A/N The dreaded author note: The main pairings in later chapters will be LGBTQIA and have mental health and neurodivergence rep. This is written from memory. I'm not trying for 100% accuracy. Just having fun!

First chapter TW: Death

This wasn't the reason Zell wanted to have a reunion with his old friends. It had been several years since he last saw any of them in person. But now, when they were in their mid-20s, everyone was going to be in the same room again. Behind him walked Squall. They had traveled together since they still worked at Balamb Garden.

Zell walked into the building that had been refurbished years ago to be the new orphanage Matron and Cid took over after the war. It still had some of the old bones from when he and the others lived there. He chuckled when he saw a hole the size of a child's fist in the wall. That one was his work.

"You did that when Seifer was chasing you with a squirt gun. He got you good and you tried to punch him." Squall's voice was soft. "Seifer ducked and both of you got in a lot of trouble."

I wonder why they didn't repair that when they fixed the place up, Zell thought.

He heard a creak of the door and looked over to see Selphie and Quistis. It was unusual to see them wearing mostly black. They always had colorful styles. Quistis even had her hair down. She never had it down.

Matron liked her hair down. Quisty always fussed about it getting in the way, though. Zell agreed with Matron. She looked nice with her hair down.

"Hi," Selphie said in a somber voice. Zell could see that her lower lip was quivering. It was painful to hear the usually upbeat girl so toned down. "I'm so happy to see you guys."

"Likewise," added Quistis, "though I wish we could have found the time before..."

Time has a way of getting a hold of you the older you get, Zell thought. He couldn't believe they had let so many years go by without seeing each other in person.

"Yeah, same," Squall told them.

"Hi girls, I missed you," Zell said, giving both of them the biggest hug he could. Selphie glanced behind Zell's shoulder at Squall. The gunblader closed the gap and joined the group hug. He didn't often hug people, but it was different today.

"May I get in on this?"

They looked over. Irvine had walked in. He was not in his usual get-up. It was unnerving, though he looked good in a black suit and tie. He saw them staring and a pink flush spread to his cheeks. He ran his hand down the front of his suit jacket, slightly biting his lower lip.

"I wasn't sure how I was supposed to dress." Irvine found himself sandwiched between Squall and Quistis. Selphie and Zell were somewhere in the middle, mostly blocked from view.

"You look great," Selphie assured, her voice muffled from being squished by everyone.

"Irvine, honey, you could come wearing anything. She wouldn't care!" Quistis rubbed a lone tear that had started to fall down Irvine's cheek.

They heard someone clearing their throat. "Excuse me, uh..."

"Oh, Seifer," Quistis said, as she saw the former Knight walking into the room. Pairs of arms tightened around her. It wasn't quite clear who, but someone, maybe all of them didn't want to let go, just yet. "Well, come on."

The tall blonde rubbed the back of his neck. Being back at this place, seeing all of them, after everything they had gone through; it was hard. He had gone through years of self-reflection and therapy. He had become closer to Matron over the years as it had amazingly been her who first came to him and asked if he would join her in a therapy session. One session turned to two and that turned into something they did twice a month until recently.

He never told the others. He also couldn't explain to them why he was so close to crying. He had done a lot of crying over the years. Never in front of anyone, but Matron and the therapist. Even that took some time.

"Seifer's here?"

Seifer came out of his daze when he heard Zell's voice. "Is Zell in there somewhere?"

"And me, Selphie." He saw a slender hand pop up in the middle. "Hi, Seifer. Quisty is right, come hug us."

"I-uh, but you guys don't mind?" Quistis saw the anguish on his face and could see when someone was close to breaking down but trying so damn hard to hold back.

"Oh, Seifer," Quistis whispered. "Guys, make room. Of course, we don't care. Come on."

A lot has changed over the years. The group knew that Seifer had been possessed and after finding out, they never once held it against him. It seemed that Seifer still did, though. Everyone had returned to Balamb Garden and started to pick up the broken pieces, even Seifer.

Eventually, they all obtained professor status and were transferred around to the three Gardens. Rinoa had gone back to Galbadia after her and Squall's relationship fizzled out. The group kept in touch through phone and letters, but getting together happened farther and fewer in between.

However, they stopped hearing from Seifer. Nobody knew where he went. They heard that he did some freelance work, but they weren't sure what kind.

Seifer still hadn't moved. The group had opened up their circle and now Zell and Selphie were more visible. Seifer and Zell's eyes met. Something passed through them but now was not the time or place. Zell smiled at him and Seifer tried to smile back, but he was afraid if he changed his stoic expression, his facade would break.

"Seifer." This time it was Zell. "It's good to see you. Come here." Slowly, Seifer walked toward him and stood awkwardly next to them. He didn't know who to hug or if he should put his arms around everyone. How did group hugs even work?

The others answered for him. Selphie threw herself at Seifer, which prompted Quistis and Irvine to do the same. Zell and Squall looked more unsure about the situation, but soon felt drawn in by their shared experiences, the good and bad. At the end of the day, they were family.

