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Unintentionally, Aerith falls behind on their route towards the next town.
Not like it hasn’t happened before, it’s stronger than her, getting distracted by all the different kinds of plants and flowers she had only seen in books or screens before. The trees, especially, were fascinating to her. Their play of shine and shade, the bright green colors. Midgar didn’t have them, not anything as close, nothing grew out of life. So she likes to take a moment to kneel down and run her hands over the roots and soil.
Dirt clings to her nails and skin, moist and breathing, warmed by sunlight and buzzing with life.
She sighs in contentment as the wind brushes her skin, kindly freshening up her sweaty forehead. They had been traveling for days since they left Gold Saucer and though her body had gotten used to their long hikes, it’s not like her legs or the soles of her feet didn’t ache anyway.
She swipes her bangs away from her eyes, feeling the dirt on her fingertips stick to her cheeks. She doesn’t mind it, she likes the earthy feel of it, it reminds her of when she got home after a long day tending to the flowers back in the church.
Elmyra always greeted her with a smile and a clean cloth she wiped her cheeks and nose with.
Aerith could almost hear her voice, “It’s your signature, I see.” And she’d chuckle at Aerith’s innocent shrug.
Aerith finds herself smiling, yet the burn of tears sting at the corners of her eyes, formed there from the fond memory.
Times were simpler then. Now the world feels reversed, an uncertain journey emerging through the shatters of destiny.
She looks around.
It’s quiet, strangely quiet. She turns the way the others had been just a minute ago walking ahead of her. There is no one in sight, not a sound of any voice, not even Nanaki’s tail flame she sometimes took as a point of reference in the dark of dusk.
The sky had turned a rosy purple, golden at the horizon, the night would be upon her soon.
“Oh, shit.” She breathes as she hurries her steps the direction she thinks the others had gone.
She strides through the thick grass, her heart racing and her breathing shallow as she looks out for the familiar outline of the others, panicked with the idea of having to spend the night alone in the dark of the outdoors. Sure she finds the trees and the plants and the flowers a pleasant company, but… there are monsters out in the open, monsters she would not want to have to face, alone.
Plus the dark… the dark she hasn’t been able to get used to yet. The pitch black of the plains, what lies beyond, the dread and fear of it where there are no lamp lights to guide a path. She must find the others before the sun sets behind the mountains.
Another thought comes into her mind as she makes her way - Barret is the one carrying the camping gear. Her backpack is filled with some food and a small kettle they use for boiling water, but it’s not enough to stave off the cold of the night.
She pauses to catch her breath and locate herself. Not a house is in sight, let alone any sign of people. All there is is a long extension of grassland, leading out in all directions. Were they so far from the next town she’d have to walk the whole night to reach a small village for shelter?
“H-hey!” She calls out, but the only response back is the sound of her own echo bouncing off the trees and scattering away some birds. “Am I that lost?!” She yells into the void of the field extending before her.
Her voice travels across only to be lost to the eddies of the wind, like a stack of cards split on a windy day.
Again, there is no answer. She rests her hands on her hips, exhales out a long sigh of frustration.
“I’ll be front line of the the group next time, that’s for sure.” She shakes her head. “They couldn’t have gone far though…”
And she resumes walking, eyes surveying her surroundings, attentive to any unusual movement.
“Surely someone must have noticed a certain healer is missing…” she wonders to herself as she kicks away little pebbles on the ground. “Maybe Cloud has…” she says. “Or Tifa?” She shrugs. “Definitely not Yuffie though.” She chuckles. “She’s always the last one to notice things.”
Aerith walks, venturing into the wild lands, deeper as the sun sets in the mouth of the sky. Yet nothing stirs save by the occasional chirp and hoot of the local wildlife.
And here she thought the world would be more… occupied.
“Only Midgar is cramped, I suppose.” She muses.
As the dark settles in, so does the cold night air and soon the wind is no longer warm but crisp and uncomfortable on her skin.
Gathering enough wood from fallen branches and dried grass, she sets up a quick small fire, lightened up by the fira materia she had been lucky enough to have equipped.
She extends her hands to the crackling flames, her fingers curl into their warmth and Aerith wonders if she has done the right thing. Sitting alone on the edge of the woods with a bright fire at her feet would surely attract unwanted company. But it was either that or freeze, so maybe she’d take the risk.
She hugs herself, drawing her knees to her chest, gaze lost in the dancing fire.
“What have I gotten myself into this time, huh?” She mumbles under her breath. “I hope they’re not worried about me, I’d hate to have them worry.” She says quietly into the night. “Especially you…” she smiles as she thinks of Cloud. “You already have it bad when it comes to me… don’t you?” She looks up to the sky. The thought of him like a prayer in her mind.
The stars shine slowly, feebly, as if teasing her for her attempt at real conversation. Once upon a time the stars had been but a distant memory - now they are as real as the mud crept onto her boots.
