Disclaimer: Okay, technical question. "Supposedly" (uses heavily exaggerated finger quotes here) we fans don't own anything, right? But then again, we did purchase FF8 (or I did ((twice.....)), I don't know about the rest of you), so seeing as to that, shouldn't we own a bit of it after all? I mean if no one bought the game then Square would lose money, and stuff... And I forget my train of thought.. cripes -.- Fine, I don't own anything. Square can just go fly a really big kite.

Warning: Language, etc.... why do I even bother writing these things? Anyways, good news/bad news time. Good news: I now know how to officially get the boys together. Bad news: Now I have to get from here to there . Although I must say, I am looking foreward to getting rid of Rinoa, which should be soon (as the Rinoa-bashers sigh in relief)

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"Holy Fuck! You're Srgnhgah?" I don't manage to say the last two words thanks to the woman shoving her hand over my mouth.

"Don't say that!" She looks almost desperate, and I shrug.

"Okay lady, whatever."

She nods and then goes to slip into the chair across from me with a silent 'thank you'. I stare at her for a moment, my eyebrows raised in question. She doesn't seem to get the point. I sigh. "So what, are you the old man's angel or something?"

She nods and flutters her yellow wings. "If you are referring to Laguna, then yes, I requested him specifically after I died" She laughs lightly. "I didn't know at the time it would be a twenty four seven job. Sometime's I think that he thinks he's still a young man with all the stuff he pulls. Did you know he went skydiving the other day? His parachute didn't work, so I had to carry him to the ground." She snorts lightly. "He thought it was the greatest thing, didn't even wonder how he didn't die."

I look over at the older man, who now seems to be telling Squall the exact same story in what seems to be an attempt to make the younger man smile. "You must like him a lot."

She huffs. "Oh please. He's a forty year old idiot who can't even find his way around the country he's supposed to be in charge of, never mind the building he's lived in for almost twenty years. Hyne even gave him ten official deaths, and he's already had brushes with uncountable unofficial ones." She thinks for a moment. "But yes, most of the time I do miss him greatly. You can't know how difficult it is to be so close, and yet so far away from the one you love." She stares at me thoughtfully, and hesitates before she speaks. "I've talked with your. . . to Loki, and he seems to think that you may have a. . . sexual interest in my son. Is this true?"

I look over at Squall, who is actually smiling in a vague way at Laguna's story. There's no denying that he is well above attractive, and that tight ass. . . I know I told Hyne that I hate him, but looking at Squall now, I think she'll understand if I change my mind, just this once. Hn, actually, 'sexual interest' doesn't even begin to cover it. I look back at Raine coolly. "What if it is?"

She frowns at me, and for a moment it's easy to see where Squall gets his no nonsense attitude from. Her tone is decidedly less than friendly, although I have no idea what I did wrong. "If it is," she begins, "then I would suggest you start making a move on him. If you two get together, then maybe Hyne will allow more 'intimate' contact between other pairs. I'm not the only Angel who would like that chance to even be able to touch her or his Destined. You don't know how easy you have it, being able to talk to him, to feel him, and to have him do the same to you."

She stares hard at me, the determined set of her face as familiar to me as my own. Hn, I guess all my teasing Squall about his girlishness wasn't so far off after all. I raise an eyebrow at her. "So you're asking me to fuck your son. I don't suppose I'll get some kind of dowry for that."

The words are barely out of my mouth before she jumps out of her chair, stalks through the table, and delivers a stinging backhand to my face. I stare at her in partial shock. "What I'm asking you to do," she seethes, "Is to do what's best for Hyne's angels. What I'm asking you to do is show my son a reason to live. What I'm asking you to do is get over your fucking self and help us!"

My first reaction, if it were any other person, would be to knock the offender on their ever loving ass. Unfortunately, I don't hit women, even if they do appear fully capable of defeating me in a temper filled tantrum. I briefly weigh my choices. On the one hand, I'll get my ass kicked for not getting together with Squall. On the other hand, I'll get my ass kicked if I do get together with Squall. I look over at Squall, and then back at Raine. For once, looking at the wrathful woman, this is a no-brainer. "Fine, I'll do it. But I want something in return."

