Author's Note: In which Cloud and Aerith go on a roadtrip. Unedited and raw. Just wanted something fluffy as an exercise. I like plotless Clerith.

Lunar Flowers

road dwellers

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The heat was piercing through her porcelain skin for almost an hour now, and it was painful. Her usual pallid complexion had gone pink, and to prevent herself from turning completely red (and avoid several backaches from sunburn), Cloud had been slathering sun cream on her back for the last five minutes in the causeway.

On Fenrir.

"Ah," Aerith slightly winced at the stinging sensation in an area Cloud had put on sun cream. "It's starting now, isn't it?"

"You were so excited that you ran straight to the ocean," chuckled Cloud, putting another slab for her lower back. Aerith wore a flimsy top that made it easy for him to reach the skin underneath. They had just left Costa del Sol for their next destination.

"I wanted to look like a mermaid so bad," laughed Aerith as she adjusted her wide-brimmed hat. She slightly winced again. "I didn't even get to wear my swimmies,"

Cloud only chuckled, squeezing one last slab of the product to put on her nape and shoulders. Aerith giggled when she felt his fingers on her neck, tickled.

After a few minutes, Cloud restarted the engine, and continued their way to Gold Saucer. It would be a long ride, thought Cloud, as there was no other way to get there via vehicle apart from following the curvature of the mountain ranges.

"We probably won't make it 'til midnight," he heard Aerith from behind.

"You're right," he replied. "we'll stop at Rocket Town."

Aerith pressed her cheek on his back as she watched the speeding horizon before her. The sky was ever clear and the view breathtaking as the blue coast sparkled. She smiled against his shirt, remembering this trip was Cloud's idea of a birthday gift.

Frankly, it wasn't going all that well and it's only been three days since they left Edge. Not because it was poorly planned. Despite his great efforts to map out their routes, stops, and destinations, something still managed to go wrong. Boy, did the two of them had such terrible luck with the trivial things - like the hidden fees of not pre-booking their ship ride in Junon, or the broken bidet and toilet back at the hotel.

But being the optimist Aerith was, such problems did not exist as 'problems' for her. They were Cloud's problems. And in his train of thought and heightening anxiety, the worst just happened.

The sudden stop of Fenrir in the middle of the causeway almost sent Aerith flying forward, her summer hat thrown off. Cloud restarted and restarted the engine again, but to no avail. He cursed under his breath. He was sure to have checked the engine and batter health levels before the trip..

"What happened?" Aerith popped out of his shoulder, prying. Cloud was too busy trying to troubleshoot the engine.

For a while they stayed in the middle of the road, until a line of trucks had to pass by. The couple brought Fenrir to the side, still trying to find out what's wrong.

"Cloud?" Aerith started, readjusting her hat.

"Hmm?" she couldn't see it on his face, but she knew he was internally screaming.

"What's wrong with your bike?"

"I don't know," he answered, opening its trunk for some repair tools. "I have to check the pump."

Aerith hummed and looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere, but the coastline wasn't that very far. "Will it take that long?"

"I'm not sure," he answered. He looked at her curiously. "Why?"

"Just asking," she grinned and sat back on Fenrir and fanned herself. "You can do it, Nandemoya-san!"

It was his turn to smile, the nickname so effective in bringing his spirits up. Cloud knelt down on Fenrir for the basic check-up. Half an hour before one of them talked.

"Let's try it again," said Cloud, wiping his hands with his cloth. Aerith readjusted her seat, waited for Cloud to jump back on Fenrir so she could hold on to him.

"Ahh, don't get too close," he told her, conscious of his smell and cleanliness now. "too dirty."

The brunette ignored him and let her arms slide around his waist. Cloud pedaled on the motorcycle again. And again. And again.

He sighed, scratching his head now.

"Well, that's that," Aerith stood up from the seat and started to drag Cloud, who hesitated.

"What are you doing?"

"We're going for a swim," she said matter-of-factly, a brow raised. "what else?"

It was his turn to look perplexed. "Swim? You meant that shore?"

"Uhuh."

He chuckled at the ridiculous notion. "Nah."

"Come on!"

"It's fenced," he argued, although Aerith was already walking away from him and approaching the fence.

The fence wasn't high, in fact it was very easy to go over with. Aerith looked at Cloud one last time, with a mischievous grin.

"What are you planning?" he asked aloud, amused and terrified at the same time.

Aerith ran towards the shore, with pieces of her clothing scattering on her trail. Dumbfounded, Cloud reddened and moaned out loud. Oh gods, he thought to himself, unsure how to react with the sudden unleashing of her inner wild child. The blond was left to follow her and pick up her skirt and top, then eyes on Aerith, who conveniently was wearing her bikini after all this time. She was at the coastline now, waving at him, as well as telling him to join her.

He chuckled. He looked over Fenrir to check up on it again.

"No one's gonna steal a broken vehicle, Cloud," laughed Aerith as she held her bare stomach.

He sighed and smiled, walked towards the feminine silhouette as he lifted his shirt off of him and threw it to the side. Aerith sprinted towards him and jumped in his arms, causing both of them to cushion on the sand. From his angle, Cloud started to notice Aerith's tan lines.. He points one out on her shoulder, and she blushed, before both bursting out in giggles.

Ahh, well. Rocket Town can wait.