Chapter 11

Tifa and Cloud came shortly after breakfast with clothes and pictures. Aeris decided to try and wash her self off in the shower, but mostly managed to flood the bathroom floor. After thirty minutes of managing to get the soap to stay in her hands, she had finally mastered the technique of washing herself. It was the first shower, since her death, and she loved every second of it.

"Here," Tifa called out, wiping a place in the mirror to see her blurred reflection. Aeris hung her towel on the rack then shyly grabbed the clothes out of Tifa's outstretched hand. "Put these clothes on while I try to find a hair tie," Tifa mumbled, looking around at the steamed mirror.

The mystified brunette slid on a white sleeveless shirt, and a short jean skirt, wondering how on earth an outfit like that was considered "dressed" after she put it on. She reached down to her toes and put on her socks and shoes that Tifa had so kindly given her to wear. Tifa pulled out a pink bow from the bath room drawer, which in fact was the same bow Aeris had been wearing yesterday, and decided that a little feminine touch would be perfect on such a sweet rose as Aeris. "Is this okay?" Tifa asked, showing her the womanly pink bow.

"Yeah." Oh, I feel so ... naked in the outfit... Aeris stepped into view, her arms crossed in front of her, as if she were actually naked, and looked up at Tifa with the most extreme blush she could possibly ever muster.

"The tops a bit big... and the skirt is a bit small, but that's all I have." Tifa smiled, cocking her head to the left, as jealously pierced her thoughts. I wish I could pull off looking that innocent...

"Thank you for lending me your clothes..." Aeris whispered softly, still a bit unsure of whether or not it was best to talk or to be silent. I wonder what she hates so much about me... Could I have been her enemy in my past life?... I really hope that's not the reason for her behavior towards me...

"Sure, anytime..." The fair fighter supposed, turning on her heel to leave Aeris to dwell on how bear she felt, as Tifa searched for Cloud. "She's all dressed up, but her hair is very tattered."

"Trim it," Suggested Cloud, as he flipped a page of a magazine that he held firmly in his hands.

"What are you reading?" The tanned, breathless woman inquired, bending over Cloud's chair to hug him affectionately.

"The news," The Ex-Soldier replied, pulling Tifa's hands away. He stood to his feet, stretching his arms out in front of him, then bent down to exchange the magazine for a brown box that had been placed dead center of the coffee table in the family room of Vincent's apartment. Without any more words bartered with Tifa, Cloud left to speak with Aeris, whom only just noticed that there were tiny, gem-like holes all over her shirt, that looked more like diamonds then patches of skin.

Arrrrgh... Cloud... Couldn't you have even acknowledged me?!!! Tifa sighed deeply to herself, tightening her fists in anger.

Oh... now I feel even more bare, Aeris thought to herself, her blush deepening, I feel like... like... Oh... Maybe I could wear my hair in front of my shirt... then nobody could see... Ohnnnn....Uhm... I wonder...

"Hey!!!" Cloud beamed obliviously, flashing open the bathroom door with no warning to Aeris at all. Aeris's heart jumped right into her throat from both shock, and embarrassment.

"You scared me to death!!!" Aeris breathed out heavily, pressing her hand against her beating chest. "... Knock before you enter... ...please..."

"Sorry..." Aeris... You look so... beautiful... You fill those clothes out so nicely, better than Tifa ever could...

Aeris took sight of Cloud's eyes, noticing that he was examining her body in the most seductive manner. The way his eyes soaked in every inch of her movements, made Aeris dizzy, and rather sick to her stomach. Here she stood in the most revealing clothes she had ever worn, with a man she found half crazed, and she had only one thought in mind... Rufus... I wish you were standing here, in front of me right now...

Tifa pushed her way through, to get to Aeris, whom was now looking down with a discomforted air about her from the long silence between her and Cloud that plagued the room.

"You look beautiful," Cloud spoke out, taking no heed of Tifa's feelings. Aeris blushed, turning away slowly, as she spoke out in a softly curved manner, "Thanks."

The Fair Fighter took sight of Cloud's motions and suddenly felt so empty, and alone for just a second, then pushed her feelings to the side telling herself that she was just imagining things. Why does he do this... Now he's out right affectionate towards ... her... She made a slight clicking sound with her tongue as she swallowed hard, secretly kicking Cloud's rugged boots in anger.

"Tifa," Cloud whispered under his breath so that only she could hear, making Aeris a bit confused, "Grow up. I'm just helping her to feel at ease."

"Ah," Tifa gawked in shock, as hot tears pierced her widening eyes. "Like that will help... You'll just end up scaring her..." Please... not again... Tifa pleaded heavily, remembering how it went when Cloud first met Aeris. The past was almost the spitting image of the present, and once was enough for Tifa to handle.