This story a thankyou fic for ani_mama. As you may or may not know her, she is a wonderful artist and has been doing commissions, not for her for but for our mutual friend in a bid to raise money for her to go to Holland (from the USA) to see her son and grandchild after years apart. Such an act of kindness should not go unrewarded, so here is my thank you to her for being one of life's great people. She asked for a Valentine's day fic, and despite a somewhat up and down week I managed to get it out on time.
Title: Gunslingers and Grease-Monkeys
Prompt: Valentine's day
Pairing: CidxVincent
Rating: PG – I think, I am useless at this rating lark
Requested by: ani_mama
Summary: Just what do Gaia's oddest couple get each other for Valentine's Day?
It was that time of year again. Even for the most established and loving of couples, the strange tradition of Valentine's Day could be a strain. For weeks prior to the date there was a sea of sappy cards, boxes of chocolates bottles of wine and fluffy soft toys. That was a minefield in its own right. Then a day or two before came the massively overpriced bunches of flowers in every variety of red and extravagant under the sun. But every year, couples all over Gaia managed to get through the minefield of gifts, overpriced evenings in restaurants, and managed to get into the romance of the occasion.
Now things got a little bit more complicated for the members of Avalanche. Mostly for one particular couple. The term 'the odd couple' was made for these two. One was a burly, smelly, course, rough airship pilot who smoked like a chimney and frequently swore like a trooper, completely in love with his aircraft. The other was an undead gunslinger, host to a number of demons, crack shot sniper and general emotional basket-case with good reason. Quiet, angsty, with a love of all firearms, a very dangerous and unique lover to have. Who would have ever thought these two could even get together, much less make it work. But they did. But for both of them Valentine's Day was a nightmare.
Cid had no clue what would be an appropriate way to profess his love for Vincent. The dark haired pretty boy was older than him but still looked younger, and was very, very skittish at the best of times. What would be normal things could send Vincent off into a depressive fit and that certainly wasn't what the airship captain was aiming for. The whole thing with shops full of things that were fluffy and covered in hearts was frankly depressing to him. Its not that they had to celebrate Valentine's day, far from it, after all, they were both old enough to be past the commercialism of the day now. No, it was because he wanted to do something, show Vin just how much he cared.
Unbeknownst to Cid, Vincent was also thinking along the same lines. As socially withdrawn as he was, Cid was not. Days like this and Christmas and birthdays were important to him. And as such made them important to him too, even if he never said as much. He cared about them because Cid did. But he was no more into cards covered in hearts with sickening verses 'to my snugglebunny' than Cid was. Both found it vapid and crass. Believe it or not the crude pilot actually knew the meaning of the word vapid. But that aside, just what did he get Cid for Valentines?
Actually, the pair did not know it, but the ladies in their lives (aka Tifa and Aeris – because Yuffie was still a bit of a giggler when things got serious), had been keeping an eye on them in the way that good friends do of course. As Valentine's day neared and the two seemed twitchier than ever, the two women made a pact and Tifa pulled Cid to one side, while Aeris approached Vincent. It was an easy plan, elegant in its simplicity. They simply asked them the same question. What does your man love most? When they met up later to discuss, it seemed that the proverbial penny had dropped in much the same way with both men. Cid had grinned and shot off a rate of knots. Vincent had been more restrained, thanked Aeris quietly and swept off to do whatever it was that had occurred to him.
But sourcing unique gifts took time and there was what? Two days till Valentines? Cid was like a man possessed, off into every town searching for just the right gift. As such the two didn't see each other for the whole two days. That suited Vincent just fine, as really he needed the peace to be able to do what he wanted in secret. He was not concerned, Cid would turn up when his self imposed mission was over, and with any luck, he might have finished what he was up to by then as well. His task required calm, though the pilot was getting somewhat panicked.
Valentine's day morning had arrived and he had not yet succeeded in finding a gift. He had come close, but nothing had been quite right. So as Vincent lay sleeping beside him, he had snuck out to try one last damn lead and see if he would get this right. He had no idea what he was going to do if this fell through. As the front door shut, Vincent opened his eyes with a smile. Good, he had a couple of hours left to get things done. This couldn't be working out more perfectly.
