---Disclaimer: I own nothing of Final Fantasy VIII; everything is © Square.
~
Something hard pushed into the bare skin of his arm, and then withdrew suddenly. There was a slight intake of breath that was released like a giggle, and then something poked him again. He turned over in his bed angrily, grumbling something incoherent and shoving his pillow over his head, the comforter tangled around and in-between his legs, wrapping around his torso like a snake. There was another slight giggle, and then sudden pressure on the mattress. The pillow was tugged out of his iron grip and tossed across the room, and Squall groaned and shot open his eyes as someone sat on his back.
/Three guesses who, / was his first reaction.
"Morning, Squall! I told you I'd come and get you for breakfast. Come on, now; everybody's already in the Cafeteria. Squall?" Rinoa asked, bending down to look at his anger-filled eyes. "Are you okay?"
"Nnnn . . . I don't eat breakfast, Rinoa. I get coffee, I take it up to my office, and I work until lunch. That's exactly what I'm going to do today, and you're not going to change that. Now get off of me before my lungs cave in," He said through gritted teeth, and the Sorceress quickly scrambled off of him.
"Sorry. I was just . . ." She began mournfully, but he cut her off.
"I know, I know, you had good intentions. I understand that. I just . . . don't like rude awakenings. I like my schedule, I like abiding by that schedule, and I'm going to continue to stick to that agenda. So if you don't mind . . . I'm going to get dressed, get my coffee, and go to work." Rinoa nodded quickly, like a child being reprimanded, and scooped up the Griever pendant from his desk and handing it to him. He gave her a small smile - which for him was a major accomplishment, and her heart swelled with joy - and pulled it over his head. He stood and was about to go for the closet, but he stopped and turned around, brows creased. "How did you get in here, anyway?"
She rubbed her foot on the carpet in an embarrassed way. "Xu gave me an officer's card. The night I came back, I wanted to come and see you first, but you were asleep. I didn't want to wake you up . . . so I left. I . . . forgot to give this back to her." She turned her eyes up to the ceiling a minute before smiling and slapping her sides. "Well . . . I'll let you get dressed. See you around; the Headmaster of Trabia's supposed to be getting back to me soon, anyway. I guess breakfast wouldn't have been a good idea anyway." She waved slightly to him before hurrying out of the door.
Squall was standing, slightly dumbfounded, watching the door in a stupor with his jacket halfway on. Only the chiming of the com dragged him out of his trance, and he shook his head, shrugging on the jacket and picking up the receiver.
"Yeah?" he asked, shouldering it and clasping on a belt.
"Mission came up. You wanna go? Nothing major, just security for a large affair in Esthar. President Loire called and he's still on the line; he wants you to talk to him. I guess to get the details, or something. But do you wanna go? I mean, it'll mean seeing him and all . . ." Xu said, and the rustling of papers could be heard over the intercom. Squall rubbed the back of his neck, quickly contemplating the situation.
"Uh . . . yeah, I guess. Let me talk to him, though, see if I can bring - " He caught himself, mentally reminding himself that they weren't officially 'back' yet. "Let me talk to him."
"Yes, Sir," Xu prompted, and the sharp "click" sounded dully through the com. Squall put it back on the desk and changed the line to his phone, and then he slammed on the speakerphone so he could continue getting dressed.
"Squall? You there?" Laguna's voice was nervous over the phone, as if afraid that his son would cut the line if he said something wrong.
"Yeah. Uh . . . How're you?" The Commander asked uncomfortably, seating himself on the bed and forgetting about the two other belts.
"Fine," The President said, a little too quickly. "I was just . . . we need to be sure that no one's going to disturb the presentation; we've got representatives from so many different countries, and I wouldn't want something like a Galbadia incident, or anything like that. I just need a couple of SeeDs, not a whole battalion or anything. All I need is one for each exit - there are five of them - and maybe two extra, just in case. We're proposing a new laboratory for research in space, and we need funds from as many communities as possible. Squall? Y-you there, son?" Laguna babbled, and Squall's head jerked up.
