Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII or its characters though they are all awesome.

A.N/: Ok, this might contain a bit of fluff but it can't hurt, can it? Also to those who are skeptic because there is a truth or dare part, please note that this is not a crack fic! I tried to make it funny but it is not complete chaos…As far as I know…

~A night not to be mentioned again~

Part 1

An annoyingly bright weather had settled in the middle of the afternoon in Balamb after two days passed under an unstopping rain. The clouds were few and white, the sky was as cerulean as it could possibly be and the sun shone brilliantly above. It was your typical afternoon in August. And it was damn annoying as a certain person would put it when you were forced to spend the whole day locked up in your office doing paperwork.

This person was none other than Balamb Garden's recently appointed Commander, Squall Leonhart. During the Sorceress war against Ultimecia, the commander's role was mainly to order the troops around and to plan the Garden's next moves. Now that the situation was settled and that Ultimecia was no more, the young man of seventeen who had spent his days travelling around the world in great open spaces and immense cities to save the world from Time Compression…Was stuck filling student papers or else in his office all day.

Squall had wanted to yell at Headmaster Cid at the very moment he was named commander. He was seventeen for screaming out loud! But the Garden had been in a great time of need, he had had responsibilities and wasn't in a position to deny them. It had been an honor to become commander of course, especially after being promoted SeeD only several weeks prior…But now it was only a burden. He liked the fact that he was not so bound to following orders like before but it was nothing compared to the feeling of a real fight during missions, he loved the adrenaline pumping in his veins when he confronted a skilled opponent, the ease with which he wielded his gunblade. How he missed those days…

The commander's main occupation was now to fill in the young cadet's files for the next year and to prepare the admission of new students in the military faculty in September. He was due to help the Headmaster with this work since he was still under his orders. People depended on him, but it wasn't a question of life or death like before and Squall missed being a normal SeeD.

His working conditions hadn't been the only change after Ultimecia's demise. Rinoa and him had finally got together. The young sorceress now stayed in Garden after she had spent two weeks in Timber to help with the settlement of the new independent town. Squall and their friends had been more than glad when she announced she would settle down in Garden with them after she came back, Rinoa wasn't a SeeD after all, and she could have gone back to Timber or Galbadia. She had been set on finding a job though. For now it was still hard, she had tried being 's assistant in the infirmary but her clumsy nature didn't help much. She then worked at the cafeteria but wasn't too fond of it so instead, she chose to work in Garden's library. A job she found quite bearable since she had always loved books and could spend her afternoons reading. The only thing was that, just like Squall, she was stuck indoors all day.

Selphie would often drag her out in Balamb town on her days off with Quistis so she didn't complain too much. Speaking of the bouncy little girl, Selphie had taken it upon her to organize a giant party at least twice a month. Cid and Squall had forced her to reduce it to only once a month because of the possible repercussions on Garden's calm and on the commander's sanity. The lead of Garden's festival committee had had to agree reluctantly. The next upcoming party was to take place on the 23rd of August for Squall's birthday and to his own dismay.

Irvine had recently submitted his files to Balamb Garden to become a SeeD there after quitting Galbadia Garden. Cid had agreed to directly make him a SeeD instead of having him go through the exams all over again seeing as he had passed in his former Garden. The gunner was often on missions with Zell now but every time he came back, he spent at least one whole day with Selphie to make up for lost time. Ah yeah, the two had started dating shortly after Squall & Rinoa.

Quistis was- like Zell- still a normal SeeD but helped instructors every now and then with their cadets. Even Squall often asked her to help him with his commander duties since she was always so good with the administration and such. She had become his 'second' in command in a way.

Squall finished another stack of paper. 'Good…' he thought sarcastically as he looked over at the imposing piles of papers he still had to do 'Just a hundred more to go'.

He gazed at the cloudless blue sky out the window behind him for a minute, lowering himself on his seat at his desk and breathed a tired sigh. He did that more and more every day. He then picked up his pen once again and processed to get another stack of papers in front of him when the announcement bell rang in its usual light, annoying tone. The Headmaster's voice was soon heard through the speakers.

