The black fabric of Cloud's vest collar was steadily becoming a deep, reddish black as blood seeped into the garment. Meanwhile, its wearer was fumbling with a small keyring with only one hand, the other remaining pressed firmly to his bleeding nose. He had managed thus far to not get Seph and Zack's doorstep too dirty, and was determined to keep their floor clean, too.

 He shucked off his boots at the door as he entered. "Seph? Zack? Are you home?"

No answer, which didn't bode well for Cloud finding what he was looking for. The three of them kept their materia in a sort of pool, taking what they needed when they needed it, and he only needed to borrow a healing materia. It was a little embarrassing; he hadn't expected to get jumped like he did, and besides, he'd rather clean up here than go back to Avalanche HQ beat up and covered in blood and have Tifa fret over him.

"Hello?"

Cloud nearly had a heart attack at the voice that drifted down the stairs. He'd already reached for the hilt of his sword (which he had left unequipped by the door) in the second it took him to recognize it.

"Aeris?"
Light footsteps down the stairs, and as soon as their eyes were able to meet her expression went from mildly to very surprised. "Cloud! Are you alright?"

Cloud's hand went to the back of his neck and he glanced away as she hurried over to examine him. "Aeris... I didn't expect you to be here,"
"I guess not. You're covered in blood, what happened?" She didn't wait for a response; she'd already taken his hand and was leading him over to the kitchen sink. Cloud, of course, had to follow.

"Nothing. It looks worse than it is," Cloud promised. "I, uh... had some trouble on a mission"—despite his best efforts he'd never broken the habit of calling deliveries and mercenary work missions— "but I took care of it. I just stopped by to borrow a Cure,"
"You mean you went out to a place where you knew there'd be monsters without a Cure?" She'd been in the process of running the water and making sure it was the correct temperature, but at this paused and pulled back to raise her eyebrows at Cloud in reproach, her hands planted on her hips.
"...Sort of," Cloud admitted, transfixed by the running water. "I didn't think I'd need it."

Aeris sighed, and suddenly seized Cloud's hands to make quick work of his torn gloves and guide them under the faucet. He winced as the hot water stung his raw skin, and she loosened her grip and ran her thumbs over his bloody palm.

No more of that," she chided gently. "I mean it. Otherwise, I'll tell Tifa." Predictably, she felt his muscles tense. "Why didn't you just take a Cure out with you in the first place?"
"We only have one," he explained. "Zack and I always shared ours, and the rest were split up among the group. But now, especially with Seph back, I like to know that it's with them most of the time,"
"Do they know about this?" she asked, getting right to the heart of the matter.
"They know I could borrow Tifa's if I'm going out on my own."
"Well, why didn't you?"
"Like I said, I didn't think I'd need it. Besides, I... like the way ours feels better,"

Aeris sighed a little and gave the barest shake of her head, but Cloud knew that she understood. The user of a materia put a great deal of themself in the charging and casting of its spells, to the point where each crystal had an indescribable yet distinct feeling of its owner. Their Cure had been forged and refined between the three of them, and it resonated with their unique and combined energies. To be healed by it was nothing short of one of the most grounding, blissful, comforting experiences Cloud could enjoy.

"Well, they're out on a delivery today, actually. Something last-minute. Zack had to cancel on me, but I decided I would come over and surprise them with dinner anyway," she explained. "So it looks like I'll have to patch you up myself,"
"You really don't—" "Oh, let me," it wasn't a request. "I've got a mastered Cure too, you know. Though I'm sure it won't feel as dreamy as Sephiroth's~"
Cloud pulled his hands from out of her hold, blushing. "You've been spending too much time with Zack," he muttered.
Aeris laughed sweetly.

Five minutes later saw Cloud in a change of fresh but slightly baggy clothes (courtesy of Zack's closet), his bloodied ones tumbling in the washer, sitting on the couch as Aeris dabbed at a gash in his arm with something that stung.
"I thought you were just going to Cure it," he said to distract from a wince.
"If you don't clean the wound, all the dirt and nastiness gets sealed up inside you," Aeris explained, not for the first time. "If you're out on a job and you don't have time, it's not the end of the world, but since you're here you really should have it cleaned."
"Oh," Cloud didn't know what else to say. A moment of silence passed between them as she worked. Her hands, gentle but firm, were a sharp contrast to the chemical sting; he rubbed his still-stuffy but no longer dripping nose with his wrist, glad he wasn't able to smell the medicine. He watched the cotton swab dab at the wound, noticing how Aeris used her other hand to hold his arm firmly in place. In that moment she might have had Sephiroth's strength in her delicate fingers for all that Cloud could ever bring himself to break her grip.

