Blood & Sympathy (FFVII: Vincent x OC)

Ch77 - Need

Night had already fallen when the guests settled on their tables. The building of the hotel wasn't far from the beach. The sea's gentle movement, as it crashed on the shore, was still audible from the spot where the round tables were spread. Couples were already dancing on the dance floor at the sound of the music's rhythm. The tables were spread around the blue, illuminated pool of the hotel and there was that endless mumbling of people.

The sky was clear. The food, delicious, but Jocasta hadn't eaten much and she could tell that Vincent hadn't eaten anything either. Cid and Shera had made them sit beside each other and maybe that's why there was this sort of a tension.

This awkwardness. They shouldn't be feeling awkward, though. They've been through so much together. But maybe that's why there was that tension. Jocasta tried her best not to lose herself looking at his formal attire and at how ridiculously much it suited him. And she could tell that he too was trying to avoid her, sipping on his wine, and listening to Cid and Shera discussing with Cid's parents.

Jocasta just stared at the couples dancing. Of course, Cid and Shera had opened the first dance, and now the two of them were just stuffing food in their mouths, nodding and listening to what Cid's parents were saying. They were talking so much. Jocasta for once would prefer the voices inside her head over that endless chatter coming from Cid's parents. But Vincent was beside her, and both their minds were at ease. It wasn't a frequent occasion and Jocasta knew that she had to cherish it.

She had been mostly staring at the couples that were dancing at the soft rhythm of a song coming from the band. There was that soft, chilly breeze that brushed over her forearms and wavered her hair. It soothed her. The silence in her mind, the soft breeze, the night clear sky. She was so good at ignoring, that at some point, she couldn't even hear what the other four were saying. Until Cid's dad turned at her.

"And what about you, Professor Ernchester? Cid has told me a whole lot about you. What have you been up to?" The old man asked. He looked more like an older version of Cid. He too had a cigarette trapped between his lips, ignoring the fact that he was severely coughing sometimes and his wife was scolding at him.

Jocasta tried to pull on a smile and act like she wasn't panicking from the mere fact that a stranger was addressing to her. "I've been teaching at Edge's Shinra University for the past two years,"

"Oh! That's delightful! What do you teach?" Cid's mom asked.

"Genetic Engineering, mostly" Jocasta answered.

"Ha! Get you an engineer wife! The biggest fuckin' blessing! Sure, your husband, Mr. Valentine does know that!" Cid's dad said and for a moment both Jocasta's and Vincent's eyes widened and they both stuttered the same thing.

"Ehehehe no w- we aren't m- married-"
"N- no, we're not, r- really, we're just-"

"Albert!" Cid's mom smacked her husband's shoulder and she shot him a deadly look "Stop making those two uncomfortable. They're obviously engaged,"

Oh, no. Jocasta could feel her cheeks heating up, and her hand reached for her face right away. She rubbed her forehead and she groaned. She looked at Vincent, who was probably cursing not bringing his cloak with him. He could at least hide behind that collar of that pretty useful demon's cloak but he didn't have it at the moment so he just choked on a sip of wine that he'd just taken. He felt Jocasta's hand patting his back and he nodded at her notifying her that he was alright.

"Oh, my fuckin'- Mom, Dad, stop, they aren't engaged or married or related in any fuckin' way-" Cid tried to say but his father cut him.

"Yet," Albert raised a finger at his son, and then his hand reached for Vincent's shoulder "It's alright, son. Sometimes a proposition is the hardest thing a man can do,"