❝ after all…❞ she threw him a look over her shoulder, ❝ if i’m the flower lady, then you’re the mystery man with the holy machine gun. and that sounds a lot more interesting than anything i’ve got. ❞

❝ you want my secrets? fine. i’ll tell you. ❞ she leaned in conspiratorially, ❝ but only if 𝘺𝘰𝘶 share some first. ❞

she spun forward. the neon glow of wall market began to brighten the streets around them. it was still distant, but getting closer.

she pointed a finger at him.

❝ and you’re not getting off the hook, mister mysterious priest-❞

she kept the pace, forcing him to look at her rather than hide behind those sunglasses.

❝ well then! let’s keep on truckin’! we’ve got sins to cleanse, routes to sneak through, and apparently a date to finish! ❞

but something else was there. something she quickly tucked away before she could examine it too closely. instead, she bounded a few steps ahead of until she was walking backwards in front of him with a bright grin.

she smoothed her skirt.

❝ i really owe you. you didn’t have to step in like that, and you definitely didn’t have to get shot at because of me. so… thank you, nicholas. ❞

she laughed.

❝ and… thank you. for playing along. ❞

only then did she realize that her hands were still looped around his arm. her cheeks blushed pink, and she reluctantly let go of him.

❝ i- um. ❞

reno rubbed his temples.

“…management is NOT gonna like this. ugh. fine. you two lovebirds enjoy your little stroll. but don’t get comfy-“

he jabbed two fingers toward his own eyes, then down at them.

“- we’ll be back.”

the helicopter tilted away. aerith kept her arms wrapped around nicholas.

aerith nodded, perfectly pleased! she slid her hand up nicholas’s chest for emphasis.

❝ yes. romantic, isn’t it? ❞

reno stared.

“…boyfriend? 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 guy? the walking weapons depot? seriously?”

aerith didn’t miss a beat. she stepped in close and slipped her arms around nicholas’s arm, hugging it tight against her chest.

❝ this is my 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥! who also happens to be my bodyguard! pretty cool, huh? ❞

❝ well… that was-❞

but the 𝘸𝘩𝘶𝘱-𝘸𝘩𝘶𝘱-𝘸𝘩𝘶𝘱 of helicopter blades cut her off. a spotlight snapped on the two of them. aerith’s shoulders slumped.

❝ … really? do they ever take a 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘵? ❞

the last turk disappeared somewhere, screaming something about hazard pay, or… therapy.

aerith let her ward dissolve into petals and turned to nicholas with a relieved smile.

a third clutched his bleeding leg and limped away,
“THIS IS NOT WORTH THE OVERTIME PAY!!”

aerith still held her radiant ward steady.

❝ oh. wow. that… worked way better than i thought. ❞

❝ um- remind me never to make you mad!” she shouted over the gunfire. her braid swished as she ducked beside him. ❝ but also- 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵!! ❞

she planted her staff and expanded the barrier as stray bullets from both sides pinged off the magical shell. she glanced up at nicholas. all things considered, she was… kind of impressed?

aerith shot back indignantly,

❝ i can 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 you, you know!! ❞