A.N. For the full version of this chapter, meaning the sex scene please visit or send me a private message requesting it. I don't care which you do, I'll go there and send it to you myself. Thank you guys for reading and leaving a review if you'd like. I'll see that my friend gets them.
...
Rakuta heaved a heavy sigh of relief when, the shorter of The Brothers finally fell to his knees in defeat. It wasn't that they were particularly tough or anything, but that the team had been exhausted from the start of the battle. Going through The Tomb of the Unknown King was no joke. The other teams had come back with horror stories of taking one tunnel just to end up back at the start, when they assumed that they were nearing their destination. They all, of course, thought it was a lot of crap and were sure that they'd be done with it by lunch but the days dragged on, and they remained lost. They wouldn't even have known that days were passing if it weren't for Luna's glow-in-the-dark watch.
And the trip through was no greater on the girls end because the boys would just stand off to the side, whip 'em out and take a leak- right in front of them- like it were no big deal! And call Eurydice crazy, but seeing the penis of her teammates was not something she cared for in the least. Especially when knowing that Phineas still has a crush on her. She's not stupid, a girl knows these things. She and Luna, however, would excuse themselves around a far off corner or curve, and relieve themselves then. Food was sparse, if not all together gone and they were running out of patients with one another. Even Irvine had lost his chipper mood and hung in the back of them, with a glum expression on his face. Eventually, he told them to take the Hansel and Grettal approach and leave things behind so they know where they've been, and it thankfully worked like a charm. They actually could have kicked themselves for not doing that in the first place. Wander wasn't the only thing wearing on them as Buels, Armadodos, and other annoying monsters have swarmed the cave like mosquitos would to a barbecue.
"And thank Hyne all we have to do now is pick up our shit to get out!" Phineas explained very eloquently. You can always count on him for that much.
Irvine returned The Brothers to his command. They seemed happy to be back. Since being released a few days early, to when the group was scheduled to come try their hand at capturing them, they've been hanging out in their old squatting place getting on one anothers' nerves.
"Commander, can we stop for something to eat in Deling first? I'm dying for a cheese burger." Rakuta asks.
"Me too! With lots of onions- and bacon." Luna chimes in.
"If someone just said bacon, I'm in." Phineas stretched his arms up over his head. Cocking his head from left to right, he listens for that satisfying pop, before dropping his arms and following behind the others.
Irvine's mood brightens and a smile spreads across his, thin, lips. "Yeah, I could eat. We'll have something in the hotel's restaurant."
"Ohhh no, not me." Phineas declares. "I'm in Deling for the first time, and I wanna really enjoy a night out- that's okay, isn't it?"
"Do what you want." He bends over to pick up a pen he had left to marker a place in the catacombs. "Just be back by train departure."
"Thanks!" With a bit more pep in his step, the male trudges on ahead; picking up items as he goes.
"Then its alright if I stay out too? I wanna hit the arcade." Luna's pleading eyes shine beneath her fluttering lashes.
It was unnecessary, Irvine hadn't even looked the girls way. "Go ahead."
"Yes! You're the best commander in the whole Garden."
Eurydice begged to differ at the moment. Something seemed off with the happy-go-lucky male, although, considering how long they've been in the tomb he could just be bored. Never hurts to ask... "Ehem," She coughs into her fist. "Mr. Kinneas?"
"Ain't nothin' wrong, just thinking about getting home."
"Oh!" She blushed when she realized she'd been found out. "I know what you mean; I've got a cat waiting for me at home. My grandmother is watching her."
"Heh, I've always wanted a pet- I got stuck with a bird." He chuckles. "Its the same thing, but different, you know?"
Nodding, the girl looks on ahead to where the other two members of the two are, being sure that they're still in sight. Rakuta is next to her and Irvine.
"Like having fish." Rakuta joins the conversation.
"Yeah!" Irvine nods. "Fish suck... I can't imagine anyone getting emotional over a fish dyin'."
