Chapter Music: On a Day by Emilie Autumn
Rust on the Lock.
Chapter 2.
On a Day like This.
For the past five mornings and five evenings, Lexaeus has been standing at the kitchen window and looking towards the little apartment across from his. It is now the sixth morning and he is looking again, half-dressed, hair still messy from sleep, as he leans over the kitchen sink with a cup of strong tea. The cardboard is still on the little window, blocking the view in and out, showing nothing but bits of brown and dull colour. However, it's not that which is the most puzzling anymore. The baffling point of it all is that Lexaeus has not seen neither hide nor hair of the young man who covered the window in the first place. Not in the courtyard, not in the street outside the complex, not in any of the other windows.
"Dad, have you seen my gym kit?"
Lexaeus looks over his shoulder and sees Lex standing in the doorway, half-dressed in his yellow and black school uniform.
"Hmm. I think it's in the ironing pile, mate."
"Right." Instead of heading for the laundry, Lex walks over to his father's side, peeping out of the window with him. "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing."
"Then why are you looking out of the window if you are looking for anything?"
Lexaeus smiles with a sigh. "I was looking at the apartment across from here. I saw a man in there a few nights ago but not since then."
"…What did he look like?"
"Young, with long, slate hair."
"Oh, I saw him too."
"You did?"
"Yeah. He had a little kid with him."
Lexaeus turns to face Lex fully. "He did?"
"Yeah. He was about this big." Lex holds his arm out and shows his father a rough height, "and looked a lot like the older guy. I saw them getting out of a taxi a few nights ago."
"So he has a child with him?" Lexaeus purses his lips. It's very likely that they are father and son. It's a shame that people are producing off-spring at such tender ages. Children birthing children will never be a good thing, especially if they are raising them on their own. Lexaus is in his late thirties, and even he sometimes has trouble looking after his own child by himself since his wife passed away. With a frown, Lexaeus finishes his drink and stands up properly.
"Go and get dressed. You are going to be late for school."
"Do I have to go to school?" Lex moans. "No one wants to learn towards the end of the term, and it's getting boring now. Can I go to the bookstore with you instead?" He is practically pleading but Lexaeus just chuckles at his behaviour, shaking his head.
"You need to go to school, Lex. It's against the law for you to stay out of it. You don't want me to pay a big fine, do you?"
"No, Dad." Lex shakes his head. "I don't want that… although I doubt Squall would give you a fine anyway."
OOO
Squall doesn't feel like eating. He pushes the plate of scrambled eggs he made for himself away across the table. He had never been the greatest of chefs, and it's just a tasteless, rubbery mush.
He picks up the mug of coffee that Rinoa made for him and he gladly drinks it. The girl manages to even make a simple pot of coffee utterly delicious. She must put magic in it.
Slowly, stiffly, Squall leans back in his chair, letting his head dangle over the top so he could stare up at the kitchen ceiling. For the past three years, two mouths and twenty days, he has been doing roughly the same routine almost every day: sitting at the table, with coffee in his black mug within his grasp, contemplating everything. Mostly, he thinks about his line of work.
This new case is a real killer, no pun intended. The method of the actually killing is quite textbook standard. The old slash of a knife over the main artery and windpipe of the throat is a way used time-and-again, but the way the body was found is a little abnormal. The girl was found hanged up by her feet from a tree, a good half-of-a-meter off the ground. Since there was hardly any blood found on the ground, the reason that the girl was hang up like that must be so the murderer could collect as much blood as possible from the wound into a container.
Squall has studied and even taken part in cases were a murderer would collected parts of their victims for personal "souvenirs" of their misdeeds, something akin to hunting trophies. Parts like fingers, hair, teeth. He read up on one case one time about a police squad on the other side of the world somewhere hunting down a killer who took the victims' hearts, and they found his fridge full of jars, with the hearts flooding in alcohol to stop them from going rotten.
Blood, however, is a new one.
"Good news, Squall."
The man opens his eyes, and he can see Rinoa looking down at him, smiling as per usual. From the way Squall's head is positioned, she looks upside-down, as does the newspaper in her hands. The headline reads: SHIN-RA FACES TOUGH HEATING DEMONDS.
"Oh." Squall takes the paper and sits up properly, placing his coffee down on the table carefully. "I'm not front-page news anymore."
"Nope. You have been bumped back to pages two and three." Rinoa gives his shoulders a little squeeze. "Looks like Shin-Ra have taken your limelight. They've been having trouble with resources for the winter mouths, so people are worried it might mean higher costs…" She trails off, blinking at Squall's abandoned eggs. "Aren't you hungry?"
"My cooking tastes like plastic" the man shrugs, busy scan-reading the front page.
"Well, you have to eat something. I'll make you a bacon sandwich if you wish."
"No, no. You don't have to do that. I'm fine."
"Well… If you are not doing to eat your eggs, may I have them? It would be a shame to just throw them out."
"If you like the flavour of melted plastic, go for it."
Rinoa laughs softly as she shakes her head at the grump she calls her boyfriend. She sits down in the other chair and pulls the plate towards her, tucking in straight away. Squall looks up and smiles weakly at her. "Where do you put it all?"
"Don't be mean," Rinoa smiles, "I'm very hungry nowadays."
"I don't think it's just you" Squall says, still smiling weakly as he stands up and walks around the table to give his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek and he tickles her stomach, making her giggle. She bats his hand away.
"Shouldn't you be getting to work?" she asks.
"I wish I didn't have to." Squall sighs and makes his way to the bathroom back down the hallway. Rinoa follows, taking the scrambled eggs with her. She leans against the frame of the bathroom door, watching Squall shuffle around for the shampoo, turn on the shower and finally strip off.
"Don't you have to meet captains of the other police forces today?" she asks.
"Yeah." The man climbs into the bath and closes the rubber duck-patterned shower curtain around him. He pours some shampoo into the palm of his hand and starts to soup-up his hair. "To be honest, Rinoa, I wish I didn't have to do this case at all. Murder is never fun, and the ritual-styled death is sending shockwaves across the media. They hounded me at the press conference yesterday… The news reporters are nothing but hungry, rabid dogs, waiting to pick at this case like steak."