She regards me for a moment, and then sits down with a nod. "Anything."

I imagine the implications of that for a moment, but dismiss it. "I want you to answer a question." She blinks at me; obviously she was expecting me to demand the world on a platter or something, but she nods again. "You're an Angel, and those two are both Destined, right? So does this run in the family or something?"

She nods. "Yes, most Angel's are born of the blood. It's very few that accomplish something in their lifetime that would attract Hyne's attention."

I bite my cheek before responding. "So then, do you know which I am?"

There is a slight hesitation before she answers. "Hyne did notice you when you became the Knight, and was interested in your strength. I can't say about your family, though. I'm sorry."

I shrug, only slightly dejected. "It was worth a shot, I guess. Thanks anyways."

Before she can answer, a shrill beeping noise goes off, the source of which is in Laguna's pocket. The man jumps at the sound, and then pulls out a pager. He eyes it momentarily and then curses weakly as he stands. "That's Kiros, he needs me back at the palace; Apparently it's some kind of emergency." He looks at Squall. "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

Squall inclines his head slightly. "I'll be fine."

Laguna's mouth turns up at the edges, and he hugs Squall. "It's strange, isn't it? Maybe guardian angel's run in our family." He laughs at that. "Can't say that we both can't use as much help as we can get though." Squall snorts softly with a hidden and yet entirely meaningful glance in my direction. I stick my tongue out at him, mostly out of childhood habit.

I start as Raine grabs my arm in a sort of death grip, and then raise my eyebrow at her. "Listen," she says, "promise me you won't tell Squall about me? I don't think that would be the best idea."

I shrug. "I don't see any reason not to tell him."

She narrows her eyes at me. "Because, if you'll remember correctly, humans aren't even supposed to be aware that Angel's exist. Now if you tell him about me, what happens if he becomes so shocked that he accidentally slips about it to somebody, like that . . . Zell person, and then if Zell tells someone else, and it eventually get's into all those stupid tabloids, we're all pretty much screwed." I give her my best 'as if I care' look, and her eye twitches. For a moment she looks ready to slap me, but instead she heaves a deep breath. "Fine, I'll make you a deal. If you don't tell Squall about me, I'll ask Loki to leave you alone for a while."

I snort. "And how do I know you aren't lying?"

"Because," she hisses, "Angel's can't lie. Haven't you figured out anything yet?"

I roll my eyes. "Oh please, how hard can it be to lie about something?"

She raises a slight eyebrow. "Then try, if you're so clever."

I shrug. Okay, let's see. "Right. My name is T . . . ." I knit my eyebrows. My name is Tom. "My name is T . . . . o . . . .Ow!" I wince as sudden pain lances through my forehead, sending sparks across my vision. When I'm finally able to see again, I glare down at the too smug angel. "Fine. But don't ask him, tell him. And make sure he stays far, far away, got it?"

She nods. "And don't tell Squall about me." It's not a question. I nod, and we shake on it.

She then releases my arm, and I refrain from rubbing it. She goes to Laguna, who is finishing telling Squall to be sure to take care of himself. After one last worried look at Squall, Laguna turns and rushes out of the cafeteria, Raine following close behind. As she leaves she turns and calls out, "Don't tell!" before she has to run and catch up to her charge before being forced to fly after him.

I mimic her words back at her, until I catch Squall giving me his 'you're-a-freaking-moron' stare that always manages to put me in my place. I roll my eyes at him, and he turns his back on me and walks after Laguna, with me hurrying to step in place beside him. It isn't until Raine is long gone that I realize she never told me why I need to give Squall a reason to live.

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[Squall]

Thok -thump. . . . thok-thump . . . . thok-thump . . . .

I lay stretched out on my bed, doing my best to ignore Seifer's latest attempts to piss me off. The idiot is sitting on the floor, throwing a rubber ball at the wall and then letting it bounce once on the floor before he catches it. When he first started I tried to stop him by sending him a well deserved glare, but the bastard didn't even acknowledge me. Here it is, four hours later, and the sound is becoming almost relaxing, in an incredibly annoying way.

