The wolf and the lamb, hand in hand.

[postingmemes]

( dangerously sweet )

Because is there anything better than a dangerous, potentially deadly stoic whose one weakness is their sweet, harmless object of affection? Especially if the latter has the former wrapped around their finger, knowingly or otherwise. To avoid tl;dr - suddenly, a wild bae approaches! Their attempt to turn you into a puddle of goo at the knees, whether purposeful or not, is very effective. This meme is pretty shamelessly for fluff, opening up, dokis, and also more dokis. Respond with your character, preferences, what role you'd like to play if it matters, and any other info. Then, respond to others.

Comments

[notachocobo]

(Let me know if this doesn't work at all!)

--

For awhile there, Cloud hadn't been sure it was ever going to end. He wasn't sure that any of them were going to walk away from the fight. There had been so many close calls along the way, so many times that they had almost lost members of their group and each time had been worse than the next. That, in combination with his own muddled head and memories that had to reorganize themselves as he finally figured out just who he was had lead to Cloud feeling...exhausted.

The fighting was done. There had been tragedies and lives lost but it was over. Sephiroth was gone. The planet was safe. His..his friends had survived and that was more than he could have asked for.

While the others had all immediately thrown themselves into aiding the survivors of what had been Midgar, Cloud had..he had needed a moment to breath. His head was still a mess and for the first time in quite awhile he was thinking without a haze surrounding him and it was a lot to take in. Somewhere in his wandering, in his quest to get some air and get a grip on himself, he ended up where he always seemed to end up:

Aerith's Church.

His sword was resting over one of the broken pews and the blonde himself was seated near the flowers, knees drawn up with his arms resting over them. His gaze was on the flowers but he wasn't really seeing them; he was seeing other things. Allowing himself to actually grasp the reality of all of it. The losses he'd forgotten about. The memories that had been buried deep. You'll be my living legacy. Cloud started as the voice echoed through his head, hands curling into light fists as he took a shaky breath.

Had he done Zack proud?

[flowers1gil]

For the majority of their party, assisting with the recovery process was what kept them going. After being on the run for so long, fighting their way to this point, sitting still just didn't seem like an option anymore. Although, this didn't quite apply the same to Aerith. She had made her peace a long time ago. She had been prepared to lay down her life but at the very final moment, it wasn't her time to go, just yet. For every single day she remained on this physical planet, she thanked her ancestors and she thanked the lifestream for letting her return.

She had seen the anguish on Cloud when everybody had thought Sephiroth succeeded in that temple. It hurt. And she didn't want him to ever have to feel that kind of hurt again.

Speaking of which, she hadn't seen him for a while. She knew exactly where he was though. There wasn't anywhere else he could be. Aerith finished healing her last patient in queue and left the assist area. While she made her way to the church, she tightened the pink bow tied around her ponytail and brushed over the central area just to make sure that one special materia was still tucked away safely.

When she entered the church, she tried to keep her mood upbeat and she called out as she walked down to the flower patch. "You're missing out. Barret's putting on the uniform for the kids and we know how much you liked seeing that marshmallow bear." She laughed a little but her spirit dropped a little when she saw him up close.

Aerith's expression softened as she, without another word, sat down quietly next to him. Waiting for him until he was ready to speak to her. However long it took, she'll be here for him.

[notachocobo]

He hears her as soon as she enters the church but he doesn't move from his spot, doesn't even glance her way. If he does, he know his expression--his eyes--will betray him. Emotions are his worst enemy right now and he doesn't trust himself not to just crumble.

"...The kids'll enjoy it enough for me too," Cloud murmured, trying his best to sound amused by the visual she was painting for him but it fell flat. And he knew it. His voice was too soft and almost hollow and his body language just didn't match the attempt at joy.

A glance is cast her way finally when she settles beside him and Cloud attempts to say something then but he can't find the words. His mouth thins into a line as he looks back towards the flowers and for a long moment he just tries to sort of everything in his head. He knows that Aerith would understand; he knows that she would never judge him--never has.

But he'd...he'd impersonated Zack, even if it was unknowing...did she hate him for that? Had she realized it at some point?

"...I'm not sure I know what to do now."

This made me realize that Aerith living means she never saw the real Cloud from lifestream

[flowers1gil]

She could hear the uncertainty in his voice and almost feel the emotion that he was trying to hide to his best ablilty. This was very different from the man who lead them through to the final battle; the one who stood his ground and kept them united. This was finally Cloud being true to himself. Finally the person she had been waiting to see. Aerith shifted just enough so that she sat closer to him and leaned her body very gently against his.

"You've been strong for a very long time. You can let go now."

It was always good to see that even in her absence, the flowers managed to thrive here. Like a home that she could always come back to when she needed to find peace. Aerith hoped that they would also help Cloud find some peace. She thought back to when they first met and she smiled. The similarities were uncanny. How often do you have SOLDIERs falling out of the sky? But...the small differences shone through even from that very first moment. There was something that drew her so much more to this quiet and slightly awkward man, moreso that the confident outgoing one he had tried to mimic.

"Have you figured out what I meant that night yet? When I told you that I want to meet...you?"

She leaned her head onto his shoulder, quietly hoping that he would remember that night in the Gold Saucer when she had fumbled through her words.