"You wouldn't be sad if your bird died?"
Irvine shakes his head. "That's not what I said. I was talkin' about fish. I'd be really sad if Pal died."
Seeing that Irvine brought it up, Rakuta ventured the topic a little further. "I wouldn't mind it; the bird was living your life for four years... Commander Leonhart was a ticking time bomb because of it. I'd say good riddance."
"I guess you've gotta be there to understand, but... Pal just wanted to experience life, he had no understanding of what happened anymore than I did."
Rakuta looks down at his boots. "Well, we missed you too. We stopped taking missions for a while, but... you know, we had to go on. I'm just glad that everything worked out the way it did."
"Me too."
"There's the exit!" Phineas calls out. "I hope the rental wasn't stolen."
The three chuckle to themselves; it was an uncomfortable laugh, the kind that you do when you're not sure if you could take the statement being said. After all, they've been walking forever! Last thing they'd wanna do is walk all the way back to Deling. Thankfully the red jeep remained where it had been parked, and no monsters had randalized it. Packing their weapons inside, they climb in and head back to the city.
44444
Mara walked off the train with shaking legs. She had fallen asleep and had a terrible dream about her husband's death; its still with her, you could say. The look on his face, the gurgled scream. It chilled her to the core.
Balamb town is small in comparison to Timber, everything looks walking distance as the street lights mostly consist of fast food places, markets, and other stores. Not major chains, or even large markets because the area is so small. In fact, it didn't seem as though the town has any independent homes from apartments, but then there could be more in the back or scattered away from the town while still consisting within it. She lived in a small town like this one before the move to Timber; and the company here seems to be a lot better than living in the city, where she currently lives now. Walking down the street; a light drizzle seemed to have hit the place earlier, patches of wet pepper the streets reflecting the lights that are around it. She figured checking into the hotel would be better for right now.
"Excuse me," She says to the first person she sees. "do you know where the hotel is?"
"Yup, its right over that way around the corner. You can't miss it." A blond male points. "Its got a big dolphin on the sign."
Looking to where his finger is aimed, she nods. "Thank you." Bowing her head politely, she walks in that direction. Maybe she was wrong about small towns, she's never seen anyone in the city bold enough to wear tattoos on their faces. Kids these days.
Zell watches the woman head down the street for only a moment, then he continued down the street to his apartment. He'd just been visiting his Ma and Pa, who came home from his fishing trip. His father is a serious fisherman, and that takes a lot of time and effort so Zell rarely gets to see the man- his friends actually thought that he was made-up. Whenever Zell talked about him they never seemed to take him seriously, but Ha! He introduced them to each other last Thanksgiving. A smile pasted on his face. He opens the front door to his home; Selphie's is the first voice he hears before entering the living room. His and Seifer's place differs from Squall's and Irvine's because the front door to their apartment comes through to the kitchen, rather than the living room.
"Finally, I'm starving." She exclaims before getting up to help Zell with the pizza boxes. And by 'help', she checked for the one she'd asked for by sniffing at the holes in the sides of the boxes until the whiff of onions, mushrooms, and sausage hit her nose. Then she slid it from the stack of five, bringing it over to the couch to help herself.
"Thanks Sel';" Came the sarcastic response from said delivery boy. Setting the boxes down on the counter, he slides them from a stack into a row, then opens the lids placing paper-plates down on the clean lid. "Who's up?" He asks.
"Puberty boy," Seifer replied getting up from where he'd been sitting to walk into the kitchen to grab a slice.
They've been playing Triple Triad as sort of a non-official tournament, and so far Selphie and Squall are dominating. Quistis said she'd come, but she didn't feel like playing cards so she's watching the others, and trying to avoid the wandering digital camera of their junior film maker, Kait. he's playing as well, but when his turn isn't up, he's filming the games and the apartment. He said it was the greatest gift he's ever gotten on a 'un-birthday', or 'un-Christmas'. 'Un' came from Irvine's love of that movie Alice in Wonderland, that Kait wound up loving as well.
