Stormy Night

by Apocalyptic-Fairytale

Written for Clerith Week, day 4 (free choice). A rewrite of what happens between Temple of the Ancients and Gongaga. Rated M for angst, cursing, and love scene.

The last thing he could remember was staring into her glistening, green eyes. What had he done? How could he have done that to her. He was supposed to be her bodyguard and in the end... it was his hands that hurt her. It wasn't me... it couldn't have been. He would never hurt her. He swore to protect her and yet... he did. How could he have done something so horrible to someone he loved so dearly? The images of her lying limp on the floor beneath him, covered in bruises, flashed through his mind over and over again, tormenting him. He just wanted it to stop.

Cloud jolted awake and winced at the throbbing on the back of his head... a reminder of what he had done to her. When he had lost control so badly, Vincent had to knock him out. He should have killed me, Cloud thought. I would have.

He threw his legs over the side of the cot and shamefully buried his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes awake as a last attempt to fight off the haunting images plaguing his mind. He could still hear the sound of her voice as he hit her and it filled his head like poison. She didn't cry or scream for help... she didn't beg him to stop. She never even tried to hit me... Instead of worrying about herself... it was him she was trying to protect.

Over and over, that's all she kept saying. It wasn't his fault, he didn't do anything... But it is my fault... all of it.

It was because of him that Sephiroth now had the Black Materia. Everything was crumbling around him and he had no one to blame but himself. Cloud shook his head. No... That wasn't me. It wasn't. Cloud clenched his fists as they lay over his eyes and gritted his teeth. The anger was building in him like a wild fire.

Cloud felt his vision starting to blur as a burning sensation began to tinge his eyes. A single droplet fell to the floor and Cloud could do nothing but stare at the wet mark on the floor and contemplate all that he had done. After everything he did, he thought he could cry? You don't have the fucking right, he told himself. He was damned if he was going to guilt the others into forgiving him for what he did... especially Aerith. No matter how much it hurt... he couldn't do that to her. He was the one that did something wrong and she was the one that got hurt. If anyone had a right to cry, it was her.

But she didn't.

At least not in the way he expected her to. When he finally regained consciousness to what he was doing, it lasted only a second before Vincent kncked him out. But the first thing he saw were her eyes. Glistening with pain, tears on the verge of falling. That sight would scar Cloud's mind forever. But, what surprised Cloud was that... in that moment, the look in her eyes didn't make Cloud feel like she was crying from her own pain or blaming him for what he had done but rather, she was crying for him. But was that all in his head? As if, maybe if he convinced himself that she didn't blame him for what he did, he could live easier with it.

Cloud wanted to ask her for forgiveness but the thought of facing Aerith after what had happened made his heart drop. He felt such shame... such disgust in what he had become. How could he look at her again after what he's done? I don't deserve to. He wasn't sure he could even trust himself around her anymore. What if he lost control again? What if the next time nobody's there to stop him? I could have... Cloud quickly stopped himself... The thought alone too much for him to bear. He tried to push that grisly thought from his mind, choosing to believe that he would stop himself before he ever lost control again. But... the fear lingered in his mind, shackling him to that horrible what-if. The fact is, he could lose control of himself and kill her at any moment... As morbid as that was to admit, for her safety, Cloud had to be honest with himself. He was a danger to not just the whole group, but to her. How could he claim to love her if he didn't recognize the danger he put her in every moment he was with her? For the safety of their mission and most importantly, for the safety of Aerith, Cloud came to a decision. I need to leave... I have to.

It's all for you, Aerith.

Suddenly Cloud was jolted from his thoughts as lightning came crackling across the sky, followed by a few seconds of thunder. For a moment, a pale purple light lit up the room and Cloud finally realized where he was.

The cargo ship?

He knew he must have been out for a while, but... for that long? Again, another clap of thunder erupted in the air and Cloud heard the sound of rain as the wind picked up. The ship slightly began to rock. Perfect. As if Cloud's night couldn't get any worse, motion-sickness had to be added to the picture... Cloud brought his head to rest in his hands once more and began his wait for morning. As soon as the ship docks, I'll get outta here.

