Past Hauntings

Past Hauntings
by Dora Cianfarra
Chapter 9

The noises outside the room had Cid wake up from his slumber. Eyes were busy refocusing the blurred room. The smells of the disinfectant, not of smoke, brought on the awareness that he was not home. Memories slowly crept back into his reality {ah shit}. The noise outside the room died except for the snoring {snoring?!!} He felt stubble skin. His eyes peered over to his felt hand and the black short haired head was sleeping in his palm. {Reeve??!! Where’s Vincent???}

“Reeve!” the snoring stopped as blood shot eyes looked at Cid. Realizing where ine and didn’t want to wake you up. I had told him that I’d stay”
“Why didn’t Vince help you out of here?”
These questions were getting hard to answer. Reeve’s mind was functioning at half the capacity with a hangover to kill. He barely managed a decent response, “Because….I was hoping….we talk about the organization” Reeve rushed.

“Wait! I know that could’ve wait for another day, ya using it as an excuse. I know you well enough, come on, and spill it”
“Listen, you may not be up for talking right now.”Reeve was gathering his belongings to leave.
“Says who, you ass wipe!” “Cid felt exasperated, what was on Reeve’s mind that made ramble this way? “Stop avoiding the question, dammit!”

Reeve looked back at Cid {now that the Cid I know!}It felt nice to see Cid to his old self “It’s just that our teams were furious that there were problems with the plane, their thinking it was sabotage” Reeve was so relieved that he was able to switch his mode of thought, knowing that would get a rile out of Cid. His plane always took over concern almost anything.

“What!!!!!” Who has sabotage my Shera??!!”

“Wait Cid, no one did, we used it as an excuse for to cover up the situation” Cid’s blood pressure had raised in mach two speed as he laid back panting to relax his frazzled nerves.
Reeve had to leave the room before there were more questions. “ Cid, would you like I get you something else from the cafeteria ‘cause ‘hospital food must be really appetizing, heh, so what do you want?”

Cid heard the strained voice and guessed he was high tailing out of the room, trying to avoid him. That was unusual of him. Cid did want to eat some normal food though,” Yeah! Get any ‘Mighty Meaty’ sandwich you can find, I’m dying for some real food. The last time I was here their menu stunk.” He’d get Reeve to talk once he got his food.
Reeve smiled and took off in the direction for the cafeteria. On his way there, he recognized Vincent leaning against the wall. “Hey Vincent!” He wanted to say something else but stopped to stand next to his friend as eyed Vincent’s vacant look. Reeve laid his hand on the sleeve, “Hey Vince”

Vincent had been lost in processing all that happen and barely felt the hand on him. “oh Reeve…sorry but…. Rufus …..was also attacked just recently.”

“Shit!! Is he okay?!!” Reeve rubbed his hands into his hair. He was beyond floored…

“They…they had left him for d...dead. I had found him in a body bag. It seemed like they were going to dump who knows where…Geez Reeve...h…he had died and people here revived him.” He silently slid down the wall, letting his knees be tucked under his chin.

Tears

Tears that were once foreign to him now came down in waves.

He stared at his hands, damp with his tears.

He fisted them as he thought of Rufus. Tears sprung another wave. His human hand ran through his hair as he sighed. Now he understood the tremors, it wasn’t Rufus directly but what was related to the past that had affected him. Hojo had messed with his memories; HIS fabricated memoires of the past consisted of first day he was assigned to protect Lucretia Crescent as others surfaced- the scars Hojo was responsible for were inflicting him nonstop. He saw rapes from Hojo, Old Shinra and lab techs that were under Hojo’s hold {That fuck of a shit, did a real job on me} Rubbing his eyes against his knees, he barely felt the hand to his shoulder.

Reeve was immobilized by sight of Vincent; he was not ready to see this man broken. His hand tugged a little harder to get his attention. He was not prepared to see what he saw; Vincent looked up with eyes releasing tears. Reeve fell to his knees and gathered the man as he embraced him. Vincent laid too numb to react as Reeve said in a gentle whisper, “Vince, I’m here…, talk to me if you want or stay until you feel better-“

“Better??!!! How do you expect me to? Reeve, I…I can’t ….I can’t … Reeve, I can’t stop the tears. WHY can’t I stop the tears?” Vincent voice raised as his anger over took his need to be quiet in the lobby. “SSShhhhh, they will ask us to leave, you need to calm down, please!” Reeve didn’t know what else to do, he just held on.
A clearing of a throat was what Vincent knew to be Dr. Ravi, who was also attending to Cid’s case, stood there waiting to give him the update on Rufus.

