Woven Ties

Woven Ties


Present Day

The phone rang late one afternoon, chattering loudly on the countertop as it vibrated; making its way jerkily towards the sink. Heavy footsteps crossed the room to the noisy device and a blackened hand snatched it from the surface before it could fall in. It was shoved against the man’s ear.

“Whadda yer want, Reeve?” Cid answered. Although his choice of words was less than polite, his tone was friendly. He pinned the small phone between his temple and shoulder while he used an old rag to clean the oil from his hands. The sweat on his skin made the friction slippery and the phone slid dangerously from its position. “Ahh – shit… nah, just nearly dropped the damn phone.” He grabbed the device with one clean hand and pressed it back to his ear. He listened to the voice on the other end. “Yeah, me and Shera have had our hands full with the repair workshop, just finishing up now. Anyway, what can I do for yer?”

He knew Reeve never phoned unless it was something important. Usually he wanted Cid to pilot and accompany his team missions, and they always called for a bit of rough play, which is what Cid enjoyed. The fighting was never serious, and luckily only two cases involved a human aggravator. Cid had thrown away his spear and opted for a fistfight. Needless to say he had ended one of these incidents with one good right hook.

“I need your help on a particularly nasty assignment,” came Reeve’s reply over the phone. Intrigued, Cid stopped his small movements and listened closely. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but a few days ago there were some tremors in the North, around Icicle Area.”

“Yeah, heard about it from someone in town,” Cid said. “Tremors are rare. But they ain’t nothing special.”

“True,” Reeve answered. “I thought so too, but I sent a team up there to check it out anyway. I didn’t expect them to find anything; but they did.” There was a pause on the line in which Reeve took a breath. “My men reported findings of dangerous monsters – beasts with unusual strength. I’ve already lost one man, and I don’t even have any information on these things – other than the fact that I’ve never heard of anything like them, judging from the description I was given.”

“That’s why you want me down there?”

“Yes, with your experience you’d be a valuable member. I want to know what these things are and where they came from. My men can work better with you on the team, ensuring their safety. Plus, I want these things eradicated.”

“They’d be a danger to anyone living up there, “Cid agreed. He nodded to the phone. “Alright, Reeve, I’m in. Been a while since yer threw something interesting my way.”

“Glad to hear it,” Reeve said. “I have another team ready to depart for the North, they’ll pick you up on the way. I’ve also been asked to collect data on these creatures, so some of my team will be equipped with sensory devices. I have a good working-relationship with a company called CSC, and they would like as much information on these things as you can g…” His voice trailed off and Cid could hear him speaking to someone else. His voice sounded exasperated. When he returned to the phone the pilot could hear the change in his tone. “Sorry about that.”

“Something up?”

Reeve sighed. “Yes. A friend of mine has been reported missing for several days now. I suspect abduction…but I haven’t got any leads. I’ve got men looking for him, and even though it stretches my manpower thin I don’t want to call off the search.”

“Shit,” Cid sympathized. “He important?”

“Well, he’s a good friend. He’s an expert in Pharmacology, but I have no leads, no clues, to suggest anyone would need him for his work.”

“Could just be that he disappeared,” Cid offered, pulling a notepad towards him from where it sat on the windowsill. He looked around for a pen, intending to leave a note to Shera where he would be. She had left to see her friend down the street just before Cid had rushed in to his phone; she wouldn’t be returning for some hours. “Victim of violence or something?”

“Maybe, but as I said, with no evidence to go on I have to consider all possibilities.” Reeve’s tone changed. “Anyway, my unit is on their way, ETA three hours.”

They said their goodbyes and ended the conversation. Cid shoved his PHS into his cutoffs pocket and then spotted the pen by a jar of flowers. Shera and her damn flowers. He grabbed it and scribbled a note to the woman. He tore a hole through the first sheet after attempting to coax the ink from the stubborn nib, but succeeded in writing a messy note on the second. He threw the torn sheet away and left his message on the table, using the pen as a paperweight.

As promised, his transport arrived three hours later, flying less gracefully than he would have handled her. He cringed at the awkward maneuvers as the stand-in pilot settled her in the clearing to the back of his garden. Leaving the house unlocked (it was a friendly town), Cid assumed his position at the helm after kicking the temporary pilot out the way with a few choice words. They were in airspace barely five minutes later, with a course laid in for the North. The weather in Rocket Town had been cool but clear; as they made their way up the temperature gradually became cooler, until they eventually reached Northland where it dropped drastically. Fortunately the Shera boasted a heating system that was impressive for a ship her size, therefore the only evidence of the hash climate was the sheet of never ending snow that coated everything…and of course the temperate gauge.

