Sahrah: Yay! An update! Almost two months late! Ehehehe... hehe... heh... Sorry. I'm sorry. Thanks for your patience.
Squall: Yeah, well, it's to be expected. The day you update on time is the day the theatre club runs a dress rehearsal without you losing something or being yelled at.
Sahrah: …I don't wanna talk about it. Anyway, about the chapter… Blech. I think I send the gang on waaaay too many vacations. Also, it's way too fluffy. These people need to, like, break up, or die in a fire or something. Seriously.
Squall: Wait, we're going on ANOTHER vacation?
Sahrah: Yeah, this time it's everyone's spring break. And I possibly deserve to be shot because people in my fanfics keep getting engaged and married and whatnot. I need mayhemmmm…
Squall: So cause mayhem.
Sahrah: I can't, this story will be over soon. For now, we're ready for an extremely Mary-Sue, fluffy, predictable chapter. Sorry that this chapter revolves around Raine. Besides her, all the characters belong to Square Enix. The music is from RENT (the awesome Broadway musical) and also the excellent band, Lighthouse. Predictably, starts as Yuna's Point of View.
Chapter 14: You And Me
It was the last spring break any of us would ever experience. That is, any of us except for Raine, who would be a junior in the following school year and therefore had two left. Deciding to make the most of it, Squall invited us up to his home on Besaid Island.
I'd never been to Besaid, but Tidus had, and I heard it was beautiful, so of course I agreed. As did Rikku and Gippal, who were preparing auditions for their troupe's next show, Paine and Baralai, and Lulu and Wakka. Lenne, Shuyin, and Emma would be coming down later in the week.
It was Wednesday, and we'd been in Besaid since Sunday. Squall's family only had a small condo, so most of us were camped out in the living room. His mom and her new husband were away for the week on some sort of cruise, so Squall and Raine took the master bedroom, and the guest bedroom was left empty for multiple reasons. Two reasons, to be specific. And the reasons would be the two tiny guest beds that are hard as rocks. Thusly, we voted for the floor. Which is soft and squishy and somewhat enjoyable.
Anyway, it was early evening, and everyone was on the porch or in the backyard. Rikku, Gippal, Raine, Shuyin, and Wakka were fishing (there was a lake in the backyard of all the condos, filled with catch-and-releasable fish), and Squall, Tidus, and Baralai were working together to grill burgers for dinner. Lenne and Emma were playing patty cake, and Paine was reading a book she'd picked up at the airship port. I was taking pictures with my new camera.
"Say cheese, guys!" I exclaimed, pointing the lens at Tidus and the other grillers.
"What are you doing?" asked Squall with a sigh.
"Making memories," I replied, rushing over to the wannabe fishermen. They hadn't caught anything the entire time we'd been in Besaid. They certainly wouldn't be doing so now. I snapped a few more pictures, before the guys working the grill called us to the table for dinner.
Besaid certainly was a nice place, and Squall's home was especially comfortable. Everything seemed to be going well, until Raine pulled me aside.
"Hey, you want to go for a walk?" she asked. Her grip on my arm made it more of a demand. I nodded.
Once outside, we set off along the twilit road as the sun continued to set.
"What's up, Raine?" I was worried about my younger friend.
"Well, see, it's like… you guys are all gonna graduate in a few months, right? But I'll just be a junior, and see… it's kind of… I'm worried about my relationship with Squall, I guess. I mean, like, my relationship with all of you guys, of course, but him in particular, because, well you know…" she gulped. "I don't want to lose him."
I laughed. "Raine, you won't. He's crazy about you. I think. Sometimes it's hard to tell." She did not appreciate my joke, however. She glared at me. "Sorry. Look, that guy loves you, okay? No matter what."
"How do you know?" Raine grouched.
"Because it's in his eyes."
"That's cheesy."
"No, I'm serious." And I was. I'd seen that look in his eyes when he looked at Raine. It was the same look I saw in Gippal's eyes when he was with Rikku, and in Baralai's eyes when he looked at Paine. Same with Wakka, Shuyin, and Tidus. I'd seen the look many times, and with many guys. But every time, it was the same happy warmth, the same spark of happiness, the same joyous light.
