Squall stared at his reflection in the mirror. What did people wear for first date anyway? He decided to keep it simple with a fur-collared black leather jacket over his plain white shirt. He had always loved the black pants he found at the thrift store and wore it. It wouldn't hurt to wear combat boots too, right?

Zell propped on Squall's bed, pouring over monthly gaming magazines while sneaking a glance on him a minute or two. "Are you going on a date, or are you off to war?"

"But I look good." Squall protested.

"I bet you'd look good in anything." Zell said, flipping through the pages. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"The library assistant from the library."

"You mean caramel streaks? She's cute, but caramel streak's not my type"

"Caramel streaks?"

"That's what the students call her. Haven't you noticed her hair? I don't think it's natural."

Squall tried to remember Rinoa's features. "I could always ask her."

"That was just a side comment, don't take it literally." He set the magazine down. "So how did the two of you get together.

"It just happened."

"What do you mean it just happened? Details, man. Give me the details."

"We met. We decided to go out. End of the story."

Zell slapped the magazine on the soft bed. "You'll tell me all the details about your date, right?"

"Why don't have your own date instead of minding my own business?"

"But the girls won't say yes to me."

"That's your problem." With one last look at the mirror, Squall walked towards the door. "I'm off."

"Well, have fun." Zell resumed pouring over the gaming magazines. "Don't forget to brush your teeth."

Squall arched a brow. "What for?"

Zell lowered the article for Squall to see the puckering lips. "You know what I mean."

Quistis fixed her eyes at the large clock near the main lobby.

It was forty-five minutes past the hour of five.

Rinoa's date with Squall was about to start soon, and she wondered if she had done the correct decision at all. If only Irvine hadn't goaded her.

Punctuality was her forte, and she never kept anyone waiting. Tapping the sole of her shoe, she looked at the clock once more. Irvine was late.

Then her partner appeared clad in his favorite attire- an outrageous cowboy hat and a brown trench coat. "Howdy" he greeted, tipping the corner of his hat.

"Irvine, isn't your outfit too gaudy? We're supposed to blend with the crowd."

Irvine shook his head. "One has to be fashionable for a first date, and besides." He paused, searching her from head to foot. "What the hell are you wearing?"

Quistis stepped back. "What are you talking about?"

"Darling, I know you've got gorgeous legs." He drawled. "I've seen them when you wear your SeeD uniform. But for the love of Hyne, why are you wearing…. That?"

Suddenly, she felt conscious of her own attire. Damn Irvine. "I'm not attending a fashion show."

"Why are you wear a pants under that skirt? Or should I say it's the other way around?"

An unholy urge to punch him boiled inside Quistis.

"Take it off." he blurted

"Nothing's going off!"

"Take it off, Quisty!" Irvine insisted.

The crack of her whip was enough for Irvine to change his mind. Sighing, he shrugged. "Well darling," he drawled. "You could always aim for what our little princess is wearing over there. See that? It's a cute blue dress, and I can see her legs too. Seriously, Squall might fall for her."

"We're on a mission, Kinneas."

He sighed again. "Are you really sure you won't take those pants off-"

Another loud crack of the whip.

Irvine backed away. "Alright, I'll stop." He took a peek at the lobby and chuckled. "Looks like our prince charming has arrived."

Rinoa carelessly played with her fingers as she waited for Squall. If she had only known that he was involved with Quistis, she would never have asked him out. But there was something about Mr. Sensitive that attracted her, and she was the type who went for things when she liked it.

When Mr. Sensitive finally appeared in front of her, at exactly six in the evening, she forgot to breathe.

He looked so handsome and so dashing in his… was he actually wearing combat boots on a date?

"Nice boots." She complimented.

"Thanks." He looked at her, noticing something different. "You okay?"

I have two people watching and listening to us as we're about to have a date.

"I was just thinking where we'll have our date."

"Balamb Town."

Balamb Town was the only town in Balamb Region. Of course he would take her there.

"So are we going to rent a car, or a motorcycle?" she asked, then her voice trailed when he looked at her in a strange manner.

"Renting a car or a motorcycle is too expensive. We're going to walk."

Did she hear him right? "W-walk?"

"It's a one hour walk."

She had gone to several dates in her lifetime. They brought fancy luxury cars to impress her, or big large bikes if they could…but no one had actually asked her to have a walk. A one hour walk to their venue."

"Is something wrong?"

"That's…. I mean, that's something new." She admitted.

"I always walk to Balamb Town."

"Don't you have motorcycles or cars?"

"Balamb has them, but the rent is too cheap, and I'm saving money for my next weapon's upgrade."

He was a cheap man. No, perhaps frugral. Just someone who knew his priorities in life. How boring. Rinoa swallowed, suddenly regretting her decision to ask him out.

"Something wrong?"

That was the second time he asked her and it was starting to grate her nerves. How could she be okay, knowing that Irvine and Quistis were lurking nearby, hearing their conversation?

