In The Dark

Title: IN THE DARK
Author: Final Fantasy VII (c) Squaresoft/PS.
Summary: Cid and Vincent discover a deeper meaning to their bond.
Rating: R, yaoi/lemon/shonen-ai
Pairing(s): Cid Highwind/Vincent Valentine
Feedback: desired.
Characters: Cid and Vinny-boy.
Author’s notes:
((Thank you to everyone who said I should continue this piece, my heart beats like a thousand Gold Chocobo's! Added new chapter, revamped it a bit, and made a few corrections. I hope I'm not making a mistake by doing so, but you never know until you try, ne? This story is one of my favorites I have written, and ruining it is not what I'd want...So I'm very open to suggestion right now.
By the way, I know Vincent is not a vampyr, and it wasn't my intention to make it appear so...But c'mon, you know a vampire Vinny would be hot. O_^
*aims Death Penalty at blank notebook pages*
If I can ever get the patients to do so and the inspiration; I will finish this one, that I promise. Like a lonely Turk and a bottle of Scotch...Enjoy!))
Disclaimer: Man on man action...I think we all know I don't own any of the characters.


16 APRIL 2005, 2:16PM, SAT.

CHAPTER ONE

"Is he gonna be okay?" The buxom young barmaid, Tiffa Lockheart, asked.

"I hope so. Aeris and the hotel staff used all the healing materia they had...But he's still badly injured. We just have to wait a few days. See what happens." Cloud Strife, fearless leader/confussed clone, looked at his shoes as he spoke. As he looked up he could see the worry in his childhood friends face.

"Oi, don't worry. He's strong, plus he has Jenova cells in him like me...You can't die very easily." The blonde smiled.

"Hmm...Your right. I'm gonna go help Barret and Red straighten up around the Highwind. Maybe we can make some since of those old maps we found." She smiled as well and was out the door.

They had all met up at the Shildra Inn, in Cosmo Canyon. It was the closest thing, plus Bugenhagen said he could help with repairing some broken weapons. They were on a six day fighting binge across the mountains to Cosmo Canyon, seeking a supposed map of a cave beneath Great Glacier.
The group had found 3 maps, but they were very old and no one could understand them. Aeris had said it looked like symbols she had seen before, so they assumed it to be of Cetra origin. The toll of battle was heavy on all but most heavy on Vincent. For some reason the creatures seemed to single him out faster than he could reload, having to rely only on his gold claw as a weapon.
During the last battle, Chaos got out of control. Attacking while disregarding his own body. He might have continued until he died of blood loss, if the Zolom hadn't sent him flying into the mountain. When the fight was over, it took 2 hours to find Vincent, back to normal, lying amid the rubble. His body was covered in deep lacerations and it seemed that his leg was broken. Everyone thought he was dead until Cloud took his pulse.
The healers at Cosmo Canyon were able to put a cast on the leg, and stitch the wounds, but they could do nothing for the internal injuries, or blood loss. The healers in fact, said he was probably brain-dead and may never wake up...

But Cloud kept that to himself...
//No need to worry the others. Especially him.//

Cloud caught himself staring into space and he realized how tired and hurt he was himself. In a sad yawn he said, 'Hang in there Vince', as he limped away towards his room.

- - - - -

"Tifa...Tifa! Hey, wait up..." Aeris ran to catch up with her friend.

"What is it?" She smiled as she stopped and turned.

"Is...Cid...on...the Highwind?" She panted, catching her breath.

"No, it's just Red and Barret. I'm going now."

"Ohhh..!" Aeris squealed and did a little dance.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Tifa laughed.

"That must mean he's with Vincent! I know, I know, it's sad that he was hurt...but triumphing past that can strengthen a relationship." She continued to dance and squeal.

"What are you saying?! That Cid and...Vincent...are...are..." Tifa tried to imagine anyone wanting to get near something as scary as Vincent, and shivered.

"Well, duh, silly. Haven't you noticed the way Cid always takes damage in battle for him, or the way he stares at him? It's so written on his face. Vincent's face...well I don't get to see it, heh heh, but I'm sure he likes him back!"

"You are insane..."

Tifa continued to walk as Aeris squealed about how great love was.

- - - - -

//How could I have let this happen to you?//
The well build sandy haired man sat on the edge of the bed. He hung his head in agony of regret.
//Before he even started the battle I knew he was too weak to be fighting. He could barely hold the gun still! Fuck why can't he just listen to me?!...But...it's not him, or even Chaos. It's that cocksucker Hojo. He's the one who started all of this. I know Vince want's revenge, but he's gonna wait till I clock that son-of-a-bitch.//

Cid had to fight not to punch the bed, he didn't want to shake his newfound love. Despite what he overheard the Healers say, Cid did not believe Vincent was brain-dead. He could hear the soft cries and see the look of pain on his pale face.
//If your brains beat 'ta mush, how can you still feel pain?//

"I know you can hear me...I just want you to open those beautiful ruby eyes...I need to see them again." Cid felt tears swell up inside him, but he choked it away.

