A note to my NAMELESS reviewer: Look, I'm sorry that you were placed in a
mental hospital, I sympathize with you. But I'm going to continue to do my
fic the way I had originally intended, and I think if you continue reading,
you will see that your fears of me making a 'mockery' of the topic are
misplaced. I would also appreciate it if you would not use the review
board to yell at my reviewers that happen to support me and share a
different opinion than you do. If you have any further comments, please e-
mail me at Sarah53088@aol.com, or instant message me at Sarah53088 so that
we can settle this personally. Thank you. ~Dark Raion
Chapter dedication: To everyone that likes and supports this fic.
Chapter 8
The room was covered in grayish light that flowed in through the open window and cast the world beyond in shadows. A cool, fresh breeze gently blew in, caressing her face and playing in her strands of raven hair. It had been a long while since she'd awoken to a beautiful, peaceful moment such as this. For once, there was time to just sit at the open window and gaze out at the creatures below as they began to stir. She'd been awake for an hour or so, and had taken a long, hot bath, that had done much for her spirits.
She wasn't sure what had caused her to wake up so early. Perhaps it was just that she'd slept so soundly. For the first time since coming there, she felt she was making progress. Still, there was something that made her feel even more at peace, at a depth that she could feel down in her soul.
(He touched me. no, more than that. He sort of held me. It was so sweet. And it felt so right. If only I could tell him.)
Despite the serenity of the moment, there was a small bit of sadness inside Rinoa. She couldn't help but think of him, and how it had felt to be so close to him. The memory of those sensations played itself over and over in her mind. But she knew things could never be that way. She was his doctor after all, and to be anything more would be dangerous. No matter how badly she wanted it.
(He needs a friend now. Someone he can trust, without the complication of hidden feelings, or physical attraction. If Quistis knew about the thoughts I've had of him, she'd fire me on the spot.)
Rinoa allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she looked out into the world of colorless life. The asylum was quite isolated, but the skyline of the city was visible ahead, the sun slowly climbing it's way into the sky behind it. Someday, she would live in that big city, and open up a psychiatric office of her own, but for now, she was content to be where she was. After all, she was young now, still a child chasing after her dreams in the distant horizon. Though she often didn't have the time to sit back and think about it anymore, she silently celebrated the fact that she was living, which was exactly what was supposed to be done with life. No matter how bad things got, there was always that.
(He doesn't understand that, though. Maybe no one's pointed it out to him. Or maybe, he was just never given the chance. If only I knew more about his past. I know he won't tell me himself.)
That reminded her of today's mission. She was going to get Squall's files, if it was the last thing she did. The only problem was, getting into the office when Quistis wasn't there.
(I wonder what she could possibly have to hide, anyway. I know things didn't turn out quite right with him, but what reason is that to lock all of his information away? )
Rinoa reluctantly turned away from the window, and grabbed her coat off the back of a small desk chair. Her's wasn't exactly a luxury suite, but it suited her, and her few belongings just fine. Closing the window, and casting one last glance around the room, she made her way to the elevator, hoping that if she went to the office early enough, no one would be there.
The elevator was, of course, empty. It was really the first time since coming there that she had felt alone. Everywhere she went, there were masses of people, whether they were patients, nurses of doctors. It seemed, however, that nobody was really awake at this hour in the morning, except the building guards.
She strolled into the office casually, relieved at the fact that it was empty. She glanced around cautiously and noticed a security camera mounted in the corner of the room, but chose to ignore it. Nothing would seem strange to security about an intern retrieving a file, right? She found the locked drawer, the one at the very top of the filling cabinet, and sunk the key into its hole. It was a perfect fit. She quickly turned the key and jerked the drawer open, suddenly anxious to have the deed over and done with, lest she be caught. There were really very few files kept here, most of them appearing to be older files, wrinkled and torn at the edges with a faded coloring. Rinoa did, however, find one that was perfectly intact and only slightly bent. On the tab at the top, it bore the name 'Leonhart, S.' in red ink.