Or that they would actually be walking to Balamb Town?

She froze. What if those Assassins went after her while they were travelling? Relax Rinoa, she consoled herself. Quistis and Irvine were there to protect her, and wasn't Squall one of Balamb's best? He would protect her. He would be too horrible if he wouldn't.

It took them more than an hour to reach Balamb given her sluggish pace. Rinoa wasn't used to long distance walking. It was a good thing she wore comfortable shoes. By the time they arrived at Balamb, she was sticky and full of sweat that she was no longer in the mood for a date.

Squall hardly looked he tired or haggard at all.

"Why do you look like that?"

"Like what?"

"As if you didn't trek through the plains in that black leather jacket?"

His lips curled into a smile. "I have my secrets."

Secrets his damn ass.

This was the last time she was going on a date with him. Let Quistis have him, even if she kept denying they ever had a past.

"Here," he offered her his handkerchief. "You're sweating."

Sweating was an understatement. "Thanks," She wondered how Quistis and Irvine reacted to her ordeal. She bet Irvine was laughing.

After she had freshened herself, Squall took her to the plaza. The avenue was full of fancy-looking restaurants, and she wanted to try the one full of flowers.

"So which restaurant do you want to eat?"

"Restaurant?" he looked at her again, laughing. They stopped in front of a hotdog stand and he casually pointed to it. "Why spend four digits in a restaurant when you can have a great meal for just 500 Gil?"

During her stay in Balamb, Rinoa realized how popular the homegrown Balamb Hotdogs were. Although curious, she had never given herself the chance to taste it. Suddenly she laughed, comparing Squall to the men she had dated before. They had all taken her to fancy restaurants, trying to impress her.

And this man didn't give a damn about impressing her.

The hotdogs actually tasted delicious, to her surprise. The meat juicy, and the sauces melting in her mouth—sweet and salty, just the way she liked it.

Squall purchased another batch of hotdogs and two cans of soft drinks. They walked around Balamb again, until Rinoa noticed the smell of salt and the sea.

Squall had brought her to the docks, where soft orange lights illuminated the bayside. Seagulls flew over the docked boats. For some reason, she found the scene very peaceful.

This wasn't the kind of date she was expecting, given how different Rinoa Caraway was from Rinoa Heartilly. In her previous life, she was the spoiled and pampered daughter of a General who was unfortunate enough to become a Sorceress. However, in this world, she was Rinoa Heartilly, the plain library assistant no one would ever bother to look at.

"Nice place."

Squall smiled. "Thanks. I usually go here when I want to think."

They sat at the bench as he offered her the soda and another hotdog. She thanked him and nibbled on the food.

"Do you treat your dates like this?"

Squall blushed. "I've never been on dates before."

"Never?"

"Never."

"Then I'm—"

"You're my first date."

Uh-oh, Quistis definitely wouldn't like it if she heard this. Well, she heard it alright.

"I don't know where people usually go for dates, or what do they usually do." he admitted.

"And you don't know what to wear for a first date too, right?"

His eyes widened. "How'd you know?"

She pointed to his feet. "Combat boots."

"But they look good on me."

"Has anyone ever advised you to dress to match the occasion?"

"That's why I don't like dates. It's too cumbersome."

Rinoa grinned and ate the last bit of hotdog. "Well, you're having one right now."

The hours stretched as they talked for hours. It was one in the morning, and they needed to return to Balamb Garden.

"Squall, I had fun tonight." Rinoa said without artifice.

They were walking again, and this time, she didn't grumble.

"I had fun too."

"We should go out again," she said, not caring if Irvine and Quistis heard them. Let them.

"Aren't you bored with me?"

"I wouldn't be asking you, right?"

He laughed.

Then she heard a sharp hiss in the air, as if something sharp fell on the ground. Squall crouched to pick up the object. "What's this?"

Rinoa glanced at the item in his hand and froze.

It was an elegant black colored business card. It could have been any other card, but she recognized the intricate patterns, and the distinct image of the Guardian Force Carbuncle.

Trembling, she crumpled the card and threw it away. It couldn't be. Perhaps it was just a coincident. Her cover was perfect. They had made it appear that Rinoa Caraway had left for Dollet. There was no way they could have traced her to Balamb Garden, or to her first date with Squall Leonhart.

"Is something wrong?" Squall asked for the third time, and this time, Rinoa felt hardly felt any annoyance at all.

"Take me home." She said. "Take me home now."

Squall sensed the urgency of her voice. Just as they were about to move, a strong gust of wind stopped them.

A figure clad in black materialized in front. He drew a blade, the sharp hiss slicing the night's silence. "That was a sweet date, Sorceress. I hope the memory will last you a lifetime. Did you really think you could escape us?"


AN: The updates for Lion's Oath might slow down a bit since I'm busy preparing for a public forum in graduate school. I've committed to updating this story every sunday (+8:00). Hoped you liked this chapter!