Gotta look forward, not back.

"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.

Cloud really wasn't sure what he was doing. He liked Aerith, but their friendship meant a lot to him, even if he'd never admit to it. He had tried to be romantic, but he wasn't even sure if she saw him in that way – and unless he was clear about his intentions, then she'd never know. Yet, he found it impossible to actually say the words out loud, so he was left a confusing mess instead. Maybe it had been a bad idea. They had enough on their plate as it was, didn't they?

"You were?" He questioned, a small frown pulling his lips downwards. He didn't want Aerith to feel lonely, but at the same time then he felt really awkward. He could pass of the gift as the kind one gave to their friends, right? But did that mean that he had to give Tifa and Barret something as well? That would just make everything worse. No, it was fine, he just needed to stop his internal panicking.

"Er, you're right. It can wait," he assured after a moment, having made up his mind. Whatever happened, happened. He was just overthinking things, like usual. "Are you hungry? We could grab something to eat – or, y'know. Whatever."

Aerith knows she doesn't fully understand Cloud, and definitively not as much as Tifa does. She feels like she can see right through him from time to time, but at other moments, it's like she fully loses him. She never knows which version of Cloud she'll find in front of her. She cares deeply for him, she wishes she could help him deal with whatever is going on. But she's not even sure Cloud himself is aware of what is going on.

"Of course I was. You know, I was often alone in the slums. Now I'm starting to get used to not be alone!" She has spoken in a playful way, with a bright smile on her lips, but it's still true. The same thing happened with Zack before. When he entered her life, she wasn't feeling lonely anymore, but he disappeared, and it crashed her. Now that she has friends again, she hopes actual loneliness won't happen ever again.

Aerith’s smile seems sad, so Tifa gives her a moment, feeling sympathetic as she tries to put herself in the same position. If she had lost Cloud in the same way / if he had actually passed away and she didn’t even know, then she would’ve felt the same. Her heart would crumble into pieces and it’d feel like a part of her is permanently missing; that’s how much Cloud makes up a portion of her life. She imagines it must be like that for Aerith——after all, it always hurts when you have to lose someone so important to you. It always hurt. ❝ I’m sure he’s still watching over you … He might not be here anymore, but you’re not alone. ❞

Tifa hums. It feels like they pieced together another part of the puzzle. ❝ Angeal and Sephiroth being acquainted must mean they were definitely on friendly terms. Maybe Sephiroth is after Cloud specifically because he recognized the Buster Sword from Angeal? He seemed pretty obsessed with Cloud as it is … ❞ And with Zack and Sephiroth also knowing each other, but he didn’t bring up Zack or Angeal in front of Cloud, that means Sephiroth knows more than what he lets on.

❝ Yeah, it’s really scary … Cloud isn’t the type of person who’d forget a friend. He wouldn’t, ❞ she insists, faithfully. She refuses to believe that Cloud still isn’t the kind, shy boy she originally met. ❝ I think it’s Hojo. He … I dunno; he just seems like he’s got too many things hidden up his sleeve. ❞ She sighs at the thought of that creepy man, but immediately blinks at yet another teasing comment that has her feeling embarrassed, cheeks warm. ❝ I-I’m not ignoring it! ❞ Gee, that’s so convincing, Lockhart. ❝ I just don’t see why he’d want to impress me. He’s fine the way he is. He doesn’t have to be ‘cool’ or anything to make me look at him … ❞

Because he’s Cloud.

"I know. It's just... I miss him." It's quite rare that Aerith admits such a thing, but she feels that she can do it with Tifa. She remembers feeling him trying to come back to Midgar, to her when he died. She knows only too well he was trying to come back to her, but he couldn't. It's unfair, so damn unfair. And she doesn't know how much she could reach him as a Cetra, using her powers. There are so many things she doesn't know. She feels Zack's presence sometimes, but she doesn't even know if it's real.

She shrugs, thinking. "Maybe ? I don't know. Sephiroth wasn't after Zack after Angeal's death. So I don't know what has made him be this way with Cloud..." She remembers how Sephiroth was considered as a hero back then. What made him change this much ? What really happened ?

There are concerns on her features. It's relieving to hear Tifa say that Cloud isn't the type to forget a friend. That's what she thought, but the other knows him much better than Aerith does. "It's always Hojo, so I wouldn't be surprised if he has something to do with this." She frowns at his mention, but quickly starts laughing at Tifa's reaction to her teasing. "Because you're already looking at him even when he's not that cool, mmh ?" she teases once again, letting a chuckle escape her mouth. "But he doesn't know that, so he's still trying to impress you." Aerith is convinced of that, of course. She won't change her mind.

Aerith can't help but let a soft chuckle escape her mouth. Tseng and the Turks in general... she considers as some kind of friends. They're not bad people even if they can do bad things from time to time... If only they weren't this good at their job! But she cares for them. She probably always will.