The Hojo's

The date.


Cid craned his head to see his blind date as she walked down the staircase. Vincent stood against the wall in a huff, waiting for Beth.

Danielle walked down the stairs and caught eyes with both Cid and Vincent. She leaned up and whispered to Beth, “Which one is Cid?”

Beth smiled, “The one with the sandy blonde hair.”

Danielle smiled at Cid, “Hello.” She said as she got down to the first floor.

Beth smiled and nodded at Vincent, “You look nice tonight Mr. Valentine.”

Vincent felt himself blush, and he nodded, “You do as well, and please, do not call me Mr. Valentine, call me Vincent, remember?”

Beth nodded and looked at Danielle, who was being introduced by her mother.

“Danielle, this is Cid Highwind...” Lucrecia was telling Danielle, then she looked at Cid, “And this is our family friend Danielle...”

Beth smiled, noticing that Cid was turning a shade of red.

Sephiroth sat in a chair and hissed, “How come SHE gets to date an old married guy?”

Beth snarled and hit Sephiroth with her single materia that she was holding that night- Fire3. He put his blazing hair out and coughed up smoke.

“Because one, he isn’t married, two, he isn’t that much older and three, I think Danielle would feel better going with someone she knows on the date.” Lucrecia said, holding her Cure materia away from her son.

Danielle nodded as Vincent held open the door for Beth and walked out of the door, “Besides,” Danielle said, “I think Beth likes him.”

Sephiroth hissed, “I don’t have a date...”

Danielle smiled as Cid held open the door, “I’ll take you out later...”

Sephiroth stuck his tongue out as the door slammed.

***

The Highwind was at the edge of town, and the two couples walked towards it.

“So...what do you two lovely ladies want to do? Go see a movie?” Cid asked, his arm wrapped tightly around Danielle.

“Nah...I’ve seen that movie, it’s horrible.” Danielle said.

“How about we get something to eat?” Vincent asked.

“We have the Highwind, we could go anywhere we want to... how about... Wutan?” Cid asked.

“Hmm... Mideelian?” Danielle suggested.

“I know this cool little restaurant in Junon that serves good Mideel-type foods, it’s called Junon Junction...” Beth said.

“I’ve heard of that place, is it good?” Cid asked.

Vincent nodded as the two couples reached the Highwind. “Yeah, it’s pretty good...”

Cid smiled, “Okay, then to Upper Junon then?”

Danielle nodded as she walked up onto the ship, followed by Cid. Vincent let Beth enter the ship first.

***

The couples had no problem getting into the nice place, Beth had to pull some strings, but they were seated sooner than the Manager thought they would be.

“Beth, I didn’t know you brought your sword, your mother will kill you if she knew...” Danielle scolded her friend.

“Yes, I know... but... it did get us seated, didn’t it?” Beth placed her trench coat and her sword carefully away.

“...yeah...” Danielle said.

Vincent placed his coat in the booth, and Beth caught a glimpse of one Peace Maker. She should have known... Vincent never went unarmed... he was even armed when he came over for dinner that night.

“So... Cid, tell me about yourself...” Danielle said, her and Cid were sitting on one side of the booth, and Beth and Vincent were on the other.

Vincent smiled at Beth, “So... while they are talking...”

Beth looked at him, interested in the menu.

“What are we going to do after dinner?” Vincent asked her. “Shall we go for a walk on the beach and watch the sun set and stars come out?”

Beth put down her menu and stared at Vincent, “I didn’t know you were so romantic...”

Vincent smiled, “Thank you... besides... I thought we could give those two some time alone as well...”

Beth nodded, just as the waitress came over and asked them what they were going to drink to start off the evening. “Hello, my name is Yurioko, can I get you something to start the evening off with?”

“I’ll have a rum and coke...” Danielle said.

“I’ll have a Choco-cola...” Beth said.

“I’ll have Choco-cola as well.” Vincent said.

Cid smiled, “I’ll have a whiskey sour.”

“But aren’t you driving tonight?” Danielle asked.

“Nah, I’ve got my training captain to fly the ship... he’s fine.” Cid said.

The woman then asked if they wanted any appitizers.

Nobody wanted any appitizers so the waitress left to get their drinks.

“So, why didn’t you get any alcohol?” Vincent asked Beth as she idly scanned the menu.

“I am not old enough to drink yet...” Beth smiled, “Why didn’t you get something?”

“I don’t drink on dates.” Vincent smiled, picking up his own menu.

