A/n: So this one-shot takes place in someplace like our world, and after cycle 12 when the main cast um, disappears. (Also, is it obvious that I'm hitting a wall with The Truth About a Locked Heart? Arrgh.)
Laguna did not expect to see what he saw, but see it he did. And what he saw was Kain on the sidewalk, leaning against the window display of a Tiffany & Co., with several shopping bags at his feet. All from really girly places like Bath & Body Works and BCBG.
He left the line for coffee - the other patrons shuffled forward, zombie-like - and pushed the door open. "Hey, Kain."
Kain looked over ever-so-coolly in his direction. "Laguna." The little... not even a note of sentiment for his old friend?
"How've you been?" Laguna asked, clapping Kain solidly on the shoulder.
"Good," Kain answered sparsely. "And yourself?"
Laguna took a step back and laced his fingers together, cracking his knuckles. "Good, if not a little bored. No excitement like saving the world excitement, you know?" he chuckled, bringing up the old days. Speaking of the old days... "How's Tifa? All this hers?"
Kain sent him a look that made him feel like a grade A annoyance. Oh well, not like he wasn't used to that look from Kain anyway. "You guess correctly. And she is well."
"Glad I steered you in the right direction with her, huh, huh?" Laguna had, in fact, done nothing except tell Kain to kiss her already. Laguna dared to nudge Kain's arm with an elbow. Kain did not dignify his prodding with an answer.
"Though I have to say, if you're nothing more than a pack-mule now, she's got you whipped, man."
Kain did not say anything.
Laguna raised an eyebrow. "You know what whipped means, man o' mystery?"
No reply, except for a half-smile and brightening of the eyes - a veritable explosion of emotion for Kain. Laguna expected that the world would end soon.
"Kain! Laguna!" Tifa was coming down the sidewalk, hips swinging and arm in the air. A red scarf whipped over her shoulder. "Hey, you didn't tell me anything about an impromptu get-together," she said as she arrived, rising on her tip-toes to peck Kain on the cheek. She placed a hand on his chest for balance as she kissed him, and it stayed there as Kain stood to his full height. She took the chance to whisper something in his ear. Then, so quick it was nearly invisible, she laid a kiss to his ear, too.
"A chance meeting," Kain said quietly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He kissed her hair.
She turned her face skyward to him, and he looked down at her. Her cheeks were pink from running over, and she glowed doubly when he turned his eyes on her.
Laguna suddenly felt as if he had to leave. "Um, I've gotta jet. Call you guys later?"
"Of course," Tifa replied, just a beat too late and turning to face him. With a bit of reprimand in her voice she added, "I'll be expecting your call, Mister." He supposed he did have a bad habit of promising to call and then not calling.
Laguna felt Kain's eyes on him, and briefly flickered his gaze to the other man's face. Little prick. Kain was smirking. Laguna could only smile helplessly and shrug.
"Hey! What's that mean?" Tifa exclaimed, thinking he'd replied to her. She was still tucked into Kain's side, the white of her glove peeking out from around Kain's waist. She put her free hand on her free hip, but she wore a frowning smile.
Laguna kept his gaze on Kain's smirk - what's it mean, Laguna? He nodded then, raising his hands in defeat. "It means... I'll call the happy couple tonight."
"You don't have either of our numbers," Tifa pointed out.
He found the gall to smirk back at the both of them. "Well, I'll look in the book. How many Highwinds can there be?"
Kain's gaze quickly changed into a glare (which Laguna gleefully ignored).
Tifa's eyebrows drew together. "I'm Lockhart, though."
Laguna nearly thought to hide his growing smirk behind his hand, but decided he'd like his payback in full and let Kain see it. "Oh, not for long, I suspect." He darted his eyes to Kain, who was quickly growing tense.
Tifa looked questioningly up at Kain, his hand fisted in the pocket of his coat. Bingo. Laguna knew he saw a ring box-sized bulge earlier. He wanted to laugh. Whipped or not, take that, Kain Highwind.