Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Snow Drift	By : Resting-Madness Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Yaoi - Male/Male > Irvine/Squall Views: 970 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own anything involving final fantasy 8, nor do I make money from this fanfiction. The only thing that's mine is the take on a plot that's been done by just about everyone.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
Laguna and Kait erupt into a fit of laughter when Ward caught up with them. They paired up in the game of Zombie that they're playing in the hall with Ward, Kiros, Ellone, and a guard. He was invited by the child since he was just standing around in the hall. At least to a four year old that's what the man was doing. The president said it was all right, so he reluctantly joined them. It was embarrassing for him, but he did it. It was technically an order. But the blind Ward and Kiros stalked about with their eyes closed, in search of the sneaking humans. The humans had to get into Kait's bedroom to be home free. It was a before bed game. Much better than that assignment book Squall gave him. Who wants to trace letters and numbers at age 4? Better to play, thought Laguna.
Ward moaned better than the other 'zombies'. His inability to speak might play a part, but he was likely just a good undead groaner. He snatched Kait from his best friend's shoulders and pretended to much on him.
"Grampop, heeelp!" He called out to the fleeing President.
"I'll miss you!" Laguna called out as he darted into the bedroom.
Kait voiced a combination of laughter and agony as he was pretend consumed.
Ellone smiled. She hated to break it up, but it was getting toddler late. "Kait, let's end things here. Come on, I'll read you a bedtime story." She laughed when he began twitching and turning into a zombie within Ward's hold.
"Noooo." He groaned.
Groaning back, she insisted. "Yeees."
She led the way into the bedroom. She smiled seeing Laguna was in the bathroom, loading Kait's toothbrush with paste. Her nephew had quite a few many sweets today. Cookies, a brownie, gummy candies, sticky taffy. He will make a dentist ecstatic after this visit.
Laguna called into the room. "Come on, bud."
On his feet, he hurries into the bathroom. Kait took the offered toothbrush then brushed his teeth. He smiled seeing his grandfather's hand cupped beneath his just chin in case the paste foam dribbles. It won't. He's good at brushing. He stepped onto the three tier stepper then spit into the sink. After swishing mouthwash, he stepped down.
"Your toothpaste taste funny." He declared before wiping the back of his hand across his mouth.
"Does it?" He read the flavor. Spear mint.
Following Kait into the bedroom; he brushed aside his bangs then kissed his forehead. "See you in the morning."
"You too."
When Laguna left the room, followed by his friends, Kait looked to Ellone. "Aunt Ellone, is daddy mad at me?"
"Why would he be mad at you?" She opened the storybook.
"I don't think he liked it that I know a Shumi, because the Shumi looks like Cowboy Irvine."
Ellone wondered what to say. "Kait, your dad is definitely not angry with you. He's mad at a different sort of situation."
"Really?" He felt a bit of relief there. But if Imari was upsetting his dad, he wished he didn't meet him. He doesn't like that his dad shouted at him, and grabbed him so hard. It was scary. But if he didn't make him mad, he wants to forget about what did, so they can be ok again. "Is Imari a bad man? Do you know him?"
"Yes. If he is the person we all hope he is, I know him well."
"I'm confused." He confessed. He took the glass of milk his grandfather brought in and drank it. "Night." He said again.
"It will all be cleared up by the time you go home." She returned her attention to the book on her lap. "Now, let's tackle this crazy mixed up story."
"Ok."
She began to read from the book until Kait's eyes sagged. She then walked him to the bathroom, before tucking him back into bed where he quickly dropped off to sleep.
'Wonderland... Is that where you've been Irvine? Or is it a weird coincidence?' As she'd stated to Kait, she will know by the end of the visit.
In Winhill.
Imari Karver stepped up to his front door. He was walking at a casual pace but slowed when he felt a strange tingle in the air. 'Has someone been using magic around here?' He scratched the side of his head wondering how he knew that. Turning the knob slowly to go in, he had a bad feeling and removed a switch-blade from his pocket flipping it out. Entering his home he looks around the darkness, instantly spotting Pal laying on the floor, not unconscious nor asleep... This looked more.. frozen.
