.s.i.m.p.l.i.c.i.t.y.

Cloud looked outside the window from where he was seated and noticed that it was actually snowing. It was surprising to him since it had just rained a few days back. The weather was changing drastically, maybe because of the meteor being so close to the planet. As he continued to look outside, he remembered that Aeris had gone out not too long ago. He looked over to the racket near the door and noticed that she never bought her jacket with her, so he immediately stood up from his chair and pulled his own jacket on before taking hers and going outside.

As soon as he opened the door he felt the strong, cold, wind blow right into his face. He shut the door behind him and immediately zipped his jacket slightly higher. He looked down the emptying street. Some people were rushing to get home, while others still had errands to run and were holding umbrellas to help them block out most of the wind. The snow drifted and slithered on the ground, causing a rippled pattern to form and then dissipating a few seconds after.

Cloud shivered slightly and thought of where to find the flower girl. He recalled that she was talking about some flowers growing, but he couldn't remember what she was exactly saying. Maybe she went to tend the flowers? After all, she has a habit of doing that wherever we go. But where are the flowers? He took a few steps down the porch and stepped onto the ground. The wind blew even fiercer, making circles of drifting snow on the ground. Suddenly, Cloud remembered that Aeris had showed him a place where there were flowers. It was near an abandoned building.

He started to walk down the street with the wind blowing in his face, making his cheeks a light rose colour. He lifted his free hand and placed it just above his eyes to shield them from the wind. After looking around to check if he was going the right direction, he turned and felt the wind blow at his side. She's going to get cold if I don't hurry. He quickened his paced at that thought.

After a few minutes of walking, he reached the abandoned building. He went around to the back to see if she was there, but he only saw the poor flowers being blown in multiple directions from the merciless wind. Where is she? Cloud looked around in worry. Maybe she left already. As he turned to look for her at somewhere else, he heard a quiet sneeze coming from inside the old building. He went to the back door and gently pushed it open. Immediately wind gushed through the crack, blowing snow inside. Cloud peered in and saw a girl clad in a pink dress and a red jacket. She was sitting on the floor and facing the other way, trying to spark a fire.

"Aeris!"

She looked over and saw Cloud with a worried expression. He quickly closed the door and walked over to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." She stood up from her spot and dusted herself off, then she turned to Cloud again, "Cloud, the flowers…they're going to die!"

He looked at her with a frown on his face. "It can't be helped. We can't move them from the soil now. They might die that way too."

"But…" Her gaze fell to the floor and her voice grew quiet. "I was just thinking of how they're going to grow and bloom nicely."

Cloud stared at her for a moment, not knowing what to say. He actually didn't care much about flowers, but at that moment he felt distressed because Aeris' hopes for the plants were lost. He loved her smile and would do any to make her smile forever. He didn't want her to feel disappointed with herself- she shouldn't be. So he resolved to think of a way to help the plants.

After a few moments of thinking, he placed Aeris' jacket on her shoulders and announced, "I got an idea. It should somewhat help the flowers live." He walked pasted Aeris to look for materials he could use. Curious, she turned around to see what he was going to do. When he found what he wanted, he pulled it out and to the door.

"Wood?" Aeris asked.

"Yeah." Cloud pushed the door open with his back and went outside with the piece of wood he found. Aeris followed him to see what he was up to.

The wind was still blowing very strongly as Cloud went over to the small patch of flowers with the piece of wood. He always kept a sharp pocket knife handy, and so he pulled it out and started to mark the areas where he would cut the wood. After double checking the measurements with the area of the flower patch, he started to cut the wood. The wood wasn't too hard so it was easy to cut, but it was hard enough to stand against the wind for a while. After cutting the wood into three pieces, one longer than the others, he dug one of the shorter pieces into the soil beside the patch of flowers. He proceeded to do the same on the opposite side. The longer piece of wood was not a board, but more of a roof. Fortunately, the wood that Cloud chose was from a chair, so part of the wood was still connected to the other piece where you sat. He looked for some rocks to put them on either side of the smaller boards so they wouldn't be blown away so easily, then placed the last wood above the flowers. After that, he went back inside the building to look for some cloth he could use. He found a curtain and ripped away a piece of it. The material was fairly heavy and could be placed above the mini shelter without being blown away. He went back outside and placed it on, then putting some rocks on the sides of it just in case the wind did become stronger.

He looked at his work and checked to see if it was sturdy. When that was done, he turned to Aeris, who watched him work in silence the whole time. "It should hold out for a while. We could come back to check on them if it gets better tomorrow."

Aeris smiled widely. Cloud quickly added, "If it gets better tomorrow. Besides, we can't go anywhere today, with the weather so bad. But if it doesn't get better, we might be forced to travel in these conditions…" He trailed off when he noticed that Aeris was still staring at him. He blushed despite himself. "Let's go."

