Original characters, world and backstory belong to Squaresoft, lucky folks.
Edited for a little YAOI content: if you're legal and you like slash see www.scribblemoose.co.uk for the full version, this chapter of which, by the way, is dedicated to gwendolyn-flight
to say thank you for a particularly hoppy triangular little bunny which starts there…
************************************************************
Chapter 10 – Comfort and the Ocean
Irvine went to the training centre for a while, but even the grats seemed to be asleep, so with some reluctance he dragged himself back to his room. He closed his brand new door behind him, and checked the clock by the bed: 2.30am. Great. Three hours sleep. Or three hours lying there trying to get to sleep.
He checked his rifle was still in its case under the bed, an old habit from spending so long on the road and in danger, and then went to the sink and brushed his teeth. He kicked his boots under his desk and pulled his T-shirt off, and was just wondering whether there was any point in actually getting properly undressed and into bed when there was a knock on the door.
His first thought was that something must have happened to Risha. So he was relieved, if more than a little surprised when he opened the door and saw Frila standing there.
"Hi," he said, suddenly very aware that he was shirtless.
"Hi. I'm sorry… I don't think I can sleep. I wondered if…"
"You want a coffee? I was going to make one," he lied. Fuck, this is a mistake. I know it is. You never learn, do you Kinneas?
"Yes, please. If you're sure it's OK."
"Of course. Come in. Sit down," he gestured vaguely towards the bed.
"Thanks." She tossed her jacket into a corner and obediently sat down, and for a second his mind flashed back to this afternoon, when Squall had sat there and tried not to hit him. Before they…
He busied himself with mugs and kettle.
"You can't sleep either, huh?" She pulled off her trainers and sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed.
"No, not tonight. Head too busy." He sat beside her, leaned back on his elbows.
"Irvine… you know you have kind of a reputation."
"Yeah. I know. I make fucking awful coffee. You don't have to drink it, I promise I won't be offended."
She smiled, regarded him steadily. "I'm not talking about the coffee."
"No." He sat up and returned her look, the full force of his violet eyes on her. "I know." He watched with satisfaction as she caught her breath, her lips parted, and the tiny tip of her pink tongue flashed out to moisten them. I shouldn't do this. She's only just graduated. I really shouldn't do this.
"I want to know if it's true."
"What, exactly?" But I want her to hold. I want her in my arms. I'm so fucking lonely, and she's so … here…
"That you've seduced lots of women."
"Does it matter?" She doesn't even know me. I don't want to hurt her.
"Maybe."
"Well, it happens, you know." He moved closer, almost imperceptibly, still holding her gaze. "Galbadia was a lot more… permissive than Balamb. But I'm mostly a good boy these days. Responsibilities and all that." But I don't want to be alone. Not tonight.
"Oh." She seemed almost disappointed.
Irvine reached out one hand and stroked her bare arm. "You have a scar there," he said, without looking. "Gunblade accident?"
"Yes. I have a lot of those. I'm really not very good." She lowered her eyes to watch his fingers whispering across her skin. "That feels nice," she murmured.
"Frila." He cupped her chin, turned her face back towards his. "Are you sure you want this?"
She looked at him with wide, almost innocent eyes, and nodded, slowly. "Yes," she said, so quietly he could only just be sure she'd spoken. He brushed her lips with his. "Please," she added, and any resolve he might have had left melted away. He covered her mouth with his and kissed her with all the warmth and gentleness he craved himself, moaning softly as she responded to him, twisting round to face him, winding her arms around his neck, sliding her tongue between his lips.
He pulled back a little, stroked her cheek with his thumb. He wanted to make this last.
"Let your hair down," he whispered.
She reached behind her head and pulled out a ribbon, running expert fingers through to release her braid in a cascade of fire-red waves.
He held his breath for a moment; the fall of hair round her face completely changed the way she looked: she'd been pretty before, but with her hair loose, looking at him with those magical green eyes, she started a hunger in his belly he'd not felt for a long, long time. She reached one fragile, tentative hand behind his head; he felt the caress of his own auburn hair spilling down his naked back, over his shoulders.
"I've always wanted to do that," she murmured, tracing one finger over his shoulder and across his chest, circling one tiny nipple. "It feels good, doesn't it? Long hair down your back…"
He nodded, watching her.