Flipping on the light switch by the door, he hurried over to the bird's aid; there must have been a break-in. Pal's golden eyes are still open, a look of rage in them. He held his friend tenderly in his arms, mumbling that he snap out of it. A slight movement caught his eye; he expertly tossed the knife in its direction with excellent accuracy.
It would have hit, and seriously injured anyone else, but Squall easily dodged it simply by turning his head.
"What are you doing in my home?" Imari growled. His angered haze dimmed seeing who stood in the shadows. Standing, he placed his hands on his hips. "I know you. You're Kait's father, right?"
Squall only seemed to shift his weight in thought.
"Well, answer me! And what the hell did you do to my friend?" He balls his fist wanting so badly to strike the man.
"So I'm just "Kait's father" now?" Squall says quietly, a hint of bitterness in his tone but also sadness. "And you're Imari; that's how we're going to play this?"
Momentarily confused he holds up his hands in defense. "Don't get all weird on me. If you want me to stay away from your son just say so; I should tell you, though, I would never do anything to hurt him. I like Kait, he's a good kid; I'm not some damned sicko."
"I don't think you're a sicko." He shook his head walking closer.
Imari took a step back. He can fight all right, but when it comes to something like magic he's out on his ass at standing a chance against it.
"How could you not say anything to us - to me?" Squall says getting closer with each slow step. "We all thought that you..." His words faltered then he angrily hissed as if his next sentence would bring back his assumed truth. "We thought you were dead."
"Who's "We"? What are you talking about?" Again he steps back. 'What the heck is wrong with this guy? First he breaks into my home, injures my pet friend; and has the nerve to wait around for me. For what? If not to back me off of Kait, than is it to creep me out so that I does it on his own. Maybe he's a bit mental! Even dangerous!'
"Was it a secret mission? Like that time Quistis and you had to pose as a couple in Shalmal? Or when Zell had to live on the streets?"
Imari bumped into the counter. Squall stopped right before him, looking up into the blank gaze of his love's now older face. His height and build, his hair, though a lot shorter, the most condemning feature of proof is the thin discoloration on Irvine's cheek, produced by Rinoa. Back when Squall and the others were imprisoned, she was ordered to be let go. When she found out it was Irvine who intended to chauffeur her back home, she fought him to take her back. Her nail caught his flesh and scared him.
Irvine's Tiffany-blue eyes look even more amazing then Squall remembered, his love's thin cat-like lips are still etched with laugh-lines. 4 years without this man. 4 years without being loved by him and loving him in return. Squall was going to give Matron a good tongue-lashing, if this was her idea.
"What mission?" Imari looked defensive and confused, maybe even a bit angry.
"Irvine, you can stop the charade now. Its over, we've found you - so please... come back with us to Balamb Town."
"Irvine?" The human Shumi questioned. Rolling his eyes, he says as he stepped away from the pinned position he's in. Not liking the situation one bit now that his weapon is gone. "What is it with your family and this Irvine-legend?" He snickered. "Get it, play on words?"
Squall turned his head in the direction his love headed. "Why are you acting like this?"
"Acting like what?" His tone is now leaning more on annoyed than confused or alarmed. He doesn't have time to talk circles with someone who seems to think that he's the twin of this guy he, and his kid, like.
"Is it because I'd done something wrong?" His throat tightened admitting to the darkness that suddenly arose from the realization of this entire scene. "Have I hurt you? Made you feel like you couldn't trust me? Is it because of how I felt about Kait at first?"
Imari was about to say something. A loud shriek called their attention as the Stop spell faded from the animal. It lifts itself shakily from the floor.
"Pal!" The concern in his voice is evident as he grabbed ahold of the bird, embracing it in his arms. "Are you all right?" The bird nuzzled his head beneath friend's chin.
Squall's heart ached to be the one held by the missed sniper, instead of that weird bird. "I'm sorry that Seifer did that, but he was going to attack us."
""Us" again? So you brought a whole fleet. Where are they? Upstairs looking for stuff to break?"
"Irvine, why are you acting like this?" He asked again walking over to the man. "We miss you - for fuck's sake, we believe that you're dead... But you've been out here this entire time? Living under an assumed name... What the hell is going on with you?"
Taking in a deep breath to steady his anger, he calmly let it out through his nose. "I'll tell you this one time, so you'd better listen; my name is Imari Karver not Irvine. I've never been Irvine. I don't know Irvine; and from what I know, I'm not a twin - maybe I could be, since you're so sure you know my face. But, please, just leave. You've done enough damage." By that he meant Pal.
