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]

"Not an exception." He corrects this. "I would protect any one of you if you needed it."

[plate_builder]

"No one else would need it," Reeve answers, the words immediate. And even a touch sharp. There Vincent has accidentally hit a nerve. That Reeve is the vulnerable one. Everyone else can fight, save the children. Reeve has to rely entirely on magic. The last member of their 'group' that was true of died to save the world. And he knows he can't compare to her. After a moment he shakes his head.

"Sorry. That shouldn't have been sharp. I've had a number of disagreements regarding the matter. And was laughed at by Barret for needing the assistance before I had to turn to someone else for help lining up a protective detail while the WRO trains up suitable members."

[emovampboy]

"Barrett needs more help than he lets on." Why else would he turn to Cloud so often? It surely wasn't only because Cloud was more popular with the ladies. "Sneak attacks can also put down the strongest fighters."

[plate_builder]

If Cloud is more popular with the ladies, someone should tell Cloud that. He hasn't seemed to notice. Yet what Vincent says isn't entirely wrong. Doesn't make Reeve feel any better.

"I'm also supposed to be one of the smarter ones of this group. Highly educated, and having spend a long time in a company where backstabbing was the order of the day. I didn't see it coming. I was naive to think help would be welcomed."

No, he's beyond this. Went through all of this with that 'benefactor' of his. He'll put it aside. He takes a deep breath and calms himself slowly.

"I'm sorry. I doubt you wanted something like this when I came outside. I should have left you be."

[emovampboy]

Vincent just shrugs, as if it doesn't bother him that Reeve is griping. He's quite aware of the feeling behind it, has felt it before himself.

"I'm not bothered."

If he had been, Vincent could have suggested going back, or not even invited Reeve along to begin with. He could also tell him to call security and take off himself if he was so inclined.

[plate_builder]

Strange, really. He expected... a different reaction really.

"You never fail to surprise me, Mister Valentine," Reeve admits after a long moment. "The others are easy enough to read. You? I never know what to expect you to do. How you'd react."

[emovampboy]

That remark brings just the faintest of smirks to Vincent's face, hidden he hopes behind the collar of his cloak. Reeve isn't the only one who doesn't know how the quiet man is going to react; from time to time, Vincent manages to surprise himself.

"We should head back soon." The smirk has by now fled, and Vincent has turned back towards 7th Heaven. "By now, at least Tifa will wonder where we are."

[plate_builder]

Yes, the smirk is hidden enough for Reeve not to notice. Probably for the best. If he knew Vincent was amused by this, he would be quite confused.

"Nanaki would as well," Reeve points out. Nanaki just wouldn't point it out, like Tifa would. "And no doubt if Tifa noticed she's asked, and that means Yuffie will have come up with some silly idea that perhaps you've gone full vampire and have lured me out to drink my blood or something."

[emovampboy]

"Aren't vampires usually supposed to prey on beautiful young women?" It's not meant as an insult, and his next words show this.
"Which means she would more likely complain I'm not bleeding the right person."

[plate_builder]

Now that earns a full laugh from Reeve, one that leaves him shaking a bit in his mirth.

"My assumption would be that vampires prey on whoever they can get alone. I can't imagine the blood of a 'beautiful young woman' tastes different. And compared to you, I am young."

Won't claim beautiful and definitely not a woman but he's definitely amused. "Besides, she's definitely too young for you."

[emovampboy]

"Mm." That acknowledgement seems to be related to Yuffie being too young, and though he doesn't elaborate, hopefully Reeve realizes he would have no interest in her even were she older; just too much trouble.

He doesn't even seem offended at that reminder of how old he is. He's well aware. Though if he were offended and had such a personality, he would point out that both Cid and Reeve looked older than he did.

[plate_builder]

Looks aren't everything, and not everyone has ethereally good ones, either. Granted, what Vincent had to go through to maintain them was horrible to even imagine. And Reeve has the good taste to not even think along those lines.

What he does notice is that Vincent has gone back to a quieter stance, and he'll respect that. Leave the man to lead them back to the raucous noise of their companions. No doubt Marlene will be expecting them for cake or something.

[emovampboy]

Quiet was good when you knew you were walking into a very noisy place, especially after having left it initially due to the chronic pissing contest Barrett seemed to have going with Cloud. And it was Barrett. Cloud never seemed to care, which made it that much worse.

Think of that silence as building up a wall to the upcoming insanity.

Although even Vincent has to admit as he walks in that he wasn't expecting exactly what he sees. When they had left, everyone had been sober, but now...

"What happened here?"

[plate_builder]

"Tifa's locks weren't good enough," Denzel notes from the corner. He and Marlene are busy pulling chairs and tables to the walls because Barret gets a bit off balance when drinking. But look, there are still pieces of cake left.

"Actually," Nanaki corrects from where he sits curled up by the door, "the issue was with Yuffie. While Tifa was taking the expected parties to task, she broke into the liquor cabinet. From there Cid saw she had acquired alcohol and of course had to take it from her. For 'her own good' he had said. From there..." A paw raised in gesture at the clearly alcohol fueled attempt from Yuffie to arm-wrestle Barret. There is no chance there.

"And you two!" Tifa calls when she sees Reeve and Vincent enter. "Where did you go? Imagine, leaving a party like that. You come all the way out here for Marlene and..."

