White Flower
catch me as i f a l l
chp. ii
unforgettable
*
The nights of summer were heavy and humid, but he liked it that way. It was easier to remain quiet and invisible when it was like that; in his thinking, to keep people from discovering his true monstrosity. He was thirsty as he settled down into the velveteen barstools of The Lazy Wench, a popular tavern near the Costa Del Sol. It had just recently opened, yet the place was packed.
A thin, twitchy-looking girl walked to him, her blue eyes batting outrageously. She was dressed in the scandalous uniform for the waitresses': a white, linen shirt with a dangerously low neckline, a black corset-type thing tied over, and a burgundy skirt that barely touched the thighs.
"What'll you be drinking, sirreh?" she drawled, lazily sketching pictures into the dark wood of the counter with her polished fingers. He looked at her blankly, then answered in his soft voice, "A bloody mary."
"Good choice, sirreh," she grinned as she began to mix the drinks. He watched her without much interest, and she slid the finished drink into his hands. He drank from it slowly, keeping his eyes on the too-fast clock hanging above the waitress's head. 11 o' clock, it read. He had a lot of time to kill.
*
She had managed to get this far. She looked at the gold chocobo which was resting next to her. She had managed to steal it and get away. She giggled softly. She was beginning to become like Yuffie; how she wished to see how that girl had grown! She sighed, then looked up. A glowing sign read "The Lazy Wench", and the outline of a nude woman glowed next to it. She wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"How disgusting," she thought as she tied up the sleeping chocobo. "Well, I don't have much of a choice; I need food."
She tentatively pushed open the heavy, wooden door, and found dozens of male eyes focus on her. They traced the line of her leg up to her thigh, where she had kept it buttoned. They studied her, then let out secret glances to one another. Except for one man.
This man looked oddly familiar; he was dressed in a crimson cloak and black clothing, and a red bandana was tied carelessly, to keep his long, raven hair from falling into his face, which it did anyways. He seemed oddly interested in his drink, but he eventually looked up. His eyes were coal black, and so... so... indifferent. He seemed so familiar!
After a moment of thinking, she gasped.
*
Vincent looked up at the girl everyone was gasping at, and the faintest twinkle could've been spotted in his eyes. Yet, it disappeared as quickly as it had come, and the usual stoic expression was back. Personally, he wasn't surprised; he had been suspecting Aeris was back.
"Vincent," she managed to say, walking over slowly to him. The eyes darted to him, and they glowered as he received the attention of the prettiest creature in their vicinity. She settled into an empty seat next to him, and smiled. "How good it is to see you."
"Ditto," he muttered, taking another long draught of his drink. He glanced at the woman beside him; her green eyes still sparkled. But her expression looked confused.
"You really believe it's me?" she questioned, placing a pale, soft hand on his arm. He acted like he didn't hear her, taking another long drink of his Bloody Mary, but he nodded afterwards.
"The others don't," she said miserably, looking down. He studied her in silence; he had never really taken a liking to Aeris, although he acknowledged she was 'supposedly' a beautiful, charming creature. Yet he could see why Cloud loved her; she was insanely lovable, and it made him suspicious.
"Why?" he asked slowly. His usual silence was fading away as some curiosity took over. He took some more of his drink, then his eyes darted to a waitress. She came and filled his glass again, and he drank once more.
"I have no idea. I thought they'd be happy to see me," she answered, then she sniffed. Her eyes had grown watery, and a few tears fell down her cheeks. Vincent acted as if he hadn't been listening to her, and he gave her no answer.
"Vincent, help me please!" she pleaded. "They'll believe you; you only speak unless it's insanely important! Please, I beg of you!" She looked at him with such sad, pathetic eyes.
"No," he said simply, finishing his second glass. "I won't help you."
"Why?" she asked, fairly angry. Why shouldn't he help her?
"Because it isn't my way," he responded, getting up from the counter. He gave her one look before he left. "I'm... sorry."
Aeris glared at him. She offered no response.
He sighed and left.
*
"Hmph," she snorted, watching him leave. "Fine. Be that way, Vincent Valentine."
She twirled around in the barstool, stamping her feet suddenly on the ground. She sprang up, glaring at the lustful eyes that watched her, then exited the tavern. She looked to her side, where she had tied up the gold chocobo.
It wasn't there.
Panic struck her like a dead weight; here she was, stranded in a familiar- yet-unfamiliar place. She had no food, no money, no place to stay. She silently cursed the gods and all that controlled anything, and sat down on the curb, her expression that of an angry, bratty, snot-nosed child deprived of something they wanted.
"This isn't fair!" she yelled out into the night, balling her hands into fists. "For god's sake, I don't even have my staff!" She made a little, whining noise, then buried her head in her hands.
"Hey, miss," a cool voice said as she whined to herself. She looked up. The man narrowed his eyes.
*
"Oh. You again," Cloud muttered to the 'impostor' Aeris, who nervously began to fiddle with the hem of her dress. "I thought I told y-"
"You told me to leave the church," she said calmly. "So I did. But may I ask one question?"
