Aeris lay in bed. Her mind was blank, her eyes wide, tinted red from softly falling tears. She lay this way until the sun shone through the window. It was then when one thought pushed it's way through the fogginess-
He left.
------------------
Making her way slowly down the stairs of the inn, Aeris spotted everyone sitting at a table, eating breakfast. Her gaze halted when it spotted Cloud. He was sitting with untouched food in front of him, steadfastly avoiding her gaze. She paused only momentarily on the bottom step before joining the group at the table.
"Aeris! What's happened to you? Is, is something-"
"No, Tifa." Aeris weakly held up a hand.
"Everything is fine. Perfect."
Cloud looked down at his plate, his mouth clenched shut, saying nothing. Red XIII finally broke the silence. He cleared his throat before beginning,
"There was another monster sighting this morning. The person didn't get a good enough look at it for identification. I don't think it's just one either, there have been so many sightings, with the same description, and in different areas that I think there could be several."
Cloud lifted his eyes to glance quickly around the table at everyone, avoiding only one.
The sound of the front door opening and closing brought everyone to attention, and all looked toward the entranceway.
------------------
Someone gasped. The sound of silverware hitting a plate was the only noise to follow.
It took several moments for anyone to recognize the person who was standing in the door. There was no place on his body that was not dyed a hideous red. The blood was in his hair, running down his arms, ending at his fingertips, which were an especially dark claret color. His shirt was torn, revealing a deep, painful looking tear in his flesh, running almost the entire length of his arm. It looked as though this person had killed something, and then ripped it apart with his bare hands. The first to recognize the person was Red XIII, who whispered questioningly in a low, raspy voice,
"Vincent?"
A chair clattered to the floor and Aeris was at his side. She touched his blood tinted face, eyes staring in horror. Shakily she began to speak, but he shook his head.
"Most of this isn't mine. Only here." He pointed to his left side.
Aeris carefully ran a hand gently over the wound. Vincent grimaced, but the pain soon gave way to worry when he saw the scared look on Aeris' face.
"Really, I'm fine. I just got into a little fight with one of the monsters in the valley."
The others at the table finally rose, as if waking from a trance, and came over to where Vincent and Aeris were standing.
"A little fight?" Barrett exclaimed. "It looks more like you took on a couple Behemoths."
"Actually, only one." If it were possible, all the eyes in the room grew even wider. Everyone began to speak all at once,
"A Behemoth?"
"By yourself? Why would you-"
"You killed it? Where-"
Cloud's voice won out,
"You took on a full grown, dangerous, blood thirsty Behemoth by yourself? What in the world would make you do something so foolish?" His voice was strained; he looked disbelievingly at Vincent, who still looked as if he had bathed in a pool of blood. Vincent's eyes narrowed angrily.
"It's our job in this place, isn't it? Rid the valley of dangerous beasts? Well now there's one less to worry about." Shoving past Cloud, he made his way to the stairs. They heard Vincent enter his room, and then silence. Looking at his shoulder where Vincent had hit him, Cloud saw a dark red stain.
------------------
Entering the shower, Vincent turned the water on, letting it steam away the blood. He watched the water turn red and disappear down the drain. He winced as the stream hit the gash on his arm, then sighed. When he had gotten as much of the blood off of him as was possible, he stepped out of the shower. As he was finishing getting dressed, there was a knock at the door, and a voice.
"Vincent?" He paused and looked at the door. It was her. He opened the door and stepped aside to allow her to enter. When he had closed it again, she turned to look at him.
"I, I came to heal you." Vincent nodded, unable to speak. He slowly removed his shirt and sat on the bed. She kneeled on the bed facing him. She lifted a hand and ran it the length of the injury. His skin trembled where she touched it. She breathed deep, and bent her head down. When she did, her long hair slipped over her shoulder and brushed his skin. He inhaled sharply with the pain of her closeness, knowing nothing could come of it.
Aeris heard him gasp and looked up.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" When he looked down at his arm, it was healed. He breathed out.
"No." Aeris smiled, and the beauty Vincent saw in her caused his heart to break with unreciprocated love. He stood and moved a few steps from the bed, facing away from her, trying to numb the pain. He heard her stand as well; she rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Is something the matter, Vincent?" He closed his eyes; her voice sounding out his name was so wonderful.
"No. No, it just hurts."
