A/N: Hey there, it is I, back from the dead, the service was good, but slow. Anyway, I know I should be working on a sequel for one story and a chapter for another, but besides a horrible writers block I hope this story can beat, I just felt like starting something new XD, so please all who like, enjoy. Flamers, if you post that means you read it or atleast bothered with it, hold yourselves accountable for that, I do however respect creative criticsim :D
Title: Unsurfaced Emotions
Summary: Sephiroth's dead. \blunt but effective\ The team has settled down and continued with there lives as normally as possible, but when a lost team mate shows up out of nowhere, and on the brink of death, new thoughts and feelings develop.WARNING: Yes I know I'm digging my own grave by writting this, but in all honesty it doesn't bother me, It is a slash /gasp/ Vincent x Cid. But no lemons, I'm not sure I can write ANY type of those -.-'
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or it's characters, they belong to SquareEnix, the story Idea is mine, but it seems so blase that I can't say I own the plot, just don't take it word for word, okay ,
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Chapter One: Troubling Reunion
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Leaves on the ground of a forest swept vigirously under the feet of a running wanderer. He kept up his sprinting pace while swirving through the vast forest trees that seemed to spring from nowhere. He lost his footing, but stayed up and continued through the low brush of a tree. He looked back briefly and found his pursuers were still following him through the trees with baited breath. He grasped his wounded side as he continued to run forward, vision beginning to blur. He noticed the forest beginning to thin and decided now was a better time to take his stand. He turned abruptly and lifted a gloved hand armed with a pistol. The beasts stopped dead in their tracks, growling on the prowl of their wounded victim. The leader of the pack jumped first meeting his fate to the marksman's aim. This sight sent the other beasts into an uproar. They began to uncontrollably pounce and attack. The wounded wanderer kept up with most of them, until one bit into his read cloack and managed to ground him, leaving the others to reap their reward.
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"Tifa! We need more water for table twelve!" Cried a young impatient Waitress as she entered the kitchen of the New 7th Heaven resteraunt and bar. The Hostess and manger rushed over with a pitcher full the demanded beverage. The waitress gave a thankful sigh. "It's a MAD house out there!"
"Hang in there Yuffie, it's just the lunch rush." Tifa replied with a warm smile as the waitress made an unpleasent face as the kitchen door opened to reveal the massive crowd.
"Don't remind me, I still have seven hours left on my shift." she said with an exasperated sigh. " What's with all this buisness, there can't be THIS many people living in sector six."
"Couldn't tell ya, but chatting isn't getting table twleve their water any faster." Tifa said with the same smile as she pushed Yuffie, playfully reluctant, out the doors into the masses. Tifa just chuckled and walked behind the kitchen to continue with orders as one of the cabinets sunk down and reeled back up a bulky, gun armed man and a muscularly, scrawny blonde swordsman. "Mornin' you two, unusually busy today! Barret! Chicken Fingers stat!" Barret quickly grabbed a translucent glove and his work hat.
"Don't touch meh, I'm sterile!" He said as he grabbed a load of chicken out of the fridge. Tifa chuckled in responce.
"Well I may have a reason for sudden rush of costumers." Cloud responded, heading to the other side of the cooking area. "Seems some scientest lost some hybrid monsters that seem to have been multyplying faster than he wished, there in almost every forest on the Main, Western and Northern Continents."
"That would explain this rush ah costumers, at least for the most part." Tifa said as she set up another order and put it out for pick up.
"But who the hell you gonna send out there?" Barret queered as he battered the chicken expertly with one hand. Cloud sighed. "Well Nanaki is still taking care of his own business and can't be traced, you two and Yuffie, "who walked in at this point almost knocking Cloud over as she came and left with table fives order. "...are all busy in here and Vincent is still in the Shinra Mansion and won't answer. So, that just leaves Me, Reeve and Cid. I plan to go talk to the scientist and possibly check things out here on the main continent, I all ready gave Reeve a call and he's gathering a small Soldier bragade to help him in the north continent and I'm sending Cid and the Highwind to check out the western continents."
"Roger that, Cid is probably half awake next door. I'm still surprised he decided to buy a house out here." Tifa said as she cut through some bread for the next order.
"Okay, I'll go talk to him, keep up the good work team."
"A'right Spikey!"
"Yessir!"
"OUTTA THE WAY!! ORDER TEN!!!"
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Cid swore loudly as a knocking on the door woke him from a restful slumber. He worked his tired body up out of the queen sized bed grasping his head as it throbbed. He had fallen asleep, fully clothed, and only three hours ago due to repairs and upgrades he decided to do on the Highwind. The knocking continued as Cid finally got up out of the bed!
