fairly | [Written/Action]

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[Written/Action]

Tifa... Cloud won't be staying at your place. I'm sorry.

...He'll be okay though. ~~I know~~ I'm sure he will. It's Cloud, so... yeah.

[Action]

[Be prepared for a very depressed Zack coming back to the apartment, Aerith. :c]

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You convinced him? [That had been something she'd been thinking about since she'd first told Zack about Cloud forgetting her. She'd mentioned the possibility of John to Cloud, but he hadn't been at all inclined--and even if he would've let a virtual stranger persuade him to go to the scientist, she hadn't wanted to.

Because Zack's news carried some hope--that Cloud would be returned with his memory in working order--but it also carried all the fears of what else might happen to him.]

No. [Zack grits his teeth and brushes past her, beelining for whatever bedroom he'd chosen and flopping down upon it, burying his face against the pillow. He doesn't want to tell her, he doesn't, but he's not going to shut her out, either. Door's open.]

[Worried about both guys now, she'd probably try coming in even if he had closed the door. Since he didn't, she perches on the edge of the bed and leans over to touch his shoulder. Waits to see if he'll open up on his own.]

[Maybe. Might take him a while; he's obviously not in the mood to do anything right now.]

[Not like Aerith'd just leave him like this. Though her patience might be a little short when she's this concerned.]

...Did he get hurt? What's wrong?

[She'll probably have to drag it out of him anyway.]

Not... physically.

[...okay, Zack, when you say things like that, you sign yourself up for Aerith dragging things out of you.]

Mentally? [Since this was already a problem for Cloud?] Emotionally? How?

I don't know. I don't... [Gdit Aerith he's scared. Burying his face now.] I asked him to do it...!

[She quiets down at his distress. Starts petting his hair, both to comfort him and give herself something to do.]

You did. That's...that's the only way to fix this. He'll be back in a few days, all better. [She hopes so, so much.]

[Part of him wants to just push her away, hide in a corner away from her or something. He's not the one who should be getting comforted.

But...]

He knows. He knows it was me... the way he looked at me, I...

[Her hand stills as she realizes she misunderstood him before.

He didn't ask Cloud to go to John.

He asked John to take Cloud.]

[He feels her hands stop, and it takes him a moment to understand as well.

If he hadn't already been a mess, that would have been the straw that broke his back, for sure.]

[Her mind feels like it's stalled. Because Cloud had been taken--and he'd fought, and he must have been scared, still scared if he was conscious--

Zack's scared too.

He's upset; he didn't want this. She even said herself, it was the only way.

She leans down and kisses him on the side of the face. There's nothing romantic about it, not when he's buried his face in pillows and she's shaking.]

[She kisses him, and now he's shaking right along with her; but the touch is enough - just enough - to make him lift his head a little. He's scared stiff that he'll lose them both because of this, and the excuse of "it's for his own good" can only get you so far.

But she kissed him... that's a good sign, right...?]

[She holds him close, slowly stroking his hair again.]

.........thank you. [It comes out choked, but she means it, because someone had to make that choice. She couldn't.]

[......Wait what?]

You did it for his sake, didn't you? ...and for me.

Yeah, but... I don't know if he'll see it that way.

He probably won't to start with. [...Aerith, don't be so frank.]

[...........................WILT.]

[...Hug.] He will. He didn't want to forget me, he wouldn't have wanted to forget anyone else. He'll understand.

[The hug is reassuring, and while Zack doesn't feel a lot better, he's relieved that Aerith isn't mad.]

I hope you're right...

Just a few days. He'll be back soon. It's just a few days, and then we can talk to him.

...I miss him. [It's been two weeks since she could really talk with Cloud, as friends--as lovers--and not as strangers. She's not mad at Zack, but she is scared about John's fix not working.]

Yeah. Yeah, he... he will... [He gets the feeling he knows what she means; it's been extra-difficult for her, and she's obviously upset by this little development. He just hopes it'll all be for the best in the end.

Even if he hates me, as long as he remembers -her-... it'll be worth it.

When Cloud comes back, maybe he'll even believe that.]

[Aerith just keeps holding onto Zack and a thin smile, repeating to herself that everything will be okay.]

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