Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Premonitions: Uncut	By : Hippo_and_Friends_with_Benefits Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 3901 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, and I am not making any money of of this writing.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Chapter 17: Life's a Beach
The sun shone brightly in the sky as the barge opened its doors in Costa del Sol, exposing its passengers to the oven it created.
"Damn!" groaned Barret as he disembarked from the barge. "Sure is hot here!"
"Would you kindly hurry?" requested Red XIII from behind him. "The heat here is drying my nose."
"All right," said Cloud, who was third in line. "We'll take a break and then head off.
Don't wander too far off."
"I'll wander wherever I damn well want!" shouted Barret as he began to run off. "Who made him the leader?"
Just then, Cloud felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind. "I did," replied Aerith as she pecked him on the cheek. "Maybe I should get a tan for once. Which do you like, Cloud?"
"I like fair complexions," Cloud replied.
"Got it," replied Aerith as she kissed him again. "I'll remember that."
"I think I'll go swimming," stated Tifa, the last to disembark.
"Sounds good to me," Aerith replied as she and Tifa ran off.
"It looks like my mane got messed up," said Red XIII. "I'm going to rest somewhere cool." He then disappeared down a street.
And with that, Cloud was alone to decide what to do next.
ELSEWHERE…
Barret placed a dish of ice water on the ground.
"Thank you," said Red XIII as he placed his paw into the dish, scooped some water up, and licked it.
"Don't mention it," Barret replied.
Red XIII continued to scoop water up with his paw, looking at Barret somewhat nervously.
"Damn!" Barret exclaimed. "Forgot to feed ya!"
As Barret turned his back to prepare a dish of food, he could hear Red XIII lap up the water rapidly. Barret was puzzled about his companion's odd habits. Shrugging it off, he filled another dish with food and placed it next to the one containing the water. Red XIII took one sniff of the food and turned away.
Barret was naturally offended. "You ate that back at the Shinra Building!" he exclaimed.
"I know," Red XIII replied. "Now I don't like it anymore."
Barret sighed. This was an impossible creature.
ELSEWHERE…
Meanwhile, back at the dock, a helicopter was landing on a helipad as Rufus and Heidegger disembarked the barge.
"What a long boat ride that was!" Heidegger said.
"Good work everyone," said Rufus to the sailors preparing the helicopter.
"Gya ha ha!" cackled Heidegger. "Hurry up with that!"
"Yes, sir!" obeyed the sailors in unison.
"I heard Sephiroth was on board," began Rufus in an annoyed tone of voice, once the sailors were gone.
"Yes," replied Heidegger sheepishly. He knew he was in trouble again.
"And it seems Cloud and the others were on board, too," the president continued angrily. "They all slipped through. You messed up big this time, Heidegger."
"I'm ashamed of myself," Heidegger groaned.
"Is that all you can do?" shouted Rufus. "Give one word answers and apologize for everything?"
Just then, Palmer came running off the barge. "Mr. President!" he shouted. "Breaking news!"
"This isn't the time!" Rufus shouted.
"Kalm just burned to the ground!" Palmer shouted. "And guess who did it!" With that, he showed Rufus and Heidegger a photo taken by a security camera. It depicted Kalm ablaze, with Bestla standing triumphantly in the town square.
"Fuck Bestla," announced Rufus. "We're taking her out." He paused. "This changes everything. You two, we're having a meeting. And you know where!"
Palmer and Heidegger groaned in unison.
ELSEWHERE…
"Man," said Aerith. "Isn't this nice?"
"What?" asked Tifa.
Aerith and Tifa were relaxing on the beach in red and blue bikinis, respectively. They both needed to take their minds off of the situation.
"The sun. I'm still getting used to it," Aerith replied. "I've been living in Midgar for so long. I haven't even worn a bikini since high school!"
"Didn't get out much?" asked Tifa.
"Not really," Aerith replied. "I spend most of my free time helping my mother." She paused. "Tifa, I need to ask you something, if it's okay."
"Sure," replied Tifa with a smile. "Ask away."
"Are you okay with this?" Aerith asked her.
"Okay with what?" asked Tifa. "Going after Sephiroth?"
"No," Aerith corrected her. "Cloud and I."
"Of course," Tifa replied. "We're childhood friends. It's a completely different relationship."
"Are you sure?" asked Aerith. "I kind of feel a vibe."
"Trust me," insisted Tifa. "I'm happy for the both of you. I care about Cloud enough to want what makes him happy. That's what a real friend does."
