AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is only the first chapter in what will (I hope) become a long and involved series. I *really* appreciate suggestions, comments, and ideas -- in other words, please write a review! Also, I'm no artist, so if anyone has any fanart (or could draw any) to illustrate the fic, let me know! -Madame S.
CHRONO CROSS: GENERATIONS
CHAPTER 1
Leena placed a nervous hand on her bloated abdomen as her husband helped her up the stairs. As dearly as she loved living in Viper Manor, she cursed the absence of an elevator.
"Just a few more steps," Serge assured her, watching his wife's every step. Leena smiled anxiously as she concentrated on keeping her balance. While she anticipated the end result of her pregnancy, she deplored her current condition. She sank wearily onto the bed when they reached their spacious apartment on the third floor of the manor.
"See, you made it?" Serge kissed the top of her head as he unfolded a blanket for her. She smiled wearily at the young man she loved more than she could even begin to describe in words.
"Riddel is insane," she murmured, resting her aching neck against the satiny pillow.
Serge smiled. "Why is that?"
"Because she actually wants to go through this."
Serge's smile faded. The fact that Leena's pregnancy had been unintended made him uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," he muttered.
Leena shook her head. "No, Serge, there's nothing to be sorry about. What I'm saying is, I can't believe she wants to go through nine months of pain and misery. Being a mother in the end is a whole 'nother story."
Serge smiled at his wife. Though normally mild-mannered and reserved, he felt himself simply overcome with emotion when he looked into his beloved wife's eyes. He loved her in ways of which he had once thought himself incapable; that she was carrying his child drew them even closer. He lay down beside her and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"I know," he said quietly. "Speaking of Riddel, when are they coming back?"
"Tomorrow evening, I think." In a bizarre example of converging destinies, Riddel, Leena's dearest friend, had married Glenn, Serge's best friend and the brother of her late fiancée. The happy couple had departed two weeks ago for a honeymoon in Marbule from which they had yet to return, despite numerous requests from Viper Manor to do so. Serge frowned. "You said that last week."
"They really are coming this time. I talked to Riddel last night, remember?"
"I hope so. I'm not used to carrying on without Glenn's help." Having been recently appointed ruler of El Nido, Serge relied on Glenn as his closest friend and most trusted advisor.
Leena smiled. "Give them a break, Serge. It's their honeymoon."
"Our honeymoon was five days," he said, shaking his head. "I don't see why they need two weeks."
Leena shrugged. "Riddel's waited her whole life for this. Let her enjoy it as long as possible." She cleared her throat, eager to change the subject. "What have we got going on tomorrow?"
"Not too much," said Serge, rolling onto his side and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Meeting with a group of environmental engineers about cleaning up the Hydra Marshes, meeting Guile for a drink, meeting with Norris about the Porre treaty, and having dinner with Glenn if he actually shows up."
"Meeting Guile, you said?" Leena raised an eyebrow. "Do you think he and Steena are going to get married?"
Serge shrugged. "I don't know, but I have a feeling that's what he wants to talk to me about."
"They're a perfect couple." Leena turned to look into her husband's eyes. "Just like us."
"Naah, no one could be that good," said Serge, nuzzling her cheek. "They don't even come close."
Leena giggled. "Maybe not, but you have to admit, they ARE wonderful together."
Serge nodded thoughtfully. "They certainly seem to enjoy each other's company." He kissed her gently on the neck. "What are you up to tomorrow, since you asked?"
"Actually, if you must know, I'm meeting with Marcy and Orlha about some new tech skills."
Serge blushed. Having lost her virginity on their wedding night, Leena's MaidenHand, MaidenHeart, and MaidenFaith skills were no longer usable. "I'm sorry," he murmured.
Leena rolled over to look him in the eye. "Serge, stop it," she said firmly. "You know what we have is worth more to me than any tech skill could ever have been. I wouldn't change it even if I had it to do over again."
Serge felt overcome with emotion. He reached up to stroke her cheek; their eyes met as he lifted up his hand. "Really?" he whispered.
Leena nodded and put a finger to his lips. "Yes." She scooted closer to him and leaned over, flicking her tongue against his ear. "I'm willing to demonstrate if you don't believe me." She reached down and felt the bulge in his pants. "Looks like you are, too."
Serge smiled as he reached for the buttons on her nightgown. No pleasure - worldly or otherwise - could compare to the that which he experienced while making love to his wife. He cherished every moment of it, from the first kiss to the warmth and wetness that massaged him while he moved tenderly inside her. They spent hours at a time making love between the satin sheets, ignorant of time's passing; he felt a closeness to Leena he knew could never be replicated with any other human being.
There was, however, one thing that galled him. On certain nights, he found himself committing a dreadful misdeed during his love play with his wife. The thought entered his mind only occasionally, and disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived, leaving behind a fleeting memory at best; yet even the faintest recollection was enough to haunt him for days afterward. It was horrible, shameful, sinful, and altogether wrong. It happened, though. As dearly, passionately, and enduringly as he loved his wife, from time to time it happened still.
