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setoangel01-fanfiction · 1 month

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Replenish

Homecoming - Chapter 4 (Previous Chapters)

Replenish

Rated: T

Chapter Summary: During a late night dinner, Zack reveals more of what him and Cloud have been through these past five years, Aerith mediates on how to help Zack heal and Elmyra begins to understand.

......

Aerith tried to be a mediator as best she could.

These were the two people she loved most in this entire world and while she understood her mother's worries about Zack and his ex-Shrinra status and the fact they were now on the run from the most powerful company in the world and staying at their house - Zack was back.

Nothing else mattered to her than that…

Not able to take her eyes away from him for long, Aerith gazed over at the dark haired ex-SOLDIER, who had barely touched the food he'd been given even if she could tell he hadn't eaten a decent meal in a very long time. And recalling the voracious appetite he had during the two years they dated, it was strange seeing him not eating all of it immediately and asking for seconds. The man in question was too preoccupied by gently coercing his blonde friend (who was actually sitting up quite well by himself) in the chair next to him to eat instead.

Heart pattering happily, Aerith listened to Zack's gentle voice as he encouraged Cloud to take another bite and she swore if she could only listen to Zack speaking for the rest of eternity, she would be happy. His voice was like a soothing balm on her weary soul…one of the many things she missed so desperately about him these past five years.

The flower girl spared a glance to her mother and the obvious sympathy on her face surprised her; she knew her mother's walls were cracking fast. Zack just had that charm and energy about him making it nearly impossible not to like him and the fact he was taking such good care of his sick friend only made it more apparent.

"C'mon, Cloud! Alright you leave me no choice than to do the thing you hate the most… " Zack's face grew uncharacteristically serious before he continued in a higher-pitched voice, "Open up the tunnel, here comes the train! Choo-choo!" Zack sing-songed, gently pressing the blob of creamy mashed potatoes against Cloud's lips but the blonde refused to open. His vacant eyes were staring at Zack and for some reason, it looked as if they were communicating in a way Aerith couldn't even begin to understand.

She desperately ignored the sudden pang of jealousy that invaded her heart at their obvious bond.

"Buddy, I promise I will eat too, I just want you to eat first so I can lay you down to sleep right after so you have time to digest and don't get a tummy ache from having actual food in your stomach for once - is that okay?" Zack waved the spoon and Aerith couldn't help but bite her lip to hold back the huge smile when she swore the blonde outright pouted at Zack before obediently (albeit it reluctantly) opening his mouth.

"Yes! Thanks, Cloudy Skies! You're the best!" Zack exclaimed, gently pressing the smooth potatoes into his mouth before brushing a quick hand through blonde chocobo-like spikes. Cloud let out of an unintelligable soft mutter of protest as Zack gathered another spoonful to continue feeding his friend.

"...You've been doing that for awhile, haven't you?" Elmyra asked suddenly and Aerith's shoulders tensed.

Zack didn't seem effected at all by the sudden questioning.

The SOLDIER merely glanced at her and gave a quick seldom nod and sad smile, "I have… lemme see, uh, the last, I dunno, 10 months to a year since we've escaped Nibelheim, he's been like this. He's actually a hel-h-heckuva lot better than he was before. He wasn't much more than a limp doll for a long time…" Zack bit his lip while spooning some more potatoes with tiny bits of chopped up meatloaf to his friend's mouth before continuing to feed him.

Zack continued, "...it was… hard to say the least. I - I had to do everything for him and I was so certain it was a losing battle those first few months with the Mako withdrawal being so bad. I really thought he wouldn't make it -" Zack's eyes suddenly teared up and Aerith wanted nothing more than to reach over and touch him but he was sitting too far away.

Zack swallowed thickly, "…but he's better now. We survived and we're gonna continue to do so. After what we've already lived though, feeding him is no problem at all! At least he can somewhat chew and swallow on his own now." Zack laughed softly trying to lighten the bleak situation like always. Casually wiping his face free of a few tears that slipped down his face before feeding Cloud his next spoonful with nothing but a sweet smile gracing his lips.

Elmyra looked chastised even if Zack did nothing to condemn her questioning.

"Zack?" Aerith asked and her heart skipped a beat when he glanced from Cloud's face and those incredible eyes locked onto hers.

