A Valentine's Valentine

(This takes place in Vincent Valentine's point of view (F.F. VII fanfiction)

'I can hear them talking…  I catch their accusing irises peering at me from the corner of their eyes…  Honestly, is it that much of a bemusement to see a man eating in a restaurant by himself?  Why is it that every visit to this same place, these same walls, the same red leather seat, never fails to draw towards me every glance and glare from every passerby?  Their sneering eyes drift to the metal armor on my left appendage.  They don't think I can hear, but I know what they whisper when they murmur their words into each other's ears.'

'Am I a lonely man, returning to this place because my lover has abandoned me?
Am I a homeless man who can only find comfort in these concrete walls?
Or am I just an old fool who has nothing better to do with his Sunday evening than come out and eat at the same place, with the same food on my plate?
I almost find myself standing and shoving those words of stupidity back down their throats with the barrel of my gun, but then I remind myself… that I don't care.'

'The waitress finally comes up and sets my plate down before me.  Her overly cheerful smile mocks me.  No matter how many times she has served me and received nothing but a monotone stare and a tip, she never failed to offer that cheery smile.'

'The smell of freshly cooked food, the sound of people, families, and friends catching up on the latest gossip, the drums of forks clanking against the plates all hung heavily in the air and mingled there without any intentions of quieting down until the last meal was served and eaten. It left a thick, invisible smog in the air that could choke someone out of their thoughts if they weren't careful.  How I wish I could pull my memories out of the air like I could the conversation next to me…  How I wish the same food that filled the hunger in my belly would fill the emptiness in this heart of mine…'

'I step back outside and into the cold.  My eyes are burnt by the brightness reflected from the white snow that recently managed to cover the ground while I was inside the restaurant…  Even after four years of being above ground, my eyes, used to 60 years of darkness, have not yet adjusted to the sun's light, much less the magnified light from the white cold flakes that now encased the earth.'

"Vincent!!!"

'Who is seeking me out in this weather?  Through the blur of snowfall I can only make out an outline, a mere sketch of whoever may be trying to approach me… but as she draws closer… Lucrecia??'

"Vincent, quit daydreamin' and c'mere!"

'… Yuffie.'

'I wonder if she notes the silence I give her as she bounds up in front of me, bouncing in place even though her feet are going nowhere.  I wonder if she even cares that I do not speak or hardly even acknowledge her presense.'

"Here Vincent!"

'… What is this object she's giving me?  A red box, in the shape of a heart?'

"Why do ya look so confused, Vincey VALENTINE?  Do ya forget what day it is?  It's VALENTINE'S DAY!!"

'Why do I want to drop this box on her head for that childish pun, pointed at my name?  Why should she think that I would care about a simple holiday such as this?  Valentine's Day is for young lovers, full of ambition and blinded "trust", not for people, monsters, like me.'

'I merely undo the frilly red ribbon encompassing the cardboard heart to satisfy the young girl and make her leave me alone.  I still question as to why she sought me out on this day instead of staying with those who truly show her love and compassion, something that I would rather not share with the rest of this lustful world.  That question rang in my mind like a droning bell until I finally opened the box and looked at the chocolate heart inside, the words "I love you" messily hand-carved into its center.'

'What emotion flared in the reds of my eyes, I know not…  Joy?  Fear? Anger? Bewilderment?  The conclusion of this concoction was utter confusion, and Yuffie must have noticed.'

"If you're too dense to see it, then I guess I'm just gonna haveta SHOW you!"

'…Why did the cold winter air suddenly go warm…?  Why is this girl standing so close… her… lips pressed against my cheek? her arms around my neck, which I note that she must stand on the tips of her toes to do.  Why me?  Yuffie, why did you choose me?  But my silent question is answered, yet again, by that piece of candy in my right hand as my eyes glance down to those 3 words engraved upon the cracked, imperfect chocolate surface.  Then I realized something…'

"Hm…. I've never had chocolate before…"

"Then let's split it, half and half, Vincent" ^.^