Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ New Love ❯ Chapter 15

New Love

 

It's aaaaaaaaaaall downhill from here. Let the build-up to the grand finale begin!

 

Ya know, I had two ideas for how to end this chapter, one that gave a bit of absolution, and another that left the chapter with a cliffy. Guess which ending I went with. -evil grin-

 

Young children are advised to navigate away from this page now. This story is rated “M” for a reason…

 

Chapter 15

 

Cloud sighed and slurped his soup from the spoon, then dropped it back into the cup and stirred the broth. His work ended in less than an hour. Thus far, Aeris had avoided any and all attempts from him to discuss the forbidden kiss earlier in the week. And unfortunately, it was a Friday. Aeris would have a whole weekend to figure out a way to stay away from him, maybe even not come to work at all. If he didn't talk to her today, he feared he'd never be able to.

 

He'd been thinking, about what his mother had said. On a larger scale, he'd been thinking about what everyone said. No one person thus far had been able to give him an answer. Looking back, he realized they couldn't. They weren't him, they didn't understand what he was going through, they couldn't. There was no answer they could give. It was his decision to make, his choice.

 

“Maybe Sephiroth was on to something,” Cloud thought, staring at his cup of soup. “I'm always asking other people for help, for opinions…why can't I ever do anything on my own?” Cloud took another spoonful of soup and noodles and sipped. “I guess now I have no choice. For better or worse, I have to do something. And I have to do it alone.”

 

Aeris walked through the doorway of the room, counting out change in her palm. Her bangs concealed her face as she walked past Cloud's table without a word. Cloud watched silently as she stopped in front of the vending machines and looked up at the rows of items behind the glass.

 

“Aeris,” he called softly.

 

“Hmm, chips or chocolate….” Aeris mused, scrunching her nose. Cloud sighed. Aeris had been doing this all morning. Any conversation with her concerning work was stiff, formal and brief. Any other conversation that didn't regard work was one-sided.

 

“Aeris, please, just listen,” Cloud asked.

 

“What the heck, chocolate,” Aeris said, slipping her change into the machine. Cloud shook his head sadly and propped his head on his hand, staring down at the cup in front of him. There was a metallic whirl and a thud, and a moment later Cloud watched Aeris' shoes walk past his lowered field of vision.

 

“You're putting him through hell, you know that,” Aeris' conscience chided as she sat back down at her desk.

 

“I know,” Aeris let out a sigh as she tore the wrapping off the candy in her hand. “ “It's better this way. No risk, no danger, no kissing or any chance of things that could lead to kissing. It's for the best.”

 

“Oh really?”

 

Aeris narrowed her eyes and scowled. She wasn't going to argue with her own thoughts…no matter how much sense they were making. Any possible feelings she could ever conceivably harbor for Cloud were hindered by several glaring problems.

 

“Such as…?”

 

“Well for one, he's got a girlfriend.”

 

“Who's currently out of town, who knows, maybe he wants to break up with her.”

 

Aeris let out a huff. She hated herself for thinking such things. Tifa was a friend, not just someone who stood between her and Cloud, she couldn't think of her that way. All the same, the possibility of something happening teased the edges of her mind. Aeris absent-mindedly lifted a finger to his lips, remembering the kiss Cloud had given her mere days ago. She regretted her inaction during the moment.

 

“Well, what would you have done if you had acted?” her thoughts asked. “Pushed him away, held him closer?” Aeris didn't have an answer for that.

 

Back in the kitchen, Cloud finished his soup and carried his cup and spoon to the sink. He set them down and turned on the faucet to fill the cup with warm water.

 

“Strife!”

 

Cloud jumped at the familiar roar, and groaned.

 

“I called you Strife, where the hell are you?”

 

Cloud rolled his eyes and walked into his office, noticing Aeris watching him as he passed her desk. Rufus stood behind his desk, arms crossed, glaring at him furiously and tapping a finger on his shoulder.

 

“You bellowed, Mr. Shinra?” Cloud asked dryly.

 

“Strife, explain this to me!” Rufus snapped, tapping a finger on a thick sheet of papers on Cloud's desk. Cloud walked up and looked down at the paper.

 

“Those appears to be client information forms, sir,” Cloud replied.

 

“Exactly, good for you. It's the client roster for the entire Mideel province, Strife,” Rufus nodded. “And it's gone!”

 

“What?” Cloud asked, frowning.

 

“One of the servers crashed downstairs, all the client files for Mideel, gone, wiped clean. I need them back in the computer now, get working.”