"The phantom pain should dull soon, it doesn't last very long after the wound is healed." Vincent nodded. Aeris moved to sit back on the bed. There was no way to tell her that the pain he was feeling he had felt for a long time, and it wouldn't ever leave. He pushed this pain to the back of his head while they talked of the monsters, the warming weather that would inevitably bring more, and where they might go after this job was complete. Eventually there was a pause, and Aeris looked at him.
"Can I talk to you about something?" Vincent nodded, his heart stopping for a fraction of a second with a glimmer of hope.
"Well-" she paused for a second. "You know how I have feelings for Cloud, right?" Vincent froze. He cursed himself. Of course it was Cloud you asshole. It was always him. She could never return the feelings that you have for her. You were a fool for ever thinking she could. Don't tell her anything about how you feel, it would only upset her. He resigned himself to continue the conversation, even while his heart was ready to stop beating just to end the pain. He swallowed, and managed only a quiet
"Yes."
Aeris nodded, and looked down. She was silent for a long while. Vincent looked away. When his eyes returned to her, he saw a tear running down her face. He rushed to her side, kneeling in front of her, taking her hands in his. She raised her eyes to his. She gave into the pain she was feeling, she shook as more tears fell. At that moment Vincent would have given his life up just to stop her from crying so.
"Aeris-" But he could think of no words. She started to speak rapidly, her thoughts spilling out confusedly.
"Oh Vincent! I just don't know what to do, and you and I are such good friends. I just needed someone to talk to; he doesn't even-" She broke off, unable to speak through the tears.
Vincent sat next to her on the bed, and embraced her gently, softly whispering comforting words in her ear. He held her until the tears stopped. She took his hand in hers and rested her head on his shoulder. She spoke so softly Vincent had to strain to hear her,
"I just-" She breathed deeply. "I don't know if he really loves me. I mean, what if he- what if the other night-" Vincent squeezed her hand.
"Don't talk like that."
"But Vincent-"
"If he doesn't love you than he is the greatest fool that has ever walked the planet."
They were silent, both with thoughts of love and the pain it can cause running through their minds. At length Aeris lifted her head to look with downcast eyes across the room. She took Vincent's hand in hers, intertwining her fingers with his. A sad smile appeared on her lips as she spoke,
"Thank you."
------------------
Cloud's sword whistled through the air, quickly ending the life of a pitiful Cactuar. Cloud made a quick stabbing motion, impaling the already dead creature as it fell to the ground. He then turned and began wiping the blood from his sword.
"Is it just me, or are you killing with more force than necessary?" Cloud looked at Tifa, and they began to walk.
"We're here to kill monsters, that's all I'm doing."
"Hmm." They walked without speaking, slaying the few monsters they ran across.
Cloud had laid awake for a good portion of the night before. He had seen Aeris entering Vincent's room. What had she told him? It's not like I don't have any feelings for her, he thought.
"Cloud, why are you doing it?" Tifa roused him from his thoughts. He replied with a hint of frustration in his voice. Tifa noticed it, and goaded him on.
"You'll only end up hurting everyone, in the end." Cloud stopped.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Tifa chuckled, walking towards him, who still had his back turned to her.
"I mean, as you perfectly well do know, this whole you and Aeris thing. You know you don't love her. You've only ever loved one person." She walked around to face him. She looked at him for a long moment, and then stepped closer. She traced a finger from his ear down to his chest.
"And that person-" She pushed him slightly with her finger.
"-Is me." She turned on a heel and began to walk away from him. As the shock of her statement wore off, Cloud's anger rose. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to face him. He held both of her arms tightly, looking angrily at her. He hissed,
"That's not true." Tifa laughed harshly and wrenched her arms out of his grasp. She spoke with an even tone, yet the anger in it was evident.
"You know it is. You still think of that night at the well, when we were young. You remember what we talked about, the promise you gave to me. Yes, you recall it perfectly."
"Of course I remember. But that was a long time ago, we were children. I don't love you now. I don't. I've moved on." Tifa looked hard at him, scrutinizing his gaze, before smiling a wicked smile.
"Who are you trying to convince of that Cloud?" She stepped closer, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him to her. She looked at him for an instant, and then pressed her lips hard against his. She kissed him passionately. Running her hands through his hair, then bringing them down to his shoulders, his chest. Finally Cloud gave himself completely into her, and put his arms around her, drawing her in tightly against him. It was then she knew she had gotten him, and she pulled away.
Cloud looked at her with incredulity. Tifa smiled once more and said quietly but firmly,
"Now try telling me you don't love me." She turned on a heel and started walking, leaving Cloud still as a statue, where he had stood a moment before.
