Chapter 5: Once You Meet Her

Though no one knows it

Where she came from

Where she's going to

And once you meet her

You will find that something inside

Is changing

Once You Meet Her – Final Fantasy

Vincent unlocked the door to an apartment and stepped through. Aeris followed, dripping with rainwater. She stared around at the flat.

The walls were painted white and hung with paintings. Scattered over the room were paintbrushes, pencils, paint boxes, pots of water and canvases.

"I don't have company often." He said as a way of explanation for this state of the apartment. Aeris shook her head.

"No… it's fine."

"I'll make some coffee." He said, going to the kitchen section of the apartment. It was one big room, with a doorway leading to a bedroom and another door to the bathroom.

As he made coffee Aeris picked her way carefully through the large room, admiring the canvases. Some were just dashes of colour, others depicted scenes. As the coffee brewed, Vincent went to the large fireplace which was filled with logs. He lit a small square of fire starter and threw it in among the logs. Within minutes there was a blazing fire. Aeris felt the warmth seeping through her drenched skin. Vincent glanced at her, and then disappeared into the bedroom. He returned with a blanket. He handed it to her before returning to the coffee.

Aeris sat on the sofa in front of the fire. Vincent joined her, holding a mug of coffee. She took it and thanked him.

"This place is amazing."

"Thank you."

"It must have cost a fortune." Aeris said, looking out of the large windows to admire the view. Vincent shrugged.

"My parents left me a lot of money when they died."

"Oh! I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

Aeris sipped the coffee.

"Is it just you living here?"

"Yes."

"Don't you get lonely?"

"Not especially. It's easier to paint if you're alone."

Aeris looked at the canvases.

"They're amazing."

"I can find fault in each one."

"Your own worst critic, huh?" Aeris said, smiling. For some reason Vincent didn't intimidate her as much as he did other people.

"You could say that." Aeris looked around again and then froze. Vincent followed her eyes.

"That painting." It was the one of the trees, the one they had just seen at the museum. Aeris looked at him.

"Vincent, did you paint that picture?"

He looked at her for a moment and then nodded. She stared at him for a moment. She didn't look surprised, or happy. She was frowning slightly, a peculiar look on her face.

"You… you don't really feel like that, do you?"

"Doesn't everybody?" He asked. She put down her coffee.

"No! Vincent, you mustn't think like that! Dead among the living…"

"I didn't literally mean dead. I've just been alone for so long that's how I feel."

Aeris kept eye contact with him. He didn't break it. Eventually she looked away.

"You must have a reason for living."

"Art."

"Nothing else? What about your family?"

"I have none."

"Friends? You must have some friends."

"No."

Aeris straightened up. She looked at him.

"Well you do now. I'll be your friend."

"Aeris-"

"No! Listen to me… you can't live this way. Life is short. Carpe Diem – seize the day. You have to live your own life, not just let it pass you by."

She stopped and then blushed. They sat in silence. Eventually Vincent said,

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen. You?"

"Twenty."

"I guessed about that. So, how did your father know mine? I mean, Professor Gast."

Vincent looked at her.

"They worked together for a while."

"Oh, OK." Her father had worked with lots of people. It wasn't unusual for scientists to work on projects together.

"How long do you think the storm will last for?" Aeris said, in another stab at conversation. Vincent glanced out of the window. The rain showed no signs of easing.

"I don't know. It could be some time. Is there a problem?"

"No!" Aeris said, embarrassed. "No, I was just wondering."

She looked over at the canvases.

"Can I see some?" She asked. Vincent waved a hand, signalling for her to look around. She stood up and moved from canvas to canvas, admiring each piece of work. He watched her intently. She stopped in front of a canvas. There were pencil markings on it, but no paint. It showed the inside of Barret's Café. The tables, chairs, the platform with the microphone, all in impeccable detail.

"I like this one." She said, smiling. She looked closer, at the figure behind the counter. "Hey, that's Tifa!"

"Yes."

