Chapter Thirteen: Tranquility

Evening had fallen across Junon Harbor, and Lucrecia returned to the basement apartment carrying an order of take-out from The Bulldog Tavern. After her conversation with Vincent, she had remained at his side for hours, just holding and reassuring him, until her stomach had begun to growl. He'd heard it, of course, much to her embarrassment. He encouraged her to go and take care of herself, unwilling to take no for an answer. He rarely seemed to grow hungry, but remained acutely aware of the needs of others, especially hers. She'd reluctantly agreed and finally left his side, promising to return soon.

She sat the order down upon their coffee table, having gotten enough food for both of them in case Vincent actually developed an appetite. Their basement dwelling lacked a kitchen, but it did have a small refrigerator off in one corner with a microwave on a small cabinet beside it. It was yet another reason she longed to move to a real apartment, but now was definitely not the time to bring up the subject. She would be content to live wherever he was comfortable, even if it was inconvenient at times.

As she began to unpack the food and set it out on the tabletop, she was surprised to hear footsteps and looked up toward the bedroom. Vincent was standing in the doorway, looking a bit uncertain and uncomfortable, a fresh change of clothing in his arms. A wide smile immediately crossed her face, and when he remained in place as if unsure of what to do she quickly rose to her feet.

"I'm so glad you're up," she said, reaching his side and embracing him warmly. She felt him exhale with relief as his right arm slipped around her body and held her close. She decided it was important to act as if it was just another day… That he was getting up after his usual period of sleep and not several days of hibernation. She knew he was embarrassed by what had happened and didn't want to dwell on it.

"Thank you," he said in a near-whisper, briefly dropping his head onto her shoulder. She knew his words referred to far more than her greeting, running a gentle hand along his back as they stood together.

"I just got back with dinner, if you're hungry."

"Maybe later…"

"And I had an idea for something we can do tonight, once you're dressed?" She took a step back and held on to both of his wrists, looking up into his eyes a bit shyly. She wasn't used to making suggestions and found herself worried that he would reject the idea. He tilted his head and watched her with interest, and she swallowed nervously before forcing herself to continue.

"I was thinking about how nice it always was to take long walks together, and just have time to talk and enjoy each other's company. Since the sun's gone down and it's a really nice evening, I thought maybe we could take a stroll on the beach? There won't be anyone else around at this hour, and the fresh air might help you feel better."

Lucrecia also hoped that doing something 'normal' couples did would aid his state of mind, and with any luck the time alone in such a peaceful setting might help him open up and talk to her. It had been far too long since they'd gone out and done something romantic, and she knew it would do them both a lot of good.

He blinked, clearly surprised by the suggestion. After a moment, she was thrilled to see the corners of his mouth turn up into a partial smile, and he slowly nodded his head.

"I would love to," he said, his deep voice hauntingly quiet. Lucrecia grinned and stepped forward to hug him tightly, stretching up to softly kiss his lips. Though she realized they still had a long way to go, she knew they were both making an effort. She was filled with a renewed hope for the future, proud of him and wanting nothing more than to make him happy for the rest of his life.

"Great! Go ahead and get ready, and I'll eat something before I starve to death," she laughed, reluctantly releasing him so he could head into the bathroom to get ready. She felt almost giddy, relieved beyond words that he seemed almost back to normal, and very glad just to be with the man she loved.

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Aeris stood on the balcony outside her second floor apartment, a watering can in her hand as she checked over the rows of flowers and other assorted plants she kept there. She hummed to herself as she worked, already wearing her pajamas. She'd been busy that day organizing further cleaning efforts along the harbor, and had forgotten to tend to her small garden until after she'd started preparing for bed. Better late than never, she thought to herself, making sure to quench the thirst of each plant she'd raised from seedlings.

She carefully propped up a few flowers whose tops had grown heavy, using a handful of small sticks she'd gathered for support. She smiled, pleased with her work and about to head back inside, when something on the street below caught her attention.

Despite the dim lighting provided by several nearby streetlights, Vincent's long red cloak was instantly recognizable as he walked along Main Street. At his side, almost hidden against his tall form, was Lucrecia. The two walked close together and were holding hands, and a wide grin crossed Aeris' face.

Thank the gods…

Inside, she jumped up and down with relief. It seemed Lucrecia had taken her advice and managed to coax Vincent from his slumber. She was so proud of her mother-in-law, and so happy for them, that she felt warm all over. She was about to go inside to tell Sephiroth he could stop worrying about his parents when Lucrecia suddenly glanced up and saw her there.

