Hooked

For aDisclaimer: I do not own final fantasy, I do not own any of the character, and of the plot, any of the places, or any of the games [Sadly enough, I just play my friends copies] but yeah, like I said, I don’t own the character, but I can still make them do things. Hopefully good sexy, adorable, and smutty things, but things none the less.



But now it is time for me to end my rambling and give you all what you clicked this link to receive, I hope you enjoy.

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Hooked

Chapter 2: Basic Feelings…



It had been a week since they had finally found Cloud again. Albeit, not in once piece. Though his body may be whole his mind and spirit had been shattered, leaving him an empty shell.



Cid had lead the expedition along with Barret and Tifa, leaving the others to wait and look after their struggling comrade. Vincent sat at the window in the room adjacent to Clouds, watching the world go by. He didn’t know why, but he felt a little nostalgic, more so then usual anyways. But as things go, he sat in relative peace from the others. Occasionally Nanaki would join him and stare out at the skies, and sometimes the strange little girl, Yuffie would come to him with the spy and try and get him to go outside with them. Other then that he was generally left alone.



The others where quieter then usual he noticed, probably still in shock from the loss of their friend Aeris. He was actually a little relieved, if they where all there usual selves he wouldn’t be able to get a moment to himself. They had all suddenly taken an interest in him a time after their stay at the Gold Saucer. Trying to learn more about the mysterious man, trying to get him to be more social, more of a companion than an associate.



Cid didn’t join in with them, though. Vincent had reflected on that for a long time, thinking back to that meaningless night. For Cid though, it hadn’t been quite so meaningless. The blow he had stuck to the pilot’s heart must have been harder than he initially calculated. He didn’t mean for it to happen, but people of the world like Cid, they could get so mislead by their feelings sometimes.



At that moment he had a brief curiosity as to what the pilot was doing, what clues to Clouds missing mind they had unearthed, and just what kind of dangers where they facing just now.



A wind kicked up outside and a leaf flitted across the ground and Vincent’s crimson eyes followed its dance wistfully, knowing just how it was to be enslaved by a more powerful force, like that leaf was slave to the wind. His thoughts retreated to the safety of darker thoughts and he stared blankly out the window once more.



++



Another day had passed and there was still no word from the others, not even a glimpse of the airship in the sky. Vincent sat in his usual place asleep, leaning against the window frame, his narrow chin resting on his chest, his face mostly hidden by the high neckline of his cloak.



His dreams drifted in and out of there usual horrors he had grown so accustomed to. By now it wouldn’t be surprising in the least if he woke up panting because of a good dream. Memories of his past tortures and betrayals flitted before his eyes with no particular order. His mind painstakingly viewed every vision, and then repeated itself when it exhausted its recourses. None of it caused him much anguish anymore, and his dreams where almost a relief from his waking thoughts and self condemnation.



He stirred restlessly in his seat and grunted in displeasure, in his dream he was walking alone in a green field, a scene that was unfamiliar to him. A dark shadow passed over him and when he looked up the Highwind hurtled past, smoke spilling out behind it. The ship banked awkwardly and fell from the sky, crashing to the earth in a spray of burning shrapnel and dirt. Vincent approached the wreckage cautiously, the smell of fuel and burning flesh almost overwhelming. The dead members of the crew where strewn about amongst the twisted metal. Rounding the remains of a ruined engine he came upon a back of wild dogs pulling at something, and when he walked closer hey looked at him and snarled, before retreating into the fire and smoke.



Vincent fell to the ground with a loud thud and instantly woke from his dream. He was lying on the floor under the window he had fallen from.



“Something wrong?” came a composed voice from the doorway.



Vincent looked up and saw Nanaki standing in the doorway, regarding him with curious eyes.



“Yes,” he said calmly. “I just nodded off in the window and leaned over to far.”



The big cat watched him for a moment before nodding and padding away. Vincent picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off. He looked out the window at the others outside together sitting around Cloud who they had wheeled outside for some fresh air and sun. He thought that he didn’t feel right, the feeling you have when something is amiss, a feeling he was contributing from being woken from his dream.



For the first time in a long while his dream disturbed him, the fact that something new had been added to the repertoire of nightmares. For some reason, that last image of Cid’s broken, burned, and chewed body was imprinted in the foremost of his mind. It sent a chill down his spine that he couldn’t explain.



He wondered again, as he sat back down on the windowsill, what the others where up to. He didn’t know why, but he was worried about their progress, and regrettably about the pilot’s safety.