Cloud looked at her distressingly. However, he relented. "Fine. Hurry up."
"Who was caring for the flowers?"
"..." he responded. He looked at her quietly, then softened his hard gaze. "... I was."
Aeris fought back the urge to ask why, and stared at him in wonderment. Cloud had matured during the year she was gone; his body, still slightly muscled and slim, had become much more manly, and he was taller by at least three inches. His blonde hair had grown out slightly, and several strands brushed the beginning of his back.
"... Remember that date we had at the Golden Saucer?" she began, standing up. This caught his attention, and he turned to her. He looked as if he was disbelieving.
"Yes," was his meek reply.
"We were the 100th couple," she said dreamily, gazing off into the darkness of an ally. "And when the play ended... you kissed my hand." She smiled, slightly blushing at the memory. Her remembering these things, only things Aeris knew of, made him think: what if Aeris was back? He smiled.
"And Cait Sith..." she continued. "He said we were perfect for each other." She blushed deeply, then gazed into his eyes. "You do remember, Cloud?"
"...Yes, I do," he replied softly.
"You should," she teased daringly. "You are my bodyguard, after all."
Cloud slightly flushed. "Aeris... I'm sorry for not believing you."
Aeris turned to him, with that innocent smile she always had. The same one she had when she had been stabbed through the stomach by Sephiroth. Such a clean cut too; a lot of skill was shown in her murder. She dismissed these memories. "You don't need to be sorry," she said quietly.
"Aeris," he whispered and he outstretched his arms, grasping her close to him. She was shocked, very shocked, to find herself in the strong arms of her handsome Cloud Strife! Yet she didn't argue, and buried her head in his chest. He looked down, resting his head upon the top of hers, and smelling her hair: mimosa.
They stayed like that a long time.
*
PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER: Cloud brings Aeris back to the hotel. Tifa doesn't believe Aeris is back, and attempts to get Cloud to realize the supposed 'truth'. When her plan spills back on her, she breaks down and runs away. Aeris, worried about her best friend, follows her, with Cloud by her side. But what they find is not exactly pleasing.
Author's Note: Yay! I finished the second chapter! Happy dance for me. Anyways, I hope you're enjoying my story so far. My only wish is to make you happy. And for extremely slow ones, this story is a continuation of sorts for Final Fantasy 7, except the bad guy ain't as bad as he seems. Oops! I just revealed something. Well, got to go! Byesies!
catch me as i f a l l
chp. ii
unforgettable
*
The nights of summer were heavy and humid, but he liked it that way. It was easier to remain quiet and invisible when it was like that; in his thinking, to keep people from discovering his true monstrosity. He was thirsty as he settled down into the velveteen barstools of The Lazy Wench, a popular tavern near the Costa Del Sol. It had just recently opened, yet the place was packed.
A thin, twitchy-looking girl walked to him, her blue eyes batting outrageously. She was dressed in the scandalous uniform for the waitresses': a white, linen shirt with a dangerously low neckline, a black corset-type thing tied over, and a burgundy skirt that barely touched the thighs.
"What'll you be drinking, sirreh?" she drawled, lazily sketching pictures into the dark wood of the counter with her polished fingers. He looked at her blankly, then answered in his soft voice, "A bloody mary."
"Good choice, sirreh," she grinned as she began to mix the drinks. He watched her without much interest, and she slid the finished drink into his hands. He drank from it slowly, keeping his eyes on the too-fast clock hanging above the waitress's head. 11 o' clock, it read. He had a lot of time to kill.
*
She had managed to get this far. She looked at the gold chocobo which was resting next to her. She had managed to steal it and get away. She giggled softly. She was beginning to become like Yuffie; how she wished to see how that girl had grown! She sighed, then looked up. A glowing sign read "The Lazy Wench", and the outline of a nude woman glowed next to it. She wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"How disgusting," she thought as she tied up the sleeping chocobo. "Well, I don't have much of a choice; I need food."
She tentatively pushed open the heavy, wooden door, and found dozens of male eyes focus on her. They traced the line of her leg up to her thigh, where she had kept it buttoned. They studied her, then let out secret glances to one another. Except for one man.
This man looked oddly familiar; he was dressed in a crimson cloak and black clothing, and a red bandana was tied carelessly, to keep his long, raven hair from falling into his face, which it did anyways. He seemed oddly interested in his drink, but he eventually looked up. His eyes were coal black, and so... so... indifferent. He seemed so familiar!
After a moment of thinking, she gasped.
*
Vincent looked up at the girl everyone was gasping at, and the faintest twinkle could've been spotted in his eyes. Yet, it disappeared as quickly as it had come, and the usual stoic expression was back. Personally, he wasn't surprised; he had been suspecting Aeris was back.
"Vincent," she managed to say, walking over slowly to him. The eyes darted to him, and they glowered as he received the attention of the prettiest creature in their vicinity. She settled into an empty seat next to him, and smiled. "How good it is to see you."
