Radiant Garden [COMPLETED]

[Diazu]

Saïx almost sighed at her words. He didn't want to leave...Reluctantly, he stood, holding out his hand to help her. Hey...was it just him or did he suddenly feel tired? "We should go back...I really need to take a nap. It's been a long time since I've slept..." He smiled. Sleep sounded nice.

The two of them went back, and just as quickly, so did the pain in his ears. He stopped walking, staying just outside the door. "I think...i'll stay outside for now." He whispered to Tifa, backing further outside. He hated that sound...He had to stay away from it!  

[Skwinky]

There was almost too much to think about right now. The Heartless… Caesar… everything. It was overwhelming. And even with all the information from Greed, Leon was more than sure that there was still a vast amount of things they had yet to learn. Oh great heavens, why him? And what were Cloud, Aerith, and Yuffie doing? They surely weren’t involved in the conversation with the Heartless. And where had Roxas disappeared to? Again, why him?

Suddenly, Xaldin collapsed to the ground. Leon rushed over and tried his best to awaken him but still nothing. “Xaldin! Xaldin!” he yelled to no avail. Finally the once-Nobody awoke.

“Xaldin, maybe you should get some rest too? I think we’re all tired out for the night. Perhaps everyone should do the same.”  

[Diazu]

Leon had helped him sit up, and he nodded his thanks to him. "Thanks, Leon...But I don't feel tired. It's just...whenever I think of something I need to remember...or remember something I just...faint." He whispered, shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know why it happens..."

What if its what that voice said? What if it doesn't want me remembering? He asked himself, a shock of worry surging through his veins. He didn't want to believe it. He wanted to remember everything and still be friends with the people he just met...!

Why was this day so horrible to him?  

[ll EmoShane ll]

Marluxia sighed again. Saix and Tifa had gone somewhere, as well as Yuffie and Aerith. Now it was just Xaldin, Leon, Cloud, and..Greed. His blue eyes flicked over to Xaldin, who seemed to have fainted momentarily. That was strange...

The ex-Organization member suddenly awoke. So Xaldin was struggling with remembering just like he once had? It wasn't surprising.

Listening to Greed's rejection of joining them had made the pink-haired man frown. Working alone? That was preposterous. His Heartless would die if he was alone. Speaking to Pride online before had convinced Marluxia that there was a high chance Greed would...die. It once again reminded him of the Organization XIII, and it was repulsive.

Marluxia looked at Greed with a slightly irritated expression.

"You may like working alone Greed, but if you want to live, then I suggest you join us. Unless, of course, you're looking forward to your own demise." The man raised an eyebrow. If Greed wanted to die, then he could.

But the mere fact that he would made Marluxia even more irritated. What imbecile would throw their life away when they had a chance at living?  

[xWhisperingxDismayx]

Cloud found that he was beyond glad he’d asked Aerith what had really been wrong over the computer. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one that liked the other beyond a friend. She was in the Marketplace with Yuffie. He suddenly walked out of the room, leaving his sword behind; something that rarely happened.

I guess Yuffie’ll just have to see this... Cloud thought as he ran around the corner and into the market place. He stopped, looking around for Aerith’s pink dress. There, in the café.

The blonde ran over to the table where the two sat. He took the brunette’s arm and stood her up, hugging her. He’d just felt so…ecstatic. He’d finally realized how much he really liked her just in time to find out that they shared the feeling.

Cloud took a deep breath. He didn’t tell her how he felt when she did, because he wanted to in person. It was now or never.

“Aerith…I really like you too.”
 

[MiwaFujiwara]

"Alright!!!! It's about freaking time!!"

Yuffie jumped out of her seat and began to clap loudly at Cloud's sudden outburst, causing everyone in the cafe to turn around and see what the commotion was. "I'm so happy for you guys," she squealed "You guys are going to make the perfect couple, I just know it!!!" She kept applauding like a seal on thirty tons of caffeine, and, at one point, hugged both of her friends in congratulations.

Despite her incredible joy of seeing two of her best friends finally pair off, the ninja was also experiencing a totally different feeling: the desire to curl up into a ball and cry for the next two hours. This....this probably won't ever happen to me.....at least not with Leon.....I should probably just get over the b*****d already.....it's not like he gives a crap about me anyway....

