Aeris sat on the edge of the bed, running a brush through her hair over and over. She couldn't remember the last time she had bothered to comb it through. Her eyes lay on a few sheets of paper on her nightstand that Vincent had left for her that morning. She had forgotten that she had asked him to tell her about her father, Professor Gast; that ocean voyage from Costa del Sol seemed like ages ago, even though it had not even been a week.
Her father, leader of the Jenova Project, researcher of the Ancients, world-renowned scientist... She remembered him from Vincent's nightmares as a kind, absent-minded man, more interested in the past than in the world in which he lived. He and Bugenhagen had been friends, and the machines here had been gifts from him. To think, he had wanted so badly to understand the Cetra that he had built a machine capable of hearing the cries of the Planet. But no more than that.
Coming out of her quiet reflection, Aeris ran the brush through her hair one last time, finding no knots, and finally set it down. She pulled back some of her hair into a ribbon, just to keep it out of her face, and smoothed her dress needlessly, wondering why she was so nervous.
Was it because he might be there? she wondered. Would he run from her again if he saw her? Probably he would avoid the whole thing entirely, but she still hoped that she would find him there. And, for some reason, she wanted to look presentable for him.
Stepping out of her room, she closed the door behind her and turned to smile at Cloud, who stood waiting for her. Tifa had gone ahead to claim a table for them.
Cloud, like many of her friends, had bought himself new clothes in the earth tones common in Cosmo Canyon. He and Tifa had insisted on buying a few things for her as well, and that was how she had ended up with this strapless golden-yellow party dress. Though it left little exposed aside from her shoulders, it accounted for a good part of her nervousness.
"You look beautiful," Cloud told her with a shy smile.
She blushed faintly. "Thanks. Now, let's hurry and catch up with Tifa before she suspects something of us."
"Right," he said, frowning briefly. He shook his head and offered her his hand. "Come on."
Aeris took it with a smile, and the two made their way out of the inn and threaded through the tables to where Tifa was sitting, joined already by Nanaki. The Cetra made to take her seat next to him, but a fresh song was starting, and Cloud looked at her imploringly.
"Dance with me?"
She straightened, looked to Tifa for approval, and then turned back to him. "I would love to."
He led her out to join the other dancers and took her in his arms. Old, familiar feelings stirred inside her as they danced. Having him so close to her, his deep blue eyes gazing into hers, made her heart flutter. No, no, no--! She couldn't get caught up in this again. Not again, and so when the music drew to a close, she felt something akin to relief.
She let go of Cloud's hand and smiled ruefully. "You should be dancing with Tifa."
"What about you?"
A thought occurred to her, and a mischievous quirk came to her lips. "I'll find another partner."
"All right," he conceded with some uncertainty. He hesitated before leaving her and joining Tifa.
With a skip in her step and a flutter of nervous excitement in her stomach, Aeris went to the edge of the firelight where the onlookers waited, watched, and talked amongst themselves. She walked past them into the shadows, scanning for Sephiroth. If he had come, this was where he would be.
She found him just around a corner, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest, trying to remain unnoticed. She thought that he was watching her out of the corner of his eye, and his expression looked mildly anxious. What was he thinking? she wondered. What had he told himself since that night on the airship an eternity ago? But he was not running, so she assumed that was a good sign, and she smiled at him.
"What are you doing, hiding back here?" she asked.
"Staying out of the way," he replied. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be dancing, or at least talking with your friends."
"I need a partner," she said.
Sephiroth shifted slightly and looked past her. "Reno should be about somewhere."
"Oh, he's busy trying to flirt with Minerva," Aeris laughed.
He scoffed. "Good luck to him."
"Well?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"Well what?"
"Are you going to dance with me?"
An anxious frown came to his face, as though she had cornered him. "I don't know how," he said.
"It would take you three seconds to learn, I'm sure. What's your real reason?"
He shifted uncomfortably and did not answer.
"You think it's ridiculous for someone of your reputation to be dancing at a party," she concluded, though she knew that was not his only reason.
"Yes."
"Well, that's no excuse," Aeris decided, taking hold of his arm and giving it a tug. "Come on."
"Aeris," he said in alarm, "I can't..."
"Why not? Why are you afraid of having a little fun?"