She sat back on her heels and pulled her shirt off, shaking her head like a lion, mane settling around her shoulders. One strand fell between her breasts, quivering in white lace bra; unable to resist, Irvine drew her to him and traced the line of that lock of hair with his tongue, deftly released the catch of her bra with one hand to reveal creamy, firm flesh, took one nipple into his mouth, already hard, felt the pounding of her heart under his touch.
He lay her back on the bed and traced kisses down from her neck to her belly, undid the top button of her jeans with his teeth, then returned his attention to her mouth, kissing her deeply, chasing her flickering tongue with his own, luxuriating in the heat of her strong, lean body pressing against his.
He felt her hand fluttering over his jeans, realised she had managed to undo them without him even noticing, all that gunblade training, fingers light as magic and she was slowly sliding her hand inside. He sucked his breath in sharply; her touch was tentative but so, so good… she trailed her fingertips over his hardness, reaching further inside to take him in her grip.
He moaned, summoning all his effort to keep control of himself, to stop himself from simply ripping the rest of her clothes off and fucking her within an inch of her life.
Instead he gently pulled her hand away, stilling her protest with a kiss, and moved down the bed to help her wriggle out of her jeans and underwear. Her eyes fluttered closed as he stroked from her knee up her inner thigh, his tongue teasing one nipple. He watched her face as he dipped in her wetness, swirling her moisture expertly around her clitoris, watched as her tongue licked her lips, her breathing ragged, hands bunching into fists. He slowly pushed a finger inside her, and she arched her back, moaned. He closed his own eyes, nibbled his lower lip at the feeling of her, so hot and wet, so tight… so tight…
So tight.
He opened his eyes, slowly took his hand away, resting it on her quivering belly.
"Frila."
Her eyes reluctantly shuttered open, she looked at him.
"Frila, you haven't done this before, have you?"
He held her gaze through a long pause, knowing what she would say.
"No."
He breathed out slowly, relaxing his body as best he could, tried to clear his mind.
"It doesn't matter," she said. "Please, Irvine."
He reached out and stroked her hair.
"Of course it matters, hotshot," he said gently.
~Sniper~
Ether. He'd forgotten he still had Ether junctioned.
~I can't, Ether. Not like this.~
~She hungers, Sniper. She wants.~
~Yes, but… fuck, don't you Guardians have any morals?~
~She wants. We want. Take.~
Irvine looked at her, she was waiting, just waiting, running her fingertips up and down his arm…
"I want this," she said. "Please."
"We don't have to… there's other stuff we could do."
She shook her head.
"I want you. Please."
~Take~
He groaned and pulled her to him, rolling her on top of him, kissing her fiercely. He kicked his jeans off and she sat astride him, gripping his waist with firm thighs.
"Now it's up to you," he hissed through clenched teeth, not trusting himself anymore. "If you want it, you take it. Just…"
She silenced him with a kiss and then, looking into his eyes all the while, she reached between them and guided him inside her, impaled herself on him, biting her lip at the pain. They were still for what felt like a long time, but Irvine refused to move first, stroking her hair, his throat too tight to speak. At last she started to move, rocking gently first, then sliding up and down, carefully, finding a rhythm. He reached down and stroked her as she fucked him, his fingers drenched in her wetness, and eventually he couldn't resist and allowed his hips to move, grinding against her, thrusting into her with long hard strokes as she plunged down to meet him.
She threw her head back and screamed as she came, clenching and pulsing around his cock so hard he had no choice but to surrender, spurting inside her with one last thrust, holding her hips tightly, wanting to be as deep inside her as he possibly could.
She fell, trembling slightly, on top of him.
"Frila," he whispered, "Frila, are you OK?"
He felt her nod her head, her face buried in his neck, their hair tangled together.
"Frila, I'm sorry. I couldn't..."
"Shhh." She raised a finger to his lips. "So nice. Shhh."
Helpless, he wrapped his arms around her and surrendered to the comfort of her body.
* * * * * * *
Irvine buried his head under his pillow, wanting the banging noise to stop. It didn't.
He turned over, throwing the pillow to the floor behind him, and saw a pool of dark copper, one pale arm out of the covers.
"Wsbangingshurrupgoway," came a muffled voice from under the quilt.
