Aetiyu

[The Painted Lady]

"Uncle Spike is pink again," Ashlynn teased with a giggle.

"A lot quieter," Aerith agreed with a laugh.
She brushed his fringe from his eyes fondly, so glad to have her son back in her arms. She had felt horrifically shattered the entire time she had been apart from the two of them, and now that they were back, she going to ensure they stayed close. All of them, as a family.

"Hee-eey!" Yuffie called from the house, waving frantically.
"You wanna come up here and say hello? Or at least thank us for our extended baby-sitting?"

((Just a thought - where's Farvardin?))

[Tifa Lockhart]

"We were coming Yuff." Zack called, closing the distance between them in a few short minutes before sweeping the ninja into a firm hug.
"Thankyou so much Yuffie." He said, his voice tender, "And you too Kunsel." He said, clasping his friends arm.

At that moment a streak of brown came bounding over the couch and threw itself at Zack.
"You're back! happy day for Farvardin!" The cat announced with joy.

Cloud only blushed more and fell completely silent when Ashlynn teased him, he began to make his way up to the house.

[The Painted Lady]

Ashlynn giggled, placing a kiss on Cloud's cheek just like Aerith would when she made the blonde blush. She continued to hug her uncle tightly while Zack was otherwise occupied with Farvardin.

Yuffie grinned.
"I confess, we had a little help. Your parents were in and out all the time. And Barret and Cid and all that would drop by occasionally. Tseng too... Even Vincent at one point! I thought the twins would be scared of him, but apparently not..."

Aerith was soon by Zack's side with Ynyr, petting Farvardin's head gently.
"Thank you so much," she said, unmeasurable gratitude in her voice.
"I don't know how we could possibly repay you..."

[Tifa Lockhart]

"Looks like i have a lot of thankyou's to pursue." Zack said with a laugh as he put Farvardin down when Aerith was done patting him, "Sorry we were so long. Messy business, all good now though." He smiled, "Met some nice people, made some new friends, met some old ones" He entered his house and threw himself onto the lounge. "Ah it's good to be home." He sighed contentedly.

Tifa giggled as Cloud grew redder and redder, she thought he might explode if he got any redder.
Once they were inside Cloud gave Ashlynn and nervous kiss on the forehead and then set the little girl down, it unnerved him a little how much like Aerith she was.

[The Painted Lady]

"I'll get drinks!" Yuffie declared, rushing into the kitchen.

Aerith watched as Ashlynn raced over to her father, climbing up on the couch to lay on top of him, hugging him tightly. She turned her gaze to look to where she had come from, and had to suppress a fit of giggles when she saw Cloud's face.
"How about you go join Ashie and Daddy, Yn?" Aerith smiled as she put her son down.
"I'll be there in a minute," she promised, giving him a gentle nudge.
She moved to Cloud once the little boy had moved off.
"You look feverish Cloud," she teased.
"She really knows how to push your buttons, doesn't she?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack grunted as if Ashlynn had winded hi when she threw herself at him and snuggled in close. He laughed and put his arms around her, toying with her long dark locks.
"How about you show daddy your pictures huh lil' angel?" He asked, gesturing Ynyr over and putting an arm over his son's shoulder as he sat beside him. "Hey buddy, you been working hard around here i hope?"
"Of course pa!" Ynyr replied with a smile.

Cloud tried to ease his blushing, but Aerith's attentions only made it worse.
"She acts like you." Cloud murmured quietly, "Only... sorta cuter." He gave a nervous smile.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith put her hands on her hips with a mock sense of hurt.
"Cuter? What's that supposed to mean Cloud Strife? You don't think I'm cute?"

Ashlynn nodded, giving her father a kiss before she moved off the collect her sketchbook and skewed pencils off of the floor.
"They're not very good..." she mumbled as she returned to her father, clutching the large book.
"I draw better when Mama and you are home..."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack chuckled lightly and shook his head, "I'm sure they're as beautiful as ever Ashlynn." He said, patting his knee for her to come and sit there.

Cloud made a vocalisation much like a whine and mumbled something about leaving the iron on before he fled, still red as could be.

Tifa couldn't help but burst into giggles the moment Cloud was out of earshot.
"You're mean to him Aerith." She said, moving to hug her friend, still laughing herself to tears.

[The Painted Lady]

"It's too easy," Aerith giggled, hugging her back.
"You better go after him... any iron he left on has been going for over six months now."

Ashlynn crawled up onto Zack's knee, but didn't open the book just yet.
"Wait for Mama," she said quietly.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa giggled and left to find Cloud, when she found him he was washing his face in the bathroom sink.
"Is it gone?" He asked, looking at Tifa.
The woman laughed softly and moved forward to kiss her husband gently on the lips, "Yes Cloud, the blush is all gone." She giggled, "You do realise Aerith just teases you to make you feel awkward."
Cloud looked like he was going to blush again, but he didn't, "It's alright... its only a little embarrasing..."
Tifa sighed and smiled warmly, "Come on, Lets go have that drink Yuffie said she was getting."

Zack smiled and nodded before turning to face Aerith, "Hey c'mon you tease. Leave the poor boy alone and come look at your daughters pictures!" He laughed.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith laughed, moving over to her family. She scooped up Ynyr with a kiss, sitting him on her lap as she took her place beside Zack, kissing him tenderly too.
"Okay honey, let's have a look," she smiled.

Ashlynn reflected her mother's smile right back, before looking down to her sketchbook, opening it up to the first page.
"Uncle Kuns and Aunty Yuff had to take us to... to Wutai for a little while," she explained, fumbling over the name as she opened to a picture of the landscape of Wutai. Some of the lines were a little uncertain and some shapes a little disproportionate, but the beginnings of an artist prodigy were clear in the picture.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack eye's lit up when he saw the picture, it really was looking at Wutai, albeit a little disproportionate in place. "Wow baby that's beautiful!" He said, running his fingers along the lines of the picture delicately, "Did Aunty Yuffie tell you much about Wutai?" He asked, giving Aerith a quick kiss and looking to Ynyr to show that the question was directed at him too.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith smiled, kissing Zack back gently. She was really quite proud of her daughter, displaying an artistic talent at such a young age.

Ashlynn nodded.
"Aunty Yuffie lives in Wutai," she said, matter-of-factly.
"And she said we went there once before we were born!"

"Drinks!" Yuffie called as she re-emerged from the kitchen.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud moved forward to meet Yuffie as she left the kitchen to see if he could offer any help, but she seemed to have it under control with Kunsel's help. He murmured words of thanks as he took a drink for himself and for Tifa, returning to the brunette and giving her her drink. He recieved a gentle kiss for his efforts.

Zack smiled and gave a chuckle as Ashlynn relayed her knowledge about Wutai.
"That you were. Did Aunty Yuff show you the pagoda or did she tell you it was secret ninja stuff?" He said, poking his tongue out cutely and winking at the little girl.

[The Painted Lady]

"The Pa--pa...?" Ashlynn looked to Yuffie for help.

"Of course!" the ninja declared with a grin as she moved forward to hand a juice to the little girl and her brother.
"Remember? That really big temple I took you into?"
Her grin became a bit cheeky.
"With the man with the funny eyebrows and beard and moustache."

"Oh..."
Ashlynn started flicking through her sketchbook with one hand, holding her juice.
"This one?"