"I hope you plan on sharing that?" Quistis says to Selphie, who's on slice number two of the three toppings pizza, seated on her lap.
"Uuuh, sure." She answers innocently. She actually hadn't planned on it since no one wanted what she had asked for, but que sera.
Rinoa, no longer searching through her deck, glances up to see the gunblader sitting back down at the coffee table. "I don't think I fully understand the wall rules, but... I have a good hand, and Squall, this is your end."
"We'll see." He sets his slice back onto the plate after taking a bite from it, brushing his hands together to remove the corn starch, he picks up his hand then sets down a card.
They've worked a round through everyone with one set of rules, and when the winners were decided the next round had another regions rules and so on. They're now at Esthar's rules.
"Shoot me; I'll do a pizza commercial." Zell sets down his cup of soda to grab a slice of supreme pizza.
Kait was momentarily confused by what 'shoot me' meant, but then he grabbed his camera and turned it on record. "Okay, go." He waits for Zell to do something. "Go." He says again when the blond remains still. "...Zell?"
"Dinky gets camera shy." Seifer chides.
"I do not." Retorts the shorter blond.
"Then do the commercial." Coaxed the boy, with strained order in his voice.
"I can't... I can't think of anything to say."
Kait, exasperated, turns off the camera then grabbing his drink and plate to bring over to the card game.
"You'll never work in this town again." Seifer says before planting a kiss on the jobless actors forehead.
"Hey," Squall says to Quistis. "watch her, I have to take a call." Standing he walks into the hall to answer his phone. Flipping open his cellphone, he says. "What?"
"Hey darlin'!" Calls Irvine from the other end.
Loud enough to have Squall pull the phone back from his ear. Irvine and Selphie could break a persons eardrum if they're not careful. "Hey," He couldn't keep the contentment from his voice hearing Irvine. It just comes over him, kind of like with their son. He can pull off stern and serious when applying discipline, but in the end he's a sucker for the both of them. "I take it the mission was successful. You're not groaning in agony."
"Mission successful; but its nothing new for my team."
"Are you on your way back?" He asks, noticing that he can't hear any sounds of a train running in the background.
"Nope. They decided that they wanna spend the night in Deling and misbehave. I don't know where they are exactly, but I know they're gonna eat at some point."
"Are you eating?"
"Eating right now. I was gonna have something in the hotel lounge but I've been dicthed, so room service it is." It sounded as though he were looking over his spread. "I've got grilled sandwiches and a bowl of soup. I need some comfort food," He adds. "I smell like swamp shit, and old corpses."
"Didn't you shower?"
"Yeah, twice. I guess its not nearly as effective without you helping me."
Squall rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the rise in his cheeks. "Keep it clean, here comes your son."
"Hey Irvine!" Kait calls in a very eardrum-bursting manner.
"Hey Kait, What have you been up to?"
"This and that, aunt Selphie gave me a camera that records like a video camera too- isn't that cool?"
"Sure is. Will you show me what you've taken so far when I get back?"
"Uh-huh, I've got them all saved. Its a blue camera."
Like a surfer, he says. "Dude, niiice."
"Isn't it? But I kinda wish it was purple and black and white- those are my favorites."
"I know, but I'll find some stickers and things so you can decorate it."
"Yeah, stickers could work!" He couldn't believe he didn't think of that. They'd revoke his kid licence if any one of the other guys found out. "Do you wanna speak to Squall again?" He asked when his dad shifted beside him. He honestly thought that the two were done talking, that's what the phone shift meant, right?
"Sure, if he's still there."
"He is- here Daddy." He hands the phone back. "Papa's gonna get me some stickers from Deling, so I can decorate my camera."
Smiling, Squall nods to show that he thinks its great; giving the boy a push on the shoulder he says. "Go finish your dinner."
