A/N: In the Paying it Forward universe, this is the follow up to Belated Birthday Bash, Sice requests that anything for her birthday is held on Christmas Day, which everyone seems to be okay with. The question Seven has for her new girlfriend is why? Focus is on Sebusai (dating), with Fangrai (married) and Terra/Fina (dating to engaged) being a side focus.
In Her Honour, Take One
Christmas Day. It's been some time since Sice's birth parents died the way they did, and legally entrusting Lightning and Fang to formally adopt Sice, despite the latter having feelings for Seven, her new girlfriend for an unknown amount of time before the belated birthday party for Lasswell and Celes. Ever since Seven's birthday, the silver haired teen has been wondering about Sice's request for a gathering of sorts to be held on Christmas Day, but deep inside, Seven felt that there is a very good reason behind Sice's request, which she and Lightning have been the duo being more in tune to what they think is the reason why as opposed to Serah and the rest who know them well. What this did for Fang, was it gave the brunette more time to get varying presents for the family, along with squeezing in an expedition to secure some extra money for the family, so that the family doesn't struggle as a whole. The extra money turned out to be the best timing, as it allowed Lightning to go after extra gifts for the three teens in the Yun-Farron household. Seven could only pray that her gift for Sice - a Yun necklace with a single diamond - wouldn't scare the white-haired teen away. Even though the teens haven't been dating for very long, they knew that they are meant to be together to the end. It was something that even Sice's parents knew about when they saw Seven next to Sice all those years ago.
The necklace inside the small black pouch - which Seven saved every last coin to have made just for Sice - contain one of the diamonds that was gifted to her from Sice's birth parents while they were still alive. It was only a month ago that Seven was able to obtain the diamonds that were safely inside a vault. Celes went above and beyond to ensure that the diamonds were in trusted, safe hands until the time was right for Seven to get those diamonds so that Sice would get the very necklace from a lass like Seven; for those like the Sebusai pair, they only deserve the best in life. Celes, Lightning and Snow overseeing the process of the ring for Sice saw the trio beam with pride; Fang and Lightning's oldest child taking a leap of faith by asking Sice for her hand in marriage was a reminder that Lightning and Fang also got married kind of young, and they're still together to this day, something Seven and Sice strive to be like in the future: still married and happily in love. Even Odin, the horse who has claimed Seven as his human, wanted to take part in the gift Seven has for Sice - and Kain wanted to get involved in the gift. I hope Sice says yes... I love her so much, and I know she's my soul mate. Etro, please give me the confidence to ask her to really be mine. Sice is my everything... Seven says in a silent prayer to Etro, knowing who she wants to spend the rest of her life with.
What Seven doesn't know is Sice's plans.
XXX
Everyone is awake and ready to go, now that they had their breakfast in peace - the cats, Bahamut and Y'shtola, enjoyed their feline breakfast in peace, although the two felines were giving the humans love and affection (plus they begged Lasswell for some of his food, and Fang gave them a small amount of HER food). The exchange of gifts was something everyone had a great time taking part in; if not for one reason, it was for another. Odin and Kain both were given their gifts the night before, and the duo were having a ball getting their exercise in the open yard, while their humans were inside enjoying their time together. Lasswell was over the moon when Sice was opening up the extra presents, because when he found out that Seven and Sice became an official couple, he knew that the pair would become a married pair; the sooner that the Sebusai pair get married, the better. One couldn't tell, but Sice loved every last gift that she was given by everyone, even those who couldn't give her their gift in person sooner. What matters the most was that everyone was happy and having a great day, which clearly was happening. There was a Chrstmas Lunch that Sice herself prepared for everyone in the house, including a feline version for Bahamut and Y'shtola and the horses getting carrots and apples to eat, before the family went back to gift giving.
Fang's device went off, which turned out to be Lucien and Enya calling the humans, which the brunette was able to get them on video so that her parents could see everyone outside of Odin and Kain as the horses were outside getting their exercise. The eldest couple, Lucien and Enya, were beyond happy to find out that Sice and Seven became an official couple, and that Lasswell got accepted to a school in Lapis (a few years ago, Seven and Sice both got accepted to an Agito school in Rubrum; everyone knew that if Seven and Sice got married by the time they start their studies there, Seven would be granted automatic citizenship to Orience, something Sice has had since birth due to her and her birth parents originally being from Orience - Sice, in turn, would get her citizenship to the lands where Seven has her citizenship one way or another). The conversation itself took a bit longer than expected, but the smiles and laughter on each face was more than worth the length of the call. Lucien and Enya ended the call with an announcement that Sice is getting a gift from them in a few weeks, as it was still being prepared during their call. It was a short time after the call ended that those in the Yun-Farron household would go BACK to the gift giving, only to see every last birthday present that was for Sice...
...Plus one for Seven.
XXX
It was late at night in the Yun-Farron household where Sice and Seven hung out at the small home that was built for Sice, which was next door to the horses. In an odd twist of fate, Terra and Fina just so happened to arrive on cue, in total secret from the Fangrai couple. After exchanging pleasantries, the small group went into Sice's residence, which is quite spacious for a teen to have. It was about 45 minutes later that the two horses, Odin and Kain, were prepared for their role in what's to come. It was very shortly after they arrived did Sice and Terra, both stunned by what was adorned by each horse - a familiar necklace around Odin's neck, and an engagement ring with Kain - where Seven stood by Odin, while Fina stood by Kain. Tears of happiness were shed when they were asked by their partners for their hand in marriage, complete with the one who asked being on one knee, moments apart - and the actual engagement ring Seven had made just for Sice in a super-secret pouch that was on Odin the entire day. With yes being the answer to their marriage proposal, Fang, Lightning and Lasswell, plus Bahamut and Y'shtola, all came out to congratulate the newly engaged couples. Lasswell started calling Sice Big Sis 2 from that moment on, which had everyone laughing and smiling.
"Thank you for giving me the okay to propose to Sice, mum..." was all Seven said to Lightning, knowing that getting this blessing was important, and the only thing Fang said to Sice after a bone breaking hug of sorts was a welcome to the family. After all, Sice's birth parents knew who the right person was for her, and it was Seven Michaela Yun-Farron.
A marriage proposal done in her honour... Seven made Sice's parents proud, for the silver haired teen is beyond grateful for their blessings to be with Sice.
It was as if they knew.
FIN
A/N #2: The title is intentional for a key reason: Two of the planned stories for the Fangrai/Sebusai collection will have two additional but different takes using the same title.
A/N#3: Next story is in the Second Time Around, with it being the Fangrai couple planning a New Years celebration with the Sebusai pair after the former couple becoming first time parents to Kurasame.
