A/N: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE! Now I know today is honestly a stupid holiday, but it's a great excuse to eat candy and be chipper =) I myself am running solely on black tea and chocolate, and let me tell you, it's wonderful because no one questions it on this one day.

I want you all to know that you don't need someone to share this day with, that you can enjoy it all by yourself. Today is not about having a significant other, or hallmark love, or proving worth by giving/receiving gifts and cards; it's about loving yourself and being happy with living your life as you want to. Remember that; even when the time comes that you may have a special someone to share the day with, it's about loving life.

I hope everyone's been having a good day, and here's my gift to all of you, to express my love for all my readers and friends out there =)


The Kiss Stolen

He grabs the smaller boy and yanks him forward, hungrily covers those plump lips with his own. But all too quickly the moment is broken by the smaller boy pushing him away with indignation.

"What the fuck?"

Axel doesn't answer; watching Roxas pant with anger he bites his tongue and glares right back.

Five minutes ago Roxas had been eagerly telling him all about his Valentine's plans with Namine for that evening.

Four minutes ago Roxas got to the part where he kisses Namine goodnight, how it's supposed to be their first kiss as they haven't been going out very long.

Three minutes ago found Axel suddenly unable to look away from his best friend's lips, the lips apparently untouched by another.

Two minutes ago he entertained a horrible idea, how Namine would never be good enough for Roxas, that he couldn't bare another to take that first kiss.

One minute ago he calmed down enough to chide himself for such unwarranted jealousy; Namine was a sweet girl and Roxas deserved to be happy.

He doesn't really know what happened in those last sixty seconds.

All he knows is that now Roxas is furious with him and he's just stolen something seemingly precious to him.


The Kiss Thought About Most

He knew Seifer hated him; it was obvious to anyone with eyes. But this was a whole new level of animosity. He just liked to torment Hayner, that's all it was, that's the only reason why he did anything.

That's the only reason Hayner can think of for why Seifer does this to him, why he fucks with him like this. Every year come February 14 Seifer will find some way to catch him alone, to catch him off guard. He'll sneak up on and slam him into the nearest available surface, grinning that self-satisfied, starved smirk of his. And then he'll inflict the worst punishment he can obviously think of: he pins Hayner to whatever surface and kisses him. He must hate him, that's why the action is nothing like what you see on movies with its sweet caresses and gentle love. It's always raw something and violence, all dominance and what must be hatred burning beneath their skin, exciting their nerves. And then too suddenly he'll pull away with a sharp bite to his bottom lip that has him bleeding, proclaiming him the victor, and sneers, "Happy Valentine's Day Lamer." before he lets him collapse into an undignified heap and leaves him utterly alone.

Hayner sits in the back alley near the sandlot after one such event, stunned into paralysis and once again thinking over all these pieces; he can't think of any other reason besides loathing that would prompt such repeated cruelty.

Yes, Seifer must hate him a whole lot.


The Kiss Missed

"Mr. Leonhart, got a few deliveries for you."

"Hello again Cloud." Leon comes to the front counter from one of the back rooms, brushing sawdust from his hair and even more from his clothes. He grimaces at the stack of envelopes and oddly shaped packages in Cloud's arms.

Cloud chuckles at the reaction, "Pretty popular today Leon; ever thought about not being a heart throb?"

"Too much effort." He shrugs indifferently, but his tone is light. "All right, hand 'em over, I'm ready for the absurdity this time."

Cloud cocks an eyebrow and waits, "What did I say this morning?"

The lion rolls his eyes and disappears into the back room again. He reemerges from the piles of half constructed picture frames with a clear container, throwing it onto the counter between them haphazardly. "That you don't work for free; yeah, yeah, I heard you."

Cloud pushes the pile of Valentine's garbage closer to him, as if glad to be rid of it, and pops the lid of the container and sticks his nose inside, inhaling with appreciation. With the offered fork a hearty piece of the dessert is shoved into his watering mouth.

