Snow Drift | By : Resting-Madness Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Yaoi - Male/Male > Irvine/Squall Views: 975 -:- 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. |
If Squall Leonhart still offered up sour faces to people, it was possibly missed every time; however, Seifer never once missed the expression gracing the Lion of Balamb's face nearly every time he came around.
"What do you want?" Asked the lemon head in a clipped tone.
"Is that any way to greet an uncle?" Seifer snickered mockingly.
"Whatever." Squall replied, then asked again. "What do you want?"
"On request of Dinky, I came to help you search for the brat's parents or whomever." He brushed past the sour-puss heading into the small home.
Though he'd made it appear that he was going to go that day, Seifer had actually just showered then returned to bed with Zell, saying he would help the crying lion out tomorrow. As promised, he did show up, though, he couldn't say that he'd actually intended on being any use to Squall.
Leonhart, still gritting-out his once rival, closed the front door.
Rubbing his hands together; he swept his cyan gaze about the room. "So, where is the little bundle of boy? Is he sleeping?" He took on a childlike voice. "Is he getting a wittle baffy with Kinneas?"
"Is this a preview of what today is gonna be like?" Squall mocked him, using his own childish tone. Heading into the kitchen he snagged one of the muffins left over from the other day, and he shoved it into Seifer's hand before grabbing one of his own. "Let's go."
Cocking a brow at the, non-verbal, offer of breakfast Seifer took a bite then shouted something over the mouthful over his shoulder, while at the door. Squall presumed the inaudible sentence was for Irvine's; and with a swift tug of the knob the door slammed shut. He walked to the rented vehicle, popping open the door. Squall dawned a curious expression when Seifer grabbed him by the elbow.
"My motorcycle is faster and less bulky." Leading Squall over to it, Seifer shoved the spare helmet against the passenger's chest. "Put it on." He climbed onto the seat of the silver bike.
Face scrunched in displeasure of being bossed-about by the ex-knight; Leonhart can't deny that his rival was right about the bike being the better mobile option. With a hefty sigh, he slipped the red helmet over his head; he caught a heavy combination whiff of Zell's shampoo and hair gel within it; he wondered if he should keep the tinted visor up so he doesn't get a headache from the fumes. Naah. The last thing he wanted was a family of bugs in his eyes, so down it went. Wrapping his arms around Seifer's torso, he heard the ex-knight snicker.
"Back off, princess, I'm spoken for."
Glaring, though, Seifer can't possibly see it, Squall removed his hands grabbing, instead, a hold onto the seat. "Prick." He muttered.
Smirking, he replied. "The best in Balamb; ask Dincht, he'll brag about it."
The engine revved and with a slight shift from being off-balance it straightened up, away they went.
# #
Balamb Garden was abuzz with more than the usual chatter of topics like assignments, who's dating who, who's fighting with who, upper classmates schooling newbies about the hardships of the first time they'll junction magic; however, all the usual conversations for 53% of the cadets was about the infant Irvine Kinneas is carrying around.
Six young ladies are gathered around a lunch table; their slightly bent positions raised their short skirts just enough to excite the guys at the next table, over the prospect of a little tease show. But the unintended flashers hardly notice the sounds of hungry intones due to the fact that they're giving all their attention to one certain male.
"He's so cute!"
"I just love his little cooes."
"Hey little, Kait, hiiiiii."
Irvine raised the baby's hand to make him wave. "It took me a long time to be this popular; give your fans some love, Kait."
"Can he talk at all? How old is he?"
With a shrug, the sniper replied. "Don't know; I brought him by so Dr. Kadowaki can give him a look over."
A pretty girl with brown curls gasped as though someone just slapped her on the butt. "Is he sick?" She asked, voice full of concern.
"Naah, he's good - - I guess. It's just that he was outside for who knows how long that day; and he's kinda skinny, so I figured he should get a check up."
"Why not go to a hospital?" Quistis inquired; she took a seat, though not before giving the mob a stern glare that they should move along already.
"Because the Garden doctor is free, and if there ain't nothin' wrong with him, why pay medical bills?"
"Sad to say it, but you have a point." Shaking her orange drink she opened the carton. "Dr. Kadowaki isn't a pediatrition, by the way. She won't be able to assess much with her equipment."
