==============================================================
ANNOUNCEMENT: To all my great reviewers, thanks. To all who've read the story, thanks. This is it. I will be adding cameos of the characters of Nobus into Whence Cometh the Rain, and maybe a few shorts [one shots]. I'll try and make this a long one, this is Ara signing off.
"gaudeamus igitur iuvenes dum sumus; Dei gratia" [therefore let us rejoice while we are young, by the grace of God]
Kjata - yep. Of course not in the way you would think. unleesss...
Perfect Soldier 01 - Aawww... I'll write more... some day. Thank you for all your support and reviews, ideas and awesome approach to everything. It's been a blessing writing for you and I couldn't have done it all without your support, my friend. May the Lord richly bless you in your travels and works.
==============================================================
"Wedding Day, ya know" Rajin said, his voice a much stronger, more usual timbre. He was dressed in the black trousers he'd wear for the ceremony, and had his tux shirt sleeves rolled up a la Laguna, Quistis was buttoning the shirt, but he reached over and grabbed her hands.
"Not yet, eh? Gotta go pick 'em up first, ya know. ... Feel like a penguin like it is, don't need any more buttons or nothing, ya know."
"Okay, let's go get them. You ready for this?" Quistis asked, straightening her hair, and the collar on her usual pink suit. For some reason she was nervous. Not over seeing Seifer and Fujin again, but of what they would think seeing her with Rajin. Truth was, she wasn't going anywhere, not until after the three returned to Balamb on her way back to Garden. The two opposites walked down beyond the security details to where the Ragnarok sat docked in the hangar. Rajin held his breath as the gang plank lowered and Fujin and Seifer walked out of the ship, holding each other's hand as they looked on for Rajin just a bit tensely. The tension soon faded into laughter as Rajin hugged Fujin, lifting her off the ground and swinging her around, letting her go as he brought Seifer into a manly hug and slap on the back.
"Wow. Some improvement, you knocked the wind out of me, Rajin!" Seifer smiled, sharing a glance with Fujin.
"Whaddaya think, Fuj? I fit the bill, ya know?" Rajin asked, doing a 360 as Fujin smirked and motioned him to twirl.
"APPROVE"
"That's all I need, ya know. So, time to get ready for the wedding, ya know... starts in two hours, ya know"
Seifer and Fujin looked at each other shocked,
"WHAT? Rajin!" Seifer said, pulling Rajin towards where he thought the prep-room for him would be. Rajin ended up grabbing his coat collar and swinging him through the opposing hall. Quistis and Fujin just looked at each other, both rolling their eyes at the same time.
"LEAD" Fujin spoke, allowing Quistis to nod and begin a brisk walk through the halls in the opposite direction of the sprinting Rajin and Seifer.
Once in the dressing room, and more thoroughly settled, Seifer laced up a polished black shoe, looking over to where Rajin counted off the things he had to remember before the ceremony.
"So, Rajin you doing good?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, ya know. Quisty's been great about the whole thing. Even helped plan things, ya know"
"Yeah?" Seifer leaned against the wall, arms crossed, smirking, "Been getting fresh 'n frisky?"
Rajin proceeded to stumble over an ottoman, and mumble things under his breath until he got everything to rights, including picking up soggy flowers and putting them back in the half-filled vase they fell from.
"N..nno, ya know... Quistis and I aren't like that ya know. She's been helping out, ya know. Laguna thought someone familiar would do more good than some shrink, ya know. We're just.. just"
"Friends?"
"Yeah, ya know. I mean, we might share a room and all, but.. BUT ya know, it's not like you'n' Fujin, ya know"
"Still wondering why blondie'd take time away from Instructordome..."
"They sorta fired her from bein' an instructor. She'd been hoping after this ya know she'd be reinstated, ya know."
"She told you that?"
"Yeah, she tells me everything, ya know."
"I'm guessing it's mutual?"
"Heh. Yeah. Hey! Time's a waistin' ya know. Can't be sidetracked, ya know... how'd I look?"
Seifer scanned his burly Bronze friend, in truth, he looked better than before, his colour returned to its original darkness, his clothing filled out and his face wasn't sallow, and he had a sort of contented aura surrounding him, Seifer was glad.
"Hey, Rajin?"
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Thanks. This is... just thanks"
"'Course! Had to make sure Fuu got the wedding of a lifetime, ya know. Oh, by the way, if you hurt her at all, I will seriously kick your ass, ya know. All the way to Diablos, ya know. An I can do it, too. Besides, Quistis would be more than happy to help in the butt whoopin' ya know"
The two smiled, breaking into a hearty laugh that Laguna and Kiros could hear down the corridor where Kiros was fixing Laguna's tie. He'd be leading Fujin down the aisle after all.
=============
Fujin stood patiently as Quistis did up the back of Fujin's wedding dress. Nope, no zipper, that would be too easy, there were buttons, almost 75 tiny, white buttons lacing up the back of the crisp, white, tank style sleeve wedding dress, completely devoid of lace, as Fujin was thankful to notice.