He flashed her a soft shy smile, "Yeah?"

"Will he let me feed him? Your food is going to get cold."

"I-It's okay, Aerith. He's almost done, I got it. And heck, what I wouldn't have given for cold meatloaf and mashed potatoes when we were on the run - it's gonna be incredible regardless. Thanks for offering though." he added with a blinding white smile and wow, if her heart wasn't already lost to him before…

Ten minutes later, Cloud was finished eating and staring blankly at the single yellow lily Aerith gave him that she'd placed into a small vase on the table.

Even obviously starving, Zack ate slowly. Chewing his food thoroughly before swallowing as if savoring the sensation of having actual food in his mouth. He even was making small talk and making sure Cloud felt included in any discussion that came up. After only a single (heaping) plate full, Zack gently pushed the plate away when it was cleaned of the rest of the gravy with a roll of bread.

"Oh! There's more food in the kitchen! You want another serving? There's plenty…" Aerith halfway stood to her feet but Zack just shook his head and smiled.

"Nah. I'm full. It's probably best I take it easy for now. Don't wanna overdue it and make myself sick," Zack chuckled softly before turning to address her mother, "Ms. Gainsborough, it was absolutely delicious. Thank you…" Zack bit his lip, his eyes tracing the surface of the table for a moment before meeting her eyes and then her mother's with the most heart-wrenching look clouding them, "I - I really can't thank you enough - for everything. I - I promise I'll pay you back for all of this once Cloud recovers enough so I can get a job. Just make a list, I'll be sure to pay you back for all the food, lodging, clothes - "

"Nonsense!" to Aerith's shock, it was her mother who interrupted, "You don't owe us anything, Zackary. While I'm still concerned over what Shinra is going to do as well as you are, but you have my word that you and your friend are welcome here as long as you need to stay." Elmyra flashed the SOLDIER a coy smirk and continued, "And I think Aerith would have a few words to say if you even think of leaving anytime soon."

Aerith felt her own eyes welling when she watched Zack's lower lip tremble before his face fell, a tear slipped down his cheek as he uttered a heartfelt, "Thank you so much…"

"You're welcome, young man. Now, go get you and your friend situated upstairs and get some sleep. No offense, but you look dead on your feet."

Aerith shuddered at the phrasing but said nothing and bit her lip when she noticed Cloud suddenly flinch at that statement.

Zack merely chuckled, "I pretty much am; it's been a really long time since I slept through the night."

While that was alarming and Aerith wanted to say something, she remained silent as Zack rose to his feet. His eyes locked on her mother, Zack bowed to her slightly when he stood before gently pulling the barely lucid Cloud to his feet.

"I-I could go put Cloud to bed and come back and help with dishes? Please? I'd love to help any way I can," he offered.

Elmyra was already shaking her head before he finished speaking, "Don't be silly, Zackary. Go get some sleep."

"...You sure?"

"Positive," Elmyra smiled gently at him.

"Okay…Um, thanks again. You both have a good night," Zack said over his shoulder as he gently guided Cloud up the stairs and all remained quiet until the door to the guest room closed with a soft click.

Elmyra's shoulder's dropped and she opened her mouth as if to speak but closed it a second later. Instead, her stepmom let out a soft sigh before standing to gather the empty plates on the table and heading to the kitchen to clean up.

Aerith followed to help even as her eyes strayed to the staircase where she watched Zack disappear.

#zerith #fanfiction #zack fair #aerith gainsborough #cloud strife #ff7 #final fantasy VII #ff7 rebirth fanfiction #ff7 remake fanfiction #AU #alternate universe #Zack lives #zack lives au

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setoangel01-fanfiction · 8 days

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Through the Jungle

The Prodigal Son - Chapter 2 (Previous Chapters)

Fandom: FFVII

Pairings: Zack Fair x Aerith Gainsborough (Zerith) and minor Cloud Strife x Tifa Lockhart (Cloti)

Rated: T

Story Summary: Zack Lives AU. Leaving the Golden Saucer behind, the group heads to Zack's hometown of Gongaga, where after nearly a decade apart, Zack finally reunites with his parents.

Chapter Summary: Arriving on the shores of Gongaga, the group make their ways through the perilous jungle awaiting them.

