Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII. I DO own my shirt. You can't have it.
A/N: Sorry all for the longest gaping hole in between updates ever! I've been having technical difficulties with this story... major difficulties. Rin Seren has helped me throw some ideas into a boiling pot of destruction, so now I'm doing some patching and new formulating. If it wasn't for her, you'd probably all think this story was crap by the time it was finished. Seriously. Even I knew it (but was unwilling to fix it until recently, as stubborn as I am). So now I'm getting myself out of some old habits and I'm trying to focus on fixing this whole thing up. So yeah...
Once again, I thank Rin Seren for your help, advise, and determination to be my backbone... cause I'm all wobbly like that. YAY! Go editor! Go idea thrasher! YAY! Just messin on the last one... ehe...
And thank you of course all my other wonderful reviewers! I love you all! You've made this project so much more fun and important to me! Without you all, I wouldn't be in this horrible mess.. I mean, er... I wouldn't be having so much fun... pulling my hair out to post these misleading chapters. Yup!
(OMG! HARRY FREAKIN' POTTER IS COMING OUT! AHHAHAHAHAHHA!)
cough sorry...
This is probably the longest chapter of my life! Really, it's kind of two chapters put into one and you can thank Rin Seren for the extra length at the end and some of the ideas (I won't tell you which... because then I'd be ruining my hard work for you... haha). BUT, if you ARE Rin Seren, you know what really belongs to you.
Chapter 14: Table for Two
Rinoa may as well have sprouted wings and flown ten feet into the air.
A week before her and Squall had drifted by influence of nothing but the sea-winds until they came within sight of a distant shore, whereupon they both struggled to row their boat onto the sand with makeshift paddles.The weather had turned pleasantly warm, either by the full turn of spring, or the location of the new land. There had been an immediate tropical feel to the canopies that bordered the white-sanded shores and Squall had confirmed, almost to himself, that they had reached the continent of Balamb, which, coincidentally, was a tropical island.
Rinoa had been misled initially, immediately assuming Balamb of little to no inhabitants, as she had seen only lush wilderness upon landing. She had therefore thought that perhaps other tribes similar to the north were what clarified the land as continent under a civilized title, but she had neglected to ask Squall this and was pleasantly surprised to view an actual city in the distance after several days of travel through the thick undergrowth.
Squall was startled by Rinoa's sudden outburst of energy and excitement. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen her so joyous, though he had always labeled her as overly optimistic and just now realized how dreary she must have been during the travel. The energy depravation should have been obvious, as they shared small rations of dried meats and breads and Squall could very well feel the neglect of nutrients upon his own body.
He straightened visibly when Rinoa had leapt in glee, not realizing that they had reached Balamb City yet. She had been wandering ahead some distance, but he could still glimpse her at the crest of a hill, her dark silhouette against the evening sky giving away her gratified posture. His pace quickened slightly and he felt a small, unwanted twitch at the corner of his lips when he noticed Rinoa was looking back and waiting for him.
"Look!" she called when Squall was within earshot. "A city!" Squall immediately hid his slip of a smile with a frown when she began wiggling impatiently.
"I know," he replied, wondering why he was trying to hide his relief.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask."
Rinoa suddenly turned thoughtful and raised an eyebrow teasingly. "I thought you were tired of my questions."
"I was... am."
Rinoa let her grin falter for only a moment before laughing. "I'm so excited!" She jumped and hooked herself around Squall's arm, giggling maniacally. She had let go too quickly for Squall to react, so he just deepened his frown as she twirled away from him down a grassy path.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
Balamb was in quiet reserve when the two travelers finally stood upon the cobblestone street leading into the heart of the small city. Rinoa marveled at the simple, yet elegant structure of the buildings, each rounded smoothly in pale white stone adorned with small, cubbyhole doorways leading down into what Rinoa imagined as cozy houses. Squall seemed unfazed. Few shops flickered to life further down the street in the sinking sun's light.
"We'll stop by the hotel first, then go find somewhere to eat," Squall commented while looking straight ahead. He still managed to catch Rinoa's radiating grin from the corner of his eye. It had been too long since either of them had eaten real food.
"Okay," was her only reply, laced with mirth.
