Summary: Okay, it's after the game, and--like in all of my fics--I have a bit of a twist. This twist revolves around the question: What if Squall and Rinoa hadn't fallen in love during the game? What if they just ended up being 'friends?' However, since Squall didn't fall for Rinoa, he's still quite the introvert, and now, around three months after Ultimecia's defeat, everyone has quit SeeD, and are just starting college. Irvine, Squall, and Zell live in an apartment together as roomies, and everyone are still quite close, all going to the same college(BU--Balamb University); all except for Rinoa, who--as you all know--is a Sorceress--and has recieved an offer to go to a school just for magical creatures and beings, called CSU, or Centra Sorceress University. But what will her friends think...? As always I have a prime couple falling in love. And--for those of you who are familiar with my other stories--know who my fave couple is! R&R!
"Irvine!" shouted Squall from the living room in the apartment they shared. "Zell is gonna be here in--"Knock-knock-knock!"--two seconds..."
Irvine walked down the stairs, looking absolutely horrible, with red dots all over his usually clear face. He picked up a silver platter on the island counter in the kitchen, glancing at Squall every now and again. "No way, man--I can't go to the game like this..."
Squall growled, "These are season tickets!" he shouted as he made his way for the front door, "Zell is here, and no way you are backing out." He opened the door, and squinted at what he saw, "...Rinoa?"
She gave a smile and walked in, faced Squall and crossed her arms, "Squall, are you okay with me going to CSU?" Squall gave her a questioning look. "It's just that... Ever since I got that acceptance letter, you've been acting so--Irvine! What happened?!" she shouted once she saw Irvine at the island counter.
He shrugged. "I dunno--I just woke up like this..."
"Oh..." groaned Rinoa, half in sympathy, half in concern. She put her hand to Irvine's face, "Do they itch?"
"No," Irvine said with a shake of his head[No rhyme intended]. He rolled up the sleeve on his coat to reveal even more red dots on his arms. "These ones are a little irritating, though..."
"Irvine," said Rinoa, as calmly as she could. "You're sick, you aren't going anywhere. Chicken pox are REALLY contagous."
"Rinoa," said Squall, obviously annoyed by Rinoa's brash appearance. "Look, we're on our way to a game, he's fine," growled Squall through his teeth.
"Neither one of you are leaving this apartment, understood?"
A knock was heard at the door, "That had better be Zell..." Squall said as he opened the door. It was Zell, only...er...he had the Chicken pox, too.
He reached up his shirt and scratched himself, "I don't think we can go to the game, guys..."
Rinoa sighed in frustration and grabbed Zell by the wrist, "Neither of you are leaving this house, you are all sick." She dragged Zell into the living room and shoved him down on a chair nearby."
"Rinoa, I am not sick!" Squall snapped. "Now would you just get out so we can go?!"
She glared at him, "Y'know, I'm gonna pretend that I didn't hear that, since you're sick--and don't say that you're not. Zell and Irvine have fully broken out Chicken pox, and you have half broken out Chicken pox."
"Oh really?" asked Squall, raising his arms. "Well, if I have Chicken pox, then where are my dots?" he asked angrily.
Rinoa's face formed Squall's own trademark frown; she quickly lifted up hist T-shirt, revealing dots all over his strong abs, "Shall I connect them for you?"
Squall frowned, "It's nothing, Rinoa, okay? I feel fine!"
"Squall, this is only the beginning. When I had Chicken pox, I had itchy spots all over my body, a high fever, and I could barely stand on my own two feet," said Rinoa.
Squall shook his head in exasperation, "Look I feel absolutelyfine!" He began walking over to the door, and stopped in mid-step. He wavered a little, "Okay, maybe not fine... Just put your arms out any time now..." he said as he fell backward and into Rinoa's arms. She dragged him over to the red leather couch and sat down, Squall still knocked out in her arms.
She looked up to Irvine and Zell, "Bed, now. I'm taking care of you until you're all better."
Quistis flipped through the pages of her Biology I course book for her college class, sitting at the nice little coffee table on the nice redwood floors of the loft that she, Selphie, and Rinoa shared. They had all worked hard for it, but it was just a shame that Rinoa wouldn't be there with them to enjoy it at BU. Oh well, Quistis thought. I guess there's always e-mail...
The door opened, "Heeeey!" Quistis looked up, Selphie, back from the post office, where she had been mailing in her articles to Timber Maniacs. "You will never guess who I got a call from on my way back here," she said, kicking off her boots.
"Who?" asked Quistis as she stirred her Mocha Latte calmly.
Selphie sat down at the coffee table, "Rinoa--she was calling from the guy's apartment. They all came down with big case of the Chicken pox! They're all totally helpless--I love it!"
Quistis laughed, "Oh my--really?!" Selphie nodded. "Oh wow... We'd better get over there and help her out--and bring some soup, too," she said as she and Selphie stood up. "I remember when I had the Chicken pox, nothing helped me out better than a nice hot bowl of soup."
Quistis grabbed the keys to her car, "Shotgun!" Selphie called out.
"*sniff-sniff* 'I love you,' he said as he stared into her dying eyes, holding her dying head in his lap, knowing that one day*sniff* that they would be reunited once more...*sob*" Rinoa read as Irvine rested his head in her lap, both crying at the beautiful words she read from an old romance novel.