//Ain't no time to be feeling sorry.//
He got up carefully and walked to the door. He wanted to stay by his side until he woke, but he almost couldn't take seeing him that bad off. Plus he NEEDED a cigarette...and a drink, or two. He bowed his head slightly at the sleeping boy and walked out.

"Oi, Cait?" Cid asked as he lit a crumpled cigarette.

"Yesss?" Cait said sing songy.

"You stand outside of this door, he makes so much as a peep, you come to the bar and let me know, ne?" He demanded more than asked, but the strange being understood.

"Can do, Captain." Cait added a salute.

"Shit, don't you start with that crap too." He waved his hand dismisivly as we walked toward the bar.

"Whatever...lovesick fool..." Cait laughed quietly to himself.

- - - - -

//This...This darkness again?! Am I, back in the coffin? No, I couldn't be! I was with them, we were...What were we?...mm//

A thin tense raven brow twitched. The injured man laying there could think somewhat but everything was so muddled...everything hurt. He couldn't move, or see. Suddenly sorrow overtook him and he felt like crying.
//Please...help me. Where is this place?...Why can't I see anyone? No...Could I be back, there?!//
A finger and eyebrow twitched.
//This is like...before. Experiments...I could feel but I couldn't move...please no, Gods don't say Hojo found me?! He...he had to, or else this would- what wouldn't happen?//
Tears slowly began to run from each closed eye, and he shook slightly.
//No, no, no, no...not again! Help me! This isn't a nightmare...Why can't I wake up?//
More tears came silently.

He was no longer thinking, just replaying images and events of the past. Each one more horrible than the last, all involving Hojo. Rape, torture, humiliation, and human experimentation. Then finally the fear and panic of being buried in a coffin for 30 years. So long that he started to believe it was justified. That he needed to attone for the mistakes leading to his being used.

He began to feel like he was choking, there was so little air inside. His lungs would scream and burn, but the Jenova inside wouldn't let him die. No matter how long he suffered. Until...
//Until they...showed up...him.//
His mind drifted to an image of the brawny blonde holding his hand out to help him from the coffin.

~~~~~~
"Hey, you in there...Damn, you okay? That's a hell of a place to be sleeping."
"A-are you, one of them?! Please don't take me back, I'll do anything!!"
"Shh, I ain't no one, just an old pilot...calm down. Let me help you out of there, you don't look so good. Oh by the way, the names Cid Highwind."
~~~~~

//Cid Highwind.//
He felt some of his panic fade, but then it soon returned.
//Why can't I see you anymore? Please don't let them take me again...Cid...I, I need to see you again! Please help...//
He gave up and continued to cry, as memories played back worse than any nightmare the coffin held.

- - - - -

"You look nice and not drunk." Cait laughed as Cid walked back to his room.

"Yeah the fucks, they ain't got nothing strong here at all. Supposed to get some, but I got tired of cocktails and beer. Has he...made any noise at all?"

"None that I heard, and I stayed out here the whole time. I guess you can take it from here, flyboy?"

"Yeah I got it, ya trumped up magic eight ball." They exchanged friendly glances and moved on.

Cid opened the door quietly and shut it, locking it just to be sure.
//Don't need no nosey crew or team trying to stare at him like an exhibit.//
As he approached the bed he immediately noticed the long dried trails of tears, not to mention his hair and the bed were wet as well.

"Fuckin' idiot cat! He was crying! What if he woke up?!"

Cid looked down and brushed the hair from the pale, bruised face.

"Vince...are you gonna wake up for me yet, show me those pretty eyes?" Cid sighed as he got no response. "That's okay, good things are worth waiting for...You just rest as long as you need to. And...I, I love you Vincent Valentine. So someday you have to wake up and let me know how you feel. For better or worse." Cid ran a strand of the soft hair thru his fingers.

He realized, that while of course he was sad about his injuries, this opportunity to view him was amazing.

//I've never got to see him up close, this close...I could almost kiss him.//
He felt his cheeks turn red.
//You can't molest him Highwind! Knowing my luck he'd wake up and think I was hurting him. I saw those damn tapes, of Hojo's "Scientific Research" in the ShinRa mansion. More like sick pervert with a God-complex.//

He never let Vincent, or anyone else know he found the tapes. Even if the brunette never told him, he knew what he went through. The others didn't see them, hear the screams and pleas for help and mercy. It hurt him to watch, but he figured it hurt Vincent more, and he had to know...Someone did.
//If they seen, maybe then they wouldn't treat him like the fucking plague.//
He couldn't help feeling mad about the sometimes rude way the rest of the group treated his obsession. He took a chance and kissed the unusually bandana free forehead.

"I promise Vince, I wont let anyone hurt you ever again."
He stood up, taking his shirt and coat off, laying on the couch. Staring one last time before letting sleep claim him.

END CHAPTER ONE