Disclaimer! I don't own FFVII.. meh god. If I did own FFVII, I'd be like,
the single coolest person in the world. But I don't. Bloody Square,
Squaresoft, and PlayStation.. they do own FFVII.
Anyway! o.o Thanks for the reviews, you guys! I really appreciate them, and the ones you're going to write for this chapter =P
Kaitlin, of course, I love you, but don't question me. I am the author, after all.
Ryan: Sure you are ;
What was that?! -= threatens with stolen Masamune. =-
Sephy: Uhh..
Ryan: O.O -= hides in box with Sephy. =- Continue, continue..
Ahem. Yes. I said "gods" because I imagine more than one in FFVII-land. That's why :D
Seto-Kaiba's-Fan, thanks! I'm glad you're sticking with me :D
Jen, course you'll have to share 'cause.. he's Vincent and we love him. Thanks for your review n.n
Ah-Choo, as far as I know, nothing horrible happens to Cloud @.@ That can be remedied, though, according to Seph.
AngieX @.@ Refer to my summary of VII, because you are very confused =P Vincent's not like.. macho. He's just distant and cold. Poor baby. =(
The Demonic Angel of Yaoi.. -= huggles back! =- Merci, my first hug ^^ I'm glad you're so excited about this n.n And I have a tendency to state the obvious, you'll find.. xD
GhostCalibur, I'm glad you like it, given what you said.. and don't worry, stuff with Cloud happens soon.. I promise :D
Katerz.. what can I say. You're an inspiration too, I lovess you, precious, you and your sarcasm. I'm sure Cloud took time away from stylin' to make sure Aerith landed in a comfy position. -= becomes aware of the sound of crickets. =- Anyway.. ;
Now, what everyone who just suffered through my A/N has been waiting for! -= unveils chapter three! =- Tada!
-----------
"No!" The monosyllable became her immediate response, and Aerith blushed faintly when she noticed the strange expression Vincent wore as he watched her. Hastily trying to amend the rashness of her response, Aerith continued, "I mean, can't we go somewhere else first? I don't want to show up in Nibelheim, soaked, disheveled and exhausted."
Vincent sighed heavily. She was, after all was said and done, a girl, one who would soon be going to see her loved one, so long separated by death. Of course she wanted to look nice. Reluctantly, Vincent acceded, "I suppose we could stop off in Costa Del Sol first. Just for a little while."
"Thank you!" Vincent suddenly found himself the unwilling recipient of one of Aerith's overjoyed embraces; she'd leaned forward and impulsively thrown her arms around him. Vincent froze; if he pulled away as he had before, she would undoubtedly topple forward. So he sat stoically enduring this newest torment upon his soul until she released him, an oddly relieved expression on her face. "You're a lifesaver, Vincent.. in more ways than one!"
He smiled halfheartedly; she seemed to make him do that a lot recently. Well, recently.. she'd only been alive for the past hour or so. He sighed at the thought and stood suddenly. Holding out his hand, he pulled Aerith to her feet. Smiling still, she thrust his cape back into his arms before she loosed the bow holding her hair up. Auburn tresses, darkened by water, fell in a thick, curly wave down past her shoulders. She hadn't wanted to get his cloak wet. Vincent adamantly refused, though, and set it back around her bare shoulders.
"Don't want you to.. to catch a cold or something."
Acquiescing to his wishes, she started towards the Tiny Bronco, just a step behind him. Vincent impatiently kicked the stairs out again. However, he stepped aside and promptly offered Aerith a hand up into the miniature plane. Slender digits took his and she ascended the steps quite gracefully for a woman still getting reaccustomed to walking and other motor-related tasks.
The interior of the Tiny Bronco was, well, tiny. Aerith could vividly recall when they'd left Rocket Town with Cid and the little plane, and the adventures that had followed when ShinRa gunmen shot them down into the sea. She startled easily, however, this reincarnated woman, and when Vincent turned the engine over, propellers starting with a whir, she had to forcefully remind herself that she was not afraid of heights, let alone planes. Given the minuscule nature of the cockpit, she stood near the back of the small area, staring out the window as the City of the Ancients disappeared below. She sighed. It wasn't as though she would miss the place; she'd been dead in its lake for two years. Cetra blood was more at ease within the confines and limits of the city, and the Temple.
