Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Crimson Kiss ❯ Snow ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Eh heh heh, I'm just putting out more stories than I can handle, ne? Like I said before, I have to get ideas down before I forget them. Anyway, this story is MY first one of its kinda. It's an alternate universe too, so ages and stuff might be a little different, but overall I tried to keep the same atmosphere of the game itself.

I don't think I do angst-ie stuff justice, but Enjoy anyway, and please review. =6.6=

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So cold and bleak, he stumbled through the harsh, white weather, having no choice but to push onward. He had endured so much for the past years, so the snow whizzing into his face shouldn't matter, but having gone through so much had worn out his body. He was tired; he wanted to sleep, to find his resting place away from the world of pain and sorrow. He closed his weary, ruby eyes and clutched a hand to his chest, feeling the deep beating of a broken heart. No matter what happened between them, he would always love her. A foolish man, he was... to continue loving the one that betrayed him.

But love held no bounds, nor regrets.

His shoulders drooped forward, with his head hanging low. He wrapped the crimson cloak tightly around his body and peered up through his dark bangs, seeing a blurry outline of a village in the snowy distance. He continued onward, but with each step, his body wavered under the years of physical stress. Not even making three paces from his original position, he fell to the ground, burying his face partially in the soft whiteness. His eyes were half-closed as the tresses of black hair clung to his face, appearing like a frozen corpse, but it was the faint mist of breath that gave him life and the gentle murmur of a single name drifted in the winter wind.

'Lucrecia...

'Lucrecia...'

< br> ~ An Aeris & Vincent Romance Story ~

Crimson Kisses

written by K-chan


Chapter One: Snow


He had drifted through life for so long without a purpose, without meaning, but his life came together when he met her for the first time. It was then that nothing matter to him except her smiles. But how could such an innocent smile hold so much deceit? Everything between them, was it all a lie? A facade to lure him into the darkness--the deep temptation of the Garden? Those things he could brush aside without a care, but one thing he truly wanted to know: did she ever love him?

The reason that he pushed on to live, because one day he would definitely see her again and that question would be answered.


"Oh! He moved!" came a gentle voice, and then he could hear several others but couldn't make out the words so clearly as the one close to him. His body ached tremendously, but he no longer felt the coldness and loneliness of his last memories. The softness of feathers covered him and embraced him its warmth and security, and he somehow knew he was saved, tucked away in the haven of angels.

He slowly opened his eyes, and his vision was still a blur, but it gradually focused on a face, so delicate. A pair of big, round eyes of emerald gazed down at him in much relief and awe. He had to squint a bit to take in the details of her face, from the locks of brown hair curling around her face to the pink tint on her youthful cheeks. An angel was watching over him... He would've been certain he had died and gone to Heaven, but the fragrance of wild flowers intoxicated his senses, reminding too much of the earthly word.

The familiar look in her eyes reminded him of his Lucrecia, the old Lucrecia he knew, so he reached out his inhuman hand of golden metal to her face, but she looked at him in horror and retreated from sight. "LUCRECIA!" he called, pushing his aching body from the bed. He groaned painfully but soon found aid from a middle-aged woman, laying him back on the bed. "Lucrecia..."

"Please, sir," the woman said, "you must stay in bed. You haven't fully recovered yet."

"Th-thank you..."

"No need for thanks. You were lucky my husband found you just outside the village. Snow storms are frequent around this time, and very few people are brave enough to venture through this weather." She stood up to get a warm cloth for his head, and he took this chance to observe his environment, which was a small, comfortable room. "My name is Ifalna Gast by the way. We run an inn here, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," she said and place the towel over his forehead. "I'm sorry about that moment ago. My daughter can be so ill-mannered." She walked to the bedroom door and called, "AERIS!! Aeris-sweetie, could you prepare a meal for the young gentleman?!!"

She turned back to him with a smile, "I'm sure you're starving! You've been out of it for three days and nights already."

