A/N: Hello reader! I am so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, (this could go on forever) Sorry that I haven't updated in AGES! I really do apologize, I have been quite busy and you can read the whole list on Black Heart if you wanted to but yeah, I'd like to thank you for reading and hope you'll enjoy it! Argh EXAMS! Thanks to the faithful reviewers again!

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 8. Please don't sue, Squaresoft does.

Chapter 7: White Roses

She happily walked along with her 'guard.' Her hands tucked behind her as she hummed down the busy Balamb Street towards the markets. He ruffed up his hair, as if in frustration and continued to follow her yet his body language was more or less I'm-not-with-her. She loved it that it was irritating him because he was such an enigma to her. Definitely special she thought fondly Definitely.

She suddenly stopped outside a flower shop, "In here Leon," she pointed out as she walked in the direction towards it. He followed, reluctantly. Inside the beautiful smell of all different types of exquisite carnations was overwhelming. Squall's eyes widened suddenly yet, he facial expression quickly changed back, just before Rinoa could sneak a peak. I swore…

"How can I help you?" asked the owner wearing a horizontally striped magenta and white skivvy with light denim jeans with a company apron over the front. Her locks were chocolate brown tied up in a high ponytail with a simple black lackey. She looked like a quite fit woman and her eyes were as beautiful as the carnations around her. They where the shade of chestnut around the rim of the pupil yet the more you studied into it, shades of olive stared appearing like ripples in a still lake. She turned to Leon as he walked in, raising her eyebrows. "Leon?"

Squall couldn't help it as a small grin appeared on his face. Rinoa slightly envious. He walked up to the florist as it looked like something glistened in his eyes, as if a wave had passed through and now came the calm. "Elle," was all he managed to say. Rinoa felt quite awkward, the florist smiled joyously showing her perfect pearly whites. "You haven't changed," he added.

Ellone started to blush, "Oh stop it, I'm getting old," she replied modestly. "Oh sorry miss," she remembered, "Leon and I, well, are old friends. So how can I help you," she repeated.

It looked like you were more that just 'old friends.' "Oh yes, I was wondering if you had any tulips in today?" Rinoa asked elegantly. Squall walked around the shop, stopping while looking at the white roses.

"Oh I'm sorry, the last dozen was just bought about a minute ago." Rinoa frowned. Squall looked at Elle as she caught him staring at the roses. Squall tried to cover it up but she just chuckled. He just blinked slowly as if a sign of acknowledgement, he knew that if he were to talk to Elle anymore, Rinoa would get angry as he was meant to be guarding her, not socializing.

"That's alright then," Rinoa said lifting up her hand, waving goodbye wanting to get out there as quick as possible. Squall did the same in waving and Elle returned him with a sweet light smile that could instantly light up a dark room. Squall shook his head effortlessly as he walked out of the store. Same ol' Elle... Rinoa turned to Squall as the stood outside the store, well away from the counter. Her arms were folded and she pouted. "Who was that?" she asked in the most politely tone she could find in her anger.

Squall scratched the back of his head as he couldn't help but break a smile, "Like she said, we're just old friends. That's it," he tried to reason. Rinoa's eyes narrowed. He's lying But she didn't want to argue anymore.

"Fine, let's just get back to the hotel, I'm tired," she yawned as she stretched her arms. Squall went back to his normal emotionless face and followed.

"Oh I see, yes sure. Now... you're here! Uh...okay yes, at the Balamb Hotel... Sure! Why not? You're family! All right then, Bye bye now." Laguna placed the phone down and loosened his tie. He fell back collapsing on the double bed, cushioning his fall. He roughened up his long locks and burped.

I'm setting into bachelor-hood way to fast.

Unfortunately he's holiday would be soon over and that meant tell Rinoa that she had to return back to her father. He heard rustling footsteps walk pass his room, one distinctively Rinoa, princess-like, treading softly but quickly. The other, louder, slower and almost prince like. A crooked smile appeared across his face as he sat up and tossed his bangs behind his ears.