It was love. This does, I admit, sound silly.
Tidus's Point of View
"Stop playing with the radio!" exclaimed Rikku. "We need to listen to the whole soundtrack!"
"No you don't!" exclaimed Wakka. "We're tired of hearing RENT, ya!?"
"I like it!" called Baralai. Paine laughed quietly as she turned a page in her book.
I rolled my eyes. Rikku and Gippal's theatre troupe would soon be auditioning for their next show, RENT. Yes, it is the show about gay people, AIDS, and starving artists. For the record, the plot is powerful and the characters are deep. …Yevon I sound like a girl.
Anyway, Rikku wanted to listen to the original soundtrack so she would be able to sing well for her audition, but Wakka hated the music and wanted to stop listening to Broadway for a while.
Raine and Yuna walked back in a few moments later as a song called "I'll Cover You" began to play.
Live in my house
I'll be your shelter
Just pay me back
With one thousand kisses
Be my lover - I'll cover you
Because the song is a duet between two guys, Gippal sang along with the bigger guy's part, and Rikku began to dance. Paine tapped her foot until 'Lai grabbed her book, put it on the table, and pulled her into a dance.
I got up too, twirling Yuna as she laughed.
"Squallll! Let's dance! Come on!" begged Raine.
"I don't dance," he answered with a frown.
"Pleeeeease?" I heard him grunt. I assumed she gave him the puppy-eyes-that-no-man-ever-resists, because soon he and Raine were dancing as well.
Open your door
I'll be your tenant
Don't got much baggage
To lay at your feet
But sweet kisses I've got to spare
"And they're all for you!" Yuna whispered as we swayed.
"Every single one of them?" I teased.
"Yeah!"
I'll be there – and I'll cover you
I think they meant it
When they said you can't buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you are, my love,
On life - be my life
Gippal reached over and raised the volume. Yuna locked her arms around my shoulders and I hugged her, breathed in her scent. She was so beautiful. (A/N: So everyone understands by now that Tidus and Yuna are in love, right?)
Just slip me on
I'll be your tenant
Wherever - whatever - I'll be your coat
"You'll be my king, and I'll be your castle!" Rikku sang along with the tenor guy's part.
"No, you'll be my queen, and I'll be your moat!" Gippal countered.
I think they meant it
When they said you can't buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you are, my love,
On life - all my life
I've longed to discover
Something as true as this is
"So, with a thousand sweet kisses—" sang Gippal
"—If you're cold and you're lonely—" Rikku refrained
"—I'll cover you, with a thousand sweet kisses—"
"—You've got one nickel only, with a thousand sweet kisses—"
"—When you're worn out and tired—"
"—I'll cover you with a thousand sweet kisses—"
"—When your heart has expired—"
"Ohh, lover, I'll cover you! Yeahhh!"
Then they sang the last line together, "Oh, lover, I'll cover you…"
We all applauded as the song ended and the lively couple bowed jokingly. Then Gippal knocked Rikku over out of her curtsy and ran out into the backyard, where she proceeded to chase him with the hose.
I'm still amazed that people who act like children can get married. Lulu began to laugh, nearly doubling over, because Emma suddenly decided to play tag with Aunt Rikku and Uncle Gippal and had taken off after the married couple screaming with joy.
The slightly more normal ones of our group watched in amusement. Soon, though, I felt a tug on my sleeve and I turned to see Squall Leonhart tilting his head towards the front door.
"Hey, I'm going for a walk with Squall. I'll be back soon," I leaned over and kissed Yuna's cheek. Then I walked to the door with my friend, wondering what was up.
Once the door shut behind us, he turned to me.
"When you asked Yuna to live with you, how did you do it?" he asked me bluntly.
I laughed a bit. "Well, I didn't exactly ask her, it was a weird circumstance…" I scratched at my cheek, remembering Yuna sobbing, dripping wet, clinging to my brother because she so badly needed to be held.
"…Oh." Squall sounded disappointed.
"Why do you ask, man? You gonna ask Raine to live with you or something?"
I think I hit the nail on the head. He coughed loudly and averted his eyes. I think he might have been blushing. I grinned, slinging an arm around his neck and giving him a noogie.
