Let Me Make It Alright
Chapter 15: "A Box Of Memories"
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He was delighted to find his old and most favorite pair of boots, as well as a few necklaces, some ancient weapons magazines and a few gifts that he had received from Fujin and Raijin over the years. He gave a low chuckle at a horrible brown coat with yellowish fur lining that Fujin had presented him for Christmas one year, apparently in the firm belief that she had a good taste in men's clothes. He had actually put it on once, and even rigid Fu herself had laughed hysterically at the sight, though she had apologized for it later on.
'Just because puberty boy can waltz around in fur coats without looking ridiculous doesn't mean that I can.'
When his thoughts returned to Squall at last, he paused for a moment to decide whether it was wise to pull through with his plan or not. Granted, it wasn't like he had a whole lot else to do anyway, so there was no good reason that spoke against it, except for his pride and the harm that this plan could do to his reputation, perhaps. Then again, he didn't have much of a reputation to begin with anymore. People yelped and scrambled for shelter at his very sight, but that was just about it.
While he was still skimming through his last box absent-mindedly, his gaze suddenly connected with a thin, black hard-cover notebook. Very carefully, as if not to break the memories that were safely entrapped within the wilting pages of the book, Seifer reached inside the box and picked it up. He remembered strapping two cheap rubber bands around it to prevent things from falling out, and they were still snugly in place. Apparently, Squall wasn't one to snoop through other people's private belongings, but Seifer had known that already.
The cover was worn, spotted and discolored in some places. With almost reverent gentleness, Seifer removed the cracking rubber bands and flipped the pages open. Immediately, a couple slips of thick paper escaped their year-long confinement and dropped quietly into his lap.
Pictures.
He picked them up carefully and turned them over to look at them more closely. There weren't many, in fact there were no more than three, but he had held all of them sacred for as long as he could remember.
There was one that had been taken in Balamb by some odd photographer who had chatted up on Raijin and him, asking them to be her "strong helper boys." Needless to say, they had refused, but the rather pushy woman had insisted on taking a picture of the "gang" nonetheless. Thus, Fujin had been framed by her brawny male companions, all three of them posing against the background of Balamb's beautiful harbor scenery. Despite the weird circumstances, Seifer did like this particular photo a lot. They looked happy, careless somehow... unbothered by the future. Even Fujin was trying something that you could, with ample imagination, call a smile.
The following was a picture of his admittance ceremony into Garden. He was barely nine years old, with a rather headstrong and curious expression dominating his childish features. Standing to his right was a much smaller boy with long, tousled brown hair and wide, mistrusting blue eyes. A soft smile curled Seifer's lips at the sight. It was seven year old Squall Leonhart, terribly whiny and already withdrawn, but sure as heck cute to boot.
They were younger in the third and last picture. It was Christmas Eve at the orphanage, and from what Seifer recalled he had been five years old back then. It had been a time during which everyone had fought over Ellone's attention – everyone except himself, for he had only truly cared for the attention of one short, scrawny brunette whose most favorite item of clothing had been a bright yellow sweatshirt that had been given to him by his "sis."
'Hmph.'
That evening, Seifer recalled, klutzy Zell had managed to burn himself on the candles of the Christmas tree, and of course he had ended up screaming and howling like the chicken wuss that he was. Little Quisty had scolded him sternly, her future career path as an instructor all too set, while a much younger Selphie had cried only because Zell had been doing the same. Auburn haired Irvine had mocked Zell for his clumsiness, but all of them had envied Zell for the attention his crying tantrum had gained him from Ellone and Matron.
Yeah, all of them – except for Seifer. He had watched the scene quietly until noticing Squall, who had been sitting on a table, glaring at Zell for taking up Ellone's attention. Of course, he had teased the brunette as usual, if only to make Squall's sadness turn into anger. He had done so frequently over the years, never having been able to cope with Squall being in any form of emotional distress. It had worked well that night, too, and without them being aware of it, Selphie had snuck up on them with Matron's camera and taken a blurry picture of Seifer poking his finger into a furiously blushing brunette's chest.
Seifer continued holding on to the pictures in his hands for a very long time, emerald eyes fixed sternly upon the two little boys that had grown to become rivals and enemies... that had grown to become the sorceress knight outcast and the much praised savior of the planet. Yet, while the outcast was still standing proud and unyielding against the insults that would so frequently wash over him, something had cracked Squall's spirit and left him stray and far out of reach of everyone that had cared for him at one point or another.
Everyone?
Perhaps not.
Finally, that thought struck Seifer, and it struck hard at that. He was probably the only one who would be remotely able to turn Squall's life around and drag him out of this black-drenched pool of misery that was his current state of mind. Naturally, Seifer was perfectly aware of the fact that the brunette would rather drop dead on the spot than admit into needing anyone's help, but nonetheless, he considered this task worth tackling. Seifer didn't have much of a purpose in life anymore since his romantic dream had been so cruelly twisted, but he realized that for once, he was the only person capable of helping another – the only one who could help Squall Leonhart. This time around there was no Matron, no Ellone, not even dear old friends.
This time there was only Seifer, and he'd be damned to hell and back before he'd pass that chance.
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To be continued!
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Awww I am soooooooooooooo touched! You guys are still with me and I still get your nice reviews even after being such a slow writer! I promise to be better from now! I think I finally got back into the story. There are still a few things that I don't remember… even after I played the game again, imagine that… I hope you can go easy on me with the childhood memories of Seifer, I really don't remember when exactly Ellone left and when the boys got admitted into Garden. I guess I'm gonna claim writer's freedom or something.
I really want to thank Rinoa36, faery-of-fiction, FFGal, hopemia, Avatar-Infidel, Redrum, FF9 Zidane, Lexiter Johnson and Starlit Hope because they stuck with me for quite a while, but much thanks to everyone else who reviewed too, your opinions mean a lot to me (otherwise I probably wouldn't be posting my stories…)
Originally I planned on this chapter to go a little different, but you know how it is… you're writing and other stuff pops up (pops up? Kinky! D)… soooo some more Seifer flashbacks, sort of, I hope you aren't bored with his thoughtful self yet :) I kinda wanted to have a moment in which he snaps and realizes his importance, though.
Thanks to Redrum to your suggestion by the way, I think you are right, I was never quite happy with the term 'git' so I changed it to 'idiot'. Not overly creative, but oh well -- I don't know what it is with me and 'icebrown' but that's kind of what I think when I look at Squall's hair in the movie sequences. It really looks quite cold somehow, like chocolate icecream… Maybe I can think of a better term soon!