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]

"As you only have an inch in height on me, I would hardly consider you tall," Reeve corrects. He ponders the offerings and smirks when he hears what he wants. "Bourbon please. No ice required. No doubt the stuff is highly watered down as it is."

With his message sent Reeve settles more comfortably into the chair, crossing one leg over the other while he looks at Vincent. He leaves out so much. Like scarlet clad. Or the gleam of the metal on his arm. The leather pants that could stand to be tighter. The fashion disaster that is a cape and cowl. The unruly hair. The graceful line of his cheekbones when you get the chance to see them...

Reeve chuckles to himself in amusement. "No, I wouldn't call you a weirdo at all. Just a product of the life you have lived."

[emovampboy]

"Compared to Yuffie, I'm tall." He grabs the bourbon, not bothering to let on that he's aware Reeve is staring. Hard.

It's rather amusing, if he thinks on it, that Reeve stares. Usually, staring at Vincent is a fearful thing. People think he's dangerous. Very few look more clearly, even in their small group.

He could probably count those who had on one hand, and Yuffie didn't count since most times she was trying to figure out how to steal from him.

Finding a glass, Vincent pours the contents of bottle he found into it, moving to hand it to Reeve before taking a seat nearby. That nearby is the bed is pure coincidence.

[plate_builder]

Staring? Hardly. That would be rude, and Ruvie had not raised a rude man. She never would have stood for it. So that was most definitely not staring. In fact, by the time Vincent is returning to him, he isn't even looking at the other man, but rather at the glass. That gets a smile from him and he accepts it with a grateful nod before taking a sip. Yep, just as terrible as he expected.

"Compared to Yuffie, Nanaki is tall," Reeve dismisses. "She's a child. You should not take her words to heart. If you want someone's to nitpick over, go with Barret's. They tend to be more colorful."

Another sip as he looks at the bed. Just the briefest flick of the eyes. Wonders if it's any more comfortable than his own. He's really got to see about replacing the old thing, it's rock hard really. However that would be a luxury that he really would prefer not trying to justify in his already guilty mind. The gil he'd spent on his new coat was just too much. One indulgence at a time.

"You could diminish the 'weirdo' vibe if you're concerned. Less of the..."

He gestures at Vincent's clothing because really, there's not a good way to describe that and still be a tactful friend. "That isn't exactly in vogue these days."

[emovampboy]

"She doesn't bother me." Vincent shrugs a little, implying he really isn't bothered by her words, before indicating the glass. "It alright?"

[plate_builder]

"It's horrid," Reeve answers with brutal honesty. "Which is better than I expected to be frank. I can't tempt you with some? To spare me the taste?"

Even as he says it he raises the glass in another long sip, because yes, he is at least enjoying the experience here. He hasn't taken a moment to unwind in a while. It's normally decaffeinate and work. Better now that he has the WRO and people to delegate to. The early days were hell. He's surprised he survived them.

"If you don't care for what she says or not, then at least don't use her words. Go with... unique. Yes. You're a very unique man, Vincent. Which is probably a positive change in some ways. There was only so much one could do to make a Turk's suit look unique, and most of them involved how slovenly Reno was."

[emovampboy]

"Would it really help with the taste?" There's an edge of amusement in his tone. "Or just give you less?

"And we were discussing how to describe me to your guard. Unique doesn't work well as a descriptor."

[plate_builder]

"Less," Reeve smiles, and he shakes his head as he sips at the bourbon again. "And a correction is needed here. You were discussing how to describe yourself, per Yuffie. I just took a picture. No description needed with a picture. Worth a thousand words and all."

Yet another sip and he leans back in the chair, in part to give him an excuse to let his eyes look toward a painting on the wall behind and above Vincent. Not staring, see?

[plate_builder]

"Less," Reeve smiles, and he shakes his head as he sips at the bourbon again. "And a correction is needed here. You were discussing how to describe yourself, per Yuffie. I just took a picture. No description needed with a picture. Worth a thousand words and all."

Yet another sip and he leans back in the chair, in part to give him an excuse to let his eyes look toward a painting on the wall behind and above Vincent. Not staring, see?

[emovampboy]

"Hm." No need to argue the point, since they were both correct. Instead, he offers his hand. "Hand the bourbon here."

[plate_builder]

"It's terrible," Reeve warns before passing the glass over. Look at that, only half full. But they can probably deal with that problem. He hesitates for a moment, though, pulling the glass back before Vincent can take it to steal just one more sip before finally holding it out with the intention of letting it go. "Never let Tifa know I drank this swill. She would be on my case for drinking something so subpar. At least the company improves the flavor to the point where it's almost as good as a sip of something good while alone."

Was that a compliment? Perhaps.

