Drabble #20: Candle
Summary: The candles would light the way.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Characters and places belong to SquareEnix
Tifa did not ask him where he was going as his boots echoed down the stairs and he made his way to the door. She did not need to ask him for it was plainly obvious where he went every night. All she could do was sigh and pray that someday, his feelings would change.
Cloud walked quickly through the wide streets of Edge, taking notice of the immaculate buildings that were lined on either side of him. Ahead, he could see the remains of Midgar the rubble staining the once green grass a horrible black colour. A symbol of what had been tainted in exchange for power.
The only part that was still standing was the Sector 5, which, luckily enough, was where he was heading. He smiled a little as he walked through the deserted streets, the same decaying smell lingering in the air and the littered gutters at the side of the road. It was just as he remembered it the last time he had been here. He had a suspicion that the Church that was appearing ahead of him had something to do with the fact that this part of the once powerful city was left standing. The Church seemed to have unnatural powers, such as growing flowers in a place where they should not be and making a man survive a fall that he should not have. He had once called it home because he felt closer to 'her' but eventually, everyone, including 'her' convinced him to move back in with Tifa and the children and start again.
If only things could always be so easy, he thought as he pushed the double doors open and narrowed his eyes from the bright lights that greeted him. Candles lay all across the alter and by the edges of the seats that led up the aisle, bathing the church in its natural holy light. He stood by the doors for a moment, as if uncertain of what to do but really, he was asking if he could enter, as he always did no matter how many times he was told by the soft voice that he had no need to ask anything from her. He made his way to the alter steps and knelt down, watching the flames flicker on the candle beside him. As he glanced around, he could see that no candles had gone out yet and he gave a small smile before reaching into his pocket and taking another, small round one out. He held the lighting stick over the flame of the candle next to him and watched as it caught alight before he placed it down.
"This light is for you Aerith, to guide you to the Promised Land as your light has guided me to live," he whispered the words that he spoke every night with every candle he lit. He stayed for as long as his thoughts allowed him too before he would get up and make his way back to Seventh heaven, to greet a worried Tifa and the excited children. Nobody asked where he went but they all knew anyway.
And watching from the lifestream, Aeris would smile as he lit the candles for her, a tear rolling down her cheek every time and the urge to reach out and touch him would grow stronger every night.
"We'll be together again Cloud," she would always sigh, hoping the wind would carry her words to him. Every night when he visited her church, she would set out her own candles and light them as he left, making a silent promise every time.
"Until then, may my light guide you as yours guides me,"