(Perfect) Rinoa thought as she grabbed the file and slammed the drawer shut. She was tempted to look over it right then and there, but realized that she'd have to keep her curiosity in check until she was in a safe area. Instead, she tucked the manila folder beneath her arm and exited the room, the key safely in her pocket.
She took the elevator back to her room and hid the file in a drawer in her desk. She was dying to look at it, but soon everyone would be awake, and she couldn't risk getting caught with it. If Quistis knew what she had done, she'd be fired instantly.
(The things I do for that man.) Rinoa thought to herself. Still, she really couldn't be angry about it. It wasn't his fault Quistis had some sort of secret to hide.
Rinoa heaved a loud sigh, mostly to herself, and headed out of her room once more. It was going to be an agonizingly long day.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I've scheduled you another appointment with Georgia for next week. I understand you also have an appointment with Squall that week. the day before, I believe. Are you sure you can handle that?"
Rinoa laughed slightly. "Yes, I'm positive."
Quistis nodded, with her usual somber expression, and said, "That's good, very good. Tell me, did you ever find that file you were looking for?" she asked this with her eyes trained on the paper before her, and her tone carefully restricted to one of innocence.
Rinoa tried her best to hide the mockery in her voice as she answered. "No. I never did find them. The girl at the archives office didn't have them."
Quistis nodded, putting upon her face a sympathetic look. "That's too bad, really. They would've been a great help."
"Yeah, I'm sure," she replied before standing up from the burgundy leather chair where she had been seated for the past hour. "If that's all, I guess I'll be going to lunch now."
Upon Quistis' nod, Rinoa gathered her things and left the office, her high heels clicking madly as she rushed away from the room. There were few things worse that having to sit in that office with Quistis while she asked the same questions over, and over, and reviewed schedule changes with her.
Shoving her disorganized notes in her coat pocket, she went down to the fifth floor cafeteria and grabbed herself lunch, which consisted today of pizza.
(Is pizza cheese really supposed to be this orange?) she wondered as she took a seat at her usual table.
"So, how was your session with Quistis today?" Rinoa asked of her purple-haired friend.
Isabella scrunched up her nose in an expression of disgust before saying, "I'd rather not talk about it, if it's all the same to you. You, on the other hand, seem in a better mood. Care to tell?"
Thoughts of the day before caused Rinoa's eyes to scan the room involuntarily, searching until they landed upon a familiar face. The sensation of being watched lured his eyes to hers, and she shot him a wide smile, causing him to look down at the table in embarrassment.
Isabella laughed. "Looks like you two made up."
"We resolved our argument, if that's what you mean," she replied innocently.
She laughed, shaking her head. "If you say so. Why don't you go talk to him? I'll be alright on my own for a moment."
"Come to think of it, I do need to talk to him," Rinoa muttered, turning slowly to her friend. Isabella was grinning like a perverted idiot. "It's not like that! We have to reschedule is all," she clarified, standing up and trashing the remains of her cheese blob and tomato paste on a really big cracker.
She sat down cautiously in front of Squall and smiled at him once more. "Good morning, Mr. Leonhart."
He glanced up at her briefly, clearing his throat and absent-mindedly stabbing at his lunch with a plastic fork. "Morning."
"So, tell me, what's caused this aggressive behavior that you seem to be taking out on your lunch?" she asked, attempting to keep a straight face and a professional tone as she teased him.
He shook his head and tried to sound like his usual, cold and aggressive self by growling out, "What do you want?" But Rinoa could tell his heart wasn't in it. It was merely an act of pride.
Rinoa glanced around quickly, as if assuring that no one was listening in on them, then leaned in closer, saying, "I found your files," in a hushed voice.
His eyes widened slightly in surprise, and he was uncertain of what he should feel. He and Quistis had kind of a silent agreement that his files would stay hidden, for both their benefits. Now Rinoa had somehow managed to dig it up, and she would learn every little detail about his past. Still, he tried to act nonchalant. "So?"