"GRATITUDE"
"No problem, Fujin. I'd be going insane if I had to do them up without help"
"NEGATIVE. . . RAJIN, GRATITUDE"
"Oh. You're welcome" Quistis said, taking a moment to pause and look Fujin in the eyes through the floor length mirror. The blonde woman gulped slightly, taking a sip out of her water glass before standing,
"Last set. Wow, how long have these buttons taken?"
"HALF AN HOUR" Fujin said, smirking about what Seifer would do later that night to them, namely ripping them open with a very impatient hand.
"What? Is there something wrong?"
"SEIFER IMPATIENT" the silver haired vixen smirked, letting out a short giggle.
"Ah." Quistis added, blushing at the thought of Fujin's wedding dress being tossed to the floor, a ripped up mess. After the buttons were all finally done, Quistis sat Fujin down to start brushing her hair,
"How long did it take?" Fujin asked, her natural, surgery improved voice startling Quistis out of getting a knot out of Fujin's hair.
"I thought you said half an hour?"
"Rajin"
"Oh. About a month. He was too weak and skittish so for the first while we just worked on getting him clean. After that, it was fairly easy going, we simply planned the wedding, bought supplies, he made the table arrangements and we talked, ate, slept toget..."
"YOU AND RAJIN!?" Fujin coughed, as Quistis dropped the brush on the floor, slapping her forehead,
"NO, no, it isn't like THAT. We shared a bed. Still do. He needed someone there that wouldn't leave... oh I'm sorry Fujin, I didn't mean anything by that" Quistis appologized, seeing the hurt look on Fujin's face. Quistis finished Fujin's hair in silence, topping it with a small veil connected to a silver Balambesque tiara. Now getting dressed herself, Quistis came out wearing her SeeD formal uniform, her whip slung at her side with her hair all done up and an intricate braided twist in the center of her head.
"LOVERS?"
Choking on her water, Quistis excused herself to clean around her mouth with a hankercheif, then returned to speak,
"I honestly cannot tell you. I mean, the attraction is there, but that's not what Rajin needed me for. He was afraid of sleeping alone, I slept beside him. He needed help planning the wedding, I gave it to him, he needed someone to talk to, I was there. We love each other, but not in that way. At least not yet. Funny thing is, I can't imagine not waking up beside him in the mornings, or going for walks in the atrium to splash water at each other beside the fountain, or try each other's food. It's going to be lonely going back to Balamb Garden without him."
Fujin smiled, so it was a good thing they left Rajiin for a while. She cocked her head to the side, examining the former instructor, who looked at Fujin a little surprised,
"Well I've certainly never said that before. Reminds me of the times we'd play Truth or Dare... except we'd never dare... okay sometimes we'd dare, but I'm babbling. We'd start with the most innocent question and end up twenty minutes later with some great truth revealed. Except here there aren't any gummy bears or marshmallows"
Before Fujin could ask, Selphie came barreling through the door.
"Hey guys! Whaa!!" Selphie yelped, tripping over the area rug and going kersplat onto a chair. Getting back up with the help of Quistis, she wiped her forehead and made a whooshing noise before stretching.
"Okay, uummm, YAH! YAY! weddings, I love weddings! But that ..wasn't the message... righto! Laguna said to tell Fujin that he's coming to bring you down the aisle, so to be ready by... well he'll be here in a minute. AH! I have to get ready!"
As Selphie flailed on her uniform and did her make-up, Quistis and Fujin looked at each other and smirked as Selphie hopped up with one boot on and the other goving her trouble as Laguna knocked.
Sticking his head in, he asked,
"Are you ready?"
-----------------------------
'Memory serves and guides us. It keeps us lingering in our past transgressions and most intimate moments. It delves deeper than time, relationships, in essense, it is the basic parts of ourselves worthy of rememberance. Think of it this way: If asked about your favourite song, if you have to sit and think to try and remember it, that song is not your favourite. Your favourite will be the tune that was floating into the cafe when he kissed you, or when the radio turned to the right song to ease your sorrow or help you dance. Those are the songs that mean the most and those are the moments that will never be taken away. Even if someday the trials of the hours are forgotten, something still remains: you. Your personality has been changed by the event and thus, although you have finite potential either way, past experiences dictate how your potential grows. Thusforth, all you have to do to remember is accept who you have become. The past cannot be changed, the future is set in motion, this moment is grinding to a stop, what choice do you make here. Now. When it matters more. Whatever you have done or accomplished is leading up to the choice before you. Shall I write? Shall I draw? What does it matter, if my words are irrelevant? It matters because my words might be read by only one, but that one might need to hear what I have to say, that person will sometime in the future of my writing this have the choice of reading this, will they? Will they listen or turn away, at the least I can stand and testify that I have written it. I can stand beside my lover on his box and call, for I had the choice to stand hidden and do nothing, but at any point I could have been redeemed by simply taking that step. So now I stand, broken as I am to testify not to the rebirth of my spirit, but to its growth and mending. I have said all I had been given to say, now after reading it, will you listen? Will it matter? Will you stand?'
- Nobus Ordo Saeclorum: on the final page.