The scenery of the Western continent began blurring together as one massive grey, brown, and green haze, dispersed through with random shots of blue and white. Aerith sighed wistfully once more; it was really quite beautiful when traversed on foot. She'd only been to half of the towns, and the very southern edge of the northern continent, but what she'd seen had been quite stunning. Costa del Sol was on the eastern edge of the continent, across the ocean from Junon Harbor.
As a harbor itself, there was both a landing area with runway for planes, and a complex system of docks and ports. The Tiny Bronco fit neatly onto one of the smaller platforms for planes, and again, he extended his hand to assist Aerith down the short steps, well aware of her momentary disability.
Costa del Sol is the only real tropical spot on either continent. As soon as they stepped onto the docks, the heat stunned them into breathlessness. Aerith laughed, an overjoyed sound, and tightened her hold on Vincent's hand. Faint colour rose to stain his alabaster features, which would have made her laugh more if she hadn't been so intent on absorbing every bit of Costa del Sol. She veritably dragged Vincent down the docks, and he was hard pressed to keep up with her exuberant pace. The superfluous heat dried her still-damp locks within minutes, but it kept Vincent cringing.
As towns go, the Coast of the Sun isn't overly large. The beach, with its ivory sands and clear, aquamarine water, is the real attraction that lures tourists to its complementary resort. A bar, a weaponry shop, an items shop, all the standards in a basic town. An inn, larger than normal, stood just above the main entrance to the beach, and various vendors set up tents within the resort limits to sell items and souvenirs. Small children, harassed mothers, beach blondes and surfer boys populated the cobblestone streets of the city. It was, evidently, the big boom of the season, and it seemed that Costa del Sol was the place to be.
Aerith was fascinated with it all. Sparkling emerald eyes took in all the sights even as her companion tried to melt into nonexistent shadows. Crowds made Vincent uncomfortable. People in general made Vincent uncomfortable. Aerith's grip on his hand made Vincent /really/ uncomfortable. As discreetly as he could, he led her to the western edge of the tropical hotspot. At the top of a set of bleached stone stairs, opposite the bridge leading to the docks, was the former President Shinra's beach house. When he had been murdered by Sephiroth near the beginning of their journey, Rufus had become president of Shinra, Inc. He, however, had been far more interested in hunting down the last Cetra, and Sephiroth, to care about his various condos. And so, the caretaker had sold the condo to a young, blond, spiky-headed man who had been there previously; the elderly man had assumed him a serious surfer, and hadn't pressed the matter.
Vincent planned on using Cloud's recently acquired home to his advantage. He creaked the door open, and Aerith slipped past him into the cool interior, finally releasing Vincent's hand, much to his relief. She wandered into the foyer, memories flooding back to her. Vincent went to stand at her side before he spoke quietly.
"There's a bedroom on the left, Aerith, you can sleep there. I'll stay on the couch or something. Just call me if you need anything, all right?"
She nodded in response, bypassing the small dining table and going quietly into the room he had indicated. Upon closing the door, she turned to inspect her surroundings. The bedroom had changed only slightly since the time they found the caretaker in that room. The double beds were gone, replaced by a single king-sized canopied one. Not much else had changed; the lighting was still dim, the vanity still have a lovely mirror resting atop it, and a small, backless chair provided seating in front of the little table. A dresser was unceremoniously shoved into the corner.
Aerith sat on the little stool, gazing at her reflection with trepidation. The person who stared back was not the naïve, optimistic, happy-go-lucky girl she had been two years ago. Long chestnut hair hung in thick curls down to her waist, and was slightly frizzy with the heat from outside. She had an ivory pallor that came of the hard weeks before her death, and then burial far away from the sun. Her scarlet half-jacket was, curiously, nowhere to be found, replaced for the time being by Vincent's cape, draped over her slender shoulders. Her signature pink dress had dried in the heat as well. The metal bangles on her narrow wrists had, equally as curiously, not rusted, though they did look a bit worse for the wear. Her face itself hadn't changed much; sure, her lips were a little paler, and small lines did crease her brow, but she knew she was the same because glittering emerald eyes stared back at her. Wide, innocent, clear as day, they reflected her continued love of life, even in death, as it had been.
