Vincent slinked out of his room at about nine o'clock that night, and
into the lobby. He sat himself near the fire, allowing the warm embers to
penetrate his skin, and warm his soul. Closing his eyes, he imagined what
it was like before he'd met with everyone else. Living a life underneath
the Shinra mansion in a coffin..without friends; or the one he'd begun to
care about so very dearly..
Hearing the sound of shuffling feet, Vincent slowly opened his eyes. Yuffie Kisaragi appeared behind him, arms crossed over her chest. "Vincent..what are you doing?" She asked, sitting down next to him. "I've just been thinking about how wonderful it's been to meet everyone. I was a lost cause before any of you appeared into my life.."
Clutching Vincent's hand in her own, Yuffie lightly stroked his cheek. "I know what you mean..I too was alone before any of you showed up in my life. I may not show it, but I'm damn grateful for you all." Letting out a soft sigh, Vincent wrapped his arms around Yuffie's shoulders. She placed her head on his chest in response, closing her eyes in relaxation.
"I've never felt this way about anyone else in my life before, Yuffie.." Vincent whispered, stroking the brunette's hair with his hand, keeping her close by. "Nor have I, dearest..and I can say that I'll never feel this way about anyone else again."
Suddenly becoming alert, Vincent looked over his shoulder. "What was that..?" he asked, sensing a presence behind him. In the shadows, he could see a tall female running up the stairs, tears in her eyes.
--The same night--
Cloud lie on his bed, index fingers on his forehead, deep in thought. Something was wrong with the girl he'd come to know so very well over the years. She didn't have her enthusiasm that he'd admired her back then for. She seemed so distant now. Ever since they'd met..Aeris.
He'd asked Nanaki a few days ago for some advice on how to cheer Tifa up, but the ginger cat couldn't offer him any. Perhaps he'd ask Aeris earlier, when she'd woken up..
"Cloud?" A voice called in through the darkness, seeming to be coming from the bed beside his own. "What's wrong, Aeris?" He asked, suddenly feeling more awake than usual. Aeris flickered on the lamp beside her bed, looking like an adorable child in her little pink nightgown. Was that a teddy bear resting on her bed?
Shaking his head to get the question out of his head, Cloud looked directly at Aeris. "What's up?" Sitting herself down beside Cloud on his bed, Aeris placed her head on his shoulder. Hesitantly, Cloud put his arm around her back-area, confused. "Cloud..I.." she paused, sighing.
"I love you." Cloud allowed the words to slip out, without even realizing it until a minute later. A smile crossed Aeris's mouth. "I love you, too." With that, Aeris climbed under the covers, placing her head on the pillow. Cloud raised an eyebrow, but really couldn't complain about having Aeris in the bed with him. Gently wrapping his arm over Aeris's waist, they both drifted off to sleep.
Hearing the sound of shuffling feet, Vincent slowly opened his eyes. Yuffie Kisaragi appeared behind him, arms crossed over her chest. "Vincent..what are you doing?" She asked, sitting down next to him. "I've just been thinking about how wonderful it's been to meet everyone. I was a lost cause before any of you appeared into my life.."
Clutching Vincent's hand in her own, Yuffie lightly stroked his cheek. "I know what you mean..I too was alone before any of you showed up in my life. I may not show it, but I'm damn grateful for you all." Letting out a soft sigh, Vincent wrapped his arms around Yuffie's shoulders. She placed her head on his chest in response, closing her eyes in relaxation.
"I've never felt this way about anyone else in my life before, Yuffie.." Vincent whispered, stroking the brunette's hair with his hand, keeping her close by. "Nor have I, dearest..and I can say that I'll never feel this way about anyone else again."
Suddenly becoming alert, Vincent looked over his shoulder. "What was that..?" he asked, sensing a presence behind him. In the shadows, he could see a tall female running up the stairs, tears in her eyes.
--The same night--
Cloud lie on his bed, index fingers on his forehead, deep in thought. Something was wrong with the girl he'd come to know so very well over the years. She didn't have her enthusiasm that he'd admired her back then for. She seemed so distant now. Ever since they'd met..Aeris.
He'd asked Nanaki a few days ago for some advice on how to cheer Tifa up, but the ginger cat couldn't offer him any. Perhaps he'd ask Aeris earlier, when she'd woken up..
"Cloud?" A voice called in through the darkness, seeming to be coming from the bed beside his own. "What's wrong, Aeris?" He asked, suddenly feeling more awake than usual. Aeris flickered on the lamp beside her bed, looking like an adorable child in her little pink nightgown. Was that a teddy bear resting on her bed?
Shaking his head to get the question out of his head, Cloud looked directly at Aeris. "What's up?" Sitting herself down beside Cloud on his bed, Aeris placed her head on his shoulder. Hesitantly, Cloud put his arm around her back-area, confused. "Cloud..I.." she paused, sighing.
"I love you." Cloud allowed the words to slip out, without even realizing it until a minute later. A smile crossed Aeris's mouth. "I love you, too." With that, Aeris climbed under the covers, placing her head on the pillow. Cloud raised an eyebrow, but really couldn't complain about having Aeris in the bed with him. Gently wrapping his arm over Aeris's waist, they both drifted off to sleep.