The Bodyguard

by warsongamory

Summary:

Who knew a failed job as Aerith’s bodyguard, could lead to so much happiness and pain.

Chapter 1: Assignment Accepted

Cloud sighs, bored out of his mind. He has been waiting for his new assignment to show up. "Spoiled, entitled, doesn't give a shit about people's precious time; check, check, and check!" Cloud thinks, frustration levels peaking.

••

This originally was Tifa's assignment, but due to her sudden engagement, Barret quickly shifted it to him. "You got shit all happening anyway, kid!" Barret would say, thumping him on the back when he protested.

"Johnny and Tifa broke up. I thought, the hell?" Cloud wonders. Barret laughs, "Bitch, you wouldn't have a chance in hell, anyway!" He punches him on the shoulder. Cloud rubs the soreness. "We've already dated, dipshit. The ship has sailed, sunk, and disintegrated." Cloud states with a roll of his eyes. "And that doesn't answer my question," he says.

Barret huffs, "Hell if I know. I'm not her keeper. All I know is what she told me." Barret inhales, then screams in a mock, woman-ish voice, "I'm getting married!" Cloud covers his ears, "the fuck, Barret!" Barret laughs, holding his stomach, before he starts choking on air. Cloud snorts, "that's what you get."

Cloud unlocks his phone and dials Tifa's number. It rings twice before he's greeted with her cheerful voice, "Cloud! How's it going?" She asks. Cloud rolls his eyes, "Shit. It's going shit. Remember when I said I wanted a vacation? Imagine my surprise when I'm told I have a new assignment; one that belonged to you, might I add," Cloud starts. Tifa groans, "Awe, Cloud, I told him to get Vincent to take it, but you know Barret's a bit of a punk when it comes to him." She says.

Cloud huffs. "Yeah, Barret is a punk," Cloud agrees. Barret yells, interjecting, "Hey!" Cloud continues, "Oh, and why didn't you tell me you were getting married?" Tifa chuckles. "I told you Johnny and I were serious! I even told you I saw him at the jewelers and was suspecting he was going to propose!" She exhales an exasperated breath. "I swear, Cloud, you never listen!" She exclaims.

"Did you hear that?" Barret yells. Cloud gives him the finger.

"Am I even invited? Oh wait, I'm working," Cloud states sarcastically. Tifa lets out a yell, clearly about to cuss him out, but before she can, Cloud interrupts her, saying, "hold that thought," and hangs up the phone.

Barret chuckles and shakes his head. "Boy, you're brave!" Not a minute later, Cloud's phone starts to ring. He sees it's Tifa and sends it to voicemail. "You're making it worse," Barret warns. Then, he jumps as his phone starts ringing. "Why the hell is she calling me!?" Cloud laughs and runs out of the room, hearing Barret trying to calm Tifa down.

•••

That was hours ago, and Cloud, at this point, wanted to call Barret and tell him to shove this assignment up his...

The door finally opens, and he is met with boisterous laughter. "And I told that goofy-faced, bug-eyed bastard he wouldn't get a dime out of me; not even if he licked my Louis Vuitton boots, even then, I would subject Louis to that!" Cloud groans and rolls his eyes. 'Great, an obnoxious ass!' He thinks. 'The fuck!?'

Cloud is greeted by a man who stands at least six feet tall, with hair that is half as long and silver; pulled into two French braids. "He sure loves his leather," Cloud notices. The man is dressed head to toe in black, skin-tight leather. Both of the man's arms are adorned with jewelry, and his fingernails are painted and pointed. Cloud shakes his head and clears his throat, wanting to get the introduction over with.

He waves a hand at Cloud, a clear dismissal. It took everything in Cloud not to tell the man to screw himself and walk out. Cloud coughs louder, glaring at him now. "Listen, sugar, I've got to go. I'm meeting Aerith's bodyguard now." He says before quietly adding, "He's a bit on the scrawny side." Cloud huffs. The man continues, "Give Rude my love!" He ends with a loud smooch at the phone and hangs up.

Cloud gives him a look, "Are you done?" and holds out his hand because Cloud is nothing if not polite. "The name's Cloud Strife," he greets. The man takes his hand, "Sephiroth, good to meet you." He replies, voice devoid of all his earlier excitement. Cloud doesn't return the sentiment and points Sephiroth to a seat. "I've been quickly briefed, although I was told it was a woman I was guarding. Unless...?" Cloud didn't want to assume, but he needed all the correct details.

Sephiroth does a hair flip, a thick braid swinging behind him. "A woman could only dream," he replies. "You will be guarding my sister, Aerith. She is currently at a dance class. I wanted to meet you first; see if you're fit," he looks Cloud up and down, judging his physique, "for the job. Honestly, I'm not impressed."

Cloud nearly growls at the insult. "Not all of us are six-foot giants. Begs the question, why don't you guard her? Clearly, you're so capable." Cloud says.

Sephiroth laughs. "Oh, did I offend your delicate masculinity?" He shrugs, "and anyway, I thought we were getting a woman?" Cloud rolls his eyes, "she's getting married." He says. Sephiroth coos mockingly. "Not to you, I assume?" Cloud grits his teeth. "I wouldn't be here if that were the case. Speaking of, get off mine." Cloud growls.

Sephiroth waves a hand at him, again. "Alright! Cool your paws, little doggy. I just want to make sure my baby sister is taken care of." Cloud blanches, "Baby sister?" He did not agree to babysit.

Sephiroth rolls his eyes. "Not literally, of course. Although, I did raise her. Our parents died in a boating accident when we were younger. Our grandparents were unforgiving, old bitches and treated us like shit rather than grandchildren. We both worked really hard for our success, but our blasted grandfather thinks he is owed." Cloud nods and starts taking mental notes. "He has threatened to take her away from me." Sephiroth adds.

Cloud interrupts, "I'm assuming she is a grown woman." Cloud starts. Sephiroth nods in agreement. Cloud continues, "Then why does he think he has any claim on her?"

"Because he is a senile old man, whose connections have dwindled. My grandmother was the brains of their company; when she passed, it went to shit, and he lost everything. He mishandled their affairs and burned financial bridges. Now he has nothing and wants to claim everything my sister and I have made!" Sephiroth exclaims, with a bitter anger set on his face.

Cloud exhales, anger sizzling around the room. "Okay. Has she had any threats or has any harm been done to her?" Cloud asks. Sephiroth shakes his head. "Not yet, but she's been uneasy. She said for the past few weeks she feels like someone is following her, and I don't want to dismiss her concerns."

Cloud nods. "Right. I understand. When will I meet her?" He inquires. Sephiroth turns a jeweled wrist, checking the time. "Her session should be just about done. We can go now. I'm assuming you have your own transportation?" Sephiroth raises a brow. Cloud confirms. "A motorcycle."

Sephiroth scoffs. "You are not taking my sister on that thing! I suggest finding another mode of travel when you're with her."

Cloud gets up, puts on his leather gloves, and adjusts his concealed weapon. "We'll see," Cloud says. Sephiroth lets out a breath, gets up as well, and adjusts his clothes. "Let's go then."

Chapter 2: Nice to Meet You; Not!

Summary:

Aerith and Cloud meet; he’s an ass if you ask Aerith

"Let the music move through you if you want to be a successful dancer!" the instructor reprimands. Aerith huffs and turns away from the teacher, not enjoying being told off by someone younger than her.

"I told you, Yuffie, my director, Tseng, wanted me to take lessons to help with flexibility and to inspire elegant poses. I'm a model, not a dancer," she clarifies, for the fifth time.

"Hey Aerith, no offense, but you're the shortest model I've ever seen! Or, are you a hand model?" Yuffie asks. Aerith lets out a dejected breath. That was always Aerith's insecurity when it came to the modeling business, and it didn't help that her brother, gifted with all the height, insisted she explore other avenues.

"Nope, not a hand model. Just a full-body one, sometimes just my face, sometimes my ass and tits, but I've never had the opportunity to model my hands." Aerith states, throwing Yuffie some spirit fingers. Yuffie hums, tapping her chin. "Your boobs, really? There's not much there, don't you think?"

Aerith takes off her dancing shoes and tosses them at Yuffie, making her squeak in surprise. "I'm sorry!" Yuffie ducks again as a shoe flies by her head. "Just making a polite observation, sheesh!" Yuffie exclaims. Aerith stomps to her thrown shoes and slips them back on. "You're forgetting the 'polite' part!" She exclaims.

Yuffie claps her hands and snaps her fingers in an 'aha' type movement. "You must be hungry! We've been at this for a couple of hours. I'll be right back with delicious carbs!" She whistles a happy tune as she leaves the room.

Aerith sighs. She enjoys Yuffie most days, but the girl lacks tact at times. 'Not that she's wrong.' Aerith thought, looking at herself in the mirror. Honestly, Tseng suggested dancing in hopes of toning her body and becoming more limber. Her hips were on the wider side, and her stomach was soft. The model agents stated, although Aerith is lovely, "she's as stiff as a corpse."

"Haughty bitches," she huffs. She cups her breast, "Damn, my tits are small," she says, turning left and right, as if one side would differ from the other.

"Dear sister, is that any way to greet our guest?" Sephiroth asks in jest, laughter clear in his voice. Aerith rolls her eyes, "Oh, fuck off," she says, her face pinking in embarrassment. She sees her brother and another man standing behind him; a blond-haired, blue-eyed, drop-dead gorgeous man.

"Close your mouth, sister. It's unbecoming," Sephiroth teases. "There's a bit of drool, just there." He tries to wipe the corner of her mouth. Aerith hisses, "Shut up!" and smacks him on the shoulder.

Of all times, her brother comes. She knows what she looks like: hair frazzled, face flushed. "I'm a sweaty mess!"; she knows there are massive pit stains. The man coughs, pulling her from the existential crisis she was facing.

She offers a hand in greeting, "Hi, my name's Aerith!" Walking over to him. She mentally smacks her forehead, 'Why are you yelling, Aerith!?'. She gives him a bright smile.

"Cloud." He says, face set in a frown as he shakes her hand. As he pulls away, Aerith notices him wipe his hand on his jeans, trying to be subtle, but not really, as far as Aerith is concerned. 'Oh, so he's an asshole that happens to be gorgeous.' She thinks, pulling her hands behind her back to feel if her palms were sweaty; they weren't really, maybe just a bit damp.

"This is your bodyguard, sister, you're welcome." Sephiroth says. Aerith huffs and rolls her eyes. "I told you, I'm fine, Sephiroth! Besides, Tseng has been accompanying me." Sephiroth looks around obnoxiously. "Where is he, Aerith?" He gives her an expectant look, "For someone who accompanies you, he is never around. I'm looking out for your well-being. There will be no objection." He ends the conversation.

Any protest dies in her throat. She appreciates her brother's worry, and she did tell him she was feeling uneasy as of late, not to mention there was the same vehicle that would be outside her apartment.

"Sephiroth says you've noticed a vehicle sitting outside your home." Cloud says, looking at Aerith, but not quite meeting her eyes. She nods, "Yeah." Cloud hums. "How do you know it's not a neighbor's vehicle?" He questions.

"Sometimes it's only there between certain hours, and the times it's there alternate, but-" Aerith tries to explain. Cloud interrupts her, "Again, how do you know it's not a neighbor coming and going to work?" He asks again, his voice devoid of emotion.

Aerith's brows furrow, not appreciating the questions and doubtful tone. "Listen, dickhead, if you feel like you're wasting your time, by all means, fuck off." Aerith waves her hand, shooing Cloud away.

She turns to her brother, "Next time you choose a bodyguard, don't pick the runt of the pack." She grabs her bag and leaves, almost running into Yuffie. "Hey, I got lunch...Aerith?" Yuffie calls after her.

"What did I miss?" Yuffie asks. Sephiroth shakes his head and watches as Cloud rubs the back of his neck; clearly uncomfortable.

"Was that really necessary, Cloud?" Sephiroth asks, brow pinched and offended on his sister's behalf. Cloud sighs, "I need all the details. I know it's uncomfortable, but we need to get our ducks in a row." Cloud says, fighting between feeling guilty and being offended. He clenches and unclenches his hand, still feeling the tingling feeling she left behind.

 

•••

 

Barret was laughing hysterically. "She said you were what!?" Cloud grunts and smacks his head against his arm, which was resting on the table top. "She didn't say I was anything, just implied I am the runt of our operation." Cloud states, causing Barret's laughter to spike up again. "She ain't wrong! Even Tifa got more muscle than you." Cloud punches Barret on the arm. "Bullshit!"

"Asshole, you're supposed to help me figure out how to salvage this!" Cloud yells, stressed out, especially after Barret told Cloud the payout once the contract is completed. "Yo, spike head, apologize. Simple." Barret suggests.

Cloud huffs, "Apologizing implies that I am wrong. There's nothing wrong with asking questions, especially ones that can help shine light on the case." He says.

"Well, maybe try not to sound like an emotionless robot; that'll be a good start!" Barret states, giving Cloud's shoulder a shake. He continues, "besides, I have Reeve working on the outside." Barret opens his laptop to show Cloud the notes Reeve had sent him.

"That's his cat, Cait." Cloud notes. Barret turns the laptop back to himself. "Oh! Scrawny looking thing, ain't he." A few more clicks, and Barret turns it back to Cloud. "There." Cloud hums and starts reading the notes and looks at the attached photos.

*

Reeve observes the 'sand-colored' vehicle. "Windows are tinted, yet not completely blacked out. Both front seats are occupied. I have seen the passenger with a camera aimed at the building Aerith occupies." Cloud looks at the pictures that Reeve has taken.

One picture is a head-on shot of the two culprits, apparently on lunch break, stuffing their faces with burgers. "Well, that's not flattering," Cloud comments. Another is of the driver taking a nap; mouth wide open, while the passenger is presumably typing away on his phone. "Has Reeve figured out who these people are?" Cloud asks.

“Sure did. They are former employees of Crescent Tech.” Barret says as he types on his laptop. He shows Cloud. “The woman in the driver seat catching a snooze is Elena and the homie being a creep and taking photos of our girl is Rufus.” Barret says, showing Cloud multiple photos of them both and files from their former job.

Cloud huffs. “You couldn’t have shown me this before I made an ass of myself?” Cloud thumps his head on the table, each hit followed by, “stupid, stupid, stupid!”

Barret catches Cloud before the next smack, using his palm to stop the force. "Alright! That's enough of that." Barret says. Cloud rubs his sore forehead. "I'm okay."

Barret wipes the area Cloud was hitting. "I ain't worried 'bout you! It's this cherry wood I'm concerned about." Barret says. Cloud rolls his eyes. "Roll them eyes the other way, this shit is expensive! And how was I supposed to know you were going to act a fool!" Barret shakes his head. Cloud yells, "Because, I'm me!"

“Shit, got me there! It’s not a big issue, just go and say you’re sorry for being a shithead and move on. We have a job to do,” Barret says. Cloud groans. “Swallow that pride, boy!” Barret hollers at Cloud as he gets up and head to the entrance. Cloud sighs. “I’m gonna need a company car.”

Chapter 3: How to Properly Apologize; Go on a Date of Course

Summary:

All is forgiven now, let’s go on a date!

Cloud finds himself waiting in the lobby of a nondescript building that has high ceilings and walls lined with photos of high-end fashion models and abstract art. Sephiroth had told him Aerith was having a photo shoot.

•••

“She’s taking photos for some basic clothing brand, hell if I know what it’s called." Sephiroth sighs. "I only wish she would stop selling herself short and go for these bigger companies; ones that’ll actually pay decent money."

Cloud only nods, knowing nothing of the fashion industry. He only wanted to know where he could find Aerith so he could apologize. "Right, so what’s the address?" Cloud asks.

•••

Cloud looks down at his phone, again checking for the time. He'd been sitting, waiting for Aerith, for about an hour. Several of the workers kept giving him the stink eye, and Cloud returned theirs with a death glare of his own.

"Haughty bitches," Cloud said under his breath, curling his lip at a lady who was sizing him up. "Thanks for everything, Aerith! We'll let you know when the photos are processed." Cloud hears. "Finally," he thinks.

He gets up as he sees Aerith walking to the entrance. She spots him, her face clearly confused when she saw him. She was walking with a man, and Cloud could only assume it was the photographer or stylist.

“Damn.” Cloud mumbles to himself. Her hair was flowing and curled, one side tucked with a sparkling flower clip. Her face was modestly done; if Cloud had guessed, it looked like she had no makeup, but her cheeks were just a bit too pink and shone with highlighter.

Her clothes weren’t anything spectacular: low-rise baggy blue jeans and a cropped halter-top. “Thanks for the clothes, Javier!” She waves goodbye to the man she was with and walks over to Cloud.

“Hey,” Cloud greets. She raises an eyebrow. “Uh, hey…?” She folds her arms. “So I’m a bit confused, Sephiroth said they caught the stalkers, who happen to not be my neighbors, just so you know.” She says. Cloud looks down and clears his throat, “Yeah, uh, about that,” he looks back up at her, “Sorry for the misunderstanding.”

She hums, “No misunderstanding on my part.” Her voice heavily emphasizes the ‘my’ part. Cloud chuckles, “okay, I will admit to being a bit of an asshole.” She chuckles, “a bit?” Cloud huffs, “okay, a lot.”

She starts laughing, but quickly pipes down as Cloud folds his arms and looks perturbed. She coughs, her voice still holding its giddiness. “I get it. You were just doing your job. I might have been having a bad day and taking it out on you. Sorry for calling you a runt. You have a nice physique…” The last part came tumbling out without thought; Aerith’s face turns red at the fumble.

Cloud rubs the back of his head, his cheeks heating up at the compliment. "Oh, uh, thanks. I work out..." Cloud mentally smacks his head. 'I work out!? Why say that!' Cloud clears his throat. "I mean, I like running. I'm not much for lifting weights, but I do pushups." Cloud sighs. 'Why don't you just give her your entire workout regimen, while you're at it!' He mentally chastises.

She giggles. "I'm not much for working out, really, but I do yoga and Pilates. I like going for the occasional run as well. I probably don't look like how they want me to, but they can kiss my ass." She says with a grin. "Maybe we can go on a run together!?" Aerith says. 'More verbal diarrhea. Really Aerith, as if he would ever...'

“Sure,” Cloud mumbles, “um, when, uh, would you like to go?” he asks. Aerith starts twirling her fingers through her hair. “Oh! Well, I usually run early in the morning. It helps get my day started,” she says. Cloud nods. “Okay. We can meet tomorrow. Your place sounds good?”

She hops in place a bit and claps her hands, before reeling in her excitement. "Yeah! I have the perfect spot, very scenic and bursting with life and vibrant colors. You're going to love it!" She gives his shoulder a tap and smiles brightly.

Cloud is taken by her smile and returns one of his own. He notices her eyes; the color of emerald, dazzling as high-priced gems.

He didn’t notice before, but as she stands close, he sees they’re lightly lined with pink and purple. Her mouth is glossed a petal pink, lush and moving; ‘her mouth is moving,’ Cloud thinks. ‘Her mouth. It’s moving. Words; shit, she’s saying something!’ Cloud panics, shaking his head. “Uh, yeah…” he replies, voice unsure.

She gives him a thumbs up. “Awesome! Seven A.M. it is!” She confirms. “I’m assuming you have my contact info: address and phone number?” She asks.

 

He nods, not trusting his voice. “Great. It’s a date! Call me when you are outside, I’ll come meet you. Actually, why don’t you text me so I know it’s you. I don’t answer calls from numbers I don’t know.”

Cloud nods again and fumbles for his phone; patting his pockets before realizing he left it on the seat where he was minutes before. He starts typing, then stops, waiting expectantly for her phone to chime. “Oh! Have me saved already? What do you have me listed as?” She asks as she opens her phone and types; saving his contact.

She shows Cloud her phone. He looks and sees his name, ‘Cloud’ coupled with the sun and cloud emojis. He gives her a look, “really?” And shakes his head, trying to contain his smile. “What! I put clouds because of your name, and the sun because of the color of your hair.” She says, giving his bangs a teasing flick.

He chuckles. “Sorry to say, but I have you labeled, “Sephiroth’s sister”.” He shrugged. She gasps. “What malarkey!” And puffs out her cheeks.

“I’ll change it.” He says, looking down at his phone. She swears. “You really put me down as Sephiroth’s sister?” She asks peering over. She pushes him lightly, seeing her name. He grins at her. “You are his sister, so it wouldn’t be incorrect.” He says, putting his phone away. She rolls her eyes. “Whatever you, I’m taking away your clouds and suns and putting an angry face emoji; that wouldn’t be incorrect either.” She teases. He laughs, already looking forward to their morning together.

Chapter 4: How to Build a Relationship; Phone Sex

Summary:

When texting takes a spicy turn—

Cloud stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist, and grabbed another towel to dry his hair. He felt giddy and even caught himself whistling a happy jingle.

He walked to the desk he had set up in his room to finalize notes that were adjacent to the case. He had to input his work in order to get paid, even if he was Aerith’s bodyguard for less than a day.

Reeve had taken care of the external while Cloud was in charge of internal. Thankfully, Reeve is good at gaining information; his contacts and connections exceed those of the company.

He managed to get information on the same day they were hired and was able to get Elena and Rufus slapped with heavy fines and a restraining order, but Cloud knows that’s not the only thing that scared them enough to keep them away.

Reeve wasn’t above blackmail. As long as Barret didn’t know the details, he kept his back turned. And Cloud, well, he knows how to keep his mouth shut. He’s just glad Aerith is safe, although there was still the question, “why?”

Cloud pauses, thinking about what Sephiroth had told him; their grandfather, Hojo, being the primary suspect. And just like Cloud, Rufus and Elena had kept their mouths shut; offering no answers to the "why."

It wasn’t a stretch to assume they were working for Hojo, considering they were former employees of his and his late wife’s company. Cloud sighed, not liking the missing puzzle pieces. But Sephiroth was content with the outcome, likely knowing his grandfather was in the mix, but happy his sister is safe. “For now.” Cloud doubts.

His phone dings, and he sees Aerith's name pop up. He added a few flower emojis to her name; it was silly to Cloud, but when he showed her, she giggled and gave him a happy smile, making it well worth it.

“Looking forward to our run tomorrow! Better have your big boy britches on because I’m leaving you in the dust!” She texts. Cloud puffs out a laugh and shakes his head.

“It’s not a race, you know.” He texts back, grinning. Dots show that she’s typing, he’s waiting with a smile on his face, before his phone vibrates and rings with an incoming call from Tifa.

He huffs and answers, "What do you want?" He asks, voice deadpan. "Is that how you greet your bestest friend?" She asks with a chuckle.

He grunts. "The bestest friend that didn’t get invited to her wedding?" He replies. She yells, "Cloud!" Before he continues, "Yeah, you’re lucky I even answered your call, 'best friend'." He mocks. "You’re an ass!" She laughs.

He feels his phone ding and puts the call on speaker to look; it’s from Aerith, “Haha! That’s what losers say! Listen, I’ll let you take the lead for a little while, if that’ll make you feel better?”

Cloud hums and leans back in his chair. He’d like to take the lead alright, but maybe not in the way she thinks. “It’s making me feel something, that’s for sure.” He thinks, gripping the chair’s arm at the thought.

He tosses his phone on the desk, the butterflies in his stomach becoming overwhelming. “Cloud, you okay?” He hears Tifa ask; forgetting she was on speaker. “Shit!” He exclaims, picking up the phone. “Uh, yeah, sorry, dropped the phone.”

 

“Anyway, to answer your earlier question, I’m calling because I heard the contract has been completed,” Tifa says. Cloud hums distractedly, looking at the message Aerith texted; trying to figure out what to text back. “Barret tell you?” Cloud asks. Tifa chuckles, “No, Reeve did. You know he likes to gloat; said it only took him a day to pin down the stalkers.”

 

Cloud’s phone buzzes again. “Sorry, I was only joking! You’re not a loser!” Cloud reads and grins at Aerith’s text. He types, then erases, types, then erases again. “Did they ever say why they were stalking her?” Tifa asks.

“Uh, no. Barret couldn’t get it out of them. It’s leaning toward the grandfather, but Sephiroth isn’t pressing further, for now,” Cloud replies. Tifa hums.

 

“Hey, I can see you’re typing, then not, then typing again. You’re keeping me in suspense!” Cloud laughs, reading Aerith’s message. “Is something funny?” Tifa asks. Cloud coughs and quiets down. “Oh, um, just something I read,” he says, his voice still painted with laughter.

“O-kay. What I did hear from Barret is that you were called a scrawny runt,” Tifa laughs. Cloud rolls his eyes. “Yeah,” he says. Tifa continues to chuckle, “Ooh, I like her already. Knowing you, you probably deserved it.”

 

Cloud huffs, "It wasn't a big deal." Although, at the time, it felt like it to Cloud. "I apologized." Tifa ohs and ahs, "You, apologizing? Wonders never cease!" She teases.

"So, back to the point; you're now free to come to mine and Johnny's wedding! And Aerith can totally be your plus one! Your invitation is in the mail, please RSVP, thank you." Cloud's brow furrowed. "How did you know her name is Aerith?" Cloud asks.

"It was my file before Barret assigned you, remember." She replies. "Oh, uh, I don't know..." Cloud starts. "Come on! It'll finally convince Johnny you're not in love with me." She smiles, interrupting.

 

Cloud blanches then laughs. "I haven’t loved you since I was 15! And even then," he continues to laugh. "Ouch." Tifa says. "Oh stop, you know what I mean. Wait, is that why he hates me?" Cloud asks. "Well, it’s not because of your stellar personality, and he doesn’t hate you; just slightly jealous." She replies.

"Well, he has my blessing. If it’ll make him feel better, I’ll give you away." Cloud winces, "sorry." He apologizes. It’s been years since Tifa’s father had passed, but he knows it has to feel bittersweet.

"It’s fine, really. Zangan is giving me away, actually. I didn’t want to do the whole ‘giving away’ thing, the tradition is a bit archaic. I’d honestly be fine with signing papers and exchanging rings, but Johnny didn’t want me to end up regretting it later on." She says. “We decided to compromise. Small wedding; only close friends or family.” Tifa adds.

 

Cloud snorts. "Damn, your sides gonna be practically empty," Tifa quickly interrupts. "Screw you! And I'll be the only one at your wedding, if you can convince anyone to even marry you!"

 

Cloud looks down at his phone again. Several minutes have passed, and he still hasn’t responded to Aerith’s messages. It’s already well after ten at night; he doesn’t want to bother her. He twirls with the idea, types "hey," and hits send without another thought.

"I don’t know. I think Uncle Cid would come; he’d be the life of the party." Cloud says. Tifa snickers. "He’d be the only party. I asked him to be the DJ, by the way."

 

Cloud hums in acknowledgment, before realizing, "Wait, he knows how to DJ?" Tifa answers with a, "Mmhmm," and continues to speak; the rest of it falling on deaf ears as a message from Aerith chimes through. "All this time, and you send a, 'Hey'?" she sends. He huffs, then smiles. "I wasn't sure if you were awake still. I didn't want to disturb your beauty sleep." He types.

 

“Aw! Now I feel like an ass. And no, not asleep; I’m pruning my garden. It’s been a bit neglected,” she replies. Cloud won’t lie; his head sometimes lands in the gutter, but her garden? Flowers. “Oh, uh, flowers?” he messages. Dots then a ding. “Yes, flowers…” Aerith texts. Cloud feels his face heat up.

“You know what’s worse than not being listened to? Being ignored!” Tifa says. Cloud smacks his forehead, then rubs his face. “Sorry, you’re putting me to sleep; you’re so boring,” Cloud says, then chokes as he reads Aerith’s text, “Yeah, my other garden is perfectly managed, thank you very much! Although, it can do with some ploughing…” Cloud almost falls out of his chair and groans. ‘She’s trying to kill me!’.

 

“Swear, you better not be jerking off while you’re on the phone with me!” Tifa exclaims. Cloud makes a gagging noise. “Ugh, what the fuck, Tifa!” Tifa cackles. “Sorry, but you’re huffing and puffing, moaning and groaning; I don’t know what to think!”

Cloud rolls his eyes, “well, not that. I’ve been texting Aerith. She’s, uh, saying some stuff,” he pauses, and texts back, “I have just the tool for that.” And sends. ‘Oh god, what’s wrong with me?’ He clears his throat and looks down at his towel-covered lap; dick twitching at being mentioned. “Fuck.”

 

Tifa giggles. “Ooh, what’s she saying? She’s got you over here behaving like a dog with a bone!” Cloud squawks. “I’m not telling you shit!” Tifa huffs. “Awe, come on! I told you about how Johnny likes his ass play-“ Cloud stops her from continuing. “That was unsolicited information! I’m hanging up now.” Tifa’s laughter can be heard before Cloud ends the call. A moment later, Aerith’s name flashes on the screen.

 

“Hey,” he answers with a cough. “Hey, hey. So, what’s this tool you’re talking about?” Aerith asks, her voice teasing.

Cloud gets up and walks to his bed; the said “tool” swings heavily between his legs. He adjusts himself, then sits. “Hm, it’s thick, you know, won’t break with a bit of rough handling, and a decent size; a couple inches above average.” Cloud replies, his voice gruff and body heating up.

He lays back; the coolness of the sheets a relief to his warm body. Aerith hums. “I didn’t know hoes came in different sizes.” Cloud’s brows raise. “Hoes?” Aerith giggles. “Yeah, silly, hoes are for ploughing…” Cloud turns pale; his body shooting up. Silence engulfs them for a few seconds as Cloud thinks of what to say.

 

Aerith bursts out laughing. "I'm yanking your chain, Cloud!" Cloud releases a breath and feels sweat drop down his back. "You're yanking something." He mumbles. She giggles. He can hear movement through the phone, as if she's laying herself down. "Hm, you are officially invited to see my garden. I am told I have quite the green thumb." She says, voice soft and coy.

Cloud lays himself back down. "I'm not opposed to seeing your garden; literally or figuratively speaking." She hums, "or both?" Cloud chuckles, "definitely both."

Aerith gasps. "Cloud, what kind of woman do you take me for?" Cloud sighs and taps his chin in thought. "A woman who speaks her mind and knows what she wants," he says.

She chuckles. "Well look at you. It has gotten me in trouble from time to time, but I guess if I can be totally honest; when I first saw you, if not for my brother, I probably would've dropped to my knees for you."

Cloud groans and rolls onto his stomach; his cock pressed tight and uncomfortable against the rough towel. "Aerith. You can't say that." He gives up the ghost and unwraps the towel from his body, positions his right leg just so; spreads his legs, and lets his naked cock grind against his soft sheets a couple times at her words. He puts his phone on speaker and lays it on the pillow beside his head.

 

“Oops, see, there it goes; probably needs something to keep it occupied, hm?” She teases. Cloud’s imagination is doing him in; he’s thrusting against his abused bedsheets. “Shit. You don’t understand what you’re doing to me,” he groans.

Aerith lets out a moan herself, “I have an idea, believe me. You’re not the only one affected here. My nipples can cut stone right now.”

He growls and flips onto his back, wincing as the cool air hits his heated, moistened dick. He grabs it, doesn’t give in to the temptation of pumping up and down; just holds it, feeling its warmth and heaviness. It twitches at the attention, or the lack thereof as he looks down at the wet, messy spot it left on his sheets. “Damn, how did we get here?” He thinks out loud.

 

She giggles. "Well, you went there; talking about ploughing my garden." She lets out a pleased sigh. Cloud clears his throat. "So, uh, what're you doing?" She hums. "Should I actually tell you? You seem to be struggling over there."

Cloud looks down at himself, cock in hand. He gives it a squeeze and a nice, firm upward stroke; he's rewarded with a pearly tear. He releases a shaky breath. "Fuck, you're not lying, but, please?" He has to know.

 

“Since you asked so nicely,” she moans. “I’m playing with my nipples. They’re really sensitive.” She lets out another soft breath and continues, “I can orgasm from nipple stimulation; it takes a bit, but the buildup is tremendous.” Another breathy groan. “I’m pinching them, twisting, giving a soft tug, and now,” she whines, “I’m flicking them. Fuck, they’re so hard!”

Cloud is pumping himself slowly, listening; watching his cock weep, making his strokes smooth and damp. “Damn, so am I,” he says, his pace picking up as he listens to her unabashedly moan as she continues to play with herself.

 

He can hear the sounds; he imagines her flicking her erect nipples with her middle finger, each snap punctuated by a loud groan. "Cloud, if you could only see," she huffs. "My thighs are an absolute mess, not to mention my bedspread; it's totally soaked." Her breath quickens.

Cloud releases himself, his cock jumping and flopping against his pelvis, on the brink of release. Aerith lets out a loud, drawn-out whine, "Oh! Cloud!" And he can hear it; a wet, squelching sound. His ears hone in, each pump punching out a sob from her; music to his ears.

 

Cloud grabs his cock again, his wrist working as it twists with each up and downward caress, and his breath now coming out in small, quiet, barely controlled moans. His ballsack hangs heavy and full, ready for release. He brings his left hand under, fondles and palms them, then gives them a gentle tug, and squeezes lightly. Both feet are flat against the bed’s surface now, thighs working as he fucks into his right palm.

 

“Oh, Cloud! Fuck,” Aerith yells, and squeals as she surges into completion; continuously letting out breathy moans as she descends from her peak.

Cloud’s cock head is wet with pre-ejaculate; the viscous liquid flowing freely. His mouth hangs open in a silent scream; breath catching in his throat. He feels his balls draw up and jump; his dick quivering and pulsing, releasing globs of thick semen onto his stomach and chest.

He lets out a wail as he releases the breath he was holding. He can hear his heartbeat thrumming in his ears. “Aerith…shit,” he pants, looking at his soiled hand and painted torso.

 

She starts giggling. "Oh my goodness, Cloud. What the fuck?" She continues to laugh. "For the record, I don’t do this sort of thing, at all." She adds. "I’ve never had phone sex before. Damn, that was hot!"

 

Cloud hums in agreement, brain rebooting. “Huh, yeah.” He grabs the towel he discarded earlier and wipes down. He knows he should get up and properly clean himself off with water, but he’s too happy to care. He sighs and smiles to himself.

“We should probably get some rest. We have a run to do in the morning.” He yawns, his body beyond relaxed and doped up on endorphins. He hears water running, assuming she’s cleaning up. “I don’t do this type of stuff either,” Cloud feels like he should mention. The tap squeaks as it’s turned off and he hears her sigh. “I like you, Cloud. Like, like you,” she clears her throat. “I want to get to know you.”

 

Cloud chuckles. “Ditto.” He replies, his voice soft and sincere, “I like you too.” She lets out a happy squeak. “Great!” he laughs. “Awesome!”

“Wonderful!” she exclaims, giggling. He feels a smile break out on his face. “Spectacular!” she huffs. “Goodnight, Cloud!”

“Goodnight, Aerith.” Neither hangs up, happily sitting in silence. Cloud yawns again, sleepiness settling in. She releases a breath, probably letting out a yawn herself. “Bye, Cloud,” she whispers.

 

“Bye,” he says before ending the call. He feels like he’s on cloud nine; his heart is soaring, and butterflies are fluttering. He can’t remember the last time he felt this way, if ever.

Sure, he’s had partners here and there, but nothing stuck, and he honestly never wanted them to. But thinking of Aerith, he wants her to stick and burrow deep into the nooks and crannies of his heart. “Shit, I’ve got it bad,” he thinks, and he’s perfectly fine with that.

Chapter 5: Welcome to Petal Lane

Summary:

I want to get to know you; let’s hold hands—

Notes:

<3

Cloud’s alarm went off, and although he was used to waking up before the sun made its glorious ascent, seeing 06:00 made him grunt and want to smash the snooze button.

The previous night came flooding back, making him smile again at the memory and toss the covers off in excitement, which he regretted immediately when the cool air hit his body, causing goosebumps to break out on his skin. He shivered and walked to the restroom to get showered and ready for his morning with Aerith.

Fifteen minutes later, he’s out and toweling off his body. He didn’t wash his hair since he did last night. He runs a brush through his locks and grabs his styling gel to get rid of any frizz and to hold the spiked look he’s so fond of. Another five minutes and a quick spritz of hairspray, and his hair is done.

He brushes his teeth, applies moisturizer and sunscreen, then deodorant and a bit of cologne; Tom Ford’s Ombré Leather because he’s a boujee bitch, as Barret likes to call him, “Damn, Spiky! Cool Water works just as fine!"

He finishes with a dab behind his ear and walks to the adjacent walk-in closet. He puts on cotton briefs and then socks. They’re going running, so he wants to keep it simple, but he also wants to look good for her.

He rolls his eyes at himself, having stood in his closet for 10 minutes wondering if he should wear the black joggers with the black, faux-leather strip going down the side of the leg, or the midnight blue joggers that have the black faux-leather strip and utility pockets.

He chooses the latter, then grabs a black fitted tank top and the matching sweatshirt to his joggers. He slips on his Adidas shoes and a watch before heading to the kitchen to make a quick protein shake. His phone rings. It’s Aerith. “Good morning,” he answers.

“Good morning, Cloud! Did you sleep well?” She asks. Cloud hums. “Yup, passed out. I usually have trouble falling asleep; it seems our extra activities helped knock me out.” She giggles. “Mmhmm, seems we’ll have to keep it a common occurrence then, huh? I mean for your beauty sleep, of course.”

He chuckles. “Seems that way. How did you rest?” He asks. He transfers his protein shake to a secured to-go cup, grabs his earbuds, and pops the left one in. He pockets his phone, wallet, and keys, before walking out the door.

He hears her sigh. “Wonderfully.” She replies dreamily. He grins. “That good?” He takes a drink from his cup, climbing down a flight of stairs.

She hums. “Oh yeah, I haven’t had an orgasm like that in forever; about gave myself a cramp with how wide I had my legs spread.” Cloud nearly chokes and almost slips; his mind quickly supplying an image. “Aerith!” She laughs. “Come on, Cloud, after what we did last night…”

Cloud clears his throat. “And here I thought you were into yoga and Pilates.” She gasps. “I am, thank you very much. But it’s a work in progress; being limber and flexible isn’t an overnight thing, you know? It takes work and dedication!” She tries to sound affronted, but laughs in the end.

“Well, I guess I can help. Of course, I’m more of a hands-on type instructor,” Cloud says, then adds, “I’ll be more than happy to spread your legs.”

She lets out a startled laugh, “Cloud!” She continues to laugh, then sighs. “Are you on your way yet?” Cloud hums. “Affirmative. You sound a bit desperate to see me. Usually, some girls play hard to get; a bit of hot and cold, push and pull,” he says as he finishes his drink and starts up the company’s car, the call coming through the car’s speakers now.

She clicks her tongue. “I’m a grown woman, Cloud. I don’t play games. I want to see you. Now hurry and get your ass here.” Cloud coughs, cheeks heating; his body clearly enjoying her demanding tone. “Yes, ma’am! I’m doing 20 over speed limit right now! I almost ran over an old lady and her dog, but I’m coming. On the double!”

She giggles. “Oh no! Not the old lady and her dog!” she exclaims. Cloud laughs. There’s barely anyone out this early in the morning, but he’s enjoying the over-dramatization.

“Just so we’re clear, um, I’m not playing games either. I want to see you too. I enjoy being with you. It’s wild,” he shakes his head, “we’ve only just met.”

She squeals in excitement. “I know!” She reins herself in. “Sorry, it’s just, it’s reassuring to know, Cloud, that you’re feeling even a smidge of what I am.” She clears her throat. “Um, I’ll see you in a bit, Cloud.” He whispers, “yeah,” as she disconnects the call.