"You can't be serious?" Grabbing him by the arm, he jerks his chin in to make him face him, and look at him. "You really don't know who I am?"
"Should I?" Pulling his face free he set the bird down on its perch; placing the ankle chain to its leg so that he doesn't attack the psychotic man who seems hell-bent on staying to question him, or accuse him, or whatever the hell he's doing there.
"...Yes." Grabbing Irvine by the arms again, he shakes him a bit. "Look at me, damn it! Tell me who I am! What's my favorite food?! Favorite book!? The nickname you gave me?!"
Rolling his eyes he says. "I know that your name is Squall, Kait told me that. You have friends named Seifer and Rinoa." He shrugged. "That's all I know."
Looking up into his boyfriend's eyes he sees no sign of a lie. He sees no sign of anything but confusion and a bit of annoyance. 'He really doesn't know.' Squall felt dizzy. 'He has amnesia. That would explain why he didn't come looking for us.' Releasing him, he blinks back the tears he feels forming.
Seeing this, Imari felt guilty. "If it's any help... I'll keep an eye out for him." He shrugged. "Shouldn't be hard to spot, if he looks like me."
Squall shook his head. "You can't keep an eye out for him, because you are him. Imari," He took a seat on the couch as if to say that he wasn't leaving without getting all his questions answered. "How did you get to where you are now? Were you always in Winhill?"
Taking a seat he leaned back against the back of the sofa. "No. I didn't always live here. I spent a year and a few with the Shumi tribe. They were the ones who found me lying out on the beach, half frozen to death." There's an odd stab of sadness in the man's words at that. "They helped me, healed me, and made me one of their own."
'That's why we couldn't find him at the site. He wasn't there. He hadn't drowned. He hadn't died...'
"After that, I started helping them make little things here and there; that lion and bird I gave to Kait - stuff like that." He thinks back to those days. "I felt cooped up after a while. I wanted to get out and spread my wings, so I went out on deliveries, that's how I met your son. He wanted to watch us put up a statue. Eventually I moved away, and have been living here for the past three years."
"And no one has said anything to you?" Shaking his head he adds "About the way you look?" to clear up his question.
"What do you mean?"
"Recognized you from the papers or television? I know, from then, it would have been two years back when it all went down.. but they must have had something click when they saw you."
"Not really; I mostly kept hidden - its a Shumi thing. However, the few times I did remove my hat," he looks up at the ceiling, face reflecting on all the weird feelings he used to have. "people asked me if they've seen me before. I thought that was impossible and moved on. Over the years, though, I have sort of been having these flashes come over me."
"Like what?"
"Like... Like I've said something before or ate it, and it would rush to me... but then it would fade away just as soon as it came on."
Nodding Squall says. "You must have been trying to remember, or at least you were absently remembering."
"You're trying to say that I do know you?"
"Imari, you are Irvine Kinneas, you just have amnesia."
"Irvine Kinneas... I.K." Standing he waves a hand. "Come upstairs with me, I wanna show you something."
Standing he was led to the bedroom. Imari walked over to the closet opening it and inside, are his duster, a vest, and a pair of jeans. In other words, everything that he was wearing the day he'd disappeared.
"Elder said that I was wearing this when I was found. When I left he gave it to me and said that they would help me find my way. But every time I stare at them or try to remember, I get nothing... Nothing at all. You can only ask questions without answers for so long, y'know?"
Touching the clothing as if Irvine were inside of them his hand lowered to rest at his side. "You love this coat, maybe not as much as you love your hat, but, no matter how many times I would tell you to get a new one, you'd always tell me you're sticking with what you know and love. That it's easier."
"He sounds like a good guy - odd, maybe, but good."
"Irvine.." An agitated sigh expelled from him as he corrects himself. "Imari, please listen to me about this; I know that you're a new person, and you have a new life... But you've left behind a pretty damn good one without even knowing it."
Lowering his dual-gaze to the floor, he wets his mouth nervously before saying in a quiet voice. "This life you talk about... was I? ...I mean, did I ever want to kill myself?"
