Disclaimer: No Final Fantasy or Square-Enix for me, sadly.
"Squall….." A girl's voice.
"…….."
"Squall….wake up." Was it Selphie or Rinoa?
"….."
"Squall…" Hyne, go away.
Squall flipped over, giving her a cold-shoulder, hoping she'd go away. What time was it, anyway?
"Squall, wake up!" Hyne, was that Selphie or Rinoa? Both of them seemed to like to annoy him, especially when he was trying to sleep. Didn't she know he had to get up early? He was the commander.
Squall felt a pillow hit his back. He grumbled a bit and picked the pillow up. Had she actually brought this pillow, knowing he wouldn't get up? He lazily tossed it at whoever was talking, only half-hoping it would hit. There was no 'oof', so he figured he missed. Oh well. He tried going to sleep one more time before another pillow hit him. Hyne. Instead of throwing it back he shoved it under his head and pulled the covers up defiantly.
"Squall, come on, you don't have all day!" Vaguely Squall wondered if it was technically day right now. It couldn't be any later than four in the morning.
"Alright, fine."
Squall didn't look back. Comfy, feathery bed, sleep…sleep…almost…A sudden draft came out of nowhere. Squall tucked himself in more, trying to fend it off. She had probably opened a window, or brought a fan, knowing her. Before long Squall felt his skin starting to create goose bumps, and soon a definite chill had surrounded him. Squall opened his eyes to complete darkness. His mouth had become dried and cracked and a most definite blue. Was someone using Blizzard on him?
His guesses were soon confirmed when he felt a light flake touch his nose. Snow? He only knew one person strong enough to create a real blizzard. 'Rinoa', he thought angrily. He sat himself up and wrapped the blankets around him still, half-asleep and sluggish.
"It's about time, Sleeping Beauty." She wise-cracked. Squall could see her outline near the door. How do all these girls get keycards? First Quistis, then Selphie, now Rinoa. He was more or less sure he locked his doors…
He swept his feet over the sides of his bed and felt a light layer of snow on the ground. "Alright, I'm up, just stop...snowing." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Thought so," She said and giggled. Squall felt a light pressure on his lips, yet no one was anywhere near him. She flipped on the lights with one deft finger. Squall picked up the sheets he had let fall to the floor. Hyne, he was only wearing boxers!
Rinoa gave him one sly smile before unfolding her crossed arms and walking out of the room, swinging her hips somewhat. Squall was glad she had left, as he felt his face color slightly and hastily pulled on a white shirt and pants. He took two steps toward the door and looked back at his room. He sighed at the sight. His once neat and spotless room would be sodden wet in an hour.
He left his room, sliding a hand over the light switch. He yawned and looked out the side windows. The moon could still be seen shining brightly in the pitch-black sky. What in Hyne's name did Rinoa want at this hour?
He saw her disappear behind a corner, a devious grin on her face. He held a hand up, preparing to tell her to wait before she took off again. He followed with deft feet, trying to catch up to her. But when he turned the corner, her blue cardigan was already leaving his line of sight around the Garden's middle bend. If he wasn't so curious he would have stopped right then and there and told her to stop being immature. She'd never done anything like this before, probably thinking he wouldn't go along with it. Which was true, so what was he doing now?
He hadn't seen her in that cardigan since the Ultimecia battle, almost a year ago. His 'relationship' with her had changed ever-so-slightly. The once quick pecks to please her had become meaningful kisses, over time. Sometimes he even held her hand through the halls, acting indifferent the whole time. His smile transgressed from small sly smirks to lighthearted smirks, only a small difference to anyone outside their little 'group'.
If he said it was because of the easiness the end of the Ultimecia battle had brought on, he would be lying, though most of the Garden seemed in a better mood, more like a real school than a military academy. He would never admit it out loud, but the reason for his easiness was simple: every time she beamed him a smile, he felt like smiling himself.
Of course, their 'happily ever-after' wasn't perfect. Sometimes her constant mood swings would remind him of the scared little Timber Owl he had first met and he would ignore her, and anyone else. Sometimes she couldn't deal with his constant "inability to express himself", not talking to him but constantly reminding him of his wrongs. Every now and then they'd have the ever-so-common feud, yelling at each other over time spent with her and time spent at work. It seemed as if fights would break out of nowhere, Rinoa yelling at him while he had done nothing.
To other people they would seem the regular love sick teenagers- though Squall didn't fit the part nearly as well as Rinoa-, and other times they'd be telling each other to go kill one another. Those little arguments ended with Rinoa stomping in the opposite direction- even if the direction was the wrong direction- and Squall would act as if nothing happened and carry on his day. Nothing has changed their zigzag relationship to a solid plummet….yet.