He stopped at a red light, a block away from Aerith's home. "I'm feeling way more than a smidge, Aerith, believe me." He thinks, his heart dancing every time he thinks of her. Just then, a text comes in from Barret, "You propose already?" Cloud hits the call button as the light switches to green.

“Hey, Spiky!” Barret greets. Cloud huffs. “What are you on about?” Barret laughs. “Well, I’m not one to name names, but I heard from the grapevine that you and Aerith were texting yesterday.” Barret replies, voice inconspicuous.

Finally pulling into the parking lot of Aerith’s apartment complex, he parks and sits quietly for a bit, then confirms, “I swear Tifa can’t keep her mouth shut.” Barret bursts out laughing. Cloud continues, “And before you ask, no, I’m not telling you what we were talking about.”

Cloud clears his throat, memories of last night choosing to slap him in the face at that moment. He blushes as he gets out of the car, the call now transferring to his earbud. “Hmm, must’ve been something spicy! We have a bet on how soon before we hear wedding bells.”

Cloud grunts. “Fuck you, Barret, and matter of fact, fuck Tifa too. I’m telling Vincent what you all said about his pointy boots.” He hangs up; but not before hearing Barret yell, “Hey!”

He sees Aerith, watches as she laughs with an elderly man, a neighbor Cloud guesses. As if feeling his gaze, she looks up and gives him a great smile, waving at him. He smiles and gives a small wave as he walks towards her.

She’s wearing pink windbreaker shorts; they show off her shapely hips, thighs, and toned legs. She has a white cropped top, her soft tummy visible, and a light-gray unzipped hoodie. Her hair is in a braided ponytail, and she has a pink headband on. Cloud bites his lower lip, feeling absolutely smitten.

She waves goodbye to the man she was speaking with and jogs the short distance to Cloud. Just shy of him, she gives a final leap, jumping right in front of him with an excited, “Hey!”

His eyes fall to her bouncing chest. She snaps her fingers in his face, gaining his attention, “Eyes up here, sir!” She giggles. His eyes look up to the sky; he feels his face heating up. ‘Stop thinking about her sensitive nipples!’ He coughs and looks at her face. She has a mischievous look, mouth grinning, almost as if she read his mind.

He shakes his head and looks down, blush in full effect. "You, uh, ready?" She steps in closer, he looks back at her face, and returns her contagious smile. She nods. "Mmhmm!" She links her arm in his. "That over there," she points a little ways ahead, "is where I love running. So many beautiful flowers. Come on." She pulls him. He falls in step with her.

He reads a sign, "Welcome to Petal Lane". There's a message underneath, which he tries to read, but Aerith continues to lead him further in.

He gasps in amazement. The trees are full and bright, with different shades of green, their branches many and thick; a tree climber's dream. There are many detouring paths, each lined with flowers of varying colors and greenery.

There are benches spread out; he sees people sitting, some reading, some conversing, others simply enjoying the scenery. In the center, he sees a large fountain. It seems to sparkle in the sunlight; its rushing water offering a sense of serenity. He wants to just sit and close his eyes.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” She asks, voice wistful. He nods and looks at her, her face smiling, but somber. He rubs her arm then gently takes her hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze.

“Sorry. I guess, I come running through here every day, and I know it’s beautiful, but seeing your reaction, made me realize why my parents worked so hard to build this place and that even to this day, everyone appreciates what they tirelessly created.” She shakes her head, wiping a few stray tears. “Goodness! Sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Cloud thinks about his own mother back home, in Nibelheim. It’s been a few months since he last spoke to her and an even longer time since he saw her. He shoots a quick, "I love you," text here and there, but only after she messages first. Seeing Aerith’s sadness makes him realize how he has taken his mother being alive for granted. "Don’t apologize, you miss your parents; that’s nothing to be sorry for. If you want to talk about it, I’m here." He says. She gives him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Cloud." He nods, giving her a reassuring smile.

••

They don’t go for a run after all, but walk side by side, holding hands, which Cloud considers even better. She tells him about her parents’ fight to keep the world green.

“My parents and grandparents on my father’s side were always at war with each other; their views on the earth were polar opposites. It was actually romantic the way my parents met. My father was a scientist for my grandparents' company, Crescent Tech; this was the very land he was sent to survey. They had a plan to demolish the area and build their next laboratory. He met my mother here.” She says.

Cloud smiles at the thought. "And instead of destroying the land, they built something incredible," Cloud says. She nods and smiles fondly.

She pulls his hand to lead him to a patch of yellow lilies. "I planted these here. After my parents passed, I wanted to carry on what they created." She releases his hand and kneels; giving a flower's petals a gentle stroke. "I need to take care of you, little babies," she says to the lilies, watching as they sway in the wind.

Cloud watches as she moves around them, picking up any dead leaves or unwanted sticks, humming a soft tune with a smile on her face. Despite being at peace, Cloud feels his heart race. "I want you to meet my mother," he says, suddenly. She stands up, surprise on her face. "Oh, I would love that!" Cloud nods.

Once she's done, she stuffs some of the unwanted foliage into one of her hoodie's pockets. She walks to where Cloud stands and steps in close, looking up at him. Cloud looks at her lips, wanting to bend and touch his mouth to hers; feel if it's as soft as it looks.

He feels movement on his rear, still looking into her eyes, he reaches behind and feels her hand stuffing his left pocket with leaves. He shakes his head and chuckles. She bites her bottom lip, grinning; he watches as it's released, slick and plump; his breath quickens.

He holds her arm in place and pulls her other one around him as well. He lets them go and lets his hands wander to her face; the left hand touches the small of her back and the right caresses her cheek, strokes her soft jaw, and traces her bottom lip.

She gives his thumb a teasing bite before releasing it to offer it a kiss. She tiptoes and offers her mouth, and he accepts the gift with gratitude. They peck, feeling each other, letting their lips caress. She gives his bottom lip a gentle suck, and he softly kisses her cupid's bow. He pulls back slightly and sees her face beautifully blushed.

Aerith pulls his body closer; Cloud feels her hands reach under his sweatshirt and then ultimately slip under his tank top. "Getting a bit hands-y there, Aerith." He chuckles.

She hums. "My hands are cold." He shakes his head, grinning, then kisses her brow, her forehead, gives a sweet peck to her nose before claiming her lips again; running his tongue along the seam of her lips, feeling hers come out to meet his, heads tilting to delve deeper into each other's mouths.

“Ahem!” They both jump a bit and pull away. Tifa waves and has a big grin on her face while Johnny stands behind her, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.

Cloud rolls his eyes and tucks Aerith against his chest, turning her away. She laughs. “Cloud, who’s that?” Cloud sniffs and clears his throat. “No one. Don’t make any sudden movements; I hear wild animals sense fear.” He whispers in Aerith’s ear. He feels her pull her left hand from under his clothes. She waves. “Hi, I’m Aerith,” she greets, voice muffled.

Tifa whacks him on the shoulder. "You're suffocating her, Cloud." Cloud huffs and lets Aerith go, but continues to hold her hand.

"Hi, I'm Tifa, and this is my fiancé, Johnny." Johnny waves. "Nice to meet you! Sorry, I told Tifa not to bother you guys, but she's persistent." Johnny laughs and offers his hand to Aerith, which she takes in greeting. "Nice to meet you both."

Tifa smiles. "I know it must be a surprise to know Cloud has friends, but there are a few of us." Johnny chuckles. "Tifa is his longest and closest friend! They were a thing back in the day, but I stole her heart, right sweet pea?"

Cloud shakes his head. "We were done way before you even got in the picture. The only thing you stole was her panties, you weirdo." Aerith lets out a hesitant chuckle. "Oh-kay."

Tifa hides her face, feeling embarrassed. "Sorry, Aerith, it's a long story." In the midst of everything, Johnny squeaks and tries to defend himself. "Okay, listen. I admit, I was a bit of a freak, but I am a freak in love! I mean, look at her!" Johnny twirls Tifa around before continuing, "And for the record, Cloud, it was her bras." Cloud rolls his eyes, and Tifa shakes her head. "I don't think that makes it any better, babe." Johnny shrugs.

Aerith smiles. "Wow, so I bet you have some stories to tell, huh, Tifa?" Tifa grins. "Oh boy, you bet I do! We'll have to get together, you and me."

Cloud grunts. "Nope. Not happening." Aerith's cheeks puff out. "Cloud!" Tifa and Johnny laugh. "Hey! We should totally go on a double date! There's this place just down the road called Kiki's. They serve a wicked triple chocolate lava cake." Johnny suggests. Tifa nods. "It's so amazing, honestly. We're heading over there now. You both should join us."

Aerith looks at Cloud and bats her eyelashes. "Come on, Cloud! Triple chocolate lava cake!" Cloud huffs, looking away from Aerith's shining, emerald eyes. "I hate chocolate."

Tifa snorts. "Bullshit!" Johnny adds, "Chocolate is his kryptonite. Once, Tifa and I found him eating a whole two-tier chocolate cake on his own, sitting in the dark!" Cloud clears his throat. "Not my brightest moment." Aerith bursts out laughing. "Awe, Cloud!"

Tifa claps her hands. "Come with us. If Cloud doesn’t want to go, then you can ditch him. I mean, triple chocolate lava cake!" Cloud growls. "We’ll go!" Both Aerith and Tifa hop in excitement with a resounding, "Yes!" and a high five.

“Are we okay to go like this?” Aerith asks, looking down at her attire. Tifa waves her hand. “Of course! Johnny and I aren’t dressed fancy. Let’s go,” Tifa says, as Johnny wraps an arm around her. As they start walking, Johnny starts whistling a happy tune. “They have really good sub sandwiches too. Damn, I’m hungry!” Johnny says.

Cloud lets them walk a bit ahead. Aerith whispers, "She’s hot, Cloud! Why'd y'all break up?" Cloud snorts in surprise. Aerith gives him a look, "Well, she is!"

He rubs his neck. "We were teens, and it was just puppy love. As we matured, we realized we're too much alike. We valued our friendship above everything and ended it amicably. She's become like a sister to me."

Aerith hums. "That's really sweet, Cloud." Cloud shushes her. "Don't tell her though. She'll let it get to her head." Aerith giggles. "Your secret's safe with me." He gives her a smile.

Tifa turns her head, looking over Johnny’s shoulder. "What's going on back there? Keep up, lovebirds!" They both look at each other and blush before Cloud hollers, "I was telling her about that time you shit your pants!"

Tifa squawks as Johnny throws his head back and busts out laughing. Aerith looks between them. "Wait, what?" She hides her mouth behind her hand, shoulders shaking with laughter, as Tifa yells, "It was one time!"

Cloud puts his arm around Aerith. She looks up at him with a dazzling smile. Cloud grins back, feeling that everything is right in the world for the first time in a long time.

Notes:

<3

Chapter 6: How Fast, is Fast? Not Fast Enough!

Summary:

A misunderstanding leads to feelings being confirmed; let’s get down and dirty!

Notes:

•Mention on childhood trauma
•They have sex
There’s the warning
Carry on, if you’d like

Aerith's cheeks hurt from laughing as she listened to Cloud and Tifa exchange childhood memories. Even Johnny threw in one or two stories of his own.

She couldn’t help but be a bit envious, not having a childhood best friend of her own. She had Sephiroth, but being a few years older than her, Sephiroth only saw her as an annoying baby sister. Then, when their parents passed, he took on the role of parental figure as best as he could, considering he was a mere child himself.

Their grandparents were not much for socializing and unless it was a work affair, they stayed in their laboratories; she and Sephiroth stuck right with them. They liked to call them their little helpers, but they basically cleaned up any and all messes created by their grandparents or associates.

"Nothing, but free labor!" Sephiroth would say. Hojo would even go as far as using Aerith for his experiments. He was more interested in human conditioning; seeing how far he could push the psyche.

Aerith hated those times more than anything. She would rather be with her brother cleaning animal guts a hundred times over than being stuck in a pitch-black room no bigger than a coffin.

It was in those moments that Aerith prayed for her parents to come and take her away. To this day, Aerith can't be in tight spaces without immediately feeling like her heart could pop right out of her chest.

She has a lot of stories just like that one. Her childhood was filled with more sadness than anything, but Aerith tries to keep a positive attitude, convincing herself there are others with far worse stories; others who succumb to their dark past.

Tifa smiles at her. "What about you, Aerith? What's your most embarrassing story?" Aerith giggles and contemplates. She could lie, but Aerith doesn't want to build a friendship on lies.

She feels her throat constrict, trying to maintain her smile. She looks at Cloud, who is looking at her, trying to act nonchalant, but she can see the curiosity deep in his eyes, offering her a small smile.

Johnny nudges her, reaching over to poke her with his chocolate-covered fork. Tifa smacks his arm, “gross, Johnny!” she reprimands. Cloud rolls his eyes. Johnny continues, “I’m just saying, you heard about Tifa ‘poopoo pants’ Lockhart, Cloud ‘pee his bed’ Strife, and me, Johnny the shit stain!”

Tifa laughs, even Cloud lets out a chuckle. “It’s your turn, missy!” Johnny says. She feels on the verge of vomiting; nerves firing up. “Uh, hm,” she starts. ‘Say something, Aerith!’

All eyes were on her. "Tell them anything!" She thinks.

How about the time grandpa starved you for five days, then when you were finally able to eat, you ate so fast that you vomited on yourself? ‘No, that’s not funny!’

There was a time when you were helping Sephiroth clean the animals' cages, and you slipped and fell face-first into a pile of entrails. ‘Close, but that’ll raise more questions! And also, not funny!’ Aerith swallows the lump in her throat and looks down, her smile gone.

"Aerith?" She looks up and sees all their eyes looking over her head. Cloud's eyes look like blue flames. Curious, she wonders, 'What are they looking at?' She turns and sees,

“Zack?” Her mouth falls open in surprise. His black hair is pulled back into a “man bun” of sorts, with a few stray hairs falling into his face. “The very one!” He says. “Come here.” He opens his arms.

 

Her throat tightens. His arms were once a source of safety; a place she found comfort in many times. She gets up and just about throws herself into his arms, feeling her eyes burn; the anxiety prickling her skin and ready to burst forth. He holds her tight.

The table was silent. Aerith felt bad, but she needed this familiarity and chose to be selfish for a bit longer; just long enough to stitch herself up again. She heard a chair scrape against the floor and the bang of a door being hit open not long after. She released a breath and pulled away.

“Good to see you,” Zack says, then asks, “Who are your friends?” Aerith smiles and turns to the table. She sees Tifa staring at the door, brows furrowed, and Johnny with a nervous smile on his face.

Cloud is nowhere to be seen, but Aerith figured he would be gone; hearing the outburst. She sighs and sits back down and watches Zack sit where Cloud once was. “Well, I just met them today, but this is Tifa and Johnny. They’re getting married soon.”

Zack’s brows raise, and he gives them a huge smile. "Congratulations!" Tifa gives him a guarded look and mumbles, "Thanks." Johnny gives him a thumbs up, still looking nervous.

Zack hums, feeling the tension. "And the angry one that ran out the door…?" Zack asks. Aerith opens her mouth to answer, but Tifa responds, "That's Cloud, Aerith's boyfriend." Johnny lets out an uncomfortable chuckle. "We were on a double date. The triple chocolate lava cake…" he coughs.

Zack whistles. "So that was Cloud? You got yourself a hottie, Aerith!" She nods in agreement. "I'm Zack, by the way, the ex-brother-in-law."

Both Tifa and Johnny look at one another in confusion, before Tifa exclaims, “Sephiroth. You were married to Sephiroth!?”

Zack nods, “Well, technically, we’re still married. I never signed the papers. Well,” he gives a shrug.

Aerith shakes her head. “I’m going to go see if I can find Cloud.” She gets up and leaves without another word.

•••

She looks both ways, before spotting his spiked head across the road, arms crossed and leaning against a building. She makes sure there are no passing cars before crossing and calls for him. "Cloud!"

 

He looks up, frown already set on his handsome face. "What do you want?" he asks as she gets close. "You, you dunderhead!" she says, stepping in front of him. He scoffs and looks away. "Could've fooled me," he mumbles.

 

She rolls her eyes and huffs. "He's very much in love with my brother, just so you know!" Cloud sniffs, and shrugs a shoulder. "So he's in love with your brother. That doesn't tell me how you feel about him."

Aerith growls and pushes him, making his arms uncurl as he tries to steady himself. She pushes him again, then grabs the front of his shirt, dragging him into the nearest hidden alleyway, and pulls him to her; claiming his mouth in a heat-filled kiss.

She bites his bottom lip, sucks on it until it's flushed and plump, and has him moaning. She tongues his top lip, pulling it into her mouth for a nibble. He releases a shuddering breath as she sucks on his bottom lip.

Their tongues meet briefly, greeting one another, before alternating between sucking, biting, nipping, and nibbling. She traces her tongue along his bottom lip, getting it wet and feeling its thickness.

He pulls her tongue into his mouth as he pushes and traps her against the brick wall with his firm body. He bends his knees slightly, pushing his hardening cock against her clothed vulva, then straightens, feeling her stand on her tiptoes.

He stays there a moment, letting their heat mingle, then grinds against her, making her hiss and whimper. He fucks his tongue in her mouth with each drag of his dick.

 

She pulls her left leg up, trying to wrap it around his waist. He lifts her leg higher, feeling the smooth expanse of skin, the windbreaker shorts bunching up. He dips his hand underneath.

She groans as his finger catches on her hole, gathering her slick, he does it again and again, petting her and feeling her drip. “Cloud.” She whispers as he abandons her mouth to tongue and suck on her throat.

Her hands pull at his sweatshirt, wishing there was nothing there. She then grabs his hair, trying to guide his head to her chest; he remains stubbornly still, content with marking up her neck.

 

Her nipples ache, as they rub against her sports bra; she growls and grabs at her cropped shirt and bra, bunching it up to her neck and exposing her breasts. She hisses, feeling the cool air against the stiff areola.

Cloud moans and gives a quick, sloppy lick to each one, before choosing the right breast. He circles the areola, trailing it with his tongue; feeling the glands rise before sucking it into his mouth. Aerith quickly covers her mouth, her eyes rolling as he sucks and nibbles on her tit.

Cloud starts fervently grinding against her. Even through their clothing, her slick heat surrounds him, and he feels his cock leaking. He looks down and sees the wetness at the crotch of his joggers. “Fu-uck.”

He grabs her wrists and pulls them above her head, holding them with his left hand, while his right holds her leg in place. He rubs against her again and again; watches as his cock grinds against her clothed pussy, almost imagining her labia caressing his dick as it rubs.

 

She whimpers with each deep slide, now undulating against him. He’s close, his pace picking up. He kisses her; sucks on her bottom lip before fucking his tongue back into her mouth. He’s. Right. There. “Ye-s, ohh, fu-.” His balls jump for joy, and his cock weeps and spurts; his briefs becoming soaked with his cum. “Aerith.” He moans.

The look into each other’s eyes. ‘She is beautiful,’ Cloud thinks. Her face is flushed, her lips almost red, spit-slick, and full. She pulls her bra and top down.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but this is another first,” she says, breathlessly. She tries to put down her leg, but Cloud holds on firmly, choosing to slip his hand down the front of her shorts. She’s wet, slicked, and soaked. She squeaks, then groans as Cloud rubs her engorged clit.

 

He pets further down and rubs at her puffy cunt. “How many?” he asks. Her brain is in shambles as he pushes in to the first knuckle, then pulls out, drawing out more of her juices. “How many…oh, Cloud. What-” His thumb is circling her clitoris, her slick making the slide feel glorious. “Fingers. How many?” he repeats, voice gruff.

“Two!” She huffs. He wastes no time slipping two fingers inside; the middle and pointer finger to be exact. His dick jumps as he feels her hot, slick, and sopping-wet pussy. He curves his fingers and feels her g-spot, which is ridged, puffed, and ready for a massage. “Oh, Cloud, Clo-!” She tries to fuck herself on his fingers, but he holds her down, her body still quivering. “Oh, there. There. Don’t stop.” She’s whispering, trying not to draw attention to them, but the more Cloud strokes her, the harder it is for her to control herself.

“Fuck!” She screams. He quickly swallows any more sounds, putting his mouth on hers. “Right there, baby?” He whispers against her mouth. She whimpers and whines, feeling both fingers take turns at firmly stroking her g-spot, grinding against it continually. “Like that, huh?” She nods profusely, “yes, yes, ooh, I’m gon-,” her body starts shaking.

Cloud feels his cock is already at half-mast. "Fuck, you make me feel wild, Aerith." He keeps going, each glide bringing her closer, closer, and closer! Cloud feels her insides sucking him in before releasing and pulsating. He covers her mouth. Fucking her through her orgasm. She continues to let out muffled screams as her body convulses, squirting onto the pavement below and dripping down her legs.

Cloud slowly pulls out; his fingers and palm are covered in her fluids. "Shit!" He wants to use his soiled hand to jerk off. He pulls down his joggers and briefs just enough to get his cock out, and starts jerking the spongy head; wrist twisting and thumb swiping at the sensitive tip. Not even a minute later, he comes again, with a few drops leaking from his slit.

Cloud gently releases her, but they continue to hold onto one another; their legs feeling like jelly. They catch their breaths. Aerith chuckles. "Fuck, what's wrong with us?" Cloud shakes his head, lost for words.

He tucks himself back into his briefs, grimacing as he feels the cooled stickiness of his ejaculation. They look a mess and smell like sex. He's sure that if anyone were to see them, it would be easy to figure out what they had been doing.

"So, do you think we can get to your place without being noticed?" She shrugs. "We'll find out. How about that run, Cloud?" She gives him a grin before sprinting from the alleyway and turning a corner, out of sight.

Cloud huffs out a laugh. His legs still feel unsteady. He takes three steps before giving a wiggle and a wince. "Bleh, there's no saving these briefs," Cloud thinks as he makes it out to the open, looking for Aerith.

He spots her across the street, far ahead, and takes off after her, weaving through pedestrians.

She looks behind, hearing the fast-falling footsteps. Seeing Cloud, she squeaks and her sprint becomes a full-out run. She laughs and yells, "Catch up, slow poke!" Cloud grins and watches her braid jump and swing; challenge accepted.

Chapter 7: Enter: Hojo and the Triplets; Who Invited You!?

Summary:

She feels her heart bursting; jumping in joy, until—

She’s not.

Notes:

—Warnings—
•Abuse (verbal and physical)
•Violence

It takes them just shy of 20 minutes to get to Aerith's apartment. They're both out of breath and look like a couple of crazy people; they can't stop smiling as they push through the entrance.

Aerith giggles. "How are you holding up, Cloud?" she asks. Cloud snorts. "I'm about to rip these clothes off!" he says, his sweatshirt already up and over his head, revealing a ruffled mess of hair.

She grins. “Goodness, Cloud! Twice wasn’t enough?” Cloud chokes and sputters, feeling his face heat up. “Not what I’m talking about, but with you, I can go again,” he steps closer, “and again,” he pulls her into a hug and whispers against her mouth, “and again.” He nips at her bottom lip then claims her mouth in a ravishing kiss.

She pulls back and sighs, giving Cloud a soft, warm smile. He smiles and rests his forehead against hers, then pulls back. "Please tell me you have some underwear I can wear," he says, his mouth pulling into a pout.

She taps her chin, thinking. "I might have a cheetah-spotted thong you can wear. I bet your ass would look great!" she teases, giving his butt a light spank before palming his cheeks to give them a gentle squeeze. He groans, then lets out a chuckle.

“I’ll get you something to change into. Here, let me show you to the bathroom,” she says, grabbing his hand to lead him to the bathroom. “What, you’re not going to join me?” he asks as he follows along.

She chuckles. “No, sir! We need to get clean.” She pushes him into the bathroom. “Towels are in the closet along with some washcloths. Soap and shampoo are in the shower. Now get to scrubbing, mister!” Cloud shakes his head and grins, “Aye-aye, captain!” He salutes as she closes the door.

She lets out a restrained squeal; she can't stop smiling. She dances and gives a few twirls, humming an upbeat tune as she walks to her bedroom to find clothes for Cloud to wear. Her heart is soaring.

Then it immediately plummets as she opens the door. "Well, if it isn't my favorite granddaughter!" Aerith feels like her beating heart wants to crawl out from her throat; she swallows thickly. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?" She stutters; terror and anger battling for center stage.

Hojo grips his chest and gasps. "Is that any way to greet your own grandpa?!" he hollers. He's not alone, she notices; the triplets, as she used to call them, are poking around her room, with the exception of one, Kadaj, who is sitting next to Hojo, giving her a sinister grin. He was always the most unhinged one of the three. "Ungrateful bitch," he snaps.

Anger wins, and she feels herself seething, a deep scowl marking her face. "Stupid, ass-kissing, lapdog! You need to put a muzzle on your animals, Hojo. Do I need to put a piss pad down, or are they finally potty-trained?" She's addressing Hojo, but glaring at Kadaj, watching as Hojo pats him on the head as he starts growling. Hojo cackles, "Down, boy. She's only joking, right, Aerith?"

Aerith huffs and folds her arms over her chest, trying to self-soothe. She looks around her room as Loz digs through her desk drawers, throwing out trinkets and papers; making a mess. She growls. "What are you doing? Fucking heel, dammit!" Yazoo is being just as bad, tossing her clothing around as he digs through her closet. "What the hell!" she yells.

Her nerves tingle, and she feels as if her stomach has dropped. She took her eyes off Kadaj for too long and is rewarded with a slap to the face for the mistake. She recoils, trying to protect herself; Kadaj roughly snatches her chin, his nails almost biting. "I am no one's lapdog, you dumb cunt!" He spits and snarls.

She wants to cry; they're destroying her room, and Hojo is laughing manically as she's being abused. But if there's one thing she's become good at, it's hiding her emotions. "Could've fooled me, now let go!" she mumbles, her words becoming a whispered warning as Kadaj starts choking her. She can't breathe! She starts slapping him. His grip tightens. "Cloud!" she thinks, her vision blurring and heartbeat thumping loudly in her ears.

She closes her right hand, making a tight fist, and starts swinging. "Let Aerith go!" she hears someone yell, feeling her grip on consciousness slipping. She's thrown to the ground. She massages her sore neck and gasps, fighting for oxygen. She feels someone rub her shoulders; she immediately tenses and curls into a fetal position. "Aerith!"

••••

“Now, who the fuck are you!?” Kadaj asks, holding his split lip; his mouth bleeding and throbbing after the stranger's assault. His brothers gather around him. Loz looks like he's about to cry, bottom lip trembling, while Yazoo remains stoic. Kadaj knows he's thinking of the best way to commit murder behind those emotionless eyes. “You must have a death wish,” Yazoo murmurs.

Cloud clicks his tongue between his teeth. He's trying to be intimidating, but considering he's in nothing but a fluffy, brightly flowered towel, he's not sure of the success.

He ignores the other two and glares at the one in the middle, wanting to do more than just bust his mouth open. He imagines himself bashing the bastard's skull into every hard surface of the room, painting the walls red with his blood, and watching the life leave his eyes.

Cloud didn't know what was happening, just heard Aerith's raised voice and followed the commotion. His blood ran cold when he saw her suspended a couple of inches above the floor. He saw red when the assailant had a hate-filled smirk and looked pleased at her struggle, before she started punching the side of his head; putting up a fight.

“Let Aerith go!” Cloud yells, watching as the boy throws her to the ground. Cloud quickly punches him in the mouth, getting brief satisfaction as blood gushes from the wound.

Cloud tries to check on Aerith, but she recoils and curls into a ball, trying to protect herself from what she probably thinks is another beating. His heart clenches, and he feels his body heat up with rage. "You're a fucking dead man!" Cloud growls, his face fierce as that of a rabid animal.

The old, slimy-looking man gets up and holds his hands in the air. "Alright, this is just a complete misunderstanding! She's my granddaughter,"

Cloud huffs, not letting him finish. "Are you in the habit of letting assholes beat on your granddaughter!?" He bends down again. "Aerith?" Cloud asks softly, not touching her or getting too close, wanting to give her space.

She whimpers, and he wants nothing more than to gather her in his arms, but not before she recognizes it's him. "Hey, it's Cloud. I'm here," he tells her. She opens her eyes. "Cloud?" He hums and nods. She tries to give him a reassuring smile; it comes out pained and sorrowful.

Cloud sees her neck,a bit flushed. Her left cheek, however, is marked red and puffy, tear-streaked; a look that should never be on anyone's face, much less Aerith's. He starts, wanting to ask, "Did they..." His throat constricts. She looks away and holds her swollen cheek.

The one with a busted lip starts chuckling, shoulders shaking before he throws his head back and starts to guffaw wickedly; the sound full of malice. His lip is bleeding profusely now, and he lets it drip down his chin and onto the front of his buttoned shirt. "I did it! I slapped her, and I'll do it again, and again!" He screams, eyes wide and wild, then adds, "the fuck are you going to do about it, huh?"

Cloud is in front of him in a flash, lips pulled tight into a snarl, and he attacks, pummeling his face until he feels the skin on his knuckles split. He hears his own quick breathing and erratic heartbeat. "Kadaj!" he hears the one with short hair cry, before gripping Cloud's striking arm.

Cloud lashes out at him next, delivering two quick blows, then whacks him a final time square in the face; it makes a sick crunching sound, and the man drops to his knees, wailing and holding his bleeding nose. "Two down, one to go!" Cloud thinks, turning, eyes narrowing, and zeroing in on the last man with the long slick-back ponytail. The man smirks and lands the first hit on Cloud.

Before he can retaliate, the old man, now known to Cloud as Hojo, points a gun at him. "Now, now, young man, I think that's quite enough! Yazoo, pick up Kadaj; we're done here." He smirks at Cloud and adds, "For now." He then threatens, "Come, Loz!"

Cloud watches as they leave, following them until he sees they're out of the apartment, which he quickly locks. He runs back to Aerith and sees her sitting then getting up slowly. He reaches out to her, offering assistance. Cloud tries to catch her eyes, but she never looks at him. Despite avoiding his gaze, he sees that her eyes are blank, glossy, and have a faraway look.

Her face remains neutral, her voice devoid of emotion as she says, "I'm going to wash up." He continues to watch her, concerned. "Aerith," he tries. She interrupts him. "I'm fine." She swiftly walks to her private bathroom and slams the door shut.

He releases a breath, feeling hopeless. Cloud looks around the room and sees the mess they had made of it. He doesn't know where things go, but he wants to try and put her room back in order.

He starts with the area around her desk, matching up the items and putting them in the drawers: pens, pencils, and markers in one drawer, loose paper in another, important-looking documents, pictures, trinkets; everything had a spot after it was all picked up and organized.

He's been at it for 15 minutes and still hasn't heard running water. He walks to the door, gives it a gentle rap, and calls for her, "Aerith?" He hears movement, but is ignored. Cloud sighs and scratches the back of his head in worry, wondering what he should do.

He walks to her closet and starts picking up clothes. As he cleans, he tries to see if there's anything he could possibly wear. He spots a questionable shirt that has skulls and "Iron Maiden" on the front, and slips it over his head. He decides to forego underwear and puts on black joggers with stars on them. He shrugs, feeling comfortable, the fabric soft and worn, and continues putting away her clothes.

His mind starts wandering, realizing that he doesn’t know Aerith, not past the facade she puts on; he wonders if there is anyone who truly knows her. He nods his head in determination; he wants to understand her, everything there is to know and that she is willing to share, he wants it all.

Chapter 8: We Talk of the Past and Hopes for the Future

Summary:

Cloud feels hatred at the pit of his stomach; hearing what was done to Aerith—

It’s rage inducing.

He knows, without a shadow of a doubt; he wants to be apart of her present and future and make her the happiest.

He folds the last bit of clothes and sticks them into a drawer. The closet now looks orderly, or at least in Cloud's eyes. He doesn't know the time or how long he has been at it, but he decides to go and check on Aerith again.

He walks out of the closet and sees her sitting on her bed, brushing her hair. He clears his throat, alerting her to his presence. She stops, looks at him, and raises her eyebrows, smiling. "I see you got some clothes." She giggles.

Cloud feels relief and gives her a soft smile. She finishes brushing her hair and separates it into three sections to start braiding. She continues, "I stole that shirt from my brother when we were teens; he went through a 'punk' phase; baggy, ripped jeans, oversized band shirts. I even think he had liberty spikes at one point."

 

She laughs at the memory, remembering the disgusted looks their grandparents would always give him. Hojo would even dunk buckets of water on Sephiroth in hopes of destroying the look and taking pride in his shattered spirit. But Sephiroth learned to take it in stride and redo his hair and change into something more outrageous.

She hums. "Anytime he pissed me off, I'd take his favorite band shirts and hide them. He always blamed our grandparents," she explains. "That's one of the few I kept. Them being oversized makes them great to sleep in."

Cloud nods, although he's relieved, he feels like she's trying to ignore the elephant in the room. "Aerith," he starts, but she talks over him, looking down at the pants he was wearing. "I haven't seen those in forever! Zack got me those for my birthday; it was a matching set, but," she shrugs, not caring to finish the thought, instead focusing on tying the end of her braid.

“How are your hands?” She asks. He looks down and sees his knuckles are split, but thankfully not bleeding; the blood already scabbing over. “They’re okay.” Aerith reaches over and inspects his hand. “We can clean them up; I should have some bandages and a wrap,” she says. He grunts. “It’s not necessary, really,”

She nods and looks at him, noticing his hair, which lacks its usual rigid spikiness. It looks soft and has a bit of a wave, with layers framing his face beautifully. She runs her fingers through it. "Gorgeous," she whispers.

He blushes and looks off to the side. "Uhm, how are you feeling?" he asks, his voice full of concern. She huffs, "How am I feeling?" she repeats. "How am I feeling," she says again. She hums. "You know when I turned eighteen, I left and never came back. I honestly thought I would be through with that part of my life. Done and over with," she shakes her head. "What a fool I am," she whispers to herself.

"Aerith, can I hold you?" he asks. "Please," he adds. She looks into his eyes and sees sincerity. She nods and moves closer. He hugs her tightly, his chin resting on top of her head.

He feels her arms finally circling around his torso, and she rubs her nose against his neck. "I'm sorry, Cloud," she says. He feels the warmth of her breath and sighs. "Why are you sorry?" he asks.

"Do you really want to know?" She chuckles and shakes her head. "I didn't expect this to happen, but I had my suspicions." She pulls back and reaches up to scratch the scruff of Cloud's head.

She gets off track. "I love your hair like this. I'm hiding all your gel and hairspray." Cloud smiles. "Good thing I have an unlimited supply." Aerith snorts.

She loses her smile a minute later and huffs. "I had a gut feeling I was being followed, and when it was confirmed, I already knew it was my," she pauses and sniffs in distaste, "Hojo."

"What does he want? Why now?" Cloud asks. Aerith shrugs. "He's never needed a reason to do the things he does. He's just curious, he wants to see people's reactions, responses." She sighs, continuing, "He's been this way for as long as I can remember."

Cloud huffs. "So if I had to assume, this is nothing new to you?" She shakes her head, confirming his concern. "How long?" he asks. "Several years. After our parents died," she replies.

"Does your brother know?" Cloud wonders. There's no way Sephiroth didn't. She shrugs. "He had his own punishments to bear. Although he was more of the person who dealt with the aftermath. Hojo liked to," she releases a breath.

She never spoke of this out loud, as it almost feels like she is committing an atrocious sin, but Cloud is staring at her earnestly; as if given the chance, he would take this burden from her. "He liked to experiment," she lets the statement hang and fester in the air; Cloud immediately catches what she throws out. "On you?" He asks. Aerith nods.

"He just wants his lab rat back." She tries to make light of everything; letting out a mirthless chuckle. Deep down though, there's a trickle of fear. She can't go back, won't go back.

"No one knows, huh?" Cloud already knows the answer and watches as her eyes become misty with tears, and she whispers, "No." Cloud looks away, feeling his throat tighten with emotion and his body feels like an exposed live wire.

“Tell me something,” Cloud says, his eyes glaring, looking at the floor; glistening. He clenches and unclenches his hands; anger coursing through his veins. Aerith hums in question, looking at Cloud. “Uh, hmm, like what?” she asks. Cloud just shakes his head and shrugs. “Anything.” Aerith hums.

"When I was eleven, my grandma gave me a little puppy for my birthday. It was so adorable! It was scrawny and its tail looked bent, as if it had been broken," Aerith sighs. "Now that I think about it, it was probably some poor pup she found on the street, but it was mine to nurture. I took great care of it,"

Aerith taps her chin, thinking, "What was its name? Hmm," she snaps her fingers, "Patches! Yes, that was his name. He was a white dog; his underbelly had black spots, and he had one eye-the left one, I think-that had a brown 'patch'. My brother hated the name. He said Patches was more of a cat's name." Aerith shrugs, giving a small smile.

"How long did you have Patches for?" Cloud asks. Aerith swallows thickly, turns her head, but not before Cloud sees a few tears. She clears her throat. "Uh, for a couple of years." She nods. "Yeah, two years. He was my best friend. He became my companion."

Cloud watches as she starts to openly cry, and wraps his left arm around her. She sniffs. "He helped me, and would always be waiting for me; he would rub his cold nose against my neck and rest his head against my shoulder. That was his hugs, his way of comforting me,"

Aerith covers her face; her throat feels tight and her eyes burn. She releases a breath, which comes out as a forced whine. She tries again, but she can’t seem to keep herself quiet. “Aerith, it’s okay,” Cloud says.

She starts gasping for breath. She buried the memory deep, deep down. She didn’t want to touch it with the proverbial ten-foot pole. "Hojo's tests really took a toll on me that day. I could barely think straight, it was hard for me to come back from that dark place; I just wanted a hug from my baby," she stops and starts shaking.

She takes a deep breath. "They killed my little baby," Cloud pales. "Killed him?" Cloud repeats. She nods. "Kadaj, he couldn't have been more than 9 years old, but Hojo; they were his test subjects, just like me. He was conditioning them for violence, and Kadaj was, is his number one star puppet."

Cloud sighs. "How did you know or find out?" She laughs, sounding incredulous. "I walked in on him as he was doing it. Kadaj, the evil little shit, was bashing Patches' head in."

The memory jumps out at Aerith; so vivid she can almost taste the overwhelming copper scent. She can remember the pained cries, the whimpers; then nothing at all, save for her own screams.

She throws herself into Cloud's arms and weeps. Shakes her head, as if it's an Etch A Sketch. "I hate him. I hate him. I hate him!" Aerith chants, screaming. "They did nothing. Nothing! Hojo actually looked pleased, that crazy fuck!"

Cloud is at a loss for words. But he feels her hatred, can hear it in her voice. "I'm so sorry, Aerith," he whispers, giving her temple a light peck, keeping his face there as he feels his own tears slip. They stay in that position for a while, holding on to one another.

She hiccups and sobs every now and again. He finds himself wondering if she ever allowed herself to properly grieve. "Thank you, Cloud." She says, pulling away to wipe her tears.

"I don't think I even spoke about this to anyone," she takes a deep, steadying breath. "It's been so long, but it still hurts to this day." Cloud nods in understanding and caresses her cheek. She gives him a watery smile.

“Stay with me, will you, Cloud?” she asks. He accepts quickly. “Of course, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” he says, giving her a small smile.

She clears her throat and asks, “You hungry?” His stomach answers for him, growling loudly. She giggles. “Alright, any specific requests?”

