Hey everyone here are some things I should have mentioned at the very beginning! This is not based of FFVII the video game nor is based off of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. It is made around my time frame and takes place? Well… It's not in Midgar or any place like that! Lets all think… peaceful plains somewhere that is not super close to a city nor so far it'd take a week to get there! Okay now with that said lets get this show on the road! Please enjoy the first chapter of True! ~ Narisa

Chapter 1 ~ Cloud's P.O.V. ~

From the day on Aerith and I became friends we became closer then ever. Instead of her sitting inside her house watching me train, she came outside and watched me train. I normally trained every day for most of the day, but Aerith changed that. Instead I found that I was with her, almost every moment of every day. She didn't seem to mind that I was with her all the time; I found that she enjoyed my company very much.

Every day was different with her, no days was the same as the last. We either, sat and talked together, went to town find something to do, (when her flower shop wasn't open); I even helped her plant new flowers in her garden when she asked me if I wanted to. Man was I getting soft, talking about my feelings, planting flowers… But the thing was… I didn't mind, I knew from the beginning that she was going to change me drastically…

Three months later,

"Ummm, a little to left please Cloud." Aerith said to me.

"A little to left? No problem." I said, adjusting the shelf on the wall.

"And… perfect! There!"

I stopped almost falling off the step stool I was standing on; I regained my balance quickly and sighed deeply with relief. I looked back at Aerith who was giggling softly at me. I stepped down the step stool and approached the brunette; I stared down at her and raised an eye brow.

"And what is so funny?"

"You Cloud." She replied, looking up at me, still giggling.

"Me almost falling and cracking my head open was funny to you?"

"Well you didn't Mr. Strife; you're still alive and well aren't you?"

"True… Very, very true." I replied, nodding and laughing a bit myself. "So what's next boss?"

"Oh um, well we have to put the flower vases on all three shelves."

"Okay. So you said the little ones on the third shelf, the medium ones on the second and the big ones on the last. Is that right?" I asked, looking at her.

"That's right!"

"I'll get started then." I said.

She smiled gently at me and nodded, I smiled bit back and began filling the shelves with Aerith's hand-made flower vases. It was raining out today so I really had nothing to do, so I decided to go and hang around Aerith's flower shop. I found that I was doing more labor then hanging around though. All day Aerith had something for me to do, once one task was done another was ready for me. But all the while it was kind of fun.

Aerith and I heard the bell to the front door ring as it opened.

"Welcome to my shop!" I heard Aerith say in a cheery voice. "How may I help you?"

"Wow! What beautiful flowers!" I heard a guy say. "Looks like I've come to the right place."

"Why thank you sir, I grew them all myself."

"Most impressive… And you are just as beautiful as your flowers…" he said.

Hearing that it made me stop and turn my head a little, some random guy just comes in and starts complimenting Aerith… I didn't like it, not at all. But I shook off, no big deal right? It's not like Aerith was just going to instantly fall in love with some man that complimented her right? Right? That's not how women worked was it? It wasn't one compliment and boom; sparks fly.

I turned my head back and continued to work as the conversation continued,

"Um, wh, why thank you very much. So what can I help you with?"

"Oh yeah, I had almost forgotten since I was so distracted by your beauty. I need about two dozen roses, I'm going to go see my mom and roses are her favorite."

"Would you like red, white, or pink?" she asked, going behind the counter and taking out some special wrapping for flowers.

"Hmmm… What does the lovely flower girl suggest?" he asked, I seeing him lean up against the glass counter from the corner of my eye.

I twitched, I was trying so hard to maintain my cool and to not go and beat that guy into next week. But it got harder and harder with every word he spoke to her; I could tell what kind of guy he was. A sweet talker, a flatterer, and it was obvious that he liked what he saw in Aerith.

"Well I really don't know. I don't know which color your mother likes or anything, but I suppose you can buy an arrangement of each color."

"What a good idea! Brains and beauty, oh man where has this lady been all my life? And so cute and innocent…" He said, "You're my type of lady you know that?"

