A/N: Another submission for the CxA forums Challenge. This one is for the theme forever. I hope you'll all enjoy!
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
The Truth about Forever
Chapter 1: Mysterious Girl
A whisper of chestnut silk hair floated on the breeze just outside his line of vision, the sweet scent of delicate spring blooms. He turned his head slightly, just in time to catch a glimpse of a lithe girl gliding around the corner.
Can it be. . . is it really her? His breath caught in his throat as he turned to follow, his sapphire eyes scanning the darkness of the street ahead of him, and he caught sight of her again. Heart pounding, palms slightly sweaty, the youth quickened his pace, soon only a few paces behind her.
It really is her! Cloud realized elatedly. There was no mistaking this woman after all. Her image had been imprinted in his mind since the first time he had seen her at that dance club that Zack had drug him to a few weeks ago. It wasn't the kind of place that he often went to. In fact, he never went at all if he could help it. But Zack had insisted, pointing out that if Cloud never went out, he'd never meet any girls besides the ones at school. Girls, girls and more girls were Zack's favorite subject, and Cloud sometimes wondered how on earth the two of them had become friends.
Regardless of his antisocial behavior, Cloud had at last caved in and allowed Zack to tow him off to the small club. Once there, Zack had tried his hardest to get his friend to interact with many of the beautiful young woman he had hanging around him, but Cloud had not been interested. There was no one special, no one out of the ordinary who made his heart race. And so that's how he ended up on his own in the midst of other teens and young adults, sulking in a corner table. Until she came.
He heard the chair scrape against the floor as it was pulled out, but he didn't look up, still glaring stonily where Zack was flirting with a slender dark haired young woman with a dazzling smile. 'So much for sticking with me,' he thought crabbily.
"So tell me; why is a handsome guy like you all alone?" A musical female voice broke through the haze in his mind, and he looked over reluctantly, preparing to tell the girl flatly and to the point that he wasn't interested. But then his eyes met the laughing bright green eyes of the girl across from him and he was dazzled.
She was flawlessly lovely, as stupid as that might sound. After all, every person has their flaws, right? But not her. Her skin was pale as a porcelain doll's, her silken hair a beautiful cascade of mahogany around her slim delicate frame, full lips smiling sweetly at him. Cloud could only gape at her, his mouth hanging open, a red stain spreading across his cheeks.
A giggle as melodic as her speaking voice escaped her, a slender hand creeping up to cover her mouth. "Ah, what's the matter? A guy like you should be used to talking to girls."
"Er, not really," he managed to spit out at last, feeling like the world's biggest moron. "I'm not good with people."
She tipped her head to the side, still beaming. "Not everyone is," was her cheerful response. She regarded him thoughtfully, her chin resting in the palm of her slender hand. "You know, a good way to get over that is to dance!"
His face went from crimson to white in the space of a few seconds. "D-dance? I don't dance," he answered quickly. "No way!"
A pout formed on her lips. "Not even for me?"
Sapphire eyes swelled in size and she tittered, suddenly grasping his hands. "Come," she cajoled, pulling him to his feet. "It won't kill you, I promise!"
He was powerless against her, this seemingly fragile girl who only came to a little above his chin. Helplessly, Cloud allowed the bewitching young woman to drag him out onto the dance floor, illuminated by different colored lights and packed with other dancing couples. Feeling panicked, he stared down into her eyes, now so dark the emerald could almost be black.
"I-I don't know how to dance," he confessed, cringing as he waited for the girl's response. "I'm sorry."
This didn't deter her. Still holding his hands, she placed them on his waist before slipping hers around his neck. "That's okay," she told him, her voice almost too low to be heard over the soft romantic music now crooning out of the speakers. "Slow dancing isn't hard. There's nothing to it but moving in time to the music."
His heart rate had skyrocketed and as loud as it was to his ears he was grateful for the background noise that would make it next to impossible for her to hear. "I might step on your feet," he warned feebly, trying to keep his hands from trembling around her waist.
"I wouldn't worry about that."
And in seconds, Cloud wasn't thinking about it at all. The only thing he could concentrate on was the girl in his arms, her soft body pressed lightly against his, the sweet, floral scent of her hair. It was impossible to think of anything else. The center of the universe had waltzed right into his arms, and he couldn't bear to think of her leaving him.
A shudder went through his body at the feel of her light, curiously cool breath against his neck. "So, did you come here alone?"
Dimly he struggled through his dazed mind, trying to focus on what she was saying. "No, actually. I came with a friend."
