When Aerith wakes up she knows it's her last day. She feels the tingling numbness rushing through her veins and crawling up her skin, the imminent yearning is so strong it tugs at her heart like a calling she can't ignore. As if she doesn't belong where she is but to the place where the pull feels the strongest.
When she sits up on their bed, she alarmingly looks at him laying by her side. Her hands desperately search for his touch as her lungs start pumping the air in fast gushes to match the panic coming from within her heart. With blue eyes already open, realization strikes him cold, he winces with the grief that had settled down inside him since their previous afternoon.
He sits up and immediately pulls her to an embrace. They didn't sleep much through the night, they couldn't, not when their time together was sinking like moving sand, fast and painfully slipping between their fingers.
He kisses her longingly again, slow and passionately, his hands pressing desperately to the hot skin under her shirt. The floral fragrance of her bare skin mixed with the heady smell of sunshine and musk of his rises to their heads and clings to each other's skins.
She shifts over him to sit on his lap and her lips kiss his forehead softly and slowly, then his lips, his neck, his shoulder; she drinks him in, engraving every inch of him into her memory, carving every little detail deep into her heart and soul with unparalleled adoration.
"I'm sorry." She whispers, with her heart aching, her voice breaks and gets lost in the depths of her throat.
"Not your fault." Their lips meet in a lingering kiss as he takes his time to savor the taste of her mouth, basking in her warmth for as long as he can.
"Can we go to the church?" She pleads in a weak voice as they part from the immersion of their kiss.
"Whatever you need." He replies, brushing a lock of hair from her face.
"I need to stop by the bar to see Tifa first. And mom." Aerith says and he only nods, color draining from his cheeks, the more the clock ticks the more his heart crumbles. If he could stop time, if he could stop the world from spinning…
"Will you give me a few minutes with her?" Aerith squeezes his hand as they approach the entrance of the bar.
"Don't take too long." He says in a half-smile as he leans against the rail, arms folding to his chest.
She nods and takes a deep breath before entering the bar. It's early in the morning but Tifa is always the first one up. It takes time to prepare the bar for the noon guests that have been starting to show up more frequently now that life was beginning to settle into a more solid routine.
But Tifa isn't the first person Aerith sees when she enters the quiet darkened space.
A certain red-haired she is too familiar with for her own sake flashes her a grin from behind the counter.
"Hey princess!" He winks, too cheerfully, too content. Aerith lifts one eyebrow questioningly, yet she can't help a small flicker of amusement from taking over her. What could Reno be possibly doing there so early in the morning? The windows were still shut, light hadn't properly even slanted in to illuminate the slumbering room.
"He-hey…?" The Cetra stutters, confusion spreading across her face.
"So… uuuuuh…" Reno scratches the back of his head, almost in embarrassment, which all the more pikes her curiosity. "Need something?"
"I- I could ask you the same." Aerith blinks. Wasn't he supposed to be the odd one out?
"Yeah, I was just leaving. Been, uuuh, been helping Tifa around the bar."
"At seven in the morning?" Aerith asks, her voice raising a pitch. Then she notices something else as her eyes examine him for only a moment. She knows he's a a bit of a slouch, but his white shirt is even messier that morning, hair more ruffled that what it usually is, not to mention, his pants weren't even buttoned on his waist— Oh!
Oh Tifa…
"Is Tifa in?" Aerith can barely contain her giggling as she asks.
"Is the coffee read— Aerith!" A half-naked Tifa comes out from the back room carrying two empty cups she almost drops from her wavering hands as she yelps clumsily in surprise. It could almost look unsuspicious if it wasn't for the fact that she was wearing nothing but one of her white T-shirts and pants… please be wearingpanties Tifa. She pulls the front of her shirt down to cover her thighs, all the while hooking the clanking cups in her index finger.
"I wish I could say I can come back but… unfortunately… that won't be the case, so, if you can spare a minute, I really need to talk to you." Aerith grins, not really sure what to think about… the whole scene developing right in front of her eyes.
Tifa glances at Reno, her gaze pierces through the back of his neck as the Turk quickly and awkwardly tries to fasten the buckle of his belt with rickety fingers.
"Well I was about to leave anyway." He runs his hands through his hair, nervously trying to fix the unfixable locks of wild red hair. He turns to Tifa and Aerith's heart almost melts at the sight of him kissing her friend's forehead before he leaves her furiously flushing behind the counter.
"Cloud is going to flip when he sees him leave so early from here." Aerith points a thumb behind her shoulder as the Turk closes the door on his way out.
"I— I don't know what to say." Tifa blurts out a nervous laugh. "Can you give me a minute to get properly dressed, I'm freezing!"
"Sure!" Aerith giggles as she sits on one of the stools at the counter. As her friend disappears into the back room, Aerith takes a moment to breathe in the silent atmosphere around her.
The bar, into the harkened light of morning looks so peaceful, so calm; no noise, expect for the random cracking of the wood boards, no distractions, tables untouched, chairs piled up against one wall, the light trying to break in from around the frame of the windows, overall the scenery is the very conjuring of a quiet blissful day, it soothes a tiny fraction of her anxiety.