"*sniff* ...In heaven...?*sniff*"
Rinoa gulped down a sob, "Yeah*sob-sob*," she said in a high-pitched voice.
"Oh--for God's sake, people...!" Squall whined as he scratched himself all over his body, reaching up his old T-shirt to reach the difficult spots.
"Don't scratch, Squall," said Rinoa, Irvine sitting up next to her. "You'll just make it worse."
"Rinoa," Squall grolwed furiously through his teeth, trying desperately not to kill her. "I don't need you nagging me." Rinoa frowned.
Just then, the door opened and Quistis and Selphie walked in. "Hey, girl!" said Selphie. How are the guys?"
Rinoa opened her mouth to speak, but Irvine cut her off. "Well, it was nice talking with all of you... But I think I'm goin' back to my village now..." A dumbstruck smile played on his face as he keiled over on the couch.
Rinoa laughed, "Well, Zell is too sore to move, Irvine is--"
"Aunti Emm... Auntie Emm..." Irvine chanted in his dazed sleep.
"Well, delerious, and Squall is--"
"Don't say anything!" shouted Squall, cutting Rinoa off. "I'm not sore, I'm not itchy, and I am not sick!"
Rinoa raised an eyebrow, "And Squall is at the Irritability stage."
"I'm not irritable! I'm just--" He suddenly got a dazed look on his face. "...Wow... Look at the pretty colors..." said Squall as he swayed back on forth.
Rinoa abruptly stood up and walked up to Squall. She held up three fingers, "How many fingers do you see?"
Squall squinted at her hand, "... ... ...Orange," he mumbled just before falling into Rinoa's arms again.
She stumbled a little, "He's a big boy..." She looked over at Quistis and Selphie, "Okay, uhmm... Quistis you make some soup, and Selphie, you take care of Irvine. I'm gonna take care of sleeping beauty here."
Rinoa dragged Squall into his messy bedroom and tried to stand him up. He did, but just barely. "Okay, good--you just stand up and I'm gonna fix your bed nice so you can rest up." She walked over to his sloppy, un-made bed and smoothed out his sheets. She turned around just as Squall fell backwards onto his bed, and on top of her. She coughed, and breathed hard. "Can't...breathe..."she wheezed. Se weakly reached for the open door, "Help...!" she softly wheezed again.
Selphie walked in, "Ack!" she yelped. "Rinoa, what happened?"
Squall snored loudly. Rinoa looked up at Selphie, "Squall happened," she wheezed. Selphie shook her head as she pulled Rinoa off of the bed, she landed with a thud on the floor. "Ugh..." She stood up and leaned over Squall feeling his forehead
Squall's eyes fluttered open, "... An Angel...?"
Rinoa smiled brightly and looked at Selphie, "I like him like this."
Irvine walked down the stairs, his chicken pox now gone. "Hey, I'm going to the store," he said to Squall, who still had a few of his spots on his chest. "You need anything?"
Squall shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine."
Irvine nodded, "Okay, I'm off then." He opened the door, Rinoa just happened to be at the door. "Hey! It's my favorite nurse!" He smiled as he hugged Rinoa, carrying a bag of groceries.
"Hey, Irvine. Squall here?" He nodded. "Thanks." Irvine smiled and walked out the door with a wave. "Hey, you're looking better. " Squall looked up.
"You remember what you asked me the first day you came to take care of us?" he asked hopefully.
Rinoa nodded as she set the bag of groceries on the island counter, "Yeah, I remember. Why?"
Squall stood up and looked her straight in the eye, "Well, to be honest... No, I'm not okay with you going away for so long." Rinoa's eyes narrowed in concern. "See, the reason I've been so much of a jerk to you is because... I'm afraid."
"What...? Squall, what are you af--"
"I'm afraid of waking up and you not being three blocks over to me. I'm afraid of being alone. Ever since my sister, Ellone, left. I promised myself that I'd be alright without her, and I figured that if I could get along without her, I could get along without anyone. Then... I met you, and everything changed...
"I was so scared, Rinoa. I was scared because I had all of these feelings inside, I couldn't explain them... I couldn't control them--I hated not being able to control my emotions. Now... I'm scared to think that you won't be there..."
"Squall..." Rinoa trailed off and hugged Squall tight in her grip. "I didn't know that you felt this way--I promise that I'll be there for you for as long as possible."
Squall smiled and embraced her back, "Do you really mean that, Rinoa?"
"Absolutely. I've gotten an acceptance letter from BU, I'll just go there instead. Besides, if I went to CSU, I'd miss you and the others way too much."
"Okay then, okay..." He pulled away from her and reached into his pocket, "If that's the case..." he kneeled down and slipped a band of silver around her finger. "Will you marry me?"
Rinoa gasped and looked down at it, it was a copy of Squall's lion ring. Squall held up his right hand and showed her that he had his own lion ring on his finger to match hers. She smiled brightly and fell to her knees, wrapping her arms tightly around Squall, "Of course I will!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Well? How was it? I was thinking of making this story the first of a series, but I'm not sure. So, I need you guys to tell me if I should, k? R&R!!! PLLLLEEEEAAAAASSSSSEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!
Kayli