Balamb summers are the best in the world for relaxing on the beaches, training in the forests, sipping esspresso outside a cafe and fishing on the dock. Balamb springs, however are not perfect for relaxing on the beach or training in the forests, but are ideal for sailing and catching the occasional Balamb flounder. Rajin had caught nothing, Fujin had contented herself to making patterns with her fishing rod in the water and Seifer we getting aggitated. Nothing. Not a single anchovy! What made things even better was that their boat had sprung a leak and the Balamb mechanics were taking too long to fix it. Then again, more time for fishing. . . whose idea was it to fish in the first place? . . . oh yeah, Rajin's. Seifer thought, watching the only dangling to be his old comfortable boots from the Sorceress War. At least Fujin seemed to be having fun, she was captivated by the circles her fishing tackle was making in the water when she tapped her rod.
Rajin's caught something, dammit! I wanted to catch the first fish! Seifer thought, standing up and throwing his rod onto the wooden dock. Fujin, who had stood due to Rajin almost knocking her off the dock looked over to her husband, raised her foot and kicked the dancing Rajin off the dock.
Seifer burst out in a hysterical laugh, as Rajin surfaced spitting out seaweed. Fujin simply smiled and watched Seifer doubling over until a familiar whirring could be heard over Rajin trying to climb on the dock.
Balamb Garden flew suspended in midair overtop the three, beyond Balamb's curved roofs to it's moorings in the north of the Balamb continent. Seifer had smiled a lot lately, knowing that at least most of the world had forgiven them, that some of the men and women he grew up with didn't hate him or wish him dead, waking up to Fujin's hair in his face, Rajin acting like his usual self all gave him excuse to smile. Suddenly it didn't matter if he didn't catch any fish, or the boat was going to be getting fixed longer, because the smell of the sea permiated everything, his family was right there and seeing Garden flying high reminded him that even if mistakes had been made and alliances altered, there is such a thing as turning back, such a thing as redemption.
Fujin came behind Seifer, laced her arms around his waist and kissed the back of his neck, nuzzling her forehead in the cradle between his neck and shoulder. Seifer laced their fingers, standing tall with his wife around him as Rajin crawled onto the dock and shook himself off, Quistis would be meeting them once Garden was properly docked, her and Rajin were trying out a double date to test the waters. Truth was, Rajin had fallen for her hook line and sinker and Seifer secretly hoped she cared at least a little.
"Fuu? Do you think this could work?"
"WHY?"
"I dunno, guess I just want Rajin to be happy, too"
Seifer could feel Fujin nodding, and turned himself around to face her,
"You're beautiful" he said, kissing her and letting his lips linger, Fujin looked up at him cocking her head as if to say even wearing this? She had put her old garb back on, too complete with eyepatch.
"Yeah, the patch adds a sort of sexy rebel look" the newlyweds started laughing as Fujin smacked Seifer across the chest and started tickling him.
"Hey, ya know! We gotta get ready, ya know, Quistis'll be here in a flash, eh!" Rajin said beyond the laughing, coming over to them and smiling nervously. Fujin looked him up and down before shaking her head with a smirk,
"PATHETIC!" she said, kicking him in the shin. Not as hard as she used to, but enough for Rajin to grab his shin and Seifer to start laughing, walk over and slapp him on the back, lifting his shoulders up higher than Seifer's own and grinning full force.
"Some things'll always be the same" Seifer grinned, Fujin sliding her arm around Seifer's waist as the three smiled at each other.
"But sometimes change is good" a voice came from behind them, turning, Rajin's face grew into a huge grin as one blonde newly-instated instructor came walking down the dock, her heeled boots clopped on the wood. Seifer nodded and Rajin broke away from the friendly bonding to wrap Quistis into a reciprocated bear hug. Amongst small talk like 'got a haircut, ya know' and 'Noticed, I like it', Quistis, Rajin, Fujin and Seifer walked to the restaurant and a beautiful starry night.
-------------------------------------------------
'Fujin gave me this journal for... okay so she connived me into recording my inner feelings or something. Not too thrilled, that's what sex is for. Whatever. Oh great, now I'm not only writing on coloured paper, but I'm beginning to sound like Squall. Before I'm going to have to burn the evidence and tell Fujin a dragon ate it, I better write something worth reading. . . . . . ... . .. . . .
Sun's shining somewhere over the collosal load of rain clouds, Fujin's taking a shower after we ran into a huge mud puddle when it was raining torrentially, Rajin's getting provisions for our next departure and I'm sitting in our Estharian Apartment with a wet head of hair and a dry sweater. Everything's calm, I can hear the shower running and can smell the flowers Fujin planted in pots around the place. Smells sweet, the rain was refreshing and I'm just glad everything seems to be going okay. Not amazing, people still stop us in the street and we've had to beat up on a couple punks who got hired to kidnap us and bring us to Galbadia, but other than those little excitements, life would be boring. Huh. Since when did sex all day, woman of my dreams and best friend sailing the world over, with not a material worry boring? Went back to Edea's House last voyage, place is doing alright, Matron's got some orphans she's taking care of and Cid was there visiting with Balamb Garden not far away. Fuj and I went out for drinks with Irvine and Selphie last week when they were on a mission to Esthar with Quistis, who went out for a night with Rajin, Selphie got plastered and spilled the dirty details of Irvine and her sneaking into each other's SeeD dorms and getting caught naked in bed on a wednesday morning. Fujin laughed so hard.