"I've been out for that long?" he asked in wonderment. She nodded. "Then I can't be a burden to you any longer." He pushed the covers aside, and as much as it pained him physically, he had to leave. His presence around these people would eventually endanger them, and even if it wasn't for their safety, he wanted to be alone. Being around people only reminded him of how inhuman he was, not only because of his hand but everything about him.

But Ifalna just firmly pressed him back into bed with a scolding look, "Now didn't I just tell you to stay in bed? You are not leaving until I see that you are well again. You're our responsiblity now, and don't make yourself out to be a stranger. Whatever happened to you before you came here is in the past, and it was destiny that arrived at our doorstep. Snowy Village may be a small, isolated place, but the people here are very kind and understanding."

"Even if I were a criminal?"

"Even if you were a criminal," she stated with a smile.

Somehow that smile was very sincere to him, and it didn't seem he had a choice. He nodded and introduced himself, "Vincent Valentine." There was a soft knock on the ajar door, and the two occupants turned to the girl peeking through opening, holding a tray.

"Come now, Aeris!" her mother scolded, "Don't just stand there. Bring in Mister Valentine's meal!" The girl of about sixteen entered the room shyly and walked over to her mother. Vincent kept his eyes on her, noting how she reminded him a lot of Lucrecia, but there was also something different about her.

Aeris purposely avoided eye contact with the stranger since he seemed so mysterious and frightening. When her father had brought him home, she had seen his metal claw immediately but found it rather captivating in its still state. But when he was gaining consciousness, it scared her to death to see the claw reaching out for her. She didn't mean to be rude, but it just frightened her to see something so rare since she had never left Snowy Village all her life.

"I apologize if I scared you earlier," he told her, as she handed the tray to her mother.

She looked at him with alert, green eyes at having him speak directly to her, and she stuttered a reply, "I-it's okay... I-I'm so-sorry too." He nodded in acceptance of her apology, and she stood slightly behind her mother to hide herself from his eyes, but she was also watching him curiously from a safe distance. While Vincent ate his meal, he noticed from the corner of his eye that she was staring at him, and he smiled inwardly at her youthful curiosity. But it wasn't too long that Ifalna excused herself and daughter from the room for his own privacy and left him to his meal and thoughts.


Later that day, Aeris was bundled up in her clothes as she shoveled the snow outside of the Icicle Inn. Every now and then, she would glance up at the window on the second floor and wonder what the stranger was doing. At one time, she was caught staring and quickly looked away, shoveling the snow again in embarrassment. But soon her friends showed up in excitement and surrounder her, pestering her with questions about the mysterious stranger.

"C'mon, Aeris!" one said enthusiastically, "Tell us about him!!"

"Is he cute?!!"

"You always think of looks," another reprimanded their friend, "But what's his name?! And is he tall?! Dark and handsome?!!"

"You guys," Aeris turned away, blushing. She had to admit he fit those descriptions well--for an older man--but he was probably ten years older than her. It was one of the reason she felt so timid around him. "I really don't know anything about him. Father found him a few days ago, and now he's resting in our inn. That's it!"

The girls snickered among themselves, and Aeris turned around and glared at their whispers. "Aaawe, Aeris's got a crush on the stranger!!!" one teased.

"I DO NOT!!" she insisted, though her face was bright red, that only made them burst into giggles. "OOH, YOU GUYS!!! I DO NOT!! STOP IT!!" She picked up some snow and started throwing it at her laughing friends, who in turn threw snowballs at each other in their fun. The girls' laughter had disrupted Vincent's thoughts, and he opened his eyes and glanced outside the window. He watched them run around freely, pitching snowballs at each other. He noticed the twinkling of Aeris's eyes as she laughed, filled with innocence, that he admired because his innocence was lost long ago and he would never be able to get it back.


TO BE CONTINUED...

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AARGH, I wish I can just get ONE story done!! This is getting on my nerves, but I can't help it... I think the bump on my head is getting to me... Uugh, the pain... Bai bai... =@.@=