Both men lost track of time throughout the day, both consumed in their tasks. In the end Cid had finally succeeded, and hurried home, his present merely wrapped in a big red bow, his sole concession to the holiday, and because red was Vin's colour anyway. He ran into the house, hoping Vin would not be mad that he'd been gone all day.
"Vin, I'm back." He called.
He was a little surprised there was no answer, but it could be expected he guessed. Well damn it, he'd only gone and upset him now hadn't he? Better go find him and see if he could fix it. He searched the house top to bottom, only to be utterly flummoxed when he found no-one there. Where was he? Surely he hadn't run off somewhere? That was then he heard a sound from the hangar where he had his airship, as well as the Tiny Bronco he was always meaning to get the engine fixed on. Wait, Vincent was in the hangar?
Gift forgotten but still in his hand, he headed outside and into the hangar. Someone was tinkering in here alright. The smell of fresh aviation fuel and engine grease hung in the air, and he knew that was his nine and three eighths wrench being used by the sound. As he got closer her could see a pair of legs sticking out from the engine compartment of the Tiny Bronco, dressed in red overalls.
"Vin?"
Sure enough, and to Cid's complete disbelief, Vincent did indeed appear from the innards of the aircraft engine. He was that shocked that he hadn't yet processed that Vincent was standing before him with red overalls tied off at the waist, wearing a black wife beater vest over his chest, covered in engine grease, long black hair loose and falling in glorious disarray round his face and shoulders. In short looking like every wet dream the man had ever had about Vincent.
"Good, you're just in time chief. That should be it if you want to fire her up."
Cid's jaw worked soundlessly making him look like a shocked goldfish. Vincent repressed the smirk and shoved Cid round to the open door of the cockpit and made him turn the key. The engine purred into life for the first time in years.
"Well I'll be damned! Vin… I mean… how…? You don't even know…"
"Its amazing what I've picked up from watching you. And I know how much you wanted to see her fly again."
"By the Gods, this is amazing."
"Happy Valentines day Chief."
Cid turned grinning to take Vincent in his arms and that was when his brain finally caught up with him as to how Vincent looked.
"Damn Vin, you… do you have any idea how hot you look like that?"
"Cid, I'm a mess."
"You look like a fine grease monkey to me." Cid leered.
"Why do I get the feeling you're not going to allow me to clean up before you insist on having sex?"
"Are you complaining?"
Vin cocked his head, looking at the forgotten gift in Cid's hand.
"If that gun is for me, then I'm not complaining. If it's a 1886 Winchester Repeating Rifle with the 25 and a half inch sighted octagonal barrel, fitted with the adjustable ramp rear sight then I'll let you take me right here on this floor."
"It is, and it's for you. Happy Valentine's day Vin."
Vincent grinned, actually grinned, taking the gun from him, lovingly stroking it gingerly, his hands covered in grease as they were, not wanting to sully the firearm too much. He put it down with great care before walking up to Cid and wrapping his arms round him.
"How did you know?"
"Well in your case I'd say happiness is a warm gun. How could I miss how much care you take over them?"
Vincent smiled, it showed just how much he cared that Cid would hunt down such a rare firearm just to make him smile.
"Well then, let's get down to business Chief." He murmured softly, a warm light in his eyes, showing just how much he loved the man he was holding.
Grinning Cid needed no further encouragement and grabbed a tarpaulin, threw it down, before taking Vincent up on his offer, the two falling into a tangled heap on the tarp, before things got hot, messy, and even more tangled.
A little way away Tifa and Aeris were comparing notes.
"You know, I seriously didn't think Cid was going to make it." She said as they walked away so the two had privacy in the hangar.
Aeris smiled. "Well Vincent was cutting it fine too, but we shouldn't complain. They're happy, that's what matters."
Tifa nodded, though Aeris was looking over her shoulder.
"I still think you're a spoilsport not letting me watch."
She ran laughing as Tifa chased her, ranting about being indecent, while the ultimate odd couple celebrated a perfect Valentine's day.