"Hmm," she hummed, and he could swear her nose skimmed against the skin of his throat. "So you come with him and he abandons you? Some friend he is."
Chuckling faintly, he swallowed, feeling slightly dizzy. "Well, yeah, I guess you've got a point. But that's just the way that Zack is. . ."
Suddenly his arms were empty, her dark eyes staring up at him. "Zack?" she repeated, sounding angry. "He brought you and left you here alone?"
"Yes." Cloud shook himself, blinking as he tried to clear his vision. He felt like he had the time he'd drank his first alcoholic beverage- intoxicated. "Is there something wrong with that?"
In an instant, his hand was incased in her surprisingly firm grip as she dragged him across the room, shoving through the crowds with ease until she reached the spiky black haired man who was still engaged with the same dark haired girl. Cloud followed willingly, the room spinning around him in a haze, faintly aware of the conversation being had.
"Hey, hey, hey! Long time no see beautiful-"
"Don't you give me that!" Her voice was still as angelic, even in temper. "Have you lost your mind? You bring him here, and leave him? How could you? Especially in a place like this!"
Zack responded, sounding decidedly uncomfortable. "Aw, jeez, I didn't mean to leave him for so long. I was talking to Tifa and lost track of time."
"That carelessness could have cost you your best friend's life!" she hissed. "Be glad it was me who ran into him, and not someone else. Now, get him out of here and take him home where he belongs! This is no place for someone like him."
The last thing he was aware of was a gentle touch on his cheek, and then slipping away into blissful nothingness.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, Cloud quickened his pace. He was never quite sure what exactly had occurred that night, and Zack was deeply reluctant to talk about it. He hadn't even been able to get the girl's name from him. But he'd change that now.
Boldness, flooding him he was careful to keep far enough behind that he would not be noticed by the lovely young woman he followed. All he needed was for her to slip into a shop or restaurant, and then chance bumping into her and asking if she remembered him . . . then maybe he would be able at last to put a name to her radiant face.
He paused behind a store sign, watching as she spoke to a tall, gangly, sandy haired boy. A scowl creased his face, but his flower spoke casually, as if to a friend, though it was clear the male was just as caught in her spell as he had been. Then, with a slight beckoning of her fingers, the woman set off, the young man right on her heels as she turned down an alley in the fading daylight.
A haze of jealousy obscured his senses and he struggled with himself momentarily before slipping out of his hiding spot to follow. Thunder rumbled overhead, indicating that the storm promised by the weather forecasters had arrived at long last, but he paid little attention, his feet slapping against the pavement as he broke into a run.
The narrow alley allowed no glimmer of the last rays of the sun to reach into its depths as Cloud inched quietly through. They were not around the first bend, nor the second, but as he edged around the third corner, he spotted them. His body froze somewhere between horror and disbelief at the scene before his eyes.
At first glance it would seem the couple was making out. The sandy haired boy had his arms around the brunette's waist, his head back, her mouth at his throat. But there was something eerily wrong about it; there was nothing sweet or romantic in the embrace. Rather, it was as if the young man was not even conscious, his arms around her only for support, a bemused expression on his features. As for the beautiful creature of his dreams, her lips were sealed over his neck, but not in a kiss. No, she wasn't kissing the hapless boy, she was feeding off of him. Drinking his blood.
She pulled back after what seemed like eternity, hands gently supporting the boy. His eyes had fluttered open, dazed and confused as he blinked down at her.
"W-what happened?" he asked blankly.
"You fainted," she answered easily, her voice concerned and friendly. "I've never seen a boy faint before! You must be feeling poorly. Perhaps you should go home and sleep."
"Y-yes," he murmured faintly. "That sounds like a good idea."
The young woman turned, helping guide the young man, and her eyes locked with Cloud's. For a moment he could only stare at her, agape, watching as the green orbs widened, flooding with a mixture of emotions including fear, anxiety, and something else he could not put a name to. She hesitated momentarily, then took a step toward him.
He ran. At the time he could not figure out exactly why he did so, but later he thought perhaps it was simply the shock, or maybe the fact that he had uncovered a secret that was not supposed to be known by humans and must undoubtedly be silenced, whether against her will or not.
So Cloud fled, to spare her that as well as to save his own life. He wound his way back out to the main street, now thrown into darkness from a combination of the set sun and the storm clouds overhead. They poured out their rain on the blond, soaking him almost instantaneously and sending the few people outside dashing for cover at once. But he pressed on, hurrying over the rain-slicked sidewalk as he headed for home.
"You, boy, come here."
