"I've been thinkin' on somethin' babe," Cid murmured. "an' wanted to run it by ya." They were sitting on the couch before the fireplace, Vincent held securely in the circle of the pilot's arms, his head resting against the broad shoulder. The climate of Costa del Sol rarely allowed for such an indulgence, but the breeze from the ocean was cooler this particular evening. Cid had spent the previous week in Junon on business, having returned only a few hours before. Vincent had stayed behind to renew contacts with clients whose itineraries didn't permit rescheduling. Therefore, their quiet evening together was doubly welcome.
"Mmmm. What about?" was the relaxed, almost sleepy reply.
"Cloud and Reno. You know Reno's been teachin' him to fly the little birds, an' he's shapin' up to be a good pilot."
Vincent nodded. He had been keeping tabs on the pair, and was pleased to hear Cloud was making such progress. He also knew Cid was leading up to something specific, because all decisions were made mutually between them. Such was their respect for each other that any important issue was brought to the table for discussion; and neither would consider having it any other way. It was one of the reasons their relationship worked so well. Vincent settled himself deeper into Cid's embrace to listen, waiting patiently for his mate to continue.
"Them two are good for each other…an' it's good to see them tryin' to build a life together, but they've got it tough. I didn't know 'til yesterday just how bad it was. I can't help feelin' that it's wrong, somehow." Cid shifted a little, pulling Vincent closer. "Spikey needed somebody to keep him solid. I don't mind admittin' I was worried about him for a long time, feelin' like there wasn't nothin' I could do, an' it was like he was slippin' away again. He deserves better than that, after all he's done. It took Reno to do it for us, y'know? An' I can't help feelin' I owe him for that." Cid fell silent, his brow furrowed as his thoughts turned momentarily inward.
Vincent frowned. He had suspected there was something wrong; neither of the pair smiled as often as they had before, and strain had been evident in their faces. Still, Vincent understood the need for privacy, but sometimes it could be carried to extremes. As for Reno's influence on Cloud, Vincent couldn't agree more. When there were no more battles to fight, Cloud had drifted; until Reno took the risk of following up on an attraction he'd felt since the first time the two had met. Reno had literally refused to give up, and as a result had not only won his long desired prize, but had also brought the blond swordsman back to all of them.
"What happened?" Vincent prompted, his own thoughts returning to the present.
Cid sighed before continuing. "When Midgar was destroyed, Reno lost most of his savings because most everything the Turks had was tied into the system; pensions, the works. Reno started a small independent account in Wutai on Tseng's advice; just in case somethin' did happen, but never did get around to dividin' things up. Tseng and Rude were smart; they didn't ever leave theirs in the Shinra owned banks, except for just enough to avoid suspicion. Even though they worked for old man Shinra, they didn't entirely trust the corporation to have their best interests in mind. Eh, I know I don't have to explain it beyond that, ya know how it was firsthand."
Vincent nodded. Those days may have been long gone, but the repercussions lingered on.
"Anyway… Reeve and Rufus are tryin' to see what can be done about it, but it may take a good while to get it all straightened out. For right now, though, those kids are hurtin', and too proud to say anythin' about it."
"How did you find out?" Vincent asked.
"Tseng. He asked me how they were doin', an' if I'd keep an eye on them for him. He knows Reno too well not to be able to figure when somethin's wrong, even if Reno tries to hide it. He said it comes from Reno having grown up on the streets."
Vincent shivered, knowing all too well what such a marginal existence meant. If Tseng hadn't noticed Reno's potential, he would still be there; if he hadn't been killed long since. Vincent smiled, remembering one of Tseng's favorite 'Reno stories'. Reno, barely more than a starving kid, had worked his way through the crowd during one of Heidegger's publicity appearances; his leg and head wrapped in bandages, hobbling along on a rickety crutch. He had contrived to 'trip', almost taking Heidegger down with him; and had picked the man's pockets totally clean right under the noses of his bodyguards. Tseng, watching from a distance, had been both amused and impressed, and had allowed Reno to keep his loot. A couple of weeks later, Tseng had approached the brazen redhead, and the rest was history. Vincent drew his attention back to Cid, who was still thinking aloud.
"That little shoebox of a beach house may be enough for 'em, an' it's paid for at least, but I know Reno would like to give Cloud the little extras, an' livin' in Costa ain't cheap. The storms last fall did some damage to the house, stuff they can't afford to fix yet, but they won't take a loan from any of us. So… I'm gonna snark a little about wantin' Reno more available, let on I'm thinkin' about takin' some time off for you an' me to do some personal travelin'. That way, I can convince them to stay over in our old house, so there will be somebody around to look after the property an' the business when we're away. We've already got Reno flyin' courier work in the Bronco…so they'll be able to get ahead a bit. I planted the idea awhile back of Cloud learnin' to fly the small birds as a backup pilot, an' now I'm glad I did. Damn…for all they did to Spikey, he shoulda got his own wings. That boy was born to fly." Cid's gaze drifted to the window and the night sky beyond.
