Note: This oneshot is one of the many Red-centric on my hardrive. Red is my favorite character from the Final Fantasy VII collection. I guess I'm partial to Marlene's character as well because while in the game she was a few blocks short of your average PS1 sprite, I actually kind of liked her in the movie. Can we also please note that the English version of AC is a joke? I don't dare watch it.
FFVII/AC is property of SQUEENIX.
The Uses For Cosmic Wisdom
January 18th turned out to be just as cold and frigid as the 17th ;unsurprisingly it was the same as the previous nine days. Most had welcomed the snow at first, enjoying the seasonal weather as only children can. The majority of daylight was spent outdoors making good use of ever-growing snowbanks. The two youngest residents who occupied the space above Tifa Lockhart's' Seventh Heaven were no exception.
For the first week the mornings took a new ritual to order. After breakfast, the chores were completed in an unusually expedient manner -forten year olds- and then Tifa barely had time to deck them out in heavy coats, hats, and mitts before they were gone out the door into the white streets.
It was all fun and games until Marlene came in early one day with a runny nose, a cough to rival Cid's, and a slight fever.
Over the next few days the young girl spent most her time sleeping in bed trying to break her fever, or staring out the window longingly at Denzel and the other neighborhood children. Her friend had spent the previous evening keeping her company; ensuring her that the snow wasn't really all that much fun. He'd even eaten his dinner upstairs with her. He must have known she missed eating at the table with everyone.
But Denzel only had so much will power in him. And the snow was so deep.
He still played outside for most of the afternoons.
Not that Marlene could blame him. It sounded fun.
Though life while sick wasn't a total bust. She had visitors.
Tifa it seemed was up every half hour to check on her. Marlene had a fresh wet cloth on her forehead so often she wouldn't have been surprised if it had pruned. Cloud would also check in on her usually once in the morning, and when he returned in the afternoons. A few family friends that were in town or visiting also took the time to see how she was doing.
But Marlene missed eating dinner at the table the most. Everyone, extended family included, sat at a long table during dinner time. It was the only meal they all had together, and it was often late at night- after Tifa closed the bar. They would eat, and some drank, while others would complain about not being able to smoke; everyone laughed during dinner. It was music to her ears,
Needless to say she was feeling a little left out.
She wanted to hurry up and get better, but as it was she was still fighting a headache and remnants of a fever.
Nearing nine o'clock she looked towards the door and wondered who would be tucking her in tonight.
Her favorite cloaked man had surprised her last night by tucking her in. Marlene hadn't seen Yuffie shove him in on his way down the hall but the fact was he still did it. Marlene was so impressed with him she'd even asked him to read her a story.
Vincent being polite and having such occult interests, picked up from where he'd left off reading in the hallway , and continued out loud with the next three sections of Hojo's lab report regarding the effects of mako on organic compounds.
Marlene made it past paragraph two before she was asleep.
Vincent made himself comfortable in the chair beside her bed.
She briefly tried to recall what the story Mr. Valentine read had been about, when there came three quick thumps on the door.
"Come in." Marlene called from the bed.
Expecting the adult to be towering over her, eyes eyes found nothing but empty space where she expected a body to be. Further down, at about waist level she found Red.
Marlene found she was pleasantly surprised again tonight.
"How are you feeling this evening Marlene?"
"Kinda the same as yesterday." She watched as he shut the door with a paw and made his way to the bedside.
"So still not very well I take it?"
"Sadly, no. I really don't feel any better at all."
Slumping down into her pillows Marlene seemed to deflate, and Red thought she'd never looked more pallid and sallow. Marlene needed a pick-me up. If not for her health, then for her emotional wellbeing.
Over the few years he'd known her, there was always one thing that Red could indulge her in. She'd been quick to assert this small fondness, and it had been unfortunate he'd done the same instinctively the first time as well.
He wasn't a house pet, and didn't take kindly to being stroked like one.
The first time she'd absentmindedly started stroking between his ears Red forgot whom he was in the company of and promptly snapped at the fingers.
It hadn't been Yuffie -because the ninja was usually that annoying- and he'd felt quite guilty about scaring Marlene. Not quite guilty enough it seemed, because Barret had glared at him for another few minutes before letting it go.
