Regrets&Promises { AERITH }

[Deleted]

It was not his fault.

Sometimes, Cloud could rest easy with that logic. He could accept it with a smile, feel a huge escape of relief, and truly believe it. It was not his fault. The things that he regretted most--the lives that were lost and the people that he failed--were not his fault. Sometimes he dreamed that was true.

Other times he would mull over the events again. They would find him at his weakest and flash before his blue eyes, memories he could not repress, battles that were too vivid to forget. And sometimes, he believed it was all his fault again. It was conflicting and confusing. When he felt like this there was only one place to go.

There was an abandoned church nearby. It reminded him of the one on Midgar, where flowers bloomed that shouldn't be there. The cramped, crumbing building held a sense of serenity not even the Heartless could take. He sat among the rotting pews, legs outstretched and his arms crossed, with a familiar grimace caking his face. It was his fault. This time he could take the responsibility.

Sephiroth was back and stronger than ever. Cloud could still feel the aches of the battle in his arms, his shoulders strained from each blow he took and each one he gave. He was tired and his blue eyes told of this weariness without hesitation. He was tired of fighting the darkness. Sometimes he wanted to give in, let it fill him up and drown him out.

However, he would remember his friends. Their smiling faces and their warm embraces. The light from their smiles would fill each dark hole in his heart and he would remember his purpose. Perhaps fighting his own personal darkness was the only purpose he had anymore. He craved a normal life and was so close to getting it... until he returned with a vengeance.

Cloud sat grim and brooding, his eyes sweeping over the dilapidated church. The cracked walls and rotting floorboards. How nice it would be if there was a bed of flowers nearby or shimmering pool like at home.

If there was a smiling face to greet him with warm words on her tongue.

[aerith]

[classy=bg][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][classy=payphone]   I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN[/classy][classy=img]  [/classy][classy=fosho]AND IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE WHY DON’T WE GO? TALK ABOUT IT SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW. THIS COULD BE THE END OF EVERYTHING, SO WHY DON’T WE GO SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW?[/classy][classy=text]Sometimes it got harder and harder to find Cloud when he had no wish to be. It worried the young woman so much, because she knew he had the tendency to spend his time alone thinking that all the wrongs in the world were his fault. Oh, how she wished Cloud could see himself the way she did. Sure, the younger male had his faults, but there was so much good in him, too. Aerith saw how he always stopped to try and help those in need, how he was a good leader, and how much kindness he held. She continued her search through Radiant Garden, reaching out her senses to try and brush against the familiar aura that he exuded. Where had he gone this time? She thought things would get better for him. With the constant reemergence of Sephiroth, Cloud would withdraw even further into himself. Sometimes she wondered if next time either herself or Tifa would be enough to draw Cloud back out from his shell. Emerald swept over her surroundings worriedly, wishing to find the blond as quickly as she could. Aerith soon found herself edging into the more dilapidated side of town, which had not been rebuilt as of yet. It did not surprise her that he would attempt to find solace in the more deserted side of Radiant Garden. A quiet sigh escaped her lips, brushing her bangs back as she wore a small frown. Where was he? Closing her eyes, she reached out her senses again, perking up as Cloud’s aura brushed against her own searching one. There he was? Opening her eyes, her gaze fell upon a rather rundown church that brought a sense of nostalgia to her. How long had it been since she had last visited Midgar? Her mother? Those thoughts could wait for later on. Cloud needed her more at the moment. Aerith carefully entered the church, keeping her steps light as she treaded the rather rickety flooring. She could spot the back of his spiky hair quite easily, and so she made her way towards him. It was plain as day to see he was over thinking things again. She made her way over to him, moving to the row behind him. Aerith placed her hands upon both of Cloud’s shoulders as she stood over him, smiling down at him gently. “You’re thinking too much again, Cloud. Please, tell me what’s wrong,” she asked quietly. She slipped her arms around his shoulders in a loose embrace, remembering how she had once done the same for Zack when he mourned for Angeal. She closed her eyes, giving Cloud a moment of silence as she tried to comfort him. She knew this was so hard for it at times, but she was grateful that he continued to continue on each and every day.   WORDS: Dun care. | TAGGED: Cloud~ | SHORT NOTES: Poor Cloud. ;w; [/classy][/classy][classy=credit] created by NIKKI of BTN and OTE [/classy] [newclass=bg]width: 400; background-color: #FFFFFF; opacity: .6;[/newclass][newclass=img]width: 250; margin-right: 40;[/newclass][newclass=payphone]font-family: georgia; width: 400; font-size: 25px; color: #000000; text-transform: lowercase;[/newclass][newclass=fosho]float: right; width: 165px; font-family: arial narrow; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: -95; font-size: 9px; line-height: 10px; text-align: justify; background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/00G1F.png); color: #000000;[/newclass][newclass=text]width: 350; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #000000; font-family: verdana; padding: 17px;[/newclass][newclass=credit]align: center; margin: -3; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana;[/newclass]