"Hadn't thought of that..." He looked at Kait. "Guess we'll have to make two trips today. Did somebody say field trip?" He smiled when Kait nodded.
"Where's Squall? Class?"
"He doesn't have any classes today. He went with Seifer to look for Kait's mom and dad."
"Seifer's helping?" Her blonde brows rose.
Irvine nodded. He aimed a spoonful of blended pear towards the baby. It was rejected with a little spilling onto his knee. He sat the child on top of the table, then tried again with successful results. "I doubt there will be any lack of tension there; those two fight like old cats hurtin' for a freshly killed fish."
"Mm. They really need to find a way to kick that habit; they know they're friends."
"Mm-mm. Don't take them out of their natural habitat, something like that could kill what bit of friendship they do have."
"It's never wrong to kick a bad habit to the curb. They'll learn to like outwardly caring for each other." She drank her juice for a bit, then set it down. She'd missed the hot dog rush, but that was alright, she was actually craving pepper steak and salad.
"I don't doubt you." But he shook his head. "You wanna come with me to find a house for Ellone later?"
"Alright. Well - - if Headmistress doesn't need me for anything more."
Irvine put the spoon back into the little dish. "I hope I'm doing this right.." He muttered to himself. Holding Kait again, he instead offered him a bottle.
Kait pulled the bottle out of his mouth, looking it over as if wondering about something. He stuck it back in sucking away, once satisfied with identifying it; he's giving a side long glance at Irvine; who's eating a hotdog, and leaning over his tray as he can get. He doesn't want crumbs to land on the baby. The two friends ate in silence for a bit, just listening to the sounds of the cafeteria existing around them. Some of the existence spoke about the situation of the infant, as they kept an eye on their table from time to time during their meal.
"What mission are you going on?" Quistis asked to be conversational.
"It's practically..." His words are cut off a second, as a hand smacked him on the back of the head; and with a glance towards movement at his side, he sees the martial artist cock his head to smile at him before sitting down at an empty seat.
"Aaaw, you brought Kait? What's the occasion?"
"Lack of a babysitter; and, he needs a check up to make sure he's all right." Answered the guardian.
Noticing what's on Quistis's tray, the newcomer asked befuddled. "No hotdogs?"
"They're out." She replied. "But it's fine. I wanted steak, the iron boost will do me some good." To Irvine, she said. "You were saying."
"So like, the mission is just a simple one. I'm helpin' out the guys that are hunting down the war rebels that still wanna stir up trouble." He set the emptied bottle onto the table, then proceeded to try to get Kait to burp. "They need sort of a scouter for distance or something, so I'm second in command. Piece of cake."
Zell returned to the table, midway hearing what was said. After swallowing a creamy mouthful of potato and crab chowder, he wagged his spoon at the brunet. "It always starts out that way; I remember being asked to help a team once. I ended up just carrying things while they played assumptions."
Snorting Irvine took the bottle from the baby, who'd reached for it and held it looking as if he intended to chuck it at someone rather than inspect it for more milk. "Hn. I ain't gonna carry a danged thing; I'll leave if it comes to that."
Zell reached out and plucked a hotdog from Irvine's tray. "Yoink." He grinned as he took a big bite. "Mmm, mmm, yeah that's the good stuff. Want some of mine?"
Irvine could only blink about the theft. Then, understanding the question over the swiped bite, he replied. "Well, yeah." He took the spoon from the martial artist's tray and had two spoonfuls.
"You two are disgusting." Quistis grimaced and turned slightly in her seat so she doesn't have to witness the gross act of germ passing.
"What?" Wondered Zell.
"We know each other." Defends Irvine.
She could only shake her head that they don't understand.
"Mr. Kinneas?" Dr. Kadowaki caught his attention as she approached. "I'm free now. Can you come to the nurse's room."
It wasn't so much a question but a command. "I'm off." He took another spoonful before leaving the utensil on the tray. "See ya around." He picked up the carryall then followed the doctor out of the cafeteria.
"Bye." Quistis says. Turning her attention to Zell, she adjusted her glasses. "I take it you're the reason that Squall is going to be a in a foul mood for the rest of the day?"
Shrugging as though someone has smacked him on the head, Zell defended his intentions by saying. "What? Seifer isn't going to class today, so I thought he'd have a fun time helping Squall out."