"All right, Squall! Go for it!" I chortled. The brown-haired man fidgeted out of my grasp and smoothed his somewhat messy hair as much as he could.
"It's not just that, Tidus," he groaned. "You remember the night we bought the rings?"
"Sure. You helped me pick one for Yunie, and I helped you pick one for Raine. Why would I forget?" Then it dawned on me. "You're gonna ask Raine to marry you."
It was a statement, not a question.
"Yeah."
"Congratulations, Squall!"
"H-hey, it's not like she said yes or anything…" he mumbled.
"But she will."
"Maybe."
"She will!"
"…Whatever."
I tilted my head. "Are you scared, man?" He looked back, confusion swimming in his eyes.
"Of what?" he replied.
I shrugged. "I don't know, it's kind of a scary thing to do. You're askin' her to spend forever with you, it's kind of… a little frightening, I think."
Squall smirked and shook his head. "'Cowards die many times before their deaths,'" he said. "'The valiant never taste of death but once.'"
WHAT. What does that mean!? My brunette friend chuckled at the confusion written on my face. "It's Shakespeare," he added, walking briskly towards the house.
"No wonder I didn't understand," I mumbled, running to catch up. "So what does it mean?"
He looked back and laughed, a low and dark sound, and then kept walking without an answer. (A/N: I'll dedicate the next chapter to the first person who tells me what that means. Except for bloodredx, she knows what it means.)
"No fair!" I complained. He rolled his eyes.
"Whatever."
Yuna's Point of View
The next day was spent in the pool. Squall's condo existed in a development of similar houses, and all the condos shared a pool. Squall's mom and step-dad were lucky enough to have one of the homes next to the pool, so we liked to hop the short stone fence instead of wasting precious moments walking around the pool house.
Emma had begged and begged to ride in a fishing boat the entire time she'd been in Besaid, and this day the guys caved in and took her along, minus Squall (presumably because he disliked fishing). Paine opted to join them.
Lulu, Lenne, Rikku, Raine, Squall and I went to the pool. Rikku and Paine wrestled with the radio while I sat on a long beach chair and read a book I'd bought at the airship port. Lenne napped on a chair next to me, and Raine canonballed into the deep end of the pool. Squall had brought his sketchpad and was using charcoal to illustrate Raine's movement in the water.
My cousin and my semi-violent friend finally got the radio to work, and it was playing "You And Me".
What day is it? And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive
I can't keep up and I can't back down
I've been losing so much time
Squall looked up briefly from his sketchpad and glanced at Lulu, who was sitting next to the now-functional radio. Apparently she knew something we didn't.
Raine swam over to the side of the pool. She crossed her arms over the rim of the deep end, her long black hair floating fluidly behind her.
"Is that one done?" she asked, nodded at the paper in his hands. Instead of answering, he turned the pad of paper around and showed it to her. From over the pages of my book, I could see that it was Raine swimming, liquid and flowing in the weightlessness of the water.
'Cause it's you and me and all other people with nothing to do
Nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all other people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
"Ooh! I'm not quite that pretty, but I like it just the same." The answer seemed to satisfy Squall; he smiled briefly and turned back to his concentrated frown that he always wore when he was working. Then he looked away from his paper, putting his pencil down. Raine was still perched on the side of the pool.
"I think we should get married," he said calmly, turning the page on his sketch pad.
"Wh-what?" Raine's eyes widened.
All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping on words
You've got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here
"I said, I think we should get married. See, I figure there's not really much left for us to do in our relationship besides tie the knot. What do you think?" The stoic man looked up only once, his face as lacking in expression as ever. Raine stared at him incredulously.
"What kind of proposal is that?" she exclaimed. "You can't propose like that! You have to do it right!" Squall rolled his eyes and frowned. I laughed quietly; Rikku had completely frozen in place (well, everyone did, but it was a big deal for my cousin to be still for that long).
"Whatever. Answer me, please."
"No!" Raine stuck out her tongue and dove under the water, swimming towards the shallow end, away from Squall. The brunette man stood, put his sketch pad on his chair, and leaped into the pool, patting the zipped pocket on his black swim trunks once before jumping.