But that is no quiet day. It is a day she wishes she could erase from their lives.
"I'm sorry about that." Tifa's voice interrupts her thoughts coming from behind the bar. "Do you want some?" She pours her a cup of coffee, one of those who were supposed to be for a certain red-haired.
"Sure." Aerith accepts the hot drink with fingernails tapping around its porcelain round container. She sends a look Tifa's way during the process, then clears her throat.
"I— I can explain… Reno." Tifa's cheeks flush into a crimson red, brighter than the Turk's hair.
"Oh… you don't have to explain anything." Aerith's smile widens. "I'm happy for you."
The ruby-eyed girl hums, glancing away. "He's really been helping me out. Around here, and sometimes at the orphanage, he's really good with the kids actually. He's still a child at heart." She finishes with a quiet laugh.
"Really?" Aerith's eyes widen as roundly as they can. "Huh, who would have thought he has a heart. I guess you're a good influence on him." The Cetra blinks in surprise, then smiles softly. "I'm really happy for you, both."
Tifa apprehensively chews on her lip. "I get lonely sometimes… it's nothing serious you know. Reno and me. Can't be when it's him we're talking about." She says while resting an elbow on the counter and her chin on her palm.
"We never know, he might surprise you." Aerith snickers. "Come to think of it… I kind of always felt he was nice, deep down." She pauses to take a sip of her coffee. "Way way waaaaay deep down."
"Stop it." Tifa points a judgmental finger at the Cetra. "Don't make me regret telling you this."
"You didn't have to tell me anything! I saw it with my own eyes!" Aerith's innocent snicker turns into a gleeful laugh. "If you'd told me I wouldn't have believed you!"
"Anyway!" Tifa rolls her eyes huffing a sigh to desperately change the subject. "You said you weren't coming back, what's that all about?"
"Oh…" Aerith's heart pangs as reality descends upon her. She averts her eyes down to the floor as her smile gradually fades. For an instance in her mind… they were just two girls talking about a boy. "Yeah… turns out, the Planet wants me back."
"Back where?" Tifa nervously smiles, her eyes fix on her friend sitting in front of her. "What does that mean?"
"Back… you know, where I came from."
"The Lifestream?" Tifa lets her arm drop down slowly, it hits the cold surface of the counter as her lips part in awe. Shock takes over her features, her eyes widen with confusion. She takes a moment to try to think about what to say.
"No." She says in conclusion.
"Tifa I—"
"No!" She repeats, eyes welling up with tears now. The words strike her like a lightning bolt, numbing all of her senses. "You can't!"
"I don't really have a choice."
"That's bullshit!" Tifa's voice raises uncontrollably just as Cloud walks in from the door. "What do you have to say about this?" She turns her attention to him. Her tears leave wet trails down her cheeks as they fall angrily when she gets up from her stool. "You can't possibly be okay with this!" She sends him a cold glare despite her burgundy eyes inflaming like fire. Cloud avoids looking at his friend as he takes in her blows. "Fuck this Aerith! After all you've done for the Planet! Why can't you stay where you are? Can't it all be forgotten? You're stronger than that! You have to fight it, Aerith!" Tifa frantically circles the bar to stand in front of the mercenary. "Cloud! Look at me, you have to do something! You can't let her go! Since when have you become so powerless to act?"
"And what do you want me to do?" Cloud snarls, hands curling into shaking fists alongside him. "It's the fucking Planet we're talking about! Even if I tried, and believe me I've been wrecking my brain about it, what is it you think I can do?"
"You have to fight it, fight for her!"
"Fight who? Fight what?" He growls, eyes glowing with burning mako. "Fight who… Tifa? Tell me who do I have to fight with to save her? I'll do anything!" His voice fails. "I should have killed him… before… before he took her from me." Furious tears glint against the bright blue of his eyes. He runs his hands through his hair, deeply exhaling all of his frustration out. He looks away, regret washing over him whole and warring with the uncertainty of their future once she's gone. "I'd do anything…" He would burn down the world if he could.
Tifa breathes in short desperate gasps for air as she stares him down, head shaking in denial, speechless to come up with a solution.
"Tifa…" Aerith's soft call turns her head her way. The Cetra extends her hands to her friend. There's a faint green glow where her fingers stretch and her palms are so clear they become see-through from the joint of her wrists. "There's nothing anyone can do." Green eyes blink with tears. "It's not something you can fight against. If anything, I have to be the one to figure it out once I get there. I'll search every corner of the Lifestream to come back. I won't ask you to wait for me, I can't ask you that, I don't know how long it'll take. But if there is a way, I promise you, I won't rest."
Tifa tries to grab her friend's hands, but slowly, they close around the air around her.
"Aerith…" her voice is but an anguished whisper as she shakes her head hopelessly.