"Ditto," he muttered, taking another long draught of his drink. He glanced at the woman beside him; her green eyes still sparkled. But her expression looked confused.
"You really believe it's me?" she questioned, placing a pale, soft hand on his arm. He acted like he didn't hear her, taking another long drink of his Bloody Mary, but he nodded afterwards.
"The others don't," she said miserably, looking down. He studied her in silence; he had never really taken a liking to Aeris, although he acknowledged she was 'supposedly' a beautiful, charming creature. Yet he could see why Cloud loved her; she was insanely lovable, and it made him suspicious.
"Why?" he asked slowly. His usual silence was fading away as some curiosity took over. He took some more of his drink, then his eyes darted to a waitress. She came and filled his glass again, and he drank once more.
"I have no idea. I thought they'd be happy to see me," she answered, then she sniffed. Her eyes had grown watery, and a few tears fell down her cheeks. Vincent acted as if he hadn't been listening to her, and he gave her no answer.
"Vincent, help me please!" she pleaded. "They'll believe you; you only speak unless it's insanely important! Please, I beg of you!" She looked at him with such sad, pathetic eyes.
"No," he said simply, finishing his second glass. "I won't help you."
"Why?" she asked, fairly angry. Why shouldn't he help her?
"Because it isn't my way," he responded, getting up from the counter. He gave her one look before he left. "I'm... sorry."
Aeris glared at him. She offered no response.
He sighed and left.
*
"Hmph," she snorted, watching him leave. "Fine. Be that way, Vincent Valentine."
She twirled around in the barstool, stamping her feet suddenly on the ground. She sprang up, glaring at the lustful eyes that watched her, then exited the tavern. She looked to her side, where she had tied up the gold chocobo.
It wasn't there.
Panic struck her like a dead weight; here she was, stranded in a familiar- yet-unfamiliar place. She had no food, no money, no place to stay. She silently cursed the gods and all that controlled anything, and sat down on the curb, her expression that of an angry, bratty, snot-nosed child deprived of something they wanted.
"This isn't fair!" she yelled out into the night, balling her hands into fists. "For god's sake, I don't even have my staff!" She made a little, whining noise, then buried her head in her hands.
"Hey, miss," a cool voice said as she whined to herself. She looked up. The man narrowed his eyes.
*
"Oh. You again," Cloud muttered to the 'impostor' Aeris, who nervously began to fiddle with the hem of her dress. "I thought I told y-"
"You told me to leave the church," she said calmly. "So I did. But may I ask one question?"
Cloud looked at her distressingly. However, he relented. "Fine. Hurry up."
"Who was caring for the flowers?"
"..." he responded. He looked at her quietly, then softened his hard gaze. "... I was."
Aeris fought back the urge to ask why, and stared at him in wonderment. Cloud had matured during the year she was gone; his body, still slightly muscled and slim, had become much more manly, and he was taller by at least three inches. His blonde hair had grown out slightly, and several strands brushed the beginning of his back.
"... Remember that date we had at the Golden Saucer?" she began, standing up. This caught his attention, and he turned to her. He looked as if he was disbelieving.
"Yes," was his meek reply.
"We were the 100th couple," she said dreamily, gazing off into the darkness of an ally. "And when the play ended... you kissed my hand." She smiled, slightly blushing at the memory. Her remembering these things, only things Aeris knew of, made him think: what if Aeris was back? He smiled.
"And Cait Sith..." she continued. "He said we were perfect for each other." She blushed deeply, then gazed into his eyes. "You do remember, Cloud?"
"...Yes, I do," he replied softly.
"You should," she teased daringly. "You are my bodyguard, after all."
Cloud slightly flushed. "Aeris... I'm sorry for not believing you."
Aeris turned to him, with that innocent smile she always had. The same one she had when she had been stabbed through the stomach by Sephiroth. Such a clean cut too; a lot of skill was shown in her murder. She dismissed these memories. "You don't need to be sorry," she said quietly.
"Aeris," he whispered and he outstretched his arms, grasping her close to him. She was shocked, very shocked, to find herself in the strong arms of her handsome Cloud Strife! Yet she didn't argue, and buried her head in his chest. He looked down, resting his head upon the top of hers, and smelling her hair: mimosa.
They stayed like that a long time.
*
PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER: Cloud brings Aeris back to the hotel. Tifa doesn't believe Aeris is back, and attempts to get Cloud to realize the supposed 'truth'. When her plan spills back on her, she breaks down and runs away. Aeris, worried about her best friend, follows her, with Cloud by her side. But what they find is not exactly pleasing.
Author's Note: Yay! I finished the second chapter! Happy dance for me. Anyways, I hope you're enjoying my story so far. My only wish is to make you happy. And for extremely slow ones, this story is a continuation of sorts for Final Fantasy 7, except the bad guy ain't as bad as he seems. Oops! I just revealed something. Well, got to go! Byesies!