Cid had no opinion for the cold and the snowy landscape of Icicle Area. Rocket Town was near enough to the equator for it to get good summers and cool winters, but rarely any snow. Cid hadn’t grown up with the stuff, and though it was fascinating when he had first witnessed it as a young teenager, the novelty had quickly worn off. Back then snow didn’t compare to machines. Today it still didn’t compare to machines. And so, as the view from the glass dome cockpit changed from blue water to white snow, Cid didn’t bat an eyelid. One of the crew uttered a sound of awe, but he paid them no attention as he barked orders to prep the ship for landing.

Once they had their destination in site the Shera circled the airport – airport was too fancy a word for the landing field – and set down smoothly and expertly. The systems were checked and reported in as Cid took a once around the interior to check in with them all. Once he was satisfied he made towards his cabin where he grabbed a thick coat and his weapon, which he’d shoved in there after boarding, and then headed to the ramp. A chilling, bitter wind met him as he glanced down at the blinding white land, ruffling his short, spiky hair and twisting his features into a less than pleasant expression. He threw on his coat and walked out into a light snowfall, followed by the team he’d been assigned with.

He received a text message when he’d stepped off the ramp onto the crunching snow, alerting him with an electronic jingle. He fished it from his cargo pants pocket (having changed at home) and opened it up to find Reeve’s name blaring at him from the LCD. It informed him that lodgings for Cid and the team had been arranged at the Crystal Inn, in a small village closest to the monster sightings. Cid checked the time on his phone, realizing he’d have no time to check into the Inn first. It was getting late, and when night fell so did the temperatures. It would be stupid to fight at night.

“Okay, guys,” Cid called up, waving an arm as a gesture to go. “Let’s bag us some beasts before dark!”

His team consisted of twenty-two men and women WRO soldiers, eager to finish their mission and retreat to a warm, cozy Inn room. They chirped up a bit by Cid’s infectious enthusiasm, and soon were striding energetically through the knee-deep, ice-cold snow. They had been given their target location by the first team that had encountered the beasts, who had explained that they’d been caught off guard when the animals attacked. It had happened inside a large spinney, situated in the valley of two large hills. Cid had checked his materia as well as the teams, prepared for some rough action.

The daylight slowly faded as they searched, finding hide nor hair of the supposedly deadly beasts. They had encountered the orchard, thoroughly searched the area, and moved further away from the village in hopes they might have better luck out there. After nearly four hours of nothing, Cid turned his eyes to the horizon where the sun was setting, casting a dull amber streak between the lower clouds. He didn’t need to look at his watch to know it was late. They were all freezing and bored, and Cid decided now was not the best time to continue. He called it quits for the day, and they began making their way back a little faster, glad to be heading back.

That was when they struck.

Cid had never let his guard down, but those whose minds were on the prospect of a warm dinner and bed were easy targets. Their reaction time was slower. Cid reeled around before anyone else to the sound of an inhuman roar. Something dived from the snowy carpet, as though materializing from the snow itself and leapt down on the last WRO member at the back. The straggler. Before it’s huge, teeth-lined jaws clamped down on the man’s entire upper body, a second beast rose from the cover of the snowy ground and pounced on a second WRO soldier. Cid watched as he sped towards them from the front of the group, pushing aside the terrible cries of surprise, fear and agony. They were being ripped apart.

Cid leapt into the air with the speed and power the others didn’t possess. His spear sliced through the curtain of snow still falling and he drove it down on the second beast, aiming for the large torso – intending to pierce the ribcage and hit one vital organ that would ensure its death. It reared, blood flinging from its maw as the lethal tip of the spear merely sliced through its rump, opening a nasty but minor gash. It turned to snap at the pilot but Cid had immediately leapt away. He sunk deep into the snow, almost stumbling, but collected his balance as the beast turned on him and advanced viciously. He managed to keep the second beast in his peripheral vision as he jumped back to avoid a swing from the monsters huge paw. His eyes caught the size and sharpness of the talons as it wooshed by.

