Guilt’s Cost: Part LXXI

Reception

Everyone moved into another room in the building for the reception. Vincent, Tifa, Reno, and Angel were seated at the head table along with Jaras and Angel’s maid of honor.

The guests quickly filled the other tables. The meal served was substantial, but Vincent was unable to eat as his nerves were still shot. He simply sat smiled at Tifa as he watched her.

After awhile, Cid was urged to the front of the room to make a toast. Why he was getting this honor he did not know, and he reluctantly went up with his glass of champagne.

Tifa giggled to see Cid standing there so uncomfortable.

Cid cleared his throat. "Well, uh, who would have guessed that either Vincent or Reno would ever do this?"

A snicker went through the room.

"But, they’re both good guys I guess, and they couldn’t have found two nicer girls." Cid raised his glass briefly before taking down its contents in their entirety.

Shortly thereafter, music started to play and Reno led Angel out onto the dance floor. Vincent remained glued to his seat.

Tifa looked over at him. "You’re supposed to get out there and cut in. You are her father."

"I don’t dance." Vincent shook his head.

Tifa grabbed his cybernetic arm and pulled. "Well too bad, cause you have to at least go out there with me."

Vincent allowed her to drag him out. She took his human hand in her left one and placed the other behind his back. He swayed with her slowly to the music feeling terribly self-conscious as he did so.

Tifa whispered into his ear after a few moments. "Now go get Angel away from Reno. It’s your job."

Vincent nodded and left Tifa’s side. Fortunately he had drunk enough champagne to take his edge off. He strode over to Reno and Angel and jabbed Reno in the back with a talon. "Hey."

Reno turned and grinned. "What, is this the obligatory ‘daddy cuts in’ bit?"

"Apparently." Vincent sighed.

"Fine." Reno stepped back. "I’ll go smooch on Tifa for awhile."

Vincent took Angel into his arms. "This whole event doesn’t seem to be rattling Reno at all."

"Nothing gets to him." Angel laughed. "You’d think he’d been through a million weddings by the was he’s acting."

Reno made his way to where Tifa was standing and took her hand. "Wanna dance with a real man?"

Tifa beamed. "And who would that be? Cid?"

"Is being married making you stupid?" Reno smiled as she took his hand. "I’m all the man this room needs."

Reno took her to the middle of the dance floor and put his arms around her. "So, how ya’ been?"

"Better now." Tifa stared into his eyes. "Thanks for talking to me."

"Think nothing of it." Reno swung her around. "It’s the least I could do."

After the song ended, Vincent spotted the table where Tseng was and he went over. There with him were several of his Wutain cousins along with their aged aunt.

Vincent bent down and kissed his aunt’s cheek. "Yokazi, I am pleased that you could come." The words slid off his tongue in Wutain easily.

"I would not have missed it for the world." Her ancient eyes shone.

Vincent talked briefly with his other relatives before going to Tseng’s side. "Brother, how much do I owe you for this?"

Tseng raised a hand. "No, Tsuvati. This wedding is my gift to you. Think nothing about repayment."

"But this must be costing a fortune." Vincent looked around the room.

"It’s nothing I can’t handle." Tseng smiled.

Vincent then saw that Tifa had made her way to the table where Barret, Nanaki, Cid, Shera, Elmyra, and Yuffie were sitting. He joined them and landed in the chair to Tifa’s right.

Shera smiled. "Vincent, how’s married life treating you?"

"So far, so good." He replied.

Elmyra seemed sad, but was trying to hide it. "Your daughter is so beautiful. Reminds me of Aeris in a way."

Vincent grew uncomfortable and shifted in his seat. "Mrs. Gainsbourgh, there is something that you should know about Angel."

Everyone at the table grew quiet. Tifa knew what was on his mind and placed a hand on his knee under the table, trying to encourage him.

Vincent smiled weakly, and stared at the table directly in front of him. "Hojo used Aeris’s genetic material along with mine to create her."

Several jaws dropped, and Cid leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, annoyingly allowing his gum to snap between his teeth.

Elmyra’s eyes grew wide. "Is that so?"

"Yes." Vincent looked up at the older woman. "Angel is Aeris’s daughter too."