[Deleted]

Cloud didn't even flinch as the doors were opened. He remained solid, a still statue in an old church. His blue eyes remained on the pew in front of him and his arms stayed crossed even as he smelled the heady scent of flowers wash over the room.

Aerith always smelled like flowers to him.

Even as she slid her arms over his shoulders he still remained fixed in place. There was only a slight sigh of relief, as though her touch healed something deep inside him. If it wasn't for Aerith he would have lost his sanity long ago to the Geostigma plague. He owed her his life. And he couldn't even save her's the one moment she needed it most.

It's not your fault, he reminded himself for the hundredth time.

But this time it might.

"He's back, you know," Cloud muttered, bowing his head in thought. "I couldn't stop him."

Spehiroth was back again. His darkness was stirring, causing the world chaos. Because Cloud couldn't find his light fast enough Sephiroth had returned. And he could already hear the chorus of "it's not your fault" singing, but this time it was. Cloud had been too weak to find the source of his light and because of that weakness Sephiroth haunted the streets and put his friends in danger.

That's what he hated the most.

While everyone was at risk with Sephiroth lurking around, he fretted over Aerith the most. He lost her once. He could still feel her cold body in his hands, see her serene face floating into the lake, feel the tears in his eyes. Sephiroth would want revenge. He would make Cloud suffer in the most horrible of ways and target out his friends, especially Aerith. Cloud could only assume the worst.

Cloud was also homesick. He thought about Midgar often, the crumbling buildings and the dirty streets that still needed rebuilding. He thought of Tifa and Denzel. His only link to family he had, the only people that set him a plate at dinner hoping he would come home. Denzel looked up to him--how could he face him now? He had lost the battle, he was too weak to face his own darkness. How could he be a role model now? Cloud didn't even want to see his own face in the mirror, he was so disgusted with himself. He couldn't let Denzel see him this way.

"I haven't been home in months," Cloud murmured quietly. He shifted a little, dropping his hands by his side and glancing behind him to see Aerith's bright green eyes. "I can't go back until Sephiroth is gone."

It was a promise he made to himself long ago. He refused to go back to Midgar until he had vanquished Sephiroth for good. He could still taste the last battle in his mouth, the mix of gritty blood and salt. His muscles still throbbed and ached. He could still see Sephiroth's smirk--evil and cruel.

He could still see it all.

[aerith]