"It's ridiculous. I..."
She smiled encouragingly. "Just one dance. If you don't like it, you can come back to your corner and hide. I won't mind. But won't you at least try it? Please?"
"But, Aeris, you... I..."
She regarded him more seriously for a moment. "If you're still worried about what happened the last time we were together, don't be. You didn't do anything wrong, and it hasn't hurt me. I just..." She shook her head and smiled. "It's all right, okay? It was... sweet."
He averted his gaze. "I am sorry for running from you," he said. "I... heard it upset you."
"No, it's all right," she assured him. "No one ever taught you how to deal with these emotions, so naturally you'd be afraid of them. Now, will you be a gentleman and dance with me?"
Sephiroth sighed heavily. "If you insist. But only once."
Satisfied with that small victory, Aeris led him by the arm through the crowd, smiling in response to all the stares she received. They reached the dance floor just as a song was ending, and she turned to face Sephiroth, suddenly feeling a little hesitant herself. She smiled sheepishly as she stepped closer and put his hand around her waist. Being so close to him made her oddly nervous, even a little giddy.
And when was the last time you felt like that, Aeris?
Memories of a gondola ride and brightly-colored fireworks came to mind, but she quickly shook her head and looked up at Sephiroth. He was not looking at her, but instead had turned to study the crowd as though she were not there.
She took up his other hand and waited for the music to begin. "You're supposed to lead, but--"
"I know," he interrupted. "I have been watching."
The band started up again with a moderately-paced tune, and Sephiroth watched the other dancers for a time before he began to step tentatively in time with the music.
"I never thought the Great Sephiroth would take such tiny steps," Aeris remarked. He only looked more uncomfortable, and she almost apologized, but decided against it. "If you're going to be half-hearted about it," she said, "you may as well stop now."
Sephiroth stood still and dropped his gaze, his hand sliding from her waist. He glanced briefly at their joined hands. "Sorry," he muttered.
Aeris clasped his hand in both of hers and peered up into his face. "You're such a quick learner, I bet you could be a wonderful dancer if you put any effort into it. Stop thinking about what everyone else might think, only what you want."
"It isn't about what I want or don't want," he stated.
"Isn't it?"
"I can't..."
She brushed back the hair that had fallen to hide his face and smiled at him. "The only one holding you back is yourself. Let go. Enjoy yourself."
Sephiroth met her gaze and shook his head helplessly. "I shall try."
"That's more like it," she replied, reaching for his other hand to put it back around her waist. They began the dance again, Sephiroth still awkward but gaining confidence, and she was willing to wait so long as he was willing to try.
"This is your first party ever, isn't it?" Reno asked of Minerva, who sat on his right. Rude was to his left, Elena across from him, and Reeve on Minerva's right. They'd finally gotten past the obligatory introductions and brief backstories, and now they could relax, though the girl beside him did not. He figured relaxation was new to her, like a million other things, because she always appeared alert and ready.
"Yes," she replied simply.
He shook his head, finding it a hard concept to get his head around. "That must've sucked," he concluded. "Barely having any contact with other people like that."
She nodded slightly, her attention focused on the dancers past his shoulder.
"Yeah, that's definitely gotta suck," Elena remarked sardonically. "Stuck in a lab with no Reno around. Oh, the horror."
Minerva turned to frown at her, but made no comment.
"You should have some fun," Reno told her, ignoring his blond friend. "Make it a memorable night and all."
"Simply being out of the lab is memorable enough for me."
He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Me, I'd normally be out dancing or something, but..."
"But what?"
"But Reno thinks you're cute and wants you in his bed," Elena replied, cutting Reno off.
He would have denied it, but it was partially true. Partially. "So what if I do?" he demanded. "You're just jealous 'cause you don't have anything even remotely resembling a boyfriend."
She lifted her head to look down on him. "Unlike you, I'm not obsessed with the opposite sex."
"Nah, you're just pining after a dead guy who never even--"
"Reno," Rude interrupted quietly, and that was all he needed to say.
The redhead shot him a glare and muttered under his breath, "My best friend, always sticking up for her."
"Hey, no hard feelings, Reno," Reeve said amicably. "It's just that none of us like it when you talk about Tseng like that."