The waitress brought their drinks back and smiled, “And what will you be having to eat tonight?”

Vincent smiled, and whispered, “Order whatever you want...” to Beth, and Cid must have whispered the same thing to Danielle.

“I’ll have a Hippogriff steak, medium rare.” Cid said.

“What do you want as the sides, dear?” The waitress asked.

“I want the Regan green salad with blackened Jumping meat and a baked sweet potato.” Cid responded.

“Dressing?” The woman asked again.

“Yes Please,” He looked over the menu again, “Cactuar Vinaigrette”

The woman nodded and scribbled down on her sheet, then looked at Danielle, “And for you Ma’am?”

“I’m going to have Ark Dragon steak... with a side of Adamantaimai soup, and a baked potato with extra butter.” Danielle said, staring at the menu.

“Good, and how do you want your steak?” The waitress asked.

“Make mine medium rare.” Danielle smiled.

Yurioko, the waitress, nodded and wrote it down. “And for you Ma’am?”

Beth smiled and looked over the menu, “I think I am going to have the Blue Dragon Steak, make mine medium... with the Regan salad and crotons with Cactuar Vinaigrette and a baked sweet potato.”

Yurioko nodded and scribbled down her order, “And for you Sir?”

Vincent took a deep breath, “Oh... I am looking at your Headhunter Steak, well done, and a small sweet potato with extra brown sugar, with Cokatolis meat topping on my Regan salad, with Blue Zion nut dressing.”

Yurioko smiled and finished writing down the order, “I’ll get that in for you.” The waitress walked away.

“So... how is your mother and father and brother?” Vincent asked Beth.

“Good, good...” Beth smiled, “But I’d rather not talk about them tonight, if you don’t mind.”

Vincent nodded, “As you wish.”

Cid was holding Danielle’s hand and took a sip of his drink, “So... tell me about yourself...”

“I travel around the planet, I have been in Wutai, Mideel, Cosmo Canyon...” Danielle smiled.

Beth sighed and talked with Vincent.


***

“Who had the Regan salad with Jumping meat?” Yurioko had returned with their salads.

Cid raised his hand, “I did...”

“And who had the Regan green with crotons?”

Beth raised her hand a bit, “I did...”

“And who had the soup?”

Danielle spoke up, “That would be me...”

Yurioko looked at Vincent, “And you had this?”

Vincent nodded, “Process of elimination, right?”

Yurioko nodded, “Yes Sir, and your steaks should be right out.”

Cid thanked the waitress and Yurioko left.

“So... Beth, what do you and Vince want to do after we eat?” Cid asked, taking a bite of his salad.

“Vincent suggested a nice walk along the beach...” Beth said.

Cid looked at Vincent, “Is this the same Vincent I know?”

Vincent scowled, “yes...”

Danielle took a sip of her ‘turtle’ soup. “I swear, this is so elegant, it just melts in my mouth...”

The group continued talking, and soon the conversation turned to school.

“Beth... explain to Cid what you did to my ex-wife at school last week.” Vincent said, taking the last bite of his salad.

“Well, we played dodge ball and she had all but made me hit my annoyance limit break, so I got her back...” Beth said, blushing.

“She hit her good...” Vincent said. “Dents in the wall and everything.”

“Was that the same day Sephiroth blew up the Home Ec. Lab?” Danielle said.

“Yeah.” Vincent said.

Beth smiled, “That was our first day at school too.”

***

“Okay, one Ark Dragon Steak?” Yurioko was back again, this time with their steaks and potatoes.

This time, Danielle spoke up, “I had that...”

“And the Blue Dragon Steak?”

“That would be here...” Beth said.

“Headhunter?”

“Right here...” Vincent said.

And again, Yurioko smiled and handed Cid the remaining plate. “There you go, if you need anything, let me know, enjoy.”

“This is good...” Beth said, cutting into her Blue Dragon Steak.

“Yes, it is...” Danielle said as Yurioko took their salad plates and soup bowl out of their way.

***

“Anyone for dessert?” Yurioko came back after the couples had finished their meals.

“Hmm... would you like to split one Danielle?” Cid asked her.

“Sure... why not?” Danielle smiled, wiping her mouth daintily.

“How about you Beth? Do you want to split a sweet treat?”

Beth nodded, “Sounds good...”

Vincent looked up at the waitress, “Give us a few moments to decide.”

Yurioko nodded and went to refill Cid’s whiskey sour for what seemed the umpteenth time.