[classy=bg][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][classy=payphone]   I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN[/classy][classy=img]  [/classy][classy=fosho]AND IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE WHY DON’T WE GO? TALK ABOUT IT SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW. THIS COULD BE THE END OF EVERYTHING, SO WHY DON’T WE GO SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW?[/classy][classy=text]At least her presence appeared to give Cloud a sense of relief. She wished she knew what he was blaming himself for this time. Having him like this always broke her heart. Aerith wanted the younger male to see himself as all of their friends did. There was nothing for him to be ashamed about, but no kind words could ever fully convince him. Sometimes words were not enough, and so that left only actions to show her care for him. She could sense the guilt and shame emanating from Cloud. What had happened to render him so somber and silent? What had him hiding away in this decrepit church and torturing himself with his thoughts? Her emerald eyes widened a fraction at the mention of ‘him’ being back. The young woman knew very well who that meant. Aerith glanced down at Cloud with concern, knowing that the familiar words that they all used to alleviate his guilt would not work. “Then we’ll fight him together like always,” Aerith offered with a slight smile. She knew that he would immediately protest the idea of her involved in any fight with Sephiroth. This time she would not be caught off guard, and she refused to stay back and allow her friends to endanger themselves to keep her safe. She knew she was not a fighter, but she held confidence in her magic. Her hold upon Cloud tightened for a moment, anchoring herself to him as she tried to reassure both him and herself. Things would turn out as they should, she was confident of that. Perhaps not in the way they wished it to, but she would always believe that the light would prevail in the end. It would just take some time to do. Time they had to make for themselves. Aerith loosened her hold as Cloud leaned forward, watching him with that same worry and concern. He had not been home in months either? A small sigh escaped her lips, wishing that he did not torture himself like this. It was exactly what Sephiroth reveled in. The once famed SOLDIER enjoyed toying with his victims, and Cloud was his favorite. Thinking of that always angered Aerith, because she loathed what it did to Cloud. He took the weight of the world upon his shoulders and let it swallow him whole. “You can go home whenever you like, Cloud. You’re the only one keeping yourself to that promise,” she replied gently. No one blamed him for Sephiroth being back. Honestly, the general would always try and find some way to come back. She slowly leaned back, loosening her hold on him and she soon walked away from him to instead sit beside him on his pew. Aerith nestled against his side with a sweet smile, “I know you think it’s your fault when it’s not. I wish you could see yourself as I do, but I’ll just keep reminding you until it sinks in,” she said with a small laugh.   WORDS: Dun care. | TAGGED: Cloud~ | SHORT NOTES: She'll always be there~ <3 [/classy][/classy][classy=credit] created by NIKKI of BTN and OTE [/classy] [newclass=bg]width: 400; background-color: #FFFFFF; opacity: .6;[/newclass][newclass=img]width: 250; margin-right: 40;[/newclass][newclass=payphone]font-family: georgia; width: 400; font-size: 25px; color: #000000; text-transform: lowercase;[/newclass][newclass=fosho]float: right; width: 165px; font-family: arial narrow; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: -95; font-size: 9px; line-height: 10px; text-align: justify; background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/00G1F.png); color: #000000;[/newclass][newclass=text]width: 350; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #000000; font-family: verdana; padding: 17px;[/newclass][newclass=credit]align: center; margin: -3; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana;[/newclass]

[Deleted]

At the mention of fighting Sephiroth, Cloud's eyes immediately hardened to pools of ice. An anger swept through him that he couldn't quite comprehend. It was so shocking that it even jarred Cloud a little, making the blonde look away quickly. Wouldn't that be exactly what Sephiroth wanted? For Cloud to fling his friends into battle where they could be slayed so easily? Sephiroth would lavish the moment Cloud decided to fight with his friends, so that when they fell Cloud was there to witness the bloody massacre. He would hang their crumpled bodies in front of him to see, for everyone to see. He couldn't even take the thought.

And to lose Aerith again was too painful to imagine.

"No," Cloud said so quickly and forcefully that he immediately regretted it. But he didn't take it back. "This is my fight. No one else's. Not this time."

Feeling Aerith's warm body against his own sent a chill up and down his spine. It was strange for him to be so close to anyone--especially the dead. He couldn't help but to remember how cold she was when he released her into the lake, her face so serene and peaceful he almost wished he could have gone with her. What dreams did the dead have? He wanted to ask, but he couldn't bring himself to let the words out.

At the mention of home Cloud slowly shook his head. He was too ashamed to face his friends again. He could not bear to tell them Sephiroth was back once again, risen from the dead like some demented soul. He could not kill him. And he would not lure him back to Midgar where he could torture the denizens again. Even being at Radiant Garden sickened him, but he had no where else to go. No where else to call home.