"I thought we could schedule an appointment sooner. This newfound information could make a big difference. So. I was wondering. what about this afternoon?"
"Have you read it yet?" he asked quietly, his eyes grave, and his jaw set.
"No, I haven't had a chance. So, what do you say? I've got an hour clear this afternoon at three."
"Fine," he grumbled.
She smiled at him as she stood up, and said, "Great, I'll see you at three."
With that she turned and walked away, headed out of the cafeteria. Squall eyes followed her, without his mind's permission. He didn't want to admit that he liked looking at her, and watching her, but the truth was undeniable. It wasn't just the way she looked on the outside, but something that went much deeper than her skin.
"You've been alone too long. Maybe the doctor's interest in you isn't such a bad thing?"
He sighed and shook away his impure thoughts before standing to leave. He still had several hours to kill, until he went to see Rinoa again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rinoa entered the room slowly, eyes searching the area for any sign of Quistis. Good, she'd already left. She carefully pulled the folder from beneath her coat and walked over to the desk, seating herself in the chair. She still had a few moments before her appointment, and she intended to use the time to satisfy her curious mind.
She carefully flipped open the folder, and studied the first page. It was neatly organized with all of Squall's basic information, from his name and age, to his place of birth, and diagnosed disease. The next bit of information was more intriguing. There was the date he was admitted, and the cause, which she already knew about. But the thing that caught her attention the most was the person that admitted him. It was none other than a Dr. Quistis Trepe.
A small gasp escaped her throat, as her eyes were drawn repeatedly back to the familiar name. Quistis must've known Squall before he came to the asylum. Why didn't she ever tell Rinoa?
(For the same reason she locked away the file) her mind concluded. (Something went terribly wrong, obviously.)
Just as she was reading on to the next line, there came a quiet knock on the door. Rinoa quickly shut the folder, and called, "Come in."
She let out a relieved sigh as Squall stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. Her paranoia over stealing the file had told her that it was Quistis behind the door. She shoved her fears aside and grabbed the folder off the desk before seating herself in her usual seat across from Squall.
"Quistis admitted you," she stated simply, looking to her silent patient for answers.
"Yes," was all he said in return.
"You're not going to explain it to me?"
"Ask Quistis. She'll be able to explain it better than I will," Squall replied, watching her intently. She fidgeted slightly beneath his gaze, feeling heat spread into her cheeks.
(Does he have to keep staring at me like that?)
She took a deep breath to calm her nerves before saying, "Well, just give me a minute to go over the rest of your information, and then we'll begin."
He nodded in agreement, but still didn't take his eyes off her. Bright sunlight streamed in through the window, bathing her in whitish light and giving her an almost angelic glow.
She must have noticed his sudden infatuation with her, as she slowly raised her eyes from the file, peeking at him over the top and shooting him a small, mischievous smile. Rinoa stood from her chair and sat down on the couch next to him, causing his muscles to tense in surprise. Still, her close presence was not unwelcome.
"Do you like what you see?" she asked, her voice lowered to a seductive whisper.
He didn't answer, couldn't look her in the eye. He could feel his heart thumping at an unsteady rate in his chest, and wondered if it would explode as he felt her fingers gently brush his ear while trying to tuck a stray strand of hair behind his ear. Only one person had ever touched him with that kind of tenderness, but it was in no way the same as it was now.
"You're awfully tense," she observed. "You shouldn't be so nervous around me. I won't bite."
He took a deep breath and managed to calm his nerves enough to meet her steady gaze. The ends of her lips curled into a small smile, and she slid a hand down the rigid muscles of his chest. He wanted to push her away, but realized he was enjoying this. Instead of shying away, he gently placed a hand on her cheek and pulled her into a kiss.
She didn't resist, but instead seemed to revel in the act, moving as close to him as was possible. The soft scent emanating from her skin combined with the feel of her lips succumbing beneath the forcefulness of his own was intoxicating, luring him into enchantment. He was lost within her.
