I don't own Final Fantasy VII.
Summary: "He looked from Aerith to the starry sky. 'It's nicer here than in Nibelheim.' Zack said, sitting down next to Aerith." Zack X Aerith, fluff.
Zack walked down the street, looking around for Aerith. She'd said she'd be on Main Street. Zack had a package of flower seeds from Wutai for her, and a necklace, although she'd probably like the seeds more.
"Zack!" he looked to the source of Aerith's voice and saw her jumping up and down and waving. Zack smiled wide and weaved through his way through the crowd at a run, and picked Aerith up in a hug, spinning her. People glanced at them, some smiling, some frowning, but they ignored the stares. Zack set her down and leaned in, kissing her on the cheek.
"I got something for you." He said, reaching into his pocket, and handed the paper packet of seeds. Aerith looked at the seeds and back up to Zack, smiling even wider, and wrapped her arms around Zack's neck. Aerith glanced at her flower stand and slipped past Zack, stepping beside the blonde-haired man in a white suit that was examining the flowers, one hand in his pocket.
"Would you like to buy a flower? Only five gil." Aerith said. The blonde man turned, his long light grey coat swirling around him. He looked rather slick in his pale business suit.
"No, just admiring your flowers." He looked back to the flowers and examined them closely, hints of a smile on his lips. "These are naturally grown, aren't they?"
"Yes." Aerith said, smiling proudly.
"You must have a great talent." The blonde said, then continued down the street, stuffing his other hand into his pocket. Aerith turned. "Oh!" Aerith turned and caught the 20 gil coin from the blonde. "In admiration for your talents." He turned and continued down the street.
'Must be a higher-up in Shinra,' Zack thought, 'throwing around money like that.' Aerith pocketed the gil and returned to Zack.
"How long will you be in Midgar?" she asked.
"A few days." Zack answered. Aerith smiled again and jumped into Zack's arms, surprising Zack, and drawing a laugh from Aerith.
# # #
Zack set the Buster Sword next to the small bed in Aerith's room, and walked over to Aerith, who was sitting on the window sill, starting at the stars through a hole in the plate. The night was really clear, the stars and moon casting a blue glow.
"It's really nice tonight." Aerith said. Zack leaned his elbow against the sill. He looked from Aerith to the starry sky.
"It's nicer here than in Nibelheim." He sat down with his back against the sill and invited Aerith into his arms. She scooted over to him and laid her head on his chest.
"They're really quiet tonight." Aerith said, smiling. "Maybe they like the peace."
"Who?" Zack asked, brow furrowed in confusion.
Aerith looked around. "Uh…the crickets! Yeah, the crickets are really quiet tonight." Zack looked around, suspicious.
"Huh. Must've not noticed them on my last few trips."
"Uh, yeah. Oh, yeah, they get really quiet sometimes. Othertimes, they're really obnoxious, like on new moons, and they get into the flowers and everything, and you know I hate bug spray on my flowers, so…yeah." (Nice save, Aerith, nice save. "Thanks, mister author!" shut up! You're ruining the magic! "Oh! SORRY!" Shut UP!)
"Hmm…" Zack shrugged and cuddled close to Aerith, who blew out a breath of relief.
"Aerith! Bed time!" Aerith's mother said.
"Okay, mama!" Aerith called back, then got up and went into the bathroom, quickly changing into her nightgown. (Not that there was much difference, she's in her CC dress in this story.) When she emerged Zack had pulled off his SOLDIER harness and combat boots, revealing white socks. Aerith stared at the socks, then giggled.
"What?! Those boots are hot!" Zack said, sitting down on the bed. Aerith walked to the opposite corner and ran, and jumped into her bed. Zack heard a thud, and he turned.
"Ow!" Aerith said, holding the top of her head, "I hit my head on the wall!" Zack laughed and laid down pulling Aerith closer. Aerith rubbed the spot and removed her hair ribbon, setting it on the bedside table. Aerith hugged Zack close, smiling.