Reeve asked for him,” How is he, Dr. Ravi?” The Dr sighed, “He’s gone through a rough battle, and barely surviving. It seems they’ve used salt on the external ….as well as internal injured tissues.”

“What ??? What the fuck for??” Reeve was too dumbfounded and shocked to realize the intentions. The Doctor flushed under the collar, “You could cauterize the wound or intensify the pain.”

Chaos rattled his mental prison as Vincent squeezed his eyes shut to try control him from venting through.

The doctor continued, “Since there is no known family, would you gentlemen like to be the ones to visit him?” It would probably help with his recovery.”

“Yes” answered the ghastly grim voice from the cloaked one. He had to see him…he felt the need to be close grow stronger as he saw the memories of their joined lips in passionate kisses slowly emerged into view.

Vincent stepped into the room, he paused at the sad picture of his…his...lover. It was strange to say it, let alone to feel. The image of the past – a young man that had tears streaming down his face as he was forced to watch the punishment intended for him was given to his secret lover, Vincent. All because he grabbed the hand of father who was trying discipline his boy. {hn...no longer a boy, full grown man now}

Vincent sat by the bed. Rufus’s breath was shallow. He stared at the man; he had matured well even beautiful. The long stemmed fingers brought a particular scene to mind, fingers combing through his hair as kisses were shared, they were tender moments vibrating through him. Moments that mended his desolate soul. He touched those fingers for first time since then. He brought the hand to his lips to press more kisses as he remembered those same fingers wrapped around him bringing him sensual pleasures beyond measure.

{Rufus live… please live….these memories were torn from me….please live….I need you…let me touch-ah heavens- love you…please don’t deny me this, Rufus, hear me please! Let us have our chance to be together! }

The anguish of not knowing if Rufus would live or die made him get up and lay beside him. The heart monitor, the IV’s….so much held Rufus entangled, all he needed is a way to press his lips to Rufus. The lips were dry and they looked sore from the purplish hue surrounding them. Vincent gingerly used his own tongue to give them moisture.
Rufus didn’t respond.

Vincent wiped his tears with his sleeve as they flowed down his cheeks. He held Rufus a little more to him. {Please, come back to me} The thought of losing Rufus had his heart pounding against the searing pain. Vincent’s new emotions were overwhelming him that he wanted to howl like the beast that he was. He caressed the face as his lips trembled to restrain his cries.

Vincent’s body visibly jolted as the heart monitor frantically called on the danger of the heart stopping. He grabs on tighter, “NO…NO Rufus…NO...NO please STAY!!!” Dr. Ravi and his assistants rushed in as Reeve was called in to help Vincent move away. Vincent’s breathing was chaotic, shock and panic set in.

Rufus felt weightless as he ascended towards the path of light.

Feelings of awareness were somewhat blurry, then a sense of serenity flowed through him.

Rufus started to hear voices …and a howl? As he was being pulled further away….

The river of the life stream came into his view.

He followed the pull of the river as he looked back to hear a howl of pain vibrating through … “Vince?”The sound of misery reached him… {No Vince - I’m here - I…I need you}. Rufus felt himself plummet back to his body to a reality where the pain was excruciating.

The sound of lamentation stopped as the heart monitor beeped back - the beating was a steady pace. The flamed eyes turned ruby poured over Rufus as the medical team check the final vitals before leaving. “He might have coded but there’s a strong heart beat as you can hear. If he survives the night, he has good chances of making it.” Dr. Ravi left.

Vincent rubbed away the tear drenched eyes as Reeve leaned close to support him, “I think he’s fine now, it seems like the worst is over. Listen, I have to go see Cid. I had promised to bring him real food …you know how much he loves hospital food. Do you need anything to drink or eat, you have to ….if you’re going to be any good to him”

Vincent was shell shocked and didn’t respond as he removed his cloak and shoes. Vincent laid back down next to Rufus.

Reeve knew that Vincent was besieged by the thoughts of his returned lover and emotions. Maybe some steeped tea with honey could give him some energy to hold him until he got his appetite back. He turned and left with his heart hurting for them both.

Vincent’s body trembled with the sobs of desperation until he fell asleep embracing Rufus to his new found heart.

TBC