~Chapter Fourteen~
Fureya sat on her makeshift bed with her arms curled around her legs tightly. Her chin was resting thoughtful on her knees as she closed her watery eyes. She wasn't crying because she was miserable, but because she was happy. It was a bittersweet feeling, seeing her mother in the moments before she'd died and in the moments when she'd been truly happy with her Father. Rocking slightly, she remembered her Mothers smiling face and the smell of lilies that seemed to cloud her. She sniffed slightly and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and opened her eyes. At that moment, she wished Willard were there more than anything. She wanted to tell him everything she saw and she missed his embrace and his kisses. Fureya hadn't realized how attached to him she'd become and it frightened her slightly. Regardless, she still wished to see him.
It was a fortnight of patrolling Estharian roadways before it was decided that the yearly sweep was completed. Enough fiends and monsters had been eradicated and the SeeD were released. Next year, the same thing would happen. It was hopeless to eradicate all, but it was possible to control the numbers by a yearly sweeps.
Fureya was ecstatic at the prospect of going back to Garden to see Willard, but she was unaware of the changes that had occurred in the past fortnight.
~*~
A week ago
Willard paced around his small dorm room the small rose envelope clutched gently in his hands. He missed Fureya to the point of near insanity and the letter was very alluring to him.
Ever since they'd been sent home, it had just been small jobs. Help the junior class men with weapons, taking more advanced weaponry lessons and studying even more intricate battle plans. It was menial and boring, but there was little to do.
Carbuncle was his constant companion and was almost worth a good conversation, but acted gratingly immature at the best of times. He was now curled up sleeping on Willard's pillow. He was also snoring lightly a small line of drool attaching his mouth to the pillowcase, making Will shudder slightly.
Pausing one last time, Willard ripped the envelope open and pulled out the letter. Standing still, his grey eyes scanned it and read it slowly.
Dearest Will.
I miss you and no doubt wish you were with me. I'm not really sure what it is we have; I just know it's special. I really want us to continue. My feelings for you are true and even though I'm not sure, I feel you feel something for me. Maybe I just confused it with whatever it is you feel for the female race. For months I watched you be fickle between other women, even kissing two different girls at the same time. I don't hold anything against you of course, but I wont tolerate it from you.
Anyway, I hope thing's went well for you in Deling City. I hope my brother wasn't obnoxious; he is cheeky and often exasperates my father and me. Also for some reason he is very shy around girls. It's really funny sometimes. I bet Almasy picked up on it and made fun of him until she was blue in the face. He's as bad as I've heard my father was. Apparently he was ignorant of women until he met Mother. But when I come home, tell me all about it, okay?
Take care and wait for me.
Lots of affection, Fureya.
Willard carefully folded the letter up and slid it back into the envelope and snorted.
"Kaddar shy around girls?" He murmured quietly and grinned, shaking his head in silent mirth. Her other words worried him slightly; he wanted to prove to her that she meant more than the other girls ever did. Rubbing his chin thoughtfully he walked out and left the green creature napping.
"Kaddar!" Keladryie's voice rang out through the dorm corridor as Willard stepped out. Raising an eyebrow, he looked around and found a red faced Keladryie clenching a fist and waving it the older Leonhart siblings face.
"You conceited jerk!" She shouted. "I swear I've never met anyone like you ever!" Kaddar grinned and took her fist in his hands.
"I know! I feel the same about you." He said sweetly, confusing her. "Your beauty is unmatched and your personality so unique. Truly one of a kind!" Keladryie yanked her hand from his grasp and punched him in the arm savagely.
"Enough already!" She growled and rubbed her hand. "I'll go with you, happy now?" Kaddar grinned and hugged her tightly before whirling away, a faint blush across his cheeks.
"Y'know." Willard spoke up, startling a blushing Keladryie. "Fureya told me he was shy around girls." Keladryie shot him a look that took a year off of his life and stalked away. Willard chuckled to himself and stuck his hands in his pockets and walked on.
