I LOVE THE THOUGHT OF VINCENT SMILING
so I've been blocked lately, and I asked a friend for an idea. AND OF COURSE, she gave me something perfectly random.
[18:54] XXXX: "WTF WHERE'D THAT BUCKET COME FROM? D" For. Some reason.
[18:55] XXXX: That just appeared. o o
so, that's where I got this from. Just a little drabble, because she wanted to see something with Vincent, Cloud and... SOMEONE ELSE I won't spoil it.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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Cloud peered over the mountain of yellow feathers before him.
"You know," he said quietly, running his gloved fingers over the soft plumage, "I never would have pegged you as an animal person, Vincent." He used his spare hand to ease some Greens into the beak of the Chocobo, which chewed greedily.
Vincent sighed airily, adjusting his black glove so that more of his fingers were exposed. "My father kept a few animals around when I was very young," he said, the golden gauntlet he wore raising and glinting in the dim light of the stables. The threatening curves of his faux golden claws eased themselves through the downy plumes of the black Chocobo's head with gentleness that Cloud was having a difficult time believing. "I suppose… My fondness for them never left, not even in death."
Cloud gave him a mild smile, shifting around on the stool he perched on. "That sounds nice," he mused, more to himself than to anyone else. Vincent remained predictably silent. "I didn't have many animals around when I was young…"
He could remember now. The very thought filled him with pride. He could remember the feel of the streets, the smell of the shops, the sound of that stray dog, one of the only dogs in town, barking… He fixed the Chocobo brush over his hand and began to stroke the feathers, bringing out the natural shine. "This is a nice Chocobo, Vincent," he said, louder now so Vincent would feel more obligated to respond. "Think we could make a Gold with these two?"
Vincent hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps," he said, stroking the Black's beak with his gloveless fingertips. It very nearly purred, nuzzling into his palm. "Though, I must admit… I am opposed to forcing these beautiful creatures to breed…" Cloud could see Vincent's fierce, glowing eyes narrow in the shadows of the stall his bird was kept in.
"… I won't force them to do anything they don't want to do, Vincent," Cloud said, slightly taken aback by his protective stance over the birds. "Besides, they're…"
Vincent shot him a fiery glance over the shimmering back of the Chocobo he was grooming, and Cloud's words caught in his throat. Just birds, he wanted to say, but he refrained. "… They're important to me, too," he said instead – which was true. "Besides," he added, smirking, "I can think of worse fates than this for them…"
To his immense relief, Vincent smirked back. "As can I," he agreed, slipping the brush off of his hand. "Very well, then," he began with a touch of regretful resignation in his voice, "I suppose we should get a Zeio nut for these two…"
… Oh.
"Um." Cloud pulled his own brush off and rubbed his other hand through his hair.
"… Um?" Vincent parroted, folding his arms expectantly.
"I… I think we used our last Zeio nut yesterday…" Cloud frowned as a softness he could only assume was disappointment washed over Vincent's face – or what little of it was actually exposed. "Sorry, Vincent…" Vincent sighed again, unfolding his arms. His shoulders sagged slightly.
Cloud had never seen Vincent disappointed before. He couldn't help but stare, fascinated by how human it made him look. In fact, he'd never really seen Vincent do anything beyond a smirk or a frown. He never smiled, never grimaced… A faint rustling sounded somewhere near the entrance, but he paid it no mind – his guilt over disappointing one of his party members was far too distracting.
"I suppose we should get going, then," Vincent said delicately, running his fingers over the beak of his Chocobo and breaking Cloud's concentration. "Until next time, friend…"
Cloud stood, stretching. "Yeah. Good idea," he said, reaching down to pat his yellow firmly on the back. "Guess I'll see you later, buddy…" He'd just begun to make his way towards the entrance when he felt his boot lightly bump against something, something he was sure had not been there previously. "… Huh? What's this… A bucket?" He felt Vincent glide gracefully up behind him as he stooped low to expect the contents of their mystery bucket, stupefied.
"… What the… Where'd that bucket come from?" Cloud asked, turning his head and giving Vincent a puzzled look. Vincent crouched, reaching out and picking it up. "It feels like it has something in it," he said matter-of-factly, tilting it towards one of the few lightbulbs in the stable. "Why don't you look inside of it, Cloud?"
Cloud stood, sulking over to the open end of the bucket as if he expected it to be laced with booby traps. In the dim glow of the bulb, he could just barely make out the outline of at least twenty or so Zeio nuts, each stacked carefully and apparently ordered by side.
"Vincent!" Cloud exclaimed brightly, pointing. "Look! Zeio nuts!"
Vincent looked completely shocked. "… Really? But Zeio nuts are so rare… Who could possibly have gotten this many?"
"There's a note in here," Cloud stated, reaching in and pulling it out. Holding it up to the light, he squinted and read it aloud.
"Hey guys. It's me, Yuffie. I got these for you because I saw you were out. Hope they make you smile. PS I did not steal them! … She signed it with a heart." Cloud lowered the note slowly and broke into a huge grin. "Vincent! We have enough of these to feed an entire continent of Chocobos!"
Vincent put his claws to his chin thoughtfully. "… I don't believe that she did not steal them," he said decisively.
"Well, I do!" Cloud beamed, snatching the bucket from Vincent's other hand with unbridled joy while stuffing the note into his now open hand. "Come on, Vincent, we have work to do…"
Vincent watched Cloud turn and head back towards the Chocobos. He dropped his hands to his sides and hummed thoughtfully, his brows furrowed, then brought the note to the bulb and read it himself.
Then he turned it over.
PSS stealing is not the same as borrowing
He crumpled the note up in his fist. "… Cloud."
Cloud paused. "Yeah?"
"Would you still use those, even if they were stolen from someone?"
Cloud didn't even have to think about his answer, it seemed. "No. Of course not. … Why?"
"… Nevermind." What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him…
In spite of how morally defunct this whole operation was, Vincent couldn't help but smile. But only for a moment.