"It's brilliant. I'd love to be able to draw."

"Music is your art."

"You've never heard me play." Aeris pointed out, a smile on her face. Vincent went to the corner of the room, where a white sheet lay over an object. He whipped off the sheet to reveal a beautiful piano underneath.

"It was my mother's. I used it for some art recently." He said. Aeris ran a hand over the keys, but not hard enough to produce a sound.

"Play something. I've shown you my art. Show me yours."

Normally Aeris would have refused. But the way he stood next to the piano, his dark eyes imploring her made her want to play. She sat down and pressed a couple of keys. It was perfectly tuned. She played the opening tune to 'A Thousand Miles'. Looking up she saw him watching her. As she sang, he never once took his eyes off her.

The song ended. Neither of them moved. Vincent said quietly,

"You're very good."

"I try hard. It's a lot of work. But when you play a piece perfectly for the first time… it's like no other feeling in the world. Knowing you've put your all into something and it's paid off. It's wonderful."

Vincent nodded again. He sat down next to the piano as Aeris began to play again.

When the rain had eased off a little, they made a dash for the Avalanche Dormitories. Vincent gave her a coat to wear. When they reached the door to the dormitories, she turned to him.

"Thanks again."

"It's nothing." She looked up at him. His pale skin had drops of water trickling down it. His hair was lank and glistening in the rain. His eyes bored into hers. For a few moments she couldn't breathe. And then he nodded to her and turned away. Before she could speak he had disappeared into the rain. Aeris hugged the coat tightly around her as she went inside. In her room, she found Tifa and Cloud talking. Tifa looked up.

"Where have you been? It's really late." Aeris glanced at the clock.

"Got caught in the rain. Went to a friend's place to wait it out."

"Wait a sec… you have friends who aren't us?" Cloud said, in mock-heartbreak. Aeris laughed as she plugged in the hairdryer.

As she dried her long hair, Cloud stood up.

"Well, I must be going. I'll see you both tomorrow."

When he had left, Tifa jumped onto Aeris' bed.

"So, who were you with?" She asked excitedly. Aeris looked at her strangely.

"What do you mean?"

"That's a guy's coat! Who is he?"

"No one, OK?"

"Not OK! Come on, Aeris. Tell me…" She wheedled, making puppy dog eyes. Aeris rolled her eyes.

"It was Vincent Valentine, OK?"

Tifa's eyes widened. Aeris leant back against the wall.

"You have to tell me EVERYTHING!"

"There's nothing to tell. We were at the exhibition; we were walking over to the café but got caught in the storm, so we went to his place to wait it out."

"What's his flat like?"

"Very artistic. Look, Tifa, you're getting way too hopeful about this. Nothing happened. We just talked about art and music for a while and then he walked me home. Geez, you're acting like I was on a date!"

Tifa shrugged.

"I just don't know him that well. No one does."

"Well, his dad worked with mine a while back, so he already knew who I was. That's probably why he's being nice to me."

Aeris went into the bathroom and hung the dripping coat over the showerhead to drain. As she brushed her teeth Tifa said,

"OK. Oh, yeah, Yuffie said she'd help you with your vocals during music tomorrow. She dropped off some sheet music."

"Thanks. Well, I am going to bed."

There was a microwave in the room. Aeris filled a mug with milk and put it in the microwave. As it heated, Aeris said,

"I'll ask about the open mic night at class tomorrow, OK?"

"That'd be great. You've got to play."

"No, I already told you I'm not going to!"

"Come on! Even I've never heard you play properly. You let Yuffie and Cloud hear."

"I've known Cloud since I was three and Yuffie is in my music class." Aeris pointed out.

Tifa threw herself onto her own bed a lay looking up at Aeris who stirred sugar into her milk.

"Just think about it, OK?"

"Fine. Goodnight."

As she lay in bed, Aeris looked up at the ceiling. She could hear the hollow drip as the coat dried in the shower. She'd have to give it back to him as soon as she could.