Barret, Nanaki, Yuffie, and Shera just looked on in amazement.

"I… I would like to talk to her, if I may." Elmyra said in a hush.

Tifa rose up from her seat. "Come on, I’ll introduce you."

Elmyra and Tifa left the group. Vincent thought for a moment that he should go with them, but part of him felt odd being with Elmyra when the subject of Aeris would be raised. Somehow he didn’t feel like he should be a part of that.

Tifa took Elmyra to where Angel was sitting and introduced them. "Angel, this is the woman that raised Aeris."

Angel’s face brightened. "You are her adoptive mother? I have wanted to meet you for some time. Please, sit."

Elmyra took the seat next to Angel. "I knew there was something similar between you and my daughter. I wish I had known about this sooner. In a way, I guess I’m your grandmother."

Angel smiled widely. "I never would have dreamed of having a grandmother, this is wonderful."

The old woman’s eyes filled with tears as she saw so much of her dead daughter in this girl. "I can’t believe this…"

Tifa knew that she needed to leave them alone to talk and she drifted over to where the cake was sitting in the corner. She dared to let one finger brush into the frosting at the base of it and then brought it to her lips for a taste. No sooner than she put it in her mouth did she hear someone come up behind her. She spun around, embarrassed to know that someone had watched her.

"Jaras…" She said, folding her hands behind her back.

His cheeks were flushed red as he had poured back half a bottle of champagne already. Jaras swayed slightly where he stood, his head feeling light. "Tifa."

"Are you having a good time?" She smiled, amused to see the great Sephiroth tipsy.

He pointed over to the table where Vincent sat with the others from AVALANCHE. "Been tryin’ to avoid that lot. Don’t think they like me so much, different man or not."

Tifa had to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing. His words were slurred, and his movements exaggerated, but she couldn’t blame him for not wanting to face those he had pointed to. "They won’t hold anything against you."

"I’d just feel better if I stayed over here away from them." His lips fluttered in a short smile. "Wedding was nice."

"I thought so." Tifa nodded in agreement.

"I even was good and didn’t say nothing when that whole ‘speak now or hold it’ part came up." Jaras shook his head. "I know you said that it’ll never happen, but…"

She couldn’t believe he was bringing this up at her reception. "Jaras, I think you might have had a little too much to drink."

He narrowed his eyes. "Drunk or not, I know what I feel, and I can’t just start pretending that I never felt anything for you."

The fact that he made it seem like they had known each other forever was unnerving. "Jaras, what is it? How can you be so attached to me after just a few days?"

He shrugged and grabbed onto the edge to the table next to him. "I never even was the slightest bit interested in any girl in Mideel. But from the moment I first saw you walk into that shop, I couldn’t get you out of my mind."

Tifa’s heart went out to him, but she didn’t know what to do. Maybe he just remembered her on some subconscious level, and he was mistaking that for love. "Jaras, please don’t do this! You’re drunk, and I think you should go sit down."

"Don’t pass my feelings off for drunkenness, or whatever else you want to diminish them with." He hung his head, starting to feel sick. "I love you, that’s all there is to it. I don’t know why or how it could happen so quickly, but I do. Problem is, you’re married to my father, and you don’t like me."

"I like you Jaras!" She furrowed her brow. "But I don’t feel the way you do, I’m sorry."

Jaras felt his eyes start to burn, and the thought of anyone in this crowd seeing him cry was too much and he turned and left the building. He didn’t quit walking until he had locked himself back into his room in the base.

Back at the table Vincent was at, Barret had taken the stage. "So, why’d you end up goin’ for Tifa?"

Vincent shrugged. "I just couldn’t get her out of my mind after AVALANCHE split up."

"Damn man, I never woulda’ guessed." Barret shook his head. "And Tifa leavin’ Cloud…"

Nanaki flicked his tail. "I think this took all of us a little by surprise. You humans never cease to amaze me."

Cid tossed a third piece of gum into his mouth. Somehow no one had yet noticed he hadn’t had a cigarette all day. "So Red, where’d you find this girl you got expecting your cubs?"