Shocked by the odd question, Squall shook his head. "No. If anything, you'd fail at it if you ever tried." A soft smile comes across his lips. "You're so full of life, you'd have at least fifty spare if you ever lost one. But there were always down times, that belonged just to us..."
Imari blinks as he watched this stranger release tears while at the same time shake with quiet laughter. Thinking that Squall might go insane at any minute, he couldn't help himself from smiling at the odd, but nice, laughter that spilled out of him just as much as the tears. He couldn't help from laughing as well.
Then it was Squall's turn to be surprised and shocked by the oddity of Irvine Kinneas actually laughing. Its... well it's just a weird sound. Irvine laughs, but its quaint laughter not like this loud chuckle. He had always secretly thought it was cute how someone so happy can't laugh properly to save his life. Irony, he guessed.
Ceasing his own laughter due to inadvertant staring, Imari wiped his leaking eyes, stilling his laughter as well.
"What was so funny?" He asked when calmed down.
"I don't know." Squall looked deeply into Irvine's slightly new face. "It just hit me how we've all missed you, and you've been here.. and alive all this time."
"Oh..."
There's silence between them; mentally their words were shouting to be heard but verbally their lips were sealed.
"...I know that you don't remember, and I can't force you to, but... please, come back with us to Alcaud." Squall's sincerity bled through his words praying to be oblidged. "We all miss you so damn much, I miss you. ...Imari... I'll answer any questions that you may have, just please come back."
Imari looked into Squall's dual-colored eyes, something about them just spoke to him. It reminded him of the carving of the lion that he'd made without understanding why. Blue and gray stone, tough but tender. He couldn't just say: No. It would be wrong of him. Especially when he's had so many questions and little to no answers over the years.
And he's had a major one answered. He wasn't on the beach because of a botched suicide. He's missed. He's loved. It would be wrong to have people continue to hurt just because he can't remember that life or time; only knowing of his here from then to now as Imari. He's loved, and not alone as all his visions have shown him. Doesn't he owe it to these people to at least assure them that he's ok, even if he can't be this Irvine? He can still be their friend.
"I'll come back with you."
Smiling, he can't hardly breathe as his silent breaths become audible as they cause his chest to rise and fall a little too hard. Its almost making him light headed. "You will?"
"Yeah," A laugh huffs from him. "It's not as if I'm doing anything here that I can't just do there, but..."
"But, what?"
"I don't have much money to stay at a hotel for very long so..."
"You don't have to worry about money; you'll be staying with Kait and me in our apartment."
"...Oh. ...Alright." Awkward. "But, can I have a week to say goodbye to the people I've met? The Shumis and my friends here?"
He wanted so badly to say: No. They've had Irvine long enough where he and the others have gone without him. It's long past enough. But it would be rude of him to take Imari from the life he's known since his disappearance, it would be nothing short of abducting someone. With a nod he turned away to leave.
"Squall?"
The way he froze wasn't due to his being called, but the way he was called; no familiarity in the tone, just his name. It burned.
"It's a long walk to the Inn... might be dangerous out there too. Plus, you're offering me a place to stay with you later on... You can stay with me tonight, if that's ok."
Looking at his resurrected boyfriend from over his shoulder, he thinks it over.
"You can take the bed." He offered.
"I couldn't take your bed; I've seen your couch, you'd be uncomfortable."
"It's my choice." He shrugged. "You've come so far to find me - or rather, someone inside of me; its the least I can do."
"I don't trust myself to stay."
Furrowed brows join the confused look on Imari's face over the comment. Why can't he trust his self? Will he pop him over the head and drag him to Balamb Town or something? That seemed unlikely, although, he did bring his friends with him. "Okay. I'll see you in a week then."
"Yeah. ...Imari? Don't forget."
"I won't."
With a small smile on his lips, he heads down the stairs then out of the house. Looking up into the night sky he can feel a grin coming over his face. 'He's alive... Irvine's alive!'
This was the greatest! It was never about being right, but about being right. Irvine isn't dead, he truly was just missing. Eyes closed he laughed merrily for a moment; hopefully not watched by Irvine out of his window. Squall composed himself. And mentally - emotionally - composed himself so that he can return to the Inn to tell the others. He also has to think of what he's going to tell Kait.
