'Tis here! The epilogue! Anyway, I'm really proud of my success with this story, and am really sad to see it end. But, with every closed door, another one opens. I've found that my favorite subject in fan-fiction is FF8, so expect a lot more weirdness or fluffy stuff from me. Okay, if you hadn't read it, this is split into two epilogues. If you'd rather for a fluffy ending in the PAST, read the second one. If you'd like a fluffy ending in the PRESENT, read the first one, or just read both! Alas, you can't escape from the fluff. No one who reads this can escape from the fluff.
I don't own Albertsons or Starbucks, or anything else in this fanfiction. -sighs- I would like to own Starbucks, though. FREE COFFEE!
Epilogue 1: Albertsons
Rinoa smiled as she watched Squall. Having left him at the counter of Starbucks while she and the others went shopping in different aisles, she had now arrived to see his nose buried in a book. It wouldn't have been quite as funny if it had been a normal book. Heck, Selphie wouldn't be taping it if it wasn't remotely funny. No, the book Squall was so intently reading was a romance book.
Quite honestly, bringing them all to Albertsons had been a mistake. You couldn't really trust Zell in the beverage section, nor Irvine and Selphie in the bakery section. Thus, it had taken great precision to send everyone to the right lanes. Rinoa had gone into the bakery section, picking up a cake for Zell's birthday. Irvine and Selphie had gone into the pet-food section for Angelo, Zell to pick up vegetables, Quistis, who could be trusted anywhere, really, had gone to pick up more Dr. Pepper (Squall's favorite drink), and Squall had been given the easy task of getting Starbucks coffee for their energy. The woman who was supposed to be giving them their coffee was staring at him in dismay, the six cups of Starbucks lying unattended.
"He doesn't even notice us!" Selphie whispered, moving to get a better angle at the book he was reading. She was using the video camera she hadn't even left at home ever since she had gotten that tape of the party. In the meanwhile, Squall was fascinated. How could someone combine such a vulgar subject with such amazing writing? He had been reading for the past hour or so, and the weird thing was… he had been replacing the names with the names of people he had known. He wasn't doing it on purpose, it just… happened. And, of course, Squall was unaware of the others watching him in amusement. That is… until Rinoa alerted him as such.
"Squall? You can put the book down, we got the stuff." He was reading the last page, he couldn't be bothered! Then… he realized where he was.
"Holy God!" he snapped, sitting up and throwing the book far away. Selphie began laughing her butt off, camera shaking intensely. The sales woman, noticing the camera for the first time, walked to her and flicked off the screen.
"No filming allowed."
"It's okay, I got the good stuff!" she laughed, slipping it back into its case (which hung from a belt around her waist). Squall picked up some of the coffee and walked away, looking unbelievably embarrassed. Leaving the others to head to the car, Rinoa held Squall back, arms filled with groceries.
"You okay?" she asked him.
"Yeah… yeah, I just… err… I… you know, I…" Rinoa laughed and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"It's okay; I won't hold it against you." Squall smiled, then stopped before they walked across the street. "Squall?"
"I'll… be right back." Disappearing back into Albertsons, he walked up to the car five minutes later, a parcel wrapped under his arm. "Okay, let's go."
"FIIINALLY! You guys take forever, what were you buying?" Seifer yelled, sitting in the driver's seat. Normally Squall would protest, as Seifer could never be trusted in a driver's seat, but something else was on his mind. The absurdity of it was slightly annoying, yet… well, he didn't need to prove it to himself. He knew Rinoa understood him, and that was enough. Though, he never would know why he had changed the name of the girl from "Serra" to "Ashimoka". Maybe it had something to do with Starbucks…
Fin
Epilogue Two: Two Years Later
Squall paced back and forth, the beginnings of a beard growing in on his face. He had been awake for three days straight; nothing seemed to be going right. Currently in Rinoa's… his… house, were Seifer, scar still visible across his nose, Irvine, looking the same as ever, Laguna, whose hair was even more speckled with grey, and Zell, asleep on the couch. They, however, were not looking as… disheveled as he did, except for Laguna, who looked as though he was going to be sick.
