[ There are a number of reasons that come to mind, all of them centering around the fact he had practically preened over praise in their first meeting. Though she has the hindsight of the costumes now, she thinks there’s more to it than that. There’s something to be said about that lion costume and the way he embodied the scaredy cat archetype only to turn into a soldier at the ready again in the midst of a fight. She may not have been with him but she knows deep down in her heart that it isn’t always easy fighting.

So Aerith looks up at Trahearne with a little smile that doesn’t quite match her face, blinking slowly and breathing easy as she doesn’t answer for a long moment. She’s proud of him for staying and for coming out at all and for sticking to it and getting them enough time to get Tifa and the dogs out. She’s proud of him for sticking it to Eustace and she’s proud of him for getting up and about and for being himself. It’s awful hard just to exist after everything. ]

I don’t think you’d be able to understand all the ways I’m proud of you, Trahearne.

[ He dodges. They’ve all been dodging, in fact. No one can accept it, and they feel blameful for something that wasn’t even their fault. Doing everything you can but feeling it worthless is the worst feeling in the world. ]

So I’ll put it just this one way. You were brave. Thank you for that.