Movement jarred his subconscious and he realized the team of WRO soldiers had engaged the battle, taking on the second beast that had moved somewhere to Cid’s south east. A piercing scream reverberated around them, and somewhere a threatening rumble announced the disturbed movement of a snow bank. Cid snapped his head around to watch the grueling sight of the other battle. One of the soldiers barely had time to raise his weapon before he was buried under the weight of the monsters pounce. Both human and beast disappeared under the white, obscured by the screen of falling snow. Cid was already racing towards them as teammates hesitated, horrified. Some brave soldiers rushed to the scene, but the snow erupted and the creature exploded from the white carpet in a burst of blood and stained slush. The mutilated corpse of its victim lay beneath it, mangled beyond recognition. Bits of torn flesh dripped from the beast’s twisted snarl as it regarded the rush of people. The brave WRO soldiers skidded to a halt and scurried away in terror. It turned its ugly, mutant head at the nearest, unaware of Cid. The pilot threw himself at it, driving his spear into its body using the power of his strength and speed. A sickening crunch followed as the ribcage shattered and the creature howled. Cid withdrew quickly as the thing took a pot shot at him, but it was bleeding heavily and crumpled to the snow a second later. It breathed its last.

Knowing it would no longer be a threat, Cid spun – and just in time to raise his weapon as the second beast hurtled at him. It slammed into Cid, sending them both ploughing into the snow. He used the momentum to hurl it off and jumped to his feet. The beast regained its balance, turned and rushed him again, snarling wildly. A series of loud, sharp shots punctured the air and the creature’s body jerked and crashed into the snowy land. Thick, dark blood escaped numerous wounds, streaming down the creature’s side in rivets. It let loose a painful whine and struggled to its feet. The soldier who had shot it stepped closer, a grim, angry expression on her face, and opened fire once again. It collapsed with a roar and stayed there.

There was a moment of silence in which the team regained their senses, took a shaky breather and listened to the silence, just to reassure themselves that both monsters were dead.

Cid spun his spear and flicked the blood from the tip, then waded through the snow over the shot beast. He looked down at it and turned the creature’s limp head over with a boot. He studied it. Cid had never come across anything like this thing before, and the ferociousness of their attacks concerned him. During his travels with Avalanche he had come across many strange beings. Some of them looked worse than this, but not many. And something about these set off warning alarms in his head. Looking down at it, Cid studied the large head, bearing lifeless, cruel black eyes and a jaw that would easily swallow a small child. The beast was covered in white fur, giving it perfect camouflage in this bland surrounding. Slate blue tinged around its snout and paws, and Cid wondered how Avalanche could ever have missed such a creature when they had traveled across the North. These things had attacked the WRO first, indicating it was a hunter and took the fight to the prey – they would have attacked Cid and the gang if they had been there, most definitely. Meaning they weren’t around during the Sephiroth battle.

A distant roar ripped through the air, almost alien in sound, and the team jumped in fright, glancing around frantically.

“Tighten formation!” Cid yelled to the group, that of what was barely visible through the falling snow. He could feel the temperature getting colder by the minute as night approached, and he debated whether he should send them all back or stay and finish off however many monsters were out there. He glanced at the team as they shuffled quickly into view and made a mental head count. They’d lost two men, one was injured, one had lost his weapon, and they were all shit scared. Great.

He instructed them to shift slowly and quietly, intending to move them a little closer to the village. Thankfully they were too far away to bring attention to civilization, but by heading in that direction they would at least be a few steps closer.

The snow fell heavier and Cid cursed. Something moved in the curtain of white, and the nearest WRO soldier panicked and started firing blindly. His teammates shifted in alarm but didn’t follow suit. They gripped their weapons harder and raised them, ready and alert.

It flew out. Claws flashed, mouth gaping, as it emerged from the blanket of cover. The WRO soldiers in its path ducked and rolled out the way, and it landed in a shower of snow chunks. It turned its gleaming eyes on the WRO woman on Cid’s right and advanced menacingly as she backed away. Its beady gaze then fell on Cid.

“C’mon, yer bastard,” Cid spat, eager to kill it and go find that warm, comfortable Inn he had been promised.

Another beast materialized from the snow. And another. Both were as white as the first, dangerously camouflaged against the snow. Cid swore.

