fandom: Final Fantasy VIII
theme: Rainy Day
genre(s): General
rating: PG-13 (for language; original rating was just PG, haha)
pairing(s): Seifer/Rinoa
summary: Rebels shouldn't let a little rain ruin their day. Done for a challenge at the seiferxrinoa community on LJ, which I run. (premiered 10/18/05 at 607am.)

I watched her pace back and forth inside the train car they called their base and home. It was raining a damn waterfall outside, and I knew she was bored. I was, too. But Zone and Watts were like her protective older brothers (though they weren't even half as restricting as her father sounded; she'd told me all about him), and warned her that going outside in it was going to make her sick, and they didn't want that because she needed to be at her best when planning Timber's liberation.

Normally, she'll do whatever she damn well pleases anyway, but today she was actually obeying them. This wasn't the Rinoa Heartilly I knew.

I was leaning back in a chair in her room as she continuously walked from one side of her room to the other. Her dog sat up on the bed, watching her, too. She was probably wondering what the hell was with her owner, just staying inside like that. I know the dog loved to get out and run in the fields. Rinoa and I would run with her, all of us sort of racing each other. Usually, Rinoa would be the last one, coming up to us and falling to the ground, tired. Then I'd laugh and tell her if she was really serious about being a resistance member and using military tactics, she ought to build up her endurance. She'd flick her wrist at me then, and sit there trying to catch her breath.

Of course, all this happened when it wasn't raining, which, really, it hadn't done for a long time now.

"There's nothing to do..." she suddenly said. "Damn rain."

"Hey, what's with you? Usually you're comin' up with all sorts of shit to do. Rain wash away your creativity?"

She stopped pacing for a moment and looked at me with what I think was some kind of glare. "Hey, don't make fun of me!"

"I wasn't! Just sayin'..."

She never went back to pacing back and forth. Instead, she turned to her bed and sat down with her dog, who was enthralled to have her owner beside her. I just watched, because I didn't know what else to do. I knew one of the guys would kick my ass off the car when it was moving if I sat beside her (they still didn't like me a whole lot), so... I just stayed where I was.

A few minutes passed, and neither of us were any less bored than before. Finally, I decided I'd had it.

"Let's just go outside."

"What?" She acted like it was such a huge surprise that I'd suggested it, like I was asking her to torch a house or stab President Deling during a speech. "But—"

"Since when do you care? You and me, we're fearless. A little rain's not gonna make ya melt, you know. 'Sides, you gotta be able to handle the elements as a resistance faction member."

Well, she thought about it for awhile, I guess weighing the possibility of getting questioned later or going out and having fun now. I was glad to see the girl smile then, and knew she'd decided on going out in the rain with me. "Yeah. Let's go, then!" And as if it was her idea, she grabbed my hand and dragged me outside with her. I smiled a little, because at least she wasn't moping around now. It's never really been my thing to go out and fuck around in the rain, but it sure beat staying inside and not having anything to do. I'd get her to do something "professional" anyway, because like I said, she'd have to handle the elements.

Her dog ended up staying behind, though.

AN: I'm currently in the process of moving several of my stories from my personal writing journal on LiveJournal (607am) to here. I'm keeping them at the aforementioned journal, though ... just putting them on here as well. :)