Funny how after only six months being married Fujin and I have become such the married couple. I mean, we finish each other's sentences if we speak at all, sometimes we'll go a whole day without saying a word, drives Rajin crazy. But that's alright, because if there's anything Fujin's taught me it's that sometimes the most powerful moments are silent. The look in her eyes is enough to tell me how much she's mine, how completely she loves me, and I hope my eyes say the same. I used to think having a woman meant dominating, loving her of course, but always having the control, always being the one in charge. Fujin gives me complete control, what I say goes, but the trust she has in me with that control reminds me that yeah, I've got her right where I want her, but I need her for so much more. So it ends up that she has complete control over me, visa versa, and the freedom that gives us makes the sex incredible, but it makes just living with her incredible too. I promised to love her as much as I could, everyday that love grows more, it blows me away. Wow, this journal thing really works... kudos to Fujin. You asked for it, love hope you can handle what I dish.
Later Fuu, the water stopped running, I'm going to go 'surprise' you.'
- Seifer's Journal-Thing... READ IT AND DIE!!! You know who you are... STOP! Look no further!!
Two Years Later,
" "Great things are not done by impulse, but
by a series of small things brought together."
•Vincent Van Gogh
Dear Maya,
Hope you find the quote true, darling. When you're old enough to read this your mother and I want you to know that no matter what you hear about the past, it can't be changed, but that's okay, because the future can be changed, all we have to do is the right thing. I know you're probably going to grow up thinking about the lameness of your parents, but remember: we used to be cool. So whatever you find yourself doing in life, I can't promise that we won't flip out, or throw a tantrum, or even be anything other than dissaproving, but we love you so much we're willing to let some things slide, catch you when you fall and praise you when you reach the top of what you wanted. When you want to cry, we'll cry with you, and offer you two very experienced shoulders, when you want to laugh, we'll grin along, when you fall in love some day, I can't promise I won't want to blow the guy's head off for not being good enough for my little girl, but that's what your mother's for. Remember that your mother's got me wrapped around her pinkie, so if you ever want something, ask her and what she says goes. Unless you are short a couple of gil to go out with friends, then come to me and one smile from your gorgeous face will wilt me into a big enough puddle of fatherly pride that you'll not only have a couple of gil, but whatever your heart desires.
We can't teach you much, but we can teach you how to fight for yourself and the cause your heart finds worthy of, just promise us you'll be careful and find a good enough cause to better the world for your kids some day. Fujin can teach you how to find peace and I can teach you how to cause havok, and maybe through learning from both of us you'll find balance.
Live each day like it's worth your life, whatever your hands find to do, do it well, be proud of who you are and what you are, look down to no one, but respect your elders. I hope that your road is not always easy, but you will have people around you to fall back on when you fall, laugh with when you're happy and cry with when you're sad. I hope you learn from your mistakes, and the mistakes of others around you and that you don't forget how much we will always love you. Even if brothers and sisters come around, you are unique, special and our gorgeous mischeif-maker. Welcome to the world, Maya Frey Almasy. We know you'll have one heck of a life.
Your parents,
Seifer and Fujin Almasy."
Seifer stood in Maya's room cradling the small baby, rocking her slowly as her tiny green eyes drifted shut and her mouth suckled at the warm bottle he held carefully up. Leaning against the door post, Fujin smiled watching her husband worship the little four month old even though she woke them with her crying at 3 in the morning and birds had begun chirping outside their window. Looking up, Seifer's smile grew wider as he motioned his wife over and she tip-toed up to kiss his bicep and watch their platinum-blonde haired daughter. Leaning down, Seifer kissed Fujin, trailing his lips up to whisper in her ear,
"She was hungry"
Eventually, Seifer put their child back in her crib, a gift from Laguna, and tucked her in, turning the moomba and chocobo mobile, a gift from Rajin, on. Checking around the room once more, Seifer leaned down and picked up a stuffed moogle or two from the floor and double checked his daughter's blanket. Fujin nudged him out of the door, leaving the baby monitor on the changing table, a gift from Quistis and Rajin, before pulling the door almost closed, walking into their bedroom and getting ambushed with a swept-off-the-floor kiss by Seifer. Moments like these make life awesome Fujin thought, as Seifer kissed down her neck and threw off her camisole as she snaked his pajama bottoms off.
In the morning, they woke up to the sun peeking under the cracks between the blinds and cooing from the baby monitor, Rajin had come in after staying with Quistis in Balamb for a couple days and was fawning over Maya. Holding each other for another small eternity they smiled, life couldn't get much better even if it got worse being a family would make weathering any storm more than possible, it would be bliss.
