Disclaimer: Don't own FFVII in any shape or form.

A/N: Thank you so much to the two of you who reviewed! It makes me very happy! This piece is currently being entered in a 100 challenge theme over at the CxA forums, so wish me luck! Oh, and enjoy!

032. Sunset

She knew he was around somewhere. She just didn’t know where, exactly. Oh, Aerith knew perfectly well that he was close by- probably close enough keep an eye on things and to know that Tifa was looking for him determinedly. It would be all the more reason for him to keep a low profile. She giggled, kicking her booted feet absently.

Poor Cloud.

The flower girl loved her dark haired friend, but wished that Tifa would let Cloud be for awhile. The last thing he needed right now was distractions, well meant or not, when he was tracking down Sephiroth. Yet despite Aerith’s well chosen words, Tifa had refused to give up her search. If anything, she only became more determined to find the spiky haired blond.

A soft sigh escaped her parted lips as she leaned back on her perch on top of the stone wall, emerald eyes gazing thoughtfully at the sun slowly slipping down the sky. Aerith couldn’t blame Tifa for looking- it was what she wanted to do more than anything in the world. She longed to track him down and to remain firmly by his side through all danger, to be there to cheer and comfort him when needed. But she knew that her presence would be almost as great a burden to Cloud as Tifa’s. Oh how she hated that! It irked her to no end to think of herself as a burden, as- as Cloud’s weakness.

Nose wrinkling, her lips forming into a pout, she glared at the ball of molten fire that had cast the sky into radiant colors of red, orange, pink, and light purple. There was nothing, nothing worse than sitting behind, forced to wait, while the dearest person to her heart went off to battle his darkness.

“Blasted men,” she muttered under her breath. “Always rushing off to play hero, swinging their darn swords. . . if I didn’t care so much I’d slap him silly!” To emphasize her point, Aerith smacked her palm against the cold stone.

“Who’re you going to slap?”

The low, unexpected male voice startled her so badly that she lost her balance and fell backwards with a shriek right into strong warm arms. Legs still dangling over the wall, Aerith found herself staring up into the most beautiful sapphire eyes she had ever known, aware of her face turning crimson.

“C-Cloud!” Blushing furiously, she allowed him to set her upright on the wall once more, smoothing her skirt as he sat down beside her. “What are you doing here? I thought you were hi-”

“Hiding from Tifa?” he finished dryly, raising an eyebrow, and she nodded, unable to keep a smile from her lips. “I was. But you looked sort of. . . lonely. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

The awkwardness with which he said this, shifting uncomfortably on the stone wall made her heart melt. Delicately, carefully, she placed her pale hand on Cloud’s gloved one, smiling gently up into his face. “I am now.”

He ducked his head, a spike of spun gold falling across his suddenly flushed face. “That’s good,” he murmured. “I. . . I don’t like it when you’re unhappy.”

There wasn’t really anything to say to that, so she didn’t. Hesitantly, she scooted closer, resting her head against his shoulder with a contented sigh. She felt Cloud stiffen slightly at first, but didn’t take offense. He wasn’t used to physical contact, and sometimes grew uncomfortable with even her modest displays of affection. But the awkwardness only lasted moments before he relaxed, his arm coming around her, so lightly she could barely feel it encircling her.

“What are you doing out here anyway?”

“Watching the sunset.”

“I would have figured you more for a sunrise person.”

“And why’s that?”

He seemed momentarily taken aback, blinking as he glanced at the golden rays streaking across the sky as the sun became even more obscured by the horizon. “I guess because sunrises aren’t as depressing as sunsets. There’s a sadness that comes from the sun setting, despair at the end of light.” Cloud managed a rueful grin. “I guess I always assumed I was the sunset and you the sunrise.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that sunsets are depressing,” she protested, sitting up slightly. “A sunset doesn’t have to mean the end! It can be the beginning of something just as much as a sunrise is! A time for peace and rest comes after the sun leaves! Light can exist even after the sun sets, even if you can’t see it!” She paused for breath, and sighed. “I may be the sunrise, and you sunset, but there’s nothing wrong with that.”

There was a long stretch of silence as Cloud’s bright blue eyes watched the orb of fire finally slip down, easing the world of Hollow Bastion into twilight. Then he exhaled softly, turning his gaze down on her as he tightened his arm around the lithe girl, pulling her nearer to his side.

“You’re always right, aren’t you?”

Emerald eyes softened with love as she rested her head against his shoulder again, sighing softly. “I like to think I am.”

The soft rumble of his chuckle was music to her ears.