"Mmm, fuck yes," he almost moans, "Leon's chocolate booze cake; you sure know how to turn a guy on."

"Yes, that's exactly my intention." Leon mutters absentmindedly as he scans through the drivel on brightly colored cards, unaware of Cloud's bright gaze flicking to him briefly. "You know, you're awfully chatty today, especially for it being one of your busiest days of the year."

"Exactly," the blond replies through a mouthful of alcoholic chocolate heaven, "I've been running on chocolate and candy alone today, my blood must be 50% sugar at this point. Now come on, let's see what you've got this time." He sets aside the now empty plastic bowl and reaches for the letters.

"Hmm, Rinoa the Tart." He tosses the pink package to the floor. "Tifa the bitch." The red envelope flutters somewhere behind the counter, lost forever behind stacked boxes. "Irvine the Manwhore…that one should be entertaining actually." The white card goes into his own pocket for later. "Aha, Selphie the under-aged slut, let's see what she has to say." He rips the paper open and scans the card, "'For my eye-candy, something tasty just like you.' And there's even a lipstick kiss next to the signature, lucky lucky."

Leon shakes his head at the card and tosses it aside himself, letting Cloud snatch the chocolate that fell out of the card and pop it into his mouth sans foil.

"I'd love to stay and laugh about the rest with you, but tons of deliveries and all that." He's leaning on the counter, eyeing Leon. The other doesn't say anything, a little unsure if there's something he's supposed to say, if maybe Cloud's waiting for something.

"All right, see you later. Happy Valentine's Day man." Cloud straightens as he says it, but stays within reach.

"Yeah, later."

Cloud spares him one last look, something like exasperation and faint disappointment, before he strolls out of the framing shop.


The Kiss Regretted

Sora doesn't know what to do. Today was supposed to be about love and candy and flowers and his wonderful girlfriend. But somehow it turned to secrets and none of those things talked about in Hallmark cards.

He doesn't know how it happened, but at the same time he knows it's because Selphie happened.

Things had started innocently enough; she'd handed him some chocolate with that giggle of hers, for all her eye candy she had joked. But then she started looking at him with those eyes of hers, big and bright and full of mischief. Her smile had twisted and her too warm hands pulling him close. He had protested, really he did! But then she had put her lips right into his ear and started whispering all sorts of things, things that had his heart racing and promises of things Kairi would never give so soon. And suddenly she was there, pressing her mouth against his and he responded without thinking, tasting traces of chocolate on her tongue.

It is the taste of regret and betrayal; bitterness covered by artificial sweetener.

He now wonders if the hint of chocolate had come from a box, or if the taste had come from kissing other boys in the same way.


The Kiss Wished For, But Never Received

It would be just his luck to be caught in the hygiene aisle, grabbing condoms no less, by the one person he would get flustered around.

"Demyx?"

"Oh! Uh, hey Zexion."

They stand there for a moment more, a tad awkward with Demyx's hand still clutching the vulgar box and Zexion coolly regarding him with that unreadable gaze that makes him self-conscious.

Zexion begins to speak, but Demyx accidentally cuts him off with his explanation, "You know my roommate Axel?" and at the other boy's nod he rushes on, "Well, you see, his cousin's roommate, some guy named Zack or something, totally forgot today was Valentine's Day, and asked Cloud –the cousin- to pick up some chocolate and condoms for him. But Cloud was too busy with work and asked Axel, but Axel was in the middle of some crisis and he asked me really nicely and—"

"So, in short, you got taken advantage of and sent on an errand for someone you don't even know." Zexion cocks an eyebrow, a very unamused expression adorning his face.

Demyx chuckles nervously as he drops the box in his basket alongside a few other random items, scratching the back of his head absentmindedly, "Well, kinda I guess. But I don't really mind it, not like I'm doing anything today…" He leaves the statement open, but predictably Zexion doesn't notice. The bookish boy never notices and sometimes Demyx's wonders why he even tries.