Suddenly something fumbles behind her, the sound of whooshing leaves rustling against bushes, followed by footsteps, steady and cautious. Her heart jumps in her chest as she turns around startled. She tries to get a hold of her staff but it slips from her grasp as she nervously tries to reach it.
“Shoot.” In the heat of the moment and thinking fast, she curls her hands up into fists instead. “Tifa always makes it look so easy.” The Cetra raises her hands close to her chin and stances in a fighting position, leg forward, like her friend had once tried to teach her. Aerith narrows her eyes, tries to see past the darkness around her.
“I am armed!” Aerith shouts into the nothingness, her voice ringing harshly in the night air as she slightly glances at her staff laying on the ground a little further from her feet. “And-and I will hurt you!”
And in the faint glow of the fire she notices a yellowish smudge amongst the shadows, an all too familiar shape she recognizes instantly.
“I believe you.” Cloud’s voice rings out above the sound of blood rushing in her ears.
“Oh Cloud.” She lowers her hands, mind racing, she lets out a relieved cry.
He reaches for her desperately, like he had lost his breath somehow, his chest heaving up and down rapidly. The orange glow of the fire illuminates the concern spread across his face, his brow furrowed, the mako green blending into the turquoise blue of his eyes. His hands travel to her shoulders, he squeezes lightly as if he’s making sure he had truly found her.
“Good thing I have enhanced hearing. I heard you talking.” He says. He looks around them for a moment before his gaze returns to her. “Who were you talking to?”
“Oh you know…” she smiles. “To myself.”
“Oh…” His gaze brightens up for a second before it turns somber again. “Are you hurt?” He examines her, his hands catching hold of hers.
“No.” She shakes her head.
“What happened?” He asks.
“You tell me!” She shrugs. “I paused for a second to look at the landscape and the next thing I knew you guys had disappeared!”
“I’m sorry.” He says promptly. “I should have been more careful, I—
“It wasn’t anyone’s fault.” She flaps a hand. “But it won’t happen again. Sorry if I worried you.”
“Of course you worried me.” He says, gaze intent on her eyes, it’s almost as if he’s searching for something within them. “You… weren’t there.”
“Well, I’m here now.” She smiles and watches as the corners of his lips quirk up a fraction in response. “Should we go? The others?”
“It’s okay, they went on ahead.” He tells her. “I told them we’d meet them in the next town.”
“We, huh?” She winks.
“Yeah…” He says.
“Glad you were confident you’d find me.” She sits back by the fire, gesturing for him to take a seat as well.
“Well, yeah.” He sits, close enough to touch their shoulders. “If I had to turn every stone.”
“No need for that.” She chuckles. “I'd turn up eventually.”
They drift off into silence for a moment, she feels him shift beside her. He rubs his bent knees with his palms, his boots clunking on the ground, he looks around and then at her like there’s something he wants to say, but then his eyes fall back on the fire, and he clamps his lips shut.
“So…” she starts. “We’re lost and alone for the night.”
He nods. “No use traveling at this hour, it’s too cold and too dark.” He explains. “Cosmo Canyon is still a long way away, we’ll meet the others as soon as we can.”
“I feel bad, giving you all this trouble.” She says, hands toying with the hem of her skirt.
He shakes his head and glances at her. “We should have slowed down. I’ll keep that in mind next time we have a long way to cross.”
“Thank you.” She says quietly. “And for coming back to search for me. Going to put a good word for you as a bodyguard.” She grins.
“Yeah… just doing my job.” He smirks, then looks away. “Glad I found you in one piece.” His tone is light, playful.
She lets out a laugh. “Told you I’d make a great Soldier.” She lifts her fists again, gesturing a few quick jabs and swings. “Deadly, right?”
He laughs too, a short, genuine sound she notices she hadn’t heard from him before. “You certainly have proved it already.”
She bumps his shoulder, smiling. “Hey, who noticed I was missing, first?”
He thinks on it a moment, hesitating.
“Vincent, I guess.”
It doesn’t seem heartfelt to her.
“Really?” She leans in, eyes blinking in curiosity. “You sure it wasn’t you?” She asks quite joyously.
“I-I—“ he clears his throat, his cheeks tinting slightly pink under the glaze of the fire. It is a charming sight.
She sneakers, biting down on her lip. “Look at that, you’re cute when you blush.”
She watches in amusement as he glances away, his cheeks even pinker than before.
“I’m not blushing—“ he lets out a little grunt.
“Sure.”
He sighs.
“Well,” he says, his voice low and slightly strained. “You’re one to talk.”
It’s her turn to be struck. She flinches back, eyes widening.
“What?” Her voice wavers, her heart pounding. He can be so unpredictable at times, it disarms her as much as she’s sure she can disarm him too.
