For Reeve

[emovampboy]

When it came to use of his phone, Vincent was very much like Cloud. He left it on, received messages and listened to or read them, but quite rarely responded. The few times he did respond tended to be if he deemed an actual answer to be required, or when from time to time Marlene got hold of Cloud or Tifa's phone and contacted him. Since it was so rare for her to do so, he always took it as a good thing to answer.

Which meant he had answered when she called him a few days after a message from Tifa asking him to come to a party for the girl, which he had ignored; his first mistake. Once answered, the girl had spent several minutes speaking to him, until suddenly springing the question of if he were coming to her party and making it quite impossible for him to really say no without seeming like a total heel, and so he agreed to go; his second mistake. And then he had made his third mistake - actually going.

At first, it really wouldn't have seemed to have been a bad idea. He knew everyone who was invited, how they acted around one another, and that Tifa would keep the whole group from going completely crazy over the course of the night, but he had not expected having to assist in breaking up one of Cloud and Barrett's squabbles when the woman had to leave for a short time to fetch something, and honestly he was glad that Reeve was invited and could help diffuse the situation with; especially when Yuffie and a very unhelpful Cid decided it would be a great idea to bet on who would win if they actually took to fistacuffs over whatever stupid thing it was this time which set them off.

All of this had left him rather done with company, and as soon as Tifa was back to be the adult in the situation, he'd snuck outside for some relative peace and quiet.

Comments

[plate_builder]

Reeve evaluates the sky for a moment then sighs and stands. "I suppose we must. I'm sorry. I was hoping to give you a better chance to appreciate this place."

And perhaps a bit more time away from the city and the people in it. Reeve could use that himself. "It doesn't normally rain much here."

[emovampboy]

"It's alright." Vincent offers Reeve a hand. "We'll come back another time. We can find something else to do for today."

[plate_builder]

He would be hard pressed to give another suggestion. Reeve takes Vincent's hand and lets himself be pulled to his feet. It's then that there is another crack of thunder and the clouds rip open. Instead of a few sprinkles it's practically a sheet of rain falling over them. Reeve half curses at the chill that is most definitely running through him now.

[emovampboy]

It isn't quite fast enough, but Vincent moves to pull his cloak up to guard them from any more of the rain than they have already been exposed to, clicking his tongue. "Well... guess avoiding the rain isn't a possibility now."

[plate_builder]

Now a rather wet Reeve, nearly as tall as Vincent, is forced to just curl down a bit to be covered by the cloak. Oh dear. Which is going to strain his legs a bit. The upside, he's damn close to Vincent, has to be.

"Give it a minute or two. Abigail will be up with an umbrella.

[emovampboy]

Vincent shifts their positions a little, finding something to step on and give him just a little height over Reeve so the man isn't having to squat as much.

"Will she be ok coming up in the rain?"

[plate_builder]

"That's... A really good point," Reeve chuckles, because man, this isn't the best situation. But with Vincent a bit taller he can be closer to standing. He does like this, though. Being this close. Maybe the gods like him. "I suppose the best thing to do is head back down."

It's raining hard, though. Can he safely get down?

[emovampboy]

"Mm." He agrees, looking at the path even as he draws the cloak a little closer in, blocking the rain on Reeve and getting a better look. "It will be slippery. How is the traction on your shoes?"

[plate_builder]

"Don't tell anyone, but they're construction worker boots."

Better for work sites. "I should be relatively good."

[emovampboy]

"Good." He moves again, freeing his cloak and placing it to cover Reeve directly. "Best you don't catch cold. Grab onto me if you slip."

He steps down, in front of Reeve, ready to act as his guide if it proves necessary.

[plate_builder]

"I'll resist the urge to pretend to slip," Reeve deadpans. They are going to have to live with him getting soaked really. Reeve awkwardly shrugs out of his coat and pulls it up over his head. This will at least keep him a bit better off.

"Lead on then."

Reeve's mostly going to be focused on his feet.

[emovampboy]

Between cloak and coat, Reeve should keep warm enough, and although Vincent glances back with a faint smile, he isn't sure Reeve catches it while looking at his feet.

[plate_builder]

No, there is no smile caught. Vincent has his secret a bit longer. Right now Reeve is working to carefully pick his way after Vincent, not even questioning the path the man chooses.

