Heya. Me again. This is a fic I did for a deviantart contest. Came in first for a Valentine's Day story on Vincent Valentine It's just a one-shot, but I hope you enjoy it.

Bittersweet

"Vincent? There you are." Tifa crouched down so she was eye-level with the man in red and black. He sat quietly in a far corner of the Highwind's cargo hold and looked up at her without much change in his expression. Tifa waited a moment, but when he didn't return the greeting she broke eye contact and started making idle conversation.

"You know what today is, right?" She paused again, though not as long as the first time. "Valentine's Day. I know we don't have a lot to celebrate, but... well, no one likes to be left out on Valentine's Day. So... I made this for you. Well, made them for everyone. I didn't know if you'd like chocolate or not, but my dad always said men like the darker chocolate best. It has a nice bittersweet taste and um..." She pulled it from her pocket, a small box wrapped in bright ribbons. She knew it must look silly, a mercenary tough girl giving out ribbons and chocolate on Valentine's Day, but she knew how much it could hurt to be alone on such a holiday.

Vincent reached for the box and took it with hardly a sound. "Thank you," he said quietly as he nodded to Tifa. He didn't think he could offer her a smile, but he met her eyes and held them for a moment, hoping the message was clear enough. He'd always been a man of few words, but he found that you didn't always needs words to get your meaning across.

Tifa returned a smile and squeezed his shoulder gently before leaving the cargo area. He stared at the box for a long moment, turning it in his hand. He pulled the end of the ribbon with care and set it aside before opening the box itself. He didn't really need frivilous things like chocolate or even food really. The warped experiments Hojo had performed on him had seen to that. Still, he remembered it. Remembered what it was like to be simply human, recieving chocolates on Valentine's Day like any normal man.

"Vincent?"

He took a deep breath as he lay with his head down on the table before him. He gave a short groan and hid his eyes from the light as she pulled open the venetian blinds. "Just a few more minutes..." he mumbled.

There was a hand on his shoulder and the scent of lilies and rainclouds as she floated past him. "Come on sleepyhead, don't you know what day it is?"

"Payday?" He squinted against the light and waited as things came into focus. The room was far too bright and it took his eyes a few moments to adjust.

"Don't be silly. It's Valentine's Day. You should know that. It's your last name for Shiva's sake, you should remember it if only for that."

Vincent scrunched his nose and blinked a couple more times before he saw the small red box sitting in front of him on the table. Lucrecia sat across from him, her hair a mess, but her smile bright.

"Oh. That." He glanced at the package as though it were some strange alien. He resisted the urge to poke at it. "What's this for?"

Lucrecia shook her head and laughed, a light sound that made him start to smile as well, if only just a little. "I just told you. It's Valentine's Day. You know, you give chocolate to friends and loved ones, let them know they're appreciated."

"So which is it?" Vincent propped his head lazily in one hand and twirled the red ribbon around his finger.

"Hmm?"

"For a friend or loved one?" He smiled flirtatiously as she blushed. There was just... such a simple joy in teasing a girl, especially Lucrecia. The way her face turned four shades of red as she tried to cover it with her hand.

"I guess we'll see, won't we?" she returned, trying to look defiant.

Vincent lifted the lid on the little box and looked at the carefully prepared tiny chocolate hearts. He picked one up and turned it over, as though inspecting it, before placing it in his mouth.

"I hope you like dark chocolate. You don't seem the type to really... like sweets that much, so..."

"They're perfect," he cut her off as he leaned closer, his hand sliding into his right pocket for the little velvet box within. "I'm just sorry I didn't get you anything in return."

Lucrecia smiled, "that's alright."

She looked beautiful in the late morning light; her hair askew, her labcoat already wrinkled. It sounded sappy to say so, but she always looked perfect to him just like that. She didn't need make-up or pretty clothes. She had her own kind of beauty that made her irresistable to him.

He made a show of searching his pockets, "oh wait now, what's this?"

Lucrecia leaned curiously over the table, "you tease, what is it?"

He clicked his tongue a couple times, "now, now, you have to close your eyes. Fair is fair."

She rolled her eyes, but did as he said, "it's not my fault you were up too late last night."

He clicked the box open with his long, dexterous fingers and lifted the thin silver necklace from its box. Just as easily, he slid his hands around the back of her neck and connected the latch. "How's that?"

She opened her eyes but didn't glance down at the necklace, "perfect."

Their lips were only the tiniest of inches apart as their eyes met. He leaned closer as she began to close her eyes once again.

"Miss Lucrecia," came an all-too-familiar voice. "Oh dear, have I interrupted? Pardon me, but could I see you in my office for a moment?" Contrary to the words it spoke, the voice was not at all sorry. Lucrecia met Vincent's eyes for a moment longer before her mouth turned in a little pout. Work came first and they both knew it. Vincent watched quietly as she walked away, toward the old doctor. Vincent's red eyes narrowed as he caught the doctor's gaze. Their unspoken animosity added a thick tension to the air.

Vincent rose from his seat a quickly brushed past them both, tossing a quick, "Happy Valentine's Day Lucrecia," over his shoulder as he hurried away.

It was the last time he'd seen her like that. The last time he still recognized her when their eyes met. He saw her again, days later. She still wore that little silver necklace, as though she'd always had it. As though it was of no real importance. Her eyes had a strange glow to them and the words she spoke... he knew they weren't hers. Though it didn't make them any less painful to hear.

Vincent came back from the memory, his red eyes lost and unfocused on the small box in front of him. He bit absently into the small, shaped piece of chocolate and remembered the taste. So dark and bittersweet...