"Oh, Squall. Don't be like that." Rinoa pulls the curtain back a little bit, peaks around it and smiles. "I know you are a private man, and you don't like it when the media gets involved, but think of the… positives that may come out of this: A stronger link and alliance between the Kalm and Midgar forces, more respect, and maybe even more munny. It's not all doom and gloom. And it's almost Christmas. Stop acting like you have a lump of coal up your butt."
Squall chuckles. "Alright. Now if you don't mind, little lady, I'm trying to bathe. I want my privacy." He flicks water off his fingers onto her face and she yelps, backing away sharply.
"Squall! That's wasn't nice."
"Bye, Rinoa."
The girl huffs and walks out, off to get some bread to mop up the grease on her plate. Squall collects water in his hands, using them as a cup. He looks at his murky reflection, than splashes the water in his face. "The other captains better be good workers."
OOO
Work has been slow this morning, but that will likely change when people leave their own businesses and start on some early seasonal shopping. At this very moment, all that Lexaeus has to do is stock-take. He mutters his list back to himself in a low voice.
"We need more volumes of A Clockwork Orange, Animal Farm, Lolita and The Catcher in the Rye, and we are almost out of 1984 and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest-"
"Hey, Lexaeus!"
The man walks through the maze of bookcases over the cashier desk. Demyx is sat there, feet on table top, a newspaper on his lap. He is doing the crossword. "What is another word for "unreservedly enthusiastic"? Seven letters, L is the fourth letter."
"Zealous" Lexaeus answers without a second thought. Demyx scribbles the word into the little boxes as his elder sits down on the chair next to him, who writes their much needed titles into the stock book. "Have you read the front pages?"
"Are you talking about the Shin-Ra story or the ritual murder?"
"The latter."
"Yep, I did. Gruesome, isn't it?" Demyx pops the pen lid back onto his biro. "My mum started freaking out about it all. She's worried about the family's safety. She doesn't want any of us to go out after eight o'clock at night anymore."
"She's doing it out of love, Demyx." Lexaeus touches the ring on his left hand out of an old habit. "Women are like that over their children and loved ones."
"I know, but she's got the door fitted with extra bolt locks. I mean, it's not that she has any daughters. She's got all sons. The killer only targets girls, right?"
"They have only found one body, Dem. The female target talk is only a theory."
"What are you two slugabeds nattering on about?" Vexen walks in from the backroom, carrying a box which is still all taped up.
"We are discussing murder" Demyx smiles; "It was that or Shin-Ra cocking up again. What's in the box?"
"A new poetry collection," Vexen announces. He pulls his penknife out of his jacket pocket and cuts the tape along the cardboard flaps, opens the box and pulls out one of the books. It's a fancy-looking book with spiralled pink patterns and a title in bold capitals: LOVELESS. There is no author printed. Lexaeus takes one of the copies into his large hands and opens it up to the first page:
Prologue
When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end,
The Goddess descends from the of light and dark spread afar,
She guides us to bliss; Her gift everlasting.
"It would make a nice stocking-filler for a romantic," Lexaeus comments, turning the tome carefully around in his hands.
Vexen shrugs. "I personally find it a load of waffle, but maybe that's because I'm a grumpy old man."
"Who is the Goddess in this?"
"I'm not sure. It does not say. Just help me put these in the window display." As they take the book over to the store front, a loud ringing calls through the shop. "Get the phone, Demyx."
"Right-o." The boy spins his chair around, kicks off the desk and rides on the chair wheels over to the other side of the desk. He puts the phone receiver to his head. "The Original House of Pancakes."
"Demyx!"
"I mean, The Academic's Bookstore. Demyx Rivers speaking… Yep, we do home deliveries… Alright, just let me get the book." He reaches out and pulls the delivery book over, along with a pencil. "May I have your details?" He writes down the address, the titles, the dates and the prices down. "Done. You will have your order on the coming Saturday. Thank you for calling." He puts the phone down and shuts the book with a loud slam. "It's another gift order, Vex. The lady wants horror books for her kids."
"What is it with the children today and horror?" Vexen sighs, placing some of the LOVELESS books in tiny stands. "They all seem so obsessed with it. Like my Xaviera. She's into werewolves and Wicca at the moment. She even hung up some pentagrams in her bedroom window. The neighbours think there is something unholy about her."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Lexaeus smiles. "It's just the current fad, and all fads come and go with the times. Lex is into vampires at the moment, but you don't find him trying to bite people, do you?"
"Be as it may, I still find it a little unnerving." Vexen places the last book onto the pile. "I mean, when we were little, Lexaeus, we read nice book series, didn't we? Like The Famous Five and Just William, and girls read Milly-Molly-Mandy-"
"Who the hell is Milly-Molly-Whatsits?" Demyx asks, pulling a confused face the top of over his newspaper.
"She is a little before your time, Dem" Lexaeus tells him.
"I should say so" the boy smiles. "All I read as a kid was Horrid Henry."
"Why am I not surprised?" Vexen pulls his wallet from his trouser pocket, and throws it across the room. Demyx catches it out of reaction. "Do something useful and get lunch for all of us, will you Demyx?"
"Sure, sure." The boy stands, and pulls on his hoodie and coat from the back of the chair. "So, is it the usual for everyone?"
"The usual" Vexen and Lexaeus answer in unison.
"Right-o." With a hat on his head and gloves on his fingers, Demyx steps through the shop door and braves the cold wind. "See you in fifteen minutes or less."
OOO
"Lunch break finished five minutes ago."
Irvine and Selphie have been friends with Squall for years, since childhood, and they know what his "annoyed face" look like, and they are looking at his now. That is never a good sign. Never.
"What's the problem?" Irvine shrugs, talking around an mouthful of sandwich. "We've come back later then this before and you never bettered an eyelid."
"Well, that was those days," Squall growls. "This is today. Today is important."
"Squall, just because we have other forces coming in today," Selphie smiles, "doesn't mean you need to be stressed and uptight about it. Here, we got you something." She holds out a plastic cup of coffee and from her bag produces a wrapped-up triple-chocolate muffin from the bakery down the road.