................

"Damn…" Cloud muttered softly from the driver's seat when the buggy came to a full stop. The tires jostling slightly atop the sandy beaches near the entrance to what could only be gateway to the dense Jungles of Gongaga.

Zack allowed a smirk to cross his lips hearing Cloud's awed tone as well as the similar reactions crossing the expressions of all the other passengers that were all unabashedly staring at the absolutely impressive jungle awaiting them. Widened eyes and gaping mouths of his companions had him feeling relieved to see the sheer majesty of his home hadn't changed much since he left it behind a decade ago.

For a few blissful seconds, Zack took it in himself as the group exited the buggy to get a closer look.

Feet firm on the sandy beach, a dainty hand suddenly grasped at his arm. He looked down to see his girlfriend's awestruck expression, marvelous emerald eyes wider than he could recall them being, peering eagerly at their surroundings.

"Wow! Oh Gaia, everything is so…green!" Aerith chirped happily with an adorable little bounce in her step. Her exhilaration was palpable and Zack couldn't be happier about seeing the wondrous expression gracing her beautiful face.

A low whistle sounded beside them, "Gotta agree with ya' there, girlie. Fuckin' hell, I don't think I've ever seen so many damn trees in my entire life," Barrett muttered, reaching out to touch a nearby frond as if in a hypnotic daze.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Zack suddenly yelped, grasping Barret's outstretched arm before he could make a terrible mistake.

"Da fuck!?" Barrett yelled, pulling his arm back from the plant as if he had been burned.

Zack chuckled nervously, "Sorry but you'd thank me if you'd seen what even touching that shit does to your skin!" Zack shuttered in remembrance when he learned that lesson the hard way as a boy, "It'll give you the itchiest most annoying rash you'll ever get in your life! Believe me! You gotta avoid the plants with the thorns and red tipped leaves, but those bluish ones beside it are alright, though." As if to showcase his truthfulness, Zack brushed his glove-less hand against said greenery with a fond smile on his lips.

Yuffie guffawed at the horrified look that still hadn't left Barrett's face. The man in question swatting at her before the self-appointed 'most beautiful and greatest ninja of all time' promptly bent over with her nauseous stomach roiling unhappily at the sudden movement.

"Serves ya right, ya brat!" Barrett shook his fist at Yuffie, who while acting like she's only seconds from certain death, still somehow found the energy to stick her tongue out and flip him off.

Aerith giggled into Zack's bicep as Tifa rubbed the loudly whining Yuffie's back.

"So…anything else we need to watch out for here, Zack?" Nanaki's soft drawl asked from near his left hip as the feline sniffed cautiously at a patch of bright purple flowers.

Zack hummed, putting his hand up to his chin and peered around. "Well…Yeah. There's some more plants I'd steer clear from but it's mostly the fiends you gotta watch out for. The Kimera bugs are bloodthirsty bastards, there's also these giant flying jellyfish that love to paralyze you with cheap-shot lightning attacks…Oh! And whatever you do, stay the hell away from the Touch Me Frogs! We don't have any Maiden's Kiss on us and if we were all attacked together by a nest of 'em, that would be really, really bad news..."

"...Maiden's Kiss?" Aerith asked with a curious tilt to her head.

"Yeah! It turns you back to normal when you get 'Frogged'!"

Cloud stared at him strangely for a moment before he felt compelled to ask, "…'Frogged'?"

Zack blinked stupidly at him. "Yeah. The Touch Me's will actually turn you into a frog. Can't tell you how many times it's happened to me…" he admitted while scratching the back of his head in slight embarrassment.

Yuffie huffed out a laugh, "Now that, I believe," which Zack would have given her shit for (and an atomic noogie) if she didn't look so damn miserable with her greenish complexion and arms wrapped protectively across her stomach. "Urk…Nope. No more laughing…Bad idea."

Tifa peered in concern at the teen for a moment before she suggested, "Alright then. I say it's a good idea to stay clear away from weird plants and any monsters, especially those frogs, until we can stock up on that certain potion."

"Uggghhhh…" Yuffie moaned as she leaned her head miserably against Tifa's shoulder.

"...And maybe we could also stock up on some stomach medicine while we're there," Tifa continued, allowing the loudly grumbling Yuffie to lean her slight weight on her.

