Title: Scarecrow Dreams

Summary: Vincent has decided that he's going to help Cid with a problem the blonde will not even admit that he has.

Warnings: Violence, angst, tragedy, death, blood, gore, horror, tragedy, yaoi, swears, half-assed dialogue and descriptions, etc.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Inspiration for this comes from Coldplay's "Charlie Brown/Cartoon Hearts."


Grunting, the blonde tightened his grip around the shaft of his spear as he staggered to the nearest tree in the forest, leaning heavily against the rough bark as blood streamed down his back and soaked into the cotton of his shirt and the denim of his pants. Fishing out his phone, the blonde quickly dialed the last person that he called, panting heavily into the receiver as it rang. "Come on," he hissed in a Southern drawl while his bright blue eyes looked around the darkness that had settled around him. "Come on! Pick up!"

He was not sure exactly when the attack had began, the blonde was sleeping in his tent with Vincent while one of the other members of Avalanche was on watch. A shrill scream woke him up and he scrambled out of his tent right after Vincent, making sure to grab his spear as he went. Something black flashed before his eyes once he left the tent, pain lashing across his face as he fell back and swung out with his lance. Scrambling back up to his feet, the blonde could hear a snarling among the grunts and screams that had engulfed the campsite. Flipping back onto his feet, the blonde struggled to focus through the darkness, shadows and swimming in his vision while the glow from the campfire was swallowed in a red haze. He could feel the blood running down his face as he turned his head, trying to join in on the fight and locate one of the creatures that had attacked their group.

A loud growl came from behind him, spurring the pilot to spin on his heels and swing his spear down, grunting at the reverberations through his arms at the solid hit and the following whine that the animal gave off. Facing away from the fire, Cid missed the creature that snuck up behind him. Pain radiated in his back as the blonde stumbled forward, gripping the shaft of his spear before turning and burying the blade into the skull of the animal. A pained sound came from his lips as he grit his teeth and looked around, unable to see anymore creatures or anyone from Avalanche. That was when he pulled out his phone to try to reach someone. At the very least, the sound of someone's ringtone going off would alert him to where one of his friends were.

"Pick up, Val," Cid grunted, jerking back when something sudden cut into his limited line of vision, blocking the light from his face. Even with his limited line of sight, the blonde knew that he could realize those unique eyes anywhere, even if his vision was tinted red at the time. "Shit!"

"Shh," the deep voice rumbled as gloved fingers rubbed against his face in what Cid thought was an attempt to wipe away the blood from his face. Dropping his spear and phone, the blonde wrapped his arms around the gunner as he breathed deeply.

"Vince..."

And all of a sudden the world faded to black; the heavy metallic scent of blood still holding onto his senses when he felt hands on his chest, shaking him roughly.

"Som'bitch!" Cid slurred as he bolted upright as best as he could while under the powerful hands.

"Calm down, Chief, it was just a bad dream," the soothing voice rumbled as Cid focused on the brunette that was currently in his bed.

"...Shit..."

"Do you want to talk about it, Chief?" Vincent asked as he ran his pale fingers through the blonde's sweat-dampened hair, his glowing red eyes watching the panting man carefully. "I will always be here for you..."

"I know, Val-"

"Vincent."

"Fuck off," Cid murmured amicably as he wrapped his arms tightly around the gunner's waist and pulled him close. "Hmm...yer too goddamn skinny, Val."

"Vincent."

"Blah, blah. Shut up and go back to sleep."

"...Do you want to talk about it, Captain?"

"'Bout as much as I want an enema, Val."

"Vincent."

"Fuck you."

"That would be rather impossible with your enema."

"Ha, fuckin' ha, Val."

"Vince-"

"Shut up, babe."

"Hmm...I love you, Cidney."

"That ain't shuttin' up," Cid grumbled as he buried his face into the brunette's face, unable to stop the small that spread across his face at the simple words, murmuring softly as he fell into a much more calm sleep. "Love ya, too."

Vincent smiled softly as he carded his fingers through the blonde's hair, humming softly while the blonde slept. Over the past years, everyone in avalanche had come to terms with their nightmares and had grown to deal with them in whatever way was possible. All but Cid, who continued to deny that there was anything wrong with him and that the night terrors were having any effect on him at all. He, himself, had come to terms with his own nightmares and made peace with the fact that his sleep, while unneeded, would be plagued with dreams of his failures. Spending his nights with Cid had calmed his terrors and allowed him peaceful nights to himself; the gunner was determined that he would find something to ease the nights for the blonde.

Tifa had found her recourse in sex, Cloud in alcohol and the bed of a redheaded Turk, Yuffie in annoying others and taking every day of life joyfully, Reeve in his goals of saving the people of the planet, Barret in watching Marlene grow up, Nanaki in protecting Cosmo Canyon and the ways of his species, and himself in Cid. It would only be fair to the blonde to help him rest easier at night. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to the blonde's forehead before closing his eyes and holding the blonde man close to him.

In the morning, he would show Cid what it would be like to fly without having to use anything but his own wings, to soar above the clouds freely. Surely the joy of flying would help ease the pilot's worries about death and give him a single night of peace? If it worked, Vincent was certain that he could strike up an arraignment with Chaos so the demon would not have any problem with cheering the blonde up.

If not, he would have to resign himself to having kinky, alcohol-fueled sex with Cid in Reno's bed.


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