Cursum Perficio Fin
ANNOUNCEMENT: To all my great reviewers, thanks. To all who've read the story, thanks. This is it. I will be adding cameos of the characters of Nobus into Whence Cometh the Rain, and maybe a few shorts [one shots]. I'll try and make this a long one, this is Ara signing off.
"gaudeamus igitur iuvenes dum sumus; Dei gratia" [therefore let us rejoice while we are young, by the grace of God]
Kjata - yep. Of course not in the way you would think. unleesss...
Perfect Soldier 01 - Aawww... I'll write more... some day. Thank you for all your support and reviews, ideas and awesome approach to everything. It's been a blessing writing for you and I couldn't have done it all without your support, my friend. May the Lord richly bless you in your travels and works.
==============================================================
"Wedding Day, ya know" Rajin said, his voice a much stronger, more usual timbre. He was dressed in the black trousers he'd wear for the ceremony, and had his tux shirt sleeves rolled up a la Laguna, Quistis was buttoning the shirt, but he reached over and grabbed her hands.
"Not yet, eh? Gotta go pick 'em up first, ya know. ... Feel like a penguin like it is, don't need any more buttons or nothing, ya know."
"Okay, let's go get them. You ready for this?" Quistis asked, straightening her hair, and the collar on her usual pink suit. For some reason she was nervous. Not over seeing Seifer and Fujin again, but of what they would think seeing her with Rajin. Truth was, she wasn't going anywhere, not until after the three returned to Balamb on her way back to Garden. The two opposites walked down beyond the security details to where the Ragnarok sat docked in the hangar. Rajin held his breath as the gang plank lowered and Fujin and Seifer walked out of the ship, holding each other's hand as they looked on for Rajin just a bit tensely. The tension soon faded into laughter as Rajin hugged Fujin, lifting her off the ground and swinging her around, letting her go as he brought Seifer into a manly hug and slap on the back.
"Wow. Some improvement, you knocked the wind out of me, Rajin!" Seifer smiled, sharing a glance with Fujin.
"Whaddaya think, Fuj? I fit the bill, ya know?" Rajin asked, doing a 360 as Fujin smirked and motioned him to twirl.
"APPROVE"
"That's all I need, ya know. So, time to get ready for the wedding, ya know... starts in two hours, ya know"
Seifer and Fujin looked at each other shocked,
"WHAT? Rajin!" Seifer said, pulling Rajin towards where he thought the prep-room for him would be. Rajin ended up grabbing his coat collar and swinging him through the opposing hall. Quistis and Fujin just looked at each other, both rolling their eyes at the same time.
"LEAD" Fujin spoke, allowing Quistis to nod and begin a brisk walk through the halls in the opposite direction of the sprinting Rajin and Seifer.
Once in the dressing room, and more thoroughly settled, Seifer laced up a polished black shoe, looking over to where Rajin counted off the things he had to remember before the ceremony.
"So, Rajin you doing good?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, ya know. Quisty's been great about the whole thing. Even helped plan things, ya know"
"Yeah?" Seifer leaned against the wall, arms crossed, smirking, "Been getting fresh 'n frisky?"
Rajin proceeded to stumble over an ottoman, and mumble things under his breath until he got everything to rights, including picking up soggy flowers and putting them back in the half-filled vase they fell from.
"N..nno, ya know... Quistis and I aren't like that ya know. She's been helping out, ya know. Laguna thought someone familiar would do more good than some shrink, ya know. We're just.. just"
"Friends?"
"Yeah, ya know. I mean, we might share a room and all, but.. BUT ya know, it's not like you'n' Fujin, ya know"
"Still wondering why blondie'd take time away from Instructordome..."
"They sorta fired her from bein' an instructor. She'd been hoping after this ya know she'd be reinstated, ya know."
"She told you that?"
"Yeah, she tells me everything, ya know."
"I'm guessing it's mutual?"
"Heh. Yeah. Hey! Time's a waistin' ya know. Can't be sidetracked, ya know... how'd I look?"
Seifer scanned his burly Bronze friend, in truth, he looked better than before, his colour returned to its original darkness, his clothing filled out and his face wasn't sallow, and he had a sort of contented aura surrounding him, Seifer was glad.
"Hey, Rajin?"
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Thanks. This is... just thanks"
"'Course! Had to make sure Fuu got the wedding of a lifetime, ya know. Oh, by the way, if you hurt her at all, I will seriously kick your ass, ya know. All the way to Diablos, ya know. An I can do it, too. Besides, Quistis would be more than happy to help in the butt whoopin' ya know"
The two smiled, breaking into a hearty laugh that Laguna and Kiros could hear down the corridor where Kiros was fixing Laguna's tie. He'd be leading Fujin down the aisle after all.
=============
Fujin stood patiently as Quistis did up the back of Fujin's wedding dress. Nope, no zipper, that would be too easy, there were buttons, almost 75 tiny, white buttons lacing up the back of the crisp, white, tank style sleeve wedding dress, completely devoid of lace, as Fujin was thankful to notice.