She'll be safer with me gone. Suddenly, the dark room was lit up in a yellow glow and Cloud raised his head in the direction of the light. His eyes led him to a petite silhouette standing in the only door the room had.

He opened his mouth to speak but the words choked him. His stomach tensed and he felt the sudden urge to look away, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't peel his gaze off of her. The evidence of his earlier attack still covered her gentle face. Her lip was busted, a blackish blood spot had crusted over the wound he had given her beautiful smile. Her left eye was circled in a mixture of purples, greens, and deep maroon and blue shades, peppered with petechia spots. On her cheekbone was a cut, and surrounding that was a large red bruise. As bad as it looked, Cloud knew it could have been worse. Cloud could see that by some sheer struck of luck, he had been stopped before doing anything more to her. If he had hit her for even a few seconds longer, he knew her face would be nearly unrecognizable with the damage he could have caused. He thanked God that he was stopped before then.

Still... Cloud's heart dropped at the sight. His hands did that to her. He felt like he could break down at any moment looking at her in this state. He took one deep breath and straightened his posture as a means to hold himself together while fighting back the tears that were trying to breach his eyes. She just stood there for a moment, silently watching his stiff posture. It was hard to read her face from so far away, especially with the tears blurring his vision. He never blinked as he looked upon her, afraid that if he blinked even once, the tears would fall.

Eventually, she shut the door behind her and tentatively walked towards him. Cloud held his breath with every step she took...and then she stopped, standing right in front of him. Neither spoke, just the sound of thunder and rain could be heard. She was so close, Cloud could see her chest rising and falling from her deepened breaths. Her eyes and his locked with each other and Cloud waited to hear what she would say. Would she slap him? Cry? Ask him why he did something so terrible to her? He didn't want to know. He couldn't handle it. To see her so hurt by something he did, it would tear his heart apart to see that look of distrust in her eyes. Truthfully, if she wanted to bury a knife in his neck for what he did, he would lead the blade to his jugular.

But her face wasn't contorted with anger. Her eyes weren't filled with the fiery rage he expected. Her face was, instead, a kind of sadness he never witnessed on the Cetra's face before. Slowly, she raised her hand to touch the side of his face but Cloud pulled back instinctively, not thinking he deserved to feel her warm touch anymore. As if reading his mind, Aerith again reached out to hold his cheek in her hand and this time, he let her, unable to refuse her a second time. He needed to feel her again. No matter how much he felt like he didn't deserve her, his heart still ached for her in every way. When her hand did finally cup his face, her skin felt like satin: soft and warm. A kind of comfort that he never managed to feel from anyone else.

He opened his mouth to speak but was left wordless. What could he say? Sorry for attacking you? For betraying you? Would an apology even make a difference? But like always, the flower girl had a way of reading him even when he couldn't understand himself, and she spoke to him with only a smile. Her soft, pink lips blossomed into a faint and bittersweet smile, a smile that made Cloud feel like everything was okay again. Cloud was lost in her eyes, starving for the peace that they could fill him with. And she looked at him with neither forgiveness nor blame. It was as if the thought to lay blame on him never even occurred to her.

Cloud couldn't accept that loving gaze and looked away from her, his eyes cast to the floor.

"I'm sorry..." His voice was just a murmur, but Aerith heard just how much pain he was in and spoke instinctively.

"It's not your fault, Cloud..." She cupped his face in both of her hands and brought his face to look at hers. When he opened his eyes, he saw unfallen tears in her evergreen gaze and it only hurt him more. Gently shaking her head she spoke again, this time her voice breaking from the sadness. "None of this is your fault." She tried desperately to get him to believe her but Cloud started to pull his head from her hold, turning his eyes to the floor again. "...I'm sorry, Aerith...I... I don't know what happened... I—" Aerith quickly interrupted him, unable to endure the great pain that was carried on his voice.

