Drabble #20: Hug
Summary: Sometimes all you need is a hug to make everything better
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Characters and places belong to SquareEnix
All he could do was stare, his brain not able to take in the scene before him. Nibelheim, his hometown, the one that should be ashes, was standing proudly just inches away from the group. He glanced around to be met with accusing stares from everyone as they all thought he had lied about the whole incident. The only people who didn't look as if they wanted to throttle him were Tifa and Aeris. Tifa, he could understand because she had been there too and knew that he wasn't lying. Aeris, he could sort of understand too because it was in her nature to give people a chance to explain their actions before judging them.
"I didn't lie!" he cried in answer to the unspoken question that hung in the air and he could see everyone who didn't believe him, lower their eyes. He clenched his fists and repeated his yell before Aeris put a hand on his shoulder to calm him, giving him that gentle, trusting smile that always sent a warm feeling down his spine.
"It's okay Cloud, nobody is saying that you lied," she insisted, squeezing his shoulder a little. The Ex Soldier took a breath and nodded, muttering an apology to the group.
"So, what are we going to do?" Nanaki asked, looking around the town with a glare. Cloud sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
"I guess we'll have to find out what's wrong," he said with a shrug, frowning a little. "I don't understand!" he muttered, turning to each of his companions as if they held the answers. Aeris was the first to act and gently wrapped her arms around him, pressing her body close to him in a comforting hug that stunned the whole group as well as Cloud. He stood still, arms limp as he stared down at the flower girl who just pulled away with a smile.
"What…?" he began but didn't finish for the Cetra had interrupted him with a friendly shrug.
"I don't know, a hug can make everything better," she smiled. Cloud blinked before he slowly gave his infamous half-smile and a small nod.
"Yeah," he agreed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "It does," he added in a whisper, pulling her closer to him as the group began to head in the direction of the inn.