"Yeah, I'm here. We'll send our best, don't worry. And I'll come as well. When do you need us by? If it's really soon, I'll just shove the seven of us in the Ragnarok, but if it's a bit later I can get the whole Garden out here, maybe, or drive, or something," The Commander said in a businesslike tone, resuming the task of clasping his belts.
"Tomorrow," Laguna said, sounding a bit embarrassed. However, it didn't surprise Squall; Laguna always waited until the last moment to see thing done.
"Alright, I'll be there by tomorrow morning at the latest. Uh . . . see you soon," He said uncertainly.
"Yeah, thanks, you too. See you soon, son." The phone clicked, and Squall set down the receiver.
~
"Seven SeeDs? Alright, I'll grab you a couple." Xu rifled through a few folders before she found an enormous roster. "Let's see . . . well, you, of course, and you can bring Zell, and Rinoa, if she wants to come. As well you can have Rain" -"Who's that?"- "and me. C'mon, Squall, you know you want me to come along!" The Commander scoffed, but she continued. "Just take Quistis and . . . you know, drag Seifer along as well. His last week of service is over in about two days, and he deserves a mission. You okay with that? I mean, you know that he's changed drastically; you've seen him," Xu said, trying to sway the obstinate man in front of her. He waved his hand dismissively.
"Yeah, whatever. He can come. I just want to leave as soon as possible, so can you contact him and that other girl. I'll get Rinoa, Zell, and Quistis." Grabbing the com, he switched it on quickly and stated in his firmest, most military voice: "Instructor Quistis Trepe, Zell Dincht, and Sorceress Rinoa Heartilly will report to the bridge as soon as possible. I repeat, Instructor Quistis Trepe, Zell Dincht, and Sorceress Rinoa Heartilly will report to the bridge as soon as possible. Over and out." Xu nodded approvingly, and Squall rolled his eyes, folding his arm and striding into the hallway to meet his comrades.
"Guess what guess what guess what?" Rinoa shrieked as she darted out of the lift, throwing her arms around Squall's neck and leaping into his arms. Utterly surprised, he grabbed her waist just before she slid down his legs; her grin was a mile wide, and it widened - if that was possible - when she saw the bewildered expression on her Commander's face. "Well? Guess!"
"What?" He asked, managing to get it out as he studied her expression.
"Headmaster of Trabia is sick of me!" She shouted, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
"That's a good thing?" He coughed; Zell and Quistis walked out of the lift. Zell made a motion as if to peel Rinoa off of him, but Squall shook his hand, sputtering at her tight grip.
"Yes! He's transferred me to Balamb!" She loosened her hold on his neck, erupting in a fit of giggles. "Oh, I'm sorry! I'm just so happy; I never thought that I'd be so happy to be a stupid, boring SeeD." She earned a growl from Zell. "Ah - did I say stupid and boring? I meant exciting and charismatic," she said rather lamely, and the blonde, tattooed SeeD folded his arms haughtily.
"Oh! That's great," Squall said truthfully; it seemed like a big weight was gone from his shoulders. He had been dreading her returning to Trabia, because that meant that he would have to get her back to Balamb, and wouldn't be able to get any straight answers out of her, or get to apologize himself. "You're going to stay this time, right?" He said seriously, in a low, dangerous voice. Rinoa nodded quickly.
"Of course. No rumors are going to deter me this time," she told him gallantly, and squeezed his windpipe again.
"This is the second time you've tried to suffocate me today. Would you give it a rest?" He coughed, prying her off of him. She kissed his nose and hopped out of his arms.
"Sorry. But shouldn't we get going? I mean, you promised Laguna we'd be there by dawn."
~
Part one! That's part one! Part two will be up sometime tonight/tomorrow. Heh, ROMANCE in part two! Not big, but good enough for how long I've dragged it out.