It's been two weeks since he first saved my life, which is really bothersome given the fact that I now owe him one. That aside, he's been acting strangely ever since I had breakfast with Laguna. I was too wrapped up in listening to my father than to really pay attention to whoever Seifer was talking too; I just assume it was Loki. He's still doing his best to annoy me, but every so often I find him sitting in some corner, glaring at nothing. When he notices that I notice he usually smirks at me and says something that's meant to really piss me off, but only succeeds in getting me to stop talking to him. And when I stop talking to him, he starts doing annoying things- like throwing the stupid ball at the wall, for instance- until I give in and am forced to say something. Whatever he says though, it's obvious that he's trying to figure something out by himself, and it's even more obvious that he's not getting very far.

Thok-thump . . . . thok-thump . . . . thok- "Fuck!" I look over at the tall man, and snort at he sight of him holding his forehead where, it can be assumed, he forgot to catch the ball and it hit him. He breaks off from an unintelligible string of random cursing and turns to glare at me, the effect partly ruined by one red wing that covers half of his face. "Not one damned word, Leonhart. Not. One. Damned. Word." I fight back the urge to roll my eyes at the man's genius. His whole reason for playing with the ball in the first place was to get me to talk, and now he's telling me to shut up . . . . whatever. He grabs the ball and stands up, stares at it for a minute, and then throws it as hard as he can at the door before flopping down on the other bed. He mutter's something that sounds like 'stupid fucking ball, anyway' before turning his head to me. "So, you gonna talk at some point today?"

I turn my head in his direction. "I believe you're the one who said 'Not one damned word.'"

Seifer grimaces. "Stupid prick."

I shrug, and go back to the wonderful art that is staring at the ceiling. Nothing I've never heard before. The other bed creaks as Seifer gets off of it, and he stands over me. He frowns for a moment, and then smirks in a pleased fashion. I look up at him, and sigh. "Now what is it."

"I think I've figured out what she meant."

This time I really roll my eyes at him. "Good for you. Now leave me alone."

"Nuh-uh." He places his hand on his hip, and his smirk fades into a frown. "You're suicidal, aren't you?"

I scrunch my eyebrows at him, wondering where the hell he's coming from. "What?"

"That's what she meant, wasn't it? 'Give him a reason to live', or something like that." I narrow my eyes at him, and his eyebrows raise in surprise. "Holy shit, are you?"

I try to stand, but the larger man has the fucking audacity to push me back onto the bed. The move results in a quick struggle, and by the end the larger man is laying on top of me, holding my wrists above my head, probably to ensure that I won't move. I glower at him. "Move."

He glares right back at me, the prick. "No."

"You're fucking heavy, now get off."

"I know, now start talking."

I thrash around, trying to throw him off of me. "Why won't you fucking move?"

He shrugs, easily managing to stay on top of me. " I dunno, why won't you talk?" I bare my teeth at him, helpless to do much less. If only he wasn't so damned much bigger than me . . . .

He stares back at me, his eyes narrowed determinedly. I sigh. "Yes. Now move."

He just lays there, biting the inside of his cheek, before asking 'why?'

"None of your Hyne-damned business." Unfortunately I can't keep the slight pout out of my voice.

He shrugs again. "Well then, I think I'll take a little nap until you're ready to talk, so if you'll excuse me . . . ."

The man then lays on top of me, and I'm helpless to move. "Seifer, my legs are going numb, so move."

He doesn't raise his head from its position on my chest. "Answer me."

I close my eyes tightly to curb my temper, but it doesn't work. I open them and glare at the blonde head below mine. "Hyne, you fucking bastard, get off!"

He raises his head level to mine. "Answer me!"

"No!"

Our eyes meet in a silent duel, and I'm almost overwhelmed by the intensity in the green-blue orbs. His mouth is slightly parted, teeth bared, in the way that he does whenever he happens to be thoroughly pissed. I idly wonder if he even realizes that he does it. Suddenly, and for reasons I'm not quite sure of, I feel incredibly vulnerable underneath him. The fact that he is still holding my arms above my head makes me feel even more exposed. I close my eyes briefly, and then open them to meet his, while speaking in as civil a tone as I can muster. "Seifer, please let me go." I can't help the slightly pleading tone from entering my voice.

