One Sky to Bring Us Together - 1
Title: One Sky to Bring Us Together
Author:
irvine304
Rating: T
Genre: Friendship/Romance
Pairing: Leon/Squall x Irvine if continued also Leon/Squall x Cloud
Warnings: OOC, shounen-ai, WAFF, Flangst, Sappy Ending!
Summary: Aerith finds a stranger who fell from the sky, who is badly injured on both his body and his heart. Will the reunion with an old friend make him complete? IrvinexSquall Oneshot? If continued also LeonxCloud
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy © Square Enix
Chapter 1: Reunion
It was a beautiful clear-blue-sky kind of day, in Radian Garden. The temperature was warm and the breeze light… It was a lovely day, thought a kind brunet woman, dressed in her regular pink attire, as she left Merlin’s house with her empty basket to go shopping in the market place.
Yes that had been her initial plan, as she entered the market place, stopping to kindly to greet Scrooge, but as she turned from Scrooge to the commotion ahead she noticed a light appearing in the sky, at first glimpse it looked as if a star was falling but as the star grew in size, and appeared to be falling towards them, her option changed.
What could that be…?
She thought to herself as some of the town’s people rushed hastily by her to leave the market place for safety, she presumed, as she looked on with a few other bystanders.
It took less then half a minute for the large glowing object to crash into the center of the market place. A large cracking sound was heard at initial contact of glowing object hitting the hard rock ground. At that, the brunet woman rushed to the balcony edge to see for herself what that falling star really was. She noticed almost all of the light had dissipated and in its place, on the cracked rock ground of the market place, was a man!
“Oh, no.” she gasped as she dropped her basket and rushed down the stairs quickly to help the man, ignoring the calls of the towns people to wait, stop, and not go over there, for her own safety. Yes she understood that, but this man wasn’t a threat to her or any of the other people, if anything, he needed help, that is if…he was even still alive after such a landing.
She stopped, just in front of him, to take in the absence of the light and the large, almost circular crevice, left from his impact to the ground. Apprehension filled her chest as she slowly knelt down beside the still man. She looked him over: he appeared to be very tall, he was dressed in khaki pants and a long khaki coat that went almost past his knees, he had long auburn hair, pulled back in a ponytail, and a black cowboy hat settled at the top of his head. She had never seen such an array of clothing before; she did not know this man. She slowly reached forward and gently touched the auburn man’s back, “Excuse me…?”
Nothing: no reply, no movement, she wasn’t even sure if the man was still breathing.
Hastily, she moved to the man’s side and began to push him onto his back. It proved to be a challenge but she managed to finally get the man onto his back. Her breathing became slightly labored and she settled back onto her knees to give the auburn man a second look over. But his face caught her off guard, and gathered her full attention: he was stunning.
His face was a beautifully masculine as it were feminine, he had soft yet strong features, and his skin appeared to be very soft. She reached forward and moved his long bangs that extended as long as his jaw line, out of his face to gently stroked his check. Yes, his skin was quite soft. Then she pulled away from him, a surprised gasp almost leaving her lips a she noticed something else about the auburn man’s face. His lips…they were parted and ever so slightly moving. A small smile graced her features as she realized: he’s breathing…
He was still alive! She was so relived. But…her smile left her quickly as her gaze lowered from his face to his chest. The vest he wore under his khaki coat appeared to be purple but because the vest was so heavily coated in blood that it was just as hard to tell the color of the vest as it was to tell if the blood itself was new or old.
She frowned and hastily began to work on undoing the buttons of the man’s vest to see how bad his wounds were. Because his vest was low cut she could already see fresh cuts and bruises but she knew even before she touched his vest and got her hands wet with the blood soaked into it, there was much more damage that needed tending.
After opening the vest she had to cover her mouth from the shock of what she saw. There were many wounds covering the poor auburn man’s chest, some where poorly rapped or stitched. The man obviously either had little experience with tending to such wounds or had no time to care for them accurately for he must have been in constant danger…
But there were still more new wounds, cuts and gashes, which were fresh, still bleeding, still needing to be tended too. What happen to this poor man? Where could he have been before that was so dangerous? The pretty brunet thought as she hovered her hands over the man’s more fresh wounds, stopping the bleeding, and healing them.
She didn’t even want to risk trying to tend to his other wounds, which were probably very infected and needing of treatment, while they were still in the streets. She looked to the auburn man’s face. She needed him to wake up; she needed to get him home but--what about the rest of him? She once again realized the impact he had had with the ground; he must have had some broken bones, but where?
She started at his legs and made her way up. Gently feeling his body, looking for any unusual movements within the bones, anything that could suggest or prove a break. But she found nothing. Astonished but not allowing that to distract her, she moved back to the man’s head and gently lifted it onto her lap, and began to gently tap his face, “Please…please wake up! I need you to wake up so I can take you home…please, wake up!”
The auburn man slowly began to stir and relief flooded through the brunet as she saw the auburn man’s eyes open for the first time. They were a beautiful deep blue, so deep they could be mistaken for a violet if one wasn’t paying close enough attention.
His eyes wandered around before settling on the beautiful woman’s face above him.
Who…?
The woman caught the uncertainty in the beautiful auburn man’s eyes and smiled at him, “Hello, my name is Aerith. Do you know where you are?”
The auburn man looked about himself again before looking back to the woman shaking his head no. She smile again at him, “This is Radiant Garden.” Aerith waited to see if the information she had given the man meant anything to him. He just stared at her dumbfounded, not seeming to recognize the world’s name. Her smile fell and she looked at him sympathetically, “What’s your name?”
The auburn man blinked and finding his voice, replied softly, “Irvine…” he stopped and cleared his throat, “Irvine Kinneas.”