"Nope, I'm not picky," he replies. She gives him a thumbs up and orders takeout. As they wait, Cloud talks about his mother, Claudia; tells about how she gave him a bowl cut, using an actual bowl sat on top of his head. "There might be a picture somewhere," he says. Aerith laughs. "Oh goodness, I need to see that!"

"And your father?" Aerith asks. "He died when I was a kid," Cloud replies, leaving it at that. She doesn't press further.

Their order finally arrives, and they happily dig in, sharing a bottle of wine. She tells more stories about her parents. "My mother was a firm believer in artistic expression; she let me paint and draw on my bedroom walls when I was a kid." She laughs. "My father wasn't a fan, let's just say, especially when my 'art' started expanding into the living room." They both laugh.

•••

Bellies full, they continue to talk and share their hopes for the future. "I really would love to open my own flower shop!" Cloud hums. "You still have a garden to show me," he says.

She claps her hands, excited. "Oh! That's right, here," she gets up and offers him her hand. He takes it without hesitation and follows along.

She shows him her greenhouse, "My pride and joy," she says, and starts naming each plant or flower.

He whistles, clearly impressed. "How do you remember all the names?" She shrugs and gives him a grin. "It's my passion!"

They walk back into the living room and start cleaning up the empty containers and putting away the wine and glasses. Task done, Cloud asks, "Can I stay the night?" Aerith nods quickly. "Yes, please!" And gives a little victory dance. Cloud chuckles. "I should have a spare toothbrush," Aerith adds.

•••

10 minutes later, teeth brushed and lights off, they lay side by side. She sighs. "So I told you what I wanted to do in the next few years, Cloud. Now it's your turn to share," she turns on her side, facing Cloud, "Spill." Cloud hums, then gives a great yawn. "I've honestly never given it much thought. Hmm,"

“Cloud, really?” Aerith asks. He nods. “I guess as far as the job goes, I’m never bored. Each contract is different. It can range from something as simple as being a courier to well, being a bodyguard.” She hums. “Okay, I get that. So, how about relationships?”

"Hm, what about them?" he asks. She huffs. "Oh, I don't know; do you want to get married, stay a bachelor, have kids, or not have kids?" Cloud coughs, feeling a sudden lump in his throat. "It kind of sounds like you're proposing to me." She snorts. "Cloud!" She flicks his shoulder, then continues, "Okay, then, I propose. What are the chances of us walking down the aisle?"

Cloud releases a long, drawn-out groan, trying to sound annoyed, but his heart, well, it's anything but. He moves onto his side and faces Aerith. "I guess, it has to be said; your crazy family cannot be on the guest list," Aerith gasps, then starts laughing. He then adds, "None of you model friends either; we don't need them turning our wedding aisle into their catwalk."

“Cloud! Can my brother come, at least?” She asks, grinning from ear to ear. “Hm, I guess, but you’re gonna have to pick his outfit. He looked like a dominatrix when I first met him,” Cloud says.

"He likes his leather, but I'm sure we can figure something out," she says, then adds, "Since we're making demands, hair gel and spray are not invited either." Cloud snorts. "Whatever you say," he says, feeling Aerith run her fingers through his hair. He gives a contented sigh.

She yawns. "So sleepy! Goodnight, Cloud." He watches as she pulls the blanket over herself and helps wrap it around her shoulders, snuggling her in with a kiss to her forehead. "Night," he whispers.

Notes:

🖤🖤

Chapter 9: I Want You; It’s Frightening

Summary:

Cloud texts Reeve; meeting set up, Cloud can breathe easier—

Until there’s a misunderstanding, of course.

He can't sleep. He closes his eyes, but immediately sees Aerith hanging, being gripped by the throat; tear-streaked and her face contorted in pain.

She's fast asleep; he hears her deep, even breathing and occasional snoring. He turns, lying on his back, and stares up at the ceiling. He checks the time on his phone, squinting as it brightly shows 02:33.

He quietly huffs. He knows what he wants to do: a quick thrashing is the least Hojo and the three fuckers deserve, and a torturous death would be justified.

However, he can't do the latter. He has a feeling that, although Aerith despises them, she wouldn't want their blood on anyone's hands.

He unlocks his phone and opens his contacts, quickly sending a message to Reeve. "Meetup. Usual spot."

Unsurprisingly, Reeve texted back, "Any chance I get to know what this is about?" Reeve being a bit of an insomniac made him the most easily accessible, something Cloud had come to appreciate. "Nope," Cloud replied.

“Can I get a time at least? I’m a busy man, you know?” Reeve types, then quickly adds, “Getting a sneak peek would help pique my interest. You know I can’t work if I don’t feel motivated.”

Cloud rolls his eyes and clicks his tongue. "There's nothing to peek at. You'll be motivated when we meet; today 15:00. Now stop texting me. I'm trying to sleep."

"You texted me first!" Reeve sends. "You disturbed my beauty sleep. What do you say to that!?" He adds. Cloud snorts and messages, "My deepest apologies, but all the sleep in the world isn't going to help with that. Now, don't let the bed bugs bite."

"You forgot the first part of the rhythm, and also, you're an ass." Reeve texts with a middle finger emoji.

Cloud smirks and puts his phone away, feeling lighter already. He and Reeve will put a plan in motion and hopefully banish the four bastards from Aerith's life for good.

Cloud feels a warm hand reach under his shirt. He looks down and sees her sleepy face: eyes half open, mouth slack, and cheeks pink with warmth from being burrowed in her comforter. He opens his arms, offering his chest as a pillow; she nestles in, and he wraps his arms around her.

“Did I wake you?” he asks, giving a kiss to the crown of her head. He feels Aerith’s head rubbing on his chest. She hums. “Nuh-uh. You were just too far.” He hisses as she rubs his right nipple. “Can’t sleep?” Aerith asks.

He moans. "Keep that up and you'll wake up the one-eyed snake," he says, as she continues to caress his chest and torso; each pet reaching lower and lower. He clears his throat and continues, "My head won't shut off. It's, uh, hm,"

Her hand dips inside his borrowed sleep pants, running her fingers through his hair, there. "Aerith," he says, voice a shivering gasp. She looks up at him; even in limited lighting, he can see they're sparkling. "Anything I can do to help?" she asks, palm flat on his pubic patch, and fingers spread in a V, resting at the base of his shaft.

He wants it. He wants to take, to consume. He wants everything with her, but after everything that transpired last night, he says, "No, I'm fine, Aerith." Aerith immediately pulls her hand back, as if bitten. "I'm sorry, Cloud. I shouldn't have," she looks away, ashamed, and draws back completely.

Cloud misses her warmth and feels he screwed up. "I just," he wants to explain. "Cloud, it's okay. It wasn't right for me to touch you like that," she interrupts. She cocoons herself, separating her body from his.

He feels his heart pounding. He wants to yell, "I want you! It scares me how much, and it's not just your body; I want your heart, your mind, and your soul. And most of all, I want to belong to you. To be yours! I don't want to take advantage of you, while you're in pain. I wouldn't feel right."

All the things he wants to say stay stuck, and his tongue refuses to move. He sighs instead and replies with a quiet, "okay." He closes his eyes and pretends to sleep.

Chapter 10: I Want to Be With You; Stay with Me

Summary:

Her past has been one of sadness and unfortunate experiences, but when she’s with Cloud—

She sees her future and all the things she wants to create with him.

Does he feel the same?

Aerith lies awake; sleep now eludes her. The air around them is tense, and she knows Cloud is still awake, lying stiff as a board.

She doesn’t know what came over her. Granted, Cloud and she have been intimate, but they haven’t quite put a name to what they are. She hates that she just assumed.

“Are you awake?” Cloud asks, his voice soft. She considers staying quiet, pretending to be asleep. "Yeah," she replies instead. She feels him shuffle around and he pulls the blanket down, meeting her eyes.

"I don't know, I feel like I've made this pretty clear, but just in case; I want to be with you," he says. She gives a shy smile. "I uh, just don't want you to feel like that's all I want from you, or feel obligated," he adds.

Her heart flutters and groans. "Go-sh," she says, covering her eyes. She feels herself blushing, she can't contain her happiness. "Thank you, Cloud." She hums and continues, "but for the record, I don't do anything I don't want to. I promised myself that I would never. Not ever again." Her brow furrows, and she nods to herself in determination.

Cloud tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "We good?" he asks. She nods. "Of course. We always were, it's just me being silly." He releases a breath and closes his eyes. "Let's try to get some rest," he says, letting out a yawn.

“Mmhmm.” Aerith continues to look at Cloud, committing his features to memory. She feels it; the warmth that spreads through her as she imagines a future with him; creating a home, having children, and a few furry friends running around. It's all frightening, yet exciting for her. She just hopes she doesn't do anything to screw it up.

••••

 

Cloud’s phone alarm is ringing. He grunts at the offending sound and burrows deeper into Aerith’s warmth. Her hair tickles his nose, but he refuses to pull away.

Cloud is not much for cuddling when sleeping, but it seems Aerith inspires change. He feels her rub and pat at his arm that’s wrapped around her stomach. "Cloud, your alarm," she says, voice rough with sleep. Cloud moans, not wanting to move; his hand glides over her smooth, exposed tummy, causing her to giggle. "Cloud."

He sighs and pulls away to retrieve his phone, turning off the 06:00 alarm he had set. He huffs, seeing 06:03, pissed at not having the foresight to turn it off or change it; only having slept for 2 hours.

He tosses it back to where it lay and pulls Aerith to him; his nose resting at her nape and right arm securing her to him, again. She releases a shiver. "Your hands are cold," she states, trying to move away.

Cloud holds on tightly and gives a playful growl, making her chuckle. "They were fine moments ago," he says, rubbing his hand against her skin. "Hm, help me warm them up," he whispers, his hand inching up to cup her breast.

She shivers again. "I thought you wanted to take things slow," she teases, a smile in her voice. Cloud releases a breath and grins. "Changed my mind. Slow doesn't seem to be in our vocabulary when it comes to this relationship," he says, swiping a thumb over her nipple.

She turns, lies on her back, and looks up at Cloud. "Well, we were planning our wedding guest list earlier," she says, smiling brightly with eyes sparkling even more.

The morning light filtered through her bedroom windows, the sun rising and casting the room in a bright glow. Cloud lay on his side, head resting in the palm of his left hand; he looked at her, a smile immediately painting his face, and thought, "I want to wake up like this, always."

“Penny for your thoughts?” she says, reaching up to fluff his hair, which Cloud is sure looks a mess. He sighs. "How I could go for a bean burrito right about now," he replies, watching as she gives him an icky look. He adds, "smothered in cheese and picante sauce." He chuckles. "What, don't like bean burritos?" he asks.

She shakes her head. "They're alright. I'm more of a taco lover," she says. Cloud snorts. "Aren't they basically the same thing?" She looks offended. "Not at all."

He shrugs and grins. "They're both made with tortillas," she huffs and pulls his ear. He lets out an "ouch" as she says, "You're trying to get a rise out of me. It's too early to piss me off, Cloud."

He laughs and snuggles into her, lying his body fully on top of her. She squawks. "Aye, Cloud!" Despite sounding put-out, she holds on to him, softly kissing the crown of his head.

He stays on top of her; his head cradled against her bosom. He feels her stroking his hair and exhales, feeling satisfied. "Honestly, I was thinking how I could do this every day for the rest of my life," she softly gasps. "Yeah?" Aerith asks. He hums, "mmhmm."

Cloud feels it, jumping in his chest and wanting to burst from his mouth: those three words. He holds them tightly.

Chapter 11: Duty Calls; Back to Reality

Summary:

They’re getting to know each other; Cloud learns, her favorite flower is lilies and they already have a name for their child—

He’s willing to make that happen.

Unfortunately, work calls and he has a handsy encounter with Madam M—

Notes:

🖤🖤

They lay in bed for most of the morning, enjoying being in each other's company, and asked one another questions:

“Ever had a pet, Cloud?” she asks. Cloud nods. “My mother gave me a bird. She said she found him on the ground, probably fell from the nest.” He shrugs, unsure. “We named him Cloud Jr.” Aerith giggles at the name. “Cute!”

—

"Do you have a favorite flower?" he asks. She hums in thought. "Hmm, that's like asking a parent which child is their favorite," she says. Cloud interjects, "Every parent has a favorite; I don't care what they claim." She shakes her head. "I don't think so, but if I had to pick, lilies," she states.

—

“Hm, how many kids do you want?” Aerith asks. Cloud rubs his chin, thinking. “Ideally ten or fifteen, but since I’m not popping them out, I’ll settle for one.” She squeaks, mouthing ‘ten or fifteen?’ Making him burst out laughing at her bewilderment.

She pushes him off, watching as he rolls over, holding his stomach in laughter. “I’m investing in a chastity belt,” she says, deadpan. He stops laughing.

"So, what's our first child's name?" Cloud asks. She hums. "I've always loved the name Sora." Cloud nods and repeats, "Sora," testing the name out. "I like it."

—

“Who was your first crush?” she asks. He feels a sweat drop. “Getting to the nitty gritty, I see.” He pauses. “Umm, I guess Tifa. Everyone had a crush on Tifa though, she was the it girl back in my town,”

Aerith chuckles, “I’d have a crush on Tifa too.” Cloud snorts, letting out a laugh, then asks, “Yours? Who was your first?” She instantly answers. “Zack,”

Cloud rolls his eyes and turns away from her with a sniff. She laughs. "Cloud, stop!" she exclaims, pulling on his shoulder to turn him back around. "He was the first person, outside of my family, to show me kindness. It was kind of a given. He was my brother's friend, and he treated me like an equal," she sighs. "He always tried to include me, which Sephiroth hated, but he made me feel seen and heard. It was a big deal for me," she continues.

"And now?" Cloud asks. Aerith gives him a look, "Are you for real?" she says. "Now he's married to my brother, and he's family to me. Believe me, any feelings I had died when I walked in on him and Sephiroth getting it on. I couldn't look at either of them for weeks."

Cloud chokes, coughing before letting out a surprised laugh. "I'm sorry," he tries to stifle his laughter. "Are they still together?" Cloud asks.

Aerith rolls her eyes. "It's complicated. My brother's an ass, but they're very much in love with one another, despite what my dumbass brother says," she says.

Cloud nods. "Mhmm. Mhmm. So no chance of you two getting together, then?" he asks. Aerith lets out a scream. "I'm gonna hurt you, Cloud!" she yells, tackling him.

They wrestle a bit, with Cloud emerging as the victor, pinning her down beneath him. "I let you win," she huffs. "Mmhmm," he says, before giving her a kiss. She moans, feeling his tongue flick against her top lip, then pulling it into his mouth for a gentle suck, releasing it to do the same to her bottom lip. She returns his kiss fervently, letting their tongues roll and meet, touch and slide; lips pulling and suckling.

They release, both breathless and pink-cheeked, mouths glistening and plumped. Cloud's stomach rumbles. She chuckles. "Let's get something to eat." He nods with a pout.

 

•••

 

She makes him an omelette: fluffy and stuffed with cheese, turkey sausage, tomatoes, and spinach, coupled with a side of sliced strawberries and a handful of blueberries. "Mmm! This is so good. Thank you," Cloud says, his mouth full.
She smiles bright and takes a few bites of her scrambled eggs, then forks one of the strawberries on his plate.

They eat in comfortable silence. "Oh, your clothes. Let me go stick them in the dryer," she says. She comes back a couple of minutes later. "Want to help me water my plants?" she asks with a smile. Cloud nods. "Sure." He returns her smile.

He sets about doing the task with a smile on his face, happily listening to Aerith as she sings softly; her voice lilting and beautiful.

“Your clothes should be done,” she says after they're finished. He dresses not too long after, grabs his phone, and sees there are missed calls from Barret and Reeve. He sighs and calls Barret back.

It rings a couple of times before Barret answers. "Hey fool, where are you?" he asks. Cloud grunts. "Busy." Barret snorts. "Well, get un-busy! We have a delivery that needs to be done, and Madam M asked for you specifically."

Cloud rolls his eyes and huffs. Madam M can get too touchy for Cloud's comfort. Although, he hasn’t done much to discourage her advances.

She pays well; entrusting him to deliver expensive, imported massage oils. "Only the best for my clientele, you understand." Madam M says, giving him a knowing look.

She gave him a handjob once or twice, and suddenly he became an expert on what her customers need. "Whatever services she's offering you on the side, I don't want to know!" Barret once yelled. "Just don't fuck up the job!" he added.

“Hello! Earth to spike head!” Barret says. Cloud shakes his head. “Fuck, can’t you get someone else? Say I’m sick of something,” Cloud asks.

Barret grunts. “No can do, man. You think I haven’t already tried? I know you off in LaLa land with Aerith.” Cloud bites his tongue. “Fine! Send me the details,” Cloud huffs, then hangs up. He grumbles.

“Uh-oh, everything okay?” Aerith asks. Cloud turns and sees her holding his sweatshirt; she offers it to him. Cloud gives a small “thanks” and lays it over his left shoulder; he doesn’t want to put it on just yet. “Work calls,” he says, pulling her to him for a hug. She sighs. “Hmm, you be safe, Cloud. I’ll text you later,” she says, reaching up for a kiss, which he gives gladly.

 

••••

 

He delivered Madam M’s product without a hitch, although he nearly dropped a crate full of glass jars of her oils when her hand traversed the curve of his spine, dipping a bit too low for comfort.

"Oh, my, a little jumpy are we? I can have just the thing to help you relax," she said, giving him a sultry look and flicking her hand fan.

In the past, he might have taken the offer, but although Aerith and Cloud haven't become official, he was never the type to cheat, and he wasn't about to start now, especially since he's with Aerith. "Listen, M, I got someone now. Let's keep this professional," Cloud says.

She waves her fan, airing her face. "Oh, ho, is that right? Has my dear Cloud become a taken man? Hm, that is too bad."

"I hope this doesn't dissolve our partnership," he says. She flicks her fan at Cloud, "Perish the thought. Give my best regards to your lady. I hope to meet her one day," she says.

Cloud rubs his head, confused but glad; the last thing he needs is Barret hounding on his ass about lost money. "Uh, sure, I'm sure she, um, would like to meet you too," Cloud says, doubt in his voice. "Splendid," she says. "Safe travels, Cloud," she bids, walking away with a wave of her fan, blowing him a kiss.

He walked out of her establishment, pulled up his contacts, and sent a message to Barret, "Done."

He climbs into the company delivery truck and decides to head to Seventh Heaven, the bar he was supposed to meet Reeve at. "On my way." Cloud sends. It was already ten minutes to four. He was running late. "You know I don't like tardiness!" Reeve messages. Cloud sends a middle finger emoji in response.

••••

 

It didn't take long for Cloud to arrive at the bar. It took even less time to fill Reeve in about Hojo and the triplets. "Names?" Reeve asked. Cloud huffed. "If I remember correctly, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz," Cloud replied, watching Reeve type on his phone.

Cloud tells Reeve about what Aerith had gone through at her apartment, leaving out the extra details she had shared with him, and that was all it took to get him fired up. "Bastards!" Reeve growls, then adds, "Don't worry, Cloud, I'll see what I can find." He nods farewell, and quickly stands; Cloud can already hear him speaking to someone as he walks out the door.

Cloud feels relief at having set a plan in motion. It'll take time, but he knows Reeve can come through. He pulls his phone out and texts Aerith, "Hey, what're you up to?" He keeps his phone open, looking at the messages, but doesn't see the tell-tale dots of a response coming. He hums, finishes his drink, puts his phone in his back pocket, and pays his tab, giving a wave to the bartender.

Outside and back in the delivery truck, he reaches for his phone again and decides to call her. It rings until it goes to voicemail. He grunts, a bad feeling stabbing him in the gut. He tries again; it goes straight to voicemail. Now he's worried. "Shit."

He calls Sephiroth. It rings three times before he picks up. "Cloud," Sephiroth greets. "Sephiroth, I'm trying to contact Aerith. Have you spoken with her today?" he asks, keeping his voice neutral.

"No, not today. I was under the impression she was with you," Sephiroth replies, his voice sounding suspicious. "What's going on?" he asks.

Cloud releases a breath, looking around the parking lot of the bar, wondering if he's blowing this out of proportion or not. After what happened yesterday, Hojo's parting words, "We're done here, for now," are repeating in his head.

“Nothing. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. Sorry to bother you.” Cloud says, hanging up before another word is said.

Notes:

A wild Sora, from Kingdom Hearts, has appeared! (Or mentioned)

He’s a blend of both Cloud and Aerith:
Spiky-brown hair, blue eyes. Cheerful, yet has a tragic side and wants to save/protect those close to him—

Chapter 12: Blowed then Blue-balled; Cloud Is Not a Fan

Summary:

Cloud is jealous; car sex makes everything better—

Notes:

—Warning—

Unnecessary sex ahead—
What are you going to do?

He decides to head to her apartment, hoping she's there. He peels out of the parking lot and speeds down the road. A traffic light turns yellow, then red. He growls; his 'hero to the rescue' moment ruined.

He spots an old lady with her equally old dog crossing the road, slowly; her walker scratching on the pavement. The light turns green, and she's still crossing, nearly getting clipped by an aggressive driver.

Cloud huffs and hops out of the truck. "Ma'am," he greets. "Get on my back. You're going to get hit out here." The woman climbs onto his back. "Hold on," he says, as he stands.

He holds the dog under one arm and drags the walker along. "Oh! Thank you, young man!" the lady says, as Cloud practically runs to get her across.

People are honking at his abandoned truck, he throws them a finger for their grievances. "Here you are." He lowers the dog, the old pup gives a happy woof and a wagging tail for its appreciation.

He squats and helps the woman get stable on her feet, offering her walker to help. "You gonna be okay?" Cloud asks, handing her the dog's leash. She grabs it and gives Cloud a big grin. "More than, thanks again. And what shall I call you?" she asks. Cloud offers his hand. "The name's Cloud, ma'am."

She takes his hand, gives it a soft squeeze, and looks into his eyes. "You're my hero, Cloud! Thanks for helping this old woman. The name's Yvonne, by the way, and that's Rocco," she says. Rocco gives a few more happy barks and even twirls.

Cloud gives a nod and a small smile. "Nice to meet you. I better get going. My truck's in the way," he looks at the vehicle and sees a couple of cars waiting behind him. He rolls his eyes. "Take care, you two!" He waves and runs to where he's parked.

As he runs, he catches a glimpse of Zack sitting in a coffee shop, laughing at something the person across is saying. He climbs back into the truck, and thankfully, the light turns red, giving him time to see who he's sitting with.

Their back is turned, but he knows those chestnut curls. "Aerith?" He wonders and feels his gut twist. He clicks his tongue and curses as a car honks behind him.

He parks a bit away, unable to find closer parking, and power walks the distance to the cafe shop they were at. He just hopes they're still there.

Five minutes later, he's glad he still sees them through the window. He feels himself snarling, "Get a hold of yourself, Cloud!" He thinks as he opens the shop's door; it gives a jingle as he enters. He's greeted by a barista, whom he ignores and heads straight to where he spots Aerith and Zack.

Aerith sees him first. "Cloud!?" Zack turns and gives him an up-down look. "Well, speak of the devil!" Zack says, giving him a tiny wave. Cloud huffs, ignoring Zack. "Aerith," Cloud greets. She gives him a smile. "Why didn't you answer my phone call?" he asks.

Zack whistles. "Got you on a tight leash, huh, Aerith?" he chuckles. Cloud glares at him. "Hey, that'll be my fault," Zack says.

Cloud mumbles, "surprise." With a roll of his eyes. Zack continues, "Sorry, she was in the restroom. Her 'Baby Got Back' ringtone is a bit embarrassing. I just had to shut it off." Aerith squeaks, smacks Zack on the arm, and lets out a startled laugh.

Aerith pats the seat next to her. "Come and sit, Cloud." Cloud shuffles from foot to foot, then ultimately decides to sit. As soon as he's seated, she reaches over and gives him a hug. He pulls her to him and pecks her on her lightly marked neck, softly whispering, "I was worried."

She pulls back and looks into his eyes. "I'm sorry, Cloud," she says, "I didn't even think." Cloud stops her. "It's fine. I'm just glad you're okay. You might want to give your brother a call, though," he says.

She groans, "Oh goodness, did you tell him anything?" Cloud shakes his head, "No, I'll leave that to you, but I think he suspects something's going on." She sighs, looks at Zack, then back at Cloud. "I'll talk to him," she says.

Zack clears his throat. "You haven't told Sephiroth about Hojo?" Zack asks. Cloud's brows furrow. "You know what happened?" Cloud asks. Zack nods in confirmation. "She told me. We were trying to figure out what to do. It doesn't seem like he's about to let up, crazy bastard that he is." Zack scowls, then continues, "All these years, you'd think Hojo would fuck off.”

"Nope, seems unlikely!" she says. She scoots her chair closer to Cloud and links their arms. "How are you, Cloud? Did your delivery go smoothly?" she asks.

Cloud grunts, "Can't complain. She's a regular client, nothing I couldn't handle." he responds, giving Aerith a smirk. She smiles back, both staring into each other's eyes, clearly smitten.

“Bleh!” Zack exclaims. “This new romance is disgusting!” Aerith sticks out her tongue. “You’re just jealous!” she says. He stands and waves his hand at them both, saying, "Yeah, yeah! I’m gonna see if I can meet up with your brother. Speaking of, please, please talk to him." He points a finger at Aerith. “Always a pleasure, Cloud!” he adds.

Cloud sniffs. "Yeah," is all Cloud says. Zack snorts, "Okay. See you lovebirds later!" Zack says, walking to the door, giving a final wave as he exits.

Cloud clears his throat. "So, 'Baby Got Back', huh? Is that your ringtone for me?" Cloud asks, chuckling as she groans. "Oh, gosh! I was hoping you'd forget that," she replies, then gives a lecherous grin. "You do have quite the ass, I must say," she adds.

Cloud gasps and holds his chest, "Do you only like me for my ass?" Aerith bites her bottom lip, trying to control her laughter. "Mmhmm! Though, you have a nice chest too," she says, giving his left pec a squeeze. He gasps again and looks at her breasts before looking back at her face, "Ditto." She giggles.

"So, Zack was my ride. Think you can give me a lift?" Aerith asks. Cloud hums. "I don't give free rides," he replies. Aerith rubs a palm against his thigh. "I'm sure we can figure something out." She bats her eyes, her hand sliding between his legs to cup his crotch. He sighs, "Yeah, I'm sure." He quietly says, running his thumb along her lower lip.

••••

 

They make it to the delivery truck, climb in, and sit in silence. Cloud looks down at the steering wheel, rubbing his neck. He chances a peek at Aerith. She's wearing a plaid overall-dress that comes to mid thigh, and underneath, she's wearing an off-the-shoulder cream-colored long-sleeved top. "She's stunning," Cloud thinks.

Her hair is pulled into a half French braid, the rest of her hair cascading and beautifully curled, having it pulled to one side. Cloud licks his lips, feeling like a famished dog. He coughs. She looks up at him and gives a soft smile. "Sorry, texting Sephiroth, letting him know I'm okay," she says, resuming her message.

Cloud nods. "Of course. Take your time," he says. He turns the car on, and the radio plays some 80s band; the music lively as the musicians harmonize, 'don't you want me baby? Don't you want me, oh!'. Aerith snorts, "Trying to set the mood, Cloud?" she asks, as she sets her phone aside.

He feels his face heat up. "Depends if it's working or not," Cloud replies. She hums, looking around the truck, taking note of the lack of a center console separating them; the front seat is long and thickly padded. "Whose truck is this?" she asks, her butt wiggling and bouncing on the seat, testing its springiness.

"Company, the company's. We use it, um, for, uh," he gets distracted watching her breasts bounce, 'she's not wearing a bra…?' he wonders, reaching over to pull the overalls' strap down from her left shoulder. It's bare. "Cloud."

"Oh uh, deliveries," he finishes. She giggles. "So your place, or mine?" she asks. Cloud feels his brain short-circuit. He shakes it, trying to get it back in working order. "Huh?" Cloud asks.

“Or here?” She scoots closer. “Yeah,” he doesn't even know what he's agreeing to, but "here" sounds good. “The clasps!” she gasps as Cloud starts nibbling and sucking on her neck, his left hand trying to pull up her top.

She pulls away, saying, "Unlatch the clasps behind. It'll be easier." She says breathlessly, turning around. He unlatches them, watching the straps loosen, then pull off her shoulders. She turns back towards him, and he groans; seeing her nipples already hard and peaked through her top. He wastes no time; pulling her top up and exposing her breasts. No bra. She moans, "Cloud!" as he lavishes the left nipple with his spit; suckling and flicking it with his tongue.

She arches her back, and he pulls her onto his lap. The horn startles both of them as her butt pushes against it, letting out a long honk. They laugh as Cloud scooches to the middle, her dress rucked up and top bunched to her chin, with her breasts bouncing as he moves.

He gives a kiss to her right breast, then sucks on the areola, letting it fall out of his mouth with a snap as he pulls back. He looks and sees they're both moist and glistening with his saliva. He groans going back in to roll his tongue over each nipple again, she moans, then again; making sure to give each one the attention they deserve.

She lets out a whine, her hips grinding against his; legs spread wide. He can feel himself harden, his dick twitching with each dirty grind. "Aerith," he whispers, letting his hands reach under to palm her asscheeks, spreading them. He lets a couple of fingers glide over her clothed lips, getting a feel of their warmth before pulling her panties to the side; exposing her pussy to dip a finger in.

She huffs and fucks herself on his digit. It's not enough, not nearly enough, but she feels herself leaking; feels him lather her fluids all over, getting her perineum and labia sloppy-wet.

“Fuck, Aerith, I want to be in you,” he says, his voice rough and strained. “Yeah?” she whispers, her hands holding onto the back of his head, stroking his nape. She pulls him in, licking her tongue against his. She feels like she’s going wild, reaching inside his pants. “Oh, you still have these on,” she notices his joggers from the day before. “Good,” she says, feeling his bare cock. “No underwear, Cloud?”

He grunts as she grips him, swiping a thumb over his leaking slit. "Nuh," he moans. She gives a firm tug, whispering, "Naughty," against his ear, pulling a lobe into her mouth.

A phone call blares through the speakers; they both jump at the sudden sound. "The fuck!" Cloud exclaims, looking over to see Tifa's name popping up on the screen. He rolls his eyes and reaches over to hit the decline button, hoping to keep the mood going. He grinds up, fucking himself into her palm.

She chuckles, her tongue gliding over his jaw, nipping at his chin before claiming his lips in a searing kiss. She continues to touch him, her hand sliding torturously slow, but gripping tight and wet with his pre-cum. He shivers and wiggles his hips, his breath coming in short gasps. He pets the backs of her thighs, caressing them, groping them, and thinks how he wouldn’t mind being smothered by them at some point.

The thought nearly does him in; the image of him between Aerith's legs is absolutely filthy, and he feels his dick twitch.

She grips the base of the shaft, forming a tight circle with her thumb and forefinger, like a ring. "Wait, I want a taste," she whines, maneuvering her body to rest on the side of him. It's terribly cramped, but she makes it work, pulling her hair to the side. She looks up, eyes sparkling, and lips moist and thickened from their kisses. "Hold my hair, will you?" she asks.

He nods, voice lost as he feels her warm breath on his cockhead; gripping her hair in a ponytail. She whimpers as he pulls a bit too hard, Cloud's body jerking as she swipes a slick tongue over his glans and corona, sucking on the ridge, tongue then dipping slightly into the urethra. Cloud hisses, watching as she purses her mouth, pushing a glob of spit out to coat his dick. "Oh, fuck," he gasps, feeling her mouth take him in.

Her throat constricts, fluttering around his tip. His hips twitch with self-restraint. He wants to fuck into her mouth, wants to push all the way in until her nose is smushed against his pubic hair, but they’re not there yet.

He lets her be in control, watching her mouth stretched wide around his girth. She can't take him all in, wrapping a wet palm over what she can't suck; building a rhythm, her head bobbing and hand pumping. Fast then slow, letting her mouth suck and spit on his cock, hand twisting and pumping up and down, up, then twisting down with a tight stroke.

She pulls off with a wet pop, licking her lips. She licks the underside of his cock, then kisses her way down to the scrotum. He scoots his ass lower and spreads his legs with a groan, moaning loudly as she sucks on the wrinkled skin. "Mm, nuh, Aeri," his voice a cracked mess, he grinds his hips as her hand flicks quickly over his sopping wet head.

His phone rings again, the ring obnoxiously loud through the Bluetooth. She pulls away, or tries; his hand keeps her from going too far. "Cloud." He lets her go.

They look and see Tifa is calling again. He growls, and tries to hit the ignore button, only for Aerith to stop him. "Answer it, Cloud! She's called twice. It must be important," she says.

He sits back, groaning pathetically, watching as she covers her chest. He looks down; her dress is still hiked up. She's wet, her underwear soaked, from what he can see. She pulls her dress down. He wants to cry.

"Someone better be fucking dying," he grumbles as he smashes the call button. It rings once before being answered. He doesn't let Tifa speak, hollering, "I'm being blue-balled! What the fuck do you want!?" Aerith pushes him, "Goodness, Cloud!" she fervently whispers. He shrugs, "Well? Hello...?" he asks, putting his cock away; mood officially ruined.

They both hear Tifa sniffling. They look at each other. "Tifa?" Aerith asks, her voice concerned. Tifa releases a stunted breath, clearly trying to contain her sobbing. "Tifa, what's wrong?" Cloud demands, returning to the driver's seat and buckling up. Aerith does the same in the passenger seat. "Where are you?" Cloud asks, pulling out of the area where he had parked.

“Sorry. I’m sorry! I’m okay. It’s Reeve!” Tifa says. They can hear someone in the background, most likely Johnny, trying to console her. “He was in front of our headquarters,” Cloud punches the dashboard, aggravating the already split knuckles. “Shit! What happened? Is he okay?” he asks. Tifa continues, “It was a hit and run, fuck, his legs,” she lets out a wail.

Cloud can't help the tears that cloud his vision. He wipes them away. "Where?" Cloud asks. "He was hit," she starts, but Cloud loudly interrupts her, "No! Where is he now? Which hospital?"

Tifa starts crying, unable to hold back. The phone muffled, as if being shuffled around. "Hey Cloud, it's Johnny. We're at Midgar Mainland Hospital, emergency room," Johnny said.

“We’re on the way. I’ll call you when we get there.” Cloud hangs up and smashes the dashboard again, curses, then hits it again; his hand now bleeding. “Oh, Cloud,” Aerith sighs. “I’m fine,” he replies, voice clipped and full of worry.

Notes:

🌼🌸

Chapter 13: Our Dear Friend, Reeve Tuesti

Summary:

Reeve may have underestimated Hojo and his minions, but—

They don’t know Vincent.

It takes them twenty minutes to arrive. They quickly clean up and make themselves presentable, thankful for the hand sanitizer that Barret insists be in each company vehicle.

He calls Johnny, who runs to meet him, quickly leading them to the waiting room.

Upon entering, he sees Barret pacing back and forth, on the phone. Tifa is sitting, head held in her hands, and shoulders shaking; Aerith swiftly walks to her, softly rubbing her shoulder.

Tifa looks up, eyes red-rimmed and cheeks wet. Aerith immediately opens her arms, sits down, and wants to give her comfort. Tifa takes it gladly, burying her head in Aerith's neck and crying freely. Johnny walks over, sits on the other side of Tifa, and rubs her back.

"What the fuck," Cloud curses. He sees Vincent, looking like an ominous shadow, standing in a corner. Cloud walks over to him. "Cloud," Vincent greets. Cloud nods. "What happened?" Knowing Vincent, he has already looked at the surveillance footage.

Vincent grunts. "He got out of his car, a SUV pulled up fast alongside him, pinning and dragging him between both vehicles." He lets out a growl. "They reversed, as if they were going to go in again. Tifa shot at them. They sped away," he finishes, shaking his head.

Cloud huffs, "Did you get a look at them?" he asks. Vincent shakes his head. "The windows were blacked out. I could only make out two people in the vehicle."

"It wasn't Rufus or Elena," Vincent mentions, seeing the wheels turning in Cloud's head. "How are you certain?" Vincent looks away. "Don't concern yourself with how I know. I just do." Vincent says.

They hear heavy footsteps, knowing it’s Barret. “Well?” Vincent asks. Barret huffs, rubbing a hand over his face, looking exhausted. “It’s gonna take time, but,” Vincent interrupts, “How much time?”

Barret curses. "Fuck, you'd think I was the police with how cagey these people were being! Just glad they agreed to give me the CCTV footage from the timestamps you mentioned; again, it'll take time, but we'll get what we need." Barret shakes his head. "Whoever these bastards are, they're dead men walking."

"You said Tifa shot at them. Did she get a look?" Cloud asks. Vincent shrugs. "It's been difficult to get a word out." Barret grunts in agreement. They all look at Tifa, who is talking with Aerith. Aerith has a furious face as she pats Tifa's hand. Johnny takes over, pulling Tifa into his arms; she's no longer distraught, but she holds on tight.

Aerith gets up and walks over to them. Cloud has never seen her look so pissed, except when talking about Hojo. "Fuck!" Cloud knows now. "Exactly," she says. "Damnit. Damnit!" Cloud feels like he's to blame.

Vincent pushes away from the wall and holds a hand to Aerith, "Vincent." He introduces himself, voice low and somewhat intimidating.

If it weren't Aerith, they'd be shaking in their boots. Cloud flicks him on the shoulder, "Lay off my girlfriend." He coughs, realizing what he said.

She gives him a dazzling smile, then turns to Vincent. "Yeah, lay off, man. I'm his girlfriend." She tries for intimidation, but her puffed cheeks make her look cute more than anything. "My name's Aerith, by the way." She shakes Vincent's hand.

He grunts. "Hm, so you have an idea who these people are?" Vincent asks. Before she can say anything, Cloud huffs, saying, "Yeah." He sighs deeply. "I had him look into Hojo and his three stooges," he looks at Aerith for confirmation.

She nods. "From what Tifa described, it sounds like Yazoo and Loz, but it could also be Kadaj," she says.

Barret curses. "Any chance it might be Hojo?" he asks. She shakes her head. "No, he might have made the suggestion, but he has his lap dogs to do the dirty work. If he saw Reeve snooping, he would sic them on him."

Vincent nods, repeating, “Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz,” He looks at Aerith for confirmation. She nods. He grunts and walks to the exit without another word.

Barret and Cloud look at one another. Barret scratches the back of his neck. "I kinda feel bad for the dumb bastards; once Vincent gets his claws into them, they're going to wish they were dead," Barret says.

Aerith gives a dark chuckle, "Promise?" Barret lets out a nervous laugh, not knowing their full history. "Don't worry, if Vincent can't do it, Reeve is going to wake up and finish the job," Barret reassures.

"What is his status, by the way?" Cloud asks. Barret turns somber. "His legs were fucked. Before they hit, he tried to jump out of the way. His lower body was caught; they practically crushed his legs. They're not sure if there's damage to the spine, or if he will," he stops, lips trembling. "Damnit." He turns and holds a forearm against his eyes.

The room is quiet, save for the shuffling of feet as people come and go. Visitors from other unfortunate families speak in hushed tones. When Cloud and Aerith came, they had just prepared Reeve for surgery. It's been an hour, and there has been no word.