Aerith was silent. She believed her and didn't believe her at the same time. She wanted to, but something just didn't sit right. She wondered if there would be trouble on up ahead.
ELSEWHERE…
The premonition came to him as crisply as the hot sun.
"Sephiroth!" .
"So you opened the door," Sephiroth praised. "Well done."
"This place...what is it?"
"A lost treasure house of knowledge," explained Sephiroth. "The wisdom of the Ancients...I am becoming one with the planet."
"One with the planet?"
"You stupid fools," Sephiroth scolded. "You have never even thought about it. All the spirit energy of this planet. All its wisdom...knowledge...I will meld with it all. I will become one with it...it will become one with me."
"You can do that?"
"The way...lies here," Sephiroth replied.
And then, he felt an extreme pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw himself impaled on a giant sword.
The premonition then ended as suddenly as it came.
"I have to do something," he realized out loud.
ELSEWHERE…
Make a huge sacrifice for the greater good.
Start a new quest.
Take Advantage of a second chance.
Admit I made a big mistake.
Accept who I am.
Change the course of my life.
Create a new outlook on life.
Kiss my best friend.
"There," said Aerith as she finished it.
"Making a bucket list?" asked Tifa.
"How'd you guess?"
"I just guessed."
"I see," said Aerith. "I've been meaning to make one. Not that I plan on dying anytime soon. I just want to remind myself to do stuff before I forget about it. Time flies, and I'm already missing out."
"Really?" asked Tifa. "How so?"
"I always thought I'd be married by now," Aerith replied.
Tifa's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," Aerith insisted. "I pictured myself as a housewife living on the upper plate."
"I never expected that for myself," Tifa said. "But there were other things I was hoping for."
"Like what?" asked Aerith.
"I'm not too sure," replied Tifa in an uneasy voice. She turned her head, so Aerith couldn't se what she mouthed: "Tell Cloud how I feel about him."
"Want some ideas?" Aerith offered.
"I'm okay," Tifa assured.
With that, Aerith handed Tifa the list. "I insist," she said. "You don't have to do everything."
Tifa sighed. "Here goes. 'Make a huge sacrifice for the greater good?' I am a fugitive for the sake of the planet. Does that count?"
"I suppose," Aerith replied.
"'Start a new quest,'" Tifa continued. "Well, we did go from blowing up reactors to chasing Sephiroth."
"Sounds like someone has a head start," Aerith observed with a smile. "I can't say that. I never blew up a reactor."
"'Take advantage of a second chance,'" Tifa continued.
"We all get those," Aerith replied. "We just so often don't take advantage of them until it's too late."
"Yeah," Tifa said quietly. She hung her head in sadness; she could only think of one second chance she had been given. Cloud. And now she had blown that one, too. She saw the next item on the list, and she could admit, at least to herself, that she had made a big mistake by not telling Cloud how she felt. But now, he was with Aerith. She continued to quietly scan the list to the bottom, where her eyes widened.
"'Kiss my best friend?!'" Tifa exclaimed.
"What's wrong with that?" asked Aerith.
"I just…never head of something like that," Tifa replied. She was a little skived.
"Isn't it a wonderful thing to kiss your best friend?" asked Aerith.
"Well," Tifa said, "I really don't think I have a best friend to kiss."
"Then I'm glad we're having this time and getting to know each other!" Aerith exclaimed happily. "Maybe we can become best friends!"
Tifa tried to smile.
"Don't worry," insisted Aerith. "I didn't say it had to be on the mouth!"
ELSEWHERE…
Cloud, meanwhile, had spotted someone he knew. Tseng. He was at Butch's Materia Depot.
"You're lucky," Butch informed him. "This is the only one that I know of. What would you need it for?"
"Walk through the walls and get into the girls' locker room," Tseng replied.
"Yeah, I'd like to find a gorgeous chick and have a good time," Butch agreed.
A moment later, Tseng was gone. Cloud made his way down to the shop. He was curious what Tseng had been doing there.
"Watcha got?" asked Cloud.
"Everything but Phase," Butch replied. "The last guy bought the last one."
"No worries," Cloud replied, realizing he might get some more information. "I don't even know what that does anyway."
"It phases you out," Butch replied. "Allowing you to walk through walls. It's mainly for people who want to walk through walls when they can't walk through doors. You know, perverts."
"I see," Cloud replied. "In that case, I'll take some fira, blizara, and some thundra, please."