After taking a deep breath to calm down and choke back the tears she knew will be coming on fairly soon, she walked away from the happy couple and towards the door. "Hey guys...I'm gonna head back to Merlin's and check on the others....see yas soon.."  

[queen_qing]

Tifa stopped with him, frowning slightly, Apparently, the cuffs were still affecting him. Saix was right; it had been a long day, but she really wasn't going to leave him outside here.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else?" The young woman smiled, stepping away from the house with him. She felt weary as well, but it couldn't be helped. The Heartless problem had to be resolved somehow.

"Come on," she grinned as she moved towards the road once more, the chilly wind sifting through ebony tresses. "Let's go somewhere else, then. I hear Sora and the others are in Radiant Garden already. Perhaps we should go and look for them?"  

[Diazu]

Saïx followed her, nodding his head. "Yes, but shouldn't we rest first? We can find them in the morning. Why not stop in the Bailey where we have a little bit of shelter and rest." He suggested, putting an arm over her shoulder, in a small effort to warm her.

"We can stay close. That way we won't catch a cold." He smiled. He knew a think of two about being out in the open, and this was nothing. It would be easy to survive the night.

They didn't go far until they made it to the Bailey. The almost cavern-like place was out of the wind and much better than being in the open where the cooler air would easily hit them. Saïx took a seat against the wall, pulling her down with him so that she was in his lap and she was rested against his chest. He felt her tense slightly with surprise, so he whispered soothingly to her. "It's alright, Tifa. You can trust me. You will be a lot warmer this way than being beside me or elsewhere out here." He told her, smiling encouragingly at her.

(awww so cute~!)  

[queen_qing]

Her heart had skipped a few beats when Saix had put an arm on her shoulder, but had relaxed a little even as they walk, warmed by his body. He was so close to her, and she knew that she was blushing; the heat on her cheeks was proof enough.

She had read about him in the online journals, and he was more often than not called heartless, or a jerk, or someone who didn't know how to care.

In her opinion, however, she thought that he cared just fine.

When they entered the Bailey, she was stunned when he pulled her down on his lap. The intimate gesture had caught her off guard, but once again, she settled down at his assurance. It was strange, indeed, for her to be sitting in his lap - quite literally - but it felt kind of...nice all the same.

He was warm and comfortable, and needless to say very much more good looking close up. Damn it he was bound to see her blush at this distance!

She didn't know where she was going, or how long she'd walked. Only that there was rough sand beneath her feet, cool and almost unforgiving as it bit into her soles, and nothing on the horizon.

Absolutely nothing.

They gray-back skies swirled sickly above her, as if it was simply waiting for the chance to devour the entire earth whole, and she shuddered.

Why was she here, really?

Moving on, she glanced around, looking for any signs of her friends. There was nothing, save for enormous rocks that reached for the skies, as well as gnarled trees that served as their guards...Where was this place?

"Hello...?" she called, her voice uncertain. The earth seemed to swallow her calls, but she refused to be afraid. What was there to be fearful of, truly?

And perhaps that was the wrong question to ask. As if in response to her call, a pair of brilliant amber eyes glowed up at her.

The Beast.

He was not too far away from her now, barely humanoid features smeared with congealing blood, which looked almost black in the dim light. The stench of decaying flesh hit her hard, and she staggered back, suddenly afraid.

He had seen her, she knew, even as tendrils of ice began to clench around her heart. He stepped forward, his eyes were as brilliant, as deadly as the Sun, and she stepped back, taking slow, mincing steps.

She was afraid.

The remnants of the body were still clear as day, and she knew that she had to get out of here. Was he hungry? Was he--

So many questions....

She saw his bloodied mouth curl into a snarl and a twisted smile even as he leapt at her, claws flashing.

Nowhere.

Nowehere to run.

She was going to die here, her blood was going to be on his lips.

Tifa screamed.  

[Diazu]

Saïx had drifted off peacfully minutes after Tifa had on him. The two of them being this close was enough for the both of them to keep warm.