"Why should it matter what I say? He doesn't care. He's dead."
Elena flinched. "Reno--"
"He's dead," he repeated more forcefully. "And he ain't comin' back. So get the hell over it."
"But Sephiroth said--"
"Sephiroth?" Reno scoffed. "You're going to rely on Sephiroth to bring him back?"
She glowered at him and opened her mouth to speak.
"How long as it been?" Minerva cut in before they could come to blows.
"What?" the blond asked, blinking.
"Since his death."
"About five years now..."
"Then it may be possible," the girl said. "But don't get your hopes up."
"Right," Elena said, but her smile gave away her thoughts, and Reno rolled his eyes.
"Of course she'll get her hopes up," he said.
Her smile reverted to a frown, though her words lacked their usual spite. "Oh, Reno, keep your nose out of my business and go back to courting Minerva or something."
He was about to make some retort when Minerva caught his eye and shook her head. Instead he only exhaled and turned back to her. "So where were we anyway, before Laney decided to interrupt?"
"You were going to tell me why you aren't dancing," the girl replied without hesitation.
"Well, I was gonna say that it was because you were such good company, but now that just sounds kinda lame."
Minerva raised her eyebrows skeptically. "You mean you prefer my company to enjoying yourself?"
"Who says I'm not enjoying myself with you?"
Elena snorted and got to her feet, loudly scraping back her chair. "Hey, Reeve, you wanna go dance or something? Mr. Romeo over there is getting on my nerves."
"I don't know how," he protested weakly.
"Neither do I," she replied, walking over to tug on his arm. "Come on, we'll learn." Reeve gave in with a sigh, and Elena led him out to the dance floor.
"She certainly does not seem to like you," Minerva commented.
Reno shrugged. "Yeah, she's like a sister or something."
She raised an eyebrow. "A sister?"
He nodded, looking back at her. "Yeah. Like a bratty, annoying, younger sister."
"I see."
"Anyway," he went on, shifting in his chair. "I think I might go looking for Aeris and see if she wants to dance once or twice. Would you mind?"
Minerva shook her head. "But, she already has a partner."
He blinked. "Who, Cloud?"
"Sephiroth."
"What? You're kidding!"
Minerva made a slight gesture to point them out. "See for yourself."
Twisting around to look, Reno had to gape for a minute. "Now that may be the strangest sight I've ever seen."
"Why is it so odd? There are many other people dancing. Should it be so strange for him?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, you don't expect someone who's so antisocial to go out onto a dance floor; you have to get pretty close. How the hell did she get him out there?"
"Is it not obvious?"
"Huh?" Reno turned back to face her. "What do you mean?"
"Can you not tell how much she means to him? He would do anything for her."
The redhead snorted. "Sephiroth? Care about someone?"
"Yes. You cannot see it?"
"Nope. I guess I don't spend enough quality time with him, huh?"
Minerva only shrugged.
He fell silent for a while, watching Aeris and Sephiroth. At length he turned to Minerva and leaned forward. "So, since Aeris is taken and you don't think there's anything weird about it, do you wanna dance?"
She blinked in startlement. "Me?"
"Yeah, you."
"What would you want to dance with me for? Surely there are other girls who are more preferable."
"Aw, don't dis yourself like that," he said with a grin. "You're the prettiest girl here. Why wouldn't I wanna dance with you?"
Minerva's gaze remained skeptical. "I was not referring to my appearance, though I doubt your words have much truth to them."
"What, then? I like your personality just fine, and if you're worried about not knowing how, I can teach you, easy."
"Reno, she is just as antisocial as Sephiroth," Rude reminded him softly. With any other person being so silent, the redhead might have forgotten his presence, but he was used to having Rude around, so the odd comment never fazed him.
"Aw, c'mon," he said, "I was just asking. So, Min, what do ya say?"
"I... I don't know."
"Now you're just stalling," Reno stated, getting to his feet. "Come on, get up."
"If she doesn't want to, there's no point in making her," Rude persisted, watching.
"But she hasn't said no yet!" the redhead protested.
"Reno..." Minerva began, but then she sighed and shook her head. "All right."