~
Something hard pushed into the bare skin of his arm, and then withdrew suddenly. There was a slight intake of breath that was released like a giggle, and then something poked him again. He turned over in his bed angrily, grumbling something incoherent and shoving his pillow over his head, the comforter tangled around and in-between his legs, wrapping around his torso like a snake. There was another slight giggle, and then sudden pressure on the mattress. The pillow was tugged out of his iron grip and tossed across the room, and Squall groaned and shot open his eyes as someone sat on his back.
/Three guesses who, / was his first reaction.
"Morning, Squall! I told you I'd come and get you for breakfast. Come on, now; everybody's already in the Cafeteria. Squall?" Rinoa asked, bending down to look at his anger-filled eyes. "Are you okay?"
"Nnnn . . . I don't eat breakfast, Rinoa. I get coffee, I take it up to my office, and I work until lunch. That's exactly what I'm going to do today, and you're not going to change that. Now get off of me before my lungs cave in," He said through gritted teeth, and the Sorceress quickly scrambled off of him.
"Sorry. I was just . . ." She began mournfully, but he cut her off.
"I know, I know, you had good intentions. I understand that. I just . . . don't like rude awakenings. I like my schedule, I like abiding by that schedule, and I'm going to continue to stick to that agenda. So if you don't mind . . . I'm going to get dressed, get my coffee, and go to work." Rinoa nodded quickly, like a child being reprimanded, and scooped up the Griever pendant from his desk and handing it to him. He gave her a small smile - which for him was a major accomplishment, and her heart swelled with joy - and pulled it over his head. He stood and was about to go for the closet, but he stopped and turned around, brows creased. "How did you get in here, anyway?"
She rubbed her foot on the carpet in an embarrassed way. "Xu gave me an officer's card. The night I came back, I wanted to come and see you first, but you were asleep. I didn't want to wake you up . . . so I left. I . . . forgot to give this back to her." She turned her eyes up to the ceiling a minute before smiling and slapping her sides. "Well . . . I'll let you get dressed. See you around; the Headmaster of Trabia's supposed to be getting back to me soon, anyway. I guess breakfast wouldn't have been a good idea anyway." She waved slightly to him before hurrying out of the door.
Squall was standing, slightly dumbfounded, watching the door in a stupor with his jacket halfway on. Only the chiming of the com dragged him out of his trance, and he shook his head, shrugging on the jacket and picking up the receiver.
"Yeah?" he asked, shouldering it and clasping on a belt.
"Mission came up. You wanna go? Nothing major, just security for a large affair in Esthar. President Loire called and he's still on the line; he wants you to talk to him. I guess to get the details, or something. But do you wanna go? I mean, it'll mean seeing him and all . . ." Xu said, and the rustling of papers could be heard over the intercom. Squall rubbed the back of his neck, quickly contemplating the situation.
"Uh . . . yeah, I guess. Let me talk to him, though, see if I can bring - " He caught himself, mentally reminding himself that they weren't officially 'back' yet. "Let me talk to him."
"Yes, Sir," Xu prompted, and the sharp "click" sounded dully through the com. Squall put it back on the desk and changed the line to his phone, and then he slammed on the speakerphone so he could continue getting dressed.
"Squall? You there?" Laguna's voice was nervous over the phone, as if afraid that his son would cut the line if he said something wrong.
"Yeah. Uh . . . How're you?" The Commander asked uncomfortably, seating himself on the bed and forgetting about the two other belts.
"Fine," The President said, a little too quickly. "I was just . . . we need to be sure that no one's going to disturb the presentation; we've got representatives from so many different countries, and I wouldn't want something like a Galbadia incident, or anything like that. I just need a couple of SeeDs, not a whole battalion or anything. All I need is one for each exit - there are five of them - and maybe two extra, just in case. We're proposing a new laboratory for research in space, and we need funds from as many communities as possible. Squall? Y-you there, son?" Laguna babbled, and Squall's head jerked up.