His senses gradually returning, he realised the banging was coming from the door. The door. His door. Someone was knocking on his door.
He slid out of bed, pulling on jeans, then realising they were too small… not his… found his own at last and staggered to the door.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming…"
He opened the door and blinked at Nida, who stared back at him.
"Nida?"
"Um… Irvine. Squall sent me."
"Nida? What… why… oh shit. Oh Hyne. Oh fuckfuckfuckfuck, what time is it?"
"It's a quarter to seven."
"Fuck. Oh fuck. I'll be right there. Come in." He suddenly remembered the pale arm and the copper-coloured hair. "Er, no. Sorry. Just wait there. I'll be with you in a moment."
And he shut the door in Nida's surprised face.
"Frila… Frila, honey…" he whispered.
She burrowed further under the covers. "T'early. Goway."
"Okay," Irvine rummaged through his clean laundry for a shirt, "you stay there. I'll see you later." He scribbled on a piece of paper, trying to get his feet into socks and boots one-handed at the same time, "here's my number. Call me."
He pulled his coat on and dragged his rifle out from under the bed.
Okay. Just junction Ether…
~I am here, Sniper~
~Argh!! Fuck, don't sneak up like that! Um… Alright. I didn't unjunction you last night, did I?~
~You slept. I watched. You are safe.~
He didn't like the sound of the watching part, but he tried to keep that thought to himself.
"Right. Coat, gun, Guardian… that'll do."
He put the piece of paper in Frila's hand; her fingers curled naturally around it in a very endearing way. He kissed the top of her head gently, then dragged himself away.
"OK, Nida," he opened the door. "I'm ready."
"Uh… Irvine… your hair? It's kind of… loose."
"Oh. Fuck. Hang on." He closed the door again and searched for something to tie his hair up with. Finally settling on an old bootlace, he tied his hair back and plonked his hat on his head for good measure. He opened his door again. Nida was leaning against the wall, looking quite cool, for Nida.
"Right, let's go. Is Squall really mad?"
"Moderately. Well, more worried, really. Are you OK?"
Irvine thought for a minute. "Yeah. Well, mostly. A bit hungover, completely knackered… not bad, really, for 7am after graduation night. You?"
"Fine, thank you. I left the party early: not really one for drinking, well, you know after the cider that time."
"Yes, well." Irvine shuddered slightly: Nida's first and (hopefully) last encounter with alcohol had ended messily in Irvine's bathroom after the victory party when they got back from Ultimecia, not a good memory at the best of times.
"So who is she?" Nida said.
"Who's who?"
"Well, you did have a girl in your room? I'm not stupid, you know."
"Oh, just a girl. She came round for coffee and … stuff. Um… there's no need to mention that part to Squall, right? He might get all stern and grumpy and I'm not sure I can take that this morning."
"Of course."
"Thanks. I don't suppose you'd know her, anyway. She's a gunblade specialist. New graduate."
Nida frowned. "I didn't think there were any this year. Squall said this morning, as it happens, while we were waiting for you, it's the only year since Seifer failed for the first time, no gunblades."
"Oh." Irvine tried to think that one through, but his brain was just too foggy.
Squall was sitting on the wall outside the main entrance to Garden, long legs almost reaching the ground, kicking his heels against the brick, Lionheart glinting in the sunshine.
"Squall… I'm sorry man. I overslept. Guess I was more tired than I thought."
Squall looked at him. "Are you OK?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just a late night, you know. Couldn't sleep. I must've forgotten to set the alarm. I'm sorry." He glared at Nida, who was sniggering.
"So long as you're alright. Ready to go?"
Irvine nodded. "Did you sleep well?" he said, conversationally.
Squall shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." Then a grin spread across his face.
"I had the most amazing dream," he said.
Irvine regarded him inquisitively. "Really?" He could get used to this relatively chatty version of Squall, given time to readjust. "Anyone I know?"
But Squall's grin had faded, and he looked distinctly uncomfortable.
"It was just a dream," he said. "Let's go get this Guardian."
* * * * * * *
Quistis woke up suddenly, squinted at her watch. 7am. May as well get up and … escape. She slithered out of bed as quietly as she could, although judging by the snoring there was no way he would wake up, even if a herd of behemoths stomped through the room. She sighed. Damn. What was I thinking?