They had only walked a couple of blocks when Squall suddenly paused, almost causing Rinoa to crash into the back of him. She looked around, wondering why the sudden hesitation, then followed Squall's eyes to a small house on the left. It looked no different from its neighbors, sitting quietly with half-lit windows. "What?" asked Rinoa.
Squall swallowed, then turned to continue marching forward. Rinoa thought she had heard a whispered "nothing," but it was just as likely to be the wind.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
The hotel was extravagant. The interior was wide and spacey, adorned with colorful tiles made to match the outside sea when the sun was higher. The ceiling was arched high in the same white stone as the rest of the city. Ornaments and large plants sat around the circular lobby, suggesting the island's tropical habitat.
At the moment the tall windows were closed, but Rinoa could still smell the ocean's breeze from outside. Had the sun still been up she was sure she could've seen the clear, shimmering blue of the waves outside by the docks.
"This is nice," she whispered to Squall as she followed him through the near-empty lobby. She smiled kindly at the woman behind the front desk. "I can hardly wait to see--" she stopped herself when she heard Squall say "for one" to the woman, who was now smirking slyly. Rinoa let her questioning gaze fall onto the commander next to her, trying her best to catch his avoiding eyes.
"This way, please," another hotel attendant came from around the corner and grabbed two cards from the wall then headed over by the stairs. She smiled shyly at Squall when he moved to follow her.
Rinoa walked beside Squall as they climbed the steps, still trying to catch his attention. "Squall, what-"
"It's cheaper than two." He had turned to look at her coldly, causing Rinoa to snap her mouth shut. Squall wanted to bite his tongue after hearing the remark leave his lips. Who was he trying to kid, himself or Rinoa? Why didn't he just tell her the truth? Why didn't he just say that he didn't want her in another room? That he was too worried about her conditions? Or maybe that he was just so used to her company? That he didn't want her to go; that he didn't want her out of his sight. He didn't want to admit it to himself, so why should he confess his confusion to her? If there was still a chance to detach himself, he would... so better to keep Rinoa from his mangled thoughts for as long as possible.
Squall kept his eye on Rinoa's bemused expression all the way down the hall until they stopped in front of a door near the end. "Here you are sir, ma'am," grinned the attendant, holding out a card to each of them. "By your phone you'll see a slip that will tell you which numbers to call for any of our services. Have a nice stay at Balamb Resort," she finished professionally, though there was a hint of mischievous curiosity in her eyes every time she glanced at Squall. Rinoa was quick to find herself scowling at the woman before she strode back down the hall.
"Well someone needed to glue their eyes back into their head," growled Rinoa as soon as Squall had opened the door and let her step in.
"Whatever do you mean?" asked Squall innocently, letting a knowing smirk blow away his oblivious expression.
Rinoa was too irritated to fully appreciate Squall's rare teasing. "Oh, don't you play stupid, Mr. Everyone-Checks-Me-Out-And-I-Know-It." Rinoa crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Squall as he just walked past her to the window. "I saw her ogling you! I'm half surprised she didn't ravish you right there in the hall!"
"Wow Rinoa, is that a hint of jealousy I detect in your voice?" Squall opened the window, breathing in the salty air with pleasure. "We should be able to see the ocean when the sun is up."Rinoa was thankful he had changed the subject out of his own will, as she found herself fumbling for an appropriate response to his first comment. And what was with his attitude? Since when was he the happy-go-lucky guy waiting for dawn to see a beautiful new day? What happened to that stick up his ass? Maybe it was that whore of a lobby girl who had set Squall's chivalrous demeanor into motion.
"Rinoa?"
Rinoa shook her head in surprise, snapping back to reality. "Huh?" How long had she been out of it? Why was she baring her teeth?
"I asked if you were hungry... but if you aren't, I guess you can just stay here," Squall walked over to the door, but paused when he felt Rinoa grasping the end of his jacket.
"You will not be getting food without me," she threatened, practically shoving Squall out of the way to reach the door first. 'Or crossing that woman downstairs without me either,' she added mentally.
