Chapter Three - Cid
xXx
There are few things that truly piss me off. Sure, I might use the more "creative" parts of my vocabulary once in a while, but it doesn't mean I'm really mad at anything. Frustrated, maybe. Like cold tea and the nights that Shera locks me out. Those are frustrating. Being woken up at the gods forsaken middle of the night is more than frustrating. And whoever had decided to call me was certainly going to hear about it.
"What the fuck do ya want?" I snarled into the ringing piece of shit at my ear. Somehow, I hoped they were easily scared. Maybe I could get some revenge for my sleep interruption.
"I would like to have hearing in my left ear back..." Cloud's voice came through the other end of the line. It was strained, like he hadn't had much sleep. Well fucking good, he woke my ass up.
A half deaf Cloud was amusing. Maybe I wasn't so murderous anymore, but a harpoon up his ass wouldn't have made me feel any worse. "Then use your other fuckin' ear so I can deafen it too," I replied, probably more smug than angry now, "And answer my damn question. What the fuck do ya want?"
There was a bit of silence before Cloud swallowed. Something was not good. No one takes a big, fearful gulp when telling me good news. Nope, not good news was coming. Vincent called. Apparently someone's kidnapping kids off the Midgar streets and... doing stuff to them. A child actually went to Vincent for help."
So Vince called. That's a sure sign that shit's about to hit the fan. Not that I hadn't seen him, Shera had invited him over once. He didn't stay long, but I knew he was alive. I wasn't going to be sitting around home anymore, playing mechanic and absent leader. There were kids being targeted, and if there's ever a wrong in the world, it's kids suffering. Call me soft, if you will. And I was just getting used to this place again. Getting used to her again.
"Where the hell are ya?" I asked, knowing what I was being called for, "And when do ya need to be picked up?" Dammit. She wasn't going to like this. But there are few things an old man like me is good for. This is mine.
"Pick me up in the meadow outside of Cosmo. We need to be in Nibelheim in the morning." There was something in Cloud's voice every time he mentioned that town. It almost hurt to hear it. "Be careful, Cid. I don't know what's going on here, but it isn't good."
"You'd better be out there," I replied, needing to vent the frustration that was building, "I don't wanna have to wait for your scrawny ass." With that, I slammed the PHS down.
I had to tell her now. There was no waiting for morning, because I had to be there before morning. It really chapped my ass how things like this worked.
"So, you're heading out now, eh Captain?"
She was standing in the doorway. Has hearing like a predator. Voice like a mouse. Must have heard the PHS before even I did. Might have been standing outside the whole time.
"It's kids, Shera," I said, "Bad things happening to kids." An apology, maybe. Oh yes, the great Cid Highwind had been reduced to apologizing to his mousy assistant. She deserved it. Hell, I deserved it.
She sighed heavily. She really needed to go back down the hall and sleep; I could see the bags under her eyes. "How long?" she asked, looking straight at me. Usually she doesn't make eye contact. I shifted under the steel of her gaze.
"I don't know."
She stopped looking at me. I had the strength to finally get up from the bed. It was cold, crossing the room. I missed the warmth of my covers, the warmth of sleep.
Maybe I grabbed her first. Hard to tell, but I was holding unto her now. Fuck personal space and propriety. I was cold. She was cold. And it was only going to get colder.
"I don't expect you to wait for me," I said, pretending she wasn't shaking, "Gods knows why ya still keep waitin'." She blinked those big brown eyes at me, under those silly glasses.
"Just go," she whispered, "Just go." And she broke away, scurrying towards somewhere else. Maybe her room. I didn't know. It was too damn dark to tell.
"Shera..." I began, but stopped. I'd just missed my chance. Hell, I was getting good at that. She was probably so mad at me now it wouldn't have made a difference.
When I went downstairs, after what seemed a long time, I saw it. And maybe I was right. Maybe.
She'd started a pot of tea for me.
xXx