He extended a hand as she stood, but she did not take it. Shrugging, Reno turned and led her out onto the dance floor. The song was drawing to a close, so he waited, catching Aeris's eye as the music ended. Leading Sephiroth by the hand, she came over to them, shaking her head while Reno grinned triumphantly.
Sephiroth looked amused. "You got dragged out here, too, did you?" he asked Minerva.
"So it seems," she replied dryly.
"Don't worry," said Aeris. "He enjoyed himself, didn't you, Sephiroth?"
The swordsman nodded, though he dropped his head in embarrassment.
"How about one more dance?" she asked, as though oblivious to her small audience.
"As many as you like," he replied, and she led him back to a more open space with a parting glance at Reno and Minerva.
"So weird," Reno muttered, shaking his head.
"I told you he would do anything for her."
"That's why he accepted. Why're you out here?"
"To let discomfort defeat me would be weakness," she stated.
"Well," he said, trying to hide his disappointment in a grin. "Time to see if you like this as much as the Great Sephiroth over there." He took up one of her hands, and pulled her close, glancing at her face to see how she was reacting. Her expression was as calm as usual, but she felt very tense.
"Hey, relax," he told her, though he had never known her to relax. "There's nothing to be afraid of; I won't bite."
"I cannot help it," she replied, her tone faintly apologetic.
"Oh."
The music started up again, and he tried to dance with her as he would with any other girl. She wouldn't want him to change for her, and she kept in step with him perfectly, picking up on everything immediately. But her muscles remained tense, and her face expressionless, and eventually his steps slowed to a near halt. "You don't like it?" he asked.
She blinked. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Well, you're not smiling."
"Am I supposed to?"
Reno laughed, relieved and amused. "That's what most people do when they're having fun!"
Minerva looked a little sheepish, but even now no smile came to her face. He guessed that it would take some time to coax one from her.
At the conclusion of the song, he walked with Minerva back to their table and ordered a beer. Elena, who had returned with Reeve, rolled her eyes as soon as the words came out of his mouth, but he only grinned at her.
"Beer?" Minerva wondered when a waitress brought him the requested drink.
"Yeah," he replied, taking a swig. "Haven't left a party sober since I was a kid."
"I don't understand..."
"That's right, I guess you've never had beer before," he said with a laugh. "Well... See, it gives you a real high, but you drink too much and you get drunk, and then you really can't think straight and do a lot of stupid things... heh..."
"I take it you have gotten 'drunk' on several occasions."
"A lot of occasions is more like it," Elena put in. "And he's done some very stupid things."
"Hey, I've spent most of my adult life drunk off my ass, and somehow I've managed not to get myself killed yet, so they couldn't've been all that stupid."
"Maybe, but you've had some close calls."
"Pfft, I've had just as many when I've been sober. I mean, the whole episode with Hojo was pretty crazy. I'm just lucky I had Min to get me out of it."
Elena rolled her eyes, but he glanced at Minerva and found on her lips the hint of a smile.
"I don't like it," Cloud muttered, his eyes following Aeris and Sephiroth on the dance floor. The sight of her in his arms put him on edge and brought a growl to his throat.
Tifa, sitting beside him, shook her head in spite of the frown on her face. "What are you going to do, Cloud? You can't keep them apart."
"I know," he sighed. "But... I don't understand it. He killed her. How can she stand to be so close to him, let alone enjoy it?"
"She knows him better than anyone else," she pointed out. "Maybe she found something beyond his coldness that's to her liking. She really does seem to care a lot about him."
"And what about him?" he asked sharply.
"I think the Great Sephiroth has a crush on her," Yuffie said, plunking down beside Tifa with a grin.
Cloud glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "Sephiroth? You've got to be kidding me."
"You can't tell?" the ninja asked. "I mean, look at him. He's blushing over there."
He looked back at the pair, and sure enough, the swordsman did look rather embarrassed. Cloud's frown deepened. The thought of them as a couple troubled him even more.
Tifa put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Cloud, lighten up. He's different now; I'm sure he won't do anything to hurt her, and anyway, she can protect herself better than we can. Besides," she added with a smile, "we're at a party. Have a little fun."
Cloud sighed and situated himself so that he no longer had a clear view of the dancers. "You're right," he said. "I'm being overprotective..."