So if there was one small comfort Red could offer her now, when she was sick, he'd surely do it.
Going about it took some finesse. A little word manipulation. Because there was no way he was going to flat out offer to do this for her.
He still had some self respect after all. Even if others did not.
He cleared his throat loudly.
And proceeded to bait the sick girl.
"Marlene, is there anything I could do to make you feel better?"
With his one eye he had fixed on her Red could see the thoughts flick across her face. He knew she was struggling to ask.
"Anything at all?" he drolled.
Marlene now looked sorely tempted.
She searched him for a disapproving look, and upon receiving none, she relaxed and began her query.
Successfully having coerced her into asking for what he could not openly offer, Red felt a tad proud.
"Red, I know how much you hate this but-"
The mammal jerked his head briefly, brushing the comment aside, deeming it unnecessary.
Feeling the need to explain her unreasonable request, the bedridden girl continued, "It's just that I- well, I guess it's just a-"
Red had made his way around the other side of the bed, and without preamble hoisted his front legs up to rest on the down covers. Positioning himself so, he knelt forward until his head caught the underside of the occupants elbow. The creature's head lifted, running under the arm until all that rested upon his crown was a hand.
"A human thing?" He supplied. It was more a statement than anything.
There was an imperceptible flinch of the digits resting between his relaxed ears.
"Yeah. It's a human thing." She ventured with a small smile.
The two rested in a moment of companionable silence, the atmosphere imbued with a smooth warmth; similar to that between his fur and her gently resting fingers.
His voice, with it's regular timber and a nettled lace of something else, caught her ear.
"Be that as it may, I'm not a house pet."
She'd heard him use the same tone in much less pleasant situations in the past. And any reference to 'pets' had usually garnered a choleric or otherwise negative response from her friend. Had she offended him?
She was confused. His actions had betrayed his words, and yet he seemed cross with her. Perhaps he had grown tired of humoring her silly tendencies?
She'd obviously been much too brazen and self-assured with herself. Of course she knew he disliked being touched in those regards, what would've made this time different from others? She'd been insensitive, she'd offended him.
Now worried and at a loss of how to rectify her presumptuous blunder, her hand stiffened; battling over her indecisiveness on whether she should remove her hand or-
"And seeing as how I've indulged your 'Human thing' I find it only fitting that in return I'm given the opportunity to exercise my right to a 'Red thing'." He spoke with liberal amounts of ennui.
She'd have been truly lost within the conversation had it not been for the corner of his eye she caught.
There was mirth and a little bit of his reserved humor within the slight crinkle under the short hair of his face. It was enough, and eluded to his sometimes- no- often indistinguishable teasing and jokes.
Even more telling was the half-smile-half-toothy-grin he would sometimes show. It had taken him a while to perfect it. But eventually he managed to tame his lips to curl only slightly as the sides, exposing a glint of smaller molars, as opposed to the larger, less friendly canines and incisors he sported.
Upon his first visit of any length to Edge (which happened to be the first time he'd stayed in a city since the meteor days and his prior 'stay' in Midgar), Red decided that he was to make a concentrated effort to appear as harmless as possible. This meant no show of claws or teeth, no loud calls in the night, no materia, and no exhibits of unnatural strength.
All was swell until Clouds' new motorbike backfired, startling the bajeezes out of him and sending him propelling into the street. And being partially colorblind, how was he to know the light was green?
The end result was a few swerving vehicles and a large dent in one where the canine-feline had ricocheted off.
Since his 'harmless- animal' jig was up, he opted for Plan B:
Do Something Familiar and Non-Threatening.
What was more genuine and amicable than a smile?
For the longest time he'd wondered why people looked away when he 'smiled'. It wasn't until Yuffie had tactfully informed him that while his attempt at the human nicety was 'cute', he did have quite Large. Sharp. Teeth.
It was then that Denzel had chosen to ask him if he'd ever eaten a person before.
Not quite sure how to respond at first (-because honestly: What? And furthermore: Eew. Dirty.) Red searched for his tongue. He'd just about regained his speech when the boy interjected, stating that a bunch of the neighborhood kids were wanting to know, and oddly, so were their parents.
