( None of these belong to me. They are owned by Squaresoft/enix so I would greatly appreciate it if you don't sue me please thanks) This is my second time writing a fic so bear with me, there's prolly a lot of mistakes in here. Lol no flames please. This is a Vincent/Aeris fic. This is a great fic for all you Vincent or Aeris fans out there... ' oh and another thing.. I know that I'm kinda rushing things and I'm telling the story really fast, but bear with me... I swear, I'll go more into depth and the later chapters will get better! ' I hope... oh i would seriously consider finding Rachmaninoff's 18th variation, Theme of Pagini, and listening to it during the piano scene.
Red Death's Love
-LMG-
/All you wanted by Michelle branch/Dedicated to Marlene
I wanted to be like you
I wanted everything
So I tried to be like you
And I got swept away
I didn't know that it was so cold
And you needed someone
to show you the way
So I took your hand and we figured out
That when the time comes
I'd take you away
If you want to
I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted
was somebody who cares
I'm sinking slowly
So hurry hold me
Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on
Please can you tell me
So I can finally see
Where you go when you're gone
If you want to
I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted
was somebody who cares
All you wanted was somebody who cares
If you need me you know I'll be there
Oh, yeah
[x2]
If you want to
I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted
was somebody who cares
Please can you tell me
So I can finally see
Where you go when you're gone
/
After Marlene showed Vincent around to her heart's content, she took him to the guest room. Barret had already brought up his bag and laid it on the bed along with some clean towels. Marlene took him back down and took him to the dining room where Barret was waiting.After dinner, Vincent excused himself, and retired to bed. If he was going to leave in the morning, he'd have to turn in early.
Vincent couldn't go to sleep. He didn't know what time it was, but if he had to guess he'd say about 2:00 in the morning. It was a warm night and he had the window open. He was laying in his bed without his shirt on. The moon light caressed his body. Vincent turned to his side and thought about Barret and Marlene as well as Cid and his new life
So time really didn't stop when I was in that coffin.
Vincent turned his thoughts onto Cloud and Tifa. They were living in Kalm together. Were they married? He knew that Tifa cared a great deal about Cloud Strife... but Cloud really loved Aeris...
He loves Aeris, just as much as I do with Lucrecia... but Cloud was braver than me, Vincent thought bitterly. He didn't go back to his coffin and hide...
Instead, Cloud decided to live his life and move on without Aeris ... Vincent wished he had Cloud's ambition. He sighed. Vincent was closing his eyes trying to will himself to sleep when he heard music playing from downstairs.
His crimson eyes cracked slightly. What was that? Was that coming from the piano downstairs? He recognized the song. It was one of his favorites. He hadn't heard it in years. Whoever was playing sounded a little off key, but it was hauntingly beautiful.
Vincent sat up slowly, fully alert. His dark tresses fell over his shoulders and down his pale back. He stared at the door.
The song beckoned to him, like a siren's call. Vincent brushed back his mane. I am curious... he got up from his covers and walked to the door.
He had a funny thought. What if it's Barret on the piano? He dismissed the idea. First of all he couldn't picture Barret doing such a thing, second, he doubted that Barret would have the time or patience to sit down and learn how to play.
He placed his claw on the door handle and paused before opening it slowly. He peered out from the door, and looked around the hallway before exiting. He stepped out into the hallway.
He looked to his right towards Barret's room. He heard snores coming from that direction. It was no wonder Barret couldn't hear the music, he was snoring loud enough to wake the dead. Vincent recounted the torturous times when he'd have to share a room with the man.. Cid would come in along with the rest of the team and try to stuff a pillow down his throat. When that didn't work, Tifa knew what to do. She along with Cid and Vincent forced the man to turn over onto his stomach. After that, the snoring stopped.
Ah.. Barret.. you may look different, but you haven't changed at all. Vincent mused as he walked down the stairs and towards the sound of music.
As he edged closer, the person playing the song began making tiny mistakes. The timing was off. Vincent stepped out into the living room. He saw Marlene at the piano. She looked like an apparition of the night. She was wearing a long flowing night gown. Her long hair shook ever so slightly when she reached for the keys. Her back was towards him. So she didn't notice him walking in until he was next to her.
She gave a sharp gasp when he appeared. "Oh, Vincent..." She brought her hands over her bosom.
She exhaled relieved that it was him and not some burgler. "I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to wake you.... Its just that...well.. I love the piano...I mean I can't play during the day, because that's when all the people come, and they help daddy make the decisions for the town..."
She smiled at him, and looked down at her feet, while gently caressing the keys with her fingers.
"I guess I just got used to playing at night.. you know.. I mean... Daddy snores a lot.. and he can't really hear me play at night.. so .. I just use this opportunity to play. I'm so sorry for disturbing you...." She bowed her head.
Vincent folded his arms over his bare chest. "It's alright Marlene... I wasn't sleeping anyways... I was contemplating about ... things..."
Marlene looked up into his face. Her eyes were wide and innocent. "What kind of things Vincent?"
He looked away from her face.
"Just... it... doesn't matter anyways..." He told her tonelessly. "I came down to see who was playing the 18th variation of Rachmaninoff that's all..."
"Oh," she replied and turned her attention back to the piano.
"Do you like the piano?" she asked quietly.
Vincent was silent for a moment then he answered her...
"Yes... I do..".
Marlene kept her eyes glued to the keys. "Vincent ... can you play..?" She asked.
Vincent shuffled his feet. After a long pause, he answered
"Yes...".
Marlene looked into his face with hope. "Oh... Vincent.. can you play for me ... please..?"
