Disclaimer: I wished owned ff8. I don't. Lesson: wishes don't come true, even if you sacrifice a small, yellow fruit fly on an altar and make that wish.
~*Chapter 5*~
Squall stirred at the strange sensation at his abdomen. It was fluttering, soft and infinitely gentle, yet at the same time ticklish to the point of sadism. He prised open his eyes to see Rinoa trailing a strand of her silken hair lightly across his stomach. She grinned at him when she saw she had his attention and used his shoulders to pull her up his body. When their heads were level she kissed his mouth hungrily, savouring the shivers he sent running up and down her spine. She broke the kiss reluctantly in order to breathe.
"Good morning gorgeous. Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, but I do have a request to make."
"Which would be what exactly?"
"Can I be woken like that every morning?"
She laughed and ruffled his hair playfully, "Only if you're very good!" she paused for a second, mischief coupled with a new look he had never seen before sprang to her eyes.
"You know Squall, I'm always saying what a great kisser you are, right?"
"Uh, yeah…"
"So that must mean you're pretty good with your tongue, right?" she continued smoothly.
"Rinoa…where are you going with this?" He started to shift uncomfortably in the bed, which now seemed unbearably small and stifling.
"Well baby, I was just thinking…I wonder how well your tongue would perform on…other parts of my anatomy…" she finished quietly and he recognised the look that had eluded him; lust.
"Rin, what are you saying? I don't think I'm hearing you right."
She kissed him passionately, tugging lightly on his hair. He sat there stunned for a moment and embarrassed. Sensing his discomfort, she pulled away slightly to look in his eyes. In them she saw her own emotions reflected back at her, but in them, fear was also present. What was he afraid of? Getting caught? Was he scared in case Seifer and she had…no, that definitely wasn't it. Then it hit her; he was afraid to hurt her, to let her down, even in this way. A small smiled played around her lips,
"You've got to stop being so protective Squall. You could never do anything to hurt me."
"Wha…?" she put a finger to his lips to silence him and buried her face into the nape of his neck. Hyne, he always smelled so good, even after just waking. Before she realised what she was doing, her lips were caressing his neck, sucking and biting the tender skin, leaving it rosy in her wake. She moved back to his lips and bit his bottom lip lightly, surprised but happy with his reaction. He enveloped her in his arms and laid her gently down, never once breaking from the kiss.
She moaned softly and he moved away to see if she was alright,
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, apart from you stopping, meanie!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in toward her,
"Rin, what's gotten into you today? You haven't been possessed again, have you?"
She stuck out her tongue and smiled, "Can't your girlfriend give you a little kiss without being accused of being possessed?"
"This is more than a little kiss Rinny."
"True. My little kisses don't usually have quite this effect…" She looked pointedly at his crotch. He reddened and tried to push her off,
"It's not my fault Rin! Hyne, I can't help it if you act like that and…"
She interrupted him by putting her hand over his mouth, "I never said it was a bad thing Squall. In fact, it was just the reaction I was hoping for."
"Rin, are you sure? I mean, this is a big step, for both of us. Once it's done, there's no going back…" He whispered hoarsely.
She didn't answer in words. Instead, she wordlessly pulled the nightdress over her head and stood there for what seemed like an eternity. His jaw was just about on the floor, and he had to remind himself to close it. Hyne, she was beautiful. Perfectly proportioned from the curves of her hips to the swell of her breasts, her flawless skin seemed to glow with an inner radiance. A moment of uncertainty was replaced by her need for him and she took his hand and placed it on her breast. He took the hint and they began kissing deeply. He threaded her fingers through his, murmuring her name softly. Scooping her up, he laid her delicately on the covers and began covering her body in tender little butterfly kisses. She sighed happily and gave herself freely to the moment and to the man she loved.
~*~*~
"Kiros, you think he'll call me Dad one day?"
"Perhaps. Give it time Laguna, it's not even been 24 hours." Kiros sighed at his friend's lack of patience for not the first time in his life, and he was certain it would not be his last. Ward merely gave off an air of disbelief.
"Where are those two crazy kids anyway? The rest of them were down here hours ago. Say, you don't think they're...y'know?"
"Who knows? It's none of your business anyway, whether they are or not."
Laguna bristled visibly, "It is my business! I'm his father! We've not had that talk yet. What if he gets her into trouble?"