"She's been in there forever!" Squall said finally, stopping and staring at the others. Irvine shrugged, Zell snored, Laguna didn't do anything, and Seifer stood up.
"It takes a while, you know," he said, going to stand by a window. "Imagine how it was for a werewolf. All that fur… they come out wolfen, you know."
"Oh, how would you know?" Squall snapped, running a hand through his hair. "It's not like, before you came back, that you could have convinced anyone to…" At a look from Seifer, Squall's eyes widened. "Oh… then?"
"Died," Seifer said simply, turning his face back to the window. "And the little monster with her." Squall's eyes were downcast, he looked almost cowed.
"Ohhh!" Laguna moaned, putting his head in his hands. "I can't stand it! I have to go in there!"
"No!" Irvine said, sitting up sharply. All were startled by his outburst, but not as startled as Irvine was himself. "It'll only worry her, or cause Selphie and Quistis to screw up. Besides, I'm sure everything is fine."
"It is," Ashimoka said, stepping into the room with a bit of a smile on her face. She brushed something off her skirt that spattered onto the floor; it looked something like blood. Squall shivered, not really wanting to know what was going on in that room yet needing to.
"Is she…?" he asked, heart trembling. Ashimoka nodded, the smile still gracing her face. Ever since two years ago, she had grown to a young woman and had filled out quite a bit, but the three scars were still visible, same as Seifer's.
"Perfectly fine, though in a bit of pain. 'S good that your dad brought that medicine. If we didn't have it, she'd be in much more pain." Squall nodded and flung himself onto a couch, rubbing the spot between his eyes.
"Personally, I can't believe it," Irvine said, smiling. "You," he laughed, "you're the last person I'd ever expect to be a-" He was then interrupted by a shrill cry, startling Squall enough to make him jump up.
"Rinoa!" he said, attempting to walk into the back room, but was stopped by an arm, thrust in front of him.
"Don't, Squall." Seifer's face looked deadly serious, more serious than anyone had seen it in two years. Two years… so much had changed… enemies turned to friends… love grew… people grew. "You'll startle her. That's what happened to… anyway, just don't. Quistis and Selphie will come get us when we can go in." Squall looked at his friend and sighed, flopping back down onto the couch.
"I just can't leave her in there on her own." Laguna looked at Squall and smiled, eyes looking watery. Squall could only hope that he wasn't going to start crying on him. He felt his body reverberate, almost as though something very large and very loud was deep inside him, purring. After even more waiting, something came from the back room: cries, mostly. There was a cry of pain, a cry of happiness, several shrieks, and… what? A shrill, louder cry, with a tint of hunger to it. Everyone's heads raised as Zell snorted and sat up.
"Is it?" Laguna said, his voice high-pitched and squeaky. After minutes of waiting that felt like years, Quistis emerged from the back room, looking clean, yet bedraggled. She must have washed up before coming out, which Squall was grateful for. Seifer walked up to her, a look of worry on his face.
"Well?" he said, looking almost more apprehensive than Squall. Quistis smiled, circles outlining her eyes as well.
"They're both fine. Rinoa's really tired, she's almost asleep." She turned to Squall, her smile looking a bit more faded from lack of sleep. "You can go in." He smiled at her, before carefully treading down the hallway and into their room. Inside was Selphie, collapsed on a chair, asleep, and Rinoa, lying in the center of the bed. She looked as tired as the rest of them did, but even more so. Her eyes were half-open, smiling vaguely at a little bundle that lay in her arms. The instant she saw Squall, her eyes misted over, the chocolate brown blurred by the haze of tears threatening to fall.
"Squall…" she whispered, her free hand reaching out to him. He felt his eyes mist over as well, seeing the little bundle stir and tiny flesh-colored sticks poked out of the blanket. "He's a boy." She handed the blankets to Squall, who caught sight of a small baby, black hair and grey eyes shining. "Okkoto," Rinoa whispered. Squall looked surprised.
