The Hojo's

The Hojo’s: Chapter Four!

(Lucrecia and Vincent don’t have a past... Vincent does NOT have his gauntlet, although I think it is REALLY hot. Hojo is NOT creepy... not creepy!)

Sephiroth’s hand wrapped around the doorknob of the front door.

Beth was itching like crazy. She began to panic, “MOM!”

Lucrecia looked at Beth and sighed, “Your brother had something to do with this...”

Beth nodded, “I’m sure of it, spare a Cure?”

Lucrecia laughed, “Sorry... Guests are here.”

In the living room, Beth heard Cid and Vincent, being introduced to her father, mother and brother. She was in dire pain, shuffling through half unpacked boxes, messy kitchen drawers and all over for that damned Cure materia.

“Looking for this?” Sephiroth said, holding the materia high above his head, “The guests are here and Mr. Valentine asked specifically about you...”

“Sephiroth, GIVE IT!” Beth lunged for the Cure materia, and Sephiroth moved just in time. Beth turned around and looked at him, “Sephiroth, please... you don’t understand...”

Sephiroth dodged her advance again, and walked nonchalantly into the living room, where Dr. Hojo was handing Cid and Vincent their drinks.

“So, I originally came from Midgar, where me and my wife...” Dr. Hojo was saying.

“Sephiroth, go heal your sister... NOW.” Lucrecia said, looking at her son.

Sephiroth sighed, “I just put some high-potency itching powder in her outfit.”

Vincent chuckled and Cid plain laughed, “Leave it to a brother to aggravate his sister.”

“Yes, on a daily basis...” Dr. Hojo said, smiling. “They do that all the time.”

Sephiroth walked into the kitchen and cast the Cure on Beth.

Beth glared at her brother and walked into the living room.

Vincent was sitting on the couch, by himself, sipping a drink. Cid was sitting with her father, and they were discussing something. Lucrecia walked past her on the way to get the hor d’oeuvres.

Eugene, Dr. Hojo, looked up and smiled, “Cid, Vincent...” he smiled, “You have met my daughter, Beth?”

Vincent stood up and smiled at her. Beth noticed that he was slightly gothic in appearance, with long black hair, a long sleeve black shirt, and black slightly baggy pants. It took her a moment but she smiled and extended her hand in greetings towards Vincent.

Vincent smiled and grabbed her hand softly and kissed it on the back of the hand. His blood red eyes looked up at her.

Beth turned about the same color as his eyes and smiled. “Mr. Valentine.”

Vincent let her turn around and shake hands with Cid, “Mr. Highwind.” She nodded, “Thank you both for coming tonight.”

Sephiroth was watching her from the doorway, and he was about to gag. His sister wasn’t normally that nice.

“No, she is that nice as long as someone isn’t pestering her.” Lucrecia came behind him and whispered. It was then Sephiroth remembered that some of his thoughts, well... all, could be read by his parents.

Dr. Hojo looked at Beth and smiled, and Beth turned, “Well, excuse me... I have to go help with dinner now.”

Vincent smiled warmly at her. Cid looked around, “Excuse me... where is an ash tray?”

Beth stopped and turned around, “It’s over here...” she handed it to Cid.

Cid nodded, “Thank you.”

***

While Beth was stirring the stew, she overheard the conversation, the people now her father, Vincent, Cid and Sephiroth. Lucrecia, like her daughter, stayed in the kitchen to eavesdrop.

“You heard I was having a divorce, didn’t you Eugene?” Cid was telling Beth’s father.

“Yes, unfortunate...”

“No, not really, I married her on a whim, and I never should have.” Cid said, apparently with his cigarette in his mouth.

“What about you Vincent?” Eugene was saying.

Beth looked at Lucrecia, and her mother looked at her daughter, knowing that she had a crush on this dark, mysterious man.

“I, happy to say, am divorcing my ‘wife’ as well...” Vincent said, “Although she isn’t much of a wife...”

“That’s correct, you had an arranged marriage...” Eugene said.

“Yes.” Vincent said.

Beth stirred the stew, still listening.

“Cid... I do have to ask you, my wife has a friend coming into town... I know that you are just now getting done with your divorce and all...” Eugene was saying.

Both Lucrecia and Beth were interested.

“Yes? I don’t think it would bother me if I were to meet someone, you know, just as a friend...” Cid said.

Vincent was quiet as Beth and Lucrecia walked into the room, chatting about Danielle coming and what they would do when she got there.

Lucrecia sat in the big chair, Sephiroth was sitting next to his father and Cid on the couch, leaving only one seat left...

Next to Mr. Valentine.

Beth really wished that it wasn’t happening, but sure enough, it was.