"Hold your god damn horses, I'm coming!" He shouted as he walked over to the door. He swung it open mildly violent to reveal the blonde leader lookin slightly grimaced at the sudden door movement. "Ah hell." He grumbled seeing the leader standing there. "Guess I got work ta do. Well, get your ass in here, I ain't going without some Tea, a Cigarette and an Explanation." He said, more tired than angry. Cloud just gave a nervous smile as he felt the giant sweat drop form behind his head. He walked into the small two bedroom, two bath house. It wasn't the worst mess he had ever seen, but a little cleaning wouldn't hurt. Cid motioned Cloud impatiently towards the Kitchen, still wanting his breifing as he lit the stove and his cigarette at the same time.
"I'll never understand why you didn't invite Shera over to come live with you?" Cloud mentioned as he looked at the Kitchen counters to see not only dirty dishes, but random machine peices and tools. " It seem you could at least use a room mates help." Cid just scoffed at the idea.
"She's nice, but too damn chatty for my tastes." He said, matter-O'-factly. "Besides, she's got that new postion as head of the Space Department Rocket City Division, she could use the space of my old house, I consider it a thanks and a well deserved apology." he continued, scratching his head as the tea pot began to shout. "So, What's on my fucking plate today?"
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The wandering marksman continued to limp effortlessly through the forest, covered in blood of not only those creatures, but a vast quantity of his own. He coughed up a little blood as he nearly tripped over a rock. He couldn't remember exactly how far he had gotten. The forest terrain seemed to have increased rapidly in the area, the vast upspring kept him lost. He prayed he was at least near Cosmo Canyon, if he hadn't already past it.
'Figures,' He thought to himself ' I decided to leave the mansion, and I get ambushed and chased by some crazy, blood thirsty creatures...well Vincent, what have we learned?' Vincent couldn't help but atleast join a little in his demons chuckling at the thought process he just concieved. 'Oh, like you've been much help anyway' He critisized. He tried to continue, but suddenly his legs just stopped. He could feel his knees buckling under the strain of his own weight and felt the ground get closer as his legs continued to fail on him. He gasped for air, realizing the cause of the worsening in his condition. He coughed up more blood as he reached in his pocket for his antidote and soft, drinking the later first, in hope it would deminish the effects of the poison in his legs faster. He drank them both and attempted to stand. He managed to get up, legs shakingly furiously. He took a step and seemed stable, he took another and fell to the ground. He coughed up a little more blood at the impact from hitting the floor. He sighed in defeat and rolled onto his back '...Maybe...a little rest wouldn't hurt...at least not more than this...' He could feel a deep weight on his chest as his eyes began to blur into darkness.
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Cid lounged on the bridge as the Highwind was making it's second trip. He had just dropped off Cloud at the Shinra Bio Tech lab and good news came from the trip. The creatures held a very short shelf life, and were beginning to die off, but the scientist urged for a little help. Apparently the hound like creatures weren't specifically "human friendly" and people were complaining about attacks. If the news leeked anymore the Shinra Labs would be closed.
Cid didn't really care, he thought the jerk may have deserved it for all this trouble, but he was under orders. Cloud decided since he didn't need to stay for further explanation, he could check the continent on Chocobo back, leaving Cid with the Western Continents and a possible patrol of Mideel and other small islands if the need arose.
Cid sighed contently as he watched the vast lands below him swoop by in a colorful blur. His mind began to wonder as it usually did when he was watching this scene from out on the bridge. He hadn't been to the Shinra Labs since the fight with Hojo. He gave another, more forlorn sigh as his thoughts traveled to an old member of the grounp who seemed to have just disappeared from the group.
'Vinny...Wonder how he is, he had put up with a lotta shit back then from that ass hole...hope he's okay...' Cid could feel his pulse rush as he thought more about the reclusive gunner, finding his fascination a little confusing. He admitted Vincent was the one he spent more of his time with while battling Meteor and so forth, but for some reason this feeling felt...different.
His thoughts were interupted as a young cadette reported their arrival at Costa Del Sol. Cid gave him a salute and gave him his orders. He planned to drop off groups in every location. He would send one group near Costa Del Sol, Another to Wutai, another near his own hometown and two near the largest forest location on the outskirts of Cosmo Canyon. He planned to help the two teams with the Cosmo Canyon region.Orders set, Cid returned to the dock to help prepare for the mission ahead.
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After dropping the other teams off the, last groups on board landed the ship just outside the forest near Cosmo Canyon. They all undocked, each carring their own weapons, Cid with his signature Venus Gospel. He gave the two teams their directions and sent them on their way. He planned to fly solo on this one, in hopes he would find time to visit a certain reclusive friend near by when they finished. For some reason Cid found the cloaked gunner on his mind more and more recently, and not just after revisiting Shinra. Ever since he left mysteriously, Cid found himself concerned about him. He felt his pulse begin to rush again as his mind obsessed over Vincent. '...ARGH...This is too damn weird...' He thought as he felt his face flush, embaraced at the fact that he couldn't shake him out of his thoughts.
Focusing more on his thoughts, the reminder of his mission came in a...subtle manner.