"Attention please, this is the Headmaster speaking. The hotdogs issue in the cafeteria has now been taken care of. Students may go inside and have dinner in peace tonight so no worries." Squall sighed inwardly at that. What had Zell done again? "Commander Leonhart, come to my office shortly please, I need to have a word with you."

The ring sounded again and Squall sighed heavily. When Squall was called to Cid's office it usually meant more paper work or trouble. He was really in no mood for a lecture about how couples tended to act too openly in public or in the secret area in the training center or worse, about his life. It was the same every single time: 'You grew up so much Squall, I almost can't see the young boy at the orphanage anymore!' or every now and then: 'How are you and Rinoa doing Squall? I hope you are taking good care of her. I remember how Edea and I…' And so on… Cid must be aging…Squall didn't know and didn't care very much. All he had to do right now was get up and walk to the elevator to Cid's office and get a speech about whatever it was that was on his mind.

'Never mind that, hopefully I'll get to see Rinoa tonight.' He thought as he reluctantly got up and walked out of his office.

"You called me sir?" Squall said lazily after walking into the headmaster's office. He hadn't even bothered to knock as he usually did. Oh well…

"Ah Squall there you are, come on have a seat." The short middle-aged man said gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

Squall did as he was told and remained silent as Cid swiftly organized the things on his desk– a tic of his- before looking up at him with his usual welcoming smile. 'Here it comes…' Squall thought.

"First, how are you doing? Anything new with Rinoa? I heard she got another job."

'Aren't you the one who pays her for it?' the young commander thought but refrained himself from asking out loud.

"She works at the library now." He said trying not to sound as bored as he actually was. Cid seemed to encourage him to carry on for more detail. *Why does he care anyway?* he kept in a sigh. "She enjoys it more since she loves books. She gets to read a lot. What about you?" he inquired politely.

Seriously, what did Cid expect? A passionate monologue about his undying love for Rinoa? That wasn't exactly his favorite topic… Especially when he had sworn to protect her with his life and to be her Knight. He wasn't going to give every detail of his love life to his boss, even after all they had been through.

"Oh, good to hear that." Cid's smile didn't leave his face. "I'm doing fine now that the problem in the cafeteria is settled. Zell will never stop loving hotdogs, will he?" He laughed slightly at the memory.

Squall just shrugged. "Did you have anything important to tell me headmaster?" he said going straight to the point before Cid could carry on on some tangent.

"Well Squall, I know your birthday is next week…" Cid's smile was getting annoying. The young SeeD had difficulty picking the worst between paperwork and the headmaster's rambling.

"Sir…?"

"I'm getting to it Squall don't worry." Cid interrupted seeing the commander's puzzled look. "Miss Tilmitt is throwing a party on the 23rd."

"Yes." How could he forget Selphie's party…

"Well, your father just called, he planned on attending it and staying for a couple days so I th…"

"WHAT!?"

Squall stood up from his seat in shock.

"Esthar president Laguna Loire -your father- is coming for your birthday. I thought I'd let you know."

Squall stood motionless as an unknown emotion took over his body. An uncomfortable silence filled the room for what seemed to be hours.

"Did I say something wrong?" Cid inquired surprised at the young man's reaction to seeing his father.

"He'll stay in Garden for a while?" Squall asked not minding the headmaster's question as he settled his wary gaze upon the middle-aged man.

"Yes, he'll stay for three days in the staff dormitories. Squall, is something wrong?"

"No, just tired sorry sir."

"Well, maybe you should rest a little bit… You work so hard. You can go back to your room and relax if you want, paperwork can wait."

"Thank you sir."

And with that Squall departed, leaving a speechless Cid sitting at his desk. He couldn't help but wonder, what was so wrong about having Laguna in Garden for three days?

Everything was wrong.

The moron who called himself his father was going to be there? What a joke, eighteen years for him to come for his birthday. No, it's too late now.

