Chapter Three

Cid had decided to take on a cheerful outlook when Vincent came back. When the other man came through the door, he stood again, grinning.

"Damn, man, didn't know you had it in you!" He said, hands on his hips. Vincent stared at him.

"I don't understand."

"I mean she's hot. Good call." Cid gave his friend a thumbs-up, and went to pour some more coffee for himself and his roommate.

Vincent took off his cloak, hanging it neatly on the hook (a direct opposite from Cid's jacket, which was draped carelessly over a chair). "I hadn't thought of it."

"You're kidding." Cid turned back to him, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "She's a friggin' babe." He brought the coffee over to the table, shoving one towards Vincent's place. Vincent sat down and sipped it gingerly, his eyes on the warm drink.

"She's a friend." He said simply.

"A friend."

"Yes." Again, no explanation, no further commentary. The accented silence drove Cid off the wall.

"And…that means…?" He probed, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it.

Vincent looked up at him. "Do you think that I am unable to make friends outside of Avalanche?"

Somehow, the fact that Vincent said this with complete sincerity made it sharper than if he had said it angrily. Cid blinked and shook his head. "Well, no, I just…"

"I have no further intentions."

Cid looked at him in disbelief. "You mean you just decided to befriend that chick for no damn reason?"

"No. She was coming out of a store, and a young man took something from her bag. I was standing nearby and saw, and I stopped him, and she asked me if she could buy me a drink in thanks. I remembered you saying that I ought to be more open to people, and I decided that I might take your advice."

"And all this happened tonight?"

"No. A month ago."

"A fckin' month ago!" Cid spat out. "You been seeing this girl the whole damn time!"

"No. I ran into her again a week later and she began to talk to me. I was polite, and so she began a conversation with me."

"Well, for someone you just became 'friends' with, you sure were indulgin' her, turnin' the light on for her and everything." Cid took a long draw from his cigarette, an amused look on his face.

"Most people prefer lit rooms, so I turned the light on for her. Luckily for me, you don't care about whether or not the room is dark."

"Still, I think that's a bit nice, even for you, Vince."

"I indulge you, too."

"What? What th' hell does that mean?"

"I hate the smell of cigarettes." Vincent finished his coffee, and took his and Cid's empty mugs to the sink, washing them out and returning them to their proper cupboards. Cid watched him go into his room, and stamped out his cigarette.

"Dammit."