Vincent walked among the bodies, lined up in rows.
"What do you suppose caused all of this?" he asked, his voice quiet. For some reason, his voice echoed in the chamber. He paused to look at Cloud, who stood behind him.
Cloud shrugged and said, "Mass suicide, probably." he added, "Or homocide." The blond crouched down to get a close look at the gnarled face of one of the bodies.

"An experiment?" Cloud shot another suggestion into the air.
"Most likely." Vincent replied, studing the walls. There were small engravings in the walls. He traced over the gouges with his claw.

"Hojo's old stuff again?"
"Even more probable."

Vincent felt it rising. Like a flood, it came. He could do nothing against it. Pain. It shot through his body. Rocking his senses, and shredding his thoughts. the reminder of what he was; an experiment. A plaything.
None of the demons were rising in him. It was pain. Vincent had done nothing painful, yet he knew where it was coming from. He wanted to yell. To scream. Maybe it would stop if he did. But Vincent held his tongue. Now wasn't the time. He hoped that Cloud wasn't looking at him now. But something in the back of his head told him that Cloud was looking at him, wondering what was wrong.

That voice in the back of Vincent's head was right. Cloud was looking at Vincent, but he knew what was wrong. He saw it in the gunman's crimson eyes. Cloud got up and walked briskly over to Vincent, and took his hand. Instantly, his hand was in pain. Vincent was squeezing it, something he did when he was in pain. Cloud wanted him to know that whenever bad things happened, he would do his best to be there for him. Even if Vincent broke every bone in his right hand.

But Cloud didn't endure it because he was there. Or because he was nice. It was because he cared. He cared, more than he himself could comprehend. Cloud would rather have a disabled hand than a suffering Vincent. Even if said hand was his sword hand.

Author's Note:

My first ever FFVII fanfic :D Vincent x Cloud = the most addicting pairing ever. Seriously. ENJOY~

-Dark Angel Syndrome