Title: Father's day
Author: Enide Dear
Pairing: CidxVincent
Rating: R – well, some swearing
Summary: In witch Cid is angsty, Vince is plotting and Chaos is used as a kitchen appliance. Also: Cloud is a dick, Tifa has PMS, Reeve has serious issues with dolls, Nanaki is a terrier, Barret is barely featured at all and Shera is non- existent. And Yuffie is…Yuffie.
No Remnants were harmed during the writing of this fic.
Written for :iconValenwind-luvers: Father's day competition.
Dedicated to my Valenwind hero :iconHiita-hime:
**
Vincent knew something was wrong the moment he walked into the kitchen. Instead of being met by a sunny Cid, a hot cup of tea, a cheerful kiss and a well-meant grab on the ass as were the ordinary morning routine, all he got was the sight of a folded up newspaper across the table and a muttered 'morning' from behind it.
"Cid?" Careful not to shred the paper, Vincent lay his claw on it and pushed it down a bit. "Are you alright?"
A pair of weary, slightly depressed eyes looked up on him, more like something Vincent would expect to see in a mirror than on his lover.
"Yeah." Cid muttered. "'M fine."
"You seem…tired. Did, um, did I keep you up too late last night?"
That was obviously the wrong thing to say, despite the pilot's usual proud grin whenever their exploits were brought up.
"I ain't a fucking senior citizen yet! I can still take a tumble at night without having to be all pampered the next morning!"
"Alright, alright." A bit perplexed, Vincent stepped back, raising his hands in a calming way. "That wasn't at all what I meant, Chief."
"Look." Cid folded the paper sloppily and put it on the table, "I'm just a bit low today, a'right? Got nothing to do with ya, or anything. I just need to do some thinking. I'll be in the workshop if the house catches fire, or something…."
Muttering, he left the kitchen without even a second glance back.
Vincent stared after his lover until Cid disappeared into the darkness of the shred and the sound of metal clinking could be heard from within. It was so very seldom that Cid was anything but almost mano-positive and Vincent found himself floundering with angsty thoughts. Had he said something? Done something? *Failed* to do or say something?
Angry, he pushed those thoughts aside. This wasn't about him, this was about Cid. His lover was always there for him when Vincent was depressed. Now it was his turn to repay that favour.
The only problem was, he didn't know how. Cheering people up wasn't one of Vincent Valentine's most notable characteristics.
When he was depressed, Cid would hold him and kiss him or tickle him and cuddle him, or simply be there, to listen to him angst and then he would say something utterly stupid and wonderful and everything would be better. Vincent didn't know how to do that.
What had gone wrong, anyway? Cid had been happy enough yesterday, and last night as well…
Vincent slumped into a chair and glared at the leftover breakfast, the teapot and the toast and the paper…
He took up the paper, and read the front line again.
Oh.
And then he smiled, and picked up the phone.
**
It wasn't that Cid regretted being homosexual, not at all. Most of the time he didn't think about it at all, and the other times, well, he knew why they called it 'gay'. In fact, between hearing about Cloud's disastrous relationships with Aeris and Tifa and having all of Vincent Valentine to himself, he couldn't be happier.
It was just that some days it got driven home to him what he missed out on, what he and Vincent could never have. He missed the patter of small feet….
He had less than one second between the sound of light, running feet and barely time to turn around before a lanky body through itself around his neck, almost tackling him to the ground.
"Oi, old man!" Yuffie's hold around his neck seriously threatened to cut of his capacity to breathe. "You are the best, did I tell you? The stereo is working now! I have neighbours complaining all the way across Wutai! You are the best mechanic in the world!"
*I doubt Wutai would agree,* Cid thought, taking a bit of evil pride in that piece of work, but instead untangled the ninjas arms and cut of her chatting in mid-cadences.
"Yuffie, the Hell are ya doing here?" He really wasn't in the mood for company.
Her eyes immediately got huge and liquid, and he groaned inwardly at his lack of tact.
"Don't you remember? You and Vincent invited us all over – for a big dinner! We decided on it weeks ago!"
"Damn, yer right…" He had forgotten – no, he'd know, he just had forgotten it was this day. All of Avalanche was coming, and on the one day he really, really wanted to be alone and brood. Lady Luck wasn't smiling on him at all, it seemed.
"I though that was next week," he frowned.
"Time goes quickly when one is as old as you are!" Yuffie said brightly.
"Very funny. Look, it's nice of ya to come and all…can't ya go see if Vincent needs help in the kitchen? I know, ya can fold the napkins, into those orgasmy-things."
"Origami, you pervert!" She giggled and hit him playfully on the shoulder.
"Yeah, whatever. Hey!" he shouted after her as she ran out the door, "this time, we don't need anyone to be able to throw them through the walls, a'right? Keep it simple!"
She made some gesture towards him that he decided to interpret as youthful misunderstanding of what it meant and disappeared into the kitchen. Seconds later, a high pitched scream and a crash told that she had found Vincent. Cid grinned, beside himself.
**
He had time only to recover the equipment he'd dropped when there was a polite cough at the door. Sighing, he turned around, hands on his hips.
"Yeah, hi, Cloud." He made an effort not to frown at the shorter blonde man. "Nice to see ya. Where's Tifa?"
"Um…" Cloud fidgeted with his huge sword, colour rising just a little on his cheeks. "She's with Vincent, unpacking. I wanted to talk to you, if that's ok? Just, you know, man to man?"
"Hm." Cid pushed out a crate with his foot and Cloud gratefully sat down, still not really meeting Cid's eyes. "So what did ya do wrong this time?"
Cloud's cheeks got redder.
"I…kind of forgot. You know. Her birthday?" The man who had once defeated Sephiroth single handily looked over his shoulder nervously.
