Aerith was a lonely child growing up. When her mother died she was 6 years old. Elmyra promised her she would take Aerith as her own child.
Although Elmyra didn't understand the reason why, she knew from the day she took Aerith to her house she was different from any other child.
Aerith had told her then she was going to miss her mother but she wasn't sad she had died, she had just returned to the planet and the planet was everything so her mother was never really gone.
She entered school a little late when every child already had friends and groups made. They had always seen Aerith as an outsider. More and more since they didn't understand her way of being. Always with dust on her face, her nails full of dark earth, her boots muddy and always with petals of flowers tangled between her hair.
Children can be cruel at these ages and one time they caught her talking to the flowers.
Called her strange.
She always got picked up last, they would often forget to ask her to play with them... so Aerith started as much as she could to hide her true nature, who she really was. No longer she would talk to the flowers near other people, she would always make sure she dusted off the earth from her clothes and hands. She needed to act normal.
But she never, not one time, resented the other children. She would always answer them nicely, kindly, full of joy when they spoke to her.
Never would she let others know how hard she cried in her bedroom at night when the world was quite and her thoughts took the best of her. Not even Elmyra noticed that.
Her only company were the flowers she tended to so devotedly every day. The flowers didn't judge, didn't avoid her, didn't call her weird. They were just there in all their beautiful splendor waiting for her to touch them or water them or talk to them ever so cheerfully.
And then there were the voices of the planet. Sometimes whispers, sometimes cries so painful to hear she had to cover her ears until it hurt.
The suited men were the only ones that knew who she really was. Sometimes a nice one would come along to talk to her and she kind of enjoyed the company. But she knew they weren't her friends nor that she could trust them.
Then many years later a SOLDIER fell down the roof of her church and he taught her there was so much more in the world than Sector 5 where she felt safe. And suddenly she wasn't so lonely anymore. That was her first love. He left a whole in her heart.
She met Cloud a while after. She was so mesmerized by him she would leave everything behind just to follow him to the end of the world.
He was the only one she felt could mend her broken heart, from her first love and also from the world.
He had issues, a painful past, an icy cold attitude when he spoke but he also had the kindest, purest heart she had ever had the pleasure of hearing beat. She could feel these things about people, their energy. And Cloud had flipped and turned all the cells in her body, causing her skin to spark everytime he was near.
Cloud...His eyes feel heavy when he opens them the next morning. Hadn't slept so much in years like he did these past few nights he spent with her, holding her against him. Something about her body next to him fills him with a longing for sleep.
One arm around her, her back against his chest, it feels so warm he buries his face on her flowery scented neck. With half lidded eyes, he decides to just lay there while she sleeps. He thinks he might just stay here forever, watching her sleep peacefully.
But there's an aching desperation in his chest, the constant worry that he could wake up any time and realize she had been just a dream, vanishing the moment he gets back to reality. He had never had an opportunity to relax, to quiet his mind for a really long time. There is always something preventing it.
Restless as always, he can't remember a time when he wasn't.
But she's there another morning. Her soft skin feels real on his, her warm slender body sleeping against his feels real. So why does he constantly feel this won't last?
She moves under his arm, snaps him out of his thoughts. She turns around, her eyes flutter and open delicately. The strands of her hair frame her face, swirling all over the pillow. She smiles as she looks at him. They fit together so perfectly.
"Weirdo." She says in a tease. Her voice is soft even as she wakes. "You were looking at me sleeping?"
"Yes." He admits, and he's not sorry about it. She falls against him and he lets her lay her head on his chest. The scent of earth and flowers intoxicate him. She feels so warm.
"I hate to be the one saying it..." She shifts against him and he knows that soon they will have to go. "Madam M is expecting me, five minutes ago."
"Can't it wait?" He doesn't have the strength to move from the bed yet.
"It really can't I'm afraid." She sighs.
"Aren't you one bit afraid of entering Corneo's place?" Cloud asks, hesitant to let her go get ready knowing it will be so she can go inside a pervert's den.
"I am, I've heard so many terrible stories about Corneo..." She glances at him, weary. "But you'll be right there with me so I know it will be alright."
"I won't let them lay a finger on you that's for sure." He says bluntly.
"Ooh I like this new Cloud. You've come a long way since I met you." She smiles teasingly, she loves the coy look he makes when she plays him.
"But seriously, will you take me to Madam M? Time's running out for us."
They get ready to leave the room. Cloud stands at the door, aware that once they leave, life will resume from where it stood there suspended in time with her.
They walk silently towards Madam M's establishment. When they reach the place, the woman was already at the door, fuming as she waited for them.
"Thought you got cold feet." She glared at Aerith. "Don't you think I have better things to do than play with dolls?"
"Watch it." Cloud steps forward, his body moves close to her, protective of Aerith. "We've earned you a great deal of money."