"Fuck!?" Cid swore in suprise as he fell to the ground, tripping over something big and furry. "The hell!?" he said as he got up to find what tripped him. He looked down to find one of the hybrid monster with several bullet holes through it. "Musta been some god damn hunter." He muttered as he turned around only to find several more bodies of the beasts lying around. Curious, he began to research the area. He noticed a trail cut out where someone seemed to have been running, a line of slightly fresh blood coating a trail of broken branches and slightly visible foot prints.Cid's stomach began to churn as he guessed he would end up finding a dying human, but soon wished that was all he would find. As he started to follow the trail he heard a deep, hoarse growl from behind, his stomach dropping to the floor as he heard it. He turned to find a small pack of the hybrids baring fangs and growling hungrily.
"...Ah Shit..." Cid grumbled as one of the hybrids growled back with rage and hunger. Cid swept his lance into a fighting position, preparing to defend himself. The motion caused the leader of the pack of animals to spring forth in attack. Cid expertly smacked the creature aside, spun his lance blade to his back, and slashed a hybrid as it jumped at him. Another of the beast made a rush for his legs, in which he swung the lance at the wolf-like beast's paws, knocking him down as Cid finished him off with a single thrust, leaving him and two more of the creatures. They growled in hysteria and both made mad rushes at Cid, who, in responce, took a cigarette out and placed it in his mouth. As the beasts got closer, he defeated both with two expertly placed and swift jabs that the creatures never saw coming.
Cid smirked at his job well done and lit his cigarette. Leaving the mysterious trail of blood by for now he made a quick search and found what he was looking for. There, in a thick underbrush lay a small nesting area where the creatures clearly had spawned from. Cid quickly pulled out his Fire Materia and set it ablaze quickly, and smothered the fire when it's task was done. He then decided to rush back to the trail of blood, where he had hoped to find a wounded, but still alive hunter.
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Cid continued on his search, finding several more hybrid bodies, newly created hybrids and plenty of nesting areas. 'Sheesh, the little bastards spread fast,' He thought as he destroyed another nest. 'And this hunter must be something to continue this far wounded.' He decided he shouldn't waste anymore time thinking about that and concentrate more on finding them alive. He continued to follow the trail, the blood getting fresher with every step. He continued to rush ahead and behind a bush he noticed a gathering of the Hybrids, encompassing something as if it where a fallen animal ready to be devoured. Cid decided to take no chances with these ones and simply grabbed an Ice and All Materia from his bag. Clacking them together, they both began to glow and soon, large Ice Crystals took down each of the Hybrid monsters. As each fell, they revealed the encompassed object a little more. The nearly burnt out cigarette dropped to the ground as Cid recognized the sight of the fallen victim.
"Vinny!" He shouted in shock as the limp body said nothing in responce. Cid attatched his spear to it's holster and ran to his fallen friend. "Ah Shit! Vin! VIN!!" He began to shake the injured Vincent to try to regain his consciousness if any was left. "Ah come on man, don't fucking die on me." Cid continued as he grabbed an X-Potion from his bag and lifted the marksman's head. "Come on, drink it up." He consolled, himself more than anyone, as he lifted Vincent's throat to help him swallow the potion. Vincent's body gave a jerk and he began to cough in reply to liquid entering his system. Cid gave a huge sigh of relief as his friend slowly began to open his eyes.
"...H-Highwind?" Vincent replied in hoarse, tired voice as his eyes focused on the rugged pilot. Cid scoffed in reply, a smirk beeming on his face.
"I just saved yer ass, and you don't even call me by my first name!" His voice filled with mock anger. Vincent wanted to smile and at least chuckle in reply, but all he could manage was a horrible coughing fit that lasted a few minutes.Cid rubbed Vincen'ts back soothingly until the coughing stopped "It's okay Vin, I got ya." Cid said, losing his gruff voice for a concerned one. He lifted his friend up off the floor and into his arms. "I'll take ya back to the Highwind and take care of ya." He continued with a suprisingly caring voice. Vincent began to blush as he felt the muscular man lift his lithe frame up and into his arms. As Cid began to walk back through the forest in the direction of the Highwind, Vincent snuggled weekly into his saviors hold, causing Cid's heart to race and a blush to appear all over his face.
"Thank you...Cid..." Vincent whispered audibly as he dosed off in his arms.
"Don't mention it Vinny." He said, still blushing, as he he continued towards the Highwind.
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End Chapter One
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A/N: Well all and all that went...well...sigh...I warned you I had a writers block. I kinda think it's a bit wordy, I may have mad Cid a little TOO out of character...and believe me I'm going to re-read this again and again, and there STILL will be spelling errors, not to mention grammar nightmares. My computer with spell and grammar check died on me so errors will be EVERYWHERE. Feel free to point any and all out, it would mean alot. Well, considering this is my first Yaoi, I suppose it went well, I'm more used to doing straight couples, but in all honesty not a hard transtion at all. I've always toyed with the Idea of writting a yaoi, they always seem to get more reviews XD I also like writting for the underdog character matches, no matter who they are...well It's 4 am and I have things to do early in the morning - -' Thank you please Read and Review