 

“Are you serious?” Cloud cried, eyes wide as Rufus left his office. “Mr. Shinra, please!” Cloud begged, following him into Aeris' office. “That volume of information, it can't be done, there's only half a hour left until five o'clock!”

 

“Then you're staying late!” Rufus yelled. “Bottom line, you don't leave this building until every single paper file on that desk is re-entered into the computer! We close on weekends Strife, when Monday comes along we're printing off the order and contract forms for the week. And if we have a blank Mideel folder in the harddrive, that's an entire province going a week behind schedule! This is a crisis, Strife, handle it!”

 

“Oh god…” Cloud muttered, realizing Rufus meant it. If the week's paperwork for Mideel's clients wasn't ready for processing at the start of the week, it didn't get processed. This really was a crisis. “Mr. Shinra, I'll certainly work on it, but there's no way an entire province of clients can be done by one person in one night! I'd have to work over the weekend to get it done in time.”

 

“You, Erin!” Rufus snapped, turning to look down at Aeris.

 

“Aeris, sir.”

 

“Whatever, you're Strife's secretary, right?”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Good, you're staying too. Two ought to work much quicker than one, right?” Rufus smirked at Cloud who cast Aeris a look. The brunette was glaring at him fiercely. “Strife, the office keys,” Rufus said, handing Cloud a keyring. “Stay as long as it takes, I don't care if you're here until midnight, get the information back in the system. Do it, and not only can you keep your job, maybe I'll toss a bonus your way.”

 

“Yes sir,” Cloud sighed. Rufus walked out of the office and turned the corner to the elevators in the hall. Aeris let out a growl and stood up.

 

“Time for coffee, gonna be a long night,” she muttered, pushing past Cloud.

 

“Can I have a-” Cloud was cut off as Aeris slammed the office door behind her. “Cup…” Cloud finished, his shoulders slumping.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

Cloud reread the newly typed invoice overview summary for the third time, sighing and closing his eyes. It was good, the last client information file was redone. Cloud saved the data and reached over to shut down his computer.

 

With a yawn, Cloud looked up at the clock on his desk. Almost half past nine. He was starving, the vending machine in the kitchen wasn't the best source of a good meal. He stood up and scratched his head, moving to the door to his office. He had to use the bathroom, then he had to finish packing up his things and make sure Aeris was ready to leave too. He pushed open his door, absentmindedly noted Aeris was away from her desk, and pushed open her door to the hall.

 

“Ah,” Aeris muttered, pulling her hand back in the doorway. Cloud blinked and went to move past her the same time Aeris stepped forward. They bumped into each other, and Cloud stepped back and moved to the side.

 

“Sorry,” he said as Aeris pushed past him.

 

“About time you said that,” Aeris muttered under her breath. Cloud lifted his head to stare at her as she rounded her desk.

 

“What was that?” he asked lowly, narrowing his eyes.

 

“You heard me,” Aeris said simply, sitting down.

 

“No, no I'm fairly sure I didn't,” Cloud replied, turning towards her.

 

“Fine, let me repeat it since you've suddenly gone deaf!” Aeris snapped, looking up at him. “I've been waiting for you to say that ever since you forced yourself on me on Wednesday!”

 

“Forced myself on you!? I kissed you, it's not like I raped you or something! And we already covered that, yeah I know it's wrong but I don't regret one second of that kiss! In fact, I admit it, I enjoyed it!”

 

“You're such a pig, you've got a girlfriend, you put the moves on your secretary and you don't feel sorry about it!?” Aeris jumped to her feet, glaring at Cloud angrily.

 

“Not a bit, considering the way you've been acting towards me all this time!” Cloud shot back, crossing the desk to stand in front of Aeris, arms crossed.

 

“What is that supposed to mean?”

 

“The teasing, the banter, prancing around the office in sweaters and skirts every day, you've practically been flirting with me since your first day here!”

 

“You're hallucinating, I haven't done anything like that, that's just the type of person I happen to be, fun!”

 

“You call it fun, I call it being a tease! You can't tell me that it never once registered in your mind that you were leading me on!”

 

“I…you…” Aeris struggled for words and turned around, clenching her eyes shut.

 

“So it's true then?” Cloud demanded.

 

“Yeah, so what?” Aeris said, turning back around. “So I had a bit of fun flirting with my cute boss, I didn't go around jumping you and kissing you! That's different!”

 

“There it is, right there!” Cloud snapped, lifting a hand and pointing at her. “You put all the blame on me, but I've been thinking these last few days, and I don't buy it! You lead me on and I take the bait, so it's all my fault?”

 

“Are you saying I'm responsible for your kiss?”