He thought of Kid.
CHRONO CROSS: GENERATIONS
CHAPTER 1
Leena placed a nervous hand on her bloated abdomen as her husband helped her up the stairs. As dearly as she loved living in Viper Manor, she cursed the absence of an elevator.
"Just a few more steps," Serge assured her, watching his wife's every step. Leena smiled anxiously as she concentrated on keeping her balance. While she anticipated the end result of her pregnancy, she deplored her current condition. She sank wearily onto the bed when they reached their spacious apartment on the third floor of the manor.
"See, you made it?" Serge kissed the top of her head as he unfolded a blanket for her. She smiled wearily at the young man she loved more than she could even begin to describe in words.
"Riddel is insane," she murmured, resting her aching neck against the satiny pillow.
Serge smiled. "Why is that?"
"Because she actually wants to go through this."
Serge's smile faded. The fact that Leena's pregnancy had been unintended made him uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," he muttered.
Leena shook her head. "No, Serge, there's nothing to be sorry about. What I'm saying is, I can't believe she wants to go through nine months of pain and misery. Being a mother in the end is a whole 'nother story."
Serge smiled at his wife. Though normally mild-mannered and reserved, he felt himself simply overcome with emotion when he looked into his beloved wife's eyes. He loved her in ways of which he had once thought himself incapable; that she was carrying his child drew them even closer. He lay down beside her and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"I know," he said quietly. "Speaking of Riddel, when are they coming back?"
"Tomorrow evening, I think." In a bizarre example of converging destinies, Riddel, Leena's dearest friend, had married Glenn, Serge's best friend and the brother of her late fiancée. The happy couple had departed two weeks ago for a honeymoon in Marbule from which they had yet to return, despite numerous requests from Viper Manor to do so. Serge frowned. "You said that last week."
"They really are coming this time. I talked to Riddel last night, remember?"
"I hope so. I'm not used to carrying on without Glenn's help." Having been recently appointed ruler of El Nido, Serge relied on Glenn as his closest friend and most trusted advisor.
Leena smiled. "Give them a break, Serge. It's their honeymoon."
"Our honeymoon was five days," he said, shaking his head. "I don't see why they need two weeks."
Leena shrugged. "Riddel's waited her whole life for this. Let her enjoy it as long as possible." She cleared her throat, eager to change the subject. "What have we got going on tomorrow?"
"Not too much," said Serge, rolling onto his side and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Meeting with a group of environmental engineers about cleaning up the Hydra Marshes, meeting Guile for a drink, meeting with Norris about the Porre treaty, and having dinner with Glenn if he actually shows up."
"Meeting Guile, you said?" Leena raised an eyebrow. "Do you think he and Steena are going to get married?"
Serge shrugged. "I don't know, but I have a feeling that's what he wants to talk to me about."
"They're a perfect couple." Leena turned to look into her husband's eyes. "Just like us."
"Naah, no one could be that good," said Serge, nuzzling her cheek. "They don't even come close."
Leena giggled. "Maybe not, but you have to admit, they ARE wonderful together."
Serge nodded thoughtfully. "They certainly seem to enjoy each other's company." He kissed her gently on the neck. "What are you up to tomorrow, since you asked?"
"Actually, if you must know, I'm meeting with Marcy and Orlha about some new tech skills."
Serge blushed. Having lost her virginity on their wedding night, Leena's MaidenHand, MaidenHeart, and MaidenFaith skills were no longer usable. "I'm sorry," he murmured.
Leena rolled over to look him in the eye. "Serge, stop it," she said firmly. "You know what we have is worth more to me than any tech skill could ever have been. I wouldn't change it even if I had it to do over again."
Serge felt overcome with emotion. He reached up to stroke her cheek; their eyes met as he lifted up his hand. "Really?" he whispered.
Leena nodded and put a finger to his lips. "Yes." She scooted closer to him and leaned over, flicking her tongue against his ear. "I'm willing to demonstrate if you don't believe me." She reached down and felt the bulge in his pants. "Looks like you are, too."
Serge smiled as he reached for the buttons on her nightgown. No pleasure - worldly or otherwise - could compare to the that which he experienced while making love to his wife. He cherished every moment of it, from the first kiss to the warmth and wetness that massaged him while he moved tenderly inside her. They spent hours at a time making love between the satin sheets, ignorant of time's passing; he felt a closeness to Leena he knew could never be replicated with any other human being.
There was, however, one thing that galled him. On certain nights, he found himself committing a dreadful misdeed during his love play with his wife. The thought entered his mind only occasionally, and disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived, leaving behind a fleeting memory at best; yet even the faintest recollection was enough to haunt him for days afterward. It was horrible, shameful, sinful, and altogether wrong. It happened, though. As dearly, passionately, and enduringly as he loved his wife, from time to time it happened still.
He thought of Kid.