Disclaimer: I don't own anything…

Note: I'm really sorry about the long delay everyone! I wish I had a good excuse…Also, I apologize for any OOC-ness in this chapter. It's just I haven't played the game in a while.

Second Note: The job I gave Cloud in this chapter isn't his actual job, it's just something I thought he'd be good at after the game until Advent Children.

Chapter 3: The Beginning of the Party (Vincent's POV)

The door creaked open shortly after I knocked, and Tifa smiled when she saw me.

"You DID come!" she said, grinning even more as I nodded.

"I decided to give this…'social' thing everyone always talks about a try," I said, wishing the demons hadn't taken all of the emotion out of my voice.

"Well, we're all glad," the brunette said, stepping aside to let me in.

I was in my ordinary black outfit with a red cape and headband, but Tifa was wearing something new. She had on a black T-shirt, and a slightly ruffled black skirt that was longer on the sides and in the back than it was in the front. (A/N: If you know what Tifa wears in Advent Children, that's her outfit!)

"You look nice," I said out of politeness, though it was true—I did think she looked nice.

"Thanks," Tifa giggled.

"So…who's here?"

"Red and Yuffie are here, and Cloud called a few minutes ago saying he wouldn't be much longer," she said, making a lazy gesture to the back room, which is where I assumed Red and Yuffie were.

"I see—"

"VINNIE!" I was interrupted by a familiar shriek. Before I could even blink, I looked down to find that Yuffie had flung her arms around my waste.

Tifa suppressed a giggle. "I'll go check on Red now," she said, leaving the room.

I looked down at the spunky teenager. She hadn't changed much. She looked to be a bit taller, but other than that she wore the same clothes, minus the arm shield, and had the same hair.

"YOU'RE HERE!" she shrieked again.

"…Yes I am. Please let go, you're cutting off my air supply, Yuffie," I said. I wanted to say something else or at least vaguely hug her back, but Chaos wouldn't let me. I could hear him laughing at my inability somewhere deep in my mind.

"Sorry," Yuffie giggled, letting go to step back a few feet and stare at me. "So how have ya been, Vinnie?"

"Please don't call me Vinnie…I've been as I always have been," I said.

"So, you've been the cold badass we all know and don't hate?" the black-haired young girl teased, grinning.

My lip twitched. Chaos wouldn't let me smile, though I wanted to. "You could say that…"

Yuffie giggled, swinging her arms slightly. "Thought so! I'm gonna go back to Red. Hey, you wanna come too? We're trying to find something that isn't a rerun on TV!"

I shrugged. "Why not," I muttered, following the spunky thief into the back room. Red raised his head, looking at me with his good eye.

"Hey, Vincent," he growled, wagging his tail once.

"Red," I greeted back, finding a seat next to him. Yuffie went to sit by Tifa, who kept glancing at the door anxiously. Red snorted.

"You know, Tifa, I think that if the others arrived and wanted to come in, they'd knock on the door and call you," he said, wagging his tail once again.

Tifa sighed. "I know. I'm just anxious. That's all," she said with a smile.

After a while, everyone else that wasn't there (with the exception of Aeris, who we all know was unable to come even if she wanted to) arrived, and Tifa gradually became less anxious. She smiled, talking to everyone. No one truly attempted to talk to me, but that was something I was used to. Most people seemed surprised that I had even bothered to arrive, but they weren't against it, either. That was a good thing—it meant I wasn't hated by anyone, at least not that they let on, not that I could sense.

After a while, the brunette bartender passed out drinks. Cid and Barret wouldn't stop taking them, unlike Cloud, who only took one when he was offered a drink. I wondered if he still loved Tifa, or actually ever did. They would make a good couple, I suppose. Would I be jealous? Yuffie seemed to be clinging onto me, and I didn't feel any desire to push her away. If that was so, why would I be jealous?

"So Vincent," Cloud said after a while. I almost jumped, having not even realized he was sitting near me.

I looked at the blonde leader, acknowledging that I heard him say my name.

"Er…what've you been doing since Sephiroth was defeated?" he asked. I could tell he was only trying to make conversation.

I shrugged. "Not much," I said, staring into the cup of some alcoholic beverage I hadn't even touched (except for the glass containing it), watching the liquid swirl in slow motion.

"You still in Nibelheim?" he asked, taking a chug of his drink.

I nodded. "What about you?"

Cloud shrugged. "I've been around Midgar, teaching some of the people how to fight," he said, taking another drink, then set his glass down with a soft thud. "Just the basics, since the Shinra people still haven't cleaned up the monsters roaming around the abandoned sectors. You get tired of seeing dead people, especially young dead people, who've been killed by one of them, and you're especially tired of it when you know they probably didn't know how to defend themselves."

"Hmm," I said, shrugging. "Sounds like an interesting job."

"It's okay. Better than no job, right? …No offense."

"None taken. I have no interest in a job anyway—" I felt someone staring at me and turned my head to see Yuffie giving me the stare I felt. "What?" I demanded in a not soft, but not harsh, voice.

"I've never heard you talk so much," she said in a giggly voice, her cheeks almost as red as my eyes.

Yumesuta: Whoo! Finally, I got the third chapter done! I hope you all like it…review, please in the name of Final Fantasy VII REVIEW! I take suggestions as well!