Red had sincerely wanted to say 'yes'.
But his 'smiles' had degenerated to a small show of things less-pointy and the twitch of a lip ever so often. All agreed it was quite the improvement. And now Marlene used it as confirmation of good-natured humor.
"Oh, of course." she invited.
A low rumble vibrated through him and she recognized it to be one of his swallowed chuckles.
"Don't be too hasty to oblige, you haven't heard my request yet -plus I'm beginning to shed."
Her curiosity was piqued. "What's that got to do with- "
"You shall soon see," Carefully, he removed his weight from the bed, allowing the springs to uncoil and gently placed his front paws back on the bedside floor.
"The best cure for illness is rest. You're tired aren't you Marlene?"
"A bit I guess."
"I've heard of humans doing something similar for young household creatures- mammals specifically. They say a small clock or watch will work, and while I'd love to discredit that, I'm afraid it's true. But why settle for a mere time mechanism when you can have the real thing?"
Shifting slightly under her blankets she focused on Red, watching as he lifted himself onto his haunches and placed his front paws atop the edge of the mattress.
"Are you able to sit up briefly?"
"Probably. Maybe. Just for a minute or two. My head stills feels heavy."
"It needn't be for longer than a few moments."
She complied, albeit slowly, and hunched forward in an upright position. Red wasted no time in his action. Reaching as far as his perched shoulders would allow, he clamped down on the corner of her much flattened pillow and pulled it out from behind her.
"Um. Red, what-"
"Shh. Wait."
She fell silent upon his askance and watched perplexed as he rocked back slightly and sprung with ease onto her bed.
Under his girth the bed springs squeaked and he quickly folded himself behind her, curling around the space once occupied by a pillow.
"Lye back." he quietly murmured.
A bit skeptical at first, she hesitated, "Are you sure? Won't I be too-"
"Marlene, have you ever wondered how Cid and your father make it up the stairs after a... ah, ...'a few too many'?"
"You don't..." she began tentatively. "You mean that you-"
"Marlene I weigh as much as a human man, I'll be fine, now lay back down." He himself was reclined comfortably, and he gave an encouraging rumble when she settled her weight back against his barrel.
Sniffling once, she spoke. "So this is a 'Red Thing', is it?"
His rumble turned into murmured words. Ones which he passed quietly between the brief gap between them.
"I suppose it is; I haven't done this in a while. Tell me Marlene, what do you hear?"
He waited while she stilled and took in the silence. The late hour meant that even the busy world outside was quieted; Red took note of the slow moving vehicle that rounded the corner at the end of the street and the night was quiet again.
Red could tell Marlene was straining her hearing range, perhaps she needed a hint. A shove in the right direction came in the form of a deep breath.
Red held the inhale.
Just as he wondered if she was too tired to take notice at all, her head perked and she slowly pressed her ear against his side.
"There are some things that you can only hear when you listen for them." he breathed.
Red thought that if it were at all possible, he'd be blue in the face. Or maybe a darker shade of red. His face felt hot and he was lightheaded. He hadn't intended to hold his breath for so long. Not knowing how else he was going to tip the girl off without giving her a verbal answer, he'd persisted. When he realized he needed to breath again, preferably soon, or now, Marlene had chosen to discover the meaning to his words.
Regardless of how she discovered it, she had and now he could breath properly; Red bated his breaths in an effort to hide the fact that he was oxygen deprived.
"It's really loud." was her reply.
"Hrm. It doesn't seem so hard to hear when you know what to listen for does it?"
"Aah."
"When I was much younger, barely accustomed to this earth, I can remember one time. It was dusk; I could smell the cooling sky and the ozone of the canyon. I lay next to my mother, she was warm. Despite the noises of the world around me all I could hear was the steady rhythm of a heartbeat. I lay there beside her and listened and eventually I slept. I slept that way for a long time." Red stretched his neck and lowered it again, opening and closing his good eye slowly.
"I always found that comforting. For a while I found I could sleep no other way."
"It is kind of..." Marlene searched for a word "Relaxing. Relaxing is what it is."
"I found it that way myself. I still do at times." Red thought of Reeves MIA Mogg doll, as was glad Marlene hadn't questioned him with regards to his 'still do' comment.