"No prob," Butch replied enthusiastically. "I should have some more Phase in by next week."
What could Tseng possibly want with Phase? Cloud wondered as he paid.
ELSEWHERE…
"Umm…I don't mean to sound insensitive or anything," began Aerith, "but…your boobs…shouldn't they have a scar in between them?"
"I paid a fortune getting that removed," Tifa quickly explained. "Sounds kind of weird, but I care about my body. I do take pride in it."
"Especially during sex," Aerith laughed.
That was followed by dead, awkward silence.
"I'm sorry," Aerith apologized. "Was that something I shouldn't have said?"
"It's okay," Tifa laughed slightly. "Despite how I dress sometimes, I'm still a virgin," she explained. "I'm actually a very modest girl. My parents bathed me and dressed me until I was four. Since then, nobody has seen my boobs, butt, or lady parts except for me behind closed doors."
Aerith almost looked stunned. She could never have known.
"What about you?" asked Tifa. "Have you ever…?"
Aerith laughed. "I was cheerleading captain in high school. I'm from the city. I'm a free spirit. You do the math."
Both girls giggled in unison.
"I'm parched," declared Tifa. "Want anything to drink?"
"I'm good," Aerith replied.
Tifa then turned over and reached into the cooler. As she did so, she turned her back to Aerith, revealing a white "Lockheart" boldly printed on the back of her bikini bottoms.
"That's cute," giggled Aerith suddenly.
"What?" asked Tifa.
"Your last name on your butt."
Tifa lay back down on her back. "My name's important to me," she said. "I figured I might as well put it where everyone would stare."
"What if you get married?" asked Aerith.
"Fat chance," Tifa replied. "I don't see myself doing it. I'm bent on saving the planet."
"What about after that?" asked Aerith.
"That would be a good question," said Tifa. "I suppose I could get married. But I really don't have anyone. I sometimes wonder what will happen to me after the planet is saved."
"You know what would be really romantic?" suggested Aerith. "If you surprised your new husband on your wedding night wearing only your bikini top. I would be the sexiest way to let him know you've taken his name."
Tifa found the thought of it a turn on, but still felt sad about it. She knew exactly what would happen once Sephiroth was killed and Shinra was destroyed. Red XIII would leave before the quest was even over. Barret would probably go back to his home town as well. And then Cloud.…Cloud and Aerith would begin their life together.
And she would be alone with nobody. At the thought of that, she even wondered if her life would be worth living.
ELSEWHERE…
"So who is this girl, really?" asked Rufus from the toilet he was sitting on.
"We have no idea," Palmer replied. "All we know is that she used a false name."
"I think we can deal with one little girl," Heidegger insisted.
"She's taken out a whole village," Rufus reminded them. "One thing's for certain: the deal's off."
"I was waiting for that," Palmer said. "Dare I say we're going to kill her?"
"You bet your fat ass we're going to kill her!" Rufus replied. "Where the fuck is she, anyway?"
"If she's followed Cloud's path, she's probably near Junon by now," suggested Heidegger.
"Alright," replied Rufus. "I want every missile in range fired upon the Urchin. That bitch's days are numbered."
"You can count on us!" assured Palmer.
"Meeting adjourned, then," announced Rufus as he flushed the toilet.
ELSEWHERE…
"Do you have a most embarrassing moment?" asked Aerith.
"Not really," Tifa replied quietly.
"Mine was in the first grade," Aerith continued. "A girl named Terri pulled down my pants on the monkey bars."
"That would be embarrassing," Tifa said in a monotone voice.
"I would have been in elementary school," Aerith said. "But less so in high school. Especially after the crotch shots at the football games."
Tifa's eyes raised. "Didn't you have underwear?"
"Well, yeah, we had little bloomers on," Aerith replied. "But they'd move side to side, so I'm guessing someone saw something at some point."
"No wonder there are so many male cheerleaders," Tifa observed.
"Yeah, and they get to put their hands on our asses, too!" Aerith added.
"Wow," said Tifa.
"Yeah, I had fun," Aerith continued. "And I'm in shape." She then felt the vibe again. "What's wrong, Tifa? And don't say 'nothing,' I was born on a Tuesday, but not last Tuesday."
"Really," Tifa insisted. "It's nothing."
And then, Aerith smiled again, and quickly sprang to her feet. "Oh, Cloud!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around him and pressed her lips against his. "Where have you been?"
"I've been around," Cloud replied.