He ran at the closest as it began charging, and they clashed painfully in midair. Cid dropped into a half-crouch as he landed, the deep snow cushioned his fall considerably. The monster crashed down a few meters away and didn’t get up. A deep, lethal puncture wound in its neck flowed blood in a thick stream as it breathed its final. Cid spared it no thought as he raced to the second.

A shout caught his attention and he turned sharply – only to leap back and spin away as a forth beast reared at his side and swung its huge, heavy claws. Pain flared from Cid’s side but he paid it no attention as he jumped back again. He responded with his own weapon, jabbing it straight at the creature. It parried his attack and hunched low, waiting for an opening as they circled each other. Cid gave it one, pretending to stumble in the snow. It pounced. Cid regained his balance and thrust his spear up into the monster’s unprotected belly, slicing through major organs. He wrenched back his weapon as the thing fell to the earth, and lay dieing in the hole of snow it made.

Spinning around, Cid spied two more. One stood triumphant over a motionless body as the other eyed Cid warily, sensing a dangerous foe. It gave a monstrous bay into the air, a truly awful sound, and they both turned and fled ethereally into the snowfall. Silence reigned.

//

Crystal Inn was a cozy little place that seemed much smaller outside than it was inside. They provided medical supplies to Cid, who thanked the staff gruffly and retreated to his room, 106. He was exhausted and pissed off. He entered his room to find it dark and warm, and felt around on the wall for the light switch. Light flooded the room so brightly he had to close his eyes against the glare, and promptly turned the light off. He made his way to the bathroom, noticing the shape of his duffle bag at the foot of the bed. Someone must have carted it in from the Shera.

The bathroom light was much dimmer. Cid peeled off his top layers, noticing the large, dark bloodstain on his shirt and coat, the latter of which was in much worse shape. He dumped them on the floor and lifted his arm to examine his wound in the mirror, pulling an irritated snarl as he saw the deep gashes in his side, under his ribcage. It was raw and still bleeding, despite having acquired it nearly two hours ago. He mentally cursed.

Using the med kit he brought in with him Cid starting cleaning the wound. “Shiiiiit,” he hissed. Stinging pain flared from the antiseptic he used. A few minutes later it was dressed in clean, white gauze bandage, and he shrugged off the thought that it might need stitches. He trashed the dirty wipes he’d used and, leaving the bathroom light on, trudged into the bedroom. He stopped at the foot of the bed and glanced at the shadows beside the high window in the corner of the room.

“When’d yer get here?”

A figure detached itself from the shadows and into the dim light cast from the bathroom. “A few minutes ago,” Vincent replied.

Cid watched him for a second, wondering when the man would ever just knock. But then, that wouldn’t be Vincent, and he’d never be pleasantly surprised again. “Reeve call yer?”

Vincent gave a small nod. His figure seemed to blend with the shadows, and he seemed much more comfortable immersed in the dark. His crimson eyes glinted eerily.

Cid grabbed his duffle bag, dumped it on the bed and began rummaging through it. “Glad he did. His WRO toddies are a bunch of pansies,” he said as he pulled out a packet of cigarettes. “And those beasts are a fuckin’ handful.” He lit a cigarette and savored the nicotine for a few seconds as silence fell between them. His smoke floated away before disappearing near the ceiling. “Didn’t even get them all…”

Vincent pulled away from the shadows and stepped a few feet closer; the metal of his boots clinked softly. His eyes strayed to the blood-soaked bandage on Cid’s side.

Cid saw him watching. “Fuckin’ got me,” he admitted. “Still…ain’t half as bad as those poor bastards.” He sounded bitter, and as he finished speaking his lip curled into an acidic snarl.

“You’re not to blame,” Vincent spoke, having been informed about the team Cid had lead into the snow. Reeve had explained how sour Cid had sounded when he reported in, and both Reeve and Vincent knew self-blame was in store for the pilot.

“Like hell I’m not,” Cid mumbled, sitting on the bed, facing away from the gunman. He took a deep drag on his cigarette, letting his failure simmer away.

Vincent sensed this. He tipped up his chin from the high collar of his cape and said, “You can’t be responsible for armed men.” He paused. “They knew what they were involved in…”

He knew in Vincent’s rare, roundabout way he was trying to reassure Cid, to ease away the misplaced guilt, but Cid couldn’t feel reassured. Three soldiers had been killed while he had been in charge of the team. It felt like duty to take the blame. The pilot pulled the cigarette from his mouth and turned to look at the tall, dark man still watching him. He glimpsed the rare sight of concern kneaded into his pale features. Not that concern was very distinguishable from Vincent’s other expressions, but the look in his eyes had changed, as well as – if only slightly – his posture. Cid knew how to read him, something he had gradually learnt over the time they had traveled together. The pilot gave him an appreciative smile, pushing aside his hollow guilt.