Lulu looked around. "I think this would be our cue to leave," she said with a smile, and we all snuck out in agreement. But that didn't stop us from running around to the other side of the fence and watching the events from a distance.
'Cause it's you and me
And all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why
I can't keep my eyes off of you
Squall chased Raine underwater until he managed to catch her and she bolted to the surface for air.
"Aw man! I guess you won," Raine laughed, somewhat nervously. "But you still have to get down on one knee."
Squall raised an eyebrow. "We're in the water. I'll drown."
The dark-haired girl seemed to consider this, as did her boyfriend, who quickly thought of a solution. With a quiet grunt, he lifted Raine into the air, and she flailed her arms in panic.
"WHATTHEHELLDOYOUTHINKYOU'REDOING!!" she gasped as she gripped his shoulders. Squall had an arm wrapped around her hips, keeping her body tight against his. With his free hand, he unzipped the pocket and withdrew and small box. Yes, you know the one. The box with that piece of metal that changes everything in the whole world. That tiny little box that makes people weep with joy.
That box that holds engagement rings. You know the one.
There's something about you now
I can't quite figure out
Everything she does is beautiful
Everything she does is right
"You're higher than I am," he murmured. "Are you satisfied?" Unable to speak, Raine nodded. "Good." He brought the box up near her cheek so she could see it.
"Raine, are you free to hang out?"
"When?" Raine choked out.
"For the rest of our lives. How does that sound?"
"It sounds kind of pretty freaking awesome."
Now bright red with tears of joy in her blue eyes, Raine gasped. Squall had opened the box. It was beautiful. The ring, I mean. Not the box. Well, the box wasn't ugly, but it wasn't—Okay, you know what? Story. Now.
"Maybe during our outing we can move your stuff into the apartment," he continued.
"What apartment? You don't have one," Raine tilted her head.
"No, and I never will. We, however, will. I've been looking around Zanarkand City for a while. Once you're done college, we can go anywhere you want." Squall smiled softly, the tenderest look I'd ever seen on his face. "So? What do you think of the living arrangement?"
Raine, instead of answering, lifted her right hand off of Squall's shoulders and slipped the ring onto her finger. Slowly, the brown-haired man let her back onto her feet and hugged her tightly. They kissed, and then I was interrupted.
'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
"What are you doing?" asked Tidus from behind me. I was so surprised I almost let out a huge yelp. Luckily Paine covered my mouth with her hand so I did little more than squeak.
"Quiet!" hissed Rikku. "Squall just proposed to Raine!" Tidus looked surprised for a minute, and then grinned.
"And she said?" he questioned.
"Well," I answered, "What did I say when you proposed to me?"
"You said yes," my fiancé smiled. "So I'm guessing Raine did, too."
"They wouldn't be kissing if she'd said no," muttered Lenne. But then they stopped kissing and Squall faced the fence.
"Stop loitering and get in here!" he called, looking pissed off. But Squall wasn't mad. I could see it in his eyes. We vaulted over the fence for the second time that day, laughing and giggling.
"Congratulations!" exclaimed Lenne and Rikku. Tidus and Squall exchanged knowing glances, and I smiled at Raine.
"Told you so," I whispered. She stuck out her tongue.
What day is it?
And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive…
End of chapter 14
Sahrah: Whee! Fun! Okay, from now on in this story, the time intervals will change. Next time will be graduation, and then someone's wedding, probably a few life-changing experiences… coughchildbirthcough… Yeah. Fun for the family.
Squall: This chapter is nauseatingly sweet.
Sahrah: ((dreamy sigh)) Indeed it is. I hope you liked it! Don't worry, next time it'll be canon. OH, AND BEFORE I FORGET! The next chapter will be dedicated to the first person besides bloodredx who can tell me what the Shakespearian quote Squall said means. Or if you know what play it's from. OR BOTH BECAUSE I'M A NERD AND I DEMAND PERFECTION LIKE MR. AXLER!!
Squall: ...Okaaaay... And on that slightly creepy note, you should review. Sahrah needs motivation. She's obviously lacking.
Sahrah: YOU'RE obviously MEAN. Alas. LOVE YOU ALL!! Sorry for the long wait, you know how school is. Thanks for understanding, lovies!