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

[emovampboy]

Vincent can be over-dramatic, deal. Yet he is very serious, too, and something like this he's decided needs to be approached with everything he has; he wants no other regrets in this field.

Nothing to say that would help, though, Vincent merely nods at Reeve in an affirmative. Assuring him he's right on that trust.

[plate_builder]

Well there is a smile on Reeve’s lips now. Somehow all of this seems to reassure him. Even this comfortable silence. Smiling he sips at his cider drink and leans back. Maybe this isn’t so bad a day at all.

“I was worried about this party, you know. Because the others sometimes treat me as an outsider. Not Nanaki of course, but Marlene adores him so I could hardly monopolize him. And you? I had resolved to admire from afar. Because, well, I don’t have a good reason other than fear of rejection. So thank you for coming to the party.”

[emovampboy]

"Even with Cloud, they still sometimes forget good people worked for, and we're manipulated by, Shinra." Vincent grabs up his own drink, sipping a little. "Give them some time, though. They'll come around."

[plate_builder]

"I've seen his files from when he was with the military," Reeve admits, smiling to himself. "He was the most adorable and non-threatening grunt I've ever seen in a file. Probably best no one knows that."

Give them some time? And all this time wasn't enough? Reeve sighs and nods. "Yes, I suppose I will. Granted I won't be around as much now. Hard to give them time when I'm distant."

Barret and Cid he might be able to get on his side soon.

[emovampboy]

"Was he?" That was news to Vincent, who would have been well asleep by that time. Interesting to imagine, and fit what Tifa sometimes said about the past him; or implied. "And sometimes, it takes a long time. Let your actions continue to speak to who you are."

[plate_builder]

"I will try," Reeve keeps smiling as he takes another sip. Yes, he can do that. "And don't worry. I have no intention of trying to talk you into working with the WRO. You deserve a lengthy break from all the politics and complications the world provides."

It's as simple as that.

[emovampboy]

"Appreciate it." Vincent takes a long drink, signing contently and reaching up to unconsciously check how far his hair has dried. "Think the rain will keep up all day?"

[plate_builder]

"I would hope not," Reeve admits. Because he expects sooner or later Vincent will want to get back out there. "I wouldn't know how to entertain you."

He realizes he's not the most entertaining man.

[emovampboy]

"Have any playing cards?" Vincent uses the question as a suggestion of sorts. "I think I remember how to play poker, and several kids names like Go Fish."

[plate_builder]

"I can look," Reeve offers, bouncing to his feet. Chances are if there are any, they are ones he has accidentally lifted from Rufus's Turks. He crosses toward his desk to start sorting through odds and ends. "I'll pass on go fish, too simple."

[emovampboy]

So long as he didn't lift any of Reno's naked ladies decks, there would be no issues or questions. Play ing cards aren't unusual to have, and if it's s Shinra deck, even that still makes sense.

"Then we will stick with poker."

[plate_builder]

"Alright then," Reeve agrees as he digs. Finally, under some circuit boards, he finds a deck of cards. And yes, they were Shinra, but a bit newer than they rightfully should be. Not going to try and explain that.

"Do you mind if I deal?"

I don't know poker well so pls to handwave issues

[emovampboy]

"Not at all." He will ignore their newness. "Special rules?"

Perfectly fine with me

[plate_builder]

"None," Reeve answers. "I am not so great at it myself. Typically I learned solitaire games. Social poker was usually reserved for... Well..."

The slight redness on his cheeks is quickly quashed. Vincent really doesn't need to know about strip poker or how happy Reeve tended to be to lose when he played with those he did.

[emovampboy]

"I know what strip poker is." Too easy to read, there, Reeve. "Your generation didn't create it."

[plate_builder]

"I imagine not," Reeve said, but he didn't want Vincent thinking such of him. Already he's apparently seen as too aggressive in some manners. That isn't how he wanted to come across.

[emovampboy]

"Is that what you're really wanting to play?" He isn't seeing anything wrong with Reeve and his forwardness, especially as Vincent has had to draw it out each time.

[plate_builder]

Is that...? How does Vincent keep catching him off guard? Isn't he supposed to be the one that's being that forward? Surely that wasn't in Vincent's nature? And yet at every turn the man just does or says something that throws off Reeve's plan. Still, he manages to catch his own shock and discard it, presenting a controlled sort of smile.

"You were the one to suggest cards. Putting such words in my mouth is just a bit forward of you, Mister Valentine. I'm beginning to think you're having impure thoughts."

[emovampboy]

It wasn't really him, he could admit that, and yet for some reason he somehow felt this was okay. It seemed to amuse Reeve, and him as well, just a little. Even if everything he said was done with that straight face of his.

Which begged the question; did Reeve just bring out the bad in him?

[plate_builder]

Was this even 'bad'? Maybe it was just more free-spirited. Maybe it was just something inspiring Vincent to not dwell on things.

"I don't really have a good table to play on, so I suppose we could play on the floor," Reeve offers. Too hard and cold a place to play strip poker. Of course for that they could use the bed, but again, propriety.

[emovampboy]

"This table should be fine." No reason to move from where they are, is there? Except now that he's said something about games. "So are we playing normal or...?"

Seriously, what does Reeve bring out in this man?

[plate_builder]

Play on the table covered with paperwork or the one covered with repair parts for Cait? Hardly a good option in either direction. However there is a more important question on the table, leaving Reeve to think about a suitable answer as he shuffles his cards.

"Either you're eager to get me out of my clothes, Vincent, or you're trying to suss out how much I may or may not wish to see you naked. Or, I suppose, there could be a third reason to offer yourself up like that."

[emovampboy]

Vincent isn't worried about what else is on the table, so long as it's useable for cards. He also isn't worried what reason Reeve might think he has. He's having fun, somehow, with being this way without worry.

Though he supposes he should consider whether he wants to actually get potentially naked. Yet he's more curious...

"What sort of third reason would I have?"

[plate_builder]

Who knows who would lose more clothes. Reeve can do probability analysis on his hand, but no doubt Vincent has a great poker face.

"I can't think of a third," Reeve says. "But I'd expect your suggesting it doesn't have anything to do with a particular desire for either of us to be wearing less. You don't seem that type. However I've been wrong before."

[emovampboy]

Reeve has probably played more recently, but Vincent is certainly good at keeping a straight face and he's sure he can read tells if he tries.

As to nakedness...

"You'd like it."