Cid's eyes got big and he clamped down harder on his cigarette.
"Shit, Spikey, are ya daft or just suicidal? Ya can't forget something like that! What's she said about it?"
"Nothing."
"…damn. That's a bad sign."
"I know!" Cloud almost wailed. "Look, what should I do? This is worse than the time she caught me wearing her panties – and that was a mistake! It was dark in the room when I put them on!"
*I really don't wanna talk about that...* Cid shook his head to clear it of unwanted mental images.
"Look, there's only one way out of this. Ya didn't forget her birthday."
"But I did! It was two days ago!"
"No, ya didn't forget it, because ya got two tickets for the Golden Saucer – including the Inn – and yer going there for a romantic weekend."
"We are?" Cloud said puzzled.
"Yeah. They have a special 'lovers days' thing next weekend. Reeve can get ya tickets."
"But…that will cost a fortune!" Most of the colour left Cloud's face.
"So will getting yer teeth replaced after Tifa kicks them in, Spikey…."
**
It was a slightly morose but a bit more hopeful Cloud that left the workshop, heading for the house and Cid shook his head after him. *Just when ya think he's grown up he goes and does something this childish. Seriously, does these people never grow up?*
He didn't bother putting the crate away, but started counting.
Tifa came in, sobbing, before he reached twenty, threw herself around his chest, and wet him with tears. Gently he stroke her hair (which was almost, but not really, as soft as Vincent's) and embraced her.
"He…he forgot," the martial artist hiccuped, her face swollen with the tears she had withheld for so long now. "He forgot my birthday! I bet he wouldn't have forgotten Aeris'!" she added savagely.
"C'm on, sit down darlin'." Cid helped her sit down on the crate Cloud had abandoned not long before. "Cloud's a bit stupid, but he ain't a jerk. Ya'll see, he's figured something out. A surprise, I bet ya."
"Really?" She let him dry her tears away with a callused thumb. "You really think so?"
"Don't ya worry. Everything will be alright, ya'll see."
Tifa left, consoled and now eager for her surprise, her happy mood returned. *Silly kids, ya'd think they could solve their own problems by now…*
A high-pitched screech, followed by howling, yelling and the sound of rocks being thrown interrupted his thoughts and he ran out of the shed, quite certain Ruby Weapon had returned to haunt them. Instead, he was met by the sight of a very upset Reeve clutching Cait Sith to his chest and yelling at the top of his lounges at Nanaki, who was howling and growling like the dog he looked like.
"What the Hell is going on here?!" Cid roared over the noise, making both protagonists halt and turn towards him. Both started screaming at the same time:
"He chased Cait, like he was a…a…*cat* or something!" Reeve held the terrified cat doll against his chest; the magical creature almost tore his robe to shreds in fear.
"It ran! How was I to know it wasn't a real cat?!" Nanaki looked embarrassed but affronted.
"Cait is not a cat, you flea infested cur!"
"It's not a real cat, it's not even alive at all!"
Tears sprang up in Reeve's eyes.
"You take that back!"
"You take it back!"
"Shut! The Hell! Up!" Cid roared, rubbing his temples.
"But he…"
"But he…"
"No! No buts! Ya both shut up and stop yer yapping! Nanaki, ya tell Reeve yer sorry ya chased Cait – and don't do it again! And Reeve, it was a mistake, a'right? Nanaki didn't mean to scare Cait. And ya both apologise for saying such nasty things to one another!"
Muttering, Reeve and Nanaki spat out the words under their breath.
"I can't hear ya." Cid said stubbornly, giving them both the full force of icy-blue eyes glaring.
"I'm sorry, Reeve. I'm sorry, Cait."
"It's alright, Nanaki. We're both sorry, both me and Cait, for calling you names."
"That's alright. I might need a bath, anyway."
**
Cid felt unexplainably lighter as he walked back to his shed, grinning to himself. Of all the dignified, clever people, Nanaki and Reeve sure could be no better than children, sometimes. He felt almost cheerful when he opened the door to the shed, inhaling the smell of oil and engine grease in his refuge, but it wasn't long before there was a knock on the door.
"Yeah, come in." He turned towards Barret who filled up almost the entire door opening, and scowled. "So what's with ya? Scrape yer knee? Want me to put a band-aid on it?"
"You know, you are not half as funny as you think you are," Barret growled and held out Marlene. The little girl shone up when she saw him.
"I wanna fly!" she squeaked. "Fly with me, uncle Cid!"
**
For the rest of the afternoon, Cid was found running around the yard with Marlene lifted high above him, making engine noises whiles the girl screamed with laughter.
**
The night's dinner was the usual rowdy affair it always was when Avalanche was gathered, but Cloud and Tifa sat together, and Reeve and Nanaki were polite, and Yuffie was made to return the silverware, and Marlene fell asleep in her fathers lap, and Cid cussed and cut the turkey and Vincent smiled.
**
Late, late that night when the rest of the group had finally fallen asleep, Vincent found Cid on the porch, smoking and watching the stars. He put an arm around the pilot's shoulders, and Cid leaned his blonde head against Vincent's chest with a content sigh.
"Do you feel any better?" Vincent asked.
"Ya moved the party, didn't ya? It was supposed to be next week."
"I read the paper. 'Father's day'. I thought you needed to be reminded that there are many different ways of being a father."
"Yer right. And…thank ya. I'm sorry I was such a jerk this morning."
"It's alright. Just don't make a habit out of it. Do you know what it takes to cook a turkey in that short time?"
"Not really, no."
"Didn't it taste funny to you?"
"Now that ya mention it…Sulphur? Ya cooked the damned bird in demon fire?!"
"Chaos is very upset with you." Vincent kissed him on the forehead. "He doesn't like being used at a kitchen appliance."
"I love ya, Vince."
"Love you to, Chief."