"It wasn't... you." She spoke through a taut jaw, her only attempt at not letting herself breakdown into tears from how badly he was suffering. Again, Cloud tried to look away but Aerith's hands kept him still. Green eyes locked with blue as both tried their best to keep the tears at bay. Silence once more. Cracks of lightning, clashes of thunder, and the rocking waves once again were all that could be heard in the small stowage bedroom . Cloud's eyes darted across her bruised features and that horrid memory overwhelmed him all over again. He looked deep into her eyes but no matter how hard he searched them, he couldn't see an ounce of anger or blame.

"Cloud..." she began again, her voice distressed and begging him to listen to her words. "I don't blame you...Not one bit." She paused to take in a deep breath and let her thumbs caress his battle-scarred skin, hoping that he would believe her words and stop being so hard on himself.

Cloud sharply inhaled a breath of relief and leaned into her touch. Hoping to not let her see the tears he was fighting back, he closed his eyes and turned his head so that his mouth could lie against the palm of her hand, and gently kissed her skin. Aerith held his face in her hands, letting him rest his pained soul. And after a few moments, Cloud placed his hand over hers, gripping it ever-so gently as he led it away from his cheek and in front him, his thumb stroking over her delicate knuckles. There was a cut over her knuckles and Cloud felt another stab of remorse pierce his heart. Gently, he let his mouth rest upon her hand again, tenderly kissing her skin as if to apologize once more. Aerith sucked in a breath at the touch of his lips and let a bittersweet smile gently play on her features.

It had been a while since either of them could have a moment of real intimacy. The last time they were really alone was the night at Gold Saucer. Neither would ever forget that beautiful night. They were completely alone, immersed in each other on a beautiful gondola ride. She was more vulnerable that night, a change that Cloud noticed immediately. The things she said made little sense to Cloud at the time... but after what happened at the Temple of the Ancients, he couldn't help but think of her words from their date.

The real him. That's what she wanted. And he tried his best to show her that night. He wasn't sure what gave him the sudden courage to do it, but he finally did what he had been wanting to do for so long. He took her by surprise and gently pulled her into an embrace, their mouths meeting in a pure kiss. Slowly, the love they carried for each other overwhelmed them and the chaste kiss evolved into a passionate flurry of kisses. Their fingers entwined together as they lost themselves in each other. The fireworks, that were acting as their own orchestra, painted over their bodies in a beautiful mosaic of stunning colors.

They wanted that moment to last forever. But the gondola ride came to a stop and interrupted their sweet moment. They walked back together, hand in hand. But their bliss ended prematurely as both ended their night to find out that Cait Sith had betrayed them. And ever since that night, Cloud had been on high alert. He made sure to share a tent with the flower girl every night but did very little sleeping, ensuring that Shinra couldn't kidnap her, too. The days that passed until they made it to the Temple didn't have much conversation between the two lovers and it had bothered Aerith. But she understood why he was so distracted. She just wished they had more time...

But now... being alone like this. It came as such a relief for the both of them. To know there were no prying eyes they had to hide their relationship from. To know Sephiroth couldn't suddenly appear now that he had what he wanted. As stressful as it was, it was a relief for them both. As Aerith often did, she broke the ice, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Finally," she said in a playful exhale; earning Cloud's attention, he turned his head to look at her.

"...alone at last." there was a hint of sadness in her voice as she spoke, but the smile on her face bloomed nonetheless. Aerith studied his face as if to memorize every detail, as if this would be the last time she could. Those steel-blue eyes, with swirls of viridian and specks of hazel, always captivated her. With just a glance he could steal her breath away. And it was no different on this stormy night. She saw him smiling; not with his mouth, but with his eyes. It was faint, but there nonetheless. It was a smile she adored and looked forward to every moment she was with him. It was a smile that most would not even notice. And she liked it that way. It was like a world of their own any time he gave her that look.

He was shy, a trait Aerith adored, but on top of that; he veiled his affections for her in public out of fear of what Sephiroth might do to her. It wasn't ideal for Aerith to hide her and Cloud's relationship, but she understood. And truth be told, as long as he gave her that sweetly hidden smile, she was alright with keeping their relationship a secret from the world.

