A/N: just to let you know, the story plot takes some time to emerge from everything else so please hang fire! At the moment the characters are having a rare easy time. But I'm pretty evil, so it won't last. Thank you everyone for reading the last chapter!!
The Masquerade Ball
Squall stood in his dark blue suit facing the dancers with a look of utter boredom on his face. He never could find the beauty that some people claimed was there in watching another person dance. As far as he was concerned, he had only ever seen beauty in the face of one being, hiding in the eyes of one woman. And yet, there was a calming element that the dancers produced in him, something of a memory of when he had first seen her standing in amongst those that she knew but couldn't talk to. How vulnerable she had looked that night. Nervously glancing around in a dress that she was not used to wearing and blushing whenever he looked at her. But that night would never come again, and it was best now just to see it as a memory.
But tonight the tables had turned; she had a purpose of being here, and he did not. How odd in his mind to refer to himself here as the guest rather than a host, and that she was here for a reason other than to stand around and look pretty.
His father was dancing again with the same woman he had been with all night, and Squall decided it was probably best to leave him alone. This woman Squall had met a few months back, Gloria she was called, was a nice lady who seemed to understand his silence rather than take offense at it.
Since she had come into the picture, Laguna had calmed his over enthusiastic behaviour and opted for a more peaceful yet still playful way of conduct. Squall was thankful for this at least. It made it possible for him to have somewhat of a conversation with his father without it being too ridiculous.
Taking a drink from a waitress passing by him, Squall leaned on a wall and watched his Sister and her friends as one by one they were asked to dance. Squall scanned the man who was leading Ellone to the dance floor with a frown, but he didn't place his hands too low on her back, so Squall left him alone.
Camera crews were beginning to appear now, and Squall wondered if any of them would be Rinoa's. What a long way she had gone since he had seen her last. The hard working, but nothing out of the ordinary journalist, who had happened to get lucky with an assignment that created a mass interest. He wondered if she saw it that way or was glorified in her eyes. But it didn't matter; she had made her choice and Squall scolded himself because he could not.
He wanted her back; he knew he did. But if Rinoa placed her duty over her heart, then Squall would just have to do the same, and this new resolution was what had finally brought him home.
He could see her now; she had appeared out of the crowd like a vision, sweeping out from all the other camera crews with an air of efficiency and ease. As she walked, her dress swirled around her, making Squall smirk. Her back was to him now, and he could see the little red light on her camera blinking. The large microphone hung over her as she spoke live to her sponsor channel. Squall knew that if he was to leave and turn on his TV to the correct station, he would be able to hear what she was saying. But he didn't want to leave; he might lose her in the crowds, or-even worse-she might leave.
He could tell she was smiling even though her back was turned--probably laughing in that sweet tone at something the news reader had said. Her back moved in a light flicker as she talked, and it made the memory of her laughter echo in his mind.
Squall drank the last of his wine and placed his mask over his face to hide himself in the gathering numbers of guests.
(Live)
"And now we go to our special reporter Rinoa Heartilly who is currently at the Presidential Palace. Hello, Rinoa."
"Good evening, Richard," Rinoa replied into the camera, her ear-piece speaking to her with slightly fuzzy words.
"Can you tell us what is happening right now?"
"Well, as you can see, behind me here the guests have already arrived, and the party is in full swing. The theme tonight is of a masquerade ball--a custom that was popular in the 16th and 17th centuries where the dancers cover their faces with decorated masks and pretend to be whoever they wish for how ever long the night lasts. It is nice to see such a custom relived."
"And, on the whole, has this been a successful turn out, do you think?"
"A lot of politicians and important leaders have been invited here tonight, and I have passed a lot on the way inside. I have yet to see the hosts of this party, but have been assured that President Loire is somewhere among the dancers," Rinoa said, trying her best to answer all of the questions the best she could. Although she did feel that she didn't really know alot to tell them. If only Ellone would appear, then she could ask her some questions. But she was nowhere to be seen.
"Thank you, Rinoa."
Rinoa sighed as her camera man gave her the 'thumbs up' and switched off the camera.
"Well done," commented the man with the microphone. Rinoa smiled and let herself relax.
After slotting a tape into their camera, the camera-crew followed her as she looked around almost blindly.
Rinoa walked further into the ballroom, her mask placed firmly on her face and the camera crew jostling behind her. The report was over, but she still had to sneak off to hide amongst everyone else.
"Ok, film for awhile--a couple of minutes only--then get the tapes back to editing for tomorrow's news," Rinoa said, facing her crew and whispering hurriedly.
"But don't you want us to film you?"
"No, don't film me. This is supposed to look professional; I can't be seen standing around with everyone else," Rinoa said, backing away from them.
