He was Walking Her Home
By: AmayaSaria AN: Clerith-ness, yay!
Bring it on Clo-Ti's!
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Cloud first met Aeris when he fell through her roof, and into her small little chuch.
It was almost like a dream to him, to meet somebody like her.
"Then, get me out of here. Take me home." Aeris requested.
"OK, I'll do it... but it'll cost you." Cloud responded.
"Well then, let's see...How about if I go out with you once?" Aeris offered. That was one of the few times in Cloud's life that somebody actually wanted to be with her.
In the church they were chased out by Reno and the Turks.
This was were they first started their adventure together. Cloud was taking her to Elmyra's house.
It was one of the few times in his Cloud was truely smiling...
...when he was walking her home.
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"You want to go on a date?" Aerith asked nicely.
"What?"
"A DA-TE! Or haven't you ever gone on one?"
They started to walk out of the room, but was stopped by Vincent.
"Cloud, may I speak to you for a moment." Cloud nodded and turned to Aeris.
"I'll be waiting in the lobby." She said turning down the hall.
"Vincent?"
"Cloud, take care of her. Please, enjoy all the time you have with her." Vincent started. "Have her home at a decent time, alright?"
"You sound like her father."
"Well I think I'm old enough to be her father." Vincent said back. "Have fun."
"It's hard not to have fun when Aeris is with you." Cloud responded, turning around. Cloud paused when Vincent grabbed his arm.
"Promise me you'll never leave her side."
"Promise." Cloud said, off to pick up Aeris in the lobby.
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Cloud and Aeris both had fun at the play. But out of all the scenes, Cloud's favorite was when he kissed her hand. He hoped it meant as much to her as it did to him.
"I want to meet you." Aeris spoke up.
"But I'm right here." Cloud responded, slightly confused.
(I know, I know... what I mean is...) "I want to meet... you." She repeated. Cloud slightly nodded his head, trying to comprehend what Aeris had said. But deep in his heart...he understood what Aeris meant that night.
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After the Gondola the whole event with Cait Sith happened. But after that...Cloud and Aeris stood in the lobby.
"I think I'm going to go to bed, Cloud." She said starting to go up the stairs.
"Aeris, wait!"
"Yes?" She said expectantly. Cloud paused for a second.
"I'll...walk you to your room." Aeris smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that." They walked up the stairs, but when they got to the beginning of the corrider, Cloud shyly took hold of Aeris' hand.
He was walking her home,holding her hand. She stopped at the door, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Then Aeris slipped into her room quitely. Cloud stood there for a moment, putting a hand over his cheek, a warm, goofy smile on his face.
Cloud remembered this as the night when he fell in love.
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Aeris' body dropped on the ground, dead.
"Aeris is gone. Aeris will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry... or get angry..." Cloud said, trembling.
"What about us... what are WE supposed to do?"
Cloud held her body close, and slowly started to walk into the water.
He looked at her face, so peaceful, with a small smile on her face.
Even dead, she was still more beautiful to him than anything.
Cloud continued to bring her body into the water.
He was walking her home, to her heaven, to her Promised Land. Aeris' Promised Land without him.
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Cloud and AVALANCHE defeated Sephiroth.
Cloud's feelings for Aeris never changed. She never faded from his heart.
"How are you feeling, Cloud?" Barret asked gentley.
"You know, every breath I take, it really hurts. But everytime that I start to hurt, I think about Aeris. Every moment,everything she's ever said to me, everything. That's when I remember I'm on a journey. Besides defeating Sephiroth, Aeris wants me to complete this journey, she wants me alive until the very end. But I know at the end of this journey, Aeris is going to run out and meet me. I'll sweep her in my arms, and I'll walk her home. Whenever I think of that, I stop hurting, and tears of joy start running down my face." Cloud said, the tears already starting.
Barret nodded, and patted him gentley on the back.
"You'll be okay Cloud. She'll be waitin' for ya."
"And when the time comes, I will walk her home."
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An older man stood up in an old church. He was holding flowers for his beloved. He was able to hold up her favorite flowers, but he could not hold back the tears that were freely flowing from his face. He had come here to say his final farewell to her everyday, but for same reason he always came back. But he knew, this was the final one. The last time he'd be here.
He thought of every moment he ever had with her. The times she had laughed, times when she cried, and times when she loved.
He thought about the live she lived, and thinks about how hard it's been to live without her.
Then Cloud cried aloud, "Oh, I loved her 'till the end. Why did you have to go, Aeris?" He asked, lightly touching the grave he made for her. He started to dry his tears.
"You would've liked your grave Aeris. It's in our favorite spot, in your church. right in the middle is where I made a stone, just for you."
Cloud stood there for a moment longer, placed down his flowers and left the church. He never returned.
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Cloud didn't make it through the night. He died in his sleep, with a smile small on his face.
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Cloud saw the bright light, and shielded his eyes. He looked at his body, noticing he was young agiain.
He look around and saw he was standing on a path. Looking around some more, he saw a sakura tree. He stared.
Under that tree was Aeris, who was smiling and waving at him.
Cloud ran up to the tree.
"Cloud!" She said standing and dusting herself off.
Cloud picked her up bridal style and swung her around in circles.
"Aeris!" He shouted. Evetually he put her down. "I never got to tell you this, but...I love you." Aeris smiled.
"You didn't need to tell me, I already knew. I love you too Cloud." She held her hand out, and he took it. They started to go towards a brighter light, where the Promised Land (Heaven/Lifestream) was.
He was walking her home.