A sudden knock sounded at the door, interrupting her lengthy musing. "Aerith?" Vincent's voice was hesitant. "Aerith, there should be clothes in your size in the dresser. I'm going to go rest; you should do the same. We'll go to Nibelheim tomorrow."
"All right, Vincent. Thank you." She rose and crossed the room to investigate, rifling through the contents of the dresser, finding women's clothes that should just about fit her. She wondered who they belonged to. Certainly Rufus ShinRa was not married, and even his mistress would have no need of so much clothing. With a sigh, she gently closed the oak dresser's drawer and went to sit on the very edge of the bed. She perched cautiously, staring about the room as she listened to Vincent's footsteps recede down the hall.
He wasn't going to sleep on the couch. There was a basement in this house and Vincent knew it. The old wooden stairs creaked under his boots, but the damp darkness of the below level calmed him somewhat. Settling against the far wall so he had a clear view of the stairs and the doorway opening onto them, Vincent fell swiftly into his restless nightmares. Little did he know, Aerith herself suffered much the same.. but she would never tell him.
For who she was, everyone probably assumed Aerith dreamt of pretty flower fields, bathed in warm golden sunlight, fields that she could spend forever in. Warm life would flood through these meadows, and she could be content to spend the rest of her afterlife, forgetting the trials of the Planet, of Lifestream, of.. of her friends. Or at least, she seemed the type to never suffer from nightmares, that constant optimism kept them at bay. Before she'd died, this had been relatively true, but the open, floating nothingness of death left little to the imagination. The afterlife was conscious, yes, but it was not physical; there were not places she could go, things she could do. As the last Ancient, she was aware of the suffering of the Planet; also as the last Ancient, she was expected to ease that hurt, which she did. But then she was left, a conscience, dispersed through a simple lack of everything, with no purpose. For one who constantly tried to help, this was almost punishment for her.
But life, life had brought her nightmares. Aerith lay curled up on the oversized bed, one hand clenching tightly onto the bedspread. She dreamt of the crater. She saw him, perfection but for the minor flaw of psychotic insanity. Green eyes, a shade paler than her own, shone forth from a face of fine bone structure. High cheekbones accentuated his eyes, and it was only the crazy smile that tugged incessantly at the corners of his mouth that insinuated that he might be a little less than sane. A veritable mane of platinum hair fell from the crown of his head, near to his waist. Two spiky locks completed the picture, and she started when she realized who he had to be. Cold steel bands contracted around her heart, and she knew she was dreaming, but he wasn't going to let her escape this dream world he'd built for her. Not yet.
One pale, slender hand reached out to her, and she jerked back compulsively. His smile disappeared almost immediately, and he snarled, a feral sound. Within the confines of her mind, Aerith repeated over and over to herself that she knew, she /knew/, it was a dream. As if he understood what she was telling herself, his smile returned slightly, and he dropped his hand, speaking out to her instead.
"Hello, Aerith. I see those bastards you call friends have brought you back. Never mind that, though. You'll belong to me soon enough. It was rash, to kill you so.. I have new plans, and they don't involve Mother." A spasm crossed his features when he spoke of Jenova, but he soon got himself under control, finishing by adding, "She /lied/ to me. But I have found someone new to love." His smile was twisted, and Aerith had the sinking feeling he was talking about her.
The dream world fragmented and shattered around her. The last thing she saw was his face twisted with rage that she should escape his nightmarish paradise so easily. She jerked upright on the bed in the Costa del Sol home, wildly confused as she scooted back against the headboard. She drew her knees up, locking them and wrapping her arms tightly around, rocking herself back and forth for several long, silent minutes. Sephiroth..
