And you seem to break like time...

[chaos_bound]

Who: Vincent Valentine and Dr. Lucrecia Crescent
When: Jan. 6th, 7:00 PM on the dot.
Where:  The starter apartments, just outside room # 907
Summary:  Vincent fails at being a ninja...for once.
Warnings: Angst, guilt, overly sappy affection seasoned with a light touch of emo. :3c

Comments

[apologiste]

Unfortunately for Vincent, the apartments were small and Lucrecia was never far from the door. The wheelchair impeded her movement somewhat, but she managed to reach her door just after the sound of Vincent's knuckles rapping against it faded.

She did hesitate for a moment more--several people had expressed concern for her over this city's network, and she imagined it could be one of them making good on the promise to see her. But she still knew very little about Siren's Port and its people, and she imagined, worriedly, that it could be anyone behind that door, with any number of intentions.

Lucrecia decided to trust that the visitor was friendly. She reached out from her wheelchair and turned the knob on her door, pulling it open.

[apologiste]

"You don't have to look so angry about it," Lucrecia said. She took the other half and ate it delicately, her fingers carefully positioned so as not to spill any lettuce or sauces onto her lap. She looked over the bread and meat as she bit into the sandwich, hoping he might take on a happier expression now that she was doing as he wanted.

[chaos_bound]

"I'm not angry about it." He responded, stealing another bite in an attempt to soothe her.

His face was angled down towards the sandwich, vaguely pretending to take an interest in it while his eyes settled on her. He was glad she was eating, at least, but he wondered how well she'd been faring before he arrived.

And, of course, why she needed a wheelchair.

"How long has it been since you got here, Lucrecia?"

[apologiste]

"Only a few days more than you," Lucrecia said. She uncapped a bottle of water and drank deeply from it. "It's all right, Vincent. Don't force yourself ..."

[chaos_bound]

He kept his eyes on her while tucking the half eaten sandwich away once more, but they eventually trailed down to the wheelchair. "Is anyone helping you?"

[apologiste]

Lucrecia followed the line of his gaze and nodded. "Someone sent this for me when I explained that I can't walk very well yet. But ... I think it won't be much longer, now."

She could feel the vigor returning to her limbs as time passed; could feel the Jenova cells working to revive the atrophied muscles and breathe strength and life into her body. They operated outside of her concern and without her consent, as always.

[chaos_bound]

He was thankful to hear that, at least. Though Lucrecia had a habit of attracting the wrong sort of company, and he found himself concerned for a different reason, wondering just who was looking after her.

"Who are they?"

[apologiste]

"One was a Dr. Yumeno ... he sent the wheelchair," Lucrecia said. "And a man named Minato sat with me during my first night here. He brought me tea and sugar. And ... " She paused, trying to recall everyone with whom she had spoken upon her initial arrival. "A professor who seemed quite kindly. A young man who talked about your friend, Yuffie. A man named Rufus who said he could help me, though I haven't visited with him yet." She went on like this for a few more minutes, her fingers curling as she counted off each person.

lol, appropriate dread-faced icon is appropriate.

[chaos_bound]

"--Rufus?" Vincent didn't think it was possible, but with the long list of names that Tifa had provided him the day before, he knew he couldn't rule the possibility out, either.

"Rufus Shinra?"

[apologiste]

"He didn't give that as his last name," Lucrecia said slowly. "But he did take a strong interest in my welfare."

[chaos_bound]

There was no way of telling just which point in time Rufus would have been taken from, or even if it was him. It was also entirely possible that it wasn't even the same Rufus from their world, but Vincent wasn't about to take careless chances, not anymore.

When she went to see him, he'd be keeping an eye on them both.

"Good to know you have so many friends."

[apologiste]

She shook her head. "I wouldn't say they're friends, Vincent. They were just people being friendly. It was nice, but ... I'm still basically on my own here, you know?" She paused. "Who is Rufus Shinra? I never knew the President to have any children."

[chaos_bound]

Sharp as nails as always, Lucrecia. Even Vincent had to lift his eyebrows at that-- he'd forgotten how incredibly quick she was. That she was able to even guess that Rufus was the President's son was remarkable to say the least.

He reached over to grab one of the chairs beside the table, moving it over so that he could seat himself next to her before continuing. "He had a son who eventually took over the company after his death."

[apologiste]

Lucrecia looked up at him, surprised that he had moved to be so close. Up until then, he had been so hesitant with her, as though he couldn't wait for an opportunity to escape--or so it seemed to her mind, anyway.

"Tell me ... what was he like?" she asked. "Was he a better leader than his father?"

[chaos_bound]

He thought at first she'd barely been able to stand his company, but in the time that he had spent with her since entering the apartment, the only thing she'd seemed to long for was for him to act the way he had when he was alive. Admittedly, though guilt had been coursing through his body like blood, every other second held him captive to the past and he found himself that same, eager boy who woke up everyday just to speak with her.

"At first, no," he said, slouching back against the chair, "but the years changed him for the better."

[apologiste]

She couldn't deny some level of anxiety, of course. Even though he had declared that she was the reason he had survived, even though by all rational accounts he had forgiven her again and again and again--she still had not fully forgiven herself. Lucrecia did not know if she had the right to feel happy when she was close to him, the right to reach for him and pull him close.

But she loved him, and right then, she didn't care. She touched his arm, resting her thin fingers on the leather buckles of his gauntlet.

"Maybe he doesn't mean any harm, then," Lucrecia said.