"Okay." Grabbing Squall by the wrist, he pulls his hand down to say "Goodnight." to Irvine.
Squall received the reply though, since Kait was already in the living room recovering his meal. "Its me again."
"What are you wearing?" The cowboy laughed, knowing the look that must be planted on his boyfriend's face from hearing that.
"Seifer's cologne."
"Pardon?" He asked in mock seriousness.
This time is was Squall who laughed. Irvine is a cool guy, but he has a hidden possesive streak. Selphie thinks it comes from the star signs; being around the sign of Scorpio effects his Saggitarious or something like that. Squall never bought into star signs crap, but Selphie and Rinoa could go on for a good half hour about it. He's no better though; anytime Irvine is doing his natural flirt thing and someone has the nerve to respond to it, he'll step in with a well placed glare or throat clearing. You can look, you can verbally look, but for the both of them when you touch you've crossed the line and there will be punishment had. It isn't insecurities, its more like...a geniune distaste of other people wanting to get something that should be yours and only yours.
"I showered at his place after a spar, and Zell sprayed us with it."
Irvine was clearly chewing as he said nothing in response.
"You know what," Squall walks further down the hall to avoid being heard. Its one thing to flirt with his boyfriend, but he sure as hell doesn't wanna be heard doing it. "if you hurry home, I'd gladly be wearing your scent instead."
Irvine chuckled in a way that sounded very intriuged, although his reply didn't give that away. "You'd really wanna wear my scent? Now that I stink bad enough to have an aftershock."
If he had less control, he was sure a laugh would have burst out of him. Loud enough to send the fleet running at the strange noise coming from their former commander. "Just hurry back." He flips his phone closed. Walking back into the living room, he ignores the stares.
"I was gonna take your turn in a minute;" Selphie informed. "now, hurry up and beat Rinoa so that I can destroy you."
Squall paid her no mind, and took his place on the floor. Picking up his abandoned hand, he places a card down onto the board. It was just as Selphie had said, he beat Rinoa by a landslide, leaving him to face off with Selphie.
"I've already picked my hand. Don't take long." She wags her pointed finger of discipline. Grabbing a cup of soda from the table beside the board, she finished the last gulps of the drink.
Squall chose his cards then the game began.
44444
"I'll have to find the adoption agency here, hopefully its in the phone book but then again, I can just walk around to check. This place isn't very large."
Mara's on the phone with a friend. She needed some familiarity, its been a rough few days since she left the town in Galbadia, Rodenite. Its not a well known town, but its out there and thriving with its own life. There are quite a few farm houses out there to surround the town; so they lack nothing that major cities and places have, and its not entirely a poor town or anything. It just isn't well known.
"I know, I know, but how can I not keep hoping that my baby is alright. Martin?... I can only hope that he's gotten a proper funeral." Her voice almost broke from tears. "Miles is okay... he has to be. And I will find him, and bring him home with me, where he belongs." Listening to the person on the other end of the phone, she rolls her eyes, shaking her head. "It isn't enough to know that he's well. I want my son, he's a miracle in my life... you know I can't have children. Dammit, Robert, please... I swear I'll come right back once I get him." Listening again, she nods. "Yes, alright. Goodbye." Hanging up the phone, its placed on the drawer beside the bed.
Its early, still only nine o'clock; the city is still buzzing with people. The adoption place is closed though; she checked the phonebook then called over about the time when it opens. Exhausted for the day, she lays back on the bed, but her eyes won't close; her blue gaze stares sleepily at the ceiling. Reaching beneath the rim of her shirt, she removes a locket. Popping open the small pendant, she smiles at a picture of her family. Her smiling husband, her sleeping baby, and herself... she looked so unhappy when that picture was taken. But... she was happy deep down.
"Sleep Mara, you're going to have a busy tomorrow." Getting into a more restful position in the bed, she pulls the blanket up to her chin and falls asleep.
