"Everybody? I have an announcement to make." Rinoa looked around to make sure her circle of friends were all listening. Satisfied that she had their attention, she tucked a dark tendril of hair behind her ear and continued. "I'm leaving tomorrow," her voice rose to carry over the protests, "because I need to get back to Timber. I worked out a deal with—" her mouth twisted in distaste,"—my father, and we're negotiating terms for independence."
Selphie crowed with delight and Zell punched the air in excitement. His movement unfortunately upset the table, dumping a fresh cup of coffee into the lap of a quiet young woman seated next to him. She shrieked in startled pain, cast a murderous look at the abashed blond, and hurried out. Suddenly pale, Zell scuttled after her.
"But," Selphie said, ignoring the commotion, "what about lover-boy here?" She made a motion toward Squall, who was staring after the departing couple, oblivious to the resumed discussion.
"What do you mean?" Rinoa asked, a faint hint of pink creeping over her cheeks. "We're just friends."
"Yeah," Selphie smirked. "'Friends' who played kissy-face last night."
"We just— It wasn't— We're not— Squall?" stammered Rinoa.
He turned his pale gaze to Rinoa and lifted an eyebrow inquiringly.
"Selphie thinks that kiss on the balcony last night meant something," she explained.
With a small shrug he replied, "It did."
An excited screech made eyes turn in their direction, but everybody was so used to Selphie's exuberant outbursts that they immediately turned away in dismissal. Selphie went on, heedless of the disruption she'd caused, "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" She continued in singsong, "Squall's in love with Rinoa! Squall's in love with Rinoa! Squall's in lo—"
Irvine, catching the look on Squall's face, had clamped his hand over Selphie's mouth, and now inclined his head to the irritated man. "Go on."
With a brief nod of thanks, Squall resumed, "It meant 'thanks for saving my life,' and I would have done the same for any of you."
"Any of us?" Four heads turned at the quiet words. Quistis had been silent thus far, but now was sitting up, leaning slightly in Squall's direction, a strange expression on her face.
"Yes." The brunette addressed the question at face value. "Any of you," he repeated. "What's a kiss between good friends, after all?"
Looking thoughtful, Quistis opened her mouth to reply, but—
"Mmmph!" Irvine glanced at his hand, still covering Selphie's small face. "Oh, sorry Sephie," he said apologetically, and released her.
Selphie stuck her tongue out at him then said, "I'm hungry. Who's coming with me?" Irvine stood and, after a curious glance at Squall, so did Quistis. The three of them wandered toward the breakfast line in the cafeteria.
There was silence for several moments while Squall sipped at his tea and Rinoa tried to think of how to ask what she needed to ask him.
Finally, "Squall?"
He looked up.
"Did you mean that?"
He nodded, smiling faintly.
"Would you—" she broke off, took a deep breath to steady herself, and then went on. "Would you do me a favor… as a—a friend?" Her eyes pleaded with him.
His brow furrowed, but slowly, carefully, Squall nodded his assent.
"Great!" Rinoa beamed at him in relief. "I'll see you." She winked suggestively at him. "Until tonight, then." With a broad smile, she rose to join the others in line.