Strength In Our Bonds (The Strength in Generations Accompanying Book)

The Pinnacle of Innocence

It was another warm spring day in Balamb, and another day in which Aurelie and Leiria met for lunch.

"Has Leviesse had you measured yet for the bridesmaid's dresses?" asked Leiria.

"Hm?" Aurelie looked up. "Oh, yes, but mine will need to be altered because the small won't fit my chest."

"Oh..." Leiria said, feeling sorry for her flat friend. Aurelie always had that problem with dresses. "Well, at least it'll fit you perfectly now."

"Yes, that's the good part about it." Aurelie smiled. "How is Martine doing?"

"He's doing fine; he just recently returned from a mission in Deling City. He hasn't gone into detail about it, as I'm sure he cannot, but I think it got dangerous at some point. He keeps giving me lots of hugs and saying he's glad to be back."

"Aww." Aurelie smiled, tilting her head. "That's so adorable." It really was; Martine, the expert marksman and mercenary for hire, going around his house hugging his wife nonstop. It couldn't get much more adorable than that.

"I guess so, but I wish he would talk to me- or anyone, really- if something happened that bothers him," Leiria confessed, sipping her tea. "I don't like it when Martine keeps things like that to himself."

"He probably doesn't want to worry you, Leiria," Aurelie told her. "You already have enough on your plate with your illness."

"But why does he not talk to anyone else about it? Why not his father, or his friends? I am sure that you would be willing to talk to him too, right?"

"Why don't you ask him?" suggested Aurelie. "I have to be getting back to the office myself. That paperwork won't file itself, you know," she laughed. "If only, right?"

Leiria forced a polite laugh. "I suppose."

As the two girls left the restaurant with their bags of leftovers, Aurelie said, "If I have time, I'll bake you guys something and bring it over. All right?"

"Okay." Leiria nodded. "Take care, Aurelie."

"See you." With a wave, the two parted ways.

Leiria and Martine's home was midway between Academia and Garden. This was because 1) since Leiria wasn't affiliated with Garden, she theoretically wouldn't have been allowed to live there, and 2) Martine refused to have his wife live in one of the lifeless dorms. He'd grown up living in Garden; he knew just how dreary the place was.

"Martine, I'm home," Leiria called as she stepped in, sitting her bag of food on the side table by the door, and removing her shoes.

"I'm in the living room!" he replied.

She walked there, and smiled at the sight of her brunet husband, on the couch watching TV. It looked to be a western of some sort.

"You know, I thought my dad was just messing with me, but no, these are actually pretty good," Martine said with a chuckle. "Come sit with me."

Leiria nodded, and went to sit on Martine's lap. They almost always sat together that way, even when their relationship was in its early stages, so it had become habit at this point. He brushed her hair aside, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"How was lunch?" he asked.

"It was good. Aurelie says she may bake us something and bring it by, if she has time."

"We're popular today," Martine mused.

"What do you mean?" asked Leiria.

"Gale's here." Martine smiled. "He went to the bathroom."

"Oh." Leiria nodded. That must have been why Martine hadn't initiated his long-term cuddling.

Gale walked into the room then, meaning to compliment Martine on the decor in the bathroom, but stopping when he saw Leiria. "Hey, if you guys are busy, I can scram..."

"What? No. Get in here." Martine beckoned him in.

"Why do people always say that when we're around each other?" asked Leiria.

Taking a nearby seat, Gale replied, "Well, it's not that. But you are on his lap, you get me?"

"I don't understand." Leiria shook her head.

"Yeah, well, I guess you wouldn't." Gale shrugged. "You're probably gonna be the last person in the world to know about- what's the official word?- intercourse."

"I know what sex is," Leiria said, sounding a bit offended that he'd implied she didn't. "I know how it's done... kind of. But I still don't understand."

"You 'kind of' know how it's done? Martine, you mean to tell me that you still haven't popped that cherry?"

"Gale, please..." Martine was red, his hand over his face.

"Fine. I know when I'm not wanted." Gale stood. "I'll see myself out."

With Gale gone, Leiria turned to Martine. "I'm really confused, Martine. What do cherries have to do with anything? I like cherries. Especially if they're in lemonade." She smiled.

Martine couldn't help but smile back at her. "Never change, Leiria."

"Okay," she nodded eagerly. "I think I get it now though."

"Get what?"

"Well, um, when two people make love, there are different... positions, right? And one of them is like this- me sitting on your lap, isn't it?" Leiria was blushing deeply.

"Yeah, but, it don't have to be sexual or nothin'. I just like having you close to me." Martine smiled.

"I see." Leiria nodded, before embracing Martine. "I like being close to you too, husband."

Martine smiled, giving her a soft squeeze. "Don't worry, Leiria. Whenever you're ready, and the time is right, I'm gonna teach you everything I know about lovemaking."

"I can't wait." Leiria smiled, but her face turned red again when she realized how suggestive that sounded. "I didn't mean that! I just- I meant- I-" She sighed. "Please don't think lesser of me for that."

"It's okay. I know what you meant." Martine smiled, kissing her forehead.

"That was still such a vulgar thing to say!" Leiria put her hands over her face in embarrassment.

"Aw, Leiria." Martine gave her a kiss on the forehead again, and again, and once more. "You know, if there's anyone you can be vulgar around, it's me. I'm the man that's seen you at your most intimate, and I'll continue to be the man that does that."

"I guess, but..." Leiria squirmed. "I don't like being vulgar, okay? It makes me feel so dirty."

Martine smiled. "Sometimes you need a little dirt in your life."

{a/n}: this is short but I wanted a thing dedicated to Leiria and how innocent she is