She dressed quickly; plenty of time to get back to her room and have a shower. A long, hot shower.
She looked around the room: she'd never seen so many guns in one place. It was creepy, really, like sleeping in an armoury. She remembered coming back here last night, Pandemonia's power rushing through her, too much energy and nothing to do with it. She remembered listening patiently to a long lecture on barrel sizes and trigger mechanisms, until she was so bored she actually came on to him. Not her usual style at all.
Mind you, the sex had been OK. In a competent, sensible kind of way. She pulled the too-short skirt over her hips. Quite passable, really.
She slipped out of the room, closing the door silently behind her.
She started to feel better straight away, putting last night behind her and looking forward to the briefing. A mission would be so good, get her away from that wretched desk and hopefully out of Garden too.
With a spring in her step she hadn't felt for a long time, she headed to her room to get ready.
* * * * * * *
The beach was deserted apart from a few seabirds wandering across the surf, dipping their beaks in rock crevices to tease out a wriggly breakfast. Nida stopped close to the cliff face, near a small cave, and concentrated.
"It's there," he said, "but it won't junction. It's trying to hide from something."
Squall frowned. "Any clue as to what?"
Nida shook his head. "Nope. It was never one for telling you much. But it does this cool surfy thing…"
Squall turned to Irvine. "Ether?"
Irvine nodded. ~Ether~"
~Sniper.~
~Can you sense Oceanus? We need to know what's wrong.~
~If I were to go into another Great One's mind while we are joined it would kill you.~
The matter-of-fact way Ether put that to Irvine chilled him to the bone.
~ OK. I'll take that as a no. What about if I junctioned it as well as you?~
~ You must junction only me. We agreed. I give you power. You don't need any other.~
~ What about if we weren't junctioned? Could you contact Oceanus and report back? ~
~ I will try. ~
Irvine felt something like relief as he released Ether from junction, despite the immediate draining of strength that left him slumping weakly to the sand, head suddenly pounding and exhaustion threatening to overwhelm him. He realised Squall was calling his name.
"Irvine, are you okay?"
"Yes. Yes, I'm OK. Ether just went to go see. I'd not realised how … shit I felt."
~Curaga~
Irvine sighed as the magic washed over him. "Thanks."
"You know I wouldn't normally condone the use of magic for a hangover," said Squall, in his best Commander voice, "obviously. But I can't blame you. It must have been rough, with Risha."
"Yes. It was." It seemed a lifetime ago that he'd sat with her in the Infirmary, feeling that awful, gut-wrenching fear. "How is she?"
"She's still sleeping, the Doc said."
"Good."
"How long will it take for Ether to talk to Oceanus?"
"I'm not sure. Time seems to work different for Ether, somehow. Could be seconds, could be hours."
Nida sat down next to Irvine on the sand. "Oh well," he said, "it's a nice morning for it, anyway."
Squall blinked up at the early morning sun. "Just let us know when anything happens, Irvine."
Irvine nodded, and pulled his hat over his eyes. The day was getting warmer now, he could almost drift off to sleep…
"Are you sure we didn't have any gunblade specialists graduate yesterday, Squall?" said Nida.
Oh fuck. Shut the fuck up, Nida, please shut up.
"No," said Squall. "None. Why?"
"Irvine reckons he met one."
Oh great. Thanks a lot Nida.
"There's none this year, the only one we had was killed in the battle with Galbadia Garden. Who was it you met, Irvine?"
"Oh, I don't really remember. It's not important. I guess I was more pissed than I thought. Which reminds me," smoothly does it, Kinneas, "Selphie was rat-arsed as well."
"That's not very responsible of her, mission today and all," said Squall sternly. Irvine felt a moment of guilt at getting Selphie into trouble. "Rinoa wasn't.."
"No, she was a very good girl. Drank orange juice and toddled off to bed nice and early. Oh, and I remember, Quistis was with a firearm."
"What?"
"She was dancing. With a man."
Squall didn't say anything, but Irvine peeked out from under his hat and registered the surprise on his friend's face. Good diversion, Kinneas. Nicely done.
"Squall," said Nida, "is the tide coming in?"
Squall looked disapprovingly at the sea.
"It shouldn't be," he said, "it should still be going out."
"In that case I think we have a problem."
"Why?"