"Thank you." Squall takes them both with a small smile. He un-wraps the muffin and takes a large bite out of it straight away, wolfing it down. His friends blink at him.
"Gees, Squall." Selphie crosses her arms at him. "Didn't you have breakfast?"
"No." Squall gulps down a mouthful of coffee as they walk into his office. "I tried to, but I lost interest. Now I'm really hungry." Food still tasted odd on his tongue. He knows that the muffin is one of the best pieces of pastry in town, but today it does not do anything for him. It's not the bakery's fault. Nevertheless, funny-tasting or not, he's starving.
Squall sits down in his chair and he is half-way through the large muffin already. "Today is important" he says again. "Meeting the police forces from Kalm and Midgar is a big step, especially for a case as sensitive as this. You two are the best… well, only sergeants that I have, so I'm counting on you to make a good example of our forces."
"Oh, come on, Squall. Give us some credit." Irvine dumps himself on the corner of the desk. "Since when have we made you look bad?"
"I can speak of five too many Christmas office parties for examples" Squall sighs, gulping down more coffee like a fish with water. "But seriously, I don't want to seem inferior in their eyes. This murder case is the biggest one since… I don't know what. It's a big deal at any rate-" There is a knock at the door, and the three of them jump up. Squall hides his muffin in the top drawer of his desk, and brushes the brown crumbs off his person. "Come in."
The door opens and in walks a man wearing a uniform very different from their own: young, blue-eyed, yet he possessed a stern look, with his blond, spiked hair tucked under his cap. Squall stands up and extends a hand over the desk towards him. "Cloud Strife, I presume."
"You presumed right." Captain Cloud takes the open hand and they shake in greeting. "Sorry we took so long. We had to take care of some business back in Kalm before coming over."
"We?"
They look towards the door and Cloud introduces his sergeants: a couple of strong-looking people, a man and a woman, both with black hair and kind eyes. "This is Zack Fair, and Tifa Lockhart. Both of them act as my second-in-command."
"Hello there." Being the ever-so-friendly character, Irvine slid up to Tifa and took her hand, completely ignoring Zack. "I'm Sergeant Irvine Kinneas." He puts an arm around her and he is a little too close for comfort, "and may I be the first to say it's nice to see more women in this line of work- Ah! Ah! My arm!" In a flash and a swift, artful movement, Irvine is at Tifa's mercy, his invading arm held and twisted tightly behind his back. It is a profressional monk-style hold, one he cannot break out of easily. "Alright, alright, I get it! No touching."
"No, not that," Tifa smiles, "you were just cocky for my liking."
"I'm starting to like her already" Selphie whispers to Squall, grinning broadly.
Cloud rolls his eyes. "Let him go, Tifa."
She does, and Irvine retreats behind Squall for safety. He rolls his shoulder a few times, checking that it still works.
"Where in hell did you get your training from?"
"Apart from basic policing?" the woman replies back, pushing her long, slick hair back. "I haven't had much training, unless you count a good few years in AVALANCE."
The three behind the desk blink, a little stunned. She can't mean that AVALANCE? The insane eco-terrorist insurgents from a while back? The ones who went to all-out war against Shin-Ra?
After a beat, Squall relaxes again, placing his fingertips together. "I thought I recognized you. You were the girl who owned 7th Heaven, their headquarters."
"Correct, sir."
Then Squall looks at Zack and Cloud. "So that makes you two the SOLDIERs who betrayed Shin-Ra and joined AVALANCE."
"Well, Cloud was never a real SOLDIER" Zack points out. "He's got the ego for it, but ended up being just an ordinary infantryman-"
"Thanks, Zack." Cloud stands in front of Squall and his expression becomes a little mor softer. "You don't mind working with AVALANCE members, do you?"
"Not as long as you are hard workers" Squall shrugs. "Despite your reputation, AVALANCE did a lot of good things for this world… although we did spend a good time fighting against you."
Cloud laughs once. "Ha. So by process of elimination, I'm guessing you are SeeD mercenary… Judging by your age, I'm guessing you're part of the orphan-project."
"Yes. All three of us." Squall nods to his two friends flagging either side of him. "We came on top of the class."
"Oh?" Cloud says, curious. "That's interesting." He looks over to his sergeants. "Captain Almasy said he came on top of the class too, right?" All at once, Squall, Irvine and Selphie freeze, staring at Cloud with different degrees of shock.
"…Please tell me you didn't just say Almasy" Irvine pleads, almost begged; and on cue, the door opens abruptly, and there is standing a ghost that Squall thought he left in his teenage years. A blond ghost, with piercing blue eyes and that damned twin scar across his face, the only thing still tying him and Squall together. Upon seeing Leonhart, Seifer the ghost blinks at him, visibly confused, than gives a laugh, shaking his head.
"I don't believe this. You three are in-charge here." He runs his fingers through his hair, as Squall's killer stare burns into him. "Who was daft enough to make that decision?" Confused, the Kalm police force is stuck in the middle of an amused Seifer and an angered Squall.
"Mm," Cloud smiles nervously, "you guys know each other?"
"We were in SeeD together" Squall explains, crossing his arms over his puffed-up chest. "It's nice seeing you again, Seifer."
"Now, now, Leonhart. We both know you are lying." Seifer takes a few steps closer, looking around the small office. It's smaller compared to his anyway. "But I guess we are stuck together on this case, so we better make the most of it."
"You're by yourself, Seifer?" Irvine asks flatly, just quirking his brow a touch.
The blond scoffs. "Of course not."
And in the doorway, two officers appeared. One is a male, tanned and bulky with black hair and dark eyes, strong-jawed and a piercing in the right eyebrow. The other is a woman, red-eyed and silvered-haired, an eye-patch over the left side of her face, a chakram attached to her belt for easy access. Seifer smiles in their direction, almost prideful. "This is-"
"I know you!" Zack blurts out, cutting the captain off. "Raijin and Fujin. You were with the Turks when we left and started AVALANCE. Why are you in the bloody police?"