"GRATITUDE"
"No problem, Fujin. I'd be going insane if I had to do them up without help"
"NEGATIVE. . . RAJIN, GRATITUDE"
"Oh. You're welcome" Quistis said, taking a moment to pause and look Fujin in the eyes through the floor length mirror. The blonde woman gulped slightly, taking a sip out of her water glass before standing,
"Last set. Wow, how long have these buttons taken?"
"HALF AN HOUR" Fujin said, smirking about what Seifer would do later that night to them, namely ripping them open with a very impatient hand.
"What? Is there something wrong?"
"SEIFER IMPATIENT" the silver haired vixen smirked, letting out a short giggle.
"Ah." Quistis added, blushing at the thought of Fujin's wedding dress being tossed to the floor, a ripped up mess. After the buttons were all finally done, Quistis sat Fujin down to start brushing her hair,
"How long did it take?" Fujin asked, her natural, surgery improved voice startling Quistis out of getting a knot out of Fujin's hair.
"I thought you said half an hour?"
"Rajin"
"Oh. About a month. He was too weak and skittish so for the first while we just worked on getting him clean. After that, it was fairly easy going, we simply planned the wedding, bought supplies, he made the table arrangements and we talked, ate, slept toget..."
"YOU AND RAJIN!?" Fujin coughed, as Quistis dropped the brush on the floor, slapping her forehead,
"NO, no, it isn't like THAT. We shared a bed. Still do. He needed someone there that wouldn't leave... oh I'm sorry Fujin, I didn't mean anything by that" Quistis appologized, seeing the hurt look on Fujin's face. Quistis finished Fujin's hair in silence, topping it with a small veil connected to a silver Balambesque tiara. Now getting dressed herself, Quistis came out wearing her SeeD formal uniform, her whip slung at her side with her hair all done up and an intricate braided twist in the center of her head.
"LOVERS?"
Choking on her water, Quistis excused herself to clean around her mouth with a hankercheif, then returned to speak,
"I honestly cannot tell you. I mean, the attraction is there, but that's not what Rajin needed me for. He was afraid of sleeping alone, I slept beside him. He needed help planning the wedding, I gave it to him, he needed someone to talk to, I was there. We love each other, but not in that way. At least not yet. Funny thing is, I can't imagine not waking up beside him in the mornings, or going for walks in the atrium to splash water at each other beside the fountain, or try each other's food. It's going to be lonely going back to Balamb Garden without him."
Fujin smiled, so it was a good thing they left Rajiin for a while. She cocked her head to the side, examining the former instructor, who looked at Fujin a little surprised,
"Well I've certainly never said that before. Reminds me of the times we'd play Truth or Dare... except we'd never dare... okay sometimes we'd dare, but I'm babbling. We'd start with the most innocent question and end up twenty minutes later with some great truth revealed. Except here there aren't any gummy bears or marshmallows"
Before Fujin could ask, Selphie came barreling through the door.
"Hey guys! Whaa!!" Selphie yelped, tripping over the area rug and going kersplat onto a chair. Getting back up with the help of Quistis, she wiped her forehead and made a whooshing noise before stretching.
"Okay, uummm, YAH! YAY! weddings, I love weddings! But that ..wasn't the message... righto! Laguna said to tell Fujin that he's coming to bring you down the aisle, so to be ready by... well he'll be here in a minute. AH! I have to get ready!"
As Selphie flailed on her uniform and did her make-up, Quistis and Fujin looked at each other and smirked as Selphie hopped up with one boot on and the other goving her trouble as Laguna knocked.
Sticking his head in, he asked,
"Are you ready?"
-----------------------------
'Memory serves and guides us. It keeps us lingering in our past transgressions and most intimate moments. It delves deeper than time, relationships, in essense, it is the basic parts of ourselves worthy of rememberance. Think of it this way: If asked about your favourite song, if you have to sit and think to try and remember it, that song is not your favourite. Your favourite will be the tune that was floating into the cafe when he kissed you, or when the radio turned to the right song to ease your sorrow or help you dance. Those are the songs that mean the most and those are the moments that will never be taken away. Even if someday the trials of the hours are forgotten, something still remains: you. Your personality has been changed by the event and thus, although you have finite potential either way, past experiences dictate how your potential grows. Thusforth, all you have to do to remember is accept who you have become. The past cannot be changed, the future is set in motion, this moment is grinding to a stop, what choice do you make here. Now. When it matters more. Whatever you have done or accomplished is leading up to the choice before you. Shall I write? Shall I draw? What does it matter, if my words are irrelevant? It matters because my words might be read by only one, but that one might need to hear what I have to say, that person will sometime in the future of my writing this have the choice of reading this, will they? Will they listen or turn away, at the least I can stand and testify that I have written it. I can stand beside my lover on his box and call, for I had the choice to stand hidden and do nothing, but at any point I could have been redeemed by simply taking that step. So now I stand, broken as I am to testify not to the rebirth of my spirit, but to its growth and mending. I have said all I had been given to say, now after reading it, will you listen? Will it matter? Will you stand?'
- Nobus Ordo Saeclorum: on the final page.