Both she and the camera men had stuck up a deal in the days previous to the ball. She would get them inside so they could have exclusive shots of the party as long as they didn't tell her superiors that she had stayed.
Rinoa made sure that the cameras left before she walked about freely. So many of the other women had unmasked already and were standing around in groups or dancing. Rinoa frowned behind her mask and walked towards the bar. Resting her back against a wall, Rinoa scanned the room for someone that she knew. Yes, there was Ellone and her group of friends, including Zell, talking rather heatedly about something on the other side of the room. Rinoa considered joining them for a moment until she remembered that she wasn't supposed to be here.
A waitress walked past with a tray and offered her a glass of pink champagne. Rinoa took it gratefully and sipped the top gingerly.
"You know it tastes better with strawberries, right?"
Rinoa turned the face her addresser, but froze when she saw who it was.
"S...Squall?" She stuttered, almost dropping her glass. Squall smiled; he knew she would recognize him through the mask. He would have been disappointed if she hadn't.
"You don't need a mask, Rinoa. You have nothing to hide," Squall stated, reaching for the clasp in Rinoa's hair. Rinoa blushed and stepped out of his reach. Squall frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I fear that you must hate me after all I did to you," Rinoa said, looking down at the ground as she spoke.
"You're here now. What does the past matter?" Squall asked, moving around her and holding his hand out. "Want to dance?"
Rinoa lifted her gaze to see his offered hand and waiting eyes. Slowly, she placed her hand in his and let herself be led to the dance floor.
"So, did you find it?" Squall asked as they took their place in the line of dancers. Rinoa looked at him confusedly, but her expression was hidden behind her mask.
"Find what?" She asked as they began their dance. The partners walked towards one another, taking hands and exchanging places. Squall smiled; he liked to ask his questions in riddles and answer in short phrases.
"What you were looking for," he answered, spinning her away from him and into the hands of someone else.
Rinoa smiled at her new dance partner, but the smile was fake. Her mind was contemplating her answer until it dominated everything. Squall took her hand once more and pulled her close before spinning her away then drawing her in.
"You mean my job, don't you?" Rinoa asked, becoming defensive but not understanding why. Squall smirked.
"Job," He repeated, laughing. "Yes, your job. Did it give you what you were looking for?"
Rinoa felt her blood turn cold. All this had been a trick. The confusing conversation at the beginning, the dancing--it had all been a trick to fill her with ease and then snatch it away again. He was mocking her--the way he talked of her job with so little care, and the questions he was asking. This game had to end soon.
"Yes," Rinoa lied. "Everything."
"How nice. Then why are you here?" Squall asked, knowing the answer. She was still looking for something, and he flattered himself that maybe it was him, although she would never admit it. Rinoa had been caught; she didn't have an answer to his question, at least not one that would satisfy him.
"You already think you know the answer. Why should I make you right or wrong?"
Squall laughed almost cruelly, letting go of her arms he walked off of the dance floor and headed towards the open French windows. Rinoa followed him almost without thinking and stepped out in the cool night air.
"You are wearing the dress I sent you," Squall observed, looking at her in that piercing way. Rinoa dropped her eyes again then smiled.
"Aww, did you grow out of it?" She asked, smiling sweetly. Squall smiled despite himself and held his arm out for her to take.
"So, the job gives you everything does it?"
"You know, I would not have come if I'd known you'd be here," Rinoa said, trying her best to keep on top of this game he was playing.
"Yes, you would have. Your job gives you everything, remember? Why would it matter if you saw me or not?"
"Stop saying that. It doesn't give me everything; it was you who did that," Rinoa said, mumbling the last line.
Squall opened his mouth to reply but thought better of it and kept quiet.
"I left all of this for you, Rinoa, all of it, and yet I couldn't stay away. But just say the words Rinoa and I will leave it all again for you," Squall said, looking into her eyes, the only thing not altered by the mask. Rinoa undid the clasps and let the mask fall back in to her hands.
"It was wrong of me to ask that of you, if indeed I did ask. But, Squall, I can't leave my work; I have a duty, just as you have a duty. You found how hard it was to turn your back on that duty, how it hurt, and how you felt empty without it. Squall, as much as I love you, I don't think I am ready to be anything other than what I am," Rinoa said, feeling the little stinging of tears in the back of her eyes and watched helplessly as one slid down her cheek.
"I'm not asking you to change," Squall said confused.
"But I would. Maybe not straight away, but I would," Rinoa replied.
"Is your job really so important to you that you will sacrifice everything for it?" Squall asked.
