A/N: My deepest apologies to all those who are waiting for updates on "Parties" and "All We Have Left"! After finding out that I have absolutely NO TIME with which to work on them, I would like to officially discontinue my work on them. If anyone would like to offer to, say, take up where I left off, PM me and I'll give my consent! I would have no problem with someone continuing to write either story, as long as I was given just the tiniest bit of kudos for the first chapters. Lol. But as you can see, I am still writing, and after discovering Final Fantasy Advent Children, watching the (borrowed) movie six times, and Google-ing for any and all information I could find, I am writing a fanfic. ReViEwS are aLwAyS LoVeD!!! Enjoy!

A/N2: As you may be able to guess while reading this, I have never played any of the Final Fantasy games (though I don't think I would mind trying), and the most I can say is that I have an active imagination. Which means that I will probably get quite a few details drastically wrong. And, quite obviously, I own nothing (though I wish I owned both hot and sexy Cloud and hot and sexy Vincent). Lol. So, here goes nothing, I guess. This is a sappy romantic short story from Tifa's PoV, about our favorite blonde-haired warrior and one very cute ebony-haired badass. So awesome. Okay, I'm done. I'll actually write the fic now, I promise. One more thing- thanks!

Burnt Toast

If it wasn't for him, I might not be here. He's saved me, in more ways than one, and most of all, not even known it. Is it possible for him to love, though? Is it possible for him to care about another human being again? Of course it is, I answer myself. He cares about me, about Marlene and Denzel. I know he does. But... could he love? Could he reciprocate? I love him. All blonde spikes and blue orbs and lean muscles... How could I not?

My mind shifts, shifts to the man sitting next to him at the bar behind me as I wash dishes. Tall, very dark, very handsome. One of his best friends. Vincent Valentine. My stomach squirms. Is it possible for him to love? Is there a heart underneath all of that indifferent exterior, underneath those scars, behind those crimson eyes? Maybe. Maybe not. But if he did love... Could he love me? I doubt it. He is far too honorable. He must sense that Cloud and I... well, whatever. He must know that there is something, whatever it might be, between Cloud and me. So if he could love, I don't think that he would even let himself try loving me, because he would never compromise his own or my honor, and would never intentionally hurt Cloud. Of the two of them, he is much harder to figure out than my favorite blonde hero. Then again... that must be part of the attraction.

"Tifa."

I turn to the direction of the small voice and find Marlene behind me. "Yes?" I say, bending to her level.

"Where is Denzel?"

I look at her for a moment, puzzled. "Weren't you playing with him just a minute ago?" I ask.

"Hide and seek," she explains. "I can't find him! Where did he go?"

I bite my lip. I wasn't paying attention; what could I tell her? While I am trying to think of an appropriate response, Vincent speaks up. "Try in the hall closet, Marlene," he said, his face still perfectly immobile, indifferent, but his voice concealing amusement. I stand straight again, casting a grateful smile his way as Marlene scampers off, giggling. Cloud smiles his perfect smile, of course. He just loves Marlene to death, and I'd be willing to bet that Vincent does too, in his own way. Which makes me love them both even more.

Hmmm. Do I really believe that? Am I in love with both Cloud and Vincent? Is it even possible to be in love with more than one person at a time? Could I love them both?

"Tifa?" This time, the voice is Cloud's familiar low rumble.

"Yeah?" I turn around from the sink, drying my hands.

"What do you think?" He looks as if he has been waiting for my opinion for quite some time.

"Umm... What was the question, Cloud?" I ask, embarrassed at having been caught not paying attention, but knowing that he'll forgive me. Vincent raises a dark eyebrow at my uncharacteristic absent-mindedness, but I ignore it.

"We were talking about Denzel? I think he's garage-bound, all motorcycles and fast cars that he'll take apart and put back together for fun. Vincent thinks he's headed for architecture... Where do you think his life is going?"

I laugh quietly, taken aback that these two men were discussing such a deep subject (by comparison to what their usual topic preferences are). "I'm not sure," I say slowly, thinking. Denzel has always had an affinity for the arts, actually... And he used to love playing with blocks... "I agree with Vincent. I can't see Denzel playing in grease for the rest of his life," I say light-heartedly. "Fast cars and motorcycles, maybe, but unlike you, Cloud, he'll get over that after he's done with his teenage years."