“Irvine…” the beautiful woman, known as Aerith, repeated softly as she turned her head away from him. She seemed to be fussing with something at her side…
Aeirth was silently thanking Shiva -no… Leon, for his constant worrying over her and her safety, whenever she would leave the house for earns or whatnot. For if it wasn’t for that, she wouldn’t have brought anywhere near the amount of potions she had brought today, if any…
“Remember, Aeirth. Never forget to keep a good supply of potions on you whenever you go out. It’s for your own safety. You never know when the security system could malfunction and then you would have no protection against the heartless.”
Leon refused to listen to her comment on how she could defend herself just fine against the heartless and concluded with, “Look Aeirth this is your choice. Either carry the potions or don’t leave the house. And if I catch you out without any I will drag you back here and supply you personally with potions. End of discussion.”
It was late one night when they had this discussion. They were alone and Leon seemed to have a lot on his mind. He never wants to admit when he worries -but he does. All the time and mostly about them…
But it was not time to dwell on that, she thought as she grabbed a few potions from her pouch for the beautiful and injured auburn haired man known as Irvine. She just made sure to make herself a personal note to thank Leon later, for his constant lecturing.
Turning back to Irvine she smile and said, “Alright, Irvine. I’m going to have you drink a few of these potions and they should help you recover enough strength to make it back to Merlin’s… my friend’s house.”
Irvine nodded in confirmation but still had to wonder why this Aerith woman was going out of her way to help him. A total and complete stranger, someone she knew nothing of, nor owed anything…it had been so long since he had been around such a kind and nurturing person, he wondered briefly if he was dieing. It had been too long…but he pushed his uncertainties away as a vile was pressed to his lips and his head was elevated as he drank.
-oOo-
Five potions later, and still Irvine appeared to be very weak.
Aerith sighed, there was nothing more she could do until they got back to Merlin’s. Placing the final vile to the ground, she turned to Irvine.
“I’m sorry but that’s all the potions I have on me.” She paused and waited for Irvine to nod in understanding before she went on to ask hopefully, “Do you think you can walk?”
Irvine closed his eyes and after a moment moved to get into a sitting position. Aerith moved behind him, incase he fell, watching him closely as he sat up. The movement seemed to have cause Irvine pain from his facial expression, but he said nothing of it.
Irvine looked around at his surrounding, before his attention was caught by something a few feet away by the fountain.
Aerith moved to Irvine’s side and tiled her head to get a better view of his face as she asked, “Are you in pain?”
Irvine didn’t turn to her as he replied, “No…”
After a pause he finally turned to her, his eyes holding emotion she could not read. “Could you get that for me?”
He asked her, pointing a good couple feet away towards the fountain of the market place. Aerith noticed then that there was an object within the pool of water. Her eyes did not leave the object as she rose replying with a simple “Yes.” to Irvine as she passed by him walking towards the cascading waters to retrieve whatever it was within it…
Aerith paused when she got there, amazed, slightly, to find a simple shotgun within the waters. She bent to her knees slowly and retrieved the bloodstained weapon from the waters but stopped after doing so to notice the blood had all but left the weapon and fell into the water.
She smiled slightly, Good as new…
She lifted the weapon and turned to restore it back to its rightful owner.
Her smile fell as she approached the auburn man; he was looking very distressed, eyeing the gun helplessly, his beautiful eyes never left it even after she had placed it into his hands. He gripped it tightly, securely, as though he was afraid it may abandon him again if he didn’t do so. He mumbled a thanks as Aerith watched him sadly.
She closed her eyes after a moment of feeling helpless to aid this poor man and made a silent prayer: she prayed, that like his gun, Irvine could be cleaned all the blood and torment that had ravaged not only his body but his soul too…his heart needed love and protection so it could heal…she truly hoped the someone would be able to help him. She would try, she hoped the others would too, and most of all she would pray for the day she would see that beautiful man’s smile and know he was whole again…if only everything worked as easily as a prayer…
-oOo-
“We’re here.”
Aerith said and she abruptly stopped walking. Irvine lifted his head to see a small slightly run down house in front of him. He didn’t know what to think; mostly he believed he may have still been laying on the streets of Dark City, dying… Well…at least this hallucination was peaceful…
Aerith adjusted her hold on Irvine to get a better look at him,
“Irvine? Are you alright?”
Hearing the kind woman’s soft voice he turned to Aerith, a bit of guilt still riddling him; whether what was happening now was real or not, he still felt awful that this tiny woman was supporting his weight, but…he was still so weak…
“Yeah…Yeah I’m fine. Lets just get inside.” Before I break you…
Aerith moved to the door, helping Irvine along the way. She pushed the door open and yelled for some assistance, “Cid, Merlin, Yuffie!? Is anyone home!?”
Cid came to the door way as Aerith and Irvine were entering the house.
“Whoa there, what was the racket--Who’s this?” Cid asked eyeing the tall man.
“Cid please, will you help him to the couch?” Aerith asked starting to struggle to hold up auburn man.
Cid grumbled something to himself but moved to Irvine’s other side and took an arm over his shoulder and rapped his own around the other man’s waist.
“C’mon now cowboy.”
Cid mumbled lowly and he led Irvine to the coach, lowering him slowly onto it. Irvine groaned in pain, dropping his gun to the ground, and moved to lie down.
“Oh! No Irvine, not yet. Sit up, please. Cid? Help me with his coat?”
They ended up pulling Irvine back to his feet, for his coat was so long he was sitting on it. Cid held Irvine securely around the waist as Aerith removed the khaki coat and the open bloodstained vest. Irvine gasped as pain flooded through him at the feel of the fabric brushing against his aching wounds. He refused to scream though and only closed his eyes tightly and raised his head to face the ceiling, waiting for the pain to subside.
