The 'important conversation' with their son was temporarily forgotten as the child had to get ready to leave for the birthday party at Raul's house, early that afternoon. He had to take a shower, brush his hair and teeth, put on his play clothes, and wrap the gift he'd gotten since that little task hadn't been taken care of yet. They had to go out and buy wrapping paper. The boy's mother called to tell them that lunch would be taken care of since the kids were gonna be served pizza. The boy's mother was beside herself that her son had friends coming over since his past birthday parties only had but one child, and her thanks was to them because it seemed that the reason for this turn of events was due to their son being nice to hers. The bully from school, Devon, had even stopped picking on Raul. It was amazing!
Unsure of how to respond to that, Squall simply said: uh-huh and let it go. Not long after hanging up with Belinda Chacon, the boys' mother, does his phone ring again. "What?" He answered in his usual way.
"Meet me on the roof at one o'clock, we'll have a picnic, okay?" Came Irvine's voice.
It was so to-the-point that Squall knew it was automated. Seeing said caller, phone-free, exit the hall and enter the kitchen looking for something it seemed, he smiled to himself and replied to the message that he would be there. "I might be a little late though, Seifer wants to spar in the field."
"Okay." Irvine replied hearing the response that would show up in his phone the moment Squall ended the message. He peeked into the refrigerator. "Just as well too, cause I gotta get something from the market." Leaning over when he's close enough to him, he gives Squall a quick kiss upon his scarred forehead. "See ya later."
Squall said nothing but gave an acknowledged nod before going into their bedroom to grab his blade. Just as he left the house the mail carrier came up the stairs to the apartment. He took the small stack then walked back inside to set it down. Glancing through the envelopes he sees that there are two bills, a sheet of cupons in a book, and a letter addressed to Kait. It must be from a classmate practicing the postal assignment. Leaving the pile on the counter top he left the house locking the door after him.
77777
While Selphie was busy signing the contract to the apartment lease for her and Rinoa's place. Rinoa is tossing a ball to an unresponsive Angelo, who seems more interested in stalking the many stray cats in Timber around. She never pictured herself living in Timber, she's resided here once long ago but that was for Forest Owls activity. Honestly, she thought it was the worst place to live on the whole planet what with all the noise from the trains and everything. Not to mention the stench of papermill that wafts through the air once in a while from the newspaper building printing out copies of papers and editions of Timber Maniacs and Weapons Monthly. But when Selphie got to explaining it to her, she had to agree that it was a good place to live. Train fair is cheaper, same with newspapers and other books, and since its a very productive town in exporting these things to other towns cost of living is considerably cheaper as well due to the ongoing noise of the trains. Rinoa had no idea Selphie Tilmitt could be a pinch-penny. But to be fair, she knows that Selphie adores Timber Maniacs because Laguna often has articals written in it, and the sooner the love crazed girl can get her hands on it the better.
Said brunette came bouncing out of the building with a big smile on her face and a fold of paper in her hand. "We got the apartment!" She called from about ten feet away. "They say we can move in as soon as tomorrow. Isn't this exciting? Our very own place!" Just when it seemed the girls legs would turn into thrusters on a rocket ship; what with her fist balled tightly, face scrunched from a huge grin, and knees bent slightly ready to excel, she instead flung herself forward and grappled onto Rinoa hugging her tightly. The roommate giggled within the hug while hugging the girl back, though, not nearly as tightly as Selphie.
"Alright, alright, don't crush me to death." Rinoa removed herself from danger. "Should we go shopping for furniture or something?"
They walk toward the train station so they can take the next train into Balamb. The two really don't mind staying at a hotel for a little while, but then again, they could always head back to their soon-to-be former home at the Garden dorms. But Rinoa wanted to head back because she was missing the taste of this certain type of fish they sell at the vender by the piers.
"Quistis called, she's still waiting for word about her place." Selphie informed. "She's very particular; she went down on the price when she made an offer."
"Why?"
"She thinks a few things need to be taken care of, and since the home owners didn't do it themselves they don't need to be asking for so much money."
Rinoa laughed at that. Leave it Quistis to posture people. It really was a wonder she managed to give up teaching. "So any ideas of how to decorate?"
"Mhm. I say we do it in Trabian chic." She starts to skip. "I know this great little store from back home in Glacial Point, they have this brown leather couch with fake fur lining the arm rest and the lower row of the back cushions. Looks just like a ginger bread cookie."
Rinoa would have been less appauled if she had stepped in cat poop. "Umm, we might wanna really consider the decore... we wanna have guest over after all."
Selphie winked at her friend before sticking a very informative finger into the air. "Of course, which is why we should make our home a real treat for them to visit."