"Hell yes..." the Wutain groaned into Tifa's generous chest as the older woman comforted her with gently pats to her back.

"Oi! Dat's a fine idea dere, Lassie!" Cait Sith piped for the first time since they arrived, the quick-footed robotic feline suddenly launched upwards and made himself quite comfortable atop Barrett's shoulder, much to the latter's dismay.

"Hey! What the-!? Whataya!? Urg!" The dark skinned man cut himself off, glaring certain death at the robot. Yet Cait Sith remained unfazed, merely smiling in the face of his anger, Barrett muttered, "fuckin' cat…" under his breath rather than knock his furry ass to the ground.

Zack thought the scene was strangely sweet.

All the while, Cloud peered out at the group as if in deep thought before glancing back toward the jungle. The blonde looked way out of his depth and uncomfortable which was odd considering how quick he assumed the leader role under Zack's advisement. Yet now he seemed hesitant at the prospect of the looming vegetation when he turned to peer back at Zack.

"That's the plan then. Looks like you're in the lead, Jungle Boy." Cloud announced.

Zack laughed loudly at the sudden declaration, slapping Cloud hard on his un-armored shoulder before he eagerly took over the leader role of the group with Aerith always faithfully by his side. Her adorable giggles and bouncing steps right beside his own.

"Damn straight I am, you Mountain Hick!" Zack called out to the blonde over his shoulder.

"Hey!" Tifa's affronted voice called back.

"Not you, Teef! Now, come on, everyone! Let's mosey!" he stated happily to the rest of the party.

.....................

Cloud stood there for a moment, merely rubbing his sore shoulder, and while trying to hide it, he couldn't help but smile at Zack and Aerith's retreating backs before following them into the jungle.

"Oh my!" It was Tifa's voice that broke out when they first saw the field of bright pink mushrooms lining a mossy cliff-side. The excitement encapsulated her cherry-cola eyes and a huge smile gracing her lips as the group approached Gongoga's world famous import hidden deep inside the jungle."These are Gongaga mushrooms, right Zack?" she inquired, peering questioningly over her shoulder at him. The martial artist was already kneeling next to a large patch of the smaller mushrooms resting right underneath the shade of one a thousand times larger.

Zack knelt beside her and once he saw they were indeed the correct mushrooms and not some poisonous look-alike imposters, he happily replied, "Yep! These are Gaia's famous Gongaga Mushrooms! In fact, this is the only place on the planet they're grown."

"Really?" Cloud asked curiously as he squatted down near Tifa to get a closer look.

"Yeah. Something about the temperature and soil I think makes them only able to flourish here," Zack replied as Aerith plopped herself in the thick grassy patch beside him, green eyes wide as she brushed her hands over the bright pink fungi and marveled at the size of one of the nearby giants.

"They're such a pretty color too!" Aerith added while Nanaki walked over to sniff at them curiously; the feline 'hmmed' lowly in his throat as if pleasantly surprised at their rich meaty aroma they exuded.

"Wow." Tifa mused softly on the information, gentle smile never fading as she lightly ran her fingertip along the edges of a few. "I've always loved to cook with them! They add such amazing flavor to every dish, but in Midgar they're always so expensive the rare time I seen them come to the markets. I could only afford to use them in a few dishes on a couple special occasions."

Zack watched with barely concealed giddiness as Cloud peered at Tifa's contemplative expression, those light blue eyes of his doing nothing to hide his obvious adoration for the gorgeous brunette. The way Cloud and Tifa shyly danced around each other, yet were so damn in love that anyone with eyes could see it, was as cute as it was frustrating to witness.

Seemingly psyching himself up, the blonde ex-infantryman gently nudged at Tifa's shoulder with his own before offering, "Hey, uh, why don't we stock up on some of them here? I'm sure they're a lot cheaper since they're grown here."

"Hmm, you're right. Maybe they even have them dried to make them more portable," Tifa wondered with a dainty finger pressed to her chin.

"Yeah, and uh, I'm sure the dishes you make for us on the road would be even better," he quickly cleared his throat and looked away with cheeks that nearly matched Tifa's eyes, "You know, if that's even possible."

Tifa's eyes widened at the sudden compliment but a warm smile quickly overtook it instead, "Thanks, Cloud. I think I'd like that…" she shyly responded.

Zack and Aerith watched their interaction with bated breath, and once it was over, they shared a pleased look and quietly fist-bumped at the progression those two were making.

Of course the adorable moment didn't last long when Yuffie suddenly piped up, "I don't get it," she grumbled, bouncing a few (most likely stolen) materia on her knuckles as she waited for them all to get a move on, "What's so special about a bunch of pink mushrooms?"

Zack smirked at the ninja, "Just wait til you taste my mom's cooking and then you'll see."

Barrett chuckled, tapping Yuffie's shoulder that sent the thin teen nearly careening into a nearby tree, "Damn straight! There is truly nothing that tastes as good in the damn planet like home cookin'." The older man pursed his lips, "Hey, uh, SOLDIER boy, I shoulda brought this up earlier, but do ya think your folks would be alright with all of us bargin' in on them without any warning?"

Zack quickly stood to his feet and offered his hand to Aerith as he replied, "My mom always was looking for any excuse to cook so I'm sure they won't mind." His voice was steady even if Zack himself remained unsure of his parent's reaction to his sudden presence. Wanting to put his friends at ease and wipe the concerned look Aerith shot his way, he continued, "We didn't have the biggest house so we might have to eat outside or find other lodging to fit us all overnight, but hell, we're used to doing that already so it shouldn't be a big deal."

Barrett's brows pinches for a moment. "Hey, Zack, ya know we wouldn't wanna to intrude if ya want some time alone with yer folks either." Barrett said with a kind, fatherly expression Zack wasn't used to seeing aimed at him since Angeal died. The very same look his father bestowed upon him while resting a firm yet comforting hand on his shoulder after gifting him his first real sword on his 13th birthday.

Now Angeal was dead (by his hand no less) and he'd left his father a week after that night without a word. All of it given up more than 10 years ago for a dream that ended up in a hellish cacophony of greed, delusion, betrayal, and concluded in a town filled with fire and smoke.

A sharp wave of grief of the past 10 years hit him abruptly, yet before he could think of anything to reply to the kindness he didn't deserve held in Barrett's eyes, Yuffie interrupted.

For once, Zack was damn grateful for the distraction.

"Ughhh! Great! Than let's hurry the hell up and go already! Anything to stop staring at a bunch of dumb mushrooms, ya old fogies!" Yuffie piped up, her arms now full of the protesting Cait Sith who was the latest victim of her Materia "borrowing" scheme.

"Hmm. Yes. Let's continue. I'm rather intrigued. I'd love to see how they taste when cooked, especially if it's as good as Tifa states." Nanaki commented, licking the edge of his mouth where a pink speck of mushroom fell to the ground by his feet.

Zack looked down in bewilderment hoping eating them raw had no adverse effect on the large feline but decided not to say anything and to merely keep an eye on him.

Shaking off any lingering feelings of his past coming back to haunt him, Zack slipped back on his normal happy puppy mask and stated, "Alright, alright, hold onto your Chocobos, Yuff."

"Stop calling me that, ya jerk!" she grumbled but Zack continued unperturbed.

"I promise we'll leave real soon but we can't show up empty handed! C'mon, give me a hand with picking some of these!"

Cloud looked skeptical yet he followed his friend to the patch of mushrooms regardless, "Wouldn't your folks already have some?"

"Probably, but the ones that grow furthest from the village always tasted better in my opinion. Now come on, there's a special technique to picking them so they don't break!" Zack motioned for the others interested in learning to join him near a large cluster of the pink beauties situated in a little alcove a few yards away. The plump pink flesh perfectly ripe and the woodsy smell lingering near them was rich and aromatic.

Perfect for picking!

With that, Zack showed the group the specialized Gongaga technique for picking the mushrooms so the tops and stems were left attached and completely undamaged. Zack's smile grew as Aerith and Tifa both did it perfectly on their first try and gave each other a high five in celebration. Yet Cloud wasn't as lucky for he broke his first mushroom right in half while angrily swatting at the mocking Yuffie, who wasn't any better when her mushroom practically exploded into pink chunks of shrapnel. At least Nanaki was happy not to waste the rare fungi and ate the pieces.

Barrett and Cait Sith seemed merely happy watching it all unfold.

Zack leaned back on his heels as they continued their mission. A gentle smile curling his lips at getting to watch his girlfriend and friends as they (after another brief instruction) began gathering the mushrooms like seasoned pros. Yet his unperturbed mask he relied on far too much lately faltered slightly once he realized he was actually happy for any excuse to help delay the trip to his hometown just a little while longer…

..................

A plethora of Gongaga mushrooms safely stowed away in Barrett's knapsack, the group continued into the denser region while trying (and failing) to avoid the fiends along their way.

Clusters of large Kimera bugs were easily dispatched while they almost got overtaken by Grangalan, the annoying egg-like creatures that reproduced faster than Grassland rabbits. As they got deeper into the thick foliage, they ran into a few nesting Mastodons they fortunately slipped past without fighting. Unfortunately, in a case of bad luck named Yuffie Kisaragi, they landed in a field of poisonous plants called Frightflowers. The evil flora were a pain in the ass if they weren't killed immediately and if it wasn't for Aerith's masterful Ensuna casting, the fight could have been deadly with their poison effect alone.

When all was said and done, nearly all of them were nursing more than a few new scrapes and bruises they didn't bother wasting potions on, but thankfully, nothing worse than that. Zack was merely grateful that they hadn't run into any Touch Me Frogs, but in an effort to avoid their spawning areas, it still stalled their progress more than he'd like.

Zack had also forgotten how strenuous traversing this jungle could be. Hanging ropes and vines, rickety wooden ladders, tons of hiking mountains and crossing fast-moving rivers greeted them the further into the jungle they went. And while himself and most of the group could easily handle the extra physical strain, it was obvious his girlfriend was quickly falling behind.

Flushed cheeks, sweat heavily lined her brow and her wispy chestnut locks were flattening as the exertion plus the humidity in the air began to wilt down her energy to a mere whisper of what it was mere hours prior.

Zack tried his best to take plenty of rest stops so she could have a moment to catch her breath, but it was an uphill battle. They were also losing daylight and it was a special kind of hell to get trapped in the jungle after nightfall where you couldn't even see your own damn hand in front of your face. Not to mention, the hungry nocturnal fiends he'd rather not deal with in the inevitable low lighting.

"I'm so sorry, Zack." Aerith's voice tore him from his musings. The last Cetra breathing heavily as she plopped down on a downed tree log and looked so incredibly miserable that it hurt his heart. "I know I'm slowing everyone down, it's just… Ugh! I thought after a few weeks of non-stop traveling I wouldn't be huffing and puffing like this anymore. I feel so weak…" she grumbled angrily while wiping her perspiring forehead with the back of her trembling hand.

"What are you talking about!? You just saved our asses back there! Don't even think that you're weak because you're one of the strongest people I know!" Zack chided while sliding to sit next to her and wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder.

Aerith smiled at the statement but he still saw the doubt in her eyes and it broke his damn heart.

Zack bit his lip, yet before he said anything further, he lifted his blue eyes to the figures of the rest of the group standing at a nearby creek filling their canteens with fresh water. Seeing they weren't in hearing range, he continued, "I'm serious when I say you're actually doing great, sweetie. Traversing these jungles isn't easy whatsoever and the heat and humidity only makes it that much worse, especially if you're not used to it."

"I still feel bad… It's like everyone is always catering to me because I can't keep up," Aerith muttered lowly, playing with the ends of her frayed braid in an effort to keep her eyes away from Zack's concerned expression.

Zack pursed his lips, hating to see the self-deprecating look on her face and wanted nothing more than to reassure his angel, "That's not true! We've stopped plenty of times for the others. There's Barrett for instance in the Shinra tower with the giant ass flight of stairs and Yuffie whenever she needs to hurl every damn time she steps into a moving vehicle."

"Yeah, but that's not the same," Aerith pouted.

Zack bit his lip for a moment before he asked with a soft smile, "Hey, did I ever tell you about my friend Satatoro?"

Aerith's eyes perked up at the sudden new information he was sharing and he cheered inside at the interest in her pretty green eyes. "No, you didn't."