"Yes, I know. The only reason I'm doing this." She turns her attention at the blond soldier. "Move along you. I'm going to do magic and I require no peeking."
"Will you be alright?" He asks the flower girl, hesitant to leave her side. She nods smiling. "I'll be around."
"Heart warming." Madam M rolls her eyes. "Don't know your motives for this, but you two have got to be insane. Anyway, not my business. Let's move it girl." She opens the door for her and before closing it on Cloud she stops on her feet to look back. "She'll be ready in four hours."
"Four...?" He was about to ask but Madam M shuts the door on his face. "What are they going to do to her?"
Aerith enters a room lit by scented candles and bright bulb lights contouring a mirror. A chest of drawers stands in front of the mirror, with all sorts of make up appliances she has never seen before.
She never had to wear much make up. She was well acquainted with a few lipsticks or glosses but in front of her stood an entire collection of all possible items in every possible color.
Madam M makes her sit in a cushion chair in front of the mirror and circles her around a couple of times, examining her thoroughly. Aerith can't help feeling a little self conscious with the scrutiny.
"Hummm." Madam M hums.
"Something wrong with me?" Aerith asks shyly. The flower girl had never been in the presence of a woman like Madam M. She was frightening but she carried an exotic beauty she felt was very seducing. She had the eyes of a strong woman, but surely a woman who has been through worlds beyond, she found her fascinating in a way, despite her calling her plain before.
She probably was plain. Madam M new better than her what compelled men. Not that she needed to know how to seduce, she lacked the skills or the will to, but it would be nice that sometimes maybe Cloud would see her as more than just plain. Maybe she could try and surprise him in the future, just maybe.
What was she thinking? They almost made love once but didn't. They had a whole other night to it, while sober, but the opportunity hadn't presented itself. Was it because she lacked seduction skills? Thinking about it makes her cheeks hot as she sat there. She could maybe learn something from Madam M.
"Girl, stop frowning like that or your face will be full of wrinkles by the time you turn 25." Madam M stretches her brows with her fingers to make her skin smooth. "What are you thinking about? Your boyfriend gets you that worried?"
"He's not my boyfriend... I don't think he really sees me like that." Aerith replies. "It's complicated. We're complicated."
"Don't worry, when you get out of here, if he doesn't pin you against a wall I'll retire from this job."
"Madam M!!" Aerith exclaims appalled by her forwardness.
"You know why I accepted this?" The woman places her hands on Aerith's shoulders and comes down to her level, taking her chin with her hand. "It was for the money of course, but I wouldn't accept you if I didn't see potencial behind your... simple clothes. If this is for the Don, I know what he likes and you're precisely all of his many tastes in women." Madam M stands upright and starts hovering over the make up sets displayed. "But if I were you, I'd take this opportunity to seduce your man and get the hell out of that place."
"We can't do that, but thank you."
"Suit yourself, let's begin." Madam M slides open the doors to another room behind her, revealing a large bathtub bubbling with white foam. The smell of flowers and oils immediately intoxicate the air all around them.
"First you're taking the beauty bath. You need to smell and taste good." She flaps her hand at Aerith meaning for her to undress.
Overwhelmed by all of that, Aerith takes off her clothes and immerses herself in the hot water of the bath.
"This is a special salts bath. You're bathing in roses, lavender, magnolia, coconut oil, some vanilla salt and a secret ingredient that just leaves men's instincts crazy. You'll smell so nice and your skin will be so smooth no one will be able to resist you. Now just relax, make sure you wash your hair with the water too and I'll come back in a bit."
Aerith was a little apprehensive at first, nervous with all of that pampering she was not used to. But it smelled really nice in there, it was relaxing too. She closes her eyes and leans the back of her head against the bathtub's edge. Couldn't hurt to try to relax after all that fighting the day before.
But all she thinks about is Cloud. So much had been left unsaid between the two. Like that night when they almost... she blushes and blows the foam, sending a few tiny bubbles flying all around her. But she is glad they didn't go any further or it would always linger between them the question of having done it under the influence of the alcohol they had had.
Truth is.. the next night they hadn't drunk anything and yet, all they did was talk. But it was Cloud after all, she expected nothing less from him. Their relationship wasn't only physical.
They were drawn to each other emotionally first. Aerith loved the fact that under that icy attitude of him, stood a kind, beautiful wild heart. She has seen him with the kids from the slums. Although he doesn't know what to do with them, his eyes were so kind when he tried to talk to them. And he was always so protective of her. But what is she thinking? She doesn't even know he wants to be with her.
Madam M returns with a towel robe a while after. She opens it for Aerith, she comes out of the bathtub and wraps the robe around her.
"Now, we will start with your hair." Madam M sits her again on the chair and introduces her to another woman, the hairdresser.
"This one is pretty." The purple haired hairdresser winks at her.