Cloud chuckles. "Okay, whatever you say. But I'm always right. What about Marlene, Vin? Got bets on her?"

Vincent nods, a slight smile pulling at the corners of his lips. "She'll be the wild child," he says in his guttural grumbling voice, a dark voice which I suddenly find so amazingly manly and arousing. "You'd better watch out for her when she's about sixteen, Cloud," he says, again, a hint of humor in his voice.

Cloud rolls his mako blue eyes. "No way. She's going to be the good girl, right Tifa?"

I sigh. As much as I don't want to believe it, Vincent is right again. Marlene, by that time, will have been around me too long; she'll be exactly like I was at that age. I shrug to Cloud and say, "Afraid I'm going to have to go with Vincent on that one, too, Cloud. Marlene is the one headed for motorcycles... and the boys in leather riding them, unfortunately."

He laughs again. "Whatever. You going to send them to bed soon, Tifa?" he asks, looking at his watch.

I follow suit and see that it's almost eight-thirty. "Well, if you'll round them up, Cloud... I've got a few more things to finish down here, could you...?" I trail off, hoping he says yes... but not sure why.

"Yeah, sure," he says, standing up and exiting the room. I put another glass away and smile as I hear him call to Marlene and Denzel. What a good father he would be... he is.

"I believe that is my cue to leave," Vincent says, also standing up.

"Oh, no, you don't have to," I say, perhaps too quickly. Again, a curious look from Vincent. "Cloud will be back down in a second, and he doesn't have to leave for a few more minutes, so stay." I cast my eyes up at him, trying not to beg.

Vincent is silent a moment, staring at me, and to my delight, he agrees. "All right then," he says, resuming his sitting at the bar.

"So... what are you up to these days, Vincent? How is Yuffie?" I ask, hoping he has news of a passionate love affair, so maybe I'll stop feeling so irrationally attracted to him.

He does not take his gaze away from me, but says, "Nothing in particular. Yuffie is doing well, I believe. I do not see her as often as I do you and Cloud." He pauses for a long moment, and then looks at me curiously yet again. "And you, Tifa? You seem very... distracted... this evening."

I turn around and put away another glass, though well I know that his gaze does not leave my back. I take a quiet breath to try and rid my face of its blush and answer, "Nothing, I'm fine!" Does he know? I wonder. Does he subconsciously know that my mind hasn't left him, or Cloud, all afternoon, all night, for the past week, month, even year? Could he possibly know any of that? I take another deep breath and turn to face him again, realizing that I have no excuse for not looking at him now.

"Are you positive?" His gaze bores into me, penetrating, all-seeing. Oh, Lord, I think. "Or are you not telling me something, Tifa?"

Thankfully, Cloud re-enters the room at this very moment. "Cloud!" I say, perhaps a little too loudly, a little too graciously. My carefully-perfected art of never losing my calm nature, gone right out the window. "Are-are they in bed?" I ask, avoiding Vincent's eyes.

Cloud gives a murmur of assent, looking at his watch again. "I need to leave, though, Tifa. Are you sure this is okay, that I go this late?" he asks, sounding uncertain.

I smile. Always so caring, so worried about me and the children since what happened... I nod, even though I don't like the idea very much. "Of course, Cloud. Get your butt out of here," I say playfully, though my heart still flutters.

"See you, Vince, Teef," he says, and, tugging on his leather jacket and dangling his keys, he walks out the door. I turn back to Vincent, the only other person in the room to talk to now, and notice that his gaze still has not left me.

"Would you like me to leave so you can go to bed, Tifa?" he asks, standing up. "Or are you not particularly tired and would like some company?"

I must have had on a wistful expression, but I nod at the second option. It would get rather lonely for the next couple of hours without Cloud. Company would be nice. "Thanks, Vincent," I say quietly. "I could really use a drink." I grab a bottle of brandy and pour a glass, then sit down in Cloud's former place, prepared to talk to Vincent like a normal human being. Or, at least... Try.