Aerith did not plan to find the inner lining of the khaki coat to be lined with so much blood, but she should have know better. For the coat was so thick blood wouldn’t have soaked through, but the puncture holes in the back of the coat should have told her better but she had ignored them at the time. She frowned at the site of Irvine’s back, dripping with old blood.
She turned to Cid,
“Cid help him sit back down. I’m going to go take care of his cloths and get some water and bandages to clean him up.”
Cid only turned to her, nodding slightly. Then turned to Irvine and mumbled something to him to get his attention as he moved to set him down again to the coach.
-oOo-
Pain, so much splintering pain was flooding through Irvine as Areith removed his old rappings and stickings. She cleaned and sanitized his wounds that had been gravely infected. Though he knew she was healing him, the pain of it was killing him. He had his eyes closed as he pressed his head back into the couch, trying to ease the pain as a rough hand gripped the back and side of his neck and eased him forward, pressing a vile to his lips. Irvine trusted it was another potion and began to drink from it. He felt his body begin to heal itself but then something began to tear the freshly healed tissue and a sharp pain rocked through Irvine as he pulled his mouth away from the vile and began to cry out in pain as he grabbed at his side, where an old wound had begun to heal.
“What’s wrong with him?!” asked Cid, who had jumped at the sudden shriek that had escaped Irvine a moment ago.
Aerith was in shock, she couldn’t understand what was happening but she turned to Cid quickly,
“Cid, hold him down! He’s going to hurt himself!”
Cid quickly moved to Irvine and held him down to the couch by his shoulders. Aerith gathered herself quickly a moved to cup Irvine’s cheek, trying to give him some comfort as she asked,
“Irvine, what is it? What’s wrong with your side?”
Irvine seemed to have calmed slightly but just then he jerked into another spasm of pain as he gripped at his side and cried out.
Irvine couldn’t understand it; there was something inside him, he knew that, but what he couldn’t understand was when the pain did finally subside why it felt like his wound was reopened and the same initial pain would once again flood through him. All this pain, all his pain he had long grew immune to, was becoming recognized throughout his entire body…it was too much, he thought he might faint.
“Irvine what is it?!”
“M-my side! It hurts! Something…something’s in there! It won’t…won’t stop… its tearing me… tearing me up…inside…” his voice became faint and Irvine began to fall into darkness…
Realization flooded through Aerith, “Irvine! Irvine! Stay awake, hold on!” Aerith moved to stand and rushed off.
“Hey! Where you goin!?” Cid called through a panic that came through his usually irritated tone.
“I’ll be right back! Stay with him Cid!” Aerith called from another room.
Cid looked off in the direction Aerith had gone a moment longer before turning back to Irvine.
He wasn’t looking good. He was pale and his breathing had begun to slow. Cid removed the hat, he had found silly, from the top of Irvine’s head and placed his freehand atop the mess of dampened auburn hair as he comfortingly stroked it.
“Hey… hey kid… Come on…”
Nothing, it appeared Irvine had blacked out, but his breathing remained steady. Cid looked to the young man sympathetically.
“Hang in there, kid…”
Aerith rushed back to them with a scalpel and a few other objects used for surgical purposes that Cid couldn’t identify. Aerith sat back down at Irvine’s side, placing her tools onto the table and then turned to Irvine placing a hand to his head to take his temperature.
“What are you planning to do with those?”
Aerith looked to Cid for a moment then returned her attention back to Irvine and began to clean his still partly open wound at his side. “I’m going to have to reopen this wound and remove whatever is causing him so much pain…I think there’s something in there that’s keeping the tissue from healing.”
“Aerith…are you sure you know what your doing?”
“I…I really have never done anything like this in the past but -I don’t really have a choice. He can’t heal with that in him…he may die…” Aerith quickly blinked away her tears and turned to grab a few tools.
“Hold him down, Cid. I’m sure this is going to wake him up.”
-oOo-
Cloud came through the door to Merlin’s nonchalantly, never looking up as he came in and closed the door softly behind him, “I’m back-”
A loud deafening cry cause Cloud to jump back and grasp his sword in a ready stance to attack who or whatever it was causing someone so much pain. Then looking ahead found…it was Aerith who was causing this person so much agony.
Cloud blinked a few times and composed himself before moving from the door over to the pair, one on and one near, the couch. Then, as he got closer, noticed Cid also within the mess of blood and agony of the man on the couch. Cloud could only blink and look on as Cid held the screaming man down and Aerith removed a large piece of glass from the man’s side.
“There…” Aerith sighed with relief, placing the glass and the tool she used to extract it, onto the nearby table. Then before turning back to the distressed man, she grabbed a high potion from the same table.
“Now Irvine,” She said soothingly to the now only groaning man on the couch. “We’re all done. All you need to do is drink this for me and it’ll make you feel much better, so you can rest.”
The man identified now as Irvine, opened his eyes slightly looking from Aerith to the vile she was holding and closed his eyes again, only nodding in response. Aerith smiled slightly, looking more relived, as she placed the vile to the man’s lips and he drank from it slowly but willingly.
Cloud watched as the wound sealed itself more with every sip this Irvine took, wondering to himself, just who this man that Aerith had brought into their house to save was. What kind of person was he? And was it the best idea to save him? Cloud only sighed and placed a hand to his forehead knowing all to well how Aerith would never judge anyone in need before helping them, but when he looked back to the vulnerable man on the couch realized he felt no threat coming from the man. That this man appeared to be one of them, just as lost in life and darkness…just trying to survive. But he would test out his logic after this man was up and about again. To make certain this man was no threat to them.
