Prologue: His Own Personal Hell
Every evening when the village of Besaid lit the bon fires and spent their nights conversing, he walked into the shadows away from the crowd. He had no desire to be around people any more, especially people who were there that day. He was afraid that the people who he respected had prejudice against him now. That was something he couldn't handle right now. Maybe a year or two down the road but not now.
He spent his nights and days alone, as far away from people as he could. Mostly he studied Spira's history in hopes that it would take his mind off of what happened. If he needed to go out for food or just to get away, he did it alone. The only words he spoke to people were just a quick hello and how are you, and then he would walk the other way. He was almost sure that everyone was worried about him, but he couldn't assure them that he was fine since he didn't know himself. There was one thing he really missed and that was spending time with Paine. Every time he looked at her now he saw the pain in her eyes and hoped that one day he would be able to explain what he was going through. But still walking past her when he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her. That hurt him the most.
She didn't know what she did to have him not talk to her. It hurt and it hurt badly. She knew he was going through something that nobody else had gone through, but still she worried. She watched as he slid away from the fires at night and found herself wanting to follow him. She couldn't allow herself to do that though. There was too much at risk to push herself on him like that. He may even begin to hate her, which she didn't want. She did know that somehow and some way it would work out for not only her but him as well.
As she sat on her couch reading a book she had been meaning to read for three years, she glanced up just in time to see Baralai walk in front of her window. He was carrying a package she guessed was food towards his house. Her mind went to thinking of when she would be able to be in his arms. She needed it as much as he did right now. The book fell out of her hands and hit the floor, which made her jump. She looked down at it and remembered where she was. She decided something right then and there that just may seal her fate with him.
Paine stood up and walked out her door and towards his. She stopped right before she knocked to think. What if he doesn't want me here? What if I just make it worse? She put those thoughts away and only thought about how good it would be for him to talk to someone. She moved her hand and it seemed like forever for it to reach his door. When it finally did, the knock was a soft but distinctive one.
It startled him at first. He didn't know what it was. When he finally figured it out, he kind of hoped who ever knocked would still be there. It had been over two months since he had a visitor. Now that he thought about it, he was sure that he wasn't ready for a guest and neither was his house, but he sure didn't want to turn anyone away. That would be rude! He walked into his living room and slowly to his door. He wanted as much time of peace as he could before someone came into his life again and ruined it. Reaching for the door handle he didn't know who to expect on the other side of the door. As the door slide open inch by inch he began seeing the person who interrupted his haven little by little. The images that he saw were slowly becoming one. When the image was complete all the thoughts in his head and the words in his mouth disappeared! He stood there speechless looking at the beauty that was in front of him.
When he opened the door she saw how bad he felt and how bad it's been for him. He had a beard now and by the looks of it, two days worth. Why didn't I notice that before when he walked by my window? She saw there were bags underneath his eyes probably from not getting any sleep. He was thinner and very pale. Paine knew now that it was right for her to worry about him.
"Hello Baralai! I wanted to come see you!" Paine looked into his eyes and noticed that although his body showed signs of dying, his eyes didn't. She was grateful for that. That meant that he could still fight it.
"Oh you did? Why? I almost ruined Spira and almost killed all of my friends!" He said it with such vengeance and hatred that it almost scared her. She thought that he was just in pain and that was his only way of letting it out.
"Yes Baralai! I missed you. That's why! Is it so wrong for me to miss you?" She moved closer to him and resisted the urge to wrap her arms around him. She could feel he wasn't ready and that her being here was making him uncomfortable, but she wasn't ready to leave yet.
"I guess it's not, but I still don't understand why you would even care!" He turned and walked into the kitchen leaving the door wide open.
She took that as an invitation to come in. Before she even walked in a stench hit her that smelled like sweat and rotten meat. As she slowly walked in trying not to breathe, she noticed the trash all over the living room and the food left out every where. She decided to leave the door open and just shut the screen door. Deciding to also open the windows had her climbing over dirty clothes and piles of trash knee high. Finally she got to the windows and she couldn't get them open quick enough. Before she even went to look for Baralai, she started to pick up the garbage and food that he threw carelessly on the floor.