Vincent thought about what she was asking him. It's been a long time since he's touched the piano. He remembered the last day... he played the piano... it was for Lucrecia.... He hadn't gone near one since.
"I'm sorry... but I can't..."
Marlene had disappointment written all over her face.
"I'll only play for the woman I love..."
Marlene bowed her head so that her hair covered her face. Her eyes brimmed with tears... and her hands balled up in fists. She bit her lip. She didn't want to cry in front of Vincent, but he'd hurt her with his words... When Cloud introduced him to her, she fell in love... Her father thought he was a monster, but Marlene thought likewise. To her, Vincent was beautiful. Granted she was a child then... but, she had waited for him her whole life. He had been in every fantasy, and dream she's ever had. She was older now, and she could be with him. But now, that didn't seem possible.
The tears rolled off her cheek and onto the pale piano keys. She didn't want to admit that Vincent had rejected her. Marlene sniffed, she felt like such a baby... No wonder he doesn't want to be with me.. she thought bitterly.. I'm disgusting... I'm so stupid.. How did I ever believe that he could ever love me...
Vincent sat down on the piano stool next to her. He knew he hurt her, but he could never be what she wanted him to be... he was far gone.. and no one could save him.. Hojo had made sure of that when he gave him his claw and transformations.. Vincent slipped his hand under her chin, and tilted her face towards him so that she could see his eyes. Vincent saw the tears streaming down her face. He pressed his thumb to her face and wiped them off...
"I'm sorry, .." He said with a sad smile. "I can never be what you want me to be....".
Marlene sobbed and wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face in his chest.
"I just.. I just wanted to be with you... from the first moment I saw you..." She looked up into his face, "Everyone thought that you were a monster.. but not me... I always knew you were beautiful..".
Vincent sat there with the weeping girl in his arms. A certain sadness crept into his heart. He wished he could tell Marlene that he loved her, but he knew it wasn't true. It was better that she found this out now then later in her life. She should know.. she can't waste her life on him. Marlene cried some more.. but as he held her in his arms, her sobs lessened, and so did her tears. She sniffed a few times, but then when she was done, she pulled away from his embrace. She wiped her tears, and straitened her back. She looked down ashamed as if she did something wrong. She smiled weakly at him.
"I'm so sorry if I've inconvenienced you in any way Vincent..." She said meekly. "Please don't tell my father.. He'll be furious...".
That was the last thing he wanted to do... Barret Wallace was no joke when it came to his daughter.. He loved Marlene more than life itself... He would probably try to kill Vincent if he knew what happened...
"Don't worry, I won't tell..." He said with a little smile.
She got up from the bench and walked toward the stairs, her nightgown flowed behind her. Without turning around, Vincent called out her name.
"Marlene.. "
She stopped in her tracks.
"Don't feel ashamed about the tears you shed tonight.. it was beautiful the way you cried for me...it's love.... Love... it's not a weakness...".
Marlene continued towards the stairs. She stopped when she got there and turned around...
"Vincent.. if.. "her voice shook a bit. "If things were different, and you hadn't of met Lucrecia.. and if Hojo didn't give you your claw... would you have gone out with me? Would I even have had any chance?"
Vincent sighed. "I would be too old for you Marlene..."
She shook her head, "Aside from age.. would you have gone out with me?"
Vincent thought about the question she was imposing on him. If things had been different? Then he wouldn't be who he was... but would he have gone out with her? If she was born early, or he around her time...
"Yes..." He said answering her question. "Yes.. I would have considered dating you.."
Marlene bit her lip. At least she found some solace knowing that if she had been born around his time, he would have been hers... With that thought in mind, she thanked him and headed up to bed. She wouldn't be dreaming about him anymore... she'd received the answer she needed to move on...
The next morning, Vincent got up around 8:00 am. He got his stuff, went downstairs and saw that Barret had left the stable key on the dining room table for him, along with a note. Vincent picked up the key and opened the note with his claw.
In the note, Barret told Vincent that he was sorry that he wouldn't be able to see him off. Barret was in town having a meeting about opening relations with the rest of Corel. Vincent was to leave the key in his office after he got his chocobo. Vincent took the key to the stable behind the house, and opened the deadbolt.
The gold chocobo was awake and alert. The bird warked several times and ran around the stable frantically. Vincent stood his ground. The bird walked up to Vincent. HE was a yard away from the man with the strange red eyes. The bird cocked it's head to the side and looked at Vincent curiously. It blinked once, then twice. The bird let out a horrible screech, anyone would turn away, or cower at the horrible sound.
Vincent didn't even flinch. He stood there unaffected by the bird's hostility. The creature ran towards Vincent at lightning speed and stopped when it was an inch away. It lifted up its hind leg and looked about ready to strike the pale man. But then, the bird bowed it's head and slowly lowered it's body to the ground.
Vincent slowly stuck his hand out towards the chocobo. The bird looked at it curiously cocking it's head from one side to the other. It opened it's sharp beak and bit Vincent, playfully. The bird had sensed that Vincent was different than the other two.. but it also knew that he wouldn't hurt it. It gently nipped his hand without causing so much as a scratch. There, the bird had accepted him as it's new master.
Vincent was a worthy master.. The bird chirped softly and patiently waited while Vincent saddled him up. Vincent led the chocobo to the front of the house. He did as Barret asked and left the key in his office. After he was done, Vincent got on his chocobo. The beast was careful not to throw his master off. Vincent started towards the North Corel gates. Before exiting, he stopped and looked back at the manor.
Marlene was standing at her window. She smiled and waved at him.
Vincent gave her a curt nod and was off.
-End-