Balamb summers are the best in the world for relaxing on the beaches, training in the forests, sipping esspresso outside a cafe and fishing on the dock. Balamb springs, however are not perfect for relaxing on the beach or training in the forests, but are ideal for sailing and catching the occasional Balamb flounder. Rajin had caught nothing, Fujin had contented herself to making patterns with her fishing rod in the water and Seifer we getting aggitated. Nothing. Not a single anchovy! What made things even better was that their boat had sprung a leak and the Balamb mechanics were taking too long to fix it. Then again, more time for fishing. . . whose idea was it to fish in the first place? . . . oh yeah, Rajin's. Seifer thought, watching the only dangling to be his old comfortable boots from the Sorceress War. At least Fujin seemed to be having fun, she was captivated by the circles her fishing tackle was making in the water when she tapped her rod.
Rajin's caught something, dammit! I wanted to catch the first fish! Seifer thought, standing up and throwing his rod onto the wooden dock. Fujin, who had stood due to Rajin almost knocking her off the dock looked over to her husband, raised her foot and kicked the dancing Rajin off the dock.
Seifer burst out in a hysterical laugh, as Rajin surfaced spitting out seaweed. Fujin simply smiled and watched Seifer doubling over until a familiar whirring could be heard over Rajin trying to climb on the dock.
Balamb Garden flew suspended in midair overtop the three, beyond Balamb's curved roofs to it's moorings in the north of the Balamb continent. Seifer had smiled a lot lately, knowing that at least most of the world had forgiven them, that some of the men and women he grew up with didn't hate him or wish him dead, waking up to Fujin's hair in his face, Rajin acting like his usual self all gave him excuse to smile. Suddenly it didn't matter if he didn't catch any fish, or the boat was going to be getting fixed longer, because the smell of the sea permiated everything, his family was right there and seeing Garden flying high reminded him that even if mistakes had been made and alliances altered, there is such a thing as turning back, such a thing as redemption.
Fujin came behind Seifer, laced her arms around his waist and kissed the back of his neck, nuzzling her forehead in the cradle between his neck and shoulder. Seifer laced their fingers, standing tall with his wife around him as Rajin crawled onto the dock and shook himself off, Quistis would be meeting them once Garden was properly docked, her and Rajin were trying out a double date to test the waters. Truth was, Rajin had fallen for her hook line and sinker and Seifer secretly hoped she cared at least a little.
"Fuu? Do you think this could work?"
"WHY?"
"I dunno, guess I just want Rajin to be happy, too"
Seifer could feel Fujin nodding, and turned himself around to face her,
"You're beautiful" he said, kissing her and letting his lips linger, Fujin looked up at him cocking her head as if to say even wearing this? She had put her old garb back on, too complete with eyepatch.
"Yeah, the patch adds a sort of sexy rebel look" the newlyweds started laughing as Fujin smacked Seifer across the chest and started tickling him.
"Hey, ya know! We gotta get ready, ya know, Quistis'll be here in a flash, eh!" Rajin said beyond the laughing, coming over to them and smiling nervously. Fujin looked him up and down before shaking her head with a smirk,
"PATHETIC!" she said, kicking him in the shin. Not as hard as she used to, but enough for Rajin to grab his shin and Seifer to start laughing, walk over and slapp him on the back, lifting his shoulders up higher than Seifer's own and grinning full force.
"Some things'll always be the same" Seifer grinned, Fujin sliding her arm around Seifer's waist as the three smiled at each other.
"But sometimes change is good" a voice came from behind them, turning, Rajin's face grew into a huge grin as one blonde newly-instated instructor came walking down the dock, her heeled boots clopped on the wood. Seifer nodded and Rajin broke away from the friendly bonding to wrap Quistis into a reciprocated bear hug. Amongst small talk like 'got a haircut, ya know' and 'Noticed, I like it', Quistis, Rajin, Fujin and Seifer walked to the restaurant and a beautiful starry night.
-------------------------------------------------
'Fujin gave me this journal for... okay so she connived me into recording my inner feelings or something. Not too thrilled, that's what sex is for. Whatever. Oh great, now I'm not only writing on coloured paper, but I'm beginning to sound like Squall. Before I'm going to have to burn the evidence and tell Fujin a dragon ate it, I better write something worth reading. . . . . . ... . .. . . .
Sun's shining somewhere over the collosal load of rain clouds, Fujin's taking a shower after we ran into a huge mud puddle when it was raining torrentially, Rajin's getting provisions for our next departure and I'm sitting in our Estharian Apartment with a wet head of hair and a dry sweater. Everything's calm, I can hear the shower running and can smell the flowers Fujin planted in pots around the place. Smells sweet, the rain was refreshing and I'm just glad everything seems to be going okay. Not amazing, people still stop us in the street and we've had to beat up on a couple punks who got hired to kidnap us and bring us to Galbadia, but other than those little excitements, life would be boring. Huh. Since when did sex all day, woman of my dreams and best friend sailing the world over, with not a material worry boring? Went back to Edea's House last voyage, place is doing alright, Matron's got some orphans she's taking care of and Cid was there visiting with Balamb Garden not far away. Fuj and I went out for drinks with Irvine and Selphie last week when they were on a mission to Esthar with Quistis, who went out for a night with Rajin, Selphie got plastered and spilled the dirty details of Irvine and her sneaking into each other's SeeD dorms and getting caught naked in bed on a wednesday morning. Fujin laughed so hard.