"You see those waves? The real big ones that are coming out of nowhere very fast?"
"Unhg… yes? The ones getting really close?"
"That's one of the things Oceanus does when it's a bit… upset."
"The cool surfy thing?" asked Irvine, curiously, standing up and flattening himself against the cliff.
"Oh no, that's way cooler. No this is just…uh-oh!"
"Brace yourself," said Squall, "we're going to get…"
The waves crashed over them, slapped them with cold seawater, and receded as fast as they had arrived. Squall gasped, hair dripping in his eyes.
Irvine calmly emptied water and a small amount of seaweed out of one boot. "That was bracing," he said, wondering when the feeling in his legs might come back.
"Why do I always end up fucking soaked," Squall mumbled crossly. "This is getting to be a habit I could fucking do without."
Nida emerged from the cave, perfectly dry. "Sorry," he said. "Wasn't time to explain. There's a place in the cave where…" Squall's icy glare silenced him.
Irvine felt the dim awareness that was Ether flooding back into his mind. He junctioned his Guardian with a faint regret; he'd enjoyed a moment's privacy with his own thoughts.
~Sniper.~ Ether purred.
~OK. What happened?~
~Oceanus is free.~
~What, as in unsubdued?~
~Oceanus is free.~
~I'll take that as a yes. So we have to fight?~
~Oceanus requires a demonstration of your commitment.~
~OK. Thanks, Ether.~
"It's gone wild," he said to the others. "We'll have to subdue it."
"But Oceanus has been subdued for years," said Nida. "It was even junctioned to Cid for a while."
"Well, whatever happened yesterday has made it think twice. Squall?"
"Then we fight. In the cave?"
"Looks that way."
"Okay. Nida, Irvine and I'll do the damage. You just hold your own and be ready to junction, OK?"
"Yes, Commander."
"Ready, Irvine?"
"Yes, Commander."
Squall shot him a look, which Irvine pretended not to see.
* * * * * * *
The cave was damp and dark, and the floor was covered in something that crunched unpleasantly when they stepped on it.
"Why do they always like to live in hell-holes?" muttered Irvine under his breath.
"Actually it's quite pretty further in," said Nida. "You'll see."
"Where's that coming from?" said Squall, gesturing negligently with his gunblade towards a shaft of light in the far corner of the cave.
"There's a shaft to the cliff top," said Nida. "It's really narrow but there's some kind of crystalline structure that reflects the light. Look." He led the way to a small entrance which opened out into a second cavern, larger than the first and filled with coloured light. Squall stepped inside, Nida and Irvine close behind him.
"Wow," he said. "It's beautiful."
Irvine nodded in agreement. The whole cavern was covered in multicoloured crystals, light so bright it hurt his eyes after the dark of the cave entrance. He thought he could hear a faint sound, almost like music, at the edge of his hearing.
"Oceanus will be in the pool," Nida said. "Over there."
Irvine and Squall turned to see a pool of water directly underneath the shaft of light, glistening with a million colours. They approached cautiously.
Irvine could definitely hear music now. It was clear and bright, cleansing, clearing his senses. For a moment he thought he'd found the perfect hangover cure.
Then the memories hit him, like an axe blow to the head. He closed his eyes, trying not to scream.
"Irvine, what the fuck..." His eyes flew open: Squall was looking at him, a mixture of anger and desperation on his face. "Irvine, how could you?"
Irvine couldn't answer. He scrabbled for Ether in his mind, but the Guardian wasn't responding.
"Irvine, I trusted you. What did you do to me?"
Irvine shook his head helplessly, trying to sort that one memory from all the others that were crashing into his skull. Selphie. Oh Gods, Selphie… He wrenched his mind back to Squall, grappling to make past and present fit together, "It wasn't… you wanted… fuck, Squall, I…"
"Well, I suppose that explains why I woke up without any clothes on. I did wonder." Squall's voice was hard as diamonds.
"I don't… " he crashed to his knees. ohfucknoithurtsithurtsithurts
"Look at me."
Irvine raised his eyes to meet Squall's, and the look on his friend's face hurt him more, much more, than the pain in his head. Squall spoke slowly, through gritted teeth, Lionheart glinting dangerously in the multicoloured light.
"You raped me."
