It was a miracle Vincent was still talking after Cid had dragged him to a hospital, especially one he panicked in. Still, he followed Cid up to the roof, not even expecting to be pushed off the roof.
Years ago, Vincent would have been afraid of Cid for weeks after such a thing, possibly months. He would have compared Cid to Lucrecia or Hojo even, and probably never trust Cid as much as he used to.
That was years ago. Now they had both tried to stay up and watch the dawn while all the others talked for hours and Cloud fell asleep at the table inside the house. They had tried; Vincent had failed. Comfortably wearing all his layers of clothing with the buckles and buttons that made him feel safer, he smile din his sleep as he drooled on Cid’s shoulder.
Cid held him closer and watched as the sky turned white like one big luminous cloud. He wondered if Vincent would be cuddling this close if he hadn’t insisted a thousand times over that he wouldn’t let Vincent go anywhere if he didn’t know he’d be coming back. He would have let Vincent go off in the snow would have let him shoot Lucrecia’s head off, if he just had a promise Vincent would return.
He would never let Vincent leave and he would never let himself leave without a promise.
It was nothing more than heartfelt words, but that was as far as he could trust fate to get out of his own hands. It was what they had told each other before fighting Sephiroth. That they meant to come back, no matter how dangerous or heartbreaking or stupid it was.
That was what he meant when he’d go into space. He still wanted to. There were so many things up in the sky he’d never touch or see or feel, but he wanted to be still wanted to be closer to that chance. There was nothing comparable to the sensation of being weightless, of being surrounded by nothing but stars, still so far away, but being in their world, not stuck in your own.
He wouldn’t go unless he could promise he’d come back. And he would. He’d go and he’d return. He silently promised himself as the white shattered and was gone, leaving the sky blue as the golden sun poked over the scan houses and hills.
He’d come back. Shera needed him. Vincent needed them both.
No more ties to the past. They’re all gone, like bad dreams finally. The fears were no longer so heavy they could be felt the night terrors were long gone, replaced with content drooling on Cid and his pillow. Vincent could look in the mirror and know the image reflected was him and human and could smile at such a simple thing.
He no longer had his demons; all that was left to do was clean up after them. He no longer had his punishers.