"In my defense, I only live across town," Reeve says, raising his hands protectively in front of him. "And in a way I was here, right? I can see Yuffie somehow talked Cait into arm-wrestling. I really need to work on his automated operation protocols if she was able to talk the secondary systems into this."

[emovampboy]

Is Tifa really expecting a response from Vincent? Because he seems too pre-occupied with the obvious mess that has been created to bother responding for a good while.

Actually, even with the description, he's trying to figure this whole thing out. Yuffie breaking in to the liquor cabinet, makes sense. Cid "confiscating" it, in character. Cait Sith doing dumb things, yeah, ok. Barrett getting drunk...

"Where's Cloud?" Either he took off or he was passed out somewhere after trying to keep up with Barrett.

[plate_builder]

"Sent him looking for you two," Tifa explains, a touch of annoyance in her voice. "I would expect it from you, Vincent, but Reeve? Given you situation I would expect you to know better."

"Now Tifa," Reeve says, putting up placating hands as the woman approaches, ready to get in his face for not being concerned with his own safety, "I was perfectly safe. Vincent was with me the whole time. You, however, seem to be having a hard time keeping the guests in order. How about I see about dealing with Cid and getting Cait settled down? Vincent, can you stop those two from arm wrestling?"

He doesn't even wait for a response, just goes right over to pluck the bottle out of Cid's protesting hands, chiding him about how he knows Shera expects them to return Cid to her in prime condition. Which this does not count as. As for Tifa, she looks about ready to lecture Reeve over the fact that she doesn't need their help. But with a sigh she instead looks to Vincent. "Can you just... do something about Yuffie? I'm going to see if any of our friends here managed to remember to rent rooms or if they just assumed I'd be putting them up."

[emovampboy]

Vincent is ready to take the blame for their wandering off, but it seemed Reeve had it more than handled. Sometimes, he really could make an excellent politician. Or maybe a hostage negotiator. Might need that with Cid.

At Tifa's question though, he looks over to where the girl is excitedly yelling "one more! I'll win this time, I swear!" while Barrett looks far too happy with himself over this.

He nods. "I'll see what I can do."

And he has this horrible feeling he's going to end up with a ninja stuck to him regardless of what approach he takes to this. Better secure his materia.

[plate_builder]

"Thank you," Tifa smiles before heading over to join Reeve in talking Cid down. And possibly denying him the right to fly home tonight. The old man would definitely suggest it. Between the two of them it will take some effort to talk Cid down. However that isn't Vincent's problem right now. Instead he gets Yuffie.

"Hey Vinny, help me bring this old guy down a peg!" she says when she sees him approach, already throwing the entirety of her weight onto Barret's arm to try and pin it. Worse for her, it's his robotic arm. She doesn't have a chance.

[emovampboy]

"No." Such a simple response will probably enrage the girl, but he doesn't mind, leaning forward to gently pull her hand away from the metal arm. "It's time for everyone to leave so the birthday girl can sleep. Ok?"

Nevermind it's still a bit too early, at least this has a chance to work by making Barrett think about the only thing that matters more than whatever is in his drink-addled mind; Marlene.

Indeed, he's pleased enough when Barrett seems to catch the hint, and further encouraged when Marlene, having heard the comment comes over to beg her daddy to come sit with her before bed.

[plate_builder]

With Barret's attention elsewhere, that frees Yuffie up to turn all of her attention on Vincent. Perhaps this was not the best deployment of resources after all, but Tifa never was a tactician.

"Sooooo," the energetic girl says, drawing the word out far too long, "where did you and Mister Meow Meow go?"

[emovampboy]

Mister Meow Meow? He raises a brow to that one. Yes, the man had built a cat, that originally had a moogle attached and now didn't, but how did that lead to such a weird nickname? At least his own, vampire, made sense. Did Reeve meow sometime and the girl had heard it or something? Or just a drunken nickname? Weird.

Sighing, he moves to offer the girl a hand up. "To walk. Now, come, let's get you somewhere you can sleep this off."

[plate_builder]

“Oh yeah. Totally a walk,” Yuffie giggles. And no she isn’t taking your hand, Vincent. Not yet. “You seducing him to the dark side of all the vampire was ways?”

Barret rolls his eyes at that and then gets led away by Marlene. No one here to save you, Vincent. Not that he can’t handle himself against her.

What is this conversation?

[emovampboy]

"Why would I seduce Reeve?" Yeah, the girl was just drunk as hell. Not very becoming for a ninja.

Just Yuffie. Don’t worry. He has a hero.

[plate_builder]

“For his blood. Duh. Since the beautiful young woman wasn’t foolish enough to go off with you. I see through your tricks!” She says triumphantly, because clearly she has seen his ploy. “Not going with you.”

“How about with us?” Reeve asks as he returns. And look, he has Cid with him, the man’s arm around his shoulder as he hums some drinking song. “Tifa’s asked me to give you two and Nanaki a lift to the inn. Barret is staying on a cot here to be with Marlene.”

The look he gives Vincent is an apologetic one. Sorry, he’ll need help.

Hahaha

[emovampboy]

So he was right. This girl. He's actually about ready to lift her up and take her where she's staying, ignoring the rant, when Reeve comes over. Thank goodness.

He moves over to offer to grab Cid, indicating Yuffie with his head as if to tell Reeve he can handle the girl. "We can save some of the rant from Ms. Harker that way."