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]

"Age and skill are not always a linked factor. I've met old fools, and young geniuses." As he speaks this, Vincent half wonders if he could be speaking of Lucrecia and Hojo, as taken at a distance, they fit the descriptors well enough.

Unintentionally, he could have also been describing Rufus and his father, but having had little to no contact with either man, there's no way to know this, and right now, he's more intent on following Reeve's directions, though asking a simple question.

"Do you have the city memorized?"

[plate_builder]

"I'm a city planner by training," Reeve answers with a wide smile. "Yes, I do. That's my job. No one in this city can give better directions."

But that definitely amuses him. He's terrible outside of cities.

[emovampboy]

"I see." Vincent knows he's the opposite. Although able to navigate a city fairly well, he's most comfortable and far more able to navigate nature itself. If nothing, he supposes Chaos has given him that.

[plate_builder]

Don't worry, he's terrible with navigating in the wild. They can both have their specialties. One tree looks very like another to him.

"I might get lost, in the woods."

[emovampboy]

"You won't." Vincent assures, glancing at Reeve for just a moment as he continues to walk. "If you stay close, I can navigate. Also... She's still there, sometimes."

[plate_builder]

"She?" Reeve asks, his voice soft. It's not quite sure who he means.

Lucrecia? He doesn't remember where that cave is. He wasn't paying as much attention to Cait that day.

[emovampboy]

Vincent shakes his head slowly. No, he wouldn't go near that cave with Reeve if he could avoid it. He means a different woman, one Cloud was fond of. "Aeris."

[plate_builder]

This time Reeve just stops moving entirely. Aeris.

"She's dead," Reeve says, disbelief in his voice.

Destroying AC canon by letting Reeve know? Why, yes, I am. :)

[emovampboy]

"Yes." Vincent stops as well, turning to look at Reeve and his head tilting softly. "Yet her spirit remains."

Reeve would hardly say anything.

[plate_builder]

That's...

"I never had the pleasure of knowing her, not truly," Reeve says after a long moment. "I highly doubt she would wish to see me."

True

[emovampboy]

"I'm not sure on that." Vincent seems content to wait until Reeve decides to walk again, but knows his words will need explanation and continues. "I've never felt anything negative. Sometimes, it's... comforting to feel."

[plate_builder]

And she was friends with Vincent. But Reeve just sighs and starts forward. In ways, he wasn't AVALANCHE. It could be hard to remember that on his own sometimes, even if others forget it some.

I find it hard to believe she'd be mad at Reeve... considering she forgave Tseng AND the Remnants

[emovampboy]

Red eyes follow Reeve's movements momentarily, maybe understanding the sigh, and yet says nothing. Reeve will understand when he's in the Forest; that the girl holds no grudge, only the warmest feeling to all life on the planet.

Like a mother. The thought flows naturally, unsaid, before walking along with the man.

Did she forgive Tseng? But yes, she wouldn't. But Reeve is self-conscious

[plate_builder]

But the time is now perfect to actually get going again. They will absolutely have to focus on getting to his place.

"When I'm there, would it be okay if I take a moment to change?"

I'm pretty sure she did. It always felt like she would

[emovampboy]

"That's fine." Vincent nods. "We have time enough to delay if we wish."

[plate_builder]

"We do," Reeve smiles. It's more the awkwardness of asking your date to putter around your home, with your kitten, when you change in the bathroom. Which, his isn't all that big so that will be it's own mess.

[emovampboy]

Perhaps if he were any other date, it would be an issue. However, it's Vincent, and he seems to epitomize the words 'laid back.' Which means if Reeve needs to change clothes, feed and play with a cat, he's good with it.

He's just not the best conversationalist.

[plate_builder]

Sometimes conversation isn't what you need. Reeve is content as he is, walking down the street, sharing some of Vincent's valuable time. The directions he has them take back are in fact the ideal ones to return and when they get there Reeve leads Vincent up to the door and then pauses.

"I left Cait in your hotel room," he laughs, shaking his head.

[emovampboy]

"Is that bad?" He says this as he looks at the place Reeve has chosen to settle in; small, but sturdy, at least if he's judging right from the outside. Fitting for a man like this.

[plate_builder]

"I suppose it means I'll have to bother you later to get him back," Reeve smiles. But yes, he likes the apartment he has. And he doesn't try to take up much more space than other people. Soon he's unlocking the door and standing aside so Vincent can step in. Clearly an apartment given how there is a door to their immediate left and stairs heading up.

"I'm upstairs. I just need that door locked."

[emovampboy]

"I don't mind." Said as he moves to pass Reeve and let him lock the door as he sees fit, taking a cursory glance at the complex.

[plate_builder]

Well, there is that. Reeve reaches past Vincent to lock the door before moving to head up the flight of stairs.

"There are only two apartments here, so nothing above me. The woman who lives on the first floor is older and keeps asking when I'm going to bring a charming young woman home. She reminds me faintly of my mother," he says as he mounts the stairs quickly up to a door.

Once the door is unlocked and he steps in to find that the kitten has not ruined the apartment. Which isn't surprising. For all that he calls Mittens a kitten, she's well into young adulthood developmentally. In fact, she's stretched out on his drafting table, where she knows she doesn't belong. Looks up briefly and sees him, offering a pathetic sort of 'Why didn't feed me, I'm dying here' mewl.

[emovampboy]

A charming young woman? That could tell Vincent much about the woman on the first floor, including that she could be a busybody; a good and bad thing all at once. He even idly wonders what will happen if Reeve brings him home too often.

Looking at the cat, he seems vaguely amused at the look and the mewl. Cats have never been dumb, and they know how to play humans, and this one is certainly playing in her way.

[plate_builder]

Reeve will happily encourage any line of thought that might get Vincent considering coming home with him often. As it is he puts the box of coffee down and moves to scratch her behind the ears.

"You're fine," he says warmly to the tuxedo cat and then moves off to the kitchenette area further away. Most of the main room is filled with items clearly for work. There are a whole three tables and desks covered with paperwork, sketches and deployment reports. It's on the large side for a studio apartment, but still rather cramped for many people. Reeve doesn't seem to notice as he starts digging into a cabinet for Mitten's food.

"There's a chair at both of the desks, and you can of course sit on the bed if you want to sit. I'll just get Mittens her food and then change."

[emovampboy]

"Alright." Even if Reeves says that, it isn't likely Vincent will sit. In fact, he has found himself a place by the door to watch Reeve move about, though his eyes flicker to the full tables. So much paper.

He'll even stay there, against the wall, until Reeve wanders off to change. Only then does he move to kneel down and try to coax the cat away from following his master, a soft click of his tongue and the movement of his real hand calling her attention to him.