Rinoa moved into his lap, hands pushing beneath his shirt and gliding over his sensitive flesh. He bit back a groan, and carefully rested a hand on her thigh as he broke the almost sacred contact shared by their lips and softly devoured her neck.
"Squall." she murmured in a breathless voice. "Squall. Hello, Earth to Squall, are you there?"
Squall's eyes snapped open as he was rudely snatched from his dream- like fantasy. His face instantly reddened, and he tried to hide his embarrassment beneath his hand. It was certainly not the first time he'd gotten lost within his mind, engrossed in thoughts that had dared to run wild, but this was the first time any of his imaginings had strayed to something of that nature. He couldn't say he was displeased by it, but it was certainly unexpected, and startling. He supposed it was the side effect of getting too close to a woman he was attracted to.
"Are you okay?" Rinoa asked, true concern in her voice. "You looked a little. out of it there."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied gruffly. "Let's just. get on with it. If you're finished reading that is."
Rinoa nodded. "Yes, pretty much. You don't have any living family," she stated, cutting straight to the subject. "What happened to them?"
"I never knew them."
"None of them? Certainly there had to be someone. Who did you live with?"
"Why should I tell you?" he asked, his voice edging on anger.
"So I can help you," she replied calmly. Part of her had expected this sort of reaction, and she somewhat felt she couldn't blame him. It would be a touchy subject to anyone. "I know this isn't something you want to talk about, but I need to know. Please."
"I lived with foster parents. and my. my sister."
Rinoa watched with concerned eyes the affect the mention of his sister had on him. She kept her eyes on him, but quickly jotted down a note about it. "What about your sister, Squall? Were you close to her?"
He was silent for a long moment, long enough to make Rinoa feel extremely uneasy. ".Yes," he finally answered, his voice so low she could hardly hear it, and his eyes distance and troubled.
"And what happened to her?"
He visibly flinched at this question, as if he had known it was coming, but couldn't bear to actually hear it spoken. He covered his eyes with his hands and let loose a shaky breath. Rinoa frowned deeply and placed her hand on his free one, which balled into a fist beneath hers. "Don't," he whispered, voice quivering with barely suppressed rage.
Still, Rinoa did not remove her hand. "Squall," she began quietly, but steadily. "I know this is hard for you, but-"
"No you don't," he replied, his voice still tight with a barely contained explosion.
Rinoa sighed, but tightened her grip on his hand. "My mother died, Squall. I was young, but I loved her very much. Then one day, she was just gone. Her things, things I could've kept to remember her by, were destroyed in the same fire that killed her. So yes, I know what it's like."
He released a loud sigh, and slowly raised his eyes to meet hers. "I guess sticking my foot in my mouth is my hobby?"
She smiled at his dry humor, and said, "Yeah, but I can always help you find a new hobby. What do you do for entertainment, anyway?"
"Stuff."
Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Stuff?" she repeated. "What kind of stuff?"
He smirked slightly. "Secret kind of stuff."
She laughed aloud, and said, "I'll tell you what. We'll take this slow. We'll go ahead and move onto something else now, and in a few day's time, we'll try touching on the subject again. How does that sound to you?"
He studied her face for a moment before settling on the warm brown orbs of her eyes. She looked at him with such concern, and understanding. she was trying to help him feel less pain, he realized. That was something he thought that Quistis would never have considered.
"Alright, Dr. Heartilly. You've got yourself a deal."
Rinoa shook her head. "Please, enough with the doctor stuff, really. I think we know each other well enough now that you can call me Rinoa," she teased.
"Okay then, Rinoa," he said, her name rolling of his tongue like it was the most natural thing for him to say.