“There…he’s asleep.” Aerith said removing the vile from the man’s lips and turning to Cid with a smile. Cid gave a slight relived smirk in return. Then, glancing over Aerith shoulder, noticed Cloud and remark to Aerith, “Looks like Spiky is back.”
Aerith turned to Cloud surprised but then smiled to him, “Welcome home.”
“Yeah…” was all Cloud replied looking to the side, and then turning back to the auburn haired man asked, “So, who’s this?”
Before Aerith could open her mouth to reply the door slammed open and Yuffie appeared. “Hey everyone! I’m ho-mMM!”
Aerith had rushed over and covered Yuffie’s mouth, not wanting her to wake Irvine.
“Shh…” Aerith released Yuffie, who only pouted and placed her firsts onto her hip replying, “And why do I have to be quiet?”
“Because he’s sleeping.” Aerith said, gesturing over to the auburn man on their couch that Cid was currently covering with a warm blanket.
Aerith blinked at the empty spot where Yuffie was a moment ago before turning to find that she had already made her way over to the sleeping man and was hovering over him.
"Oooohhhhh, who's this?" Yuffie cued over the sleeping man before turning her attention back to the others for an explanation.
Cid and Cloud turned to Aerith in unison. Yuffie shifted her gave to Aerith as well, expecting that she must have held the answers to all of their questions.
Aerith smiled uneasily and shifted before responding, "Well...Actually, I don't have any idea who he really is."
At the response, a feeling of uneasiness settled over them all.
-oOo-
"Soo, what're are we gunna to do with him?"
"Leon will know. We'll wait for him and see what he thinks."
"...Why is everything always put on Leon?"
"'Cause, kid, he's a good decision maker, whether he likes it or not."
At the sound of the front door opening Aerith moved from the table and left the others as she went to greet whom she assumed to be Leon at the door.
“Welcome home, Leon.” Aerith greeted the brunet as he came through the front door. Shutting the door behind him he turned to Aerith, “Hey …is something wrong?” he asked after looking from Aerith’s nervous face to the others uneasy expressions.
“What happened?” He asked with an undertone that demanded an answer.
“Heh, well…you see…” Aerith began nervously.
“Aerith brought home some strange half dead guy she found in the market place!” Yuffie cut in after slamming one hand against the table and using her free hand to point accusingly at Aerith.
Leon looked around at the other in the kitchen. Cloud was leaning against a wall near the table, while Cid sat at the table glaring at Yuffie for her little out burst, but after a moment all eyes returned to him, including Aerith’s as she looked up at him, timidly, from under her bangs.
“Really now… Is that what happened Aerith?” Leon asked inquisitively.
Aerith sighed, “Well I guess in a very over-summarized-way …yes.”
”Alright…” Leon began to scan the room, “I’m assuming you want me to check him out? Make sure he’s safe?”
“Yes…but really Leon, I think he’s a really kind man. I don’t think he’s a threat to us. So please don’t -” Aerith stopped herself when she noticed Leon’s eyes had stopped their search and they grew wide in disbelief and shock.
“Irvine…?” Leon said barely above a whisper.
Aerith turned and notice Irvine had woken up from his nap and was currently sitting up, using one arm a leverage as he used his other to examine his now healed and bare chest. After feeling down his torso and realizing he was fully restore to health, he looked up to hopefully find Aerith to think her. But when he did look up a certain brunet behind her caught his attention, his breath hitched, his train of thought died, and his heart rate decreased.
That scar…those eyes…it couldn’t be…it couldn’t…
Aerith looked between the two lost “Leon do you…?” Leon breezed by her quickly not allowing her to finish her question. He moved straight for the couch, straight for Irvine.
“Sq-Squa-mph!”
Before even being able to get his name fully out, Squall had pulled Irvine into a strong embrace.
“Squall…” Irvine said instantly. Feelings drowning him, pulling him into oblivion: His smell, his warmth, that scar, the embrace, it all pointed to it being him.
“Irvine…” Squall breathed into his ear. He shivered. That voice…
“Squall…” Irvine tried to pull back. He needed to see the face close up. He just had to make sure it wasn’t a lie, wasn’t a dream or reverie. He needed to know…
Squall released him enough for Irvine to lean back and see his face, while leaving his hands lock on Irvine’s arms.
For a long moment they just stared at each other…into each other.
Those storming grey/blue eyes…
Sapphire sky blue eyes…
Silky brown hair…
That long auburn hair…
That face…
Skin…
It’s him…
They pulled each other into another warm embrace. Holding each other, touching the others hair, feeling them, cooing each other ever so softly, lovingly. For a moment they were the only two left in the world. It was as though everything and everyone had fallen into a backdrop, and they were surrounded by only their thoughts, feelings, memories, and each other…
They both wanted to question the other. Both wanted to speak their own heart’s cries of remorse, their own heart’s joys of pure laughter. They wanted time to stop. They didn’t want this dream to end. This one wish… they never wanted to be apart again.
A/N:
Currently is a oneshot unless people enjoy it and would like to see more.
Lovingly edited by:
starlitforest ;D love ya
Well? Did you like? hate? neutral ?
Q.Where would the story go if continued?
A. It wouldn't remain all sappy as this chapter had ended. It would start off with Irvine and Squall catching up with eachother, learning where each has been for these past years. After that the story will also go through Cloud's point of view; being in love with Leon for quiet some time but never being able to express it and now having competition is making him both frustrated and scared of losing any chance with Leon he might have had before this Irvine showed up.
If you find the story interesting and would like me to continue it, please let me know.