Rinoa looked at the floor once more; she didn't know what to say to him. Every time she had to explain herself to him it ripped more pieces from her heart. Squall used this silence to remove his mask from his face. The black mask was discarded on the stone floor and Squall waited for Rinoa to look up at him.
"Why do you always ask me this? I've answered it enough times; I am not going to change my mind, Squall, no matter how much you think I am wrong," Rinoa said, determined.
"I promise I shall not ask you again," Squall said, watching as her resolve in her face fell away and the tears trickled down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," Rinoa whispered.
Squall said nothing but took her hand and pulled her out of the light of the ballroom and walked her towards the fountain in the centre of the garden. The music floated over to them on the light breeze and made Rinoa smile.
"This is my mother's song," Rinoa commented. "She used to sing it to me many years ago now."
Rinoa hummed the first line and dipped her hand into the cold water of the fountain. The small fishes scattered at the ripples in the water and swam to the safety of the centre. The marble Nymph in the middle smiled at them as she poured her water from a jug in her arms. Rinoa stared at her face, it as her mother.
"Julia Heartilly," Squall whispered into her ear. Rinoa lost her sense of awareness and leaned into Squall for support.
"Why is she here? You have a secret to tell me."
"No secret, just a story. Your mother was a singer, the most beautiful singer in the entire world. Laguna fell in love with her as so many men did, but this was different for she loved him in return. But they would never be given their right to love one another as Laguna was called away the night they confessed their love and never returned. Your mother waited but it was all in vain. Laguna could never return to her. So she married a man that loved her dearly and left her music to be your mother," Squall said, wrapping his arms around Rinoa from behind and looked at the water as she was doing.
"Why didn't your father return?" Rinoa asked after a long pause. Squall shrugged.
"I never asked, but I suppose he met my mother. But I learned, Rinoa, is that we never forget our first loves, only sometimes you have to leave them behind."
Rinoa felt the last tear in her eyes roll down her check and then nothing. She couldn't cry anymore, and she couldn't think either. Questions kept appearing in her head and she forced herself to keep them inside. The most obvious question came forward first.
"Why didn't I see her when I was here last?" Rinoa asked still speechlessly. The story Squall had told her she had never heard before.
"Even marble needs cleaning from time to time. They took her away for the time you were here."
"You talk about her as if she was alive," Rinoa whispered, tears shining in her eyes once again.
"Don't you think she is?"
"Yes, I can see. She laughs behind those blank eyes." Rinoa replied, closing her eyes as Squall kissed her neck. "Don't Squall."
"Why not?"
"Because you make my resolve weaken."
"Your resolve?"
"Yes."
"Rinoa, don't you see? Their love has been given a second chance, through us!" Squall said, spinning her around to look in her eyes. "Look at me, Rinoa." He said, shaking her. Rinoa looked at him with worried eyes. "Do you love me, Rinoa?"
"Yes. Of course I do," Rinoa replied truthfully, looking straight into his eyes as she spoke, although it was uncomfortable to do so.
"Then give me this night at least. We were meant to be together--surely you can see that," Squall said, watching as she fought her heart against her mind. "Just listen to your heart for once, Rinoa."
"Alright, I shall stay until midnight but no longer," Rinoa said, enjoying how happy it made Squall look. He laughed warmly and lifted her off the floor to spin her round. Rinoa joined in his laughter, forgetting herself and all her worries.
"Come and dance with me once more," Squall demanded with a smile. Rinoa was tempted to take his hand but shook her head instead.
"Not without my mask," Rinoa replied sternly.
"Alright. Then dance with me here." Squall said, not giving up.
"Here?" Rinoa questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Squall didn't reply to her question but waited for the next movement of the music and placed one hand on her back and the other out to the side for her to hold. Rinoa closed the gap between them, much to Squall's surprise, and smiled up at him.
They moved slowly to the music, looking into each other's eyes. Rinoa could feel everything she had tried to suppress surface back into her heart. All the passion she had felt flooded her until she couldn't breathe from its pressure. She looked at Squall but everything was hazy. All she could concentrate on was her heart beating in her chest.
Squall dipped her backwards roughly and pulled her back towards him in one fast movement. Rinoa let her head come back up slowly and met with his lips at the last instant. That one second was all Rinoa needed to know that she had lost control over this; she couldn't even tell him to stop if she had wanted to. She kissed him back with a hunger she didn't know she owned. The moment seemed to last forever--every second being as contagious as the first, and every thought melting away until it was only them left in the world.
The hours slipped by as fast as the seconds ticked past, and although they had talked and danced, time seemed to be against them as there was so much more to say. It was as Rinoa was leaving that Squall made her promise to meet him the week after. She consented without question and left in her taxi without another word spoken between them.