Pairing: CidxVincent

Warning: Shounen Ai; "M" Rating is for a reason.

Disclaimer: Chars Not Mine

"Consortium of Happenstance"

Chapter 1: Tethered Isolation

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Vincent silently looked down at the town of Nibelhiem from a dusty window of the Shinra Mansion that he now officially called home. The dust and darkness inside hid him from the view of the people he watched, though they knew he was there; he had to occasionally venture out to stock up on needed supplies, but he was sure that they did not welcome his presence. He really had nothing better to do than watch the people below go about their normal lives, he was glad to see them so happy and oblivious to the evils of the world around them.

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He sighed as he turned from the window to scan the inside of his home; he had cleaned it enough to live in but carpet remnants still stuck to the floors and dust still reined in every corner of the house. He had also made himself a room upstairs with new furniture and clean bedding; the adjoining bathroom had to be detoxified before he could use it, but he was content with his surroundings. Though thinking on the dirty, empty house made him think of what his friends had said about his living conditions.

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He had not seen any of them for a while now; Yuffie used to come visit him almost frequently, but he did not blame her for her visits becoming further and further in between. He was a poor host, he hardly had any food in the house and was never much of a conversationalist. As he started to walk down the hallway, he caught himself wishing someone would come see him and wondered if he might be getting lonely. He did have the option of going to see them if he really wanted to, but he doubted he would be that lonely for quite some time.

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He hesitated slightly reaching for the doorknob to his room; he heard the sound of his PHS going off inside. Yuffie had programmed the phone to play a different song for different people, but he had no idea what melody went with what person, he just knew he had not heard this one in a long while. After entering the room and walking around the bed, which was made poorly as he could see the red sheets poking out from the black comforter, he grabbed his phone from the end table and was mildly surprised at the ID that flashed across the screen. Flipping the phone open he said "Hello?"

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Cid stood on his back porch looking out at the dirt in his backyard, a slight breeze ruffled his hair as he took a drag from his last cigarette. Well, not his last, but the last in this pack and he had been avoiding going back into the house to go get any more. He and Shera had had a fight earlier in the day as they had been doing more and more often since the woman grew a backbone; about stupid small things that when he came down from being angry later he wondered what the hell they had been thinking. She was just irritable, it was like she wanted something from him, but she wasn't going to tell him what it was. Though she had no problem being mad at him for not giving whatever it was to her. Women, ugh.

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That morning had been a little different though, still fighting about something stupid but Shera had threatened to leave though she admitted she had nowhere else to go. In a fit of rage he had yelled that she was staying right where she was and he was the one who was leaving and then stormed out of the house. He figured that after they cooled down he could go back and she would forgive him, but he had seen her from the window packing up his shit in a suitcase. Damn, he kicked himself out of his own home. As brilliant as the act was he would have to figure something out as far as where he was going to go. He mumbled to himself about being worried about her having no place to go but if it's him it's fine. Though he probably did have more prospects than her; having actually left the town in the last 10 years.

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He thought about calling Cloud or Barret, but he didn't really like Midgar and they had those kids with them and Tifa too, like a family, ugh, and he didn't want to deal with that right now. Yuffie was out of the question. This left Red, Reeve or Vincent, all of which would probably be good candidates. Except that Vincent was living in that creepy ass mansion with monsters in the closets and coffins in the basement. Reeve lived in Midgar and, thinking on it, only has one bedroom and he'd rather not sleep on the couch. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open with every intention of calling Red XIII; until he remembered those damned drums. He scrolled down the address book and pressed call on Vincent's name. He probably got rid of that coffin anyway and what he wanted was peace and quiet, not god awful drums going day and night.

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"Hello?" he heard Vincent's deep voice say. "Hey, Vincent! What have you been up to?" There was a pause on the other end of the line and he almost thought he was going to be hung up on until he heard the other say "Nothing, do you need something?" Now that's my man, straight to the point, no chit chat bullshit. "Well, ah, actually I was wondering if I could crash at your place for a while?" "Sure." As soon as he heard the positive reply he hung up. Vincent wasn't one for small talk anyway and he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. That was another reason Vincent was a good choice; he wouldn't ask why he suddenly needed a place to stay.

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As he slid the glass door open and entered the house he thought that now that he had a plan he could get in and get out without any awkwardness, and it seemed he was right. They said nothing to each other as he picked up the bags that were neatly packed and waiting for him; he choose a few other things to take from the house and headed out the door to load up on the Highwind and travel to Nibelhiem. After he took off he looked back at Rocket Town once to see it disappear as he rose above the clouds. Somehow he thought he would miss leaving more, though he fully expected to return.