BBBBBBBBBBBB
Surprisingly, the streets of Balamb were well lit at night, though few buildings looked open for company. The wet cobblestone slapped against the soles of Rinoa's buckskin shoes and it was then that she realized how ridiculous she must look. For this she was relieved that few people strolled the city at night, but there would be little she could do about it tomorrow. She coughed lightly and picked up her pace to match Squall's. "Where're we going?" How many times had she asked this question before?
"There's a diner down the street open twenty-four hours."
Rinoa nodded absently, wondering how many times Squall had been to Balamb before. Was this just like every other route he took? She breathed a deeply and shivered slightly in the damp night air. Squall, to her great misfortune and humiliation, noticed. He looked down at her, frowning, and Rinoa did all she could to avoid his eyes. He swallowed his criticizing comment of irresponsibility when he remembered she did not have a coat or extra clothing she could have brought. The raised flesh of her bare arms seemed to be taunting his indecent behavior. He shouldn't have cared regardless, but something beyond instincts caused him to act upon the problem without reasonable thought.
Squall mumbled something under his breath before Rinoa felt the heavy material of his coat drape over her quivering shoulders. She no longer looked away, but instead shot Squall a quizzical look. Either she was too surprised by his lack of insult, or his sudden gesture of very un-Squall-like kindness that she only stared open-mouthed. "I can't take this... now you'll be cold," she argued when her thoughts finally began arranging themselves into something coherent. "You're barely wearing more than I just was," the words were slurred as she wrapped the jacket closer around her, soaking up the warmth his body had provided within it just moments before. She was suddenly brought back to far earlier in their travels when he had first shown minor signs of concern, performing the similar gesture of putting a blanket down around her. His scent was familiar and she was almost angry at herself for reveling in such moments. What was her deal lately anyway? She had never denied his aloof and odd form of charisma, or his seemingly flawless structure, but what had triggered the sudden possession she felt over him? For as long as she knew Squall, her second nature was to run and find a loop-hole in his plans to drag her along, but the sudden desire to claw out the hotel attendant's eyes earlier had scared her. She pictured herself leaving Squall now; finding a way home, and was again shocked to feel a wrench in the pit of her stomach. It left a hollow gap afterward, similar to the sensation when she thought about her mother she so missed. The despondency of losing Squall frightened as much as it did frustrate and confuse her. All she was aware of now was the sudden pull she felt from her feet as they brought her closer to his side as they walked.
Rinoa wasn't sure if he had answered her previous objection and was most certainly unwilling to admit she was too caught up with unnerving thoughts of him to pay attention, so instead she asked, "Are you sure you're fine?" Squall simply nodded in response and pointed to a small building at the corner of a crossroad, lights still shining brightly from the windows. Rinoa already found her stomach growling in anticipation.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBB
"I don't know! There's so much that looks good!" Rinoa's face was hidden behind a thin paper menu.
"Well don't get too much, the room doesn't have a fridge. And I don't want to spend more than I have to."
Rinoa set down the menu, grinning at Squall. "What are you getting?" she asked as though ignoring him.
"Why? Can't make your own decisions?"
"No, though I certainly have unwillingly been in that boat for the past month or so. I was just thinking you've been here before and you know what's good."
Squall was silent for a moment, regarding his own menu and sipping from a cup of dark, steaming coffee. "The fish is good, but I wouldn't get it now-"
"Why not?"
"Are you going to let me finish?" he growled, then continued at Rinoa's eager nod. "But I wouldn't get it now because it's best when freshly caught. I don't have any recommendations... however, you should get soup or a salad because you're not used to such rich foods yet."
He looked up to see Rinoa giving him a dry look with pursed lips."You didn't answer my question," she said.
"Quit asking them and you'll have nothing to complain about," mumbled Squall too low for Rinoa to hear. "I'm getting clam chowder with toast if that suits your curiosity."
"Yes it does, thank you... but I don't think I can resist getting the country steak and eggs," Rinoa replied with an added "mmm" at the end for effect.
"That's probably not smart..."
"What, I can't have breakfast for dinner?"
"No, it's like I said... weren't you lis-"
"Don't be jealous of my steak and eggs."
"I'm not, it's just that-"
"Squall, if you want what I'm getting, you better order it for yourself..."
"I don't want-"
"...because I'm not giving you any, no matter how much you beg..." she spoke louder and over his voice, causing the few people in the diner to turn and look in their direction. Squall rubbed his eyes irritably while Rinoa simply grinned menacingly.
