Ellone : Nostalgia, Part I (Mother)

[first-seventhe.livejournal.com]

Title: Nostalgia, Part I (Mother)
Fandom: FFVIII
Claim: Ellone
Other characters/pairings: Squall, Raine, Laguna
Table/Theme Name & Number: (VII) 2. Smile
Rating: PG
Warnings: n/a, other than punctuation abuse?

Summary: Ellone slowly introduces Squall to his family.



Raine is stirring a pot on her stove. The scent of stew has filled the small bar, and steam is slowly wafting into her face. (Even he can pick up the scent of it, vaguely, faint like the memory itself.) There is a fresh loaf of bread on the counter, and two mugs sit next to it, filled with Raine’s beer, because she doesn’t like wine.

Laguna looks over at her and smiles (he can feel all the muscles in his face going into it, a smile that Laguna really means), and Raine smiles back at him. (The smile is familiar.)

“C’n I help you with something?” Laguna asks, his chest going all funnily warm at Raine’s smile.

She shakes her head, thin black tendrils flying everywhere. (She’s beautiful.) “It’s just about done,” she says, laughing. “Be patient.”

“Aw, c’mon,” Laguna whines (but he doesn’t mean it, he’s only doing it to make her laugh). “I’m starving!”

“Whatever,” Raine quips. She turns back to the stove before Laguna can see the smile on her face.

(Cute.) Laguna stands up, crosses the kitchen floor. One arm snakes itself around Raine’s waist. He rests his chin on top of her head for a second (her hair smells like cinnamon), and then plants a kiss there.

Raine cranes her neck backwards, smiling at him (and he can feel Laguna’s heart start up; her smile really is beautiful). “Not until after dinner,” she says, a teasing smirk still on her lips.

“And then?” Laguna murmurs, now pressing his lips against her neck. (Okay, stop that.) He draws away, but continues to give her that big smile. “Is that a promise?”

“We’ll see,” Raine says cheekily, turning the heat off and reaching for the kitchen mitts. “You’re doing the dishes, right?”

Laguna sighs, a long, dramatic sigh. “The things I must do,” he intones, “are just dreadful.”

Raine starts chuckling (even he is chuckling). “Why don’t you go and get Elle?”

“Raine!” Laguna’s hand shoots to his mouth in mock-horror. “Elle can’t be a part of that – that’s disgusting!”

Raine is doubled over in laughter now, although her face is bright red. (She’s going to burn the stew.) “For dinner, Laguna, for dinner.”

“We’re eating Elle?”

Raine tosses a mitt at his head. “Why must you be such an idiot?”

(That’s the truth.) Laguna bows. “To amuse you.”

“Well, thank you, I think,” Raine says, her eyes twinkling.

“Ah,” he says, dashing across the kitchen to give her a real kiss. His lips touch hers (so soft): once, twice. She looks up at him with dark eyes, full of emotion.

---

“Who is Raine?” Squall asks, breathless, still somewhat dizzy from the awakening.

Ellone looks at him, some sort of emotion teasing her lips, trying to decide what to say. She wants Squall to know the family that she knew, even though that family is gone.

“You have her smile,” she says, eventually.




For over_look, FFVIII
XP: brokenprism