"You know," Demyx starts again, wetting his lips and strangely hoping Zexion's attention will be caught by the action (he does, eyes briefly following the movement, but his expression does not alter), "if you're not busy you could come with me to drop it off, it's not that far, and then after we could grab some coffee or something?" He adds a smile to the request, thinking that maybe this time Zexion will accept his invitation.

"No thanks." He says bluntly and turns to leave, "See you tomorrow in class." And that's all there is to it.

Demyx pouts as soon as the other boy disappears into another aisle, and then retraces his steps back to the chocolate area and proceeds to spend his entire last paycheck.


The Kiss Interrupted

"Zack, you're so sweet." Aerith laughs softly, seated across from her boyfriend of forever (no really: it had started a sandbox romance) in a classy little Italian place called Seventh Heaven.

Zack and Aerith were the type of couple everyone hated: the perfect couple. They were perfect for each other, hardly ever fought, weren't gross about their PDA, and would of course be together forever.

"Aw, you two are so CUTE!" their waiter, a hyper girl by the name of Yuffie, squeals when she comes over to take their order (about to kiss, of course). It's obvious she can hardly contain herself at the utterly perfectly romanticness of the couple; they got that a lot. "How long has it been?" she asks with a dreamy smile and notepad forgotten.

"Sixteen years," Zack chuckles.

"Dang! What were you guys, arranged?"

"No, we met in kindergarten."

"Ohmygod, that it so adorable and wonderful! You know what, don't even bother tonight, Tifa will take good care of you guys!" she says with a huge smile and deliberately shoving her blank notepad into her apron pocket.

"Oh, thank you very much." Aerith smiles back, a slight rose hue dusting her cheeks. Yuffie almost has a heart attack and has to quickly remove herself from the immediate area.

When Aerith looks back to her boyfriend she blushes a little brighter at the look of complete adoration on his face. He chuckles and reaches across the dark red tablecloth to intertwine their hands, deliberately brushing against the simple engagement ring on her finger.

"I love you." He says it with such seriousness -as if he wants her to never doubt it- that Aerith has to keep herself from tearing up.

"I love you too."

He leans over the table for a kiss, but just then Yuffie bounces over with two glasses of champagne, effectively stopping that activity. Zack is a bit miffed, but gets over it quickly because it doesn't really matter.

Little does he know that, because of this particular waitress, he will not be getting a real kiss the entire evening.


The Kiss Not Appreciated

"Kai? Yer not upset are ya?" Reno is eyeing her with confusion, as if he can't quite figure her out.

"Oh course not Reno, why ever would I be upset?" her words are tainted by the venom in her tone, saying two different things at once.

"Come on, Sis, don't be like this," he says with a rueful smirk, gathering her in a hug, "This is the best job opportunity either of us have ever heard of, yo. The Turks protect Shin-Ra, they protect the world!"

"Well then have someone else do it…" she mutters, hugging him back, but it's obvious her heart's not in it. It's ironic, she thinks, that Valentine's Day is the one time her heart is crushed the most. She doesn't want her brother to go away for some stupid job, even if he's lazy and a bit loose in his morals, even if he's not that smart and gets in trouble more frequently than not; she doesn't want him to leave.

"You'll be fine here without me Kairi; just remember that all boys are dicks and sex doesn't equal love, yo." He smiles and tilts her chin up, trying to catch her gaze, trying to silently beg her forgiveness; he's sorry for being a screw-up and not always being there for her. He's doing this not for their parents, not really even for their country, but for her; to show her that he can be the strong big brother that is capable of protecting her always, that he's not worthless.

"I'm not worried for myself; I can manage on my own thanks." Kairi looks away, out the window, and he frowns with hurt.

"Love you Sis, happy Valentine's Day." he says in defeat and brushes away some of her bangs to press a kiss to her forehead. She doesn't reply, won't even look at him, but he takes her silent tears as response enough. He hoists his bags over his shoulder and leaves the house, and Kairi's silence is broken by a choked sob.

It isn't until years later that she wishes she would've said she loved him back that last time.