Dream of the Phoenix

Shadow of a Man

Chapter 9: Shadow of a Man

AN: The song used in this chapter is called Lady in Red by Chris de Burgh. I thought it would be appropriate for a scene with Aerith in her Wall Market dress.

.o.0.o.

Cloud looked about him as the music swirled around the room. AVALANCHE was throwing a party shortly after having arrived in Kalm. Cloud had told the others his story and what had happened to Nibelheim 5 years ago. They all didn't seem to mind his history with ShinRa and Sephiroth himself, a fact for which he was thankful.

Now that he thought about it, Aerith really didn't seem to care what he had done in the past. 'The past is past, Cloud, we need to live in the future and see what awaits us there,' she had said when he had broached the subject of his past once before.

With a sigh, he turned his attention back to the group dancing around and having a general good time. They were celebrating their small victory over ShinRa, but this party was also a wake for those that died when the plate fell, both the civilians and the fallen members of AVALANCHE; Jesse, Biggs, and Wedge.

Barret and Tifa argued that rather than mourn their deaths, they should celebrate their lives. While none of us knew all the people that died, we still celebrated as though we had.

Slowly sipping his beer, Cloud watched as Barret swung Tifa around the floor, the band playing a sprightly jig. Red merely tapped his tail in time, his head bobbing along. Cloud smiled to himself, hiding it behind his mug as he took a sip.

They deserve to have a little fun, they never should have been involved in this battle with ShinRa, they're not soldiers, Cloud thought as he watched his friends dance.

But isn't a soldier someone that fights and dies for what they believe in? That's what he used to believe. Now, after watching AVALANCHE sacrifice themselves, he knew it was true, they were soldiers.

No, this is their fight. They're fighting to protect the people they love and the place they call home, even if that place is the entire planet.

Shaking off his thoughts, he watched out of the corner of his eye as Aerith walked through the door wearing her red dress from their 'mission' in Wall Market. Cloud could feel his breath catch in his throat when he saw her. She was breathtaking, her long chestnut hair tied at the end, leaving the rest to hang freely about her shoulders. She had pulled several strands to frame her face, giving her the appearance of an Angel, or an Elf. Her emerald eyes smiling as she watched her friends dance, her mouth matching the joy expressed in her eyes. She was wearing very little makeup, a little rouge on her cheeks and lip-gloss to give her naturally red lips a soft shine.

Cloud shook his head to the break the spell her beauty had cast over him. Taking a sip to moisten his dry throat he nearly spit it back out when a hand gently touched his shoulder.

"Hey," Aerith softly said as she sat beside him at the table.

"Hey," he replied as he struggled not to stare at her.

"So, how do I look?" she asked, not knowing how hard it was for him not to.

"Gorgeous, absolutely breathtaking," he said before he could stop himself. Quirking an eyebrow, he quickly examined the contents of his mug, almost full. He wasn't drunk, so mentally shrugging he accepted that he, in his right and sober mind, had told her how beautiful she was.

"Really? Thank you Cloud!" she said as she giggled and blushed, hiding her hands in her lap, her face turned slightly towards the table.

"Looks like they're having fun," Cloud said after a moment's silence.