Working hard to heed her own advice Aerith keeps her eyes fixed on Balthier's face, focusing on him in the hopes that it really will serve to blot out what's going on around them.

Balthier bends to rest his forehead against hers and Aerith rises onto the balls of her feet, meeting that point of contact, her voice soft and just for him when she speaks.

"You can call me Aerith if you want to," the hand on his cheek brushes his skin gently, giving them both another point of focus that isn't everything else. "This isn't what we have, this is a friend helping another friend, it's not part of us."