Gotta look forward, not back.

Cloud wanted to say 'I know', but he held himself back. He did not know this Aerith and if he was successful, then she would hopefully have the peace to grow into a person who didn't have to worry about ShinRa, Sephiroth or Jenova. She had already been through so much and Cloud would gladly take on the burden of 'saving' the world if it meant that she got some peace.

"Full of flowers, huh? You really think it's possible?" He questioned, inwardly cursing himself for continuing the conversation. He knew he should pull away, but he found it so very hard. If he did walk away, then it might very well be the last time they saw each other. Who knew what would happen to him with the things he intended on doing.

Still, as he watched her, Cloud noticed that her eyes kept straying to his sword and all at once it hit him how fucking stupid he was being. Aerith knew Zack, so of course she would recognise the sword. Damn, that was... it complicated things, didn't it? Last time around, she had gone so long without knowing about Zack's fate. Cloud hadn't remembered either back then, but he remembered now, so she deserved to know the truth, didn't she? But there was a chance that it would create a deeper connection between them and potentially complicate things.

Even so, Cloud might not always be the most tactful person, but he always tried to do what he thought was right – at least these days. "It is unfair. I – you..." he hesitated, unsure of how to approach the topic. "You keep looking at my sword. Do you... recognise it?" He finally asked, voice soft. He wasn't supposed to know that she recognised it, after all.

There's something Aerith's trying to read in Cloud's eyes. She's usually quite good at reading people, but with him... it's different in some ways. Like he has built walls in front of him, maybe to protect himself. Or maybe she's just overthinking. She can't judge what someone has been through. Aerith herself has been through a lot, and she keeps looking at his sword, recognizing it way too well.

"Of course it's possible! It may take some time, but I just know Midgar will eventually be full of flowers." Flowers can symbolize hope, happiness, love, loss, reunion... It can symbolize many things. And if Midgar is full of flowers someday, it will also mean it's full of life, full of meaning. And of course there's also a part of her who wants Midgar to be full of flowers because that's the plan she had with Zack. Maybe he returned to the Planet, but it doesn't mean she can't accomplish their goal without him. Even if it's not the same...

"w-where are we going?" because the men in the suits had arrived. had put them in that loud helicopter. her fingers interlaced with aerith's tightly as they sat side by side. waiting. wondering what would happen next. they were going to leave the bar to somewhere safer, but now she didn't know what was happening.

Aerith has never thought she would be at peace with going back to Hojo's lab, but she needs to protect Marlene. That's all she wants right now. And maybe she's too optimistic and she hates having to rely on the others, but maybe her friends will look for her. Maybe even the Turks will help her escape eventually.

There comes a profound loneliness with the entire loss of ones family - the two of them understood that, though had been at very different stages in their lives when it had happened and under wildly different circumstances. The pain may not have been exactly the same, and Vincent certainly had longer to accept that weight in his chest - but there bore an understanding there.

As for found family; it was different. Nobody could replace the close confines of blood, but the fact that each member chose to be there, to defend, to protect, to keep company... It meant much. In the face of the atrocities that lay ahead, Vincent was certain those newly formed bonds would be tested, but they would have to hold firm if they were to succeed.

"...I do hope I am not a father figure in that patched family. I'd make an awful one." It was a dry attempt at a joke.

Aerith has always felt close to Vincent in some ways, from the moment she met him. And of course that might have seemed crazy because he was this guy sleeping in a coffin in Nibelheim mansion, but she's good at reading people. It doesn't mean she understands everything about them, of course, but it's like she can see when they have been through a lot. Like she sees a bit of her own trauma in their eyes sometimes. And now she's glad to have this friend group. She has never belonged in a group of people before, but she's glad it has changed.

ooc / mun meme.   using anon or not — send me a canon character you believe i could write, and why you think i could write that muse. 

※ Permission to upload this work was granted by the artist.

Aerith's eyes shine when she sees him. She knows Biggs, at least a bit. She knows he also spends some time at the Leaf House with the children. They have spoken a few times, and she has always found him very nice. It was a surprise to see him, though. But it's so rare that Aerith leaves the slums. She's doing it now, but it's because she's following Cloud and Tifa, of course.

Cloud didn't understand why it kept happening. Why was it like his mind wasn't completely his own? He hated the uncertainty, the knowledge that something was missing, but unable to understand what, how or why. It was much easier to just ignore it and it usually worked right up until it happened again. It was an endless cycle he just couldn't break out of.

"I, yes – I'm fine," he obviously wasn't, but he also didn't want to talk about it. He didn't even know how to talk about it. How could he explain what was happening in his head? Aerith would think he was insane. The visions, the voices, the green tinge... even he thought so, which was why he was trying to ignore it.

"Let's just – forget it. It doesn't matter," it hadn't been that important anyways. Knowing Sephiroth had given him that scar had to be enough for now, even if he had been ready to open up about more than that. "Did you want to do something?" Anything was welcome if it meant he would be distracted – and it didn't hurt that he'd get to spend some more time with Aerith, even if he'd never admit to it.

Aerith worries about Cloud quite a lot, and she hates that there's nothing she can do to help him about whatever is going on. Sometimes he seems fully there, and at other moments, it's like he's lost in his mind, like he's confused in some ways. She wonders if it's because of his strange connection to Seophiroth or if it's something else. But how could she know ?

"Cloud... I worry when you're like this, you know ? I worry about you." Especially given the fact that he seemed to be willing to talk to her at first, and now, he's suddenly against it. She knows it probably won't do much. Maybe Cloud himself doesn't know what to do about this. But it only makes her worry more.

"can i come with you? i can help!" because the older woman had a basket in her arms, gardening shears and gloves and other things that hinted at plants. her hands tucked behind her back, rocking on her heels, as she looked up to her with a plead.

Aerith can't help but let a soft chuckle escape her mouth. She sees a lot of herself in Marlene. She remembers how lonely she was as a child. Marlene isn't lonely for the same reasons, of course, and maybe she's not as lonely as Aerith was. But she worries about Barret all the time. It's enough for Aerith to want to be with her and make her feel happy as much as she can.