How dare he!? He had lived his whole life not knowing he had a father, he only discovered he had one like, a month ago! Said father had not even looked for his son when he realized he had one. What did he want with him now?

Laguna was the exact opposite of Squall. Carefree when Squall'mind was dead set, joking around when it was a grave situation. Social and stupid Laguna, stubborn and serious Squall. He almost couldn't believe it when Laguna told him he was his father.

"Squall?"

The young man looked up at the sound of his name to face none other than Rinoa. He hadn't realized he had made his way to her door while deep in thoughts. She stood there in front of him clad in her usual blue duster and holding the door wide open, as to invite him inside.

"Hey, what's up? Come in."

He entered the room without thinking it through too much. He didn't have any more space left in his mind with all these thoughts of Laguna.

"You don't work today?" he asked rather sternly, still preoccupied with the recent news.

Rinoa was a bit taken aback by his tone but replied with a smile on her face even when his back was facing her. "Nah, it's my day off and Selphie and Quistis are busy. I was bored."

Squall didn't even seem to have heard her. His gaze was lost out her small window. Seizing the opportunity, Rinoa dashed towards him and collided with his back, almost knocking him on the floor. She encircled his waist with her small arms in a hug. He didn't react.

'Weird…' she thought. That confirmed her suspicions. Something was definitely on his mind. "Is something wrong?"

He stiffened a bit, finally getting out of his trance. His mind was now battling on whether or not he should tell her. His last hope of not getting a massive headache by the end of the day was completely crushed.

"You know I won't let you go until you tell me."Rinoa added sensing his inner debate as she hugged him tighter.

Well, that solved the problem.

"Ok." Squall agreeing to share his thoughts with her meant she had to let go of him now. She did so unwillingly and tried to show it to him with a little pout. He still wouldn't turn to face her so she ended up being the one to move in front of him. Even then his steel blue eyes wouldn't look at her.

'Whatever is on his mind must really be bothering him.' She thought as concern started to overwhelm her.

'Here goes nothing…' Squall thought as he finally set his gaze upon her face.

"Laguna, my father… He's coming for my birthday party. And he'll stay a few days." He announced somberly.

Rinoa stared disbelievingly. Was that it? His father? She did know Squall didn't exactly admire his dad, but to get him so troubled? She didn't quite understand…

"What's wrong with that?" She asked, never once doubting to voice her thoughts.

It was Squall's turn to stare at her with eyes wide like saucers. 'What was wrong'!? Didn't she know?

"I mean, it's gonna be great, no? You have a lot of things to catch up on with him." Rinoa tried pushing her luck a bit further even when she saw the disapproving look he cast her.

"No. It's not gonna be great 'cause Laguna is a moron who doesn't give a damn…" Squall trailed off as anger seeped through his voice.

"But, Laguna is a nice man. You just don't know him so well…"

"Like you do better than me!" He spat refusing to meet her eyes. This was getting really, really frustrating.

"Well, if he comes to the birthday party we'll have a chance to get to know him." She kept her cool even when she didn't really like his tone. It was the 'old Squall' again.

"I have nothing to do with him."

Rinoa stared, stunned. "What do you mean?"

"This man…He didn't even bother looking for me for seventeen years. I have nothing to do with him." His tone got darker and darker with every venom infused word. Rinoa wasn't the one he addressed this anger but it still shocked her a bit to hear him talking to her like that.

"He probably didn't know…" She tried to convince him.

"He knew! I'm sure he knew! When he went to the orphanage to get Ellone…" He spat harshly. "Don't you defend him."

"But, you don't even give him a chance!" Rinoa said desperately.

"He doesn't deserve it."

"How would you know?" Squall gave her an icy glare. "You can't say that for sure." the young girl defended with a hand against her heart to keep her resolve strong. Arguments with Squall were never easy on her.

"Why!? He left me alone for seventeen damn years!" He roared vehemently, sending a shiver up Rinoa's spine. This time she felt the anger directed towards her.