"Well, it sounds like you folks are ready," spoke a plump little waitress who approached the table with a pencil and pad. Her bright red lips framed a large smile with unnaturally white teeth. "What can I get you two?"
"Clam chowder with toast..."
"Okay, and you?" the waitress turned to Rinoa.
"Country steak and eggs," she answered almost defiantly, "with extra gravy."
"Alright, it'll be up in just a sec... you want me to fill that for you?" the woman hovered a brown-lidded coffee pot over Squall's cup and began pouring when he nodded. "I'll be back with your food in a few minutes." She disappeared into the kitchen.
"You won't be up all night will you?" Rinoa inquired with a look at his coffee.
"I'm used to it," he said before picking up the cup and sipping at the hot liquid.
"It's really not that good for you."
"I'm fine, Rinoa," Squall set the cup down and stared outside, his mind beginning to automatically calculate his next plan of action. Rinoa watched him and felt the urge to get inside his head and dissect what went on up there. How long was he planning on staying in this city before moving on? She hoped they would stay at least for a few days, for Balamb seemed quite pleasant and much more welcoming than the cold wilderness of the north. Not to mention being within a familiar civilization gave Rinoa unlimited comfort, though the style and structure of Balamb was beyond what she was used to in her simple village.
Rinoa took her own cup of decaf coffee and blew on it gently before testing the temperature with her lips. The forgotten taste was sweet and welcoming to her senses and she let the warm steam rise into her face, relishing in thoughts of sleeping in a warm, cushy bed tonight. She felt her eyelids growing heavy and knew she could probably have fallen asleep right there if she wanted. Her half-lidded eyes caught the azure ones watching her from across the table and she smiled, closing her eyes fully. She must look foolish right now.
"What are you doing?" she heard Squall ask.
"Letting the steam warm my face," she replied, not opening her eyes to see his reaction. It would have been too subtle to decipher anyway.
"Here you two are," came the voice of the waitress, placing a plate before Rinoa and a bowl in front of Squall. "Your toast will be out in moment, okay? Enjoy."
The woman had hardly turned before Rinoa's knife and fork were grappling at the breaded steak, shredding the meat more than cutting it. "I've been waiting for this my whole life," she groaned between mouthfuls.
"Take it easy, you're going to choke," warned Squall calmly as he ate slow, calculated spoonfuls of his soup.
"I don't want to hear a word about it from you. You're the reason I'm like this in the first place!" she waved her knife at him accusingly, then returned to her food with a fiercer handle on the knife. Squall didn't reply as he felt his left eye begin to twitch.
BBBBBBBBBBBB
"I can't believe I ate all that," Rinoa smiled, pushing her empty plate away from her.
"You're going to be sorry," Squall slid his bowl away as well, though half the soup was still there.
"You aren't hungry?"
"I know better," he gave Rinoa a piercing stare, then turned his attention to the approaching waitress. She was carrying the check and a small styrofoam box.
"I'm sorry about the toast," she handed Squall the box, giving him an apologetic look. "I took your soup off the tab and gave you a couple extra slices."
"Thank you," said Squall darkly, taking the offered box and check. He looked at the amount, pulled a bill from his pocket and handed it to the waitress before she could leave. "Bring the change quickly, will you?"
"Sure." The woman indeed returned quickly, much to Squall's relief and he hardly gave Rinoa a moment to gather herself before he was dragging her back down the street.
"What's the sudden rush for?" she pulled her arm away from his painful grasp and found herself practically jogging to keep up. "Squall?"
"Because I know what's going to happen."
"What do you mean?"
BBBBBBBBBBBB
It took no more than five minutes after returning to the hotel for Rinoa to regretfully find exactly what Squall meant. Her stomach seemed to have made three flips, twist itself into a knot, and reject all that she had just put into it. Only two minutes after the first signs of trouble she found herself on her knees crouching over the ceramic toilet bowl, watching her country steak and eggs make a final departure. She was vaguely aware of Squall's presence somewhere behind her and turned her head just enough to find him leaning against the bathroom's door frame, one eyebrow lifted arrogantly. "I told you," he said. Rinoa would have replied with an ugly insult had another gag not suddenly formed and send her back over the toilet's edge.
