Friends don't kiss like that!
Renegade Seraph
Ok I have done my best with this chapter, I'm not very good at writing mushy stuff so please tell me how I've done.
"Sir" Said a young girl curtsying. "Will you dance with me?" Squall looked over to Rinoa to see what she was doing. It seemed that she was joining the dance with Seifer. Squall smiled at the fair-haired girl.
" I would be honoured" Squall said, extending his arm to her. She gave him a shy smile and wrapped her hand under his arm so that it rested on the top.
The dance started with the partners facing each other in a line. As the music began, Squall was relived to find that he recognised it. Slowly they reached out for one another's hands. The fair-haired girl spun slowly into him, extending her arms out to the sides. Squall spun her around and out fast, jerking her hips to the left she raised her hands above her head and clapped. Thanking Squall with a nod, she spun into her next dance partner.
The dance now sped up. Squall counted Rinoa two partner changes away. He hoped that music would last long enough for them. As a red headed girl left his hands he reached out for Rinoa. Her tiny hands rested in his palms, wrapping his fingers around hers he could feel the cold metal of her engagement ring.
Rinoa kept her eyes on the ground; she didn't look at him as she spun into his arms. Clearly she wasn't enjoying this ball as much as she was supposed to. Squall looked around for Seifer quickly to see if he was watching. He was talking to the little blonde haired girl who had danced with Squall first. Squall wondered what the connection was between them two, as Seifer kissed the girl on the cheek. His questions were stopped as Rinoa spun back into him.
Squall admired Rinoa's graceful movements, after being spun around a few more times she finally made eye contact with him. She found herself speechless; face to face with the man she had just been whishing she was with.
"Fancy meeting you here Miss" Squall said cheekily. Rinoa just stared opened mouthed. "Well do I not even get a 'hello Squall, how you doing?" He asked laughing. Rinoa shook her head slightly to get rid of her surprise.
"Sorry, I was just wishing how much I wanted you here, and I look up and I am dancing with you!" Rinoa explained, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks in a single wave. Squall smiled and glanced to the left of himself slightly to resolve to uncomfortable minute. He turned back to Rinoa when he thought he was able to look her in the eye without feeling embarrassed. Suddenly something registered in his mind and he turned back to his left sharply.
"No way you have the Uni-Dons here?" Squall asked surprised. Rinoa smiled, she hadn't thought that they were anything special but it seemed Squall did.
"Yes, Seifer asked them to perform. Seems he has good taste in music" Rinoa said smiling.
"And women" Squall mumbled to himself. Rinoa heard him and looked down at the floor. "Excuse me" Squall said leaving her standing alone. He wandered over to the stage.
"Quistis?" He asked uncertain whether it was her or not. The blonde woman looked down from her sheet music. Her face broke into a smile when she saw him.
"Squall" she acknowledged, she looked around nervously. "Isn't it a bit dangerous for you to be here?" She asked concerned.
"Well I wasn't supposed to be here, um I got a bit side tracked," He said mentioning to Rinoa. Quistis shook her head in a disbelieving way. "Sure it's all fun and games until the fiancé finds out, I must say you are splashing around in hot water Squall, just make sure you don't drown in it" Quistis said picking back up her music sheets. Squall sighed grabbing a pen, he scribbled down the name of the inn in which they were staying.
"I am sure Selphie would be delighted to see you" He said handing over the paper. Quistis read it and scoffed.
"The Flying Eel?" She asked laughing.
"Hey it wasn't my choice!" He said defending himself. Quistis shook her head laughing.
"Go on, go and have fun while to lasts," She said shooing him away. "This next song is for you and your lady." Squall thanked her and walked back to Rinoa.
Rinoa turned her back on him slightly as he approached, she hoped by pretending he wasn't there it would stop the way her heart seemed to be exploding with this new feeling. She wasn't sure if she liked this feeling or not, it felt dangerous. Capable of anything and a rebel to reason. She couldn't control its prickling sensation that washed over her skin every time he touched her. But whatever it was, she was determined to enjoy it. Shyly she raised her eyes to his.
"Walk with me?" She asked softly. Squall obliged and they left the party to the solitary gardens.
Rinoa watched the fireflies as they scattered into the darkness, after they realising they were no longer the only beings in the garden. They flew over the bushes and settled into the leaves, humming into the night with the vibrations of their wings. A wind blew the trees lightly, causing a ripple to appear on the fountain waters causing the moons reflection to shimmer.
"Magical" Rinoa whispered under her breath. "Squall I found it" She said calmly. Squall looked at her questionably.
"Found what?" He asked.
"The staff," She said pulling a piece of paper out of the folds in her dress. "Here I have drawn you a map, the castle will be empty tomorrow. My wedding day." Squall nodded to show that he understood.
"Thank you Rinoa, you don't know what this means to me and my country. How can I ever repay you?" He asked. Rinoa blushed thinking of all the things she might like from him.
"Maybe you could, um kiss me," Rinoa said blushing and dropping her eyes to the floor.
