Blood & Sympathy (FFVII: Vincent x OC)

Ch35 - Saving North Corel

Jocasta didn't know if what happened last night was a nightmare or a dream. She didn't even know if anything had even happened. Maybe she had imagined it all. Maybe it was her demon messing with her mind. But it didn't feel like it. If that was the case she should wake up with screams. She should wake up with her body trembling and tears in her eyes.

But she didn't. She was in somebody's embrace when she did. The black shirt beneath her cheek let her know that everything had happened. Vincent was there. He had actually kissed her, and the rush of emotions, that followed her realization, was unbearable. She didn't know if she should feel happy, sad, betrayed, hurt, excited.

Jocasta never understood feelings. Maybe she did, once upon a time when she fell for Tedric. And even he, back then, was as new to this as she was. But when he died, she had shut it all out. She had built a cage around her that had thick walls, enough to keep emotions out.

Yet a cage like that was brought down by little Sephiroth's cat-green eyes when they'd look up at her. Shiny, drenched eyelashes from tears. The eyes of the young boy who relied on her as much as any child would rely on their mother. But that kind of love was so much different from what she had for Tedric, from what she thought she felt now for Vincent. Both kinds hurt equally. Was she ready to feel all of it again?

No, she wasn't. She would never be. But that's the funny thing about love. It doesn't ask if you want it.

She felt fingers running through her hair. Vincent. She had been pressing her cheek against his chest while her one hand was passed around his torso. It was strange how her body reflected how she felt. How she needed him. She scoffed at herself. Nonsense! I don't need anyone. And it was true. She'd made it pretty damn well thirty years on her own. Without these emotions. But now his hands were around her. His fingers tangled through her hair and she didn't know if she should fend away and never allow any of this happen again, or accept it, and take it all.

Her body seemed to choose the latter. She wanted to move away. For once, her nightmares and her demons sounded like the salvation that would help her escape love. Despite these thoughts, her limbs didn't move an inch and betrayed her.

Jocasta lifted her head. She propped herself on her one elbow, her other hand remained on his chest as she looked down at him. His eyes instantly found hers. He had that unreadable expression on his face.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning, Jocasta," he said.

They fended away from each other and got off the bed. With no further words, he exited her room and reached for his own. She sighed and shook her head. She knew that kiss meant nothing. Nothing. And it angered her that this fact saddened her.

Pathetic.

"I am, I know,"

ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ꕥ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ

After agreeing to send Yuffie, Cait Sith, and Red to Fort Condor, the rest of the team set off for Corel. Barret couldn't really agree with counting on Yuffie to save a town, but time wasn't by their side when Meteor approached closer each day. The only thing that eased Jocasta's mind was that Red was with them, and well, Cait Sith. Even though he was a spy, he was slowly turning out trustworthy.

The North Corel was a small and ruined town, surrounded by abandoned mines of coal that spread beneath its soil. After dropping the ninja, Red and Cait Sith at Fort Condor, Cid landed the Highwind no further away from Mount Corel, where Shinra's destroyed Mako Reactor rested. Barret let out a heavy sigh once they set foot in Corel. Cid, Jocasta and Vincent had no idea of Barret's connection to that place, so, on their way to the Reactor, he explained it all to them.