"Are you sure? That's an… eccentric name, isn't it?" Squall asked, looking at the baby in his arms.
"Yes… it feels right, you know?" Squall smiled at her, laying the baby… Okkoto… next to her and giving her a light kiss on the lips.
"Sleep. The baby is in good hands." Rinoa smiled at him again and obligingly closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep. He picked up the baby again, a swelling in his heart that he couldn't really explain… it was sort of familiar to the feeling he had had on his and Rinoa's wedding day a year ago.
"Where is he?" Laguna asked, springing to his feet and running to observe the bundle in Squall's arms. Irvine, Zell, and Seifer followed suit, marveling at the tiny child. Squall handed the baby to his grandfather, leaving Laguna's face to split with delight. He left the baby in hopefully good hands… almost having regrets of leaving him with the incompetent elderly man that was his father… He stepped outside, the rolling prairies winking merrily at him. So many feelings ran through him at once… love, confusion, maybe even… fear?
"Hey," a voice said. Squall turned, to see Seifer walk out. "Something wrong?" he asked, standing next to Squall and scratching his ear like a wolf would, but with his hand instead of his foot.
"I… don't understand anymore. I-" Seifer sighed; they still didn't look at each other, gazes focused on the distant mountains.
"You don't have to understand," he snapped. "I didn't. I was proud of her… of us… of our baby. It's this flood of emotions. Love, wonder, and confusion. I didn't understand it until… she died. Then I felt it all over again, with a new emotion. Pain. It was part of the reason that I became Ultimecia's right hand man. Wolf," he corrected himself with the shadow of a grin. "I became heartless…. I wanted protection from Ultimecia, at first… and then I lost her and our child; my heart was torn out and I stopped caring… and then… when I saw you and Rinoa, I… something triggered inside of me. I changed." Squall nodded, turning to face Seifer.
"Thank you. I… don't have to understand. I see that now." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. How welcome his bed would be right now… "I'm tired; will you make sure Laguna doesn't drop Okkoto?" Seifer looked surprised, and then he smiled.
"Of course. Sleep well, my friend." They smiled at each other, until Squall walked into the back room and slid into the bed behind Rinoa. Wrapping his arms around her, he smiled gently, inhaling the scent of her hair. He wasn't worried anymore. He had his wife, beautiful son, friends, a father… a perfect beginning to a perfect ending. As he drifted off to sleep, a last thought ran through his head: What will come, will come… and I'll just have to meet it when it does.
Fin
Kitsu- Pacd du oy too!
Lady Rinoa- Thanks for your compliments; I'm sure this was sappy enough.
Sammy Chan- Smiles all around! I'm glad it's finished… though sad at the same time.
Ej- What's Naria? I… hope that was a compliment? XD
darkrose76- -is pretending she isn't horrified by your lack of grammar- Uhm… thank you? XD
The first one was more intended to make people laugh, as I can't really picture Squall reading a romance book. -pauses- HE SKIPPED THE NAUGHTY PARTS, OKAY? -coughs- Anyway, I feel like Seifer and Squall… confoozled. Sad that it's over… yet happy that I no longer have the stress of attempting to finish this story. Now I'll have another story on my mind. You weren't expecting Rinoa to have a baby, were you? -grins- I'm full of surprises. I hope you all migrate to my next story; I'll miss you guys if you're not there.
Best wishes,
Grieverwings
Afternote: I wrote this a while ago, and decided to post it today. Another game gone… -sighs- I hate the ending to FFX. Makes me sad… anyway, just to clear things up so people aren't eewwwy like, they cleaned the sheets before Squall sat on them, mmkay? Spankies. It was like a custom back in the old west (yes, I researched this, I'm a nerd that way). Before midwives let anyone see the baby, they had the mother stand up so they could clean the sheets. No mother wants to lay in a nasty bed. I sure as heck wouldn't.