"He's nearly 18 Laguna. I'm sure that Garden would not have let a SeeD get to that age without knowing a little thing like basic biology. And even if he did "get her into trouble" as you put it, I'm sure he wouldn't let her stay like that. There's too much of you in him. They're meant to be together. You know it, I know it, even Ward knows it."
Ward looked offended at his placing in the list and Kiros hurried on, "They're only just starting to realise it. Whatever happens between them is destined to happen and no amount of ill-advised sex education lessons from you is going to change that. So just do what you're told for once Laguna and keep that mouth of yours shut."
"Tch. Fine." Laguna slumped in a sulk, but brightened when Squall and Rinoa made their way down the elaborate staircase hand in hand. He welcomed them heartily,
"Good morning! How are you both?"
"We're fine thank you President Loire." Rinoa blushed prettily, looking incredibly like her mother Laguna noticed absently.
"Hyne, Rinoa, don't call me that! It's a bit formal for (What are Kiros and Ward waving like that for? What are they saying? Don't? Don't what? Ah, whatever!) my sons girlfriend! Call me Laguna." He blustered on, blind to the attempts of his friends to dissuade him from his dangerous course
Rinoa smiled politely, "Sorry Laguna, I didn't quite hear you correctly. I caught the last part, but I could have sworn you just said Squall was your son! My ears must be playing tricks on me!"
Selphie and Irvine sauntered in arm in arm with Quistis and Zell following closely behind them to see what time they were leaving. They were just in time to hear Laguna proclaim proudly,
"You did hear me right Rin, I'm Squall's Dad!"
Squall smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. Not for the first time he thought, "What a moron." This time however, it was more like, "I can't believe that moron is my father."
Laguna surveyed the shocked faces around him and laughed uneasily, "You hadn't told them yet? Well, I guess I let the cat out of the bag."
"How could I tell them when they were all asleep after you told me last night, and I'm only just up now? When was I supposed to tell them in that non-existent time frame?" Squall spoke quietly, the softness of his tone belying the danger Laguna was facing.
"I'm sorry son." He looked truly regretful and Squall stopped grinding his teeth, he hadn't even realised he was doing it.
"It's ok. Well, you all know now, if you have any questions, ask Elle. I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Rinoa stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "Do I get to know from the horses mouth?"
He murmured an assent into her hair and then addressed the rest of his reeling companions.
"We're leaving for Winhill in 1hr. Prepare yourselves, we meet at the Airstation in 45 minutes."
They all saluted sharply and left. Squall turned to Laguna who looked as if he wanted the ground to swallow him.
"I'm not mad. I just wasn't prepared. So don't worry about it, its ok."
Laguna smiled and offered Squall his hand. He looked at it for a second, before breaking the habit of a lifetime and shaking it firmly. The handshake turned into a fatherly hug and Squall stood paralysed, unsure of what to do. Laguna didn't notice, he was too wrapped up "in the love", as he would later tell Ward. Kiros saw the terror in Squall's eyes and quickly intervened to prise Laguna away gently with the promise,
"Squall will come again soon, won't you Squall?" Squall nodded, dumbstruck, "Then, you can do lots of nice father and son things like fishing and hunting and stuff. But he has to go now and so do you. You have Presidential business to attend to."
"But I want to talk to Squall! I've not had him for so long and now I've got him he has to go? It's not fair!"
"Laguna, stop whining. You sound like a spoiled brat, which is exactly what you are. Elle's coming to see you today too, so you better hurry and get all your work done, or you won't be able to see her."
Laguna brightened, "She is? Ok. I'll let you get on Squall."
Squall and Rinoa were already walking away when Squall stopped and turned around, inquiring hesitantly, "I'll come back in about a week, if that's ok?"
"Sooner if you can make it, you're all welcome anytime." He called after Squall's retreating figure.
Laguna caught Squall's voice being carried back to him on the light breeze, "I'll see you soon, Dad."
He grabbed Kiros by the shoulders and shook him excitedly,
"Did you hear that? Did you? He called me Dad!"
"Are you sure it wasn't "man"?"
"Of course it wasn't! Don't ruin it Kiros, my son actually loves and respects me already! I knew I was a way cool Dad! It's because we have such an open relationship, I respect his privacy and his right to have Rinoa and his friends to stay and…"
Kiros had switched off, chiming in with the occasional "Uh huh" and "Right" in the correct places to give the illusion he was listening. He didn't know what Squall had called that day, even Squall himself didn't know. But he gave Laguna his version of events, because it made him happy. And a happy Laguna is more bearable to have around than a whiny one, he reasoned.