Almost halfway down the hill there is finally a clear line of sight on not only the car, but Abigail working her way up the hill with one umbrella over her head, another tucked under her arm. There's a momentary flash of gratitude and relief in her eyes. Clearly her employer can be troublesome about considering things such as rain.

[emovampboy]

Vincent is careful to pick paths that seem the most stable, and least mud-ridden, though with the rain coming down as it is, some of the ground may just not be good at all. It makes him a bit glad Reeve is wearing work boots and not something like loafers or dress shoes.

On spotting Abigail, he stops Reeve and moves quickly down to her location to retrieve the spare umbrella, sure she understands his silence as he grabs it and darts quickly back to where he left Reeve, working the umbrella open.

[plate_builder]

Oh, she understands, but the woman has a smirk that says she's quite amused.

"Found Abigail?" Reeve asks when the umbrella is opened over him. "Would you like your cloak back? I'm sorry to say it's very wet."

[emovampboy]

She can remain amused, as Vincent spares her only the faintest of confused looks over it, more focused on getting Reeve under something dryer than cloth; though no doubt his cloak does fairly well.

Yet he shakes his head a little at Reeve's question. "Keep it for now. I'll get it back when we are somewhere dry."

[plate_builder]

Reeve merely nods, though he doesn’t directly take the umbrella. Instead he lets Vincent hold it. Otherwise the man will let himself soak further, and Reeve has already gotten him damp enough. When they get to the car Abigail already has a door open and a towel spread over the back seat.

“I may get caught out in the rain too much,” Reeve admits as he settles into the dry space of he car. Too bad he’s still wet.

[emovampboy]

Vincent doesn't seem to really mind getting soaked by the rain. Perhaps he's used to it; but he will keep the umbrella close enough to them both as they continue down and to the car.

Careful not to splash Abigail, he shuts the umbrella before getting in beside Reeve, though his question is directed at both Reeve and the girl; whoever wants to answer first is fine. "Never take your own umbrella?"

[plate_builder]

"It doesn't rain often," Reeve says defensively.

Abigail nods to acknowledge that point. Of course it meant that Reeve often didn't carry the precaution of an umbrella. Once the two are settled in she reaches out to knock on the window between the back and the driver's area of the car.

"Home?" she asks Reeve. The guy needs to change. In fact, her tone insists on it.

"Little other choice," Reeve agrees.

[emovampboy]

Take half and half you have the truth, though it's probably 25% Reeve is accurate and 75% his guard. Sometimes, the man does seem to have too much going on, and that's when one forgets things.

Either way, they're soaked, no point discussing it. Instead he drags his hair forward over one shoulder, trying to keep the seat from getting as soaked.

[plate_builder]

This time Reeve is silent for a while after that, and any look at him can show why. His eyes are closed as he listens to the rain striking the vehicle. The different tones between the top and the windows. Clearly he derives some peace from this sound.

"It didn't rain enough in Midgar," Reeve muses as a while, still not opening his eyes. "And when it did, it wasn't like I could go outside. There was always work. My office was centralized on my floor, perhaps you remember where it was from your time. There were no windows. Sometimes I wonder if that wasn't deliberate. But when I could, if I knew it was raining, I'd find a balcony. Sometimes I'd stand out on it and let it rain on me. Other times I just watched. There's something magical, in rain."

"And so you give yourself colds and work through them," Abigail rolls her eyes.

[emovampboy]

Vincent probably seems like he isn't listening, his own eyes very much open and watching the rain outside the windows. Yet the small movement of his hand to the collar of his cloak indicates he might be stifling a laugh.

"I'll make sure he gets himself warmed up."

[plate_builder]

Well that gets Abigail to raise an eyebrow and spare a smirk.

"I have towels," Reeve explains to her, trying to get whatever she might have thought of out of her mind. "And a dryer. Good thing I didn't wear my coat, it's dry-clean only."

[emovampboy]

Vincent only returns her look with a stare. Did he mean something by it, or was it just a phrase? He will probably never say.

Instead, he looks at Reeve. "I may have to borrow some of your things. c

[plate_builder]

That gets Reeve's attention, and his head doesn't quite snap toward Vincent. No, it's a bit slower than that. But there's still a look that says he is shocked by the thought. Vincent not wearing... well, this? It's almost hard to believe.

"You are about the same size. But if you require it, Mister Valentine, one of us can go get some things for you."