~*~
Keladryie was dressed in a neat black halter neck and jeans when Kaddar met her out the front. He was dressed neatly in cargo pants and a tee. He grinned at her, and she smiled hesitantly back at him.
"Let's go." He said cheerfully and they started to walk towards the town of Balamb; Quistis didn't find that a date was good enough to have use of one of the Garden automobiles. Glancing across at her, Kaddar noted a serene look across her face and smiled to himself. Looking away shyly, he moved closer to her. "Would I be able to hold your hand without you hitting me?" He asked softly. Keladryie blushed and looked down.
"Okay. But only because no one can see." Kaddar grinned and took her hand gently in his. Keladryie sighed and moved a little closer to him.
When they reached town, Keladryie didn't let go of his hand. Kaddar wisely chose not to mention it as he led her to a small diner to get something for dinner.
They ate in a comfortable silence that was punctuated by soft conversation.
"Did you hear about the drunk that ran into a bar in Deling?" Keladryie raised a questioning eyebrow and Kaddar continued. "He said ouch!" Keladryie grinned and shook her head.
"That is so lame!" She giggled and rolled her eyes, picking up her soda to take a sip. Kaddar looked off to the right and smiled.
"You're very beautiful when smile." He murmured, causing Keladryie to choke and blush.
"You shouldn't say shit like that." She growled, focusing really hard on the food in front of her.
"Why not?" He asked imploringly. "It's the truth." Keladryie's cheeks were bright pink as she smiled shyly.
"You are such a goof Kaddar."
After eating, Kaddar took her to get some ice cream and then they started to walk back home.
Keladryie cleared her throat, staring at her ice cream cone for a moment before speaking.
"Thank you for all this, Kaddar." She murmured softly and licked her ice cream. Kaddar stopped and made her look at him. He smiled at her.
"It was my pleasure." He murmured and leant over, kissing her for a long moment before pulling away. "Mmm. Strawberry Patch flavour. Not to bad." He said cheekily and dodged, expecting a punch. Instead he felt no rush of air as she missed. Looking across at her, he saw she was smiling. Without thinking, he kissed her again before walking on.
They walked the rest of the way home in silence, hand in hand.
~*~
The news was all over Garden in three days; Keladryie Almasy and Kaddar Leonhart were going out on dates. According to the gossip queen, Bahia Cobalt, neither were admitting or denying anything. Keladryie was given a handful of detentions for picking fights with people who'd made fun of her. Kaddar had just grinned and walked away.
Present
Fureya skipped through the Garden entrance, swinging her duffel happily.
"The ants go marching seven by seven. Hurrah! hurrah! The ants go marching seven by seven. Hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching seven by seven and the little one stoped to. Uhm. Blow his nose! And they all go marching down to underground to get out of the rain. Boom! Boom! boom!" Fureya sang cheerfully. Macen grimaced and punched her in the arm.
"That doesn't rhyme!" He teased, ducking as Fureya swung her bag. "Also, Rei." He added quietly. Can we not tell anyone about Quezacotl and this whole reincarnation yet?" In Esthar, Macen had found alike to Fureya he was joined to a Guardian Force, Quezacotl in particular.
"Sure." Fureya murmured and hit him squarely with her bag. Macen grunted and retaliated, hitting her with his own. The force knocked the skipping girl over. "Eh?" She grunted and sprang back to her feet. She nimbly leaped on to his back and wrapped her forearms around his neck. "Submit to me Dincht!" She shrieked in his ear loudly. Wincing he grasped her forearms and stooped forwards, throwing her over his head to land on the ground on her back.
"Take that!" He grinned and let her go; he'd held her so she wouldn't hit the ground hard.
"Dincht." Came a firm female voice. "I don't think that was appropriate behaviour for Garden premises." Macen grinned at the headmistress.
"Leonhart started it." He said cheerfully as Fureya climbed to her feet.
"Headmistress Trepe." She started and rubbed her back. "I think I need to see the doctor." She moaned and hobbled off towards the infirmary. Macen groaned and pointed at her.
"I know, Macen." Quistis said with a slight grin and walked away, back to whatever she was doing previously.
