Final Fantasy VII Fan Fiction

Understanding

By Kraven Ergeist

Cid was always a master at building things. Sherra felt a warm smile come across her face as she watched him tinker away at his latest airship. He'd salvaged what he could from the Highwind and was piecing together a new model. A newer and faster model, as he claimed.

Sherra chuckled.

He was a sight to behold whenever inspiration took hold of him. Cid was a man of ups and downs. Whenever his life seemed to be in a rut, he lost all his drive. He'd yell and scream and make ugly faces, and overall, be an absolute mess. But when an idea took hold, or when luck turned in his favor, or when life just seemed to be going his way, he just radiated warmth and energy.

It was moments like these that Sherra lived for.

It was moments like these that Sherra felt herself among the privileged few of this world to be a part of.

Cid Highwind – the first man in space. He was destined to go far in life. Sherra only hoped that she'd be there to see it happen.

"Hey, Sherra!" Cid called down from the ship dock. "Any chance of getting something to drink up here?"

The housekeeper looked up from her book. "Any chance of you coming down and getting it yourself?"

Cid smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "Aw, come on! Please?"

She grinned, getting up from her lounge chair. "Alright…"

In moments, she was scaling the ladder that led to the cradle that held the skeleton of Cid's newest ship.

Sherra admired the metal work of art as Cid gulped down his iced tea. "So, what are you going to call it?"

Cid finished off his glass, and poured himself some more. "I haven't decided yet. It's still a long way from being finished, so I got time."

He wiped his face with a rag.

"Sun's getting kinda low. Maybe I'll call it a day."

Sherra nodded. "I'll get dinner started then."

Cid smiled. "Great."

The sun disappeared below the horizon, and Cid picked at his food. There was a long silence as the two of them ate. Sherra could tell something was on his mind; she felt the question coming before it even escaped his lips.

"Hey, Sherra…I've been thinking…" he said, through bites of food. "What exactly are you sticking around here for?"

Sherra's eyes came to his. "What do you mean?"

Cid scratched his neck. "I mean the only reason you've been staying here with me is cause of that fiasco with the rocket."

Sherra nodded, uneasily. "Yes…"

Cid put his fork down. "But you were right all along…that valve you checked really did blow…and in any case, we got the rocket off the ground. You really don't…owe me anything at all…so…why do you…"

"Do you want me to leave?" Sherra asked, cutting right to the point.

"What?" Cid gasped. "No, I…"

"Then," Sherra said, simply, "I'll stay."

Cid stared dumbfounded as she got back to her meal. She never returned his gaze for the remainder of the night. He finished the rest of his meal in silence.

Sleep didn't come easily for Sherra that night. She felt like maybe she had reacted too harshly to Cid's questioning. It was a reasonable question – here she was, working for this man for nothing more than room and board. He was offering her a life outside of that. Sure, working for Cid was nice, but it didn't really give her much room to do anything else.

But the question had scared her also. Did he not want to be with her any longer? Did she do something wrong? She knew she was being ridiculous, but the questions kept coming.

And once his airship was finished, Cid had promised, he'd take her for a ride and show her the world. Wasn't that reason enough to stay?

Her train of thought broke off, as a sound woke her from her light doze. Sitting up, she stared out her window. She could have sworn she'd heard a clanking sound coming from outside.

Noises like that were common in Rocket Town, she decided, so she ignored it, and went back to sleep.

In the morning, she awoke to an empty house. She knocked on Cid's door, but he wasn't there. She frowned; it wasn't like him to go out so early. Worried, she checked all around the house, she checked his workshop, and finally, she went outside to check the airship.

Her voice caught in her throat.

"Cid…"

The clanking she'd heard…he must have been working late last night, putting on the layers of plating to the grid-like skeleton of the ship. He had only managed to cover the front left side.

But it was enough.

She scaled the ladder to the top of the cradle, and found him fast asleep on the deck, a wrench in one hand, a paintbrush in the other. She smiled at him. Gingerly, she sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulders as his breathing slowly inclined and fell.

"Cid…" she breathed.

Apparently, Sherra hadn't been the only one last night's question had stirred.

Hours passed, and Sherra had drifted back into dreams, when she felt an arm wrap around her.

"Morning," a voice said.

Sherra's eyes slowly lifted to look at his. "Morning…"

Cid felt his cheeks redden at her gaze. "I, uh…decided on a name for the ship."

Sherra gazed off into the distance. The sun was high in the sky, the cool mid morning air whisking through her hair. The deck on the airship provided a gorgeous view of the coastline, and it was turning into a beautiful day.

She gingerly kissed his cheek.

"I know…"