Chapter Two

Coffee was good. Cid had decided that a very long time ago. It was just as good as beer, depending on his mood. It was around nine o clock, and dark out. The only light in the apartment was that above Cid's head as he sat at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee and reading a dog-eared paperback on the history of flight. The bittersweet aroma filled the warm kitchen, he had an interesting book in his hands, and he was wearing very warm socks. Life was good.

And it had been rather without disruption up until that point.

The door opened behind him with a soft creak, and he heard Vincent step in, but didn't pay much attention. Most likely, the other man would just retire quietly to his room and leave Cid to his own contented self for the rest of the night.

"This is my home," the man behind him said. Not looking up, Cid rolled his eyes.

"Congratulations, coffin-boy. Any other stunning observations?" He said wryly.

"That's Cid." Vincent continued, the very slightest tinge of irony in his normally monotone voice.

"Why, hell – " Cid turned around and was about to say something more (Can the man get any friggin' weirder?), when he found that the words wouldn't come out of his mouth.

Standing halfway in the door, gentle and curious eyes scanning over the house's interior, was a woman. Vincent stood quietly next to her, his eyes pinned to her face with a look in them that Cid had never seen before.

Cid jumped to his feet, his mind reeling. Vincent…with a chick! Vincent! The whole damn world was coming to an end.

"Um." He said. That was the most his mouth seemed able to spit out. "Ummm."

Vincent gestured to the girl with his good arm. "Cid, this is Adelia Clarke," He said, his voice it's usual low monotone. Cid managed a nod in her direction.

"Uh…" Oh, there's a new one. Good job, Cid. What, you've never seen a girl before?

Well, yeah, but not with him.

Vincent shut the door behind them, and turned the lights on. Cid knew that Vincent normally preferred darker rooms, but he seemed to be concerned merely with what would make his new friend the most comfortable. Cid simply watched dumbly, his mouth opened slightly in a rather stupefied expression. Without another word in Cid's direction to acknowledge the pilot, Vincent guided Adelia around the apartment, showing her the different rooms, his arm positioned behind her back, but unlike any other man in his position, taking care not to touch her. Cid simply watched them, eyebrows raised. The girl…Adelia, was it? She seemed perfectly oblivious to Vincent's…oddities of character, and rather looked up at him gently with an odd grace and ease. She was kind of pretty, Cid had to admit. Small but curved, with untamed light brownish-red hair that fell to the middle of her neck, and looked up at his friend with warm brown eyes.

Shit, well, at least he has some sorta taste, Cid thought, scratching his cheek, and realizing that he hadn't shaved for a few days.

The tour seemed to be over as quickly as it had started. Vincent guided the girl back towards the door, looking like a phantom next to the girl beside him. She smiled up at Cid and spoke for the first time.

"Nice to meet you. Hopefully I'll see you again." Her smile was as warm as her eyes, and made Cid feel like he may have to sit down again if she continued like that. No wonder Vincent liked her.

He managed another nod, and hoped that he was smiling and not looking as if he was psychotic. 'Course, if she's hangin' out with him, that sorta look from me shouldn't weird her out any, he thought.

She smiled at him, and he swallowed a little. Vincent nodded slightly to his roommate, and whisked his new friend out the door.

"Hell's bells," Cid said to himself, sinking into a chair. "What a freak."