In all due respect, Vincent actually did like Rocket town. It was a small, quiet, rural town away from everything. An old fashioned red-neck community, for lack of a better description. Normally, every time he'd come here, all sense of tension would melt away, but now, all that hit him was fear upon entering the small country town.

Fear from the pity radiating from Cid, concerned for where it may lead. Vincent liked Cid, but the thought of moving in with him was too much. He didn't want to be anywhere near him.

He feared for the pilot's safety.

Cid opened the door, gesturing for the gunman to enter. "Here ya go, Vince. Home sweet home."

Vincent resisted the urge to shake his head at the absurd comment.

"You can take Shera's old room. It'll be nice to have someone around again. S'been kinda lonely since she moved out." He grinned sheepishly, obviously just trying to think of something to say.

Vincent slipped on down the hall, not even bothering to look back at him. He had considered making a run for it, but resolved it to be a futile effort. He was tired, and doubted he'd even be able to make it through. The ex-Turk dropped his things onto the bed, settling down next to them. His face fell into his hands. "What the hell am I doing here? Why'd I agree to this?"

xXx

Cid stood outside of the door, some time later. He hadn't heard from Vincent since he'd welcomed him into his home, and that old state of worry was beginning to spark up again. Breathing deep, to prepare for a sour reception, Cid knocked on the door. "Vince… you alright?"

No answer.

"Do you need anything? Are you hungry?"

Still, no answer.

Cid sighed, testing the handle. It was unlocked. "Can I come in?"

When there was silence for a third time, Cid started to leave, when he was nearly floored from hearing that timid response. "If you want."

The pilot spun around, seizing the handle- then froze, taking his time to open the door, and trying not to sound anxious.

He crept in, his eyes immediately falling on the gunman. Vincent was sitting on the floor, next to the window. The misty sunset reflected off his delicate features. Even with his face twisted in sorrow, Cid couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful he was. Even so, nothing could compare to that smile, and Cid was determined to bring it back. "How ya holdin up?"

Without turning to look at him, he shook his head. "Not sure." His voice sounded so weak, like he hadn't used it in ages.

Cid walked over, settling down, on the floor, in front of him. "What do ya mean?"

"I'm just so confused right now."

Cid waited a bit for him to continue. With no elaboration, he decided to ask. "About what?"

The gunman sighed. His head dropping some, but he still wouldn't look at him. "There's nothing I'm not confused about. Everything seems to be happening so fast. I don't know what to make of it all."

Cid tilted his head, to try and see Vincent fully, but he turned further away. "I don't want to, but I can't help it." He closed his eyes, breathing heavily. "I still love him, Cid. I wish I didn't, and I don't know how to stop it."

Cid scratched his head. "Nothin' confusing there."

"What?" Vincent glanced over at him.

"Well, it makes sense. You two were together for three years. It's only natural that you'd still have feelings for him. Something like that don't die so easily."

Vincent finally turned fully to him. Tears released with each blink.

"Honestly, Vince, I'm not gonna pretend to know what you're going through." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But I do know how it feels to have someone ya love break your heart."

Cid didn't feel much like going any further, but he watched the gunman, hoping that maybe he'd care enough to ask. To his surprise… "What happened?"

"Well." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of where exactly he should start. "Believe it or not, there was another guy. A few years before I met you… his name was Kyle." Cid was starting to regret starting this story, but Vincent was actually listening. And there was really no chance to go back now. "My parents never liked him. Especially my dad. I just figured it was because they didn't like the idea that their son was actually gay… but I found out they were right."

Vincent let out a subtle sound, which could almost be misconstrued as a laugh. "It's amazing how often your parents know things you'll never see… until it's too late."

Cid grinned, scratching his cheek. "Yea. I guess."

"So what'd he do? Did he cheat on you too?"

He shook his head, sadly. "Na. Nothin' like that. Though I kinda wish he had. Ya know how my dream used ta be to build a rocket, and go up in space?"

"…Yea."

"Well, what did you think when I told you about that?"

Vincent shrugged. "It doesn't matter what I thought. All that matters is that you believe in it."

"Yea, but did you think I could do it?"

"Of course I did. I was there when you made it."

Cid smiled. "Yea. I remember." The smile faded again, his head drooping. "But he didn't." He sighed. "When I told him… he just laughed at me."

"What?" Another tear squeezed from Vincent's eyes.

"We'd been together for two years. I loved him, and I thought he loved me. But when I told him, his only response was just to tell me how foolish I was being. That there was no way in hell I was gonna make it. We broke up, and I hadn't seen him until after I did make it. He actually had the nerve to apologize and try to get me back."

Vincent's face fell. "That's insane… what did you do?"

"Psht. I told him to get his sorry ass outta my face. If he couldn't appreciate what I'd given him enough to believe in me, then he wasn't worth it."

Vincent just stared at him. "You didn't ever want him back?"

Cid scratched his head. "Well, in a way, yea. I was devastated. I wanted what we used to have back, but I knew there was no way I could have it. He'd betrayed me. Now that I knew who he really was, I just wanted him as far away as possible."

Vincent's head fell. "I don't get it."

"Huh?" The pilot's head cocked, reflecting the confusion. "What don't ya get? Why I didn't want him back?"

