Note: Once again, I don't own any of these characters. It belongs to the imaginations of Squaresoft. Please understand that this is my first Squinoa, so bare with me, all right? Thanx a lot! ;) Oh.... by the very last chapters, I will ask all of you to vote which ending I should write, either a Queifer, Zelphie or Squinoa. I might end up doing them all anyway, but I still want everyone's vote as you review the chapters that is. Keep voting and I'll find out who the winner is by the time this story ends.
Chapter 8 - Together we'll be... I promise
~ "If you can't forgive him just yet, I'll understand if you want me to stay away from him, because I will. You and I will forgive him when you're ready to forgive him. We'll accept him together. I don't want to lose you, Squall. I love you too much."
Rinoa
'The nerve of him showing up!' he thought, dragging Rinoa behind him as he left the hallway, after being pushed out of Quistis' way just for Seifer's sake. He gritted his teeth in anger, angry by the way Quistis was acting, angry because Seifer was here in Garden and angry that...... Quistis was right. However, even with the guilt inside, the anger boiled inside him, forcing him to hate the man that wreaked havoc on Garden. If he plans on staying in Garden for good, he'll make sure Seifer doesn't.
"Squall!" Rinoa said, pulling herself away from Squall's grasp. Squall stopped and turned, watching her rub her wrist that were red from his grip. Rinoa furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Why did you do that?"
"You knew he was coming, didn't you?" Squall said, walking up to her.
Rinoa turned away, not wanting to meet his seething, hateful eyes that seemed to have poked holes through her head when silence seem to be the only sound they made with each other. After a couple more breaths, Rinoa took the courage to look into his eyes. "I did, but I didn't tell you, Squall, because I knew you were going to act this way!"
Squall shook his head in disbelief. He pointed to the direction to where Quistis and Irvine disappeared with Seifer and looked at her. "That man who walked by here with the help of our so-called friends, almost killed you, Rinoa! He destroyed part of Trabia, helped Ultimaecia rule Deling City and killed many people in the process! Are you saying that you forgive him after everything that has happened?"
Rinoa took a deep breath. "First of all, Squall, he ALMOST killed me, which means I'm still here, alive and breathing. Second, he didn't help Ultimaecia rule Deling City, it was Edea who was possessed and third: I'm not saying I should, but if it means having him here back again, I think we should at least try to give him a second chance and forgive him."
Squall shook his head. "I don't even know you anymore." He turned around and began to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Rinoa stood there, frozen. Why was he walking away? She didn't say anything wrong. She said the truth. "Why can't you accept it, Squall?" Rinoa asked as he turned the corner. Before she could say anymore, Squall was gone. She felt a tear falling from her left eye. Angrily, she wiped the tears with the back of her hand and turned to the direction of her dorm room.
****************
'I love her. Why am I such a jerk to her if I do? Why do I feel jealousy over a man who fell unconscious in Quistis' arms?' These thoughts played in his head many times, yet never were they answered.
He laid half asleep and half awake on the bed, his head resting against his arms.
She was the reason Squall felt this way. She was the reason he felt angry everytime a man crosses her path and hits on her. She was the reason he was alive.
Since his childhood, he felt alone ever since Elllone left the orphanage. Sure, he had his friends to count on, but he was too damn quiet for his own good. He never cared about anyone, nor did he showed any feelings for anyone, but Squall Leonheart was the type of man you could count on. Honourable to the SeeDs, generous to the people, and loving to the Matron. Yet, these things he never showed. He never acknowledged himself, nor did he pride himself in being a 'hero.' He never cared whether who won or who deserved to lose. He, at times, had his thoughts in his own world and would sometimes stare at nothing and sit on a chair in a dream-like state. He thought too much, but that was just who he is. He was a man with a good nature, despite his lack of presenting his feelings towards anyone. It was thought that he would never open up, until Rinoa came to his life.
Rinoa showed him the way and when he was injured, he imagined her face smiling down on him, touching his heart with her hands and healed her, whether her presence was non existent or not. He closed his eyes, wanting ever so much to sleep, but everytime he did, he saw Rinoa, looking up at him with a smile that melted his heart and that soared his soul to the sky. At the same time, however, he felt guilty. There was a chance that he may never see her smile again if he kept doing what he was doing now.
