O My Lord Valentine
---Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is not mine. I don't own any of the characters in this story unless otherwise noted.

Warnings in this Chapter: Cursing, male on male glompage (woo!)

Author Note: Er... another late-night Vanilla Coke-induced installment. I hope you like. Though I doubt the world will ever realize the beauty that is My Lord Valentine...

Things were going way too fast.

Vincent wasn't oblivious to the austere looks Rude had been giving him all day, or the teddy bear way Reno clung by his side until they'd reached the wonderful Gold Saucer. He'd definitely made note of Cid's aggressive behavior toward Reno throughout the trip, and the way everyone else kept out of their way, but saw nothing wrong with making gossip.

And what with Yuffie nabbing their Materia, the day had left them more than enough to chew. Night was settling in for a long stay by the time they'd arrived at Gold Saucer, leaving Yuffie behind in Wutai.

"She'll be all right," Cloud justified, swinging his gigantic Buster like it was nothing. "Okay, everyone have fun tonight. There's no telling what we're in for tomorrow." Tifa crept under his arm as he led her to the chocobo racetracks.

Barret nodded, waving his bulky gun arm at Red and Cait. "Yo, I don't feel like sleeping yet. What do y'all wanna do?"

"Arcade!" Cait Sith blurted.

Rude raised his hand and smiled coyly. "I'd like to come too."

"Alright then! I get to have a human with me!"

"That's good," said Cid, "'cause Vinny and I are goin' to the Battle Square. Right, Vinny?"

"I guess so," Vincent hummed behind him. The fumes of Cid's cigarette followed them both as Cid took him by the wrist. They jumped down the Battle Square portal, leaving Reno to eat their dust quietly. And hopefully, quiet would he stay.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"'Lord Valentine.' What a buncha bull!" Cid smothered what remained of his cigarette in the area, then impaled some strange monster with his spear. "What do you think, Vinny? What a nutjob!"

"Indeed." In one swift bang of his gun the first enemy died. Though Vincent did remember something Cid said, about finding a "nutjob" at the Saucer to...never mind.

"Boy's got somethin' strange in him, thinkin' you're some kinda savior." He leaned by to let out a hearty laugh, when the last enemy stand charged right for him.

"Cid!" Vincent dashed ahead of it, feeling its thick claws tearing at his back. Cid grabbed him when he fell forward, and came to his senses. With a wave of his weapon-clad hand a bolt of lightning rose from the spear's tip. It shot down on the beast, causing it to wail out in one final cry of its life.

When Cid let go, Vincent staggered to his knees, cringing.

"Wow, good lookin' out." Cid stooped to one knee as well, and found himself laying a hand of Vincent's shoulder. "You saved me!"

"I...guess so." But you just said I'm no one's savior...

Cid shouted to the moderators, "We're done for tonight!" then gently placed an arm under Vincent's. "We made it real far, Vinny. We're done for tonight."

"If I had all my Materia..."

"Shut up, Vinny. I said we got real far. Don't you go tryin' to apologize. Let's go back to the hotel so you can rest a bit; you been takin' my hits all night with just that Cover'a yours."

Cid helped him out of the arena slowly, silently cursing Yuffie for stealing all their Cures. But still, knowing Vincent, and battling by his side since he'd joined in this journey, he knew that Vincent wasn't that bad off. He could've taken more, but Cid wouldn't let him.

Together they walked down the fancy red carpet in silence, with no sign of Cloud, Barret or...Reno. Cid scowled a little. What could that bastard be doing now...

"...Cid?"

They'd almost reached the Ghost Hotel portal when Vincent looked up with questioning crimson eyes. "What is it?"

"Reno..."

"What about him?"

Vincent gestured to look up the carpeted stairs. That energetically intoxicated version of Reno came storming down the steps, looking not at all drained for a man that's been actively pestering Vincent since early that morning.

"Aw hell. For the love of..."

- - - - - - - - - - -

"WARK!"

"Shut up." Cloud glowered at his chocobo. He didn't hardly care that it won him the race. He just hated...that sound.

"WARK! WARK-WARK!"

"Wark yourself, bitch."

"Now, now, Cloud." Tifa waved her gloved finger delicately, leaning forward to chastise him. "That chocobo didn't do a thing to deserve that."

"He said 'Wark-wark.' That's 'Yo mama' in Chocobo."

"If you say so. Cloud, I'm tired."

"Alright, we'll get moving, then." Before he turned to leave the track, he leaned to the closest chocobo and whispered "Wark. Wark-wark, wark." (That's Chocobo for "That's right. I'm getting some.")

"Wark! Wark waaaaark." ("Damn! You the maaaaan.")

They proceeded to the Ghost Hotel (of course, Tifa went oblivious to Cloud's fluency of Choconese), but stopped short of the stairs as Vincent stumbled his way up, with the help of Cid...and Reno.

Tifa scratched her head. "Did they make up?"

"It looks like they're buddies, but really it's a whole new fight."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You did it! Mog is flying!"

"What the hell is this?!" Barret had all but slammed his fists into the less-than-riveting game...if you could call it a game.

Rude smiled under his shades. "I found it to be quite pleasant."

"If find you to be quite a pansy!"

"I find pansies are pleasant as well."

Red snickered as he played 3D Battler. "Look Cait, he can't hit me. I'm too short."

- - - - - - - - -

"Here you go, Vinny. You'll feel better in no time."

Vincent nodded his thanks and sat back against the headboard of the best, sipping the lemonade Cid brought him. Reno stood with his arms stiffly crossed, tapping his foot and glaring through the window. Probably feeling more useless than ever. He'd attempted to stay by Vincent's side the whole day. Maybe he was truly serious about saving his job...

"Lord Valentine—"

"QUIT CALLING HIM THAT!" Cid shouted at the top of his lungs, forgetting that he was closer to Vincent's ear than Reno's.

"Don't yell at him, Cid. He's merely being loyal."

Cid gave him a disgusted look.

"To his job. Loyal to his job!"

"Oh, okay." His discomforting stare returned to Reno's humble face.

"Reno...Let me make you a deal..."

"Yes Lord Valentine?"

Cid groaned. He shook his head and leaned on the wall by the door.

"Tomorrow...I'll teach you what I remember, of the behavior and mannerisms of the, um...of your ancestors."

"You will? You'll do that for me?"

Like I have a choice. "So long as you refrain from calling me Lord Valentine."

"Oh my lord Valentine, I'm afraid that's impossible. But thank you, sir, for your kindness."

It was then, Cid being too far away to stop him, and Vincent being too injured, Reno bowed to the point where he practically threw himself at Vincent. Vinny flailed helplessly as he did that morning, but to no avail. Reno had glomped the life from his muscles by the time Cid's spear whacked his cranium.

"GET LOST, DAMMIT!"

The scrawny redhead scrambled out of range. "Dag! Put that overgrown rolling pin down, ya disgruntled housewife! What did you think I was doing to him?!" A sharp breath of air escaped his small lips, that curled into a smile when he noticed his lord was watching him. "It's late. I'll be on my way, my lord."

"Um, er..." He smiled back in reply. Perhaps a little too brightly for Cid.

Vincent was sure of that when the door shut and Reno had left.

"What the FUCK was that, Vincent?! Just gonna smile at him like that, get his gay little hopes up! What are you doin'?!"

"I didn't mean to—"

"Like hell you didn't."

"Cid, please. There seems to be something wrong with him. Or does he always require a sovereign to tend to?"

"Gah, I dunno. I don't care, either. Let's just call it a night and pretend this was all a bad dream. We'll look for Yuffie early tomorrow morning."

"But Cid, I promised—"

"Early tomorrow morning."