Ellone : Nostalgia, Part II (Sister)
Title: Nostalgia, Part II (Sister)
Fandom: FFVIII
Claim: Ellone
Other characters/pairings: Squall, Raine
Table/Theme Name & Number: (VII) 5. Cheerful
Rating: PG
Warnings: Not cheerful, despite the theme.
Summary: Ellone slowly introduces Squall to his family.
Wait, this isn’t what I wanted to show him.
Elle pokes her head in the door, her young face streaked with mud. There is a leaf in her hair.
“Is ‘Guna back yet?”
Raine is behind the bar, scrubbing glasses. She looks weary. (I feel sick. Is Raine sick?) “Not yet, sweetie.”
No, she’s not sick. She’s …pregnant.
“Kay,” Ellone says. “Just checkin’.” She grins at Raine. Raine tries to smile back at her, and manages a wobbly sort of smile. Raine looks lonely.
I’m not sure I’ve ever been in my own memories before.
“Cheer up, Miss Raine,” Ellone says, as if it’s an order.
“I’m cheerful,” Raine says (whatever; she doesn’t mean it). “You being careful out there?”
“It’s okay,” Elle replies. “‘Guna killed so many monsters, it’s not like it’s dangerous!” She brandishes a stick. “I’ll take care of ‘em while he’s gone!”
“You’ll be careful, Elle,” Raine says, giving her a soft smile. (She’s not feeling well. That’s not her smile. What’s wrong with Raine?) “If you see any monsters, you have to come in and tell me, right away.”
“I know,” Elle says, exasperated. “’Sides, Laguna’ll be back soon, and you can make pie again!”
Raine comes around from behind the bar, walking a little stiffly (it feels like her bones are achy). “Elle, I…”
Little Ellone looks up at her. (I’m looking at …my mother. And myself, I guess.)
Can she see me in my eyes?
Raine reaches out, wrapping her arms around Ellone tightly. “I can’t lose you too,” she whispers.
Elle wriggles out, giving Raine a sloppy kiss on the cheek. “Not gonna lose me, silly,” she says, grinning. (You’re cute.) “Not gonna lose ‘Guna, either. He’s gonna make money and come back and bring you flowers and we’re gonna be a family.” She pauses, as if in thought. “Can we get a dog?”
Oh, it hurts.
Raine smiles, her fake smile (even I can see through that), and lets herself be convinced by her not-daughter. “Maybe. Maybe not.” One hand rests on her belly, almost protectively. “I had a dream that you had a brother,” Raine says tentatively. “Would you like that?”
Ellone squeals in happiness. “Yeah! ‘Guna can take him an’ me monster hunting, an’ you can take us on picnics, ‘cause you make the best picnics ever!” She swings the stick. “And I’ll hit him if he’s bad, so Laguna doesn’t have to.”
(Were you really this excited?)
Oh, it hurts, make it stop.
Raine gathers Ellone in her arms again, sniffling. “I love you, Elle,” she says, ruffling her hair and dislodging the leaf. It falls to the floor in a gentle spiral: dying red and brown.
“I love you, Raine,” Ellone chirps, “and I love my brother, an’ I love ‘Guna…” There is another messy kiss to the cheek, and then Elle has skipped away, singing some song about Caterchipillars.
Raine crumbles behind the bar, sobbing.
---
When she comes to, Squall is holding her in his arms; the tension in his muscles tells her that he is angry.
“It wasn’t like that,” Ellone tries to say, but she’s already crying.
For over_look, FFVIII
XP: brokenprism
Fandom: FFVIII
Claim: Ellone
Other characters/pairings: Squall, Raine
Table/Theme Name & Number: (VII) 5. Cheerful
Rating: PG
Warnings: Not cheerful, despite the theme.
Summary: Ellone slowly introduces Squall to his family.
Wait, this isn’t what I wanted to show him.
Elle pokes her head in the door, her young face streaked with mud. There is a leaf in her hair.
“Is ‘Guna back yet?”
Raine is behind the bar, scrubbing glasses. She looks weary. (I feel sick. Is Raine sick?) “Not yet, sweetie.”
No, she’s not sick. She’s …pregnant.
“Kay,” Ellone says. “Just checkin’.” She grins at Raine. Raine tries to smile back at her, and manages a wobbly sort of smile. Raine looks lonely.
I’m not sure I’ve ever been in my own memories before.
“Cheer up, Miss Raine,” Ellone says, as if it’s an order.
“I’m cheerful,” Raine says (whatever; she doesn’t mean it). “You being careful out there?”
“It’s okay,” Elle replies. “‘Guna killed so many monsters, it’s not like it’s dangerous!” She brandishes a stick. “I’ll take care of ‘em while he’s gone!”
“You’ll be careful, Elle,” Raine says, giving her a soft smile. (She’s not feeling well. That’s not her smile. What’s wrong with Raine?) “If you see any monsters, you have to come in and tell me, right away.”
“I know,” Elle says, exasperated. “’Sides, Laguna’ll be back soon, and you can make pie again!”
Raine comes around from behind the bar, walking a little stiffly (it feels like her bones are achy). “Elle, I…”
Little Ellone looks up at her. (I’m looking at …my mother. And myself, I guess.)
Can she see me in my eyes?
Raine reaches out, wrapping her arms around Ellone tightly. “I can’t lose you too,” she whispers.
Elle wriggles out, giving Raine a sloppy kiss on the cheek. “Not gonna lose me, silly,” she says, grinning. (You’re cute.) “Not gonna lose ‘Guna, either. He’s gonna make money and come back and bring you flowers and we’re gonna be a family.” She pauses, as if in thought. “Can we get a dog?”
Oh, it hurts.
Raine smiles, her fake smile (even I can see through that), and lets herself be convinced by her not-daughter. “Maybe. Maybe not.” One hand rests on her belly, almost protectively. “I had a dream that you had a brother,” Raine says tentatively. “Would you like that?”
Ellone squeals in happiness. “Yeah! ‘Guna can take him an’ me monster hunting, an’ you can take us on picnics, ‘cause you make the best picnics ever!” She swings the stick. “And I’ll hit him if he’s bad, so Laguna doesn’t have to.”
(Were you really this excited?)
Oh, it hurts, make it stop.
Raine gathers Ellone in her arms again, sniffling. “I love you, Elle,” she says, ruffling her hair and dislodging the leaf. It falls to the floor in a gentle spiral: dying red and brown.
“I love you, Raine,” Ellone chirps, “and I love my brother, an’ I love ‘Guna…” There is another messy kiss to the cheek, and then Elle has skipped away, singing some song about Caterchipillars.
Raine crumbles behind the bar, sobbing.
---
When she comes to, Squall is holding her in his arms; the tension in his muscles tells her that he is angry.
“It wasn’t like that,” Ellone tries to say, but she’s already crying.
For over_look, FFVIII
XP: brokenprism