Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of it's characters.
A/N: Ok whew this took forever to type sorry for the wait. Tell me if you think Vincent is too out of character... um yeah...
Chapter 4: Acceptance
Deep blood red eyes stared at Ravyn surprise etched momentarily in their depths
Ravyn could tell now the musician was definitely a man, although he was the most beautiful she had ever seen. Crimson eyes were set in a milky white face, shaped to perfection. Long ebony locks fell around his face at odd places overall giving it the look of it needing a good trim. Thin handsomely sculpted lips held the slight traces of a frown and dark eyebrows curved sharply above his eyes.
"I...I," Ravyn struggled, trying to fill the strained silence with an explanation. "I woke up and heard your music ... I f-followed the s-sound and watched you play. You're very good..." Ravyn ended lamely. Still the tall man dressed in black and red did not respond.
"I...I.....I don't have any clothes!" Ravyn blurted out suddenly. 'Oh, great that was probably the most stupid thing I have ever said!'
Ravyn felt a blush creep to her cheeks as she heard a slight chuckle emanate from the man standing above her. She looked up when a hand entered her vision. She took it when she saw a small smile on the stranger's face.
"If you had looked in the armoire you would have found some." Vincent said looking down at the petite girl who had taken his hand without even a moment's hesitation. 'Is she not afraid or repulsed by me?'
"Let's get some clothes for you." Vincent stated then took off for his bedroom. He could not help that the small smirk stayed on his lips as the girl followed closely behind him.
"Don't you have a case for your violin?" Ravyn asked a bit puzzled when he just started walking.
"It's in the room as well..." Vincent trailed off. Who was this girl that she could carry on normal conversation with an apparent monster and not have the slightest trace of fear in her voice? Vincent hesitated at the top of the stairs. 'Should I ask ...? No... no I don't want to know the answer. She's probably an actress of some sort and is putting up a front so this monster does not kill her.'
"Are we going in?" Ravyn asked when the stranger stopped at the secret door. 'Who is this man? The music he played mirrors the sorrow in the voice of my dreams...'
Vincent said nothing as he swung the door in, his mood considerably darker now that he had determined it was all an act. His sensitive ears picked up rather ragged breathing coming from the girl.
"Some clothes are in the top 2 drawers in the armoire. I don't know if they'll fit you your clothes were ruined when I found you." Vincent said stashing his precious violin away with care. "I will be in the hallway call me when your done."
"Thanks," Ravyn replied carefully. She could tell he switched to a defensive mood, although she did not know why.
"Oh! You never told me your name." Ravyn exclaimed. 'Great now I sound like some immature eighth grader with a crush.' Ravyn mentally slapped herself many times she was a senior in high school for God's sake.
"Vincent. Vincent Valentine." The man said exiting the room quickly.
'What a nice name.' Ravyn slowly made her way over to the armoire. The first drawer held shirts, all men's. The second pants and surprisingly some women's underclothes. 'At least he salvaged my underwear and bra.' Ravyn blushed at what that entailed.
She picked out a black shirt that was overly large. Ravyn didn't really mind, she often wore baggy shirts. The pants on the other hand were a problem as they had to be rolled up at least four inches. done dressing she folded the sheet and placed it on the bed.
"Um... I'm done." Ravyn called out to the empty room, not exactly sure what she should do.
Vincent heard the girl cough several times with a sneeze as a finally as he entered the room. 'She must still be sick.' He mentally sighed. He figured he was one of the worst caretakers in the world right then. The girl hadn't even eaten yet!
She looked a little uncomfortable under his gaze but she looked overly... cute in clothing much too large for her. 'Cute... where did that come from?'
"Are you hungry?" Vincent asked out loud.
"Now that you mention it... yeah. I mean, wow, I'm so hungry I could eat a cow!" Ravyn said adding the comical ending in hopes of seeing Vincent smile again. She got the impression it was a rare occurrence.
"I better fix you something then. Follow me." Vincent muttered letting her humor slide off him.
"Thanks." No smile. Ravyn sighed.
"Did that song you played have a name?" Ravyn asked trying to be friendly.
"Why do you want to know?" Vincent countered in a monotone voice.
'This guy the more friendly I become the more defensive he gets!' Ravyn thought. "Well I thought it was truly beautiful and I wondered if the name would convey as much sadness as the piece it's self."
"The Nightmare's Beginning." Vincent answered caught off guard by the change in her personality. 'She went from out going and friendly to quiet and blunt in 2 sentences!' Vincent thought as he entered the makeshift kitchen in the back of the manor.
"What do you want?" Vincent asked his tone implying other meanings then just food.
"I...uh...a sandwich is fine, if you have the stuff for it." 'That's weird...' Ravyn thought leaning against the counter. Her eyes tracked him as he walked gracefully towards a refrigerator and pulled out a pre-made sandwich with pastrami.