"I think that maybe I would get more pleasure out of that than you would" Squall said smiling shyly.
"You wanna bet?" Rinoa said softly. Squall sighed.
"Rin, you don't even know me!" Squall exclaimed. Rinoa was a little taken back by the use of the pet name.
"All I know is that I feel more for you, than I do the man I'm supposed to marry" Rinoa whispered moving closer.
Looking deep into her eyes, Squall recognised the loneliness that shone out of them for it was also in his eyes. Carefully he ran a hand though her hair and brought it round to touch her face. All the time he was aware that Rinoa might pull away, and decide she didn't want this at all. Rinoa closed her eyes at the touch of his hand on her face and pressed herself against him. Tilting her lips towards him, she waited for him to caress them with his own.
Rinoa ran her hands up and down his back as they touched each other with their lips. Squall gently kissed her neck and pulled her closer to himself, keeping the pressure between them to uncomfortable to remain calm. As their kissing became more passionate Rinoa let escape a soft moan. She never wanted this to end, as soon as they stopped it would all become complicated again.
Slowly they pulled apart.
"I am to be married tomorrow, after you have found the staff promise to rescue me?" Rinoa asked, pleading with her eyes. Squall couldn't say anything, he wasn't sure if that would be a promise he could keep. But whether he would go or not she would still have to marry Almasy.
"I'll be there," He said finally. Rinoa fell back into his arms.
"Thank you, I won't be able to do it without you!" She said, a tear falling down her cheek. "You don't know how much I dream of you, and how much I believe I am in love with you" She whispered. Squall let go of all his fears at those words and held her closer.
"Rinoa?" someone called from the balcony doors. Rinoa let go of Squall immediately and spun around wiping her tears away on her lace sleeves.
"Oh Mia, you frightened me" Rinoa said worried how much the girl had seen.
"I know you, you danced with me when know one else would" The girl said to Squall. Squall suddenly remembered her to be the fair-haired girl from the beginning.
"It was my pleasure, but I do not believe I have been acquainted with you properly yet" Squall said. The girl skipped forward to them.
"I am Lady Mia Almasy, the Lord's sister," She said holding her hand out for Squall to shake. Instead of shaking it, Squall kissed it lightly. Mia giggled.
"Only well mannered gentlemen do that, who are you?" She said smiling.
"Lord Leonhart" Squall said simply. Mia seemed impressed.
"I am 14, how old are you?" Mia asked, jumping about in excitement of meeting someone new.
"Mia it is rude to ask such a thing" Rinoa warned. Mia just shrugged.
"Sorry sir" She said. A few minutes passed in silence until Mia had the courage to ask something else. "Why were you hugging?" She asked smiling.
"Well um you see," Rinoa tried to explain "Were really good friends, um we used to go to the same school!" Mia shook her head.
"Friends don't kiss like that," She explained to them.
"I, um please don't tell your brother!" Rinoa pleaded.
"Na he was mean to me, he told me I shouldn't dance with men more that twice as old as myself. Then I asked if I could dance with them if they were twice as tall, but he got mad and sent me to my room. I didn't go so he went crazy and sent me out here"
"Mia please I am being serious" Rinoa asked again. Mia nodded.
"I promise you" She said, and then smiled at Squall. "Well that is if Lord Leonhart promises to dance with me again!" Rinoa laughed, as Squall and Mia went back inside.
"Rinoa, Seifer wants you to join him for something" Mia called back. Rinoa nodded and followed them into the ballroom.
Seifer was standing on the stage holding a glass of champagne and looking very important. Rinoa held her breath to quiet her nerves as she was asked to join him. He handed her a glass as well and filled it up with the sparkling white liquid.
"My Loyal subjects" Seifer spoke above everyone in a commanding tone. "It is with great honour that I welcome you tonight, for tomorrow I am to be wed to the beautiful woman on my right. Lady Rinoa Heartilly."
The subjects clapped and cheered Seifer. Rinoa searched desperately for Squall, amongst the crowd. A large old man clambered up onto the stage in front of Rinoa. Rinoa bend down to help him, and was scorned by Seifer for helping.
"Thank you my Lady" He said, and then turned to Seifer. "May I say a few words?" He asked. Seifer nodded. "Thank you." He faced the audience and spread his arms.
"The Almasy family ruled our land for many prosperous years, even though Lord Almasy has only been our leader for two years, in that time he has proved himself a very strong leader. Someone we can all look up too and esteem. Now that he feels it is time to start a family of his own I believe we should whish him good luck, please join me in a toast to his long and healthy leadership." Seifer smiled, impressed with this mans speech. The crowd raised glasses and cried out "Cheers!"
Rinoa ignored everyone's congratulations and looked for Squall. Then she saw him, he was leaving with the blonde haired girl from the band. Rinoa felt herself go jealous as she watched him leave her behind him.
Here are my thank yous:
The-angel-of-the-lion
Courage
Silver Shadow
Phoenix Blade
Funkitated
Rinoa Leonhart73
Please review, and I hoped you liked this chapter!