Squall opened eyes the color of a midsummer sky. He was lying on his back, bare chest like toned alabaster displayed above the sheet bunched about his waist. A smile was on his lips.
He reflected on the previous day. After the lunchroom disaster he'd retreated to his room, deciding that whoever showed up, showed up. It was funny, though, to have five dates for the night, but only one who made it.
He languidly rolled his head to one side to see a shaggy head resting on his shoulder.
"'Morning," he said with tolerant good humor. "Sleep well?"
There was a grunt.
"Right. You're not a morning person. I'll remember that." Squall extracted his arm and stood up.
He performed a few stretches to get the kinks out of his muscles. Sleepy eyes tracked his movements. "I'm for a shower. I'm sure we'll be expected at the goodbye party—I'm positive they'll have arranged one." Squall tossed a wink at the occupant of his bed before pulling out some clean clothes. "Care to join me?"
No response.
"Oh well. It's really too small a shower for company." Squall ran a hand through his sleep-tousled hair then reached for his bathroom door.
Three loud, rapid knocks made him look over just as the hallway door was thrown open.
"Wake up, Squallie!" Selphie yelled, barging into the room. "We're having a surprise party for Rinoa, since she's leaving today and—" She stopped, staring at Squall, who was holding a bundle of clothing protectively in front of himself, then staring at Squall's bed.
She giggled.
"Irvy!" she shouted in excitement.
"What?" Irvine strolled in behind her. He, too, stopped to stare. After a moment of indecision, he concentrated his gaze on Squall, who seemed to be performing the most interesting full-body blush. A wide grin spread over Irvine's face as he fought not to laugh out loud—which was more than Selphie could manage—and he finally said, "You dog!"
Selphie only laughed harder.
"What's going on?" Quistis poked her head in the door. She stopped in her tracks. After a surprised silence she padded all the way into the room and crossed over in front of Squall. "That's a nice color," she commented on his beet-red blush. "I didn't know it could go that low." She casually walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Have a nice night?" she asked, cheerfully.
"Hey, Quistis!" Zell exclaimed. "I think I've got your shower working right again." He tried to see around Irvine, who was blocking the doorway. "Did you collect Squall? Why's everybody just standing around?"
Irvine moved to one side, past the still hysterically giggling, now scarlet, Selphie, so Zell could see for himself.
"What's the big—whoa!" Zell's double take didn't seem to be enough for him, because he did it again. And again.
"Zell, you look like a bobble-head doll," Rinoa said. "What's the big deal?"
On hearing her voice, Angelo stood up, shook himself vigorously, jumped off the bed, and trotted up to her feet.
"Thanks for watching him for me, Squall," Rinoa said, smiling and patting Angelo on the head. The dog panted happily. "He always gets in the way when I try to pack." She studied him. "Why are you blushing like that? You're practically purple!"
Clad only in his grey briefs, Squall gathered the tattered remnants of his dignity about him in lieu of a more tangible covering. Ignoring Selphie's shrieks of merriment, Irvine's mocking howls and barks, Quistis' scarcely concealed leer, and Zell's bemusedly entertained grin, he addressed Rinoa evenly. "Your dog snores." He then turned and entered the bathroom, resolutely disregarding the fresh burst of laughter from them all. He shut the door behind him, clicked the lock… and laughed quietly at himself.