Might as well do it now...Can't delay this forever...

He walked on the dark red velvety floor up to the pearly white door, turning the gold handle to see Rinoa looking 'pissed off' at Squall. "Leon, Rinoa, good that I've caught you two together," hoping he didn't embarrass Rinoa. She looked at him with narrowed eyes warning him that if he stepped any closer, he'd be walking into a lioness's den. He read it clearly and stood next to Squall's side. Squall tried not to flinch.

"Hi," Laguna said nervously, "I'mleavingsoon,likeabouttommorow,soyouhavetogohomeandbacktoyourfatherok?ok." Rinoa lifted her eyebrow, not looking evilly at him anymore. Laguna bared his teeth as his index fingers were pointing at each other.

"Laguna, repeat what you just said slowly..." Rinoa said calmly, thinking that he may have overdose on his medication.

Laguna opened his mouth to speak but Squall cut him off, "He said you're going home tomorrow, back to your father." Squall just wanted to get out of there as soon as he could. Just being in Laguna's presence disgusted him. All those people living in poverty and suffering to what meaningless wars you have created, all the natural resources and minerals you have expelled just to prove your wealth, all wasted. The beautiful scenery's you have destroyed, King? You're not worthy to be a King.

Rinoa's eyes widened, "What! It's only been two weeks!"

Laguna sighed, "I know but I have a kingdom to run, also Seifer's back from Garden, on special request too." Rinoa cringed That ugly prick is back

"Oh Hyne, no way I'm going if Seifer's there," Squall looked away and tapped his foot gently waiting impatiently, "Can't I stay here? I have Leon." Her voice almost sounding sincere that caught Squall off guard.

Laguna sighed again, "I know, Leon is a great guard, I'm sure,"

How can he be so bloody trusting? Squall thought.

"But it was under the conditions of your stay, If I were here, you would be here, If I left you would also leave and after that assassin tried to kill me, don't you want to go home?" he scratched his forehead, "Thank Hyne for those SeeDs."

Rinoa hissed, "Those SeeD's didn't do anything, they didn't prevent the attacker being there, they only missed you by inches! If Leon wasn't there-" She quickly wrapped her hand over her mouth. Squall started to curse silently in his head.

"What do you mean if Leon wasn't there?" Laguna asked eagerly. He looked over at Squall to see that his expression hadn't change. Rinoa looked at Squall where he shrugged his shoulders as if to say, I-don't-care, whatever-makes-you-happy. Rinoa looked down to the dirty hallway floor, she didn't want too hurt Squall's feelings, if he had any and didn't want to lie to Laguna...

"H-he was the actual one that saved you... He thought that guy was actually after me but he pointed the rifle at you. He knocked him out when he tried to run, then the SeeDs came over when we ran."

Squall felt a wave of nausea splash over him; he knew what question would be next...

"The SeeD's thought that you were accomplices. Hyne, you should be rewarded. Why didn't you reported earlier, we could have a feast for you, a special banquet-"

"No," Squall said firmly, "I don't want any of it."

"But you must be rewarded for your herois-"

"Are you deaf? I said NO," he roared as stormed off downstairs. He needn't worry about Rinoa as Laguna's guard could look after them both if she stayed within the vicinity. Rinoa and Laguna were left there shocked.

Instead of Laguna being infuriated, he laughed, "My, I haven't been yelled like that since Raine's father found out I was going to marry her."

Rinoa looked at him sympathetically.

Squall ran out of the hotel, he knew where he was going. He retraced the steps he took escorting Rinoa back to a familiar flower shop where he had his brief conversation earlier. The owner was still there. He walked in as she turned around hearing the bell on the door jingle. "Squall," she whispered. Her eyes grew intense as she stared at him.