A part of him stayed at Radiant Garden so that he could keep a watchful eye on everyone. With his friends clumped in one place, he could easily keep tabs on their whereabouts. It made him a little guilty that he had to watch them so, but he couldn't trust them to fight Sephiroth. He was too powerful--sometimes even Cloud doubted his strength against the One Winged Angel's.

"You haven't been home either," Cloud pointed out as she came to sit beside him. She drew up to him and Cloud relaxed a little more, relishing the warmth and comfort that exuded from Aerith like her natural perfume of flowers. He even slid his arm around her tiny shoulders, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do. He didn't think about it too much.

Cloud's anger vanished and he sunk into the wooden seat, sagging against it like the tired man he was. He was so tired all the time, it was a wonder he could hold his head up straight. He looked to the ceiling as Aerith told him she wished he could see himself as she did. Cloud doubted he wanted to. Aerith was so naive and so kind he was sure she only thought the best of him. Cloud knew better--he was not as grand as everyone made him out to be. He couldn't even defeat his own darkness. No one else had this problem.

"There's no hole in the ceiling here," he pointed out suddenly. "I should fall through it again so you can grow flowers here too."

He smiled down at Aerith, trying in vain to lighten up the mood.

[aerith]

[classy=bg][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][classy=payphone]   I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN[/classy][classy=img]  [/classy][classy=fosho]AND IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE WHY DON’T WE GO? TALK ABOUT IT SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW. THIS COULD BE THE END OF EVERYTHING, SO WHY DON’T WE GO SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW?[/classy][classy=text]It seemed that Aerith was not the only one that felt angry at hearing Sephiroth’s name. She knew that it was a battle that Cloud wanted to fight for himself, and perhaps he did have to face the general alone. That did not mean the rest of his friends could not offer their help in other ways. Encouragement, maybe so help with training, anything really. Aerith wondered what had Cloud so preoccupied as the silent moment stretched on. She could hazard a guess that he was imagining all the horror Sephiroth would attempt to try on all of them. A small frown marred her lips, knowing that her death still weighed heavily on his conscience. It had been her choice to leave, and she had known that her life had been forfeit. Did that mean she had wanted to die? No, she had not at all. After finally making so many wonderful friends, given the chance to leave the Slums of Midgar--she had been truly experiencing life. She did not regret her choice, though. The forceful tone in his answer did not surprise her all that much. She merely shook her head, but she would not say more on the matter for now. Pressing Cloud with her own stubborn nature would do the opposite of what she had set out to do. As the silence began to descend upon them again, she wondered what was going through his mind. Sometimes she wished her Cetra powers allowed her to hear the thoughts of people, too. Maybe it would make consoling Cloud easier. No, thoughts were private and meant to stay that way. This was a low point he would have to work through, but with her help. Aerith just wanted to know if she was helping at all. Even a small smile from him would mean the world to her. No, she had not been home in quite some time. Aerith still sent notes with her friends whenever they mentioned they were going back to Gaia. She knew that the letters she sent her mothers would mean more if she came with them. A content sigh escaped her as he slid his arm about her shoulders, enjoying the warmth Cloud exuded. She could tell that he was relaxing a little himself. It was a cue to her that her presence was helping somewhat. Perhaps her views of all of her friends were a little idealistic, but she liked to think the best of everyone she met. Aerith was not so naïve to the faults that Cloud did have. He tended to spend too much time to himself, he pushed his friends away when they wanted to help, or the fact he was so insecure with himself. “Maybe you could come with me. My mom asks about you and the others. She misses us,” she offered quietly. She moved with him as Cloud leaned back into the pew, looking so very weary. Aerith just curled into his side more, resting her head on his shoulder as she looked upward. A light laugh escaped her at his comment, remembering fondly when he had fallen through her ceiling. That had given her quite the fright! Until she had noticed the blond stranger murmuring to himself in his sleep, and she had called out to him to wake him up. “I don’t know. This church looks even more rundown than mine. Maybe I could see about growing some flowers here, though. The Committee hasn’t had much time to restore this part of the town, yet,” she considered with a pensive expression. Aerith glanced to Cloud to see him smiling at her, which warmed her heart to see.   WORDS: Dun care. | TAGGED: Cloud~ | SHORT NOTES: She'll always be there~ <3 [/classy][/classy][classy=credit] created by NIKKI of BTN and OTE [/classy] [newclass=bg]width: 400; background-color: #FFFFFF; opacity: .6;[/newclass][newclass=img]width: 250; margin-right: 40;[/newclass][newclass=payphone]font-family: georgia; width: 400; font-size: 25px; color: #000000; text-transform: lowercase;[/newclass][newclass=fosho]float: right; width: 165px; font-family: arial narrow; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: -95; font-size: 9px; line-height: 10px; text-align: justify; background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/00G1F.png); color: #000000;[/newclass][newclass=text]width: 350; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #000000; font-family: verdana; padding: 17px;[/newclass][newclass=credit]align: center; margin: -3; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana;[/newclass]