Aerith giggled and rested her head against his chest. She felt as if she could almost take a nap there. "Whew...I don't. know why I'm so tired." She then looked up at Cloud, with concern in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"There's so many things I don't understand," Aerith replied. "I feel a little uneasy. Cloud, what
do you think of me?"
"I don't understand much," Cloud replied. "I've known you for five days, but there's still more to learn."
"You're right," Aerith agreed. "Even I don't understand myself. I wonder what part of me is like an Ancient? What is an Ancient supposed to be like? It's strange, isn't it? I don't understand it. I'm going around in circles. I wonder if there's any answer to this. Everything's so complicated."
Just then, Tifa appeared. She had thrown a tee shirt on that stopped just above her waist. "Look," she announced. "Look at that!"
Just a few yards down the beach, right before their eyes, was a familiar face surrounded by a group of bikini-clad girls.
"Is that man over there Hojo?" asked Cloud to himself before confirming it with his eyes.
"Let's go over and talk to him," Tifa insisted.
"I have a bad feeling about this," muttered Aerith as she, Cloud, and Tifa made their way over to Hojo.
One of the bikini-clad women gave the three the evil eye as they approached. "God! What do you want?"
"I want to talk with that man!" Cloud insisted.
"Professor Hojo," said the woman, "that scary man says he wants to talk with you."
"I'm busy right now," Hojo dismissed.
"Too bad," Tifa said.
"I remember you all now," said Hojo. "Yes, yes. I remember now. It's been a long time, Aerith."
"Hojo," began Cloud.
"Sometimes you just gotta do something like this."
"What are you doing?" asked Cloud.
"It should be obvious," Hojo replied. "I'm getting a tan."
"Answer me!" Cloud demanded.
"I believe we're both after the same goal," Hojo said.
"You mean Sephiroth?" asked Cloud.
"Did you see him?"
Cloud nodded.
"I see," laughed Hojo as he stood up.
"What is it?" asked Cloud, in an annoyed tone of voice.
"Nothing," Hojo replied. "I just remembered a certain hypothesis. Haven't you ever had the feeling something is calling you? Or that you had to visit some place?"
"Now that you mention that," said Cloud, "I've been having premonitions and déjà vu lately. Not to mention weird voices in my sleep. You're the scientist, maybe you can explain it all."
"I am a scientist," Hojo replied. "And thus don't adhere to that supernatural gobbledygook. No, don't you want to follow anybody?"
"I'll go anywhere Sephiroth is at!" Cloud said. "To beat him and put an end to all this!"
"I see," observed Hojo. "This could be interesting. Were you in SOLDIER? Would you like to be my guinea pig?"
In response, Cloud reached behind.
"Oh, now what?" Hojo continued. "Are you going to draw your sword?"
"No, Cloud!" exclaimed Aerith. "It's not worth it!"
Cloud silently withdrew his hand from his back.
Hojo cackled as he walked closer to Aerith. "Say, aren't you the Ancient?"
"I'm Aerith," she replied crossly. "The least you can do is remember my name. I want you to tell me something, Professor Hojo. I know I'm an Ancient. My mother told me."
"Your mother?" asked Hojo. "Oh, you mean Ifalna. How is she?"
"You didn't know? She died," Aerith informed him.
"I see," replied Hojo, without sympathy.
"Professor Hojo," Aerith began. "Is Jenova an Ancient? Is Sephiroth an Ancient? Do we all have the same blood?"
In response, Hojo began mumbling and sat down.
"He's mumbling slowly," observed Aerith. "That must mean he's hiding something!"
"Hey!" exclaimed Tifa. "Answer us!"
"It's no use," Cloud sighed. "It's no go."
A FEW HOURS LATER…
The sun was beginning to set on Costa del Sol. Barret was wandering the streets, realizing that the next day might spell a deadly encounter with Sephiroth. He wasn't sure he was ready, but he decided to give it his best just the same.
And then, he saw something quite pleasing to his eyes. A young girl was standing and a shirt, sneakers, and bikini bottoms that really flattered her backside. Barret didn't need to look at her face, however, as the Lockheart was still quite visibly printed on the bottoms.
"Hey Barret," greeted Tifa as she noticed him standing next to her.
Barret frowned. An aura of melancholy surrounded her, and he could tell. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Without responding, Tifa pointed to the beach, where a shirtless Cloud and a bikini-clad Aerith were making out on the beach. "I was a fool!" Tifa finally said as tears came streaming down her cheeks. "I waited too long to tell him how I feel. And now all those things we had….the promise we made…all the times we played together as children…they're all gone!"