"So, Tifa... Is there something you want to say?" Vincent asks, the penetrating gaze back in place. Do I tell him? Do I say I love him? Or is that going too far? Would it scare him? Probably... But if I told Cloud, would it scare him? No, probably not... But I love them both, so...? Could I tell one without telling the other? Would that be honest?

"No, not really," I say, taking another drink. "I'm fine."

"Do you know, Tifa, that you are a terrible liar?" he asks, though there is amusement back in his voice, like there was with Marlene. "Speaking as someone who has perfected the art of deception, I can say that from experience."

I sigh. "I don't think so, Vince. You don't want to hear my problems."

"Oh, I think I do," he corrects me. "Please, explain. We have all night," he says, and I try not to let my heart pound too much at the way the words are put together. Could we really have all night...? I wonder, then firmly push the thought away. No, I decide...It's not worth it.

"All right," I say, unable to believe myself, that I am actually about to tell Vincent what has been keeping me up for quite a few nights now. "I have a problem with you, actually."

"I'm flattered," he quips, and I blush a furious scarlet. "Anything I can fix?"

Not one for being shy, I continue, trying to keep my eyes away from his. "You could start by letting me know whether it's irrational for me to even have this problem. Which I'm sure you will have no trouble figuring out, Vincent Valentine."

He gives a short, unexpected chuckle. "Of course not. I know the problem. And it is about as irrational as I have ever seen, Tifa." His voice turns serious. Deadly serious. I shudder from its intensity.

"Why?" I ask defiantly. "It's... It wouldn't be irrational if-if we were talking about Cloud, would it? And- Well, I'm sure you know this, but he's part of the problem too," I say, again, blushing. "Why is it irrational in your case?"

Vincent finally looks away from me. "It just is. Cloud and I are not the same people."

"I know that!" I say, maybe a bit too loudly. "You're like- night and day, black and white... Maybe that's why both of you are so... infuriatingly appealing," I say, my voice dropping on the last two words.

The ebony-haired man beside me gives what can only be compared to a sigh. "You can't. There is no future for night, only more night. At least day is going somewhere," he says quietly, and I know that he is using my metaphor, talking about himself and Cloud. "Cloud is right for you," he says.

"But- but," I stammer, "you must have... some kind of... feelings... for me...?" I trail off, recognizing defeat. Oh, God, I think, look what I've done now. Made a fool of myself for absolutely nothing. "Nevermind," I say sullenly, my eyes prickling uncharacteristically and my heart wrenching. Why does it feel like I've just been ripped into two? I sigh and stand up, intent on fleeing to my bedroom.

"Oh, no, you don't," Vincent says unexpectedly, standing up as well and catching my elbow. I gasp in surprise, wondering what in the world he thinks he's doing. "We aren't done here." He doesn't sound particularly angry, but he also doesn't sound pleased.

Too terrified to argue, I sit back down obediently and he releases me, just as he begins speaking again. "Tifa," he says, "I won't say things that hurt you. So I can't tell you how I feel. Because Cloud is right for you and it does not matter what I feel, just what I know. I know that you would not be happy without him. I know you would not be happy with both of us, if that were even possible, which it's not. And I also know that you would not be happy with just me. What I feel makes no difference; it's the truth that matters. And the truth is, Cloud is right for you." This speech is said slowly, finally, and by the end of it, I know that there is no point in even beginning to argue. His tone is final, absolute... leaving no room for error or correction. Vincent is right.

The only argument I have comes out choked, spit between gritted teeth and in spite of a huge lump in my throat. "It won't hurt me to know how you feel, Vincent. I would like to know. I mean... I want to hear you say it." My heart pounds, and this time, even though I am still blushing, and even though I am near tears, I look up at him.

"You want to hear it?" he asks, taken aback. "I would think that you already know. But if you want to hear..." He leans forward, staring at me resolutely. "I think I love you, Tifa. You are beautiful, kind, brilliant. A good woman, one of the best. But a future for us is hopeless; well we both know that. Are you happy now? I love you."

I close my eyes briefly, still valiantly holding back the tears. "Thank you," I say quietly. "You know I love you too, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay," I manage, clearing my throat. I open my (dryer) eyes and stand up again. "Then there isn't anything else to say, is there?"

