Back In My Day
Final Fantasy VII
Chapter Three – King Me, Dammit!
Sun shone through the tall windows into the recreation room, illuminating the activities of the tenants. Most relaxed in arm chairs, chatting idly about the uneventful day ahead and the uneventful day which tomorrow would, without a doubt, turn out to be. After the near catastrophic events of the morning, the employees breathed a deep sigh of relief at the calm aura of the room. Cloud, their largest concern, was dozing in a rocking chair by the window, and Barret seemed far too interested in the discovery channel program about gun types to cause havoc. The employees visibly relaxed, peace evident on their features.
"Goddammit Vince! I got ta' your side of the board! King me!" shouted the all too familiar voice. The happiness the employees had tasted for just a moment slid from their faces. They looked over with tired eyes towards a small table in the corner where Cid sat opposite of Vincent Valentine, a shabby chess board between them.
"Cid, How many times do I have to tell you? This is chess, not checkers." Vincent muttered, hiding the enjoyment he got from working the old pilot up. Vincent guided his rook over to Cid's invading knight, capturing it and placing it aside the board with the array of other white pieces. Cid cursed angrily.
"Fuck!" he yelled, glaring at the few pieces he had left in play. Vincent laced his fingers, placing his chin on them and watching Cid with a smug look on his face. He moved his last bishop forward in a straight line, heading towards Vincent's queen. Cid bishop took its place as it knocked the black queen across the board and onto the table.
"Ha! Got your goddamn queen now!" he yelled, raising his fist in triumph. Vincent just shook his head, the smug look never leaving his pale features.
"Chief, the bishop only moves diagonally," he said placing it back where it had come from and replacing the queen Cid had smacked away. "Try again." He smirked. Cid swore loudly, pulling a cigarette from the pack tucked into his goggles and lighting it up.
"I fuckin' hate chess! This game is full of shit! I don't know why I agreed to ever play with your skinny vampire ass!" Cid fumed, taking a hit of his cigarette as some of the people around him began to cough. One of the older men glared at Cid angrily.
"Hey, I've got asthma! Put that thing out, you lowlife." He wheezed. Vincent allowed himself a sly smirk, loving to see the arguments that arose each day. Cid stood, staring down at the old man, before blowing a huge cloud of smoke into his face.
"Suck on that, ya' bastard! Nobody's gonna' tell me how to live the rest of my damn life!" he yelled, throwing his hands in the air. The old man coughed hard, clutching his throat and reaching for the inhaler that lay in the side pocket of his wheel chair. Two male employees rushed over, quickly grabbing the inhaler and giving it to the man. He gasped, able to breath once again.
"You're insane!" he yelled towards the pilot, who grinned.
"You bet I am!" he threw over his shoulder, as he grabbed his cane and walked towards to exit doors. Tifa hurried after him, scooting her walker across the room.
"Cid! Cid, I thought you said you were going to try and control your anger!" she wailed at his retreating back. He turned slowly, cigarette in one hand and his other clutching his cane.
"Sorry, Tif. I really have been tryin'!" he said, walking over to her and putting an arm around her thin shoulders. She smiled, her eyes shining happily with understanding. Nobody saw Vincent slip out of the room, silently and swiftly like the Turk he had been many years ago, despite the thin cane.
"I know you have. You're doing good Captain." She smiled happily. Cid smirked, removing his arm and straightening the white knitted shawl she had draped around her shoulders. She was hardly ever seen without it, as Marlene had made it for her for her last birthday. It was oddly misshapen in some places, but the love that was put into it was what made Tifa love it.
"Tifa! Come back, don't you want to finish this puzzle?" Yuffie called from the table, puzzle pieces from the one Reeve had been doing stuffed into her pockets, unbeknownst to him as he continued. She gave Cid a quick hug before making her way back to Yuffie. Cid strolled happily back to his room, calm after his rampage. Tifa had a talent for getting people to step back and relax, Cid noted. He walked into his room, flopping down on the metal framed bed. Pictures of the Highwind hung on the wall, accompanied by pictures of him and all of his friends. Cid yawned loudly, ready for a nap in the afternoon sunlight drifting through his window. He pulled of his goggles, moving to set them on his bedside table only to find that something else was already lying there.
"GOD FUCKIN' DAMMIT! VINCENT!" The white king lay on its side, clearly in surrender. Cid clenched his fists, flinging the piece as hard as he could into the hallway. Vincent walked, calm as ever, down the hallway as he watched the Kings flight. He smirked as it hit the opposite wall and bounced to the ground. The storm of curses flooding out of Cid's room was music to his ears, warming him and reminding him of the years past. He wrapped his cloak closer around his black slacks and shirt, and allowed himself a low laugh.
He had always been fond of the foul mouthed pilot.
He loved how he never failed to make him laugh or smile.
He also loved how he never failed to get him worked up into an angry fit.
The normally stoic gunman walked away quietly with a smile he couldn't fight plastered across his pale lips. He heard things hitting the walls and floor just as employees breezed past him towards Cid's room. And another laugh escaped him.
Thanks for reading (^^;) Thanks for all the reviews :D R&R c:
