Chapter Twenty: You Came Back

"So," Wyvern looked into my eyes, "you came back."

The two of us were back where we first met – well I met her – on the cobbles down by the dock in Balamb and it felt strangely homely considering it was a piece of ground. I knelt next to her and delicately put a hand onto her shoulder. She closed her eyes and gently lent her head on my hand.

"Yeah," I saw how different I was and grinned, "I came back. Know why?"

Wyvern lay back onto the cobbles where I'd pulled her out of water, my hand slipping away from her.

"I don't know. To gloat?" A small smile danced across her face and her captivating turquoise eyes glimmered playfully.

A faint memory of my first meeting with Gaia crossed my mind at 'gloat' and a faint tweak on the corner of my mouth appeared and disappeared in a flash. My gaze fell upon her slight figure watching the stars.

"Guess," I leaned forward and carefully planted a kiss on her forehead.

"But there is one thing I forgot to do when I first pulled you out of the water," I added.

Wyvern looked curious, "What?"

"The kiss of life," and with that I finally kissed her full on the lips.

After a while we both lay on the Balamb cobbles, stargazing, and then I abruptly sat up.

"I came back for you – and to give you this," I told her and she sat up with me, her face a picture of bewilderment.

"Give me what?" she asked uncertainly.

I took a deep breath and slowly took my silver choker off from around my neck; a little reluctantly I have to say. I mean, I really do like this choker and have never parted with it. Ever.

"I've worn it since I can remember," I explained softly as I put it around her neck, "so I reckon you can work out how precious it is to me. I want you to have it so you don't have to worry if I wander off, that I won't come back. No-one keeps this without me coming back to look at and touch it. Along with the person attached to it," I finished and added a sly smile as I ran a hand along the cool metal plate and Wyvern opened her mouth in surprise and felt the choker delicately, brushing my own fingers as she did.

"Seifer – I – thank you," she said clumsily and grew embarrassed, touching her hair worriedly and looking away from me.

"I have nothing to give you in return," she said in a small voice and I sighed.

"You don't have to. Your love is enough for me... I can't believe I just said that," I replied with a nervous chuckle and watched the stars again, allowing Wyvern to sit thoughtfully and stare into the calm rippling ocean that nearly matched the beauty of her eyes.

She paused for a moment, before taking out her blades and slipping a hand into one of the sheaths. After a few moments before pulling out a spare black wing charm that she has dangling from the handles of her blades. She looped it around my neck and hooked it together at the back, before sheathing her weapons.

I felt my new choker on my neck and smiled.

Wyvern helplessly extended her hands and said, "I had to give you something. You think that you can just give me something and expect me not to give you a gift back? Lucky that I'm a quick thinker," she smiled as I grinned back at her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Thanks, my neck was feeling kind of bare now I've parted with a treasured possession," I ran a finger along the wing charm and she felt her own new choker lovingly.

"Well, mine isn't as precious, but it definitely has sentimental value," she came back with and we fell into a comfortable silence, just looking at either the stars, or out to sea.

A few minutes of silence later and I said, "So, you were scared I wouldn't come back?"

Wyvern didn't look at me.

"Nope. I was bloody terrified. But I won't be anymore," she added, her eyes gazing far out over I suspect where Galbadia Garden is.

After a while Wyvern turned her head to me.

"So, no Ryden is going to come after me and try and kill me or Kaira?" she asked with her playful smirk – the one she did when she was trying not to smile and be serious.

I laughed, "Not today and probably not for quite some time. I think we can safely say we have sorted Ryden out for good, Wyvern. And if Cid lets him off and he tries, he'll have me to deal with."

"Well good. I'm freezing, let's get out of here and head over to the hotel," she got up and dusted herself down. I joined her and gently ran my hand down her scars. She took note with a questioning glance.

"A forgotten memory, now. It's in the past. Gone," she said with a small smile and let me touch them without flinching.

"I'm just so... I don't know, fascinated by them," I apologetically explained, with a small shake of my head, as if to clear it.

She shook her head, "Don't worry, I don't mind. What if I did this," she ran a finger down my scar across my nose and I gave an embarrassed laugh.

"Hey, stop it. That tickles," I shied away realising how weird it was to be fascinated by her scars.

Wyvern put a hand a hand on her hip, "Well, there you go. That's what I used to feel like."

I retracted my hand and instead held it out to Wyvern, who took it.

"Okay, then. Let's go," I sighed, wishing we could stay here forever.

So, hand in hand, we strolled back.

The moon lit our way and I was truly happy.

Man, I really have changed.

END

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