Chapter 18 Beauty And The Beast
"Why does it take women so long to dress?" Laguna grumbled good-naturedly. He and Squall stood at the bottom of the wide sweeping stairs, waiting for Ellone and Quistis to come down. Squall wasn't comfortable himself, feeling conspicuous in the suit Laguna got him. It was a well-fitted suit, only this time he wore a tie, unlike Laguna who sported a bow. He had to admit the deep black attire did look pretty good on him, but Squall wasn't a person to give in to vanity.
"I can't do this!" Quistis protested as Ellone brushed her shining hair. The older girl was dressed in a sparkly green dress and matching heels and despite Quistis' protests, she swept her hair up in a sleek chignon. She secured the thick mane with a pair of hair sticks (i dunno what they're called). "There. If he doesn't go nuts over you tonight then nothing will!" She declared proudly as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. The dress suited Quistis perfectly; from the perfect snug cut, the gossamer lavender half-train to the exotic gloves that ended in a ring on her middle finger. To Ellone, she was the perfect image of sophistication and beauty. She insisted on no jewelry, but it only served to enhance her natural flawless beauty.
Without giving her a chance to protest more, Ellone grabbed her arm and pulled her out. 'We're ready!" She announced to Laguna.
Squall looked up impatiently, about to give his aide a sharp reprimand when he froze. A little voice in his mind breathed; Is that Quistis?!
Quistis was dragged to the two men, feeling very embarrassed. She felt Squall's piercing gaze, but mistook it for disapproval. That made her blush.
'Thank Hyne you've come," Laguna grinned. "Squall nearly wore down my carpet with all the pacing he did."
"It's going to be fabulous," Ellone giggled as she took hold of Laguna's arm. Looking over her shoulder to the stupefied couple, she winked.
Quistis stared at the back of her retreating friend. Had she just abandoned her? With Squall?!
"Well, uh..." Squall held out his hand awkwardly. "..."
She blinked and hesitantly took his arm, feeling her skin tingle at contact. "You look great," She said finally as they made their way to the front, where the Presidential car awaits. Squall made a sound that was half-grunt, half-cough. "You too."
Suddenly the night seemed much better. "I could have looked worse," She admitted laughingly. "Ellone was trying to get me to wear a short red sparkly affair......... I didn't think you would have approved."
Darn well I wouldn't, he thought derisively and then smiled slightly. "If that was what you wanted... then I could always tell the delegates that ehem - slut wasn't my escort."
"You would!" She laughed and pinched his arm as the doorman opened the door for them. Climbing into the car, they settled opposite Laguna and Ellone, who were grinning hugely. "Took you long enough. Let's go!"
"Why does it take women so long to dress?" Laguna grumbled good-naturedly. He and Squall stood at the bottom of the wide sweeping stairs, waiting for Ellone and Quistis to come down. Squall wasn't comfortable himself, feeling conspicuous in the suit Laguna got him. It was a well-fitted suit, only this time he wore a tie, unlike Laguna who sported a bow. He had to admit the deep black attire did look pretty good on him, but Squall wasn't a person to give in to vanity.
"I can't do this!" Quistis protested as Ellone brushed her shining hair. The older girl was dressed in a sparkly green dress and matching heels and despite Quistis' protests, she swept her hair up in a sleek chignon. She secured the thick mane with a pair of hair sticks (i dunno what they're called). "There. If he doesn't go nuts over you tonight then nothing will!" She declared proudly as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. The dress suited Quistis perfectly; from the perfect snug cut, the gossamer lavender half-train to the exotic gloves that ended in a ring on her middle finger. To Ellone, she was the perfect image of sophistication and beauty. She insisted on no jewelry, but it only served to enhance her natural flawless beauty.
Without giving her a chance to protest more, Ellone grabbed her arm and pulled her out. 'We're ready!" She announced to Laguna.
Squall looked up impatiently, about to give his aide a sharp reprimand when he froze. A little voice in his mind breathed; Is that Quistis?!
Quistis was dragged to the two men, feeling very embarrassed. She felt Squall's piercing gaze, but mistook it for disapproval. That made her blush.
'Thank Hyne you've come," Laguna grinned. "Squall nearly wore down my carpet with all the pacing he did."
"It's going to be fabulous," Ellone giggled as she took hold of Laguna's arm. Looking over her shoulder to the stupefied couple, she winked.
Quistis stared at the back of her retreating friend. Had she just abandoned her? With Squall?!
"Well, uh..." Squall held out his hand awkwardly. "..."
She blinked and hesitantly took his arm, feeling her skin tingle at contact. "You look great," She said finally as they made their way to the front, where the Presidential car awaits. Squall made a sound that was half-grunt, half-cough. "You too."
Suddenly the night seemed much better. "I could have looked worse," She admitted laughingly. "Ellone was trying to get me to wear a short red sparkly affair......... I didn't think you would have approved."
Darn well I wouldn't, he thought derisively and then smiled slightly. "If that was what you wanted... then I could always tell the delegates that ehem - slut wasn't my escort."
"You would!" She laughed and pinched his arm as the doorman opened the door for them. Climbing into the car, they settled opposite Laguna and Ellone, who were grinning hugely. "Took you long enough. Let's go!"