Vincent nodded against his shoulder, thinking on the truth of what Cid had said. Cloud deserved wings. "Yes. Cloud can handle the airships well enough, but the Bronco is another matter altogether…"
"Exactly." Cid paused, sorting his thoughts further. "Their mercenary work ain't as steady as it was, an' I get the feelin' Cloud, especially, would rather leave that reminder of the past…in the past, where it belongs."
The gunman understood such a sentiment all too well. To him, the events and pain of his own past before he had taken the chance of building a life with Cid was something he felt needed to stay well and truly buried. "So…what do you have in mind?"
"To do somethin' more for 'em. I don't have to tell you how much we owe Cloud…hell, if it hadn't been for him findin' ya in Shinra's creepy old barn, we wouldn't be sittin' here talkin' about it." Cid's arms tightened about Vincent in response to such dark thoughts, and Vincent could almost sense the pilot's mind veering from the topic. He willingly helped steer his mate away from it; he didn't want to remember that time of despair, either.
"You'll have to do it in such a way Cloud won't be able to object…" Vincent observed.
"By doin' somethin' for Reno, Cid replied, finishing Vincent's thought. "Got it covered, babe…again, thanks to Tseng. Wait'll you see what I brought home this trip."
Vincent smiled. "You're a good man, Cid Highwind. Have I ever told you how much I love your devious mind?"
Cid chuckled; blushing in response to Vincent's praise. He never understood why Vincent had taken up with someone like himself; in Cid's mind, the gunman could have had anyone he wanted. "An' here all this time I thought it was my astonishin' good looks an' undeniable charm that got ya…"
Vincent's hand wandered under the blanket covering them both, and Cid arched into its hidden caress. "Hmm…that may have had a little to do with it…"
All conversation ceased, and the blanket slithered to the floor, forgotten.
Cid paced, swearing. His target, however, remained stubbornly silent.
Vincent had to agree that the subject of Cid and Tseng's private conniving didn't look like much at present. It was little more than a stripped down derelict carcass, covered in years of grime from sitting in an abandoned Shinra warehouse. Tseng had remembered it from a time when the elder Shinra had been fascinated with prototypes, but the project had been abandoned as not being viable enough to pursue. In the end, it was simply viewed as so much scrap, not even worth the time and effort to haul away. Cid, however, had taken one look and seen it's potential. Two hours later, it was safely stowed in the airship's cargo hold for the trip back to his personal hangar. And there it sat, being reminded in no uncertain terms of its mechanical shortcomings.
"Lookit this shit! What was the idiot thinkin'? If this bird goes down, it'll squash like an eggshell. There ain't enough structural support! Dumbass…it coulda been done without addin' weight, just distribute it better! See that?" Cid waved an arm, indicating another area under his current scrutiny. "If it went down in water, the tail would snap right off…" Cid ceased ranting long enough to draw a deep breath, glaring at the subject of his ire, and picked up right where he'd left off. "…water comes in, it sinks before you could even unstrap, an' the pilot's a goner.' Cid's voice was only slightly less audible as he stalked around the far side of the craft, and Vincent heard the solid strike of Cid's steel-toed boot against metal. "Ain't gonna happen, dammit-not with this bird…Ain't puttin' m' friends in no flyin' deathtrap!"
Vincent stood by in silent amusement, listening to his mate rave. When Cid was picking apart the flaws of a design and slinging his favorite swear words around, the pilot was a happy man.
When Cid reappeared again, Vincent stepped into his path long enough to claim a quick kiss; promising to return later with food. Cid nodded distractedly. "'kay babe…see you in a bit…"
Vincent smiled as he departed. Cid's bouncing a kick off the fuselage was music to his ears; for he knew the pilot was seeing the finished product, and not the way the empty shell appeared at present. The controlled lightning of Cid's cutting torch would not be far behind. The pilot would have to be almost bodily dragged from the hangar before his single-minded purpose would be diverted by Vincent's promise of more enticing distractions.
"How you ever manage to find anything in here is beyond me," Vincent commented dryly. 'Here' was the storage area tucked behind Cid's small hangar where the Tiny Bronco was kept, and Cid's personal 'hands-off-don't-even-cross-the-threshold' stash of oddball parts and pieces. To Vincent, it resembled more an unacknowledged cousin of Shinra's old scrapyard; which was most likely where a great portion of Cid's 'treasure stash' had originally come from. Shelves, crates, and barrels were everywhere, floor to ceiling, with barely walking space between them.