She felt the all too familiar warmth spread over her face, and looked away, allowing her hand to drop away from his. It was another one of those moments where she just wanted to reach over and kiss him. Instead she took a deep breath, and decided to get back to business. "So, Squall, tell me about your day.."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A/N: Well, there it is. The ever '-controversial' chapter that some people were in an up-roar over. I decided to tone it down a bit, at least for now, so sorry to those of you that were expected a full-fledged lemon. But worry not, there will be one. As always, comments are welcome, flames are discouraged, reviews are well loved.
Chapter dedication: To everyone that likes and supports this fic.
Chapter 8
The room was covered in grayish light that flowed in through the open window and cast the world beyond in shadows. A cool, fresh breeze gently blew in, caressing her face and playing in her strands of raven hair. It had been a long while since she'd awoken to a beautiful, peaceful moment such as this. For once, there was time to just sit at the open window and gaze out at the creatures below as they began to stir. She'd been awake for an hour or so, and had taken a long, hot bath, that had done much for her spirits.
She wasn't sure what had caused her to wake up so early. Perhaps it was just that she'd slept so soundly. For the first time since coming there, she felt she was making progress. Still, there was something that made her feel even more at peace, at a depth that she could feel down in her soul.
(He touched me. no, more than that. He sort of held me. It was so sweet. And it felt so right. If only I could tell him.)
Despite the serenity of the moment, there was a small bit of sadness inside Rinoa. She couldn't help but think of him, and how it had felt to be so close to him. The memory of those sensations played itself over and over in her mind. But she knew things could never be that way. She was his doctor after all, and to be anything more would be dangerous. No matter how badly she wanted it.
(He needs a friend now. Someone he can trust, without the complication of hidden feelings, or physical attraction. If Quistis knew about the thoughts I've had of him, she'd fire me on the spot.)
Rinoa allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she looked out into the world of colorless life. The asylum was quite isolated, but the skyline of the city was visible ahead, the sun slowly climbing it's way into the sky behind it. Someday, she would live in that big city, and open up a psychiatric office of her own, but for now, she was content to be where she was. After all, she was young now, still a child chasing after her dreams in the distant horizon. Though she often didn't have the time to sit back and think about it anymore, she silently celebrated the fact that she was living, which was exactly what was supposed to be done with life. No matter how bad things got, there was always that.
(He doesn't understand that, though. Maybe no one's pointed it out to him. Or maybe, he was just never given the chance. If only I knew more about his past. I know he won't tell me himself.)
That reminded her of today's mission. She was going to get Squall's files, if it was the last thing she did. The only problem was, getting into the office when Quistis wasn't there.
(I wonder what she could possibly have to hide, anyway. I know things didn't turn out quite right with him, but what reason is that to lock all of his information away? )
Rinoa reluctantly turned away from the window, and grabbed her coat off the back of a small desk chair. Her's wasn't exactly a luxury suite, but it suited her, and her few belongings just fine. Closing the window, and casting one last glance around the room, she made her way to the elevator, hoping that if she went to the office early enough, no one would be there.
The elevator was, of course, empty. It was really the first time since coming there that she had felt alone. Everywhere she went, there were masses of people, whether they were patients, nurses of doctors. It seemed, however, that nobody was really awake at this hour in the morning, except the building guards.
She strolled into the office casually, relieved at the fact that it was empty. She glanced around cautiously and noticed a security camera mounted in the corner of the room, but chose to ignore it. Nothing would seem strange to security about an intern retrieving a file, right? She found the locked drawer, the one at the very top of the filling cabinet, and sunk the key into its hole. It was a perfect fit. She quickly turned the key and jerked the drawer open, suddenly anxious to have the deed over and done with, lest she be caught. There were really very few files kept here, most of them appearing to be older files, wrinkled and torn at the edges with a faded coloring. Rinoa did, however, find one that was perfectly intact and only slightly bent. On the tab at the top, it bore the name 'Leonhart, S.' in red ink.
(Perfect) Rinoa thought as she grabbed the file and slammed the drawer shut. She was tempted to look over it right then and there, but realized that she'd have to keep her curiosity in check until she was in a safe area. Instead, she tucked the manila folder beneath her arm and exited the room, the key safely in her pocket.
