Author's Note: I was looking through the FFVIII Strategy Guide awhile ago and noticed that Rinoa, at level 100, is the strongest character in the game, unjunctioned. Stronger than Ward. By eleven points. (She's twenty points above Squall.) This scene just sort of developed from there.
I would also like to note that keeps removing a period from Ward's lines and I can't seem to fix it.
Laguna was, as always, talking. He talked so fast he didn't always know what he was saying, but that was just Laguna for you. Sometimes Ward wondered if he talked so much because neither of his companions seemed to be very interested in it. Not that Ward could talk, but he didn't really mind so much anymore. He'd developed a sort of rapport with Kiros, who always seemed to know what he was thinking. Some hand gestures always got the idea across. Neither really knew how it worked, but as long as it did he wouldn't complain.
Laguna was talking even more than usual tonight. Rinoa had come for a visit, bringing Squall with her. Laguna always sent the invitation to his son, but it was always Rinoa who did the visiting. Squall just stood in some dark corner he always managed to find, with his hand rubbing at his forehead.
Tonight Laguna was telling war stories. There wasn't much war in them; they mostly seemed to consist of Laguna getting lost and dragging his friends with him. He and Kiros had heard all of them at least a hundred times by now, but the details always seemed to change. Rinoa was listening eyes widened and laughing; Squall was ignoring them with equal intensity.
"So there we were, on the other side of a log bridge, no weapons. Thousands of soldiers after us so of course we had to do something with the bridge. It's always the bridge, isn't it? But we didn't have the help of the faeries with us --" he laughed a little, sheepishly and nervously --
"Sorry, I keep forgetting that was you. Well, not you, but -- " and he flicked a glance over at his son brooding in the corner -- "Not exactly faeries, anyway, but -- what was I saying? Oh, yeah, the bridge."
Laguna could tell a good story when he wanted to, or at least when he managed to keep from getting distracted. Not very often. Then again, they were great stories when you wanted a good laugh, especially a good laugh at Laguna.
"Ward's the strongest of all of us, I never seen someone so strong. He's never been beaten in an arm wrestling match, I remember the days we used to make money off it." Rinoa started laughing and shaking her head. "Hey, it worked didn't it?" Laguna said a bit defensively.
She smiled a bit impishly. "I'd like to see this legendary strength for myself." She took a seat opposite Ward. He blinked a little. It wasn't very often he was directly involved in a conversation. People usually seemed to ignore him when they learned he couldn't talk. Ignored him in the conversation anyway; those meeting him for the first time would keep shooting anxious glances over his way.
She set her arms on the table, right hand up. "Well, how about it?"
He shook his head. "..."
"No match," Kiros said for him.
"Aw, c'mon, pleeeaase?" she smiled winningly at him. He glanced over at Kiros, who shrugged a little. Well, if she really wanted to... he'd just go a little easy on her. Kiros flashed a grin at him.
He nodded at her, grasped her hand in his. It felt so small and delicate. He had to make sure not to hold it too hard or it'd break.
Laguna crowded around the table, at least as much as one person could. Laughed like a little boy, "No way are you going to win. Sorry, Rinoa. Even if you have been training you're going to get whooped."
Squall was taking an interest now, halfway out of his corner. Ward blinked; he seemed to be almost half-smiling now, knowingly.
"Count of three," Kiros said. "Three... two... one... GO."
He pushed, meaning to hold back but before he even got a chance to adjust his arm was on the table. What -- he shook his head, looked at her carefully. Scrawny little thing.
"What!" Laguna exclaimed. "No way!" He was even closer to the table now, practically on top of it.
"..."
"Rematch," Kiros translated. "Wasn't ready."
Rinoa grinned at him easily. "Okay." She looked back at Squall for a second, then laughed.
They got ready again, grabbed hands and -- he could feel it this time, a firmness of strength and muscle. How did he miss it before? Must've misjudged her.
"Three," Kiros' voice seemed to have an edge to it this time, "two," Rinoa's eyes moved from Ward's face to their hands, "one... GO," and he pushed this time, no holding back, straining his muscles. His arm was trembling, like it never had lifting his harpoon above his head with one arm.
"C'mon Ward, go!" Laguna was saying. "You can't let --"
"...," he grunted. His hand was moving towards the table and he found he was holding his breath, trying to find some leverage and then, suddenly, she pushed his arm all the way to the table easiliy. She'd been holding out. He stared at her, eyes wide.
"..." Hadn't seen anything -- hadn't felt anything like that for a long time. Must be getting soft, too much palace living.
"Holy crap," Laguna let out a breath and pushed his hair back. "How --"
"Maybe we should hire her to take care of a few things," Kiros murmured.