Funny how after only six months being married Fujin and I have become such the married couple. I mean, we finish each other's sentences if we speak at all, sometimes we'll go a whole day without saying a word, drives Rajin crazy. But that's alright, because if there's anything Fujin's taught me it's that sometimes the most powerful moments are silent. The look in her eyes is enough to tell me how much she's mine, how completely she loves me, and I hope my eyes say the same. I used to think having a woman meant dominating, loving her of course, but always having the control, always being the one in charge. Fujin gives me complete control, what I say goes, but the trust she has in me with that control reminds me that yeah, I've got her right where I want her, but I need her for so much more. So it ends up that she has complete control over me, visa versa, and the freedom that gives us makes the sex incredible, but it makes just living with her incredible too. I promised to love her as much as I could, everyday that love grows more, it blows me away. Wow, this journal thing really works... kudos to Fujin. You asked for it, love hope you can handle what I dish.
Later Fuu, the water stopped running, I'm going to go 'surprise' you.'
- Seifer's Journal-Thing... READ IT AND DIE!!! You know who you are... STOP! Look no further!!
Two Years Later,
" "Great things are not done by impulse, but
by a series of small things brought together."
•Vincent Van Gogh
Dear Maya,
Hope you find the quote true, darling. When you're old enough to read this your mother and I want you to know that no matter what you hear about the past, it can't be changed, but that's okay, because the future can be changed, all we have to do is the right thing. I know you're probably going to grow up thinking about the lameness of your parents, but remember: we used to be cool. So whatever you find yourself doing in life, I can't promise that we won't flip out, or throw a tantrum, or even be anything other than dissaproving, but we love you so much we're willing to let some things slide, catch you when you fall and praise you when you reach the top of what you wanted. When you want to cry, we'll cry with you, and offer you two very experienced shoulders, when you want to laugh, we'll grin along, when you fall in love some day, I can't promise I won't want to blow the guy's head off for not being good enough for my little girl, but that's what your mother's for. Remember that your mother's got me wrapped around her pinkie, so if you ever want something, ask her and what she says goes. Unless you are short a couple of gil to go out with friends, then come to me and one smile from your gorgeous face will wilt me into a big enough puddle of fatherly pride that you'll not only have a couple of gil, but whatever your heart desires.
We can't teach you much, but we can teach you how to fight for yourself and the cause your heart finds worthy of, just promise us you'll be careful and find a good enough cause to better the world for your kids some day. Fujin can teach you how to find peace and I can teach you how to cause havok, and maybe through learning from both of us you'll find balance.
Live each day like it's worth your life, whatever your hands find to do, do it well, be proud of who you are and what you are, look down to no one, but respect your elders. I hope that your road is not always easy, but you will have people around you to fall back on when you fall, laugh with when you're happy and cry with when you're sad. I hope you learn from your mistakes, and the mistakes of others around you and that you don't forget how much we will always love you. Even if brothers and sisters come around, you are unique, special and our gorgeous mischeif-maker. Welcome to the world, Maya Frey Almasy. We know you'll have one heck of a life.
Your parents,
Seifer and Fujin Almasy."
Seifer stood in Maya's room cradling the small baby, rocking her slowly as her tiny green eyes drifted shut and her mouth suckled at the warm bottle he held carefully up. Leaning against the door post, Fujin smiled watching her husband worship the little four month old even though she woke them with her crying at 3 in the morning and birds had begun chirping outside their window. Looking up, Seifer's smile grew wider as he motioned his wife over and she tip-toed up to kiss his bicep and watch their platinum-blonde haired daughter. Leaning down, Seifer kissed Fujin, trailing his lips up to whisper in her ear,
"She was hungry"
Eventually, Seifer put their child back in her crib, a gift from Laguna, and tucked her in, turning the moomba and chocobo mobile, a gift from Rajin, on. Checking around the room once more, Seifer leaned down and picked up a stuffed moogle or two from the floor and double checked his daughter's blanket. Fujin nudged him out of the door, leaving the baby monitor on the changing table, a gift from Quistis and Rajin, before pulling the door almost closed, walking into their bedroom and getting ambushed with a swept-off-the-floor kiss by Seifer. Moments like these make life awesome Fujin thought, as Seifer kissed down her neck and threw off her camisole as she snaked his pajama bottoms off.
In the morning, they woke up to the sun peeking under the cracks between the blinds and cooing from the baby monitor, Rajin had come in after staying with Quistis in Balamb for a couple days and was fawning over Maya. Holding each other for another small eternity they smiled, life couldn't get much better even if it got worse being a family would make weathering any storm more than possible, it would be bliss.
Cursum Perficio Fin