Sitting up quickly, he put on his shoes and walked out of his room, locking it securely behind him. He glanced at his watch, which showed that it was only fifteen minutes after eight. There was a chance that she was still in her dorm room, maybe crying. How he hated to see her crying.
Growling to quietly and calling himself, once again, a 'jerk,' he walked fast towards Rinoa's room.
****************
He knocked on the door, inhaling and exhaling air, anticipating the moment of embracing Rinoa and wanting to apologize to her for being such an idiot earlier.
No one answered.
Taking another deep breath, he knocked on the door again.
After a few more knocks, the door finally opened to reveal the person he least expected. Selphie had a towel on her head and was wearing simple makeup on her face. She wore a cute little yellow dress, much like what Rinoa wore when they danced under the stars. At first, Squall thought Selphie WAS Rinoa, since the dress she was wearing WAS Rinoa's.
"Hey, Squall!" Selphie greeted, with her usual, hyper active manner.
Squall nodded and looked over her shoulder. "Um... is Rinoa here?"
Selphie shrugged. "Honestly, Squall, I don't know where she went. She told me she was going to visit a certain someone at the infirmary."
"A certain someone?" Squall's eyes widened. He closed his eyes in frustration, clenching his fists at his side and gritted his teeth. "Seifer..." he mumbled, before turning around and leaving Selphie puzzled.
****************
"Hi, Seifer," she whispered. She could see his pale face and his disheveled hair ligthed by the moonlight. Half of his face and half of his body was covered with only darkness. She could see the darkness and the light working together to make Seifer look eerie and mysterious as he laid in bed. She placed a hand on his and smiled slightly.
Seifer looked up and smiled back. "Hey, Rin," he answered back to her.
"How are you feeling?"
Seifer nodded slowly. "I'm fine. Do you know how long I've been sleeping?"
Rinoa shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe a couple of hours now...." she paused and looked at him straight in the eyes. "What were you doing getting out of bed earlier?"
Seifer didn't answer, turning his face away from her.
"Seifer.... what happened?"
Seifer didn't answer again. He's told someone already and he didn't want to tell anyone else. What he dreamed, what he feared most of all, appeared in his mind. It tortured his every waking moment and enabled him to sleep that morning. Even with his feverish state, he was still willing to leave the place that has awoken back the painful memories. He remembered being with his posse, going to missions with them and he remembered meeting the new recruits of SeeDs for the first time. All the past came back to his hidden memories, even those happy times he grew up in the orphanage.
"I'd rather not talk about it, all right?" Seifer turned his head towards her and noticed a shadow hiding behind one of the windows. He knew who it was. It was probably Squall taking back his girl friend. He wouldn't mind if he did. Rinoa was being a pain in the ass again, always willing to help, no matter how ridiculous it was. The blond man smirked, seeing Squall glare at him through the window. He couldn't blame Squall for hating him and wanting him to be kicked out of the garden, despite his sickness. He blamed himself as well, so there was no argument between them. "Looks like, your boy friend is here to keep you away from me," he spoke, folding his arms across his chest.
Rinoa turned her head towards her boy friend, who was giving her a pleading look, rather than a dangerous one. She smiled and waved. "No one, not even Squall can tell me what to do."
"Maybe you should," Seifer said. "I see the way he looks at me, Rin. I don't want to cause anymore trouble."
Rinoa sighed, stood up and walked out of the room, saying not another word towards the tired blond. She met with Squall, giving him the most empathetic look she has ever has to offer towards the young man.
"Squall, what are you doing here?" she asked.
Squall frowned, nodding his head towards the window. "I'm wondering the same thing. What are you doing talking to him, Rinoa?"
The dark haired girl shook her head. "Squall, he's my friend. I'd like to be there for him."
"Friend or not, he still kidnapped you and fed you to Adel."
"Which he failed to do. When are you going to see that Seifer is not wreaking havoc in Garden?" Rinoa planted both her hands on her hips and stared up at him.
Squall looked at her and sighed. "I just came to see you to say I'm sorry," he said, changing the subject.
