(Open / Complete)

[onegil]

Who: onegil, superninjayuf, firstclasswings, OPEN
When: A couple hours after immunizations
Where: Solamente Park
Rating: G - will update if it changes.
Summary: Aerith just needed to get out, think, breathe, you know.

Comments

[onegil]

Aerith looked up toward the sound of approaching footsteps, her usual smile lifting the corners of her lips at who it was. He was a sight for sore, sore eyes. "I didn't know either," she spoke softly, keeping her gaze on him though she had firmly rooted herself to the back of the horse. It was hard to admit she couldn't find the words to say to him, especially since she had practiced in her head what the right scenario would be. But now. Now she was content with only watching him as he stood there, looking the same as he always had.

"It doesn't work, though." And finally she looked away, head lowered and boots tapping the side of the horse. "It's too bad, this would have been fun. Kind of like the park back in Midgar." So many memories were from that place, and now she would probably never see it again. And Marlene... She wouldn't either.

Aerith bit down on her lower lip. She couldn't keep thinking about it, nothing would change. Her legs stopped swaying and she leaned back a little, fingers in the knotted mane to hold herself as she looked up. "I meant to come visit, but I wasn't sure where to look. I think I got sidetracked," and she pushed out a small laugh.

[onegil]

She failed to notice the physical contact until his hand replaced the course mane between her fingers, and it surprised her just how much she had missed even the slightest touch from another person. Her fingers slid between his, offering a small squeeze in return as she settled her gaze on him. He was trying so hard, and she had to remember she wasn't the only one suffering from loss. If Cloud was gone, if Cloud was... was dead, it would hurt them all. She couldn't wallow, she had to try. Leaving all the work to Zack wasn't fair.

"Just your second?" Mission accomplished, however, as the smile returned to her face. Even a laugh managed through and she shook her head a little. "I guess it wasn't a great park." Everything below the plates of Midgar had barely reached mediocre levels, but it was all she had known and everything she had loved. It would be a lie if she said she didn't miss it, and she was terribly homesick for the church and her mother.

She really had to stop doing this to herself.

"Zack," she started, pushing the thoughts from her mind. "Have you been able to talk to..." Cloud? Apparently she didn't push those thoughts hard enough. Pushpushshove. "...Tifa? Or Tseng? I don't hear from them very often anymore, especially Tifa lately." Clearly living with her didn't have to mean being able to talk to her.

[onegil]

"Oh!" It was a nice surprise, at the least. "The church..." Too bad the one here was nothing like hers back home, though on the worst of days she found herself wandering inside in hopes that it would just magically transform and there in the back would be her little bed of flowers. "Hm, mine too," she finally agreed aloud.

She let it fall silent again, listening to the carousel creak softly at even the slightest breeze. This poor, old, forgotten thing. Just as worn out as they were, it seemed. But she returned from her thoughts when he began speaking again, a soft sigh escaping afterward. "That's all right." It was her fault for not trying hard enough at communications with her friends. "I'll try to talk to them when I have time."

Shifting her weight forward, Aerith slowly - carefully - slid off the back of the horse, holding his hand a little more tightly for support before her boots touched the surface of the platform. Once again he was taller than her and she lifted her eyes to his, head tilting to the side.

"You know you can talk to me if something is wrong, right? I know lately..." she quieted for a moment, thinking on her words before continuing again. "I know lately I haven't been much fun, but I want to be here for you, too." It was easier to offer herself for comfort as opposed to searching it out herself.

ffff and i'm pro at fail!tags. ;A;

[onegil]

Aerith let her eyes settle on her hand against his chest, a soft smile to her lips as she felt his heartbeat beneath her palm. The rhythm was calming and she nodded a little, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt for a second before she let go and settled her grasp in his hand again. "Hm, your favorite but not your only girl," she joked. She wasn't particularly insecure about it, and she had never thought of putting a definite label on either of them which often raised the question of what they really were.

However, she didn't dare to ask.

"A walk?" The suggestion made her eyebrows raise, but she followed willingly to the edge of the carousel and hesitated at its edge. "Is it safe?" Which was a silly question, because anywhere was considerably safe so long as Zack was near. No matter what was coming she had confidence that he would protect her just as he always had. As he always will. She waved the question off, taking one foot after the other off the platform.

"As long as it's with you," she added in the questions place. "We can go anywhere."