A Christmas Story…

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Disclaimer: as sad as I am to admit it, I don't own Final Fantasy VII *redfoxwolf runs and hides and cries in a corner* And I'm her awesomely awesome beta, silvericedrop, so yeah

A/N: This is my first final fantasy story, so don't be a bully :P

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Ugh. What is wrong with this world?! Why must we males have to go through this day every single damn year? Just once, if we didn't have to go through this madness! The green and red lights flickered on the ice-capped trees, taunting me with its reminder that Christmas was tomorrow. I have know idea what to get for… "Tifa," I finished the sentence in a murmur that spewed a puff of my visible breath.

"Hm?" called a soft feminine voice from behind me.

Shit. If I were on a cliff, I swear, I would've jumped. Glancing over my shoulder, Tifa Lockheart was like an angel. And she really could've been – it's almost Christmas and miracles happen. I felt my gaze slowly move down; head to toe. Mahogany eyes peered at me as her dark hair faded into that raven colored coat of hers. Dark blue jeans began to fold at her ankles and black boots revealed itself from under the stitched ocean. "Oh, uh… hi," I croaked.

White teeth glimmered as she spoke. "I know this isn't any of my business but," she flickered her stare from the flimsy green cap behind the thick glass to me, "if you want my opinion, that's a really funny hat."

Well this sucks. She really hates this hat. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. What else is there to get for Christmas? It's easier shopping for normal girls, but last time I checked, she's nowhere close to being a normal girl. "Yeah, I guess."

"Who are you shopping for?"

Bing. Bing. Bing. The million-dollar question. What's the answer? "YUFFIE!"

She laughed. Dammit, why did I blurt that out? Oh yeah, that's right. Because I'm a moron with a silly crush who talks to himself and thinks that Tifa would want a Luigi hat for Christmas.

"You like Yuffie?"

Hell no. That's what I wanted to tell her. I wanted to shout that out so loud, but how would I explain myself later? So I just cut our eye contact as my regret filled blue eyes stared at me from the glass. My brain told me to think and all I came up with is: 'Cloud Strife is stupid'.

* * *

"You like Yuffie?" I said out of disbelief. All he did was turn his face away from me, leaving me in the emptiness of his blonde spiky hair. My body froze. He likes Yuffie Kisaragi. Since when? If the sky was falling, I wouldn't of known whether it was my world or not.

The silence stretched out for the longest minute of my life. He stood up, his clothes in view. In a black windbreaker, baggy light blue jeans, and those black and white 50's tennis shoes that everyone loves. He turned around to face me with haunted eyes. "I-it's just tha-," he stammered.

"STOP!" I intercepted. "Just… stop."

The tension reached its peak and I couldn't handle it anymore. I looked at the ground right before I turned to run away. Stupid, I know. What else is there to do? I can't even look at him. Everything is just so stu–

I felt the tight grip of his hand on my left shoulder. "What do you want from me?!" I screeched.

I hit his hand away and ran as fast and as far as my anger would take me. Running down the street, I bumped into at least ten people. I never looked back to check who I ran into. It didn't even matter to me. If I looked back, in the back of my mind I know it means I looked back to see him. My legs pushed me faster through the crowd.

I weaved in and out between the buildings. Jumped over fences. Pushed past people. Probably leaving a trail of destruction as far as I know. I wanted to stop. I wanted to turn and run back and tell him everything. But I didn't stop. I couldn't stop, but if not now, when? Tears burned my eyes and anger joined my medley of emotions. Come on! I faced all manner of things, including Sephiroth when I was what, 16? I faced Meteor and monsters and a ton of other things and I was going to cry over a guy? Yes, it was Cloud but still…

Scolding myself gave me something to hold on to, and I kept on doing just that as I ran to Seventh Heaven. I closed it for the Christmas weekend so it was empty. Ugh, why do I care so much? I tried distracting myself by straightening up the place. I scrubbed everything in sight, until I practically scrubbed my hands down to a nub. Then I heard the familiar ring of the bell, the creak of the old wooden door, and before I knew it, Vincent Valentine was standing next to me.

"Tifa…?" I heard, but I didn't turn my eyes from the counter to look up at him.

"What?" I snapped.

Vince hushed. I just stood there with a wet old rag in my hand glowering at him. "Sorry," I breathed.

