Unraveling.
Cloud was devastated, when he realized, she was the one breaking apart.
The tinkering sounds of water and rain, the heavy scent of flowers, and the odor of mold forming on the underbelly of pews. These are the moments in time Cloud remembers most while laying in stillness on his bed. Even with the blankets spread over him and his clothes shriveled in the corner, he doesn't sleep. He covers his eyes, and stares into the cove of darkness before him. His mind still buzzes with little fragments that have refused to be plucked out of him.
He sighs and turns to the window, still blinded.
Sleep evades him, slipping easily out of his grasp and elsewhere. Endlessly exhausted by his mind's torture, the SOLDIER gives and lets the past envelope him fully. Just like the night before, and the night before that, he savors the memories that injure him most.
\\m . e . m . o . r . y\\
His muscles were tense, anxious, and excited. His thundering motorcycle rumbled in his chest and started up the nervousness that broke out all over him in a sweat. Cloud was going to see Aeris. Aeris with her warm smile that burned him up into his ribs, where it hit the hottest and almost caused him pain. He planned to finally kiss her, to finally tell Aeris he would watch over her forever until he was old and dry. The thought made his lips curl, with out hesitation, into a smile.
He had forgotten the rain, and boyishly, in that over excited and ruthlessly gleeful manner, dumped his vehicle against the church and stood at the towering doors. They glared down on him with their heavy oaken faces, and yet, allowed him past. Cloud paid no mind to how heavy his clothes felt, or how they sagged awkwardly over his physique—he instead, rushed past and made a B-line for the woman.
But, the ex-SOLDIER halted and felt himself drown in a ocean of discomfort at the scene before him.
The smell of mold, rain, and floral stench unfolded itself under his nose and closed his mouth, muting him effortlessly. His eyes could not peel away from the sight before him that caused his stomach to knot and shame to color his cheeks.
Aerith sat motionless in her ring of flora with her hair clinging to her hidden face. Despite the chilling onslaught of water that slithered down her back, she did not move but, whimpers did bubble out of her lungs. Her knees were naked and drawn up to her chest, red, and bleeding into her delicate ankles. The pink dress she wore was unbuttoned enough for him to see the insides of her legs where he dare not glance. Her weakness and helplessness was bare, raw, and ripe enough for him to see. He wanted to stalk over, shield her from the rain and pull her out of her quiet sobbing, but he was paralyzed.
Until this moment, he didn't realize that the optimistic girl could cry. He had never seen her shed a tear, not even one for the dead people she often helped bury.
Cloud took a step forward and spoke awkwardly. "Aeris, uh – are you…?"
Her eyes peaked over her injured knees. "No-Cloud. Please don't I-I (gasp) can't l-look…"
He ignored her brashly and held her under the cool water's flow. His pathetic attempt to console her, to be her knight in shinning armor. Immediately, she got hysterical and pushed against his chest, thrashed, screamed and begged for him to let go. Cloud held tight, unmoving and stubborn. 'Please aeris, tell me what's wrong. Stop crying, please, I can't bare it. I hate it, so please, stop.'
"AERIS." His words struck her like stone and she went limp in his arms. Cloud was left awkwardly hugging her back from her previous struggles. He held her close and whispered to her. He prayed she would answer him this time. "Please, tell me what's wrong." His too blue eyes stared into her and she broke in front of him, with one big sob and guilty green eyes.
"Oh gods, Cloud—you remind me so much of Zack."
His breath was stolen by her words. The rain ran down his face and the statement still stung the wounds from Zack's demise. Without an apology she turned in his hold. Instead of words, Aeris kissed him.
He felt as if she were kissing Zack though.
\\m . e . m . o . r . y\\
"—Hey Cloud!"
Cloud awoke, by Tifa's gentle hand, and he stared into her brown eyes. Realization burned his soul and unsettled his memories.
"Tifa. I was the one hurting her all along." He choked on his own words and buried his face. 'Please, Aeris, forgive me,'
a/n: 800 words exactly. How nifty. Just a fun piece, always was interested in Zack and Aeris' relatonship. woohoo for late morning drabbles.