Rinoa smiled. She went to him, wrapping her arms around her boy friend and rested her head upon his chest. "I forgive you, Squall." She looked up to look into his eyes. "But I think you should really give Seifer a second chance." She let go of him and looked through the window. Squall stepped in beside her, watching through the window as well. Seifer had his head turned away from them, his eyes staring out another window. "We gave Edea a chance. Why can't we give him one?" She looked at him.
Squall thought for a minute. Yes, they forgave Matron, but it wasn't that easy at first. He had almost hesitated to forgive their motherly figure, who took care of them since they were children and still does, but he had the courage to forgive her and so did everyone else. It would take a lot more than courage and hope to forgive Seifer Almasy.
He shook his head gradually.
"I... I just can't Rinoa," Squall finally said, after a moment of silence. He turned away from the window and pivoted his whole body around to face the door. He glanced at Rinoa and sighed. "I'm sorry, Rin." He began to walk away, but a hand abruptly stopped him on his tracks. He looked over his shoulder at Rinoa.
"Don't be sorry. It's hard for me too." She let go of his arm and looked down on the ground. "I almost told myself not to visit Seifer, but I knew in my heart that I had to. I needed to see if Seifer deserved to be forgiven."
Squall arched his eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean.... when I asked him what happened, he was quiet for a while. I heard his voice, his pain and his agony. I knew he wanted to be accepted and he knew that he doesn't deserve that kind of forgiveness, especially from you, Squall. You and him have been rivals for a long time. He himself said that he didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be in this place again to remind him of all the awful things he did when he got here."
Squall didn't answer.
Rinoa smiled and took his hand in hers, grasping it in her own. "If you can't forgive him just yet, I'll understand if you want me to stay away from him, because I will. You and I will forgive him when you're ready to forgive him. We'll accept him together. I don't want to lose you, Squall. I love you too much."
Squall said nothing. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for an embrace. He rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her body. "I just don't want anything to happen to you, Rinny."
"I know," Rinoa whispered.
"I love you too," Squall said.
Rinoa closed her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tighter, resting her head on his chest.
They were both caught up in their embrace that they didn't see a figure hiding behind the shadows of the hallway watching them.
GoodGurl: HI! THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING THIS PEOPLES! IT WOULDN'T BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT YOUR REVIEWS! THANX AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please r/r! Thanx! ;)
Chapter 8 - Together we'll be... I promise
~ "If you can't forgive him just yet, I'll understand if you want me to stay away from him, because I will. You and I will forgive him when you're ready to forgive him. We'll accept him together. I don't want to lose you, Squall. I love you too much."
Rinoa
'The nerve of him showing up!' he thought, dragging Rinoa behind him as he left the hallway, after being pushed out of Quistis' way just for Seifer's sake. He gritted his teeth in anger, angry by the way Quistis was acting, angry because Seifer was here in Garden and angry that...... Quistis was right. However, even with the guilt inside, the anger boiled inside him, forcing him to hate the man that wreaked havoc on Garden. If he plans on staying in Garden for good, he'll make sure Seifer doesn't.
"Squall!" Rinoa said, pulling herself away from Squall's grasp. Squall stopped and turned, watching her rub her wrist that were red from his grip. Rinoa furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Why did you do that?"
"You knew he was coming, didn't you?" Squall said, walking up to her.
Rinoa turned away, not wanting to meet his seething, hateful eyes that seemed to have poked holes through her head when silence seem to be the only sound they made with each other. After a couple more breaths, Rinoa took the courage to look into his eyes. "I did, but I didn't tell you, Squall, because I knew you were going to act this way!"
Squall shook his head in disbelief. He pointed to the direction to where Quistis and Irvine disappeared with Seifer and looked at her. "That man who walked by here with the help of our so-called friends, almost killed you, Rinoa! He destroyed part of Trabia, helped Ultimaecia rule Deling City and killed many people in the process! Are you saying that you forgive him after everything that has happened?"
Rinoa took a deep breath. "First of all, Squall, he ALMOST killed me, which means I'm still here, alive and breathing. Second, he didn't help Ultimaecia rule Deling City, it was Edea who was possessed and third: I'm not saying I should, but if it means having him here back again, I think we should at least try to give him a second chance and forgive him."