[emovampboy]

"Our secret." He promises, taking the glass when it's finally open to him to do so, and taking a swallow. Giving a moment for the fluid to settle, he hands the cup back to Reeve. "I've had worse, but this is rather bad."

[plate_builder]

"Worse than this?"

That revelation gets Reeve's eyes back on Vincent's, and a shake of his head. But he only keeps eye contact for a moment. Those are eyes a guy could get lost in.

"My pity to you, Vincent. My pity to us both," and with that he drowns the last of the cup. Vile. But hey, he's going to assume that Vincent poured all he had in here because really, getting up for a refill would just mean inflicting more of this on himself.

[emovampboy]

"Turk moonshine." That is all he will give, since honestly the Turks got paid well enough to buy good stuff. Some just enjoyed making hooch. "Want to try something else from the cabinet? Or had enough?"

[plate_builder]

"That was a thing?" Now there is a story he would adore hearing. As it is he shakes his head and raises an eyebrow before nodding. "If you are offering to pay the minibar tab, then yes, I could be convinced to have another. Perhaps not much more than that. I prefer not to get past tipsy. I remember my college days well enough to know better than to approach true drunkenness."

No Rufus tonight.. But look, Vincent!

[emovampboy]

"Turks aren't all boring." He stands, grabbing the glass from Reeve and moving to refill it. "What happens when you're drunk?"

It's alright, Rufus clearly needs mopey time. Hi Vinny!

[plate_builder]

"None of the Turks I knew would count as boring," Reeve assures Vincent. "You never worked with Reno. If you don't have more bourbon I'll take scotch."

His eyes follow Vincent again, watching the swirl of his cape. Does the man ever take it off? Then he returns his attention to the painting.

"To put it politely, I was known to get... appreciative of other party-goers."

Reasonable then that he wouldn't want to drink too much now. He does have to go back with his guard detail and there is a woman among them. How terrible would it be if he was going home and made one of his employees uncomfortable? Truly not good. Of course the easy assumption here would be that he flirted with female guests, but honestly? Not his thing. He was lucky to be let down gently the last time he made comments about a Turk while in his cups. Ho guarantee of the same here.

Haha he's pissy for some reason... Reeve

[emovampboy]

"Appreciative...?" He searches about for a bit more bourbon, finding it after a moment, and beginning to pour. "Somehow, that doesn't fit your personality."

Yep. Some reason. Reeve will be a bit better in the future. An adult

[plate_builder]

"I've attempted to mature since then," Reeve answers, and he chuckles to himself as he closes his eyes and lets himself think. Lets himself linger over some memories of amusing nights. "I was a popular man in my youth. Even while I was with Shinra. We all have our pasts."

The two have issuss... maybe I'll reread Smile and Reeve can learn about that

[emovampboy]

"Many of the lower ranks in Shinra were good people. And some of the higher ups." He moves back over, silent as always. "Here."

Re: The two have issuss... maybe I'll reread Smile and Reeve can learn about that

[plate_builder]

"Not sure how that directly addresses the point, but that might be the alcohol causing the confusion," Reeve admits, taking the glass to sip at it. Still horrid. Good to know he hasn't gotten drunk enough to find it a better quality yet. "My department worked hard to stay good. I've managed to lure many of them to the WRO."

[emovampboy]

"Basically I meant that being with ShinRa wasn't always seen as negative. Saying 'even while with ShinRa' implies that they were always disliked and thus you would be in relation." He sits back on the bed, letting Reeve "enjoy" his liquor.

[plate_builder]

What? No. Reeve laughs at that. That wasn't what he was going for, and he struggles to master his laughter at Vincent's point.

"No, that wasn't what I meant. I was popular enough, Vincent, in and out of Shinra. I just grew busy. Too busy to maintain my social life. And I grew out of the idea of dalliances to instead long for something... more lasting."

Which wasn't as easy to manage.

[emovampboy]

"Is that so? Seems weird the way you said it, though." But he shrugs it off, crossing one leg over the other and placing an arm on his leg, clawed hand still resting on the bed. "However, now I am vaguely curious about this old Reeve."

[plate_builder]

Reeve's eyes briefly follow the motion and then return to Vincent's face. People asking about him? Not Reeve's normal experience, but yes, he's chuckling again. "Really? I can't imagine why. He was a student. Serious enough when it suited him in the academic sense. But college is about experience, and I let myself experience. But I was dreadfully shy when I first started in college, alcohol helps relax that sort of thing."

There's plenty of memories there, should he really dive into them? "What am I saying? There's a lot that happened when I was younger. What in particular would you like to know about the Reeve that was before he had no time?"

[emovampboy]

"You. Dalliances. This doesn't add up to me. I'm curious about that." He doesn't have a particular question, merely curiosity about the fact it existed, but he finds a question. "What is a suave Reeve like?"