"No! No, it wasn't like that. It wasn't, I would never… Fuck, Squall, you're my best friend, I love you, it was Ether… Squall, you wanted it. If you remember, if you really remember, you'll know. You wanted it!"
And then there was just ocean crashing around his ears, filling his mouth and lungs, intensifying the pain in his head to something white and sharp and blinding.
He slipped gratefully into unconsciousness.
* * * * * * *
"Irvine!" Squall yelled desperately, but could only watch as his friend slumped lifelessly to the ground. Squall turned to the pool to see a fountain of water rising, taking shape. Automatically he deepened his breathing, Lionheart ready for confrontation, resisting the desire to rush to Irvine and check him frantically for a pulse. "Nida," he said, "help Irvine, now." No answer. He risked a look over his shoulder; Nida was nowhere to be seen. "Fire," he said like a curse, running magic through Lionheart until it turned to flame.
Oceanus rose to it's full height; it's shape kept changing as tides rippled along its surface, but like most Guardians it was roughly humanoid, with fins along its back and a sharkish grin on what passed for its face.
"Oceanus," said Squall, "you don't have to do this. You know we respect you."
"No choice."
"I want to help. I want to know what happened here yesterday."
The Guardian hurled icy sea water at him in reply, with a force that nearly swept Squall off his feet.
OK, I guess we're going to do this the hard way then, thought Squall, regaining his balance and charging, letting go of all thought, driven for now just by the demands of battle. But the Guardian seemed unaffected by his attack, merely reforming around whatever wound he inflicted.
~Ifrit, help, please.~ He called upon his most dependable Guardian, the one who always came for him, the first one he'd ever subdued himself, not least out of a need for an old friend to fight alongside him.
~Ifrit cannot.~
~What?!~
There was no reply.
He changed the balance of magic in his blade and charged again. But no sooner had he brought Lionheart around in its deadly arc than Oceanus dissolved back into the pond.
Squall roared with frustration, threw himself on his knees at the water's edge. His ears were still full of music, his eyes hurt from the light of the crystals, and his mind was full of memories he didn't know how to deal with. He looked over his shoulder at Irvine, still lying motionless, and realised he could see Nida slumped in the entrance way.
His reflection glared up at him from the now tranquil pool.
"Oceanus?"
Nothing. Not so much as a ripple on the surface.
He ran to Irvine, felt for any evidence of a heartbeat. There was something there, but very weak; and he was the colour of October fog. He looked across to Nida, who was moving, at least, seemed to be coming round.
"Irvine. Irvine come on." He was breathing, just. Squall pulled a small metal bottle out of his inside jacket pocket. "Irvine, listen to me. Don't die. Just… don't die." He frantically unscrewed the bottle, "I don't know what happened, Irvine, but I need you." He supported Irvine's head in the crook of his sword arm, still gripping Lionheart in his fist, and placed the bottle between Irvine's lips. He poured the elixir into his mouth, held his head up and stroked his throat to encourage him to swallow. "Come on, Kinneas. Come on, you bastard, wake up."
Irvine coughed, once, and his eyes flickered open. He tried to say something, but no words came out.
"It's OK. Just take it easy." Squall stroked the hair back from Irvine's face, cradling him in strong arms. "You're going to be OK."
Irvine's eyes closed again, but he was breathing properly now, and he was turning a healthier colour.
Too late, Squall heard the rush of water rising from the pool behind him.
He pulled Irvine up and ran for the entrance. Nida had recovered enough to help them through, but the wave caught up with them just the same; drenching all three of them in glacier-cold stinging water.
And then Squall was lying flat on his back on the beach. He opened his eyes on a warm sun in blue sky that seemed to go on forever.
He was dimly aware of Nida next to him, pulling himself to his feet.
Squall took a deep breath.
"Nida."
"Squall?
"What just happened?"
"I don't know. I think I got knocked out… and then we were running… and now here we are."
Squall sat up slowly. Irvine was a few feet away, throwing up seawater.
Nida looked over his shoulder at the cave.
"We didn't get Oceanus, did we?" he said.
"I'd say, on the whole, not," said Squall. "Unless Irvine swallowed him. You OK, man?"
Irvine groaned. "What happened?"
"We don't know," said Nida.
"At least it's not just me this time," said Squall. "Last I remember was going into the cave. You guys?"
"Yes," said Nida.
Irvine nodded.