He becomes silent, his eyes lift to hers, expression soft even though his lips press together. The air around them thins. She shifts, feet and hands tingling.
“You looked happy when I bought you that one flower…”
“Did I?” She asks quietly, her lips quirk up by the corners whimsically.
“Your smile, then…” he lifts a hand, his thumb brushes along her cheek, slowly, like he’s touching something precious. “Best gil I ever spent.”
A few seconds pass by where they just stare at each other. His eyes shine as bright as the day they met, she feels the warmth radiating from him.
How can she resist him?
Not that she’s even trying.
“Anyway.” He breaks the silence, hand falling down to his side. “You had dirt on your cheek.” He says.
“I…” she manages to break free from the haze that had settled between them. “I always do.”
He chuckles. A quiet little sound that makes her heart flutter and she can’t hide the smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
“Florist here, you know.” She says.
“Right.” His half-small lingers, his voice gentle.
She leans against his arm, resting her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes. A comfortable, warm feeling swirls inside her chest even in spite of the dark night and unknown surroundings. A feeling only he can ignite in her, a feeling she never thought she’d get to experience again.
“We leave at first light in the morning, okay?” He whispers as he settles his head on hers.
“You know the way?” She asks.
“We’ll find it together.”
“Mm-mm.” She replies, mind drifting off into a peaceful rest.
At the break of day, she feels Cloud nudging her gently to wake her up. She rubs her eyes to the first rays of sunlight as they touch her eyelashes timidly. He steps up beside her and takes her hand in his.
They share a bar of nuts from their supplies and start their journey across the plains following the path that will eventually lead to Cosmo Canyon.
The landscape blends into a deep red soon after, canyons rising off the sides of the sun scorched earth.
“Almost there.” Cloud tells her, bolting back his sword to his back after finishing off a golem. “You good?” He turns to check on her.
“I cannot wait to put my feet up a bit.” Aerith nods as she dusts off her skirt. A puff of red sand rises up from her, causing her to laugh gleefully. “What an adventure, huh?”
“Yeah.” He says as he gestures for her to go on ahead. “The others will be happy to see you.”
She hums. “Hey Cloud.” She calls, hands clasping behind her back as she walks. “Thank you again, for turning back. I’m glad you showed up when you did.”
“Oh… yeah.” He replies. “Me too.”
As soon as they enter town they are greeted by Tifa’s warm smile. The group had gathered at the entrance, waiting for them.
“I’m glad you’re okay!” Her friend exclaims, checking for any signs of bruises on the Cetra.
“Sorry to have worried you.” Aerith apologizes with a soft smile.
“That was nice pinko. I’d ditch these losers first chance I got too.” Yuffie points a thumb over her shoulder at their friends behind her.
“That’s a great idea.” Barret grunts, rolling his eyes at the ninja. “Why couldn’t it have been you instead?”
Tifa shakes her head. “I’ll find you a room to rest for a while, you must be tired.”
Aerith couldn’t agree more, but first she needed to have a little talk with Vincent, who she spots silently standing by the supplies tent.
“Hey.. thank you for noticing I was gone.” She says.
He raises an eyebrow, takes a long look at Aerith. “Interesting and also inaccurate. It wasn’t me who noticed it first.”
“It wasn’t?” Aerith blinks.
Vincent tilts his chin Cloud’s direction. The ex-Soldier had sat down on a rocky bulge, concentrated as he examines his sword for any damage.
“Didn’t waste a breath turning back around.” Vincent says.
Aerith lingers her gaze on the blond. A fond smile forms on her lips as she watches him. “I see.”
She walks towards him, unthinkingly so, all she wants right now is to let him know how much she appreciates him and his ways.
He lifts his head when he sees her approach. He straightens up on his seat, eyebrows raising in mild surprise, blue eyes gleaming beneath messy locks of golden hair.
She rests her hands on his shoulders and as he sits there looking at her without moving a muscle, she leans down and presses her lips to his. She feels her eyes brim with tears at his touch, at the inexperienced thrum of his lips as they move against hers.
His hand lifts to cup her elbow, gently, the kind of loving pressure that embodies his feelings.
When she pulls back up, he stares at her with eyes wide open, lips slightly parted and cheeks dusted with pink. She’ll never forget the look on his face… as the light flickers in his eyes like a hungry flame in a dark sky, she knows he feels seen for the first time. The man behind the uniform, the boy whose dreams had been shattered into a million pieces.
She had tried to fight it, keep it professional, stick to him being her bodyguard, not let it develop into something more than that.
But…
“When you smile…” she says. “… I like it very much too.”
She shouldn’t have kissed him, she knows it more than she’d like to admit, but how can something that is wrong feel so right? She wipes her eyes of the few tears that had escaped and smiles sweetly through the sudden ache inside her chest.
No one knows what lies ahead, she couldn’t tell anymore. But one thing she knows, no matter what happens next, they will face it together.