Another thirty minutes and the OR doctor comes out. "For Reeve Tuesti?" he calls out. They all gather around. Hearts pounding. "Hello, I'm the OR Doctor. My name is Dr. Schultz." Everyone hums or grunts in acknowledgment. Barret asks, "How is he, Doc?"

He sighs. "It's going to take time, but with hard work and hours of PT, he should be able to walk, although he will need a cane for the foreseeable future." The group looked relieved, to say the least.

“Are we able to see him?” Tifa asks. He shakes his head. “He needs rest. He’s under heavy pain medication. He had ruptured muscles, torn ligaments, severed nerves, and broken bones. This was a complicated case, one I haven’t seen the likes of in quite a while. He’s going to be in a world of pain, but thankfully, there were no injuries to the spine.”

As he states Reeve's injuries, they wince. Barret starts weeping, and Tifa joins shortly after; they hold on to each other for comfort. Cloud feels his anger peak and wants to go and join Vincent; he wants to join in whatever Vincent has planned.

The doctor shakes their hands. "Go home. We have Mr. Tuesti. He's in the capable hands of my staff. Give him a day or so to recuperate. If you need to come tomorrow, visiting hours are from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening, and they limit 2 people per visit. Don't want to overwhelm the patient." He gives them a wave, and heads back to the staff area after they've given him their appreciation.

Chapter 14: I’m Yours, You’re Mine; What More is There to Say?

Summary:

They make it official; girlfriend and boyfriend

Partners for life; that’s Cloud’s plan.

The party goes their separate ways, the mood significantly lighter; now knowing Reeve’s condition is stable.

"I'm going to be here bright and early," Barret states. Claiming first shift, he says. Tifa nods. "I'll come in the afternoon then, check how he's doing." They both look at Cloud expectantly. "Vincent will probably claim the evening time," Cloud says.

“We’ll be here too,” Aerith says, hugging his arm. Cloud huffs. “Yeah, we’ll pay him a visit sometime,” he agrees. Barret chuckles and waves goodbye. Tifa gives Aerith a hug. “I’ll call you later, yeah?” Aerith hums. “Yes! Please do. I’ll get you that florist’s number.”

Cloud watches as Johnny goes in to hug Aerith. "Side hug only, Jojo," Cloud grumbles. Tifa lets out a laugh, lightly punching Cloud on the shoulder. "Cloud!" He rubs at the soreness, grimacing. She continues giggling, pulling him into a hug.

“Hey! Side hug!” Johnny exclaims. Aerith laughs as Tifa pinches his arm. “Be quiet, ‘Jojo’,” Tifa says, wrapping an arm around him. “See you two later,” she adds. “Wait, I didn’t get to hug Cloud!” Johnny says as Tifa pulls him away.

“Thank you for that,” Cloud mumbles. Aerith swings in front of him, giving Cloud a bright smile. “So it’s official, huh?” she says. Cloud’s face heats up, and he looks down, feeling bashful. “What, uh, do you mean?” he clears his throat.

"Oh no, you don't! Don't be shy on me now, not when you've had your dick down my throat," she says, walking in close and making him meet her eyes. He nearly chokes. "Gosh, Aerith!" he says, trying to cover his face, which feels hot.

She sighs. "Well, I would love for you to be my boyfriend," she says with a pout. He feels his heart beating faster and butterflies fluttering in his stomach. "Yeah?" he asks. She nods. "Mmhmm."

“Doesn’t it take longer for people to figure out they want to be boyfriend and girlfriend? It’s only been what? Five days?” He shakes his head, but feels his mouth stretching into a smile.

She shrugs. “When you know, you know. You know?” She tiptoes and gives him a lingering peck. He deepens it, hugging her tightly to him.

He sways her back and forth, dancing to an unknown tune. "So what's the chance of us continuing where we left off?" he asks, pulling her bottom lip between his, giving a gentle suck. She returns his kiss, adding a touch of tongue. He lets his slip out, letting them rub and suck. They shudder.

"What, uh, do you mean?" she says, her voice full of mirth and teasing. He huffs, pulling away with a roll of his eyes, but smirking. "You, your mouth. Me, my dick..." he grinds against her. She laughs. "You give me whiplash, I swear!"

"You're officially my girlfriend. I feel we should celebrate: pick up a bottle of wine, come to my apartment, light a few candles," he wags his brows.

"Oh, you're just going to wine me, not dine me? I feel cheated somehow," she says, chuckling. "Fine, we can pick up some McDonald's. Only the dollar menu, though," he says, voice deadpan.

She gives him a shove, making him burst out laughing. "I feel like the dollar menu is a thing of the past. You're going to have to spend at least fifteen bucks on me," she says, poking him in the chest with a grin.

He rolls his eyes and huffs. "You drive a hard bargain, but fine. No one told me girlfriends were expensive," he states, taking hold of her hand. She giggles. "Mmhmm, very expensive. I'm going to eat you out of house and home. You might want to learn how to cook."

He chuckles. "For you? I'll do it. Anything you want," he says, pulling their held hands up to his lips to give hers a kiss. Her cheeks blush beautifully. "Anything I want? Hm, that's dangerous, Cloud," she states.

They walk hand in hand to the delivery truck; the sun painting the sky with its sunset. He looks at her, and thinks, “I’m in love,” and he knows he should be scared, but he’s never been more sure of someone in his life. “Anything.” He promises.

 

•••

 

They ended up at a snazzy restaurant. Both of them were given dirty looks for being underdressed; Cloud in his tank top and joggers, and Aerith, who was perfect in Cloud's opinion.

He's not sure how they were allowed through the door, but he has a feeling it is because of Aerith's model status. The manager knew who she was right away.

Cloud rolls his eyes, watching the man all but fall over himself. She smiles through it all, and Cloud just wants to smack the shit-eating grin off his face. He's touched her shoulder more times than Cloud cares to admit counting; the fucker does it again. He scowls. "I swear, if he touches you again, I'm snapping his wrist," Cloud hisses, as the man excuses himself.

Aerith's eyes widened at the threat. She shushed him with a finger to her lips. The manager, whose name tag read "William," came over again, showing off a bottle of Château Margaux, year, "who gives a fuck," Cloud thought. Dear William rubbed Aerith's shoulder again, and Cloud grabbed his fancy table fork, ten seconds from shoving it straight into his hand. Aerith politely pulled away.

"Oh William, thank you for your hospitality! Cloud and I are celebrating our engagement, and you are truly making this night special." Aerith says, her hand coming to rest on her chest in gratitude. Cloud smirks, watching William's face fall, clearly disappointed.

“Hm, yes, of course. If there's anything else we can do for you, just reach out to the staff. Camilla will be your server,” he says, giving a curt bow, his mouth set in a frown.

“There, you happy?” Aerith asks, giving Cloud a smile. “If only Sir William knew I was saving his life, he'd appreciate what I just did a whole lot more,” she states, tasting the wine.

“Yeah, you just saved his jerk-off hand; he’s definitely going to need that,” Cloud claims. Aerith nearly spits out the wine. Cloud snorts, a smile breaking out on his face as she squeaks, “Cloud!”, her face pink and mouth stained red. His face returns to cold indifference when their server, Camilla, comes over.

Camilla gives him sultry eyes and asks, "What can I get for you, sugar?" He huffs, looking over at Aerith, who's holding a steak knife. Cloud blanches. "My wife and I want the most expensive, the most extravagant meal you can serve. My boy William is footing the bill," Cloud says matter-of-factly.

Both Aerith and he give a wave to William, which he returns, his smile looking more like a grimace. "Oh, your wife?" Camilla asks. "Yes, happily married. With 5 kids." Aerith says sweetly, grabbing hold of Cloud's hand. "Five?" Cloud coughs, gulping down his glass of wine, which he regrets immediately, feeling it rush to his head, making his cheeks warm. "Ahem, yes, our five children. Poor auntie Tifa." Cloud says, playing along.

Aerith giggles. As Camilla walks away, she says, "Goodness, do you think she'll spit in the food?" Aerith wonders. "She looked pissed that you are a happily married man with five kids," Aerith claims, hiding her mouth to control her laughter.

Cloud's eyes sparkle with happiness, his heart filled with joy. He holds Aerith's hand, rubbing her knuckles lovingly. She blushes under his gaze and returns a smile.

"I'm glad I met you, Cloud," she says softly. "I'm sorry about what happened to Reeve, and to be honest, a part of me feels responsible." She pulls away.

Cloud clicks his tongue. "Don't even think it," he says, reaching for her again. "But it's true—if you never met me," she starts, but Cloud cuts her off. "Then I would have been continuing my life, feeling miserable and alone. I've never felt this way, Aerith." He states, his eyes imploring. "Please, don't regret what we have here."

Aerith's eyes well up. "Cloud, never. I will never. I'm sorry, for even implying." Cloud shakes his head. "It's fine, just don't, okay?" He's not afraid of his love for her, but of how quickly he's grown attached.

Notes:

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Chapter 15: Wine and Dine Me; Now, Take Me Home

Summary:

They’ve made it official, ate at an expensive restaurant to celebrate; what else is there to do?

Why, have sex, of course!

They finished dinner, neither knowing what they had eaten, but enjoying it nonetheless. They decided to leave fairly quickly, before William learned he was paying for their dinner.

Camilla came over, "I hope everything was to your liking?" She was looking at Cloud, and Aerith answered, "Yes, thank William for us, will you? We absolutely must run, our kids are being little terrors. Come on, darling, Tifa just sent an SOS!"

They quickly stand, both run out of the restaurant. Laughing as soon as they exit. "I kinda feel bad," Aerith says, wiping a stray tear, still chuckling.

Cloud snorts, holding Aerith's hand; swinging their arms back and forth as they walk to the truck. "Don't. They were all a bunch of pretentious snobs. They can afford to give out a few free meals." Cloud says. She hums in agreement.

Finally in the truck, he looks at Aerith. It's dark outside, except for the fluorescent lighting of the street lamps. "Where to, Mrs. Strife?" Cloud mentally smacks his head, "Why would I say that!?" he thinks, his face burning up with embarrassment. They were playing husband and wife, but that was for a free meal; there's no point in pretending now. "Ugh!"

"Oh my, I can see the panic on your face, Cloud!" She laughs. "I don't mind being a Strife, although when we get married, I'll probably hyphenate my name, Aerith Gainsborough-Strife," she says. Cloud gulps, "When?" She giggles. "Well, that's up to you, Cloud. I'm not opposed to proposing, though." She gives him a grin. He coughs. "Let's go to my place, sound good?" He asks. She nods.

 

••••

 

They arrived at Cloud's apartment complex. Both of them were silent as Cloud drove, the radio playing 80s ballads. The song, "Take My Breath Away," came on, and Aerith started singing. Cloud chuckled at her performance.

He gives her a round of applause as she finishes. "You have a beautiful voice," Cloud compliments. She blushes. "Thank you."

They ride the elevator up. They look at one another and smile. There is a tension in the air, and it's a bit choking. Cloud clears his throat as the elevator door pings and opens. He lets her walk out first, then takes her hand, guiding her to his apartment.

As they enter, she looks around. "Here we are," Cloud says, not sure what else to do and not sure why he's feeling nervous. The place is minimally decorated and clean. He lives in a loft-type area and wanted to keep his place breathable; not cramped with too many heavy pieces of furniture.

He has an L-shaped sofa, slate-gray in color, and cozy with thick pillows and his favorite throw blanket; he sleeps here more than he does on his actual bed. There's a square coffee table in the center; on top sits a plant that Tifa had given him, which she called a golden pothos.

She walks through the living room, looking at photos. "Is this your mom?" she asks, glancing between the photo and him. "What am I saying? Of course, this is your mom. You're her mini-me!" Cloud walks over; it was a photo she had taken while on vacation. On the back, it says, "Wish you were here!"

Aerith puts the photo back and continues to look at his pictures, trinkets, and random books he’s read. "Not going to lie, I never took you for a book reader," Aerith says, pulling a book from the shelf. Her brows raise. "A Walk to Remember. Didn't they make a movie out of that?" she asks.

Cloud sniffs, "Yeah, uh, maybe?" She sets it back down and quickly scans the rest of the books, then gives him a grin. "You like romance," Cloud huffs, his cheeks pinkening. He rubs the scruff of his neck. "They're the easiest books to find," he claims.

She gives him a look. "Really?" Then she hums, "Nothing wrong with a bit of romance. I personally love Hallmark movies; cheesy romance is where it's at." He chuckles.

“Is that you and Tifa?” She holds a picture of when they went to the school’s dance. “You two look so cute!” She grabs her phone and takes a picture.

“Yeah, every boy in our school hated me; not knowing it was our mothers who made us go together,” he says, looking over his shoulder to see who she was messaging. It was Tifa.

She put her phone away. "Wait, I thought you two were dating?" she asked. He shook his head. "No, we had already broken up. She was dating some guy named, hm, Emilio, I think," he shrugged. "No one liked him; he was an obnoxious shithead."

He led her to the couch. "I bet he didn't like you taking her to the dance," Aerith commented, flopping on the couch. "Oh, soft!" she added. Cloud sighed. "He wasn't part of our school, and I couldn't care less if he was pissed or not." He stated, sitting beside Aerith.

She hums, "Hmm, you must have been a bit jealous?" Cloud shrugs, his head tilted in thought. "Probably. She was my first girlfriend, and I couldn't seem to connect with anyone, while she was surrounded by many. I was kind of afraid I wouldn't find someone, honestly," he states. "I didn't get my next girlfriend until I was out of high school." He chuckles.

She snuggles close. "I wonder what high school was like for Cloud," she says. Cloud snorts, scratching his head. "I was an outcast who got into a lot of fights. Tifa was basically the only friend I had. She would get shit for it too, being the popular girl and everything; it didn't sit well with her peers." he replies, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "You?" he asks.

She lays her head on his shoulder and shrugs. "I was the neighborhood weirdo." Cloud looks at her, "no way." She nods. "After our parents died and we moved in with the grandparents, we were taught from home. Sephiroth was allowed to go to school after his 9th year, but me," she shakes her head. "Hojo wanted to keep me at home, probably scared of what I might say. It didn't matter how much I begged,"

Cloud scowls, "Fucking prick,” he mumbles, pulling Aerith closer. She rubs her nose against his neck. "I always tried to make friends with the kids around the neighborhood, but I was always left behind; seen as some freak kid who never left their home. I just accepted it," she says.

Cloud sighs. "I would've been your friend," he says quietly. Aerith looks up at him, giving him a pearly smile, "the very best, I'm sure." She gives him a kiss.

 

Cloud smiles against her lips, gives her a peck, and wonders, "How did Zack come into the picture again?" She laughs. "He was my brother's friend, but he accepted me as his, too, much to my brother's dismay. They met in school, and he would come to the house to study, unbeknownst to everyone; doing more than," she clears her throat. "Totally killed the crush I had," she shakes her head.

Cloud snorts, "I don't even want to know, but I can only imagine. Sucks for you, works for me, though," he says. She pinches his nipple. He squeaks, "Ow!" She rubs his chest, laughing, "Sorry!" She bends and kisses his covered pec.

He rubs her ear, tucking a stray curl. They look into each other's eyes; there's an electric charge surrounding them. He feels his heartbeat quicken. He licks his lips and reaches around to unclasp her overalls.

She smiles softly, pulling them off her shoulders, feeling Cloud give her right shoulder a kiss, lips pecking up to her neck. She sighs and runs her fingers through his soft hair; she gasps as his hand slides up her top, palming her left breast, and his thumb drags across her nipple.

He lays her down, their tongues touching and licking, lips pulling and pecking. She tilts her head, widening the entry slightly. He delves deeper. They moan at the warmth and slickness of each other's mouths. He pulls away, giving her swollen lips one final peck. He pulls her top off, feeling himself twitch as her breasts bounce; they are round and perky, with nipples a blush pink and hard. He lowers his mouth for a taste.

 

She shudders and arches, his hands caressing each globe; his mouth sucks, and his tongue flicks, while his right thumb traces the areola. "Uhh, Cloud!" she moans. He hisses as she starts undulating against him; her dress is bunched up, and he curses, "Fuck, Aerith," seeing no underwear, her vulva in full view. He gulps, his mouth watering.

"Oh, yeah. I slipped them off before we got to the hospital; they were just a bit too wet for my comfort," she says, working to pull her overalls off. "Which reminds me, they're somewhere in the truck. I need to get them out of there before you," she squeals, as Cloud snatches the offending clothes off the rest of the way; tossing them behind with a huff.

He groans as her body is naked for him to see. He spreads her legs and dives in. "Cloud!" she screams, as his tongue circles her clit, then slides down to her opening, bringing a finger to join alongside his tongue, feeling her juices coating his chin and mouth. "Oh, ohhh!" she wails, his finger rubbing deep inside her. He looks up and sees her eyes tightly shut and her mouth wide open; her cheeks pink and dewy.

She cracks her eyes open and looks down, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth. She releases it with a groan, pulling his hair to drag his face back down.

Point taken, he laves up her labia, getting her soaked with his spit, and gives each lip a gentle suck, before giving her clitoris a tongue massage.

She's fucking his face, and Cloud feels his cock hanging tight against his joggers, rubbing against the sofa for a bit of relief.

His jaws ache; he stops to kiss the inside of her thighs, then touches his nose to her pubic mound, letting it run through the perfectly triangular design. He grins, giving her pubic hair a kiss. "You weren't joking about managing your 'garden'," he says, as he starts kissing his way back down.

She groans as his fingers pull away, groping her hips and thighs. One hand reaches into his pants to pull out his cock.

"Honestly, this was a recent development," she hisses, his tongue licking fat, wet strips along her opening. "I'm usually fully bushed down there." She admits.

He stops and pulls away, eyes glassy and face red, his penis gripped tightly in his left hand. "Damn. I'll stop shaving, if you will?" he says.

Aerith laughs, shoving his shoulder. "I thought you were a bit too clean-cut down there," she says, then adds, "Seems you're a fan of bushes." He nods, nipping his way back up her body. She twitches as he nips at her left nipple.

He sighs, quickly discarding his tank top, with his joggers pulled low past his hips, allowing his cock and balls to hang out.

He lays behind her, spooning her against his body, and shudders. He tucks his penis between her thighs, letting it slide and rest against her spit-slick lips. "Oh, fuck. Aerith," he whispers, his breath moist against her neck.

 

She moans, feeling his thickness thrusting against her, the sound of it obscene. They work together; as he thrusts forward, she pushes back, creating a wet slide as she coats his shaft with her slick.

He bites along her neck and shoulder. They stop to kiss, feeling tongues push and pull, teeth biting at already swollen lips. She shudders and moans as he plays with her nipples.

“Where do you want this to go?” he asks. She bites her lip. “I thought it was pretty obvious,” she replies, rubbing his forearm. He nods. “I just needed to make sure we’re on the same page,” he says. She smiles sweetly. “You have condoms, right?”

"Hm, fuck, I hope so. Let's go upstairs," he says, helping her up. He takes off his joggers and reaches for her hand. They walk side by side up the steps. "Oh wow." She says as she runs and hops onto his bed. "It's so comfortable!" She lays on her back, spread eagle, with her chestnut hair haloing her face.

A California King bed was a must when he moved out on his own; he had always slept in a twin-sized bed or sofa. Old habits die hard, though, as he found himself sleeping on the couch more often than not.

She starts touching herself, his body gives a jolt, "condoms, right," he reminds himself, as he digs through a side drawer. He wasn't in the habit of bringing people back to his home for sex, not wanting to deal with the hassle of kicking them out, but surely,

"Yes!" He pulls out a strip of condoms; they're in date too, just one year shy of expiration. He tosses them on the bed and climbs in, pulling Aerith's exploring hands away from her body. She pouts and lets out a groan. He kisses it away, grabs her legs to spread them open, and slots himself in between. He grips the base and slides himself along her vulva, labia slick as his cockhead glides between.

He groans, feeling his tip catch on her sopping wet hole. It takes everything not to sink in. "Condom, Cloud," she says breathlessly. "Fuck, sorry," he whispers, reaching for a square of foil. He tears it open, hands shaking as he rolls the condom on.

They kissed for a moment, tongues dancing, lips touching. "Yeah?" He asks against her mouth. She nods, drawing him for another kiss. She opens her legs wider, feeling herself rest against his lap; his own legs spread wide. He holds his dick, slowly feeding it into her. She grips his tip in welcome, each slide forward pulling out a moan from her.

Cloud holds his breath, his muscles straining. She's holding him tightly, her wet heat overwhelming; he feels sweat dripping down his back, and they’re just getting started. "Aerith," he growls, finally fully seated. She twitches around him; her vaginal walls flutter.

He pulls out a bit, and pushes back in, they both shake and hiss. "Oh, Cloud, you feel so big," she moans, grinding down as he fucks back in. "Oh, yes!" Even with the condom, he feels that spot inside; he does his best to hit it each time. "There! Yes, ohh!"

Cloud grunts and moans as her hips start jumping against him. A rhythm being formed. He's resting on his knees, lifting her up; her arms wrapped around his neck. She's riding him, fucking down as he fucks up, entering her warm embrace. The sound is music to his ears; the slickness of her cunt thumping with each slap of his heavy scrotum against her labia and perineum.

He's close. So fucking close, his thrusts becoming erratic and uncoordinated. He lays her back, holds onto the back of her knees, and starts pounding into her; angling just so, "Cloud!"

His body is heated and sweating; his bangs stick to his forehead. "Fuck, fuck, Aeri," he's right there, almost tasting it.

She's shuddering against him. "Mhm, mm, uh. Oh, ohh, yess!" She arches, her walls tightening before releasing; spasming around his cock. His thighs are soaked, as he continues to thrust into her. "Cloud!" She jerks again. "Yes, ohh!"

He fucks into her a couple more times before grinding deep inside. "Aerith! Shit, shit, uhhh, huh!" Cloud cries, his body twitching and shuddering, his hips jerking with each spurt.

They both breathe heavily; Cloud rests fully on top of Aerith, lulled by her calming heartbeat.

"I love you," he whispers against her bosom. She hums, stroking his head, pushing back his sweaty bangs. "Hm?" she questions.

He just shakes his head, rolls off her, and discards the used condom. "Restroom?" she asks. He points, and watches as she slowly gets up and waddles in that direction.

He looks down at his bed and sees a giant wet spot where they had laid moments before. He feels his chest puff up with pride, having been able to make her orgasm, and by the looks of it, squirt. His dick gives a pathetic twitch. "Calm down, you," he mumbles to his cock.

He decides a quick rinse off is in order and follows Aerith into the bathroom.

 

•••

 

They both hop in the shower together. "Wash my back, please?" she asks, turning around and offering a soaped-up rag. "Mmh," Cloud agrees, lathering her up, scrubbing her back, and dipping in between her cheeks. She giggles. "Cloud."

“Just being thorough,” he states, continuing to soap up each butt cheek. Using a palm to spread them, he gets a look at her pinkish, wrinkled hole. He squeezes the rag at the top of her crack, watching the suds slowly drip down.

She reaches over and spanks him on the hip. "Naughty!" She laughs as he jerks in surprise. He coughs and starts washing her shoulders, down her arms, armpits, sides, down her legs and feet, then reaches around to lather up her breasts. "I washed my front already, mister," she says, turning around with a smirk, walking to the running shower head to rinse.

Once done, she takes the rag, rinses it, and wrings it out a few times. "Your turn?"

It takes them a bit longer to wash Cloud up; Aerith taking her time and being 'thorough'. "Got to clean every bit of you, huh, Cloud?" she says after he lets out a gasp. She washes his ass, reaching between his cheeks; the rag rubbing against his rim. "I, nuh, uh, mm, clean," he says, words a jumbled mess. She hums, and cleans his perineum, then his scrotum.

By the end of it all, his cock was stiff, and Cloud was left breathless. He tried to grip himself to get some relief, but she tapped his hand away, "No, don't touch." She instructed, as she lathered up the washcloth to clean his inner thighs, legs and feet.

"Aerith," he calls. She looks up with bright eyes and an even brighter smile. "Yes?" she asks, her voice coy, her eyes purposefully avoiding his penis. He clears his throat, giving his hips a shake.

His dick swings and nearly hits her in the face. "Geez, Cloud! Watch where you point Buster. It almost got me in my eye," she says, holding his cock. He huffs, "It just wants a bit of attention." He shudders as she strokes him.

“Like that?” she asks, giving soapy tugs; twisting, flicking her wrist. She brings her right hand into play, paying special attention to the crown, while the other gives firm, smooth strokes.

It's not long before he feels his muscles twitching; his body on autopilot, chasing its release. He's breathing heavily, chanting curses. "Uhh, huh, fuck!" He cums, dripping a measly amount of semen; it had him shuddering and shaking, and breathlessly crying out her name nonetheless.

She helps rinse him off afterwards, his brain floating on cloud nine and body feeling like jello. "That'll do it. We're nice and clean." Aerith says with a cheerful voice. "Mmhmm," Cloud agrees, with a lazy smile.

They towel off and set about getting ready for bed. "Do you have any body lotion?" she asks. Cloud hums, reaching into the bottom cabinet. "Nice!"

As she applies lotion, Cloud flosses his teeth; listening as she starts to sing softly. She rubs any excess lotion onto her face and neck. "Not my preference, but it'll have to do," she mumbles, letting out a yawn. Cloud yawns too.

While Cloud starts brushing his teeth, she releases her hair from the messy bun she had rolled it up in as they showered; trying to keep her hair from getting wet. He watches as it tumbles down in waves.

She runs her fingers through her curls, trying to untangle them, then starts a fresh braid. "Beautiful," Cloud utters, mouth full of paste. She catches his eyes in the mirror and gives a shy smile.

“Is there a toothbrush I can have?” she asks, after completing her braid. He rinses his mouth and offers his, after giving it a wash. “Uh,” she looks at him, “I’m not using your toothbrush.”

He arches a brow, questioning, "Why not? We’ve exchanged saliva and other bodily fluids, Aerith. Using my toothbrush isn’t an issue," he says, offering it to her again. She takes it reluctantly, rinsing it off a second time, for good measure.

He snorts and rolls his eyes, grinning at her through the mirror. She sticks out her tongue at him and puts a glob of toothpaste on it before brushing. He smirks, "See? It's not so bad, huh?"

He gives him a deadpan look. "I'm dying inside," she states, foam at her mouth. He laughs, shaking his head as he walks to the adjacent walk-in closet.

He puts on a pair of boxers and grabs some for her to wear as well, along with an oversized shirt. "Here you go," he says, handing her the clothes. He watches as she puts them on. "I like you wearing my clothes," he states, tugging at the huge shirt.

She hums, then lets out a yawn again. "Alright, let's go to bed." He walks her out of the bathroom, leading her by the shirt. "Mmh. So tired." She pouts.

He pulls back the blanket and climbs in, taking care to avoid the soiled spot; he holds the blanket up and open, wanting her to join. She snuggles up to Cloud, sighing as he tucks them in. "Hm, goodnight, Cloud," she whispers.

He pulls her in tight, hugging her to him. "Night," he replies, throwing the comforter over both of them. He thinks, "I love you." All the things he wants to say sit at the tip of his tongue.

Chapter 16: What is Your Worth? How do You Measure it?

Summary:

Sephiroth and Aerith. Brother and sister; they have a tumultuous past, and question their worthiness of happiness.

He gets the best sleep he's had in a while, with his face tucked into her hair and his leg thrown over her body. She's wiggling underneath him. "Mmm." Cloud grunts. She giggles. "You're like a koala when you sleep. Or more like a bear; the way you snore."

He peeks an eye open and grumbles, "I don't snore." He sniffs and clears his throat, before stretching his body with a groan. "Why are you getting up?" he asks, seeing his clock read 06:43.

She rolls out of bed and gives a stretch of her own, grunting at the soreness she feels. "I have a photo shoot at 09:00, plus I need to check on my babies at home."

Cloud huffs, "You should just move in with me." His face heats up, and he quickly asks, "And, uh, what are you doing afterwards?"

“Umm, uh, meeting with Tseng for lunch,” she stammers, blushing at his first comment. She chooses to leave it alone. “I do want to go visit Reeve with you, later on.” She mentions. He gives her a nod, getting up to follow her downstairs.

“Wait, who’s picking you up?” he asks, as he plops down on the sofa, wrapping himself in his thick, fluffy throw blanket. He watches as she puts on the overall-dress, leaving on the boxers and t-shirt she slept in, slipping her boots on, and patting her sleep-tousled hair. He groans and cocoons himself, thinking, "She is so beautiful!"

"My brother," she replies, typing on her phone and grabbing her discarded top. "He's here already," she adds. Cloud stays tucked in the blanket and mumbles, "This fucking early?" He feels her weight as she lays on top of him, giving him a hug. "Mmhmm. See you later, ya?" she says.

He pokes his head out, offering his lips. She gives him a cheesy grin and kisses him goodbye. "Mm, I'll text you," he says as she gets up. She waves goodbye and is out the door. Cloud sighs, heart thumping wildly. "I'm so fucked," he says to no one.

•••••

 

Aerith is beyond happy. Her face hurts from how much she's smiling, and she can't help it. She palms her warm cheeks, and even now, feels her lips pulled into a grin. She shakes her head and sighs.

She’s not sure she’s ever felt this way, can’t recall any of her previous boyfriends making her heart flutter and sing the way Cloud does. Of course, it’s not that she has a wealth of experience in the matter.

Her ex-boyfriends were people she had met while on photo shoots, or friends of a friend. She's even tried online dating apps. They would stick around for a while, but Aerith kept them at arm's length, making the relationships superficial.

Ultimately, they would leave, and Aerith couldn't even be upset, feeling she was to blame in the first place. With Cloud, though, she wants to keep him; pull him in deep and tuck him into the folds of her heart.

She walks out and hears a single honk. Seeing Sephiroth's vehicle, she jogs to meet him, then stops when he pulls up to the curb.

"You look like the cat who's caught the canary," he says as she climbs in. She's grinning, she knows, and lets out a squeal of excitement. "I don't even want to know why you're walking funny," he adds, driving off.

She smacks him on the shoulder and curses. "Sephiroth! What the hell?" She starts laughing because, as embarrassing as it is, she's sore. "I'm not going to even act like I don't see those hickeys on your neck, Seph," she says, looking straight at his neck with wide eyes.

He coughs, clearing his throat. "None of your business what my husband and I do," he states. She snorts and rolls her eyes, "Mmhmm, a husband you were ignoring for the past few months? The husband you were trying to get a divorce from?" she says, jabbing him in the shoulder.

“Love works in mysterious ways, is all I can say, sister.” She huffs, “Uh-huh, you’re full of shit.” She loves her brother, but he can be a prick sometimes; she’s seen it time and time again with his relationships, especially with Zack. “Don’t hurt him anymore,” she says.

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "He deserves better than me. All these years, I've tried to make him see it, but," she stops him, holding her hand up. "He chose you. He loves you. Stop taking it for granted, or one day you'll find yourself miserable and alone."

He gives her a side eye and grunts. She knows he hates hearing it, but the truth can be harsh.

Sephiroth has always treated Zack like a cute, little puppy dog that followed him around. When they got engaged, Aerith was glad, hoping that finally, Sephiroth saw Zack as an equal and not as someone he could continue to string along.

"I'm working on it, sis. We're starting couples counseling, and I am going to start seeing a psychiatrist." Her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Oh." Sephiroth snorted, "It was one of his conditions," he said.

Aerith's head tilts in question. "Conditions?" Sephiroth nods. "He came back with signed divorce papers. He said if it was what I wanted, to turn them in."

They stopped at a red light and sat in silence, watching cars pass. When the light turned green, he drove, but still didn't say a word.

She leans back, imagining the weight of Zack's words sitting on Sephiroth's chest. "I love him," he whispers. "I don't want to be alone; if he's not in my life, I might as well be.”

They stop again, this time for pedestrians walking fast, trying to beat the set timer. They chuckle, watching a toddler sitting on his father's shoulders yell at fellow passing pedestrians. "I'm a giant, RAWR!" Most likely, they are on their way to school; the sun is rising, along with the city's people.

Sephiroth sighs. "You might want to consider seeking counseling as well," he says. She hums. "I don't want anyone in my head, thank you very much." He shakes his head. She knows he wants to speak more on the matter, but,

"So you guys are back together and had celebratory sex? Nice!" she says, changing the subject. He rolls his eyes and snorts, "You're such a weirdo, and speaking of, how's the runt?" he asks with a grin.

She pokes him on the cheek. "He's not a weirdo or a runt!" she exclaims. "Definitely not a runt," she adds. Sephiroth makes a face at the implication. "Ugh," he gags. She lets out a laugh.

They finally pulled into her apartment. He stopped at the entrance and said, "Okay, get out. I expect payment; you have my Cash-app." She stuck out her tongue and grinned.

Her smile slips. "We deserve to be happy, right, Seph?" she asks, staring straight ahead. Sephiroth's brows furrow at the change of mood, then he sighs. "I convinced myself I deserve the bare minimum; the moment I feel I'm getting too happy, I find a way to screw it up. You know my track record," he replies.

She nods in understanding. "I'm afraid I'll lose it. I mean, Cloud knows a lot," Sephiroth raises a questioning brow. "More than I've ever allowed," she adds. "I just don't know if I can handle it, if something were to happen," she looks down.

"What's wrong? Is it our bastard grandfather?" he asks. She shrugs and shakes her head. "I'm just being paranoid." Sephiroth releases a heavy breath. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on," he says, sounding upset.

It's been this way since they were kids, but Aerith was okay with suffering in silence; never wanting to be a burden to her brother. Maybe, it's time to change that. "They attacked one of Cloud's friends," she says.

"They?" Sephiroth asks. "Who, the clones?" She nods. "Yeah, I don't know the reason or the full details, but yesterday they ran him over as he got out of his car." As she speaks, she feels her throat constrict and her eyes well up. She doesn't know him, but feels the guilt pounding in her chest.

“His name?” She racks her brain, “Reeve. Last name starts with a T.” He nods, face set in a fierce scowl. “So they’ve been in contact with you,” he says. It’s not a question; he knows and is pissed. “That’s why Cloud called me. He sounded frantic, looking for you,” he says.

He tilts her chin, pulling it in his direction, and although light, he can now see marks of fingers on her neck. He feels enraged. "Were you ever going to say?" he asks, and just like that, he is transported back to when they were children, feeling helpless.

He remembers the times when he'd find her scratched and bruised, with a swollen face. He'd do his best to protect her, defend her, but it seemed the more he did, the worse it got. He's not a kid anymore. Growling, he says, "I'll kill them."

She inhales a breath, ready to protest. He holds up a hand, stopping her. "There's nothing you can say. Now get out." She deflates, tears finally spilling. "Don't do anything stupid, not for me," she pleads. "Please," she whispers, as she gets out of the car.

He watches her go in. Rage becomes overwhelming, and he wants to break something, to see blood—specifically, their blood.

He knows there are some things she chooses to hide, but he has his own demons as well. He has debts that are due. Hojo and the clones, their time has come, and they will pay with blood.

Notes:

It’s coming down to it and it’s all downhill from here. I’m tiptoeing between a happy ending and a terrible one.

Updates will be slower, now that I’ve only a couple chapters in the chamber. The ending is getting me.

I’m just letting my fingers type as they please.

Chapter 17: Is it Too Late to Say, I Love You?

Summary:

Aerith comes face to face with the hellions of her past, again; this time she doesn’t have Cloud to save her—

She walked into the apartment lobby, quickly wiping her tears before Rico, the doorman, could see. He looked at her strangely, and she thought, "I must look a mess."

He gives her a nervous smile, his eyes shifty. "Uh, hello, Rico," she greets with a smile, though her voice sounds unsure.

"Hey, um, Aerith. You've been gone," he says, staring. She grunts. "Yeah, work has kept me busy. You know how it is," she replies.

He gives a fake chuckle, sounding uncomfortable. She stops smiling and thinks, "What the hell is going on?"

“Okay, well, I better go,” she says and waves. He jerks and huffs, as if he wanted to say something. She walks into the elevator, and the door closes with a ding. She never hears him say, “I'm sorry.”

 

•••

 

She rides the elevator up, thinking. She’s never seen Rico act so strangely. It has her warning bells ringing, remembering how Hojo was here not even a day before.

She pulls her phone out, wondering if she should call Cloud, but thinks, "It's so early, and he was tired. I'd hate to bother him."

The elevator door dings and slides open.
She jumps, startled, as she comes face to face with her neighbor, Yvonne, and her small dog. She gives Aerith a bright, albeit slightly toothless, grin. "Goodness, child! What's got you so spooked?" the elder asks.

Aerith releases a breath, giving a nervous laugh. "Sorry, Mrs. Yvonne! How are you and Rocco doing?" she asks, holding the door open as Yvonne slowly shuffles in with her cane and purse in one hand and the dog's leash in the other. Rocco gives a happy bark. "Fine, fine! We're on our way to Lolita's bakery. You know, they have the best egg-filled croissants!"

Aerith nods, giving a smile. Yvonne always mentions Lolita's bakery and its eggy croissants. Rocco jumps and whimpers, begging for Aerith's attention.

She bends and palms his fluffy cheeks, scratching behind his ears. She watches his butt and tail wiggle in excitement. The elevator doors slide shut. Aerith sighs, yet feels a bit relieved.

“Press the button for the 1st floor, will you, dear?” Yvonne says. Aerith nods, stands, and reaches behind herself. Yvonne makes a startling noise.

"Oh! Aeris!" Aerith's brows rise, never minding the name; Mrs. Yvonne is the only one who calls her "Aeris." "Yes, ma'am?" she asks.

"I met the sweetest young man the other day! I think you two would be perfect for one another," she mentioned, Rocco barking in agreement.

“Hmm, that’s nice,” Aerith starts. Yvonne interrupts, “His name is Cloud, just the sweetest thing, really!” Aerith snorts. “Cloud?” The elder nods. “Huh,” Aerith wonders about the story behind their meeting. She smiles; it has to be her Cloud.

”The truck he was driving had 'Barret and Co's Avalanche' imprinted on the side. Must be the place he works,” she says, adding, "I'd get on that if I were you."

Aerith laughs, “If you only knew.” She thinks. “Okay, Mrs. Yvonne, I’ll look into it,” the elder nods. The elevator dings, then opens. “You enjoy your croissant,” Aerith says, holding the door. “I will, my dear! Talk to you soon. Come on, Rocco,” the elder says.

Aerith waves goodbye and lets the doors slide closed. She texts Cloud, "Mrs. Yvonne, my neighbor, just vouched for you. She said you are the sweetest, and I should 'get on that'!" Aerith giggles and hits send.

She sighs as she goes back up. Her instincts tell her something is wrong. She wants to believe it's just because of what happened yesterday, but-

The door opens with a loud ding, and in the way she's feeling, it's like she's walking into a horror film; all that's missing is the suspenseful music as she walks to her door.

She keys in the electronic PIN on the pad, enters quietly, and shuts the door behind her with a soft click. Aerith waits by the door, holding her breath.

She hears nothing, but that doesn’t stop her heart from pounding with anxiety. She takes off her boots, her socked feet silent as she tiptoes, turning the corner to enter the living room. She releases a breath, "Shit!" she thinks, noticing Loz sitting on her couch, munching on a banana and flipping through her photo portfolio; nose bandaged up. She rolls her eyes.

"If there's one, the others will surely follow, isn't that what they say, Aerith?" She tenses, turns, and sees Kadaj. His lip is scabbed over, and his eyes are puffed and bruised. His bangs are pulled over his face, but it does nothing to hide the damage done.