[Deleted]

Cloud would have been happy to stay in that silence forever, just feeling the warm heat of Aerith's body and looking at the sad, forlorn church. He could have been happy, maybe, for awhile. But Cloud was ingrained in reality (or what he percieved to be reality) and was saddened by the mention of Aerith's mother.

He remembered how she told Cloud to leave when he met her so long ago. How she tried to banish him and Cloud tried to sneak out, but Aerith was there waiting, a little smile on her face. As if she knew her mother would pull such a stunt and Cloud would go with it. He wished that Aerith had stayed home that day--that she wistfully laid in her bed and dreamed sweet dreams. He wished he had told her no when she asked to go with him. Then she would never had died and everything would have played out happily and he might not have so much to think about all the damn time.

Sometimes he drove himself crazy.

Yet, Cloud hadn't said no. He allowed her to come with him and his friends, let her run rampant through Gaia. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He owed Aerith his life, so he silently vowed to protect her's. This time he could make sure she stayed safe in her little hovel here. That she merely grew flowers and wrote letters to her mother. She couldn't go to Gaia--it was too dangerous there and not only because of Sephiroth. It was still in the midst of being rebuilt, villains around every corner, darkness seeping into the ground and tainting their precious world. He was too protective. He'd rather be protective than not though.

"Maybe we can," Cloud lied. He had no intention of going home. Not yet. It still wasn't safe enough. When it would be, Cloud couldn't tell.

"Radiant Garden is nice," he went on, gesturing with his free hand at the old church. "Once this is restored it'll be beautiful. You should focus on restoring this place. Then, when it's done, we can go see your mother."

Lies lies lies. He didn't like lying, but if it meant keeping his friends safe then he would go to any length to keep them from harm's way. He would throw himself in front of any villain. He would lie his way through a conversation. He didn't understand that it was wrong, he only saw one side of the coin. Keeping everyone safe.

He squeezed her shoulder out of reassurance as if he intended to leave tomorrow for Aerith's house. He knew the restoration of this world would take years. He knew the Heartless would swarm time after time, that this world reveled in the darkness. But a Heartless was much safer than, say, Sephiroth. He would rather Aerith face them than anything else.

He had to keep everyone safe.

[aerith]

