---Disclaimer: Strangely, nothing belongs to me, and Square has bought this brilliant idea.

---Author's Note: Delayed chapter again x.x What can you expect with finishing the Order of the Phoenix in two days? And I thought it took me long to read Goblet of Fire, yet there have been those who've finished it in less than twenty-four hours, but how did they enjoy it? Hmmm . . .

~

"C'mon, you lazy bum!"

"Rinoa, this is so stupid!"

"Nightclubs were built for stupidity, Squall; stop being a wet blanket!"

The streets of Deling were bright with streetlamps and shop lights, busses and cars rumbling down the street as always and people clogging the sidewalks. It was hard to discern one person from another since they were so tightly packed, like dogs in a kennel. However, Rinoa didn't take to being unnoticed, and merely by the person she was dragging along was raising stares as she dragged him through the crowd.

They were far behind the four other SeeDs they had taken along with them, partially because Squall didn't know about the little excursion until an hour before they wanted to leave. He had adamantly refused to the point that Rinoa had to threaten him with his own Gunblade before he would start walking, however grudgingly. He had refused to leave the safety of Garden without Lionheart at his side, although the others chose to forgo their weapons and enjoy the night on the town.

"You big meanie, you're not making this fun at all! Just give in to temptation and start walking properly so that we can catch them," Rinoa pleaded, her pale hand wrapped around Squall's wrist as she hauled him through the thick throngs of people.

"Give in to what temptation, may I ask? I have no will to go to this stupid bar; I'm just doing it so that you won't skewer me while I'm asleep," He told her angrily, dragging his heels into a crack in the sidewalk. The Sorceress presently yanked him out and began pulling him harder.

"If I kiss you, will you shut up and walk?" She asked breathlessly, stopping and turning to face him with an utter look of seriousness on her face.

"No," He answered honestly. "I'll enjoy it, but it won't do anything to my attitude."

"Well then, Commander, I suggest you pick up the pace and put a bounce in your step. It's one more block up, I'm sure you can handle it." She spun around again and continued towing the obstinate SeeD through the mob.

"Rinoa, hurry up! There's one more table open, you gotta get in here quick!" Selphie shouted over the heads of people, hanging onto the doorpost of the club that the Sorceress had chosen.

"All right!" She called back, giving Squall one last hearty tug before she dropped his wrist and scurried to get into the door. The Commander followed, bound by his promise to her, and entered the bar.

There were neon lights everywhere, with people crowding around too-small tables and waitresses skinny enough to slide past the huge masses. If the street was busy, the club was mobbed; there was only one table left, and Zell appeared to be fighting with two other occupants who wanted to use a chair.

"I told you, we got friends coming! So beat it, teenage punks," He said forcefully, brandishing a fist at one of them (which on closer inspection turned out to be a purple-haired woman).

"You're a teenager too," her friend said pointedly, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah? Well, we're SeeD, so we got a right to this table!" Quistis rummaged around in her pocket and found her SeeD identification, which she shoved under the purple-haired teenager's nose and placed her hands on her hips haughtily. Her friend (a blue-headed man) rolled his eyes and gave it back, taking his girlfriend by the arm and escorting her away from the table.

"Well," Irvine said tentatively after a moment. "Sit down and let's order."

Everyone grumbled something and took a seat, and Quistis passed around the drink menus while Selphie peered down at the huge appetizer list. They didn't serve proper meals here, but they all seemed hungry enough for a cocktail snack.

"Hey, look, Irvy - people are dancing!" Selphie squealed, pointing at the teenagers in the back of the club.

"So?" He shrugged without looking up. Selphie scoffed and grabbed his wrist, kicking aside his chair and yanking the cowboy onto the dance floor. Quistis giggled slightly, watching them with amusement as Selphie took up the latest dance moves and Irvine stood blankly before her. Squall looked over at Rinoa, who had a mischievous smile on her face.

"No. Oh no, not again; you've dragged me enough tonight!" He folded his arms stubbornly, refusing to look at her.

"Oh yes, come here, Squally!" She called gleefully, carefully scraping back her chair to go around the table and yank him out of his own.

"I'll go with you," He began in a low, steady tone, looking up at her. "If you never call me 'Squally' again." Rinoa's smile intensified.

"Done deal."

~

A large "thud" echoed through the office, and Quistis' eyes jerked open, and Xu's feet slipped angrily out of the chair. Both looked up to see that the Commander had fallen out of his own chair and was lying on his side, looking up at them as though bewildered.

"I hate dreaming," He muttered, standing and retrieving his coat. Now that night had settled all around Garden, it was a lot cooler - not that it wasn't welcome - and Quistis found herself shivering. Xu's collar had been yanked open and her tie thrust across the room, and now her neck was cold and she found herself looking awful in the uniform while it lacked the tie.

"Anyone want to go for dinner? I'm sure somebody's in the Cafeteria now," The Instructor grumbled, working on pinning up her hair.

"Yeah, sure, let's go," Squall said absently, shrugging on his coat and heading for the door.

~

"Done deal."

Rinoa tugged him out to where the other couples were dancing, although he stood there, looking rather embarrassed. The Sorceress had already started, but he merely stood there like Irvine, who was now being tutored by Selphie.

"What is it?" She asked, genuinely concerned.

"I . . . don't know any of these stupid dance moves," He told her, staring at the floor. Rinoa rolled her eyes and grinned.

"C'mon, it's easy! Just move your feet a little - that's it - don't stand in one place like that -" Squall stopped abruptly, clenching his fists.

"I look like a nutcase, Rinoa. Are you sure they don't waltz at places like these?" He begged, looking around. She shrugged.

"I guess we could try, although we'll look a little silly."

"Good. Anything's better than this," He agreed, and placed his arms automatically around her waist and she dragged one hand up in hers. The music wasn't really waltz-appropriate, but it worked just fine for them, although people started giving them odd stares as their dance differed so much from that of the other teenagers. Finally, as the song ended, Rinoa backed in close to him.

"You still remember, Mr. Leonhart. I'm very surprised." He kissed her forehead lightly.

"How would I forget? 'You're the best-looking guy here', honestly. Did you mean that?" He asked, a threadbare smile on his face.

"Of -"

"What kind of stupid dance was that?" Zell asked pompously, coming over to them with his hands on his hips. "You disgrace us SeeDs, you two!" Quistis merely smiled, making faces at the back of Zell's head.

~

"Rinoa! I said, do you want to go down to the Cafeteria and have dinner with me and Irvine?"

Someone was pounding incessantly on her door, jerking Rinoa slowly out of her sleep. She was lying on the bed in her guestroom, and found that her duster was tangled around her legs. Getting up slowly and cracking several places at once, she went to the door and opened it, squinting in the sudden rush of light.

"Well? Are you coming?" Selphie asked impatiently, hands on her hips.

"Yeah . . . sure."

~

Not very good, but was symbolic enough. Still suffering post-Order of the Phoenix apathy.