"Mhmm."
"It's true! Why? You think Seifer is childish enough to still be getting on Squall's nerves?"
Out in the middle of what felt like nowhere.
Back leaned against a tree with arms crossed over his chest, Seifer grinned slyly at Squall, who's looking on the ground of the clearing at Vaulny. "I'll bet I know what the real reason is that you hate the baby so much."
Ignoring the immature bastard, Squall continued searching for something out of place that might give a clue as to where the parents had gone once putting their kid in the tree. There has to be something left behind - - anything!
"It's not because you're scared about what a crappy caretaker you'll be, it's that you'd love that kid with every ounce of your cold Leonhart." He laughed at his joke. "The real reason that you want the kid gone is because you're still having separation anxieties."
That got his attention, mildly. "What the hell has "separation anxiety" got to do with anything?" He doesn't turn to look at Seifer, but continued looking for what mattered.
"Well, think about it... all you ever did was complain about people not relying on you, and shit like that, to keep things nice and simple - - more understanding I could not be; but, after a while you became a softy. Now you want everyone to stick together in a nice little package... only with the baby around, you've got competition since Kinneas seems to like him so much."
"Guess you've got me all figured out." He says dryly, though, he can't disagree with him.
Squall does sort of feel like Kait is snatching away Irvine's attention from him. But that doesn't mean he hates the kid because of it. It just means that the kid has to go, so things can return to normal: his living in Garden, his friends will stop speaking in those dumb baby voices, and Irvine will refocus on them instead of keeping the baby from feeling lonely, or crying, from being dirty or hungry. He wondered why Irvine felt so lonely all the time? He's gotta be one of the most friendly and well-liked people around - - next to Zell. The sniper can't honestly still be upset that he was forgotten about? That was years ago! The GF's messed with their memories... Who's to say he and Irvine weren't close, but, he just forgot. No need to make a federal case about it.
Irvine just needs to focus on the fact that they're together now - - odd as it was for the guy to ask him out. However, Squall had accepted, and didn't find it to be a bad time hanging out with the flirtatious playboy. He wondered if Irvine was like that as a child? From what his boyfriend told them, he seemed more like the follow-the-leader type. The leader at the time being Selphie for the children, and Matron for the adults. Well, he'll give him something to remember before he leaves tomorrow that way he won't feel left out, should the feeling creep up on him.
"Oooh, and he doesn't disagree. I was right, wasn't I? You hate that Kinneas is giving all his attention to a baby rather than you."
"So what?" Right after that outburst, he slapped himself for being coaxed into saying something. You never give in to Seifer's teasing; it's like staring at the sun, you're just asking for the pain.
Removing his weight from the tree he kicked a stick. "So give him some slack; do you have any idea how annoying it is being on a mission with him when you're not there? It's always: "Squall this" and "Squall that"... it's fucking obnoxious. Besides, it's lame to hate a kid because you're insecure."
Glancing over his shoulder, he asked with a bland tone. "Where is this coming from?"
"A place where no one measures up to The Great Squall Leonhart." He announced to all in the forest who could hear. "You have no idea how good it is to be out of your damned shadow," He shrugged. "Maybe I feel responsible for looking out for the hundreds of thousands of people who don't fit into all that is you."
Straightening up he turned around looking at his rival. "I had no idea you felt so passionately about it. I always just thought that you liked being my dick of a shadow; you never made much effort in succeeding me." He crossed his arms, knowing he scored a point there.
Glaring, Seifer moved in close, looming over the shorter teen. "That's right... I don't like striving for things I'll never have - - when I take, I want it to stick."
"Is that admittance that I'm better than you?"
"It's admittance to the fact that I don't need to show I'm better than you; I'll just wait for you to fuck up, and watch your glory fall as I swoop in for the kill."
"That is so sad, I can't even repsond to it. This is why you didn't make SeeD, year after year."
"Watch your mouth, crybaby."
"I am not a crybaby."
Moving in closer, he breathed down on the commander. "Yeah, you are; example: no one is hated more than me, no one is loved more than me, no one is more sad than me, and if anyone has attention - - then by all means, let me do something to stand out just a little bit more!"
Anger flared causing Squall to snap. "We're nineteen years old - - grow up!"
