A/N: I have always wanted to write a Zerith oneshot. But I didn't want to rush it, and I didn't feel like I was ready to write anything good for a long time.

That's my excuse for not having written anything for the last... 20 months... Wow, has it already been that long?

Anyway, enjoy!

Smile

Stained glass windows refracted the evening sunlight in thousands of rays. Aerith thought the soft light looked beautiful. She asked Zack once if he agreed. How could he had not when he had been watching it through the dark tresses framing her face, unable to keep his eyes off of her when she wasn't looking?

It so happened that he was observing those same locks now. Sitting on one of the scattered pews with his back against the wall, Zack served as a pillow to Aerith, who was sleepily resting her head on his shoulder. Blissfully aware of how close they were, he followed her blank gaze to their legs, his on top of hers, propped on the broken remains of an old church pillar.

It was one of those summer days, with very little to do and the sun that managed to burn even in the slums. In the early afternoon, the spent their free time together in the shade underneath the broken roof. The unrelenting heat made them drowsy and unwilling to do anything but rest in the cool corners of the church.

Gaze chained to Aerith's features, Zack scanned and drank in every aspect of her profile. His eyes wandered, passing over her locks, her eyes and lips, those soft curls that her hair made above her delicate neck. He did so tirelessly, ritually even, with the tenacity of a madman, almost jumping every time he brushed against her skin or their hands touched.

He snapped back to reality as she moved suddenly, taking her legs out from underneath and putting them onto his. There might have been the smallest hint of a smile on her lips as she closed her eyes and put her head back on his shoulder.

That single move broke the boredom in the air. Two can play on that game, he thought, pulling his legs out to put them over hers. He couldn't predict the speed of her answer to that. Before he could complete the action, Aerith lifted her own lower limbs daring Zack to put his down.

No matter what he did, Aerith was always one step ahead of him and he gave up to her persistence. The day was meant for rest, after all.

Sensing his surrender, she dropped her legs on top of his. Smiling, she turned to look at him, and Zack immediately knew he had lost that battle. Blinded by the light in her eyes and the expression on her face, he only mustered what must have been a particularly stupid grin.

A smile that made his heart race and his legs melt, cliché at best. And it probably was. But Aerith had that wonderful talent for making clichés real, and that was what always took his breath away.

With Aerith, smiling was much more than a facial expression, she simply radiated. It was the little things; just being around her, the atmosphere, the way she giggled, so softly... How Zack regularly lost himself in her leaf green eyes, the world captured, drawn into them. Fitting, for that was precisely what Aerith meant to him.

One smile plainly said what words could not. Knowing she smiled for him made Zack's hair stand on end, pleasantly even.

Forcing himself out of his daze, he moved an arm to gently press her against him, never wanting to let go...

~~~777~~~

Perhaps even before turning his back to Cloud and walking into the open arms of fate, Zack knew his verdict. His executioner, a battalion of Shinra troops. All experienced infantrymen, already being tested to become SOLDIER.

Self-preservation was an ancient excuse. In the blur that preceded the end, their deaths ripped apart his soul, more so than the the bulllets that tore through his flesh. Zack saw himself in their fear. Those men's thoughts had once been his, before experiments opened his eyes to Shinra's true reasons and the vivid green of mako. Now they seemed less guilty than he did, dying needlessly when he could not change the outcome. What motives could justify the deaths of the innocent? Is it revenge if you are avenging in advance?

Sephiroth, Cissnei, Tseng...

More lives were lost. The Buster danced to cripple, to ruin and to end.

Angeal, Cloud...

Blindness didn't stop veil of death from advancing. Fortunately so, as though his hands shook and his body moved on it's own accord, Zack could only see her face, hidden behind her smile.

I lived dying to see you,

I died living to see you,

Smile for me,

Once more,

Aerith

A/N: I couldn't resist. This dramatic end just wrote itself in.

On a happier note, I'm convinced that it's behavior in these casual and often stupid scenes that's the ultimate sign of affection :)

I hope you enjoyed and I would like to hear your thoughts if you're willing to share them.