“Like my new look?” he asks, gesturing to his face. “Your bitch is the one to thank,” he adds, with a scowl.

She snorts. "I'd say it's an improvement. I'll be sure to give him your thanks," she says. She pulls out her phone and sees that Cloud has replied to her earlier message. Aerith tries to send Cloud a text. "Hel-"

“Ah, ah, ahh,” Yazoo reprimands, snatching Aerith’s phone from her hand before she could hit send. She huffs, then swallows thickly, watching Yazoo forcefully throw it. She jumps as it breaks with a loud smash.

She could cry. She wants to cry. She’s trying to see, wracking her brain for an idea, "What can I do!" she thinks desperately. Kadaj smirks.

She pulls herself together and scowls, or tries to. She can't deny the helpless feeling that's choking her.

A flash of brain matter and blood comes to mind; Kadaj bludgeons her puppy, then swings it by its tail to slam Patches against the floor. She remembers,

Over and over again. Smack. Thwack. The sound of blood and flesh.

She wants to scream. She feels like she's going to vomit. She swallows again. "Is someone scared?" Kadaj asks, mocking and grinning wickedly. Yazoo snakes an arm over her shoulder.

She knows they hate her. She doesn’t know the cause, but being created in their master’s image, they don't need a reason. They love chaos and destruction and don't need motivation to kill; they just do, and will find enjoyment in it.

She swallows again, and no matter how hard she tries, her eyes fill with tears. She will die here; she will be mutilated and abandoned without a second thought.

She thinks of her brother and Zack, of Cloud and her new friends, whom she's connected with through him. She says goodbye to her future and all its endless possibilities. She just wishes she could have told him—

Notes:

🥀

Chapter 18: The End of Wickedness; the Birth of Insanity

Summary:

All good things must come to an end. At least that's what Kadaj learns, and his poor brother, Yazoo. All he can say is that he's glad they died doing what they loved.

He would have liked to meet his demise in a more glamorous way, but seeing the look on Aerith's face, he felt that he had fulfilled his purpose.

Notes:

—Warning—

•Character(s) death
•Animal abuse/death
•Blood and gore

Yazoo grips the base of her neck and squeezes, forcing her to move forward. She fights then, watching as Kadaj pulls out a dagger. "Hmm, I wonder how your dear Cloud would feel, seeing his woman cut to pieces?" he says, swinging and flipping the dagger.

"Bother, didn't Father say to bring her back to the laboratory compound?" Loz asks, his face pinched in worry. Kadaj growls. "Fuck what Father says! I want Cloud to pay," he screams.

“Hmm, it would be more torturous to just take her to father,” Yazoo says, adding, “we have already crippled his friend; kidnapping her would be better. Imagine his worry, not knowing if she is dead or alive.”

Kadaj shook his head and yelled, "I want her dead now, and I want to see the look on that fucker's face when he finds her!"

His brothers grunt. They never liked going against their father's wishes, but once Kadaj sank his teeth into a plan, it was hard to deviate.

Hojo will only be disappointed at being disobeyed, but the goal is to kill Aerith anyway; they're actually doing her a favor. Killing her now would save her from a world of torment, if Hojo's plan is anything to go by.

Aerith feels tears rolling down her face. She doesn't care to hide her pain. She's going to die, so there's no point in acting tough. They're arguing about when it would be best to kill her, and she can't help but think of Cloud; they want to make a scene for him specifically. Her heart breaks for him.

They all freeze when a tiny knock is heard, then the bell rings. Aerith inhales, wanting to scream for help. Yazoo palms her mouth; her face aches with the force of his hold. "Don't!" he whispers harshly.

“Hello, Aeris?” They yell through the door; It's Mrs. Yvonne. She knocks again and rings the doorbell. Figuring she won't just leave, they look at one another, and Yazoo, being the only one with no damage done to him, is chosen to answer the door.

He pushes Aerith, practically throwing her to Loz. She grunts as she is pulled tight against his chest; her mouth being smothered. "Do not say a word, unless otherwise instructed," Loz says.

Yazoo answers the door, startling the old woman. "Hiya, how can I help you?" Yazoo asks, his voice happy and sickly sweet. He pulls back slightly as the dog starts sniffing him. His lips curl.

"Oh! Uh, I'm here for Aeris," Yvonne says, voice questioning. Rocco starts growling, making her squeak in surprise. "Rocco, behave yourself!" she tries to hush him, but he continues to growl; the scruff of his neck stands at attention.

"Aeris?" they hear him ask. "No one by that name here!" he gives a chuckle then adds, "If that's all," He tries to close the door, but she keeps it open with her cane. "Young man, I know she lives here. Now, where is she?" she asks, voice stern.

Kadaj looks at Loz, instructing him to let her go. "Say a fucking word and she's dead," he fervently whispers, adding, "Go and act like everything is alright. The moment I feel you trying to escape, you're both dead!" He pushes her toward the door.

Aerith rounds the corner and sees Yvonne's concerned face. "Hi, Yvonne," she says, her voice strained. She clears her throat.

Yvonne's eyes narrow, and Rocco whimpers. "Dear, are you alright?" she asks. Aerith nods. A selfish part of her wants to run; the closer she gets to the exit, the more her feet want to carry her out the door. But that would mean certain death for Yvonne and probably for her pup, Rocco.

"It'd be so easy to run," Aerith thinks. She could slip by and make a dash, with Yvonne acting as a barrier; she'd probably even be willing. Aerith shakes her head.

“Uhm, yes, he’s my, hm, cousin,” Aerith stammers. She’s not convinced, Aerith knows she’s not. “Please leave!” Aerith screams in her head.

"I brought you an egg croissant and a blueberry muffin," she says, entering Aerith's apartment. She uses her cane to push Yazoo out of the way as she shuffles in. Rocco sniffs at Yazoo's boots and is kicked, letting out a yelp.

Aerith jumps, her arms reaching out. "Don't!" she pleads. Yvonne gasps, hearing her pup whimpering.

"You should've minded your business, old hag!" Kadaj says, flicking his head at Yazoo to close the door. He slams it shut and reaches for a decorative vase that Aerith had set near the entry.

“Wha…?” The woman tries to ask, before Yazoo bashes her head. The vase breaks and Aerith sees blood splatter on the wall and floor as she falls to the floor with a cry. Rocco starts whimpering and barking; trying to be brave for his owner, but rightfully scared.

"No! Please, just leave her alone," she tries to stop him as he lifts a foot to stomp on the older woman. Kadaj yanks her back by the hair. "Where do you think you're going?" Kadaj says, throwing Aerith to the ground.

Yazoo starts stomping on the woman's head, then grabs the dog's leash, treating it as a noose for the poor dog. Rocco cries and Aerith screams as he is flung against the wall. He whimpers and tries limping away.

Kadaj starts laughing and happily skips over to the dog, who tries to run as he gets closer; Rocco’s spine seems damaged, his legs not working properly. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" Aerith screams over and over.

There's blood everywhere. Yvonne's head is smashed in; her brain bits decorate Aerith's foyer, and a stray eyeball stares at her. She can't breathe! She can't—

She looks at Loz, the only one not participating in the violence. He's crying; tears dripping, and his mouth is trembling. She runs to him, gripping his shirt, "Please! Please make them stop!" she pleads. It's too late, she knows, but Aerith doesn't know what else to do.

He shakes his head, "I can't." He looks away and continues to weep. She gasps, her chest tightening. She watches as they continue to desecrate their bodies.

Rocco's fur is plucked, and his innards are strewn about; his body is practically flattened under Kadaj's beating. They laugh as they take turns kicking Yvonne in the chest and stomach, which already looks caved in and broken.

Aerith feels rage and growls. "Coward!" she whispers to Loz, pushing him. She runs to the kitchen. Both offenders are too distracted to notice as she grabs a long cutting knife.

Loz watches her, but does nothing. He watches as she tiptoes to his brothers, whose backs are to them. He watches as she quickly reaches over and slashes Yazoo's neck; blood sprays the walls and Kadaj.

Yazoo falls, slips to the floor with a gurgling gasp; his body twitches, fighting to stay alive. Kadaj looks stunned as he watches Yazoo's eyes dim, blood pulsing from his carotid artery, then slowly come to a stop.

He feels pain in his chest and looks up. He sees Aerith, covered in blood, eyes wild, and a knife held above her head. She stabs him in the neck, pulls back, and he feels her stab him in the neck again. He smiles.

“Welcome to the dark side, sister,” he gasps, dropping to the floor. “Took you long enough,” he wheezes, feeling his body fight against the inevitable.

His vision tunnels and he can hear his heart slowly beating, before shuddering to a complete stop. "Brother!" is the last thing he hears.

Chapter 19: Brother and Sister; Not by Blood, but Trauma

Summary:

Aerith’s world is coming to an end; Loz just wants to help pick up the pieces.

Aerith is screaming. She keeps going and can't stop. All the torture she had endured came to a head and burst forth.

“I hate you! I hate you! I. Hate. You!” she continues to yell. Her body is shaking, and blood is rushing in her ears, as if her head were submerged underwater.

She slips and can't control the cry that comes forth. She looks at the carnage surrounding her; Kadaj is a mutilated mess, his face and neck full of holes. She drops the knife and looks down at herself; she's covered head to toe in blood. She doubles over, retching nothing but bile.

“Sister,” Loz whispers. She turns, feeling a hand touch her back. He flinches and looks away, eyes bloodshot, cheeks wet and painted red. “We need to leave,” he says. She nods, unable to speak. “I’ll have someone come and clean up the mess and wipe the surveillance footage.”

She swallows the lump in her throat and coughs. "I need to clean up. Please?" she quietly says. He nods and picks her up, walking her to the guest bathroom. She wants to fight, her body jerking as he picks her up, but she's exhausted—mentally, physically, and emotionally—and remains limp in his arms.

He sits her on top of the closed toilet commode and sets about turning the taps, adjusting the water's temperature. He starts stripping her, starting with the overalls, then the shirt and boxer shorts underneath. He puts the soiled clothes in the sink to be properly disposed of. He then unbraids her hair.

She covers herself, or tries. "What have I done?" she whispers to herself over and over again. Her body starts shaking. Loz starts shushing her, wiping away her tears, and helps her stand to enter the bathtub.

She immediately crumbles to the floor, hugging her knees. Loz watches as the showerhead rains down on her, trying its best to rinse off her body and wash away both of his brother's blood. "Just stay here. Take your time; clean yourself up. I'll take care of everything else, sister." He says, closing the shower curtains.

He steps out and makes a few phone calls, walks to her room, and goes through her closet to get clothes for her to wear. He sets them on the bed and walks to the kitchen. Opening and closing cabinets, he tries to locate trash bags. He sighs. "Finally," he mumbles, grabbing the entire roll.

His phone buzzes. "Here." The message reads. He grimaces, trying to find a way across the bloody pile of bodies. "Wait." He texts back, and grabs extra trash bags to wrap around his boots.

He walks to the door and feels sick to his stomach; the squelch of every footstep makes him gag. He nearly slips, using the wall to catch himself. He opens the door and greets Reno and Rude. "Thanks for coming,"

Reno blanches, and Rude takes a step back, lowering his sunglasses; surveying the mess. "What the fuck! This shit's everywhere!" Reno exclaims, rubbing his neck. "You're paying double!"

They enter, shoes already wrapped. "You're paying for lunch." Rude mumbles, slipping on his plastic suit. "Paying for lunch for the next decade, only the expensive stuff too." Reno adds, tying his hair into a bun and putting on a hair net.

"I'll do whatever, just take care of this." Loz says, leaving them to it while wanting to check on Aerith. He takes off the trash bags from his feet and leaves them in a pile next to the bodies. "Yeah, yeah!" He hears Reno say.

•••

 

He sighs. This is going to be a long day, and it's barely 09:00. He enters the restroom and pulls the roll of trash bags from his back pocket, starting to stuff the bloodied clothes inside. He can hear gasping and hiccuping, most likely crying. He shakes his head. He doesn't know how he feels.

A part of him is sad that both his brothers are dead, another part is glad; he found himself cleaning up their messes more often than not. He had grown tired of their senseless destruction. "Sister," he calls. She goes silent. He continues, "I laid clothes out on your bed, when you're ready."

“Thank you,” she speaks so quietly, he strains his ears to hear. “Hmm, you’re welcome,” he replies. He turns the faucet on and rinses away the spatter of blood left by the clothes. He’s not too worried about being precise; once they leave, the house will get a thorough cleaning.

He leaves her alone again and makes his way over to the living area, bag in hand. "Again! What the fuck!?" Reno yells, as he bags up the dog's corpse. "That has Kadaj written all over it," Rude says.

Reno snorted. "Yeah, he was always an animal killer, the crazy fu—" Reno starts to say before Rude smacks him on the back. "Respect the dead, man," he muttered, pointing at Kadaj's bagged body.

Reno clicks his teeth and rolls his eyes, picking up traces of entrails and clumps of fur that the poor dog may have left behind. "He had no respect for anyone or anything; living or dead. So, forgive me if I return the sentiment."

Loz can see they're making quick work of the area. Kadaj and Yazoo have already been bagged and tagged, and are waiting by the door.

The area reeks of chemicals. Both Reno and Rude have gas masks on. "I wouldn't hang around if I were you," Rude says, noticing Loz standing a few feet away. He looks at the bag in his hand, "Clothes?" he asks. Loz nods and hands the bag over when Rude holds a hand out for them; placing it next to the other undesirables.

“Eh, there’s another mask. Slip it on; I have questions,” Reno says, pointing to a case, most likely where they keep their hazardous attire. Loz nods.

“Bleh! Finally!” Reno exclaims, putting the bag next to the others. “The poor pup; guts and bones and shit everywhere; the little guy was annihilated!” he adds as he starts to help Rude with the last body; the old woman, if Loz remembers.

She's the worst out of all of them. "There's an eye, there," Loz points out. Reno and Rude look at one another, and play a round of rock, paper, scissors; Reno throws paper, while Rude shows scissors. "Shit!" he yells, using his 'paper' to cover his face.

Rude shakes his head and continues to peel off brain matter from the wall. "Glad it's you and not me," he mutters. Reno hisses, "Yeah, no shit! I hate eyeballs; they give me the creeps." They both shudder as he holds the eyeball in his gloved palm; the nerve dangles between his fingers, and the iris is cloudy.

Rude hums, "Looks like she had cataracts," he observes. Reno gags. "Shut up, Rude!" he yells, tossing the eye into the assigned body bag. "You're fucked," he adds. Rude gives a confused shrug.

Reno huffs and twirls around, looking at Loz. "Alright, let's get one thing straight. We're doing this for Sephiroth; Aerith being his sister and all. That being said, you hold no power here. You don't want to say what happened, and I say, fuck that." Reno says. Rude grunts in agreement.

“Where’s Aerith?” Rude asks. Reno adds, “We don’t want to find out that she’s another dead body located somewhere in the apartment. That’s not news I want to deliver to Sephiroth, and there’s no telling if you would make it out alive, if that is the case.”

Rude sniffs, "We'll kill you where you stand," he says, cracking his knuckles. Loz snorts, grinning behind his mask; their threats do nothing but make him chuckle. "No worries, she's okay for the most part," he says. She's alive, that's all he can say.

"Well, that sounds a bit disingenuous," Reno mumbles, helping Rude carry the last body and placing it by the door.

Loz sighs. "What I mean is, I can't speak for her, but she's alive." He looks at the closed bathroom door, concern clear on his face. His eyes well up, and his mouth trembles. He shakes his head, wanting to clear his thoughts.

He's always been a bit of an empath, and his brothers, mainly Yazoo, would mock him for this. He would always weep for their victims, overcome by anxiety, fear, and sorrow.

It took him a while, but he was finally able to differentiate his thoughts from theirs, but that didn’t stop the burden of knowing: these people spent their last moments in absolute terror and despair.

Loz remains silent and watches as Rude sprays the walls with some type of chemical; it foams and bubbles, capturing the red stains. Reno hums. "We'll wait and see. You guys never had a great track record for being honest," he says, plugging in a wet vac.

Loz scowls. "My brothers have never lied," he states. Reno chuckles, "Yeah, okay, about wanting to kill, that's for sure," he says, rolling his eyes. Loz growls and clenches his fist. He gets it; his brothers were murderous lunatics, but he's a loyalist. They're family; they're blood.

Rude clears his throat. "Alright, be that as it may; we have Rufus handling surveillance footage. Cissnei and Elena are on standby for the body, or bodies, pickup," he lists off. Reno nods. "Is there anyone we need to be concerned about?" he asks.

Loz hums, thinking. "The only person I can think of is the doorman, possibly," he says, then nods. "Yeah, he gave us access to the apartment."

Reno and Rude gave each other an incredulous look. "Well, ain't he a shit doorman!" Reno said. Rude hummed, "My killing days are over. I haven't laid a body out for over 10 years; I'm not hoping off the wagon."

Reno waves his hand. "Preaching to the choir, man. We might be able to convince Elena," he says.

"That won't be necessary," Loz says. "Money is his motivation; he has a sick wife." He shakes his head. That was how they convinced him to grant them access.

*

“Either you give us access or we kill everyone you love,” Yazoo offered, with a shrug.

“100k,” the man counters, blood dripping down his nose and a bump forming on his forehead. Kadaj and Yazoo never could keep their hands to themselves.

Hojo chuckles, "Oh-ho! A man who negotiates. Usually, I'd say go screw yourself, but I'm feeling generous, and you're connecting a poor old grandpa with his beloved granddaughter." He nods his head at Yazoo, "Let him go."

Once released, the man stumbles and grabs onto the wall for support. "I won't let you in until I receive the money," he says with a wince.

Hojo saunters over, smiles, then slaps the man on the face. Kadaj and Yazoo laugh. Loz watches the interaction with a frown on his face, watching as Hojo scowls and spits at the man.

"Don't insult me, you fool! I should just as well kill you where you stand! 40k is what you'll get, and not a penny more, for your idiocy." Hojo says, kicking him.

Suffice it to say, they were granted access right away, taking the master key. The doorman stuttered and tripped over himself trying to get the key back, squabbling with Yazoo. Kadaj grabbed him by the hair, making the man face Hojo.

"I'm knocking you down 5k for every stupid thing you do, and just for that dumb look on your face; you're at 30k," Hojo states.

*

Loz grimaces at the memory. They gave him the keycard back, only after Loz had made a copy. The doorman was ridiculed and pushed around even after the fact, by his two brothers; like cats playing with a mouse, and Hojo laughed all the while.

Loz knows he got less than what was proposed, but the doorman looked away as soon as they entered the complex this morning; he's not going to argue about the money owed.

"I'm sure I have a stack of dollar bills I can give," Reno says. Rude snorts, "He's not a stripper, Reno. Over here, trying to make it rain on a bitch." Rude shakes his head, laughter lilting his voice.

Reno smirks, shrugs, and says, "Hey, beggars can't be choosers, not to mention he's taking from my lady, Sapphire." Rude shakes his head. "I'm sure other patrons of Honeybees are taking care of your lady. No need to worry," he says.

They fell silent when they heard a door close a few feet away from them. Loz tilted his head, looking to see if Aerith had made an entrance. The living area and the hall leading to the apartment's rooms remained empty.

He sighs in relief, turning back to the other two men. "Can you finish it up? I want this to be clear when she comes out." Loz says, wincing as he pulls off the gas mask.

Reno rolls his eyes. "You are not the boss around here," he says, flinching as Rude smacks the rubber nose on the mask. "We'll get it done," Rude states.

Loz nods and leaves them to do their cleanup. He walks to Aerith's room, leaving behind the loud hum of the vacuum and the bickering of Reno and Rude. The nauseating smell of chemicals still lingers in the air.

He releases a breath and knocks.

No sound. He knocks again and presses his ear against the wood. Nothing. The worst scenarios are rolling in his mind.

He checks the bathroom just to make sure. It's empty, save for heat and condensation, proof that she had just left.

He walks back to her door, trying the knob. It opens, and he releases a breath. She is sitting on her bed, wrapped in a brightly colored towel, with her hair disheveled, hanging limp and wet on her back and shoulders.

Her eyes are empty as she stares at the floor. "I'm going back, huh?" she asks, her voice void of emotion.

He sits beside her and nods. "It's probably best not to stay here," he says. He spots her brush on the floor, assuming she was holding it, then let it fall; slipping from her hands. He picks it up and offers it to her. She stays still.

He sighs and picks apart her hair to brush it in sections. She jolts, recoiling from his touch. He pauses. "Listen, I know what my brothers have done to you. I get that being complicit makes me just as guilty, but I'm not going to hurt you," he says, then starts brushing her hair again.

She chuckles and pulls away. "Strange how you've suddenly become the doting 'sibling', and I don't really care to know why, but it's not necessary." She grabs the brush out of his hand and does the task herself.

He watches as she braids one side and then starts brushing her left. She is emotionally unavailable; moments before, when he first entered the room, he felt guilt, loss, hatred, and a myriad of other negative emotions. Now, however, she remains stoic.

"Loz, in my bathroom there’s a caddy sitting on top of the sink. Bring it here, please," she says, finishing her last braid.

He gets up quickly, wanting to be helpful.

He comes back, caddy in hand and feeling hopeful. "Here, sis," he says, sitting back down and setting the caddy between them. She nods her thanks.

He watches with unwavering attention as she ties off her second braid and reaches for a small vial. She scoops some of the contents with the outer nail of her ring finger, takes a small amount, and starts dabbing it under her right eye.

She does it once more, and starts on the left. He stares. She pauses, then closes the lid of her eye moisturizer, staring back. "Something on your mind?" she asks, pulling out another jar from her caddy; she puts a pea-sized amount on her forehead, both cheeks, and chin.

He watches her rub the product in. "I'm concerned. I'm wondering how you are doing," he says, finally looking away. He looks back up as she gives a mirthless laugh; it's loud and breaks the peaceful ambiance that surrounded them.

"Concerned for little old me? Whatever for? I only killed two people, and am going to lose everything I love, because you, all of you stupid, crazy fucks, couldn't leave me alone!" Each word gained volume, until she was screaming in his face, her pointer finger jabbing into his chest.

She grabs the caddy and throws it at the wall. He jumps at the loud crash, some of the products breaking on contact, and she jumps on him.

She starts hitting him, her fists pounding on his chest, before slapping him in the face multiple times. She's crying, her eyes half-closed, swollen, and red. He feels her turmoil, and his throat constricts with emotion.

She grips his shirt, "Why? Why couldn't you just leave me alone? I had finally found my peace, my potential forever, and you just—" she wails, weakly hitting him now.

His lips tremble, and he feels tears run down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, you know I have no say," he starts. She laughs again. "Of course!"

She pushes away. "Great, now my moisture is being cried off," she mumbles. She shrugs and pats her face.

Loz gets up and walks over the discarded items. Only a couple of her jars broke; he puts them to the side and haphazardly puts the other products back in the cart, then takes it back to Aerith.

She sighs and gives a quiet, "thanks." They sit in silence. She starts taking deep breaths, holding them, and then releasing. She does this several times, and on her final breath, Loz says, "I'm sorry."

Chapter 20: What’s the Price for Freedom?

Summary:

Aerith is coming to grips with her new reality. Loz is doing his best to help her through it.

Aerith sighs. The reality of what she has done settles, and she struggles with what to do next.

She wants to run to Cloud, but a part of her is scared: what would he think of her? She thinks of her brother, but then why involve him in this mess?

 

Her lips tremble; she wants to cry again. She killed two people—assholes, but still, murder. There's no escaping that reality. Even if she were to get away with this, how could she live with herself?

“Welcome to the dark side.”

Aerith shakes her head and looks at Loz, who is sitting still and staring at her, waiting for a command. She huffs and looks away, reaching for her deodorant and then the body lotion.

When they were younger, she always felt bad for him. He was different from his brothers; sensitive and caring. She saw bits of that when he would take care of her after Hojo's tests.

He would always cry when his brothers beat on her, bring her ice packs to help with the swelling, check on her injuries, and help bandage her up.

They beat her, but they also beat him; wanting and trying to squash that side of him, and it worked as they aged, or Loz became better at hiding, if Aerith had to guess. Loz never hit her, but he started ridiculing her from the sidelines while they did.

She knew it wasn’t genuine, but Loz was and still is a follower. He did everything to be in Hojo and his brother’s good graces, even if that meant doing things he didn’t want to. “Why are you here?” she asks.

Loz tilts his head. "I was here with my brothers," he says, his brows furrowed in question. She motions for him to turn around. He turns and hears the shuffling of clothes.

She hums, "I know that, but your brothers are gone. Why stay here? You're essentially free." She wonders as she starts getting dressed, slipping on her underwear and bra, then putting on the clothes selected: distressed blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt. "I'm dressed," she states.

He turns back around and has a nervous look on his face. "I wanted to help you," he says, then adds, "and I need to take you to Hojo." His voice is unsure, and he's looking at the ground.

She huffed, tying off her two braids into a low ponytail. She stood with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face, looking down at him. "Take me to that bastard. I've killed two people; what's one more? He deserves it more than anyone."

Loz sits in stunned silence, wringing his hands and breathing heavy, short breaths. She can tell; she's experienced what he's feeling—he's panicking.

She pulls his hands apart and holds his left hand, squeezing. "It's okay," she whispers, keeping her voice soft and encouraging. "Breathe in, hold, hold, hold, breathe out." She instructs, which he follows. They continue to hold hands; it helps ground him.

They sat quietly for a few minutes. "We need to leave." He said abruptly, stood, and pulled her up. She squeaked at being pulled and released an annoyed breath. "What about my stuff here? Don't you think me leaving will just make me look suspicious?"

He looks around and rubs his neck. He was used to following orders, not coming up with a plan. "There are three bodies out there, and a dog. You don't think they're going to put all that on me?" she asks.

He shook his head. "There's no motive, no connection. Kadaj and Yazoo have no familial ties other than to Hojo and me. Do you know much about the old lady?"

He leads them to her open closet. "Might want to pack a bag," Loz suggests. She nods and walks in further, pulling a suitcase from the far corner and starts packing.

"When I moved in, she was the first person to approach me," she says, a small smile on her face. She continues, "I was very guarded. She never pushed me to open up, but made it a point to say hello. I think she knew I wasn't normal." She shrugs, placing folded t-shirts into the suitcase.

Loz hums, "Not normal?" he asks. She gives him a look, "Really, man?" He rubs the scruff of his neck. She shakes her head and chuckles, "You of all people know everything. I'm fucked," she continued, quickly folding a couple of jeans and placing them on top of the t-shirts, then reaching for some shorts and flannel pants.

"Aerith, I don't think you give yourself enough credit," he states as he watches her. He sits down on the carpeted floor, leaning against the wall. He leans his head back and feels his eyes droop; the morning's events taking a toll.

She snorts. "Maybe, but after what I did," her shoulders slump, and she lets out a loud, weighted sigh. "I have to come back here for my plants. I'm not packing anything else, except my toiletries." She says, closing the suitcase and zipping it up. "Which reminds me, I still haven't checked on them. You know, being bombarded when I walk through the door and all." She shakes her head.

She doesn’t know the time, her phone being broken. She walks out of the closet and sees the digital clock reads 10:45. She had a photo shoot at 09:00, with a clothing brand she regularly shoots for. She always made it a habit to be early. They were probably wondering where she was.

She grabs her makeup bag, puts it in a medium-sized tote bag, then goes back to her bed and dumps her body lotion, face creams, and hairbrush inside.

She thinks about Cloud and whether she'll ever see him again. He'll worry, she knows, after the first incident and how he reacted. "Aerith, are you ready?" Loz asks, holding his case.

"What of my plants?" she asks, gripping the handle of the tote bag tightly; her knuckles turning white with the force. Loz shakes his head. "No time. I'll hire someone to take care of them for you. We can grant that person temporary access."

She growls and glares at Loz. "You've thought of everything, haven't you?" She tosses her bag on the bed. "I'll do it myself. I don't need people in my home, messing with my stuff!" She pushes past him to the door.

"Aerith, wait," he calls after her. He hopes Reno and Rude are done, grabs her bag from the bed, and hurries out of the bedroom. "Obviously, not everything." He mumbles.

She's standing in the foyer, taking in the scene, or lack thereof. Loz walks over and stands beside her; the area looks pristine, the bodies are gone, the blood—

"What? Did you—" she starts, staring straight ahead with her hands clenched into fists.

"I got someone to come clean," he pauses, wanting to gauge her reaction. She releases a breath. "I'm going to check on my plants," she says, shaking her head.

Loz set the two bags down and followed. He'd never seen the room before and was floored by all the plants and flowers that were thriving. "Wow, this is a lot to take care of," he said, taking it all in.

She snorts. "It shouldn't take long. Cloud and I have watered some of these babies already. Check the water gauges on some of the plants. I'll do this side, you do that one," she says, gesturing to the area closest to the door. "Grab a watering can. There's a sink over there."

He looks around, locates the pail next to the sink, and fills it with water. "Why do only some of the plants have water gauges?" he asks.

Chuckling, she says, "Because they're a bit more finicky than the others." He looks and sees a genuine smile on her face as she starts singing to the plants.

Loz smiles and starts looking over the plants, searching for gauges. "Do I just pour?" he asks, finding one that reads "dry."

She nods, "Yes, pour, and the gauge will let you know when it has enough water." She continues on her side, talking to the plants in a soft voice.

“You really love this, huh?” Loz asks. She hums and smiles softly. “I feel connected to my parents—strange, I know, but when I’m here or surrounded by nature, I feel like they’re right beside me.”

They continue in silence; she even stops singing. The atmosphere is now filled with sadness. "I'm sorry," he whispers. She stops and looks at him. "I'm sorry too." She offers him a small smile.

They nod at one another and continue their task. It doesn't take much more time, as both work quickly. "Back to our earlier conversation," she says.

He raises a questioning brow, holding his hand out for her water pail. "Hmm?"

She handed it over with a "thanks" before continuing, "Yvonne, as far as I know, has no children. Her husband passed away about 6 years ago; I've never seen any family members, at least she hasn't introduced me to any, but she is known around the complex."

"So people are going to know she's...missing," he huffs, rubbing his head; wanting to pull his hair in frustration. "Great."

She grunts. "Isn't it?" she says mockingly. She continues, "Self-defense will be a hard claim, considering I..." She pauses, her face going pale and looking sickly. She covers her face and starts shaking. "Dammit! This is so screwed up."

“Hey, Aerith, we’ll figure this out.” He tries to console her, giving her shoulders a rub and a light squeeze in support. His own nerves are on edge, and he’s teetering on the brink of panic again. The fact is they’re four ways to fucked, and he has no answers or ideas.

She takes a deep breath. "There's nothing to be done now. Do you know where the bodies are?" Aerith asks. He shakes his head. "I didn't ask. I prefer not to know, honestly," he replied. The less they know, the better.

She nods and squares her shoulders. "Whatever happens, happens. I know," she stops and looks at Loz. "They were going to kill me next, huh?"

He looks away, not sure what to say. He was never privy to their ideas; he just went along with them and helped with "cleanups." He shrugs a shoulder. "If not here, definitely at the lab," is all he can say. The way Kadaj was acting, she probably would have been killed sooner rather than later.

She sighs, her face pulled into a grimace. "I guess I'm trying to convince myself that what I did was self-preservation. It doesn't stop the guilt I feel for Yvonne and Rocco. They were innocent." That's what she feels sad about most of all.

"I guess if it's any consolation, you killed the people who murdered them; you gave them justice," Loz says, his voice soft as if trying to tame a wild animal.

“Kinda fucked up, don’t you think?” She gives a mirthless laugh and rubs her temple. All the crying she’s done has given her a headache, and she feels she's just getting started.

"It shouldn't have happened at all, and part of me wants to hurt you for not stopping it!" Her voice booms in the enclosed space, her face fierce and flushed with anger.

She wants to hurt him, and he'd let her. He could've stopped them, maybe; being stronger than both of them. He has no excuse to offer, not one she hasn't already heard. He chooses silence.

He looks like a kicked puppy, and it's pissing Aerith off. She's holding all this guilt and shame, wanting to shift it onto someone else and be free of this burden. It's choking and all-consuming. She shakes her head, hoping the thoughts will go away.

He sees her cycling through emotions, and he feels his own kicking up. He bites his lip to keep it from trembling, but his eyes still mist over.

She releases a frustrated breath and walks out of the greenhouse. He steels his nerves and follows, quietly shutting the door behind him.

“Let’s go,” she says, her voice resigned. Loz nods and walks to her suitcase and tote. “The SUV is parked in the garage,” Loz states. They both take a quick glance around the home.

Loz takes the lead. It's hard to believe that just before he was walking in blood; the place looked spotless, as if nothing had happened.

Before opening the door, he hands her the tote bag to free a hand, using it to open the door. He turns to her. "It's going to be okay," he says.

She says nothing, swallowing thickly. She's going back to Hojo; there's nothing "okay" about that. She closes her eyes for a moment, then looks back at him, offering a small nod.

He sighs and turns the knob, opening the door. He's met with a flash of blue before everything goes black.

Chapter 21: Gotta Work: Gotta Make that Money, Make Purse

Summary:

Cloud battles with himself. He wants nothing more than to be with Aerith and hear her voice.

But duty calls and he has work to do and so does she, but—
Why isn’t she responding to his texts or calls?

He has a bad feeling about this—

Cloud stays where Aerith left him for a while longer, smiling to himself and feeling the butterflies dance in his stomach.

He rolls over and groans, wrapping the blanket tighter around him. He thinks of last night and the activities that followed; how in such a short time, he's found someone he feels he can spend "forever" with.

He's glad he left his phone upstairs; otherwise, he'd be texting how much he misses her already.

He tosses the blanket off with a grunt and stands, stretching with a groan; his lower muscles twinge. He smiles, knowing he wasn't the only one feeling sore, if how Aerith was walking was anything to go by.

He knows he shouldn't be proud, but damn. It's been longer than he cares to admit since he had sex, and usually he feels a bit nervous with a new partner; feeling like he has to work hard to get the mood going. With her, though, everything came naturally.

He wants to do it again, and "Buster," as she called it, wants to go again; he's half-cocked. He grips himself through his boxers and thinks about taking it further, but decides to get ready for the day instead. “Sorry, big guy,” he mumbles, giving himself an apologetic squeeze.

He scoffs at himself and thinks, "What the hell's wrong with me?" as he walks to his kitchen. He pours himself a glass of water, grateful for its coolness, and chugs it in one go.

He starts making a protein shake, gathering the ingredients needed. His mind strays to Aerith again, thinking of his slip-up: "You should move in with me. Geez, why don't I just get down on one knee and ask for her hand in marriage, at this point?" he says to himself, shaking his head.

He takes a drink of his protein shake and walks upstairs. He showered last night, so he decides that a face wash and brushing his teeth would suffice for now.

He dresses, putting on a sweatshirt, shorts, socks, and his running shoes. He slips on his watch and sees a message from Aerith. He smiles, reaching for his phone.

“Mrs. Yvonne, my neighbor, just vouched for you. She said you are the sweetest, and I should 'get on that'!” The text reads. He snorts, letting out a laugh.

He remembers that Yvonne was the elder he helped cross the street. She and her dog, Rocco. He smiles, thinking of the encounter. "Small world," he thinks.

"If only she knew," he texts. He pockets his phone, only for it to start vibrating. Expecting it to be Aerith, his smile drops when he sees Barret's name. "What do you want?" He answers.

“Well, good morning to you too, sunshine!” Barret chuckles, then continues, “I’m on my way to the hospital. It’s still early, but whenever you have time, log in and check the docket,” he says.

Cloud grunts, finishing his shake. He rides the elevator down to the apartment's gym. "Anything crazy I need to know about?" Cloud asks.

There's a loud horn, and Barret curses. "Dumb ass, watch where you're going!" he yells. Cloud snorts. "You alright, man?"

Barret huffed. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, nothing crazy, just some deliveries. Old man Hicks says there's a wild pup roaming around his scrap yard and beating up his guard dogs for their food. He needs help."

Cloud groans in protest, interrupting. "You know I don't mix well with animals. I had a bird when I was a kid, and it flew away. That's the extent of my experience with pets."

“Don’t be whining! He says the pup isn’t too feral, but it does look beat up. He thinks it might have been a bait dog,” Barret states.

Cloud sighs. "Shit." Barret hums. "Yup. All the info is on the docket. Bring supplies: dog food, treats, toys. Might also want to get a protective sleeve just in case. Everything is on the company's dime, so do what you need to do."

Cloud walks into the gym, pops in his earphone, and the call transfers. He pockets his phone. "Alright, I'll look into it. Timeframe?" Cloud asks.

"Old man has some business to take care of in the morning. He said anytime after 12:00 is fine. He'll be there to open the yard. I'll leave you to it. I'm here at the hospital." Barret says.

“Right. Let me know how everything’s going,” he says. Barret hums, “Sure thing, Spiky. Talk to you later.” He ends the call.

Cloud sighs, looks at his home screen, opens his latest message to Aerith, and texts, "I miss you." He feels his face flush. He could unsend it, but why hide the truth? He wants to see her, to be with her.

He continues to look at his phone, a minute passes with no response. Although it's not quite 09:00, he figures she must be busy getting ready for her photo shoot, tosses his phone onto the closest bench, gets on a treadmill, and starts running.

•••••

 

He works out for another 45 minutes, his body drenched. "Definitely need a shower," he mumbles. He forgot to bring a towel and uses his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his face. He checks his phone; he's got 12 notifications, none from Aerith.

He puts his phone away and heads back to his apartment. He frowns, thinking, "She'd never not text or call." He shakes his head. "She's working; she'll contact you when she has a moment," he reassures himself, then strips and jumps into the shower.

Fifteen minutes later, he's out, blow dryer in hand. His phone sits face up; his eyes jump to the screen each time a notification pops up. He grunts.

Once his hair is dry, he gets the styling gel. He thinks twice before using it, knowing Aerith likes his hair sans product; he shakes his head at his silliness and fixes his hair. It's just—

He can't help the gnawing feeling. He wants to hear her voice, to know that everything is okay. He decides to call; it goes straight to voicemail. "Her phone's probably off." He huffs and walks to his closet in determined strides.

He gets dressed quickly, deciding to finish his work early in hopes of meeting with Aerith, if possible; it's starting to feel unlikely.

He walks to his desk and opens his laptop, checking the work docket. He sees several deliveries; most he can do on his own, but one he'll need Cid for. He shoots a text, "Hey, gonna need Big Bertha. Think you can come through?"

He gets up and thinks about calling Aerith again. He walks downstairs and contemplates, her number already pulled up. He hits call, but once again, he gets the voicemail. He grunts, his mouth pulled into a frown.

“Hey Aerith, call or text me when you can. Uh, it’s Cloud by the way,” he rolls his eyes at himself. “She knows it’s you, doofus,” he thinks, then continues his message, “Umm, just, call me, will you?” He hangs up before he starts begging.

He shakes his head and pockets his phone. He pushes her to the back of his mind—he has to. No work will get done if he doesn't—and then he walks out the door.

His phone starts ringing. He looks at his watch and sees it's Cid. "Hey, Cid, you got my message," he answers.

“Hiya, Blondie! Sure did! What are we transporting?” Cid asks. Cloud sighs, “the kind of stuff I need help transporting,” he answers.

Cid curses, "What kind of answer is that? You better not be having me do illegal shit! I'm walking the straight and narrow, kid," he yells.

