emovampboy | For Reeve

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

plate_builder

Indeed, he does get it without another word. Peace, that was something he desired more than anything. But peace wasn't something he was expecting to get. Except for here, for now. This? This felt good. So he's silent as he listens.

"Perhaps any wound can. This is rather close to where the Centra lived, right?"

From:

emovampboy

"It is." He's ignoring whether all wounds can heal or not, for now really not sure whether it is possible or not. "It's close to the Lifestream, or feels as if it is. Perhaps that helps the feeling of calm."

From:

plate_builder

"Can you sense it? The Lifestream?"

Humans weren't supposed to. Aerith and Nanaki had been special. Was Vincent also special in that way? But perhaps it's true. Reeve sighs and moves to rest his head against Vincent's shoulder.

"It's beautiful, if nothing else. Beautiful and quiet, like... a memorial."

From:

emovampboy

"Not in the true sense." He lets Reeve lean against him, careful to not move more than his head as he speaks. "But, it seems like it is, somehow. But I don't think of it as being anything like a memorial, with its sad conotations."

Now he moves, shifting so his hand can cover Reeve's eyes. "Close your eyes and let your senses wander..." He gives Reeve a moment to adjust, to listen, to feel, only moving his hand when he speaks again. "Perhaps it is just me, but what I hear and feel is the quiet strength of living."

From:

plate_builder

Reeve does as bidden, letting his eyes clothes, his mind stretch. And... he almost believes he can feel it.

"Memorials aren't just sad. They make us look forward as well as back."

From:

emovampboy

"They've always been sad to me."

From:

plate_builder

Perhaps he needed to change his way of thinking, but Reeve couldn't force that onto the other man.

"And so it goes," Reeve mused, as if that was the most obvious thing that could be said to the situation. "I wish they could be something to guide you to look forward."

From:

emovampboy

"I think," Vincent speaks these words after a moment of silence, and it is obvious he is choosing them carefully, as if trying to explain without worrying Reeve or making him feel he needs to do something more for Vincent. "I've spent more than enough time looking back and remembering that it would be easier to avoid memorials, lest they bring me back that way."

From:

plate_builder

Interesting thing to believe. Vincent isn’t even wrong. So the man nods carefully.

“That seems very fair, my friend. Very fair indeed. However I don’t really know that the same is true of me. Still...”

He sighs and stands.

“Time to walk again I think.”

From:

emovampboy

Vincent won't fight Reeve on the issue. Everyone is different about life and death, and a part of him knows his own views could be seen as quite skewed by many. If Reeve draws some consolation from memorials and graves, then Vincent definitely won't try to change that.

Though it seems the conversation is finished once Reeve stands, and the red-clad man seems fine with that, shifting to stand as well and grab their things, indicating with a small nod of his head the direction they need to go in.

"When we get to my place, you can stretch out and rest for a while."

From:

plate_builder

"My only concern is that I hold us back from getting there for a good long while," Reeve answers, starting in the direction indicated. "I haven't been a country boy in so long."

From:

emovampboy

"I'm not worried." Is the simple response, Vincent moving to walk beside Reeve at whatever pace he sets, obviously content to take it slow on the way back; they do have time and no real schedule, after all.

From:

plate_builder

"You are a man used to more... sedate living than I have gone by for a long time," Reeve admits. But he does smile. "The more time we have there, the more time we have together."

From:

emovampboy

He remains silent at the initial remark. They are both quite aware of their differences. The second remark, however, brings out the strange understanding remarks that Vincent seems to more often than not reserve for Reeve. "Aside from the animals, it's just us here in the forest... Whether we are at my place, or out here, the time is all ours."

From:

plate_builder

Oh. Well, Reeve wasn't expecting that statement. However he still wanted some degree of comfort here.

"Is it so wrong to want somewhere comfortable to relax with you?"

From:

emovampboy

The shrug is once again meant less as an insult and more of an indication that Vincent is quite unsure how to respond to the remark, though he does give Reeve just the faintest, and quite fleeting, of smiles as an apology before he pulls ahead to guide the way to the small place he has built into a home within the forest, wondering if Reeve will actually expect he has something more than a tree to sleep in.

From:

plate_builder

Honestly, Reeve was expecting camping. Literally anything would be more than he'd expected. He's smiling as they follows the other man.

"Can you see the stars here?"

From:

emovampboy

"Not here," Vincent moves into the small building that acts as his home, setting Reeve's bags down and moving to get him some water. "But there is a place about five minutes walk from here that has a very good view."

From:

plate_builder

And look, it's even a building. Reeve was pleased to see it, but he really would have accepted something else.

He takes the water when it's given and looks at Vincent with a smile.

"How good of a view?"

From:

emovampboy

Vincent likes nature just fine, but even he likes four walls and a roof when the whether got bad, meaning he had either found or repaired this place.

"If the resort people saw, they would build here." Yes, a joke, but it should tell Reeve all he needs to know; the view was expansive and extroidinary.

From:

plate_builder

"If the resort people saw it, I might consider quietly having them dealt with," Reeve noted.

Also a joke. But one with a serious edge. He would never let anyone ruin this place, not while he was alive.

After another swig of water he gets to his feet.

"Come on, show me it."

From:

emovampboy

"It's too light for stars, but we can go for the view if you wish."

He's saying this and trying quite obviously not to give off the faintest of smiles to Reeve and quietly handling resorts.

He knows the man is capable of it, of course, but it just isn't his preferred method of handling inconveniences. Money or any other silent way is something Reeve tries to avoid, unless Vincent has him all wrong.

Though speaking of wrong and knowing Reeve, Vincent finally manages the faintest of smirks.

"The alternative to going now, however, is resting now and heading up there tonight with a blanket. Such things are romantic, right?"

From:

plate_builder

What?

Reeve looks back at Vincent in shock. And then his expression softens. It's such a good idea. So beautifully good that he moves to Vincent and kisses him. Soft and sweet. A 'thank you that's wonderful' kiss.

When he pulls back he smiles.

"They are."

From:

emovampboy

There's a hint of amusement in Vincent's eyes at that shock, though he says nothing about it. Reeve will find that Vincent can be a lot different than he generally presents himself; much more soft and in some ways, romantic.

Reeve even has the advantage over Lecrecia, in that Vincent has had time to understand himself a little better and is not quite as shy as he once was. Still quiet, perhaps, and not as outright affectionate as some, but not as shy.

Which is likely why he returns that kiss just faintly, watching as the other man pulls back and nodding gently.

"Then we will rest for now, and head out at dusk."