The sun was finally setting, spraying hues of colour across the entirety of Hollow Bastion. The day's work was done, and Leon wished to never have to repeat it. Rebuilding the town was a chore; although Leon would never admit that fact to anyone. All he wanted to do was escape to his not-so-secret hiding place.

"Leon!" a voice called from behind him. He cringed. Yuffie certainly was quick-witted today.

"Yuffie… Just leave me alone—"

"Silly it's me, Aeris," Aeris smiled, walking up to Leon, brunette curls bobbing against her pale face. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Do whatever you want," He replied, eyeing her carefully. The girl looked like she could burst out crying at any moment. He had no idea how Aeris could hold all that sadness in that tiny frame of hers.

"I think I will join you. You're heading to the castle aren't you? I like it up there, it's where—" Aeris trailed off to a whisper. Leon pretended not to notice. Aeris had a habit of changing the subject when it concerned a certain someone. Why she even brought him up was a mystery to Leon. Considering he barely existed in the eyes of the others.

Well, it wasn't anything Leon should be concerning himself with at the moment, as they walked up the jagged path that led to the horribly disfigured castle. They walked in silence, and continued it when they reached the observatory of the castle—or what was left of it. Leon resumed his regular pose against the wall, as Aeris moved to sit on the railing in between fiddling with the petticoats of her dress.

"The sunset is pretty; do you think Cloud can see it, Leon?" Aeris asked quietly, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"Can you see in the dark?"

"No, I suppose not. I wish—I wish so much for things to be different."

"I think we all wish for that, in one way or another," Leon said, pushing himself off the wall.

"Why did Cloud choose a path I couldn't follow? I don't understand…"

"Because he knew you couldn't. He wants to chase his shadow to forget a past that we all suffer from, the selfish bastard," Leon spat.

"Don't say things like that about him. He has to have another reason. Another reason…" Aeris cried, burying her face in her hands.

"You know it's true, don't you?" he said quietly, squeezing her shoulders lightly.

"Yes, yes…" she shook violently. "It just bothers me that I can't do anything to help him. I feel so awful."

"You…" Leon hesitated for a moment, "will always have me."

Smiling weakly, she looked up at Leon and mouthed 'I know'.

i don't remember when i wrote this, must've been last summer.

anyways, i hope you enjoyed it!