Of all the people to have payed the phoenix a visit, the one he’d wanted to see the least was Aerith. Not that her presence wasn’t comforting or welcome, for it was both in great measure, but he had wanted to avoid letting her see what had become of the once proud and charming SOLDIER she’d known. Thus he found himself feeling conflicting emotions as he watched her step into the room - anger that she would be here to see him at his worst, and thankful that she’d come.
At the sound of her voice he nearly broke. His walls and composure falling and letting her see that which no one saw. As it was he closed his eyes and bathed in the warmth that the sound brought to him. After a few moments he managed to find his voice. “Hey…” he muttered weakly, his voice hoarse from disuse.
Before she was fully registering what she was doing, she was running forward, crossing the room to close the distance between them. She threw her arms around him and clung, burying her face in his shoulder and breathing him in, taking comfort in the fact that he was, in fact, right there.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” She breathed out, fingers clutching onto his shirt - if he was planning on pulling or trying to push her away, she was going to make it as near impossible as she could.
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