Lily and Light
[Zack x Aerith]
Disclaimer:I do not own Final Fantasy VII or Crisis Core. They belong to Square Enix.
Lily and Light
Zack paused by the deserted church. He lightened his heart and his footfalls when he saw Aerith was standing by her favourite field of flowers. She was standing still, with eyes shut, head bowed and hand clasped, in a posture of a faithful prayer. But to Zack, Aerith looked more like an angel from the heaven, silently listening to peoples' prayers, blessing them by her presence.
Zack noticed that Aerith was in her usual cute blue-trimmed white dress, with an additional light-blue cotton coat to cover her arms. Winter has arrived, thought Zack. He had been busy on his missions for Shinra that he didn't realize the change of climate. He took a glance at the falling snowflakes before gazing back at the demure flower girl again. He had told her that pink was good on her, but in fact he liked the way she looked in any colours. But he spot the pink ribbon that he tied for her, which had an gorgeous effect on her chestnut long braid, though its design was plain. Zack liked Aerith's hair, how it looked and smelled like cinnamon, how it framed Aerith's lovely face, and how gracefully it would flutter in the blowing wind.
Zack trod towards the quiet girl. She was still keeping her eyes shut, seemingly hadn't notice the young Soldier's presence. Zack went by her side, observing her good-looking features closer and closer. Instantly, Aerith opened her eyes and met the steady gaze of Zack. Both of them startled and jumped back. Zack, who recovered from the startle after a second, immediately held a hand at Aerith's forearm to keep her balance.
"Zack!" gasped Aerith, padding on her chest. "I didn't know you're here!"
"I'm sorry, Aerith…" apologized Zack, before he released Aerith's hand. "I've frightened you, right?"
Aerith gently shook her head. "Umm, no, Zack. I'm alright." said Aerith softly. "I'm glad that you've come. We haven't met for weeks. Busy on work?"
"Yes," answered Zack, grinning. " Aerith, did you mean you've missed me?"
Aerith looked at Zack's puppy like expression and gave a smile in the slightest. Then she clasped her hands on her back and faced downwards. Her bang around her face fell due to gravity, shading her eyes a bit. She is avoiding eye contact with him, Zack conceived.
"Aerith…? Aerith, please look at me… Are you alright? " cooed Zack as he reached his hand to Aerith's shoulder, trying to make her facing him. She silently refused, body stiffened. He raised his force a bit, didn't realize his usual sword-holding hand had made she feeling sore. "Zack!" Aerith winced and glared at Zack with an offended and unhappy look.
"Oh! Aerith, I'm sorry," said Zack, quickly releasing Aerith. "I didn't, in any way, mean to hurt you!" He had looked at her eyes, his stomach clenched when he saw how she stared at him. Those gorgeous bright green eyes- Aerith had told him before that his mako eyes looked beautiful. In fact Zack thought Aerith's jade eyes are the most alluring he had ever seen- like gems they shimmered with the tears welled.
"Aerith…" whispered Zack concernedly to the abnormally behaved flower girl. He didn't know how to deal with girls, with tears. " I…"
"Zack…" sobbed Aerith. "I'm sorry for upsetting you. I'm not in a good mood today, sorry. It's my entire fault! If I've taken more care of the flowers, they wouldn't…" Aerith blubbered and tears fell like shining beads. She weakly knelt onto the ground, one hand weeping away her tears, another hand raised to rub gently the petal of a lily in the field.
Zack stooped and placed a warm hand on Aerith's trembling shoulder, trying to comfort her. He glanced at the flowerbed which he finally notice- He must admit that the flower girl, not the flowers, had captured his gaze since he had entered the church – the flowers were frozen. They did not waver in the breeze but stood still like a statue. The sweet-looking canary yellow had faded to almost pale, with snow crystals coated on the petals. Those lilies were not aromatic anymore. He could only smell of mopish iced water.
Zack looked at Aerith with great concern. No wonder Aerith was feeling so depressed. The flowers were the most important things to the flower girl, as much as the sword to the SOLDIER. Especially when these flowers only grew in this deserted church, under Aerith's care.
"Has this happened… before?" asked Zack. The snow will melt when spring comes. Don't worry. He liked to tell her this to comfort her.
Aerith shook her head. " No, it never happened before since I grew them here. The flowers always bloomed so adorably."
"Not in previous winter?" prompted Zack.
" No," Aerith thought for a second and continued, " I mean, I noticed the petals were hardened. But they didn't froze like that… It hurts me when I see them icing, withering, dying…"
Noticing the outburst of Aerith's emotion, Zack thoughtfully gave Aerith a gentle pat on her head. The warmth of his palm melted some of the saccharine snowflakes into the mane of caramel. Zack blinked and asked, " Aerith… Did it happened before… snow falling into the church?"
Aerith shook her head and her lips parted, about to say something when she gasped. She looked up at Zack and was responded by his bright smile.