She took the elevator back to her room and hid the file in a drawer in her desk. She was dying to look at it, but soon everyone would be awake, and she couldn't risk getting caught with it. If Quistis knew what she had done, she'd be fired instantly.
(The things I do for that man.) Rinoa thought to herself. Still, she really couldn't be angry about it. It wasn't his fault Quistis had some sort of secret to hide.
Rinoa heaved a loud sigh, mostly to herself, and headed out of her room once more. It was going to be an agonizingly long day.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I've scheduled you another appointment with Georgia for next week. I understand you also have an appointment with Squall that week. the day before, I believe. Are you sure you can handle that?"
Rinoa laughed slightly. "Yes, I'm positive."
Quistis nodded, with her usual somber expression, and said, "That's good, very good. Tell me, did you ever find that file you were looking for?" she asked this with her eyes trained on the paper before her, and her tone carefully restricted to one of innocence.
Rinoa tried her best to hide the mockery in her voice as she answered. "No. I never did find them. The girl at the archives office didn't have them."
Quistis nodded, putting upon her face a sympathetic look. "That's too bad, really. They would've been a great help."
"Yeah, I'm sure," she replied before standing up from the burgundy leather chair where she had been seated for the past hour. "If that's all, I guess I'll be going to lunch now."
Upon Quistis' nod, Rinoa gathered her things and left the office, her high heels clicking madly as she rushed away from the room. There were few things worse that having to sit in that office with Quistis while she asked the same questions over, and over, and reviewed schedule changes with her.
Shoving her disorganized notes in her coat pocket, she went down to the fifth floor cafeteria and grabbed herself lunch, which consisted today of pizza.
(Is pizza cheese really supposed to be this orange?) she wondered as she took a seat at her usual table.
"So, how was your session with Quistis today?" Rinoa asked of her purple-haired friend.
Isabella scrunched up her nose in an expression of disgust before saying, "I'd rather not talk about it, if it's all the same to you. You, on the other hand, seem in a better mood. Care to tell?"
Thoughts of the day before caused Rinoa's eyes to scan the room involuntarily, searching until they landed upon a familiar face. The sensation of being watched lured his eyes to hers, and she shot him a wide smile, causing him to look down at the table in embarrassment.
Isabella laughed. "Looks like you two made up."
"We resolved our argument, if that's what you mean," she replied innocently.
She laughed, shaking her head. "If you say so. Why don't you go talk to him? I'll be alright on my own for a moment."
"Come to think of it, I do need to talk to him," Rinoa muttered, turning slowly to her friend. Isabella was grinning like a perverted idiot. "It's not like that! We have to reschedule is all," she clarified, standing up and trashing the remains of her cheese blob and tomato paste on a really big cracker.
She sat down cautiously in front of Squall and smiled at him once more. "Good morning, Mr. Leonhart."
He glanced up at her briefly, clearing his throat and absent-mindedly stabbing at his lunch with a plastic fork. "Morning."
"So, tell me, what's caused this aggressive behavior that you seem to be taking out on your lunch?" she asked, attempting to keep a straight face and a professional tone as she teased him.
He shook his head and tried to sound like his usual, cold and aggressive self by growling out, "What do you want?" But Rinoa could tell his heart wasn't in it. It was merely an act of pride.
Rinoa glanced around quickly, as if assuring that no one was listening in on them, then leaned in closer, saying, "I found your files," in a hushed voice.
His eyes widened slightly in surprise, and he was uncertain of what he should feel. He and Quistis had kind of a silent agreement that his files would stay hidden, for both their benefits. Now Rinoa had somehow managed to dig it up, and she would learn every little detail about his past. Still, he tried to act nonchalant. "So?"
"I thought we could schedule an appointment sooner. This newfound information could make a big difference. So. I was wondering. what about this afternoon?"
"Have you read it yet?" he asked quietly, his eyes grave, and his jaw set.
