Stay With Me
a Cloud/Aerith oneshot
Two years.
It had been a long time—he noticed that everything seemed slower and was losing its color ever since she had gone. He had only begun to truly appreciate everything around him then, when he was with her. She had made him feel complete and at home, like it was finally okay to be himself—like it was completely alright to smile again.
And then, she was taken away from him just as quickly as they had met in the little church he had literally landed in. He could still remember the look on her eyes as the blade pierced right through her chest—her heart—and had stolen the life away from her eyes. He hadn't been used to seeing the look in her eyes then.
They were still. Lifeless—empty, as though her soul had been ripped away from her body forcefully.
Cloud could never forget the last emotion that flashed across her beautiful eyes before she fell dead into his arms. They were filled with shock at first, and then they softened visibly to a heartbreaking gaze.
It was as though she had been trying to tell him something then. What was it? Cloud could not guess. But he remembered the look of sorrow on her face. He figured that at that moment, they were mirroring each other—her eyes mirrored his own, and he had never felt so broken in his life. She would never show him who he really was—not anymore.
All that was left of her was his memories of her.
It was unfair. It was unfair to be unable to hold her again or to kiss her or to smell the familiar, flowery scent of her hair. It was unreal—like it was some kind of nightmare that he still had to wake up from.
Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was hers. The way Aerith had always looked at him—that was how he remembered her. She had always looked at him with a knowing smile, as though she was secretly telling him that she knew him better than he did, because she was seeing someone much better than who he was on the exterior. He wasn't cold or uncaring or heartless—no, he was none of that.
He was so much more than just Cloud Strife.
He was in love with her.
And that was all he needed to find the strength to smile back then. Now he was lost again—enveloped in his grief and sorrow.
He bowed his head and closed his eyes, and immediately, met with hers. It was alright, those eyes seemed to tell him, I am always with you. He relaxed a little, and he stayed like that for a while, with his eyes closed.
It was frustrating, sometimes, whenever he closed his eyes. He had wanted to see her smile again, but all he could see were her own eyes piercing into his soul. Sometimes, it was more than enough. Sometimes, it wasn't.
Sometimes, all he wanted to do was to die—if that was what it took to be with her again. But then, he thought with a small, sad smile, Zack would kill me if I showed up there too early. Maybe Aerith would, too, because she wouldn't want me dead, right?
"Right, Aerith?" Cloud muttered to no one in particular, opening his eyes, "You wouldn't want that for me, right?"
The wind caressed his face in response, as though she was there with him. Cloud's lips stretched into a smile.
"You're right," he continued, "Not yet, Aerith. Not yet, right? I still have things to take care of—people to take care of. That's what you would do if you were me, right?
"They still need me. I'll take care of them, I promise. I know you'd want that."
A cooling breeze rushed towards him, and he let out a small laugh. "I guess I'll see you soon," he said, his blue eyes twinkling. "Wait for me."
As he walked off, Cloud swore he heard her laughing in the distance, too. He closed his eyes one last time, and finally saw her again.
It was all he needed to smile again. It was enough for him, as long as she was happy—as long as he could keep the image of her beautiful face in his memories forever.