Cloud winces, pulling the phone away from his ear. "Cid! It's nothing like that. I just don't like talking business over the phone," he says.

He takes the stairs and immediately remembers his conversation with Aerith when he was last here. Cloud rubs his neck and huffs, thinking, "Get a hold of yourself, Cloud!" He rushes out the exit, hitting the door harder than necessary, and jogs to the truck.

"Oh, I see. Still a paranoid little shit!" Cid laughs. Cloud rolls his eyes. "Look, can you help me, or not?" Cloud asks, his voice harsh and on the edge of yelling.

Cid grunts. "Not with that attitude," he states. Cloud sighs, gets in the vehicle, and slams the door shut. He leans back, resting his head on the headrest. He clears his throat. "Sorry."

He knows Cid will only agree if he knows what he's transporting, understandably; Cid has been lied to by other clients before.

Cloud relents, "It's a weapons transport, and before you deny," he already hears Cid grumbling in protest. Cloud continues, "it's for a local armory shop. Perfectly legal; just a little more than what the truck can handle, and the pickup is further than anticipated."

Cid hums in thought. Cloud waits for his response, releasing a loud sigh. He turns on the truck, an 80s song blaring. He quickly turns off the radio, as if it could turn off his thoughts about Aerith. Cid coughs. "Alright, kiddo, I'll give you a hand." He finally agrees.

“Great,” Cloud starts. Cid interrupts, “Although, Big B is currently in the shop,” he mumbles. Cloud groans. “Not a worry, though, Highwind should be more than capable,” Cid says.

“Alright. I have some minor deliveries I need to do. I’ll get those taken care of,” Cloud says. He pulls his phone away, again looking at the deliveries that needed to be done; figuring out where to start first.

“Ah, none of that. Just send me the details and I’ll take care of it. This ain’t my first rodeo, kid!” Cid says, with a chuckle in his voice.

Cloud feels a weight lifted; the delivery would have taken at least 3 hours. "The load is at Junon Port. I'll put your name as the pickup." He says, already sending over the information needed to Cid, with a few quick swipes.

“Okay, let's see,” Cid says, having received Cloud's message, then continues, “Oh, yeah, this should be a cinch. I'll take care of it. I've got Larry's number; he's the port manager there.”

“Thank you, Cid,” Cloud says, feeling grateful. Cid chuckles. “Yeah, no problem, Cloud. You seem stressed; you need to take care of yourself, man!” Cid says, then adds, “I’m here if you need anything.”

"I appreciate it. It's nothing...serious," Cloud says, his voice slightly hesitant. Cid laughs. "Ah, I see. Having lady troubles already?" he asks.

“Already?” Cloud says, his brows furrowed in question, wondering if he knew about Aerith. He wouldn't doubt it; Barret and Tifa can have big mouths.

"What? First time you've been serious about someone in, how long?" Cid lets out a boisterous laugh, then continues, "Bet your ass Tifa told me! What a shame, your own uncle."

Cloud interrupts, "adopted uncle," he mumbles. Cid huffs. "An uncle is an uncle, punk! When were you going to tell me?"

Cloud groans, rolling his eyes. "Damn, Tifa," he grumbles. "Nah, nah, nah!" Cid yells, adding, "This is on you!" Cid clears his throat. "That being said, when do I get to meet her? Because apparently everyone has met her already!"

Cloud sighs, rubbing his head. Cid is a bit much this early in the morning. "She hasn't met my mother yet," he says. Cid squawks in disbelief, "What!?"

Cloud chuckles, shaking his head. "I can't handle you this early. It's going to happen, I'm just letting everything settle."

Cid hums. "Alright, I get it. I still want to meet her," he says.

“Yeah, okay, we’ll set something up. I’ll talk to you soon. Thanks again,” Cloud says. Cid hums, “Mmhmm. Sooner rather than later. See ya, lover boy!” He disconnects before Cloud can say anything. Cloud grunts, then releases a breath.

He swipes to his latest messages; nothing from Aerith. He huffs, letting his head rest against the steering wheel. He shifts his head, looking around the truck's cabin, still painted with memories of her.

His eyes see something white tucked into the door's compartment. "Her underwear," he thinks, remembering she had told him they were left here. His face grows warm.

He has a mental image of himself diving across the seat, grabbing the underwear, and sniffing them like a ravenous dog.

He blanches at the thought. "What the hell's wrong with me?" He palms his head, rubbing it down his face. He looks at the underwear again and shakes his head.

He pulls out of the parking area, deciding to get the small deliveries done before noon, when Hicks is back at his yard.

Plan in motion. He nods to himself and tosses his phone onto the seat. He's going to try his best to put Aerith out of his mind and get through the morning.

•••

 

He spent most of his morning doing pickups and drop-offs. He works efficiently, although some took longer than necessary; the older clientele were more chatty.

They were long-time clients, people Cloud had been working with for a little over five years—Barret even longer—so it was expected they wanted to "catch up." Cloud just grinned and bore it.

He delivered products to a bakery owned by an older woman named Maribel and her husband, Clarence. They treated him like their own son, refusing to let him leave without stuffing him full of delicious carbs.

“You’re too skinny, dear, eat some more!” Maribel says, offering more buttery pastries. His mouth already full, he mumbles, “I’m good, honestly!” He swallows. “Thank you, both, but I need to get going.”

He stands, gives Clarence a firm handshake, and nods his thanks. Maribel pulls him into a tight hug. He returns it after the initial surprise.

“Take some grub for the road,” she says, shuffling to the back to grab him some more food. He holds his hand out to her. "You don't need to," he says.

His protest falls on deaf ears, as she disappears into the bakery's kitchen. He sighs, letting his hand drop to his side.

"No point denying her, son," Clarence says with a big grin. Cloud just nods, giving him a smile of his own.

“Here you go, darling! Nice and fresh.” She says, carrying a bag full of food. His eyes widened, feeling the heaviness of it as she hands it over. “Uh, thank you,” Cloud says. “This is a lot.” He adds.

She waves a dismissive hand. "Nonsense! Share it with Barret and your friends!" She gives him a smile and a wave as he leaves.

“Thanks again!” Cloud hollers as he walks out of the shop. He pulls out his phone and texts Barret, “Got some food from MariClare’s bakery. They say I’m too skinny. I might share with you if you ask nicely.” He pockets his phone and climbs into the truck.

He feels his phone buzz. He reaches for his phone as he starts the truck. "Screw you! You know that's my favorite bakery!" Barret texts. Cloud smirks. "Say, 'pretty please,' that works better." He messages back. Barret sends a middle finger emoji. Cloud chuckles and shakes his head.

“Next destination,” he mumbles to himself. He isn't thinking of Aerith at all.

•••

 

His last delivery is not even 5 minutes from her apartment complex. It takes everything in him to not drop what he's doing and go over there.

It's a coffee shop they've been working with for a while now. The location meant nothing months before, but knowing Aerith lives not far away, who knew all this time she was so close to him.

The owner is a middle-aged man, with graying hair perfectly tousled and glasses that are round and gold-trimmed. Cloud used to think he was a pompous snob.

The man, named Leonard, would claim himself a connoisseur of coffee and would keep Cloud talking about his many travels; tasting what the world had to offer, he would say.

Tifa would tease, "He has a crush on you!" Claiming he always asked for him, when he wasn’t the one doing the drop. Cloud just rolled his eyes, accusing Tifa of being a meddling, wannabe Cupid.

"You just wanna throw me at everyone, man or woman!" Cloud huffs, crossing his arms. Tifa would just laugh.

And here stands Cloud, arms crossed, listening to the man prattle on about his expensive, imported coffee beans.

He's not listening, just mindlessly nodding. Until Leonard steps in close, close enough for Cloud to smell his aftershave and the coffee on his breath. "I can give you a taste of something more delicious and rich in flavor," he says, his voice low.

Leonard stands a good three or four inches taller than Cloud, making Cloud look up at him. He scowls, cursing his average height. He's thankful for his boots; they at least give him an extra inch. Cloud coughs, clearing his throat. "Mr. Leonard, I don't offer that kind of service," he says.

The man starts stuttering, his face a shade of red that would better suit a tomato. "Cloud, I'm so embarrassed! It's just—"

Cloud interrupts him, holding his hand up to silence him. "It's fine. I don't mix business with pleasure," he says, technically a lie, sure, but Madam M was a misplaced judgment. "I also have a girlfriend," he adds, feeling his face warm.

Leonard releases his breath, tense shoulders relaxing. He looks less mortified. "Oh, I do apologize, Cloud! If I'd known," he sighs, shaking his head, and says, "Let's act like this never happened, please?"

Cloud gives him a small smile, offering a hand in peace. He takes it with a gentle shake. "Deal," Cloud says. The man nods with a smile, leaving Cloud to himself at the shop's back entrance.

Cloud shakes his head as he leaves, pulls out his phone, and sends a text to Tifa: "Guess you were right."

He walks to the truck and closes its tailgate. It doesn't take long for Tifa to respond, "Of course, I always am!"

Cloud snorts. "She probably doesn't even know what I'm talking about." He thinks, getting into the truck. He's done. He leans back with a sigh and goes through his messages.

He checked on Cid earlier, asking how everything was going. Cid sent back a thumbs-up. "No problemo, loading up now. I'll text when completed," Cid messaged.

He read another message from Barret: "Hey, Reeve said your ass better bring him some of Maribel's food!" Then, he received another message: "He's doing good, btw, loopy, but good." Barret sent a prayer emoji after.

He sighs, puts the truck in gear, and leaves. He decides he has time before going to the junkyard. It's 10:25. "Fuck it," he says, driving the short distance to Aerith's complex.

He pulls into the guest parking lot and sits, his fingers tapping on the wheel in thought. He opens his messages again and texts her, "Hey, I'm outside." He winces. "Jeez, I'm starting to act like a creep," he thinks.

He shrugs and gets out, his eyes catch a familiar blond-haired woman and another person. "Elena," he remembers. The other one is unknown to him.

They swerved quickly to the back of the building. "Shit!" He ran, following after. He sent out an "SOS!" to the group chat and turned on the tracker on his phone so he could be located.

Vincent sends a quick response: "Here."

Cloud rushes and leans against the building. He peeks over and sees no movement; the van is empty. There's a door with big, bold letters saying 'EXIT'. It doesn't have a handle or knob, but seems to be propped open with something Cloud can't make out.

He wants to go in, but knows that it would be a foolish move. He calls Vincent. "Where are you?" Cloud whispers after Vincent gives him a questioning grunt. "Inside. I followed the 3 brothers here," he replies, his voice just as low.

Cloud feels his heart drop, his blood running cold and rushing. He can't breathe. "I'm assuming this is where they live," Vincent says, voice lilting in question, and adds, "they have no record of past or present home addresses."

He notices Cloud's silence. "Cloud?"

Cloud releases a stuttering breath. "It's where Aerith lives," he whispers. Vincent curses. "Third floor, second door on the left from the elevator and fourth from the emergency exit. Fuck, how did I miss them? There are four people rolling out body bags! I need you here!" Vincent whispers vehemently.

Cloud's body moves without thought. He hears "body bags" and assumes the worst. "Aerith!" His mind chants. His chest tightens; he takes deep breaths.

He pulls open the exit door and spots the door for the emergency stairs to his immediate right. He rushes through, running up the stairs two at a time.

He doesn’t come across anyone as he ascends. "They took elevators, maybe?" He thinks and curses himself. He should have stayed outside. He sees the door with chipped paint labeled '3rd Fl' and opens it.

Vincent is hiding around a corner, peeking out. He spots Cloud and points silently to her door. Cloud has only been here once, so he's grateful for the reminder.

He runs closer, thankful for the carpeted floor that helps keep his footsteps muted. He stands in front of her door, his heart beating erratically.

He hears Vincent off to the side, speaking on the phone. Much like Reeve, Vincent has his own connections, and Cloud hopes they're stationed all around the building.

He hears a muffled voice, low and indistinct. The hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and his body tenses. "There's someone still inside!" he mouths to Vincent. He reaches for the door, and sees the knob turn.

He braced to attack instead. The door opened slowly, and he saw the short-haired brother, Loz, with his head turned, speaking to someone.

Words are lost on Cloud as he focuses on the person before him; the door opens wide enough for a perfect strike, a right cross to the jaw.

His jaw snaps to the right with the force, and the rest of his face catches up a second later. Loz's head slams against the door before crumbling to the floor.

Notes:

Kudos if you know the chapter’s title reference.

Speaking of, feel free to give me one as well, if you want, of course.

Comments are welcomed.

Appreciate everyone 🌼🌸

Chapter 22: Reunited; It Feels so Good!

Summary:

Reunited once more, they come face to face with reality and struggle with what to do next.

He hears nothing but the pumping of his heart and the rush of blood, propelling his body into action. He can't say he saw red, but he imagines it's the same feeling: being consumed by uncontrollable rage.

He wants to pummel his face until he's nothing but crushed bones and unrecognizable. He hopes his brothers are nearby; they deserve his rage more than anything.

He thinks of body bags. Aerith. Aerith in one of those mentioned body bags and pulls back, his fist ready to deliver another heavy blow.

Someone holds his arm. He twists and fights against the offending person. He snarls and snaps, "Fuck off!" His eyes are like a raging storm in the middle of an ocean, lined with unshed tears.

Vincent stares into his eyes and is almost pulled into the furious whirlpool of rage. "Stop!" he yells, gripping him tightly. Cloud struggles against him, growling and cursing. "Cloud!" he tries again.

“Cloud?” They heard a soft voice. He stopped immediately and turned, eyes wildly searching for the owner of that voice. Aerith. He swallowed thickly and coughed to clear his throat. “Aerith,” Cloud whispered, eyes meeting her emerald gems; shining with tears like his own.

Vincent releases him. Cloud steps over Loz's beaten body to enter the home and runs to her, pulling Aerith tightly to him. He cries openly, allowing his tears to wet the side of her neck as he breathes in deeply, taking in her scent.

"I thought—" he pulls back and holds her face gently, reverently. His thumbs stroke her blushed cheeks, wiping away stray tears. "I thought I lost you." He whispers, resting his head against hers; their foreheads touching, noses rubbing.

She lets out a pained whimper and starts sobbing uncontrollably. Cloud pulls back slightly, "Aerith?" he asks, looking at Aerith's face. Her eyes remain closed, and her head is tilted down, as if she were ashamed.

He hears a quiet click of the door closing. He glances back and sees Vincent picking up Loz's limp body. Vincent drags Loz past them into the living room.

Vincent grunts at the weight, but pulls him along with ease. "He's alive," he says in passing and eyes Aerith. Cloud hugs her tightly, his chin resting on the top of her head. He pulls back to peck her on the forehead before resuming his resting position.

“Where are the other two?” he asks. She tenses and stops crying, breathing heavily. When she starts shivering, he begins to worry. “Are they lying in wait, ready to attack?” he wonders, scanning the area as best as he can, considering they're in the foyer, blocked off from the rest of the home.

“Are they here?” He whispers in her ear. The question draws a crude response; she hiccups and pulls away. “I killed them!” She yells, falling to the floor in a heap, covering her face, sobbing into her hands.

Cloud stands still in shock, unsure of what to say. His arms remain open, empty, and missing her warmth. His body tenses at the sound of Vincent's voice.

"There were three bags and a fourth, smaller trash bag," he says, speaking to Cloud but looking at Aerith. She quiets down, save for her stuttering breath and sniffles.

Vincent hums. "I guess we know the two. Who are the others?" he asks, as he squats down to Aerith. She shakes her head and squeezes her eyes shut, holding her mouth, hoping to silence her cries.

Cloud releases a breath and realizes, "Yvonne vouched for you." He remembers her text. He gasps, "No way!" But how? Why?

She looks up at him. He has never seen her look so defeated; he hates it.

"What happened?" Vincent asks, his voice gentle but demanding answers. Aerith sighs and takes a deep breath. She sits back against the wall, hugging her knees and resting her head on them.

"I came home and they were here. She came to give me food she had bought from Lolita's, and they, Kadaj and Yazoo," she swallows, her throat thick with emotion. She's tired of crying. She looks at them both; she sees Cloud's stunned face and Vincent's narrowed eyes. She looks away.

She sees the knotted bag of sealed food discarded under the side table. "Something they forgot," she thinks. A reminder that this wasn't some nightmare from which she'll wake up.

She crawls over to it. Cloud and Vincent watch in silence. She reaches for it and pulls it out, seeing specks of red covering the side.

She opens the bag. "It's the egg croissant and blueberry muffin she got for me," she whispers, her mouth trembling. "This is all my fault. Everything."

Vincent grabs the bag from her hand and helps her up. "If you're to blame, then so am I. Somehow I missed you; if I'd known, I could have stopped you from going in," he says with a frown.

Aerith shakes her head. "I did what I did. And they, well," she pauses.

“Deserved it,” Cloud says, caressing her arm then taking hold of her hand. He holds it tightly and brings it to his lips to give it a gentle kiss. “They had it coming,” he adds. “If not you, then me or your brother—“

“Or me,” Vincent says. “What about this other one?” Vincent asks, nodding his head towards the living area. He watches as Cloud pulls her into his chest, hugging and softly smiling at each other.

Vincent draws the line at watching them kiss. He gives a loud cough, clearing his throat. Aerith pulls away. "Sorry," she says, looking a bit embarrassed. "He helped me," she doesn't know what else to say, not knowing the full details.

Vincent hums thoughtfully, "What was the plan?"

Aerith shrugs and shakes her head. "Not entirely sure, but he was planning on taking me back to Hojo, maybe. I don't know," she replies, looking apprehensive.

Cloud grunts, "Well, that isn't happening, that's for sure." He puts an arm around her shoulder.

"The two brothers won't be missed, but the lady—that's another thing. Is her body badly damaged? Maybe she can be slipped back into her home," Vincent says.

Aerith lets out a humorless chuckle. "This is Kadaj and Yazoo we're talking about," she says. Vincent continues to stare at her. "Explain," he says.

“There’s nothing to salvage; her entire face was mush!” she says, her voice becoming frantic.

"Breath," Cloud whispers in her ear. She takes a deep breath, holds it, and then releases it. "You okay?" he asks.

She closes her eyes and gives a slight nod before opening them, looking at Vincent.

“Okay, I’ll take this one with me. I’ll see what his plans are,” Vincent says. “I have a couple of people trailing the van. We’ll see what they plan to do with the bodies, but for now, it seems we’ll have to wait for him—what’s his name?”

“Loz,” both Aerith and Cloud say.

Vincent nods. "I'll wait for Loz and see what he has planned for the bodies."

Aerith sighs. "I don't think he knows much. He said the less he knows, the better."

Vincent shrugged. "Whatever the case may be, we'll figure something out." He walked back to the living room, leaving Cloud and Aerith to themselves.

"This is such a mess," Aerith leans against Cloud, her head resting on his clavicle. She shakes her head, "I don't even know what to do."

Cloud wraps his arms around her. "We'll figure it out. In the meantime, stay with me," he offers. He wants her close and to protect her.

She nods. "Okay, but my plants; I'll need to come back and take care of them." She blanches. "My job! I had a photo shoot today... They broke my phone," she says dejectedly.

"That can be replaced."

She nods. "You're right, Cloud. I'm ready to get out of here." She looks around the place again. The walls were cleaned, the floor as well, but the visuals still show behind her eyelids; the image tattooed in her memory.

It doesn't smell like home anymore. It doesn't feel like it.

“Alright,” Vincent walks over. Loz is taking steady, but slow steps. “He’s regained consciousness.”

Loz is huffing; his nose wheezes with each breath, most likely broken. Aerith takes one look at him and winces. "My nose,"

Cloud coughs, rubbing his neck. "Yeah, it's, uh, fucked." Loz nods; he figured as much. His eyes feel swollen, and he can barely see, not to mention the pain. "Ugh, I need painkillers, please," he whimpers.

Vincent nods, pulling his heavy coat off. "Hold on," Loz grabs for the side table, nearly missing it. Aerith comes and holds his arm to help steady him.

Vincent puts his coat on Loz, using the large hood to help cover his face. "Don't need you scaring anybody." He mumbles, taking hold of him again. "Come." They walk together. Vincent pauses at the entrance. "I'll let you know what I find out."

Cloud nods, "Thanks." Aerith gives a single hand raise in goodbye and walks back into the living room, grabbing her suitcase and bag. "Here, let me help you," Cloud reaches for the suitcase.

Out of the apartment, she feels lighter already, but she can’t help the guilt that’s eating away at her. Although she’s glad Cloud isn’t freaked out by her, she still feels—

“You’re thinking too much.” He isn’t looking at her, keeping his eyes trained ahead and relaxed. “Stop.”

She clicks her tongue and frowns. "Easier said than done," she mutters. He takes her hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. She squeezes back. "Sorry."

He shook his head, pushing the first-floor button. The door closed, and she saw herself for the first time; her reflection showing on the elevator's door. Her nose was red, her cheeks were red too. "Do you want my jacket? It has a hoodie."

Aerith nods, although she looked a bit haggard coming in early in the morning. It's almost noon, and she'd hate to draw suspicious looks.

“Thank you.”

Cloud gives her a smile and pulls the hoodie up. He uses the strings to pull her to him, kissing her gently. "I thought I would never see you again."

Aerith sighs, pulls him in, and returns his kiss. "I know," she whispers against his lips, drawing him in again. They whimper.

The elevator dings, and they exit. A woman waits for them, a disapproving look on her face, pulling a little boy along. "Come on." She mutters, tossing a scornful look at Aerith.

"What's got her panties in a twist?" Cloud sticks his tongue out at the woman as the doors shut. The woman's eyes widen and the little boy giggles.

Aerith watches the exchange, letting out a laugh as Cloud makes a "nuh-nuh!" and sticks his tongue out. "Cloud!" she continues giggling.

He smiles, his heart feeling light. He holds her to his side, kissing the crown of her head. "Let's get out of here."

She knows it's going to be difficult, but with Cloud by her side, she feels she can overcome anything. "Yeah, let's go."

Chapter 23: Who’s that Scrappy Stray; Enter Nanaki

Summary:

Nanaki has had a rough life, constantly being reminded he’s not wanted. That’s until he met Aerith. And Cloud, well, he’s not so bad.

It's already 12:10, and he still has to help Hicks at the junkyard. He looks over at Aerith, watching as she buckles herself up and opens the top mirror, fixing her hair.

She opens her tote, pulling out her makeup bag. She has disposable wipes, tears one open to start cleaning her face. She looks over at Cloud, noticing he hasn't started the truck. She sees a starry look in Cloud's eyes as he gives her a shy smile.

“Gosh,” she thinks. He’s seen her practically at her worst, and he continues to look at her with such fondness. She gives him a bright smile, her stomach flip-flopping with nerves. “This is Cloud; why do I feel scared?” she wonders.

He reaches over and holds her braid, his thumb caressing each link, before he strokes her cheek. "I'm glad you're with me."

She blushes and hums, looking away. "Me too, Cloud." She realizes her fear; she doesn't want to lose someone so precious. It's an inner battle with herself—a part of her wants to run away; it's what she has done in the past.

“I have one last job that I need to do,” he says, turning away to start up the truck. “I can drop you off.”

"No!" She shook her head. "Sorry, no. I want to go with you. After that, we can go see about getting me a new phone. If that's okay?" She looked at him with dazzling eyes. He smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, of course.” He turns on the radio, letting the music take over as she continues freshening up. He smiles to himself and heads to their next destination.

•••

 

“Damn you, mutt!”

Cloud and Aerith look at each other, eyebrows raised. They watch the old man hobbling after a small pup. His two dogs sit on the porch, watching as he chases the stray—cane raised high and cursing at the animal. They snort and lay down in the shade.

By the looks of it, they had their fair share of scrapes with the stray pup and have given up the fight. "Shit!" Cloud smacks his forehead, eyes closed tight. He sighs.

"I forgot the dog food and treats, damn it," he grumbled.

"You there, must be Cloud!" Hicks slowly walks up, out of breath and sweating. "And who might you be, pretty lady?"

Aerith waves her hand and gives him a friendly smile. "Hi, my name is Aerith, Cloud's assistant," she turns to Cloud, giving him a toothy grin.

"Yes, we heard you have a problem on your hands, and Aerith and I are here to take care of it." He nods to the old man.

Hicks scratches the back of his neck, a brow raised, looking skeptical. "Mmhmm, not sure what y'all plan on doing empty-handed, unless you got slabs of meat in them boots of yours?"

Aerith chuckles. "Such means are for the weak." She pats Cloud on the back. Cloud stutters, "Uh, sure..."

"Hmm, if you say so, young lady! I just know he isn't taking any more of my dog's food." He huffs and walks to the rundown house, sitting down on a wooden rocking chair with a heavy sigh. "Ahh, you two have at it. The little thing has been a nuisance."

He pulls his hat over his face, presumably going to take a nap. His dogs walk over to him and lie at his feet, settling down with snorts and huffs of their own.

Cloud and Aerith walk deeper into the yard, passing piles of scrap and assorted junk. Cloud clears his throat. "So, how are we doing this?"

Aerith shrugs. "Not sure. I just wanted to make you look good, like a professional dog catcher." She gives him an encouraging smile and pokes him in the chest.

He gives her a deadpan look and huffs, rubbing the spot she poked. "I appreciate it, but I'm not a professional dog anything," he grumbles, searching the area. He sees a flash of scrappy red fur, dipping into a hole in Hicks' junk.

Cloud points and jogs, waving Aerith over. "Over here!"

She jogs to catch up. They stop, looking into the crawl space he supposedly ran into. "Nowhere it can really go, don't you think?"

Cloud nods his head and squats down, trying to peek inside. It's dark. Cloud sighs, rubbing his head. "I'm really not prepared for this."

Aerith squats beside him and starts whistling. "Come here, puppy, puppy!" She makes kissing noises, her lips puckered.

They can see movement. Puffs of dirt are kicking up. Aerith grins and takes a breath. "That's a good...boy?" She looks at Cloud, who shrugs in return.

A head peeks out, showing tufts of reddish-brown fur and exposing big paws. The pup's face has marks on its cheeks and a badly healed gash over its right eye. "Aw! You poor baby, it's okay. We won't hurt you!"

It comes out further, stays hunched, and crawls closer, looking weary. Aerith smiles. "There you are,"

The stray comes closer, sitting a foot away. Cloud bends his head. "Looks like a boy," he straightens up. The pup flinches, jumping back. He holds his hands out and squats back down, trying to appear non-threatening.

"It's okay! Cloud may look tough, but he's a big softie, just like you, I'm sure." Aerith holds out her hand. The pup comes closer again, looking between the two.

They continue to observe the animal, noting its different scars and markings. "You've been through it, huh, boy?" Cloud mumbles, his eyes landing on a marking on the animal's left arm. "Roman numerals," he points out.

Aerith frowns. "Poor baby's beat up." She looks at the spot Cloud is pointing to. "Thirteen." She wonders about the story of this pup. She feels her eyes water, watching the way the stray watches them with distrust in his eyes. "What has been done to you?"

Cloud looks at Aerith, watching as she wipes away stray tears. Cloud decides he wants to keep this pup for Aerith. "It looks like he's been branded. Wherever he came from, he might have been owned by someone who participates in dog fighting."

Aerith scoffs, a disgusted look crossing her face. "How can people be so cruel! Poor innocent creatures who can't defend themselves, who have no say!" Her lip trembles.

Cloud sits down, legs crossed and back straight. "However long it takes, we'll bring him home."

Aerith whips her head toward Cloud, tears overflowing. She nods and sits beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Cloud."

Cloud rests his head against hers. "What should we name him? Thirteen seems clinical."

Aerith pulls away. She smiles brightly at the stray. "What shall we call you?" She holds her chin in thought. "Definitely not Thirteen; that's your past life's name."

They watched as his tail started wagging; it appeared singed, as if it had been lit on fire. He crawled closer, his belly rubbing against the dirt. "How about Red?" Cloud suggested. The pup's ears flattened.

Aerith giggles. "It's not a bad name." She extends her hand. He sniffs it, his nose poking at it a bit, before laying his head down. She pets him, combing her fingers through the long hair on his head and neck.

He moves until his head is resting in her lap. "Well, you are the dog whisperer," Cloud chuckles, watching Aerith scratch behind his ears. "So, Red?"

The pup peeks an eye open and snorts. Aerith grins at Cloud. "Not sure he likes it." She hums. "How about, Nanaki?"

He raises his head, ears flicking in interest and tail wagging. "Huh, look at that. Think he likes it." Cloud reaches out, letting Nanaki sniff his hand. Cloud doesn't pet him—not wanting to overwhelm him; just lets him get used to his scent.

“Nanaki!” Aerith exclaims. He jumps up and lets out a small howl. "Do you want to go home with us?" she asks.

They both stand. Nanaki doesn’t look as frightened. He rubs his head against Aerith’s leg, walks around, and taps his snout on Cloud’s hand.

Cloud patted him on the head.

Aerith chuckles, bends to give Nanaki's cheeks a scratch. "You might have to be a bit patient with him; he's not used to pets." She whispers to Nanaki.

He snorted and shook his mane.

Cloud crosses his arms, raising a brow. "Did I make the right decision?"

He watches as she coos and laughs when Nanaki licks her cheek. She smiles wide, as if the past 5 hours or so never occurred. Cloud knows he can never undo what has happened, but he wants to help her heal.

It's going to take time, but seeing her like this is a start.

•••

“Well look at that!” Hicks hollers. Watching as the pup walks beside Aerith. His dogs jump up, letting out whines as he comes closer.

"They seem scared of him." Cloud watches as they pace back and forth. They don't come closer, just continue to whimper and nuzzle their owner.

“Yup, he gave my poor babies a fright; they got into a few fights too. They’re used to people or animals running away when they growl and bark.” Hicks rubs and pets his dogs. “That there scrap wanted all the smoke.” He laughs.

Aerith smiles, looking at Nanaki. "Oh, he's just a softy, but we'll be taking him off your hands." She picks him up, grunting at his weight. "For such a scrawny thing, he isn't light!" She walks to the truck. "Goodbye, Sir!" Aerith hollers.

“Later, young lady! You have a good partner there.” He smiles and winks at Cloud.

Cloud scratches his head, fighting a blush. "Yeah, she's great." He clears his throat. "Glad we can help. You take care, sir. Let us know if you need any help." He waves and follows Aerith.

“Yup, y’all take care!” he yells back, waving. His dogs bark their thanks as well.

He climbs in and texts Barret "Complete." Then, he turns to see Nanaki sitting in between, looking ahead. Cloud grunts, "Is this safe?"

Aerith peeks over, hugging Nanaki. "We trust you and your great driving skills. Right, Nanaki?"

Nanaki huffs and lets out a short howl. "Atta boy!" she squeals, scratching his ears.

Cloud sighs, sounding annoyed. He yelps, feeling a wet tongue swipe across his cheek. He looks at them both and sees Aerith with a big grin, and he swears Nanaki is grinning too.

He shook his head and chuckled, feeling a smile split his face.

Chapter 24: Fluff and Filler

Nanaki went everywhere they went.

They stopped to shop for a new phone. She held onto the broken one, and thankfully they were able to transfer all her information into her new one.

"Oh gosh, thank you! It would have been a headache." She smiled and thanked the store clerk. She pulled up her contacts, messaged her brother, and sent a text to her colleagues.

They frowned and looked like they didn’t want to help her at first, as they spotted Nanaki by her side. Cloud gave them a glare, becoming an intimidating presence, which more than helped change their tune.

Nanaki stayed by her side, watching out for her as she had her back turned or was otherwise preoccupied. She never felt safer: Cloud by her side and Nanaki watching her back.

They decided lunch was needed, sat outside with Nanaki under the table, Aerith and Cloud feeding him bits of food.

Aerith scratches the top of his head, her thumb softly tracing Nanaki's scar. "Think we should take him to get checked out, make sure he's okay?"

Cloud nods. "Got anyone in mind?"

"No, but I can look it up and set an appointment." She runs her fingers through the pup's fur. "We're gonna get you fixed up! You definitely need a bath."

Nanaki’s ears twitch. He lays his head on her lap, giving her sad, puppy eyes. She chuckles. "Don't look at me like that! It's for your own good."

Cloud smiles, watching the exchange. He feels his phone vibrating. He looks down and sees Vincent calling him. He looks back up at Aerith—she's still occupied with Nanaki—and texts Vincent, "I'll call you in a bit."

Aerith watches with a keen eye. "Who was that?" She continues to pet Nanaki.

"Hm?" Cloud clears his throat. "Just Barret," he says, looking away and setting his phone face down.

She narrows her eyes and huffs. "Cloud, let's not start lying to one another." She grabs her phone and stands. "I'm going to use the restroom. Stay with Cloud, Nanaki."

Cloud watches her walk back into the restaurant. He sighs. "Why did I say that?" he mumbles to himself. Nanaki sits beside him, staring. "Look, I know I messed up. Stop rubbing it in."

Nanaki snorted, shaking his mane. Cloud saw a look of disappointment.

He wanted her to remain happy and not have to worry about what Vincent had to say, at least not yet. He realized that being dishonest was the wrong move. Nanaki giving him the stink eye wasn't helping with his guilt.

Cloud's tickles Nanaki’s nose, making him sneeze and rub his nose with a paw. "Bless you!" Nanaki perks up at Aerith’s voice.

“I’m sorry for being dishonest,” Cloud says, watching her sit back down. “I guess I was trying to protect you.”

She gives him a small smile. "I appreciate that, Cloud, but I want to be kept in the loop. I don't want you to have to figure everything out for me." She shakes her head and frowns, looking away from Cloud. "I hate that so many people are involved already."

Cloud nods. "It was Vincent. We'll call him back once we get back to the car and see what he knows." He reaches over, holding his hand out to her. "We're here for you. We want to help you."

She takes his hand and gives it a squeeze. "Thank you. A part of me is always going to feel," she stops. "Like a murderer." Her mind supplies. She keeps it to herself; not giving voice to the thought.

“I know,” he nods at her, wanting to convey that he knows what she's feeling because he's been there. He has blood on his hands, and so do all of them.

With the exception of Tifa, they all had made bad decisions in their earlier days: a job was a job. Tifa became part of the team when they turned over a new leaf, when Barret and Cloud decided they had too much to lose.

 

Aerith understands what Cloud is implying. "How do you get over it?" she whispers.

Cloud shook his head. "I don't have an answer for that. When we first started, we were basically hitmen."

Aerith gasps. Cloud sighs and continues, "We convinced ourselves these were bad people, but that doesn’t change the fact they were someone’s child, partner, sibling—"

"Oh Cloud," she saw the regret in his eyes.

He has done a lot of things he isn’t proud of, some that he’s ashamed to mention. "I don't know how, but together, we can get through this."

Aerith feels her heart sore. The determination in his eyes, the confidence in his voice, she trusts what Cloud is saying.

Aerith gives a determined nod, smiling at him. "Let's conquer our battles together, Cloud."

Nanaki huffs and gives an excited howl, startling the other people sitting around them. Aerith giggles. "Okay! You too, Nanaki!"

Cloud grunts. "Let's get out of here, and call Vincent." He stands, offering Aerith his hand. She takes it with a smile, and they walk side by side; Cloud to her right and Nanaki to her left.

 

They hop in the truck, Nanaki again sitting in the middle, Aerith softly stroking his fur. She leans slightly over him, watching Cloud pull up his contacts to call Vincent.

“Cloud,” he answers after a couple of rings, his voice hushed.

“Hey, is everything okay?” He takes note of Vincent's quiet voice, hoping he isn't in any sort of trouble.

"Yes, I was checking in on Reeve," there's a soft click of a door shutting. Vincent continues, "I took Loz to Marle's. I'm letting him get fixed up. He gave me names and numbers," he pauses, clearing his throat. "I'll call you back."

Cloud and Aerith look at each other as Vincent disconnects. "Well, where to next, Cloud?" She moves back to her seat, buckles up, and Cloud starts the truck.

Nanaki lies down, resting his head on Aerith's lap with a deep sigh. She makes a cooing sound, scratching his head.

"I'm done with everything, as far as work goes. Is there anything you want to do?"

She sighs. "After everything that has happened, I can sleep." She giggles as Nanaki starts snoring lightly. "Maybe we can find a place to get him groomed. We could even try doing it ourselves."

Cloud grunts, already imagining the difficulty of giving Nanaki a bath. "We can try if you want. Let's go to the store."

"Oh! There's a pet store a few miles from here." She shows Cloud her phone. He taps on the directions. "Hmm, I've been there before," he says, pulling out of the parking area. "Let's go."

Aerith gives an excited whoop, making Nanaki's ears twitch and peek one eye open at the noise. "We're going to get you some good stuff!"

•••

 

They arrived at the pet store in 20 minutes. Vincent had called back while they were driving, explaining, "Sorry, they have noisy nurses around here."

Cloud snorted. Vincent continued with his earlier thought. "I've tried reaching out to the couple of people he mentioned, Rude and Reno. Were those their names?"

Aerith let out a surprised noise, prompting Vincent to ask if she knew them. "Those names sound familiar?"

Aerith hums. "Uh, well, my brother is friends with them. Although, it's not surprising considering they used to work for our grandparents' company."

“Huh, so if needed, your brother can get in contact with them?” Cloud asked. She nodded. “Yeah, he’s kept in regular contact with them, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”

"They're not responding to me, so we might need him. Have you told him what happened?" Vincent asks.

She groans. "No, not yet." She had texted Sephiroth, telling him her phone needed to be replaced, but nothing further.

He had asked her if everything was okay, but remembering their earlier conversation, she kept everything to herself. "I need to tell him, I just—" she sighed.

"It's better you tell him before he hears it from someone else, like Reno or Rude," Cloud says, reaching over to hold her hand. She gives a quiet, "I will."

Vincent sighs. "For now, things are at a standstill. I'm going back in. I'll reach out if anything changes."

“Okay, we’ll do the same.” And they left it at that. Cloud could see Aerith on her phone, not sure if she was texting her brother or not, but chose to leave it alone and let Aerith confide in him when she was ready.

•••

“Look, aren’t these cute!” Aerith runs up—Nanaki stayed with Cloud since he was in the treat aisle—and holds up a pair of doggy sneakers.

Nanaki and Cloud snort; Cloud in humor and Nanaki in distaste. His ears flattened, and he shook his mane. Cloud lets out a laugh. "He definitely doesn't think they're cute."

Aerith's shoulders sag. "Aw, fine, Nani, I'll put them back." She walks away with an exaggerated pout.

"You owe me," Cloud mumbles. Nanaki gives Cloud a flat look before nudging his hand—the hand holding treats.

Cloud huffs and rolls his eyes, opening the bag. Cloud's nose scrunches at the smell. "Ugh, here you go." He tosses a couple of treats to him.

An employee loudly clears their throat, giving Cloud a side eye. Cloud huffs. "I'm buying them." He throws a few more treats to Nanaki, who jumps and catches them mid-air. "Good catch."

Aerith walks over without doggy shoes, but now she has a basket with a large, fluffed bed, food, shampoo, and other grooming products.

Cloud looks at Nanaki. "You should have taken the sneakers. She's going to braid and bow up your hair."

Aerith squeaks, letting out a laugh. She taps Cloud's shoulder; Nanaki hides behind Cloud. "Stop! It's just stuff to keep his fur nice and glossy." She giggles. "Not a bow in sight, I promise, Nanaki!"

•*•*•

It takes 20 more minutes before Aerith is sure they have everything they need, even less time to pay and for Cloud to put everything in his truck.