Barret put his good arm around Tifa, who grabbed him in a hug, defeated.
"I've lost him!" Tifa sighed as more tears flowed from her beautiful eyes.
"Shh," whispered Barret as he tried, unsuccessfully, to comfort her.
"I wanted so much to tell him," Tifa sobbed. "But I'd been holding my thoughts in my heart for too long, and look what it got me!"
LATER THAT DAY...
They found a hotel to stay at for the night on Costa del Sol's boardwalk. They agreed to cross Mount Corel the next day, leaving Barret feeling uneasy.
As Costa del Sol was a popular resort, only two rooms were left. One went to Cloud, Barret, and Red XIII. The other went to Tifa and Aerith.
Cloud had retired to his room by five. He had a lot to think about. He had encountered Sephiroth for the first time in five years. What he was planning to do was beyond him, but, as he had not seen him in five years, he needed to be prepared for anything.
And, of course, there were the premonitions. And the voices he was hearing in his sleep. Could Sephiroth be the cause of them? And if not, then who? Or what?
And then, sometime around seven, Cloud felt his phone buzz. He pulled it out to see that someone had texted him.
"Meet me on the boardwalk," the text read.
The name above the message, sure enough, was Aerith.
Realizing he needed a break from his concerns, Cloud made his way outside the hotel. He wandered down the sidewalk, passing where it became the boardwalk. He could see kiosks with food, drinks, and games, all occupied by people in clothes, swimwear, and sometimes somewhere in between.
And then, he saw Aerith.
She was wearing a yellow baby shirt and a pair of sandals and in her red bikini bottoms. As soon as she saw Cloud, she smiled, waived hello, and walked up to him.
"Hey you!" she greeted, still smiling.
"Hey," Cloud greeted back. "What's up?"
"Remember how I said I'd go out with you if you helped me back there?" Aerith reminded him as she folded her hands behind her back.
Cloud nodded.
"Well," she continued, "we're not going anywhere until tomorrow morning, and there's so much fun stuff to do on the boardwalk, so I figured now would be a good time."
"This is a date?" Cloud asked.
"You got it!" Aerith replied with a smile. "A da-te!"
Cloud looked at Aerith, reminding himself that she was in a tee shirt and bikini bottoms. "Am I overdressed?" he naturally asked.
"Waaaay overdressed," she replied as she greeted him with a hug. "Seriously, I just didn't feel like putting jeans on."
Cloud nodded.
"Come on!" commanded Aerith. "There's a boardwalk to explore!"
She took his hand and led him down the boardwalk.
Eventually, they came to kiosk that read "Butch's Bowling and Materia Shop."
From the ceiling hung a giant stuffed bear.
"He's upgraded," Cloud said to himself, as he quickly figured out what would come next.
"Could you win that for me?" Aerith asked in a cute tone of voice.
"I suppose," Cloud replied.
He paid Butch for a game and picked up the bowling ball. He reached back carefully, but as he released the ball, he felt Aerith poke him in the torso. His body jerked, causing the bowling ball to head straight for the gutter.
"Hey!" Cloud exclaimed as he turned around.
"Sorry!" Aerith giggled innocently. "Can I try?"
"I suppose," Cloud replied as he paid for another game.
Rather than take revenge, he stepped back. He wanted to enjoy the rear view of his beautiful date. He watched quietly as Aerith reached back and rolled the bowling ball. She got a strike and, with her back still turned to Cloud, did a victory pose.
"That's how it's done!" said Aerith triumphantly as she turned her head to face Cloud. She then turned it to face Butch. "I'll take the bear, please."
"I'm afraid we're out," Butch said. "That's only the display one."
"Hey!" exclaimed Aerith. "That's not fair!"
"You can have some of the other stuff," Butch suggested.
Aerith looked at the counter. All she saw were a couple of rings, several plastic swords, and a rubber chicken.
"Can we come back later tonight?" she asked. "Will you have more then?"
"Sorry," Butch said, "but I gotta close down before the gale comes."
"The gale?" asked Cloud.
"Yeah," Butch replied. "You've never been here before, have you?"
Both Cloud and Aerith shook their heads.
"Every night at tenish, a wind comes down this boardwalk. Temperatures are below freezing."
"Is it dangerous?" asked Cloud.
"By no means," Butch replied. "But it's most unpleasant, I can tell you that."