'I hope he can understand. I've built Irvine up to be such a character in a story rather than a man; will Kait be able to handle the switch in image? I don't wanna shock him all of a sudden with this. Irvine wanted a week, that should be enough time for it all to sink in for him - I hope.'
Arriving at the Inn he checked in, he was told the room number that he's sharing with Selphie, since the rustic sleeper doesn't have modern key-cards, but actual keys. The happy lion heads up the stairs to the third floor. He can hear his friends voices coming from a single room, and upon reaching it he knocked on the door.
"Squall?" Quistis stepped aside to let him through. "Did Imari show up? Was it Irvine?"
"He did, and he is." He took a seat on the bed. He's exhausted. Elation feed upon his stamina hungrily.
"It is!?" Selphie pops down beside him, hand on his shoulder to shake out answers. "Where is he? Isn't he coming back with us?"
Squall was too worn out to swat the hand away. "He has amnesia. He really does believe he's Imari Karver."
"Bullshit. Kinneas is playing games with you." Seifer says brashly. "He likes this little lied life he's made for himself, so now he has to play it up because Kait ratted him out."
Glaring at his rival for a second Squall lessened his rage from understanding that Seifer is who, he is and won't change for anyone. "No, he really does believe that he's someone else. It's in everything he does. The way he walked, the way he talked... you'd swear he was a native from the North not the Southern region."
"Whoa, Irvine without that silly Deling accent?" Zell tried to imagine it. "That must have sounded funny."
"It sorta does; he doesn't speak so heavily with his accent all the time so I'm used to it."
Anyone else would have blushed over revealing an intimate detail but Squall could only look perplexed over wonder of what he intends to tell Kait.
"Amnesia or not, he's Irvine. He has to come back with us." Quistis comments.
"He is. He wanted a week to say goodbye to all the people he knows."
"And you told him he could?" Seifer rolled his eyes so hard he tilted his head back with it. "If that were Zell I'd of clocked his ass over the head and dragged him back."
Laughing with a bit of embarrassment behind it the shorter blond says. "You make me feel so loved."
"We can't all be a caveman, Seifer. It would be rude to take him away from the life he's known for years know. I could see if this just happened, but he's been away from us just as long as we've been away from him." Squall drew strength from the agreement between a familiar person who has made him a promise as a stranger. "He needs to say goodbye before we get Irvine back." His belief was dwindling.
Crossing her arms Quistis shook her head in dismay. "All these years... And we kept trying to convince you that he was..." She couldn't finish the sentence. "I'm so sorry, Squall."
Selphie chimed in. "Yeah, I'm really really sorry." Pouting hard enough to crack her wrinkle free face, she adds. "I feel so mad at myself for doubting you."
"Yeah, yeah, boo-boos and band-aids, whoop-dee-doo! Are we leaving this middle-of-nowhere rat hole or waiting it out?" Seifer leaned against the wall, arms and ankles crossed.
"I wanna go back; I have to talk to Kait about Irvine staying with us. I don't know how he's gonna take it."
"Kait's a smart kid, he should do alright." Rinoa pat Squall on the shoulder.
"Mm." Squall suddenly realized something. "Rinoa, can you cut my hair for me?"
"Sure." She blinked in confusion wondering if she'd heard correctly. What does hair have to do with anything right now? She then guessed that he wanted to look his best for the man he loves, not to mention, look like the one the man he loves remembers.
Squall had grown out hair for a while now as he hadn't given himself time away from raising Kait and his duties to get it cut, it's just past his shoulders; they're all used to it by now. If Irvine really has amnesia, he won't ever be able to remember Squall if he looks different in some ways. As far as Rinoa knows, most people with amnesia want reminders of their old lives to jog their memory; she just hoped she could get ahold of a pair of scissors.
Grabbing him by the wrist, she took him into her room to search through her travel bag. Luckily, now being in the military, has her prepared for strange things that normally she never would do, or have. Like a pair of scissors in her travel bag. She pulled up a chair from the small table and instructed him to sit. Combing and parting his hair, she made precise snips and clips after chopping off a good chunk of the, 6 inches in length, low ponytail.
"Squall?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm sorry if any of this becomes hard for you, but... you have to give Irvine the benefit of circumstance."
"I am." He replied hastily not liking where this was going.