44444
Irvine slept a little longer than he had intended to that night, waking up around nine when he was supposed to be at the train station checking the schedule. Rakuta came to wake him up, banging on the door since he couldn't open it without the cardkey. After showering, dressing, and brushing his teeth; the group left the hotel. They went to a donut shop down the street from the building; buying a bag its been filled with: sticky buns, strawberry jelly filled, lemon and chocolate cake, and a couple cinnamon. The five ate them on their way to the train station.
"Thank Hyne, we'll be back in Balamb by lunch." Luna, steps onto the train that's just pulled in.
Turns out, the train scheduled for Balamb was due in at ten o'clock; they would have been early, but getting donuts took up enough time so that they ended up waiting only for ten or so minutes before the train came in. They didn't buy a compartment this time. There was no point to it since none of them were tired. When the last of the donuts had been polished off, Luna chucked the bag into the trash. The news had reported rain but the sky said otherwise; big puffy clouds block out the warming sun, even though the day is relatively cool still. It was a lucky day in March, to be cool yet warm enough to not need a coat.
"Hey you guys!" A girl greets the group when exiting the hall for the compartments. "What are you doing back so soon? When my team went to hunt The Brothers we were lost for weeks on end."
"We left bread crumbs to avoid it." Phineas grinned with pride. He has a bit of a crush on this girl too.
"Lucky."
"So, what are you doing here? Your team isn't out on a mission or anything."
Raising her brows in wonder of how the male would know something like that, she shrugs. "I was visiting my older sister, she lives in Deling. Garden is moving to the Dollet area for a while and I thought I should visit her for a bit, since my team is free for the month."
"Ohhh," He sounds very impressed. "I didn't know you had a sister."
Irvine watched the pair with muted amusement. Its always funny watching people flirt with one another, he wondered if he made as much of a fool of himself as Phineas is. Naah, he's naturally smooth; his awkward days long gone. Digging into his pocket he looks over the three packets of stickers he had picked out for Kait. Each one had a few with the colors on it that he loved, the rest he was sure he and Squall would find all over the house. It always made him a little sad that he missed the first 4 years of the boys life, but he made sure to make it up to him when he finally got control over his body again. At first Kait continued calling him Imari, but as the months went by it became Irvine, then Papa followed. Being called by his first name doesn't bother him, he's not exactly Kait's birth father and neither is Squall; and Kait told them both that he likes their names, and that's why he likes to call them by their first name from time to time. The only really weird thing is that Kait still likes to hear stories about 'Cowboy Irvine', as if this character were not himself. But then again, he's heard stories as a child about people that are real, and meeting them in his older life never changed the hero feeling they gave him.
The train bell sounded and the group of 6, with the addition of the girl Leelah, they exit the train. While his team heads for Garden, Irvine decides to head home first; he can stop by Garden to give his report a little later. Watching to the kiosk stand he grabs a weapons monthly. Thumbing through it, his face explodes with joy. Finally, they've got the new upgrades for guns! He'll have to stop by a Nautilus shop sometime. Purchasing the magazine, he stuffs it into the pocket of his duster. Whistling a tune, he has a new pep in his step as he walks to the apartment.
Tipping his hat, he says to a woman. "Howdy ma'am."
The woman looked surprised that someone would just say 'hello' to her, but then she regocnized the accent and smiled. Its always refreshing to see people from the place you were born walking around.
Irvine turns up the street of Tarot, and hurries to the apartment when its in view. The sharpshooter can't wait to wrap his arms around his lover, strip him of his clothes and ravage him like an animal, or the other way around. "I'm home!"
"I'm in here Papa!"
Irvine looked like he'd been slapped in the face with a wet noodle. What was Kait at doing home? Its a school day. Removing his coat, he's about to hang it on the hook by the door but the eight year old stopped him by grabbing it from his hands. Kait slips into his duster; the coat dragging heavy on the floor behind his trek to the couch.