“It’s been a few weeks,” Cid said after a couple of seconds, changing the topic and tone. “Was gonna ring yer soon…Reeve beat me to it.” He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray located on the nightstand, and then swung his legs up and rolled over the bed to Vincent, grinning as he settle down on the other side and reached up to encircle his arms around Vincent’s slim waist. His previous dark mood had disappeared and now an air of playful affection had lit up his blue eyes. He pulled the pale man down as he himself stretched up and took Vincent’s lips in a slow, deliberate kiss. His mind sank into that blissful haze he felt at the touch of the gunslinger’s skin, and he relished the feelings.

They parted as slowly as they’d joined, opening their eyelids to one another. Vincent’s eyes darted between Cid’s, something secret gleamed among the deep blood color, and Cid recognized the growing anticipation behind them – the contained excitement. Vincent was an expert for pulling masked expressions, but his eyes failed him more often than he realized. They were Cid’s favorite window into Vincent’s soul.

“Yer staying here tonight?” Cid asked, running his hands along the gunner’s sides, sliding down his hips.

Vincent watched him, idly. “Apparently.”

With a forceful tug and an expert roll, Cid had his prize lying underneath him on the bed. He smirked and lowered his mouth, claiming Vincent’s. He had been waiting a long time for Vincent to return, and all that waiting had stored up a lot of need. He hadn’t realized just how strong it had become. Cid shuffled them fully onto the bed, cupping a hand along Vincent’s well-shaped backside. He couldn’t wait to tear that leather off; in fact, he had already started unbuckling the waist belts.

“Yer gonna have to get an easier outfit,” Cid mumbled as he broke from Vincent’s lips and cast a glare at the offending buckles. It was difficult with one hand. Thankfully, it was pushed aside by Vincent’s good hand and he unlatched the last belt expertly. He didn’t smile, but Cid saw the glint of humor in his crimson eyes. “Hmph. You enjoy watchin’ me struggle,” Cid accused. His response was a slight smile and another long kiss. He pushed into it as his free hand parted the leather and slid over Vincent’s scarred chest.

Things heated considerably after that. The touch of Cid’s hand against his bare skin seemed to charge Vincent with electricity. Something streamed through his body and suddenly he was very hot. He helped Cid pull off his leather, meeting resistance at the point of the gauntlet. Cid broke their kiss to sort it out, and a few seconds later he resumed his attention on the gunner’s lips as both hands guided the leather suit down Vincent’s hips. Shoes followed, and quite soon the pale man was completely naked, with Cid on his way to joining him.

They kissed and touched each other like starved men. Their bodies were flushed and aroused, constantly undulating against each other. The tidy bed sheets became a mess of tangled material around their forms, and Vincent’s long, dark hair splayed behind his head, as disturbed as the sheets. They were aroused to a point at which it was almost painful.

Cid was inside him moments later, sliding carefully into Vincent with lubricated ease, courtesy of the Inn’s bathroom lotion. He pushed further until he could go no more and they stilled, adjusting to each other before creating a slow, loving pace. Cid braced his body between the gunner’s spread legs, nudging in and out gently to work Vincent into a looser fit. Their bodies accepted one another, fixing perfectly together as Cid pushed in carefully and pulled out smoothly for the first minutes. Vincent indulged in the pleasure as it crept higher and higher, rocking his pelvis gently to amplify the steady rushes of bliss. His expression was the trigger for Cid to take things faster. Gripping stability in the soft mattress, he drove his erection into Vincent’s tight body as deep as he could, filling his lover completely. A grunt was awarded and Cid repeated his actions again and again, rolling and rotating his pelvis to hit the spot that brought Vincent ecstasy.