Handing the ticket over to the checker, Rinoa shakes her head boarding the train. "Leave the decorating to me. I will make our place an award winner."
"Fine." Following her onto the train, she places her hands on her hips to show authority. "But I get to decorate my room. And we get the towels from Trabia. They make the finest cotton."
"Its a deal." She gives her friends hand a firm shake.
Taking the lead to the row of seats Selphie climbs onto it standing on her knees so that she's able to see out of the window without having to look over her shoulder. The landscaping is always so beautiful, and watching the stream of smoke is a blast, a lot of times they go under tunnels, and one train even travels under water! She really doesn't see why her friends don't understand her love of trains. They're the most amazing invention. Cocking her head from side to side humming a happy little train song, she smiles when hearing Rinoa chuckle. It could only be at her. She doesn't mind it one bit; she likes to be the one with the reaction and the life, better than being the guy who does nothing. Speaking of guy with no reaction..
"Do you think Squall will miss us?" She asked without taking her eyes from the scenary.
"Squall? Doubt it. He'll be happy for us, say they'll visit whenever. Squall would practically push us out of Balamb Town before he'd miss us."
Laughing, Selphie shakes her head. "Naaah, he's got a big heart. He just hides it well."
"Hmm. You're the expert, I guess."
"Not me. But I am good at noticing things." Twisting herself now to look at her friend, Selphie adds. "He's always been nothing but nice to me since we first met. Give or take a few well placed jabs at my person, but I've never taken offense, and I've been using him as a punching bag whenever he needs to hear it." With a shrug she added. "It works out."
Smiling, Rinoa said with a fondness in her tone. "Is that why you can call him brother?"
"Mhm. We're sort of all related. I mean, we grew up together! Isn't that enough?" Grinning sweetly she then turned herself around planting her butt on the seat as its use is intended. "I'm more worried about Seifer and Zell... I'm gonna miss them so much. They're my whole window into romance."
Now that did make Rinoa laugh. She never understood Selphie's fascination with the two.
"They need me to make them feel... well... like gentlemen."
"How do you figure that?"
"Its obvious, Rin'. They look at me and they think, "I can throw all my, hard to say to the one I love, flirting her way", and then I'm in the money with compliments."
"Its Quistis' fault." Rinoa touched the back of her hand to Selphie's forehead. "She never told you that daydreams are just a fun way to pass the time."
Sticking her tongue out, Selphie offers Rinoa a raspberry as a response but she smiles to show that she isn't upset by the comment. Blinking her big green eyes thoughtfully, she looks over at her friend then wraps her arms around Rinoa's body. "I'm actually pretty scared deep down." She said in a tiny voice.
"Scared?" Rinoa asked, knowing not to take that tone of Selphie's jokingly. She rarely uses it so when you hear it, you know to listen.
"About moving to another town. Its not that we can't be away from each other, we're not joined at the hip or anything but..." She shrugged. "I wonder if every now and then will become occassionally, and if occassionally will become whenever we can, til eventually... we don't see each other at all and just make phone calls. Then..." She trailed off.
"Aaaw, Sel'," Rinoa gave the distraut girls arm a rub. "You have nothing to worry about. I can speak from someone who's kind of on the outside that you guys are pretty close and no amount of distance will make you invisible to each other."
"Yeah but, I still get intensely nervous because if G.F.'s could take our memories of each other from us, then what chance do we stand against time?"
"You're forgetting that Irvine's been missing for four years and we didn't forget him... and from what he said that day when we were at Trabia after the missle hit, Irvine's not one to fall prey to time. He never forgot all of you, and made sure that you remembered."
"That's true."
"See. You have nothing to worry about. We'll all keep in touch with each other." Smiling she gave Selphie an extra hard squeeze. "And personally, it'd be kind of cool to have just you and me time."
Snickering, Selphie moved from the hug to bat her lashes teasingly. "Why Rinoa, I had no idea."
"Ahahaha grow up," Giving Selphie a shove she shook her head in disbelief. The girl really is too bold for her own good sometimes. But she loves her that way. "you know what I mean."
"Yeah. I could never live alone and I couldn't ask Quistis, I think she's fed up with youthful behavior."
"True."
Popping up off the seat she returns to the position she'd been in earlier when they'd boarded. "I see Balamb approaching." She announced, bopping her butt up and down.
"Uuhh, I see secrets approaching." Rinoa tugged and held Selphie's pliad skirt down, while casting a glance around the train at the men who could have gotten an eyeful of the girls purple panties. 28 year old SeeD or not, its never good to bring unwanted attention to yourself from the opposite sex.
"Whoops, peek-a-boo." Waving Rinoa's hands away she turned in the seat planting her butt down. "There, peep-show over."
"Thank Hyne," Rinoa put her hand up. "Wanna get lunch at the diner?"
"Sure, I'll pay."
"Thanks."
When the train pulled to a stop and opened its door, the two girls exit arm in arm.
77777
"Hey," Irvine smiled when seeing a familiar crop of hair rising over the edge of the white stone apartment building. "didn't think I'd see you 'til two."
"Seifer had to take an important call. I think he might have a mission soon."
"Oh." Reaching up a hand to the approaching male, Irvine brushes his thumb across Squall's mouth casting cure on him. "looks like you missed a spot." He said incase Squall was curious about the tender touch of medicine.
"Fucker put his new boot in my face." Squall splayed his legs out over the blanket Irvine put down for them to sit upon. It seemed that his lover wanted to have a little picnic on the roof.
A basket is set off to the side at the corner, opened but only a pitcher of iced tea has been taken out.
"Got my guitar, wanna sing with me?" He picked up the accustic and strummed absently.
"Only if that tea is laced with something," Squall reached for the pitcher and a paper cup. Giving himself a pour he took down a swig then cocked his head. The tea was lace-free which in Squall's book meant singing was a no go.
"Loosen up, we're unseen and all alone. We may be heard, but who'd know."
"Everyone. Your voice is very distinctive."
"And yours isn't, which makes you perfect for singing in secret."
"No." He said firmly then drinks his tea.
Irvine waved him off. He wants to sing, so he will. Strumming a nothing tune, he makes up words as he goes along. "Squall Leonhart, likes iced tea." He sings. "He'll probably drink all of it, without saving any for me."
Smiling Squall could only shake his head in dismay. He knows what Irvine is doing and it won't work.
"Oh look," He the music stopped after every word Irvine sang, picking up again when he started. "Now he's smiling, maybe now he'll sing with me."
"No chance." He snickered.
""No chance, no chance", Squall says "no chance" but that's not singing." His voice wobbles when he sang the word 'singing' because Squall wrapped his hands loosely around Irvine's throat pretending to throttle him before moving over to the basket to get something to eat.
Singing over his laughter, he watches his lover moving about then continues to sing what he's seeing. "Oh look, now he wants a sandwich. I hope he likes the turkey that I made or the parmasian ham."
"Your song doesn't rhyme." Despite himself Squall's words came out slightly sung. His mood lightening considerably listening to the nonsense of Irvine's antics.
"It doesn't have to." He opened his mouth taking a bite of the offered sandwich. "Mmm mustard." He strummbed really fast as he stretched the 'tard'.
"If you don't quit singing I'm gonna shout until my voice gives out."
"Mmm, would you please?" He grinned wolfishly, dual colored eyes narrowed and fiendish.
Glaring in mock anger, Squall ate his sandwich nodding his head while enjoying the softer tune Irvine starts to play. Irvine played slower so that he can have something to eat rather than sing. The weather is gorgeous today, and aside from the fact that you can hear a person sneeze from 20 feet away in Balamb town it seemed that they were the only two people in the world right now. Speaking of background noises, Squall notes the sound of the train pulling in, and shouting and screaming in the further distance coming from where he can guess is someone's backyard. The Chacon's no doubt. They were having that birthday party after all. Ten minutes later a seagull came drifting by overhead landing on the roof top not far from the basket. It must have smelled the goods and wanted in on it. Being the lover he is, Irvine tore off a bite of his am sandwich and chucked it over to the bird.
"Should a bird be eating meat?" Squall questioned while brushing his hands together to remove the crumbs.
"Sure, I've seen them eating hot dogs before. And they eat fish don't they?"
"Hn. I forgot about that. No wonder the birds around here are so fat."
As if that were some kind of signal to the other gulls in the area six more joined the hungry bird waiting for hand outs.
Squall seemed amused by the boldness of the birds that are moving in closer and closer, wanting nothing to do with eating at Irvine's snail-pace with throwing food, they planned to take what they needed from the basket. He laughed outright when a gull flew into the air snapping the sandwich clean from the cowboy's hand.
"Hey! Hey!" He called out waving his arms at the oncoming swarm.
If Palidor hadn't shown up to scare them off he'd of been pecked to death in mutiny.
"Glad you find it so amusing." He brushed his hair from the feathery, flappy onslaught that it endured.
"I do." Comments the male. "Here," Picking up the guitar. "teach me some cords."
Moving closer to the lion, Irvine arranged his fingers over the guitar strings for him. "Just brush your thumb along the buttom strings."
"Is that you guys up there?" Came the voice of their son from down below.
Standing, the two head to the edge of the roof and look down.
"Party over already?" Irvine asked.
"Uh huh, and check out the size of the gift bag," He raised it up toward the roof. "Mrs. Chacon took me aside and said I got the best stuff in mine because I made Raul happy." He shook his head with a smile that said: aren't people strange? "What are you two doing up there?" Kait then asked cocking his head. "Can I come up?"
"Sure," Replied Irvine. "we're just having lunch."
"You've got mail, by the way." Squall informed the child before Kait could visually locate the ladder.
"Mail? From Grandpa?"
"I don't know who its from," He furrowed his brows when hearing Irvine playing again.
"Kait's got mail," He talk-sang. "who's it from? It could be anyone."
"You didn't read it?" Wondered Kait looking at the front door of their home before turning his gaze back to the roof.
"Why would I? Its addressed to you."
"I'd read your mail." Admitted the child.
Squall looked shocked by that comment, mostly when recalling that Irvine once sent him a very graphic dirty letter. "Don't do that anymore, okay."
"Okay. Hold on," The boy disappeared into the house. When he came back outside, he had the letter in his hand. "Its from a girl, she wants to meet me at the park at two o'clock." Checking his watch he says. "That's in three minutes."
"You gonna go?" Irvine asked.
"No way! If its a girl she probably wants to get mushy or something." Shaking his head, face scrunched in disgust he tucks the letter back into its envelope. "It said: Meet me at the park at two, sincerly M.T."
"Who's M.T.?" Squall wondered.
With a shrug Kait replied. "It might be this girl from gym class, Minnie Tao. She's the only the M.T. I've ever heard, but I don't really know her."
"Doesn't mean she can't have a crush on you." Irvine stated.
"Well, I don't care." Looking over his shoulder he glanced down the street in the direction of the park. "I don't want a girlfriend. I want a boyfriend like you guys are."
Squall rolled his eyes to that statement. "Kait, you don't even know if you're gay or not."
"I could be." He said smartly.
"Well think about it this way, this Minnie girl really likes you and she's at least counting on some kind of response. So you should go and tell her that you're not interested." Irvine shrugged. "Better than having her sending you letters every now and then remaining hopeful."
Twisting his mouth back and forth thoughtfully, the boy nods. "You're right. I'll go." Returning inside he slipped his sneakers back on. "But I'm not gonna stay long. I'm just gonna tell her and leave."
"Atta boy, don't give her false hope." Irvine offered a thumbs up for luck.
"Don't be done until I come back, I still wanna hang out with you guys." Kait insisted. "And here," He whistled for Palidor and handed the bird his camera when it grew a little larger in size to hold the thing. "I made a little video of the party. See you around."
"Bye." They say together but not simultaniously.
"Now back to those cords." Irvine holds the guitar.
Four quick lessons later Squall is playing the short song he's learned, which oddly sounds like some version of the tango, the two look over the edge of the roof into town, talk-singing about the people they see.
"Mrs. Bowman is going to the store, wonders if she has enough money to buy the things she needs." Irvine sang about an older woman with a bright red shirt on who's fishing through her purse before stepping through the sliding doors of the supermarket.
"A man in pink," Squall sang quietly. "is tying his sneaker, he really should be wearing boots. They're a much better choice."
Wincing at the sharp note that was plucked, Irvine picked another patron. "Why on earth is that sailor holding a fish like he's about to kiss it?"
Laughing, Squall stops playing as he seeks out said sailor. "Isn't that Mr. Dincht?" He asked without singing it.
"Looks like it." He followed his lovers lead stopping as well. "Come on, all this singing has got me starved. I wanna start in on that pile of mini soft-pretzels."
...
Kait arrived at the park in record breaking time. He bent over a bench catching his breath through little bits of laughter. "I beat her here," He straightened and looked around. "guess she's not as into me as my parents think." Taking a seat on the bench he felt a weird sensation creeping over him, like he's been watched. And not four minutes after feeling this does the reason why make itself known. "Oh, its you again." Kait says to his unwanted guest.
Mara smiled at the boy. Gesturing with her hand, she asked. "Can I sit?"
Looking quite annoyed at the idea, Kait simply nodded a response. "I'm waiting for someone and," Realization came over him as he spoke and his words quickly flattened out of his mouth. "and she ain't comin' because you're my M.T."
Mara smiled at how smart her son has turned out to be. Holding out a hand, she introduced herself properly. "My name is Mara Trejo, nice to meet you."
For some reason Kait felt his world relax. Trejo, not Redfield like Squall told him his birth father's name was. Maybe this Mara truly had lost her son and is simply looking for help finding him. Kids know each other, kids talk to each other in ways adults don't know about. If this boy were taken or something than he'd surely admit it to one of his friends if it were brought up.
"Kait Kinneas-Leonhart. They're conjoined but I go by one because its a mouthful otherwise."
"Oh."
They sit in silence for a moment.
"So what did you wanna see me about?" Kait asked, trying to keep his tone casual.
"Can I tell you a story, Kait?"
Nodding, he turned his big blue eyes on the woman to show that he is listening.
"Nine years ago there was a couple, one was from Galbadia and other a man of Dollet. The two loved taking trips and adventures around this big world, but one day the Galbadian woman got pregnant. The couple was so full of glee they could hardly stop smiling, but the husband became very protective of his wife and kept her from having any fun while she was expecting."
Cocking his head, brow arched, Kait wondered what kind of story this was supposed to be. So far he wasn't sure he was enjoying it. Hearing about pregnant women often gave him the creeps. That's why he couldn't hang around Theadora's boys, their mother is pregnant and she's huge! Its a very scary sight to see.
"Well, that aside the couple had their baby and he was beautiful. He had big blue eyes, and wiggly wavey brown hair" She wriggled her fingers at the boy like he were a two or four year old. "and that lovely Galbadian skin, just like his mother. But,"
"But?"
"Well, the mother still longed for adventure and the great outdoors that her husband was suddenly attempting to keep her from."
"What did she do?"
"She begged her husband and pleaded with him to take her someplace- anyplace would do- and he finally decided on a camping trip." She smiled. "The couple had moved from Dollet three months prior to the trip and so they went to Timber on a train. They shopped for camping items and her husband found the cutest duffle bag that resembled a mail sack." This made her laugh. "It was supposed to be like the kind you use for trains when they have huge stacks of letters not packages."
Kait smiled but it was small and thoughtful. Why did this sound so familiar?
"Well, the two set up and camped and had a wonderful time but... then everything went wrong and before the woman knew what was happening she was alone."
"How?"
Mara shrugs. "Her husband disappeared during the night and took her child with him."
Kait's eyes bugged out hearing that. Why on earth would the man take the baby and run? Didn't he love his wife? It seemed like he did. Or maybe its because of the baby that he was acting so in love and protective of the woman. What a sad story.
"She looked every where but never did find her husband or her son." Tears filled her eyes. "Isn't that horrible?"
"Very."
"And so, she went into town hoping to find them but she did not. And that put the woman in a broken place where she had to go away from the world for a long time. But one day a new man came into her life, he brought her out of that darkness and back into the world."
Kait smiled. "That's nice."
"Yes... but, the hole left inside of her for Miles and even her run-away husband never dwindled, and she wanted so much to find them again. To have and hold them... if only she could."
"I'm sorry that your son is gone, and your husband." Kait knew that Mara was speaking about herself. He's not an idiot. "But, maybe she should be happy with her new friend and start a new life- if she can't find her husband and Miles."
"Its not that simple to lose people."
He didn't really know since he's never lost anyone. Even now that he's eight years old he can't give up Jojo the clown. He knows that much.
"Kait... my son loved the sky. He was always staring up into it. He was born outside, you know," She sounded as if he really should know this, but he didn't. "When he was born he didn't look at me or my husband but up at the sky, his gaze stretched for miles and miles. It was then that I gave him his name."
"That's kind of sweet." The boy said figuring that that was what the woman wanted to hear.
"Kait," She paused as if she were uncertain of whether or not she wanted to say what she had to say, but continued on. "his full name is Miles Christian Redfield."
Kait heard himself swallow as instant panic and unease gripped him once again.
"And my husband's name was Martin Redfield." She looked at the child's face for any signs of recognition. But all she saw was panic. But its a strange kind of panic, the one that knows the truth but plans to hide it.
And that's exactly how Kait reacted too. Getting up from the bench, fist balled, head lowered, he bit back tears. "I don't wanna hear any more of this story. I know what you're getting at and I'm NOT your son. You're wrong. My name is Kait Orphen Kinneas-Leonhart, I've never been a Miles a day of my life." He felt he would have had more power if he weren't shouting his words into the dirt before his sneakers. "So please, just knock it off!"
"But you have to know!" Mara heard her voice raising as well. "You have to have a feeling in your heart when you see me... don't you feel it?"
"No!" His breathing picks up when he sees the woman's shadow stand. "I don't feel anything. I don't remember anything either- so stop trying to make me believe otherwise." With a frown hard on his lips, he says in a softer tone. "I'm sorry your kid is missing, but don't pin guilt on me because you're hoping that I'm him."
And with a stiff back, he walked away. Mara stared after the child for a moment but her legs gave out and she crumpled in on herself on the bench seat. Face in her hands, she lets out a hard sob of a cry.
...
"What do you suppose they're talking about?" Selphie asked herself. Turning slightly when a larger amount of sun blocks her own shadow. "Ssshh, I'm spying." She says to the newcommer.
Seifer knelt down a bit behind her and looked out as well. He was glad that Selphie couldn't see his face as recognition flashed across it for an instant before his usual glare returned.
"Wonder who that woman is? And what she wants with Kait." Her brows knit together. "If she's some sicko, she's toast." Her hand instinctively reached into her back pocket where a smaller nunchuck sits.
Stilling that blood seeking hand, Seifer shook his head. "He'll be fine. She's probably just some woman sitting at park." He tried to sound like he had no idea of whether or not he's right, but if it were anyone other than Selphie he was sure his secret would come out. How could that woman have the nerve to just come up to Kait like this? What does she think the kid will remember her? He was a baby for Hyne's sake. He wouldn't know her if he were shown pictures of himself from when she and her dead husband actually had him with them.
"A woman sitting at the park? Then why would he talk to her if he doesn't know her?"
"He's a kid, its what they do."
"Hmmm. I hope you're-..." Her words trail off when Kait stands up. "He looks pretty upset."
They can hear his voice raising before he storms away in a huff.
Selphie almost rose but was pulled back to crouch. "What? She's gonna follow him." Her tone said Seifer had one more time to stop her and she'd crack him over the head.
"No she isn't, look." He points.
The woman sat back down on the bench, it seems that she's crying.
Chuckling, Selphie clenched her fist giving it a little thrust into the air. "Good job, Kait, make her cry. Don't take shit from some park-perve. I'd like to get in there and shake her head from her shoulders."
Thin brows raised, Seifer tousles the girls hair before pushing down on her head to help himself stand. "I had no idea you were such a psycho, Tilmitt. I'll have to watch out for you when your little twig finally snaps."
"Whatever. Let's follow him and make sure he's alright."
"Yeah, you go ahead. I'll catch up to you."
Giving Seifer a thumbs up, she sped off after the boy.
Waiting until Selphie was good and out of sight, Seifer wandered over to the weeping woman. With a heavy sigh of agitation he plants himself down beside her. "What are you doing?" He asked very seriously. "You gotta know that kid doesn't know who you are. Or do you just like hurting yourself."
Her sobs turn into little hiccups when seeing who is seated beside her; an angry glare crosses her features. "You knew he was my son and yet you sent me on a wild goose chase around Balamb. Don't you have any manners at all? I could have been had him back with me."
"It wouldn't make a difference how long you spent looking for him. He's not your son. He's Squall's and Irvine's." With a shrug he informs. "You gotta deal with that. Kait has only known the two of them and the rest of us while he grew up. So the kid doesn't need you coming around and fucking that up for him."
Mara scoffed, crossing her arms as if to hold herself. "Fuck you."
"Fuck yourself, you seem to be doing a fine job of it so far." Looking across the park he then turns his green gaze back to Mara. "You can't be that old, find a new man, get yourself laid, and have another kid. And don't blow it by getting yourselves lost in woods again. But you can't keep coming up to Kait like you are. Eventually his parents will find out and I can promise you, it won't be fun."
"They have no right!"
"And neither do you." He kept his voice even, which only served to piss Mara off more. Something he learned how to do from Squall. "Kait is well aware that he's been adopted and you know what? He doesn't fucking care. He likes the life he has. Why do you wanna take it away from him?"
"Because he's my son, not theirs." Her tears are returning only now they're angry rather than sad.
"And was your son from the moment they picked him up and started searching for his parents, until they stopped and Squall decided to adopt him." Standing Seifer looks down on the woman. "Where were you the entire six months that went on?"
She could have told him, but she chose silence. She isn't going to let this man further work her up.
"Thought so... look, let it go. Blood-wise he'll always be your son, but in every way that matters Kait belongs to Squall. That's just the way it is. Now," Hoisting the woman from under her arm, he released her the moment she began to fight. "get yourself on a train and head back to wherever it is you came from. You gave it a chance and he rejected you. Be happy that he's alive and healthy and as far as I know damned happy to be where he is. Take it from a guy whose never had a chance at adoption, the kid couldn't be in a better place."
"How do you know that?"
"Because they're my best friends. And anytime I see them they've all got sickeningly stupid grins on their faces and its all because of family. Their family." He spreads his arms out like there is a bigger picture at hand. "Them, me, and the others... we all care about Kait. Isn't that enough?"
