Chapter Four---Going Down
Selphie hissed as she slid into the warm bath. The water glided over her skin and eased the soreness from her body. Hyne, she'd really pissed him off, disappearing with Fujin like that. She knew better. At least, that's what he told her as his fist connected with her ribs... over and over again.
Only a few candles were lit in the bathroom as Selphie couldn't bear to have the lights on and see what he'd done to her. Again. It had been a miracle there had been no bruises to reveal to Fujin when they'd been swiming. But now...such outings were definitely on hold.
Selphie closed her eyes and let her mind wander. Wander to times when she'd been young and carefree. Ignorant of how cruel the world could really be.
"Fuji!" Selphie laughed as she tackled her best friend into the water. The silver haired girl laughed.
"I missed you too Selphie." Matron had taken Fujin shopping for 'girl things'. Selphie had been bored out of her mind.
"Come on, I've got to show you this!" Selphie pulled the older girl by the hand, emerald eyes bright with excitement and Fujin smiled as Selphie paused to talk to her.
"Ok, you've got to hold you're breath a ways down, but follow me and you'll be just fine! Promise!" The brunette handed Fujin a hair tie for her long silver locks and dove into the water, Fujin close behind.
Just as Fujin was about to wonder what in the hell Selphie could have possibly found down this deep, they surfaced in an underwater cave. Selphie was beaming.
"See! Isn't this the coolest!" Selphie crushed the other girl in a hug as they laughed.
"Yeah, Selphie, it's pretty cool. Does Quistis know?" Selphie shook her head.
"Nope. It's just you and me, Fuji. Best friends forever. Right?" Fujin smiled sadly and looked away. A sinking feeling overtook Selphie.
"What's wrong?" Fujin sighed.
"I'm getting adopted tomorrow. Matron just told me." Selphie smiled for her friend.
"Well, you've got a family now. You should be happy!" Fujin lay on her back, looking up at the roof of the cave, her dual colored eyes no longer holding that michievious sparkle Selphie adored so.
"I didn't want a family without you or Quistis, Selph. It wouldn't be right...You're my best friends." Selphie lay her head on Fujin's pale stomach, smiling a bit as Fujin fiddled with her short brown hair.
"We'll always be best friends Fuji. Write me every week and when I get out of here, you'll be the first person I visit. I swear." Fujin smiled and nodded.
"Friends forever."
Selphie was brought back to reality by the chill of her bath. How long had she been sitting there? She'd better get out before Irvine got angry again. She bit back a groan as she stood, legs and back protesting the movement. Wrapping herself in a towel, she exited the bathroom, footsteps quiet. However, she found Irvine was nowhere around. A relieved sigh was barely heard as she got dressed and dried her hair.
Feeling hungry, Selphie made her way out to the kitchen to find a note from Irivne.
Selphie,
I love you darlin. Stay home.
Irvine
Selphie knew that threat all to well and if she dared leave, he would show her justhow much he loved her.
Fujin lay on the couch, coffee in hand, thinking about the days events. The trip to Fisherman's Horizon was uneventful. Except for the tiny fact that Selphie had not let go of Fujin's hand until they had reached the docks. This of course, did not escape the male populations attention and they were more then happy to make assumptions. Selphie seemed oblivious.
What bothered Fujin was the anxious, hurried demeanor that hung around Selphie. Like she was afraid of being caught. But Selphie had nothing to hide. Right? Of course not. Selphie was Selphie. She never did anything wrong. There wasnothing she had to hide. So why was that sparkle in her eye fear?
Fujin was distracted by her thoughts because of Seifer's rather loud entrance into the dorm. He looked surprised to see her. She didn't offer her usual smile to him (the bastard didn't deserve it) and he looked a little hurt.
'Good. I hope you Hyne you find out what it feels like to watch someone you thought you loved walked away like you did. Especially after that. Bastard. You took everything and now you act like it never happened. It never mattered. Like I never mattered...'
Shaking her head, she left such thoughts alone. They would only depress her. Seifer was busy finding food in the refridgerator only to find they had none.
"Are you hungry Fujin?" Fujin didn't look at him.
"...I'm going to pick up some food at the store, do you want to come with me?" She didn't answer him. He sighed.
"I'll be back." She wished he wouldn't.
But he did, a little over an hour later, arms full of groceries and out of money. He didn't know you could spend that much money on a little over a weeks worth of food. Not to mention it takes forever to get through those damn lines. Why did Fujin still buy them groceries and spend her own money on him when it was seemingly so clear she hated him?
"...I bought more coffee, cause you were out. Um, I didn't know what you might have wanted for dinner, so I got some take-out..." Fujin walked into the kitchen, picking through the groceries. Smiling slightly at him, she got out two forks and handed him a carton.
"Thanks." Fujin nodded, enjoying the warm food.
"Did you have fun with Selphie?" Seifer was not good at conversation. Namely, conversation with Fujin. Guilt ate at him but he didn't know how to make things right. Can you make something like...that right? Seifer didn't know.
"Yes. It was nice...being her friend again." Seifer looked at her curiously.
"Again?" He didn't know much about her life before his parents had adopted her. Looking at her patched covered eye, he felt yet another pang of guilt.
"...We were at the orphanage together.She and I were best friends. Had been since we were three. I was eight when you're parents adopted me and I'd promised her we'd always be friends. That'd I write to her every week..." Fujin looked at him with a somewhat whistful expression.
"You know how that ended." Seifer nodded. The woman before him had never shared much about her life before the Almasy's. All he really knew about Fujin Kazeno was that the Almay's destroyed her.
And he wasall but innocent.
A.n: Weeeeeee updates. YAY!
Sorceress Fujin: stares- I got a whole sentence! Woot! -dances around clapping for herself- I'mna writeanother chapter now! A whole sentence! Sweet! -glomps you--
Jack Hanek: Ok, I added a little bit about their trip to FH but not much. Their relationship will evolve soon enough, you'll just have to wait. hahahaa!
Selphie Fan: Hope the background info helps. No! Don't die. I like your reviews, they make me laugh! And write better, so stay alive. Lol.
-Ulti-
