Disclaimer: Squaresoft owns Final Fantasy VIII. I own a dog. We've come upon agreement.
^_^ Updated rather quickly this time. Dunno why. Plenty of inspiration, I guess. Inspiration from school, inspiration from home, and inspiration from pure, untouched boredom. A little more Squall/Rinoa in this chapter..... sort of. ^_^
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Chapter 8: Promise Me
Her eyes fluttered open reposefully, having just slept many hours. A light film glazed the brown irises and she was forced to blink several times to focus her vision. Her body, still at rest, lay peacefully sprawled out on the small bed. She paused and took her time to rethink where she was. Time was not a pressuring matter - her surroundings appeared docile enough. The room was quiet and still, allowing her the moment to get accustomed to Ellone's room again.
Smiling to herself comfortably, Rinoa arose from the bed slowly and stretched in a cat-like manner, letting a soft sigh escape her rosy lips. No clock scored her rest and she could have been slumbering a century for all she knew. Sitting again, she grabbed a nearby brush and began grooming her tangled, raven hair. Her thoughts wondered off into the back of her mind, trying to grasp again the dreams that had so casually slipped by.
Rinoa was unsuccessful in remembering her matin thoughts and strolled out of the room. She was accustomed now to the small house, having been located here for a week at least. The small hall she walked down reminded her of family. Framed pictures of children and relatives covered almost the whole wall, flooding lost memories throughout the abandonment. Earlier in her stay, Ellone had pointed out herself, her mother, and father. Even a few existed of her younger brother. The photos were old, proving the siblings to only appear about one and five years old.
Thoughts of close families were pushed to the back of Rinoa's head as it dawned on her how empty the house felt. A strange absence floated about, wrapping the girl in its lonesome fingers. Normally Ellone would have been down the stairs either watching TV or making noise of some sort. If not in the house, she usually was gardening with the doors and windows open to the fresh breeze. Now there was only the awkward silence creeping around - accompanied by the senile smell of decay and rot.
Curiously, Rinoa made her way down the short stair case, stepping firmly on each creaking step.
"Ellone?" she meekly squeaked. No response sounded. Again, Rinoa called. "Ellone?"
A rustling this time. Rinoa quickened her pace, suddenly wondering if Ellone had been injured. At the base of the stairs she halted and looked about. The cause of the sound had moved.
"Ellone," she stated a bit more firmly this time. "Stop playing around. You're freaking me out." Another sound. The family room. The worry rising, Rinoa bound into the next room.
A strong hand grabbed her mouth from behind, muffling her startled shriek. Another arm swung across her midriff, crushing her own arms helplessly to her sides. Gloved fingers dug painfully into the flesh of her face, bruises sure to result.
"Where is she?" Hissed a voice dangerously into her ear.
Rinoa struggled but the man's strength was beyond her own. Her other choice left her as well, for verbal communication meant either psychic ability or talking through a hand. Now at a bit of a loss, she surrendered and cowered as much as his grasp would allow her.
"Where?!" the man demanded desperately, hurling her to the hard floor.
Rinoa, in a state of panic and surprise, scrambled to her feet and dashed into the nearest room. To her relief she found herself in the kitchen. Her feet slipped across the slick floor as she rushed to the utensil drawer. A short, yet keen knife was drawn and ready when she turned to find the man in the doorway.
Seeing her attacker, Rinoa let loose a shrill gasp. It was that guy who helped her back in Deling! Reading him quickly, she saw the same recognition in his eyes, yet a fury that had not been there before, had now possessed the cool blue exterior.
"What did you do to her?!" Squall roared.
"Please," sobbed Rinoa from the other end of the room. Tears stained her face and blurred her vision. Her knuckles were drained white where she clutched the hilt of the cutting knife. "I don't know what you want. Leave me alone!"
Unable to contain the rage swelling within his soul, Squall lunged savagely at the terror- stricken girl. From her end, an aimless blow had been thrown, awarding her the awareness of tearing flesh. Crimson blood splattered across the tiled floor and marked the end of her blade.
Rinoa blurted a few moaning screams and fell heavily to the floor. Squall, otherwise, was shocked by the abrupt strike. He angrily wiped the thick fluid from his forehead and between his eyes, though it did little to stop its flow. Now kneeling, he turned his attention back to Rinoa, a series of mixed feeling pouring from him just as the blood did his head.
The girl was back against the corner of the wall struggling hopelessly to get at an even further distance. Her hair was mopped and plastered with his own blood from where she had pushed it out of her eyes. Her body trembled and she eyed from Squall to the dropped blade.
Cautiously, Squall reached for the knife until he was easily able to slide it away from them both. Slowly he inched closer, untame displeasure replaced by pity and guilt. Rinoa gave short, jagged cries as he approached.
"C-calm down," was all he said, attempting to coax her out of the tremors she was experiencing.
He was quickly loosing more and more blood and the lightness in his head was beginning to become more distinct. Careful not to make any sudden movements of his own, he reached out and tenderly touched her blood- crusted arm.
That did it. Rinoa's breathing came up short at the contact and her wide eyes rolled back into her head. Squall was forced to catch the comatose girl's head before it hit the floor.
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Rinoa jumped up from her bed, panic sweeping over her. Reality slapped her and it was suddenly clear that she was back in Ellone's room. Terribly relieved, she sank back onto the old mattress.