"Yeah, Cloud," Yuffie chimed in. "You'd think you were her big brother or something."
He grinned sheepishly, but did not reply.
The ninja got to her feet, and he noticed for the first time that she wore a distinctly Wutain outfit, though it looked meant for a boy and not a woman. "Hey, Tifa," Yuffie said, smiling broadly and extending a hand in mock formality. "May I have this dance?"
Tifa bit back a laugh, replying, "Certainly, but why aren't you asking Cloud?"
"He's not done being moody yet, so I'll pass on that," she replied. "Besides, I'm not used to dancing the girl's part, and I doubt Red can do either of them."
This time Tifa did laugh, and, taking Yuffie's outstretched hand, she followed her out to join the other dancers. Cloud watched them for a few minutes, then turned to Nanaki. "What do you make of it?" he asked, knowing his friend would understand that his train of thought had never changed.
"I think they may be a better match than you realize," he replied simply.
"How can you say that? A murderer and his victim?"
Nanaki shook his head. "He knows better than anyone what it is like to be different, and Aeris needs someone who can understand that, someone whom she isn't afraid to confide in because he will accept all her words without laughing." He paused and then added, "That is not to say that you could not have done the same, but I believe Sephiroth, perhaps, can truly understand her."
Cloud nodded grudgingly, not liking the comparison between Sephiroth and himself. He turned to look out at the dancers, but could no longer find Sephiroth and Aeris among them. He wasn't sure whether this was to his relief or his anxiety, and he turned back to Nanaki with a sigh.
"How much longer do you plan on staying?" the feline asked, apparently trying to change topics.
"Have you heard about Sephiroth's plan to go after Jenova?"
"Yes, I have. Did you plan on aiding him?"
"He said Aeris was going to help him, and..." Cloud trailed off, frowning. "Even if she is supposed to be stronger because she's a Cetra, I still want to protect her, in case her magic fails her or something..."
Nanaki nodded. "I believe it would be wise to gather everyone together tomorrow to discuss both the recent events and Sephiroth's plans, so that everyone knows what is going on and can decide where they are going from here."
"Right again," he said, managing a smile. "What would we do without you, Nanaki?"
"Without me," he replied with a cat-like smirk, "you would never have gotten past the front gate."
"True, true..."
Tifa and Yuffie returned from their dance, all smiles and laughter, and while Tifa sat back down, Yuffie walked over to Nanaki. "Would you like to dance, Red?" she asked, barely containing a fit of giggles. Cloud glanced at Tifa with a raised eyebrow, wondering if she had something to do with this, but she only grinned.
Nanaki regarded the ninja with a mixture of amusement and incredulity. "Yuffie, you know that being a quadruped restricts me from such activities."
"What about that time you had to disguise yourself as a Shinra soldier?" she demanded. "You managed to walk around on two legs then."
He tossed his mane uncomfortably. "I would prefer not to make a fool of myself. If you wish to dance, ask someone with two legs."
"But I wanna dance with you," she replied earnestly. "And if anyone laughs, I'll... hurt them, or something." She made a few punches in the air, as if to demonstrate what she would do.
This seemed to amuse him, and he snorted a little, hopping off his bench. "Very well then. But you'll have to teach me. And try not to step on my paws."
With a triumphant grin, Yuffie headed back out to the dance floor with Nanaki at her heels. Cloud twisted to watch them, seeing the ninja take up Nanaki's front paws in her hands and offer instructions. The people around them laughed, but with the two rather than at them. Yuffie shook her fist at them even as she grinned.
Shaking his head, Cloud turned back to Tifa with a smirk on his face.
"Watch it, Cloud," she warned, suppressing a smile herself. "Or Yuffie might beat you up for laughing."
"Now there's a frightening thought," he said, not the least bit intimidated.
Tifa leaned back in her chair. "Those two never used to get along, and now it seems like they're best friends."
He shrugged. "Yuffie's changed since then."
"You're right. And maybe Nanaki thinks of her pranks more fondly now that it's been so long."
"Yeah."
She looked over at him. "So how are you doing?" she asked, and he knew exactly what she meant.
"All right, I guess. But I can't stand the thought of them... together."
"When I talked to Aeris the other night, she said they were just friends, but... I don't know. Did Sephiroth say anything?"