The mogg was large, so the mechanisms inside tended to tick and tock... and at night it would expel any generated heat through its furry shell... but Red would never admit he was grateful for Reeve having 'forgotten' the thing on a past visit. It was old ShinRa junk after all. Never mind that it found its way into the observatory and was covered in reddish brown hairs.
"Don't answer this if you don't want to, o.k? But what did you do after..." Here Marlene stopped and struggled with her next words a bit. "How did you sleep after, you know..."
Red knew exactly what she was asking, and while in the past it would have bothered him, he found himself easily supplying the answer.
"After my mother and father died? To be honest Marlene I slept very little and poorly for many nights. Or sometimes not at all."
Red recalled a whisper of a past conversation, one that echoed the same question. His Guardian and Grandfather, had been lamenting over similar problems circulating around his lack of sleep. After having slipped a pocket watch under the furs and mats upon which the then juvenile Nanaki slept, Bugenhagen had jocularly stated it would be a shame if his growth was stunted. Red remembered promptly falling asleep after that- and sleeping well for the first time in days. He found the watch when he awoke, but he never knew about the sedative the scientist had put in his drinking water.
"It was not pleasant."
"How did you fix it? I mean- you missed them,so-- how did you get rid of what was keeping you from sleeping?" The question was quick and poignant. Almost as if she'd been waiting to--
Oh.
It was one of those questions.
Red quickly became aware that her query was alluding to a completely different situation- but one that happened to have the same effect.
Now that he was completely aware of the girls purpose for asking, it made sense. Barret hadn't managed to get in to visit due to weather, and while Cloud, Tifa and Denzel were more like family to her everyday, the absence of her adoptive parent had not gone unnoticed.
Quickly he thought about the most situation appropriate course of action.
The answer for the question she'd verbalized would do her no longterm good- she'd still miss Barret when she awoke; she'd still feel lonely in a house full of people. But there was advice, some brief words of wisdom that were totally unrelated, but would answer the question she hadn't asked. Always the more important of the two.
Red knew he was no expert on children, but he also knew how horrible it felt to feel alone when surrounded by people- it was made even worse when you couldn't come right out and say it.
Marlene he thought, has probably been thinking about this ever since the snow started. And she's been in bed ill for two days with nothing to do but dwell on it.
Red felt a twinge of guilt pass through him.
Marlene wasn't his official responsibility, but he couldn't help but feel as though he'd failed her in some way, on some level.
He cleared his throat gently before proceeded, choosing his words carefully.
Marlene was bright. If he weren't careful she'd figure something was amiss with the advice he was about to give her. He knew what she really wanted to ask him, but he found no reason for Marlene needing to know that.
Had she wanted it so she would have asked him to begin with.
"The first step to overcoming something you are unhappy with- something that brings you pain or discomfort- the first step is always acknowledging what causes it." Red supplied sagely.
He paused and allowed her to process his words.
When she said nothing but merely shifted her weight he thought that maybe he'd been far to obvious already and now she was embarrassed. Whatever the case, Red leapt at the chance to cover up his tracks into the unknown territory of advisory for ten year old females.
"It took me a while, but I came to accept what happened to my mother, and the truth surrounding the circumstances of my fathers demise. However, I will not lie to you Marlene. It is hard. It doesn't get easier so much as we get stronger. "
Feeling his words were sufficient, Red was surprised -and maybe slightly started- when he felt her lungs lurch and her breath hitch.
The action was usually precursor to crying.
Inadvertently giving her cause for tears, Red quickly tried to assuage the building problem before it spilled out onto her cheeks and ruined whatever chance of good sleep she had.
"But- but sometimes Marlene, it is still very difficult to be without the ones we love. We should not let it keep us from enjoying life, or from having a healthy sleep."
Red not only felt this time, but saw her frame jump.
She was struggling to hold the tears back now.
Excellent job, care to raise her fever while you're at it?
Red made a note to never attempt to comfort a child ever again.
Leave it to the professionals.
He probably had one last chance to get a few words in before she was completely devastated by the sadness of it all. Then the flood gates would burst and he'd be unable to console her (again) and Tifa would probably have to come in and calm her down and he'd stand around looking and being: totally incapable.