When she felt safe enough to look up and flush the toilet, she felt Squall kneel behind her and gather her falling hair away from her face. Heat rose into her cheeks and she wanted to just die. How humiliating! "Squall, I'm fine," she croaked, attempting to brush him off. Squall simply remained silent as another spasm hit Rinoa and sent her retching once again. His hand came to rest awkwardly on her back, where, in an attempt to comfort, he moved it along her spine slowly. Rinoa was unable to judge the difference between the fluttering butterflies and the upset meal that now both mingled in her stomach.
Five or six more times of vomiting passed and Rinoa could have finally waved goodbye to the last crumb of the dinner she so enjoyed. Country steak and eggs never sounded more horrible in her life. Green and yellow dots flickered before her eyes and she sat fully down on the bathroom tile, still resting her head at somewhat of an angle over the toilet bowl. It took all her strength to keep focused on staying conscious and only when she felt a tissue being run over her lips did she grasp the situation again. Her eyes slowly drifted up to see Squall still kneeling over her, carefully refolding the tissue to run it gently back over her mouth. His exact expression was blurred by the liquid that had built up in Rinoa's eyes while she had been heaving breathlessly. "Squall..?" she asked, dazed and not sure whether she really had something to ask or if she just wanted to know if it was actually him. He didn't reply, but let go of her hair and helped pull her to her feet. "I'm sorry," she mumbled as she leaned over the sink and ran the water over her face and washed out her mouth. Again, he didn't bother to speak but led her over to the large bed, where he pulled the covers down and watched her crawl inside.
Rinoa was regretful she was so tired and drained that she had hardly any time to enjoy the wonderful comfort of the soft mattress beneath her. The world was already slipping when she noticed the lights go off and the bed shift as Squall climbed in somewhere beside her.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBB
The next day was no better. Rinoa had jolted awake several times throughout the night and she had begun to feel terribly warm by the time the sun had risen. Her crusted eyes opened to stare out an open window, the cool breeze feeling delightful against her burning flesh. She threw off the rest of the covers as well as Squall's jacket. It was then that she noticed she was alone.
The pounding in her head convinced her to turn over and fall back asleep...
"Wake up," a voice called to Rinoa as she was struggling to get out of the quicksand and sign papers to her mother's income tax at the same time. "Wake up," it said more firmly and she rolled over with a groan, forgetting the twisted dream as quick as it had come.
Her eyes opened and she could see Squall standing over her with a blank expression. "Ugh-nn," she slurred out, letting a cold shiver run from her head to toe. She immediately grabbed for the covers and tightened them around herself.
"You've got a fever."
'No, really?' she wanted to stay, but accusingly spat "Why did you let me eat that stuff?" instead.
"I knew it would make you sick, and I told you that much, but this isn't from the food."His eyes turned irritable, then softened.
"Erm..." she tried to speak through chattering teeth. She watched as Squall pulled his jacket back over her and rearranged his own new attire, which he had apparently gone out and gotten earlier.
"I need to go and find someone in town. You stay here."
"What? You're just leaving me?" Rinoa cringed at the desperation in her voice. 'Well that sounded confident,' she chided herself.
"I'll be back in a couple hours. Drink lot of water," Squall pointed to a pitcher and cup on the nightstand next to her. "If you're hungry, there's toast on the table. Don't eat a lot," he added in a motherly tone, but quickly reversed it by adding, "there's nobody here to hold back your hair."
"Okay whatever." Rinoa would have smiled at how much she was sounding like Squall and how much he was sounding like her mother... but happiness was not an optional emotion at the moment. Perhaps she would laugh about it tomorrow... hopefully. She saw Squall furrow his eyebrows for a second, then turn and leave. The click of the door finalized his departure and Rinoa deemed it safe to pull his coat closer to herself, as if hoping some magical remedy would come off of it and heal her. Whether that was the truth or not, she did find that it helped her to fall asleep again.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
When awareness finally began forming in Rinoa's head, she knew she had been out for many hours. She blinked her stinging eyes open and could see only red, dying sunlight coming through the window, which had been left ajar from earlier. Before coming to any conclusions, she sat up and poured herself a tall glass of water, letting the cool liquid quench her parched throat.
