He stood outside the train that served as the headquarters of the Forest Owls. Night had fallen and he had headed back to the hotel with Fujin and Raijin, showing them up as usual with his large pail of fish. They had gutted them and cooked them up in the room's kitchenette. After dinner, Fujin and Raijin sat down to a game of triple triad and Seifer slipped out the door. Why can't I stop thinking about her? She was something pissed about my comment about the Owls…
He wasn't quite sure how to go about visiting someone who lived in a train. Should he knock on the outside door? Should he go inside and knock on those doors until he found her room? As he stood around contemplating this, the passenger car door opened and Rinoa hurried out the door. In her rush, she wasn't watching where she was going and she ran right into Seifer.
"Why don't you watch where you're…" as her gaze rose to his face, she stopped mid-sentence. "Oh. It's you…"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Seifer asked, unamused. He sighed. "Look…I'm sorry about earlier. Maybe I'm wrong about the Forest Owls, but I can't help but be skeptical, since I've seen no results from them so far."
"If you think it's so easy, why don't you do it then?" she snapped.
"I didn't come here to argue with you…"
"Then tell me, Seifer, just why are you here?"
He was speechless for a split second. She remembered my name…Seifer…man, stop it! You're going all mushy…
Rinoa's laughter broke his chain of thoughts. "What's that look on your face for? You look ridiculous!" In a quick attempt to change the subject, Seifer held out a foil wrapped package. "What is this?" Rinoa asked tentatively.
"It's fish." The expression on her face threw him into a fit of laughter. Once the laughter subsided, he explained. "Well, I told you I was going fishing today. You didn't believe me…here's proof. I hope you like fish…it should still be warm."
Rinoa raised her eyebrows with amusement. "I'm a vegetarian…"
Seifer, you idiot! His face fell. "Sorry…" His apology brought on more laughter from Rinoa. "I was kidding! I love fish…how can you not love fish when you live so close to the ocean?" Phew…
She took the package and brought it inside, placing it in a cooler for later. Seifer couldn't keep his eyes off her. "So where were you in such a rush to get to? Or is that classified information too?"
"Actually…I was just trying to get out of here for a bit. Do you want to come with me?" Without waiting for an answer, she took hold of his hand and rushed out the door.
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"So how did you end up coming to Timber?"
"Growing up, my father and I drifted far apart. Our ideas are very different, and it just got to the point where I couldn't stand being under the same roof as him. Deling began to feel too stifling…everybody knew who I was and where I came from. I took off and wound up here…where it didn't really matter who my father was for the most part. And where I felt like I fit in. The Forest Owls are more than just a bunch of revolutionaries…we're family…"
"You grew apart from your father, but what about your mother? She must miss you from time to time…"
"My mother died when I was five years old, in a car accident…" Her voice trailed off as she hugged her knees to her chest.
"I'm sorry…" Seifer looked up at the starry night and listened to the waves crash against the rocks in the cove. "If it's any consolation, and I'm sure that it probably isn't…but I kinda know how you feel."
"How so?" she looked up at him with interest.
"I don't really remember my parents. I remember growing up in an Orphanage…with lots of other kids…although I don't remember that too well either. I was so young when I started out at Balamb Garden, everything before it is sort of foggy…"
"You don't remember your parents at all?" Rinoa looked at him sympathetically.
Seifer shrugged. "No. But I guess it doesn't matter much because I don't know what I'm missing." He leaned back, watching the beginning of the sunset. Rinoa had dragged him to a small cove with a perfect view. In the distance, they could hear the seagulls and the splashing of dolphins playing in the waves. Turning his gaze back to Rinoa, he sighed. "It must be hard for you, losing someone and knowing enough about them to care that you lost them."
Rinoa was silent for a moment. "I suppose…" she paused, toying with a ring that hung from her necklace. "But when I get really lonely, I remind myself that she's watching over me…why am I telling you all this?" She blushed and turned away, embarrassed by her honesty.
"Because I'm listening…" Seifer glanced up at the sky. "Don't look away, you're going to miss it." He turned back around to make sure she was watching, but she wasn't there. "Huh? Rinoa?"