His amber eye narrowed. "I was wandering the desert around the canyon and happened across a cave in an outcropping of rocks that I had never seen before. When I went to investigate, I found Santicia living there. She was just as surprised to see me as I was her. After the decimation of our race, her mother had hid her out in the desert and raised her there in solitude. Just as I thought I was the last of my kind, she thought the she was as well. Fortunately, we found ourselves to be compatible."

Barret laughed. "Damned fool comes running into the house we share with his new found woman, happier than anyone’d ever seen him."

"Red excited?" Cid smiled. "I would have liked to see that."

"You must admit that realizing that you aren’t alone in the world is a very special event." Nanaki purred.

Vincent in a strange way knew how true the cat’s words were. He too knew what it was to be alone; thinking that there was no one else left for him. Tifa had made that pain disappear, and for that he was grateful.

The reception went on for hours, and Tifa and Vincent found themselves making the rounds through the room. Reno and Angel had gotten themselves blitzed and made fools of themselves dancing and singing to the music. As it grew late, Cid and Shera left to fly back home, and shortly thereafter, Yuffie and the other Wutains had to go to catch the airship home. Barret and Nanaki were catching a ride on the same ship.

With all those they knew having left, Tifa and Vincent retired to their quarters. Tifa squealed in surprise as Vincent whisked her up into his arms as they entered the room.

Once inside he sat her on the edge of the bed. "Did I at least do that right?"

Tifa giggled. "Yes, you did good."

Vincent slid the coat to his tux off and tossed it over onto the couch. "God, I can’t believe this."

"What’s that?" Tifa asked as she pulled her veil from her hair.

"That I’m married…to you no less." He almost laughed as his tore the tie away from his neck.

Tifa smiled at him as he stood before her unbuttoning his shirt.

Vincent felt her stare and looked over to where she sat. "Yes?"

"You’re really handsome, you know that?" She cocked her head.

Vincent blushed. No one had ever said that to him in sincerity. "No..."

"Yes you are." Tifa slipped off her shoes. "I wish you didn’t always hide yourself away beneath the cloak and scarf."

"Certainly you don’t want me to wear a tux all the time." Vincent glanced at her as he threw his shirt over to lay beside his coat.

"Well no, but you do look really good dressed up." She sighed. "I bet you were a damned good looking Turk. You know, with the suit and all."

He scoffed. "I looked like a dork."

"I bet you didn’t." Tifa rose from the bed and went over to him. "Was your hair this long then?"

Vincent shook his head. "No, it was shorter. It’s only this long from growing while I was in stasis, and the fact that I haven’t cut it since."

Tifa ran her hands through his raven tresses as she pressed her body against his. "You would be handsome either way, but I do like this."

Other than today, Vincent had never thought of cutting it and he knew he wouldn’t anyway. "I’ve gotten rather accustomed to it."

Tifa suspected that he just kept it long as it was one more thing to hide behind. "Vincent?"

"Hmm?" He said, looking down into her eyes.

"I’m ready." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Vincent’s heart jumped. "B… but it’s only been a week…"

She dropped her gaze away. "It’s fine."

Vincent couldn’t see how she could be healed well enough yet to bear making love to him. "I just don’t want to hurt you."

"You won’t." There was slight trepidation in her tone.

"Tifa, you can’t yet." Vincent held her close to him and rested his cheek on her hair. "I know that it would take longer than that to heal."

"But we’re supposed to…" Tifa clung to him.

"This isn’t the Middle Ages." Vincent smiled. "It’s not like we have to hang our sheets out the window in the morning to prove it to the village. We can wait. I love you, and it’s not that important."

Tifa nuzzled into his reptilian chest, relieved at this reprieve. Truthfully she knew that she wasn’t up to the challenge, but still she had felt obligated to offer, being that it was their wedding night. Vincent was so aware of her and considerate. These were the very things that she had missed out on being married to Cloud and she rejoiced in Vincent’s companionship.

Once they were finally freed of their wedding clothes, Vincent and Tifa slipped into the bed together. Tifa laid on her side with him spooned up against her, his cybernetic arm draped over her waist. They both slept soundly that night, never giving a thought to what might await them tomorrow.