++



That night Vincent tossed and turned constantly. It not only took him forever to fall asleep, but when he finally did, his dreams would wake him up, and in the morning he found himself feeling tired and sluggish. He was snapping at anyone who tried to talk to him and eventually felt so annoyed and closed in by the tiny building that he felt the need to get out and away from everyone and everything.



But aside from everything around him, he was mostly upset with the fact that he wasn’t himself, and that no matter how he tried, his thoughts always returned to the weathered pilot. Not only had he been feeling anxiety for the craggy man’s safety, but he was starting to feel guilt. Wondering if perhaps the man, because of Vincent, wasn’t able to perform as well as he normally did. What if the pilot’s mind couldn’t focus because he had still been brooding on that one little disappointment?



Vincent couldn’t understand it himself, but normal people had strange habits of letting their minds dwell on unimportant things. He wasn’t even aware of how obsessive his train of thought had become over the last few days.



++



It was morning again and Vincent lay on his pallet on the floor beside the bed that had been occupied by Yuffie. He was brooding as to why the air smelled so fresh and smoke free. He heard laughter outside the room and was suddenly aware of the fact that Cid’s overwhelming laugh wasn’t among them. When he finally forced himself to get up and walk into the other room it felt empty, and the air felt light.



The others fell silent as they all looked to him standing in the doorway. He looked at all there faces and noted that the pilot’s still wasn’t among them. He still wasn’t back from whatever dangers he was currently facing.



He turned and walked back to where he came from and lay back down on the floor.



As he stared at the baseboard for hours that day he had a horrible realization. He was worried about the pilot. He was worried about him, afraid for him really, was felling dreadfully guilty about him, and now he was missing him terribly. He had become as much of a wreck that he could become in suck a short amount of time, and now he didn’t even have the safety of nightmares to retreat to.



He curled into a tight ball and hoped that Cid and the others would return soon.



++



It had been two more days and Vincent sat once more in the windowsill, leaning back, eyes trained on the sky. He was the first to see the tiny speck appear in the distance and he sat up, his heart lurching in his chest hopefully. A half hour later, when the speck had grown into a recognizable form on the horizon, the others noticed as well and sounded a great cheer of hope for their impaired friend.



They all watched and waited outside as the Highwind approached and landed skillfully a little ways off. Three familiar figures disembarked and came walking up, triumphant smiles on their faces.



++



With Clouds mind restored at last the little medical facility was filled with the sounds of a joyous yet sad reunion. Cloud may be recovered, but Aeris was still a big loss to the team. It was well into the night when Cid, admitting his age, gave up and retired to the side room.



Lighting a new cigarette he closed the door lazily behind him to drown out the noise of his companions and walked to the window, looking out at the night sky. Heaving a large sigh he blew a long curl of blue smoke that bounced of the glass and drifted up to the ceiling. There was a sound of someone taking a deep breath behind him and he turned around.



Vincent stood in the shadows of the corner, his eyes closed, nose tilted up as if he was testing the air.



“It’s strange how accustomed to a scent one can become,” he said in a sad tone, mainly to himself.



Cid stared at him warily. He doubted he could ever forgive the gunman for toying with his emotions. He felt very uneasy about being alone with the dark man, and he was very aware of the heavy feeling forming in his gut.



They watched each other for a long while until Vincent finally spoke at last. “I suppose I really don’t expect you to be in a very talkative mood right now, but there is something I want to say to you, if you would just listen.”



Cid’s eyes narrowed dangerously and he took a long drag on his cigarette, completely content to let the gunman drown in the silence. Vincent nodded knowingly and continued on, all of him hidden by his hair and cloak accept for the whiteness of his cheeks illuminated by the light of the full moon outside that made Cid a ragged silhouette.



“I have become a wreck over the last few days. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I had nightmares about you, I worried about your health nonstop, and I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to see you again. I even began to miss your presence, saddened that you weren’t hear, that I couldn’t hear your voice or smell you’re scent.” Vincent paused for a dramatic effect, and the silence that ensued accompanied him perfectly.



“But, above all. Above every other thought that has been tormenting me, is my guilt. The terrible guilt I am filled with with every thought I have of you. I know I don’t disserve your forgiveness, and I am not asking for it, but I want to apologize for everything I did to you.”



Vincent walked forward until he stood directly in front of Cid, and he looked into the gruff man’s eyes for a moment before looking away in shame. Kneeling down on the floor in front of the pilot, Vincent bowed down until his forehead rested on the toe of one of Cid’s muddy boots.



“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice barely audible.