After gazing at her for a moment, Cloud leaned his head against her, his head resting just under her bosom. He let his hands lay atop her hips, holding her close. He closed his eyes and let a deep breath escape him as he felt Aerith's delicate fingers begin to play with his hair. Her touch always managed to bring him comfort. But feeling that gentle caress at that exact moment, felt different to him. There was more to her touch than there had been other times. He listened to the steady beat of her heart and relaxed into her as he tried to figure it out.

Cloud inhaled the sweet and gentle aroma of flowers that always seemed to be her natural fragrance, and was instantly taken back to that day he met her in the church. He was in that memory for just a brief moment before the feel of her hand gingerly caressing the back of his neck pulled him from his memories. He found himself returning her caresses, his fingers gently moving across the curve of her hips. Neither spoke, their hands did all the talking. She listened to his steady breathing getting deeper, and he listened to her heart as it started to race. Without saying a word, Cloud broke the embrace and Aerith's hands gently slid to his shoulders. With his hands still atop her hips, his gaze darted across her dimly-lit features and Aerith held her breath as she anticipated his next actions.

Her evergreen eyes looked at him with such longing that Cloud felt his breath hitch and his heart skip a beat. After everything that happened, Cloud was amazed that she could still look at him like that. For just a second, he thought back to how badly he had hurt her. Her tear-filled eyes could have been the last image he had of her if he hadn't have been stopped. There was no telling what he could have done to her and he knew that it was a miracle that she was even standing before him now, looking at him with a tenderness he knew he didn't deserve.

She could have died...

That harsh alternate scenario repeated in his mind over and over again. And each time that crushing thought played in his mind, he knew he could no longer suppress his feelings for her. Any moment could be their last, it almost was. Without realizing it, his left hand had started to roam up the side of her body, stopping at the bend of her neck; his thumb caressed the edge of her jaw as he looked deeply into her evergreen pools. Lightning lit up the room for just a moment and Cloud saw that her chest was rising and falling more quickly now.

The look in his eyes were undoing her in every way. He looked at her in a way that he had never looked at her before and Aerith's skin started to melt from the heat of the moment. The pounding of her heart was now drumming in her ears. She swallowed at the intimate placement of his hands. Even though she was twenty-three years old, she had never been touched like this before and would be lying to herself if she didn't acknowledge how alluring it was. All she could think about was where his hands were and the way his eyes seemed to beg her to kiss him. And she wanted to, she wanted to so badly. But for the first time since meeting him, she was completely frozen. She was so used to being the one to initiate nearly everything, but with his hands touching her like this, it was her turn to be the shy one. She couldn't help but feel like this was some sweet form of karma that he was putting her through.

As Cloud looked deeply into her gaze, he looked for any signs of what to do or what not to do. Her dark lashes fanned over her green eyes innocently, and Cloud felt like the whole world had come to a stand-still. As the thunder rumbled outside of their ship, the urge to kiss her rose in him the longer he stared into emerald. He hesitated for a moment, used to always having to watch what he does around her in order to keep their relationship secret. But, there was no one there to see, it was just the two of them in the dark of the storm. Cloud's own heart was now pounding in his ears and he could no longer hear the rain pouring or the waves crashing against the ship. All of those icy walls he had built up over the years, quickly melted under her warm gaze.

He wasn't sure what he was thinking, maybe he wasn't thinking at all, and maybe that's why what he did next came so naturally. Instead of over-thinking every little thing he did, he let his heart free. Free to act how it always wished it could. And truth be told, all his heart wanted... was her. His whole body ached to feel the softness of her mouth against his own. He wanted that more than the air in his lungs. That's all he'll ever want. Just her.

