Drabble #16: Spring

Summary: The season for new beginnings

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Characters and places belong to SquareEnix

The smell of spring was in the air, the morning dew clinging to the grass as the flowers opened up to the rising sun. This season was easily her favourite time of year. She loved the fact that all the flowers came to life. Spring was associated with new beginnings and life, two of the things Aeris loved most of all.

But something else she loved about this season and that was the fact that she had first met Cloud in spring and that proved that it really was a time for new beginnings. Cloud reminded her of her first boyfriend but that was not the reason for her strong feelings towards the leader. She frowned slightly, stopping just in front a large field of flowers, their rainbow colours dancing before her eyes.

"Aeris?" she turned in time to see Cloud walking in her direction, glancing around them as he did so. She smiled a little at his typical protection act but she turned back to the flowers before her, kneeling down to inspect them.

"You shouldn't wander off on your own," he said as soon as he reached her. The flower girl resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she got to her feet and remained quiet. Cloud sensed that he had annoyed her and gave a short sigh, rubbing his forehead softly before glancing at the flowers.

"What were you doing here anyway?" he asked.

"I wanted to see the flowers and the river."

"But you've seen flowers and a river before, haven't you?" he said. Aeris nodded.

"But I always love seeing them after spring has come. They're full of life then, getting ready for a new start," she explained before she turned to him.

"Can't you smell it?" she asked.

"Smell what?" he replied, sniffing the air tentatively.

"The fresh smell of spring," she replied with a little exasperation pushing past in her voice. Cloud shrugged at her and scratched the back of his head.

"I think the air smells like it usually does," he replied sheepishly causing the Cetra to roll her eyes with mock-annoyance as a smile pushed onto her lips.

"I guess it must be a Cetra thing then," she muttered.

"Like beauty," Cloud added without thinking, blushing as soon as he realised what he had spoken and the way that Aeris had turned to him with a shocked expression.

"What?" she asked after a moment of silence from him. She wondered if she had heard him right and judging by his blush, she had. "What did you mean by that?" she pressed.

Cloud shifted nervously on his feet, his eyes focussed on the ground as his blush darkened. Getting the feeling that she wasn't going to stop staring at him until he answered, he took a deep breath and turned up the palms of his hands.

"Well, you know…you're beautiful. I thought that was Cetra heritage too."

Now it was Aeris' turn to blush as she stared hard at him, waiting for the point when he would crack up laughing and say he was only joking but it never came. He was being serious!

"Since this is a season for new beginnings," he whispered, causing her to jump at how close he had gotten to her. He didn't continue his sentence, instead finishing it with a gentle kiss.

Yes, spring was definitely Aeris' favourite season.