"Well, we both were born here and were friends since before we could walk. We were both so determined to join ShinRa to become First Class SOLDIERS yet he'd always be focused so much on strength and trying to pack on muscle that he never even bothered to do cardio to build up his stamina. The dude would nearly pass out when going for a light jog to my secret workout spot!"

"...So, you're saying I need to work on my stamina, hmm?" she teased lowly while brushing her hand on his thigh, loving to watch the adorable shade of coral red fill the apples of his cheeks.

Zack chuckled, "Babe, all I'm saying is that he lived here his whole life and he would have given up on this trek hours ago and yet here you are still pushing through!" he grasped at her wandering hand and held it against his chest, smiling so tenderly it made her heart throb against her sternum. "You're doing wonderful, Aeri. Don't you ever think otherwise. …Promise me?"

Aerith pursed her lips indecisively yet Zack didn't give, his big pout and patented puppy dog eyes she could never refuse had her throwing in the proverbial towel. Zack could be the most stubborn man on the planet when he set his mind to it. The Last Cetra finally relented with a sigh. "Fine. I won't say that anymore, okay?"

"Great!"

The Flower Girl huffed out a laugh before smiling at her wonderful and encouraging boyfriend. She quickly leaned up to place a quick kiss on the edge of his smiling mouth before resting her slight weight against his unmovable muscular frame. Bonelessly, she leaned against him, not even bothering to hide how absolutely exhausted she was anymore. "While I know I'm doing okay for making it this far, I still feel like shit for slowing us down… and now I can't feel my feet anymore."

Zack peered at her in concern before a brilliant idea popped into his head that had him smiling.

"...What?" Aerith asked when noticing him staring at her with barely restrained glee.

"I think I can help with that!"

.................

"...Are you sure this is okay?" Aerith asked, her thin frame cradled tenderly in Zack's arms in a bridle carry, the Buster Sword strapped to his back didn't allow for piggy back rides after all.

"Any excuse I can carry you is valid to me, babe," Zack sent her a bright smile down at her. "Besides, once we get some Chocobos, it'll be a helluva lot easier to traverse this terrain. Believe it or not, but they can even jump on the giant mushrooms to get to the tops of some of these cliffs! I think you'll love the color of their feathers too. They're a green super similar to your eyes, but of course, your eyes are much prettier," he winked at her.

Cheeks warming at his flirty words, Aerith smiled. "Wow, really?" she asked, glancing at the giant mushrooms and all the unexplored areas they could reach using those.

"Yeah… I wonder if my Chocobo is still around…"

"You had a Chocobo growing up? You never told me that!" she slapped his chest lightly and sent him a pout.

"Sorry!" Zack chuckled when she tried to pinch him. "I thought I did but must have forgot to mention it, but yeah, I did! Raised him since he was a chick. I named him Mochi after my favorite treat my late grandma used to make me all the time as a kid."

"Oh my! How cute!" Aerith's beamed, instantly picturing a tiny Zack running around with an adorable green Chocobo Chick following faithfully behind him. She hoped his parents had pictures she could see of that!

"He certainly was. We were both always getting into trouble but it was fun. I hope he's still around. He was kind of a wild bird so he might have taken off when I left, but if he's still around, you can ride him around. It would make the trip a lot easier and I'm certain he'd fall in love with you just as quickly as I did." he said with a tender smile.

Aerith eagerly returned it, her heart thumping at just how happy Zack made her without even trying.

The love and adoration he showcased with every little act of kindness and encouragement he bestowed upon her without asking for anything in return. He truly was the sweetest, gentlest, most wonderful man on Gaia filled with a heart of pure gold. She truly felt like the luckiest woman on the planet to have a love like hers, one that fought fate to make it back to her... And now she was on a journey with him and all her new friends and heading towards the place Zack grew up! Somewhere he always talked about and now she really was here with him at her side…

It was as if all her tiny wishes had come true.

Overcome with the sudden rush of emotion, she burrowed further into his embrace.

The close contact and warmth of his body filling her lungs like a haze, she couldn't help but reply, "I dunno, Zack," The Flower Girl whispered lowly while leaning her head into the comfortable crook where his neck met his shoulder. Resting her flushed cheek on the thick woven black turtle neck until her nose brushed across the skin of his jaw. Aerith bit her bottom lip when she felt Zack noticeably shiver at the unexpected intimate contact. She leaned closer until her mouth brushed against his ear. "I think I prefer you carrying me better."