"It's almost time." The Cetra smiles and wraps her arms around her friend's small frame. She doesn't feel her hands but the rest of her body is still solid as she embraces her, as she takes in her friend's warmth to herself. Tifa's fingers weave into Aerith's hair as she braces the back of her head with a hand, her touch warm and comforting.
"I'm going to trust you on that." The bartender relaxes in her arms and they hear Cloud barging out of the bar, letting the door loudly bang into a close.
"He's not taking it so well you know." Aerith says as she wipes the tears from her cheeks with the top of her forearm.
"I bet he isn't…" Tifa sniffles. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so hard on him."
"Take care of him for me please." Aerith's voice wavers. "The kids too."
"I can't believe this is happening." Tifa says, refusing to accept it. She nods, but her expression flickers with pain. "Don't take too long coming back home you hear me?" She bumps her knuckles gently on the Cetra's shoulder. "I mean it. I'll drag you out of there." She adds with a sobbing laugh.
"It's a deal." Aerith nods and with a certain haste in her feet to follow Cloud, she pushes the door open with her back, not refraining herself from pausing a moment to take in her friend's image. Tifa smiles tearfully watching her friend go, a warm and soft smile that blends in with the tears falling from her eyes is a sight that puts Aerith's heart to rest, she will be alright… and Aerith remains smiling until she disappears behind the closed door.
She finds Cloud crouching on the street. Head buried in his hands, a darkness gathering in him, filling him plain. She hesitates before touching him, afraid she'll pass right through, but as soon as she forces her hand to reach him, she feels it firmly pressing against his back. She sighs in relief.
"It's okay." She says softly. She's still there. It triggers him, it undoes him. It shakes him infinitely, the pain of losing her. He lifts to his feet and pulls her to him, thirsting for her comfort. He tightens his arms around her, so tight Aerith feels his heartbeat uncontrollably bumping against hers.
They go to Elmyra next. Somehow they find her more assured than what they had expected her to be. Elmyra promises to watch over Cloud as Aerith finds her alone. But in the end, she knows that won't be the last time she sees her daughter. And the words her mother lulls her with, slightly ease the tension on her shoulders, her motherly reassurance honeying the bitterness of it all.
When they leave Edge to head for the church, they don't leave with any less sadness but a little more consoled by the energy of those who love them.
They find the church dipped into an eerie silence. The effects of Holy had already reached it, weeds had pulled at the stone wreckage in an attempt to reclaim it. The wind gushing inside sways the vines that scrape up the walls.
Their footsteps scratch on the broken rock under their feet and the sound rips the quietness apart. The air smells of mildew as the rain had eaten up the wood surface of the pews and the cold uneven stone of the walls. Only the flower bed stands illuminated by the few rays of light that weave in through the cracked roof. It's a desolating scenery, but beautiful nonetheless.
The flowers remain untouched, they seem to gently oscillate as they approach, welcoming them into their circle. Aerith steps onto the flower patch, her hand holding Cloud's as she pulls him softly to follow her.
"Aerith…" Cloud moans, utterly wretched. He sees her legs and her skirt blend in with the colors of the flowers under the soft-green halo that shines around her.
She turns to look at him and a damaged smile stretches upon her lips but it doesn't reach her eyes.
"Aerith…" He calls again more urgently, he's not ready yet but nothing will ever prepare him for this. "Just a little more… stay just a while more." A while more so he can feel her warm body pressing against his, a while more so he can run bare fingertips through her hair, a while more so he can lean his forehead against hers. Place his hand over her beating heart, it still beats, strong and steadily.
Once they're out of time, they can go back to figuring out what they can do to reverse her fate… but for now he just wants to stay there hearing the flutter of her breath against his lips.
"This isn't goodbye." She says at last. She looks into his youthful eyes and sees so much pain in them, someone so young shouldn't have gone through all of that he has… she was supposed to protect him from it all. A gasp escapes her lips at the thought.
And yet, beneath it all, as she looks at him he sees in her green eyes a flicker of hope that maybe she will return, and they will be able to create new memories together, happier ones.
He will hold on to that hope. So he shortens the remaining distance between them, a hand grabs onto her waist and it desperately squeezes, digging his nails on her skin, as if the gesture could keep her from disappearing.
"Close you eyes bodyguard." She pleads softly and he obliges. She can't fight it any longer. "I love you. Next time will be forever." She whispers within a smile.
She clasps her hands behind her back to spare him from touching the void they had became and climbing onto her toes she reaches up to kiss his lips one last time, brushing skin on skin in the most delicate way her fading body could.
And when he opens his eyes slowly, lids heavy, everything stood still and quiet as if time itself had stopped. Her scent still lingers in the air, he still feels the warm touch of her kiss on his lips… but as if she had dissipated in the breeze, she's no longer there.
He crashes to his knees, palms hitting the flowered soil.
Notes: Here we are! Next chapter will be the last because I couldn't bring myself to make this one it. The ending will be posted this weekend because I have it mostly edited.
Thank you so much for reading everyone!
AnriMia: thank you again for the reviews!!! :) hold on for the next chapter!