Vincent woke. What time was it? Oh gods, he was going to be late, the chief would skin him alive.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes. How much had he drunk last night? He didn't feel hungover, though. No headache, no stomach cramps. He stretched, luxuriating in the flex and pull of muscle. Damn, he felt great.
But...where was he? This wasn't his room. It wasn't even his apartment. He appeared to have fallen asleep in a field. Tall grass, dotted with pale flowers, waved in a light breeze. The air smelled fresh and clean, like the first real day of spring.
He spun slowly on one heel, searching for anything familiar. There wasn't a building in sight, just gentle, rolling meadows as far as he could see. He scratched his head, wondering idly why his hair felt wrong...too short? And his hand...he examined his left hand. It looked the same as it always had, nothing wrong with it…..Nothing wrong with it, why was that so important?
"That you, Valentine?" The voice came from behind. Vincent turned.
"Veld?" Gods, yes, it was Veld, his amber eyes full of the sun. Grinning, he threw his arms around Vincent.
Vincent accepted the embrace, returned it, holding tight to his best friend, partner, lover. Tears sprang to his eyes, but why? Hadn't they just seen each other a day ago? He pulled back, taking Veld's left hand in his own. The solid warmth of his hand was familiar, and yet…
Memory flooded back, rushing over him, through him, and he gasped, letting it come, letting it fill his head and his heart until he could hold no more. Veld held onto him until the torrent had washed him clean.
"Oh gods," Vincent said. "That really happened, didn't it? All of it. Lucrecia, Hojo, Sephiroth, Chaos. And...I died. Twice."
"Suck it up, Valentine," said Veld, with no rancor. "It's over. We made it through."
"We're really dead? This is...the afterlife?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"Never."
How strange to be dead. He didn't feel dead. He felt...young, and capable, full of energy. Veld looked the way Vincent felt, and that was a gift, like the gift of being once more in his arms. His mouth kept wanting to smile, and it was hard to fight it. It occurred to him he didn't need to fight anymore, ever again, and that was the strangest thing of all.
"There you are!"
Veld and Vincent both looked up. A woman came strolling toward them, dark and graceful, with sharp, snapping eyes. "About time you got here!"
Veld gaped. "Tally?"
She came up beside them and tossed an arm over first Veld's, then Vincent's shoulders. "Been waiting forever for your two reprobates. Come on, boys. Might have a little job for you…"
They set off, walking together. There was no hurry. Wherever they ended up, they'd get there in time. With Veld beside him, Vincent could do anything. Or nothing.
Either way, wouldn't it be something?