“Lucrecia, I told Cid about Danielle, and he seems interested.” Eugene was saying as Beth sat down. Vincent scooted a bit for her to sit down on the small side couch (A.K.A. Loveseat)

“Oh? I thought I heard some ‘man talk’ going on out here...” Lucrecia smiled, reaching over and grabbing a drink from Sephiroth and glaring at him.

“I am interested in meeting her, Lucrecia, but just as friends, maybe with a group?” Cid said. Everyone was on their best behavior, even Sephiroth.

Eugene smiled, “Maybe Beth, Sephiroth and Cid and Danielle could go see ‘Heartless’ that is showing at the theater next weekend.”

Beth sat next to Vincent, and every once in a while, she let her mako blue-green eyes wander over and look at him. She was too shy to say a word to him.

“Dear, Beth doesn’t want to go out on a ‘date’ be it causal or like a ‘real’ date anywhere near her brother.” Lucrecia said.

Dr. Hojo nodded, “Well, we don’t want to make Cid uncomfortable...”

Nobody spoke for a few moments. Beth started to get up to check the stew, when she felt something around her wrist.

“Look at Beth blush!” Sephiroth said.

“Yes Mr. Valentine?” Beth said as sweetly as she could.

“Please, call me Vincent. Sit...” He motioned.

“Sephiroth, go turn off the stew, it should be done by now...” Lucrecia said, keeping an eye on her daughter.

“Yes... Mom.” Sephiroth said, and as he walked Vincent and Beth he sneered, in Wutanese, which the entire family was fluent in, “Why don’t you just fuck him and get it over with?”

Beth looked at her brother in awe. She couldn’t believe him. Why would he say something like that. She looked at Mom and Dad, who undoubtably heard that snide, rude comment.

Sephiroth left the room and Vincent spoke, in Wutanese, to Eugene, “What a rude son you have. How dare he think that I am not culturally diverse.”

Hojo spoke quietly, “I am dreadfully sorry about that. He is not normal you know.” He spoke now in English.

Cid laughed, “I could tell that... he looks like a mass murderer or some self-proclaimed god or something.”

Lucrecia refilled his drink, “Future, actually.”

Cid nodded and took the glass back, Vincent finished his beverage.

“May I refill that for you?” Lucrecia smiled.

“No thank you... I shouldn’t drink so much” Vincent said.

Beth sat by Vincent’s side, his hand wrapped around her wrist.

“So...Vincent...” She fished for something to say.

Lucrecia helped her, “How is your wife?”

Beth nodded, “Yes?”

Vincent laughed, “In the final stages of divorce, actually,” he spoke calmly.

“Really?” Beth said, wondering.

“Yes, and I heard about your ‘dodge ball’ thing today... nice shot.” Vincent smiled, laughing.

Beth nodded, “Well...”

Vincent smiled, “No... no, it’s alright, really it is. I thought it funny that she was afraid of some rubber balls.”

Beth laughed. “Thrown at super-sonic speed.”

“You see Vincent... my children are full of Mako...” Father went on his normal speel again. Beth excused herself and followed her mother to the kitchen.

“Beth... he’s a nice guy, and he’s a Turk, no less... wonderful job, good man.”

“Mom... you know I have always wanted to be a Turk.” She smiled, “He’s cute.”

Lucrecia handed Beth a bunch of saucers and Beth began setting the table. Lucrecia pulled something out of the freezer.

“Mom... is that?”

“Baked Alaska, your father’s favorite.” Lucrecia said.

***

Sephiroth was sulking in the corner, having missed his favorite television shows when Lucrecia called the men in for dinner.

Beth set the table with the fine salad greens first, the stew was to be served later, then the desert.

Eugene sat next to Lucrecia, and on the other side of her, Sephiroth. On the opposite side of Sephiroth sat Cid. Next to Cid, sat Vincent, and then Beth was sitting between her father and Vincent.

Lucrecia handed around the bowl of salad, and when Beth grabbed it from Vincent she blushed. That man, the very cute Mr. Valentine, was... playing footsie with her.

Or she hoped.

She glared over at Sephiroth as she poured the dressing on her salad.

“This is wonderful...” Vincent said, making small talk.

“Oh, thank Beth... she did the salad, and helped me with the stew...” Lucrecia said.

“Ah, a woman that can cook...” Vincent said, smiling, “Forgive me Beth, but how old are you again?”

Beth smiled, “I am almost twenty... and you are?”

“Twenty seven.” Vincent said, as Lucrecia offered some fine white wine.

“We turn twenty in a month.” Sephiroth said sourly, picking at the little bit of salad he took. He hated vegetables.

“And Vincent here just turned twenty seven...” Cid said.

“How old are you Cid?” Lucrecia asked.