"He just didn't know! You have to give him a chance, he's the only parent you have left!"

"Says the rebel daughter of General Caraway." He argued ruthlessly.

That hit a nerve. "How can you say that!?"

"You reject your father just like I do mine. You can't lecture me for it, you're worse than I am!"

"He…Caraway doesn't even consider me as his daughter!" her voice lost its former strength and was now cracking.

"'How would you know?' " He spat sarcastically using her own words from earlier.

Rinoa froze. He didn't know, she never told him about that part of her life…He couldn't say things like that. Sure he was angry, sure he had suffered long enough from constant loneliness but it wasn't a reason to blame it on Laguna when it hadn't entirely been his fault…It wasn't a reason to blame it on her. She was just trying to help and he threw her words back at her.

She lowered her head and balled her fists, trying to keep her emotions locked up a little longer. "You, you don't know. You can't say that when you don't know anything!" She struggled to hold on slightly longer… "You have a father who wants to get to know you, I…" Too late. She looked up at him and tears started rolling down her cheeks. "I don't have parents anymore!"

Squall glared at her at the start but when he saw the tears in her eyes, and the torn look she had when she fixed her gaze upon him… He watched completely astonished as she stormed out of the room sobbing.

He didn't even understand what he had said that could get her so upset. And her last sentence… Without anything proving otherwise, Fury Caraway was Rinoa's father. What did she mean?

He hadn't really been angry at her, it was just so frustrating. Now he was definitely mad at himself…And Laguna… He sighed and brought a hand up to his forehead as to try and calm his headache.

'Worst day ever.' He thought.

-Two days later-

It was already late afternoon when Selphie finally made it to the library after a weird –that was the word- conversation with Zell & Irvine in the cafeteria. The young brunette had been in a mission with the cowboy the last three days so she hadn't been able to see her best friends for a while. Rinoa was the first to go and see on her list.

"Hiya Rinny! What's up?"

Selphie skipped her way to the desk in the library where Rinoa was seated. She immediately noticed the gloomy look on the raven haired girl's face who hadn't even looked up at her friend's greeting.

"Rinny?" Selphie tried again waving a hand in front of Rinoa's face.

"Ah! Yes Selphie…?" She shook her head back and forth to wake herself up from her trance more efficiently.

"Is something wrong?" The brunette asked concerned.

"No…"

"Hum…" Selphie tried to look as if she was wondering but she already knew. "I take that as a yes."

Rinoa looked up to see her friend's worried expression. She knew she wouldn't ever get out of this situation without a proper explanation but… Selphie was the very one who told her everything was always worth trying.

"I'm just tired, don't worry." Rinoa waved her off but the petite SeeD was far from convinced.

"No, when you're tired you're grumpy or sleepy, not dreamy like this." Selphie argued placing her hands on her hips in a challenging way. "You're not tired."

"How could you know that?" Rinoa tried to shake off her surprise.

"Squall told me."

"He…He did?"

"Yep, but don't try to strategize with me and get me on a tangent 'cause that's sooo not going to work!" Selphie's hair bounced as she shook her head along with her index finger as to say 'no, no, no'.

"Whatever."

"And don't you 'Whatever' me! We get that more than enough from your Squall!"

Rinoa sighed. There was just no point in trying to convince Selphie to let her be. She'd have to go along. She grabbed the two rings hanging around her neck as her depressed mood returned.

"Squall and I had an argument…"

'Oh shoot' Selphie swore in her mind. Squall and Rinoa didn't argue so often but when they did, Rinoa was always really depressed and heartbroken whereas Squall would always act as if nothing happened. It made it even worse for the young Sorceress even though their friends knew their leader was upset as well, just not showing it. 'I'll need to kick his butt for whatever he's done later…' The small SeeD thought before walking behind the desk and right next to her friend.

"C'mon Rinny, let's get you cheered up!" She said as enthusiastically as she could seeing the raven haired girl's usually bright eyes so full of sadness. 'Damn you Squall!'

