Disclaimer: I neither claim nor own any of the Final Fantasy 7 characters.

Yeah, so I really liked this idea that I had in my head... but the more I wrote of this chapter, the less I liked what I was writing. So. Yeah. I'm not too happy about how this turned out since it IS a well-written piece, it doesn't have the same feel as I wanted it to have. Anyways, enjoy the read. Love.

Pleaser review!

PS. This is a two-piece, I believe, unless the next chapter ends up longer than I hope. And I might want to add Vincent's POV. Maybe. We'll see.

Meet His Eyes

Ever feel the burn of eyes on your back?

I can easily say that I wasn't one of those types of people who notice very much.

But then again, I never really noticed much when my eyes were so focused on Cloud.

Cloud's back.

---

It was a long trek to their next destination and they each carried a small backpack with their belongings safely tucked inside. The slight and occasional groan or sigh of fatigue told their leader that everyone was exhausted.

Though they didn't stop until nightfall, a collected moan sounded as Cloud told them that they could stop and rest till morning.

Behind Tifa, Yuffie instantly whipped off her shoes and began to massage her sore soles while Red XII simply scrunched up his nose and turned his face away from the intruding odor.

And to her right, Barret settled himself down by Vincent and waved various pictures of Marlene in the gunman's face, not even caring, as he rambled on about his daughter's photo, that Valentine was staring to intently at something else.

The martial artist leaned her back to a completely stiff and still Cait Sith and twisted her neck to her left. Her eyes were half drooped and full of weary, but she continued her gaze on the unruly mess of golden spikes.

Along with that fatigue mixed in with the wine was a passionate love that remained unrequited.

And hope.

Hope that maybe- just maybe- someday her childhood crush would turn around, meet her eyes and give her everything she needed and wanted.

Just perhaps, someday.

But of course, he would never turn around; he was too busy looking at Aeris. Hoping and craving the same things Tifa desired from Cloud. But, just the same, the Cetra would never return his gaze.

She was always looking towards the sky.

As if she was having a silent conversation with someone.

"Are ya lookin'?" Barret suddenly raised his voice, a bit peeved at Vincent's indifference.

But Lockheart didn't even bother turning around.

Neither did Cloud.

Nor Aeris.

Else emerald would have clashed with azure and azure with mahogany.

---

The battle was over. Sephiroth, Meteor, JENOVA were all banished and gone. There was a party at Elmyra's house, though the older woman barely spoke at all after AVALANCHE had told her about her adopted daughter's death.

But everyone still celebrated.

Life would be different, for all of them.

With the new fame they've involuntarily gained.

With the broken cities needing to be rebuilt.

With the many memorials that were to be erected before anything else...

Yes, life was not to return to before, but to something new. But still a normal kind of new.

No more adventures.

Tifa took the small wine glass in her tiny hand from Yuffie as she and the rest of AVALANCHE were taking up a toast and flicked a glance over to Cloud every couple of seconds.

He stared out the darkened window with glazed eyes, almost willing his flower girl to appear.

It killed something in the young martial artist.

"So, we've, ah, been through a lot. Lot's'a sacrifices. Lot's'a shit. But from now on, let's all jes' live happy-fucking-lives. How's that sound ta' y'all?" Cid held the cup high above his head and gave a half smile.

The group gave a hearty cheer before each and everyone lifted the cup to their lips and took a sip; each with a small 'happiness' in mind they wished to have.

Breaking her focus on Cloud, Tifa moved towards the kitchen when she saw Vincent standing in the corner, no glass in hand. Had Yuffie missed him?

Taking an empty wineglass from a table, she filled it with some random drink, along with her own.

Strolling up to the solemn man, he turned and straightened when she approached. She handed him the beverage. "To happiness. Okay?"

He wasn't wearing his cloak tonight and she could easily detect the hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Of course."

They both swallowed their drink, which had ended up being soda instead of alcohol.

However, she turned away right after their special toast to make her way to the kitchen again so she could find something for her blonde infatuation as she could see he didn't have anything on his plate.

She didn't see the hurt flash through Vincent's eyes as he had just opened his mouth to say something to her when she spun on her heel and hurried away.

---

Cloud had agreed to live with her in the Kalm and Vincent had followed also, though he lived next door instead.

The gunman would visit frequently, always offering Tifa a helping hand or a listening ear.

Cloud, however, spent his days in a daze, barely even noticing his surroundings. Usually, he would be sitting out on the porch, staring out into the sky, waiting for his Aeris.

Hoping to see her eyes; her enchanting emerald eyes once more.

And all Tifa could do was stand against the door frame and watch the swordsman's back as he moped.

But he would never turn to look at her though he knew she was there, waiting, watching, worrying. But he knew she was there.

"Cloud?" Again, she leaned at the doorway.

He didn't move a muscle or show any sign of hearing her. But. "What is it?"

"What're you doing?" She fiddled with her fingers unconsciously.

"I'm thinking." He whispered to the wind. Silence descended once more. Tifa remained still, not wanting to leave yet, not wanting to believe that this was it. This was how it would always be.

Her eyes trained on his back as his would remain staring into the sky. And somewhere in the Lifestream, Aeris would be gazing into beautiful Mako-green eyes.

"Tifa?" His voice cracked as he spoke. "What do you want from me?"

Confused and caught off guard from the strange question, the most coherent and intellectual thing that she could muster was: "Huh?"

"Do you want me to kiss you?" Her eyes grew to the size of sausages and remained unblinking as Cloud slowly stood from his place on the bench, only to walk closer to Tifa. "Do you want me to hold you? Touch you?"

"Huh?" Frozen stiff with surprise and shock, Tifa didn't- couldn't- move from her rooted spot. The ex-mercenary towered over her as he reached out and held her the nape of her neck in his palm.

But as she flicked her emotion-filled, deep and gorgeous eyes up to look at him, she realized that his azure gems were hooded and staring at the floor.

Not at her.

"Do you want me to say 'I love you'?" He thumb brushed caringly over her skin, sending shivers racing down her spine. "Like 'Tifa, I love you. I love you more than the world.'?"

Never at her.

Azure would never meet mahogany.

---

She sat alone, out on her porch. Not sure whether to cry for her pain or laugh at her stupidity. Tears ran down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly into her knees.

Suddenly, there was a warmth that embraced her and she peeped out to see Vincent placing his heavy cloak over her shoulders. With no hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her tiny form and held her closely.

They remained like that for moments longer, Tifa absorbing the welcomed heat. But… "Vincent?"

She didn't want to look weak. Even though that was a bit late when he had already seen her curled up into the fetal position, crying out on the porch.

But still.

"Hmm?"

"Can… I just be alone for now?" He kissed her forehead just once before standing up and strolling away, probably back home. But he left the fabric draped over her.

As Tifa wept and moped and brooded for next few hours on her porch, she never noticed the eerie crimson eyes that never went home burn her back.

That night, azure didn't –and never will- meet mahogany, and mahogany didn't greet crimson.

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