“I...I’m thirty three.” Cid said, looking down at his empty plate.

“No shame in that, you have yet begun to live,” Eugene said.

Lucrecia turned to retrieve the stew. Sephiroth grumbled.

“Are we keeping you from something?” Cid asked, “You’ve been quiet all night.”

“Yeah, from ruling the world...” Sephiroth mumbled.

“Pardon?” Vincent said.

“Oh, he means his games...” Lucrecia said. “He’s always playing them.

“I see...” Cid said as Lucrecia set down the large bowl of fresh stew.

When the bowl got to Beth, Vincent asked if she could handle such a big bowl. She picked it up with no worries though. She filled her bowl and passed it on. She suddenly felt as if she could eat nothing, when she felt a hand on her leg. She felt a drop of sweat forming on his brow.

She looked at Vincent. She wondered... but thought better of it. She was an adult, yes, but her parents would surely disapprove of her and a freshly divorced man even talking as more than family friends.

“About that date thing from earlier...” Eugene said. “How about Cid, you pick a friend to take along and we will set him up?”

Cid nodded, “I think I can find somebody.” Beth swore she got a seductive glance from Cid.

She shrugged it off, until both her and Vincent reached for the roll basket at the same time. Vincent’s fingers wrapped around her hand. She turned bright red.

“Sorry” She mumbled and tried to withdrawal her hand, but Vincent held onto it.

“Eugene, your daughter has such soft hands.” Vincent said. Beth was about to pass out, turning so red.

“Yes, she takes good care of her skin.” Eugene said, handing Lucrecia his empty plate of soup.

Beth merely blushed deeper. “Th...thank you Vincent.” She smiled.

“And she has a nice smile as well.” Vincent said, more to her.

“Thank you...” Beth said, taking her hand away from his.

***

Lucrecia smiled, “Anyone up for some good Dessert?”

Cid whipped his mouth and looked up, “Yes Ma’am, although I think I ate too much of your good stew.”

“It’s Baked Alaska.” Lucrecia walked to the kitchen.

Eugene’s eyes widened, “You made Baked Alaska?”

“Yes dear.” Lucrecia said. She walked back into the room holding the dessert.

She set the platter down, and in the small buzz of conversation, served up the dessert.

“Was that thunder I just heard?” Lucrecia said handing Cid a nice slice of Baked Alaska.

“Yes, I thought it was suppose to rain tonight.” Cid said.

Lucrecia handed everyone their dessert.

“Mom, this tastes like burnt ice cream.” Sephiroth said.

Cid laughed, “He doesn’t talk much, does he? But when he does, he makes it count. Sort of like Vincent.”

“Cid, you know as well as I do that I talk more now.” Vincent said, taking a bite, “Oh this is to die for...”

“Guys, my wife can make some good Midgarian too.” Eugene said, eating.

“I would like it if you two could come over, maybe meet Danielle...” Lucrecia said.

*********

The evening wore on, and Lucrecia, Eugene and their guests went into the living room for some night cappers and to talk.

Beth offered to do the dishes. Sephiroth scurried off to his room, to do Alexander knows-what.

Vincent excused himself from the living room and went into the kitchen. There Beth was elbow high in suds and water and dirty dishes.

“Hello.” Beth said quietly. Vincent joined her in the tiny alcove of the sink, he stood behind her.

“Beth... turn around.” Vincent whispered.

Beth grabbed the towel and whipped off her hands. She then turned around, only to discover that she was pinned by the older man.

Vincent’s hands wrapped around her waste and he smiled at her. He leaned his head in, Beth felt herself being honestly shy and honestly embarrassed.

“What is it?” He whispered, his breath was hot on Beth’s face, she was dying to kiss him.

“I...” That was all Beth got out before Vincent’s lips met hers.

Beth scummed to the kiss, trying not to think of anything else. She was so intent on the kiss, she failed to notice the tall, silver haired man snickering in the doorway of the kitchen. No one else saw them.

Vincent pulled back and smiled at her. Beth flushed a bright red. “ Mr. Valentine...” She said, teasingly.

“Shh...” He placed his finger on her lips. Then, as suddenly as he came into the kitchen, he was gone. Beth wondered if he was actually in the kitchen, and if she hadn’t imagined the entire thing.

**********

Beth had finished the dishes and had put them away. She walked into the living room.

“Well, goodnight Mr. Highwind, good night Vincent...” Beth nodded, “Mom, Dad, I have some homework I’d like to finish tonight before I go to bed, but I am going to my room now.”

Vincent smiled at her, “Good night Beth.”

Cid, as Beth walked away, smiled, “I can’t believe how well behaved your daughter is.”

“Much more so than our son, yes.” Lucrecia said, chuckling.

(End)