"You first!"
Squall leapt onto the ex-knight knocking him to the ground raising his fist to give a nice sized welt upon Seifer's lip with one punch, but a shadow drew his attention outward. Tilting his head back, Seifer looked at the underside of a Wendigo; it's dark eyes possessed a wild look in them as its looking down at them panting.
Removing himself from over Seifer; Squall muttered a spell casting blind on the beast. It worked fine but not before Seifer got a punch to the gut. Squall couldn't say that he wasn't going to pat himself on the back for it happening, but he didn't want Seifer to be hurt - - at least not by that thing.
"Let's move!" He ordered.
"Fuck you, weeping willow. I'm fighting." Straightening up. He held out his hand casting a Firaga spell. It burned the gold and green fur off the monster in some places to a third degree. Wendigo let out a monsterous howl charging for them, only to miss do to the smog like gunk covering its eyes. Seifer swept his new black blade with a gold flame across the monster's back, cutting it through the center. Seifer removed one of the beast's arms with a simple angle adjustment; the spray of blood stained across his arm, which is thankfully covered by his shirt sleeve.
The Wendigo supported itself on its one remaining arm during the trip downward to the forest floor, it easily lifted its legs up off the ground and like a B-boy kicked Seifer in the stomach with a force powerful enough to knock the guy back into a distant tree.
Squall wasn't going to be counted out; he swung downwards at the Wendigo intending to remove its small head, but he missed since the beast rolled over to recover from kicking Seifer. Turning his down swing around with a shift of his weight, the back of the gunblade cut into the Wendigo's spine knocking it onto its stomach. Moving in for the kill before it can recover, he raised the newly crafted Black Lionhart - - a black sword with a thin blue luminating blade around it, that cuts impressively like a surgical laser - - into the air, but before its brought down a warmth grew beneath his feet causing him to take two large leaps backward to avoid being hit by the Fira that was cast by Seifer. He is kneeling down beside the tree he was slammed into.
The beast's cried from the burning, scaring away a few dozen birds from the trees, as slowly it disintegrated.
Walking over to the brunet, Seifer tapped Squall lightly on the shoulder, slugging him when he turned around. "I know you know you earned that."
Glaring up at Almasy, he barked. "What the hell did you come out here to help me for? Or did you only agree because you want to pluck my nerves." Standing he pounders retaliation but decided against it.
"Mostly. But like I'd said earlier, Zell asked me to, so I came."
"Yeah, well remind me to thank him." He rubbed his cheek. "I don't see why you always have to fight with me. What? Can't you let your hormones find a more normal way to release themselves than through violence. Growing up with you must have been such a pain for Zell."
"Tch. You don't know anything about that."
"I don't want t-..." His words cut off as he looked down into a gap. "Look." He points down.
Doing so, the blond has to blink out of disblief. "A dress?"
"I'm going down. Here," He handed over his blade to avoid landing on it, should he take an awkward spill down the incline, and to avoid just dropping it on the dirt. "don't do anything to it." He requested once realizing to whom he's given it.
Rolling his eyes, Seifer looked around for maybe a vine or something to help the uptight princess downward, but seeing none, he just watched the slow descent.
Grabbing the dress once he reached it, Squall looked it over making a note of the blood covering the front. Turning his attention from that he looked around for the owner. Left, then right. Lowering his gaze, he can't see clearly enough. "I have to go lower; go into town and get a rope in-case the surface smooths out near the bottom."
"You got it, commander." Mocked the blond. Sheathing Hyperion's Blood he carelessly dragged Black Lionhart along beside him to his motorcycle. Latching the blade to the attachment that he usually slips his own blade, he climbed onto the vehicle then sped off for Timber.
Listening to the sound of the motorcycle disppear from the forest, Squall continued down the canyon to search for the missing body.
...
Covering his nose from the stench of blood, he swats at a fly that buzzed past his face. "A man..." He knelt down touching just the body. Realizing the hindrance of police involvement, he thought smarter than to leave samples of himself on the man. Squall located a stick then shoved him over from under the shoulder. He sees that the landing is what killed him since the back of his head has been broken open by a bloody rock placed just beneath his head.
