Squall Leonhart's pale eyes surveyed the ballroom, his steady gaze
registering the faces of the dancers frolicking there. Once again, he was
settled against the smooth marble wall, watching the festivities from afar.
This time, however, he wasn't wearing his graduating uniform. This
celebration was for someone else entirely.
"Hey! Squall!"
His head turned, and he instantly recognized the approaching figure. A faint smile couldn't help but spreading across his lips, and he shifted his weight to stand on his own feet.
"Rinoa."
She rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. It was a comfortable weight -- one that he was used to.
"You showed up..."
He laughed -- something that still felt unfamiliar to him. "Of course I did. Today's your day. I wouldn't miss it for all the gil in the world."
She planted a quick kiss on his cheek, and then wiggled out of his grasp. "'All the gil in the world'? Since when did you stop being a mercenary, and turn into a romantic sap?"
"I'm not quite sure. All I know is that it's your fault."
"Of course it is." A smile spread across her face, and Rinoa took a moment to twirl, displaying the uniform she was wearing. It consisted mostly of a long-sleeved jacket, knee-length skirt, and calf-length boots, all of the same material and trimmed in gold. Heavy red cuffs and a tie sporting the Balamb symbol completed the attire.
She then stopped, and paused to fiddle with one of the cuffs. "Aren't you proud of me? Rinoa Heartilly, SeeD second class! Not as good as general, of course, but still pretty damn good."
He batted her hand away from the cuff, and readjusted it for her. "I'm proud."
Frowning, she looked up at him, dark eyes inquisitive. "You don't sound too thrilled..."
He laughed again. "Believe me, Rin. I'm ecstatic. You've worked really hard for this."
"And it's finally paid off. I'm one of you guys, now."
"You've always been one of us."
"But I needed this, too. To prove it. And to be completely equal with all of you."
He stopped and watched her then, eyes softening. Her voice had held a touch of sadness there, but now she was back to admiring her uniform. Upon reflection, he remembered the insecurities that Rinoa had always had, about fitting in with the rest of them. About keeping up with them when the time came.
He wanted to say more, to try to reassure her somehow. But, in a way, it wasn't necessary. She had fulfilled a long-time goal by passing the SeeD entrance exam. By doing this, she was finally able to forgive herself.
"...hey, Squall?"
Emerging from his thoughts, he found Rinoa looking up at him.
"What?"
".... it's our song."
Lifting his head, he managed to catch the opening strains of 'Waltz for the Moon'. The other couples were already arrayed across the ballroom floor.
He could remember the exact moment, a year or so ago, when she had looked across this same room and their eyes had met for the first time.
"Dance with me?"
"Hey! Squall!"
His head turned, and he instantly recognized the approaching figure. A faint smile couldn't help but spreading across his lips, and he shifted his weight to stand on his own feet.
"Rinoa."
She rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. It was a comfortable weight -- one that he was used to.
"You showed up..."
He laughed -- something that still felt unfamiliar to him. "Of course I did. Today's your day. I wouldn't miss it for all the gil in the world."
She planted a quick kiss on his cheek, and then wiggled out of his grasp. "'All the gil in the world'? Since when did you stop being a mercenary, and turn into a romantic sap?"
"I'm not quite sure. All I know is that it's your fault."
"Of course it is." A smile spread across her face, and Rinoa took a moment to twirl, displaying the uniform she was wearing. It consisted mostly of a long-sleeved jacket, knee-length skirt, and calf-length boots, all of the same material and trimmed in gold. Heavy red cuffs and a tie sporting the Balamb symbol completed the attire.
She then stopped, and paused to fiddle with one of the cuffs. "Aren't you proud of me? Rinoa Heartilly, SeeD second class! Not as good as general, of course, but still pretty damn good."
He batted her hand away from the cuff, and readjusted it for her. "I'm proud."
Frowning, she looked up at him, dark eyes inquisitive. "You don't sound too thrilled..."
He laughed again. "Believe me, Rin. I'm ecstatic. You've worked really hard for this."
"And it's finally paid off. I'm one of you guys, now."
"You've always been one of us."
"But I needed this, too. To prove it. And to be completely equal with all of you."
He stopped and watched her then, eyes softening. Her voice had held a touch of sadness there, but now she was back to admiring her uniform. Upon reflection, he remembered the insecurities that Rinoa had always had, about fitting in with the rest of them. About keeping up with them when the time came.
He wanted to say more, to try to reassure her somehow. But, in a way, it wasn't necessary. She had fulfilled a long-time goal by passing the SeeD entrance exam. By doing this, she was finally able to forgive herself.
"...hey, Squall?"
Emerging from his thoughts, he found Rinoa looking up at him.
"What?"
".... it's our song."
Lifting his head, he managed to catch the opening strains of 'Waltz for the Moon'. The other couples were already arrayed across the ballroom floor.
He could remember the exact moment, a year or so ago, when she had looked across this same room and their eyes had met for the first time.
"Dance with me?"