Squall shook his head. "I don't even know you anymore." He turned around and began to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Rinoa stood there, frozen. Why was he walking away? She didn't say anything wrong. She said the truth. "Why can't you accept it, Squall?" Rinoa asked as he turned the corner. Before she could say anymore, Squall was gone. She felt a tear falling from her left eye. Angrily, she wiped the tears with the back of her hand and turned to the direction of her dorm room.
****************
'I love her. Why am I such a jerk to her if I do? Why do I feel jealousy over a man who fell unconscious in Quistis' arms?' These thoughts played in his head many times, yet never were they answered.
He laid half asleep and half awake on the bed, his head resting against his arms.
She was the reason Squall felt this way. She was the reason he felt angry everytime a man crosses her path and hits on her. She was the reason he was alive.
Since his childhood, he felt alone ever since Elllone left the orphanage. Sure, he had his friends to count on, but he was too damn quiet for his own good. He never cared about anyone, nor did he showed any feelings for anyone, but Squall Leonheart was the type of man you could count on. Honourable to the SeeDs, generous to the people, and loving to the Matron. Yet, these things he never showed. He never acknowledged himself, nor did he pride himself in being a 'hero.' He never cared whether who won or who deserved to lose. He, at times, had his thoughts in his own world and would sometimes stare at nothing and sit on a chair in a dream-like state. He thought too much, but that was just who he is. He was a man with a good nature, despite his lack of presenting his feelings towards anyone. It was thought that he would never open up, until Rinoa came to his life.
Rinoa showed him the way and when he was injured, he imagined her face smiling down on him, touching his heart with her hands and healed her, whether her presence was non existent or not. He closed his eyes, wanting ever so much to sleep, but everytime he did, he saw Rinoa, looking up at him with a smile that melted his heart and that soared his soul to the sky. At the same time, however, he felt guilty. There was a chance that he may never see her smile again if he kept doing what he was doing now.
Sitting up quickly, he put on his shoes and walked out of his room, locking it securely behind him. He glanced at his watch, which showed that it was only fifteen minutes after eight. There was a chance that she was still in her dorm room, maybe crying. How he hated to see her crying.
Growling to quietly and calling himself, once again, a 'jerk,' he walked fast towards Rinoa's room.
****************
He knocked on the door, inhaling and exhaling air, anticipating the moment of embracing Rinoa and wanting to apologize to her for being such an idiot earlier.
No one answered.
Taking another deep breath, he knocked on the door again.
After a few more knocks, the door finally opened to reveal the person he least expected. Selphie had a towel on her head and was wearing simple makeup on her face. She wore a cute little yellow dress, much like what Rinoa wore when they danced under the stars. At first, Squall thought Selphie WAS Rinoa, since the dress she was wearing WAS Rinoa's.
"Hey, Squall!" Selphie greeted, with her usual, hyper active manner.
Squall nodded and looked over her shoulder. "Um... is Rinoa here?"
Selphie shrugged. "Honestly, Squall, I don't know where she went. She told me she was going to visit a certain someone at the infirmary."
"A certain someone?" Squall's eyes widened. He closed his eyes in frustration, clenching his fists at his side and gritted his teeth. "Seifer..." he mumbled, before turning around and leaving Selphie puzzled.
****************
"Hi, Seifer," she whispered. She could see his pale face and his disheveled hair ligthed by the moonlight. Half of his face and half of his body was covered with only darkness. She could see the darkness and the light working together to make Seifer look eerie and mysterious as he laid in bed. She placed a hand on his and smiled slightly.
Seifer looked up and smiled back. "Hey, Rin," he answered back to her.
"How are you feeling?"
Seifer nodded slowly. "I'm fine. Do you know how long I've been sleeping?"
Rinoa shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe a couple of hours now...." she paused and looked at him straight in the eyes. "What were you doing getting out of bed earlier?"
Seifer didn't answer, turning his face away from her.
"Seifer.... what happened?"