"No, I haven't had a chance. So, what do you say? I've got an hour clear this afternoon at three."
"Fine," he grumbled.
She smiled at him as she stood up, and said, "Great, I'll see you at three."
With that she turned and walked away, headed out of the cafeteria. Squall eyes followed her, without his mind's permission. He didn't want to admit that he liked looking at her, and watching her, but the truth was undeniable. It wasn't just the way she looked on the outside, but something that went much deeper than her skin.
"You've been alone too long. Maybe the doctor's interest in you isn't such a bad thing?"
He sighed and shook away his impure thoughts before standing to leave. He still had several hours to kill, until he went to see Rinoa again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rinoa entered the room slowly, eyes searching the area for any sign of Quistis. Good, she'd already left. She carefully pulled the folder from beneath her coat and walked over to the desk, seating herself in the chair. She still had a few moments before her appointment, and she intended to use the time to satisfy her curious mind.
She carefully flipped open the folder, and studied the first page. It was neatly organized with all of Squall's basic information, from his name and age, to his place of birth, and diagnosed disease. The next bit of information was more intriguing. There was the date he was admitted, and the cause, which she already knew about. But the thing that caught her attention the most was the person that admitted him. It was none other than a Dr. Quistis Trepe.
A small gasp escaped her throat, as her eyes were drawn repeatedly back to the familiar name. Quistis must've known Squall before he came to the asylum. Why didn't she ever tell Rinoa?
(For the same reason she locked away the file) her mind concluded. (Something went terribly wrong, obviously.)
Just as she was reading on to the next line, there came a quiet knock on the door. Rinoa quickly shut the folder, and called, "Come in."
She let out a relieved sigh as Squall stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. Her paranoia over stealing the file had told her that it was Quistis behind the door. She shoved her fears aside and grabbed the folder off the desk before seating herself in her usual seat across from Squall.
"Quistis admitted you," she stated simply, looking to her silent patient for answers.
"Yes," was all he said in return.
"You're not going to explain it to me?"
"Ask Quistis. She'll be able to explain it better than I will," Squall replied, watching her intently. She fidgeted slightly beneath his gaze, feeling heat spread into her cheeks.
(Does he have to keep staring at me like that?)
She took a deep breath to calm her nerves before saying, "Well, just give me a minute to go over the rest of your information, and then we'll begin."
He nodded in agreement, but still didn't take his eyes off her. Bright sunlight streamed in through the window, bathing her in whitish light and giving her an almost angelic glow.
She must have noticed his sudden infatuation with her, as she slowly raised her eyes from the file, peeking at him over the top and shooting him a small, mischievous smile. Rinoa stood from her chair and sat down on the couch next to him, causing his muscles to tense in surprise. Still, her close presence was not unwelcome.
"Do you like what you see?" she asked, her voice lowered to a seductive whisper.
He didn't answer, couldn't look her in the eye. He could feel his heart thumping at an unsteady rate in his chest, and wondered if it would explode as he felt her fingers gently brush his ear while trying to tuck a stray strand of hair behind his ear. Only one person had ever touched him with that kind of tenderness, but it was in no way the same as it was now.
"You're awfully tense," she observed. "You shouldn't be so nervous around me. I won't bite."
He took a deep breath and managed to calm his nerves enough to meet her steady gaze. The ends of her lips curled into a small smile, and she slid a hand down the rigid muscles of his chest. He wanted to push her away, but realized he was enjoying this. Instead of shying away, he gently placed a hand on her cheek and pulled her into a kiss.
She didn't resist, but instead seemed to revel in the act, moving as close to him as was possible. The soft scent emanating from her skin combined with the feel of her lips succumbing beneath the forcefulness of his own was intoxicating, luring him into enchantment. He was lost within her.
Rinoa moved into his lap, hands pushing beneath his shirt and gliding over his sensitive flesh. He bit back a groan, and carefully rested a hand on her thigh as he broke the almost sacred contact shared by their lips and softly devoured her neck.