Cloud frowned. "He said he cared about her, yeah. He also said he didn't know what she saw in him."
"I don't know either, but then, I haven't spent any time with him whatsoever, so of course I wouldn't. And it's the same with you."
"Nanaki and Yuffie seem to think they make a good couple," he remarked flatly.
"Well, I don't know about Yuffie's judgment," she admitted, "but Nanaki should know what he's talking about."
"I guess," he admitted reluctantly. "But... anyone would be better than Sephiroth. Hell, I'd even put up with Reno! But not him."
"Cloud," Tifa said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I know you don't like him. Neither do I. You're probably even jealous of him. But Aeris is fond of him, and that means there must be something good in him. We may not like it, but it's not our job to protect her, and griping about it won't do anyone any good."
Jealous? he wondered. Was he jealous of Sephiroth? No. ...maybe. Yes. Aeris spent more time with his enemy than she did with him. Only, Sephiroth was no longer his enemy. What was he now? A rival? But you're married, he reminded himself. Fool, you're still in love with Aeris. Tifa, I'm sorry... Cloud sighed heavily and said aloud, "I want her to be happy, but I want her to be safe, too."
Tifa smiled reassuringly. "She'll be fine. Aeris is stronger than we are now. And anyway, Sephiroth couldn't deceive her like this. He wouldn't bring her back only to murder her again. He wouldn't put up a false front for this long just to kill her. It's not like him."
"You're right," he admitted, lowering his head. "But... I am jealous. I shouldn't be, but I am. I'm so sorry, Tifa."
She put a strong arm around him and lifted his head with her other hand. "It's all right, Cloud. I know you can't help the way you feel. I don't blame you for anything because you're doing what I wasn't strong enough to do. Maybe you'll never stop loving her; I don't know. But I'll love you anyway."
"Tifa, I..."
Yuffie's laughter startled the two from their conversation, and Tifa even pulled back a little. The ninja flopped down in her chair while Nanaki settled back down on his bench. Yuffie looked over at them, her lips quirking. "Sorry, guys. Did we interrupt something?"
Tifa gave her a faltering smile and shook her head. "No, Yuffie, you didn't interrupt anything."
"Right," the ninja said doubtfully.
"Tifa," Cloud murmured, standing slowly, "would you like to dance?"
She took his hand, smiling genuinely. "I'd love to."
Most people had already gone to the party, but Vincent and Lucrecia had been in no rush to go anywhere. He now stood waiting outside the room at the inn for her to get ready. Even if they were together now, even if she hadn't asked him for the privacy, he had felt uncomfortable with staying. Many walls still existed between them. Breaking them down would take time.
At last the knob turned, and Lucrecia emerged from the room. She wore a simple white dress which he had bought for her, and she had let her hair down. Honestly, he could scarcely remember seeing her with her hair down, and the smile on her face told him that she knew that.
"You look more beautiful than ever," he managed, trying to return that smile.
"Thank you," she said quietly, stepping close to him and reaching up to brush back his hair. He bent down closer, and she tied it back for him. "There," she said, lowering her hands as he straightened. She took him by his flash hand, and they went outside to join the celebration.
A number of tables were spread out around the Candle's platform, leaving ample space around it for a dance area, and a small group of musicians, mostly percussionists, sat in the shadows, beyond the light of the torches that had been spread about. Most of the tables had already been claimed, though some empty seats remained, and a number of villagers were stuck on their feet. Not that it seemed to bother them; they wove their way amongst the tables, talking to various friends, went frequently to the dance floor, or paid visits to the shops that had stayed open.
Katrina's waving caught his eye, and with a glance at Lucrecia, he wove through the crowd to join her. She was sitting with a laid-back Cid on her right and a pensive Miera to her left; a motley crew, certainly.
"Hi, guys," Katrina greeted brightly.
"Hello," Lucrecia replied, turning her gaze to Cid, whom she had not met before. "I'm Lucrecia."
"Yeah, hey," he said casually. "I'm Cid Highwind."
She nodded. "Cid Highwind... You pilot the airship, don't you? Vincent's told me about you."
"Wow, I didn't think Vincent talked about anyone much, let alone me."