Attentively, Cloud let his hand slide back down her body, his hands moving past her hips until finally stopping at the back of her thighs. Aerith felt her knees go weak from the intensity in his stare and the feel of his hands just inches below her bottom. Was he aware of how intimate this was? She thought her legs really had given out but soon realized that Cloud had simply buckled her legs out from under her, scooping her onto his lap so that her knees were leaning against the bed on either side of him. As soon as she was face-to-face with him, Cloud let his hands explore back up her body, until cupping her face in his hands. He looked at her for just a moment, looking for any sign that she may not be ready for anything more, but found none.

His name escaped her in a breathy murmur, as if granting him permission and Cloud wasted no time in capturing her mouth in a chaste embrace. Their lips locked with such harmony and such gentleness at first, but just as the storm raged on outside, their passion grew more and more heated with each passing moment. Cloud let his hands roam up her back, she wasn't wearing her denim jacket and neither was he wearing his gloves. Her skin felt as soft as flower petals, her body in general felt so delicate in his arms that he made sure to not hug her too tightly out of fear that he might cause her bruised body anymore pain. But for Aerith, she wasn't close enough to her bodyguard. She needed to feel him closer so she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, one hand at the back of his neck to pull him in deeper. She was pressing herself against his broad chest now and could feel the solid muscles beneath his cotton shirt.

The warm touch of his calloused fingers stroking against her shoulder blade and down her spine sent a burst of heat through Aerith's body that she had never felt before. It was a feeling that she couldn't quite compare to anything else. It was similar to what she felt during their first kiss on the gondola... but more intense. It was a little overwhelming and all she could do was melt into the moment and let her bodyguard lead the way down this untraveled road they were about to journey down together. To be honest, she wasn't even sure what to expect, she knew the general concept of intimacy, she wasn't some silly little girl too innocent to know what making love was. But the finer details... The hows and whens... She was completely lost. Lost in his arms, in his passionate kiss, the way he pressed her body so gently yet firmly against him... And she never wanted to be found. She had started her journey with him months ago, and what she experienced and saw was so extraordinary that it seemed unreal to the Cetra. But this, the way he held her so close as if she was his whole world, she knew it was going to be the greatest adventure of her life.

Her breath caught in the back of her throat as she felt Cloud reach for the straps of her dress and attentively slip them past her shoulders. Her stomach felt as hot as a flame as she tilted her head to the side and allowed him to kiss down her neck and all the way to the edge of her shoulder. Her instinctive response surprised the Cetra and having never done anything like this before, she wondered where that kind of reaction had come from. Was it just what happens between two people so enthralled by one another? Or was it because how strong their bond was? Aerith was only able to wonder such a silly topic for a few seconds before she realized that everything was coming so effortlessly from Cloud that she couldn't help but wonder if he had done this before. He was always so boyish and so reserved, she never would have expected him to be so brazen about something so intimate and complex. However much she loved that boyish quality about him, and knowing that he wasn't a ladies man, she was a little thankful that he seemed to know exactly what to do next in this heated moment. She figured it was just one of those things that came naturally to men...

Little did she know, that she was just that great of a muse for the mercenary. It was unexplainable to Cloud and he was even shocked with his forthright demeanor. But he was too lost in her to pay attention to it any longer than a few seconds. The straps of her pink dress now draped over her slender shoulders and Cloud led his mouth back up her neck, capturing her mouth once more to deepen the moment.

He tasted her mouth and savored every moment of it. The flavor of her kiss as sweet as she smelled, and it was the best taste he ever experienced. He wanted to continue to explore her so much more. He flicked her bottom lip with his tongue and was taken aback by the taste of copper that was dried to her lip. Instantly, that guilty feeling returned. But once more, Aerith sensed his pain and responded by parting her lips enough to invite him in. Their tongues twined around each other in almost a danceful kind of way, their mouths opening and closing over one another in gentle yet fervent motions. Despite it being their first time kissing so passionately, the harmony in their movements matched that of lovers that had done this a thousand times before.