Seifer's mouth closes, and he searches my face, although I'm not quite sure what for. At the moment I don't really care. Then, without warning, he lowers his face and I feel his lips on mine. My eyes shoot open, partly in panic, mostly in surprise, as he slides his tongue along my lower lip. Unfortunately my mouth opens as well, and he takes it as a go ahead to slip his tongue into my mouth. I try to pull my own tongue back, but he finds it anyway and manages to draw me into the kiss. I'm overwhelmed with the surprisingly pleasant taste of him, and with the sensations that such a simple action causes in my body, but it's over all too soon as the larger man pulls back. He gives me an unreadable expression as he releases my arms, and then says, "I'll find out sooner or later." The way he says it makes it sound like a promise, and I almost shudder. He lifts himself off the bed and sits on the next one in one fluid motion, and then smirks at me as I stare wide-eyed at him. "You know, I think I will carry out her request, after all."

I'm so stunned by his change from kissing to acting like nothing at all had happened that it never even occurs to me to ask who 'she' is.

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Random B.S.: Whoo, and thus a chapter that seemed to say nothing, and yet got a bunch of crap out of my way. There. Now I know how to finish! punches air excitedly Still a few chapters left, though, thanks for reading so far Oh, and about Raine: I haven't played the game in quite a while, and she wasn't in there long enough for me to really get a feel for her character. Coincidentally I've been reading Robert Jordans 'The Wheel of time' series, and so I sort of gave Raine the more bitchy Aes Sedai attitude ; So that's why she may seem OOC, 'kay?

Samurai Shoes: Gwah hah! Finally, someone calls this story for what it really is: shit Displays Samurai Shoes for world to see. 'Now look everybody, here stands a fan with good taste in reading choices'. laugh Thanks for reading and enjoying

kAHiTSayAWkIkay: First of all, I hope I got the name right. Thanks for reading, and hopefully the lemon won't disappoint anybody. I say this because my first lemon will be for this fic, most likely, so henceforth I have no idea how good it will be ; but I'll shut up before going off on a long rant about it

maggs: Well, here's your update Sorry it took so long, and thanks for reading .-

AngelStarFire Hikarist II: . . . Recommended by a friend? Wow, almost makes me feel important =P Thanks for the compliments, I haven't played the game in forever, so it's easy to forget who acts like what. . . but at least you seem to think I'm doing a good job, so thanks!

Kozi-Love (Lee): Now that is high praise, right there laugh I just hope no one bashes me in the head for having ye olde 'suicidal Squall'. Thankies .

Kizoku: I know what you mean grimaces I'm not too fond of the first few chapters of this story as well, but hopefully as I write more it'll get even better (hopefully being the operative word .-)

Thankies for the review :D

pochacco5: Thanks! laugh yes, I think I have to keep writing. This fic is almost an addiction, I just don't want it to end shakes head Whatever will I do with myself? Thanks for reading

Verdanii: No, I'm not German, I've just taken two years of the language in high school. laugh Yes, see how well that's going .- Do you speak it at all? Fun language, really thanks for reading

Redrum:laugh you would be thinking of helping Seifer piss off Squall .- sigh.. You know me too well, I think, reading ahead into my story.. Quit it! Lol Hmm, Okay, the other Angel's figure that if Hyne sees the dead and the living happy together, that maybe she will allow all living people to see their dead guardians, and stuff. I don't really understand it myself, really Yes, Raine, although I screwed her up. She will be back though, so any hints will be helpful =P Thankies for the review laters!

Wind Chime Bells:laugh fine, fine- I'll take the blame. sigh I'm trying to write a freaking angsty story here, but I just can't help but expand on a humorous situation. Or at least, what I think is funny shrug. Hn, how could I forget to update when I have you to remind me of its lowly existence? laugh thanks for all the praise, seriously Hopefully you'll still like it from here on out, but I dunno anyways, later girl!