"Can I wear your hat too?" He barely got the words out before it was popped down onto his head. "Thanks." Grinning, he seats himself on the back of the couch. "I've got some friends coming over in a little bit." Popping his knees together, he waits for his father to get a drink for them and when he sits down on the couch, he asks. "How did it go?"
"Everything went great. My team won't need me much longer, that's for sure."
"Does that mean you'll be home a lot more?"
Irvine shakes his head. "I may be there commander, but I'm also an instructor."
"Rats."
"Speaking of being at home," He taps the boy on the nose. "what're you doin' at home?"
"Day off. Is it okay if I have friends over?"
Irvine nods, but asks. "Where's Squall?"
"At Garden, he had to go to work."
"Oh."
"Mrs. Dincht is watching me, but she went over to her house to grab something."
Opening the cans of apple juice, he hands one to the child sipping from his own.
"Wanna hear about the new Flapjack I saw?"
Seeing that he has the man's attention he goes on explaining the show to him, laughing whenever Irvine chuckles. Kait showed him the camera that Selphie had given him, and scoots into the seat of the couch to show off his pictures and video's. His favorite being the footage that was shot last night. He got lots of great ways to win from watching the card game, but he's not gonna be playing anytime soon. He's got a lot of good cards and isn't ready to part with them yet- incase he should lose. Today, he's asked some friends over so they can trade some valuables. He's got a monster's tooth, and a pair of glasses he found while playing in the woods, and a few pieces of candy that he doesn't want- he's never been a fan of caramels- so he's willing to trade all that for a tiger's eye rock, and hopefully some candy that he likes. Then they'll wrestle his stuffed animals- all but his favorite, Samba, and call it a day.
"Will you stay?"
"Yeah. I've got nowhere to be, I'll just hang out in here or the bedroom while you play with your friends."
"And can you make us grilled cheese for lunch?"
"The best grilled cheese you've ever eaten." Watching Kait exit the couch to answer the door, he holds out a hand. "Uh, but I'm gonna need my coat back." He takes it from the boy when he removes it, and hands it off to him. "Thank you." Taking out his phone, he calls Mrs. Dincht to inform her that he's at home.
"Hey you guys, come to my room." He backs away from the door to allow them in.
The kids are momentarily stunned when they see Irvine sitting on the couch, but they come in regardless. They're not bothered by the man- or Squall- they just have that moment of pause because they don't want their parents to get mad at them for being over there. They can talk about the couple until they're blue in the face, but some people will remain nervous about the subject- not that it ever comes up, but people, you know.
"Hi Mr. Kinneas!" Kina greets with a wave. She always giggles at him.
"Hi." Chime the other kids, not wanting to be rude.
"Hello."
Kait heaved a sigh of 'come on, already' then disappeared into the hall with the others. "My papa's gonna make us some grilled cheese for..."
That was the last thing Irvine heard before the boy vanished into the hall.
...
Mara was glad to be dealing with someone a lot nicer than the woman in Timber, although, she refused to give her information about the adoption. Actually, she said that there hadn't even been one. She checked the records from eight years back and there have been no babies brought in, no one under five actually. Showing the news clipping to the woman; she'd printed it out before coming here, she read it over twice then nodded.
"I remember this but, the child was never brought in."
"Are you sure?"
"Very sure. You'll have to ask these men yourself. Otherwise, I simply can't be of any help to you." Her eyes said that she was sorry about it.
"Do you know where I might find them?"
Nodding, she replies. "I can tell you that they're members of Balamb Garden, but I can't give you a home address, I don't know myself." She hands back the news clipping. "But everyone has heard of them, they're war hero's, you know."
"I know." She thinks to herself. 'Hero's that have stolen my child.' Stuffing the clipping back into her purse, she nods a thank you, then heads out of the building. 'Wait a second...' Going back inside, she walks up to the counter.
About to greet her, believing that she's someone else, the woman's smile falters. "Yes? Did you want something else?"
