Author's Note:
Reno: Hold on. Time out. Tyramir said he was out for the weekend.
Reeve: Yeah. So?
Reno: So what's he doing writing another chapter?
Reeve: It's cool, it's cool. It's for a FF8 fic he's doing.
Reno: FF8?? I thought he hated that game!
Reeve: With the fury of a thousand suns.
Reno: Woah. And he's doing a fic on it. This oughta be interesting.
Reeve: Indeed. Tyramir doesn't own the rights to Final Fantasy or any of its characters. Enjoy.
Fallen Knight
Chapter One
The Sickness
Stars. How wonderously beautiful these pinpricks of light in a curtain of black can be. So simple, so small, so elegant, with the power to create galaxies and planets and lives, and just as easily smash those lives to pieces.
The words came to Squall Leonhart as he stared up at them, for the first time truly remarking on their beauty. A genuine smile spread on his normally stoic face, erasing the normal grumpy expression. He looked over to Rinoa, and saw her pointing up, a mischevious grin on her face, the same grin that she had given him so long ago at a similar party.
His heart warmed at the sight of her. After having been stuck in that time warp after Ultemicia's defeat, he had been certain that he would never see her again. Lost, and without hope, he had wandered a desert landscape of his own mind's making. He would never have escaped if not for this beautiful girl who, for some reason, wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
With all the strength his body could muster, he took a step toward her. She stepped in turn, mimicking his action. He moved a little closer, and she did as well. When they were within arm's reach of each other, pure instinct took over, chasing away the nervous feeling in Squall's stomach. He reached over to Rinoa, took her in his arms, and kissed her. It ws tenuous and nervous at first, but as he lost control, it became more aggressive, more needy. He felt her respond, and he threw his whole self, his very being, into the kiss, lost in what he felt for her.
He would have been happy to stay in that moment forever.
"WOO HOO!" came an excited shout.
He abruptly broke away, jumping back and looking around, defensive in his stance, looking for the interloper. His eyes caught the doorway leading out of the balcony and into the Garden Quad. He winced. It would have been bad enough if Selphie had caught him by herself. It would have been downright awful if Irvine was beside her. But there Selphie stood, video camera in hand, alongside Irvine, Quistis, and Nida. He blushed, embarrassed at having been caught displaying emotion so openly, and turned his back on them.
"Oh come on, Squall!" Selphie called, "You were doing so good, too!"
Irvine followed up, "Yeah, c'mon. I'm a great kisser, and I know a hero in the department when I see one. It'd be a shame not to follow that one up!"
"Please, guys?" Rinoa said. "We're trying to have a moment here. I think he'd rather we be alone for it?"
"Come on, let's go." Nida said. He always had good sense. Squall amended in his mind not to kill him along with the others. Well, not kill. But he certainly was going to punch at least Irvine later.
He heard the group turn away, and Rinoa close the glass doors to the balcony behind them. After a moment, he heard the click of the lock, and the rustling of leaves as Rinoa moved the potted plants in front of the doors. Squall suspected that the gang was still waiting at the windows, hoping for a peek. Had they no lives of their own? At the very least, Irvine should be trying to get together with Selphie. Persistence was the only real weapon in his arsenal.
"Sorry, about that, Squall. I have to admit, though, that they're right. That was a really good kiss."
Was she making fun of him? "Whatever."
She plopped down on the railing, leaning lazily, and smiled. "You always do that. You get a compliment, so you scrunch up your face and get all grouchy and say 'whatever.' We know you care, Squall. Stop pretending you don't. And don't you dare say--"
"Whatever." This time he had a smile on his face as he said it. There was just something about this girl that brought that out in him.
She returned his smile and leaned against him, still loosely holding onto the rail. She looked down nervously.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"Remember the last time I was up here on the Quad?"
He almost answered 'no', but then remembered her near fall, followed by his rescue of her, picking her up and taking her to safety in a Galbadia flight carry armor. If not for him, she would have died. "Yeah, I remember."
"Makes me shiver every time. But I guess I don't need to worry, huh? I have my knight to always rescue me."
He nodded, a silly grin on his face. Looking over the edge of Garden and at the water, he frowned. It didn't look so far down to the water. Maybe if someone fell they would...
A sudden wave of vertigo hit him, and he pitched forward. He grasped for the rail but couldn't hold onto it. Two hands caught him, tugging him up, but barely having the strength to even hold him up.
"Squall!" Rinoa called.
He reached for the rail again, but slipped. His vision swam, and he could barely tell which direction was which, much less make a successful attempt at moving himself up. He nearly vomited.
"Irvine! Zell! Someone!" he heard Rinoa cry.
He heard glass breaking. Someone must have hit the balcony doors to get outside. A few seconds later, two pairs of hands grabbed onto him and pulled him up. When Squall hit the floor of the balcony, he threw up the contents of his stomach.
"Oh, gross!" That sounded like Zell. His head was too fuddled to be able to concentrate on anything but the queasiness of his stomach.
"Barf city! What did Squall eat?" Most definitely Selphie. The world stopped spinning at high speed, and he was beginning to regain focus.
Irvine chuckled, "Hopefully not the hot dogs, or Zell's gonna be sick for the next month."
"That's not funny," Rinoa said. "Squall could have died. Can someone find Dr. Kadowaki?"
Squall stood up and numbly shook his head. "I'm okay. I was just dizzy for a second."
"No, you're not." Quistis stated, "You need to see Doctor Kadowaki immediately. I'll go get her, you stay here."
"I'm fine!" Squall roared. Everyone jumped back, surprised at the open display of anger. He looked down at his coat, and noted the vomit stains and frowned. That would have to be cleaned. "I'm going to my room. Leave me alone."
"I'll come with you," Rinoa said.
"No!" She jumped back, startled. He shook his head, "I just need to alone for a while. Just... leave me alone."
He walked away, barely managing a straight line. He could feel the incredulous stares of everyone on the balcony on him. When he entered the main party area, he shook his head in disgust. If they would only leave him alone.
He noted people staring at him inside the Quad as well, and kept moving. Didn't these people have something else to do? He quickened his pace and made sure not to miss a single step. When he made it to his room, he allowed himself to falter. The sense of vertigo returned, and he tripped over his own feet. He felt like throwing up again. He weakly kicked at the door and missed. After a few attempts with his foot, he finally managed to shut it.
The SeeD crawled to his bed, feeling more sick than he ever had in his life. He hadn't expected the symptoms to be like this, not at all. He hadn't expected this at all. Maybe it had nothing to do with...?
Of course it did. He should never have made that deal.
Exhausted, and too sick to do anythign else, Squall passed out on his bed without even removing his vomit stained clothing.
Author's Note:
If you've read my "Searched For the Promised One" fic, you may notice that it starts off exactly, word for word, the way this one does. I was feeling uninspired, unoriginal, and decided on starting a tradition. I generally like the opening passage of SFtPO, even if it is a bit over-dramatic, but what the heck? I'm allowed to be every once in a while.