"You're dead meat Leonhart!" Macen yelled and raced after her. Fureya's injury mysteriously cured itself as she broke into a run.
"Catch me first!" Fureya hugged her duffel to her chest with one arm as she ran. Turning down the corridor to the dorms, she ran into someone and flew backwards. Just before she hit the ground, a hand shot out and caught her wrist, pulling her against a hard chest.
"Your back." A husky voice murmured in her ear, causing her to blush.
"Miss me much, Willard?" She murmured, liking the closeness of him.
"Miss you much?" Willard murmured. "I missed you so much." He cupped her chin in his hand stared into her dove grey eyes. "Fureya, I'm going to kiss you now and it's going to start something between us. We are going be officially together and you are going to be officially my girl." He murmured huskily as he brought his lips down against hers.
"Whoa!" Macen cried as he rounded the corner and spotted them. "Get a room, yo!" He shouted and ran past them, narrowly missing another couple.
"Yeah Sis." Kaddar grinned as he watched Macen run past. "Get a room you dirty rabbit." Fureya growled at him and tried to jump him, but Willard tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her back to him.
"I don't believe I've seen this side of your sister before, Kaddar." Keladryie commented dryly, blushing as Kaddar slung an arm across her shoulders and winked at a surprised Fureya.
"What in Hynes name is going on here?" She shot, her eyes wide. "Kaddar making moves on a girl where he can be seen and Keladryie letting a guy be so affectionate with her and blushing? Did the world suddenly go mad?" With each word Fureya's voice seemed to rise.
"They are a bona fide couple." Willard stated, chuckling softly as Fureya gaped.
"Don't say a word, Leonhart." Keladryie stated darkly as Kaddar just grinned at his sister.
"The world is nuts." She said flatly.
Willard laughed at Fureya and led her away, towards the dorms.
"I'm glad your back, Fureya." Willard murmured as they entered her dorm, Amelia was out at the time. Fureya tossed her duffel on the ground and flopped over on to the bed.
"It is good to be home." She admitted and smiled at him. Without warning, he tugged the door shut and crossed the room. He carefully lay on the bed with her and gave her a mischievous grin before kissing her.
~*~
"Kaddar, I got to go make a call." Keladryie murmured, checking her watch. "I'll be back in ten minutes, okay?" Kaddar nodded and watched as his girlfriend slid out of the plastic cafeteria seat and out towards the exit. Calmly, he reached over and finished off her juice with a sly grin.
Propping his chin in his palm, his elbow leaning against the tabletop, Kaddar chewed a bite of his energy bar thoughtfully, wondering how long til Kella returned. He barely noticed as a strawberry blonde girl slid into the chair next to him.
"Hey cutie." She said huskily, raising a slender eyebrow as she caught his attention.
"Uhm. Hi." He mumbled, staring profusely at the table. Annabelle laughed softly and crossed her legs, her blue eyes staring attentively at him.
"I've been watching you since we met up in Galbadia." She purred and shifted closer to him, raking her fingers across his forearm lightly. Kaddar jumped slightly and shifted away, not saying anything. "Aw c'mon. Don't be so shy."
"I'd appreciate it if you left my boyfriend alone." Keladryie said icily as she returned. "Weren't you content enough in meddling with Fureya's boyfriend Willard that you had to meddle with mine?" Annabelle stood up and flipped a wave of curls over her shoulder snappily.
"Willard will come back to me when he realizes what he lost." She said snippily and stalked away.
"Willard would never give up Fureya for a tramp like you." Keladryie retorted, drawing a scowl from Annabelle as she turned around.
"What do you care, you're Almasy's brat. Aren't you supposed to hate her after she is a Leonhart? Or are you just playing nice to get into Kaddar's pants?" She snapped, looking at her nails complacently.
"You shut your mouth you bitch." Keladryie yelled, as Kaddar stood up, his face red with rage.
"Don't you dare talk to my girl like that." He growled and wrapped his arms protectively around Keladryie who was bristling with rage. Annabelle glared sulkily at them and left.