[classy=bg][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][classy=payphone]   I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN[/classy][classy=img]  [/classy][classy=fosho]AND IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE WHY DON’T WE GO? TALK ABOUT IT SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW. THIS COULD BE THE END OF EVERYTHING, SO WHY DON’T WE GO SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW?[/classy][classy=text]Aerith did not mind the silence. She could chatter up a storm, or revel in a quiet peace that filled the room just as much as conversation. She knew that Cloud was not the overly talkative type, and so she tried her best never to fill the quiet moments with small talk. Honestly, small talk annoyed her a little bit. Well, forced small talk. Her eyes swept over the church, taking in the similarities and differences of her old church. She did miss her old home at times. How many years had she spent cultivating the flowers? Along with the flowers surrounding her mother’s old house. Aerith had taken the time to plant another garden for her mother the last visit she had made to Kalm. She had to make the time to visit her home sometime. Perhaps Cid could give her a ride? A cup of his favorite tea usually had the pilot whistling any tune she requested. Aerith resisted the urge to laugh at the thought. Maybe she could ask more of her friends to return home with her. She wanted to see Cosmo Canyon again most of all. She resisted the urge to sigh at Cloud’s obvious lie. It was not hard imagining the gears in his head winding as he thought of ways to keep her in one place. Sometimes you could not protect everyone you loved. Aerith certainly had no wish to die, but it was not something to fear. The ones left behind suffered far more than the ones that departed much of the time. Cloud was proof of that. Even with her presence here now, the idea of her mortality scared the younger male far more than it did her. Aerith appreciated his concern, but hiding her away from the rest of the worlds was no the answer. If Sephiroth truly wished to find her, then she knew he would find a way. Absently, her hand rested upon her stomach where the faint scar still lingered. That was in her past, and she had moved on from it long ago. She wished Cloud could do the same. “I know you’re lying, Cloud. You want to keep me safe, but you can’t always look out for me. I won’t go looking for trouble, but you can’t lock me away from everything,” she stated, glancing up at him with her usual gentleness and stubbornness. Eventually the Committee would be able to concentrate on restoring everything in Radiant Garden to it’s former glory. That did not mean she would exhaust herself so completely on just one thing. Helping out this world was certainly a priority to the young woman, but she held other obligations and wishes. Her lips curled into a smile after a moment, knowing Cloud would object to her statement. He could all he wanted; she had made up her mind. Aerith understood that her friend had to fight his own battles. Cloud needed to understand that she had to do the same for herself at times. Aerith did not want to argue with him about this, though. She wanted to enjoy his company before he departed again. She wanted to give him a reason to smile. A reason to think on happier times and not so much on the worries and troubles that he constantly carried with him. “How about a date?” she asked with a slight grin, her eyes glittering brightly. The idea had come unbidden, but it reminded her so much of how they had first met. Any way to get Cloud away from this dreary setting and even smiling a little.   WORDS: Dun care. | TAGGED: Cloud~ | SHORT NOTES: She'll always be there~ <3 [/classy][/classy][classy=credit] created by NIKKI of BTN and OTE [/classy] [newclass=bg]width: 400; background-color: #FFFFFF; opacity: .6;[/newclass][newclass=img]width: 250; margin-right: 40;[/newclass][newclass=payphone]font-family: georgia; width: 400; font-size: 25px; color: #000000; text-transform: lowercase;[/newclass][newclass=fosho]float: right; width: 165px; font-family: arial narrow; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: -95; font-size: 9px; line-height: 10px; text-align: justify; background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/00G1F.png); color: #000000;[/newclass][newclass=text]width: 350; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #000000; font-family: verdana; padding: 17px;[/newclass][newclass=credit]align: center; margin: -3; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana;[/newclass]

[Deleted]

There was no point in arguing. They were both too stubborn and Cloud felt that he was only doing what was right. Aerith could insist and flail and whine, perhaps even cry, and Cloud would never doubt his decision. Not that Aerith would do any of that. And maybe that was why Cloud liked her so much, she could get her way without all the drama. She was smart. A fact he had always known, even when he first met her in the old church, the only place he had seen flowers in the slums.

Aerith was a special person. She was sought out for her kindness and genuine empathy, for her healing powers and smile. Cloud hoped to be that way one day too. He wanted people to come to him for a smile they adored and for nothing else. He was tired of being a mercenary for groups and people. Tired of swinging his massive sword around, slaying whatever enemy laid in his path. He was just tired.

Which was why he didn't argue with Aerith. Not only was it a moot point, but he felt weary of all the fighting. He wanted a break, even if he failed to admit that to himself. He wanted ten minutes where he could enjoy silence or small talk or the latest gossip from Yuffie. He would even endure Yuffie for ten minutes straight without complaint. That was how desperate he was for some small reprieve.

His only response to Aerith's protest: "......."

The dreaded dots.

