This Game

by Thyme In Her Eyes

Author's Notes: Another entry for the CxA Forum's 100 Themes Challenge, this time written for the theme 'Distance'. This one is set on the road between Midgar and Kalm. And of course, I don't own any of the characters featured. Enjoy!

-- THIS GAME --

"Cloud, can you tell me something?" Aeris asked, all soul-searching sweetness as she caught up with their leader, who was walking several paces ahead of everyone else.

"Depends," he answered, mildly teasing. Most of the time, he was still trying to be elusive around her, but always failed to keep the affection out of his voice.

She gave him a tiny glare at that, and Cloud wondered if she was considering marching off and not asking him anything. He would've been sorry if she had, he realized, because it had been a long day's journey so far and without much conversation to break up the boredom, and the sound of her voice was very welcome. He turned his head to face her, wanting to see if he'd misstepped with her somehow, and saw that although her arms were crossed and her smile seemed to be full of mysterious plots, she actually looked more amused than anything else.

"Well, I'll try not to break you, but..." Aeris' annoyed tone suddenly dissolved before she could go on, leaving something hesitant, vulnerable and very new to him as some new thought seemed to hit her. "Do you think Tifa likes me?"

Her question took him aback, and he had no idea why she thought of asking him rather than Tifa herself. And considering how close they'd seemed earlier, finishing each other's sentences and all, it was tough to imagine them becoming enemies. Also, Cloud didn't want to think it, but he felt ever-so-slightly nipped by disappointment on hearing Aeris ask questions about someone else. It was oddly nice when he was the only one around to interest her.

But he smiled with confidence, because this was a problem he could solve. "She does, it's easy to tell."

"She's actually probably the first real girl-friend I've ever had, and the closeness is nice. But I can't tell how things are, and I want her to be okay with me. You've known her for years, Cloud – what do you think?"

"She likes you," he said, and gave a brisk nod at his own words. "Definitely."

"I hope so," Aeris answered, bringing both her hands together and holding them over her heart. "She's been a real good friend to me and I want us to stay that way."

"Why wouldn't you guys stay friends?" Cloud asked quietly, his false swagger breaking up a little.

She cocked a disbelieving eyebrow at him, and looked as though he'd told her he didn't know what colour the sky was supposed to be. "Oh, I don't know..." She said in a rush, eyes flickering towards Tifa, who was close by. "We might...fight over hairbrushes or makeup or something. You know how us girls can be."

"Huh?"

She giggled lightly, and gave him a comforting smile. "I'm just kidding! I am!"

He must not have looked convinced (and truth be told, he wasn't), because her expression changed so drastically from the worried thoughtfulness she'd shown him earlier to something much brighter as she tried to laugh it off. She actually looked as though she wanted to bite her own tongue, and he wondered what she'd said that was so out of line. There was more to it, he knew, but Aeris kept insisting, and so he stopped pushing at her.

Appreciative, she touched her hand to his shoulder for a second. "Don't worry. You know, now that I think about it, I was silly to think we'd fall out when we already have a few things in common. And who knows what we'll learn in the future, or what might happen to us? I bet we'll grow even closer."

"Yeah, you two are always conspiring against me..."

"Hey! Never without good cause!"

"You suggesting I deserved to be Don Corneo's chippy?"

"If the spiked heel fits…" Aeris sing-songed.

That did it. The whole incident was humiliating to remember, but he couldn't help but crack a smile and laugh with an embarrassing choked splutter, surprised at himself and how easily he could forget himself and his image. Aeris did that so often; always bending his personal rules and trying to provoke a reaction out of him.

"About Tifa…" Aeris began, drifting back into thoughtfulness in a way that compelled Cloud to fall into step with her and lean in a fraction closer, eager to hear her thoughts.

"What exactly?" He asked, quiet now.

She shook her head sadly, a bittersweet smile on her face. "It's funny, Cloud. She reminds me of my mother. My birth-mother, I mean. There's something about Tifa that always makes me think of her."

"I don't get it. What do you mean?"

"I don't really know how to say it," she said, her hand reflexively touching the white materia piece tied in her ribbon. "And I'm not trying to shut you out when I say that... Wow, I really need to work on my filter."

That didn't help his confusion at all. "Filter?"

She giggled lightly. "You know, that filter everyone has. The one that double-checks your thoughts before you turn them into words, and stops you from saying things that just...don't make sense. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I see what you mean" he said, turning his eyes away from her. "But you don't need to do that kind of stuff around me, Aeris."

Her smile was small and appreciative, but it lit up her face. She seemed genuinely touched by what he'd just said, and Cloud couldn't help but wonder how something he hadn't 'filtered' properly himself could mean so much to her. She darted in a little closer to him, and for a second Cloud thought she was about to plant a kiss on his cheek, but at the last minute she realized they weren't alone, and hastily drew back. His skin almost missed the touch that hadn't been.

She settled for putting as much warmth into her next words as possible. "Thanks, Cloud. I really mean it."

The planet had stopped turning a second ago and now that everything was normal again, he had a tough job catching up with everything, and had no idea how he was supposed to respond to that or act around her in general. "Um...so you were saying? About your mother?"

Her expression was sweeter this time, whatever glumness she'd entertained before appearing to have been chased away by something. "My real mom...she knew how to appreciate life and she taught me that too, but she had all these burdens, and I still don't really understand all of them. We traveled a lot back when I was too young to remember anything about where we went to, and now I know we were running from Shinra, but she always made it feel like a fantastic holiday. And we were always together, just the two of us. Mom never shared any of her secrets with me, never told me the things Shinra wanted to know, and it's weird because I think she wanted me to be strong, but she never wanted me to feel her burdens either. And she was so serious sometimes from having to carry so much by herself. She was so strong, but lonely."

Cloud noticed that the concern he was feeling for Aeris must have been visible in his face. He didn't know how to talk about things like this, or the best way to offer some kind of consolation, but she didn't seem to need it. She gave a dismissive wave, and although her expression was sad, it was also accepting. It was strange to think of – she hadn't exactly put the past behind her, but even the bleak memories seemed to give her a reason to smile.

"It's okay, I'm fine," she said, giving him a reassuring smile. "She never told me anything about my dad other than he died just after I was born, but I know she never loved any man more than she loved him. But before anyone saw those hidden sadnesses, they'd see so many positive things on the surface. She was very hard-working and loving, that's the best way of putting it. I still remember her really well, and thinking about her and who she was laways helps show me the way to go. She never sat and expected people to wait on her, and always stretched herself to save other people trouble. I guess that's why I can't help connecting her with Tifa. I mean, they're different in lots of obvious ways too, but I still see the similarities. They're both…sad, in the same way. In that way that makes you stronger and better."

"But Tifa's not sad," Cloud replied, simplicity itself. "Is she?"

Something in her face broke then, for his sake as much as Tifa's. Aeris shook her head slowly, suddenly full of pity. "Oh, Cloud…"

She left his side with a lingering and sorrowful look, but by the time she dropped back into step with the crowd and strode next to Tifa, her expression was animated and encouraging, and soon the two women were chatting as though they'd known each other all their lives. Cloud was left with his thoughts, and Aeris' words about Tifa played over and over in his head, making him consider a couple of things that'd never before crossed his mind.

He turned his face back towards the road ahead, the buildings of Kalm beginning to appear on the horizon, only sparing a glance back at the two women behind him. It was downright perplexing how strange girls could be sometimes, Cloud thought. But at the same time he felt a space between himself and Aeris close a little.

-- FIN --