A/N: Hello! I decided to write a sequel to my previous story, "Of Seeds and Confessions". It's been way too long since the last time I wrote a story, so I just thought I'd warm up with our favorite pairing. I've been longing to see them back together ever since I finished Crisis Core (that was like, 8-9 years ago!), I hope I did them justice by writing this fic. Though, I still hope to see them reunite canonically.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII.
His chest was on fire.
Every breath he took felt like fire, his body getting heavier with each step he took. His vision had started to blur, and it felt easier to just drop down and let fate do the rest.
But no, he wouldn't stop moving. He wouldn't slower his pace, he wouldn't take a second to catch his breath.
Why?
Because he was afraid.
He was afraid that if he stopped to rest, he wouldn't be able to get up.
He would make it. He would see her. He needed to see her. He still had promises to fulfill.
He would not stop until he reached his destination.
He would crawl if he had to.
He managed to came out alive, although not unscathed, from Shinra's Army. Battered and bruised, he pushed one foot after another, dragging along his mostly-unconscious brother to slip away from the remaining Shinra's army.
Until they reached Midgar. He kept pushing and pushing, taking another steps forward despite the exhaustion and pain all over his body. The only thing on his mind was Aerith. Aerith and her last letter, Aerith and all the promises Zack didn't fulfill, Aerith and the ring that rested in his pocket.
Aerith, Aerith, Aerith.
She was the only thing on his mind as he pushed his way to go home. He was determined to come back home.
Home. Wherever the mission took him, whatever he was going through, he had always found himself going back to her.
Aerith.
He didn't know how far his feet had taken him, couldn't even remember the surroundings, he just kept going, and going- until his legs gave up and darkness overtook him.
Four Years, three months, twelve days.
That's exactly how long Zack had gone on his supposedly last mission. The seeds they planted a year before Zack's departure were growing nicely, her church painted pink and purple with the splash of yellow- her daffodils.
A year ago, the flowers had started to bloom, showing little bits of color.
Orchids and peonies.
Love and marriage.
Zack was going to marry her.
Aerith couldn't hold the tears when she found out. It was tears of happiness, at first. She was overjoyed, of course she would have said yes. Zack was the only man she would want to spend the rest of life with.
She started to imagine. How would he ask her? Would he ask her here, in her church, the place where they first met, kneeling down surrounded by the flowers? Or would he take her on a date, dinner in some fancy, romantic place and -
Well, it didn't matter how. She was eager, -ecstatic, to finally spend the rest of her life with the man she loved.
The man she had been longing to see, to touch, for the past four years.
Then, as quick as the lovely scenes appeared inside her head, reality came crashing down. Another tears fell then, it was not tears of happiness.
Zack was not going to walk in through that door. Those imaginations she conjured in her mind would never happen.
She had been waiting days after days for him to come back. She had never thought that waiting would be such an agony. It was crippling her inside.
Sometimes, it felt like it would be easier to just stop and give up. Maybe then the pain in her chest would stop. Or at least, become less unbearable.
She often asked herself, how much pain did she have to endure before giving up is okay?
How much faith did she have to hold on to before thinking that he gave up on her is okay?
She wiped her tears and stared at the bed of flowers in her church. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she walked towards the flower bed and started tending the flowers, cutting the wild grass and watering the flowers. The dress she was wearing matched the peonies' colors, though the dress was a shade darker. Zack once said that she would look good in red. She did, in fact. Though, how Zack would know years ago was beyond her.
Looking at the flowers used to bring her joy. It used to gave her a spark of hope of what could have happen when the flowers bloom.
Now, looking at them only brought her pain.
Was she not good enough for him? Did he find someone else?
Did all those years didn't mean a thing for him?
Because it meant the world to Aerith.
Doubts kept gnawing on her mind, and she couldn't seem to stop them. What was she supposed to think when the man you loved suddenly disappear from your life?
She loved him. And she knew Zack had felt the same towards her, at least until he went for that last mission. There was never any doubt about that.
So, why wasn't he coming back?
Chapter 2 is coming up soon. Drop a review and tell me what you think ;)
Thanks for reading!