"Change of scene" Fujin says, point-blank with a slightly shrug.
"The Turks were never our thing, ya know?" Fujin says, somewhat supporting her statement.
"What are you talking about? The Turks had munny coming out of their arses! Why would you leave that?"
"Zack, really." Tifa gives his a warming hit on the arm. "People have their reasons."
"But all that gold-!"
"We are all here for a serious case!" Squall doesn't normally shout but it seems appropriate for the current situation. He is meant to be in charge around here after all. "The murder case will need us all to work together, so no personal comments… please."
Seifer cocks an eyebrow, before returning to his normal, confided and cocky self. "Look. Us three have been travelling for a whole hour and haven't had lunch yet, so we are going to go get some before we start work. Is that alright with you? Captain?"
Squall huffs but kept calm. "Fine. Just hurry back." Actually, he is quite happy to see the back of Seifer and his lackeys. He breathes a silent sigh of relief as the door closes behind them.
"…We have to get some things for the car" Cloud says quietly. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes. I'm fine" Squall say, although he was a unsure himself. "I just… have a lot on my plate at the moment." Cloud gave him a little nod, than he and Zack leave the room. Tifa lingers behind, meeting Squall's eyes briefly.
"You have a bit of, um…" She points to the corner of her mouth, gives it a little lick with her tongue. Squall copies, and he can taste a blob of chocolate on his lips. Like an embarrassed schoolboy, he bows his head and swipes it off discreetly with a tissue from the box on the desk. Tifa just smiles kindly at him and leaves.
When the door is shut, Squall's head hits the head with a large bang! Startled, Selphie and Irvine jumped slightly in shock. They blinked at their deflated leader.
"Mm. Squall? Are you okay?"
The scarred man sighs. "Oh, mighty Bahamut, be nice for bloody once and strike me dead."
OOO
"What do you mean you are not a follower at all?"
Xaviera is looking at Lex with wide, almost rounded eyes, the iciness in her irises burning into him. He wishes he hadn't started talking about today's Mythical History lesson. They were talking about the different Gods and how They came to power to Xaviera on the walk home, since she is in a younger class to them, but they had forgotten how extreme of a follower she is. Lex shifts his backpack's weight and tightens his scarf around his neck to keep out the chill.
"Me and my dad just chose not to worship one" he explains. "It's not against the law or anything."
"Me and Daddy worship a God" Xaviera says promptly. "Do you know which?"
Dexter leans over towards Lex. "I bet everything I own on Shiva."
"Who do you follow, sweetie?" Xenia asks, smiling and playing along.
"We follow Shiva."
"What did I tell you?" Dexter grins.
"I don't see why out of all the Gods there are, you worship Shiva," Xosé sighs, "She is not the warmest of characters."
"Well, She is a Goddess of ice." Xaviera rolls her eyes, huffing at the older boy's stupidity. "I believe you are missing the point of Her powers."
"Odin is a better God anyway" the blue-haired lad says factually. "He is strong, brave, unwavering-"
"He has Sleipnir helping Him" Xaviera holler at him, "That's cheating."
"Guys, guys, guys," Dexter throws his arms around his two friend's shoulders, smiling cheerfully. "We all know that Shiva and Odin are brilliant but… Bahamut could always kick Their arses!"
"No way!"
Lex just rolls his eyes, and bumps himself onto one of the playground swings. They always do this after school. Lex's building is the closest to Balamb Academy, so they go there and stay in the central playground of the courtyard, until Demyx comes by in his car to pick everyone else up and take them home. Then Lex would normally go inside and have a sandwich. A nice toasted-cheese sandwich would be nice on a cold afternoon like this.
"Lex," Xaviera comes sulking over, grabbing onto the chains of the swing so he stays in place, making sure he can see her pitiful expression. "You're on my side, right? You agree that Shiva is far more superior, right?"
"I'm not a follower" Lex teases with a smile. "I shouldn't be taking part in the argument."
"Spoilsport!" The very annoyed little girl blonde tries to give him a shove, but Lex only sways on his swing a little bit. He's too heavy for her skinny arms to push. She turns around to Dexter and Xosé and pouts angrily, arms crossed over her flat chest. "Just admit you're wrong."
"Why are we the ones at fault?" Xosé asks, smirking at the girl's anger like he always does. He likes seeing the lass like this.
Xaviera furrows her brow. "You just are!"
"Hey, hey, hey. Don't fight." Xenia rubs her temple, the leather of her gloves kneading into her skin. "Your voices go right fucking through me."
"Charming." Dexter jumps onto the swing next to Lex, pumping his legs slightly. "…Has anyone else's parents freaked over with murder thing yet?"
"My dad told me not to go out on my own anymore," Lex shrugs. "He didn't seem so "freaked out" at that point."
"My mum's freaking" Dexter smiles, a little amused. "She got someone to change the locks yesterday, but Zell couldn't get in when he come home from work because he had the old keys, so we thought he was a burglar. We opened the door on him, and Demyx got him with a bucket of water, and Hayner hit his stomach with a baseball bat. It was really funny."
"Your family is like a comedy show at the best of times" Xosé says, rolling his yellow eyes. "You should film them."
"I put a camera in Hayner's bedroom once" Dexter admits. "He sang sometimes and it was horrible."
"Like that psycho bastard murderer could hurt us." Showing-off, Xenia does a few high kicks in the air, pumping her fists. "Us Jenova-kids will beat the motherfucking shit out of something like him in ten seconds flat."
"Someone's full of hot air and big-headed pride today" Lex mumbles to himself, smirking under his hair. He jumps as a fist nearly, nearly collides with his face. If he leans forward an inch, half-an-inch, he would feel the supple leather of the glove against his nose.
"You better not be insulting me, Stone" Xenia growls with a menacing grin, teeth and retainer bared. "If you are, I will have to fight you for my honour."
Lex chuckles and gently grabs her wrist, pulling her hard fist out of the way. "I rather not fight a monk when I am still tired. How about I replace honour with sweets from the corner shop?" Surprising him, Xaviera's long, pale arms wrap around his neck from behind.
"I like jawbreakers" she smiles with a very sickly-sweet smile.