His racing steps slowed slightly, glancing over at the group of grungy looking men leaning against a brick wall, staring at him. A shiver of unease crept through him and he turned to leave, only to find his way blocked by three more men. Uneasily, Cloud took a step back, his hands slowly tightening into fists.
"Give us your wallet, and you might be spared some pain," one of the ones behind him sneered, and he felt his stomach drop.
He wasn't a weakling. Far from it actually, he had his share of fights, particularly in elementary where he had been picked on repeatedly until in a fit of rage he had unleashed his temper on the culprit. He was never picked on since, though it wasn't the only fight he would get into. But this. . . he was hopelessly out numbered.
Yet his lean frame tensed, preparing anyway. He would not go down without a fight. But they weren't going to give him a chance to defend himself. From behind, his arms were grabbed in an iron hold by two of them while the others converged around to each get their own hit in. Cloud bit down on his lip hard, trying to distance himself from the pain, but it was growing harder and harder to do so.
He was released abruptly and he fell face first to the ground, landing in a puddle. Body screaming in protest he struggled to drag himself upright, wincing in agony. A foot caught him in the ribs and he slid back down on the pavement, a soft grunt of pain escaping the blond's lips.
"Leave him alone."
The angelic voice was a sound that did not belong in such a setting, and at first he could not believe he had heard it. Lifting his head slightly, he saw her. Her head was held high, chestnut hair dripping wet, emerald eyes narrowed into slits. Surprisingly, most of the thugs backed off, eyeing her cautiously. They might not know why, but they could sense that this girl wasn't to be trifled with. But not all of them were as smart as the others. One approached her, raising a hand to perhaps slap her. Yet whatever his intent, he never got to carry out.
In a move straight out of a sci fi movie, she grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder with ease, as if he weighed no more than an empty cardboard box. The man hit a wall and slid down it in a crumpled heap. She didn't look back at him, her eyes moving to the others. They hastily scattered, a few stopping to gather their comrade up before leaving Cloud alone in the rain with her. The young woman stared after them for a long moment before shaking her head with a soft sigh, stepping over to him.
He watched her cautiously as she held out a delicate, deceptively frail hand to him. Slowly, his fingers curled around her palm, allowing her to drag him up to his feet. He swayed slightly, but she held him up, bright eyes scanning his face.
"Let me take you home."
A silent nod was his only response, his sapphire eyes still filled with awe as he gazed at her. Her gentle arm slid around his waist, helping to support him as he cautiously took a few steps forward. She stayed right beside him the entire journey, leading and guiding him though how she knew where his house was, he didn't know. He wasn't sure he wanted to. Soon they were standing on the stoop of the small blue house in the quiet suburb disturbed only by the falling rain.
"Well, I'll leave you here then," she intoned softly, shaking her wet hair back from her face. "Try not to get into any more trouble."
Sharp and lethal, a pang lanced through him at the threat of her departure. "Do you have to go?"
She pivoted, her expression truly one of surprise. "You wish me to stay?"
He scratched his head awkwardly, dropping his gaze. "Yeah," he murmured. "You don't have to worry. We'd be the only ones here."
"I would think that would be reason for you to worry."
His head snapped up. "I'm not afraid of you." An eyebrow rose slightly, and he shook his head quickly. "Honestly. I'm not afraid of you."
For a long moment her depthless green eyes held him fast. Then she sighed. "I suppose I should. I owe you an explanation, I fear."
He held the door open, ushering her inside his dark home, flicking on lights as he went. "Make yourself at home," he told her. "I'm going to get out of these wet things."
She nodded, her eyes following him as he hurried up the stairs to his room. Once there, he stripped out of his sopping clothing as quickly as possible, ripping open his closet, searching desperately for something halfway decent to wear. At last he yanked on a midnight blue sweater and tugged on a pair of black sweat pants before dashing back down the stairs. She hadn't moved, standing in the hallway with her hands clasped behind her back as she studied the photos of him on the wall.
"You look the same," she told him, not even turning as he came up behind her.
Cloud wrinkled his nose, grimacing. "I certainly hope not. I'd like to think I look better than that," he sighed, indicating an image of him at age 7 with a huge gapped toothed grin and freckles.
"I think you look cute," was her answer, though she was smiling.
He shrugged, still watching her. "I'm going to make me some hot chocolate. D'you want something to eat or drink?" She looked at him, once more raising her eyebrow, and he flushed. "Just being polite," he mumbled, embarrassed.
She patted his cheek cheerfully, laughing softly. "Don't worry about me," she assured him. "I'm perfectly fine for the moment. Go, make your hot chocolate. I'll wait for you."