"...What I mean is, Irvine has been away from us for four years... He's a different man now, with a different life style."
"What are you getting at?" He wanted to spin on her, but as she still has his hair in her grasp, he remained still to avoid mishaps.
"What I mean is... he may not remember your relationship. Imari Karver might be straight, or seeing someone."
Squall's blood turned cold. He hadn't even thought of that! He just naturally assumed that Irvine had become a hermit of sorts when it came to sex and romance. But... what if what Rinoa said is...
"Would you be upset?" She says calmly. "Because I think that you should take it easy on him, much like you're going to ease Kait into it. Allow the same grace for him. Too much shock could end up hurting him, or pushing him away because he can't process it like we want him to."
"I want to say that it'll go smoothly and that I won't pressure him, but, Rinoa, you're kind of scaring me." He turned in the seat to face her once she brushed her hand down the back of shirt to remove the fallen hairs. "I don't wanna go home thinking that Irvine might be saying good goodbye to some woman or man that he's been seeing as Imari. How the hell can I sleep with that nagging on my mind?"
"I didn't mean to upset you, I just think that you should consider this whole thing from every stand point." She waves her hands defensively. "I could be wrong, and Irvine could have been busy the entire time he was away from us. You know when you're busy, who has time for love - ask any business man."
"Not good enough; I'm leaving." On his feet, he eads out of the bedroom. "Thank you for cutting my hair; if the others ask, I went back to Irvine's. They can just go ahead home without me, if they wanna leave tonight. But I'm not going anywhere." The door slammed in his departure.
Rinoa bit her lip in contemplation. "Definitely should have waited for that conversation."
...
Slipping into his pajamas, Zell adjusts them before climbing into bed beside a nude Seifer. "Do you really think Irvine has amnesia? Or do you think he's faking it?"
"Maybe, but," he whistled. "four fucking years away. Kinneas could never do it, he's too... connected to us. It sucks if he's lying, sucks more if he really has amnesia."
"We should tell him to come home with us sooner. Giving him a week might only make him change his mind about it because he'll know what he's giving up."
"Naah. This Imari guy's life can't be all that great, if he lives in a place like this." Wrapping his arm around his lover's stomach, he kissed him on the back of the neck, closing his eyes. "Night, Dinky."
"Night." He closed his eyes; imagining a different scenario as he still believes that forceful is the way to go.
Selphie would agree with him. He hoped that Squall could manage a week, now that he knows.
Back at the small home.
Imari was just about to go to bed, now that he finished drying his hair after the shower. However, loud banging on the door stalled his activity. Crossing his bedroom he walked down the stairs to the front door, pulling it open he looked surprised a moment as an angered Squall came barging in.
"Did you get lost?" He turned on the lamp in the living room.
Squall momentarily paused his anger, silent upon seeing his lover in nothing but pajama pants. Imari has been working out in ways Irvine did not, apparenrtly travel and delivering things involves heavy lifting. As for the chest and torso... Shaking his head to clear the haze, he says. "No. I've changed my mind about staying the night. I don't mind the couch, if you'll offer it to me."
"Go ahead." He says as if not buying the story, but then he didn't really have grounds to ask too many questions, so why not leave it alone?
Running the towel through his hair one last time, he draped it over his shoulders then stood in wonder of what to do. He may as well chat with his guest until he's ready to turn in. Taking a seat on the soon-to-be bed he drops the damp towel onto the coffee table. "I hate doing this mess, it's impossible when its wet." He grabbed a brush from the side table drawer, running it swiftly through the tangle that he, once again, plans to cut off.
He smiled. It was odd how Imari hated Irvine's beloved hair, and funny how he couldn't seem to manage it. He'd noticed how ragged and unkempt it was when he'd seen him earlier. "Here." He offered hoping to salvage his boyfriend's hair. "Let me do it."
Reserved for a moment, the human Shumi reluctantly handed over the brush, turning sideways in his seat to give his guest access.
Shaking hands pick up the end of Irvine's hair; the warmth of the shower is still radiating off of him. Squall was telling himself over and over to focus, so that he doesn't end up pouncing on Irvine to fuck the man into dust. It's easy not to think about sex when you're alone and have a child to eat up every bit of your mental energy. However, alone with the one you love, its number one on both person's list. The brush goes through his hair with a little struggle but easily enough as well.