Zack swallowed thickly, his flushed cheeks and darkening blue eyes peering down at her; the expression on his face filled with so much love and admiration it made her head spin. "Yeah?" he asked, glancing down at her lips and holding her just a little tighter against his chest.

"Yeah…"she whispered, leaning closer to him.

Yet before their lips could meet, Yuffie ruined it with a groan.

"Alright! Alright, lovebirds! We get it! You're in love and don't get enough 'alone time'," Yuffie announced crankily from right behind them, angrily stating some words with finger quotes, "But please, for the love of Leviathan, just stop it! I'm nauseous enough already without you guys always finding every damn excuse to suck face."

"Excuse me?" Aerith reprimanded with a rare glare.

"Yuffie! Leave them alone! They're cute!" Tifa chided, lightly smacking the teen on the shoulder.

"Heh. Yeah, yeah, Boobies, I bet pretty soon you and the Chocobo over there are probably gonna be following SOLDIER and Pinky soon enough and then I'll forcefully be subjected to more PDA no one asked to see!"

Tifa's face turned an alarming shade of red and Cloud actually stumbled over a blade of grass.

"Fuckin' hell, girlie! That's enough out of you! If you're mouth is working that good, you're not walking fast enough!" Barrett pushed the teen forward while rolling his eyes at her non-stop antics that were getting rather exhausting, "The faster we move our asses, the faster we'll be there! Now, hurry up!"

"Dat's right, lassie! According to my calculations, we should be arriving fairly soon!" Cait Sith piped up from his perch on Nanaki's back, the cat doing his best to stay away from Yuffie's grasp and from losing anymore Materia to the sticky-fingered teen.

Zack bit his lip to stop from grinning like a madman at how, when things quieted down again, Cloud and Tifa glanced at one another before looking away with their lips curved in shy smiles. Nanaki brushed by his leg and flashed him a conspiratory grin. Zack peered back at Aerith to apologize for their ruined moment and hoping to get it back, yet all of a sudden, he froze when Cait Sith's words finally settled low in his gut.

The damn robot cat was right.

The widening of the brush and a more well-worn walking paths were becoming clearer the further they continued. More and more of the areas they passed and the sight of them mixed with all the years he spent growing up, the same locations and sites were ones he saw frequently. The cliff-side his dad would take him on short camping trips over the weekend. The creek him and his childhood friends would go and catch fish during the long summer. The fields his mom would take him to pick mushrooms and other vegetables for dinner. That familiar patch of giant mushrooms him and Mochi would jump off of to go explore the topside mountains.

…Fuck.

They were getting close.

Within a few minutes, they'd turned another corner past two tall grassy cliffs and a beautiful clear waterfall pouring loudly into a shallow river when Zack's heart nearly trembled at seeing the green tops of trees give way in the distance to painfully familiar domed roofs…

Gongaga was right there.

The anxiety he'd held down for nearly the whole journey was now boiling like Ifrit's fire deep in his stomach, twisting his gut uncomfortably as the wooden gates of Gongaga slowly came into view in the distance.

Yet before he could commiserate on this any further, Zack's SOLDIER senses rushed into high gear.

With one swift move, he'd gently placed the confused Aerith back on the ground and silently maneuvering her to stay behind him. With a flex of his bicep, the Buster Sword was off his back with a satisfying shing sound and he'd instantly taken a protective stance in front of the most important person in his entire life. The others nearby noticed his alarm and immediately jumped into action.

Within seconds, the entire group was aiming their various weapons at the figures that suddenly appeared out of the thick brush that surrounded them.

Zack cursed himself for not noticing them sooner but regardless, he was ready for anything they could throw at him.

Yet any fight or flight response honed from years of being in SOLDIER and that hellish year on the run fighting for his and Cloud's survival faded completely away when he saw the familiar face of the leader, someone he never thought he would again in this lifetime.

"...Cissnei?"

#zerith #zerith fanfiction #ff7 remake fanfiction #ff7 rebirth fanfiction #gongaga #zack lives au #aerith lives au #zack lives fanfiction #aerith lives fanfiction #love #romance #meeting the parents #zack has a chocobo named mochi and no one can tell me otherwise

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