That only made him more flustered and he rushed into the kitchen. At high speed he heated water in a mug and emptied a packet of coco mix into it, stirring it furiously into froth. Finally, he topped it off with a swirl of whip cream from a can and turned, only to find her sitting at the kitchen table, watching him with obvious amusement.
"I'm not going anywhere," she assured him as he joined her. "Not unless you want me to."
"No," he said forcefully, staring down into his mug. "I don't want you to leave."
"Well then, I won't." He looked up, relief flooding him, and she offered him a half smile. "Though I can't imagine why you would want me to stay."
His hands tightened around the mug, sipping at the warm liquid. "I can't explain it," he answered. "But ever since I met you in that club, I've wanted to find you again. And Zack, he wouldn't help."
She blinked, sympathy flooding her gaze. "He didn't explain? He didn't tell you anything?"
Cloud shook his head mutely. "Not even your name."
"I'm sorry, for that." She sighed, glancing away. "He was afraid to explain, I suppose. Its not often our kind makes friends with humans, and he fears loosing that bond with you." There was silence for a moment, then she looked into his eyes. "Aerith."
"What?"
"Aerith," she repeated patiently. "My name. You wanted to know it."
"Aerith. . ." He repeated her name, savoring the way it felt to say it, ecstatic at last to be able to put a name to her beautiful face. "Mine is Cloud."
A smile curled her lips. "I know."
"What else do you know about me?"
She shrugged lightly, resting her chin in her palm. "Oh, this and that. I know you can't stand having to eat cold cereal for breakfast because it gets soggy too fast. You like to come to school just before it starts so you don't have to talk to anyone you don't want to. In P.E. you're one of the fastest runners, but you refuse to join the track team because you hate organized sports. I know you stay up late at night, playing your guitar so no one will hear you."
"Have you been stalking me?" Though he knew he should have been fearful or even disgusted, he couldn't help being flattered.
"Maybe." Aerith was smiling. "There's not much to do when you don't really need to sleep."
"It's not fair," he shot at her. "You know so much about me already, but I hardly know anything about you except that you're-"
"A vampire?" she finished quietly. "It's okay to say it. It is what I am, after all, a bloodsucking monster. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to see me or speak to me again."
"Then I would have to include Zack in that too, wouldn't I?" he shot at her, seeing the surprised look in her eyes. "He's one too, isn't he?"
She frowned slightly. "He won't be happy with me for giving our secret away," she muttered, and he took that as a yes. "It isn't the way I would have chosen for you to find out. For you to catch me in the very act of feeding . . ."
"You didn't kill him. That boy in the alley. . ." Cloud trailed off, and pressed cautiously forward. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but why didn't you?"
"I don't want to be a monster," Aerith answered simply. "Most of our kind doesn't have qualms about killing humans when it comes to feeding or simply because they are in the way. Some of us feel differently though. Those of us who didn't choose this life and morn the loss of our humanity tend to be a bit more compassionate. It isn't necessary for vampires to kill in order to feed. I choose not to. It makes things more complicated . . . but I don't want to be a nightmare."
Cloud held her emerald gaze for what seemed like eternity before finding his voice again. "You couldn't be farther from it."
Her face lit up, a bright smile crossing her face, making her even more radiantly lovely than before. "Thank you." Aerith shook her head, slightly, chuckling. "Zack was right. You are odd for a human."
"What do you mean by that?" he demanded, not sure whether to be offended or flattered by this comment.
"Most humans have a natural aversion to vampires," she explained patiently, watching as he sipped at the liquid in his mug. "Sort of a defense mechanism I suppose you could call it. It's self preservation, a natural reaction of prey to the presence of a predator. Normal people will go out of their way to avoid us, though they don't consciously do so, you see?"
The spiky blond nodded and she continued on. "In order to keep them calm, we usually have to catch hold of their mind. Doing so keeps them blissfully unaware and un-panicked. Well, you don't seem to posses that aversion. Zack said from the very first time he met you he never had to use that on you. At the nightclub, you were in the midst of at least thirty, if not more of us, and you were unaffected at all."
Cloud nearly spit his hot chocolate over the table. "T-thirty?" he stammered. "That many?"
"Mmhmm," she hummed. "I thought you would have figured that out by now. That's a popular place for vampires to look for someone to feed on. Why else do you think I was so angry with Zack for leaving you alone there? If anyone else besides me had decided to approach you, you might not be here right now."
A chill wound its way down Cloud's spine. "Then I guess it's lucky we met."
"It would seem so."