"Yuffie, my dance instructor says she has a regular pet groomer she takes her cats to," Aerith says as they get into the truck.

"I thought you were going to give him a bath." Cloud starts the truck, ready to get them home.

She runs her fingers through Nanaki's mane, and they get stuck on matted fur. "I want to, but I think his first bath needs to be a deep clean." She pulls out her phone and starts clicking away. "Leslie said they can squeeze us in today, in about 40 minutes, if that's okay?"

Cloud huffs and rolls his eyes, acting as if her request is a great imposition. "I am here to serve, milady."

She reaches over Nanaki and pushes Cloud, laughing. "Cloud!"

He fights back a grin. "Yes, your ladyship? What do you require of your humble servant?" His voice remains deadpan.

She giggles, then shows him the directions. "Not too far, huh?" Cloud grunts. "Nothing is too great for you, my queen. Let us go." He pulls out, waiting for the light.

She unbuckles her seat belt and leans over, Nanaki huffing at the added weight. "Sorry, Nani!" She wraps her arms around Cloud's shoulders, giving his cheek a kiss. She pulls back with a sweet, "Thank you!"

Cloud holds her, pulling her face to his. Their mouths connect. They forget where they are as their lips caress, until a honk blares. They jump apart, lips glossy and plump, faces flushed.

Cloud clears his throat and waits as Aerith sits back before moving. "So, uh, where's the place again?"

Aerith giggles, follows the directions, her face still blushing. Nanaki looks at both of them and snorts, lying down with a smile.

•••

 

“Thanks for meeting us on short notice, Leslie!” Aerith smiles. Nanaki sits at her feet, staring up at the young man.

“Yeah, it’s no problem, really. This is an unusual breed,” he pauses, crouching down to assess Nanaki, with his hand held out to allow him to get his scent. Nanaki sneezes.

“Sorry about that. You probably smell other pets on me.” Leslie rubs his neck and pulls his cap off, holding it to Nanaki. “I like building a rapport with each animal. He seems very calm. Where did you get him?” Leslie asks as he pets Nanaki.

"He was found around Hicks' junkyard," Cloud says. Leslie nods and stands. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of him. I have a couple of other appointments, but they shouldn't take too long. I'll call you when we're done." He waves at them.

“We’ll see you in a bit, Nanaki,” Aerith says, giving his nose a peck. Nanaki whines, watching them leave.

•*•*•

 

They've only been gone for an hour when Leslie calls, saying everything is done.

In the meantime, Aerith spoke to her brother, or more like putting out a wild fire. When she told him what had happened, he was silent; she pulled her phone away to make sure he was still on the call.

“Where are they? When I find them, they’ll be dead men,” he growls. Aerith sighs. "Well, about that,"

She goes on to explain the rest of the situation. The conversation takes a sudden shift, and Cloud feels like he's intruding.

He leaves her alone to speak with her brother and leans against the truck, listening to the sounds of a bustling city. He opens his phone, checking his messages.

He sees one from Cid: "Job is complete, lover boy!" Cloud grins and sends back a thumbs up.

He messages his mother: "I have someone I'd like you to meet." It doesn't take long for her to reply: "I can't wait! I miss you!"
Cloud smiles and hits the call button.

“Son!”

“Hey mom. How are you?” He could hear the clanging of dishes and the sound of the television in the background.

She hums. He can hear the smile in her voice. "Great! When do I get to meet this mystery person? I hope it's before the wedding."

Cloud sputters, his face turning red. "Uh, we're not getting married yet, mom!" Claudia squeals, laughing. "No, I'm talking about Tifa and Johnny's wedding, silly!" She continues giggling.

Cloud sighs. "Oh, right. Of course, we'll talk and see when. Definitely sooner rather than later."

“Mmhmm, better be. I was with Thea earlier; she is so excited!” Claudia says, the conversation switching to Tifa’s wedding and their plans for the honeymoon. Cloud just listens, happy to hear his mother’s voice; it’s been too long.

They say their goodbyes not much longer. Cloud looks inside to see Aerith resting her head against the window, staring out at nothing in particular. "Love you, mom. Talk to you soon."

“Love you too!” she exclaims. Cloud smiles, disconnects, and pockets his phone.

“Heya. You alright?” He climbs inside, poking her side. She gives a weak smile and nods. “Yeah. My brother was upset.”

Cloud hums. "At—?" Aerith shakes her head, sweeping the dirt and fur off the seat between them. "At himself, of course. He's planning Hojo's death as we speak; he sent them to me to bring me back. Sephiroth is convinced it won't be over until he's buried six feet under." She shrugs.

"And, you don't want that?"

Aerith releases a shuddering breath. "I'm sick to death of—death; we've been surrounded by it for as long as I can remember."

Cloud tugs at the bottom of his shirt. Aerith turns and jumps into his arms. He hugs her tightly, with his face tucked into her neck. “Don’t worry about your brother.”

She huffed. "Easier said than done, but you're right. He said to trust him. It's all I can do, I guess."

“Mmhmm.” Cloud continues to hug her, rubbing his face against her neck. She giggles, her fingers gliding through his hair. "So, where are my underwear?"

Cloud laughs, pulling back. "Uh, I don't know what you're talking about."

She raises a suspicious eyebrow, narrowing her eyes. "Right." She jumps into tickling his side, then grabs his pockets. She gasps in mock horror as she grips his back, left pocket. "Don't know what I'm talking about, aye?" She smiles brightly.

He clicks his tongue and gives her a mischievous grin. "Oh, those? They're my good luck charm."

She blushes. "Oh, is that right?" He nods. "Well, far be it from me to take away your good luck. As long as you're not doing anything detestable with them."

Cloud snorted, grinning. "Like what?" He wasn't going to lie; he had thought about it. Although, he wouldn't go into detail. She gave him a look. "You know what."

They stared at each other. He could think of too many "detestable" things he'd like to do to her; he said as much.

Aerith blushes, biting her lip. He pulls her onto his lap by her belt loops. She squeaks, allowing herself to be handled. "Naughty Cloud," she whispers.

He kissed her deeply. "You have no idea," he mumbled against her lips.

Just as things were getting heated, her phone rang. "Leave it," he grunted. Aerith laughed. "Behave, you. It's Leslie. Hi, all done?" she answered.

He huffs, still caressing the skin of her lower back, leaning his head back. "Alrighty! We'll be there soon." She bites his neck, making Cloud groan. "Let's go." She climbs off with a huff, buckling up.

Cloud sighs, wincing as he scoots over to the driver's seat. "Buster's asking for a rain check."

Aerith burst out laughing.

 

•••

 

“Nanaki!” Aerith greets. His ears perk up, and he jumps from the seat he was lying in. They take note of his fur, which looked brown and clumped with dirt and debris—now shown to be amber and soft to the touch.

They sit to the side, waiting for Leslie to finish with another customer. Aerith gushes over the change, making Nanaki preen with attention.

"Looks like everything went more than okay," Cloud says as Leslie walks up to them. He nods and kneels, patting Nanaki on the head.

"He is one of the mildest pups I've met. I was worried at first, considering he was a stray, and as I washed him, it became clear that he must have endured abuse," Leslie says with a frown.

Cloud and Aerith nod. "It's not confirmed, but Hicks had a feeling he might've been used as bait," Cloud says, looking over the more obvious cuts on Nanaki.

Leslie frowned. "I wouldn't doubt it. I would just have assumed he got into fights, but these are scars that have healed, reopened, then healed again. Over and over." He scratched his right ear. "He's a good one, for sure."

Aerith smiles. "You sure are, aren't you, Nani!"

He gives a soft, "woo!" making them chuckle. "Consider this visit on the house," Leslie states. He stands, giving Nanaki a final pat. "But come see me in a few months."

"You sure?" Cloud asks. Aerith nods. "Yeah, you've done a lot for us, and you did a wonderful job. We can pay. No problem."

He shakes his head. "Nah, it's fine. He was easy and no trouble at all." He gives them a smile. Aerith returns it with a bright smile. "Thank you so much!"

They waved goodbye. "That was nice of him," Cloud said, holding the door open for Aerith and Nanaki.

They walked to the truck and hopped in quickly, the cabin smelling of Nanaki's fresh shampoo. Aerith ran her fingers through his fur, noticing its softness. "Wow, you must feel good, huh, Nanaki?"

He gives a happy howl, jumping into her lap, before leaping into Cloud's. Cloud grunts, as his crotch is stepped on. "Geez, careful, Red!" Nanaki snorts and bounds back to Aerith.

Aerith giggles. "Red, huh? It's more accurate than ever." She points to Nanaki's bright coat. He flops onto Aerith's lap and huffs, lying on his side. She rubs his belly. "Next, we'll have to get you checked out, but that's for another day. Anything else we need to do, Cloud?"

He scrunches his nose in thought, shaking his head. "Nope. Let's go home." They smile at each other. Aerith nods. "Yes, let's!"

Chapter 25: Sephiroth; the Lover

Summary:

We delve deeper into Sephiroth’s past
And Sephiroth delves deeper into Zack’s ass

Notes:

⚠️ warning ⚠️

•a bit of violence
•male/male fuckery

If that’s not you cup of tea, skip everything after the flashback/Zack making an entrance.

When Sephiroth pulled away from the curb, he had a plan in motion. Granted, it only consisted of killing Hojo and the three shitbags, but it was as good an idea as any.

He called up Angeal. Since their grandparents' corporation had gone bankrupt, Hojo went into hiding, owing money and overdue for an ass-kicking. He was on many people's shit list—Angeal would know, more or less, where to find him.

“Well, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Angeal’s deep voice boomed through the car’s speakers.

Sephiroth huffed. "Hojo."

Angeal groans. "I'm done dealing with that old man. Call Genesis; you'll have better luck."

“Funny. You know Genesis and I are not on speaking terms,” Sephiroth says, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. Not only are they not on speaking terms, but Sephiroth wouldn’t mind beating the shit out of him either.

Angeal chuckled. "Right," he huffed, continuing. "What's the reason for that again?"

Sephiroth rolls his eyes. "As if it matters at this point. Genesis can be food for the worms for all I care. Now,"

Angeal laughs, interrupting Sephiroth. "Hilarious, I get the same response from him—"

Sephiroth hits End, disconnecting the phone call. Angeal and Genesis were once his closest friends, with that, they knew more than anyone how to get under his skin. He feels himself scowling, his body tense.

He pulls into the parking garage of his home. He takes a breath and closes his eyes, regaining his composure. His speakers ring: Angeal is calling him back.

He huffs, answering the call. "That wasn't very nice, Sephiroth." Angeal says.

Sephiroth grunts. "Humph, you tend to bring out the worst in me." He unbuckles himself and turns off the engine.

Zack is inside, asleep and most likely dead to the world, from their earlier activities. He still wants this to be between him and Hojo. Angeal is just a means to an end.

He quietly enters, phone tucked between his chin and shoulder as he walks to his office.

Angeal hums. "I think you're getting me confused with the other. I made you face reality. How you react to the truth has nothing to do with me."

Sephiroth sits behind his desk, fires up his computer, and puts an earbud in; the phone call being transferred. He's up, so he might as well get some work done. "Be that as it may. Have you been in contact with Hojo?" He returns to the whole point of his earlier call.

 

"You mean since I last had to deal with him? No, after the company dissolved, I cut ties with everyone, including you, remember?" Angeal never wanted any part of their corporation. His dying mother was the only reason he stayed as long as he did. Well, that, and his compassion for the young Sephiroth.

Sephiroth’s steady clicking and clacking on the keyboard came to a sudden stop. He remembered. He also remembered the feeling of abandonment. He viewed Angeal as an older brother, one he had come to rely on. He still feels betrayed.

"Yes, how could I forget? I nearly lost my sister and the one person I could turn to, fucked off without a word. I remember vividly," Sephiroth hisses.

Angeal sighs, releasing a loud breath. "Sephiroth, what you were asking of me at that time was something I couldn't accomplish. I had too much to lose."

Sephiroth’s lip curls in disgust. "So did I. I still do." He breathes deeply and releases after a few seconds. He resumes his work. "You have to realize what it looked like to me—"

"I know."

Sephiroth chuckles. "Do you? I stole millions from my grandparents' company. Millions to help save your dying mother. How is Gillian doing, by the way?"

Angeal gives a mirthless laugh. "Oh, just fine. I hope to keep it that way, Sephiroth."

"I'm not completely heartless, unlike others we know." Sephiroth should have known reaching out to Angeal would be pointless, but when it came to obtaining information, Angeal was ideal.

Angeal clicks his tongue and clears his throat. "So, about Hojo. What do you need?"

Sephiroth smirks. "His whereabouts, he is up to his old tricks. I need him taken care of."

"And why would I know this?"

Sephiroth sighs, leaning back. "Angeal, stop being coy." Another thing that drove Sephiroth mad.

Angeal was always ready to lecture, to reprimand. He would demand Sephiroth and Genesis' loyalty and honesty, but to request anything of him was like pulling teeth.

Angeal groans. "Seph, I'm living an honest life."

Sephiroth snorts, interjecting, "We all are." Angeal continues, "I'm married now."

Sephiroth rolls his eyes. "Whoop-Dee-doo, so am I," he states, voice flat and devoid of emotion. "You owe me," he whispers.

“Sephiroth, I—wait, you’re married?” Angeal asks. Sephiroth huffed. “Yes, and so are you, apparently. Again, I’ll say. You. Owe. Me!” He whispers fervently. Sephiroth hears banging, Angeal curses.

He laughs. "Fuck! Do you know what you're asking of me?" Angeal growls. Sephiroth hums. "Humph, of course I do. It's why I'm asking you."

They sat in silence. Sephiroth resumed his typing, sending emails to his employees. "You know, I knew how important your mother was to you. How she was your beacon, the strength you depended on." Sephiroth started, pausing to see if Angeal had anything to say. He continued after a minute of silence, hearing Angeal release a deep sigh.

Sephiroth continued, "When you came to me, begging, snot-nosed, and crying, I never hesitated. I wanted to help you, even if that meant betraying my family,"

"You hated your grandparents—“ he interrupts. Sephiroth growls. “They were still my family! If I had stolen from them, it would have been for my sister's benefit—but you came,"

Angeal interjects again, "I didn't put a gun to your head, Sephiroth. Stop with the dramatics!"

"No, but you knew. You demanded loyalty. You knew I would do anything for you." And there it was. Young Sephiroth was convinced his heart belonged to Angeal. He was a fool.

"You left. You got what you wanted and left. No thank you, not a fucking thing. My grandparents found out, it nearly cost Aerith her life." He knows now that Genesis was the one who ratted him out.

He had lied and said Aerith was the one who was stealing from them, all to get back at Sephiroth. He was angry about Sephiroth's relationship with Angeal. He was also angry about his relationship with Zack. He was jealous of his "wonderful life", not knowing that behind closed doors, they were suffering.

“Listen, Sephiroth,”

“Did you know?” Angeal huffed and asked. "Know what?"

"That Genesis told Hojo about the money. He lied, you know. He said Aerith was stealing from him. It didn’t take much convincing, you know Hojo; guilty until proven innocent. Of course, he didn’t bother trying to prove anything. Didn’t matter if I pulled out all the receipts; he was still adamant—he beat her black and blue. Him and his little mutts."

•*•

 

Sephiroth remembers the screams, her crying. The blood. The stench of copper so thick, it was as if he was sucking on a penny. He fought off the mutts as best he could, but he saw the manic look in Hojo's eyes, watched as Hojo held a gleaming knife to her throat.

“Sephiroth, my boy. I’d suggest leaving well enough alone! She’s a thief! Thieves need to be dealt with. Now let go of Yaz,”

Sephiroth held Yazoo by the throat, watching as he struggled; his face turning a shade of plum. Loz was in the corner, rocking back and forth, crying. And Kadaj was unconscious at his feet.

He dropped Yazoo, listening as he sucked in air, choking. Sephiroth was breathing heavily, blood rushing in his ears, heart thumping wildly. "Atta boy!" Hojo laughed, throwing Aerith's beaten body to the floor.

He feels his body shaking, adrenaline pumping moments before. He watches as he spits at her, cursing her. "Fucking thief! That'll teach you to steal from me, I dare!"

“I did it. I did it. I did it,” he repeats over and over. The withdrawal slips lay on the floor, discarded, ignored.

"You pathetic boy! Get your brothers! What use are you, you imbecile!" Hojo yells, kicking Loz, who grunts and runs to his brothers. He picks up Kadaj and helps Yazoo stand, dragging them away. Hojo follows, cursing and hitting Loz.

Sephiroth runs to his sister. "Aerith. Aerith, please!" He cries, cradling her to his body. "Please!" He hears her take slow, struggling breaths. The person who he used to run to, hasn't spoken to him in weeks; Angeal had moved and blocked his number. "Fuck you."

“Fuck you!”

•*•

“Sephiroth.”

It wasn’t Angeal’s voice calling him. "Zack?" he whispered.

Zack holds his face, wiping away his tears. "What's happened, baby?" Sephiroth pulls away, swiveling in his seat. He looks down at his phone, sees that Angeal had hung up.

“Sorry, I,” Sephiroth wants to lie. He’s used to it. He lied all the time: to Zack, to Aerith, to himself. He set his phone back down and sighed.

“I remember the past,”

Zack turns him back around, crouches down, and looks up at him; his eyes full of concern. "You were crying. Is there anything I can do?"

Sephiroth gives him a small smile, running his fingers through his bedhead. He shakes his head. "Nope. Unless you can turn back time,"

Zack starts singing "Cher," doing a horrible impression. Sephiroth grins. "Uh, better yet, just stop singing." Zack pouts. "Hey! I do a good Cher!"

Sephiroth snorts. "If you say so, but I'm inclined to disagree." He stands, dragging Zack up with him, and kisses his pout away. "Just be with me. That's all I need."

Zack tucks himself against his chest, giving his exposed clavicle a gentle kiss. "I can do that," he whispers.

“Cher’s not invited, though.”

Zack huffs, biting his chest. "You never appreciate my impressions!" he jokes. Sephiroth groans as he continues to bite and suck at his chest and neck. "They're not you, that's why."

“Ugh, corny!” Zack chuckles. Sephiroth smirks, noticing the fluffed robe. He opens it up to see naked flesh. “There’s better uses for that mouth of yours, I’m sure.”

"I think we've figured that out already," he groans.

Sephiroth hums, mouthing at his neck, licking up his jaw to claim his mouth. "You're still loose?" He mumbles, reaching behind to trace over his rim. Oh, yes, he is.

Zack cries out, moaning as he sinks in to the first knuckle. "Still need lube, baby," he huffs, feeling Sephiroth push deeper, curling, looking for— "oh, fu-uh." His cock jumps, his tip weeping, as his prostate is rubbed. "Lube."

Sephiroth grunts, opening a drawer, then another, paper rustling as he looks for something. "Yes." Zack peeks an eye open, seeing him uncap a bottle of Astroglide. He huffs. "Why do you have lube in your desk?"

Sephiroth chuckles. "Hush, just be grateful, brat," he says, plunging two lube-covered fingers in, scissoring, then pulling out to glide over his rim, before sliding back in. "Fuck, Sephiroth—oh, oh!" A third finger joins the action.

"You have condoms in one of those drawers?" Zack moans, fucking back onto his fingers. Sephiroth tongues his mouth, fucking in and out in rhythm with his fingers, finally biting and sucking on his bottom lip.

“Probably, I think I want to torture you a bit more, though.” He sits down, pulling Zack onto his lap, one arm wrapped around his waist, while the other hand fucks in and out, the sound squelching and obscene.

He's rubbing, prodding, and pressing on his prostate, his dick freely flowing with pre-ejaculate. "Oh fuck, you're awe—uh, oh fu—ck!" Zack cries, as his cock spurts and twitches.

Sephiroth continues to rub the spot, determined to wring out every drop, making Zack wince. "Too sensitive, babe," Sephiroth hums, and pulls his fingers out, wiping them on his robe.

Zack leans forward, resting his head on his shoulder, catching his breath. "Mm, hmm. I kinda wanted you in me, but this works too."

"My turn?" Zack pulls back, looking down at his spunk-covered chest. He wipes a bit up, covering the tips of the fore and middle fingers. He offers them to Sephiroth, watching as he sucks them into his mouth. "I think I want to torture you a bit more."

“Or torture myself, fuck Sephiroth has a mouth on him,” Zack thinks, as Sephiroth sucks on his fingers, acting as if he has another appendage of Zack's in his mouth.

Sephiroth grins, pulling Zack's fingers out with a slick pop. Zack's mouth is slack, his eyes are glossy, and his face is flushed. "Time to put that mouth of yours to use. Down, little doggy, I got a big bone, just for you."

Zack twitches, letting himself be pushed to the floor, his nose being smushed against his crotch. He inhales deeply, his mouth watering at the heaviness contained.

Sephiroth pushes his hands away, saying, "Only your mouth." He helps him by popping the button open, but Zack tugs at his zipper with his teeth, using his top lip and nose to comb through his pubic hair, scenting his muskiness.

Sephiroth groans, watching as Zack noses and mouths at his cock, trying to nudge it out of its confines.

Zack growls, "I need my hands," and pulls Sephiroth's pants down, finally freeing his dick.

He licks his penis, moist breath wrapping around it like a hug, until he reaches the tip, rolling his tongue to flick and suck at the crown. "What a good doggy you are, lapping at my slick. Hungry thing, aren't you?"

Sephiroth grips Zack's hair, bunching it into a ponytail, and feeds his dick to him; holding the base as Zack takes him inch by inch, until his nose is flush against his pubes. He gags, saliva coating his encircled fingers.

Sephiroth pulls him off, letting Zack catch his breath, before plunging back in; the back of his throat caressing the cock head. Over and over, until he is fucking Zack's mouth at a feverish pace; his mouth slack and eyes rolled back, the bottom of his face covered in spit and stray, salty tears.

He's nearing the edge, teetering, "so fucking close." Sephiroth stands, his hands still tightly fisted in Zack's hair. "Open up, doggy, that's a good boy," he grunts, watching as Zack lolls his tongue, catching Sephiroth's pearly slick.

 

“You’ll drink everything your master has to offer—uh, Zack—uh, mm,” his hand flicks quickly, cum spattering on Zack’s lips and tongue, a few droplets coating his forehead and nose.

Zack swallowed what entered his mouth with a moan. His tongue licked and smacked any stray drops from his lips. "Mm."

Sephiroth huffs, releases Zack, and falls back into his chair. "Well, shit." Zack nods, resting his head against Sephiroth's knees.

A few minutes passed. Sephiroth looked down and saw Zack had fallen asleep. He chuckled and shook his head. Getting up, he helped Zack stand as well. "Hmm?"

“Let's get cleaned up and go to bed,” Sephiroth says. Zack nods with a yawn and follows along with a smile.

•*•

 

Wiped down and teeth brushed, they lay in bed. A lightly snoring Zack is tucked in, leg thrown over Sephiroth's body, and his left hand resting on his chest.

Sephiroth smiles, staring at the matching wedding bands. In the beginning, he had treated Zack like a stand-in, a replacement for Angeal, but now, Sephiroth can say, without a doubt, that he is completely in love with Zack.

He feels his eyes droop, sleep taking over, before his phone vibrates. He opens his eyes, grabs his phone, and sees a message from Angeal:

“I'll help you.”

Chapter 26: Ready or Not

Summary:

“Where are they? When I find them, they’ll be dead men,” he growls, words dripping like venom.

Aerith sighs. "Well, about that," she pauses. “I, uh, killed them,”

Sephiroth observes as Angeal steps out of his vehicle, unexpectedly followed by Genesis, who trails right behind him.

"What the hell," Sephiroth shoots a glare in their direction. Angeal's eyes widen in surprise. He shrugs and silently mouths, "my bad!"

 

The two approach Sephiroth, who is seated in a quiet corner of a café. It was Angeal's idea to meet here: "I need to be in a public place, surrounded by witnesses," he insisted. If Sephiroth had intended to harm him, he could have done it anywhere, regardless of the café's patrons.

 

Sephiroth can't help but notice that, despite the years apart, the bastard looks surprisingly well. Angeal remains mostly unchanged, save for a few strands of silver and smile lines.

 

The other fool can just choke on his own arrogance. Sephiroth rolls his eyes, already irritated by Genesis' smug demeanor. "I don’t recall extending an invitation to him," Sephiroth mutters, pointedly ignoring Genesis.

 

Genesis grins. "It's nice to see you too, Sephiroth."

 

He continues to focus on Angeal. "What’s going on here?" Sephiroth demands. Angeal starts to respond, but Genesis interjects.

 

"I heard you were looking for help with tracking down Hojo. I’m here to offer my assistance."

 

"And why would you want to help me?" Sephiroth retorts, his voice laced with skepticism. "You betrayed us. Or was that just a figment of my imagination?" His eyes remain icy and unyielding, fixed on Genesis.

 

Genesis has the nerve to feign innocence. "Us?"

 

Sephiroth growls, his fists tightening. "My sister and me."

 

Genesis exhales deeply. "I know I messed up. Jealousy and rage drove me to it. I truly want to make amends for my mistakes."

 

"Sure, 'make amends,'" Sephiroth scoffs, unable to accept his words. A surge of anger churns in his gut, threatening to erupt. For three weeks, Aerith lay in a hospital bed, sustained by machines.

 

"And now he wants to help," Sephiroth mutters bitterly. Angeal and Genesis exchange glances. In a sudden burst of emotion, he strides towards Genesis and delivers a sharp blow to his face.

 

Once the dam was breached, he couldn’t hold back. Years of pent-up resentment poured forth, raw and unfiltered. "Sephiroth!" Angeal shouted, trying to intervene.

 

 

---

 

They linger outside the café, the manager shooing them away and threatening to involve the police. "No need for that," Angeal grumbles, pulling Sephiroth and Genesis along behind him.

 

"You feeling good about this?" Genesis mutters, his lips puffy and his left eye nearly shut.

 

Sephiroth chuckles softly. "Not quite, you’re still upright."

 

“Alright, that’s enough. We’re not getting anywhere like this!” Angela says, pushing them apart.

 

Sephiroth laughs, shaking his head. “You’re right. But just so we’re clear, I don’t trust you,” he says, pushing Genesis.

 

Genesis lets out an exasperated breath. "I don’t expect you to." Silence settles among them.

 

Angeal glances between the two and sighs. "So what’s our next move?"

 

Sephiroth folds his arms. "The plan was to locate Hojo,"

 

Genesis rolls his eyes. "You’d think you’d know your own grandfather."

 

Sephiroth twitches, barely restraining himself from hitting Genesis. Genesis had always admired Hojo’s experiments, a fact that now made Angeal’s suggestion about him seem all the more fitting. "Let me guess, you know where he is?"

 

Genesis tsked, flicking his bangs back with a smirk. "Naturally."

 

Sephiroth snorted. "How could I forget? You were always so enamored with the lunatic."

 

Angeal chuckled. "Well, this could turn out simpler than we thought. So where’s the madman hiding?"

 

Genesis looked between them, bewildered. "What?" Angeal sighed, his shoulders slumping. He had anticipated that Genesis would be troublesome.

 

Sephiroth felt a throbbing frustration in his temples. He wanted to strangle someone. If it weren’t for Angeal’s hand pressed against his chest, he might have taken another swing. Instead, he laughed. "What? What’s with the confusion?"

 

Angeal cleared his throat. "How about we find a more private place? My bar isn’t far from here." He began walking toward his car. "You coming with us?" he asked Sephiroth.

 

"I’ll follow. No telling what I might do if I’m too close to him." He nodded toward Genesis, who was trying to act nonchalant despite half his face being swollen and bruised.

 

“Alright then. I was hoping to keep this nonsense out of my business, but it looks like that’s not happening.” Angeal unlocked his car and climbed in. “Hurry it up,” he called to Genesis.

 

Sephiroth shut his door and started the engine, waiting for Angeal to lead the way. He wasn’t sure what to expect—whether Genesis would even give up Hojo—but he figured landing a few punches would be worth it.

 

As he waited, Sephiroth tried calling Aerith; it went to voicemail. He dialed again—same result. Worry gnawed at him. The thought of Hojo being in contact with her sent his mind racing with all sorts of scenarios. He called once more. "Damn it, Aerith."

 

“Hello, dear sister. It’s your brother. Call me back.” He hung up and drove, keeping close to Angeal’s car. He was determined to get answers one way or another, and hopefully, they could finally put an end to the old fool.

 

 

---

 

The meeting turned out to be a letdown. They sat in silence, exchanging furtive glances but saying very little. It was hard to reconcile that these two were once the closest allies of Sephiroth. Now, he could hardly tolerate their company.

 

“Information doesn’t come without a price,” Genesis remarked, “and I have expenses to cover. You seem to have money to spare…”

 

Sephiroth clenched his jaw, already regretting his decision to contact Angeal. “So much for your idea of 'atonement.' I can’t say I’m surprised.” He downed the rest of his amber drink, wincing as the liquid seared his throat.

 

He bit his lip and cleared his throat while scrutinizing his empty glass. He twisted it in his hands, assessing its sturdiness. He tossed it lightly in the air, noting its weight.

 

Meanwhile, Genesis and Angeal continued their idle chatter, blissfully unaware of Sephiroth’s rising irritation. Watching them exchange stories and laughter only intensified his frustration. The fact that he needed to lean on them was already infuriating, and Genesis’s constant bragging about his achievements made Sephiroth’s blood boil.

 

Finally losing his composure, Sephiroth flung the hefty glass tumbler at Genesis’s face.

 

Genesis had quick reflexes, but his self-absorption left him unprepared for the incoming projectile. The tumbler smashed into his already bruised eye. “Agh, damn! What the fuck…” he yelped, recoiling in pain.

 

Angeal’s eyes widened as he heard the glass shatter and saw blood trickling down Genesis’s face. “Sephiroth!” he exclaimed, turning to the smirking figure.

 

“I didn’t come here to listen to you two,” Sephiroth snapped, rising from his chair with a screech against the floor, and slammed his fist onto the table. “So tell me what I need to know,” he growled.

 

Genesis groaned, nursing his eye. “You bastard!”

 

Sephiroth exhaled sharply and straightened his posture, towering over them. “Yes, and you know what I’m capable of. So don’t test me.”

 

An uncomfortable silence fell over the trio. Genesis let out heavy breaths while Angeal tended to his injured friend.

 

Sephiroth rolled his eyes. Angeal had always taken on the role of the older brother, playing caretaker whenever they were hurt. “Some things never change,” he muttered under his breath.

 

After a few minutes filled only with the clinking of glasses and distant chatter, he finally broke the silence. “He’s hiding at the abandoned lab.”

 

Sephiroth’s brow furrowed. He considered making his way there immediately, fearing Hojo might slip away.

 

Angeal shook his head. “That place has been sealed off for years. Even the area around it is blocked.”

 

Genesis shrugged. “As if that matters to him.” He winced as Angeal dabbed at the blood on his face, pulling away to grimace. “It’s actually a perfect spot.”

 

Sephiroth snorted. “Of course it is. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that sooner.” Just then, he felt his phone vibrate. He glanced at the screen and sighed in relief upon reading a message from Aerith: [Hey Seph! Sorry my phone was broken. Just got a new one.]

 

“We’re done here. Angeal, your services are no longer needed,” he huffs and makes his way to leave.

 

“Sephiroth!” Angeal stands. “What are you doing? Don’t do anything you’ll come to regret!” A look of concern crosses his face.

 

“It’s too late for that, and anyway, it’s nothing for you to worry about—not anymore.” He opens the door and pauses before exiting, looking back at the pair. “Whisper a word to anyone, and I’ll gut you both,” the threat heavy in the air despite his calm manner. He leaves without another word.

 

The sun glares, thick rain clouds rolling in and trying to blot out its bright rays. He opens his phone and calls Aerith, relieved when she answers. “Sister,” he hears her take a deep, shivery breath.

 

“Hey, bro!” Her voice is bright and cheery. Sephiroth knows he can hear something is wrong.

 

“What has happened?” He waits patiently, silence thick and making Sephiroth uneasy. “Don’t lie to me.”

 

Aerith releases a heavy sigh and recounts her morning. Her voice is devoid of emotion, almost as if she’s reliving every second; monotone and lacking her usual warmth while retelling a gruesome tale. Sephiroth grips the steering wheel, knuckles white and teeth grinding; listening as anger quickly fills him.

 

“Where are they? When I find them, they’ll be dead men,” he growls, words dripping like venom.

 

Aerith sighs. "Well, about that," she pauses. “I, uh, killed them,” it’s a whisper, but it stuns him as if she were yelling it from the rooftops. It takes his breath away, his eyes widening and mouth slightly open in shock as she continues:

 

“I don’t know, Seph,” she sniffs. “I don’t know what came over me!” Her breathing comes in quick pants; panicked and wheezing.

 

“Aerith! Sister, please breathe!” He hears her start taking deep breaths, holding them before releasing them in wet sighs. “I’m so sorry,” he whispers.

 

“Brother, why? You did nothing—“

 

Sephiroth feels his anger boil over. “That’s exactly why!” His voice booms in the quiet car, his right fist pounding on the dashboard. He wants it—needs it to be Hojo’s face; knowing he is to blame. He presses the ignition, the vehicle starting, her voice coming through the speakers; her anguish loud and clear as she lets out whimpering sobs.

 

“Please! There are too many who want to shoulder the blame; it’s mine alone. I did it!” She takes another deep breath. “I killed them.” Her voice is firm.

 

Sephiroth pulls out of the lot, wheels screeching as he drives out onto the street, narrowly missing oncoming traffic. Several honks follow, and he almost wishes they would try something; he wants to make someone bleed. He speeds away, heading to the abandoned lab. Although the main road is blocked, there are several back roads he can take to get there; he is very familiar with the area.

 

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, sister,” he absentmindedly says, focused on weaving through traffic; the quicker he can get his hands on Hojo, the better. He runs a red light. “It was self-defense.”

 

She gives a mirthless laugh. “I think after the second stab, that went out the window.” She sighs. “I wanted them to pay,” it’s soft and quiet, but he hears the angry grit in her voice. “All those years of pain and torture. If I hadn’t run away all those years ago—I would have done it then.” It’s a whispered admission. “I would have done it in their sleep.” She continues, “I thought about it so many times.”

 

Sephiroth feels shame and guilt; it’s thick and choking as it rises like bile from the pit of his stomach. “It should have been me.” He did his best to take the brunt of Hojo’s anger, but it was never enough, and she came out busted and bruised for his efforts. He grits his teeth, tears trickling down his cheeks. He wipes them away just as quickly as they fall. “Where are you now?”

 

After several sniffs, she answers. “Cloud,”

 

“That punk didn’t bother to call me?!”

 

“Brother, don’t; he was—is taking care of me.”

 

Sephiroth huffs. “Fine. I’ll get in contact with Rude and see what’s going on, and as for the old woman—”

 

“Seph,” she says. “I want to do something for her; please say we can? She’s, I never knew her to have family, but she treated everyone as if they were her own.”

 

“No family, huh?” Sephiroth frowns; it’s unfortunate, but it works for them.

 

“I don’t think so,” she clears her throat. “Uhm, tell, uh, Reno and Rude thank you for me, will you?”

 

“Sure.” He can only imagine the tale they have to tell, having been privy to many of Kadaj and Yazoo’s ‘scenes’; they’re vile and stomach-churning. “I don’t want you to worry, Aerith,”

 

She softly chuckles. “Yeah, easier said than done. I’m trying,”

 

“It’s going to take time; justified it may be; taking a life—it stays with you,” he swallows thickly. “I’m here if you need anything.” They stay connected for a few minutes, sitting in each other’s silence only disturbed by the busy streets.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Hmm,” he turns onto a dirt path, hoping the car can make the journey. He slowly treks through the densely forested area, avoiding dips in the dirt and fallen foliage. “I’ll talk to you soon. I have business to take care of.”

 

“Of course. Love you, bro.”

 

“Love you.” He sits back as she disconnects the call—the car coming to a stop; there’s a toppled tree blocking his path. He pockets his phone and shuts off the vehicle. “Looks like I’m walking the rest of the way,” he mumbles, looking down at his expensive designer boots with a groan; not exactly meant for hiking. “Another reason to smash his face in,” he thinks as he exits the car.

 

“Ready or not, motherfucker, here I come.”

Notes:

I have some many stories rolling in my head, it’s become distracting (literally five different stories I’m working on) HELP ME! lol

Please be patient with me.

Chapter 27: Stay by My Side

---

After grabbing some takeout and snacks from a nearby gas station, they finally arrive at Cloud's apartment. Cloud glances up at the sky, noticing dark clouds gathering as the wind picks up and distant thunder rumbles. He watches Aerith as she gathers her bag, along with several plastic bags filled with food and supplies for her pet. "We should see if Red needs to go out; it looks like rain is coming," he says, taking the bags from her hands.

 

"Are you sure? I can help," she replies, glancing around nervously as she clips the leash onto Nanaki and begins to stroll, letting him sniff everything in his path.

 

Cloud senses her unease and feels a twinge of frustration with himself. After all she's been through—"Do you want me to stay with you?" he asks just as a loud clap of thunder reverberates, triggering a few nearby car alarms.

 

"No, no, it’s fine. I’m okay," she responds, giving him a guilty look as she shakes her head. "Come on, Nanaki."

 

He watches her for a moment. "I’ll be quick," he promises, hurrying toward the elevator. In just a couple of minutes, he stashes their things inside and heads back down. He gives the truck a quick inspection to ensure he hasn’t forgotten anything before looking for Aerith. He finds her a short distance away, with Nanaki pulling her along, his nose to the ground.

 

Cloud can't help but smile as he approaches. He chuckles as another rumble of thunder causes her to jump slightly. “Did you hear that? Come on, Nani, go potty!” Aerith encourages, directing him toward a patch of grass. “You never know when you’ll get another chance.”

 

“Not listening, huh?” Cloud teases.

 

Aerith clicks her tongue in frustration. “No, everything is new to him; he just wants to explore. Oh, look!” They high-five as Nanaki finally does his business. “All done, Nanaki?”

 

After a few more minutes of aimless wandering, Nanaki plops down at Aerith’s feet. “Let’s head upstairs.” Cloud extends his hand and gently guides her toward the elevator.

 

Inside, they work together to put away the food and prepare Nanaki’s bed, food, and water bowl. The sound of heavy raindrops tapping against the windows creates a soothing atmosphere as they move quietly.

 

Cloud glances at her bags. “Do you want to stay with me, or would you prefer the guest room?” He wants to give her the option, secretly hoping she’ll choose to stay with him.

 

“With you, of course,” she beams.

 

He smiles back, feeling a wave of relaxation wash over him as he takes her things to his room.

 

“I didn’t know you had a guest room,” she calls out as he heads up the stairs.

 

“Yeah,” he replies, leaning over the railing. “It’s more of an office space, but…” He shrugs. “I have a desk up here that I barely use; there’s no point in keeping a separate office if I’m not going to work in it.” He watches her as she climbs the stairs, her fingers trailing along the railing.

 

She pauses in front of him, her face lighting up. “Nanaki is already asleep; mission accomplished.” She raises her hand for a high-five.

 

Cloud chuckles as he slaps her palm. “Couldn’t have done it without you.” He holds her hand for a moment, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss.

 

“We make a great team,” she says, pulling him closer and wrapping her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. “Your heartbeat is so strong.”

 

He smiles gently. “Hm. Ready to eat?” he asks, planting a tender kiss on her head. She pulls back slightly, their faces close, sharing the same breath. He tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek.

