Her thoughts turn back to the night of her birthday, and the giddy, breathless mess she had been when he left. She was so excited, so eager for more of him. It made the things Piaget and his imprisonment led her to believe feel all the more painful, reinforcing the belief that her life would never be hers to live, not really, and the things she wanted would always be out of reach.

Being close to Balthier again, hearing that he wanted her, in all the ways she knew she wanted to be with him, it felt almost too good to be real. They've been out together many times, but when he mentions a date her heart jumps, thrilled by the thought.

"You should still ask," she grins, the brush of his tongue making her shiver as heat washes over her body. That warmth intensifies at Balthier's next question, as does the kiss that follows it, a soft sound of pleasure escaping her. Shifting in his arms Aerith turns in his lap until her knees settle on the mattress on either side of his hips.

Pausing on the verge of pressing herself to him, she holds off long enough to touch his cheek. "Call me Aerith, please?"