Selphie Kinneas

Roses

The Sniper's Rose

Chapter Ten- Three Words

Irvine set up their tents, and the rest of their camp. Selphie sat at the edge and watched her family enjoy their vacation, without her.

"Selph…" Irvine sighed as he sat down beside her. "Don't mope round' here cause of them, we're going to have fu…" Selphie was no longer listening, her eyes were red tears rolled softly down her pale cheeks.

"I'm sorry," She said quickly, she wiped her tears and rushed towards her father.

"Selphie!" Irvine called as he raced after her.

Selphie stopped a few feet from the man. His hair was brown like her, but his eyes were brown. He turned around to Selphie.

"Can I help you miss?" He asked politely,

"Wha?" Selphie gasped.

"Wait a minute… you look very familiar. Have we met before?" He asked. Selphie's eyes started to flicker with anger.

"That depends." She replied bitterly.

"Oh Dirk dear!" A shrill girly voice called. A long slim lady with a bony face and a long nose came towards the Mr. Tilmitt and wrapped her arms around him hastily. "We were waiting dumpling." She said sassily. Mr. Tilmitt snapped his fingers and ignored his wife.

"I know! You look so much like my daughter, what was her name? Serie, Sally, Sepie, Sefie, Selphie!" He replied as if he had discovered something.

"Oh do I?" Selphie said more cold than ever.

"Oh, Selphie, that obnoxious one right Dirk? The one in Balamb, the best idea you had sending her there." The slim lady said snottily. Selphie felt the wind from her lungs sweep away. Her throat became dry and breathing became difficult. A hand appeared at her shoulder it was Irvine.

"Selphie?" She said quietly, "I don't know any Selphie."

"Really? Well you sure do look like her." Dirk replied. Irvine realized Selphie's tight situation and spoke up.

"I'm Hazel, and this is my……… wife Destiny. We're on our honeymoon. Don't mind us we'll be leaving." He said quickly as he pulled Selphie away.

(I think Hazel is a girl name, and Destiny a guy name, oh well who cares?)

By the time Selphie and Irvine had made it to camp she was in tears.

"I'm sorry Irvine. I just wanted to know…if he cared. I WAS WRONG!" Irvine looked at Selphie, she seemed so helpless and tiny to the world.

You're not smiling… the smile I always see when I see you. NO! You have to smile Selphie! Please! Irvine grasped her shoulders and pulled her near the tent. "You have to smile." He whispered, with that that he gave her a long kiss. He pulled away and looked at Selphie's surprised face, "I can't stand to see you unhappy Selphie. Please smile." He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "No one ever smiled at me before you… damnit! You have to smile, please Selphie."

"What did you say?" Selphie asked awkwardly. Irvine looked at Selphie with a puzzled look.

"What did I say?"

"You've never had someone smile at you?" Irvine's eyes widened, I said that!? His face broke into a grin.

"No Sefie, you're the first one."

"You know…there's a lot I don't know about you." She whispered quietly.

"I trust you Selphie, I'll tell you."

Five minutes later

Irvine and Selphie sat under the silver moonlight sprawled over the grass. Irvine arm cushioned his head and Selphie's.

"My hometown was in the Centra, the small town of Cannyal. My parents joined the Sorceress War and died. I was left with my uncle then, he lived in Braiha, the neighboring city. My uncle promised to take care of me till my parents returned. He wasn't all nice, and he never smiled, but he treated me well till I was able to work and clean. He schooled me academically at least. I was told to do his bidding, it didn't bother me. I had chances to meet people and see the town. After my uncle realized my parents were taking a long time to return, he decided to find them. He took me to some office where he found out my parents had died a long time ago. Knowing my parents weren't coming back, he sent me to the orphanage.

"I was scared, but some man adopted me a little while later. He took me to his home, but he wasn't looking for a 'son' but more of a…bodyguard. He trained me hard, till I was 16. I became mastered with the gun. I hated it all, training all day and everyday, but I hadn't a choice. I'd die if I didn't do what I was told. I made it through. I didn't go to school or anything, I was just trained hard to be a sniper. And now I've met you, what else to say?"

