( this is basically just a very self indulgent list of various fluff, angst, and suggestive themed dialogue sentence starters. )

❛ i could keep you safe. they’re all afraid of me. ❜

❛ i’m trying to fix your hair, so hold still. ❜

❛ your heart is beating so fast right now. ❜

❛ promise me you’ll still be here when i wake up. ❜

❛ you’re not as bad as everyone says you are. ❜

❛ i thought you’d like some company. ❜ 

❛ clean yourself up. you're getting blood all over the place. ❜

❛ here, give this a try and tell me what you think. ❜

❛ you can kiss me, you know. ❜

❛ come back to bed. ❜

❛ you look good like this. ❜

❛ working together again, it’s just like old times. ❜

❛ how is it you always know what i need, huh? ❜

❛ you’re lucky you got away with only a scratch. ❜ 

❛ i can’t imagine losing someone like that. i’m sorry. ❜

❛ you know you can always talk to me. ❜

❛ the only one who gets to kill you, is me. ❜

❛ so, what do i owe this pleasure? ❜

❛ ah, so you aren’t heartless after all. ❜

❛ may i have this dance? ❜ 

❛ it’s okay, you can touch me. i won't break. ❜

❛ enemies make the best lovers, you know. ❜

❛ hold still. this might sting a little. ❜

❛ we can't keep doing this. ❜ 

❛ you look like you've got something to say. ❜

❛ just relax and let me take care of you. ❜

❛ thought you’d be lighter without all that blood. ❜

❛ i had it under control. you didn’t need to do that. ❜

❛ everything looks so beautiful from up here. ❜

❛ you treat all your ladies like this? ❜

❛ well? how do i look? ❜

❛ can’t sleep? ❜

❛ do you mind if i smoke? ❜

❛ i’m scared of ending up alone. ❜

❛ i don’t think i’ve ever seen you smile. ❜

❛ how long has it been since you've slept? ❜

❛ you are losing my interest, and that’s very dangerous. ❜

❛ i’d suffer hell if you’d tell me what you’d do to me tonight. ❜

❛ you look really pretty right now. ❜

❛ i’ve never cared for anyone the way i care for you. ❜

❛ i’m not wearing any underwear. thought you’d like to know. ❜

❛ just a few more stitches and you’ll be as good as new. ❜

❛ i’d say we make a pretty good team. ❜

❛ i want you to forget this ever happened. ❜

❛ i'm here for business — not pleasure. ❜

❛ if i didn't know any better, i'd say you were jealous. ❜

❛ you'd look better down on your knees. ❜

❛ fine, keep acting like you hate me. ❜

❛ kiss me again. ❜

❛ are you asking me out on a date? ❜

❛ just sit there and look pretty and let me handle this. ❜

❛ you okay? caught you staring off into space again. ❜

❛ well, i do feel better now that you're here. ❜

❛ i'm not drunk enough for this. ❜ 

❛ why is it whenever we see each other, you’re covered in blood? ❜

❛ i was wrong about you. ❜ 

❛ the first time i met you, i had no idea you'd mean this much. ❜

❛ you gonna be a good girl / boy for me? ❜

❛ i’m not afraid of you. ❜

❛ books mean more to me than people anyway. ❜

❛ i just wanted to say thank you for protecting me. ❜

❛ how about a kiss goodnight? ❜

❛ i don’t have time for distractions right now. ❜

❛ you shouldn’t be out here by yourself. ❜ 

from behind the thin walls aerith hears noises      ━━     that of a pained mind  .   featherlight steps scurry  ,    portray the boundaries of closed doors  .    the florist bends over the tossing shape 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬  ,    gently squeezes the bare shoulder in hopes to soothe the anguish of feverish dreams  .    ❝    cloud  ,    wake  up  .    ❞ 

their  journey  was  novel,  days  old  and  consisting  thus  far  of  walking,  sleeping  and  walking  again. the  lay  of  the  land  was  foreign  to  them,  as  were  the  remote,  campy  villages  they  stumbled  upon  for  the  night. this  one  was  like  every  other;  infrequently  visited  and  seeing  shinra  seep  into  the  fold  in  real  time. slowly,  like  a  disease. they  had  hidden  in  the  attic  of  the  inn  as  shinra troopers  rolled  through,  a  swift  in  and  out,  to  scope  the  populace  and  workable  land. himself, aerith, tifa, red and barret, now seeking refuge and rest, had retired to their designated rooms hours ago. the circles under cloud's eyes betrayed the truth of it all, however. sleep may come easy at times, but it was fitful at best. intermittent and torturous.

 [ . . . ]

hands  clutch  before  him,  like  a  prayer,  flecks  of  viridian  reflecting  within  falling  water  droplets,  a  plea. materia  manifests  in  a  gloved  hand,  the  colour  of  ebony. wake  up.

a  panicked  breath  and  cloud  starts  awake. had  he  been  talking  in  his  sleep?  when  he  blinks  the  sight  of  silver  hair  away,  he  finds  aerith  leaning  over  him,  concern  marring  her  otherwise  fair  features. the  sheets  tangled  around  him  feel  constricting  and  incite  further  panic,  in  his  need  to  get  away. space. he  feels  like  he  can't  breathe. cloud  pushes  back  abruptly until  his  head  hits  the  bed's  headboard.

 the  ex - SOLDIER  exhales  a  trembling  breath.