"Wow convenient." Ravyn let the comment slide past her lips with a multitude of flemmy coughs. Vincent stepped close to hand her the sandwich. She took it looking at his blood red eyes through the suddenly small distance. Vincent raised his organic hand gradually his eyes shielded and when she didn't flinch back lightly rested it on her forehead.
"You have a fever." He informed Ravyn slowly. "I'll get you a glass of water and when you finish you should go back to bed." Vincent stated lowering his hand carefully.
"Yes mommy." Ravyn said oozing sarcasm. 'Two can play the defensive game Vincent. you get quiet and I...I get sarcastic.'
'Her eyes tell me nothing, no revulsion, no fear... no... nothing' Vincent's mind puzzled as he got her a glace of cool water. Setting it on the counter beside her he turned to leave.
"Your leaving me?" Ravyn asked with a mouthful of lettuce, pastrami, mustard and bread.
"I need to make the bed and get some rags for you." Vincent replied confused by her change in mood, again.
"Fine then." Ravyn said vaguely, waving him off.
Vincent walked up the grand staircase with a cat like grace and entered his room. He replaced the sheet on the bed and retrieved some rags from and a bowl from the bathroom. 'Who is this girl? I don't even know her name. She's friendly one moment and... sarcastic another. How did she wind up laying on my entryway floor half dead in a pool of water. Stranger yet she had a mild case of mako poisoning. Not as bad as Cloud's... but still mako poisoning is a serious...I don't know how she survived.
The girl looked up from her cross-legged position on the bed when he reentered the room. He set the small bowl and washcloths down on the nightstand next to the bed and pulled up a nearby chair.
Ravyn just stared at Vincent and a semi-comfortable silence settled around the two. Ravyn shifted slightly on the bed a sort of dazed look passing over her features. Vincent noticed the fever getting the better of her and passed her a damp wash cloth. She accepted it without a word, plunked down to a laying position on the bed and put the cloth on her forehead in almost one movement.
Ravyn gazed up at Vincent's blank face noticing the black hair that trespassed to shadow his eyes. It shimmered dimly ion the light from the fire and seemed incredibly soft. She impulsively reached out to touch it but as soon as her hand came within reach Vincent jerked back as if burned by some useable flame.
A brief tint of hurt flashed across Ravyn's eyes. 'What does he hate me or something?' She thought, out loud she said: "Sorry, but you have gorgeous hair."
Vincent gaped down at the small girl startled. 'Gorgeous...my hair? How is it that she isn't afraid or nauseated? I don't think this is just an act any more. The fever would at lest make such a thing noticeable...'
"Why... Why aren't you afraid of me?" Vincent asked confusion etched in his voice.
"Um.. Should I be? I mean you haven't given me a reason to... if anything I should be grateful. After all you saved and took care of me." Ravyn trailed off. It made sense to her; He was more like her hero than a villain.
"Then... you don't find me disgusting?"
"What! Why on Earth should I think that?" Ravyn blurted out sitting up in the bed, staring at him fiercely for thinking so little of her.
"You don't think my arm is... unnerving?" Vincent asked holding up his mechanical arm.
"No!! Well to be honest if I hadn't see you play then I might be a little unnerved by it, but only because I don't really know you! Let me make it clear though that I would never think some one was disgusting because of how they look!" Ravyn finished feeling completely exhausted from her outburst. She let herself fall back on the bed with a soft thud.
Vincent picked up the damp cloth with his clawed hand and rewetted it wringing it out. He stared at the small white rag in his cold metal hand for a moment before he moved to place it back on her brow, all the while watching her eyes for any sign of rejection.
Ravyn didn't even flinch as the metal finger tips grazed her skin and if anything her gaze softened with his act.
"I guess you needed proof. How badly must others treat you for you to need it, I wonder." Ravyn said quietly, taking in Vincent's somewhat amazed expression.
'She really does not feel disgusted by me... How is that possible?' Vincent's thoughts darkened when thought of how she would react upon seeing Chaos or any of his other forms. 'Surely she would fear me then... but I won't let that happen...I never want to loose this girls acceptance... like I did Lucretcia's...'
"Why would seeing me play make a difference?" Vincent wondered out loud.
"Simple," Ravyn murmured. "When you handled the bow of your violin it was with care and skill. I bet there isn't even a scratch on the wood." She smiled weakly.
Vincent watched the girl's eyes grow heavy before remembering to ask: "What's your name?"
"Hm...Oh. I never told you did I? ...Ravyn....Ravyn Barns..."
A/N: Oh by the way this fic is about to get sort of bloody not in the next chapter but the one after and much more agansty so I will most likely change the rating to R just to be safe and don't worry your pretty little head off about Avell I'll get to her soon... Oh and sorry if I spelt Lucretcia's name wrong! ^__^