 

“I'm saying you just admitted to flirting with me, and when I did kiss you, you didn't exactly pull away! I think deep down Aeris, you liked that kiss as much as I did!”

 

“So what, maybe I did!”

 

Cloud's angry expression lightened at the unexpected admission. A moment later, Aeris followed suit as what she had just said registered in her brain.

 

One more moment later, Cloud closed the gap between them and kissed her. He pulled back almost immediately, not giving Aeris a chance to push him away or pull him closer. At that exact moment, he wasn't sure which he expected, or which he wanted. In the aftermath, Aeris stared at him in a familiar expression. Cloud braced himself for a second hit that had followed the last time he'd seen her look at him like that.

 

“You…you aren't hitting me,” Cloud said dumbly.

 

“Y…yeah,” Aeris said, equally surprised. Cloud stared for a split second. In that split second, he made up his mind.

 

Cloud cupped Aeris' face in his hands as he kissed her again. He felt a rush of air on his lips as she inhaled sharply at the action. This time, he held the kiss, waited. Trying to savor it in case she decided to slap him after all. Eventually, Cloud did feel her hands, and he almost fainted.

 

Her hand had come up to clasp his shoulder.

 

Cloud stopped the kiss and opened his eyes. Aeris let out a small sound and followed suit, looking up at him, their faces inches apart.

 

“What are you doing?” Cloud whispered.

 

“I…this,” Aeris replied, closing her eyes. She closed the gap, and suddenly, they were kissing again.

 

Cloud moaned softly and let his hands drop to Aeris' waist, holding her against him. Aeris' other arm coiled around his neck, pressing herself up for leverage. After a few moments, Cloud pulled his head back, panting slightly.

 

“We should stop,” he gasped out.

 

“I know.”

 

Cloud wasn't sure who initiated this time, but he was sure he didn't care anymore. He pushed forward, and Aeris stepped backwards. She squeaked slightly as her back hit the wall, and Cloud took the opportunity to take the kissing a step further. He parted his lips and slid his tongue into her mouth, prompting another surprised noise from her. The hands on Aeris' waist tightened as Cloud leaned into her, moving his lips against her. Suddenly, Aeris pulled her head back, as much as she was able too.

 

“Cloud…” she gasped, opening her eyes. Cloud licked his lips and cracked his own eyes open. Aeris was flushed, panting for breath, and her normally bright eyes had darkened to a shade he'd never seen before. “What are we doing?” Aeris whispered. Cloud blinked for a moment and leaned forward, resting his forehead against Aeris' hair.

 

“I…I don't know,” he said. Why was she kissing him back? Was she just getting caught up in the moment? Or…

 

“Why are you kissing me?”

 

Cloud opened his mouth, and realized Aeris had asked him, not the reverse.

 

“Because…I wanted too,” he replied.

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

“No…I don't think you do.”

 

“No, I do,” Aeris insisted. “But Cloud…this is wrong.”

 

“I know,” Cloud agreed, closing his eyes. “But I don't care. I want this. Why did you kiss me back? What about what you want?”

 

“This isn't about wanting.”

 

“Isn't it?”

 

“You have a girlfriend, and I'm your secretary,” Aeris said, lowering her eyes. Cloud opened his eyes.

 

“I don't care anymore,” he muttered, reaching up. He grabbed the hand on his upper arm and intertwined Aeris' fingers in his own. “Do you feel that? I do. And it feels more real and powerful than anything I can remember. And I don't care about anything else right now. I want to know where that feeling goes. And I want to find out with you.”

 

“Cloud, that's a dangerous road, you know it. There's no turning back from a path like that.”

 

“I can live with that,” Cloud said simply. “But I can't live knowing I never tried to find out. What about you?” Aeris lifted her eyes back to him.

 

“What do you want from me?” she whispered softly. Cloud smiled slightly and released her hand to cup her cheek.

 

“An answer.”

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

Cloud squinted and let out a groan, lifting an arm to his eyes to block the beam of sun shining on his face. He closed his eyes and rolled over in the bed, yawning slightly. He felt someone next to him and moved closer.

 

“G'morning,” he whispered, lifting a hand to the hand lying between them. It flexed under his touch. Something tickled his nose, and he sniffed. Flowers…flowery shampoo. Cloud furrowed his brow. Wait a minute, Tifa didn't use scented shampoos, she was allergic. Cloud opened his eyes to the face of the woman lying in front of him, her bare torso covered by a curtain of loose, slightly curly light brown hair.

 

Cloud sat upright at memories rushed back to him, and he stared down, wide-eyed, at the sleeping form of Aeris next to him.

 

“Oh god…”