Aerith put her gaze at the frozen flowers for a moment, then shifted it to the falling snow. " I didn't noticed the snowflakes- they are actually so beautiful…" She stood up, raising and cupping her hands to collect the falling snowflakes. " The sunlight penetrates into the church, always, giving warmth and brightness to this little church and the flowers. I had never seen snow before. I guess they were melt by the light before they fell deep to this sector… All I listened to Mother's stories and description about snow, about how lovely it is, such tiny and white, but different with one another…"
Zack nodded, suggestively to Aerith to go on. He was always a talkative young man, disturbing Angeal to chat with him. Now he wanted to be a silent listener, hearing to Aerith's tinkly voice and her genuine feelings from her heart.
" Now in this winter, snow is falling down into this church. I don't know the reason… Light has be not coming into the church lately, maybe… Perhaps the temperature has dropped? I thought. Or was anything happening harming this planet?" For a moment Zack thought of the Mako Reactors of Shinra but he waved it away his mind, continuing to listen to Aerith's words. "But all I concentrated on is the flowers. I feel so afraid to see them in this way. I was so blind to notice other things."
" Don't worry, Aerith," he said. " The snow will melt… when spring comes. Um, yeah. By then, the flowers will bloom beautifully again."
Aerith slowly nodded and turned to face Zack. " I'm sorry, Zack… I'm a bit…too frustrated about the flowers these days. The cold weather also made me more depressed…" she smiled. "Perhaps I'm like making up excuses for my temperamental behavior, I'm really sorry, Zack."
" It's okay, Aerith," whispered Zack. " Believe me. Don't worry about the flowers. With your care, they'll get over this cold winter and bloom again. Okay, Aerith?"
"Um," nodded Aerith firmly. " I will take specially good care of the flowers during this winter. Then…" she glanced up at the SOLDIER hopefully. " Would you like to take care of the flowers with me?"
"Sure!" confirmed Zack with a fierce nod. He was so glad to see Aerith's lovable spirit again.
"Thank you, Zack!" said Aerith gratefully with a small smile crawled on her pale face. Zack returned his bright smile, feeling relived to see Aerith's smile again- the one he always reminded to himself in his mind when he was doing his missions alone.
Aerith glanced at Zack's smile and her lips curled up more. She bashfully fidgeted with the loose tie of ribbon on her coat. She felt Zack edged a small step closer to her. There they stood there, enjoying the wonderful silent moment, feeling the presence of each other.
Aerith didn't dare to look straight at Zack's mako eyes at that moment. She somehow glanced at his side and took a glimpse of Zack's well built body clad in his sleeveless black soldier outfit. Zack's arms were bare- suddenly Aerith noticed. She turned slightly towards to the young soldier and whispered, " Zack… you haven't wore enough clothes to keep warm, have you?"
Raising her delicate fingers, Aerith touched Zack bare arm but flinched back immediately whereas Zack blinked and grabbed Aerith's hand, gently rubbing it with his hands. " Oh Aerith! You hand is so cold!"
Aerith's eyes met Zack's concerning deep gaze and startled a bit. She sensed the warmth from Zack's palms through her pale fingers, melting the frost in them. She was colder than Zack, even with her long-sleeved clothes on versus his sleeveless attire. She was the one who had just wanted to concern about Zack and remind him to wear more clothes, but it turned out that Zack was the heat radiator, the protector to her. She tentatively put her other hand onto Zack's hand, trying to engulf its warmth with her small palm. "Thank you, Zack." That had been always what Aerith wanted to express to Zack. His presence had brought brightness and warmth to her simple life.
Aerith felt the firm squeeze by Zack's hands, as if to respond to her feelings. " Aerith," whispered Zack. She often heard Zack's young and enthusiastic voice yelling and chuckling to her like a never grown up teenager. She didn't tell him how she loved his nasal low voice, especially when he whispered her name. " Aerith, please don't catch a cold, okay? And I shall come to here more often then, to help to take care of the flowers and take care of you."
Nodding, Aerith smiled contentedly to Zack's words. What more could she crave from Zack? Only if Zack could stay beside her, no matter what sadness she might face, Aerith would try her best effort to overcome it. Having Zack beside her along the path of life was her secret little wish that she had held deep inside her heart.
The frost on the little canary lily would melt when the spring's first beam of light arrived, wouldn't it?
-End-
A/N:
Thank you for reading my fic!
I had the idea of writing this in last winter and have finally have the work finished . I hope it's not too late although it is spring now, when rain are falling instead of snowflakes... By this time Aerith's flowers should be blossoming beautifully.
It is my first time to write a Zack x Aerith fic. I enjoy the writing process quite much for the considering Aerith. Perhaps Zack should be more sunny in character? But I hope this fic reveals to you as a sweet one!
Thank you again and please leave reviews! I treasure every word received from you!