As she was picking up a piece of food, a mouse ran out from under it. She dropped the piece of food and almost screamed, but decided that she had fought things much worse to let a little mouse scare her. Laughing at herself she picked it up again and reached for another piece. When her arms were full she took it all to the trash can, but it was over flowing with trash as well. She put the trash she just picked up back on the floor and grabbed the trash bag. Pulling it out was a little hard since it was so full, but she did it and walked it outside.
When she came back in, Baralai was standing at the back door staring at the trash can. He heard her, looked up and asked, "What are you doing?"
She decided to tell him the truth. "This place looks and smells like a pig sty. I am cleaning so stay out of my way. We will talk when I am done! GOT IT!" She didn't wait for him to answer. Paine walked over to the sink, opened the cabinet and reached for a trash bag, but came up empty handed. "Oh this is great!"
"What?" was all he could say. He was embarrassed that his house looked this way, but he had more important things on his mind.
"There are no trash bags and no cleaning supplies for that matter." She checked once again and turned around to face him. "I have to go get some stuff from the store."
"NO!" He practically yelled it out.
"What?" She had grabbed her chest and stepped back away from him.
"I didn't mean for that to sound mean or hateful. I meant no I will go and get them. Write a list for me while I go get a shower and shave." He thought about telling her to get out of here and never come back but he decided against it. He couldn't be that mean to someone who just came into his home and started cleaning up the huge mess he's been avoiding for the past two months.
"Umm...okay! I will be outside in the back. This place has a nasty stench, Baralai." Paine didn't say it to be mean. She just believed that the truth should be told no matter what. She was almost positive that most of the time it hurt, but not everything is suppose to be peachy keen. He turned and headed for the stairs, but Paine stopped him with a question. "Do you have some paper and a pen?"
"Hmm...I don't think I do! I basically ran out of everything, if you haven't noticed." He didn't know what to do. If she couldn't write him a list, he couldn't get the items. There was only one more thing he could do. "Why don't you come with me?" He hated to say it, because he was a loner now, but it was the only reasonable thing to do.
She thought about it for a minute and said, "I guess! Don't take long though, but make sure you get clean. I will be outside!"
As she walked outside, he noticed that she had opened the windows and the front door. Does it really stink that much in here? He wouldn't know, because he would be use to it. When he saw that the screen door was closed and Paine was sitting outside on a chair he turned and started to walk up the stairs. About half way up the stairs he got a whiff of himself and nearly threw up. "How long has it been since I got a shower?" He said it quietly and to himself, but it still made him all the more embarrassed. Reaching the top of the stairs he decided to open the windows up here as well. When he completely that task he headed towards the bathroom at the back of the room. One look into it made him disgusted and frustrated. He pulled off his clothes and threw them into the overflowing basket outside the door.
He walked towards the shower and past the mirror. He just barely glanced in the mirror and it made him do a double take. Who did I become? He saw exactly what Paine did. "A few good meals, a shave, a shower and some sun will do the trick." He reached for the shower curtain and pulled it back. Stepping in, he turned the water on warm and stepped underneath the running water. Each little drop felt good against his body and felt like it was washing away the past two months. He knew it wasn't that easy or he would be in the shower all day and all night. He washed his body twice with old soap and the same with his hair. He stayed in the shower an extra few seconds because it felt good and then he pulled the shower curtain back. The cool air from outside hit him and made him shiver, but it felt really good.
He pulled at a towel on the rack that looked like it hadn't been used. It hadn't! He dried his hair, wrapped it around his lower body then stepped out of the tub. Baralai walked over to the sink and opened the cabinet. The shaving cream and razor were old, but they would work. He worked for about five minutes to get a nice clean shave that made him look better. "Now comes the hard part, finding a clean set of clothing."
He finally found a set and had it on when Paine yelled up the stairs. "Are you done yet? Don't make me come up there. I am sure that will embarrass you more!"
Laughing for the first time in months, Baralai replied, "Yes, I will meet you outside in a minute!" She said okay and he heard the door close. He reached for his wallet and put it in his pocket and then started down the stairs. With one look at his house, he opened the screen door and stepped out.
Will Paine get Baralai to snap out of it fully or will Baralai be stuck in his own personal hell for the rest of his life?
Hey guys! Thanks for reading my story. It was an idea from a friend who wanted me to write it. I am writing it for her! I hope you like it. Please give me your reviews. I would really appreciate them. I will update as soon as a can, so try to be patient.
