Chapter Nine---Hold On To Me
The next morning dawned grey and brooding. Similar to Dante's mood. Cale looked at the boy, looked to Matron, down at his breakfast and shrugged. He'd done what he could. Saedyn sat beside the young boy, exchanged a glance with him and continued on with her meal as well.
Aden walked down the stairs, a dazed look in his eye, as if something had just happened and he wasn't sure what to make of it. Stone followed soon after and Aliriael shared a wicked grin with her sister. Naughty boys.
"Aden? Are your things ready? Your Instructor will be here soon to pick you up." Aden had already set his things by the door. Dante glared at the door momentarily and then went back to ignoring everyone. Cale kicked his brother under the table. Hard. Dante cursed under his breath and looked up at Cale's soft eyes. Sighing, Dante stood and walked outside with Aden.
"...So, I'm sorry. I was an ass. I know. Forgive me?" Aden's face broke out into a grin as Stone walked out onto the porch with them.
"I was hoping you'd say something like that. I just don't want us to stop being friends. No matter what happens." Stone smiled at Aden, a special smile that was not lost on Dante, and held out his hand, palm up.
"No matter what." It was an oath. Dante placed a fist into the open palm as Aden covered it with his own hand.
"No matter what." They chorused.
Aliriael watched from her window as a man on a motorcycle pulled up the drive. She would be sad to see Aden go. He was fun and he made her feel welcome because Stone certainly didn't talk much and Dante simply refused to acknowledge her prescence. Arrogant bastard. Raising a brow, she studied the spikey haired blonde man intensly.
Blonde hair stuck up at impossible angles even though he'd been wearing a helmet and Aliriael could make out his intense blue eyes even from the house. He wasn't very tall, she didn't think, maybe 6'2. He seemed just as quiet and mysterious as Cale did... minus the eyeliner and french braids. This was Aden's Instructor? Interesting.
"Ali? What are you doing?" Sade's smooth voice broke her concentration on the man and she turned her sapphire eyes to her sister.
"That's Aden's Instructor. He doesn't seem like one. Look, he's even got an earring." Sade looked at out the window, studied the Instructor and turned back to her sister.
"So? With Aden leaving Dante's going to be in an even worse mood then usual and you know whose he's going to take it out on. Me. I am not excited about this. I can't wait to leave this place." Aliriael frowned.
"Why?"
"Because! I want to see the world, meet new people. No this little town mom and dad keep us in. I want to be trained, really trained. Like Aden will. Don't you want to get out of here?" Aliriael bit her lip. She liked it here, liked the friends she'd made at the orphanage that their parents let them play with. But Sade was right...she wanted more then this safe little world someone else had made for her. Aliriael wanted to make her own life with her sister.
"...Yeah...Maybe we should call Quistis...or Selphie." Sade nodded and went about doing so right then, feeling that being 13 gave her license to do as she saw fit.
"Will you not see him off?" Cale rolled his eyes. Again with her questions and such. Cale spent enough time in his head as it was. She only made things harder.
"Why? It's pointless. I'll see him sometime. Like when Dante and I go to Garden." The woman tsked and he frowned.
" Only teenagers are allowed in Garden. You are far too young. Forget this. Saedyn calls." Cale strained his ears but heard nothing.
"We are of likeness. She calls us with her mind. Her and her Mistress." Cale often wondered about this.
Saedyn had the same walking nightmares, the same horrible, violent and gruesome dreams and a voice in her head. The visions she did not wish to see any longer, the same sad past.They were much the same. But why was Sade so much more alive?
"And what if I don't wanna go?" Cale snapped. A sigh. The voice and figure vanished and he was left peace. Cale rolled his eyes and stood to find Sade.
"Instructor Strife, how nice to see you." Edea smiled warmly at the man but he didn't smile back. He simply handed a helmet to Aden (as the boys bike had been delivered earlier) and turned back to the woman, eyes quiet and intense.
"Cloud will do. I'll bring him by on vacations to visit." Edea nodded and hugged Aden, a heavy feeling in her heart. Aden turned away from her and found himself in Stone's embrace. Amethyst orbs met ruby. Very slowly, Stone closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together gently. Aden responded in kind, if not a little sadly, shocking everyone there.
Except maybe Aliriael and Sade, but they didn't count.
When Stone and Aden finally broke apart, faces flushed, Aden said his goodbyes and was soon gone.
Nothing would ever be the same.
A.n: Woot long chapter.
Sorceress Fujin: -whimpers- gack! here here here! -shoves the next chapter at her- DON'T HURT ME! Oh, as an after thought, you might want to hide from Becca. -shruggs- After that little Bloodless review I would be very afraid if I was you -looks up at her cutely-
Jack Hanek: Maybe it ,will maybe it wont. Aden's presence at another Garden I mean. Yea, damn bunnies. Are bunnies considered rodents? Yesh, more of Cale is very good because he's going to be a HUGE part of this story. It's always the little ones, lol. But yes, when he gets older he shall be smechxy and all the rabid reader fan girls will kidnap him from me - glares at Becca to keep away from my Cale- . Hah. My reviews are quite weird, lol. But hey, its fun! -pokes you-
Becca: -Hides behind a Alma and Edgar- somebody get that girl an anti-psychotic! Lol. Yes, shounen ai. But its TEENAGE shounen ai, not little boys. -doesn't know which is worse- I think I left- I mean saw your mind back in chapter three -grins innocently- Le Gasp! RENO! -tackles Reno and huggles him- I ish luuuuuvvv Reno. Hahah Until next time my lovlies!
i Ultimate!