With that, he closed the window and disappeared.
"Bummer," muttered Aerith.
"That sleaze," Cloud grumbled.
"I didn't really want the bear anyway," Aerith assured him as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "I just wanted to torture you a bit!"
"I suppose," Cloud said.
"Wanna go for ice cream?" Aerith suggested. "There's a kiosk right there."
"Sure," Cloud agreed.
They went to the kiosk, where Cloud got them both a vanilla cone. They then sat down on a nearby bench.
Gradually, the beach goers began to disappear from the boardwalk. By the time their ice cream cones were halfway finished, all the kiosks were closed, and only Cloud and Aerith remained.
Aerith suddenly seemed quiet, which was very unlike her. Cloud grew concerned.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"Just something that I've been meaning to ask you," Aerith replied. "Ever since you told us your story in Kalm."
"What's that?" asked Cloud.
"Whatever happened to your dad?" she asked.
"Nothing," Cloud replied.
"Nothing?!" Aerith exclaimed as she took another lick of her ice cream.
"Nothing can happen to someone who was never there to begin with," he clarified. "It was just me and my mom since I could remember."
"But you must have a father," she insisted. "Did your mom say anything about him?"
"Nothing whatsoever," he replied. "My mom was a free spirit and had her yesterdays. Any man she ever got close to could be my father." He paused. "I really don't think I'll ever know."
"Oh," said Aerith softly as she gently stroked his back. "I don't know who my father is, either."
"Did your mother ever tell you?" asked Cloud. "Your real mother, I mean."
"She talked about him several times," she replied. "But she always called him 'dad' or 'your dad' or 'your father.' She never mentioned his name. She probably would've if she had lived to see me older."
"Did she say whether he was alive?" asked Cloud.
Aerith shook her head. "But who am I kidding? How would I ever find him?"
"I'll help you find him," he said.
She looked at him in surprise. Nobody had ever offered that before. Not even Ifalna.
Still, she was wondering.
"How?" she asked.
"Once we put Shina out of business," Cloud replied, "we can easily waltz into their headquarters and check out their database. They have access to all birth records. Not to mention death records, marriage records, divorce records, and criminal records. They have it all."
Aerith giggled slightly. "Criminal records?"
"You got it," Cloud replied. "I can check to see if you've been a bad girl or not."
"Other than all those pursuits by Shrina, I have never been into any serious trouble with the authorities," Aerith explained. "In almost seven years of driving, I've been pulled over for speeding a couple of times, but nobody's perfect." She paused. "Of course, you know I'm adopted. Gainsborough is Elmyra's name, not my biological mom's."
"I won't quit," Cloud assured her. "We'll see what info they have."
Cloud suddenly felt Aerith's grip on his hand tighten. He turned to look at her face, and noticed her eyes were wet.
"How did I get so lucky?" she asked.
Before he could answer, she pressed her lips against his. As she pulled away, she had a big smile on her face.
Cloud opened his mouth and began to answer, but he was silence by Aerith kissing him again. This time, he felt her tongue in his mouth. It was obvious that they were getting closer, and he softly met her tongue with his.
Aerith gently placed her hand on his cheek, but quickly pulled it away and broke the kiss.
"This isn't comfortable," she said.
Quickly, she got up off the bench, turned around, climbed back on up, and straddled him.
"That's better," she declared. She then placed both her hands on Cloud's cheeks before kissing him again.
Cloud began running his hand up and down her back as their tongues met again.
"You like this?" Aerith asked as she broke the kiss, allowing them both to breathe.
He nodded, trying to catch his breath.
"I like this," she whispered with a smile before kissing him again.
They continued to make out for a long time. They both lost track of the time, and, forgetting for a moment about what Butch had warned them of.
Finally, Cloud remembered.
"We should probably get back before the gale comes," he said.
Aerith nodded as he got up off of the bench with her still in his arms and set her down gently on her feet.
Cloud and Aerith slowly made their way back to the hotel, still locked in each other's embrace, and with Aerith continuing to plant kisses on his face.
Near then end of the boardwalk, they came upon another bench. It quickly caught Aerith's eye.
"Can we have five minutes more?" she asked.
"Absolutely!" Cloud replied with a grin.
He sat down on the bench. Aerith straddled him again and began to deeply kiss him once more. She began to run her hands over his shoulders, as Cloud's were at her ankles.
