Author's Note: This is a repost of what was posted before, just a more shorter, readable/toleratable version. Also, this is a roleplay between Assassination and I. Please be respectful when reviewing, I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Stepping into the room, cig lit and eyes shimmering the lightest of blue as his short golden locks were swept back by a free hand and he soon stretched before Cloud stood in his way with his arms crossed. Looking down on the shorter man Cid lowered his gloved hand. "S'up?" he prompted before his cig was swiped from his lips and smothered out before he could even protest. "The hell man?"

The spiky haired blond looked up at him with furrowed brows while the others, aside from Vincent, sighed.

"Your smoking is getting annoyin', Cid," Barret pointed out bluntly while said male growled, crossing his arms and leaning to the other side, his jacket tied around his waist.

"Yer point?" he scowled, reaching for another smoke and having it snatched away with a, "Fucking A!" following it.

"We have come to a conclusion to this." Yuffie piped up and bounced where she stood. "You can't smoke anymore!"

"What the fuck?"

"...don't blame us, the smoke is suffocating. Now...unless you can get Vincent to, ya'know, smile -" Yuffie placed her pointers to her face, grinning like an idiot. "-then no smokes for you!"

"...you conniving bastards." the pilot grumbled and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "How much time do I get?"

"A month."

"Only a fucking month?"

"...got a problem with that?" they all chorused, giving him the evil eye. Groaning Cid lifted a hand and rubbed his face, eyes closed and inwardly cursing up a storm. He wanted his smokes, and he wanted them now, but with this condition to getting them back ever again...was a make or break and he disliked it a lot. Tisking he dug his nails into his arms and turned to storm off while heading up the stairs of the inn and to his and Vincent's room that the two shared for what seems like constantly and grasped the handle, turning it and pushing it open while the others chatted below.

Vincent was lying on his bed, his black hair the only barrier between him and the sheets. His red clothing, cape and all were draped over the chair in the corner. He just wore a black t-shirt with sleeves cropped a tad higher than the elbow. These clothes, along with his black pants, were the only fabric he wore and nothing else as he stared up at the ceiling.

The others usually ignored him, since he was quiet and whenever he did speak, it was somewhat sarcastic. Still, it's not like he was in for the long haul anyway, just there to kill Sephiroth for his deceased love. Now that there was no revenge to keep him going, he'd spend day after day just staring up at the ceiling above. In fact, he could remember the sound of knocks on the door, some almost pleading him to come out and be with them. He found his own being dull and unneeded, why bother allowing them memories of even his presence?

"Oh, Lucrecia, I couldn't protect you, and I don't feel I've protected anything," he thought, eyes falling to half mast as they usually did. "The only person who said more than two words that weren't mandatory was that... man," Vincent said the last part aloud, finding himself confused in his own thoughts. It hadn't been on his mind much before, just the memory of him walking over and telling him to come to the shared bedroom with him and left a mark. It hadn't even been a big deal or memory, just to him.

Cloud and the rest talked to him, sure, but they never did so unless it was forced, unless they had to.

"That man... why would he do that? They barely know me, barely seem to care. And yet he talked to me." Vincent was staring up at the white abyss until the sound of the door handle rattled. His dark eyes stared blankly at the man entering, for once not holding a cigarette between his teeth.

Grumbling he stepped in and shut the door, moving to tug his shirt over his head and show off his well built body, showing that even a man in his thirties could still look this damn hot. Speaking of heat he tossed his shirt onto his bed and blinked. "Hey there, sunshine," he joked, grinning before untying his jacket and placing it on the bed as well while breathing out softly. "Just gonna stay in here all day or are ya actually gonna, y'know, go out and spend some time with the crazy bastards downstairs?"

Plopping his bottom onto the bed he began to untie his boots while his spear was leaned against the wall in case he needed to grab it if there was a break in or if there was an attack. Either or was a rare occurrence.

His eyes followed Cid as he started to undress immediately, even before the door had come to a close.

The pilot removed his shirt, leaving his abs to relax and tense.

"There's no point," Vincent said in a low breath. Cid, his roommate, never seemed to understand that he was sharing the room with another man. Not that it bothered him. In fact, he couldn't care less about the other's manly body or his army appearance. Just like everything else, he couldn't give a crap. "Why did you come up?" he asked, moving just enough to sit up with his elbows digging into the mattress.

His eyes traveled up from the other's back and up to stare at his blond hair. Those goggles almost never left his head, and that was when Vincent noticed the second odd occurrence.

Almost on instinct he reached up to grab the container for his cigs then growled once he recalled that they were taken away and would be forever if he didn't get this pale man to smile. Even the tiniest amount and he would win his smokes back. He then leaned back after a while, considering what he was going to say then laid eagle-spread on his bed. "There is a point, sunshine." He lifted his left hand, using it to take off his goggles and placed them aside.

There was no packet of Shin-Ra cigarettes strapped to the band. He blinked, but he didn't think to much on it. It didn't matter to him, what this man or any of the others did.