"Squall." she murmured in a breathless voice. "Squall. Hello, Earth to Squall, are you there?"
Squall's eyes snapped open as he was rudely snatched from his dream- like fantasy. His face instantly reddened, and he tried to hide his embarrassment beneath his hand. It was certainly not the first time he'd gotten lost within his mind, engrossed in thoughts that had dared to run wild, but this was the first time any of his imaginings had strayed to something of that nature. He couldn't say he was displeased by it, but it was certainly unexpected, and startling. He supposed it was the side effect of getting too close to a woman he was attracted to.
"Are you okay?" Rinoa asked, true concern in her voice. "You looked a little. out of it there."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied gruffly. "Let's just. get on with it. If you're finished reading that is."
Rinoa nodded. "Yes, pretty much. You don't have any living family," she stated, cutting straight to the subject. "What happened to them?"
"I never knew them."
"None of them? Certainly there had to be someone. Who did you live with?"
"Why should I tell you?" he asked, his voice edging on anger.
"So I can help you," she replied calmly. Part of her had expected this sort of reaction, and she somewhat felt she couldn't blame him. It would be a touchy subject to anyone. "I know this isn't something you want to talk about, but I need to know. Please."
"I lived with foster parents. and my. my sister."
Rinoa watched with concerned eyes the affect the mention of his sister had on him. She kept her eyes on him, but quickly jotted down a note about it. "What about your sister, Squall? Were you close to her?"
He was silent for a long moment, long enough to make Rinoa feel extremely uneasy. ".Yes," he finally answered, his voice so low she could hardly hear it, and his eyes distance and troubled.
"And what happened to her?"
He visibly flinched at this question, as if he had known it was coming, but couldn't bear to actually hear it spoken. He covered his eyes with his hands and let loose a shaky breath. Rinoa frowned deeply and placed her hand on his free one, which balled into a fist beneath hers. "Don't," he whispered, voice quivering with barely suppressed rage.
Still, Rinoa did not remove her hand. "Squall," she began quietly, but steadily. "I know this is hard for you, but-"
"No you don't," he replied, his voice still tight with a barely contained explosion.
Rinoa sighed, but tightened her grip on his hand. "My mother died, Squall. I was young, but I loved her very much. Then one day, she was just gone. Her things, things I could've kept to remember her by, were destroyed in the same fire that killed her. So yes, I know what it's like."
He released a loud sigh, and slowly raised his eyes to meet hers. "I guess sticking my foot in my mouth is my hobby?"
She smiled at his dry humor, and said, "Yeah, but I can always help you find a new hobby. What do you do for entertainment, anyway?"
"Stuff."
Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Stuff?" she repeated. "What kind of stuff?"
He smirked slightly. "Secret kind of stuff."
She laughed aloud, and said, "I'll tell you what. We'll take this slow. We'll go ahead and move onto something else now, and in a few day's time, we'll try touching on the subject again. How does that sound to you?"
He studied her face for a moment before settling on the warm brown orbs of her eyes. She looked at him with such concern, and understanding. she was trying to help him feel less pain, he realized. That was something he thought that Quistis would never have considered.
"Alright, Dr. Heartilly. You've got yourself a deal."
Rinoa shook her head. "Please, enough with the doctor stuff, really. I think we know each other well enough now that you can call me Rinoa," she teased.
"Okay then, Rinoa," he said, her name rolling of his tongue like it was the most natural thing for him to say.
She felt the all too familiar warmth spread over her face, and looked away, allowing her hand to drop away from his. It was another one of those moments where she just wanted to reach over and kiss him. Instead she took a deep breath, and decided to get back to business. "So, Squall, tell me about your day.."
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A/N: Well, there it is. The ever '-controversial' chapter that some people were in an up-roar over. I decided to tone it down a bit, at least for now, so sorry to those of you that were expected a full-fledged lemon. But worry not, there will be one. As always, comments are welcome, flames are discouraged, reviews are well loved.