Saw Last Order. It was "...eh", and I really only thought it served to make sure that Kenichi Suzumura = Zack. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up as it is. The retconning continues, but it hasn't gotten to OMG we must do a reset of the game level yet. And yeah, I think Compilation = canon.

And now, fic.


Nothing messes with Aerie time.

Being a high-ranking Soldier, Aerie time seemed to come more and more infrequently, but she never minded. He'd gotten a prize, no mistake. The girl who'd wait, and wait she did, even when he was an utter douche. He never missed Aerie time right before a mission. A total dick would use the time for "What if I don't come back?" sex. He'd been tempted, once upon a time, but he didn't. Call it chivalry, call it morals, call it being a wuss. You'd have to be evil incarnate to do something like that to Aerith Gainsborough.

Today's Aerie time was pre-mission Aerie time. Still it was like most other ones: duck her mom, who hated him for reasons unknown, check up on the flowers, then go out, usually to the playground near Sector 6 to talk. All right, all right, they made out, too.

So there they were, on top of that weird moogle slide, staring up at the steel that passed for a sky in the Midgar slums. "I want to make you a promise," he started. He held up his little finger and motioned for her to do the same.

"Hmm?" She looked cute even when confused. The only other person alive that could do that was Spike.

"It's an old school Gongagan thing. Come on..." He hooked his small finger around hers. "I, Zackary 'Gaia's Gift to Women' Donovan--" Aerith gave his shoulder a playful blow. "What? What? I can't help it if it's true... Now, where was I before that slight breeze interrupted me?" Another blow from Aerith. "I, Zackary 'Ideal of Manly Perfection'--don't giggle, Aerie, it spoils the mood--Donovan to swear to Aerie 'I'm as cute as an irate kitten when I'm angry' Gainsborough that I will come back in once piece, like I do with every mission, and no, broken bones don't count, so there." He stuck is tongue out. "And if I happen to come back in more than once piece... uh, I'll eat a slug or something."

Aerith giggled. "Za-ack, that's mean to the slug. What did he ever do to you?"

Zack pouted. "What'd I tell you about the mood, Aerie?"

"I don't think that eating slugs is part of a genuine oath, 'old school Gongagan' or otherwise."

"Oh, so should I do the whole knight thing?" He leapt down. "Okay, you're Maria, I'm that guy she's in love with, and the cat over there's Draco." He cleared his thorat. "Oh, sweet Aerie, I mean, Maria, I lament that I must fight my battles so far from thou... thee... whatever."

Aerith collapsed into giggles. Zack worried she'd fall for a moment, but she kept her balance. Besides, he'd catch her if she did fall. She went down the slide the old fashioned way. He swept her up once she reached the bottom. "My hero," she said through more giggling.

"Damn straight I am." He never imagined "enjoying the fruits of monogamy", as Seph put it, could be so... right. Or that this bundle of pink and sweetness and flowers would give it to him. She was turning one of the most bad-ass of Soldier and bachelor extraordinare into a sap. Criminal. Simply criminal.

Aerith looked up from her expedition to burrow deeper into his shirt. "About that oath... how long's it good for?" She sounded genuinely worried. A small knot formed in his stomach, but she quickly did away with it.

"Guaranteed for a thousand years or your money back."

"Just a thousand?"

"What, you'd stick around longer for me?" Sap. Total sap. Damn her cute pink hide. Seph would never let him live it down if he saw this. Spike... well, when he was done drooling on Seph, he'd start having his own giggle fit.

Fuck them both. Nothing messes with Aerie time.

"Yep. I promise." She stuck out her little finger. He hooked his onto it. "I'll wait, and you're coming back."

He gave her a kiss. "I'm coming back."