 

“I should eat, but I’m not really hungry,” she admits.

 

“Vegetable lo mein and crispy egg rolls,” he playfully teases.

 

She laughs, “That’s tempting; add a cheesy romance movie, and I’m sold.”

 

“Whatever you want,” he replies, a grin spreading across his face.

 

---

 

After a quick shower, he wanders downstairs, dressed in checkerboard boxers and an oversized shirt. His socked feet make little noise as he descends the stairs. He stops to watch Aerith, who is wrapped in his favorite throw blanket, humming softly as she searches for a movie.

 

“Looking for cheesy romance films? Hallmark is your channel.” He leans over the back of the couch, giving her a quick kiss. “Let me heat up the food.”

 

The coffee table transforms into a delicious spread, containers open and steaming, filling the air with enticing aromas. “Ooh, my mouth is watering,” Aerith sings as she arranges their plates beside each other.

 

“Hmm, thanks,” he smiles gently, watching her portion the food. “Has your appetite returned?” He rubs her back, his right hand moving to caress her neck.

 

“Absolutely rumbling,” she grins.

 

They finish their meal quickly, leaving only a couple of egg rolls behind. The movie plays softly in the background, forgotten as they snuggle and kiss. Their affection doesn’t go beyond gentle touches, both cocooned in the warmth of Cloud’s blanket.

 

“How are you feeling?” Cloud asks, holding her tightly, his nose nestled against her neck.

 

“I’m okay.”

 

He hums. “Did you talk to your brother?”

 

She nods.

 

Cloud hums again as she falls silent. “You don’t have to say anything; just know I’m here when you need me.”

 

“Thank you, Cloud, really—I’m sorry—“

 

Cloud quickly shakes his head. “No, stop. You don’t need to apologize.”

 

The movie continues to play, thunder rumbling outside as heavy raindrops drum against the window. It’s a calming yet weighty atmosphere. Aerith turns to him, nibbling her lip, her brow furrowed. “I feel guilty, but—” she sighs. “I hope you don’t think badly of me; I feel guilty for not… feeling guilty. Does that make sense?”

 

Cloud leans down and kisses her forehead. “Sure. From what I understand, and based on my own experiences—they weren’t good people, and they did terrible things.”

 

Aerith’s lip quivers, tears welling up in her eyes. “It wasn’t just Yvonne and Rocco I was fighting for—it felt like I was a little girl again,” she pauses, her breath catching as she struggles to contain her emotions. “I couldn’t stop; how could I?”

 

Cloud lets her process her thoughts, listening attentively as he strokes her cheek, shoulders, and arms. Her words come out in hushed whispers, sometimes hurried, other times stuttering as she struggles to articulate her feelings. She recounts her childhood, detailing the horrors she faced at the hands of Hojo and the “clones,” each memory more twisted than the last, until Cloud can barely contain his anger. If they weren’t already gone, he isn’t sure what he would do. He rests against her, tucking his head between her neck and her shoulder, biting his lip to keep his fury in check.

 

The movie has ended, the credits rolling. Aerith lets out a wet chuckle. “Trauma dump!” she tries to joke. Despite her smile, tears continue to stream down her face. It feels selfish, perhaps—Cloud wouldn’t see it that way—but for her, she had always worked to keep everything hidden, tightly sealed and buried deep inside. She takes a deep breath, holds it, then releases it—finally feeling a sense of peace. “Huh, my brother would be proud; I’m not exactly the sharing type.”

 

Cloud hums. “Well, thank you for opening up to me.” It sounds awkward, considering their past, but this moment feels different. It’s intimate and beautiful—she’s beautiful in her vulnerability. He doesn’t want to fix her—something his past relationships have accused him of—but he wants to hold her close, take her hand, and walk beside her forever.

 

---

 

Aerith stirred awake to the gentle nudge of a wet nose against her cheek. With a surprised squeak, she blinked her eyes open. “Nanaki!” she laughed, delight sparkling in her gaze. Turning her head, she noticed Cloud peacefully snoring beside her, and a warm smile spread across her face. “Do you need to go out?” she whispered, giving the pup a gentle scratch behind the ears. “Alright, alright,” she said, standing up and carefully tucking Cloud back under the covers. She couldn’t help but coo as he let out a soft groan of protest, a sound that made her heart flutter. “I’ll be back soon,” she promised.

 

With a joyful bounce, Nanaki followed her as she made her way to the door to grab his leash. She chuckled, “I know, I know, it’s potty time!” she sang playfully, matching his excitement. “Let’s go, Red!” she said as she clipped the leash on and led him outside. Choosing the stairs, she took her time as Nanaki hesitated on each step. “Just take it slow, buddy. Practice makes perfect,” she encouraged him.

 

As they reached the grass, Nanaki dashed ahead, quickly taking care of business. “Poor thing, you must have really needed to go,” she murmured with sympathy. Suddenly, she had to leap aside as Nanaki kicked up the grass with his back legs, looking back at her for praise. “Good boy!” she cheered, her heart swelling with affection.

 

She had left her phone upstairs, but judging by the bustling sounds from the city and the cheerful chirping of the birds, it was still early. Following her inquisitive pup, she giggled as he spotted a squirrel darting across their path. “Leave it, Nanaki,” she grinned, watching him sniff the air in curiosity.

 

Taking a deep breath, memories of the previous day flooded her mind—her time with Cloud and her unfiltered outpouring of emotions. A flush crept across her cheeks as she recalled sharing her past, bits and pieces that had haunted her for years. Although embarrassment washed over her, an overwhelming sense of calm settled in. With Cloud holding her tight through the night, comforting her after her nightmares, she felt truly cared for and understood. She knew healing would take time, but having Cloud by her side made her believe she could move forward.

 

“Aerith!” Cloud’s urgent voice broke through her thoughts.

 

“Cloud?” she responded, tilting her head in curiosity.

 

He rushed towards her, his expression serious and his brow furrowed. “It’s your brother.”

Chapter 28: Ignite a Fire Within

Summary:

A flicker of fear ignites within him—he has never feared death or the end, but now, with so much at stake, it feels different.

Notes:

⚠️Violence

---

Sephiroth had lost all sense of time as he navigated through the endless sea of thick vegetation; the uniformity of the trees made every step feel like a loop in a never-ending cycle. He silently thanked his past journeys along this route; without that familiarity, he would surely be lost. Yet, a prickling anxiety surged within him as he passed a tree that seemed eerily familiar.

Drawing in a steadying breath, he whispered to himself, “Stay focused.” It was a mantra easier to recite than to embody. His thoughts spiraled, relentlessly fixated on Aerith.

“I killed them…”

The phrase held little weight for him now. After witnessing countless deaths, he had grown somewhat numb to murder. He had committed acts that haunted him, choices he regretted, moments he wished he could erase.

“I killed them…”

He had failed to shield her—then and seemingly now. She had endured so much suffering. When he had aided her escape, he believed that dark chapter was finally behind them. The reasons behind Hojo’s relentless pursuit remained a baffling enigma—one he had no intention of unraveling. All he craved was vengeance.

It’s what they’re owed. It’s their right. He hasn’t hurt another living being in a long while, hasn’t needed to when they had escaped Hojo’s control. He made a promise to himself he wouldn’t, but now, it’s a promise he’ll gladly disregard. He can almost see it, smell it—the heavy tang of cooper dripping down his throat. How many times has he thought of killing Hojo when he was a child, when he was a teenager—a young adult. That craving never left and was about to be fulfilled.

He eyes the busted fencing. It’s ragged, broken in some spots and covered with thick vines. There’s signs everywhere: “Entry Prohibited!”, big orange things that are placed every few feet.

With all the warnings and even his own gut churning with nerves, he enters through broken links. From what he can tell he’s in the back of the building. As he walks along the path This place brings back memories, so many memories. He sure if he looked hard enough, could see the phantoms of their past selves running through overgrown brush.

He recalls the time when Aerith had gone “missing.” She was only ten back then, and had attempted to escape:

“Where is your sister?” Hojo spat, slamming his notes down on the table where Sephiroth was trying to eat.

“I don’t know,” Sephiroth replied, shoveling a spoonful into his mouth; his grandmother had granted him permission to eat only after a long day of mucking out the animal pens—he quickly pushed the thought aside to keep his appetite intact.

Hojo seized his plate and sent the food crashing to the floor. “What. Did. I. Say?” Each word dripped with venom as he stomped on Sephiroth’s meal. “You’re supposed to keep your sister in check; that means knowing her whereabouts at all times!” He flung the plate back onto the table.

Sephiroth reclined in his chair, heart racing, but his expression remained unreadable, locking eyes with the furious man. He was starving…

“The last I saw her, she was in the closet,” Sephiroth mumbled, diverting his gaze; he might have left the door ajar when he brought her food earlier.

“Well, no shit! That’s where she should be! That’s where I left her!” Hojo’s voice escalated with each syllable. “Do you take me for a fool, boy?” He struck Sephiroth’s head, then yanked a handful of silver hair, forcing the boy to meet his gaze. “Find. Her!” He let go with a rough shove, a twisted grin forming on his face. “You better hope you catch her first.” His expression soured. “Clean this mess up!” He kicked at the ruined food, snatching his notes up.

Sephiroth watched Hojo storm off, his heart pounding, throat tightening, and nerves crackling under his skin. He felt like crying. He wanted to scream. All he wanted was a moment of peace to eat; he should have known the monster would discover Aerith was gone. It had only been a few hours… she couldn’t have wandered too far.

He was conflicted: should he leave her be and hope she had slipped away? Or should he search for her, trying to find her before Hojo did? What would Hojo do if he found her? Sephiroth stood, eyes drawn to the mess on the floor—food splattered on his shoes and pants. “Bastard,” he muttered under his breath.

He lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry Aerith…”

 

---

 

It didn’t matter that he had discovered her first, and it hadn’t taken him long to do so. He vividly recalls the way his heart plummeted when he spotted her sprawled on the ground, clutching her knees tightly to her chest.

“Aerith!” His voice was laced with panic as he rushed toward her. The two men assigned to assist him wasted no time in contacting Hojo. Their casual references to her as merely another test subject ignited a fire of anger within him. He shouldn’t have been surprised; in many ways, she was. He gently helped her into a sitting position, feeling a wave of relief wash over him as her eyes fluttered open.

“Seph?” she murmured.

He exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and nodded. “Yes. What happened? Are you alright? Are you hurt?” He scanned her body, unable to determine whether the scrapes and bruises were recent or remnants of the past.

“I’m okay, I… just felt so weak,” she replied in a soft voice, her eyes wide with fear as she glanced at the two men approaching them.

“Did you eat?” He recalled the meager portions they had provided her, and he couldn’t say how long it had been since she had eaten before that. He winced as one of the men clamped a hand on his shoulder.

“Get up.” The command rang out, rough and authoritative.

A surge of anger coursed through Sephiroth. Hatred boiled within him. More than anything, he felt powerless. Though he was tall for his age, with long, gangly limbs, he had yet to harness his true strength. The knife nestled heavily in his boot felt both reassuring and burdensome. He glared at the men, feeling a cold fury seep into his veins as they regarded him—looking at him as if he were nothing more than a frail child. To them, perhaps he was, but he savored the shift in their demeanor as indifference gave way to fear.

It was the first time he had taken a life. Blood was not a stranger to him; he had been surrounded by the carnage of animals for as long as he could remember…

“But these men are pigs…”

In a flash, he struck, driving his blade deep into the belly of the nearest man. He withdrew and swiftly slashed at the man’s throat. The expression on his face would forever be etched in Sephiroth’s mind, along with the scorching spray of blood that soaked his skin.

The man clutched at Sephiroth's arm as he crumpled to the ground, desperately trying to stanch the flow of blood pouring from his neck. It was a futile effort, thick rivulets escaping through his fingers. Sephiroth stood frozen, his heart racing in his chest. He could hear his sister's cries, calling his name, before everything around him faded to darkness.

 

---

 

There’s no way to know how the second man managed to bring them back home, but Sephiroth found himself awakening with a throbbing head and a stomach churning with nausea. “Aerith?”

“Oh, my precious grandson.”

Sephiroth flinched as his grandmother gently stroked his cheek. While she may not share Hojo’s sadistic tendencies, her willingness to turn a blind eye felt just as damning to him. “Where’s my sister?” He struggled to sit up, squinting against the harsh brightness surrounding him.

“The girl is exactly where she ought to be!”

A wave of helplessness washed over Sephiroth, tightening around him like a noose, until he was left gasping in despair. “Why?”

“Oh, hush now,” she said, pulling him close to her, “it’s not your fault.”

But it is. He could feel it deep within; he bore the weight of responsibility. Why can’t I make this end? How can I change this? What am I supposed to do? “I just wanted to keep her safe…” he whispered.

“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she murmured, gently wiping his tears away. “We’ll talk to your grandfather and see what can be done.”

Though her words were meant to soothe, to Sephiroth, they carried a sense of futility.

 

---

 

 

Sephiroth wanders the halls, every corner haunted by a shadow of what had been. After that first “incident”, Hojo and him had come to an “agreement”:

“You devote yourself to me and your sister will be spared.” Hojo’s eyes were dead, his smile even more so as it stretched his skin, more akin to a corpse than anything. Sephiroth hated the man’s face…

“How is that any different than what I’m doing now!?” He hated the edge of desperation in his voice, knowing Hojo will hone in on any sign of weakness.

“I guess you’ll just have to do better!” He lightly slaps at Sephiroth’s cheek. One, two, three…

Sephiroth wishes he had his blade.

“Not to forget! You killed one of my men,”

“I was defending myself,” he mumbled, eyes fixed on the floor. If he stares hard enough, he can almost see blood seeping through the cracks of the linoleum flooring; turning the crusty, piss-yellow to deep, almost-black sludge. He closes his eyes.

“And I’m a loving grandpa-pa!” Hojo cackles.

“I just want to keep her safe…” he whispers, eyes tightly shut as Hojo fills the air with maniacal laughter.

 

---

 

Sephiroth halts, the echoes of his youthful voice bouncing off the barren walls. This place fills him with loathing.

“Come to visit your dear grandpa-pa!?”

That taunting voice irks him even more.

“I’m here to end you.” A weight lifts from his chest. Those were words he'd longed to voice; articulating them breathed life into his resolve. He surged forward…

With a swift motion, he seized Hojo by the throat, intent on witnessing the light dim from his eyes; he should have anticipated the serpent’s retaliation. A sharp, searing pain pierced his side. Yet, he wouldn't relinquish his grip. He clung on, even as the agony escalated to a crippling level. He held firm until his vision blurred, capillaries bursting and painting his pallid skin with streaks of crimson. Hold. Hold. Hold. Don’t let go!

He unleashed a primal roar; it reverberated through the nearly deserted room as Hojo began to writhe—his body resisting the inevitable fate. Flailing, he struck at Sephiroth’s side, grasping at his clothing in desperation.

Sephiroth winced as Hojo’s movements jarred the knife embedded deep within him. He cried out as Hojo yanked the blade free and feebly attempted to retaliate. His effort was futile; the knife clattered to the ground. He heard the jangle of keys hitting the floor, followed by the shattering of his phone as it slipped from his pocket.

Then, it was done; Hojo’s body slumped, lifeless and heavy, eyes rolled back and mouth agape in a silent scream. Sephiroth let him drop to the floor, a discarded shell, as he turned away, taking measured steps toward the exit. It glowed brightly in the gloom, a beacon guiding him home.

“One step at a time.”

 

One.

 

Two.

 

Three...

 

Sephiroth slumps against the ground, clutching his side as ragged breaths escape his lips, each inhale and exhale strained as he battles the pain. He fights to regain his composure, desperate to normalize the chaotic rhythm of his heart. A glance to his side reveals a stream of blood seeping down, forming a pool beneath him. A flicker of fear ignites within him—he has never feared death or the end, but now, with so much at stake, it feels different.

Thoughts of Zack flood his mind, the memory of his bright smile and gentle gaze washing over him. "Just stay still," were the first words Zack had spoken to him when they were younger. After a brutal fight—something he had grown accustomed to, as Hojo insisted it was essential training—he found himself battered and nearly unrecognizable.

“Just stay still!” Zack's voice echoes in his memory.

The urge to flee surges within him; he spots his discarded phone lying near Hojo's lifeless body. Call his sister. Call Zack. “I love you.” The words taste bitter on his tongue, the pain slowly giving way to a numbing void. “No, please,” he murmurs, as darkness begins to envelop him, dimming the corners of his vision.

“Brother!”

Chapter 29: Please, Save Him…

Notes:

⚠️medical inaccuracies

---

“It’s your brother…” Cloud's expression is one of deep concern, urgency etched across his features.

“What’s going on? Is he alright?” Although her tone is steady, inside she’s a storm of anxiety. He guides her toward the car, with Nanaki trotting alongside. “Cloud, tell me he’s okay!” She settles into the seat, fastening her seatbelt. The weight of her façade is beginning to crack, each moment feeling like a fracture in her composure.

He buckles himself in and starts the engine, motioning for Red to take his place in the back. “Sit, Red,” he murmurs. “I’m sorry, Aerith. I…I don’t know.” Lying wouldn’t be right; they had promised to be honest with each other. “It’s…not good.”

Her lips press together, quivering as she exhales slowly, tears welling in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. “What happened?”

“Vincent found him—”

“Where was he?”

Cloud takes her hand firmly. “Let’s just get to the hospital, alright?”

She nods, squeezing his hand like a lifeline. “I warned him not to do anything reckless. Why?” Panic surges in her chest, making it hard to breathe as her throat tightens. “I can’t—”

She envisions her brother, tall and resilient, a steadfast presence in her life. The thought of losing him sends waves of nausea through her; the fear is suffocating.

“Aerith, please; focus on your breathing,” he says, gently guiding her head down between her knees. “Breathe in. Hold. Hold. Now let it out. Good. Let’s do it again.” He turns on the hazard lights, relieved that traffic is light as he speeds toward the hospital. “You’re doing great; just keep breathing.” He winces as Barret’s call interrupts, quickly declining it and sending a voice message: “On my way.”

After one last deep breath, she straightens up, her eyes red and her nose running. “I’m so sorry,” her voice barely rises above a whisper, fragile and strained.

Cloud hands her some napkins. “No need to apologize,” he says, rubbing her back soothingly.

She wipes her tears and shakes her head. “But I am…I’m making everything worse.”

Cloud’s brow furrows in concern. “Stop that. You’re worried about your brother. We’ll be there soon.”

Relief washes over him as the hospital comes into sight, and he swiftly pulls into the emergency bay, leaving the lights flashing and the engine running. “Keep an eye on the car, Red.” He leaps out, seeing Aerith already racing toward the entrance. He follows her inside as she frantically calls out for her brother.

“Sephiroth Gast…he’s my brother; he was brought in—” she stammers, searching for Cloud. “I don’t know when…”

Cloud catches up, trying to piece together the timeline. “It couldn’t have been more than 45 minutes ago…?”

The woman at the reception is typing intently, her brow furrowed. Aerith leans closer, rattling off his date of birth. “Yes, he’s in emergency surgery on the 4th floor. There’s a waiting area…” she informs them.

Cloud nods his gratitude, but Aerith is already darting toward the elevators. “Thank you.”

As they ride upward, Cloud tries to keep her calm, but it’s a losing battle. She paces anxiously. “He’s my only family; everyone else is gone. I can’t lose him.” The words echo in the confined space, a desperate mantra. The elevator dings, and she steps out, instantly spotting Vincent. Blood stains cover his hands, and his white shirt is soaked in crimson. He’s speaking with the police when Aerith approaches.

One of the officers looks at her sharply. “Ma’am, please step back!”

Aerith felt the urge to scream, but a single look from Vincent silenced her. Nodding slightly, she stepped away, her gaze softening when she spotted Zack. “Hey,” she said gently as she settled down next to him.

He looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and his lips pulled tight in a frown. “Aerith,” he said, pulling her into a tight embrace. “They told me… he lost a lot of blood.”

As Aerith rubbed his back, her attention shifted to the police officers lingering near the elevator. Vincent approached, his expression unreadable as he moved closer.

“I need to go in for more questioning—”

“Vincent, what happened?” Aerith begged, tears streaming down her cheeks.

He glanced back at the cops. “I found him at the Lunar Lab.”

Aerith’s brow furrowed in confusion. “That place has been off-limits for years. It’s condemned.” A chilling realization hit her. “Hojo?”

Vincent nodded.

“Bastard!” Zack hissed under his breath.

“He’s dead,” Vincent said, his eyes flicking to the restless officers. “I have to leave.” He turned away quickly, following the police.

Aerith stood frozen, Vincent’s words repeating in her mind. “Hojo’s… dead?” Laughter bubbled up uncontrollably as she clamped her mouth shut and leaned forward. She couldn’t tell if she was laughing or crying, each sound escaping her lips a mixture of both. Warm tears flowed down her cheeks as sobs wracked her body. He was gone, but at what cost?

 

---

 

She thought she was sleeping, yet her mind remained alert, drifting through memories—some happy, others filled with sorrow, all centered around her brother. It terrified her, as if she were subconsciously reconciling with his fate. Sephiroth was dead.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

She recalled gripping him tightly, her small fingers clutching his sleeve when they received the news about their parents. Back then, she hadn’t grasped the weight of their absence and what it meant for their lives.

They had never been close to their grandparents, their parents always limiting their visits, but they were still family…

“Aerith.”

“Hm?”

“Wake up.”

She wished it were just a terrible dream. As she opened her eyes, she found herself nestled against Cloud’s chest. Her eyelids felt heavy as she looked up at him. “What’s going on?”

He nodded toward the doctor standing before them. Aerith sat up, her expression wide-eyed as she took in the weary-looking physician. He offered her a faint smile. “Is… he going to be okay?” she whispered, fear lacing her words. Behind her, Zack sat still, tense and biting his lip.

The doctor sighed. “He suffered significant damage to his lower intestines. I managed to stitch the affected area, but he’s not out of danger yet. He’s in intensive care, receiving a blood transfusion and antibiotics. We’ll have to monitor him closely; only time will tell if there’s further internal damage.”

“What happens if there is…?” Zack’s voice trembled, tears pooling in his eyes.

The doctor hesitated. “With injuries like this, there’s pain and, unfortunately, a risk of infection. If the abdominal cavity is compromised, it could lead to sepsis.”

Aerith gasped as fresh tears spilled over. Cloud wrapped his arms around her, then reached for Zack’s hand, which he accepted with a tearful nod. Seconds felt like hours as the heavy silence hung in the air. Cloud could sense the doctor’s own sadness as he shifted uncomfortably, arms wrapped around himself. “Is there anything else, doctor?” Cloud asked, feeling sympathetic toward the man who needed to leave.

“We’ll do everything we can for him,” the doctor said, lingering for a moment longer before nodding at Cloud and walking away through the double doors.

“Hey,” Barret greeted as he plopped down with a weary sigh. “Vincent’s finally been released.”

“Really?” Cloud replied, adjusting his hold on Aerith.

“I need to use the restroom,” Zack mumbled, his voice flat as he stood and walked away. Cloud and Barret exchanged worried glances.

“Damn it,” Barret groaned, rubbing his face. “This is fucked.”

Cloud sighed, looking down at Aerith still resting in his arms. He gently stroked her back. “Does he know what happened?” he asked, motioning toward where Zack had been.

“Yeah, Vincent called him first; he met him here.”

Cloud nodded. “How did the police get involved?” Aerith stirred in his embrace, wiping her tired eyes. “Hey,” he whispered gently, reaching for her tear-stained cheeks.

“Where’s his body?” she hiccuped, anger knitting her brows.

Barret glanced around uneasily. “Hey, just… keep it down. Vincent brought Sephiroth in, and with his injuries, the police had to be called—”

Aerith huffed. “So that monster is still at the facility…” She looked around, her hands balled into tight fists resting on her thighs.

Cloud watched her, concern etched on his face. She looked taut, like a string pulled too tight, slightly swaying in her seat. “It’s over.”

She froze, her body tense and her head lowered.

“It’s over,” he repeated softly.

“I need to see…” Her shoulders slumped.

“Aerith—”

“Cloud.” She finally met his gaze, her voice steady and resolute. They locked eyes, the atmosphere thick with tension.

Barret cleared his throat. “That’s not going to happen, girl.”

Cloud sighed as she looked away, her attention shifting to Barret. “Why?” she asked.

Barret shook his head. “There’s a time and place for everything; this ain’t it.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded, standing up. Cloud rose with her. “Where are you going?”

“To check on Nanaki,” she said, raising her hand to stop him from following. “I need some time alone,” she pleaded with her eyes. “Please?”

Cloud opened his mouth to argue but caught himself, nodding instead. He watched her walk away, each step filling him with dread that’s twisting painfully in his chest, wondering if there was anything he could do to help her.

Chapter 30: Where Are You?

His gaze is fixed on her, his attention unwavering as she stands waiting for the elevator. He continues to watch as she steps inside, their eyes locking for a fleeting moment before she looks away. The sound of the elevator doors closing sends a wave of anxiety through him, prompting him to take a few steps forward.

Barret stops him…

“Give her some space,” he says, pulling Cloud back and placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder as he guides him back to his previous seat.

“But,” Cloud hesitates, concern evident in his voice. His eyes drift over the intricate pattern of the floor before returning to Barret. “She…needs me.” A flicker of doubt crosses his mind, leaving him uncertain whether her need for him is as strong as his desire to be close to her.

Barret exhales deeply, leaning back against the soft upholstery of the seat. “She wants some distance; they both do,” he gestures over to Zack, who is slumped in a corner with his head buried in his hands. “It’s best to let them have it,” he adds, noting the disapproving look from Cloud, “for now.”

The elevator dings open. Cloud’s heart races as he looks up, hoping to see Aerith. Instead, Tifa emerges, cradling a vase of flowers in her arms. She casts Cloud a puzzled glance. “I thought I’d find Aerith,” she says, lifting the flowers slightly. “I heard about her brother, and I wanted to see how she’s holding up.” She settles into a seat, the vase resting gently on her knees. “Is she alright?”

Cloud lets out a weary sigh. “I suppose she’s as okay as she can be…given the circumstances.”

Tifa nods, her gaze wandering until it lands on Zack. “That’s his husband, right?” she whispers. “I only met him once, but he seemed really kind.”

“Yeah,” Cloud replies, standing and glancing at his watch. “I’m going to check on Aerith,” he mumbles, pausing as Tifa emits an awkward sound, her expression tight.

“Uh…that’s what confused me at first…” she bites her lower lip, her eyes darting to the side. “I saw the truck leaving…”

Cloud's eyes widen in alarm, his stomach knotting as dread washes over him. “Shit,” he mutters, pivoting swiftly to the elevator, pounding the button in frustration as he waits for the doors to slide open.

“Do you really think…?” Barret questions as he steps into the elevator alongside Cloud. Tifa follows closely, wearing a puzzled expression.

“Come on, come on,” Cloud murmurs, pressing the button for the 1st Floor repeatedly. “I don’t know…”

Tifa glances between the two of them, clutching a bouquet of flowers to her chest. “What’s going on?”

Cloud checks his phone—no missed calls or texts. He quickly taps Aerith’s contact, anxiety bubbling within him as he listens to the ringing. It goes straight to voicemail…

“Maybe she’s just parking the truck…?” Tifa offers, but her eyes reveal her doubts.

Without waiting to see if they’re following, Cloud bolts out of the elevator the moment it dings, sprinting through the lobby and bursting outside. He scans the area frantically as he strides toward the parking lot. There are numerous vehicles, but the truck is nowhere to be found. “Damn it,” he mutters, trying Aerith’s number again.

“There’s a parking garage,” Barret points out.

Cloud barely registers Tifa and Barret’s concerns as he listens to Aerith’s voice on the recording; the beep at the end amplifies his anxiety.

Clearing his throat, which feels constricted, he says, “Hey, just… uh, checking in.” As he wanders along the sidewalk, his eyes dart around in search of her. “Where are you? Please call me back.”

He lowers his phone and turns to find Barret and Tifa close behind him. “Anything?” Barret inquires as they approach. “We can check the garage,” he suggests, gesturing toward the gated area.

Cloud shakes his head.

Tifa’s expression tightens with concern. “I didn’t see the truck go that way.”

“Right. Need a ride?” Barret asks.

Cloud looks at Barret’s serious demeanor and then at Tifa. They haven’t known Aerith for long—about as long as he has—but he can sense their willingness to do anything to help her, even if it’s for his sake.

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll stay back with Zack and keep you updated if anything changes with Sephiroth.” She gives them a small smile and waves as she heads off.

Cloud nods appreciatively. “Thanks.”

“Okay, I just got the address from Vincent. Let’s go.” Barret leads Cloud to his car—a low-slung sports model that feels cramped for Cloud’s frame. “Let me plug in the address,” he says, focused on his phone.

Cloud hums as he buckles his seatbelt. “A little tight in here…” he comments, noticing how close their shoulders are. He shifts his arm accidentally bumping into Barret.

Barret removes his sunglasses and tosses them onto the dashboard, leaning against the door. “Look, I don’t say anything about your bikes; just keep Shelby out of this.” He revs the engine.

Cloud chuckles, “You named it?”

Barret shoots him a sidelong glance as he secures his seatbelt. “Sorry, Shelbs, I got carried away,” he mumbles, grabbing his sunglasses and putting them on, rubbing the dashboard affectionately.

Cloud suppresses a laugh and sighs instead. “How far is it?”

Barret grins. “With this beauty? Just a quick hop away.”

Cloud nods, leaning against the window, scrolling through his text messages. Nothing feels adequate to say; he just longs to see her…

---

Guilt twists within her, burrowing deep beneath her skin and pricking at her nerves. She feels guilt for her brother, for the pain Zack must be enduring. She feels guilt for Yvonne and Rocco and the tragic end they faced. She feels guilt for the many lives that have been drawn into her chaotic world. Most painfully, she feels guilt for leaving Cloud behind.

He’ll understand. 

She repeats it to herself because he has always been nothing but patient, kind, and remarkable. But she knows it’s her, shaped by a troubled past that has resurfaced with a vengeance. She thought she could escape it.

Look where that has led her—blood on her hands and a brother with an uncertain fate.

Nanaki whimpers beside her, nudging her shoulder with his nose. She can’t stop crying, hasn’t been able to since she learned of her brother’s condition. “I know, I know,” she sniffs, wiping her tears away. A fresh wave washes over her as she recalls Cloud’s face; the elevator door closing between them. She couldn’t meet his intense gaze. He knew. 

She didn’t want to leave, but she had to; she needs to see with her own eyes that Hojo is dead. That the nightmare is truly over…

She tightens her lips, her phone buzzing once more. She refrains from glancing at it; she already knows who it is and refuses to let her resolve falter. Still, she’s certain that Cloud would have accompanied her if she had asked.

This journey is one she must take alone.

She drives with ease, the route familiar to her like her own reflection. When she fled, her brother had questioned why she didn’t just leave the country entirely:

“You know you’re making this too simple,” Sephiroth remarks with a frown as he helps her re-bandage her wounds. She won’t disclose the details of her injury, but given their history, it’s clear to him what happened.

She replies with a gentle smile. “What about you?” She gives his hand a reassuring pat. “I can’t imagine being far from you, Seph!” She observes as he meticulously wraps her arm. “Besides, haven’t you heard of blending in; you know, hiding in plain sight?”

Sephiroth chuckles softly. “Hmph, I suppose someone has to keep you out of trouble; hard to do that if you’re miles away.”

She beams at him. “I’m never any trouble, big brother!”

“I might argue against that,” he jests, playfully tapping her forehead.

Argue against it, indeed. Their time together was precious—for as long as it lasted, but a shadow perpetually loomed over them—the threat of Hojo discovering her whereabouts:

“You’re my favorite test subject,” his voice taunts in her memory. 

Her grip tightens on the steering wheel, her teeth clenching as Hojo’s chilling laughter reverberates in the recesses of her mind; so loud and ominous, it feels as though he’s right there in the truck with her. A swift glance reassures her solitude. She meets the gentle gaze of Nanaki beside her. “I’ll be alright.” She reassured. More for herself than anything. 

She gently stroked Nanaki's fur, the repetitive action anchoring her in the present and preventing her from getting lost in the swirling fog of her memories. She was almost there when her phone finally fell silent. By now, they likely had a good idea of where she was headed. Taking a sharp turn, she veered onto a secluded back road, its infrequent use evident in the overgrown plants and uneven surface.

It wasn’t long before she arrived at the gated entrance—securely locked and draped in caution tape. “Hmm,” she murmured, glancing left and right, noting the remnants of paths that might have led to different entrances, though both were now choked with foliage. She didn’t want to risk getting her truck stuck. Opting for caution, she pulled off to the side and parked. Stepping out, she heard the crunch of dry grass and twigs beneath her boots.

Approaching the lock, she gave it a determined tug, the chains clattering together. She examined the entrance and the surrounding fence, searching for a way in. “How did you manage to get through?” she mused, her mind drifting to Sephiroth. The thought of climbing over crossed her mind as she glanced up at the gate. “It’s not too high, but you’ll have to stay here,” she said, looking down at Nanaki, who stood loyally by her side.

He let out a soft whine, his eyes reflecting his concern.

“I don’t like it either, but,” she replied, scanning the area and beginning to walk along the fence, searching for any gaps. Nanaki stayed right beside her, and she felt a surge of gratitude for his presence as her heart raced in her chest. The silence was uncanny; even the distant sounds of the city seemed to be muffled by the heavy air.

After a few minutes of walking, her fingers brushed against the rough links of the fence. How ironic it was; as a child, she had gazed at this very barrier, yearning for freedom, and now she was desperately searching for a way inside. With a few more steps, a sigh of relief escaped her lips as she spotted a sizable gap that would allow both her and Nanaki to slip through easily.

"Come on, Nanaki," she beckons, guiding him forward while holding the gate open for her furry friend. As she slips in behind him, she winces when the gate snags the hem of her shirt. With a thump, she tumbles to the ground, dirt swirling around her. "Well, that was graceful," she laughs softly as Nanaki nudges her gently with his nose. "I’m alright, just a little... clumsy," she says, rising to her feet and brushing off the dust before continuing her exploration of the dilapidated building.

Once a symbol of grandeur, the structure now languishes in decay—its walls cracked, overtaken by wild vines, and splattered with graffiti. Peering inside, she pushes the creaking door, which disturbs the heavy silence that blankets the area. The stillness only heightens her anxiety, making her heart race.

Nanaki steps into the shadows ahead, taking on the role of a vigilant guardian as he scans the surroundings. He glances back at her, who hesitates at the threshold, one foot poised to enter while the other remains firmly planted outside. "I’m right here with you," she reassures herself, stepping inside with unsteady legs. "Just breathe, Aerith," she murmurs under her breath.

As they make their way down the corridor, she knows there’s only one room that belonged to Hojo, yet she can’t resist peeking into the other rooms as she passes, eventually finding herself at the entrance of the main laboratory. Taking a deep breath, she pushes the door open.

What greets her is a nightmarish sight—blood splattered across the floor, some smeared, others congealed into dark, thick clumps. She moves cautiously, her heart pounding, until her gaze lands on him.

Without realizing it, she steps closer, her legs trembling with every uncertain stride. The dim light casts shadows, but she can make out his face, frozen in a haunting expression: eyes partially open and rolled back, mouth agape. She stares, unblinking, until tears begin to well in her eyes. The sight is suffocating, her heart feels heavy, and nausea swells in her stomach. It’s overwhelming, but she can’t tear her eyes away, fearing that the moment she does—he’ll wake up.

She flinches at the sound of approaching voices, her mind racing as she realizes she has been frozen in place for who knows how long. Glancing down at Nanaki, who is alert at her feet, she watches as his ears perk up, intently focused on the noise. He rises, his fur standing on end, and emits a low, menacing growl.

“I need a fucking vacation!”

“It’s only one body this time.”

The voices grow louder, and she feels a primal urge to flee, yet her feet remain firmly planted in front of the lifeless form of Hojo.

“Well, lookie here,” a voice snorts. “Always at the scene of the crime.”

“Hm.”

She turns her head. They look at her with familiarity; a part of her wonders if she should know them.

The redhead walks closer, his plastic bodysuit squeaking with each step. He holds his hand out. “Hi there, name’s Reno; love your work.” He grins, taking hold of her hand.

The bald man huffs, walking over and slapping the redhead on the shoulder. “Stop. We’re here to clean up…” he nods at the body. “Rude, at your service.”

Aerith looks between the two and slowly nods, pulling her hand away. “Do you know…my brother?”

Reno nods. “Yes,” he steps back. “Can you get Fido here? It looks like it wants to bite my head off.”

“Hm, it’d probably be best if you vacated the premises,” Rude adds.

“Yeah, little lady, you already made this job harder by spreading your DNA.”

Aerith’s eyes widen. “I haven’t touched anything.” She turns, nearly losing her footing as she stumbles.

The men look at one another, weary looks on their faces. Rude holds her arm. “Need help?”

She shakes her head. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine. Come on, Nanaki,” she pats her thigh.

They watch as she leaves, confused as she turns and takes one more look at the decomposing corpse. Reno shakes his head. “Something’s off with that girl.”

“Hm, let’s get this over with.”

---

As she steps outside, her eyes squint against the brilliance of the sun. "I must have lost track of time in there," she remarks, gently stroking Nanaki's head. "Thanks for keeping me company."

"Aerith!"

She spins around, her heart racing as she catches sight of Cloud, his expression filled with concern. "Cloud," she murmurs, her gaze shifting to the red fur of Nanaki, avoiding his intense stare.

"You had us worried sick!" Barret exclaims, waving his arms animatedly.

They stand on the other side of the fence, Cloud waiting at the broken links. He pushes it open for Nanaki, giving the creature a light pat before extending his hand toward Aerith. She takes it, offering a soft smile. "Thank you."

They stroll side by side, watching as Nanaki playfully nudges Barret's knee, nearly causing the burly man to lose his balance. "Hey!" Barret barks, which sends both Aerith and Cloud into fits of laughter as he begins to chase after the exuberant pup.

Their pace remains leisurely. "Are you alright?" Cloud asks quietly, his shoulder brushing against hers.

Aerith exhales slowly. "I’m not sure," she replies, glancing at him with a wistful smile. "I just needed to see it for myself..."

Cloud nods in understanding. "And?"

"I... don’t know how to feel. It feels wrong to be happy right now."

"Are you happy?" he questions gently.

"No," she admits, her voice trembling. "I'll be happy when my brother..." Her voice falters as worry and guilt wash over her for leaving him and Zack alone at the hospital. "I’m so sorry."

Cloud halts, turning her to face him, his hands firmly on her shoulders. They share a moment of silent connection, eyes locking in mutual understanding. He pulls her into a comforting embrace, burying his face in her hair. She takes a shuddering breath before wrapping her arms around him, her body trembling as tears begin to fall. He holds her tightly, feeling her grip tighten on the fabric of his shirt.

Words have never been his strong suit, but in this moment, he knows that this is exactly what she needs. It’s what he needs too; the uneasy feeling he’s had is finally subsiding. “For however long you’ll keep me,” he whispers, his words a warm, gentle caress against her temple.

“Hm?” She pulls back slightly, looking up at him.

He smiles softly. “I’m with you.”

Notes:

Hello! It looks to be down to the wire. I more or less now how I want to finish this…scratch that…I don’t (hehe…ugh). Just one more chapter!