"You don't know what its like losing a child,"
Seifer rolled his eyes, he knew this speech was coming.
"You don't know what its like to give birth and see someone who loves you, and looks up to you, and needs you." Sniffling, she shakes her head. "To be loved so completely... no mother should have to lose their child!"
"And no mother should take away that child's happiness away- even if its not with them."
"Dammit! I don't know why I'm trying to explain this to you, you'll never understand."
"I understand plenty." Seifer crossed his arms, anger in his tone now. "You've fucked up your life and somehow think you can get it back one piece at a time starting with the biggest one, but what you seem to be failing to understand is that that piece has moved on. It doesn't have any use for you, it doesn't even know you. To Kait, you're just some creepy older broad trying to make him someone he's not."
"But he knew what I was talking about... when I mentioned his name, and my husbands..." She was baiting him, wanted to see his reaction to that. "Why does he know my husband's name?"
"Like I said, we searched for his parents and found your husband in the woods- dead. Squall told him this; told him that his birth father was dead and that his mother may very well be dead as well. What the hell would he know, nothing of yours was found but a dress with his blood on it." He shrugged. "We had no way of identifying you because who knew how long that dress had been out there, any evidence was weathered away. Simple as that."
"Evidence." She spat it at him like it were venomous. "You found my husband dead in the woods, surely someone would have contacted me.
"Again, the cops tried. Where were you?"
Mara bit her tongue. She didn't dare tell him that she'd ended up in an institution. He would know, and they would deem her unfit as a mother without even taking into account that that was a long time ago, and she's better now and has been better for nearly a year.
"Look,"
Seifer brought her from her thoughts.
"Its good that your alive, move on with your new life." He sounded as though he were making more sense than she was giving him credit for. "You have to have one by now. No one is gonna believe that you've been searching for Miles for some eight years. Its bullshit." The conversation was over on his end and he walked away. He knew she wouldn't give up. Only problem with that is that now he has to tell Leonhart and his boyfriend about it. Shit.
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"If you're gonna follow me, could you at least get me an ice cream cone." Kait said over his shoulder.
"Ahahaha," Selphie laughed dryly, placing a guilty hand behind her head. "looks like you caught me."
"I saw you in the glass door when I went to the burger place. You're kind of hard to miss with that yellow shirt on."
"Well that's fine." Walking up to him, she takes out her wallet removing 2 gil from it. "I'll have a chocolate sundae cone please." She says to the vender.
"A fruit bar." Kait ordered.
Selphie could feel the boy's sadness pulsing off of him in waves. "Come over here and have a sit, let's talk a minute." Placing a hand on his upper back, she steers the boy over to a set of stairs that lead into the boat rental. When they're situated, Selphie gives her cone a single lick before asking. "So who was that woman at the park? Looked like you went all Squall on her?"
"Oh she's just-..." He stopped himself before he blurted anything stupid or wrong out. "She was just asking me some stuff, that's all. I wanna talk to my Dads about it." Looking her in the eyes he adds. "Its nothing personal."
"Oh. That's ok. As long as you're alright."
"I am."
The two eat their frozen treats in a momentary silence. Kait notices that he can still hear the sound of Irvine playing guitar on the roof of their building. They are waiting for him, just as they said they would.
He smiled to himself. "So like, aunt Selphie... can I ask you something?"
Selphie had to hide her smile at Kait's sudden shift from Squall-behavior to Irvine-isms.
"Do you ever wonder about your parents?"
Blinking Selphie looks out at the ocean thoughtfully. "Hmm, not really. Sometimes."
"So you knew them?"
"I did. For a bit, but, they were killed in the war. Both of them were soldiers and I was left with a neighbor for the time they were gone. Ms. Tannonbalm tried to keep me, she really did but... I was too much for her and so I wound up in foster care. Edea came and got me and we lived at the old stone orphanage where we went for vacation."
"Is that how it was for everybody? Zell has a mom and dad."
"Zell was adopted and, unlike Quistis, he wasn't returned time and again. The Dincht's really love him."
That seemed to spook the child because he abruptly stopped speaking then.
Noticing this, Selphie tried to remedy the situation. "Don't ever wonder if Squall and Irvine would change their mind about you, they love you ridiculously. Nothing in this world would make them give you up, Little Bird."
"Really?"
"Really. Is that why you were so upset?" She had to ask now. "Was that woman at the park talking to you and she said something smart when you told her what you were upset about?"
"Something like that." He lied regretedly. All this lying was gonna catch up to him soon. But he couldn't tell her. He actually hoped that he didn't have to tell anyone.
"Oh," Selphie seemed to buy it. "Well, don't go listening to weirdos. What do they know anyway? Trust me, Kait. You're in a good place and it isn't going to be taken away from you."
