The Lion Tamer
A FFVIII fanfiction by jOO
A Submission for the Squaphie contest
Final Fantasy VIII does not belong to me.
Dedicated to my row.
"So share with me, your love if you have enough, your tears if your holding back
your pain if that's what it is..." - Eyes On Me, Faye Wong
There he was. Leaning against the side of the gate, his eyes closed and his hair flowing in the wind. A tears takes flight from his weathered cheek as Balamb Garden soars through the clear blue sky. He wears an impassive look upon his face. Little did I know the pain that was tearing him apart inside.
I step forward. He is oblivious to my presence, and I have a creeping feeling that that might be a good thing. I run my hands over my yellow dress, then softly clear my throat, "S-squall?" He turns and frowns.
"...."
"Squall, I heard about what happened, er, well, from Quisty. I, uh, was just wondering...how you were doing?"
"...."
"I had Irvy run some of your errands, I mean, Xu gave me your schedule. I figured you need the time. I hope you don't mind."
"Whatever."
"And...I just wanted to let you know that if you need someone to talk to, you know where my room is, Squall."
"...."
"Well, alright...I-I guess I'll be going on my way now. Got that Garden Festival to plan, ya know...I hope you start feeling better. Goodbye, Squall.."
I turned around and bit my lip, then began to walk away.
"He finally won."
I looked back to him and watched him with the wide-eyed anxiousness of a child, but with a caring heart as well.
"Who won, Squall?"
He looked at me with a grimace forming on his thin lips as he sneered, "Seifer."
I walked forward, "Why? Er, uh, how did he win, Squall?"
"...."
I stopped abruptly, taking a deep breath and speaking softly, "Seifer and you have always fought. The last time, you took his romantic dream, so this time, he took your angel?"
"...."
"Squall, this isn't Seifer's fault. You heard Rinoa. You heard her come onto him."
"How do you know what I heard and what I didn't, Selphie?! Why do you even care, Selphie?"
"I...I jus-"
"You weren't the one standing by the crack of the door, you weren't the one listening to them talking about "old times", and you weren't the one that saw them kissing."
"Squall... Seifer turned her away. He loves Quisty, not Rinoa."
"...."
I stepped forward and ran my thumb over the salt-watery trail from his tear. I soon found myself staring into his eyes, the deep, swirling pools of gray clouds. I found myself lost in so many storms and so many battles. I was frozen.
"Selphie?"
"Oh, um, sorry." I dropped my hand and blushed, in spite of myself, "Right, well, my point is that maybe in the end you'll find out that you won."
I smiled at him and turned on my heel, then walked to the door and stepped into the hallway.
Rinoa doesn't know what she just gave up, I thought. I shook my head, then blinked, I needed to forget about Squall and find Irvine. I skipped down the hallway, exclaiming, "Irvy!"
End Chapter One
A FFVIII fanfiction by jOO
A Submission for the Squaphie contest
Final Fantasy VIII does not belong to me.
Dedicated to my row.
"So share with me, your love if you have enough, your tears if your holding back
your pain if that's what it is..." - Eyes On Me, Faye Wong
There he was. Leaning against the side of the gate, his eyes closed and his hair flowing in the wind. A tears takes flight from his weathered cheek as Balamb Garden soars through the clear blue sky. He wears an impassive look upon his face. Little did I know the pain that was tearing him apart inside.
I step forward. He is oblivious to my presence, and I have a creeping feeling that that might be a good thing. I run my hands over my yellow dress, then softly clear my throat, "S-squall?" He turns and frowns.
"...."
"Squall, I heard about what happened, er, well, from Quisty. I, uh, was just wondering...how you were doing?"
"...."
"I had Irvy run some of your errands, I mean, Xu gave me your schedule. I figured you need the time. I hope you don't mind."
"Whatever."
"And...I just wanted to let you know that if you need someone to talk to, you know where my room is, Squall."
"...."
"Well, alright...I-I guess I'll be going on my way now. Got that Garden Festival to plan, ya know...I hope you start feeling better. Goodbye, Squall.."
I turned around and bit my lip, then began to walk away.
"He finally won."
I looked back to him and watched him with the wide-eyed anxiousness of a child, but with a caring heart as well.
"Who won, Squall?"
He looked at me with a grimace forming on his thin lips as he sneered, "Seifer."
I walked forward, "Why? Er, uh, how did he win, Squall?"
"...."
I stopped abruptly, taking a deep breath and speaking softly, "Seifer and you have always fought. The last time, you took his romantic dream, so this time, he took your angel?"
"...."
"Squall, this isn't Seifer's fault. You heard Rinoa. You heard her come onto him."
"How do you know what I heard and what I didn't, Selphie?! Why do you even care, Selphie?"
"I...I jus-"
"You weren't the one standing by the crack of the door, you weren't the one listening to them talking about "old times", and you weren't the one that saw them kissing."
"Squall... Seifer turned her away. He loves Quisty, not Rinoa."
"...."
I stepped forward and ran my thumb over the salt-watery trail from his tear. I soon found myself staring into his eyes, the deep, swirling pools of gray clouds. I found myself lost in so many storms and so many battles. I was frozen.
"Selphie?"
"Oh, um, sorry." I dropped my hand and blushed, in spite of myself, "Right, well, my point is that maybe in the end you'll find out that you won."
I smiled at him and turned on my heel, then walked to the door and stepped into the hallway.
Rinoa doesn't know what she just gave up, I thought. I shook my head, then blinked, I needed to forget about Squall and find Irvine. I skipped down the hallway, exclaiming, "Irvy!"
End Chapter One