Sometimes, feelings are
better of if kept secret . . .

Star-Crossed Love
by: Celestial Breeze

Aeris stood outside of the inn where she and the others were staying. The flower-girl was gazing at the stars, while tears silently flowed down her flawless, porcelain skin. She thought about her past, about her mother, but most of all, she thought about Cloud. She looked down and buried her face in her hands.

I lost him to Tifa, said Aeris silently. Then again, I never had him to begin with. We were never destined to be. Cloud and Tifa seem so . . . so . . . so perfect for each other.

She knew someone was standing behind her, but thought it was only a person coming by to rent a room.

"The stars are beautiful, aren't they?" asked a deep, soothing voice. A voice that Aeris knew so well. She didn't want her sobs to escape her lips, so she only nodded. Aeris quickly turned her head away and wiped the tears that were trickling down her face. After minutes went by, she finally found the courage to face him.

"So, what brings you out here, Cloud?" she asked sweetly, trying to mask up her previous pain.

"I was just looking for you. You were gone for three hours and I . . ." He stopped for a mere second before continuing. ". . .we were getting worried about you."

"Oh, I'm ok. You don't have to worry about me. You should go back to the inn. Tifa's probably waiting."

"Naww, I'll stay out here with you. I'm your bodyguard, remember?" said Cloud, with a hint of apparent laughter in his voice.

So, he only wants to stay out here with me because it's his duty to and not because he wants to. I should've known that. She sighed heavily to herself and felt her tears trickle down her face once again, but she didn't care anymore.

Strife, you are such an idiot. Why don't you tell her what you came out here for? Cloud scolded himself mentally.

Cloud glanced at Aeris and finally realized that she had tears coursing down her face. Not knowing what to do, he did the first thing that came to mind. He pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's ok, Aeris. Don't cry." Since she was always cheerful, Cloud wasn't use to seeing Aeris cry.

"C-cloud, it h-hurts. It r-really hurts you know t-that?" She tried to get her words out between her sniffles.

"What hurts Aeris?" asked Cloud, confused.

"Nothing, you wouldn't understand," said Aeris, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Aeris, you can tell me anything, you know that."

Aeris tried to gather up all her strength to tell Cloud about her feelings. The words she needed to tell him were very simple. As a matter of fact, there were only three words.

Well, now is a good of a time as any to tell her, he thought.

"Aeris, I love you." Cloud whispered softly into her ears. Gently, he tipped her chin up and placed a kiss on her lips.

Aeris's eyes widened in surprise, but gradually, they closed. She was in pure heaven. All of a sudden, an image of Cloud and Tifa being together appeared in her mind. She pushed Cloud away and turned her face away from him.

"Aeris, what's the matter? Did I hurt you?" Cloud's voice was full of concern.

"Tifa."

"Tifa? What about Tifa?" Cloud asked in a genuinely baffled tone.

"Cloud, you just told me you love me, but what about Tifa? I know she means something to you."

"Your right, I do have feelings for Tifa . . ." Cloud paused before continuing. With his left hand he turned Aeris's face towards him and stared into her eyes. "But the one I love is you. Tifa was only a crush of mine during my childhood," whispered Cloud.

"Cloud, I've been lied to so many times. How do I know you're not one of them?"

The young soldier, who was truly hurt by Aeris's words, hesitated before answering. "You don't know Aeris. That's why you have to trust your heart."

"Aeris, you're the one that set me free and let me out of my cocoon. I was so cold-hearted before I met you. All I ever thought about was gils. But after I met you, I found out that life is so much more than just gils and treasures. Don't you understand, Aeris? You're the one that completes my soul." He took Aeris's hands into his.

The brunette felt her heart soar through the sky. She sincerely knew that this was the man she wanted to spend her whole life with.

"Cloud, you've said so much already. It's my turn to express some of my feelings. You mean everything to me. At first, I thought I was only infatuated with you because of your resemblance to Zack. But I know that's not true anymore. I'm trusting you with my heart. I know you won't let me down." After confessing, she felt that a burden was lifted from her shoulders.

Aeris looked into Cloud's eyes and saw that tears forming in them.

"Basically, I love you." Aeris smiled at Cloud.

The Mercenary pulled the Flower-girl toward him and kissed her.

In the skies above, thunder started to roar and lightning flashed as the rain started pouring. Not wanting to get wet, they ran for the inn.

"Cloud, tomorrow I want to go to the City of the Ancients to learn a little bit more about my ancestors, is that ok?" asked Aeris as she pulled the door open.

"Yeah, sure, sweetie."

Both of them entered the inn laughing happily. But neither of them knew that in the near future, something drastic will take place, for heaven is missing an angel and they want her back.

.fin.

The loneliness of nights alone
The search for strength to carry on
My every hope has seemed to die
My eyes had no more tears to cry
Then like the sun shining up above
You surrounded me with your endless love
Coz all the things I couldn't see are now so clear to me

You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known
Your spirit pulls me through
When nothing else will do
Every night I pray, on bended knee
That you will always be my everything

~98 Degrees, My Everything

Author's Notes:
I have decided to apply the lyrics to the end of the vignette rather than in-between. I find it annoying to have lyrics pop up every two lines. I was, more or less, getting tired of clichéd Aeris resurrection stories. So, I decided to write one where the plot of the story didn't defy nature's laws of the deceased. No, there will not be a sequel.

©Jennifer, Jan. 01