"What the hell are you staring at, Vin?"

"You."

"Why?"

"Lack of better things to do."

Cid sighed heavily, tossing his cigarette to the ground and stomping it out. He looked up, eyes catching Vincent's as they began their game.

"So you annoy me?"

Vincent shrugged.

"One doesn't spend two years around Yuffie and not pick some bad habit up."

Cid chuckled.

"Yeah? So, what's my bad habit?"

"You stare at my ass when you think I'm not looking."

Cid's smile faltered. Vincent grinned evilly.

"What, you thought I didn't notice?"

"Actually…"

Vincent's grin grew.

"It's alright, Cid. I didn't mind much."

"Key word in that sentence being much, Highwind. He's been bitching about it for the past few days though." Paine walked up to the two men, handing them each a can of soda.

"Thanks," Cid said, opening his. Vincent simply nodded, doing the same.

Paine laughed when the two were sprayed by the fizz. Vincent and Cid glared at her. She only shrugged.

"Paine, I'm going to kill you."

"Come on, Vincent, lighten up. I'm sure Cid'll help you clean it up!" she taunted, running away quickly. Vincent looked at Cid, who had gone red.

"Well," he said, trudging over to the blonde man, "What do we do now?"

"Get cleaned up?" Cid suggested, looking Vincent over.

"Splendid idea. Your room or mine?"

Later that evening…

Paine looked up from her game of checkers, sensing that something was definitely wrong.

"Paine? What's wrong?" her opponent asked, a bit worried.

"Oh, it's nothing, Nanaki. Your move."

Paine had been startled to learn that Nanaki could play checkers, what with the fur and paws. Of course, it was also shocking to learn that he could do linear equations in his head, but that's different. Nanaki simply moved one piece, jumping three of her pieces and landing at the other side of the board.

"King me."

"How do you always do that?"

"Luck."

Paine snorted. Yeah, right. Luck my ass, she thought. He's probably smarter than Cloud and Yuna combined. Although that wouldn't take much… Paine grinned at that thought.

"Um, Paine? You might want to run."

"Why?"

"Because Cid and Vincent have a huge bowl of chocolate pudding suspended over your head."

SPLAT.

"Thanks for the warning, Nanaki. I suggest you run before I skin you."

"Suggestion noted and followed," Nanaki said, running as fast as he could in the direction of the Highwind.

"Payback, Paine."

"I know."

She smiled, looking more than a little pained.

"But did you have to waste that much chocolate pudding?"

Cid grinned and nodded. Vincent--the chocolate lover that he is--sympathized.

"Don't worry; we'll make you some more pudding later. After all, our soda from earlier didn't exactly go to waste…" Vincent trailed off as a blush colored Cid's cheeks

"Good."

"Thanks for that, by the way."

Paine smiled.

"Any time. What are friends for?"