The thought of which grated on his nerves more than he cared to admit.
Perhaps it was that, or the point of his coming into her room at all(to cheer her up and ensure she made it to Dream Land) which spurred him into verbal action.
"Marlene, it will help if you talk about what it is that upsets you. I--" he didn't make a habit of lying to children, but under the current circumstance Red felt it was necessary- "used to talk with my Grandfather about the things that upset me."
He'd avoided talking about his parents- father in particular- for fifteen years.
"If you feel you're ready to talk about something, there are many people who would love to listen. I would listen if you asked."
He'd been listening, even though she hadn't .
Listening, it was something he'd learned to do once he'd matured a bit. It was something he'd gleaned from his grandfather. In the past there were times the inside of his head was louder and more disorderly than any city street. Eventually, once he had a little time to grow up- oddly around the same time he'd lost the vision in his right eye- Red managed to let all the noise slip away.
Back then Red thought it was a 'warriors focus'.
Bugenhagen called it learning.
"So you see? There is no cause to be upset. Perhaps if you tell me what's been keeping you--!" Red nearly gawked as Marlene swung her head forward violently and to his horror she-
"Achoo!"
Needless to say, Red forgot to follow up with a 'Bless You.'
She'd been trying to sneeze.
He was relieved, as well as oddly disappointed.
He'd been geared towards stopping the oncoming flow of tears to find that there were none to stop.
Somehow cheated of his chance to prove his childcare capabilities, Red then settled for a gentle pat on the back with a large paw before Marlene settled back against him.
"S'cuse me." Marlene added, a little belatedly, probably not used to having someone around to 'excuse' her sneezes in the night.
"...certainly."
"My nose was all tingly for a few moments. It took a while for the sneeze to come out."
Red wasn't sure how to respond to this, if he was supposed to respond at all. Times like this made him wonder what his wisdom was really for.
"Well, I suppose... it is a good thing it did eventually." He ventured lamely.
Marlene responded by blowing her nose loudly (and rather wetly he noted) on a wrinkled tissue, before tossing it into a nearby wastebasket.
It hit the rim.
And slid down the side of the basket, more than a little wet.
Perhaps being her pillow wasn't the best of idea's tonight?
"Now that your sneeze has left you, I think it is a good idea to sleep. Sick people only get better with sleep."
And Feline-Canines only stay good-humored when well rested and mucous-free.
Infinite wisdom was sporadic apparently.
"I can hear it beating."
"Sorry, what was that Marlene?"
"Your heartbeat. I can hear it."
"That's good. Are you comfortable?"
"Mm huh. But is a clock really the same?" she asked tentatively.
Red hung his tail over the side of the mattress, dangling above the floor; the spark still stood upright.
"So by using a watch or clock it..."
"It imitates -supposedly- the rhythmic beating of a heart. I myself used to find it rather calming, but whether or not it works as well for humans...I'm unsure of." He finished quietly while eying her.
Silently watching her reaction, Red prepared himself for long rest, as she got comfortable and adjusted her blankets around her chin. He gave a small rumble of approval.
Marlene rested her head against his furry side and listened to the rhythmic beat with the rise and fall of his shallowing breaths. Sleepily her eyes became lidded, willing them to close.
"No, it works. S'nice." She murmured.
He responded in kind by giving a sigh of agreement which tapered off.
For a moment all was quiet and it appeared as though the friends had finally fallen asleep. Apparently that was not quite the case. On the verge of sleep, the young girl felt compelled to ask one final request of her companion.
"Mmh, ...Red?"
His limp right ear twitched. "...Yes, Marlene?"
"I know that I have...'Human Things'...and you have 'Red Things'...but, can this, this right now, can this be an 'Us Thing'?"
Opening his one good eye he regarded the sleeping girl with something akin to surprise. The expression was fleeting and melted into one of understanding, possibly out of appreciation.
"Sure Marlene. But consider it a 'Family Thing'."
Fin.
Note: There. And somewhere outside the door Vincent sighs in relief and goes back to reading about whatever it is he reads.
I find constructive criticism constructive. So feel free to review.
Or you know, don't.
Whichever.
Except please do.