He pulled her closer, their hearts beating as one, and a gentle moan escaped her as his arms circled around her small frame. Aerith, again, caught her breath as she realized just where she was sitting. She could feel him underneath her, a different part of him that she hadn't thought of until now. And she was a thankful for the dim lighting in the small stowage room that hid the deep shade of red that painted her gentle features. Was he just as nervous about her sitting on his lap like this? With the way he was playing with her mouth and pulling her closer, tighter, purposely pressing her against him; she had a hard time thinking that he was anywhere close to being as nervous as she was, if at all.

As if confirming her thoughts, Aerith felt Cloud lifting and turning their bodies to the side, flipping positions until her back met the soft fabric of the mattress. Her thick braid coiled under her as he pinned her to the bed. His hands eagerly roaming up her body once more. One hand caressed her neck as he continued to kiss her mouth, while the other found her delicate hand. Their fingers entwined as Cloud led it above her head, pinning it to the bed. The hand on her neck carefully began its descent, his burning desire for her more evident than before as he began to undo the annoyingly small buttons of her pretty pink dress. His hand lingered on that first button and each second that passed was like torture for Cloud. He loved that dress on her, he really did, but right now, all he wanted was to tear it off her petite frame and forget that it ever existed. Cloud would be lying to himself if he denied that the thought of seeing her undressed hadn't have crossed his mind before. It did... a few times before now.

The first, was kind of shameful to admit. They were at Costa Del Sol and she had asked him for his thoughts on her bathing suit. She caught him by surprise, suddenly appearing from the bathroom of their resort bedroom. A little white, sheer skirt covered her hips, and a ruffled, pink bandeau covered her chest, exposing her flat midriff. He never saw her expose so much skin before, and he could tell by the blush on her face that she was no more used to it than he was. Her whole body was a milky white, a beautiful skin-tone he never realized he had a preference for until seeing her like that. He stammered and blushed like a 7th grader, the words coming out as a jumbled mess but eventually managed to tell her that she looked good, or at least, that's what he remembered saying. God knows if those words actually left him. The only thing he was sure about was that smile she gave him in return before leaving their joint room.

Just as his frustration was on the verge of showing, the button came undone and to his relief, the following buttons came off seamlessly. The fabric now had a slit to it, exposing her white bra and the snowy skin of her chest and belly, all the way to the hemline of her panties. Too lost in her kiss, Cloud never spared a glance to the body he had just exposed to himself.

Aerith's body went aflame as his weight pressed against her. The fabric of his shirt grazing against her bare skin reminded her that she was the only one nearly undressed. She had only seen him shirtless just once before and wanted to see him like that again. Thankfully for her, he wasn't wearing the military belts or armor that he usually sported, and she was able to slide her free hand under his shirt. She let her fingers caress the grooves of his lower abs, the muscles were tense from the desire that filled him and she held her breath as she let her hands explore his body. For the first time since this passionate exchange began, Aerith had a sense that Cloud was just as nervous as she was. He inhaled sharply at the feel of her dainty fingers playing against his skin and Aerith felt a glimmer of confidence fill her knowing that just a touch could earn such a response from him. Cloud felt her mouth blossom into a smile as he kissed her and for a few moments, his fiery kisses turned to gentle pecks against her lips and Cloud smiled, too. He felt her hand trying to lift his shirt up and assisted her in the process. He sat back and towered over her as he peeled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor.

Aerith gawked at the sight before her eyes and she felt like all the breath in her body had been stolen from her. She had only seen him shirtless once prior to this very moment, it didn't last long, but her girlish mind would never forget it.

They had trekked through the marshlands for a few days, and when they finally came across a river everyone rushed to clean themselves up. Everyone seemed to find their own spot to bathe privately in, but Aerith was little more sensitive and wanted a spot that she knew could be as private as she wanted. That's when she had seen him. Standing next to the riverbed, he was undoing his navy pants and his shirt was already off. Dirt and sweat coated his muscled torso and arms, and the sun seemed to make his naturally golden skin shine even more. He looked like a Greek-god, she thought. Standing there, his muscles flexing with every slight movement he made. He was only 5'8 but his build was surprisingly stocky and well trained. She'd never seen anything more attractive. She watched him for a few moments, not realizing how long she had been staring, when suddenly, he caught her gaze. Aerith was so flustered that she could barely think straight. All she could remember from that moment was that she admitted that this looked more private than other areas and he let her take it instead of him. To be honest, she never thought she would have another chance to look upon his bare body again. And she was so happy to be so wrong.