# # #
3 days later…
Zack headed downstairs and opened the door. Sephiroth was standing there with a pair of Shinra Soldiers, one of them a medic, waiting for him. Sephiroth eyed Zack.
"It's time to go." He said. Zack nodded and went upstairs, setting the Buster Sword on his back, then headed back downstairs, where Aerith was handing the medic a flower. Sephiroth saw the exchange and approached Aerith, then looked down his nose at the flowers she had.
Aerith offered a flower to Sephiroth. Sephiroth accepted it and examined it, his face blank. "Hmm." He said, then dropped the flower to the ground and started walking away. Aerith looked at Sephiroth's retreating back with mixed curiosity and sadness. Zack watched Sephiroth go, then placed a hand on Aerith's shoulder. The medic bent over and picked up the flower and offered it back to Aerith. Aerith looked down to the offered flower and smiled at the medic.
"No, you can keep it." The medic smiled and started after the other soldier. Aerith turned and hugged Zack, and kissed him on the lips.
"Be careful, Zack, okay?" Zack smiled.
"I'll be back in a week." He said. "I promise."
He started after Sephiroth and the other soldiers, catching up to the medic.
"Heya. What's your name?" the medic pulled off his helmet, revealing blonde spikes.
"Cloud. Cloud Strife. SOLDIER aspirant. Sir." Zack smiled and stopped, and so did Cloud.
"You wanna be in SOLDIER? Hang in there." He said, then started off again.
TO BE CONTINUED IN FINAL FANTASY VII…# # #
So, what do you think?
Aerith: I loved it!
Sephiroth: (sullen silence.)
Aerith: didn't you like it?
Sephiroth: Well, it makes me seem like a complete villian.
Zack and Cloud: You ARE a complete villian!
Sephiroth: (upset) Shut up! I'm just misunderstood. (sniffles.) And what the hell am I doing sniffling?!
Zack: (nervous) …well, I guess you're misunderstood, too. And I, uh, have no idea why you're sniffling. I mean, Villains aren't supposed to sniffle. Unless they're the Kadaj-type villains.
Cloud: Kadaj-type villains?
Zack: yeah, the type of villains who cry and moan over a freakin' head then shove it into their stomach.
Kadaj: HEY! That was for science!
Cloud: Bullshit! You did it because I knocked you're fancy-schmancy double sword out of your hand. You can buy the same thing out of cheap sword catalogs!
Kadaj: Um, hello? Remnant? Leather jumpsuit? I don't have any pockets for change!
Zack: and not much masculinity either. Although you're not nearly as bad as Yazoo, though he maintains some form of badass.
Sephiroth: hey, I couldn't control what each one got. Well, except for my tendency to cry, which I gave to Loz just for comedic effect. And are you implying I'm girly?
Zack: no, Kadaj is girly. And do you know what comedic effect means?
Aerith: yeah! You can cut a building in half!
Sephiroth: (smiling) three buildings! And yes, Comedic effect is the end result of something purposely funny by the author. Not this author, just every other author.
Zack: Okay, just checking, since you never really laugh.
Sephiroth: what about in Crisis Core?!
Zack: dude, that's a game for the PSP, it's not even official.
Sephiroth: Oh, so you didn't kick Genesis's ass in a moment of uber badass-ism?
Zack: …you son of a bi-
Author: when did this become a Final Fantasy Hell?
Zack: when you became a depressed romantic that relieves stress through humor.
Author: Hey! Robin Williams is a depressed romantic that relieves stress through humor!
(Long silence)
Cloud: Yet, he is such a great comedian.
Author: why, thank you.
Cloud: No, Robin Williams.
Author: SON OF A—
Sephiroth: Thank you for reading.
Author: Stop stealing my job!
Sephiroth: Oh, go to hell.
Author: Oh, just like you're badass ratings when Yazoo did the motorcycle flip trick?! Oh, burn! You just got burned! Burn, dude, bur-(screams of pain and general sounds of gory stabbing by certain 9-foot sword and 6-foot sword-wielding psycho.)