"Elle," he whispered back as they embraced each other. Elle could feel a teardrop on her face, thinking it was her own, she wiped it away yet it was actually Squall's. "Matron told me that you were taken by a scientist and then we never heard from you again."

"You don't know how much I wanted to contact you but, I couldn't risk it, they knew I was from the orphanage too and you...you've grown up so much. You must be a killer with the ladies huh? Batting them off with a stick?" she joked. He smiled back as his eyes softened, "That puppy-dog look, you still got it. Enough about me, what are you doing here?"

There Squall started to explain, his mother death, the new DNA system, his job as Captain and how he met Rinoa. "I told you were a killer with the ladies? You even have a princess at your beckoning call."

"I think it might be the other way round, I work for her remember..."

At that moment, the bell jingled again where a blonde stranger dressed in white walked in. Elle composed herself and approached the customer, "Welcome, how can I help you?"

The man gave Elle a one over and smiled obnoxiously, "You could help me in finding some roses, white ones if I may."

Elle frowned, "I'm sorry sir, white roses have been out all day, how about red roses, they are more romantic."

The man shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not a romantic, I'm just trying to get some attention" saying the last word with a wink. Squall felt his anger rise as he hid his clenched fist behind him. Elle laughed it off.

"I'm sure whoever it is, she'll be very happy," she said, trying to shut off the conversation, "A dozen for 250gil." The man passed her the gil yet added 50 gil as a tip.

"That's for looking so good," he whispered. Then taking the flowers, he walked off.

She walked back to Squall that was glaring at the man as he walked out, "Stop it," Elle said gently. He looked back at her, unclenching his fist, "You get all types when you open up a business, you just have to know how to handle them."

"You don't know how bad I wanted to bash his head in," he muttered. Elle held his hand.

"Temper, temper... Squall, how are feeling, after your mother-"

He dropped Elle's hand, "Don't, please don't..." his voice pleaded. Elle fell silent.

Squall hated thinking about it, to him, his parents were just people that never wanted him. He could never understand why? Then as he grew older, he began to resent them. Yet after Raine's death, he was confused as ever. "I better go..."

"Please, don't. We've got so much to talk about. Please?"

He looked down, "Rinoa's leaving tomorrow. Elle, I don't want my job but I have to make a living... it is the only way I can beat the system. If Laguna finds out... I don't even want to think about it. If I leave now, it'll be too suspicious. Elle..."

"I know," she sighed as she embraced him again. "My little brother is all grown up now. Take care."

"You too." With that, he walked out of the shop and looked back at her with a glance and walked back to the hotel. Elle kept watching him until he was out of sight.

The blonde-haired man walked up the stairs of the Balamb Hotel and knocked on a door where a guard was standing. "You are?" asked the guard.

"Prince Seifer Almasy, heir to the Almasy name and now the Loire," the guard raised his eyebrows. He knocked on Laguna's door.

"Sire, Prince Seifer is here to see you." There was no response; the guard knocked his forehead, "Whoops that's right, he's in Princess Rinoa's room, down the corridor, to your first left."

Excellent "Thank you," he said charmingly. Seifer walked over to Rinoa's room and knocked on the door. "Hello? King Laguna? Princess Rinoa?"

The door creaked open to see Rinoa's eyes shocked as she stared at Seifer. "C-Come in Seifer." Wow, puberty worked it's magic on him... last time I saw him, he was a scrawny little thing with multiple freckles.

"Seifer!" Laguna cheered as he patted Seifer on the back, "Come join us, we are just talking about the arrangements on going back to Esthar. You remember Rinoa?"

"Of course I do, these are for you," he said as he handed her the bunch of flowers and kissed her hand. Rinoa blushed slightly.

"Uh, thanks," she managed to stutter.

Seifer looked at Laguna, "Of course King Laguna, you should know that Rinoa and I are betrothed."

Laguna lifted his eyebrow, "Really?"

