Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV
Author: Garnet Eyes
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com
Last Updated: 03 Feb 2011
Summary: 28 September 1999 edition.
Rating: M
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil/Cecil x Rosa, implied Kain x Cecil x Rosa
Author Notes: ineluctable, adjective;
1. Impossible to avoid or evade; inevitable.
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.
...
It had been coming quite possibly since the first time emerald and chocolate eyes had locked, and Rosa knew it. Kain was too stubborn to admit anything and Cecil was too oblivious to the subtleties of emotions to pick up exactly what was happening, but it was only a matter of time. She wasn't a selfish woman under even the most dire of circumstances, and yet she could not help but feel that she should have done something, said something, to prevent the onslaught of grief that followed Kain's abrupt leave of their lives. Cecil didn't know that he was loved so powerfully that such emotion became a festering wound when not obviously returned in kind. And yet Rosa found herself watching and waiting and saying nothing as one of her dearest friends spiraled into self-destruction. She could see exactly what needed to be done, and yet her own emotions stayed her hand. She was not objective enough about this to be able to stand back and give her blessing, at least not back then, and it had grieved her ever since the dragoon had disappeared, lying completely silent and untraceable for seventeen years.
Kain being back meant the world to Cecil, even if he had never fully reconciled his emotions – he knew enough, now. Rosa could not bring herself to interfere, not even now, seeing her husband joined with another – someone who was not her – in their marriage bed. It hurt in many ways, but there was an underlying joy in seeing the man she loved with an expression of contentment on his sleep-relaxed features. Besides, this was a long time coming, and she did not begrudge Kain his poorly hidden love for their half-blood lunarian king. No, Cecil was very worthy of love, whether he understood that or not. She would not interfere, but she would not give up. The paladin loved her, that much was certain, and the dragoon was her longtime friend and never-acknowledged rival for Cecil's heart. But Cecil had unwittingly proven that he could love more than one person with the same strength of affection, so Rosa steeled herself to do the same. She did care for Kain, and she knew that he held affection for her as well, deep affection, and she hoped that that would be enough.
She was not a selfish woman, but she could not bear to give up Cecil Harvey. Not even to Kain.