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Title: Guardians
Characters: Sephiroth, Aeris, OCs (the kiddies).
Rating PG
Word Count: 544
“One thing I can warn you about, my kids can be pretty noisy.”
Ocean turned a shrug into a more polite nod. “They're still young, aren't they, Sir?”
Sephiroth nodded, picking up speed as they left the city. “The boys are eight. Don't let them trick you into doing their homework or anything.”
“Would they?”
“Probably not that much.”
“Hm.” Ocean turned out the window, lost in thought.
“What school are you at?” It was a necessary question. Junior cadets attended regular schools in the day and training courses at the base afterwards, giving them the chance for advanced ranking when they were finally able to enlist.
“Junon Suther High.”
“Really? My girl just started there. Ella, do you know her?”
Ocean shook his head. “I'd heard that, sir, but I haven't seen her around.”
Sephiroth frowned. “Well, it'll keep the commute easy in the mornings anyway. You buckled in tight?”
“I think so.”
“Good. It's a long drive home so I hope you don't mind if I-” Sephiroth didn't bother to finish before he floored the gas.
o.o.o.o.o.o.o
“Boys! Ella!” Aerith called from her solarium. She waited, listening.
Two pairs of little feet came racing around the corner. She heard something stir in the practice room but Ella was likely soft-shoed and moving like a ghost on carpet.
Rei and Ari rounded the corner and stood attentively before her. “Yes, Mom?” Rei said obediently. Aerith waited a half-second more for Ella to come in and take a spot behind her brothers.
“Kids, your father's bringing someone home for dinner, so I need you all to help in the kitchen.”
Ari sighed dramatically. Aerith wasn't buying it. “You've had enough videogames for one day, young man. In the kitchen now, march!”
“Okay, okay, I'm going.” Ari grinned. “Lettuce?”
“Yes.”
“And good behavior tonight.”
“Who's he bringing?” Ella asked. “Uncle Tuesti?” It couldn't be Uncle Cloud. He was over too often to warrant the special treatment.”
Aerith shook her head. “I don't know. It's a young cadet from the base who's going to need to stay with us for a while.”
Ella's face fell. “How long?”
Aerith went on her guard. “I don't know.”
“So you mean we have to be on 'good behavior' the whole time? Way to sneak it in, woman.”
“Ella.” The tone was warning enough. Ella turned and slunk off towards the kitchen.
*******
The key turned, the door opened and Ocean was ushered into the foyer. He wiped his feet very carefully on the mat before entering, the General close behind him. The man's whole family was there, not crowding too close, but curious.
The General introduced his wife, Aerith, who was as much a subject of talk and rumor as her husband. She looked surprisingly young for someone with three half-grown children, and disturbingly delicate for someone partnered with the General. Ocean tried not to stare as he wondered how that worked out.
He gave the girl, Ella, a smile, even if he didn't really feel it inside. He wanted to brush it off to himself as grief, but really he had been taking note of her awful leg warmers at the time. Girl had all the fashion sense of a rock. No wonder she hid from public view.
Ocean turned and found his way blocked by a pair of midgets. Silver-haired and green-eyed, both of them, necks craned and faces turned up, staring at him in awe.
“Wow,” said the one one the left.
“Uh...” Ocean fumbled for a word.
“You're really tall!” the one on the right blurted.
“Oh.” Ocean exhaled in relief. “I'm not really that tall.”
“Taller than Ella.”
“Well, yeah,” Ocean rubbed the back of his neck. “Your sister's not that tall.”
“Yet,” Ella's voice came as she headed further into the house. Ocean barely glanced up but when he looked back down the twins were conferring with each other. He couldn't make out what they were saying. It didn't seem like full words.
“Just walk around them,” the General advised, steering Ocean away with a hand on the boy's shoulder. He gave his sons a wry glare that earned him giggles. “They're already plotting your downfall. Guest room's up this way.”
Characters: Sephiroth, Aeris, OCs (the kiddies).
Rating PG
Word Count: 544
“One thing I can warn you about, my kids can be pretty noisy.”
Ocean turned a shrug into a more polite nod. “They're still young, aren't they, Sir?”
Sephiroth nodded, picking up speed as they left the city. “The boys are eight. Don't let them trick you into doing their homework or anything.”
“Would they?”
“Probably not that much.”
“Hm.” Ocean turned out the window, lost in thought.
“What school are you at?” It was a necessary question. Junior cadets attended regular schools in the day and training courses at the base afterwards, giving them the chance for advanced ranking when they were finally able to enlist.
“Junon Suther High.”
“Really? My girl just started there. Ella, do you know her?”
Ocean shook his head. “I'd heard that, sir, but I haven't seen her around.”
Sephiroth frowned. “Well, it'll keep the commute easy in the mornings anyway. You buckled in tight?”
“I think so.”
“Good. It's a long drive home so I hope you don't mind if I-” Sephiroth didn't bother to finish before he floored the gas.
o.o.o.o.o.o.o
“Boys! Ella!” Aerith called from her solarium. She waited, listening.
Two pairs of little feet came racing around the corner. She heard something stir in the practice room but Ella was likely soft-shoed and moving like a ghost on carpet.
Rei and Ari rounded the corner and stood attentively before her. “Yes, Mom?” Rei said obediently. Aerith waited a half-second more for Ella to come in and take a spot behind her brothers.
“Kids, your father's bringing someone home for dinner, so I need you all to help in the kitchen.”
Ari sighed dramatically. Aerith wasn't buying it. “You've had enough videogames for one day, young man. In the kitchen now, march!”
“Okay, okay, I'm going.” Ari grinned. “Lettuce?”
“Yes.”
“And good behavior tonight.”
“Who's he bringing?” Ella asked. “Uncle Tuesti?” It couldn't be Uncle Cloud. He was over too often to warrant the special treatment.”
Aerith shook her head. “I don't know. It's a young cadet from the base who's going to need to stay with us for a while.”
Ella's face fell. “How long?”
Aerith went on her guard. “I don't know.”
“So you mean we have to be on 'good behavior' the whole time? Way to sneak it in, woman.”
“Ella.” The tone was warning enough. Ella turned and slunk off towards the kitchen.
*******
The key turned, the door opened and Ocean was ushered into the foyer. He wiped his feet very carefully on the mat before entering, the General close behind him. The man's whole family was there, not crowding too close, but curious.
The General introduced his wife, Aerith, who was as much a subject of talk and rumor as her husband. She looked surprisingly young for someone with three half-grown children, and disturbingly delicate for someone partnered with the General. Ocean tried not to stare as he wondered how that worked out.
He gave the girl, Ella, a smile, even if he didn't really feel it inside. He wanted to brush it off to himself as grief, but really he had been taking note of her awful leg warmers at the time. Girl had all the fashion sense of a rock. No wonder she hid from public view.
Ocean turned and found his way blocked by a pair of midgets. Silver-haired and green-eyed, both of them, necks craned and faces turned up, staring at him in awe.
“Wow,” said the one one the left.
“Uh...” Ocean fumbled for a word.
“You're really tall!” the one on the right blurted.
“Oh.” Ocean exhaled in relief. “I'm not really that tall.”
“Taller than Ella.”
“Well, yeah,” Ocean rubbed the back of his neck. “Your sister's not that tall.”
“Yet,” Ella's voice came as she headed further into the house. Ocean barely glanced up but when he looked back down the twins were conferring with each other. He couldn't make out what they were saying. It didn't seem like full words.
“Just walk around them,” the General advised, steering Ocean away with a hand on the boy's shoulder. He gave his sons a wry glare that earned him giggles. “They're already plotting your downfall. Guest room's up this way.”