Rinoa coughed, "Actually no, it was always said, it just was never arranged. After that little issue Galbadia had with Trabia."

Seifer clicked his fingers. Yet exactly at that moment, there was another knock on the door. Rinoa walked towards the door and opened the door to see Squall looking at her. "What the hell is he doing here?" spat Seifer.

Laguna smiled, "He's Rinoa's guard."

Rinoa eyes softened when she looked at him, something told her that he'd somehow just been hurt, badly. "Just wanted to say I'm sorry for walking out earlier, I was wrong in doing that."

"It's okay, It's my fault that I told Laguna what happened. I'm sorry."

"Are you going out again today?" he asked.

"No it's fine."

Seifer felt green. "Hey I remember you now! You're that guy that was chattin' to that hot florist."

Rinoa could have felt jealous at that time but something told her that she needn't worry. Squall sighed, " Uh, so yeah, just tell me the details tomorrow, I can tell that you guys are in deep discussion." He looked over to the King, seeing familiar red roses behind him and remembering the incident that happen earlier. "Well, night King, Prince Seifer and princess."

Seifer didn't bother responding, Laguna waved, "Night Leon!" as Rinoa, still standing at the door, she also waved but not as energetically as Laguna, "Night Leon."

Rinoa closed the door and sat back around the round table. Laguna looked at his notepad and finished writing. "Alright, so I have come to this conclusion. Rinoa, you'll be living with me until you are 20, that will be for another two months. I'm sure you're father would mind that but no longer, you have to deal with this animosity you have with your father eventually. As for Leon, I'll promote him to work somewhere in my mansion, I'm sure there's something. And Seifer, well, you're free to stay anytime."

"I'd like that," he said as he winked at Rinoa. She felt a strong bad shiver danced across her spine.

"Alright then, settled."

Laguna and Seifer said their goodnights and walked off. Rinoa looked at the roses that Seifer had given her. "He wants something," she muttered to herself.

Squall walking back to his room was called by Laguna's guard. "Leon, cum ere for a sec."

"Yes?" he yawned.

"Tough day with the princess?" he asked.

Squall sighed, "It's always a tough day with the princess," he responded tiredly.

The guard laughed, "Did you see that prince, what a prick. Supposedly he's the next heir to the Loire line. I'd hate to be working for him."

Squall ultimately found himself awake, "What? That isn't true."

"You know something I don't?" the guard asked curiously.

"No, no... I just meant, It couldn't be true, how can he be related to Laguna? Doesn't Laguna have any children at all?"

The guard sighed, "Yeah, Raine wasn't able to conceive. They did check before they got married and it looked fine but... it wasn't like they did try. Seifer is a long and distant cousin of Raine supposedly. But like I said, he's a prick. I'd like to see him work it like us, I bet he would just hate it to break a sweat."

Squall nodded, "I hate to be rude but I've have a tough day, If you don't mind, I'm just going to head off now."

"Oh sorry. When you think about it, you've actually got the toughest job out of all of us. Sorry for keeping you. Night Leon."

"Night Minky."

Squall walked back to his room to see that his oil painting had dried. Not feeling tired anymore, he wrapped up the painted with brown paper and tied it up with string. He tied a card at the top, address to Elle. Then he grabbed to phone to call reception.

"Yes Leon?" said a familiar voice.

"Selphie, can you come up here a minute?"

"Sure," she replied quickly as she hung up the phone. A moment later she knocked at Squall's door. "Yep?"

He passed the metre by half a metre painting to here. "Make sure this gets to Elle by tomorrow morning please."

"You saw Elle? That's great. She had been asking about you for sometime now. What has it been 10 years?" Squall's eyes narrowed, "Ok, ok. It'll be at her store by tomorrow and that's a Selphie promise!"

"Thank you and good night."

"Night Leon!" she said as she held the painting and took the elevator downstairs.

A/N: Ok, ok, It's lame. I know. Please Review!

Leonhartilly