They gasped and panted as the tempo increased, catching each other’s eyes as they bobbed repetitiously. Cid claimed Vincent’s lips as he pushed forward each time, parting as he pulled out. Vincent eagerly met each kiss. Their breathing labored from the constant motion, hot breath breezing over the other’s face. Pleasure coursed through their veins, so strong Vincent writhed and panted despite his best efforts to keep some composure, and Cid bit his teeth together hard enough to crush them. Something caught Cid’s gaze and he focused his glazed attention on Vincent’s fluttering eyes. They were glowing a shocking yellow. Cid grinned and pushed harder, watching the color darken back to a striking crimson. Vincent was unaware. He rolled his head back as Cid delivered fast, sharp pleasures, pumping into his yielding body. He writhed against the powerful sensations quivering inside his abdomen, swirling around his system. His body felt like a live wire, and the electricity was pooling down to his painfully swollen arousal, aching to be set free. He moaned, unable to suppress his vocal sounds. His hand reached blindly for Cid’s arm or shoulder, something he could grip and maintain contact with. It found Cid’s bicep and he tightened his hold as another moan was pushed from his lips.

Cid stopped.

An audible breath escaped Vincent in confusion and protest. Cid’s smirk was followed quickly by the world spinning around, and suddenly Vincent found himself laying atop the pilot as Cid continued to push up into his body. His lips had been pulled down onto the blonde’s, taken advantage of in Vincent’s stupor. His body was rocked by the hard thrusts, and this new angle brought a different series of pleasures into his already intoxicated body. Vincent started to sit up but Cid held him fast, content to do all the work from the bottom. His hips bucked incessantly, impaling Vincent deep and fast while his teeth sought out the fair, sensitive skin on the man’s neck. He nipped once, receiving a jolt from his lover and a faint groan, and then sucked on the abused area. Vincent found his good hand gripping Cid’s arm as he took the blissful beating, pressing his face into the nape of the pilot’s shoulder. He was dimly aware of Cid’s unique scent and the taste of salty sweat in the air.

“Nnah.”

Cid plunged into him, stilling his member deep inside, savoring the clenching of Vincent’s inner muscles. But he didn’t ejaculate. He indulged in a deep, intimate kiss before he pulled out and continued pumping deep and hard, pausing briefly when he was buried to the hilt before retracting and repeating his actions. The warmth of Vincent’s body was a drug and Cid wanted more. The sensation of been hugged so tightly, of reaching so deep inside the man, was a feeling that sent his heart fluttering and pounding at the same time. He guided Vincent’s flushed face to his own and attacked his lips in a series of desperate, hot kisses once again.

“Vince –” He breathed before claiming Vincent’s mouth again. “Damn, Vince…”

Vincent sat up, feeling physically frustrated due to the adrenaline coursing through him. He could sit still no longer. With Cid’s hands on his hips, guiding his movements, Vincent began riding him; raising himself several inches before sliding back down rapidly. He angled his hips forward and continued, hitting that amazing spot deep inside him. A sharp grunt escaped and his eyes closed in content pleasure as he rose in short bursts and impaled himself again and again. His composure – indeed, his whole dignity – had been thrown aside for this night of passion.

Meeting his partner with his own strong thrusts, Cid watched Vincent’s face with complete entrancement. Never would anyone see such emotions breaking free from the ex-Turk, except him. No one would ever see the beauty of Vincent’s face as he was gripped by passion, except him. It swelled his heart and filled him with joy. Not to mention it added a couple of points to his ego.

He was so involved with his observation of Vincent’s face he didn’t see the man’s hand reach for his own until he felt the contact. It sent a shock up to his wrist, as though the gunman’s overabundant energy had traveled into him. Vincent guided it to his own chest, catching those blue eyes through the curtain of his swaying bangs. Cid understood and eagerly obeyed. Vincent wanted touch; he wanted to be touched. Cid’s rough palm glided across the gunman’s bouncing chest, tensing his fingers to massage the man’s pectoral muscle. He looked on in awe as Vincent’s face altered to display his pleasure, which encouraged Cid to keep going. He swirled his hand around the ribcage, where he ran it slowly down the man’s curvaceous side, applying pressure to the soft area above his hip.

Vincent breathed inward, erotically, as his body stretched in response. Cid was captivated. A pleased grin pulled at his lips and he brought his other hand up to mimic the first. They rode up along Vincent’s sides, bumping over his contours and thumbing the man’s nipples before journeying back down. Vincent’s head lulled back as his riding began to slow down. No longer fast and desperate, now slow and sensual. His mind was being bombarded with too many sensations, and his body rode on in automatic. He was intoxicated on sex, a fact that sent small explosions to Cid’s groin.