“BoundFat Chocolate Cream Cake with Ice Golem Cream is good...” Cid said, looking through the desserts.

“Yes, that does sound good, but so does the Choco-chocolate Kimara bugs with dipping moose.” Danielle said.

Cid shot her a glance, “You are adventuresome.”

Danielle nodded, “Damn straight.”

Beth looked over the menu and turned her nose up as Danielle mentioned the Kimara bugs. “Tonadu Tiramisu sounds good...”

Vincent nodded, “Yes, that does sound good, but there is also SeaWorm Butterscotch Pie... or perhaps Chuse Tank Cheesecake?”

Beth nodded, “Perhaps the cheesecake?”

Cid laughed, “How about we try the Wutan delicacy... Jayjujayme cream puffs?”

Danielle nodded, “I feel up to those...”

Yurioko came back about this time and the couples ordered Jayjujayme Cream Chocolate Cream Puffs, for Danielle and Cid, and Chuse Tank Cheese Cake for Beth and Vincent.

The waitress nodded and went off to retrieve their selected desserts.

“So, Vincent, tell me, what do you do for a living?” Beth asked, realizing that she hadn’t asked him that.

“I’m a Turk, department of internal affairs.” Vincent nodded, “It’s a job that requires a lot of traveling.”

“I bet.” Danielle said, “Cid, what do you do?”

Cid smiled, “I’ m a piolet for the Shin-Ra Airship, they let me borrow it tonight, I normally drag Vincent and the other Turks around too...” Cid finished off his fourth drink.

Everyone had a small chuckle, except Vincent, “You have to ship us around.”

Beth tapped on Vincent’s shoulder, “So how hard is it to get through training for the Turks anyways?”

Vincent gave her a look, “Why are you interested in becoming a Turk?”

Beth nodded, “I have thought about it, seeing as my entire family is working with Shin-Ra.”

Cid turned to Danielle, “What do you do for a living?”


Danielle sighed, “You don’t want to know...”

“Yes, I would...” Cid said.

“Okay, okay... I am an owner of a hotel chain in Midgar and Junon.” Danielle said.

“Really?” Cid seemed interested.

“Yeah, she’s the owner of the ‘Midgarian MoonLight chain.” Beth said.

Just about that time, Yurioko, their waitress brought their desserts.

“Ah, thank you. These look wonderful.” Vincent said, taking his dessert.

Yurioko walked away, smiling.

“Open up Beth.” Vincent smiled.

“Vincent, I am fully capable of feeding myself, you know...” Beth laughed.

“I am aware, but I want to be romantic.” Vincent smiled.

“Okay.” Beth said, giving Danielle a weird look, then opened her mouth.

“Close your eyes too...” Vincent said sweetly. Beth did as she was told and Vincent placed the fork full of cheese cake in her open mouth.

Cid gagged, “What a crock full of shit you are Vinny man.”

Vincent glared at him, “I am just trying to set the mood.”

“Yeah, sure, sure,” Danielle said, “Beth, don’t give him any tonight.”

Beth’s eyes shot open. “I wasn’t planing on it, thank you.”

***

Soon after their desserts, Yurioko brought the bill. “Here is your bill, pay me when you are ready...”

Four hands shot towards the flimsy piece of paper that was the bill.

“No, allow me.” Cid said.

“No, I should pay.” Danielle said.

“You two don’t have to pay.” Beth said.

“No, I should pay.” Vincent said.

“Oh, I can split that for you...” Yurioko heard the argument.

“Two ways.” The men said.

“Four ways” The women said at the same time.

“Two ways, I am paying for my date.” Vincent said.

“Me too...” Cid said.

Soon, they had paid, and Cid threw two gil on the table.

“That’s not her tip is it?” Danielle said, looking at the measly tip.

“Here, if we all add to it...” Vincent said, throwing four more gil there.

Danielle placed a twenty gil note on the table.

Beth threw a ten gil note. “That is the least she deserves... I know, I was a waitress once.”

Vincent nodded and helped Beth into her coat.

Cid tossed Danielle her coat and grumbled, blushing slightly, “I don’t think you want my help?”

Danielle smiled, “No, I can do this myself... thank you anyways.”

***

The airship landed on a desolate beach about seven miles away from Junon Harbor, and the two couples agreed to go separate ways and meet up again in about an hour.

“Good luck...” Beth told Danielle.