"I happen ta know exactly where everythin' is," Cid replied, rummaging through a heap that to Vincent was identical to any of the other piles of scrap scattered about. "Ha!" the pilot exclaimed, coming up with a set of gauges. They were promptly placed in a crate on the floor cart beside him.
"That, I do not doubt."
Cid paused in his rummaging, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Vin, do ya think it'd be okay if we give it to 'em as an anniversary present? That way, they don't hafta worry 'bout payin' us back." He peeked at Vincent through the fringe of his hair, his expression hopeful.
"I think it's a brilliant idea." Vincent moved to embrace his husband, once more reminded of one of the many reasons he'd married him. Cid's prickly exterior hid a generous heart.
"I'll be thinking about the nose art," he said, settling into the warmth of Cid's arms.
"Whatever ya decide," Cid replied, "make sure it goes good with blue. Ya know how Reno's always yammerin' on about the color of Cloud's eyes."
Vincent smiled against Cid's chest. The pilot was forevermore denying his romantic nature, and would not suffer being reminded of such a 'shortcoming'. Cid never said much about his feelings for his friends; he believed in showing them by deeds how deeply he cared.
Cloud and Reno had indeed been installed in the house Cid and Vincent lived in when they began their relationship, and the arrangement was working well. Reno's ready availability had proved fortuitous on several occasions in regard to immediate delivery of emergency medical supplies.
It takes a Turk to fool a Turk, Cid laughed inwardly, glad for Vincent's suggestion that he work on the little chopper under Reno's very nose. It made remarkably good sense to 'hide in plain sight' up until the final paint was on; for as surely as Cid had tried to conceal what he was doing, Reno would have known about it before the sun went down.
Tseng, as well as Rufus and Reeve were also enjoying the prospect of the surprise, for Cid had been keeping them posted as to their project's progress and updates on Reno's, as Cid referred to it; "ragin' nosiness". Reeve's perfected alcohol-powered engine, adapted from former mako use was quietly brought in by Cid in a nondescript crate, and installed during one of Reno's absences. The pilot promised to rig a camera in the hangar so Tseng would be able to see Reno's reaction when the redheaded Turk found out what was going on.
As for Reno, the redhead was almost beside himself with curiosity; and a look of envy was all over him whenever he passed through the hangar where Cid was busily welding, riveting or whatever task the day brought. It was a good thing the pilot and Vincent had agreed upon their cover story beforehand; for it seemed Reno's wistful face was forever peeking into the inner workings of the little bird, asking questions, making comments, and generally hovering. The former Turk had merely been told the project was a prototype for a private party who wished to remain anonymous. Reno immediately guessed Rufus, and so Cid didn't have to lie to him when he squashed that particular speculation. In order to throw Reno somewhat off the scent, Cid promised to allow him to test the craft when it was finished, and even asked for his input as an experienced helicopter pilot regarding specific features.
In fact, it was Reno who suggested Kevlar shielding around vulnerable areas, an idea Cid was truly impressed with as a solution to the weight issues of standard armor plating in smaller craft. The sleek little bird would even be able to defend itself if necessary, due to their brainstorming sessions regarding custom firepower.
"When are you going to give it to them?" Vincent asked the same evening they were waiting for the helicopter's final primer coat to dry.
Cid grinned, hugging him close. I'm sendin' Reno on a courier hop I set up last week with Tseng. He's gonna keep Reno occupied so he won't get back here 'til just before sundown the evenin' before their anniversary. Reno won't be thinking about anythin' but gettin' home, so you an' I will be able to finish the paint overnight without him showing up unexpectedly.
"Why do I feel as if there's more to this than you're saying?" Vincent asked, amused.
Cid merely grinned. "Watch an' be amazed," he replied, grinning.
Vincent merely shook his head. Whatever Cid had in mind, there were sure to be fireworks.
Cid couldn't help himself when he saw what Vincent had painted on the nose of Reno's little chopper, laughing loud and long. Vincent had not allowed his husband to look before presenting the finished product.
"And people think ya ain't got no sense of humor, babe."
"Get yer scrawny, good-for-nothin' ass outta bed and get over here, Reno!" Cid bellowed into the phone. It was barely daylight, and Cid had purposely timed his phonecall so neither Reno or Cloud would be awake enough to have their suspicions roused.
"Cid? What the fuck?…what's the matter…waidaminit…what the hell time is it?" Reno mumbled into the phone. It was exactly the reaction the pilot had been hoping for. He covered the mouthpiece of the phone, almost unable to stifle his snickering as he imagined the bewilderment on Reno's face.
"I don't give a round damn what time it is, you better drag yer worthless carcass over here five minutes ago an' explain what the hell you did to my Bronco, or I'll come over there an' drag you out myself, you moron!" Cid slammed the phone down, hanging up before he completely lost it. "That should do it," he chortled, grinning at Vincent where he stood making sure the video camera angle was correct.
