Hi Again! Next chapter up YAY! So sorry it took so long to get up. The last few weeks have been a neverending series of unfourtunate(and busy) events!
~NsDb
Be My Valentine Chapter 5
After Cid's fall on the Command Deck, Vincent had offered to patch him up without Cure and helped him back to his room. When they got to the captain's quarters, Vincent had deposited Cid gently on the edge of the bed and left the room for medical supplies in the same fashion Vincent did all things.
Silently.
In the time he had alone, Cid went over the day in his head. His head was much clearer now, he could think clearly. And the events of the last few hours replayed in his mind within seconds. How the hell had he gotten into this situation? He'd had a plan, dammit! Cid hadn't been out of his room for all of ten minutes, and somehow he was right back where he started.
He laughed aloud to himself at the situation he managed to get himself into until a small cough to his right stopped his laughter abruptly. Turning his head in that direction allowed him to observe the cloaked figure in front of him holding the supplies he had gone out to get, with an odd look on his face.
'Or at least whatcha can see of it.'
He hadn't even heard him come in. The door hadn't creaked, and Vincent's shoes hadn't made any noise either. Vincent could have done flips and tap danced and he still wouldn't have made any noise. So fucking cool.
Vincent deposited his burden next to Cid on the bed and dragged a wooden chair from the corner of the room, positioning it to face him and the bed. Reaching towards his face, Vincent's fingers blurred as he quickly unbuckled the clasps holding his cloak together and threw the large cape on the bed next to Cid. He sat on the wooden chair.
"Your foot please." Vincent gestured for Cid's injured foot and Cid wordlessly complied as Vincent guided his foot onto his lap. Carefully, slender, nimble fingers undid the laces, removed Cid's shoe and sock and slowly rotated his ankle.
Damn, it hurt.
While Vincent's eyes were on his ankle, Cid's eyes were on Vincent. Cid's eyes swept across Vincent's features, tracing them, and carving the sight into his memory. He might never have the opportunity to see Vincent without his cloak ever again. It was like a once in a lifetime opportunity. One that begged to be taken advantage of. Cid's eyes wandered lower toward the clearly well defined chest that was covered so criminally by the black turtleneck Vincent wore.
Cid tore his eyes quickly from the view when he felt his ears redden and begin to heat up. He shifted his gaze to rest on anything except Vincent and focused in on the pile of red fabric next to him. The cape. He wondered what the material would feel like or if it was heavy enough to keep out the cold. Why did Vincent wear the stupid thing in the first place? He looked so much better without it. Cid had half a mind to hide the damn thing just so he could stare at Vincent all day long.
Grabbing a tube of ointment, Vincent squeezed a small amount onto his flesh hand and rubbed it into Cid's ankle, using his claw to hold the leg in place.
Unconsciously, Cid's eyelids fluttered shut and his head inclined slightly as he enjoyed Vincent's attention and the gradual disappearance of the throbbing in his ankle. The contrasting sensations of Vincent's warm flesh hand and his cool metal gauntlet added to the pleasure of the massage.
And then it stopped.
It fucking stopped.
Cid almost groaned at the loss of Vincent's magic fingers. Vincent's warm flesh hand left his ankle and was replaced by the unpleasant sting of a cold ice pack that was tied onto his ankle with some bandages.
"Done." Vincent muttered. "You should rest and keep it elevated for two days. No walking."
"Thanks, Vince." Cid really did appreciate this. "I owe ya one."
"Anytime, Highwind." Vincent said flatly and grabbed his cloak from the bed and whipped on, fingers blurring as he fastened the buckles with inhuman speed.
Highwind?
"Cid."
"… ?"
"Call me Cid."
"…" Vincent nodded in favor of replying and awkward silence followed.
"So, uh… nice weather we're having." A poor attempt at small talk and humor to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled. 'Stupid'. Not that he expected it work anyway. He'd said the first thing that came to his mind and now Cid wished he hadn't said anything at all. Vincent got a weird look on his face. Crimson eyes seemed to stare past him at something behind him briefly. Vincent only nodded awkwardly and left the room without a word, closing the door behind him silently.
Yuffie had taken the opportunity to sneak away the second Cloud turned his head but she hadn't missed the next scene. Her plan had worked even better than she had hoped. She had worried for a bit when Cloud refused to give her his sword, 'Not that I wouldn't have stolen it later anyway', but things always had a way of working out. This just meant that fate wanted Vincent and the old man to be together.
"Vincent and Cid will fall in love if it's the last thing I -sorry-we do!" Yuffie announced to herself.
'Yes.' Yuffie thought as she dragged Nanaki with her away the Command Deck. 'I'm like fate's ninja-cupid of love.'
Cid flopped back on his bed with a loud sigh and closed his eyes. He was no closer to finding out who sent him the trouble making box of chocolates and he had gotten a sprained ankle for his efforts. Might as well do something useful with himself if he was gonna be shacked up in his room for two days. He cast a sidelong glance at the box of chocolates on the dresser to his left.
Who could it be? He crossed Yuffie and Tifa off his mental list right away. Yuffie wasn't even a possibility and Tifa was obviously head over heels for Cloud. That left all the guys. He sincerely doubted it was Barrett or Cloud, who probably liked Tifa anyway. Red XIII was out. That left Vincent and Cid was almost certain it wasn't him. Vincent was definitely still in love with Lucrecia and Cid was sure he wasn't going to let go anytime soon. Cid felt an almost sting in his chest at that thought. There was absolutely no possibility of it being someone outside of AVALANCHE.
This left Cid in a hole. He wanted it to be Vincent. There was no denying that he was starting to feel attracted to him. Maybe he should just forget the chocolates. He wasn't any closer to finding out who his secret admirer was, and even if he did…
'It wouldn't be the person I want to be my Valentine.' Cid thought almost sadly. He pushed himself from the bed and limped over to his dresser and opened the bottom drawer. He rummaged around for a few seconds and pulled out a book on planes, drawing paper, and a pencil. Might as well do something productive instead sitting there moping. He placed the items on top of the dresser and picked up the box of chocolates, holding it in his hands for a few seconds before placing it in the drawer and closing it.
'Stupid thing's just depressing me.' Cid limped his way back to the bed and slung himself on to it. He put one pillow under his bad ankle to keep it elevated and propped himself up on the head board with the drawing book on his lap, pencil in hand, and reference book open to the side.
Thanks for Reading Everyone!! Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long. My apologies once again for the wait.
