Aaaaand here's chapter seven. I apologise profusely for the length (of lack thereof) of the chapter, but it's difficult to make the chapters any longer without pointlessly padding it out...
Warnings: Is this yaoi, you ask? Of course it is! I write nothing BUT yaoi! For those who are still hopelessly green, yaoi is boys with boys (or in this case, men with men, rawr). The pairing is, or eventually will be, Cid/Vincent. If you don't like that then you either stumbled across this by accident, or you're in some serious denial; whatever the reason, just hit the back button.
Disclaimer: The story is mine, but sadly the characters are not - they belong to Square Enix/Squaresoft, and that Japanese guy whose name I can never remember. I can't prevent it, but please don't steal the fic idea; you can come up with your own. You're welcome to use Rocket Fields, but since it doesn't technically exist in-game, you may want to explain that it's where the Rocket used to be.
Chapter seven, otherwise named: 'Wow, who saw that coming?'
The next few days were tense and awkward; Cid was working like a madman again, something Vincent had come to recognise as a sign of stress. Even Shera seemed to notice Cid's workaholic behaviour, but she chose not to say anything. In an attempt to fabricate normality, Vincent continued to help Cid with the Tiny Bronco and drag him out to Rocket Fields, even if those trips were anything but relaxing. He wanted to shake the man and tell him to snap out of it, but Vincent knew that Cid's behaviour was simply self-restraint.
Even so...he didn't like seeing Cid like this...
"Nice weather today," Vincent remarked as the two sat beneath the usual tree in the fields of tall grass. Of course, the weather was no different from usual - pleasantly warm - but he needed something to fill the uncomfortable silence. There was enough irony in that, since it was normally Cid who initiated conversation, but the pilot was being stubbornly quiet.
All he got in reply was a: "Yep."
"The sky looks nice."
"Yep."
Vincent sighed, eyes drifting shut, "...Maybe I should just go."
"No!" Well, at least he had provoked a reaction; he opened his eye to see Cid sat upright, shoulders tense and brow furrowed, "You said you'd stay so long as I didn't do anythin'!"
"By not doing anything, Chief, you've become completely unemotional. It isn't you, and I don't like it," Vincent replied sternly, "It'd be better for everyone if I just left you and Shera in peace," He moved to get up and walk away, but Cid grasped his arm, holding on with vice-like grip.
"I don't want you to leave," The pilot breathed, "Please."
Vincent suddenly became aware of how close the other was; Cid seemed to notice it too, but he didn't pull away. He stared at Vincent as though mesmerised, moving closer, and closer...
...And pulled back at the last minute, just before their lips could reach.
"Chief..." Vincent muttered, exasperated.
"I know, I know," Cid answered, letting go of the gunman's arm, "We can't, right? You don't like me in that way."
Vincent quirked an eyebrow; "I never said that."
"What? But you told me-"
"That we couldn't kiss again - for Shera's sake, Cid. She's happily married to you, she loves you."
Cid's gaze dropped to the ground, face set in a grimace, "But...I don't love her."
"You seemed sure of the opposite a few days ago."
"That's 'cause I thought that maybe I did. But it 'aint the same as..." The rest of the sentence hung in the air, but remained unspoken. A heavy, guilty silence followed.
"If you do not love her, Cid..." Vincent uttered quietly at last, "Then why did you marry her?"
"#!£&, I don't know," He ran a hand through short blond hair, "I figured that was what I supposed to do. Get married, settle down...probably won't have kids, I never liked 'em...but that's what a guy my age does, right?"
"Falling for your male best friend is not part of that ideal, Chief."
"Well thanks for #!£&in' remindin' me," Cid growled, "I didn't exactly plan on this, y'know."
"But it has happened," Vincent pointed out, "So what are we going to do about it?"
Cid was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was apprehensive, "We could still give it a go...Shera wouldn't have to know about it..."
"Cid, you know that isn't a good idea."
"Lemme guess...it's 'cause you're straight, right?"
"Oh? What makes you think that?"
"Well you liked that Lucrecia woman, didn't you?"
"Indeed," Vincent regarded Cid through half-lidded eyes, "I like you too Chief. And surely the fact that you're married to a woman is proof that things aren't always what they seem."
Cid seemed to perk up at the 'I like you too' bit, "So you'd be interested?" He queried, expression hopeful.
"I still don't think it's a good idea Chief. If Shera found out-"
"She won't. Not if we're careful," Vincent found himself looking into deadly-serious azure eyes, "Vin, I...I want this. More than anythin' else."
He couldn't bring himself to say no.
"...Alright. But we have to be careful. I don't want to hurt Shera."
"Careful. Got it," Cid repeated eagerly, looking much like a bouncy, excited child. He hesitated briefly, then leaned forwards and placed a soft, unsure kiss on Vincent's lips.
"...?" Vincent shook his head, smiling, and returned the gesture. A thrill ran through him when Cid deepened the kiss, and he felt those artisan fingers toying with his hair. There was guilt too, since he knew he shouldn't be doing this - and enjoying it so much, no less. But it was lost in the feel of the summer breeze and deft touches, the scent of flowers and cigarettes, and the taste of nicotine.