Rinoa looked up at her friend slightly confused but took the hand Selphie was offering anyway.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked in a small voice as Selphie led her through Garden's halls.

"To my room, we're having a girl's night!" Selphie cheered earning a few weird looks from the students around the two girls. "I'll call Quisty when we're there!"

Rinoa flashed her friend a small smile. Selphie would do just about anything to have fun with her friends. Last time when Quistis was mad about some student she had had to tutor during a mission they ended up in Balamb town for a karaoke night. They had sworn on honor not to ever mention it to the boys. Rinoa was fine with a girl's night, anything to get her mind off Squall.

"What have I missed?"

"Quisty, you almost got us waiting!"

The tall blonde chuckled at Selphie's sarcasm. Rinoa and the bouncy girl were currently sitting on the carpet playing a game of cards.

"Sorry about that, I had some papers to finish." Quistis apologized as she closed the door behind her and put her bag on the bed. "You don't have a bag Rinoa?" The bag was the must during a sleep-over. It always contained all the funny games and diaries and stuff to make fun of with your friends.

"No, I'll lend her some of my stuff for the night." Selphie explained before the raven haired girl could look up.

"So, now that Quisty's here, what do we do?" Selphie wondered stroking an imaginary beard.

"I brought my stuff to do our nails, the tarot game…" Quistis suggested as she sat down on a nearby cushion with the other girls.

To be honest, Quistis hadn't really been one for sleep-over nights before but now that she had her new friends and was no longer an instructor, there was no avail to Selphie's crazy parties. Furthermore when Rinoa was sad and down, it was their duty to help her feel better. During their adventures she had come to consider the raven haired girl like a younger sister after all.

"PILLOW FIGHT!" Selphie cried out.

Quistis didn't have time to dodge the oncoming cushion and took a harsh blow straight on her face. Rinoa tried to stifle her giggles. The blonde stood up and put her glasses down on the bedside table before seizing both Selphie's former weapon and her own cushion.

"You're going to pay for that…" She threatened, a dark aura suddenly surrounding her.

Selphie squeaked but was quick to react and use Rinoa as human shield against the two pillows that were soon thrown at them.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry Rinny but I'm too young to die!"

"What-…" She coughed as she got hit straight in the mouth by the second pillow. "…-ever."

"Squall's really influenced you too much Rinoa." Quistis sighed. The young sorceress just giggled before throwing a pillow at the blonde girl and shoving Selphie away with another.

"What was that for!?" Quistis exclaimed shocked after getting hit in the face yet again.

"Revenge."

"Ok girls now this is war." Selphie said as she got up and threw a cushion without even looking and ducking another attack behind her bed.

Selphie's room soon became a feathery battlefield as one of the pillows died serving its country in battle. Selphie had developed a tactic that consisted of throwing a pillow in the air without even watching where it went before ducking behind the bed as not to get hit. Rinoa stayed covered behind a closet but got hit more often because of Quistis' fast reflexes. In the end, all three girls ended up sprawled over the carpet breathing heavily.

"I suggest we change for the night and do something calmer." Quistis said after a while.

"Agreed." Both Rinoa & Selphie replied.

Quistis got the bathroom first after a fierce game of rock paper scissors and Selphie helped Rinoa choose something to wear in her closet. She opted for simple baby blue pyjama shorts and a white sleeveless top with a black ribbon on the V shaped collar. Selphie changed into yellow pyjama pants with a green frog patern and a yellow top with a similar beaming frog. When Quistis got out of the bathroom she had her long golden hair tied in a loose braid and a short peachy pink nightgown with shorts of the same color underneath.

Selphie got in the bathroom and came out a few minutes later with her hair in pigtails and a box of nail polish. Quistis proceeded to get out her own.

"First things first." Selphie announced in an important voice as she set down the box next to Rinoa who was cradling a Moomba plushy on the carpet.

It took a quarter an hour for the three girls to get their nails colored in purple, orange and red respectively.