Decisively, Aerith slipped off the bed, standing in a patch of sunlight slanting through the windows. It was sundown, and the rosy golden light bathed her in a sense of calm, until the cold terror of her dream gripped her once more. Padding softly but swiftly out the door, Aerith checked the little living room opposite, not really expecting Vincent to be there. Turning, she headed down to the basement, and upon finding him here, promptly sat beside him against the wall. With a sigh, she curled her legs up behind her, resting her head against Vincent's shoulder. Exhaustion brought on by the creeping fear of her dream sent her right back to sleep.
Vincent, although wrapped up in his own personal, persistent nightmares, felt the presence descend beside him, lean against him. The silver weapon slung from his hip was out of its holster, the barrel resting against Aerith's forehead and his finger on the trigger before both scarlet orbs had even opened. Noting who slept beside him, he swiftly returned the weapon, scowling at his own paranoia. Unwilling to disturb her, he simply settled back to sleep, resuming his nightmares as surely as he'd replaced the weapon in its holster.
Night passed swiftly, and Aerith awoke before dawn. Normally she would have slept later in the state she was in, but Vincent's suffering had caused him to stir and shift, muttering in soft, swift tones to himself. Though she couldn't decipher his words, she understood the gist, and promptly set to awakening him. Crimson eyes flew up and Vincent looked as confused as she herself had been when she'd first awakened.
"Vincent, are you all right? These nightmares, you can't deal with them yourself. You said they have persisted for three decades? Well, obviously you're not going about relieving yourself of them the right way."
He sat in stoic silence for a minute before a hint of iron came into his voice to dissuade her of offering her help anymore. She wouldn't want to bother aiding him, once she'd been reunited with Cloud. "Aerith, drop it, you can't help me with my nightmares. They're my problem, and mine alone."
She stared at him speechless as he rose, dusting himself off and turning to look down at her, his features expressionless. "Let's go, Aerith. It's time we went to Nibelheim." He left the basement without a further word, leaving Aerith to wander, stunned, up the stairs and after him.
---------
That was kind of long @.@ Soz. I hope you liked it, though!
Up next is Nibelheim and, obviously, Cloud. Lots of interaction with Cloud. Lots of Vincent being stubborn. Lots of Tifa smacking Cloud around. No, just kidding about that last one. I think.
Anyway, please review! I really love getting them from any and everyone ^^;;
Anyway! o.o Thanks for the reviews, you guys! I really appreciate them, and the ones you're going to write for this chapter =P
Kaitlin, of course, I love you, but don't question me. I am the author, after all.
Ryan: Sure you are ;
What was that?! -= threatens with stolen Masamune. =-
Sephy: Uhh..
Ryan: O.O -= hides in box with Sephy. =- Continue, continue..
Ahem. Yes. I said "gods" because I imagine more than one in FFVII-land. That's why :D
Seto-Kaiba's-Fan, thanks! I'm glad you're sticking with me :D
Jen, course you'll have to share 'cause.. he's Vincent and we love him. Thanks for your review n.n
Ah-Choo, as far as I know, nothing horrible happens to Cloud @.@ That can be remedied, though, according to Seph.
AngieX @.@ Refer to my summary of VII, because you are very confused =P Vincent's not like.. macho. He's just distant and cold. Poor baby. =(
The Demonic Angel of Yaoi.. -= huggles back! =- Merci, my first hug ^^ I'm glad you're so excited about this n.n And I have a tendency to state the obvious, you'll find.. xD
GhostCalibur, I'm glad you like it, given what you said.. and don't worry, stuff with Cloud happens soon.. I promise :D
Katerz.. what can I say. You're an inspiration too, I lovess you, precious, you and your sarcasm. I'm sure Cloud took time away from stylin' to make sure Aerith landed in a comfy position. -= becomes aware of the sound of crickets. =- Anyway.. ;
Now, what everyone who just suffered through my A/N has been waiting for! -= unveils chapter three! =- Tada!
-----------
"No!" The monosyllable became her immediate response, and Aerith blushed faintly when she noticed the strange expression Vincent wore as he watched her. Hastily trying to amend the rashness of her response, Aerith continued, "I mean, can't we go somewhere else first? I don't want to show up in Nibelheim, soaked, disheveled and exhausted."