"I've hugged more people today than I've hugged in my 25 years." Squall tried to chuckle. A lot of kids came and went once the orphanage was up and running again, and they all knew who Squall and the rest were. When he and Zell first showed up, several strangers dressed in black had rushed them, offering hugs, some even embarrassingly kissed them on the cheeks. Cid was there, too. He hugged them, as well. Squall kind of didn't mind. He understood.

"I can't believe that after everything, something so normal like cancer got her." Selphie sniffed and then burst into tears. They had gone through a lot with Matron when she was possessed, but once she was freed, they had her back, she was like their mother again. Most of them had adopted parents, but Matron and Cid would always be parental figures to them.

"Don't cry, baby," Quistis said, kissing her wife on the top of her head.

"You're crying, too."

The reserved blonde reached up and touched her cheek. "So I am."

"Crying is okay," Zell whispered. "Right?"

"Yes. Of course," Irvine said, breaking away from the hug. He walked over to the wall that had a fireplace. "Hey, look, I don't remember this photo."

It was a group shot of Matron and Cid with the original six orphans. Seifer was scowling, looking over at Zell, who had a whistle in his hands. Zell was sticking his tongue at the blonde. Selphie was on the ground, playing in the mud and Quistis was standing next to her, trying to pull her off the ground. She looked horrified.

Irvine was holding his cowboy hat in the air and giving the camera a peace sign. Squall was standing stock still, as straight as a board, a small scowl on his face. They were all in their little worlds. A photo with this group could never be perfect, but Matron was beaming, her long dark hair flowing over her shoulders, her eyes sparking with happy tears. She adored her kids.

Cid was standing next to her, his hand proudly around her waist.

"Wow, she loved us so much." Selphie came up behind Irvine, "even though we weren't taking the photo seriously."

"I remember that day," Quistis said. "Selphie, I was so upset that you were down in the mud. It's funny to think of now. You started digging because you saw a bug. Seifer, you were upset because Zell had a whistle you wanted and Zell, you had to taunt him about it. Irvine, well, you were showing off, of course. Squall, you were annoyed because this photo op took you away from your book."

"Oh, but Matron didn't care," the whip master continued. "She loved us all for who we were, even when some of us were crawling around in filth, even when the boys were bickering. And even when I was being an uptight brat. She had to beg me to wear my hair down in the photo. I wish I wouldn't have given her such a fuss about that." Quistis reached up and touched her long blonde hair that was now around her shoulders.

"You know," Zell murmured. "I'm glad we have been able to get most of our memories back. I wish I would have got this one back, too."

Seifer nodded. "Agreed. It seems silly that a whistle of all things made me so angry."

"I promise, the next time I see one, I will get it for you." Zell crossed his fingers. "SeeD honor." Seifer turned his head, trying to hide a grin, but Zell saw it, though he decided not to say anything. It was clear that Seifer was a changed man. They all were. That happened when you got to your twenties, war or no war.

"Well, everyone else has seen her. We're the last ones." Quistis looked at the door that led into Matron's room. Cid had decided to have her viewing in a place she loved the most. Where she raised her beloved kids.

Cid didn't live here anymore, but he still owned the property. Although, he now ran another orphanage in Galbadia.

"I-I don't know if I can." They were all surprised to hear that coming from Seifer. Zell saw that his hands were shaking. They had all seen so much death, but Zell realized it had to be different for Seifer. How do you cope when you know your own hands killed so many innocent people and there was nothing you could do to stop it?

Zell held out his hand, not knowing if Seifer would take it, but offering it all the same. "We're in this together."

But Seifer didn't refuse. He took Zell's hand without saying anything. Words weren't needed anyway. Zell gave him what he hoped was a comforting squeeze.

The girls went in first, followed by Squall and Irvine. Squall was looking at the floor and a couple of times, Irvine had to teach out and touch him on the shoulder to guide him away from all the flower bouquets crowding the room.

"Ready?" Zell asked Seifer.

"Yes, Zell." Seifer took a huge gulp of air. Zell saw a tear on his cheek, but looked away, giving the man his privacy. They walked into the room and saw Matron lying in bed. She looked peaceful as if she were sleeping. Seifer's grip tightened in Zell's hand and he felt himself being pulled closer to the older blonde. He didn't mind.

Nobody said anything, but silent sobs echoed around the room. Squall was wiping at his eyes. Irvine was crying and not trying to hide it, either. Selphie was on her knees next to the bed, her head in her arms. Quistis was rubbing her back as they both cried.

"It's okay to cry, right?" Zell whispered his question from before.

"Y-yeah, yeah, it is." Seifer put his arm over his eyes and let the hot tears he had been holding back, fall. They burned like Ifrit fire being washed over him.

After their time with Matron was over, they promised to stay in touch more, especially in person. They included Seifer in the promise. The former Knight could only nod and say he would try.

A/N Quick note. I like the idea that the characters can communicate with their GFs when they are equipped, so keep that in mind for later. Each character only "owns" and uses one GF, but in my FF head cannon, memories start coming back the less often the GFs have to be summoned, whether or not they are equipped. Thanks for reading!