"...Thanks," Cloud muttered, suddenly realizing he had not yet said so. "Of course," Aeris smiled, taking his chin in her hand to wipe the blood from his face with a damp cloth. He was unable to keep his eyes open, but he managed not to turn his head away. "Just don't make a habit of it, understand? Now take your shirt off,"

Cloud's eyes snapped open. "What?"
"You're bleeding," she said matter-of-factly, indicating to his chest. "You've got another big cut. I need to treat it,"
"Uh... w-wait. Let me—" he fumbled with his zipper for a moment while Aeris looked on with an expression of fond exasperation. "Just do it like this. It isn't that bad," Cloud pulled the zipper of his top down part way so that the wound was mostly exposed.

"That's fine, I suppose," she decided, quickly getting to work again. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Cloud's modesty aside, he knew she would know if he was lying. "Other than bruises, no. I might've done something to my ankle, but it's not serious. It's internal, so you don't need to clean it,"
"I'll take a look." More silence as she dressed the wound. She was focused, Cloud noticed, and terribly efficient, not hesitating out of discomfort or worry for him. It only took a moment for it to be as clean as it was going to be, and when Aeris examined his ankle he managed to let only the barest of winces show.
"It looks like it's sprained," she hummed.
"It was worse a few hours ago. It should be healed fully by tomorrow," While his accelerated healing capabilities were nothing to Sephiroth's, it was still a perk of being a pseudo-SOLDIER that he enjoyed.
"We might as well heal it now, while we're here," Aeris said, sitting upright to look him in the eyes rather seriously. "Now, I won't tell Zack or Sephiroth about this on one condition,"
"What's that?" Cloud asked.
"If you promise to borrow my Cure if you can't get ahold of another one. You shouldn't be going on a mission without one,"

That was all? For some reason, Cloud had expected to be extorted, though to what end he couldn't say. "Yeah, I can do that. ...Sorry."

Her stern expression melted away to a warm smile. "It's okay, Cloud. I know you can take care of yourself. Now, stay here while I get my materia,"

Cloud felt like that one kind look had already taken away a good deal of the pain, but he rubbed his palm with the pad of his thumb as he waited for her to return. Come to think of it, when was the last time someone besides Sephiroth or Zack had cured him? Back in Avalanche, Tifa could usually only manage basic elemental spells, and Barret just didn't have the knack for it. Aeris had a natural talent with materia, but Zack had formal training and had always been right by Cloud's side, the first one to cover him if he'd been injured. And of course, Sephiroth's skill with magic was unparalleled. Being healed by either of them always felt different than curing himself. What would Aeris' materia feel like...?

A moment later she returned, orb in hand. It was a lighter, cooler green than his own, something inside it shimmering and swirling gently. She sat down beside him on the couch again and put her other hand to his arm, making him turn to face her. "Ready?" she asked.

Cloud gave a nod. In the next instant he felt a wave of relief wash over him, starting from the crown of his head and flowing down to the floor. It felt both cool and warm simultaneously, relaxing his muscles while threatening to give him chills, and he could feel the pain from his wounds ebbing away. Rather than their own cure, which felt fiercely affectionate, invigorated with the desire to protect one another, in contrast Aeris' felt serene and secure. Cloud closed his eyes with a sigh, breathing deeply until the last traces of the feeling faded from his fingertips a few seconds later.

"Well, how did I do?" she teased, brushing bangs out of Cloud's eyes and making him blush slightly.
"I guess I wouldn't mind borrowing yours," he conceded. "Though only if you aren't using it,"
"I've got more than one, you know,"
"Oh," he replied. Aeris laughed.
"That's right, you don't have to feel guilty about taking it out. By the way, why don't you stay for dinner? You can help me cook until they get back,"

It was a tempting offer, with only one caveat. "I don't really... I'm no good in the kitchen." With her experience running a bar, Tifa was usually the one who coordinated dinner. Cloud's expertise ended at anything that involved more than boiling water.
"Well, now is as good a time as any to learn," she rose cheerfully to her feet and extended a hand to Cloud to help him up. Cloud's eyes widened when he realized what she was offering, and he hesitated a moment before taking it, feeling embarrassed but happy.