Vincent sighed heavily. She was, after all was said and done, a girl, one who would soon be going to see her loved one, so long separated by death. Of course she wanted to look nice. Reluctantly, Vincent acceded, "I suppose we could stop off in Costa Del Sol first. Just for a little while."
"Thank you!" Vincent suddenly found himself the unwilling recipient of one of Aerith's overjoyed embraces; she'd leaned forward and impulsively thrown her arms around him. Vincent froze; if he pulled away as he had before, she would undoubtedly topple forward. So he sat stoically enduring this newest torment upon his soul until she released him, an oddly relieved expression on her face. "You're a lifesaver, Vincent.. in more ways than one!"
He smiled halfheartedly; she seemed to make him do that a lot recently. Well, recently.. she'd only been alive for the past hour or so. He sighed at the thought and stood suddenly. Holding out his hand, he pulled Aerith to her feet. Smiling still, she thrust his cape back into his arms before she loosed the bow holding her hair up. Auburn tresses, darkened by water, fell in a thick, curly wave down past her shoulders. She hadn't wanted to get his cloak wet. Vincent adamantly refused, though, and set it back around her bare shoulders.
"Don't want you to.. to catch a cold or something."
Acquiescing to his wishes, she started towards the Tiny Bronco, just a step behind him. Vincent impatiently kicked the stairs out again. However, he stepped aside and promptly offered Aerith a hand up into the miniature plane. Slender digits took his and she ascended the steps quite gracefully for a woman still getting reaccustomed to walking and other motor-related tasks.
The interior of the Tiny Bronco was, well, tiny. Aerith could vividly recall when they'd left Rocket Town with Cid and the little plane, and the adventures that had followed when ShinRa gunmen shot them down into the sea. She startled easily, however, this reincarnated woman, and when Vincent turned the engine over, propellers starting with a whir, she had to forcefully remind herself that she was not afraid of heights, let alone planes. Given the minuscule nature of the cockpit, she stood near the back of the small area, staring out the window as the City of the Ancients disappeared below. She sighed. It wasn't as though she would miss the place; she'd been dead in its lake for two years. Cetra blood was more at ease within the confines and limits of the city, and the Temple.
The scenery of the Western continent began blurring together as one massive grey, brown, and green haze, dispersed through with random shots of blue and white. Aerith sighed wistfully once more; it was really quite beautiful when traversed on foot. She'd only been to half of the towns, and the very southern edge of the northern continent, but what she'd seen had been quite stunning. Costa del Sol was on the eastern edge of the continent, across the ocean from Junon Harbor.
As a harbor itself, there was both a landing area with runway for planes, and a complex system of docks and ports. The Tiny Bronco fit neatly onto one of the smaller platforms for planes, and again, he extended his hand to assist Aerith down the short steps, well aware of her momentary disability.
Costa del Sol is the only real tropical spot on either continent. As soon as they stepped onto the docks, the heat stunned them into breathlessness. Aerith laughed, an overjoyed sound, and tightened her hold on Vincent's hand. Faint colour rose to stain his alabaster features, which would have made her laugh more if she hadn't been so intent on absorbing every bit of Costa del Sol. She veritably dragged Vincent down the docks, and he was hard pressed to keep up with her exuberant pace. The superfluous heat dried her still-damp locks within minutes, but it kept Vincent cringing.
As towns go, the Coast of the Sun isn't overly large. The beach, with its ivory sands and clear, aquamarine water, is the real attraction that lures tourists to its complementary resort. A bar, a weaponry shop, an items shop, all the standards in a basic town. An inn, larger than normal, stood just above the main entrance to the beach, and various vendors set up tents within the resort limits to sell items and souvenirs. Small children, harassed mothers, beach blondes and surfer boys populated the cobblestone streets of the city. It was, evidently, the big boom of the season, and it seemed that Costa del Sol was the place to be.