"Yeah, I'm here. We'll send our best, don't worry. And I'll come as well. When do you need us by? If it's really soon, I'll just shove the seven of us in the Ragnarok, but if it's a bit later I can get the whole Garden out here, maybe, or drive, or something," The Commander said in a businesslike tone, resuming the task of clasping his belts.
"Tomorrow," Laguna said, sounding a bit embarrassed. However, it didn't surprise Squall; Laguna always waited until the last moment to see thing done.
"Alright, I'll be there by tomorrow morning at the latest. Uh . . . see you soon," He said uncertainly.
"Yeah, thanks, you too. See you soon, son." The phone clicked, and Squall set down the receiver.
~
"Seven SeeDs? Alright, I'll grab you a couple." Xu rifled through a few folders before she found an enormous roster. "Let's see . . . well, you, of course, and you can bring Zell, and Rinoa, if she wants to come. As well you can have Rain" -"Who's that?"- "and me. C'mon, Squall, you know you want me to come along!" The Commander scoffed, but she continued. "Just take Quistis and . . . you know, drag Seifer along as well. His last week of service is over in about two days, and he deserves a mission. You okay with that? I mean, you know that he's changed drastically; you've seen him," Xu said, trying to sway the obstinate man in front of her. He waved his hand dismissively.
"Yeah, whatever. He can come. I just want to leave as soon as possible, so can you contact him and that other girl. I'll get Rinoa, Zell, and Quistis." Grabbing the com, he switched it on quickly and stated in his firmest, most military voice: "Instructor Quistis Trepe, Zell Dincht, and Sorceress Rinoa Heartilly will report to the bridge as soon as possible. I repeat, Instructor Quistis Trepe, Zell Dincht, and Sorceress Rinoa Heartilly will report to the bridge as soon as possible. Over and out." Xu nodded approvingly, and Squall rolled his eyes, folding his arm and striding into the hallway to meet his comrades.
"Guess what guess what guess what?" Rinoa shrieked as she darted out of the lift, throwing her arms around Squall's neck and leaping into his arms. Utterly surprised, he grabbed her waist just before she slid down his legs; her grin was a mile wide, and it widened - if that was possible - when she saw the bewildered expression on her Commander's face. "Well? Guess!"
"What?" He asked, managing to get it out as he studied her expression.
"Headmaster of Trabia is sick of me!" She shouted, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
"That's a good thing?" He coughed; Zell and Quistis walked out of the lift. Zell made a motion as if to peel Rinoa off of him, but Squall shook his hand, sputtering at her tight grip.
"Yes! He's transferred me to Balamb!" She loosened her hold on his neck, erupting in a fit of giggles. "Oh, I'm sorry! I'm just so happy; I never thought that I'd be so happy to be a stupid, boring SeeD." She earned a growl from Zell. "Ah - did I say stupid and boring? I meant exciting and charismatic," she said rather lamely, and the blonde, tattooed SeeD folded his arms haughtily.
"Oh! That's great," Squall said truthfully; it seemed like a big weight was gone from his shoulders. He had been dreading her returning to Trabia, because that meant that he would have to get her back to Balamb, and wouldn't be able to get any straight answers out of her, or get to apologize himself. "You're going to stay this time, right?" He said seriously, in a low, dangerous voice. Rinoa nodded quickly.
"Of course. No rumors are going to deter me this time," she told him gallantly, and squeezed his windpipe again.
"This is the second time you've tried to suffocate me today. Would you give it a rest?" He coughed, prying her off of him. She kissed his nose and hopped out of his arms.
"Sorry. But shouldn't we get going? I mean, you promised Laguna we'd be there by dawn."
~
Part one! That's part one! Part two will be up sometime tonight/tomorrow. Heh, ROMANCE in part two! Not big, but good enough for how long I've dragged it out.
