Chapter five is here! Er, that's all I've got to say on that one.

Warnings: Is this yaoi, you ask? Of course it is! I write nothing BUT yaoi! For those who are still hopelessly green, yaoi is boys with boys (or in this case, men with men, rawr). The pairing is, or eventually will be, Cid/Vincent. If you don't like that then you either stumbled across this by accident, or you're in some serious denial; whatever the reason, just hit the back button.

Disclaimer: The story is mine, but sadly the characters are not - they belong to Square Enix/Squaresoft, and that Japanese guy whose name I can never remember. I can't prevent it, but please don't steal the fic idea; you can come up with your own. You're welcome to use Rocket Fields, but since it doesn't technically exist in-game, you may want to explain that it's where the Rocket used to be.

Chapter five, otherwise named: 'Hey look, the slash is starting!'

Whilst Cid was never one to sit still for very long, Vincent was able to, on occasion, drag him away from the house and all its mechanical distractions. The spot where the Rocket used to sit was now a haven of tall grass and trees, the perfect place to just relax and watch the world go by. The two favoured one tree in particular, where Vincent could lean against the trunk in the cool shade, and Cid could lay back and admire the drifting clouds.

Cid's love for the sky hadn't died down, Vincent realised. He still gazed up with the same fondness and longing, eyes the exact same shade of the heavens. He belonged up there, just as his namesake had suggested, and yet Cid had already stated that he had given up flying to remain with Shera.

The way Vincent saw it, Cid would probably have been happier if he hadn't married her.

"Cid," He said one day, when Cid's unspoken desire for flight was too much for him to remain silent, "Why did you marry Shera?"

"Eh?" Cid tore his gaze from the sky to look at him, "Well why not? She already lived with me, an' I knew she'd be able to put up with my attitude. 'Aint a lot of women who can do that."

"Convenience, then?"

"You don't have to put it like that," The pilot frowned, "Makes it sound as though there was no emotion involved."

"And was there?"

"Of course there was. I married her 'cause I wanted to. Why, you got trouble believin' that?"

He could sense tempers rising, so he decided not to push it any further; "I suppose it's none of my business."

"What's that?" Cid sat up, the frown now a scowl, "If you've got somethin' to say, Vampy, say it."

"I just..." He decided to ignore the name-calling, even if the tone was a bit aggressive, "I didn't think you'd ever get married that's all."

"Why, 'cause I 'aint marriage material?"

"I never said that," Vincent chose his words cautiously - Cid clearly wasn't happy, and when that happened he had a tendency to pick fights, "I meant that marriage ties you down. I never saw you as someone who would allow that."

"Tied down? Christ, Vin, you make it sound as though I'm in chains."

"You are, aren't you?" The ex-Turk said quietly, "You said yourself that you can't fly around anymore because you'd be leaving Shera behind. That's being tied down, isn't it?"

Cid's expression darkened further, "What're you tryin' to say?"

"That you had a choice between Shera and the sky..." The gunner answered, voice soft, "...And you chose Shera. I know how much you love the sky, Cid. That's why I can't understand why you got married."

"Hmph," Cid looked away, "Maybe I just love Shera more."

"Do you?"

"What? Of course I #!£&in' do."

Vincent stared at him head-on, "Really, Cid? Even more than you love the sky?"

"Don't you give me that #!£&in' look," Cid shot back irritable, "You know #!£& all about my relationship with Shera. You didn't even turn up to the #!£&in' wedding."

"Yes I did, Chief."

"You did?" Cid blinked, anger momentarily forgotten, "I didn't see you."

"I was at the back of the church, in the shadows."

"Damnit, I knew you were there! I coulda sworn I glimpsed you durin' the ceremony," The pilot frowned, "Wait a minute...I went back there lookin' for you, callin' out your name. Why didn't you answer?"

"I..." He had no clue what to say; two years later and he still wasn't sure what had really happened that day, "I don't know."

"Don't know? Whaddya mean 'don't know'?"

"..."

"You gonna tell me or what?"

"..."

Cid let out a sigh; "Vince, I know you're an enigma at the best of times, but could you please explain to me what the hell's goin' on?"

"I'm not sure myself," Vincent admitted at last, "I remember watching the ceremony, but something didn't feel right; I felt like I should've been happy, but I just felt...detached," He lowered his eyes, "That's nothing new to me, but I was confused because it should've been a joyous occasion. That's why I didn't answer you, Cid, and that's why I left for two years."

Cid just stared at him; "So...you weren't happy to see me get married?"

"I wasn't unhappy," Vincent pointed out quickly.

"But you weren't happy?"

"Well...not really, no," He was surprised when the pilot stood up abruptly, "Cid? Where are you going?"

"Away. I need to think," Cid answered shortly before he strode away. Vincent sat in confusion for a minute or two before he realised, with a sinking feeling, that he had probably upset his friend. Thus, he stood up to go after him, finding him stood beneath another tree. Cid was already frowning in deep thought when he arrived, and that frown only deepend when he saw the ex-Turk.

"Vin, when I said I needed to think, I meant on my own."

"I knew it," Vincent shook his head, more to himself than anyone else, "This is why I didn't see you for two years afterwards. I knew you'd react like this."

"What?" Cid looked up sharply, blue eyes wide, "You...knew...?"

"That you'd be mad," Vincent elaborated, "I don't know why I wasn't happy for you, Cid; my apologies if it's upset you. I don't want us to fall out."

"Oh," Was all the pilot said, as if in sudden realisation, before mumbling, "That's what you meant..."

"Hm?" Clearly those last words weren't intended to be heard, but Vincent's hearing was better than most, "What did you think I meant, Chief?"

"...Nothing. But I reckon I'm gonna need more time to think...I'm still contemplatin'."

"Contemplating what?"

When Cid stared at him long and hard, he had to wonder just what was going through the man's head; "No, never mind," Cid declared at last, "It doesn't matter anymore. Let's just go inside," With that, he began strolling back towards the house.

"Chief...?" Vincent murmured soundlessly. He was still confused; something told him that he and Cid had been thinking two different things entirely.

Just what was he thinking of...?