"There!" Rinoa said proudly as she added the final touch to her nails, a star on each index. "What do we do now?"

The other two seemed to think for a minute before Selphie broke the silence "How about a truth or dare?"

"Huh, you sure…?" Rinoa asked uneasily. She always ended up going through her most embarrassing memories in this kind of game.

"Yeah! C'mon, it's gonna be fun!" Selphie beamed excitedly.

"Why not." Quistis said.

"Yay! Quisty, truth or dare?" Selphie started immediately after having her friend's approbation.

"Truth."

"Do you have a secret crush?" Rinoa sighed at Selphie's question. If it was like that she was pretty sure she'd have to go through all the details of her love life…

"No."

"Oh come on!"

"I don't have a secret crush Selphie."

"Seriously!?"

"Yes."

"You're no fun…Ok, your turn to ask…" Selphie gave up. Quistis was too composed in this kind of game. She didn't have anything to hide.

"Right. Rinoa, truth or dare?"

"Err…Dare." She wasn't going to tell them her darkest secrets yet.

"Dance the Caramell Dansen until your next turn."

"What!?"

Selphie burst out laughing. "I didn't think you actually knew Caramell Dansen Quisty!"

The blonde smirked evilly. "Come on Rinoa, start dancing."

The dark haired girl started swinging her hips and making bunny ears above her head to an imaginary rhythm. Selphie stifled her laughter with her pillow.

"Rinny, you still have to ask me."

"Truth or dare Selph?" Rinoa was already breathless from the constant shaking.

"Hum…Let me see…Dare!"

"Hum…" Rinoa was thinking about what her torture should be. "You're gonna have to spend three turns buried under pillows and blankets."

"What!? It's like, 95°F in this room!" Selphie complained.

"Like I care." Rinoa countered with a devilish smile as she was still twisting back and forth. "Quistis, can you get the blankets from her closet and her bed?"

"Sure." The blonde got up and after a minute or two Selphie was but a gigantic mount of covers.

"It's worse than Ifrit's Hellfire under there!" she exclaimed but her voice was muffled under the mass of blankets. Quistis and Rinoa sniggered.

"Quisty, you know the question." Selphie said bored as she tried to shuffle to get herself in a turtle like position.

"Truth."

"But you already did truth last time!"

"I don't want to suffer your wrath, thank you very much."

"Fine, but next time you do a dare." Selphie sighed as she finally managed to stick her head out of her heated prison. "Do you miss Seifer?"

"What!? That guy was so troublesome! Impertinent, arrogant… He even injured his partners while training!"

"So you do miss him…" Selphie smirked as she placed her hands under her head to lie in a more comfortable position.

Rinoa was smirking as well. She-just like Selphie- knew her friend well. If she didn't miss him at all she would have answered with a blunt 'no' like before but there she was trying to find herself reasons not to miss Seifer.

"What!? No! He was just a bother! Everything's calm now that he's gone…!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever Quisty…" Selphie waved her hand in front of her as to tell her to let it go.

"Don't you 'whatever' me …" Quistis was beginning to sound dangerous.

"It's your turn to ask Rinny." The 'turtle girl' chuckled. The raven haired girl was reminded by that that she no longer had to dance and fell to the floor completely out of breath. She took the Moomba plushy back in her arms and looked over at Quistis.

"Truth. I'm too tired to do anything else."

"Right…" Quistis sighed and looked up at Rinoa more seriously than before. "Sorry to ask you that but since Selphie told me about you and Squall having an argument and he wouldn't tell me anything…What was it about?"

Rinoa froze and clutched the stuffed Moomba tighter, her eyes widening.

Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it and if not, it's ok, I won't hunt you down and blow your house to smithereens…Maybe…

Anyway! To everyone of you who liked it please leave a review below, it'd be great since I just started on ! And even if you didn't like it that much, you can still post a review and tell me the things I should improve, I'd be thankful for your advices.

The next chapter is already up, enjoy!