Chapter Text
There it was. The church, old and dilapidated, but still standing stubbornly amongst the surrounding rubble. The first light of dawn shone through a crack in the upper plate, gleaming off the broken slate roof, like a beacon from heaven guiding their way to sanctuary.
Zack breathed a sigh of relief, though he cut it short when his ribcage protested sharply. A year on the run had left him with an exhaustion that went bone deep, and after his last rendezvous with Shinra, he did not have the energy to perform the level of healing magic he required.
“Almost there, Cloud,” he grunted, shifting his comatose friend higher on his back before continuing the final stretch. The mako poisoning had rendered Cloud pretty much immobile. On good days, he seemed to have a vague awareness and could even walk if Zack supported his weight, but today had been tough on both of them.
Finally, they reached the large oak doors. Shifting his grip on Cloud, Zack grabbed the iron handle, then paused.
Maybe he should have actually planned what to say to her. What could he say though?
With a shake of his head, he took a deep breath and pulled.
The church was empty.
He didn’t know why he was surprised. It wasn’t like she lived there. But her continued visits were made evident by the flowers still thriving near the altar. He felt a sense of calm wash over him as he gazed up at the dappled beams of light streaming through the stained glass in shades of pink and yellow.
“Here we are. Home, sweet home,” he affirmed, more to himself than to Cloud. One-sided conversations with his unresponsive comrade had become a bit of a habit on their travels, partly for his own amusement, partly because he hoped Cloud could hear him.
“Why don’t you take a seat here, buddy.” He winced as he began lowering Cloud onto a pew, catching him just in time when he realised the Buster sword was still on the younger man’s back. It had been the only way to carry both man and weapon, once the former had become too exhausted to walk.
“Oops, that won’t be comfy to sit on.” He removed the great sword and rested it against the pew. “Thanks for carrying it for me.”
“You know, I think you’d suit a sword,” he mused, crouching in front of his friend. Then he pointed his finger in mock rebuke, “Don’t go gettin’ any ideas though, this one’s mine.”
Cloud slumped into the seat, his eyes closed almost instantly, lips curving into the shadow of a smile. Whether it was amusement at his words, or simply contentment at finally sitting down, Zack didn’t know, but he ruffled the blonde’s hair all the same.
“Not exactly the fluffy bed we’ve been dreaming of, but gotta take what we can get, huh?”
Letting out a pained groan, he took a seat beside his friend and finally allowed himself to assess his injuries. He gingerly unbuckled his belt and harness and tugged his sweater up to reveal the pattern of pink and purple flesh across his torso, swollen and puckering around angry red bullet wounds. SOLDIER’s healed faster than most, but they were by no means invincible, and Zack had been riddled with bullets a few hours prior. He had run out of curatives weeks ago, and the pitiful spell he’d cast had barely been enough to expel the bullets and stop the bleeding.
He had hoped that she would be here. She was always good at healing magic. Even her smile was enough to make him feel better. But it was ok, it was early, and he could wait. As long as he got to see her, keep his promise, that’s what mattered.
“We made it Cloud. We can rest now. Aerith will help us out.” He yawned, eyes drooping. “I think you two will hit it off.”
His chest felt heavy when he considered what she must think of him. He’d promised to see her and then vanished without a trace. For FIVE years.
“I’m gonna have a lot of explaining to do,” he mumbled.
He jolted awake when his head dropped. The light in the church had grown much brighter, bathing the flowers by the alter in its warmth.
“Hmph, how long was I out? Shouldn’t sleep. Gotta keep watch,” he told himself as he straightened and rolled his aching shoulders. He was itching to do some squats, but that would be a bad idea in his current condition.
He glanced at the door, the niggling doubt that Aerith may no longer come here resurfacing. He had ignored it on the road. Knowing he couldn’t risk going to her house, too many people would see, and he would put Aerith and her mother in danger. Coming to the church was a risk too, but smaller. It was on the outskirts, and no one came this far out. This was his best chance of getting Cloud the help he needed, without going to a hospital, where Shinra might find them. But of course, it wasn’t just that. He wanted to see her, to feel the warmth of her embrace after all these years. He’d missed the way she intrigued him with her mysteries, the way she understood him with one look, and the comfort she offered. He’d really needed that lately.
After a sigh, Zack hobbled over to the large flowerbed, where white and yellow lilies were blossoming in abundance, not a care in the world as to the unusual location they had chosen. Holding his bruised ribs, he crouched down to inspect them, remembering the peaceful hours he’d spent tending them with her.
A shriek from the door made him jump out of his skin. He turned to see an empty wicker basket roll down the aisle towards him. His gaze lifted to see a pink dress, and bewildered green eyes, just as beautiful as he remembered.
He straightened slowly. “Aerith. Long time, no see.”