Aerith was fascinated with it all. Sparkling emerald eyes took in all the sights even as her companion tried to melt into nonexistent shadows. Crowds made Vincent uncomfortable. People in general made Vincent uncomfortable. Aerith's grip on his hand made Vincent /really/ uncomfortable. As discreetly as he could, he led her to the western edge of the tropical hotspot. At the top of a set of bleached stone stairs, opposite the bridge leading to the docks, was the former President Shinra's beach house. When he had been murdered by Sephiroth near the beginning of their journey, Rufus had become president of Shinra, Inc. He, however, had been far more interested in hunting down the last Cetra, and Sephiroth, to care about his various condos. And so, the caretaker had sold the condo to a young, blond, spiky-headed man who had been there previously; the elderly man had assumed him a serious surfer, and hadn't pressed the matter.
Vincent planned on using Cloud's recently acquired home to his advantage. He creaked the door open, and Aerith slipped past him into the cool interior, finally releasing Vincent's hand, much to his relief. She wandered into the foyer, memories flooding back to her. Vincent went to stand at her side before he spoke quietly.
"There's a bedroom on the left, Aerith, you can sleep there. I'll stay on the couch or something. Just call me if you need anything, all right?"
She nodded in response, bypassing the small dining table and going quietly into the room he had indicated. Upon closing the door, she turned to inspect her surroundings. The bedroom had changed only slightly since the time they found the caretaker in that room. The double beds were gone, replaced by a single king-sized canopied one. Not much else had changed; the lighting was still dim, the vanity still have a lovely mirror resting atop it, and a small, backless chair provided seating in front of the little table. A dresser was unceremoniously shoved into the corner.
Aerith sat on the little stool, gazing at her reflection with trepidation. The person who stared back was not the naïve, optimistic, happy-go-lucky girl she had been two years ago. Long chestnut hair hung in thick curls down to her waist, and was slightly frizzy with the heat from outside. She had an ivory pallor that came of the hard weeks before her death, and then burial far away from the sun. Her scarlet half-jacket was, curiously, nowhere to be found, replaced for the time being by Vincent's cape, draped over her slender shoulders. Her signature pink dress had dried in the heat as well. The metal bangles on her narrow wrists had, equally as curiously, not rusted, though they did look a bit worse for the wear. Her face itself hadn't changed much; sure, her lips were a little paler, and small lines did crease her brow, but she knew she was the same because glittering emerald eyes stared back at her. Wide, innocent, clear as day, they reflected her continued love of life, even in death, as it had been.
A sudden knock sounded at the door, interrupting her lengthy musing. "Aerith?" Vincent's voice was hesitant. "Aerith, there should be clothes in your size in the dresser. I'm going to go rest; you should do the same. We'll go to Nibelheim tomorrow."
"All right, Vincent. Thank you." She rose and crossed the room to investigate, rifling through the contents of the dresser, finding women's clothes that should just about fit her. She wondered who they belonged to. Certainly Rufus ShinRa was not married, and even his mistress would have no need of so much clothing. With a sigh, she gently closed the oak dresser's drawer and went to sit on the very edge of the bed. She perched cautiously, staring about the room as she listened to Vincent's footsteps recede down the hall.
He wasn't going to sleep on the couch. There was a basement in this house and Vincent knew it. The old wooden stairs creaked under his boots, but the damp darkness of the below level calmed him somewhat. Settling against the far wall so he had a clear view of the stairs and the doorway opening onto them, Vincent fell swiftly into his restless nightmares. Little did he know, Aerith herself suffered much the same.. but she would never tell him.
For who she was, everyone probably assumed Aerith dreamt of pretty flower fields, bathed in warm golden sunlight, fields that she could spend forever in. Warm life would flood through these meadows, and she could be content to spend the rest of her afterlife, forgetting the trials of the Planet, of Lifestream, of.. of her friends. Or at least, she seemed the type to never suffer from nightmares, that constant optimism kept them at bay. Before she'd died, this had been relatively true, but the open, floating nothingness of death left little to the imagination. The afterlife was conscious, yes, but it was not physical; there were not places she could go, things she could do. As the last Ancient, she was aware of the suffering of the Planet; also as the last Ancient, she was expected to ease that hurt, which she did. But then she was left, a conscience, dispersed through a simple lack of everything, with no purpose. For one who constantly tried to help, this was almost punishment for her.
