A Short Story, one unreasonable long one, and a dating profile thing

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"Do you really?" she piped hopefully.

He was never good enough. Unable to forget that someone. Not only that, he was a freak. And yet still Skyler looked at him with such adoration. He was undeserving. "Yes," he muttered. "I like spending time with you." She beamed such a happy smile at him that he couldn't help but look away. "I admit it, all right? ... I hate it when you're sad."

Skyler slipped her fingers into his curled hand and whispered, "I'm not so sad. I wish I could make you less sad. You're really hurting inside, I can feel it."

He accepted her touch and held her hand in his, saying nothing.
After a few moments, they found themselves walking down the beach again. It seemed to Skyler that something had been bothering Cloud for the last few hours -- or maybe longer than that. His mournful hardened cobalt crystals were cast down and away, focused upon nothing in particular.

She really didn't want him to be troubled. She felt his pain as if it were her own. Tilting her head so that her hair fluttered against her cheeks, she murmured, "Cloud... what's wrong?"

"Skyler... it's, just..."

Skyler slipped both of her hands into his, gazing into his pained windows to his soul. "Cloud... I'll listen."

He took a deep breath and gazed back into her navy globes with a look full of lachrymose sadness, whispering, "I keep thinking about her. You know, we... were together, in our own way.... I didn't want to talk about her all the time with you, Skyler. I want you to know... it's not the same. But, no matter what... when I think about her, it burns. She... isn't someone I'm going to forget."

Skyler listened quietly, pain flashing across her features as Cloud recounted his sorrows. At last, he finished, and a moment of silence passed between them.

He seemed so wretched and unsure. She brought her head against his chest in reassurance, murmuring, "Cloud... I... I don't know what it's like, to live with your relationship of the past... but... I'm sorry, Cloud. I wish... I wish I could help." Cloud's eyes began to redden, and he abruptly pulled her into a fierce embrace. Her depths widened at first, but then she too felt overwhelmed by emotion and succumbed to the warmth of his touch.

"You," Cloud whispered, his breath hot on her ear. "As long as you're here, I... I can make it." They held each other as tears trickled down cheeks and dripped onto the shifting sands to be carried away into the sea. With time and soothing embraces, their pain dissipated into a mist swept out by the ocean breeze and into the setting sun.

They basked in each other's quiet companionship for a few moments.

"Hey. Skyler," Cloud said abrasively. "Next time, wear clothes."

Skyler flushed and made to cover herself with her hands. "It's... it's a long story!"

Cloud sighed with exasperation. "You're always this way. Fine. Forget it." By the magic power of love, Skyler did somehow manage to forget the slight to her dress and things went back to normal.