Slowly, almost afraid she might break herself somehow, Rinoa pulled back the rumpled covers and slid out of bed. Her body was terribly achy and she could just imagine how the flesh on her face must look like it was falling away from her skull. She turned on a dim light and peered into a small mirror on the wall, grimacing at her accurate assumptions. Her hair defiantly flung in odd positions as she tried to mat it down and find her shoes. Squall said he would be back in a couple hours, yet he must have been gone for over four at least. Perhaps in the time it took her to shower he would return, but even after an especially long and relaxing shower, he did not show up.
Munching on some toast, Rinoa pulled her hair into a tie, slipped on her shoes (which had been hiding under the bed), and pulled Squall's jacket over her. She checked the pockets and smiled when she found a rolled up wad of bills. If she couldn't find Squall, she could at least buy herself some decent clothing. Checking to make sure she had her room key, Rinoa left the hotel, feeling oddly reenergized.
There were a fair amount more streets in Balamb than Rinoa had initially thought and what scared her the most was how much alike they looked. She kept a careful account of the turns she made and the landmarks she passed, having been accustomed to trying to develop a retraceable path from the past month and a half. Thankfully, she found a plaza before the sun had fully set and from the looks of the throng, shops were still in full business.
The first place Rinoa stopped by was a cheap-looking thrift store where she dug out a reasonable amount of pants, shirts, and shoes that would fit her from the countless racks. She would have been satisfied with one outfit had the elderly man at the register not gaped and the folded chunk of cash Rinoa was fumbling through to pay with. She wasn't sure how to read the currency; she wasn't even sure the little symbols on the cash papers were numbers she understood. Having faith that the older man wouldn't take advantage of her, she asked him to explain what bills were what, using the honest excuse that she wasn't from around here. When all finished and sorted, Rinoa had purchased only a long undershirt and a pair of undamaged hiking boots, giving the old man an extra few dollars for his help.
Once out of the store, Rinoa found devilish ideas beginning to form in her head. To hell if she found Squall... in fact, if she didn't, all the better for her. She had just discovered how much money was within her current possession and it would be Squall's fault for not warning her not spend it all, if any of it. He got some new clothes, so surely that gave her liberty as well. Besides, he had money with him of course, so this was just some extra cash, right? Rinoa shrugged to herself as she milled about the market, a smug grin on her face as she arrogantly picked out just the right kinds of things she wanted.
All in all, by the time the last shops were beginning to close down, Rinoa had purchased a new tank top, sweatshirt, denim shorts, thick sweat pants, two brassieres, a pair of comfortable shoes, two pairs of socks, and, much to her delight, several new pairs of panties, all of which fit into a convenient bag made to wear upon her back. She was so delighted with herself that she bought a fresh, slightly sweetened roll from a bakery to nibble on while strolling back to the hotel. All thoughts of finding Squall were past her. It had been so long since she had been out on her own and able to enjoy the freedom of loitering around, making her own decisions and time frames. Much of the evening in fact, had been spent window-shopping for exquisite dresses and gazing dreamily at hand-crafted jewelry, all the accessories she used to find herself purchasing and wearing back home. She could only dream about the next time she would be able to dress like she was going out for fun and less like she was a survivor specialist.
Unfortunately, especially in the quickening darkness of the sky, Rinoa found herself a bit turned around on the way back to the hotel. At this hour, as she had learned from the night before, nobody was out and about, so she trekked the vacant streets alone and cold, despite the thickness of Squall's coat. It must have been ten minutes or so when Rinoa thought she heard voices coming from around the bend. She rushed to go and ask for directions before they disappeared, but she stopped short when she found Squall standing before the same house he had paused by before. Not only that, but he was conversing with a familiar acquaintance, Zell. So he made it out alive. Curiosity getting the better of her, Rinoa used the shadows of the night to get close enough to eavesdrop without being detected. She knew it was morally wrong to be so secretive, but if this meant answers, so be it.
"...won't work like that," she heard a distinctive note of irritation in Squall's voice, though his back was completely facing her.
"Then how long are you planning on staying here?"