His hands cupped the sides of the man’s chest and, with smooth, careful quickness Cid flipped their positions. A soft breath was forced from Vincent’s mouth as his head fell back into the pillow and Cid, having remained deep inside him, mounted him fully and took the charge. Their tight embrace provided a wonderful friction for Vincent’s neglected length, doubling the charges bolting through his nerves.

“Aah –” His entire body on fire, Vincent’s eyes rolled shut, unable to spare even the power to keep them open. Cid bucked into him rough and deep. “!” He arched sharply, bringing his hips to a new angle, which Cid took complete advantage of. He coiled his pelvis and struck hard, spearing his lover swiftly, bruising their skin. Vincent howled – a mix of intense, raw pleasure and the primal howl of the Beasts within.

“Nnnaaahhh –” The clench around his length threw Cid’s mind into oblivion. The molten heat tossing about in his lower region flared and coiled, threatening to erupt. He gasped, opening his closed eyes as he continued, desperate to get out the last few pushes that would send Vincent over the edge first. With his release climbing rapidly, dazzling his mind with waves of pure ecstasy, he grabbed Vincent’s hips and pulled the man’s pelvic area into his braced lap. With a mighty shove he drove himself inside, striking the man’s already abused prostrate, forcing those hips into a more accessible angle for him to do it again. A cry of hoarse pleasure shattered the air. “Look at me – ” Cid gasped over the man’s vocal response. He thrust again, feeling the heat speeding on a rampaging, one-way ticket for his erection. “Vince – nnn – l-look at me…”

Already on the path of no return, his body a chaotic mass of potent sensations, Vincent pulled what energy he could to open his eyelids. His hand guided his eyes as he reached up to Cid’s face, feeling the stubble under his fingers. Panting heavily, he locked gazes – quite a feat, as his body rocked violently with Cid’s erratic thrusts.

With his request answered, Cid smiled shakily and slammed into Vincent again and again, summoning what little oomph he had left. He struck hard, angling just right.

Vincent threw his head back as an abrupt moan fled from his lips, filling the room with his deep cry. His spine bowed impossibly high as all the concentrated heat surged down and exploded. His legs hooked behind Cid, tightening as his climax rode through his body, nearly crushing the pilot with deceptively powerful muscles. He ejaculated forcefully between their bodies, clutching the bed sheets with a grip of steel. His inner muscles clenched – the catalyst for Cid’s own release.

With a groan equal to that of his partner’s, Cid plunged deep one last time as stars sparkled brightly behind his eyes. An incredible power rushed from its point of collection in his navel and shot into his length. He released strongly, expelling his seed deep into Vincent’s body. They both shuddered and twitched as one unloaded and the other received. Vincent’s sensitive body clenched again in reaction to the new warmth shooting into him, and Cid grunted as it pulled out a second release, spurting again inside his lover. His hips gave a few languid, lazy bucks to milk the rest of his climax before ceasing altogether.

They panted heavily in the still air, finding each other’s eyes. Cid’s arms shook visibly as he gazed down, determined to watch the remnants of Vincent’s climatic expression smooth away to a sated face. He managed to steal a weak kiss before he collapsed carefully across Vincent, pressing the man into the strewn sheets. Their panting reached a matching rhythm as their bodies began to calm down; the rushes of pleasure ebbed away to a pleasant pulsing. Cid could feel Vincent’s breath breezing over his sweat soaked shoulder, tingling his sensitive skin. His limp member was throbbing gently inside Vincent’s body. He hoisted himself up enough to withdraw and then flopped into the bed beside the gunman, an arm draped over Vincent’s heaving chest.

For a few seconds they lay still, waiting for their breathing to return to normal. Cid’s mind started sinking into semi-consciousness as he lay there, mentally and physically exhausted. There was a dull pain in his side, aching deeply, but he ignored it and wrenched his mind back into the land of awake. He shifted in the bed and wrapped his arms around the quiet gunman, inhaling the musky scent of sex that clung to his skin. Cid hummed a note of satisfaction, opening his blue eyes to seek out Vincent’s. They were closed, but a loose kiss on his lips brought them out, glazed with completion. He turned his head to face Cid.

“Hate to say it,” Cid started, propping his elbow into the soft, fluffy pillows and leaning his head on his hand, “but maybe you should stay away more often...”

Vincent blinked tiredly. “Mm.”