She had shifted a few times as she slept, and from his insamnia, it sturred him out of his slumber more than once, but he didn't mind. Watching her sleep seemed to help calm him back to sleep anyways.

It had only been at least two hours or so when Tifa screamed and caused him to jolt up, holding her to him. "What is it, Tifa?" He asked worriedly, looking around in case one of the cloaked men or a Heartless was around. Finding nothing, he realized it must have been a bad dream.

Tifa was panting, shivering and covered in cold sweat. "Tifa...what happened?" He asked softly, only to feel her fight against him so he let her go and watched her stagger away from him. "Tell me what happened, Tifa! Was it a nightmare? Did you see someone here? Or what?" He asked, standing up slowly as to not startle her shaking form.

"Tifa..."  

[queen_qing]

Amber eyes.

The last thing - the first thing she saw was amber eyes, gold and feral and quite about to kill her.

Pushing away from him blindly, a terrified Tifa struggled to put as much distance between the Beast and her, the remnants of the dream burning itself into her mind.

Her chest heaving and her eyes wide, unseeing, it took a few moment's for Saix's voice to pierce her consciousness. He was calling to her, and she finally looked back at him, finally focusing on his features. It was not bestial now. It was human, smooth, and utterly male...

Her knees weak, she buckled and sat on the ground, running a hand through her hair as she struggled to get away from the dregs of the entirely-too-vivid nightmre.

"Saix...?" Her voice was shaky, breathy. "I-I'm sorry."

It's just a dream. Adreamadreamadrea...snap out of it!!

Struggling to calm her racing heart, she tried to smile, to assure him that it was all right.

But it wasn't.

Not for now, at least.  

[Diazu]

He watched her, seeing the fear in her eyes that he had not seen from anyone in such a long time. It was as if she had nearly escaped death...

"It's alright, Tifa. But tell me what happened? Did you have a really bad nightmare?" He asked her, slowly moving to her trembling body. He had to sooth her somehow. He reached her, wrapping gentle but strong arms around her. He held her close to him, trying to show that he was there for her.

"It was just a bad dream...Just like you told me when I had a horible nightmare...Everything will be okay."  

[queen_qing]

She didn't move.

She couldn't. How was she supposed to tell him that he very nearly killed her in that dream? She could almost smell the death and the decay even now, and she almost gagged. It was terrible, the gory scene that had lain before her, and the way deadly, sharp claws tore at her, and...

It was only when his arms were around her that Tifa finally allowed herself to lean into him, silently damning herself for her weakness. It was just a dream, right? He was right, wasn't he? And Saix was here. He wasn't killing her.

And everything would be okay. It was just a bad dream, right? Everything would be okay....

Unless she was dead already.

Feeling slightly foolish, Tifa responded quietly. "I'm not dead, am I?"  

[Diazu]

He paused, and he couldn't help but laugh faintly. He knew he shouldn't, but the question just seemed...funny.

"You're alive, Tifa. Nothing happened to you. And...Sorry I laughed. It just slipped out." He whispered, now feeling bad that he laughed at such a horrible time.

God Damnit, Saïx! Don't laugh at her words...she just went through a dramatic experience...She needs comfort, not mockery! He hissed at himself, trying to urge himself to stop being such an a** to her. She wouldn't like that later if he kept that up...  

[queen_qing]

Wincing at his laughter, Tifa was indeed reminded of how patentedly ridiculous her question had been. No wonder he was chuckling.

Once the effects of her nightmare had worn off - it had really been just a stupid dream - she flushed with embarrassment and nodded hurriedly. It's amazing how well I keep up a veneer of calmness and confidence in front of the one person I want to impress the most, she thought dryly, mentally condemning her subconscious for springing that stupid dream on her.

At this time, no less.

Frankly speaking, at the current moment, she was simply wishing that a trapdoor would just open up and swallow her whole. At least then she would be able to get over her mortification.

Slipping out of Saix's grip easily, Tifa moved towards the entrance of the cavern, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Um, shall we go and look for the others now? They might need our help. And....thanks."

Darn it, would there be any time when she could stop behaving like a gawky teenager?? She was already 22, for crap's sake!