"A while longer, just to lie low at least. Esthar is anticipating I'll be quick to move, but as long as I'm away from the north..."
"Not to mention you're in Galbadian territory now," Zell, from what Rinoa could see of his face, looked anxious.
"That too. Now listen, I'll need stock from both of Balamb's bases... and possibly future homestead-"
"Here?"
"No, of course not, it'll have to be deeper in Galbadian territory... and unpopular."
"Oh. Hey wait, I thought you already had a place in Winhill..."
"I do, but that's a last resort. If you can find an opening, put me in under any of my aliases, but let me know which one."
"...I will..."
"I appreciate this, Zell," there was a desperate relief in Squall's voice and Rinoa felt a clenching in her stomach as he half-turned in her direction.
"Um, one more thing," Zell caught his attention again. "Listen Squall, how do you know for sure? I mean, it could really be anyone... and she's showed no signs."
"I know, I was beginning to worry as well, but I've spoken with the Chaik-ma elders on the way here-"
"C'mon, not that rubbish again. They're just a bunch of old, loaded men that babble tall tales into the ears of gullible people like you."
"They've been hospitable and have led me in the right direction many times before," there was a harsh tone in Squall's voice. "I don't doubt their judgement. And regardless whether they speak the truth, they gave me the missing piece I've been looking for the whole time."
Zell gasped slightly. "The one she was supposed to have?"
"That's the one."
"Lets see it!" Zell said excitedly.
"I left it in my jacket back in the hotel..."
Rinoa breath came short as she reached into one of the many pockets on the coat and her fingers grazed the cool metal of the lion-head stone. 'Just a scrap of old silver,' is it? She huffed angrily. Why was he always lying to her?
"It could be anything then!"
"I had not told the Chaik-ma anything about what I was searching for, but they had hinted at it the past several times I had gone and just the last, they presented my with the other half of Griever's relic, all without my mentioning of it. How else would they know I needed that for confirmation?"
"Alright, whatever you say. Just know that if you've gotten the wrong person, I'm not taking the blame for all the trouble you've caused. Where's Rinoa anyway?"
"She's ill back at the hotel."
"Ill? Is she alright? What's wrong?"
"She was sick last night from over-eating, but this morning she had a fairly severe fever. I assume it's from the drastic change in environment, or she could have easily caught something in the jungle a couple days ago. I'm surprised actually it's taken her this long to catch something. The whole trip she's been sickly, but I guess unfamiliar bacteria really did her in when we crossed the ocean. I really shouldn't have left her this long..."
"Aw, is Squall worried about his lil' Rinoa?" Zell mocked.
Squall snorted airily. "You know how vital it is that she survives. If and irreparable damage is done, the whole operation might have to be abandoned."
Rinoa felt a raging heat fill her face. How dare he! Like I'm some tool!
"Well, you're almost there," Zell was saying. "Once you drop her off, that's just one less burden to worry about, right?"
Rinoa did not hear Squall's reply, nor did she care. 'Drop her off!' 'Burden!' What the hell was that suppose to mean! A boiling ire rose in Rinoa's chest, her head fuming with fury. She leaped unceremoniously from her hiding spot, causing Squall to jump in surprise and Zell to begin stuttering. "Exactly what do you mean by 'burden!' she spat at Zell. "Was it my decision to come? No! Am I suppose to be some sort of key to your master plans? Huh! You can just stuff you're fat head right up your--"
"Rinoa." Squall's hand was around her wrist, as she had approached and raised it threateningly toward Zell without her even realizing. "Stop it-"
"And you!" she hissed at Squall, wrenching her arm free and pulling off his jacket. "I knew you were keeping me in the dark the whole time... but I had no idea how awfully neglectful your intentions were for me! I am TIRED of this crap!" she shoved the jacket into Squall's chest, ignoring his crumbling composure with her flaring temper. "As far as I'm concerned, you're as much of an ass as Zell! You can just shove it and find a way to do whatever it is you're troubled little plans are meant for without me! I'll find my own way home!" Before either men could react, Rinoa was gone, running away into the darkened streets.