Selphie closed her eyes. "I thought I had it bad."

"Hey, look at you, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." I love you Selphie.

"That's so sweet." You're the best thing that's happened to me too.

The next morning

Irvine opened his eyes to the steamy sunlight he looked to his side, Selphie had fell asleep beside him. Irvine patted her head ever so softly. He quietly exited the tent to the crisp morning air. His day was going to be beautiful, just like Selphie. A pair of footsteps quietly advanced towards him.

Their shadows painted themselves on the ground. Irvine, always equipped, spun around quickly with a hand over his rifle. To his surprise two familiar figures stood there in long navy coat with a thin small symbol of a arrow with a 'G' shaped blade. There was a female with long blonde hair and hair bright red tips, and a tall muscular man.

"Mary? Roy?" He asked puzzled.

"It's been some time Kinneas. Having fun?" Mary snickered evilly.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Irvine scowled.

"It's been two months, more I think." Roy answered deeply as he scratched his head dumbly.

"You've had enough play time, we have to go." Mary said hastily.

"You're going to order me?" Irvine asked coolly as he pulled out his rifle.

"Kinneas! This is no fun and games! I'm dead serious."

"Bloody Mary, of all the blood you've shed, I have no fear in shedding yours." Irvine replied with a grim smirk. Mary took a step back in fear, of all things a soldier in the G.A.E.R.O should know; realize a officer stronger than you can easily kill you without difficulty. Everyone knew not to bother Irvine Kinneas, at least if you wanted to keep your life.

"I'm equipped." She whispered as she reached for her katana.

"I am too, everyone's asleep, no witnesses. And look, an ocean to bury you in? Hoy fun this will be." Irvine continued to smile coolly. Mary was now frightened to death but didn't' show it much. Roy clenched his fists, but he was as helpless as Mary to Irvine. "I'd leave if I were you, but look, I'M NOT. I'm the Irvine Kinneas, the one who has never been caught, or injured easily. I don't give a damn if boss sends an army after me, tell him I could give a grat's ass." Mary's eyes were squinted and she had backed away several feet.

"I can't believe you would jeopardize your life, career, and name just to live a life you know…" Mary quieted down to a melancholy tone, "a life you know will never be your reality." Mary and Roy turned their backs and disappeared into the distance leaving Irvine with a blank gaze. He dropped his rifle, what was he doing? He could never live this life for long. His fingerprints, his actions, his looks were soon going to unravel his identity.

"Irvy?" The innocent voice of Selphie called. Irvine turned around to her angelic smile.

"Yeah?"

"How long have you been awake?"

"Not long."

"O-ok." Irvine realized something was on Selphie's mind.

"So what's up? Have a good sleep?"

(Just get your mind out of the gutter! Just because they fell asleep by each other doesn't mean anything happened ya'll perverts!)

"It was good." Selphie said quietly. "Irvine…I need to tell you something." She stepped carefully towards him and buried her face in his chest. "I love you." She cried. Irvine stood dumbstruck as the three words echoed through his head. Selphie raised her face, "Did you hear me? I said I love you Irvine."

I can't believe you would jeopardize your life, career, and name just to live a life you know… a life you know will never be your reality.

"You don't mean that Selphie." Irvine said quickly. The brunet shook her head as Irvine stepped away, "Selphie, how well do you really know me? How can you say 'I love you' if you don't know me that well!?" Selphie gulped as her soft cheeks became bright red.

"S-sorry… but the part I know, I just thought maybe you thought the same."

"I didn't mean it like that…" Selphie vanished behind the tent flap. Irvine slapped his forehead, what was he doing?

Selphie closed the tent behind her as she spread her hands on her face, I'm such an idiot! I knew I was going to fast… I should have waited.

Irvine dropped on the ground. I LOVE YOU TOO SELPHIE! Just, I don't want to hurt you. But I'll always love you Selphie Tilmitt.

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