Cid set his jaw and turned his head away from Vincent, blowing an angry puff of smoke from his nose. He fought back the tears that threatened to surface in his eyes and took a deep breath.



Vincent muttered something to the floor that Cid barely caught and he looked down to the pathetic form of Vincent at his feet.



“What?” he asked not sure if he had heard correctly.



“I love you!” Vincent said a little louder this time, his voice thick with emotion.



“You love me?” Cid let out a short laugh. “You fuck’in love me!?” He stepped around Vincent and walked to the far side of the room and turned.



“After what you fuck’in did, toying with my emotions and crushing my feelings without so much as a thought outside of your god damned self. Letting me suffer with my shame at my stupidity and my broken pride, shit, and you have the gall to tell me you fucking love me?” He laughed again. “I don’t damn well think so. I’m not go’nna play your little fuck’in games.”



There was a long pause filled with silence before Vincent replied. “I know. And I don’t disserve any better than your angry words. I had to tell you, and I did. I won’t hurt you anymore.”



Cid watched as Vincent picked himself up off the floor and walked to the door.



“It doesn’t feel good to be rejected doesn’t it?” Cid said just before the gunman’s fingers reached the doorknob, the anger in his voice had been replaced by a mysterious wistfulness. “Though I suppose you aren’t any stranger to it are you? And neither am I. But, why is it that we can go through the pain of rejection, and yet set ourselves up to face it again?”



“I don’t know,” Vincent said quietly. “Perhaps it’s just our punishment for thinking we could be happy.”



“What kind of reasoning is that?”



“I don’t know, but I have yet to have any proof that it’s otherwise.”



Cid walked over to Vincent and grabbed his shoulder, turning him around slowly. The crimson eyes that looked up at him where full of tears and memories, and Cid could feel similar emotions building up in him. But before he could think better of what he was doing he leaned down and kissed the ex-Turk, softly on his pale lips.



They both felt weak and Cid led Vincent over to the small bed and they sat down beside each other. Wrapping an arm around the gunman’s thin frame, Cid pulled him closer so that he leaned against his chest. Vincent reached up with his good hand to touch Cid’s cheek.



“Why do emotions have to lead us in such painful circles?” he asked to no one in particular.



“Perhaps, so that when we overcome the pain, we have something we can truly cherish.” Cid said leaning his forehead down into Vincent’s hair.



“I never would have expected to hear something so philosophical from you,” the gunman said, a slight smile breaching his thin lips.



“There’s a lot people never expect of me.”



Vincent gripped on tighter to the pilot. “Well, I suppose I’ll just have to see for myself how complex you really are.”



“I suppose so,” Cid agreed.



They sat for a long time together, listening to the sounds of the others in the room across the hall.



There was a disturbing knock on the door and Tiffa’s voice called out over the din. “Sorry to disturb you Cid, but have you seen Vincent?”



The two men looked at each other and Cid grinned before looking at the door and groaning loud. “No, I’ve got no fucking clue where the hell he is, now leave me alone.”



“Alright,” Tiffa said.



“Oh, and Tiffa!?” Cid called out before she walked away. “I’m really tired, so I’d appreciate not being woken up ‘till morning, if that’s possible.”



“Sure thing,” she said. “There’s plenty of room out here anyways, we’ll see you in the morning.”



Cid grunted again and Tiffa’s footsteps could be heard leading away, and her voice once again joined in with the others. Once gone, Cid suddenly realized how tired he really was and he and Vincent lay down together, barely fitting, clutched to each other, in the tiny bed. Cid fell asleep easily, a goofy grin plaster to his unshaven face, but Vincent couldn’t sleep. The fact that he had no nightmares kept him awake, but he contented himself to listening to Cid’s uneven snoring.



Vincent didn’t know when he did fall asleep, but when he woke from the dreamless night, he was looking into Cid’s smiling blue eyes. They clutched each other close, and kissed a groggy morning kiss and just laid there, warm and content, for a long time.



“Do you want to tell the others?” Vincent asked rolling his neck with a series of audible cracks.



“Not yet,” Cid said, reluctantly pulling himself into a sitting position, his joints creaking in complaint.



“Then I suppose I should exit out the window,” the ex-Turk smiled.



“I suppose so,” Cid agreed, but then added. “But not just yet.”

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Well I hope you liked this little story of mine, not sure if it’s finished yet, so just keep an eye out for new chapters. And if you did like it, I’ve got other stories as well so feel free to check me out…!Comments Welcome!...



Thank you for reading…



Valicetra