"Can you get me some liquorish, junior?" Dexter asks with cheek.
"Just a can of pop for me," Xosé adds.
Lex rolls his eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll do a candy run. Hopefully the shop is still open."
OOO
"Excuse me? Are you still open?"
Cid puts down his newspaper and looks over the counter, his cigarette still hanging from his mouth. Standing on the other side, the costumer side, is a boy- No, a young man. Well, you can't blame Cid for mistaking the guy for being a minor. He's kind of small, and waif-like, the mechanic thinks, but that sharp jaw line and nose, those wide shoulders and his voice just had to belong to someone in his twenties at least.
"Yeah. We're open all night." Snubbing the fag-end in the ashtray, Cid stands up and puts on his "greeting the clients" smile. "What can I help you with, mate?"
"I know that you deal in car parts mostly," the young man says confidently, pushing slate hair out of his face, just to have it fall into his sight again, "but I understand that you have everyday appliances too. You wouldn't have a decent radio that you can sell to me, would you?"
Cid chews down a smirk - the thought of a little guy talking so informative and directly to him is somewhat amusing - and he stretches the coarse stubble on his chin in thought.
"Well, I think I have some radios that you may like." He walks over to one of the workbenches, digs through the metal and tools, looking for something the kid may fancy. He finds a second-hand one; digital but an old model. Cid had to tinker with it a lot but got it working in the end. "There's this one. I know it is a little battered but I gave it a tune-up not too long ago and works just as good as new. It was originally hundred-and fifty, but I'll sell it to you for just fifty munny, cash. Deal?"
"That's very generous of you" the boy smiles, rather tiredly. "I'll take it." From his inside breast pocket, he pulls out a wad of notes and counts out five tens. Cid's eyes widen at the cash. There was got to be at least a couple ten-thousand in his bony little hands. Where does a kid like him get gold like that?
Quietly, the boy takes the radio, places it into his open shoulder bag and presses the munny into the older man's open palm. "Here you go. Good evening, sir."
And then the boy just leaves, walking straight into the night, out of the door. Cid walks over towards the door and looks outside. The boy is gone by the time he reaches the door. It's fucking cold out there, so Cid closes the door and shivers. Lad's going to freeze out there with his coat open like that… and maybe mugged if he leaves that bag open too, showing off his radio to the world. Kids are such risk-takers these days.
OOO
Maxi is standing on the edge of the rooftop and is having the time of his life.
He likes this building. It's big and it even has a basement level. It is the place linking all three apartment blocks together, meeting underneath the courtyard. Maxi has already explored floor-zero this evening, and he found some interesting junk down there. It's amazing what people throw out. It's like a treasure trove down there, although it is pretty stinky too.
Now Maxi is at the polar opposite of the basement: the roof. The wind feels good on his face and neck, and it is messing up his hair playfully, making his pyjama top billow a little to whip against to his bare tummy and chest. He doesn't shiver.
Yes, yes. He knows his father told him to stay in the flat, but he can't help it. Maxi is a curious little thing. He likes to know where he is, where he is currently living. It's to get familiar with his temporary home, and it's not like he is down in the playground, where any old Tom, Dick or Harry-
What's that shouting?
Quickly, Maxi jumps off the raised edge onto the tar of the roof and hides behind the ledge, peeking down towards the courtyard below.
There are children down there - five of them, two girls and three boys - around and about the swing set. A group of friends still dressed in their school uniforms from the look of it. It looks like they are having fun, fooling about the place and laughing loudly. It's a very nice scene.
Maxi has- had friends once. He was friends with three other boys and three girls, and they were some of the greatest mates a kid could want. They cared for him, made sure that their youngest buddy was happy and safe… then he had to leave them. And now Maxi may not be friends with them ever again. He would like to play with another child again. His dad plays with him when he can, but it's not the same as playing with kids your own age.
Propping his chin on his arms, Maxi studies the group. Like a pack of wolves, they have a leader, and it seems that the leader of their pack, the alpha is the biggest, strongest-looking boy. He looks attractive in the old-fashioned way, with curly, brown hair and slightly angled features. He looks interesting to Maxi. He would be a great friend. He looks like one at any rate.
Maxi remembers what Zexion said to him: "Don't get involved with anyone's lives. Stay away from everyone," but he said something similar about stealing clothes from the markets. The child just does it anyway, and his father just rolls his eyes and repeats the sentence again and again. It lost all meaning years ago.
Maybe if Maxi just meets one of the children, the eldest one, when the others leave and the sky gets a little darker…
OOO
It's quite dark now.
The others left for home half-an-hour ago, but Lex doesn't feel like going inside just yet. He sits down on one of the playground swings again and kicks slightly, making it sway. It's so peaceful tonight. There are no stars, being so cloudy but he doesn't mind. It just makes things seem darker, and he is not afraid of the dark. Only little babies are scared of the dark, and he isn't a baby… but the groaning noises of the bare trees bending in the wind is a little unnerving-
No, no. This is his home. Lex has been living here for years, since he was little. This is his playground, his domain. He owns this patch of ground. It's his right to claim it. There are not that many other kids in the apartment complex, and he was being here the longest, so he has first dibs on the swings, on the slide, but other kids can play here. He isn't greedy and mean, and defiantly not a bully.
Suddenly, something flickers in the corner in his eye. It was a cat maybe or a bird? No, it's too big to be any of them, but it moved so shiftily, just like a small animal running from its predator.
"…Hello?" he says, cautious. He stands up from the swing and looks around, turning around a full 360 degrees.
There is something blue finding in the shadows. He whips around. He defiantly sees something- someone standing against the wall, peeping around the corner.
It's the little boy.
It's the pale, little slate-haired boy that Lex saw on that cloudy night a few evenings ago. He can see him properly now. He's round-faced, with some puppy fat on his cheeks. His long hair is a little unkempt, and he looks very tired, with shadows cupping his eyes… and what eyes! Big, blue, shining ones, swallowing up any light close by. The milky moon looks dull and boring in comparison.