She was further elated when the other woman waved and smiled, her eyes shining with happiness. When Lucrecia winked playfully a moment later, Aeris couldn't help but giggle. Vincent finally turned and looked her way as well, nodding politely. Even still, he looked relaxed and quite content. Aeris waved back to them and grinned, realizing they were heading toward the harbor. It was quite late to be taking a walk along the beach, but Vincent was largely nocturnal and despised the heat and sunlight. She somehow knew the idea had been Lucrecia's, touched so deeply by the gesture to accept his differences that she felt tears fill her eyes.

She watched them for a moment longer, then turned and went back inside. She set down her watering can and washed her hands in the kitchen sink, unable to wipe the smile from her face. The apartment was nearly silent, and she wondered if Sephiroth had gone to bed. It didn't seem likely that he would have done so without her, though, and after drying her hands on a nearby towel she approached the living room to look for him.

When she reached the doorway, she stopped dead in her tracks and blinked, trying to figure out just what she was witnessing. Sephiroth was sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in his lap, one of few snack foods he seemed to have a weakness for. What was so odd about the scene was what he was doing with it. Instead of eating it, he was tossing one kernel at a time into the air and across the room. She peered around the doorframe and almost laughed out loud when she discovered why.

Blade, the Great Dane he'd brought home several weeks before, was sitting at rapt attention, watching every move his master made. Each time Sephiroth tossed a piece of popcorn in his direction, the big dog attempted to catch it in his mouth. He continually missed, however, snapping his jaws comically early or far too late. At other times, the kernels bounced off his nose or the top of his large head, and he looked about in confusion trying to locate them.

After watching a few more failed attempts, Aeris could contain herself no longer. She burst out giggling and entered the room, causing Blade to jog over and wag his tail in greeting. Sephiroth looked a bit surprised and embarrassed at having been caught in the act, smirking crookedly.

"What are you doing?" Aeris laughed, joining him on the couch and placing a hand on his thigh. She was so glad that he no longer seemed bothered by her need to express her affection through touch. Unless he was in a dark mood…

"I am attempting to teach him a trick," he said with a heavily sigh, "But he is terrible at it."

"So I saw!" she said, thoroughly amused. Sephiroth shook his head, though he couldn't help but pat the dog fondly on the head when he came over to sniff them. "That was really funny… You two are so cute together."

She leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder, sighing contently. Blade headed off and began busily sniffing about, searching the floor for all the popcorn he'd failed to catch, and Sephiroth placed the bowl on the coffee table so he could wrap his arm around her.

"I am not cute," he said, but there was no annoyance in his tone. In fact, when she looked up into his eyes, they were shining.

"I'm going to have to disagree with you," she told him, stifling a yawn. "So, guess who I saw when I was out on the balcony just now?"

Sephiroth tilted his head curiously. "Who?"

"Your parents!"

"…Both of them?"

"Yep! They were taking a walk together, holding hands and looking rather cozy. It seems like everything is back to normal between them."

"That is good to hear."

Though his words were stiff and formal, Aeris could feel just how relieved he was through the close emotional bond they shared. She knew it would remove a huge weight from his shoulders, since he'd been worrying about them ever since he'd gone hunting with Vincent and seen how stressed his father was. As they sat close together, she could also feel his love for her, and how much her closeness was affecting him. She smiled, running her hand along his chest before climbing to her feet.

"I'm going to head off to bed now, love," she said, flashing him a mischievous smirk. "Will you join me after you and Blade clean up your mess?"

"Of course," he said, already on his feet and beginning to search for wayward kernels. "Just don't fall asleep before I am finished."


((Author's Notes: Hey gang! I realize this was a rather short chapter, but the next scene is going to be lengthy and take me a while to get just right, and I didn't want to keep everyone waiting another few days if I didn't have to. I've not been feeling the best this week, so it slowed me down a bit. Anyway, I hope this was a peaceful little interlude from all the angst and suspense that's been going on. How many reviews can I get for Blade the dog?! :D That scene is taken right from my memory and experiences with the real Blade, who could never quite master that trick, lol. Next chapter, we will find out what happens between Vincent and Lucrecia during their evening stroll on the beach. I'm really looking forward to writing it. Please don't be shy about adding this fic to your Favorites and Follows if you're enjoying it, as every one counts. Thanks, guys! ~ JenesisX ))