Thank you for reading :)
Author:
irvine304
Rating: T
Genre: Friendship/Romance
Pairing: Leon/Squall x Irvine if continued also Leon/Squall x Cloud
Warnings: OOC, shounen-ai, WAFF, Flangst, Sappy Ending!
Summary: Aerith finds a stranger who fell from the sky, who is badly injured on both his body and his heart. Will the reunion with an old friend make him complete? IrvinexSquall Oneshot? If continued also LeonxCloud
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy © Square Enix
Chapter 1: Reunion
It was a beautiful clear-blue-sky kind of day, in Radian Garden. The temperature was warm and the breeze light… It was a lovely day, thought a kind brunet woman, dressed in her regular pink attire, as she left Merlin’s house with her empty basket to go shopping in the market place.
Yes that had been her initial plan, as she entered the market place, stopping to kindly to greet Scrooge, but as she turned from Scrooge to the commotion ahead she noticed a light appearing in the sky, at first glimpse it looked as if a star was falling but as the star grew in size, and appeared to be falling towards them, her option changed.
What could that be…?
She thought to herself as some of the town’s people rushed hastily by her to leave the market place for safety, she presumed, as she looked on with a few other bystanders.
It took less then half a minute for the large glowing object to crash into the center of the market place. A large cracking sound was heard at initial contact of glowing object hitting the hard rock ground. At that, the brunet woman rushed to the balcony edge to see for herself what that falling star really was. She noticed almost all of the light had dissipated and in its place, on the cracked rock ground of the market place, was a man!
“Oh, no.” she gasped as she dropped her basket and rushed down the stairs quickly to help the man, ignoring the calls of the towns people to wait, stop, and not go over there, for her own safety. Yes she understood that, but this man wasn’t a threat to her or any of the other people, if anything, he needed help, that is if…he was even still alive after such a landing.
She stopped, just in front of him, to take in the absence of the light and the large, almost circular crevice, left from his impact to the ground. Apprehension filled her chest as she slowly knelt down beside the still man. She looked him over: he appeared to be very tall, he was dressed in khaki pants and a long khaki coat that went almost past his knees, he had long auburn hair, pulled back in a ponytail, and a black cowboy hat settled at the top of his head. She had never seen such an array of clothing before; she did not know this man. She slowly reached forward and gently touched the auburn man’s back, “Excuse me…?”
Nothing: no reply, no movement, she wasn’t even sure if the man was still breathing.
Hastily, she moved to the man’s side and began to push him onto his back. It proved to be a challenge but she managed to finally get the man onto his back. Her breathing became slightly labored and she settled back onto her knees to give the auburn man a second look over. But his face caught her off guard, and gathered her full attention: he was stunning.
His face was a beautifully masculine as it were feminine, he had soft yet strong features, and his skin appeared to be very soft. She reached forward and moved his long bangs that extended as long as his jaw line, out of his face to gently stroked his check. Yes, his skin was quite soft. Then she pulled away from him, a surprised gasp almost leaving her lips a she noticed something else about the auburn man’s face. His lips…they were parted and ever so slightly moving. A small smile graced her features as she realized: he’s breathing…
He was still alive! She was so relived. But…her smile left her quickly as her gaze lowered from his face to his chest. The vest he wore under his khaki coat appeared to be purple but because the vest was so heavily coated in blood that it was just as hard to tell the color of the vest as it was to tell if the blood itself was new or old.
She frowned and hastily began to work on undoing the buttons of the man’s vest to see how bad his wounds were. Because his vest was low cut she could already see fresh cuts and bruises but she knew even before she touched his vest and got her hands wet with the blood soaked into it, there was much more damage that needed tending.
After opening the vest she had to cover her mouth from the shock of what she saw. There were many wounds covering the poor auburn man’s chest, some where poorly rapped or stitched. The man obviously either had little experience with tending to such wounds or had no time to care for them accurately for he must have been in constant danger…
But there were still more new wounds, cuts and gashes, which were fresh, still bleeding, still needing to be tended too. What happen to this poor man? Where could he have been before that was so dangerous? The pretty brunet thought as she hovered her hands over the man’s more fresh wounds, stopping the bleeding, and healing them.
She didn’t even want to risk trying to tend to his other wounds, which were probably very infected and needing of treatment, while they were still in the streets. She looked to the auburn man’s face. She needed him to wake up; she needed to get him home but--what about the rest of him? She once again realized the impact he had had with the ground; he must have had some broken bones, but where?
She started at his legs and made her way up. Gently feeling his body, looking for any unusual movements within the bones, anything that could suggest or prove a break. But she found nothing. Astonished but not allowing that to distract her, she moved back to the man’s head and gently lifted it onto her lap, and began to gently tap his face, “Please…please wake up! I need you to wake up so I can take you home…please, wake up!”
The auburn man slowly began to stir and relief flooded through the brunet as she saw the auburn man’s eyes open for the first time. They were a beautiful deep blue, so deep they could be mistaken for a violet if one wasn’t paying close enough attention.
His eyes wandered around before settling on the beautiful woman’s face above him.
Who…?
The woman caught the uncertainty in the beautiful auburn man’s eyes and smiled at him, “Hello, my name is Aerith. Do you know where you are?”
The auburn man looked about himself again before looking back to the woman shaking his head no. She smile again at him, “This is Radiant Garden.” Aerith waited to see if the information she had given the man meant anything to him. He just stared at her dumbfounded, not seeming to recognize the world’s name. Her smile fell and she looked at him sympathetically, “What’s your name?”
The auburn man blinked and finding his voice, replied softly, “Irvine…” he stopped and cleared his throat, “Irvine Kinneas.”