Lex stands up, taking a few small steps towards him. The little boy looks a little timid, and Lex can't blame him. Strangers are scary, aren't they? Being friendly, Lex puts on a warm smile and uses a soft voice.
"Hi there."
The boy shuffled up closer against wall, taking a half-step back. Lex's mouth tenses slightly. That was not the reaction he was hoping to get. He takes a deep breath and smiles again, not willing to give up so easily.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to harm you. I'm not like that…" He trails off, seeing the boy's clothes for the first time. They are stripy winter pyjamas and they don't look very appropriate for being out in the cold. Lex blinks, confused. He points at the boy's odd outfit. "Aren't you cold?" The little boy shakes his head timidly. Lex crosses his arms over his chest, tilting his head a touch. "What's wrong? Can't you talk?" The boy nods his head; yes, he can talk. Lex blinks again. "Aren't you going to say something then?" A brief pause, then the boy shrugs. Lex laughs at his stubbornness. "Well, alright then. My name's Lex. What's yours?"
"…Maximus." The younger child's voice is small and soft. "But I prefer Maxi."
"Well, Maxi, where do you come from?" Lex asks, trying to make conversation.
"I came from up there." Maxi points at to the covered window. "I came down from that apartment."
Lex laughs softly and shakes his head. "No, no. That's not what I meant… You're new around here. Where were you originally from?"
"…I'm not sure" Maxi says, stepping away from the wall a little bit. Lex looks confused and Maxi looks down at the ground. "…We move around a lot," he explains. "I don't really remember the place where I was born."
"Oh, well, you must have gone back to visit from time to time?"
"No. Not really."
Lex didn't understand. He himself was not born in the Gardens, but moved from his hometown of Icicle when he was five. They have relatives up there, so his father plans winter vacations from time to time to see them and the wonderful snowfalls. They couldn't go this year because of low funding for the trip. Why didn't Maxi know his birthplace? Lex tries to think of something else.
"…That guy you moved in with, he is your…?"
"My papa," Maxi answers. What an old-fashioned word. Lex hasn't really heard children around the area call their own fathers that.
"Well, your dad must have told you about your birthplace" Lex says factually. Maxi sucks his bottom lip lightly, making it a pale, flushed pink colour, so it looks like it's wearing a faint coating of lipstick.
"He might have… He doesn't really…" Maxi doesn't finish in sentence, leaving it handling in the air. Lex shifts uncomfortably in the silence. He looks downward, and then he notices the second odd quirk about Maxi: his lack of footwear. He's not even wearing any socks. Lex can see his little, pixie-like toes, a little dusty-looking and pale against the tarmac. Lex raises his brows.
"Where are your shoes?"
Maxi looks down at his own feet, like they are a completely new discovery. "I forgot to put them on."
"…I …see…" That made no sense at all. Everyone puts on their shoes before going outside in the cold. Lex didn't know why nor how Maxi could forget such a thing. "…You must be awfully cold."
"I'm not. Really I'm not" Maxi insists. "I'm fine."
Lex is really concerned now. Maybe he should go and find someone. Where was Maxi's dad anyway? Surely he should make sure his son dresses properly before going outside. Then Lex sees the third strange thing about Maxi: he has a bruise under his left eye. Lex couldn't really tell at first because the eyes are quite shadowed already, but the bruise looks more black, red and blue then purple. It's like someone has hit him. Lex tries to touch the child's face.
"What happened to your eye?"
Maxi flinches and moves out of reach. He covers the bruise with his hand and looks down to the ground, like he is ashamed of himself. He's frowning.
"It's nothing. It will go away soon."
Lex feels worried. "Are you sure you are alright? You don't seem-"
"I better go."
"No, wait. Don't go. Maybe I can help you…"
Maxi runs off towards his own building, turns his key in the lock and escapes through the doors quicker than lightning. Lex races after him but the door slams shut in his face, the bolt lock setting in with a heavy clunk. He rubs vapour off the window and looks in, but Maxi is already out of sight.
Defeated and sad, Lex walks away from the door and stands in the middle of the courtyard., to look up towards the covered window with a deep frown. Maxi lives there, maybe in poverty. Maybe he is walking around a kitchen in just his pyjamas, looking for something to eat, or going to his bed to try and sleep. Or maybe… he is crying. Maybe Lex said something to make him cry and he didn't want to do so in sight of older boy, because that can be embarrassing.
Lex doesn't want to be outside anymore. He starts to walk towards his own building, thinking. All that strange behaviour could have been a cry for help, and Maxi stared to bottle it when he tried to speak. He might be in trouble. Once safe and sound inside the apartment, Lex tugs off his coat and hat, and goes into his bedroom. He doesn't switch on the light, but instead he pulls his desk chair over to the window. He sits down and watches Maxi's apartment. The bathroom light is on and he can only see a blurred figure through the frosted glass. The kid is properly going to have a bath and warm up. That's good. Lex smiles at the thought. He's very, very tired now.
OOO
There is a type of sleepiness that is close to drunkenness. That is what Squall is experiencing right now.
After making sure the door is completely locked and bolted, the captain makes his and uneasy walk towards the bedroom. It's late, and Rinoa is very likely in bed asleep, so Squall is trying his up-most hardest not to be too noisy, but that is hard to do so when he is bumping into the wall and why do the squeaky floorboards always sound louder when a tired or drunk person is waking over them?
Not that Squall is drunk, by the way. Squall is the type of man that looks after himself, the type that watches what he consumes and visits the gym often, without turning his health into an overblown obsession. He's just the type of guy who cares about himself just enough, so he never ever makes himself blind drunk.
He manages to find the bedroom in the end, and in the dim moonlight he can make out a Rinoa-sized lump in the bed under the covers. He has to be super quiet now. Rinoa is an extremely light-sleeper. Any noise may wake her up. As skilful as a tipsy ninja, he tiptoes over to the bed, slipping out of his shoes, dumping his policeman's jacket, undoing his belt. Being too busy with his buttons, he doesn't see the bedside table and bangs his foot against it, and the pain stings more than normal by tenfold.
"Ssshit."
"Squall, is that you?"
"Good evening."
