Disclaimer: Don't claim or own Final Fantasy 7… or its characters… or the towns… or the personality traits… etc…

-sigh- so how's everybody? Hopefully good. Or better, great. If not, my sympathy goes to you.

Oh. This chapter will be lemony… citrusy?? Not a very good lemon thing because… frankly, writing about such things embarrasses me. –blush profusely- so you should notice uhhh not so much 'stuff' happening. I'll leave the sexual stuff to Mirri! =)

Waking from Denial.

Steam floated away from the hot water; his hands, both flesh and gold, clenched a towel in the scorching liquid. Tifa was still burned in his mind. He couldn't erase her, she gripped his mind's eye with mighty strength. Vincent couldn't help but believe he'd fallen for the fighter… all he could ever think of was she. He'd have to force her out of his head; so many times, the gunman had caught himself comparing Tifa to Lucretia. Could he really go on a great journey for one woman and then end up falling for another? Or had he already done that? Sigh. Forget it.

Finally exiting the bathroom, he walked toward his bed. But not before stopping to look at Tifa. She looked so peaceful, so… untroubled. Giving her final glance, he pulled himself under his covers. Turning onto his left side, he watched Tifa's face, whose lay on her right side on her bed with Yuffie.

Vincent couldn't bring himself to shut his eyes; he just wanted to watch her. But knowing that he had a long day tomorrow, he let himself drift into a peaceful sleep. Until the keen-eared man heard a ruffle near his head, cracking an eye open, he saw Tifa looking down at him.

"Vince?" Only speaking in a whisper, her voice sounded so lovely. "Vince, are you awake?"

"… Yes." Sitting up, Vincent scooted back so he could lean on the headboard of his bed. "But you shouldn't be."

Giggle. Giggle. "You shouldn't worry about little old me." However, instead of returning to her bed, the martial artist went to the other side of his bunk and sat down uncomfortably close to Vincent. "I can take care of myself."

"You should go back to bed." Vincent felt a heating sensation in his cheeks.

"I am in bed." The woman wrapped her arms around his torsos, letting her right index finger trace his bare chest. "With you."

Gulping hard, he felt a friend of his squirm and he was perspiring from nervousness. "Tifa…"

"Shhhh, don't talk." Hot lips pressed on his neck, trailing up to his jawbone before he at last realized what was going on. Do I kiss her? Or push her off? But he couldn't find the willpower to fight the temptation, especially when he found himself being straddled by the Nibelhiem beauty.

Letting Tifa's mouth cover his, he noticed how her lips were exactly like his dream before, how he imagined them to be. Soft and cushioning. A tongue touched his lips, begging for entrance and he giving it to her. While their tongues fought each other, Vincent pulled Tifa's T-shirt over her head, only breaking their enchanting kiss for a second.

Vincent, now anxious for the inevitable, rolled on top of her, allowing nimble fingers to unbutton his only other clothing aside from his boxers, his pants. Now his manhood throbbing, imploring for release. Trying his best not to scratch or cut Tifa while he slipped his hands behind her, in search of the clasp to her bra. As he busied himself with that, a sly hand managed to slip into his boxers, grasping his enlarged member, causing a short gasp from Vincent. Suddenly, like a speeding train, a realization hit him, Yuffie.

Breaking the kiss, which was much more difficult than it might sound, he sat up on his knees. "We'll w-wake Yuffie."

Tifa continued to peck and lick his neck throughout his sentence, making it hard for Vincent to focus on his words. "She's not here…"

Turning his head, with the erotic woman clinging to him, he saw that she had not lied, Yuffie had disappeared to some mysterious place. But he could only contemplate it for a couple of moments before Tifa pulled him back down and stripped off the rest of his clothing. Noting her enthusiasm, Vincent lip-locked with her with fierce eagerness. The bra had long been disposed of; finally did he realize that she didn't wear any pants, only black panties. Pulling them off slowly, everything began to sink in. Him, Vincent Valentine, was in bed with her, Tifa Lockheart. I never would have imagined…

Tifa spread her legs farther apart, granting entrance to him. Without hesitation, he drove into her, first with a confusing rhythm but soon found a sensual pace. Moans grew into groans that evolved into screams and pants for air.

"Vincent!" Her walls contracted around his aroused member.

"Tifa!"

"Tifa!" One final thrust sent him over the edge, feeling serge of emotions of pleasure. Falling beside his lovely mate, he shut his eyes.

A forceful shove knocked him almost off the side of the bed. Practically pulling his lids open, instead of Tifa he saw Yuffie's face. Fearing the worst, he shot up with wide eyes and mouth agape.

"Hahaha. Oh my god, Vince! You are so lucky Tifa's too busy taking her shower to have heard you." Falling onto his bed, with salty tears almost spilling from her eyes. Imitating Vincent's cries, she exclaimed. "Tifa! Ti-"

The ex-Turk clamped his hand over the ninja's mouth, giving her one of his darkest glares. "Quiet Yuffie."

Shaking off the concealing hand, the young girl turned to face him. "If I were you, I wouldn't be giving me orders… I mean I can just tell Tifa about you screaming her name… I wonder what you'd be doing screaming her name for…"

"… No reason…"

"Oh, really now? I can think about one hot, sweaty, dirty reason." A sinister grin overtook her expression.

"No!" Was… it all a dream? Of course… she has too much dignity to ever do such an act with me. A monster. Taking on a more solemn tone, Vincent hid his eyes with his hair from Yuffie. "Just… don't say anything, Yuffie."

The shinobi opened her mouth, about to question his tone out of worry, but Tifa opened the door to the bathroom. Smiling ignorantly, not seeing Vincent's melancholy facial cast. Vincent entered the washroom; removing his clothing, he rushed into shower, hoping the hot steaming water would wash away the grief that seemed to overwhelm him.

When done, they got on the Highwind, Vincent stood on the deck with Tifa standing beside him. Seemingly enjoying the silence that had descended on them. Both calm on the exterior but full of heartache and bafflement inside. Tifa, puzzled with the passions that Vincent caused her to feel. Vincent, now couldn't deny the feelings he had for Tifa; he hated yet loved it. Both feeling a cold grip clench their hearts whenever they glanced at the other, thinking the opposite of what they truly felt.

Unknown to them, Yuffie watched them. She knew how much happiness could come from them being together, but they'd need her help. Tifa was still hurting from Cloud and Vincent was still loyal to Lucretia. Costa Del Sol came into view and it dawned on her, the beach, the heat, it was the perfect place for love to bloom.

"We're here." Nanaki called for the three on the deck. As they walked to find a place to stay, Yuffie strolled beside Tifa. Seeing that the timing was exact, the sneaky thief stuck out her foot, tripping Tifa whom was suppose to land in Vincent's arms. But not even seconds after Yuffie set her plan in motion Nanaki called to Vincent, who turned his attention away from Tifa.

A hot glare was scalding Yuffie as Tifa slowly stood from her embarrassing flat-down-on-her-face fall. "Yuffie! What the hell?!"

"Hehe… hehe… umm… woops…?" The fist-fighting warrior let out a shriek before dashing after Yuffie, who'd spurt into a run. The rest could only raise their eyebrows, feeling like they missed something important. Oh yeah, Costa Del Sol was going to be the perfect place for love to bloom.