Aerith closed the bedroom door quietly as Cloud walked over to the window. Cid, Yuffie and Leon had left, so they were alone.
Aerith sighed deeply before she slowly turned around to Cloud. He was standing in the dark corner, his eyes staring unfixed at the ground, but she felt the intensiveness of his anger. She cautiously approached him.
"Cloud…" she muttered. He didn't move. She took another step towards him. "Look at me."
Cloud lifted up his head. Aerith didn't know if he was angry, or just so overwhelmed that he couldn't express it. The only expression she could see was in his blue eyes. They darkened with shadows as they stared into her emerald pools.
"You told me you never had a relationship after I left," he muttered softly. Aerith knew she had hurt him beyond recognition; he wasn't even yelling at her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Cloud shook his head, letting out a rueful sigh.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" he said with harsh demand. "Why did I have to find out for myself? Why did I have to find out for myself that you were with Leon?!" Aerith felt a rush of emotion that pulsed through her body.
"I know I lied," she said, her voice quivering uncontrollably. She took another step closer, close enough to feel his breathing at her chest. "I'm sorry…" She placed a hand on his forearm, but he flicked it off and brushed past her to the bed. He glanced at her over his shoulder.
"What was it that made you lie?" he asked forcefully. He turned to face her. She was on the verge of tears. "Was it because you didn't think I'd understand?! That you were in love with another man?!"
"Yes!" Aerith exclaimed. A silent tear rolled down her cheek. She shook her head. "I was afraid, and I was stupid!" She rushed to him and he saw that her eyes were glistening. "I lied because you loved me! Because you never stopped loving me!" Cloud looked away. "You never moved on, when I did!" Aerith grabbed his hand to make him look at her again. "You never loved another, when I did." Cloud ripped his hand from her grip, taking a step back and staring at her with disbelief.
"Don't you get it?!" he said hotly. He inhaled shakily as he just stared at her face for a moment. He cupped her cheek, a tear seeping into his palm. "You're beautiful…" He shook his head at her. "I'd have been happy for you if you were able to move on. I'd understand why someone else would love you! Why Leon would love you!" He stopped and withdrew his hand, hurt flashing in his eyes. "I just… don't know why you lied to me, over and over again…"
"Because he's your best friend," Aerith cried. Cloud lowered his gaze, unable to look at her any longer. "You loved him like a brother…"
"But why did you lie?!" Cloud asked again.
Aerith didn't answer straight away. Her eyes didn't drift away from Cloud's face, nor did they sparkle with unshedded tears anymore.
"Because I couldn't bring myself to tell you that I loved him," she said.
Cloud looked up, a little taken aback at her words.
"You loved him?" he muttered. He studied her face. She wasn't lying this time. "You loved him like you loved me?" Aerith's eyes dropped for a second as the strain of guilt finally caught up with her. She nodded sadly.
"I was going to marry him," she said softly. Cloud's stare remained emotionless.
"Why did you end it?" he asked. Aerith quickly wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.
"You came back," she said.
Cloud continued to just watch her, watching her as she kept a brave face, as shimmering teardrop after teardrop ran down her face onto her cherry lips.
She was telling the truth. He knew this time she was, but the damage was done. He felt anger and silent pain to the point it had paralyzed him. As he just gazed at her face, at Aerith's face so full of beauty and perfection, he couldn't bear to believe she had lied to him so many times about something such as her engagement to Leon. It was unbearable. It was unforgivable.
Cloud slowly walked up to Aerith. She gasped softly, taking in a breath that she has held while waiting for him to say something, but he simply brush past her again, leaving her rigid.
Cloud let out a mirthless laugh.
"You know," he said, looking back at her. "I once thought you were the person who knew me better than anyone." Aerith didn't move. Cloud shook his head. "Now I know you don't know me at all." He moved behind her, leaning close over her shoulder, taking in the smell of her hair. He raised his hand and caressed her arm. Aerith closed her eyes at his touch.
"I was as good as dead," he whispered into her ear. "I might never have come back. If you moved on, I'd be glad. If you could love someone, really love someone, I'd be happy, because…" He chuckled sadly, softly. "… he'd be the luckiest sonovabitch in the universe." Cloud's hand dropped abruptly and he backed away from her. Aerith finally turned around, and she was crying.
"Cloud…" she pleaded. Cloud shook his head again.
"But the fact that you lied to me over and over again," he breathed. "Telling me one lie after another to cover up the last one. That… I can never forgive."
He headed to the door.
"Cloud…" Aerith said again. Cloud stopped with his hand on the handle. He didn't turn around.
"If you'd just told me the truth," he said softly. His head lowered. "Even if I was angry, I'd have still loved you."
Aerith felt her breath caught in her throat.
"What are you saying?" she asked in a fearful voice. Cloud pressed his other hand onto the door frame and rested his head on the hard wooden surface. He exhaled deeply before bringing himself to look at her again. He saddened as his eyes met hers.
"You're not the girl I grew up and fell in love with," he told her. "You're not that pure, innocent Aerith I used to know." He shook his head in dismay again and opened the door, stepping out.
Aerith frantically rushed after him.
"Wait!" she called out. She grabbed him by the arm and stopped him, forcing him to look at her straight in the face. Tears erupted from her green eyes. "I know I'm not pure and innocent anymore! I know I'm not perfect, I never said I was!" She let out a soft sob. "I'm human, Cloud. I make mistakes!" Cloud took her hands, caressing them delicately.
"And none of that would have mattered if you had just told me," he said. He kissed her hands with loving tenderness, then released them completely. He backed away. "My Aerith would never doubt I would, but… you're not her. You've changed too much." He shook his head again, but this time he wasn't just hurt, he was disappointed in her. "I'm sorry."
Aerith couldn't speech. Her mouth was open, but too dry for any words to escape. Her eyes were wide, teardrops falling one by one. Cloud resumed his walk past the door.