"So where's the woman?" Standing he continued to walk the perimeter in search of the owner of the dress. 'Are these people Kait's parents? If so, than what did this to them? A monster. It doesn't seem likely... and why would the woman undress? It was stuck to a branch.. maybe it was pulled off.' All these thoughts ran through his head as he stepped carefully around the area trying not to contaminate a possible crime scene. The removed dress could have been from a murderous rapist for all he knows. Clothing in the forest isn't uncommon, if one thinks about wind-swept laundry or even skinny dippers in the lake nearby this area losing an item or two. However, this dress is covered in blood.
Squall searched for a good hour but found no trace of the woman. Luckily, the grassy incline wasn't too smooth for him to be unable to climb them without assistance. When Seifer returned with the rope, he tied it to the dead man, instead, and climbed up along side of him as his comrade pulled.
Grunting, he gave one final tug. "Might wanna slim down five pounds Leonhart, you're practically dead-weight heavy."
"I'm right here." He says reaching the top of the ledge.
"So then what the hell am I pulling?"
When the body reached ground level, Squall points. "Him."
Seifer's brows furrowed. Well son-a-bitch, he actually was pulling dead weight. Quite dead, by the smell of it, and the frosted over irises. He knelt down and gave the man his eternal privacy by shutting his eyes. "The kid's father?"
Squall shrugged out his hand. "Don't know, but we need to call the cops."
"What about the streaker?" The ex-knight should be more kind with his words, but it wasn't as if the woman would hear him.
She could be as dead as her husband. This guy may not even have anything to do with her or the baby. Hikers get attacked by monsters all the time. It's practically habitual for families of the missing to gather around and listen to the report of who was found mangled and mauled in the forest.
"She was nowhere down there. He died, I think, from landing on a rock."
Almasy smiled. "Making presumptions when normally you cling to just the facts," he teased. "Kinneas has turned you into a daydreamer."
"Shut up."
"And if mama bear is in the same condition as papa bear, you're now the proud conjoined owner of baby bear."
Squall was going to have a stroke over those words.
# #
"Congratulations, you have a perfectly healthy seven month old." Says Dr. Kadowaki upon removing her stethascope from the baby's chest.
"Thank you, Doc. But, eh, can you watch him for a little bit. I have a mission prep to take; and I ain't got nobody else."
"Sure. I can watch him."
"Thanks." He headed to the door then returned to the examination chair to kiss the child's head. "I'll be back in about forty-five minutes. You be good, kiddo." He left the room. Once out in the hall his phone buzzed; taking it from his pocket he flipped it open. "Hello?"
"Irvine, we might have found Kait's father. We're at the hospital morge right now." Informs Squall like he's speaking reports to the Headmistress.
"Alrighty, want me to come by? I can't right now, there's a prep meeting."
Squall was silent a moment. "If you want when you can. Where are you?"
"Garden. Kait's with Kadowaki."
"No." He decided for him. "You do that; Seifer and I can handle this."
"Okay."
"If it takes a while, though, will you pick Sis' up at the train station? She should be there by now."
"Will do? Anything else?"
"Yeah, tell Zell I'm gonna shave his head for sending Seifer to help me look for the kid's parents."
Irvine chuckled. "Okay. Say, speaking of the mother.. did you find her, too?"
"No. Only the father, presumably. He was in the crater in the forest. He died from the fall, it split his head open."
"Yikes."
"His clothes are in-tact which makes me wonder if he was attacked by a monster or not."
"Mm." He wondered. He's almost at the briefing room.
"I'll call you later with the news. Bye."
"See ya." Hanging up, he pondered going to the meeting, after all.. "Naah, I'd better go to prep." His phone rings again. "I'm very popular today," He joked with himself. "Hello?"
"Nevermind what I'd said before; Sis' just arrived; tell Quistis or someone else to pick her up. Okay?"
"You got it." He was hung up on after his response. "I've got to get that guy to relax a little more."
Dialing the woman's phone he called Quistis asking her to pick up Ellone, after briefly filling her in on the situation in Vaulny. Unfortinately, she couldn't do it. Next he tried Selphie, who luckily just got out of class. She said that she'd gladly pick her up and bring her to Garden, since the baby is in the building. Taking a step towards the location he needs to be, after a second thought Irvine exits the building to make an errand run instead.
X x X
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