Aerith feels her hair being pulled, straightened, combed, then curled, then straightened again, then blown and finally she sees the woman apply the most beautiful red silk ribbons along her locks of smooth light brown. When the hairdresser is done, she crosses her arms, lifts a couple of fingers to her chin and smiles widely.
"This might just be my best work."
Aerith looks in the mirror amazed by the way her hair falls so beautifully curled along her back. The ribbons were so elegantly braided they looked like they belonged to the hair.
She smiles widely and thanks the hairdresser who leaves them as her work was done.
"Now..." Madam M lifts her face to the light. "You don't need too much make up. Your complexion is quite good."
"At least I have that." Aerith says rolling her eyes. Couldn't be everything bad about her looks.
"It's not that you are ugly, or plain or simple. You are in fact quite pleasant to look at." Madam M starts brushing her cheeks with a soft pink blush. "It's just... your clothes don't match the beauty that you are. But it's ok, when I'm done, the people that once called you plain or simple, including myself I admit, can shove those words up their asses."
Aerith doesn't hold back a laugh. Madam M was eccentric but she was just trying to help her after all.
"Ok." Madam M is done with her face as she finishes with a little gloss on her lips. "Now, it's the grand finale, your dress."
She claps her hands and one of her workers enters the room carrying a dress carefully laid on her stretched arms.
Aerith's eyes widen and she gasps at the most amazing gown she has ever seen.
Cloud leans against the wall outside Madam M's establishment, arms crossed on his chest, foot leaning against the wall. He sighs. How much longer does he have to wait? Why is it taking so long to get her dressed?
As he impatiently waits there, he sees a woman approaching the house.
"Hey." He calls. "You work here?" The woman nods. "Can you deliver a message for me? Tell Aerith, she's with Madam M, to stay put." The woman nods again and goes inside.
"Sorry..." he breathes. "I better do this alone." He can't take any more of standing there thinking about taking Aerith to a place like Don's mansion, a nest of perverts that would probably undress her with their filthy eyes the minute they saw her. He decides to try his luck at it alone.
He tries to convince the three man at the door again but they keep insisting they cannot let him in. Only women are allowed inside. Cloud doesn't have a chance and is forced to leave the mansion again.
Once outside, he's left with no other choice but to think of another plan. He rests his elbows on the rails of the red bridge that leads to the mansion's entrance and sighs.
The sun is already setting above the plate. Trough a whole, he can barely see it tinged with shades of orange, pink and violet that blend in with the city lights already alight.
Maybe he could try to go inside by force. Surely he could take on those three men. But what if many more show up to fight him, it would be a mess but it could be possible.
Suddenly the voices of a small crowd whispering, cheering and clapping as something in between makes its way there, catch his attention.
A girl stands on the other side of the bridge. Hands clasped together in front of her, eyes looking down shyly. Her feet side by side as if she can only take small steps.
He stands upright as he notices there's something about this girl, no, this woman, he recognizes. He takes a few steps towards her, the same as she does and they meet halfway on the bridge.
The lights reflect in her green emerald eyes, they shine as brightly as stars. She's wearing a long red frilled gown with a long gap at the front letting her entire leg show. Her chest is perfectly cupped by its tight corset, bare shoulders and arms show a glowing porcelain skin.
To tell her she looks beautiful isn't going to be enough.
Beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, didn't do her justice. Cloud freezes right there and then. He is left there completely speechless.
Stare at her is all he can do.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting." She says, her eyes keep looking down, hidden by her long lashes.
He wasn't prepared for that. He thought they would dress her up differently but could have not imagined she would meet him looking like an angel. That's what she looks like. A being out of this world which beauty transcends mankind.
That's what he needs to tell her.
"So, what do you think?" She asks, finally lifting her innocent eyes to look straight at him and straight into him. The wind catches her hair. Immediately his legs quiver under him, his heart drums loudly in his chest, begging for mercy. He notices the pink blush on her cheeks. "Not bad for a flower girl from the slums?"
Say something. Anything.His brain is locked, frozen, shutting down. He opens his mouth to speak but sound has left him for good, he's unable. His heart does nothing but hammer uncontrollably inside his chest.
All air has left his lungs. Just like he feels the world is holding its breath for her.
It takes a long moment but he finally gets his composure back and reaches her. He lifts her chin delicately with his fingers. Stares at her red tinged lips, their gazes meet. He leans down on her and softly takes her lips on his. His eyes close and he feels her lashes gently brushing his cheeks.
She had asked him if she was pretty, before. And he had answered a bit like a jerk. He wasn't prepared then. His mind was always so busy, he hadn't really taken the time to really look at her, properly, inside and out.
"Beautiful. Right from the start." He whispers in her ear. But that's not enough for him. How can he explain?
There are no words in the world for what he wants to say to her.