"He would be eight now? Have any kids come in at any other age? I mean, they might have started out with adopting him then they could have changed their minds."
The woman shakes her head. "I'm sorry. Believe me, if one of them had come in, I would know about it. Their faces are very familiar."
"Oh, I see... well, thank you, again."
"You're welcome." Watching her leave, she says to her departing back. "Although, I should tell you... without special permission, they won't allow you onto a military base, not even a school. But, its a small town, someone must know something about a home address... you can ask around."
"I'll do that. Thank you."
"I hope you find your son."
"Thank you." Pushing the door open, she walks out onto the streets. Tugging her coat in, she crossed her arms to keep it closed.
A strong smell of baked goods caught her nose before she made it back to the hotel, taking in a deep whiff she smiles. It smelled like chocolate chips. Looking around, she spots a diner not too far ahead of her and heads over to grab a bite to eat. The diner is full of people: chatting, eating, talking on cellphones. The warmth inside could snuggle sleep into even the most ferocious animal. She'd almost felt as if she'd just walked in off a rainy street, rather than a nice warm and cloudy day. Walking up to the counter, she takes a seat on a dark blue stool. A menu is placed before her and she looks it over. Everything looked wonderful, but she wasn't in the mood for something that would take too long to eat, so when the waiter came over she asked for a ham and cheese croissant sandwich and a few fries and a cup of coffee. Looking around the room as she waits, she wonders if it would be rude to ask any of these people about the two men who had found Martin.
Two teens walked in laughing about something, they moved right over to the counter; the girl leaning over to give her order. She must be a regular to act so familiar with the waiter; the male takes a very heavy seat beside Mara, paying absolutely no mind to her. But seeing that he's wearing a uniform that doesn't look like the type a school kid would wear, she taps him on the shoulder. The big fellow turns his head, giving her a pleasent smile that didn't seem to match his largeness. A guy like him you'd picture at a gym, working out and flexing, or the kind of guy you see at school giving other kids Hell for no reason at all.
"Excuse me, but can I show you something?"
Raising his brows, the teen says "Lady, I'm not that kind of guy." in a teasing way.
The girl he's with, leans back in her seat to see whom her friend is speaking to that isn't her.
"I'd like to know where I could find one of these two men. I have something to speak with them about."
The blond male looks at the printed out piece of news clipping. The picture was in harsh shape, but he could make out the people within it well enough. "Yeah, that's Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy- he's dating our instructor."
Her heart begins to race. Great, she can find them. "Do they live here in town?"
"Yeah. I don't know where but, I can ask my instructor when I go back to Garden." He picks up his fork, digging into his chicken salad. Chewing with grand show of his jaw muscles working the bite around in his mouth, he swallows then says. "I'm Macias, by the way, and this is Stacey."
The girl waves to the woman.
"Hello. I'm Mara."
"Ohh, nice to meet you." Taking a drink of a protien shake, he'd brought in, he digs further from the woman. "So, what d'you need either of them for? I can assure you they're both hardcore gay."
Blushing, the woman shakes her head. "Its nothing like that... I'm just looking for information about someone that they've rescued."
"Oh."
They eat quietly for a moment, minding their own business'. Stacey and Macias even started talking amongst themselves until the male turned back to Mara.
"Give me your number, okay. I'll call you when I find out, but we have to get back to Garden."
"I could come with you."
Shaking his head he drops some gil on the counter top. "Nope. Garden policy, no outsiders. It'll be cool, I'm not a weirdo or anything."
"Yes he is." Teased Stacey. "If it makes you uncomfortable giving your number to a guy, you can give it to me instead. We're on the same team, and we both know instructor Almasy."
Nodding, Mara takes the offered phone. "Thank you." Pressing her number into it, she hands it back. "Thank you both very much. I'll be at the Balamb hotel later today, but for now I'm just going to walk around."
