In Fum, Slai's Birthday Present (open to anyone)

[waitedinwinhill]

[It's got all the promise of being a nice day. Despite being mid-winter, the sun is shining and it's not too cold out. There's still drifts of snow outside and it never fails to amuse Raine watching the tiny plant tops of the Lilties being the only thing visible over the snow. Today's for celebrating though, as it's Slai's birthday and she is just as much a part of the family now as any of the other children.

Raine is hauled up in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the refreshments and icing the cake, while waiting for friends and family to amble in.

Then she hears it. A soft baaaah that's just a little bit too loud to be outside her window.

And she knows exactly who's to blame for it without even asking.]

LAGUNAAAAAAAAA!!

Comments

[fatedcircle]

[For once, Squall hasn't brought the Garden itself with him. This time, he's actually managed to (or perhaps, been convinced to) come on his own. He might still not have left the Garden entirely behind, but at least it's not sitting just outside of Fum.

Squall himself, meanwhile, is doing his best to be unobtrusive. True, it might be his family, but he's not getting in the way of Raine when it seems like she's already on the war path. No, he'll stay out of the way until things settle down. (Or at least, relatively out of the way.)

[waitedinwinhill]

[Out of the way or not, Squall has been spotted while Raine is stalking through the house trying to locate either her husband or the latest livestock she's quite certain the man brought home. At least her son gets a warm smile before she sighs in exasperation.]

Have you seen Laguna?

...or a sheep?

[That second question sounds ridiculous and she knows it.]

[fatedcircle]

[Oh, it most certainly sounds ridiculous, but to the best of Squall's knowledge ridiculous is pretty much the order of the day when Laguna's around. Not that he's seen either, of course, but he can at least be entirely unsurprised at the question and that's as good a start as any.]

Check outside?

[waitedinwinhill]

I plan to. I just know I heard it in the house.

[And who's to blame for that too. What she hasn't quite figured out is why.]

[fatedcircle]

[Why is a question that Squall doesn't have an answer to. As far as he knows, Laguna simply wanted to, but he's not going to be the one who goes and asks. Not unless Raine really wants him to, anyway.]

...The kitchen, maybe?

[waitedinwinhill]

[Nah. Raine's got plans to grill Laguna for the why herself. And it's probably not going to be pretty.]

I was just there. Although it did sound like it was behind me.

[Giving this some thought. Chasing it around was not on her agenda for the day.

Eventually she sighs and shrugs. Things will resolve themselves sooner or later.]

I'm glad you made it.

[fatedcircle]

[Chasing a sheep around probably wasn't on anyone's agenda, to be honest. Not unless Laguna had gotten it for that particular reason, and Squall wasn't really willing to believe quite that much.

Thankfully, the offer of a different topic keeps him from having to dwell on that particular line of thought.]

I don't think I could have forgotten it.

[Even if that's only because he has Rinoa to keep him from getting too buried in his work, but that's still something.]

[manipulatetime]

[ ellone is likely hanging out with the birthday girl or taking care of the baby. either way, she's more than open to being interrupted and would likely welcome a new distraction. ]

[waitedinwinhill]

[Raine comes in, still hunting for her husband or that sheep that she just knows is in the house somewhere. On seeing Slai, she immediately smiles.]

Happy birthday, sweetheart.

[Quick pat on the head for the birthday girl, and then Mom turns her attention to Elle.]

Have you seen Laguna?

...or a sheep?

[manipulatetime]

[ she thought she'd heard a sheep this morning... ]

I haven't seen Uncle Laguna, but I think I saw the sheep heading for the kitchen earlier.

[ not that this meant the sheep was still there, but maybe it would have a trail to follow? ]

[waitedinwinhill]

I wasn't imagining it then. I swore I heard it in the house.

[Wait.]

You saw it in the house and left it?

[Elle. Mom is disappoint. Are you in on this gift-the-child-a-sheep plot? :| ]

[manipulatetime]

[ ellone points at the little child happily singing birthday songs. ]

And leave her to get dressed all on her own?

[ no, but it would surprise no one if she had been. ]

[waitedinwinhill]

[No surprise at all, nope.]

Alright, you're off the hook. If you do see it again, will you shoo it out of the house? Maybe it will go back where it belongs.

[Which is not here because they already have too many animals. SIGH.]

[manipulatetime]

I will. And if I see Uncle Laguna, I'll tell him you're looking for him.