Smiling, he lifts his fruit bar into the air to lick at the trail of banana strawberry cream running down his forearm. He can't help but believe Selphie. After all, she would know right? Once his fruit bar was finished he got up from the stair and gave his aunt a kiss on the cheek receiving one in return.
"Bye aunt Selphie, and thanks for the ice cream."
"You're welcome." She watched the boy leave. Just as Kait rounded the corner does Seifer come into view. Setting down what's left of her cone Selphie charges across the street towards the tall blond. "Oh Seifer," Her voice rang out.
"Uh-oh, what have I done now."
Grabbing the male up by his collar she tugs him down to her level. "You better start talking, because I know that you know something. And if you tell me I'm crazy I'll punch you right in the nose."
Seifer cocked his head, surely she was kidding. But the hard gleam in those dark green eyes said otherwise. What is it with women these days?
...
"Wow." Selphie picks at her fries.
Seifer took her to the diner around the corner to tell her what he knows about Mara Trejo.
"I can't believe after all these years Kait's mother just showed up out of nowhere for him." Her voice is low and sad. "Squall and Irvine are not gonna like this."
"No kidding. Which is why I didn't tell them, I figured that she'd give up when she couldn't find him."
"Ha! You just wanted to have some fun. You could have lied to her, then she'd be searching some other town instead of this one and she wouldn't know that Kait is her son."
"You don't know that. Regardless what I think of her, it didn't take her long to figure it out." He took a sip of his dark colored soda.
Eating thoughtfully, Selphie shook her head. "I just don't know what's gonna happen if this gets out. Can she take him? She doesn't have any grounds, does she?" Her hopeful lock onto Seifer's pleading for his comfort because frankly she feels damn sick right now. Its a wonder she can eat.
"I doubt it. But I've never been on the right side of the law for too long, so who really knows." He shrugged. "And I don't want you riling her up with your threats and things. I made those two out to be fucking male Martha Stewarts, so don't blow it by acting like a hothead. I know people look into that sort of thing. Its bad enough their in the military."
"Seifer," Selphie looked surprised. "You've really thought this through." A grin spread across her face. "You love them that much?"
"No."
"You do."
"No. I don't." He cleared his throat. "I just think its pretty fucked up for some old chick to come sniffing around Balamb like she owns the place, to mess up something she doesn't understand just to sate her own needs. You know I love depriving people things."
"Uh-huh." She continued to grin like a child who was offered a piece of candy to keep good gossip they've overheard.
"Whatever. Just remember what I said about not going over there."
"Sure, but... I hate to be the three of them right now." Her sadness returned like it had never left.
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"Irvine..." Squall holds the boy's camera out to his lover. "Take a look at the pictures in the end, the ones after the video of the party."
Taking the camera he thumbs through the line up not really sure what he's looking for. Hopefully it isn't anything vulgar. The idea of kids taking graphic pictures is too nausious making to not have a word with the boy about it. But what he saw wasn't anything of the sort, it was just a lot of pictures of places Kait has been. "I don't get it."
"You didn't notice that a specific face appeared in every single one."
"Huh?"
"Look, that woman is in nearly every picture." He points to a woman in a grey cardigan. "Who do you think she is?"
"I know her- well, I don't really know her, but I've met her. She was at the school with me the other day, I was giving her a dime." Now that he thought about it. Irvine looks over the pictures again. "You know what's weird? Kait seemed really damned freaked out about me talkin' to her. He thought that I might have been hitting on her or something, but this... I don't know what to make of it." Setting the camera down he asked himself outloud. "You think she's stalking him?"
Holding the camera up Squall looks them over again. "It sure as hell looks as though she's staring specifically at Kait." Going to a video that isn't very long, he presses the play button.
Kait is walking along the street two of his friends the big one and that girl at his side, and there is this woman just dottling around in the background.
"Hi kids," She says when they're close enough to her.
"Hi miss." They reply back in a friendly almost familiar manner.
"Your on your own today?"
"We're not on our own, we're going to Harold's house to play games." Kait replied.
The woman smiled. "You're all so comfortable walking around unsupervized, have you lived here long?" It sounded like it were for the whole but she looked specifically at Kait.
The video ended then.
Squall and Irvine exchanged looks with each other. This wasn't just a one time thing, the woman seemed interested in their son, but why. They'd get their answer soon it seemed; foot steps sounded at their left where the ladder to the roof is.
"Hey you guys," Kait said with a smile on his face, that is, until he saw how serious their faces were. "What's going on?"
"We need to talk." Squall said holding up Kait's camera.