"No, not that. I just don't understand… How can you say that you love me, and actually trust me not to hurt you? How do you know that you can trust me?"

Cid's confusion only deepened. "What did you do?"

"What?" He turned back to him.

"You ain't done nothin' to make me think otherwise."

"But, Kyle hadn't either, when you first met."

"Vince… you ain't him. Besides, lookin back… it was kinda obvious how much his true self came through. I just ignored it. Did you ever have a time with Cloud when you knew he was the one you'd be with forever?"

The new glistening in those red eyes, made Cid bite his lip. Immediately regretting the words.

Vincent blinked, reactivating the dried tears on his cheeks, turning back to the window. "There was, actually." The gunman fiddled with the ring, still resting on his finger. "I just felt like Cloud was the only one who could understand what I'd been through. He'd been hurt too. I truly believed he'd actually know what I needed." He closed his eyes, still turning the ring. "Maybe that's why I agreed to marry him."

Cid's heart sank to see he was still wearing it. "Well, maybe that was the problem."

The ex-Turks eyes narrowed on him. "What?"

Cid shrunk a bit, before remembering his point. "Just follow me with this. You were hurt really bad. So much so, that you still have nightmares. Why would you need someone who knows how that feels? Who knows what it's like to be a lab rat." Ahem, open mouth insert foot. "A-hen-nyway. All I'm saying is that you don't need someone that still hangs onto the pain of the past. You need to find someone that can help you forget about all that crap in your past, and pull you into the future. Someone that can show you there's more to life than just being afraid of getting hurt. That you can still be happy, if you try."

"Someone like you?"

"Wh-what?" Cid's face flushed from the accusation, flinching at the snap in his voice. "Er… well… um. Ahem. D-dinner's ready. You hungry?"

Vincent just shook his head, turning back to watch the sun set over the horizon. "I'm fine."

The pilot sighed, rising to his feet. "Alright. Hell, I'm just glad you let me talk to ya. But you sure you don't need anything?"

"No thank you."

"Ok. You do, you just holler. I'll be here, if you need anything." He started on out.

"Cid."

Cid froze in the doorway, spinning around. "Yea."

Vincent glanced back at him. "Could I please have some tea?"

A broad grin morphed onto Cid's face. "Sure, Vince."

xXx

Cid awoke the following morning, a good bit earlier than usual. He gently opened the door to the room that Vincent now occupied to see the gunman was nowhere in sight. Not even a sign that he'd been there. "Vince?" His things were still there, but the room was left the way he'd seen it before. Even the bed was still made.

"Vincent?" Cid left the room, searching throughout the house. He found the ex-Turk, but was surprised to do so. Vincent was in the den, and the place had been completely cleaned.

Cid just stared in shock, scratching his head. "Er, Vince?"

Vincent jumped, turning to him, a dust rag in his hand. "Oh… hi Cid."

"Uh. Y'know, by the looks of your room, I thought that either you make your bed every day. Which, right now, I'm not doubting. Or you didn't sleep last night."

"Oh." Vincent's face flushed as he settled down on the end-table he was working on. "I just needed something to do. To, uh, keep my mind off of things. I tend to have a habit of cleaning when I do that. I hope you don't mind."

Cid laughed, walking closer. "Mind? Hell no. I appreciate it. This place was a pig sty before." He settled down next to him. "But what'd you do with all the stuff in here?"

"Well, there was a lot of trash in here, so I threw a good bit away. But there were some things I wasn't so sure about." Vincent slid from the table, sliding a large box, from underneath it. "Figured you could go through this stuff."

Cid glanced down at him, his eyes falling on the side of Vincent's exposed neck. Without really thinking about it, he grabbed the tip of Vincent's braid.

Vincent felt the slight pull, glancing up at him in confusion.

Cid's face reddened. "Er, sorry. I just don't think I've ever seen you with your hair tied back."

"Oh. Well, it was getting in my way." He set the box on the table, next to the pilot. "I didn't throw out anything that could have the slightest importance. Do you need any of this stuff?"

The box was filled with all kinds of envelopes, and papers. Even some pictures. Cid groaned. He really didn't want to go through all of those papers.

Vincent glanced down into the box, easily reading the pilot's mind. "You don't have to look through them now." He slid back onto the other side, fiddling in the pile of pictures. "I was just worried about throwing any of this away."

"Y'know, Vince, ya didn't have ta do this."

"I know. Like I said, I was bored."

"Uh huh." Cid looked around the room. He still couldn't believe Vincent was able to do all of this, in one night. "You musta been up half the night doin this."

Vincent turned his head away. "I couldn't sleep."

As if to break the moment, a low growl echoed from Vincent's stomach. He flushed, clutching a hand over the noise.

Cid spun around. "I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"Well, I just figured you ain't eatin nuthin since you've been out there. Plus you didn't eat anything since you've been here. I just knew you had to be hungry." Cid jumped from the table. "Come on. Since ya did all this, the least I can do is make ya breakfast. How's that sound?"

Vincent shrugged. "I guess that sounds good."

--

AN: Srry it took so long. I just have trouble with filler, where pretty much nothing happens, and making it sound interesting. Plus I tend to rush my stories, and I'm trying to resist doing that. Hope you enjoyed it, and the next 2 chapts should be up fairly soon.