BBBBBBBBBBBBB
Nearly two hours later, Squall felt Rinoa had enough time to calm down and left Zell's house to go and look for her. The night was unusually heavy with darkness, as clouds had rolled in during the evening to block out any moon or starlight. Even in Rinoa's uproar, Squall knew she hadn't left the town or found another hotel, for she had no money anyway. Squall had checked the jacket pockets to find his emergency stach of bills, or what was left of it at least. Her sudden outburst didn't give her enough time to realize she'd probably need money to find anywhere decent to sleep. She definitely wouldn't be back at their hotel, so Squall had a fairly good idea where she would be camping out.
His expectations were confirmed as Squall walked into the familiar atmosphere of the diner. Rinoa's form was slouched in a far corner booth. Squall approached her cautiously and was relieved to find her sleeping soundly with her head laying sideways on her folded arms, an untouched bowl of chowder and toast sitting in front of her.
"She came in cryin' her eyes out." It was the round waitress. "I felt a little sorry for her so I gave her an order free of charge... not that it did any good," she added with a glance at the full bowl of soup. "You want me to box that?"
"Just the toast, please," Squall said quietly, a worried expression on his usually discernable features as he studied Rinoa. She had long, dried streaks where tears had run down her face and she was terribly pale, shivering slightly. Apparently, the fever had not seen itself through just yet. And it wasn't just the sickness that pricked at the back of Squall's mind as he gathered Rinoa's slumbering body into his arms, for now he had quite a bit of explaining to do. At least tonight he would have time to formulate an appropriate response to her questioning that would, without doubt, take place the following morning.
"Here you are, then," the waitress placed the box in between Rinoa's folded arms, seeing no free hands of Squall's to grab with. "Couples like you, always gettin' into fights." Squall offered an apologetic smile, but did not reply as the woman led him to the door. "You know, at your age you don't realize it now... but every recovered argument is another building block to a wonderful relationship. I hope it works out, dear." She waved from the doorway as Squall stepped out into the night with a silent "thank you."
The trip back to the hotel was short, as Squall had been busy thinking of explanations for the girl in his arms. He reached the room without any disturbances and reluctantly let go of Rinoa as he slid her into the bed. There was an unwanted pressure of mingled sympathy, confusion, and most of all guilt as he stared down at her now peaceful face. She had done nothing to deserve this. She had asked for no such complications in her life... what right did he have to givethem to her? She was no burden to him compared to the burden he was to her.
Squall sighed in defeat as he sat on the edge of the bed and slipped off his attire. He took a quick shower and finished the toast from the day before. He came silently to the bed, glad to see Rinoa still asleep, and that's when it hit him hardest. He didn't want to lose her. She had grown an uncomfortable amount on him, and as awkward as he felt about that, he would feel even more helpless if she were gone. He had been ignoring his objectives for quite a while since he had come to know Rinoa and just his discussion today with Zell brought him to full realization that he could very easily lose her. Just as easily as he could have lost her throughout the travel in the north and the attack on Trabia. But she had made it, by luck of course, but mostly by her own accord and iron will. Her own motivation kept her pushing forward... but now... Now, beyond all her other attempts to be let go, she had lost all desire to be here... with or without Squall. Her sense of adventure, no matter how reluctant, had left her and been replaced by a profound sense of betrayal and spite. All because of him. He could have told her earlier and she may not have taken it so hard, as if she had been lied to, which was quite true currently. And now, if she wished it so badly, she could leave. With her kind of determination, there would be nothing Squall could do about it either.
The pain struck Squall hard as he reached for the bedside lamp and took one more lingering look at Rinoa's serene face. He had felt loss before in his youthful life and he wasn't sure he could tolerate it again and for all the selfish reasons in the world he knew that he could not, would not allow himself to lose Rinoa. Squall turned off the lamp and lay down, moving all the way over to Rinoa's motionless form. He hesitantly let his fingers slip gently over the soft skin of her cheek and he felt a familiar impulse he could no longer deny himself. Slowly, as if it may be another hole to lose her in, Squall pulled Rinoa to him, wrapping his arms fully around her and tucking her head underneath his chin so he could feel her warm breath on his neck and know she was there. He would not allow himself to lose her. Not now. Not ever.
KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
A/N: OMG! Go fluff! AHAHA! I'm so cheesy, but oh well. You know you like it!
R+R!