"Irvine, I need you to do a favor for me." Selphie cooed sweetly.
I looked up from my tipped hat and book and saw a splash of pale yellow in front of me. Selphie was standing there wearing one of her favorite yellow sundresses. Her hair was decorated with white flowers, and for once it wasn't flipped up. Selphie was never one for make-up but today she had went all out. It wasn't too much but it looked good nonetheless.
"And what would that be?" I asked coolly.
"Well if you're going to be like that then never mind."
"Selph…I'm really not in the mood. I've had a bad day."
Her eyes welled up with a pool of tears.
"Oh god Selphie…don't cry. I'm sorry." I said softly as I pulled her into my lap. She snuggled into my arms and sighed. "What did you want me to do?"
She looked up into my eyes with her own shimmering green ones and smiled slightly.
"I have plans today to visit Trabia. They want to interview me for a teaching position. But I also promised that I would watch Trenton for Seifer."
"I see where this is going. You want me to watch him for you?"
"Please?"
I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily.
"Oh I suppose."
"Thank you so much." Selphie giggled as she kissed me furiously. "Rinoa will drop him off in like 10 minutes.
It was a sad story with this little one. Trenton wasn't even one year old yet and his life was already a living hell. His father was Sorceress Ultimecia's Knight and his mother was none other than Rinoa Heartilly herself. How it came all about nobody is sure. Nobody will tell exactly how little Trenton came to be in this world. And that's how it will probably stay.
Rinoa has Trenton part of the time while Seifer has him the other. Squall and Rinoa are struggling to make their marriage work but they fight a lot. Squall doesn't accept Trenton as a living being. He says that anything related to Seifer isn't alive to begin with. Almasys don't have hearts, so therefore they cannot be alive. Squall has a strange way of saying he hates the little tike. But the look on his face when he looks at Trenton says it all. Even Quistis is disgusted by the whole thing. She scowls at Rinoa all the time and has shunned Seifer from her presence. Zell has always hated Seifer, so he can't help but harbor some ill emotions towards the toddler. Problem is…Zell adores Rinoa. So he has a hard time deciding if he truly dislikes Trenton. Then that leaves Selphie and I. Selphie is the kind to forgive and forget. She doesn't care how Trenton came into this world; she loves him all the same. She's always volunteering to baby sit. Sometimes I wonder if she remembers who kid he really is? Selphie would make the perfect mother, though.
And then there's me…
Do I hate Trenton? No, I don't. Do I hate Seifer? I don't think I do. I mean, I'm angry with him for what he did but it's in the past. And much like Zell, I adore Rinoa. I'd protect her with my life. Hell, I'd do that for any of my friends. I'd even do it for Trenton.
Before I knew it, Trenton was sitting in a bassinet in the adjacent room and Selphie was out the door. Before I could even register what was going on, Trenton began to cry.
"Oh man…this is gonna be a long day."
I walked over to the bassinet and peeked in. There the little green eye wonder lay, crying with all that he could.
"What's got you so upset?" I picked him up and checked him over. Everything seemed to be fine. "Selphie fed and changed you before she left. What else could you want?"
The little one just stared at me, his tears still streaming, and his cries still very audible.
"I know, I'll sing to you. How would you like that?"
I sat him down on the couch and pulled out my guitar. I sat next to him and thought for a moment.
"Any requests? How about you're grandma's song?"
I tuned for a few seconds then went into it.
"I never sang my songs…"
Trenton just wailed even louder.
"Okay…sorry. It's not my favorite either."
I sat back against the couch and lifted my hat to scratch my head.
"Ahh…how about this one. Matron used to sing this one to us when we were little. Always made me feel safe and loved."
I plucked a few notes and then began.
"Baby mine, don't you cry
Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part, baby of mine…"
Trenton looked over at me, his cries starting to soften into whimpers. He grasped the air in front of him for something.
"What? You like that song?"
He began to sniffle and cry a little harder.
"Don't cry Trenton. I'll sing some more."
I bent over him to cover him up a little more when he grabbed my hat off my head.
"So you wanna be a cowboy? Give me a second. I'll get you something that's more your size."
I ran to the bedroom and rummaged through a pile of teddy bears on a hope chest. I pulled out the cowboy one Selphie had bought me for my birthday and removed its hat.
"There you go." I announced as I placed the perfectly sized Stetson on Trenton's head. He smiled at me with gleaming eyes.
"Shall I continue my song now?"
Before I got a chance to start playing he began to cry again.
"I guess that's a yes… okay then…
Little one when you play
Don't you mind what they say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear, baby of mine…"
Trenton's frown slowly curved upwards into a warm smile. He began to coo gently as he listened to me sing. I smiled at him and giggled slightly. I was amazed at myself that I was actually soothing him with this song. I then put the guitar down and picked him up into my embrace. I walked around the house rocking him gently, still singing.
"If they knew sweet little you
They'd end up loving you too
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for
The right to hold you…"
I watched as his eyes started to become heavy.
"You can fall asleep little guy. I still sing to you."
He yawned and stretched, causing me to yawn as well. I wandered back over to the couch and sat down, laying him on my chest. He looked up at me with sleepy eyes that begged me to continue the song.
"From your head down to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows
But you're so precious to me
Cute as can be, baby of mine…"
I yawned again before I could get out the next verse. I noted that he was almost asleep as I tried to finish the song.
"All those people who scold you
What they'd give just for
The right to hold you…"
(Selphie's POV)
The interview had gone well and I was completely worn out from all the running around I had done today. Rinoa caught me in the hallway as I approached my room.
"Hey Selphie. You think Irvine's got Trenton ready to go?"
"I dunno. Let's take a look."
Rinoa and I walked into the room slowly but I stopped her not that far in.
"What's wrong?"
"Listen Rin…hear that?"
"Is that Irvine? But why does he keep yawning?"
"Shhh…" I scolded her.
"From your head yawn down to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows
But you're yawn so precious to me
Sweet yawn as can be, baby of mine…"
I eventually let Rinoa and I walk completely into the room to find Irvine fast asleep on the couch, Trenton sleeping on his chest. I cocked my head slightly and smiled gently.
"Baby of mine…" I sang, finishing the song for Irvine.
I pulled a blanket over the two of them as I lead Rinoa out of the room.
"Let 'em sleep for now." I told her. "They look too cute to pull apart."
"They are sweet together. And did you see that little cowboy hat on Trenton's head? That was so adorable. Irvine's gonna make a great father one of these days." Rinoa smiled
"Try in like nine months." I grinned.
"Are you serious?! This is wonderful." Rinoa cheered.
After a good 15 minutes of Rinoa congratulating me, we parted ways and she said that she would pick up Trenton later. I wandered back into my room to find them still sleeping. So I let them be and walked into the bedroom and sat in my favorite chair. I grabbed the hatless teddy bear and held him close to me.
"So precious to me
Sweet as can be
Baby of mine…" I sang softly to the teddy bear and myself.
Irvine would make the perfect father…I was lucky to have him in my life.