Her gaze fell upon the scar on his chest and her hands once again reached out to touch him and Cloud moved forward, closing the gap between their bodies. Once more, he took her mouth in his own, kissing her gently and slowly at first but soon worked into a more heated embrace. Lying under him, all she could do was tremble eagerly under his touch as he let his hands roam freely across her petite body.

Her dress was the first piece of clothing that Cloud had taken off of her, then, it was her bra, which he surprisingly managed to remove with ease. He took a moment to take off his own pants and black boxer-briefs and then gently tugged off her underwear after. In a matter of minutes, the bodyguard and Cetra were naked, their articles of clothing discarded to the floor and forgotten entirely. He gazed at her body for just a few moments, his eyes slowly making their way down her chest, her stomach, and finally at the center of her body. It was a little late to start feeling nervous, but he couldn't get it out of his head that he was really looking at her naked body. Her breast, while often mocked privately by Cid for being "too small", Cloud thought were the perfect size; her hips were wide and womanly, and although she didn't have abs, her stomach was flat. Cloud couldn't help but notice a few small bruises on her body and felt his heart drop, as if sensing his guilt, Aerith murmured his name, winning back his attention. The smile on her lips pulled him back into the beauty of the moment and he pushed the dark thoughts from his mind.

It was the first time he had ever seen a woman in full like this, as embarrassing as that was to admit at the age of twenty-one. Part of him wondered if he was showing that fact on his face, or in the way he carefully went about touching her. He was already usually so boyish around her, he just wanted to show her something new. To show her the confident side that she inspired in him. He silently prayed to whatever God would listen to him, for him to not fuck this up, to not ruin what was supposed to be a special moment, and to not hurt her already bruised body. Before his nerves could work against him anymore, he dived back down and resumed kissing her.

With each kiss and each touch, Aerith let out a sweet little moan, too modest to let her desire be too brazen. And it only enticed Cloud more and more. Cloud worked kisses up and down her neck and shoulder as he slowly moved inside of her. He waited for a moment, giving her body time to adjust to his size. The feeling was indescribable to Cloud. His whole body felt tense from all of that pent up desire he had unknowingly been harboring within him for months. He hesitated to move, afraid of hurting her, but Aerith adjusted under him, wrapping one leg over him as if begging him to continue this intimate dance.

He sat up and leaned on one hand, while the other helped hold her leg in place. His thrusts were slow at first as he gingerly explored her body with his own. And with each passing moment, Aerith felt herself giving into the sensation that flooded her body. Thankfully, the storm outside hadn't let up and covered the sounds of their love-making. But every-so often, as the thunder and lightning would pause momentarily, their rigid breathing and reserved moans of pleasure could be heard echoing through the small, metal stowage room. If anyone were to be by that door, there would be no denying what was happening behind its walls.

They made love all through the storm, and to their relief, nothing and no one had interrupted them. Neither were aware of how late it had gotten by the time their love-making had finished. And neither really cared. They were enjoying this brief moment of complete bliss that they had been blessed with.

When they finished, both were lying on their sides, gazing at each other. Cloud's arm gently laid atop her body, his fingers caressing her shoulder and gently playing with the loose strands of hair that draped over her body. Aerith's hands were tucked between them, gingerly laying against his bare chest. They had gotten dressed for the most part; Cloud had his pants on and Aerith had put her dress back on, as well—not wanting anyone to catch them completely exposed as they slept through the rest of the night. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing. That girlish smile he loved so dearly was shining on him. He couldn't hold back what he was about to say.