Rinoa switches on the lamp, laminating the room. By the side of the bed, Squall is hopping up and down on his good foot, his hurt one in the grasp of hands. "Sorry… Did I wake you?"
"No. I've been waiting up for you." The girl makes him sit down and she looks over his foot carefully. "Where have you been? I was getting worried. I should have phone up the station and asked, I guess."
"I was working on the murder case." With a yawn, Squall rests his heavy head against her shoulder, closing his eyes. "Now I'm shattered."
"Oh, my poor Squall." With the mannerisms of a nanny - behaviour which she has practiced too often with her boyfriend - Rinoa ruffles his hair and starts to unbutton his shirt for him, getting the man ready for bed. "It's not fair being you, is it sweetie?"
"No, it's not." As Squall shakes his head, it lolls about in every direction, the pulse points pounding. "It sucks being me at the moment."
"Oh?" Rinoa frowns and pouts a little. "Surely not everything sucks." Squall looks up and sees her face, now feeling a little guilty. He reaches up and cups her cheek in his hand, putting on his most charming smile.
"Everything but you, Rinoa." They look at each other for quite some time, than Rinoa breaks down and starts to giggle behind her hand. Squall scowls. "I was trying to be charming, and you're not really helping."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry." The woman manages to calm down and kisses his cheek. "It's just sweet, is all."
"So you laugh at sweet things?" Squall huffs. He turns his back on her like a child in a sissy-fit. "I'm not going to do sweet things anymore if that is the case."
"Sorry, Squall. You just caught me off-guard." Standing up, fluffing up the pillows, Rinoa pushes him back to slouch against the cushions, pulling the covers around him. She knows that Squall hates being babied like this, so that's why she does it, to annoy him in her own caring way. At least he's too tired to care tonight. As the captain finally settles down, she perches herself on his lap, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck. "Now, what is really annoying you?"
Squall sighs, closing his eyes. "…Seifer."
"Seifer?" Riona arches a brow and ponders. "Why does that name sound so familiar?" To help her remember, Squall reaches over to the collection of framed photos they have on the bedside table and shows her his SeeD class snapshot, point to the blond lad in the middle. Rinoa makes an understanding noise. "Oh. That Seifer. Yes, I remember you talking about him now. I thought you said he moved to Midgar."
"He did," Squall mumbles, "and he became the captain of the Midgar police force."
"Ah. I see." Rinoa lowers her head a little, drawing circles into her lover's chest. "Well, maybe you can get past your squabbles and-"
"I don't think so, Rinoa." Squall snubs out her hope quicker than a flash. "Seifer obviously thinks that he's better than me. He became the captain of the capital while I'm just in charge of a small town, not moving on from this place."
"Oh, goodness sake," Rinoa rolls her eyes, "you are like a child, Squall. Who said that the two of you were in competition? This is one of those guy things, isn't it? You're trying to out-macho each other."
"We are not-" Before Squall can even continue with his moaning, Rinoa presses a finger to his lips to shut him up. The woman pulls one of those amused but fed-up expressions.
"No more ranting for you tonight, mister" she sighs. "It's late and you need to sleep."
"…Fine." Squall finally gives up and relaxes his shoulders, if not pouting a little bit. "I guess you're right, Rinoa. You're normally right about this sort of stuff." With a weak, sleepy smile, he plants a kiss on her brow and gives her a squeeze, trying not to crush her. "How about we shut up about my crummy day, huh?" He rests his hand over her stomach, looking at it lovingly. There was hardly anything there, just a swell rather than a bump, but it's still early days. "How has the day been for you two?"
"Well, while the babe has been getting a free ride all day, I've been having bad heartburn" Rinoa sighs with a smirk.
"Doesn't heartburn mean the baby will have lots of hair?" Squall asks. He runs his fingers through his girlfriend's long, silky locks. "I bet it will have lots of lovely hair like you."
"Is that your sweet, charming side again?" the woman teases. The captain furrows his brow at her again, then smirks as he rolls them over and starts to attack her with nimble fingers and skilful lips. Rinoa yelps and giggles madly, giving up on trying pushing him away. It is nice being home again, Squall thinks.
OOO
Lexaeus is home. Finally.
He's returned later than normal. Hopefully Lex has made himself dinner and everything. As he turns the key so the engine stops grumbling, Lexaeus checks the dashboard clock - 22:10. Damn, that's pretty late. Lex better not have stayed up for him.
With a tired mumble, Lexaeus gets out of the car and locks its doors. Tugging his scarf tighter around his neck, he places his large hands into his coat pockets and walks around the side of the building. He's almost home and he can't wait to get inside, get comfortable and have a quick nightcap to help he get to sleep. Just thinking about his bed was making him sleepy.
As he turns the corner, he pauses. At the door of the second, smaller building, someone is struggling with their belongings. They are on their knees, rummaging through their cloth bag with curses tumbling over his lips. They have a radio standing next to them.
Lexaeus knows him, sort of. It's the boy from all those nights ago. It was the one in the window. Lexaeus can recognize his shiny, silver hair.
Something else silver and shiny shimmers in the moonlight, and Lexaeus almost steps on it with his heavy boots, feeling it knock against his foot. From the muddy grass, he picks up a set of keys. Obviously, they must belong to the flustered boy by the door. Playing the friendly neighbour act, Lexaeus walks over the grass towards the other building, the ring dangling from his index finger, making little tingling noises as the keys clattered together. As soon as he is in hearing distance, he speaks up.
"Mm. Excuse me-"
The boy leaped back up, backing up against the door, startled. His eyes - his very pretty blue eyes, Lexaeus notes - are wide and startled, like a deer in highlights. His slim flat chest is heaving. Now that Lexaeus is standing right in front of him, he can see the lad properly for the first time. He is an attentive young man, with a touch of femininity in his eyes, a boyish appearance to his slender body, and his features were soft yet defined. He's very pale, almost washed-out in the lamppost light. His breath pours out of between his lips like dragon mist. He's like a ghost. Lexaeus puts on his best smile for him.