He left.
------------------
Making her way slowly down the stairs of the inn, Aeris spotted everyone sitting at a table, eating breakfast. Her gaze halted when it spotted Cloud. He was sitting with untouched food in front of him, steadfastly avoiding her gaze. She paused only momentarily on the bottom step before joining the group at the table.
"Aeris! What's happened to you? Is, is something-"
"No, Tifa." Aeris weakly held up a hand.
"Everything is fine. Perfect."
Cloud looked down at his plate, his mouth clenched shut, saying nothing. Red XIII finally broke the silence. He cleared his throat before beginning,
"There was another monster sighting this morning. The person didn't get a good enough look at it for identification. I don't think it's just one either, there have been so many sightings, with the same description, and in different areas that I think there could be several."
Cloud lifted his eyes to glance quickly around the table at everyone, avoiding only one.
The sound of the front door opening and closing brought everyone to attention, and all looked toward the entranceway.
------------------
Someone gasped. The sound of silverware hitting a plate was the only noise to follow.
It took several moments for anyone to recognize the person who was standing in the door. There was no place on his body that was not dyed a hideous red. The blood was in his hair, running down his arms, ending at his fingertips, which were an especially dark claret color. His shirt was torn, revealing a deep, painful looking tear in his flesh, running almost the entire length of his arm. It looked as though this person had killed something, and then ripped it apart with his bare hands. The first to recognize the person was Red XIII, who whispered questioningly in a low, raspy voice,
"Vincent?"
A chair clattered to the floor and Aeris was at his side. She touched his blood tinted face, eyes staring in horror. Shakily she began to speak, but he shook his head.
"Most of this isn't mine. Only here." He pointed to his left side.
Aeris carefully ran a hand gently over the wound. Vincent grimaced, but the pain soon gave way to worry when he saw the scared look on Aeris' face.
"Really, I'm fine. I just got into a little fight with one of the monsters in the valley."
The others at the table finally rose, as if waking from a trance, and came over to where Vincent and Aeris were standing.
"A little fight?" Barrett exclaimed. "It looks more like you took on a couple Behemoths."
"Actually, only one." If it were possible, all the eyes in the room grew even wider. Everyone began to speak all at once,
"A Behemoth?"
"By yourself? Why would you-"
"You killed it? Where-"
Cloud's voice won out,
"You took on a full grown, dangerous, blood thirsty Behemoth by yourself? What in the world would make you do something so foolish?" His voice was strained; he looked disbelievingly at Vincent, who still looked as if he had bathed in a pool of blood. Vincent's eyes narrowed angrily.
"It's our job in this place, isn't it? Rid the valley of dangerous beasts? Well now there's one less to worry about." Shoving past Cloud, he made his way to the stairs. They heard Vincent enter his room, and then silence. Looking at his shoulder where Vincent had hit him, Cloud saw a dark red stain.
------------------
Entering the shower, Vincent turned the water on, letting it steam away the blood. He watched the water turn red and disappear down the drain. He winced as the stream hit the gash on his arm, then sighed. When he had gotten as much of the blood off of him as was possible, he stepped out of the shower. As he was finishing getting dressed, there was a knock at the door, and a voice.
"Vincent?" He paused and looked at the door. It was her. He opened the door and stepped aside to allow her to enter. When he had closed it again, she turned to look at him.
"I, I came to heal you." Vincent nodded, unable to speak. He slowly removed his shirt and sat on the bed. She kneeled on the bed facing him. She lifted a hand and ran it the length of the injury. His skin trembled where she touched it. She breathed deep, and bent her head down. When she did, her long hair slipped over her shoulder and brushed his skin. He inhaled sharply with the pain of her closeness, knowing nothing could come of it.
Aeris heard him gasp and looked up.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" When he looked down at his arm, it was healed. He breathed out.
"No." Aeris smiled, and the beauty Vincent saw in her caused his heart to break with unreciprocated love. He stood and moved a few steps from the bed, facing away from her, trying to numb the pain. He heard her stand as well; she rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Is something the matter, Vincent?" He closed his eyes; her voice sounding out his name was so wonderful.
"No. No, it just hurts."
"The phantom pain should dull soon, it doesn't last very long after the wound is healed." Vincent nodded. Aeris moved to sit back on the bed. There was no way to tell her that the pain he was feeling he had felt for a long time, and it wouldn't ever leave. He pushed this pain to the back of his head while they talked of the monsters, the warming weather that would inevitably bring more, and where they might go after this job was complete. Eventually there was a pause, and Aeris looked at him.