But life, life had brought her nightmares. Aerith lay curled up on the oversized bed, one hand clenching tightly onto the bedspread. She dreamt of the crater. She saw him, perfection but for the minor flaw of psychotic insanity. Green eyes, a shade paler than her own, shone forth from a face of fine bone structure. High cheekbones accentuated his eyes, and it was only the crazy smile that tugged incessantly at the corners of his mouth that insinuated that he might be a little less than sane. A veritable mane of platinum hair fell from the crown of his head, near to his waist. Two spiky locks completed the picture, and she started when she realized who he had to be. Cold steel bands contracted around her heart, and she knew she was dreaming, but he wasn't going to let her escape this dream world he'd built for her. Not yet.
One pale, slender hand reached out to her, and she jerked back compulsively. His smile disappeared almost immediately, and he snarled, a feral sound. Within the confines of her mind, Aerith repeated over and over to herself that she knew, she /knew/, it was a dream. As if he understood what she was telling herself, his smile returned slightly, and he dropped his hand, speaking out to her instead.
"Hello, Aerith. I see those bastards you call friends have brought you back. Never mind that, though. You'll belong to me soon enough. It was rash, to kill you so.. I have new plans, and they don't involve Mother." A spasm crossed his features when he spoke of Jenova, but he soon got himself under control, finishing by adding, "She /lied/ to me. But I have found someone new to love." His smile was twisted, and Aerith had the sinking feeling he was talking about her.
The dream world fragmented and shattered around her. The last thing she saw was his face twisted with rage that she should escape his nightmarish paradise so easily. She jerked upright on the bed in the Costa del Sol home, wildly confused as she scooted back against the headboard. She drew her knees up, locking them and wrapping her arms tightly around, rocking herself back and forth for several long, silent minutes. Sephiroth..
Decisively, Aerith slipped off the bed, standing in a patch of sunlight slanting through the windows. It was sundown, and the rosy golden light bathed her in a sense of calm, until the cold terror of her dream gripped her once more. Padding softly but swiftly out the door, Aerith checked the little living room opposite, not really expecting Vincent to be there. Turning, she headed down to the basement, and upon finding him here, promptly sat beside him against the wall. With a sigh, she curled her legs up behind her, resting her head against Vincent's shoulder. Exhaustion brought on by the creeping fear of her dream sent her right back to sleep.
Vincent, although wrapped up in his own personal, persistent nightmares, felt the presence descend beside him, lean against him. The silver weapon slung from his hip was out of its holster, the barrel resting against Aerith's forehead and his finger on the trigger before both scarlet orbs had even opened. Noting who slept beside him, he swiftly returned the weapon, scowling at his own paranoia. Unwilling to disturb her, he simply settled back to sleep, resuming his nightmares as surely as he'd replaced the weapon in its holster.
Night passed swiftly, and Aerith awoke before dawn. Normally she would have slept later in the state she was in, but Vincent's suffering had caused him to stir and shift, muttering in soft, swift tones to himself. Though she couldn't decipher his words, she understood the gist, and promptly set to awakening him. Crimson eyes flew up and Vincent looked as confused as she herself had been when she'd first awakened.
"Vincent, are you all right? These nightmares, you can't deal with them yourself. You said they have persisted for three decades? Well, obviously you're not going about relieving yourself of them the right way."
He sat in stoic silence for a minute before a hint of iron came into his voice to dissuade her of offering her help anymore. She wouldn't want to bother aiding him, once she'd been reunited with Cloud. "Aerith, drop it, you can't help me with my nightmares. They're my problem, and mine alone."
She stared at him speechless as he rose, dusting himself off and turning to look down at her, his features expressionless. "Let's go, Aerith. It's time we went to Nibelheim." He left the basement without a further word, leaving Aerith to wander, stunned, up the stairs and after him.
---------
That was kind of long @.@ Soz. I hope you liked it, though!
Up next is Nibelheim and, obviously, Cloud. Lots of interaction with Cloud. Lots of Vincent being stubborn. Lots of Tifa smacking Cloud around. No, just kidding about that last one. I think.
Anyway, please review! I really love getting them from any and everyone ^^;;