Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even pants. Well, I do. Aren't you grateful?

AN: It. Is. ON!

Chapter nine

Yuffie. Yuffie. Yuffie. Damn brat. She couldn't just play nice, or be polite, or act her age like everyone else, could she?

Thoughts of her consumed him as he strode from Edge. She couldn't have gone far. He would find her, and make her apologise for...for what?

He stopped in his tracks. What did he expect her to apologise? Other than for ruining his day, she hadn't done anything wrong.

Why were his insides twisting in pain as he imagined her locking her lips with Cloud?

The sun was setting over the dank city, causing the horizon to meld into beautiful shades of pink and orange. Vincent blinked furiously, his eyes tingling uncomfortably. He wiped them to lessen the feeling, and then noticed liquid on his glove. They were tears, which mean... he was crying?

He stared curiously at the tears as they soaked into his leather glove. He hadn't cried in so very long; he'd never felt the need, because he had never cared too much about another person. Not after everything that had happened.

And why now, anyway? They had saved the planet together, fought together, known one another for several years. Why had he only just started feeling this way now, after all this time?

"Vincent!"

The gunman turned around. A bloody Cloud was running up to him, with a red cheeked Tifa sprinting alongside him, her hand wrapped securely in his, their fingers entwined. It appeared they'd already resolved years of tension in problems, thanks to a few simple words; if only that would happen to Vincent too.

He nodded at the pair as they slowed to a stop in front of him, their skin covered with a slight sheen of sweat as their chests rose and fell swiftly, as they attempted to regain their breath. Cloud's face was a mess; the beginning of a black eye was forming, and his cheek was bruised and bloody. Vincent grimaced, regretting him. He had never let emotion take control of him like that since reawakening, and the anguish of hurting a friend in such a way building up inside.

Cloud, noticing the look of distress on Vincent's normally blank face, waved it off, grinning.

"I deserved it," he panted, as Tifa straightened up, her breathing normal once more.

Flipping her hair back, she stared Vincent evenly in the eye.

"You love her, don't you?"

Out of his comfort zone, Vincent stared at his boots, meekly nodding. Tifa smiled, turning to Cloud. "I told you ages ago that he loved her too, y'know?"

Vincent's head perked up and he impulsively spat out, "what was that?"

Tifa rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around Cloud as she answered, "Yuffie's been coming to chat with me for a year or so now, about her little girl crush on you. I didn't think it would blossom into something so big, and I never thought you'd feel the same way back."

Cloud coughed, thinly veiling the word, "robot!"

Vincent glared at Cloud, before rubbing his head. This day had been too much for him to comprehend. A whole lot of stuff had happened in such a short period of time, and it was making his head reel.

"What...what do I do?" He asked Tifa, confused. She tapped her lip thoughtfully, her eyes searching the sky above her, before she curled her hand into a fist, smacking her open palm!

"I got it! You have to win her over!"

Both Vincent and Cloud stared at her, dumbfounded. Scowling, she leaned close to them, excitedly laying out her idea for the both of them.

A/N: Short chapter; I had 3 exams and had to move etc, so I've been busy, should have more up VERY soon ^_^