And then, something crossed his mind. He had never bothered to asked Aerith her age, mainly because he found it rather rude to do so. He figured, based on her spunky personality, that she was seventeen or eighteen, or nineteen at the oldest.
But then she had said that she had been driving for seven years. He could do the math; seven years ago, he was fourteen. It was around that time that he had made the promise at the well. He remembered himself and Tifa as practically children, but, at the same time, Aerith was seemingly old enough at least to drive. It could only mean one thing.
Aerith must be older than me, Cloud thought.
He remembered how his mother wanted him to date an older girl. But he also wondered if Aerith would mind. He knew at least three girls in high school who would never date a younger guy.
And then he realized he shouldn't dwell on that. Right now he had this beautiful older girl straddling him, kissing him passionately.
Cloud began to run his hands up Aerith's smooth, bare legs.
And he was now at her thighs.
And he wondered if he should go higher to her bikini bottom-covered behind.
Aerith, meanwhile, was slightly hoping he would. And possibly that he would go underneath.
Instead, he moved his hands up to the inch of exposed skin on the small of her back, without touching her rear.
Aerith felt a little disappointed, but realized it was for the best. It wouldn't have worked. Neither of them had their own room; this was all they could give each other that night.
And then, it happened. Both of them felt the temperature suddenly drop.
"The gale," Aerith murmured as she stopped kissing him.
"Shit," muttered Cloud.
"How far's the hotel?" asked Aerith.
"About half a mile down," Cloud replied.
"I say we run," suggested Aerith as her hair began to blow in the ever-cooling wind.
"Agreed," said Cloud.
With that, he sprang to his feet, lifting Aerith into the air.
The temperature continued to drop. Aerith's bare legs were beginning to get goosebumps, but her butt bore the worst of it. She tried to rub her legs against Cloud's shirt, hoping the friction would warm them up slightly, but to little avail.
Cloud could tell she was freezing. His inclination was to let her down so she could run with him, but the strength at which she was clutching him with both her arms and her legs rendered that impossible. He wanted to rub her legs to keep them warm, he knew it would slow them down.
"Keep going!" Aerith chattered, as the boardwalk became concrete again.
"It won't be long now," Cloud promised.
Finally, they arrived at the hotel. He quickly carried her inside through the automatic doors. Warmth greeted them both.
"We're inside," he announced.
"Thank God," Aerith replied through clenched teeth, still clutching him with both her arms and her legs. She buried her head in his shoulder, and continued to shiver.
"You okay?" asked Cloud.
"Can't feel my butt," she chattered.
"You can't feel your butt?!" he repeated.
Aerith shook her head, still buried in Cloud's shoulder.
"Let's get you back to your room," he suggested.
Cloud carried Aerith through the hallway. When they got to her room, she loosened her grip around him and set herself down on her feet, backing away so they could see each other's faces.
"How are you feeling?" asked Cloud.
"I'll be okay," Aerith assured him as she put her hand on his shoulder. "Nobody's ever done that for me."
"I wanted to," he replied.
Aerith looked tenderly into Cloud's eyes. "I know we haven't known each other long," she said, "but I'm really starting to fall for you."
Cloud placed his hands on her hips. "I'm starting to fall for you, too."
He then pressed his lips against hers, but that was the limit. He broke the kiss and backed to a distance. She needed to get under her covers.
Aerith turned and opened the door to her room. She then quickly turned again, smiled, and blew him a kiss before she closed the door behind her.
As soon as the door was closed, she quickly gathered her pajamas and ran into the bathroom.
Tifa, who had changed into her own pajamas and was sitting on her bed, looked at the bathroom door, confused.
Less than a minute later, Aerith emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a white tank top and dark pajama bottoms, and practically ran over to her bed, burying herself under the covers.
"You okay?" asked Tifa.
"I was until the gale came!" Aerith exclaimed, her teeth still chattering.
"The gale?" asked Tifa.
"I didn't know about it either," Aerith said. "It comes every night around this time, and it's freezing!"
Tifa, noticing that Aerith was still shivering, quickly pulled the blankets off her own bed and placed them on Aerith's.
"You didn't have to do that," Aerith said, feeling somewhat guilty.
"I know," Tifa replied as she sat down on her own bed. "But I think you need these more than I do right now."
Aerith sat up, taking extra care to keep the blankets wrapped tightly around her.
"I shouldn't have had that ice cream before, either," Aerith laughed. "That probably didn't help either."
