Chapter 1- Father & Son
Above the sun shone fierce beating down those beneath its punishing rays. Summertime had come to the continents baking the people and valleys. Hardy flowers outstretched beautiful petals to clasp the sunrays close and keep them strong serving as a reminder of to the people to not let the hard times wear them down. News of President Shinra's assassination had created an uproar far away in the metropolis of Midgar but out here in the country there was little change. The farming families went about their planting as always making sure the crops were rotated and properly cared for to be distributed around town. The smiths kept their fires lit and the mothers tended to children and home while the men were out working.
Cidney Ramius Highwind was no exception to this rule. He, like all other boys in this countryside hamlet, served in working alongside their fathers learning their art to carry on the family tradition. Cid was the greatest mechanic Rocket Town had known, already surpassing his old man. His father took routine trips out to Wutai on an old clunker airship he'd discovered and it was Cid that kept her purring and chugging her way across the sea. Cid had bigger dreams beyond just working on tractors and malfunctioning lawn mowers.
No, he wanted to see more of this world. He wanted to soar across the skies on titanium wings and see all there was to see. He wanted more than that even, to become part of Shinra's space program and blast off into the final frontier. He'd never tell his father though. The man had one hell of a temper, especially where Shinra was concerned. He would chain Cid to a chair and force feed him if it meant keeping his son away from that godforsaken company. So here Cid was, eighteen years old and fixing some broken down tractor in the backyard of his father's home.
"Here, Cid." His father, a tall, gruff blonde with a tea tray, crossed the lawn and set it down next to his son. "Take a breather and drink yer damned tea."
"Whatever. Cid tossed aside the wrench and wiped his hands dry, sipping at the warm beverage. Even in temperatures like these his father insisted on serving tea. It was good for the heart or some bullshit like that. Cid knew that was a lie. Serving tea was his way of preserving the memory of his late wife who lost her life to disease when Cid was fifteen. She would always come out in that pretty little sundress and big smile carrying a tray of tea and assorted little snacks for her family. The thought made Cid's heart pang a little. He wouldn't deny he missed his mother.
"How's the repairs comin'?" Lev asked, eyeing the tractor closely. Rather than calling him Cidney Sr, Cid being named after his father, everyone just called him Lev to shorten his middle name.
"Alrigh'. Stubborn ol' bull but I'm gettin' it." Cid laid back in the grass and stared up at the skies. He hadn't seen Shera in awhile... hmm, wonder how she was.
"Just like it's owner, eh Cidney?" Lev winked at his son.
"Dammit dad, it's Cid!"
"Cidney," Lev set down his tea. "What's wrong with your name? Because it's mine? Your mother named you, you know!"
"I know!" Cid bit his lip, he hated having that always thrown in his face. "It just sounds so damned girly!" Lev sighed and picked up their tea cups heading back towards the house.
"Finish her up, Duff's gonna get her 'round evenin' and we got company."
"Company?" First Cid had heard of it. He got up and followed his dad into the house. "Who?"
"My old friend Grimoire Valentine is bringing his son around to see about finding him a girl, he insists breeding his son with any girl from Wutai like has been done for centuries will slowly destroy their culture with inbreeding. So he's looking elsewhere." Cid pitied the Valentine boy. He'd never met Vincent but he couldn't imagine how bad it must suck to have a marriage arranged for him. What if he didn't like the girl? Or what if she was ugly? Or was bad in bed?
"That sucks." Cid helped his father with the dishes.
"Mnn." Lev looked pointedly at Cid, "Shouldn't you be thinking about settling down too, Cidney? You're getting to that age. What about that Shera girl? She's a pretty one." Cid wasn't about to deny that. Shera was gorgeous and was unlike any other girl around Rocket town. She was forever sneaking out of the household duties in jeans and a beat up shirt of her father's to come help Cid repair any of the broken down machines. The girl was amazing with mechanics and she shared Cid's passion with space. He'd never slept with her so he didn't know if Shera met his third criteria but for some reason he couldn't ever bring himself to like her that much.
"I dunno, Dad I just..." Cid couldn't find the words. It didn't feel right? No, that made him sound gay and his father had no tolerance for homosexuals.
"Cidney Ramius Highwind, what am I going to do with you? She's a beautiful young woman I know you'd be happy with her. Have you fought?"
"Well no, Dad it isn't like that." At this point Lev slowly set down the glass he'd been holding and slowly wiped his hands. Somethign dangerous glinted in his father's eyes.
"You better not be some fag, Cidney. I WILL NOT tolerate a faggot in my house, especially out of my own son!"
"I ain't a goddamn fag! I just ain't ready to get settled Dad!" This was one thing Cid had hated hearing about day in and day out. how he needed to find a girl and settle down, how his father had gotten hitched to his mom when he turned eighteen and how they'd had such a beautiful life together and allt hat jazz. That wasn' what Cid wanted. He couldn't have a wife, not even Shera, with what he wanted to do. He wasn't ready. Plain and simple, his father would just have to accept that.
"I got work to do." Cid grabbed the cigarettes off the table and stormed out into the back, puffing hard on the little stick. Frustration, anger, so many emotions welled up in Cid's heart. He.. He didn't know what he wanted with this life... He just didn't...
He worked until sundown when the stubborn machine finally decided to purr again. The lights all over Rocket Town were lit and the clinking of dishes said his father was making dinner. It wouldn't be much longer until the Valentines showed up and he still smelled like grease and motor oil. Packing up his tools Cid went up to his room and gathered his things to shower. No sooner had he stepped in there was a knock on the door and the chorus of happy male voices as old friends exchanged welcome.
Cid threw on his clothes, jeans and a clean white t-shirt and toweled his hair dry. He grabbed a brush and stepped out into the living room where Lev had settled the visitors in. He'd seen Giovanni plenty of times but this was the first time he'd ever laid eyes on the aristocrat's son. At first glance Cid would have thought Vincent was a woman he was so petitte. The boy's body contrasted everything he'd seen of the young boys around his own town. Pale skin, long jet black hair, small bones, a small waist, and the most powerful, bottomless crimson eyes he'd ever seen.
"Cidney," Lev motioned to Vincent who stood and bowed. "This is Vincent, Grimoire's boy."
He was absolutely gorgeous...
That was Cid's first impression of Vincent Valentine.