"No I didn't." she replied, her eyes looking towards me as she went in the back.

Ninety-eight percent, eighty-six percent, seventy-two percent… See that? That is my control level rapidly decreasing with everything I heard. I was seriously about to hurt this guy but I knew that I would freak Aerith out for sure and possibly ruin our friendship. It could ruin any other possibly relationship that could happen in the future.

I still had to get him off of Aerith though, so I stopped what I was doing and got behind the counter looked at the guy that was hitting on Aerith. He looked close to my age, his hair and eyes were dark; I could feel that we had different personalities. I could tell by how he was so bold with Aerith.

It took him a moment to feel my cold stare, but once he did, he stared right back at me; you could instantly feel the tension between us.

"Sup blondie?" He greeted me.

"You know just helping the lovely flower girl out, listening to you suck up to her…"

"I'm taking that you're jealous. Is that girl your girlfriend?"

"No. Not yet anyway." I replied. "But I did see her way before you came along, and I suggest you'd back off and find another girl."

"And what if I don't blondie? What if I have ever right to go after her as you do? What then huh?"

"Well what makes you think that she'll just immediately fall in love with you?"

"I don't think she'll fall in love with me, I know she will…"

My self-control level now at fifteen percent, I was doing all could to restrain myself. I tightened my fist.

"Aerith might be shy, but she is no pushover." I told him.

"Hmph… You don't know how I work with the girls…" He replied, looking up at me with a mischievous grin. "The pretty little Aerith will be wrapped around my finger within a week. Huh, if I'm lucky maybe even in a day or two."

"I am really trying my hardest not to hurt you… OR possibly kill you."

He chuckled, "Hey now, seems that blondie is a hothead. Now that is not something that would attract Aerith."

I glared at him; anger stained my face as he looked at me grinning. He was so cocky and so dang confident of himself. And the thought of him taking Aerith away… really got me angry.

"Here we are." Aerith said, coming back with the two dozen roses.

"Ahhh the angel has returned…" he said.

"I'm going out for some…air!" I said, slamming my fist on the counter and starting out the door.

"Huh? Cloud, what's wrong?" I heard her ask before going out the door and shutting it behind me.

Aerith's P.O.V. –

I stared out the front door and saw Cloud standing outside in the light rain, his arms crossed and his eyes closed; he only did that when he was angry or upset about something. I stood still wondering why he was upset, what had happened between five minutes time.

Then the young man at the counter got my attention again,

"Excuse me miss? I do have to be going pretty soon."

"Oh I'm terribly sorry, that will fifty gil please." I told.

"Coming up!" he said, taking out gil out his pocket and counting it all out. "Hey your name is Aerith isn't it?"

"Yes it is. Did Cloud tell you?"

"Yeah he mentioned your name, it fits you."

"Thank you." I said, my attention going back to Cloud.

"Well my name is Zack and I was thinking, maybe you and I can get to know each other?" Said Zack, turning my head back in his direction.

"Uh, well… I don't know." I stammered, turning my head a bit.

"Hmmm I'll give you time to think about. I am about to go out of town for a while so we wouldn't be able to see each other anyway."

"Oh well okay… I guess."

"So I guess I'll see you around then?" Zack whispered gently in my ear as he gave me the money he owed.

"Y, yeah… Sure!" I exclaimed, backing away.

"Soooo cute."

He smiled at me as he picked up the two dozen roses, and started out the door. Before he left the shop he stopped and spoke to Cloud; Cloud's attention immediately was drawn to him, but I could tell he didn't like he was saying. I looked at the floor, could it be possible that Zack was who and what made Cloud upset?

I slowly looked up to see if Zack was gone, and once I saw he was, I went out to the front of the shop where Cloud still stood.

"Cloud?" I said gently.

"Hmmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine… just don't let that guy come near you." He said, looking at me.

"You mean Zack? Oh I have no intentions of hanging or anything like that with him." I replied, looking up a Cloud.

"Don't be so sure. He could trap you into anything; he's the type to do something like that."

"Yeah, I can tell."

