There's No Cheer In This House

[pinkgospel]

Characters: Aerith Gainsborough, Cloud Strife, & Marlene Wallace
Progress: On-going
Summary: Losing someone is never easy, but losing that special someone twice is just too much to bear.
Location: Aerith & Zack's home, Luca
Date: Pre-Dated
Warnings: Sorrow, crying, slight references to Crisis Core

Comments

[loveandstrife]

Cloud was walking around in a daze. Seeing Zack die the first time had broken him. This time, it had completely snapped him. He didn't like looking at people, he didn't want to touch anyone or see anyone, but he knew he had to go to apologise to Aerith for letting him die a second time.

He hadn't cried since he'd seen him die, and even that had been brief and forced away. He had Marlene's hand but Cloud could barely feel it in his own grip. He could already hear that whispering voice in his ear, but he wouldn't let himself think Zack would come back to them... to him. Not yet. It was not fair for Gaia to even take him, when Zack didn't belong to this world, but he was far too spaced out to think deeply into it.

Knocking his free hand against Aerith's door, Cloud was actually glad to have no voice. At least then, if he wanted to blurt out how heartbroken he was, he wouldn't get any sound out.

[littleprotector]

Marlene held onto Cloud's hand tight;y as they walked. He has said they were going to Aerith's house for a visit, and Marlene had a sinking feeling that it was to check up on her.

She followed along quietly, stopping next to her papa when he knocked. She took a moment to look up at him, then looked back down.

[pinkgospel]

Gazing at the sky still once she heard the first three knocks upon the door, Aerith was snapped out of her trance shortly. Swaying sluggishly as she walked towards the door, Aerith stopped once she wandered halfway down the foyer. She was a mess, a complete mess. There were all sorts of dirt and grime on her, even a smidgen of blood since Aerith wasn't too careful when she tend to her garden today. Taking a moment to clean up first, Aerith's somber gaze lingered upon her own morose image within the mirror.

"Hello..." She muttered with a slight smile. "You look terrible today." Frowning once she realized how red her eyes looked, Aerith splashed cold water upon her face before reaching for the towel. Quickly running out from the restroom, Aerith opened the door and put on her best smile.

"Hey, Cloud!"

[loveandstrife]

Cloud nodded in response to her greeting, instantly noticing how wooden and forced her best smile seemed. He really could read her as well as she could read him.

Stepping inside, releasing Marlene's hand, Cloud just gently reached out, squeezing Aerith's arm comfortingly before slipping past, making his way through to the living room. He wasn't comfortable. He expected to see Zack's face, hear his voice, see him bouncing around like he always did, but it was just so dark. So unhappy.