"I noticed that you cut your hair;" Imari verbally pointed out. "Do you have a hard time with it, too?"
"No. I just thought it was time to go back to being me."
"Hm?"
Squall shrugged. "It grew out when I was raising Kait; its easy to forget about self-maintanance when you have a baby to raise alone."
"It's noble of you to adopt a child - or was he a serogate?"
Squall snickered. "Hyne no. Not from the women I know, and I wouldn't trust any random woman." His hands move up; fingers accidently brushing Irvine's bare back. He wet his lip, biting back the urge to satisfy a pent-up hunger. He continued talking. "Actually, you were the one who found Kait."
"Oh yeah?" He tried to envision it. He couldn't.
"We were on a mission - an exterminating mission. You got distracted, as you often do, and because of that you ended up seeing a baby stuck up in a tree. His mother or father left him up there in a mail sack, and took off. Seifer and I later found the father dead, nothing on the mother even.. after four years."
"Hmhm, you really are a hero."
"No. I wanted Kait to keep me from losing my mind over missing you. I wanted Kait to know the man who'd saved him, and loved him right away without question or motive."
"You hesitated?"
"I resisted as hard as I could. I wasn't ready to even tease about having a child, but now... I love him more than anything or anyone."
Imari nodded. "I could tell that." Just the few times during the two near encounters, possibly an unnoticed more, he could tell that he truly loves his son.
"Really? You've seen us together?"
"I had to make sure Little Bird made it safely over to you."
Squall asked. "He's got to you, too, huh? I started calling him Little Bird when he was about two. He loved hearing stories about Cowboy Irvine and the adventures he's had; some I'd made up, while some were real missions we've been on. He liked the one I told about you in the Chocobo race, and he's been cheep, cheep, cheeping around the house..." He trails off with a shrug.
Imari laughed picturing the two year old boy walking around the house pretending to be one of those big old birds.
Swallowing hard; he's unsure of how to ask such a thing and not sound rude or intrussive of the man's private life. But he has to know, or he'll never be able to rest. The last thing he wants are his insomniac days to come back when he's such a good sleeper usually. War was nothing compared to emotional bog; and you always wonder if you're doing the right things when in a relationship. But he was assured time and time again that, yes, his love is the right way.
Imari hummed thoughtfully. "Was I seeing anybody?"
That threw Squall for a loop. He didn't think that Imari would be the one to bring it up. Playing it cool he asked. "Why do you wanna know?"
The amnesiac shrugged. "I would just feel guilty if I was seeing someone, and they're back there waiting. Someone who loved me like a boyfriend or was married to me... I'd cheat on them - ow! Careful."
"Sorry. Tangle." He lied as he had actually just popped him with the brush. "You weren't married, but you were - are - seeing someone."
"Who?"
"Do you really wanna know?"
Nodding, he replied. "Sure, I wanna know. I think I owe them an apology for being away, and then going and getting a crush on someone and dating her."
His heart began to beat rapidily. "A crush?"
"Yeah, but I never got to tell her - thank Hyne; it turns out she was married and had kids! How embarrassing that would have been to tell her that I like her and want a date, then she laughs." He grew somber. "I dated someone for a bit, but she dumped me." He snickered. "Kait said I should like boys if women don't work out - like you."
"How would you feel about something like that?" He's through brushing Irvine's hair, and has to hide his bitterness when his boyfriend turned to face him.
"I'd be fine with it, I guess. I mean, I've lived with the Shumi tribe for a year - not a woman in sight, and I loved it." He looked off into space. "I asked once, how they felt about two men being together. They said it's never come up, they don't care."
"Did you... like a Shumi?" A Shumi woman? Do Shumi have women?! He wondered.
"No. I picked on my friend about it, though, the guy has a crush on someone so I teased him about it." Running his fingers through his hair. "Nice job. I should hire you to manage this stuff instead of cutting it again."
That knocked Squall from his stupor of Irvine being in another relationship. Irvine, cut his hair?
Seeing the statue seated before him, he smiled kindly. "So, are you gonna tell me who or do I have to guess?"
Placing a hand on Irvine's cheek, he whispered. "I'll show you."
Imari's lips part in a gasp as Squall's come into contact with them.
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Snow Drift