"Can I talk to you about something?" Vincent nodded, his heart stopping for a fraction of a second with a glimmer of hope.
"Well-" she paused for a second. "You know how I have feelings for Cloud, right?" Vincent froze. He cursed himself. Of course it was Cloud you asshole. It was always him. She could never return the feelings that you have for her. You were a fool for ever thinking she could. Don't tell her anything about how you feel, it would only upset her. He resigned himself to continue the conversation, even while his heart was ready to stop beating just to end the pain. He swallowed, and managed only a quiet
"Yes."
Aeris nodded, and looked down. She was silent for a long while. Vincent looked away. When his eyes returned to her, he saw a tear running down her face. He rushed to her side, kneeling in front of her, taking her hands in his. She raised her eyes to his. She gave into the pain she was feeling, she shook as more tears fell. At that moment Vincent would have given his life up just to stop her from crying so.
"Aeris-" But he could think of no words. She started to speak rapidly, her thoughts spilling out confusedly.
"Oh Vincent! I just don't know what to do, and you and I are such good friends. I just needed someone to talk to; he doesn't even-" She broke off, unable to speak through the tears.
Vincent sat next to her on the bed, and embraced her gently, softly whispering comforting words in her ear. He held her until the tears stopped. She took his hand in hers and rested her head on his shoulder. She spoke so softly Vincent had to strain to hear her,
"I just-" She breathed deeply. "I don't know if he really loves me. I mean, what if he- what if the other night-" Vincent squeezed her hand.
"Don't talk like that."
"But Vincent-"
"If he doesn't love you than he is the greatest fool that has ever walked the planet."
They were silent, both with thoughts of love and the pain it can cause running through their minds. At length Aeris lifted her head to look with downcast eyes across the room. She took Vincent's hand in hers, intertwining her fingers with his. A sad smile appeared on her lips as she spoke,
"Thank you."
------------------
Cloud's sword whistled through the air, quickly ending the life of a pitiful Cactuar. Cloud made a quick stabbing motion, impaling the already dead creature as it fell to the ground. He then turned and began wiping the blood from his sword.
"Is it just me, or are you killing with more force than necessary?" Cloud looked at Tifa, and they began to walk.
"We're here to kill monsters, that's all I'm doing."
"Hmm." They walked without speaking, slaying the few monsters they ran across.
Cloud had laid awake for a good portion of the night before. He had seen Aeris entering Vincent's room. What had she told him? It's not like I don't have any feelings for her, he thought.
"Cloud, why are you doing it?" Tifa roused him from his thoughts. He replied with a hint of frustration in his voice. Tifa noticed it, and goaded him on.
"You'll only end up hurting everyone, in the end." Cloud stopped.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Tifa chuckled, walking towards him, who still had his back turned to her.
"I mean, as you perfectly well do know, this whole you and Aeris thing. You know you don't love her. You've only ever loved one person." She walked around to face him. She looked at him for a long moment, and then stepped closer. She traced a finger from his ear down to his chest.
"And that person-" She pushed him slightly with her finger.
"-Is me." She turned on a heel and began to walk away from him. As the shock of her statement wore off, Cloud's anger rose. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to face him. He held both of her arms tightly, looking angrily at her. He hissed,
"That's not true." Tifa laughed harshly and wrenched her arms out of his grasp. She spoke with an even tone, yet the anger in it was evident.
"You know it is. You still think of that night at the well, when we were young. You remember what we talked about, the promise you gave to me. Yes, you recall it perfectly."
"Of course I remember. But that was a long time ago, we were children. I don't love you now. I don't. I've moved on." Tifa looked hard at him, scrutinizing his gaze, before smiling a wicked smile.
"Who are you trying to convince of that Cloud?" She stepped closer, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him to her. She looked at him for an instant, and then pressed her lips hard against his. She kissed him passionately. Running her hands through his hair, then bringing them down to his shoulders, his chest. Finally Cloud gave himself completely into her, and put his arms around her, drawing her in tightly against him. It was then she knew she had gotten him, and she pulled away.
Cloud looked at her with incredulity. Tifa smiled once more and said quietly but firmly,
"Now try telling me you don't love me." She turned on a heel and started walking, leaving Cloud still as a statue, where he had stood a moment before.