"Sorry for startling you" he says soothingly. "I just found these on the ground." He holds up the keys a little higher; to the boy's (pretty) eye level. The boy blinks at the man curiously, like it's all a trap, then glances at the set of keys, before looking back at Lexaeus. Always staring at the stranger, he unhooks the keys from the long finger, and shows a brief, weak smile before bowing his head.
"Thank you."
He turns fully around to face the door and puts a key into the lock, rattling it about. It doesn't work. Cursing softly, he tries another key. Lexaeus shifts from one foot to another and speaks.
"I'm Lexaeus, by the way. Lexaeus Stone."
The boy pauses briefly, looks up at the man through his hair and smiles weakly again. "I'm Zexion Read." He turns back to the door. The next key doesn't work either. It's back to silence again.
Lexaeus purses his lips. "I'm not wanted, am I?"
Zexion freezes all together, the key still in his hand and in the lock. He turns his body around fully and looks up at the large man. "…Excuse me?"
"Don't you want to be around me?" Lexaeus asks, looking a little sad. "Is that why you're desperate to get inside?"
"Oh, no, no. It's not like that." Zexion shakes his head over and over again, looking hopeless. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to get away from you. I just…" He pauses, biting down on the bottom lip softly as he finds an excuse. "I just want to get inside. My son-"
"Papa!"
The two man look up towards the little bathroom window of Zexion's apartment, and see the little, frail-looking boy peeking out from it. He is dressed in bathrobe, and his hair is dripping water everywhere. He waves down at Zexion, happy to see him. Almost shyly, Zexion smiles and waves back, before the lad disappears back inside, locking the window behind him.
Lexaeus chuckles. "Who was that?"
"Maximus," Zexion sighs. "My son… I better go inside and sort the bathroom out. He's not very good at tidying up."
"Then I better not keep you." Lexaeus rubs the back of his neck. "You know, if you are ever free, you can come around to my place and we can share a drink or two, to get to know one another, if you like."
"…I would like that." Zexion smiles at the offer, but his eyes look sad. He extends a bare hand. "It's been nice meeting you."
Lexaeus takes hold of the slim hand and they shake. A shiver passes through his strong frame. Even with his gloves on, he can feel cold radiating off Zexion's smooth skin, penetrating through the thick material.
"Gods, you're freezing." Lexaeus cups the small hand careful in both of his huge palms. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, thank you." Zexion pulls his hand away slowly and picks up his bag. "Don't worry about me." He turns the key - the last key - in the lock and it opens the bolt with a clunk. He pushes the heavy door open with little strain. "Goodnight, Lexaeus."
"Yeah. Goodnight to you too, Zexion."
The door closes behind the boy, and Lexaeus is left along in the dark. With a tired sigh, he makes his way to his own building, hands deep in his pockets as he searches for his own keys. He gets through the door, walks up the stairwell, reaching his front door and he is finally home. Granted, it's a very quiet, seemingly deserted home.
"Lex, I'm back… Lex?" The man looks around the flat, switching on lights as he goes, but cannot see his son anywhere. "…Maybe he's got to bed" Lexaeus tells himself under his breath, so he goes to the boy's bedroom. He opens the door and blinks. Lex is indeed asleep, but he is fully-clothed and doubled-over in his chair, head on the windowsill. That can't be comfortable, but somehow Lex is sleeping peaceful, cheek against the cold surface. He must have been exhausted. With a smile, Lexaeus leans down and shakes the lad's shoulders. "Lex. Wake up."
"Hmm. Wha?" Lex slowly lifts his head, eyes full of sleeps. He looks up at Lexaeus and rubs his lashes clear. "Oh. It's you, Dad. Hello."
"Hello to you too," Lexaeus draws the curtains of the window shut, "you shouldn't be sleeping in the window, mate. It's not healthy." He helps him up, running his finger through the boy's soft curls. "Get into your pyjamas, and I'll make us some milky tea."
"Mm, alright," Lex nods his head slightly, frowning. "That sounds nice… Can I talk to you about something, Dad?"
Lexaeus pulls a wary face. "Why do you look so sad? Has something happened at school?"
"No, it's not me" Lex reassures him. "Can we talk though?"
"Sure. You can tell me anything." Lexaeus kisses the boy's crown, nuzzling his tresses. "Just get ready for bed and come into the kitchen when you are ready."
Lexaeus goes to brew the tea for two, fishing out some ginger biscuits from the cupboard. Like clockwork, when the kettle stops boiling, Lex comes into the kitchen and they sit down at the table, son on the father's lap.
"Now… what's wrong?"
"…You know that child I told you about this morning" Lex mumbles over his favourite mug.
"You mean Maximus. Yes, I saw his father outside. What about him?"
"Well, I met him tonight… sort of. He kind of run off, because I think he was shy, or scared… but something was off about him." The boy tilts his head to a different angle, so he is looking at Lexaeus. "He wasn't wearing warm clothes and… he had bruising under his eye, right here." He touches the spot under his left eye and flinches just thinking about it. "I'm a little worried about him, Dad… Do you think his dad beats him up?"
Lexaeus hopes not. Beating up children is low and a cowardly act. And that Maximus looks like a very fragile child. It wouldn't take much to break a bone in that little body… then again, Zexion doesn't seem to be the type of guy to hit his own son.
"…I'm sure he isn't going to be in any danger, little one."
"But I'm really worried about Maxi, Dad." Lex tugs at the man's sleeve. "You were a police officer. Can't you get some of the force to check on him?"
"I don't have that type of power anymore, Lex…" The man gives his hand a comforting squeeze. "But if it will put your mind at ease, I'll go around tomorrow and talk to Zexion."
"Will you?"
"Yes. I promise."
"Thanks, Dad." Lex gives the man a kiss on the cheek, smiling slightly. "I better get to bed. Goodnight, and don't stay up too late."
"I won't," Lexaeus chuckles, "goodnight, darling." He lets Lex slip off his lap and watches the boy pad out of the kitchen. Now alone again, Lexaeus picks up the child's used mug and takes it over to the sink. With his own drink still steaming in his hands, he leans against the counter and stares out of the window, towards the boarded-up window across the way. He watches and waits, but he can't see anybody. This is the sixth night he has done this.