Cloud might have drawn completely into himself, as he was prone to do, until Aerith made a sudden request: how about a date? Cloud's blue eyes slid back over to the girl in pink, a coy smile on his lips. He remembered their first "date" well. He distinctly remembered the fireworks, glowing and bright to him, the way they played on Aerith's face and hair.

"...Okay. Where should we go for our date?" He asked amiably. He would play along this time too.

[aerith]

[classy=bg][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][classy=payphone]   I NEED SOMEWHERE TO BEGIN[/classy][classy=img]  [/classy][classy=fosho]AND IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE WHY DON’T WE GO? TALK ABOUT IT SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW. THIS COULD BE THE END OF EVERYTHING, SO WHY DON’T WE GO SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW?[/classy][classy=text]There was such a tired energy in Cloud that had the young woman worried. He had seen and done far too much anyone his age should have to. She wanted him to be able to have that normal and quiet life he deserved, but even Aerith was unsure of that possibility. All of them had been pulled into a situation much bigger than any one of them had ever dreamed. That was how it seemed to go, though, no? People as different as could be united together for one common dream or goal. And sometimes there was a wish for that dream to come to an end so a new one could begin. Aerith wondered if that was how Cloud was feeling about everything. Her eyes roved over the dilapidated church with slight nostalgia. Maybe he was wishing for that dream to bring back simpler times that did not appear to force the weight of the world on his shoulders. A part of her almost wanted that, too. It was so much easier to think back on more happy times than on an uncertain future. The past could not be changed, which sometimes made it easier to bare than dreaming of tomorrow. The silence that hung between them spoke more than words ever could. Aerith knew Cloud did not feel the desire to argue back with her. He would do whatever he felt best to keep her safe, and she would do what she felt was needed. It was as simple as that. She wanted some peace and quiet to revel in, too. Seeing Cloud was a rare delight she tried to prolong for as much as possible. He was so important to her, but the two of them always seemed to be busy with their own worries. How long had it been since she had seen any of her old friends? Aerith was very grateful to be able to see Yuffie and Cid on an almost daily basis; she just missed everyone. This church had her missing her old home and even the journey that had lead her away from Midgar. Even with the stress of saving the planet, Aerith could not remember when she had been the most happy. Emerald eyes lit up at the sight of Cloud’s smile, glad she had been able to draw a more genuine one out of him. Sadly Radiant Garden did not offer anything as exciting as the Gold Saucer had. It was a moment she remembered quite fondly, despite Cloud’s hesitance to it all. The showing of fireworks had been so mesmerizing for her to see. Aerith had never witnessed anything so stunning in all of her life. For as long as she could remember she had never really seen the sky, so afraid the vastness of it would swallow her whole. Now she could not prefer anywhere she would rather be than underneath the beauty of the sun and the stars. A pensive expression crossed her features at his question. Honestly, Aerith felt a little unsure of what the two of them could do. “Well, why don’t we just walk around the town for a little while? We could just enjoy the sights and talk?” she asked with a hopeful smile. It was not all that exciting of a date, but it would make the two almost feel normal at least for a little while.   WORDS: Dun care. | TAGGED: Cloud~ | SHORT NOTES: Omg, I'm so sorry for the lateness! >w<; [/classy][/classy][classy=credit] created by NIKKI of BTN and OTE [/classy] [newclass=bg]width: 400; background-color: #FFFFFF; opacity: .6;[/newclass][newclass=img]width: 250; margin-right: 40;[/newclass][newclass=payphone]font-family: georgia; width: 400; font-size: 25px; color: #000000; text-transform: lowercase;[/newclass][newclass=fosho]float: right; width: 165px; font-family: arial narrow; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: -95; font-size: 9px; line-height: 10px; text-align: justify; background-image: url(http://i.imgur.com/00G1F.png); color: #000000;[/newclass][newclass=text]width: 350; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; color: #000000; font-family: verdana; padding: 17px;[/newclass][newclass=credit]align: center; margin: -3; font-size: 10px; font-family: verdana;[/newclass]