"Cid, you are evil," the gunman replied dryly. "I hope he isn't armed when he gets here."
"Eh, you'd take care of it for me," Cid replied as he peeked out the small window facing the small house where Cloud and Reno were staying. Sure enough, within five minutes, Reno was running across the airstrip toward the hangar. He was barefoot, bathrobe flapping, hair askew, and wearing an expression of complete confusion and not a little anger. Close on his heels was Cloud, wearing only his boxer shorts, his spiky hair standing in all directions. Cloud was obviously upset and worried, and Cid felt a momentary twinge of regret, hoping he hadn't played his part too well. He had barely enough time to run across the hangar and stand with Vincent in front of the little helicopter, both of them positioned to hide the nose art before the side door of the hangar banged open.
Cid hurriedly schooled his features into annoyance and launched into another tirade.
"Do you have any idea what you've done? I've known you a long time, Reno…but this is the first time you have well and truly…"
His expression abruptly changed in the face of Reno's panting shock. The redhead was winded from their sprint and had yet to catch enough breath to form a reply. Poor Cloud looked on the verge of panic.
"…given us a chance to say thank you. Happy Anniversary," Cid finished softly, "from Vin an' me." He and Vincent stepped away from the gleaming chopper, revealing the entirety of its custom paint job to the pair for the first time.
On the Mako blue of the bow, arrogantly perched on the flat of First Tsurugi was the grinning caricature of a spiky-furred red cat; tail hooked and back arched high; one green eye looking to the observer, the other closed in a wink.
Reno's eyes were huge in his face; his gaze traveling from the elegant craft to Cid, to Vincent, and back again. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came forth. Beside him, Cloud wasn't faring any better. Finally, Reno took a faltering step forward, his shaking hand almost touching it before blindly reaching for Cloud instead. The blond almost lunged to take Reno's hand, and was drawn to his side.
Cid, his eyes suspiciously bright, finally broke the spell.
"Lookit that, Vin…I think we finally found a way to make Tseng's yappin' Turk shut up." From beside him, a quiet chuckle answered.
"Go ahead an' touch it…ya' ain't gonna break it," Cid continued.
It was another long moment before Reno could move, staring at the little chopper, his mouth still working soundlessly. Beside him, Cloud murmured something in his ear. It seemingly broke the spell and Reno moved forward; not to the helicopter but to fling his arms around Cid, his eyes suspiciously wet.
Cid returned the hug awkwardly, but his expression was one of fondness. Still, he couldn't resist teasing Reno a little. "Don't go getting' all soggy on me, Red. I'm gonna be workin' yer ass off when ya ain't ferrying bigwigs about for Rufus." The pilot looked with quiet satisfaction to Cloud over Reno's shoulder. "Glad to finally get to pay you back a little," the pilot said simply, his gaze moving meaningfully to Vincent. "Because of you, I'm the richest man on the planet." A brilliant smile, something he'd once thought he would never witness from the blond, was all the thanks Cid would ever need.
Cloud moved to stand by Vincent. "It's been a dream of his for so long," the blond said quietly. "I'm glad it finally came true."
"So am I," Vincent replied in an equally low voice. "So am I."
A few days later, Cid bit back a curse as he bent down to inspect some seemingly random markings beside the main entry hatch of his airship, grinning instead as he recognized Vincent's special paints. Inside a small circle was a stylized heart, and underneath that was what could only be determined a signature; a tiny red stick-cat. Cid flipped open his phone, hit number '1', and in a moment Vincent answered.
"Have you seen what that redheaded menace did to my girl?"
He could hear the smile in Vincent's voice as he answered. "Of course. He borrowed my paints last night, and I watched Cloud hold a flashlight for him."
"I shoulda known," Cid snorted, grinning and shaking his head. "Any idea what it's supposed ta' mean?"
"I believe Reno said something about paybacks…and 'An asshole with a heart of gold'."
Cid laughed, already planning his own payback, which would take the form of requiring Reno to renew his impromptu artwork whenever it showed signs of fading. "Wanna have a little fun, babe?" he asked suddenly.
"What are you up to now?" Vincent asked cautiously, smiling, jeweled eyes narrowed. He could visualize the devious expression on Cid's face, merely by the tone of his voice.
"Not much," Cid replied, admiring the view across the airfield as the sun rose. He grinned, blue eyes twinkling as he chewed thoughtfully on the filter of his cigarette. He glanced fondly at Reno's artistic effort one more time before entering the ship to warm up the engines. The pilot knew Cloud and Reno would be awake shortly, and if his suspicions were correct, more than a little hungover; so he needed to move quickly. "Thought we might rattle their shingles a little."