"Shhhhh…" her musical voice came from above his head. "Just watch it." He glanced up to find her lying on her stomach, watching the sunset from a large boulder. "I love to come here in the evenings and watch this," she whispered, as though a loud voice might interrupt the perfection of the moment. Together, they watched the sun set in total silence.
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Once the darkness had set in, Rinoa climbed down from her high perch and leaned against a wall of the cove. "I hope I haven't wasted an evening of your vacation," she said mockingly.
"Yeah, you probably did, but I'll deal," Seifer replied with a smirk. What a perfect vacation…couldn't think of a way I'd rather have spent the evening…
"Oh well…if it's so terribly boring, you should head back to the hotel. I'm sure that your friends can entertain you much better than I can…" Rinoa said teasingly. She stepped away from the wall and sat down at the edge of the water, pulling her shoes off and dipping her toes into the sea. She reached up and tied her hair into a neat knot and removed her blue frock.
"What are you doing?" Seifer asked with his characteristic smirk.
"What's it look like I'm doing? I'm going for a swim. You coming?"
"I don't think…"
"Oh, come on! Why not?" Rinoa stood up, placing her hands on her hips, laughing. "Can't swim? Afraid to get a little wet?"
"I can swim just fine, thanks. Not afraid, just prefer to stay dry."
Rinoa shrugged. "Well in that case…" She turned and jumped into the rippling water. Upon resurfacing, she swam to the edge of the rocks, leaning forward on one of them. Seifer came up to her and sat down. "You sure you don't want to get in? The water's nice," she said as she splashed him a little.
"Hey! Stop that!" he exclaimed, though he couldn't help but laugh as he said it. The harder he laughed, the more that she splashed, and the more that she splashed, the harder he laughed.
"Well, you're already soaked. You may as well come for a swim now," she stated as she quickly reached up and caught him by the wrist, pulling him in. There was a huge splash as Seifer fell in. The fish in the area scattered, startled by the sudden movement.
"What was that for?!" Seifer demanded once his face reappeared.
Rinoa smiled innocently. "Because…it's a beautiful day for a swim, so you should take the opportunity."
Great Hyne, she's beautiful. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at her. The moonlight streaming into the cove shone behind her, illuminating her features and shining in her silky black hair.
"Seifer?" Rinoa looked at him, perplexed. "What's going through that head of yours?"
The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. "Nothing much. Just that you're probably the most beautiful girl that I've ever met. Inside and out." Their eyes locked in a gaze, Seifer admiring her beauty and innocence, and Rinoa gazing at him with questioning and wondering eyes.
"Seifer…" Rinoa began. Seifer placed a finger to her lips. "Shhh…" he whispered as his finger was quickly replaced by his lips. So soft…so beautiful…His arm slid around her waist, pulling her closer to him. After a too short moment, they parted. Rinoa's cheeks were scarlet as she looked at Seifer, her expression one of surprise.
"Sorry…" Seifer mumbled awkwardly. "I don't know what came over me…" He hoisted himself back onto the rocks, out of the water. "I should probably be getting going. I only meant to stop by to bring the fish." He wrung out his jacket as well as he could. Rinoa climbed out onto the rocks and stood up, fidgeting awkwardly.
"Well, thanks for the fish…and, ummm…I had a nice time tonight. I think this is the first time in a while that I've been able to get away and forget about things for a bit…"
Seifer smirked. "Don't mention it…I…" Man, this is getting kinda weird…what do I say? Rinoa smiled and wagged a finger at him.
"Your friends'll be getting worried about you if you don't get back to your hotel. You should go. I'll be around." Her laughter echoed through the cave, a sound he was sure would haunt him all night.
"Nah, not Raij and Fu. I'm not one to be worried over." He chuckled. "I've always been able to take care of myself, they know that." He gave an exaggerated bow. "But for now, m'lady, I will leave." He stood straight and turned to leave, speaking over his shoulder. "And if you're going to be around, I'll make sure to keep my eyes open."
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Author's Note: And there's the end of Chapter 4! What comes next? Does Seifer manage to sweep Rinoa off her feet? Will he turn into a complete sap in the process (yeah, riiiiiiiight...) Stay tuned!
As always, please Review! Thanks to all who have taken the time to review so far! :)