It's snowing
You told me
We'll watch it together
Where are you now?
It's snowing...
- Snow -
"Jeez, I really hate the weather here."
Hearing him mumble, Aeris peered up at the comical grimace on his face.
"Hmmm? Do you miss home, Zakky?" she smirked.
"What, me, the great SOLDIER, missing home? No way, missy," he rumpled her head, making her giggle.
The sound of her bright laughter drew passersby's attention, their eyes resting in some wonder at the fragile seeming girl in pale rose pink. For all that Aeris lived in the slums for most of her life, she drew more attention than Zacks who, as SOLDIER, should have attracted those eyes more than she.
"Then what made you say that?" she pursued, a flash of uncertainty in her leaf green gaze.
Zacks shrugged, staring up somewhere at a point unseen. "Dunno. If I had to pick something, I'd say it's the air. It's so damned full of pollution. Makes me gag, if I had to inhale too much of it."
"You and your talk of pollution!" Aeris pouted, hugging his arm.
When she saw him talking with other girls, it didn't bother her too much. After all, he was just being who he was. He was easy to talk to, and he loved talking with a lot of people, especially girls. No, it didn't bother her too much. One day, she would grow up to be such a beautiful woman that he wouldn't be able to turn away from her.
No, it wasn't that.
It was when he talked like this, that she hated it. He had assimilated so well into the city, even more than she, yet he mocked the city, his sapphire gaze looking at some scenary beyond her reach.
They did not see here, where he was, where she was.
It didn't matter if those mako infused eyes did not see only her, if only they would see the present, where they were...
"What the heck? You're always saying the same thing too, missy, talking how you want to get out of here one of these days," he grinned down at her, his eyes reflecting back her startled face.
"That's because..." she faltered and looked away, resting her head against his shoulder.
That's because you always talk of leaving.
If you're leaving, then I want to go where you are.
I don't want to be left behind, alone...
She clung to his arm more tightly, letting out a tiny sigh. How could she say all that? He wouldn't want a clingy girl...and neither did she want to be one.
"Now what's the matter? Are you worn out? Do you want to rest somewhere?" All concern, he felt her forehead as if she had come down with a fever.
Of course, she hadn't, but she nodded anyway.
"All right, we'll go find some place to rest then," he ruffled her hair, smiling tenderly. "When you get stronger, I'll take you outside the city."
For some reason, he seemed to have the image that she was a fragile, sickly girl, and she never set him straight on that score. Even though it was a misunderstanding, at least this way, he paid more attention to her...
"Up north a bit, it should be snowing around this time. The snow outside is much nicer than in this city, so much whiter even on the ground. We'll watch it snow together, Aeris."
Whether he meant it or if it were just talk, she didn't care. She nodded enthusiastically, making her ponytail bounce against his arm.
You told me
We'll go watch together
Zacks...
Are you watching?
...
.......it's snowing now.