“Irvine…” the beautiful woman, known as Aerith, repeated softly as she turned her head away from him. She seemed to be fussing with something at her side…
Aeirth was silently thanking Shiva -no… Leon, for his constant worrying over her and her safety, whenever she would leave the house for earns or whatnot. For if it wasn’t for that, she wouldn’t have brought anywhere near the amount of potions she had brought today, if any…
“Remember, Aeirth. Never forget to keep a good supply of potions on you whenever you go out. It’s for your own safety. You never know when the security system could malfunction and then you would have no protection against the heartless.”
Leon refused to listen to her comment on how she could defend herself just fine against the heartless and concluded with, “Look Aeirth this is your choice. Either carry the potions or don’t leave the house. And if I catch you out without any I will drag you back here and supply you personally with potions. End of discussion.”
It was late one night when they had this discussion. They were alone and Leon seemed to have a lot on his mind. He never wants to admit when he worries -but he does. All the time and mostly about them…
But it was not time to dwell on that, she thought as she grabbed a few potions from her pouch for the beautiful and injured auburn haired man known as Irvine. She just made sure to make herself a personal note to thank Leon later, for his constant lecturing.
Turning back to Irvine she smile and said, “Alright, Irvine. I’m going to have you drink a few of these potions and they should help you recover enough strength to make it back to Merlin’s… my friend’s house.”
Irvine nodded in confirmation but still had to wonder why this Aerith woman was going out of her way to help him. A total and complete stranger, someone she knew nothing of, nor owed anything…it had been so long since he had been around such a kind and nurturing person, he wondered briefly if he was dieing. It had been too long…but he pushed his uncertainties away as a vile was pressed to his lips and his head was elevated as he drank.
-oOo-
Five potions later, and still Irvine appeared to be very weak.
Aerith sighed, there was nothing more she could do until they got back to Merlin’s. Placing the final vile to the ground, she turned to Irvine.
“I’m sorry but that’s all the potions I have on me.” She paused and waited for Irvine to nod in understanding before she went on to ask hopefully, “Do you think you can walk?”
Irvine closed his eyes and after a moment moved to get into a sitting position. Aerith moved behind him, incase he fell, watching him closely as he sat up. The movement seemed to have cause Irvine pain from his facial expression, but he said nothing of it.
Irvine looked around at his surrounding, before his attention was caught by something a few feet away by the fountain.
Aerith moved to Irvine’s side and tiled her head to get a better view of his face as she asked, “Are you in pain?”
Irvine didn’t turn to her as he replied, “No…”
After a pause he finally turned to her, his eyes holding emotion she could not read. “Could you get that for me?”
He asked her, pointing a good couple feet away towards the fountain of the market place. Aerith noticed then that there was an object within the pool of water. Her eyes did not leave the object as she rose replying with a simple “Yes.” to Irvine as she passed by him walking towards the cascading waters to retrieve whatever it was within it…
Aerith paused when she got there, amazed, slightly, to find a simple shotgun within the waters. She bent to her knees slowly and retrieved the bloodstained weapon from the waters but stopped after doing so to notice the blood had all but left the weapon and fell into the water.
She smiled slightly, Good as new…
She lifted the weapon and turned to restore it back to its rightful owner.
Her smile fell as she approached the auburn man; he was looking very distressed, eyeing the gun helplessly, his beautiful eyes never left it even after she had placed it into his hands. He gripped it tightly, securely, as though he was afraid it may abandon him again if he didn’t do so. He mumbled a thanks as Aerith watched him sadly.
She closed her eyes after a moment of feeling helpless to aid this poor man and made a silent prayer: she prayed, that like his gun, Irvine could be cleaned all the blood and torment that had ravaged not only his body but his soul too…his heart needed love and protection so it could heal…she truly hoped the someone would be able to help him. She would try, she hoped the others would too, and most of all she would pray for the day she would see that beautiful man’s smile and know he was whole again…if only everything worked as easily as a prayer…
-oOo-
“We’re here.”
Aerith said and she abruptly stopped walking. Irvine lifted his head to see a small slightly run down house in front of him. He didn’t know what to think; mostly he believed he may have still been laying on the streets of Dark City, dying… Well…at least this hallucination was peaceful…
Aerith adjusted her hold on Irvine to get a better look at him,
“Irvine? Are you alright?”
Hearing the kind woman’s soft voice he turned to Aerith, a bit of guilt still riddling him; whether what was happening now was real or not, he still felt awful that this tiny woman was supporting his weight, but…he was still so weak…
“Yeah…Yeah I’m fine. Lets just get inside.” Before I break you…
Aerith moved to the door, helping Irvine along the way. She pushed the door open and yelled for some assistance, “Cid, Merlin, Yuffie!? Is anyone home!?”
Cid came to the door way as Aerith and Irvine were entering the house.
“Whoa there, what was the racket--Who’s this?” Cid asked eyeing the tall man.
“Cid please, will you help him to the couch?” Aerith asked starting to struggle to hold up auburn man.
Cid grumbled something to himself but moved to Irvine’s other side and took an arm over his shoulder and rapped his own around the other man’s waist.
“C’mon now cowboy.”
Cid mumbled lowly and he led Irvine to the coach, lowering him slowly onto it. Irvine groaned in pain, dropping his gun to the ground, and moved to lie down.
“Oh! No Irvine, not yet. Sit up, please. Cid? Help me with his coat?”
They ended up pulling Irvine back to his feet, for his coat was so long he was sitting on it. Cid held Irvine securely around the waist as Aerith removed the khaki coat and the open bloodstained vest. Irvine gasped as pain flooded through him at the feel of the fabric brushing against his aching wounds. He refused to scream though and only closed his eyes tightly and raised his head to face the ceiling, waiting for the pain to subside.