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy, nor will I ever!
Every evening when the village of Besaid lit the bon fires and spent their nights conversing, he walked into the shadows away from the crowd. He had no desire to be around people any more, especially people who were there that day. He was afraid that the people who he respected had prejudice against him now. That was something he couldn't handle right now. Maybe a year or two down the road but not now.
He spent his nights and days alone, as far away from people as he could. Mostly he studied Spira's history in hopes that it would take his mind off of what happened. If he needed to go out for food or just to get away, he did it alone. The only words he spoke to people were just a quick hello and how are you, and then he would walk the other way. He was almost sure that everyone was worried about him, but he couldn't assure them that he was fine since he didn't know himself. There was one thing he really missed and that was spending time with Paine. Every time he looked at her now he saw the pain in her eyes and hoped that one day he would be able to explain what he was going through. But still walking past her when he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her. That hurt him the most.
She didn't know what she did to have him not talk to her. It hurt and it hurt badly. She knew he was going through something that nobody else had gone through, but still she worried. She watched as he slid away from the fires at night and found herself wanting to follow him. She couldn't allow herself to do that though. There was too much at risk to push herself on him like that. He may even begin to hate her, which she didn't want. She did know that somehow and some way it would work out for not only her but him as well.
As she sat on her couch reading a book she had been meaning to read for three years, she glanced up just in time to see Baralai walk in front of her window. He was carrying a package she guessed was food towards his house. Her mind went to thinking of when she would be able to be in his arms. She needed it as much as he did right now. The book fell out of her hands and hit the floor, which made her jump. She looked down at it and remembered where she was. She decided something right then and there that just may seal her fate with him.
Paine stood up and walked out her door and towards his. She stopped right before she knocked to think. What if he doesn't want me here? What if I just make it worse? She put those thoughts away and only thought about how good it would be for him to talk to someone. She moved her hand and it seemed like forever for it to reach his door. When it finally did, the knock was a soft but distinctive one.
It startled him at first. He didn't know what it was. When he finally figured it out, he kind of hoped who ever knocked would still be there. It had been over two months since he had a visitor. Now that he thought about it, he was sure that he wasn't ready for a guest and neither was his house, but he sure didn't want to turn anyone away. That would be rude! He walked into his living room and slowly to his door. He wanted as much time of peace as he could before someone came into his life again and ruined it. Reaching for the door handle he didn't know who to expect on the other side of the door. As the door slide open inch by inch he began seeing the person who interrupted his haven little by little. The images that he saw were slowly becoming one. When the image was complete all the thoughts in his head and the words in his mouth disappeared! He stood there speechless looking at the beauty that was in front of him.
When he opened the door she saw how bad he felt and how bad it's been for him. He had a beard now and by the looks of it, two days worth. Why didn't I notice that before when he walked by my window? She saw there were bags underneath his eyes probably from not getting any sleep. He was thinner and very pale. Paine knew now that it was right for her to worry about him.
"Hello Baralai! I wanted to come see you!" Paine looked into his eyes and noticed that although his body showed signs of dying, his eyes didn't. She was grateful for that. That meant that he could still fight it.
"Oh you did? Why? I almost ruined Spira and almost killed all of my friends!" He said it with such vengeance and hatred that it almost scared her. She thought that he was just in pain and that was his only way of letting it out.
"Yes Baralai! I missed you. That's why! Is it so wrong for me to miss you?" She moved closer to him and resisted the urge to wrap her arms around him. She could feel he wasn't ready and that her being here was making him uncomfortable, but she wasn't ready to leave yet.
"I guess it's not, but I still don't understand why you would even care!" He turned and walked into the kitchen leaving the door wide open.
She took that as an invitation to come in. Before she even walked in a stench hit her that smelled like sweat and rotten meat. As she slowly walked in trying not to breathe, she noticed the trash all over the living room and the food left out every where. She decided to leave the door open and just shut the screen door. Deciding to also open the windows had her climbing over dirty clothes and piles of trash knee high. Finally she got to the windows and she couldn't get them open quick enough. Before she even went to look for Baralai, she started to pick up the garbage and food that he threw carelessly on the floor.