He had thought long and hard about the words he was about to say over the period of time he had known her and he was more sure about them now more than ever. He loved her. He loved her more than anything. And he was tired of hiding it, tired of letting his insecurities and fears dictate his life. In one husky breath, Cloud spoke with that country accent Aerith loved so much;

"... I love you."

Aerith's eyes widened at hearing that. His words came out so smoothly despite being so emotionally raw. She had never seen him so easily verbal about his emotions before. The honesty was undeniable and Aerith felt a stab in her heart. Those three words were so simple but so complex. The word happy was an understatement when she thought about him saying those words to her, however... They also saddened her. Cloud's eyes darted across her face, witnessing that smile slowly fade to one that was more bitter than sweet. He searched her eyes trying to figure out what had happened. He wondered, had he done something wrong? Should he not have said that? Was it too soon? Too clingy? As if sensing his nerves coming undone, Aerith blinked away tears and touched her hand against his jawline as if to reassure him.

"I love you, too."

Cloud hadn't noticed that he had been holding his breath the whole time since saying he loved her, but when she finally repeated back those three special words, the air filled him again and a smile spread across his face, his eyes mirroring that handsome show of affection. Aerith quickly closed the gap between them, and buried her face in his chest. Her auburn hair tickled his skin just as her long lashes did. He felt her smiling against his skin, but at the same time, warm tears fell from her evergreen eyes and trickled down his bare chest. He wondered about those tears. But when he called out her name to ask her, all he could hear was the sound of her steady breathing. She was asleep. No doubt exhausted from the night they spent lost in each other. It bothered him not knowing what had made her suddenly so sad, but he decided he would ask her in the morning.

After Cloud had fallen asleep, Aerith woke just before dawn. She quickly got dressed and gave him a tender kiss on his lips. She wished she could stay longer, she wished for more time, to explain to him what she had to do. But there was no more room left for such things. If she was going to stop Sephiroth, she had to act quickly. She was doing this not just for the world, but for him more than anything. He had enough to deal with already and she just wanted him to focus on himself now and let her handle Sephiroth.

She wished she could say a proper goodbye to him, but she knew if she tried to leave while physically in his presence, he would never let her go. Not even if it meant the world's survival. He would insist there was another way and if not that, he'd tempt her to just leave with him and spend the remaining days together instead. And she wasn't sure she'd be able to resist such a temptation as that. It was a hard decision to make, but she made up her mind. As soon as she had a good enough head-start ahead of the group, then she would say her goodbye to her beloved.

She couldn't take the risk of doing anything else.

She silently left in the early hours of the morning and started on her journey to the Forgotten Capital...

The end.

A/N: I wrote this for Clerith week, day 4 ("free choice"). Now let me explain the reworking of this whole scene. The Temple of the Ancients is across a sea but somehow Cloud wakes up in Gongaga and Aerith is already gone, nearly to the Forgotten Capital. This makes absolutely no sense, which I don't fault the devs for since gaming was so limited back then. But this little nonsensical detail has always bothered be and so I was finally inspired to write out an ultimate headcanon of mine. Instead of Cloud and Aerith discussing Cloud losing control on her in the Sleeping Forest, they do it on the Cargo ship...And then they actually make love. Why? Because it was partially inspired by another OTP of mine that I adore and I adore angsty love-scenes. I tried not to go into any explicit details because I'm not really into that, I just wanted to show that they made love in a classy and beautiful way and I really hoped that I accomplished that. I'm a Godly woman, but I see nothing wrong with two people wholeheartedly in love being respectfully intimate with each other.

I also didn't have time to write it out in this one-shot, but what keeps Cloud asleep from the Cargo ship to Gongaga is that Aerith used magic on him, I headcanon that she naturally has all of these kind of magical skills, including the power to make someone fall asleep. And after she departs from the ship, Aerith catches a Chocobo the rest of the way and when she reaches her destination, that's when she enters Cloud's dream to say goodbye, which pretty much goes exactly the same as it did in the game (i.e. Aerith telling him to take care of himself, her goodbye, etc). I wish I could have somehow included all of that in this, but I think 7K words is enough, especially for my writing.