Seifer didn't answer again. He's told someone already and he didn't want to tell anyone else. What he dreamed, what he feared most of all, appeared in his mind. It tortured his every waking moment and enabled him to sleep that morning. Even with his feverish state, he was still willing to leave the place that has awoken back the painful memories. He remembered being with his posse, going to missions with them and he remembered meeting the new recruits of SeeDs for the first time. All the past came back to his hidden memories, even those happy times he grew up in the orphanage.
"I'd rather not talk about it, all right?" Seifer turned his head towards her and noticed a shadow hiding behind one of the windows. He knew who it was. It was probably Squall taking back his girl friend. He wouldn't mind if he did. Rinoa was being a pain in the ass again, always willing to help, no matter how ridiculous it was. The blond man smirked, seeing Squall glare at him through the window. He couldn't blame Squall for hating him and wanting him to be kicked out of the garden, despite his sickness. He blamed himself as well, so there was no argument between them. "Looks like, your boy friend is here to keep you away from me," he spoke, folding his arms across his chest.
Rinoa turned her head towards her boy friend, who was giving her a pleading look, rather than a dangerous one. She smiled and waved. "No one, not even Squall can tell me what to do."
"Maybe you should," Seifer said. "I see the way he looks at me, Rin. I don't want to cause anymore trouble."
Rinoa sighed, stood up and walked out of the room, saying not another word towards the tired blond. She met with Squall, giving him the most empathetic look she has ever has to offer towards the young man.
"Squall, what are you doing here?" she asked.
Squall frowned, nodding his head towards the window. "I'm wondering the same thing. What are you doing talking to him, Rinoa?"
The dark haired girl shook her head. "Squall, he's my friend. I'd like to be there for him."
"Friend or not, he still kidnapped you and fed you to Adel."
"Which he failed to do. When are you going to see that Seifer is not wreaking havoc in Garden?" Rinoa planted both her hands on her hips and stared up at him.
Squall looked at her and sighed. "I just came to see you to say I'm sorry," he said, changing the subject.
Rinoa smiled. She went to him, wrapping her arms around her boy friend and rested her head upon his chest. "I forgive you, Squall." She looked up to look into his eyes. "But I think you should really give Seifer a second chance." She let go of him and looked through the window. Squall stepped in beside her, watching through the window as well. Seifer had his head turned away from them, his eyes staring out another window. "We gave Edea a chance. Why can't we give him one?" She looked at him.
Squall thought for a minute. Yes, they forgave Matron, but it wasn't that easy at first. He had almost hesitated to forgive their motherly figure, who took care of them since they were children and still does, but he had the courage to forgive her and so did everyone else. It would take a lot more than courage and hope to forgive Seifer Almasy.
He shook his head gradually.
"I... I just can't Rinoa," Squall finally said, after a moment of silence. He turned away from the window and pivoted his whole body around to face the door. He glanced at Rinoa and sighed. "I'm sorry, Rin." He began to walk away, but a hand abruptly stopped him on his tracks. He looked over his shoulder at Rinoa.
"Don't be sorry. It's hard for me too." She let go of his arm and looked down on the ground. "I almost told myself not to visit Seifer, but I knew in my heart that I had to. I needed to see if Seifer deserved to be forgiven."
Squall arched his eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean.... when I asked him what happened, he was quiet for a while. I heard his voice, his pain and his agony. I knew he wanted to be accepted and he knew that he doesn't deserve that kind of forgiveness, especially from you, Squall. You and him have been rivals for a long time. He himself said that he didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be in this place again to remind him of all the awful things he did when he got here."
Squall didn't answer.
Rinoa smiled and took his hand in hers, grasping it in her own. "If you can't forgive him just yet, I'll understand if you want me to stay away from him, because I will. You and I will forgive him when you're ready to forgive him. We'll accept him together. I don't want to lose you, Squall. I love you too much."
Squall said nothing. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for an embrace. He rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her body. "I just don't want anything to happen to you, Rinny."
"I know," Rinoa whispered.
"I love you too," Squall said.
Rinoa closed her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tighter, resting her head on his chest.
They were both caught up in their embrace that they didn't see a figure hiding behind the shadows of the hallway watching them.
GoodGurl: HI! THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING THIS PEOPLES! IT WOULDN'T BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT YOUR REVIEWS! THANX AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please r/r! Thanx! ;)