Vincent stands again with me. "Just this last."

I look up at him for a long, silent moment.

"Tell Cloud," he says simply. "You will both be very happy."

I nod. "Okay," I repeat. "I'll tell him. But you have to promise me something, Vincent Valentine."

"You- have to promise that you won't stop loving me. Even though we'll never... You know, be... anything. Even though it's impossible, as you say. You can't stop, and neither will I. Just... from afar," I say, twisting my hands together. "Please," I beg him, somehow knowing that he will not be able to resist that.

"I promise," he says. "Go to bed, Tifa. Goodnight."

I sigh. "Goodnight, Vincent." Then, standing on my toes, I reach up and kiss his cheek, just once, very softly. And in the next moment, he is gone, out the door, leaving me in the dimly lit room alone.

-the next morning-

My eyes crack open in the gray morning sunlight of dawn, and I hear clattering in the kitchen. Cloud, I think with a small smile. How long ago did he get in? I wonder, and I roll out of bed to go and greet him.

I walk slowly down the stairs, running a hand through my hair, hoping it looks presentable. "Good morning, Tifa," I hear as soon as I come in view of him. Of course, he has not changed, his leather and spikes and blue eyes still worn and tattered from the night before, but I laugh quietly. He is just as gorgeous as ever.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Thought I'd try my hand at making breakfast," he says sheepishly, holding up a burnt piece of toast. "But, uh..."

I roll my eyes. "Move out of the way, Cloud, let me help you," I giggle. "How did it go last night?"

"Normal," he says, leaning against a counter to watch me busy myself making eggs and toast. "You?"

I shrug, trying not to relive it. "Normal," I echo. "But... I have something to tell you," I say quietly, deciding that this would be the best time, if any.

"What?" he asks, and I almost giggle as his blue eyes find mine in a flash, looking worried beyond measure.

"Nothing to worry about, Cloud, really," I say. "Just... I..." I take a deep breath and try again, dropping the fork I am using as a whisk and turning to look up at him. "Cloud... I... love you."

There is a long, stunned silence. His expression is blank, then shocked, then delighted, then worried, then delighted again, then disturbed, then delighted... I almost laugh again as I realize that delighted seems to be the majority.

"Uh... Tifa... W-I..."

This time I do giggle. "Cloud, don't... don't feel obligated to say anything back, I just... I wanted you do know, so that, you know, if anything ever happened... You would have that." My smile fades into a serious expression as I remind him of just how short life is... and how fragile. "I do love you, Cloud... I just wanted you to hear it."

He laughs, to my chagrin. But it is a cute laugh. "Tifa, I love you, too," he says warmly. "It- took a long time for me to figure it out... And I'm- terrified of- what could happen because of it... But it's always been you for me, Teef. You're like... air," he finishes, coming closer to me, smiling hugely. I blush as he draws nearer.

"Same here," I say, leaning against him more fully and accepting the sweet, chaste kiss he presses to my lips. I feel warm and safe in his embrace, and I realize that even though I know I will always love both Cloud and Vincent, Vincent was right when he said that Cloud is right for me. He is everything I want and need, and though I don't think I could live without Vincent, I know I could not live without Cloud. When we break apart, the look in his eyes is enough to convince me of that.

"Now, make breakfast," he commands lightly. "I'm starving and a terrible cook."

I laugh and kiss his cheek. "Go sit down, Cloud." He obeys and sits at the bar, still not taking his eyes from me, which makes me laugh agian. "What?" I exclaim.

"I can't help it, Tifa. I'm a man in love," he says sweetly. "I could look at you all day."

I sigh. "Please, don't! I'm a woman in love, but you don't see me giving you googly eyes, do you?"

"Not that you know of," he says mischievously, and I giggle. I could get used to this, I think.

A/N3: (Wow, I have lots of author's notes. Last one, I promise. ) Okay, I don't really like the ending, because I think it's a bit of a deus ex machina, but I was running out of ideas and time, so I just sort of cut it off. This is, unfortunately, a one-shot, and I won't be adding more chapters to it, unless someone can be uber-convincing and persuasive about it. Lol. Hope you liked, and once again, puh-leeeez review!