"Squall…" Rinoa's voice called, as silent and luring as a siren. It brought him back to the current situation. He caught a glimpse of an amused smile on her heart-shaped face before it disappeared again.
"Stop joking around, Rin," Squall called after her. Once he caught up to her he would find out once and for all what this chase was about. He walked over to where she was standing and saw her head into the library. Wasn't she the grouchy, anti-morning type person?
The pleasant sound of Balamb Garden's jingle was replaced with a sorrowful piano solo. The atmosphere was starting to give Squall chills. Why was he following her, anyway? He should be back in his bed, sleeping soundly. Whatever she wanted, she could say it in the morning. But yet he walked on, following her. The library's lights were dimmed to a near-pitch black. Squall could only see Rinoa's curvy outline, her hips swaying as if she was dancing.
"Dance with me…?" Her voice purred. She held out her hands welcomingly. Squall smiled in spite of the bizarre setting. He took one delicate hand and walked around her, spinning her and taking her other hand. Their steps were in perfect tune to the grief-filled lullaby playing somewhere around them. He spun her around again and pulled her closer to him, both of them laughing. It felt like a perfect dream. Both of them were laughing without a care in the world.
Just as the piano met a climax to its sorrowed song they kissed. Squall never moved his hands from their dancing position, to enthralled in the moment. He could feel her lips smiling as their kiss lingered. He wondered if he was smiling too. It didn't matter, only she mattered…
Their kiss seemed as if it was going to last forever. Squall didn't mind being awakened anymore, or having to follow her on a wild chocobo chase. Her lips were like silk, soft and warm and loving. Abruptly her lips felt cold, a dreadful cold. His eyes snapped open and he took a step back. Rinoa was still there-had he expected there to be someone else?-a confused expression on her face. He gave her a comforting smile and took her hands again.
The piano had been quiet as they kissed, but now it played a haunting tone, quiet like the music played at…well, some place he couldn't remember. Only that the memory had brought a sudden chill down his spine.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"Yes, I'm with you," Were those his words? "Why wouldn't I be?" Whoever had spoken those words, they brought a genuine smile on her lips. She was happy, and here, dancing to a soft tune with him.
"I love you," She murmured and rested her head on his chest. Squall's heart started racing. Love? He couldn't deal with that, not now. He wasn't ready; she had said she wanted it slow, as did he. What was she doing? He had known she was holding back when she said she wanted it slow, but he never thought she'd go this fast. How was he going to answer? He felt like running, he felt like…
"I love you, Rinoa." The word's seemed to escape from his mouth, as truthful and meaningful as her words. Squall became frantic. What's going on? His mind screamed at him, yet his body would not obey.
With fiery truth burn the evils of this world
With fiery truth light the darkness of the world
Farewell children
The day has died...
"My knight…."
"My sorceress…" His body bent to one knee, and his hand came up to his heart in a salute. Listen to me! Squall screamed inside his mind. Was this a dream? It had to be, how could it not be one? "I am forever yours,"
Wake from your sleep
My children, your childhood years are gone
Wake from your sleep
Fated children, your rest if gone.....
"Haha…haha……." Squall felt as if his bones should be frozen. The laugh was so familiar, so haunting like the piano playing. If there had been any sort of romantic feeling in the room, it perished.
His face looked up towards Rinoa, only to find someone different, smiling at him, as if he were a pathetic slave. The near-dark lighting had changed to enlighten the room fully, revealing both of them. Her face had the distinct impression of Rinoa, a Rinoa twenty years older, yet her face was a ghastly white color, purple streaks flowing down her temple. Her once striking raven, gold-highlighted hair was as white as snow, and elaborately decorated.
"Rise, child, possessor of Lionheart." She said. His legs obeyed her, as a dog would his master. "This is but a nightmare, though soon it will be genuine." The hell it will be…! She smiled coyly. "Or is it already genuine?" Lightening swift her hand scratched his cheek. His body took it with no complaint despite the blood that was running down the four deep facial wounds.
"Oops," The woman smiled innocently. "Guess it is real." She shrugged. "Continue to dance with me, my valiant knight." His body obeyed, once again disobeying Squall's thoughts. Squall felt oddly apart from his body as it danced joyfully with the woman, as it had been with Rinoa.
This is a dream…nothing but a dream, it has to be a dream. Even as he thought that, he could feel the woman's cold hands on him, caressing his face with long fingers. He could feel the warm blood and pain from the wound. Just a dream…it's just a dream…wake up, wake up. If it's a dream, why won't I wake up? It is nothing but a dream, wake up…
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