The door swung open as the bell rang once again.

"Hiya Teef!"

I felt like everything was burning and turning to ash inside. It was Yuffie. I flicked my stare at her. "Can I speak with you?"

Yuffie's stormy grey eyes blinked in confusion, but she knew it wasn't a question. "Sure!" she replied happily.

I dragged her into the kitchen and shut the door behind us so hopefully it wouldn't be broadcasted to the whole world.

As she stumbled into place, she questioned me. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

I felt my eyes shifting their gaze nervously around the room before they landed on Yuffie. "Are dating Cloud?!" I blurted out.

She stood looking at me like I was some kind of insane alien. "Uh, no. That sure is random…" She crossed her arms.

She wasn't dating Cloud and Yuffie wouldn't lie about that. Suddenly I felt relieved.

"Why you ask?"

"Because Cloud likes you!" I'm sure she could sense the unintentional anger poured into those words because she jumped slightly.

"What?!" she squawked, glancing towards the door longingly.

Suddenly, it clicked and I remembered. Of course there was no way Yuffie would like Cloud, even if Cloud liked Yuffie – Yuffie liked Vincent!

"You like Vincent, don't you?" I said with a small grin.

She blushed and stammered, "What, Vinnie McVinVin? N-no, why would you say that?"

My grin grew and then I sobered. "So you like Vincent but Cloud likes you-"

"Hold up!" she said, holding a small hand in the air, "Second time you said that. What on Gaia makes you think Cloud likes me?"

"He was shopping for a Christmas present for you," I mumbled, feeling a twinge even as I said it.

"But he likes you!" Yuffie blurted out, "Everyone knows it – hell, even Marlene and Denzel can tell!"

I blinked, hope surging in my chest before I suppressed it.

"But then why would he say he was getting you a gift?" I asked, sitting down in a chair.

"Um, hello, this is Cloud," Yuffie said, gesturing wildly, "He's like a master of hiding his feelings and everything!"

"Are you sure we're still talking about Cloud?" I asked, smirking knowingly and for some reason trying to divert the subject, even though I really wanted to hear what Yuffie thought. Was it possible Cloud liked me back? I had waited for so long… for so long I thought that my love was unrequited… is it possible that he actually likes me? Just as quickly as the thought came, I banished it again. Why get my hopes up just to have them smashed?

Yuffie blushed a bit again and moaned before saying, "Is it that obvious?"

Eagerly and yet regretfully at the same time (I still had no idea why I wanted to steer the subject away from me when I so desperately wanted an answer – was I possibly afraid of the answer?) I grasped the subject. "Yes, no, maybe so…"

"Seriously?! Ugh! Can he tell?"

"…Probably."

"What kind of a friend are you?!"

"The best kind." I smiled.

Yuffie flashed a smile but it soon faded into seriousness as she repeated, "Seriously though, can he tell?"

"I doubt it," I said, "He's in complete denial."

"Denial about what, though?" Yuffie asked, puzzled.

I smiled slightly at her naiveté, and said, "Yuffie… he thinks he's a monster."

"But he's not!" Yuffie protested loudly.

I suddenly wondered if Vincent could hear any of our conversation from outside in the bar. Crap.

"Ah shit." I knew Yuffie was thinking that same thing.

I swung the door open and there was Vincent, wearing one of his rare smiles. Yuffie complexion flushed to a rosy pink that matched her T-shirt.

"Well I'll leave you two alone!" I laughed malevolently to myself as I flung my self out of the room and ran down the street. She'd thank me for this later… I hope.

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Now Tifa thinks I like Yuffie. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?! Sometimes I wonder if I even posses something close to a brain up there. She probably hates me now. Ugh. Girls are so confusing; one minute she's all happy the next she's ready to bite my head off. I shook my head. People around me were scrambling through the streets. I looked up at the sky: sunset. I turned on my heel and just kept walking. The day already had passed and I still don't have a present for her. Maybe if I get her something really nice she'll lighten up and hopefully not devour me. Ugh. Now I have more pressure to get her something nice than before. Well this sucks.

OOF. I just walked into a tree…face first. Great. That totally helps improve my mood. Not.

I stumbled back and swore silently, rubbing my aching forehead. I wobbled over to the long bench drizzled with snow and collapsed on it.

That's it. Christmas Eve isn't my favorite holiday anymore.