As he turned and started to walk back, Aeris grabbed his hand to make him turn around, which he did. "Cloud…" She started.

"…yeah?"

"Thank you for coming and looking for me." Aeris smiled again.

"Uh…no problem." His face turned around and his hand still remained in her grasp.

Aeris started to walk and gently pull him along. "And thanks for coming up with that idea. The flowers might be able to survive without the wind blowing at them."

"Yeah…I thought that it might help."

Aeris turned around to look at him, but his face was looking at the ground. "Come on! Don't want to catch a cold now, do we?" She quickened her pace down the street and back to the inn, all the while holding Cloud's hand.

…..

"Wow…." Aeris looked outside the window. "The floor is covered in white, even if it's not that thick."

The wind had stopped blowing so strongly shortly after the two returned to the inn the day before. It continued to snow though, therefore creating a light blanket on the ground. Even now the snowflakes were drifting lightly onto the pavement.

Cloud walked into the foyer, still a little drowsy from sleep. As soon as Aeris noticed him, she called, "Come on Cloud! Let's go!" She was certainly excited to visit the flowers. She went over to the coat racket and grabbed his jacket from it while she already had hers on. Cloud was still standing where he had stopped to rub his eyes, so Aeris went over to him and gave him his jacket, which he took slowly.

"It's so early…" he mumbled.

Aeris pouted. "But you woke up yourself…"

Cloud glanced at her and felt his lips slightly tug upwards. "Alright, alright." He pulled his jacket on. Aeris smiled at him before proceeding to drag him outside.

When they reached the quiet streets, it was surprisingly not that cold. They walked in silence for a while before Aeris asked, "We'll be leaving here today, right?"

"Yeah, we're getting behind. We stayed here for too long."

"Have you ever thought of what to do after completing our mission?"

Cloud paused for a second before replying, "I never thought that far…but I think I know." He hid his face from her.

"Really? That's good…the others all have things to do I bet…I have a home to go back to, but I wonder how different it'll be if I do." Aeris looked at the ground in thought.

Cloud looked over to her, sensing a hint of sadness in her voice. If? "Wouldn't you be happy to see your mother?"

"Yes, I will. It's just…different. My life seems so plain compared with others, you know? Just selling flowers on the streets of Migar…seems to be a bit boring after this." She looked up at him and smiled, "I still like selling flowers though."

Cloud studied her face, partly knowing she didn't want to bother him with some of her sadness. "Maybe you'll be glad this is over…with Sephiroth gone."

"Well, I guess so." She looked back to where she was walking, as if trying to concentrate on it more.

"You know…I…maybe it's just me but, I think that's just you. That simplicity…" He lowered his voice and his face, "…is what I like."

Aeris' eyes widened and she stopped in her tracks. She then turned her face to look at his, which she couldn't see because he hid it behind his hair. Cloud sensed that she had stopped so he followed suite, but still looking away from her.

Aeris opened her mouth a few times but couldn't find the right words. After what seemed like eternity, she whispered, "Thank you."

Cloud glanced at her with the corner of his eye. "…"

"Come on!" She resumed her usual behaviour and so she grabbed the man's arm to make him walk faster. And with her.

Cloud smiled at her unsuspectingly and didn't protest.

They finally reached the area where the flowers resided. The covers that protected them were lifted and the pair saw that they were fine.

Aeris breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good."

Cloud covered it back up just in case it snowed again. "Well, shall we go?"

Aeris smiled, "Yup." She grabbed his hand this time and started to walk. Cloud blushed at this action and just let her lead him, dumbfounded. She turned to him. "Um…if I ever wanted to go somewhere, I mean, when this is over, will you…take me?"

Cloud looked at her back, "Of course. I planned…." He trailed off, blushing even harder.

"Hmm?"

"I…will take you…of course."

She knew something was unsaid, but she didn't pry. Instead she smiled widely and said, "Okay!"

Cloud smiled at her bright expression, which this time Aeris noticed.

…planned…to stay…with you.

…..

A/N: This started out as a description practice, then it became a drabble, and then it became more serious…lol, one thing can change so much. T.T The setting reflected what was happening where I lived. It was raining a few days back and then there was a snow storm. I started this on January 9th…it took me some time…the snow has been here a while though. xD I'm suppose to be doing exams, well…studying. :P Have a nice read.

Omgosh…I just looked outside and there's like…another major snowfall. oO Kewl!

Edit: Thanks to LastCetra for pointing out some of my mistakes. I was like, 'I can't believe it missed that' haha… (the 'squeeze' part, was suppose to be sneeze xD)