We were both silent for a while, it wasn't like us. He normally told me what was wrong when he was like this. I looked at him; he was staring off in distance as if he were thinking about something with great depth. I gently touched his shoulder and smiled at him,

"Say lets go home Cloud. It's already 6:15." I said.

"Hmm? Oh okay, yeah lets go on home." He replied, he said now out of his daze.

"Help me lock up?"

"That's what I'm here for."

Cloud touched my hand that was on his shoulder, I blushed a bit.

"I'll be here whenever you need me to be Aerith..." Cloud said, he said taking my hand in his.

"Cl, Cloud…?" I said, feeling the warmth of his strong, gentle hand. "You're holding my hand…"

"I know that."

He smiled as he led me back in the shop; I blushed fiercely and followed him inside.

On our way home, Cloud stood closer then usual to me, I didn't mind, but I did wonder what was going on through his head. I was too shy to ask him and even if had the nerve to ask him I wouldn't want him to think that I want him to get the wrong idea. I didn't want him to stray away from me…

"Cloud, can I ask you something?"

"What's up?" He asked.

"Can you tell me what made you so mad at the shop?"

"Oh that... It was Zack; he said something to me that I didn't particularly like."

"Was it about you?"

"No, it wasn't about me. Don't worry about Aerith."

"Okay, if you're sure…" I replied, nodding. "But if you want to tell me you can!"

"I know that. But I'm telling you, its not anything worry about it." Cloud said, looking at me. "You make such a fuss over me Aerith."

My eyes closed half way; it was because of how I felt about him that I made a fuss over him. I didn't want Cloud to ever get hurt or ever be upset about anything for long. So normally when he said, "Don't worry about it." that it made me worry all the more about him, it made me want to figure out what he was upset about. It made me want to make him feel better in anyway I could.

"So ummm…"

"So ummm what?"

"Would you like to come to my house for dinner? I'll make you something, if you want." I said, looking at him.

"Yeah I don't think I can take much more of my cooking. It's just not edible…" Cloud said, shaking his head.

I giggled a bit,

"Well what would you like to have?"

"Whatever you feel like cooking." Cloud replied. "You know I'll eat anything you make."

"Speak the obvious!" I exclaimed, approaching the house. "You have quite an appetite!"

"Your cooking is so good; I just can't help myself sometimes."

I put my hand in my light blue dress pocket, took out my house key, and unlocked the door. Cloud opened the door for me and said smiling a bit,

"After you miss."

"Why thank you kind gentleman!"

I went in the house and flipped on the light while slipping my shoes off at the front door; Cloud followed behind me and shut the door. I sighed trying to think of what to cook, I didn't really have anything to make.

"Ummm let's see. Would some kind of stew be good?"

"I told you, I love everything you make Aerith anything you make will satisfy me." Cloud replied.

"Alright just making sure! I'm going to have to go shopping tomorrow after work." I said, with a smile. "Now where is my apron?"

"Here…"

Cloud wrapped his arms around me, his chin was on my shoulder, I could feel his breath on my neck. I closed my eyes and blushed a red so deep that it would be added as a new shade of red as he tied

"Can I help you in any other way Aerith?" He asked, stroking my hair gently.

"I, I, I think I have from here."

"Alright then… I'm going to go train for a while. Call me when dinner is ready."

"Okay." I said, with a nod.

He let go of me and stepped back, I felt his soft blue eyes staring at me. I didn't turn around; I didn't want him to see my blushing face. I knew that he had seen me blush plenty of other times but this was different. After a few moments, I heard him turn and start out of the house, 'thud' filled the room from the sound of his boots as he walked. I turned as soon as I heard the door open and close, my face still blazing red. Something had happened today when Zack came and it changed Cloud. Never during our friendship had he ever done anything like that.

I slowly approached the window and peered out of the white, silk curtains, and as he had said he was training. I watched him a moment and definitely felt that there was something different about him...

UGGGGHHHH, that chapter wasn't very good was it? Oh well the next chapter will be better! Hopefully... Please review anyway!