“For what?” The other woman asked Beth as she ran off with Vincent.

***

Cid and Danielle walked along the northern side of the beach, staring as the sun sank low into the sky.


“Thank you for such a lovely date, Cid...” Danielle smiled as he grabbed for her hand.

“Don’t mention it... it’s my pleasure...” Cid said happily, wrapping his fingers around his dates tender finger, then using his other hand to pull a cigarette out of his hat.

“What? Not going to offer a lady an after dinner smoke?” Danielle joked. Cid handed her a smoke and then offered to light it for her.

“Thank you, thank you...” Danielle said, inhaling the smoke and then breathing it out.

“I didn’t know you smoked.” Cid said.

“You didn’t ask.” Danielle said.

Cid sat down on the shore and took another deep inhale of his cigarette.

Danielle sat down beside him. “Lovely... look at that sunset.”

“Not as pretty as what I am looking at,” Cid said.

Danielle turned her head and saw that Cid was staring at her. She felt a bit of color appear on her face. “Cid...”

Cid brought a finger up to her lips as if to say ‘no need for words.’

Cid leaned over and kissed Danielle softly. Danielle could taste the mixture of his drink and the nicotine from his cigarette. She suddenly could smell the sea breeze much better than she had only a few moments before. She felt the stubble from Cid’s beard and mustache rub against her face. The kiss only went on for moments but it seemed as if it were a lifetime.

When Cid finally broke the kiss, the sun had sank below the horizon and the stars had started to sparkle and dot the sky.

Danielle turned and looked at the darkening sky. She took in a deep breath of the salty air.

“Wow...” Danielle breathed out.

“Wow what?” Cid asked.

“You and your kiss...” Danielle said, “but you caught me off guard.”

“Then kiss me, then we will be even...” Cid said, taking the final drag off of his cigarette before he tossed it out into the ocean.

Danielle leaned over and kissed him.

***

The bare foot prints could have easily been followed to find where the other couple had gotten too. Each of them had removed their shoes and socks and walked in the cool surf barefoot.

“So... how is this date?” Vincent asked her as the surf came rushing in over their toes.

“Wonderful... thank you.” Beth smiled happily, kicking a bit of the foamy surf.

“Is there anything else that could be better right now?” Vincent asked.

Beth smiled and grabbed Vincent in a kiss. He swung her around as he drew her in for a kiss, but the momentum from moving caused the two of them to fall into the water with a splash.

“Hello...” Vincent said, looking at the woman underneath him. “How are you?”

“Wet.” Beth said, her long silky hair flowing around her head as the waves came around her.

He kissed her softly in the shallow water.

The waves rushed around the two of them as they lay there as the sun set in the shallow water.

“I think that this is a date to remember...” Beth said, smiling, “Now, let me up?”

Vincent smiled for a moment, “Let me think... nope.”

The next wave hit the couple and foamed around Beth’s hair.

“You look so pretty in the surf... if I had a camera I’d do a photo shoot of you playing in the surf right now...” Vincent said smiling.

“I guess that will have to wait for another date, won’t it?” She smiled happily and ran her fingers through Vincent’s hair.

“I guess...” Vincent said, standing up and helping the now soaking wet Beth up. He drew her in for another gentle kiss, rubbing his hands along her chilly skin.

“Should we get back to the Airship now?” Beth asked.

“Cold?” Vincent asked as he took off his jacket and wrapped it around Beth’s shoulders.

“Yes, since someone threw me into the water...” She chuckled.


“I didn’t throw you into the water...” Vincent said.

“Yes you did, and now I’m retaliating...” Beth pushed Vincent into the water.

Vincent, as he was falling, reached out and grabbed onto Beth’s dress.

Beth fell onto Vincent and they both fell into the water with another loud splash.

“Hello to you.” Beth said as she pushed some wet bangs out of her hair.

“That isn’t funny.” Vincent said.

“I think it’s hilarious.” Danielle said, walking up with Cid.

“Hi.” Beth said, looking up and then standing.

“Seems you two are having fun...” Cid said happily.

“Yes, we are... Beth here threw me into the water.” Vincent said, standing up.

“He threw me in first.” Beth said.

“Well, what I can see... you both are pretty wet.” Cid said, “Come on to the ship and we can get you dried...”

Beth, Vincent, Danielle and Cid all made their way to the airship at the end of a perfect date.

((Sorry it took me so long to update, but I haven't been feeling well... honestly. I promise I will try to update more!))