Aerith did not plan to find the inner lining of the khaki coat to be lined with so much blood, but she should have know better. For the coat was so thick blood wouldn’t have soaked through, but the puncture holes in the back of the coat should have told her better but she had ignored them at the time. She frowned at the site of Irvine’s back, dripping with old blood.
She turned to Cid,
“Cid help him sit back down. I’m going to go take care of his cloths and get some water and bandages to clean him up.”
Cid only turned to her, nodding slightly. Then turned to Irvine and mumbled something to him to get his attention as he moved to set him down again to the coach.
-oOo-
Pain, so much splintering pain was flooding through Irvine as Areith removed his old rappings and stickings. She cleaned and sanitized his wounds that had been gravely infected. Though he knew she was healing him, the pain of it was killing him. He had his eyes closed as he pressed his head back into the couch, trying to ease the pain as a rough hand gripped the back and side of his neck and eased him forward, pressing a vile to his lips. Irvine trusted it was another potion and began to drink from it. He felt his body begin to heal itself but then something began to tear the freshly healed tissue and a sharp pain rocked through Irvine as he pulled his mouth away from the vile and began to cry out in pain as he grabbed at his side, where an old wound had begun to heal.
“What’s wrong with him?!” asked Cid, who had jumped at the sudden shriek that had escaped Irvine a moment ago.
Aerith was in shock, she couldn’t understand what was happening but she turned to Cid quickly,
“Cid, hold him down! He’s going to hurt himself!”
Cid quickly moved to Irvine and held him down to the couch by his shoulders. Aerith gathered herself quickly a moved to cup Irvine’s cheek, trying to give him some comfort as she asked,
“Irvine, what is it? What’s wrong with your side?”
Irvine seemed to have calmed slightly but just then he jerked into another spasm of pain as he gripped at his side and cried out.
Irvine couldn’t understand it; there was something inside him, he knew that, but what he couldn’t understand was when the pain did finally subside why it felt like his wound was reopened and the same initial pain would once again flood through him. All this pain, all his pain he had long grew immune to, was becoming recognized throughout his entire body…it was too much, he thought he might faint.
“Irvine what is it?!”
“M-my side! It hurts! Something…something’s in there! It won’t…won’t stop… its tearing me… tearing me up…inside…” his voice became faint and Irvine began to fall into darkness…
Realization flooded through Aerith, “Irvine! Irvine! Stay awake, hold on!” Aerith moved to stand and rushed off.
“Hey! Where you goin!?” Cid called through a panic that came through his usually irritated tone.
“I’ll be right back! Stay with him Cid!” Aerith called from another room.
Cid looked off in the direction Aerith had gone a moment longer before turning back to Irvine.
He wasn’t looking good. He was pale and his breathing had begun to slow. Cid removed the hat, he had found silly, from the top of Irvine’s head and placed his freehand atop the mess of dampened auburn hair as he comfortingly stroked it.
“Hey… hey kid… Come on…”
Nothing, it appeared Irvine had blacked out, but his breathing remained steady. Cid looked to the young man sympathetically.
“Hang in there, kid…”
Aerith rushed back to them with a scalpel and a few other objects used for surgical purposes that Cid couldn’t identify. Aerith sat back down at Irvine’s side, placing her tools onto the table and then turned to Irvine placing a hand to his head to take his temperature.
“What are you planning to do with those?”
Aerith looked to Cid for a moment then returned her attention back to Irvine and began to clean his still partly open wound at his side. “I’m going to have to reopen this wound and remove whatever is causing him so much pain…I think there’s something in there that’s keeping the tissue from healing.”
“Aerith…are you sure you know what your doing?”
“I…I really have never done anything like this in the past but -I don’t really have a choice. He can’t heal with that in him…he may die…” Aerith quickly blinked away her tears and turned to grab a few tools.
“Hold him down, Cid. I’m sure this is going to wake him up.”
-oOo-
Cloud came through the door to Merlin’s nonchalantly, never looking up as he came in and closed the door softly behind him, “I’m back-”
A loud deafening cry cause Cloud to jump back and grasp his sword in a ready stance to attack who or whatever it was causing someone so much pain. Then looking ahead found…it was Aerith who was causing this person so much agony.
Cloud blinked a few times and composed himself before moving from the door over to the pair, one on and one near, the couch. Then, as he got closer, noticed Cid also within the mess of blood and agony of the man on the couch. Cloud could only blink and look on as Cid held the screaming man down and Aerith removed a large piece of glass from the man’s side.
“There…” Aerith sighed with relief, placing the glass and the tool she used to extract it, onto the nearby table. Then before turning back to the distressed man, she grabbed a high potion from the same table.
“Now Irvine,” She said soothingly to the now only groaning man on the couch. “We’re all done. All you need to do is drink this for me and it’ll make you feel much better, so you can rest.”
The man identified now as Irvine, opened his eyes slightly looking from Aerith to the vile she was holding and closed his eyes again, only nodding in response. Aerith smiled slightly, looking more relived, as she placed the vile to the man’s lips and he drank from it slowly but willingly.
Cloud watched as the wound sealed itself more with every sip this Irvine took, wondering to himself, just who this man that Aerith had brought into their house to save was. What kind of person was he? And was it the best idea to save him? Cloud only sighed and placed a hand to his forehead knowing all to well how Aerith would never judge anyone in need before helping them, but when he looked back to the vulnerable man on the couch realized he felt no threat coming from the man. That this man appeared to be one of them, just as lost in life and darkness…just trying to survive. But he would test out his logic after this man was up and about again. To make certain this man was no threat to them.