"Besides the fact that the only way to see your sunshiny face is to come up and see ya." Cid then twirled his wrist, index the only finger out. "But, I take it you'll never come on down anymore." Dropping the hand the blond Highwind gnawed on his lower lip, wanting a cig so badly now. "'ey...how about we play some poker? Without Yuff 'round I'm sure it'll be more fun and less...cheat-able."

His stare never faltered, watching the other's movements almost like he was trying to analyze him. He'd realized long ago that Cid was a great fighter, and it seemed built in his blood. The word 'sunshine' was uttered once more and Vincent found his eyes returning to their half lidded state. What an odd nickname he'd be given. As far as he could tell, he was nothing close to 'sunshine'.

Vincent sighed once it seemed that the other was there to stay. at least for a little while, sliding onto his back once more, but not removing his eyes from the other. "Poker?" he said aloud, sighing to himself as the captain now seemed to have grown frustrated. "I don't see the point, but I'll play with you, if you wish," Vincent said, trying to force himself to get to know this man. He was curious, but he was sure that the second he realized why the other had done it, he'd grow bored. As always.

Hearing the other say he'd play if the blond wanted him to had Cid roll onto his stomach, arms out and hanging over the edge of his bed with a raised brow. "Y'know..." he started and paused. Soon getting up and rummaging through his bag to find some cards. "...without those idiots around maybe now we can get to know each other a little more clearly." Standing and holding onto some cards he moved over to Vincent's bed and plopped down, taking the small objects out of their worn container and tossing said box onto his bed while shuffling the cards. "Like...eh...fucking uh..." Setting the cards down he raised a gloved hand and rubbed his neck. "How 'bout this: each time we beat the other they have to share something? How's that sound?" Turning his head he glanced over at the dark haired man, trade-mark grin still in place.

Another sigh had Vincent up on his elbows once more, shrugging softly as he pushed himself into a sitting position. Cid Highwind, a man full of surprises and mysteries. His fingers rose and ran through his long dark black hair, his golden hand resting at his side. Dark hues were covered completely by the eyelids for a moment as he thought about the proposition and decided it was fine.

"I'll agree to those terms," he said, unconcernedly, moving himself to slide off the bed, the opposite direction of Cid so as to play him face-to-face. Vincent's arms rest in front of him, folded neatly before him. "What sort of things must we share upon losing?" he asked, looking up with a somewhat interested expression on his features.

However, it wasn't a smile, no where near a smile.

His eyes searched the other's expression, noting the ruggedly handsome five o' clock shadow and the way his lip automatically made room for a cigarette, unusually not in its place.

Turning slightly as the other moved, the Highwind captain shuffled the cards once more before handing them out equally then set the stack down to the side with cards before them as well, face up. "Fuckin' shit, whatever you wanna share. S'not like I wanna know your whole life's story in one loss." He then shrugged, rolling his shoulders as one hand held the card while his other's fingers scratched at his cheek. "Though, I don't wanna know anything too personal...don't wanna fuckin' scare ya off or something." With that he looked over his cards and furrowed his brows.

Great, he grumbled inwardly, just a Full House...damn piece of shit deck's trying to fuck me over big time.

Vincent slowly forced a hand out and took his card, glancing at it and placing back face-down on the quilt. His eyes continued to watch Cid, waiting as he spoke. "I see, it might just be easier if the winner asks a question and the loser answers it," he offered, figuring the solution would be simple. It'd be the most efficient way for them to learn about each other, even though Vincent would most likely end up tossing the question back at Cid.

Vincent had already calculated a three of a kind, meaning that he'd lose. If Cid agreed to this small change in the betting rules, he'd be able to just toss the question back like a tennis match. His arm rose, rubbing the back of his neck with a sudden uninterest since the game had only just begun.

Setting his hand down with what he was going to lay down once he saw the other man set his cards back down the man lowered the hand scratching his cheek and shrugged. "Would make it easier." he sighed, then shrugged. "However you wanna do it is damn right fine with me." Shifting, his socked heels on the mattress and eyes half-lidded while staring at the cards the other had laid down, noticing how the light reflected off the golden plates atop the thinner male's arm.

How had it gotten there?

What was it's purpose?

Or was it just for decoration?

These thoughts clouded his mind while his eyes flickered, revealing he was deep in thought just like how he was when fixing something on his ship.

Dark black hair fell into his line of vision, impairing his vision somewhat, but not enough for him to care. It just hung limply in front of his eyes. He had memorized his cards already, seeing them in his mind's eye. The confusion still lurking behind the hues, the question as to why Cid had gone to even an ounce of trouble to talk to him, to be friendly with him. As far as he could tell, the others were sure that he was unapproachable, or closed up. Cid's idea to play a game had been some proof to that.

"It was just an idea," Vincent said, lifting his golden arm and twirling the wrist in an uncaring way. "What do you have?" he asked, picking up his own cards and looking at them idly. He was sure that Cid was just a mystery to him as he was to everyone else.