"Should we go back in?" said Nida.
"No," said Squall. "I don't like the idea of going back when we don't even remember what happened. I need some time to sort out what might be going on here."
Irvine sat back on his heels, and picked up his hat, which by some miracle had landed next to him. He pulled out a small fish, flapping gently between his fingers, and started to laugh, weakly. "Please tell me I'm going to wake up in a minute back in bed and this will all have been a bizarre dream," he muttered.
Squall pulled himself to his feet. "Come on, man," he stretched a hand out to help Irvine up. "Let's get back. You don't look good."
"OK," said Irvine, taking Squall's hand and scrambling up. "Just give me a minute."
~Curaga~
"Thanks Squall. That's getting to be a habit."
Squall shrugged, smiled at him. "Goes with the territory. Ether OK?"
Irvine searched his mind for his Guardian. "No. It's here but it's completely KO'd"
"Well, soon as you're ready we'll go back to Garden and you can get him fixed up."
Irvine nodded. "I'm ready."
They set off down the beach, extremely wet and, Irvine noticed, smelling somewhat seaweedy. They walked in silence for a long time, Squall lost in thought, and neither Nida or Irvine really wanting to disturb him, until finally Nida's curiosity got the better of him.
"So what's the last thing you remember, Irvine?" said Nida.
Irvine considered. "We were waiting for Ether, outside the cave," he said, "and then there was a tidal wave. Then we went inside to look for Oceanus." He shrugged. "That's it."
"Me too," said Squall. "One minute we were talking, then the sea came in. Then we went in the cave. You, Nida?"
"The same."
"We'll need to get all this written down as soon as we get back. Just in case we lose any more memory. Just keep going over everything in your mind until you can put it on paper."
Great, thought Irvine, all this and now I have to file a report as well. They don't mention this when they're recruiting.
"I remember we were talking about the party," said Nida, "and you said Selphie was drunk, Irvine."
"Yeah. Yeah, she was. I hope she got back to her room alright."
"And Squall was saying this year's only gunblade cadet was killed in the battle with Galbadia."
Gunblade specialist. He was trying to ask Squall about Frila. Oh no. Not again. Nida, I swear I'll… "You can remember quietly, Nida," he hissed, "to yourself, in your head."
Nida looked a little startled.
"Actually, I think we might have lost another potential gunblade specialist yesterday," said Squall. They were coming up to the front entrance of Garden, at last.
"Really?" said Nida.
"Yeah. I mean not lost as in dead, obviously. More… dropped out. She asked me for some advice and I think I might have told her to give up the gunblade and get a life."
"Squall, you never cease to amaze me," said Irvine. "You really told a cadet to drop out? And a gunblade cadet? Your own kind?"
"Yeah. Well she was so… pissed off with it. I vaguely remember when she first came to Garden, she used to show a lot of promise, Quistis really rated her, but… damn, I can't remember her name. Red headed girl."
"Frila?" suggested Nida, "father runs the junk shop?"
Oh no. Oh, fuck, no.
"That's it. Still, she's got another year or two before graduation, maybe it'll work out. We really need more gunblades. Irvine, are you OK?"
Irvine was making a strangled, choking noise. Nida patted him on the back, assuming he was still suffering from swallowing too much seawater. "Need a cure?" he asked, kindly.
Irvine shook his head. "I just need to go back to bed," he said, wearily, "I really, really need to go back to bed. To sleep," he added, with feeling.
"I think that's a good idea," said Squall. "You still look a bit pale. You get some rest. Just make sure you're up in time for the briefing with Xu this afternoon. She might have some news on Chet." He looked at his friend with genuine concern in his clear grey eyes. "Take care, man. We need you on this."
Irvine wanted to go beat his aching head on the wall until he passed out, possibly after he'd introduced Nida to his fist a few times for good measure, but he just smiled weakly. "Sure," he said. "Nothing a few hours sleep won't cure."
Yeah, right, he thought, that and a lifetime of celibacy.
* * * * * * *
**************************************************************************
Author's Note: Okay, I own up, I just love a wet dripping Squall… can't resist ^_^
Thank you for the reviews so far, they've really encouraged me to keep going with this. I have loads more on bits of paper waiting to be redrafted; if you're not bored of it yet, tell me and I'll keep posting :)