As she was picking up a piece of food, a mouse ran out from under it. She dropped the piece of food and almost screamed, but decided that she had fought things much worse to let a little mouse scare her. Laughing at herself she picked it up again and reached for another piece. When her arms were full she took it all to the trash can, but it was over flowing with trash as well. She put the trash she just picked up back on the floor and grabbed the trash bag. Pulling it out was a little hard since it was so full, but she did it and walked it outside.
When she came back in, Baralai was standing at the back door staring at the trash can. He heard her, looked up and asked, "What are you doing?"
She decided to tell him the truth. "This place looks and smells like a pig sty. I am cleaning so stay out of my way. We will talk when I am done! GOT IT!" She didn't wait for him to answer. Paine walked over to the sink, opened the cabinet and reached for a trash bag, but came up empty handed. "Oh this is great!"
"What?" was all he could say. He was embarrassed that his house looked this way, but he had more important things on his mind.
"There are no trash bags and no cleaning supplies for that matter." She checked once again and turned around to face him. "I have to go get some stuff from the store."
"NO!" He practically yelled it out.
"What?" She had grabbed her chest and stepped back away from him.
"I didn't mean for that to sound mean or hateful. I meant no I will go and get them. Write a list for me while I go get a shower and shave." He thought about telling her to get out of here and never come back but he decided against it. He couldn't be that mean to someone who just came into his home and started cleaning up the huge mess he's been avoiding for the past two months.
"Umm...okay! I will be outside in the back. This place has a nasty stench, Baralai." Paine didn't say it to be mean. She just believed that the truth should be told no matter what. She was almost positive that most of the time it hurt, but not everything is suppose to be peachy keen. He turned and headed for the stairs, but Paine stopped him with a question. "Do you have some paper and a pen?"
"Hmm...I don't think I do! I basically ran out of everything, if you haven't noticed." He didn't know what to do. If she couldn't write him a list, he couldn't get the items. There was only one more thing he could do. "Why don't you come with me?" He hated to say it, because he was a loner now, but it was the only reasonable thing to do.
She thought about it for a minute and said, "I guess! Don't take long though, but make sure you get clean. I will be outside!"
As she walked outside, he noticed that she had opened the windows and the front door. Does it really stink that much in here? He wouldn't know, because he would be use to it. When he saw that the screen door was closed and Paine was sitting outside on a chair he turned and started to walk up the stairs. About half way up the stairs he got a whiff of himself and nearly threw up. "How long has it been since I got a shower?" He said it quietly and to himself, but it still made him all the more embarrassed. Reaching the top of the stairs he decided to open the windows up here as well. When he completely that task he headed towards the bathroom at the back of the room. One look into it made him disgusted and frustrated. He pulled off his clothes and threw them into the overflowing basket outside the door.
He walked towards the shower and past the mirror. He just barely glanced in the mirror and it made him do a double take. Who did I become? He saw exactly what Paine did. "A few good meals, a shave, a shower and some sun will do the trick." He reached for the shower curtain and pulled it back. Stepping in, he turned the water on warm and stepped underneath the running water. Each little drop felt good against his body and felt like it was washing away the past two months. He knew it wasn't that easy or he would be in the shower all day and all night. He washed his body twice with old soap and the same with his hair. He stayed in the shower an extra few seconds because it felt good and then he pulled the shower curtain back. The cool air from outside hit him and made him shiver, but it felt really good.
He pulled at a towel on the rack that looked like it hadn't been used. It hadn't! He dried his hair, wrapped it around his lower body then stepped out of the tub. Baralai walked over to the sink and opened the cabinet. The shaving cream and razor were old, but they would work. He worked for about five minutes to get a nice clean shave that made him look better. "Now comes the hard part, finding a clean set of clothing."
He finally found a set and had it on when Paine yelled up the stairs. "Are you done yet? Don't make me come up there. I am sure that will embarrass you more!"
Laughing for the first time in months, Baralai replied, "Yes, I will meet you outside in a minute!" She said okay and he heard the door close. He reached for his wallet and put it in his pocket and then started down the stairs. With one look at his house, he opened the screen door and stepped out.
Will Paine get Baralai to snap out of it fully or will Baralai be stuck in his own personal hell for the rest of his life?
Hey guys! Thanks for reading my story. It was an idea from a friend who wanted me to write it. I am writing it for her! I hope you like it. Please give me your reviews. I would really appreciate them. I will update as soon as a can, so try to be patient.
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy, nor will I ever!