're crazy," I roll my eyes. "How long was I out?"

"Hmm... It was about midnight when you passed out and it's an hour or so past lunch time."

"Wow," I wince. My head really hurts... "Did I hit my head on anything?"

"Not that I know of, why?" She frowns.

"Just a migraine then," I sigh. Sazh stirs from where he naps against the wall. A couple minutes of head pounding and ringing later, a shadow passes at the mouth of the cave, and I turn to see a tall and dark figure holding an arm load of logs that should be extremely heavy for someone whose arms are as thin as his. When did I become so weak? Crimson eyes stare at me for a moment before he smoothly steps to the wall of the cave and sets the wood down before swiftly turning and walking toward me. Still so graceful, even without his cape. In fact, it's strange to able to see his hands for once, so pale and soft looking.

"Hey there," I force an aching grin as he crouches in front of me. Without warning, he cups my face and presses his lips gently to mine, pulling away after a couple moments.

"Do not make me worry again." Then he stands and goes back to the logs, moving them to the slowly dying fire. Vanille, wide eyed, blinks at me as I try to hide my blush behind my wild hair. I don't get it.

I used to be the flirty one that made the guys blush, left them hanging, and teased them. Now the tables have turned and Vincent is doing that to me without even giving an effort. All he has to do is look at me whereas I had to force a wink and blow a kiss. I don't understand; Tifa must've been right. I knew for awhile that I loved him, but being in love is something entirely different. Right? I'm not good at this crap...

"Aw!" Vanille whispers loudly, sitting beside me. I sigh and shake my head.

"Now he's just going to pretend we don't exist until I do something."

"Why are you talking so quietly?" She frowns suddenly.

"My head?" Vincent pauses to glance at me before pursing his pouting lips and continuing his fire feeding.