Stupid dreams,' was all that ran through her mind.
Repeating what she remembered of her latest dream, Rinoa reached for the brush located on the vanity. Running fingers lovingly through the black locks, she started and pulled her hand back. Dried crusts of blood rested in palm of her uncertain hand. Just as swiftly as the truth had been found, lies were revealed under its mask. It hadn't been a dream.
Tears began to swell up in her red- ringed eyes again as she darted over to the door, hoping to prove herself wrong. But the knob wouldn't turn. It clicked short under her desperate grasp and she refused to believe that it was locked.
"Help!" she cried against the wood, banging furiously. "Let me out! Please, help!"
Heavy footsteps.
Oh no, I didn't want him to hear me. Stupid, stupid girl!' Rinoa began pacing the room, looking everywhere for a place of possible escape. The steps were advancing quickly and before she knew it, Squall was in the doorway, a key in his hand.
"Stay away from me, you creep!" Rinoa snapped, looking around for a sharp object.
"I took away all the things you could use as a weapon - you have a stronger swing than I anticipated." Squall gestured to the bandages lined from his forehead across to the left side of his nose.
Rinoa cringed as she noted the gaping wound they held together. "Please, just let me go. I'm sorry."
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry." Squall's stone expression had returned and it denied all expression. "I startled you and I was only asking for trouble. I should have controlled myself."
Rinoa, now sitting huddled on the bed, displayed a weary and untrustful expression.
"Look, I only locked you in here because I needed to talk to you. I know as well as the next person that you weren't going to bid me farewell before you left. Please try to cooperate." Squall revealed some annoyance.
Jet hair fell over Rinoa's eyes and the caked blood in it was obvious. She let out a shuddered sigh and pulled her knees up to her chest. Rocking back and forth, she asked, "Where's Ellone?"
Squall's lips tightened, forming a thin line at his mouth. Though his eyes never flickered, it was clear he was frustrated in some way. Still standing in the doorway, he studied the filthy girl heaped on his bed. Her appearance was homely and ragged, hair disarranged and clothes torn in various places.
"Take a shower," he demanded more than asked. "And don't leave." He received no response.
"Don't leave, girl!"
Life flashed sharply into the form on the bed. "Rinoa!"
"Fine. Don't leave, Rinoa. Promise me you won't leave." Again, no answer. "Promise me!"
Rinoa lightly began to sob behind the veil of grimy hair. "I promise..." she whispered.
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Instant regret was the first feeling Squall experienced when Rinoa slowly descended the stairs. The shower had washed not only her hair and untidy appearance, but also implied her whole soul had been cleansed. She was clad in a floral skirt and white tank top, while her wet hair glistened in the TV's light. One might say her skin was on the pale side, but it suggested some sort of divine aura. It contrasted nicely with the deep darkness of the outside night.
Her head remained bowed until she had reached the couch in the family room. Squall sat across from her, glad to see she wasn't aware of his shocked face.
"Umm...," Squall was at a bit of a loss for what to say - especially when what he really wanted to state was slightly inappropriate.
Rinoa glanced up quickly, but returned the gaze to her hands folded politely in her lap. "I-I really am sorry about.. about that, uh..." She looked back up at his wound. She shuttered as a flash back hit her instantaneously.
"Whatever. That's not what I wanted to ask you. Though it doesn't matter anymore - you don't know where Ellone is either."
Slightly shocked, Rinoa looked back up.
"I was upset when I was looking for her and only found you. My emotions got out of hand and, uh, you know."
This time held Squall's stoic gaze steadily. "Are you from.... from Esthar?"
"What? No. Did they come here?" The anger returned in his voice and caused Rinoa to flinch.
"Who are you then?"
Sighing, Squall rested his forehead in his palm, careful not to touch the cut. "I'm her brother, Squall. And who are you? When I first met you, you called yourself Casey."
"No, I lied. My real name's Rinoa. I'm the daughter of Deling's President. I did meet your sister, though. She brought me here to stay for a while because there was something up in FH. I don't know where she is now, though. Oh! She did mention that she was looking for you!"
The corners of Squall's mouth dropped, cracking the placid face for no more than a moment. He was thoughtful for a long time and stared blindly into space while arranging his thoughts. Suddenly, he stared intensely into Rinoa's chocolate eyes.
"Was Winhill intact when you arrived?"
Rinoa, a little confused, replied meekly, "Yeah."
"Well, when morning comes, don't expect to see it again."
"What do you mean?"
"I dunno," Squall was surprising himself with how long he was sustaining a decent conversation. "But when I got here, the whole place was in ruins. This is the only standing building."
Rinoa curled up on the small couch and pondered while staring at the TV. "I feel like this is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Squall. Tomorrow I'll leave."
Squall, now at the guilty end of the pool, attempted to reply casually, "I'll drive you back to, uh, wherever it is you came from."
It was silent for a long, uncomfortable time, both Squall and Rinoa lost in their own thoughts. It was broken from a soft giggle in Rinoa's direction.
Squall looked up at her. "What?"
"You had fat cheeks as a kid."
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A slightly shorter chapter this time. I couldn't think of what else I could add, so I kinda sat there with Squall and Rinoa during that silence. ** Well, its not really what you call bonding, but it has to start somewhere. ^_^ R+R!!!!