Vincent raised an eyebrow at Cid as he pulled out a chair for Lucrecia. She sat, offering him a smile in thanks, and he took his own seat beside her.
"Well," said Lucrecia, "I asked him to tell me about all of you so I wouldn't feel so lost. You've been through so much together, it seems."
"I guess you could say that. A month doesn't sound like long, but it felt like it."
"A lot can happen in a month," she agreed.
"So where've you been all this time?"
"Dead," she replied. "Or close to it."
"Ah," he said, nodding sagely. "You're one o' those people. Right, didn't Aeris say she brought you back?"
Lucrecia nodded. "That's right."
"And you're Vince's girlfriend." He laughed at this. "Vincent with a girlfriend! I never thought I'd see the day."
"Do you have a girlfriend, Cid?" Katrina prompted.
He scratched his head in embarrassment, his laughter dying. "Sort of, I guess."
Lucrecia raised an eyebrow. "'Sort of'? What does the lady think?"
"Hell, I don't know. I haven't asked."
"I don't know how Shera puts up with him," Vincent said aside to Lucrecia.
"Hey!" Cid protested. "I don't treat 'er like I used to."
"And how do you treat her now?" he wondered.
"Less smoking, less cursing, and I get my own goddamn tea."
Lucrecia laughed. "I don't think I want to know how much you used to curse."
"Must've been a lot," Katrina put in.
"Fuck yeah," Cid agreed, grinning.
"Two-legged things are so strange," Miera said absently, speaking for the first time. Her eyes were on the dancers. "Hurting the ones they love."
The pilot snorted. "Whatever."
Lucrecia tilted her head curiously. "You think Sephiroth and Aeris do that, too?" she wondered.
"Sometimes," the feline replied. "Without meaning to now perhaps, but yes, they do. And you and Vincent do as well."
She smiled in rueful acknowledgment. "I suppose we do."
"Enough of this painful shit," Cid declared. "Don't you people have anything cheerful to talk about?"
"I should think Sephiroth and Aeris to be a cheerful enough topic," Miera said.
"Those two? More like frightening. But hey, if Aeris wants to dance with her murderer, I guess that makes 'em a perfect couple."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, then they're both crazy."
"Cid," Lucrecia said in admonishment, "neither of them is crazy." She paused, eyes shifting towards the crowded dance floor. Vincent followed her gaze as she smiled and saw that Aeris was indeed dancing with Sephiroth. "...but I do think they're a perfect couple," she finished.
"Seriously?" the pilot asked incredulously.
She nodded. "I couldn't explain without taking forever, and I doubt you care that much, especially if you speak of such a thing so lightly."
He ran a hand through his messy blond hair and said nothing.
"On a lighter note," she went on, a smile slowly spreading across her face as she stood and turned to Vincent. "I haven't danced in ages, and look! Here is my chance. Come, Vincent, let me teach you how." She took up his arm and gave it a tug.
"Lucrecia..." he began hesitantly.
Cid's rough laughter interrupted him. "Don't tell me Vincent's shy!"
"Well, he is," Lucrecia told him patiently. "And I wouldn't have him any other way. Now, come, dear, there's nothing to be afraid of. You should know I don't bite."
He stood with a nod and followed her away from the tables, the digits of his metal claw twitching anxiously, as though he did not know what to do with the limb. Lucrecia soon solved his problem by placing his flesh hand at her waist and taking up the metal hand. She treated it carefully so as not to cut herself, but the gesture made it clear that she refused to forsake any part of him, even one so crude and artificial.
Vincent appreciated the sentiment, but he had reservations about touching her with his claw. Still, if she could forgive all his mistakes and not call them sins, then she could accept what he had become, and he would do his best to seem worthy.
So he smiled at her.
Author's Notes
Firstly, Reno so. much. fun. I love writing the boy.
Not too many changes to this part, aside from chronology. Boy, did I suck at chronology when I first wrote this. I just typed up the stuff as it came to me without giving much thought as to when each scene happened in relation to the others. The first thing I did when I started the rewrite was make a list of all the scenes (roughly 200 of them before I made the cuts), decide when exactly they happened, and rearrange them accordingly. Afterwards, I took a very long break from the whole affair. :P Most of the actual editing was done between December of 2004 and May of this year. Phew!