And then, Aerith lay back down on her back and spread her arms. "Sorry," she sighed. "I'm freezing, but I'm on cloud nine right now! How come you never told me?"
"Told you what?" asked Tifa.
"How incredible Cloud is!" Aerith replied happily. "We went out on a date on the boardwalk before the gale hit. We even made out at the end. He is such an incredible kisser!"
Tifa smiled, but remained silent.
"He even told me he was going to find my dad," Aerith continued. "Nobody's ever done that before. And I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life dealing with scumbags who just want to get into my pants."
"Tell me about it," Tifa said.
"What sucked," Aerith continued, "was that we didn't have a room together, so it was all I could give him. Next time, though, for sure."
Tifa began to feel uncomfortable, and quickly opted to change the subject. "Do you feel yourself warming up?" she asked.
"I can't feel my butt anymore," Aerith replied.
"You can't feel your butt anymore?" Tifa repeated.
"It'll come back," Aerith assured her.
The though of Aerith and Cloud together was still on Tifa's mind. But she had to accept it. Ideally, she and Cloud would be together. But she mainly wanted him to be happy, even if it was with someone else. And then, something else crossed her mind.
"Aerith," began Tifa. "Mind if I ask you something?"
"Sure," replied Aerith. "Ask away."
"If your old boyfriend ever came back, like if he had been marooned on an island or some sort...would you go back to him? Or would you stay with Cloud?"
"I'd stay with Cloud most likely," Aerith replied. "It'd be the right thing."
Aerith was, if it cannot be more obvious, quite oblivious to how Tifa felt about Cloud. To her, Tifa simply wanted to make sure Cloud was taken care of.
"Don't worry," Aerith assured her. "I'll never hurt him."
Tifa forced a smile, realizing what her companion had been thinking.
"What about you?" asked Aerith.
"What about me?" asked Tifa, unsure of what she meant.
"Do you have anyone?" the soprano clarified. "Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Someone to come home to?"
"I don't," Tifa replied. "I had a couple of boyfriends in high school, but they went nowhere."
"What's wrong with Barret?" Aerith suggested.
"He's thirty-five and I'm twenty," Tifa replied.
"I'll find you someone," Aerith offered.
"That's not necessary," Tifa dismissed.
"No, I insist," Aerith retorted. "You deserve to be happy. By the end of this, you will have someone." She paused. "Mind if I ask you something?"
"Sure," Tifa said.
"No, wait," Aerith stopped herself. "Never mind."
"No, what?" Tifa pressed.
"It's too personal," Aerith replied.
"You can ask me," Tifa assured her. She had a feeling of what she was going to ask her: whether she had feelings for Cloud.
"You've really never had sex before?" Aerith asked, blushing as she did so.
"That's right," Tifa replied, somewhat relieved. "The only thing I've ever done naked was shower. I made a promise to never do it with anyone but my husband."
"I thought I would wait, too," Aerith added. "But when I met my boyfriend, it kind of ran away with itself."
"Ran away with itself?" Tifa asked.
"Well, we always made out in my room fully clothed, but as we got serious, he often had his shirt off, since my room got hot a lot, and I was often in a tee shirt and panties, mainly because it's kind of hard to straddle him with my jeans on. And then one night, while I was at his place, we were kissing and he just started undressing me."
"What's it like?"
"Sex?" Aerith replied. Then she smiled and sighed. "Oh, Tifa, it's incredible! I don't know what it's like in the afterlife, but there better be sex there!"
Tifa was silent. It was not an easy commitment to make, but a promise was a promise.
"I'm a sexaholic, not a slut," Aerith continued. "I'll only take my clothes off for a boyfriend. Most of the time."
"Most of the time?" asked Tifa.
"Well, after my boyfriend disappeared, by best friend...he was just really...sweet."
"Sweet?"
"I mean, he threw me an eighteenth birthday party, and he took me to the prom. So there came a point when I felt like I just had to. It was an intimate experience I'm happy we both shared. We agreed to stay friends so long as he didn't tell any of our peers about it."
"Did you date him?" asked Tifa.
Aerith shook her head. "We lost touch after high school. Though I swore I glimpsed him last week."
Tifa was silent. That almost reminded her of Cloud. He had vanished off the face of the earth and did not reappear until shortly before the raid on Reactor Number One. So Aerith had her own Cloud.
"Now that you mention it," Aerith said, breaking the silence, "all I ever do naked is shower as well. But that's because I live with my mom."
Both girls began to laugh in unison.
- 16
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- 18
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