“There…he’s asleep.” Aerith said removing the vile from the man’s lips and turning to Cid with a smile. Cid gave a slight relived smirk in return. Then, glancing over Aerith shoulder, noticed Cloud and remark to Aerith, “Looks like Spiky is back.”
Aerith turned to Cloud surprised but then smiled to him, “Welcome home.”
“Yeah…” was all Cloud replied looking to the side, and then turning back to the auburn haired man asked, “So, who’s this?”
Before Aerith could open her mouth to reply the door slammed open and Yuffie appeared. “Hey everyone! I’m ho-mMM!”
Aerith had rushed over and covered Yuffie’s mouth, not wanting her to wake Irvine.
“Shh…” Aerith released Yuffie, who only pouted and placed her firsts onto her hip replying, “And why do I have to be quiet?”
“Because he’s sleeping.” Aerith said, gesturing over to the auburn man on their couch that Cid was currently covering with a warm blanket.
Aerith blinked at the empty spot where Yuffie was a moment ago before turning to find that she had already made her way over to the sleeping man and was hovering over him.
"Oooohhhhh, who's this?" Yuffie cued over the sleeping man before turning her attention back to the others for an explanation.
Cid and Cloud turned to Aerith in unison. Yuffie shifted her gave to Aerith as well, expecting that she must have held the answers to all of their questions.
Aerith smiled uneasily and shifted before responding, "Well...Actually, I don't have any idea who he really is."
At the response, a feeling of uneasiness settled over them all.
-oOo-
"Soo, what're are we gunna to do with him?"
"Leon will know. We'll wait for him and see what he thinks."
"...Why is everything always put on Leon?"
"'Cause, kid, he's a good decision maker, whether he likes it or not."
At the sound of the front door opening Aerith moved from the table and left the others as she went to greet whom she assumed to be Leon at the door.
“Welcome home, Leon.” Aerith greeted the brunet as he came through the front door. Shutting the door behind him he turned to Aerith, “Hey …is something wrong?” he asked after looking from Aerith’s nervous face to the others uneasy expressions.
“What happened?” He asked with an undertone that demanded an answer.
“Heh, well…you see…” Aerith began nervously.
“Aerith brought home some strange half dead guy she found in the market place!” Yuffie cut in after slamming one hand against the table and using her free hand to point accusingly at Aerith.
Leon looked around at the other in the kitchen. Cloud was leaning against a wall near the table, while Cid sat at the table glaring at Yuffie for her little out burst, but after a moment all eyes returned to him, including Aerith’s as she looked up at him, timidly, from under her bangs.
“Really now… Is that what happened Aerith?” Leon asked inquisitively.
Aerith sighed, “Well I guess in a very over-summarized-way …yes.”
”Alright…” Leon began to scan the room, “I’m assuming you want me to check him out? Make sure he’s safe?”
“Yes…but really Leon, I think he’s a really kind man. I don’t think he’s a threat to us. So please don’t -” Aerith stopped herself when she noticed Leon’s eyes had stopped their search and they grew wide in disbelief and shock.
“Irvine…?” Leon said barely above a whisper.
Aerith turned and notice Irvine had woken up from his nap and was currently sitting up, using one arm a leverage as he used his other to examine his now healed and bare chest. After feeling down his torso and realizing he was fully restore to health, he looked up to hopefully find Aerith to think her. But when he did look up a certain brunet behind her caught his attention, his breath hitched, his train of thought died, and his heart rate decreased.
That scar…those eyes…it couldn’t be…it couldn’t…
Aerith looked between the two lost “Leon do you…?” Leon breezed by her quickly not allowing her to finish her question. He moved straight for the couch, straight for Irvine.
“Sq-Squa-mph!”
Before even being able to get his name fully out, Squall had pulled Irvine into a strong embrace.
“Squall…” Irvine said instantly. Feelings drowning him, pulling him into oblivion: His smell, his warmth, that scar, the embrace, it all pointed to it being him.
“Irvine…” Squall breathed into his ear. He shivered. That voice…
“Squall…” Irvine tried to pull back. He needed to see the face close up. He just had to make sure it wasn’t a lie, wasn’t a dream or reverie. He needed to know…
Squall released him enough for Irvine to lean back and see his face, while leaving his hands lock on Irvine’s arms.
For a long moment they just stared at each other…into each other.
Those storming grey/blue eyes…
Sapphire sky blue eyes…
Silky brown hair…
That long auburn hair…
That face…
Skin…
It’s him…
They pulled each other into another warm embrace. Holding each other, touching the others hair, feeling them, cooing each other ever so softly, lovingly. For a moment they were the only two left in the world. It was as though everything and everyone had fallen into a backdrop, and they were surrounded by only their thoughts, feelings, memories, and each other…
They both wanted to question the other. Both wanted to speak their own heart’s cries of remorse, their own heart’s joys of pure laughter. They wanted time to stop. They didn’t want this dream to end. This one wish… they never wanted to be apart again.
A/N:
Currently is a oneshot unless people enjoy it and would like to see more.
Lovingly edited by:
starlitforest ;D love ya
Well? Did you like? hate? neutral ?
Q.Where would the story go if continued?
A. It wouldn't remain all sappy as this chapter had ended. It would start off with Irvine and Squall catching up with eachother, learning where each has been for these past years. After that the story will also go through Cloud's point of view; being in love with Leon for quiet some time but never being able to express it and now having competition is making him both frustrated and scared of losing any chance with Leon he might have had before this Irvine showed up.
If you find the story interesting and would like me to continue it, please let me know.
Thank you for reading :)