The Scarlet Letter
Vincent stood in Tifa's dimly lit house, the red envelope in his grasp. He had read the letter three times, just to make sure that his eyes had not deceived him. Each time it was the same thing, the letter from Tifa simply stated this:
Dear Vincent,
Its been awhile hasn't it? Cloud and you have been away for a long time. I haven't been able to keep in touch with him, and you've been almost as hard to reach. Well, it seems like we may never speak again...Are you ever going to return? I understand what you're going through...But please come back someday Vincent. I wanted to tell you in person, but every time I felt ready you left, so I'll just say it now and hope that it reaches you. I love you Vincent. I'm not sure how this came to be, and I know we may never be together...but I love you. Take care, and if you ever see Cloud again, make sure to tell him to contact me sometime. I miss you...
Love,
Tifa L.
Vincent sighed lightly as he tossed another wooden log into the fireplace. Tifa's house sure had changed. A fireplace, a larger kitchen, new paint on the walls. He liked everything. It felt warm, like a real home. Like Tifa. Vincent had finally gotten rid of the notion that his first love Lucrecia was coming back to him. It was time he moved on. Everything he had done was now forgiven, he made sure of it. He could move forward with his life, and actually begin to enjoy it. He had friends, a real family, and now Tifa. The door creaked open and Tifa flicked on the lights, almost dropping bags containing fresh fruit on the ground. After managing to catch the bags and place them safely by the door she headed back out to retrieve another bag. Before Tifa entered the house Vincent left, barely avoiding her. As Tifa knelled down to pick up another four brown bags containing various items a hand gently grasped her own. Tifa rose up, her brown eyes meeting Vincent's red ones. "Vin..Vincent?" Her voice barely escaped her lips before she noticed a smile on Vincent's slender lips. "Tifa, its been to long." Tifa smiled a little herself as her eyes traveled down to Vincent's attire. Not only had he cut his hair to resemble the way he looked in his Turk days, his clothes matched the old Vincent as well. "You've...You've c-" Vincent interrupted, his hands quickly raising to her cheeks. "I've come back for you, Tifa." Just as Tifa's lips departed in surprise a small snowflake floated down to earth, landing prominently on the edge of Tifa's nose. Seeing the snowflake Vincent gently laid his lips on Tifa's nose. The contact brought a small blush to Tifa's cheeks. After the snowflake melted on Vincent's lips he pressed them against Tifa's.
"Vincent..." She whispered softly, a hand raising to her lips. "Go inside where its warm, Tifa, I'll take care of these." Nodding dumbfounded Tifa turned and went inside leaving Vincent Valentine to gather the rest of the bags on the floor in front of his new home. Vincent smiled happily outside. With Tifa beside him, and the snowflakes now falling, life couldn't get any better than this.