(Untitled)

[cetran]

Who: Aerith & Leon
When: afternoon/early evening
Where: River & Forest
Rating: PG
Warnings: Probably nothing but lots of fluff going on here.
Summary: Leon asks Aerith to spend the day with him.

Comments

[leo_nine]

Leon had not spoken much as the two meandered their way through the forest; mostly he had listened to Aerith talk and talk, and occasionally he made answers and comments. Mostly his head and thoughts were focused on the purpose of asking her out for a walk tonight, and the way her fingers curled around his just so--the pads of her fingers resting on the clefts of his knuckles, and he had the odd idea that this was not something he minded. And he had never been an especially affectionate person, one that Yuffie and Aerith had pointed out time and time again when he tensed at their hugs and wiped off Yuffie's wet kisses on his cheek with the back of his hand without so much a glance at her. It was just not his way

[cetran]

"Hm?" She perked up a bit at hearing him admit that he wanted to speak with her, and her head tipped off to the side ever so slightly as she stared over at him curiously. One of her long ringlet curls that made up her bangs slid down and over her eye, and she blew at it with an exaggerated puff of air. "Is everything-" She cut herself off so she could breathe out once again, but the hair didn't move and she frowned in annoyance.

"Is everything..." She trailed off once again, and this time stood upright so she could simply brush the hair out of her face. Smiling then, she tiptoed in closer to him, hands clasped behind her back. She rocked to and fro for mere seconds, before reaching out to grab his hand. "You can tell me anything." She nodded, bringing their intertwined hands up to rest against her chest, near her heart.

"Everything's all right, isn't it Leon?" She wondered, her tone cautious, unsure of what he could want to talk about. But if he had asked her to go outside with him, on a walk, she doubted it was anything but a good

[leo_nine]

She wasn't... worried, was she? Leon looked down at Aerith, wondering vaguely what exactly was going through her mind. He had never had a keen understanding of women, so he felt clumsy around her when it came to feelings, as if he might do or say the wrong thing. But he needed to get this off of his chest now; if he held it in any longer, he felt like he might burst, like a balloon poked with a pin.

His hand moved around Aerith's, and he pulled her gently towards him, moving his other arm around the small expanse of her shoulders. It was odd, to be holding her; with his face so close to her hair, he could smell all the scents from the flowers she worked with, the smell of the soap they bought from MakubeX's general store. She smelled clean and fresh and something else he could not quite put a name to.

He let himself enjoy the luxury of holding her for a few more quiet moments before his voice broke in. It was a spurr-of-the-moment thing, impulsive, and he nearly beat himself over the head once he said it.

"I think I might love you,

[cetran]

She made a soft noise of surprise, something between a choked gasp and a delighted little squeak. She allowed his words to ring through her head several times, and then sink in until she actually understood the meaning. And it was then that she breathed out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding, and it was then that she moved to wrap her arms around him

[leo_nine]

A family? Leon couldn't help but laugh a little at that, despite himself; after all, he had never figured himself to be a family man, and raising a family in a place like Purgatorium was not something he had figured he would ever do. Especially with a girl not Rinoa, but--looking at her against the tree, Leon openly smiled for a change. It would not feel right otherwise, he decided, being without Aerith near him. Suddenly, she had become what was important to him: when she had been attacked, Leon had been overcome with a seething rage. He had gone into one of the dungeons and slashed at anything that came his way, and come out the next day mute and softened. And he had stayed at her bed until she had woken up.

They all had their own scars now: his across his face, the new dimpled ones on her arms.

"I don't mind," he said evenly, moving towards her; he settled on an area on the tree next to her, looking out and not at Aerith, "I already told you I would stay. I promise."

He sighed, closed his eyes. "I don't want you to leave either

[cetran]

She took his hand once again, and held it in hers. She didn't get the nervous tingles in her stomach now, every time their fingers touched, and that made things feel as if maybe standing around the way they were was normal. Something she had become used to. "I won't leave." She knew better than to promise, when the gods in charge were so fickle. "I won't. I don't want to return to Gaia and go back to the Lifestream. I can'tShe felt her emotions running high and tears began to fill her eyes, but she managed to hold them back. Even still, she used the moment to spin around and face Leon, leaning in until her forehead made contact with his chest. "I'll have to speak with Thylas. If we get to leave someday, I want to go with you." She paused then, and a sudden realization hit her

[leo_nine]

Leon stood there awkwardly for a moment, still not used to the idea of Aerith drawing comfort from him, or from him providing any form of comfort. His hand rested on her shoulder for a moment before he bent to hug her more solidly. He could get used to this, easily, though the erratic thumping of his heart gave him an odd feeling. After all, he hadn't felt it in a long time

[cetran]

She knew well enough to know that wasn't true. She hadn't been given the option last time, she had simply been ordered to return home. But those were different gods, but even still, they had been easier to work with than Thylas. Forcing a half smile on to her face, she nodded, their noses bumping once again. "I'll speak to Thylas." She was decided on that, and she made it her top priority.

But she pushed the thoughts of leaving and staying, and the fears that went along with those things out of her mind, so she could focus entirely on the moment she was currently experiencing. "I'm sorry." She apologized, ashamed for having brought down the mood. "We both deserve to be happy. Especially you. I shouldn't talk about such silly things, should I?" Quickly stealing a kiss, she looked up at him, before leaning over and looking past him and into the forest.

"Do you want to keep walking, or are you ready to call it a night?"