"Okay. See you then." Grabbing her backpack, Stacey heads for the door with her teammate following.
Mara hoped those kids were telling the truth. It would hurt to be played like that, when she's got this glimmer of hope. Finishing her meal, she pays for it then heads out for a walk while waiting for the kids to call her.
...
Irvine had fixed lunch for the kids that came over. They'd been screaming their heads off while wrestling Kait's stuffed animals. Only one really loud thump sounded from Harold hitting the floor, he didn't cry or come running for first-aid, so Irvine assumed the kid was fine, though, he had gone to check. It amazed the cowboy seeing a girl doing that sort of thing too, but then he thought about Selphie and knew that anything was possible when dealing with tomboys. They ate while watching television and before he could even say 'yes', Bobby Lutz had them all heading outside to the park. At a loss for what to do, Irvine decided to take a relaxer in the bedroom. Falling back onto the bed ready for sleep to take over when he heard the front door open. Kait must have forgotten something.
"Mrs. Dincht?" Squall called out.
Noting that its Squall, Irvine remains silent. He can hear Squall's foot steps through the living room, the sound muffled greatly when he'd gone into the kitchen or taken his boots off. His love finally walked into the hall approaching the bedroom, and grins when seeing his knowing face. "Hey darlin'... I'm back."
Walking into the room he kicks the door closed after him, turning the lock. "Where's Kait?" He asks while automatically assuming that the also missing Mrs. Dincht has taken the boy someplace with her.
"At the park with his friends. You just missed 'em." He shifts his hips when Squall straddles them.
"Which means we're alone."
The two were driven over the edge, the moment Irvine's leaned hands and knees sat up dropping all of the male's weight down onto his lap. Heavy, they drop onto the bed laying down within each other, though not touching. They would have moved to the shower but instead wound up entangled in a kiss. Their hands resting between them, giving gentle stroke to their slowly rehardening, sticky members; the kiss stuttered a broken up from soft moans interrupting it until they released again leaving them in complete bliss-filled nothingness.
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Mara had been walking around the area when she came across a park. Children are playing a game of hide-n-seek, laughing and screaming away for no reason what so ever just for sure sake of hearing themselves. It makes her smile so she stops and watches them. The kids aren't the least bit bothered by her presence, so she takes a seat on a bench. It amazed her how free children can be, unaware of the worlds dangers and troubles their only real concerns are over bedtime and vegetables they don't like. Her son would be a player, she was sure of it. He would be wild and adventurous, not like that child that seems terrified off behind the tree that the seeker will tap them but more like that one child who keeps switching hiding places, being bold enough to move about even while the seeker is getting close to where he is.
Mara wondered if the boy were good with animals since there's a little lavender colored bird sitting upon his shoulder, not bothered by all of his frantic movement and laughter.
"I see you Kai'!" Called the seeker, a girl.
"Doesn't mean you'll catch me!" This boy Kait called back as he tore away from his hiding spot to tag the bench marked as base.
Mara thought that the child was going to slam into her but he whizzed by and tapped the bench beside the one she's seated on crying out "BASE!"
The game probably would have gone on if an ice cream cart hadn't rolled up a moment later causing a stampede from the all ten children. Their little voices raising as they try to shout over one another for what they'd like, it was going along well until one kid asked to borrow money from another getting a reply that he didn't have any. It seemed that none of the kids could pay for the treat and Mara found herself walking over to the cart with her wallet pulled out.
"Allow me." She said kindly to the kids and the vendor. "How much?"
All the while she's taking money from her wallet, the boy named Kait is snapping pictures.
"I'll call this one..." He thinks for a moment then says. "Nice day for ice cream." Taking the picture, he tucks the camera away taking the strwberry shortcake ice cream sandwich he had picked out from the vendor.
The children thanked the woman and scattered away to eat their treat together. She wanted to join them. It was a strange feeling to do so, but her phone rang getting her attention from doing it. It was that girl Stacey. She had the address.