Grinning, Cid roughly attacked his lips with the little energy he’d managed to save. Vincent responded with a little more vigor, having already started regenerating his strength. Fingers wound their way through his long black hair, massaging the base of his skull. It felt incredibly good. The foreign warmth now lying inside his lower torso pulsated with every heartbeat. A shiver ran through his body at the mere thought of Cid’s semen inside him. His Beasts took this as an act of possession, a claiming of territory. Usually dominant creatures, they had accustomed to submitting, as with their host. Cid was a part of him. Such a thing would have disgusted Vincent, but his demons had influenced his perceptions over the course of his waking years. Tonight he felt fulfilled, in both senses.

Cid broke the contact and studied him for a long time before voicing something that popped into his head. “…I heard rumors, a few months ago, about a little incident in Mideel,” he began quietly. He took his head off his palm and let it sink into the pillow. His tired blue eyes studied Vincent’s red ones. When the gunman didn’t reply, Cid continued. “Some ‘big, scary demon’ attacked the town… Caused a lot of panic and damages.” Vincent closed his eyes in response. “Yer gonna tell me what happened?”

Rolling his weary head away, Vincent raised his eyes to the dark ceiling. “I…let my health fall,” he said, feeling Cid’s hand laying flat across his collarbone. The weight was soothing. “I neglected my well-being and…Chaos found that opportunity to emerge…”

“Damn, Vince,” Cid breathed. “I heard he did a lot of damage to the surroundin’ area around Mideel. He blew a hole in one of the mountain peaks…” Luckily no one was killed.

Vincent’s eyes lowered. “I managed to regain control a short while after…” He fell silent. Cid watched him, fighting the struggle to stay awake. Vincent spoke again, anchoring his consciousness. “Chaos emerged to heal his host…but his demonic nature led him to terrorize Mideel…”

Cid let a wan smile tug at his lips. “You idiot,” he said softly. The small satisfaction he felt at these words was due to the fact that no one else would dare call Vincent an idiot – or, indeed, any other derogative name. He twisted an arm underneath the man’s calmed body and brought him closer. “You better not let yerself get that bad again.” He shifted onto his side – and promptly hissed in pain. Vincent turned his gaze sharply to him and they both glanced down Cid’s naked body to the gauze bandage. It was stained with fresh blood. “Shit,” Cid cursed.

“Seems I’m not the only one who needs to take more care with their body,” Vincent said wryly.

Cid mimed a sarcastic laughed and sat up slowly. Fatigue and pain caused him to groan. Beside him, Vincent placed a hand on his muscular chest and pushed him back down.

“Stay,” he told him. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. Cid’s eyes roamed over his well-sculptured body as Vincent slipped into the bathroom, admiring the man’s perfectly shaped backside. Only a few minutes ago he was making love to that body. Had he not been so drained (in more ways than one) he would have sported another erection at the mere sight of Vincent’s bare flesh.

The gunman returned a second later carrying the medical kit, having also cleaned himself off. His movements were graceful despite being lethargic, but he appeared slightly more animated than he did a few minutes ago. Most likely due to the fact that he regained his strength faster than normal humans. Vincent was aware that Cid’s eyes were watching him intently, despite how tired he was. He suddenly felt very exposed.

Cid hissed as he peeled the dirty gauze from his ribs. He screwed it up and tossed it to the trashcan by the door. It missed. Vincent was by his side a second later with the first aid kit in hand. He inspected the wound, realizing Cid ripped it open during their vigorous sex. Vincent cleaned it of seeping blood, ignoring the hissing and cursing of pain. It was bandaged expertly a minute later, and Vincent placed the kit in the small cupboard of the nightstand, for easy reach.

“Thanks,” Cid winced as he shifted into a better position. He let his head fall back into the soft pillow, feeling the sleep creeping up on him. He was so tired, his body needed rest to recover, but the mattress dipped slightly as Vincent sat carefully onto his side of the bed, and the pilot watched him. “You’ll be here…in the morning?” He asked, his exhaustion overpowering him.

Vincent paused and looked down at the pilot. He gave a tired, single nod. “Yes.”

Cid smiled and coaxed Vincent down beside him, pulling him close. The warmth of his body seemed to enhance his fatigue, but before he fell asleep he cast a bleary-eyed glance at the man settling comfortably into his embrace, and a content smile found its way into his features. He sighed softly, and sank into one of the happiest sleeps he’d had in months.

//