Sunshine and Seasalt // KH/FF

[30] Gifts

[small victory: last chapter put us over 100k words, yay! I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, I hope everyone is staying healthy.]

The return to school is a long and painful process. The first week back from break is like a long and slow buzz in your ear. Your teachers are kind, if only because you've managed to pass all your classes and they're as relieved as you. Ms. Trepe even pats your shoulder and says she's proud of you.

Discuss your vacations with all of your teachers.

Go over report cards and finals.

Some simple assignments to refresh your memory.

Discussing your next round of classes with King.

"You want to keep most of the same?" King asks. "Leblanc's 'drawing 2' is pretty much the same as the first... same stuff for Current Events..."

"I'll keep those," you say. Truth be, you don't want to move out of Current Events yet... Mr. Hewley is really firm but nice. And you did want to keep an eye on the ShinRa and Geostigma stuff, and you were not very likely to watch the news if you didn't have to for a class. "I want to keep Miss Shera too."

"Hmm... how's your math?..." King asks.

"Not great..." you answer honestly. King makes a face.

"Mine isn't either, don't feel bad," he says. "How about... first year physics?..."

"Sure."

"Environmental Science 2?" He asks. "It'll swap your math and science classes. You'll have the same teachers, but different class periods."

"Alright."

"Lit?..."

"...surprise me," you answer. He looks up with a certain, indiscernible face. Finally he lands on a skeptical, raised eyebrow. You shrug, and he makes a noise.

"I don't want to pick a class you'll fail..."

"So let's go down instead of up. I don't think I can keep up with Doctor Tot's taste in literature. Clockwork Orange was physically painful to read," you tell him. King laughs, short and quiet, but a laugh all the same, and makes a gesture like "okay," before he goes over the roster quickly. You watch him muse over something before finally writing your last class down. He tucks the paper away before you can read it though. You frown. "What did you pick?"

"You said to surprise you. You'll find out next week," he says, standing up to go submit the papers. You watch him walk out the door to take the rosters for your whole peer group to the front office. Cinque, beside you, leans her chin onto her palms, elbows on the desk.

"Hmmm.... that's funny," she says airily. "I think he likes you a lot."

"Think so?" You ask, humoring her. She closes her eyes peacefully and nods with a soft, sing-songy 'mhm.'

"It's a pity he's graduating this year," Cinque says with a sigh. "I think Mother likes you too. You could have dated."

"Dated who?" Roxas perks up from the other table, having not heard a word until just that moment.

"Oh, for goodness' sake..." Quistis murmurs from her desk.

—-

Yuffie and Vincent find you at lunch Thursday, sitting between Prompto and Noctis and discussing your new classes. They sit across from you on the long bench-table combo set up inside the cafeteria; it's far too cold to be outside.

"I totally forgot to say it, but I'm pretty sure the cat in my bedroom was on my bed last night. There was this warm spot by my foot where I'm pretty sure she was sitting before I woke up," Yuffie says. You kick your feet happily. "I think I'm gonna call her... Materia."