Roses Chapter 7: TSR5:A Kiss In The Water, a final fantasy viii fanfic

Selphie Kinneas

Roses

The Sniper's Rose

Chapter Five- A Kiss In The Water

"Irvine Kinneas?" Selphie squeaked. Rinoa nodded.

"Squall always thinks like this!"

"This time I'm serious!" Squall argued. Selphie sighed,

"Well, if it was Irvine Kinneas, wouldn't you think we would be smart enough to change his whole name?" Squall bit his lip,

"Listen, it's none of ya'll business what I think." Squall scolded.

"Stop being like that! Irvine happens to be a lot like Kinneas, but it doesn't mean he is." Rinoa exclaimed. Squall lifted his tray.

"Sure, I'll be kind. But my thoughts are my thoughts. Kinneas is a dangerous person!" Squall stormed out of the room. Rinoa slapped her forehead.

"Look Selphie, Squall once thought my study partner was Irvine Kinneas."

Irvine, who was halfway down the hall, leaned his body against the wall. Man, I knew boss's ideas were stupid. Who isn't hunting The Irvine Kinneas? Irvine placed his hand on his forehead as he brushed his hand down his face. At least most everyone doesn't suspect anything.

"Irvine!"

The sniper turned his head towards the voice. Squall was walking down the hall. Irvine stood straight as he started to slowly walk away.

"DAVINSEN!"

Irvine turned around aggravated.

"Yeah?" He yawned. Squall caught up to Irvine.

"Look, my comrades, and I are meeting at my dorm tonight, for a little game." Squall explained.

"A game?" Irvine repeated in question.

"Yup, ever played Triple Traid?" Squall pulled a small deck of cards with assorted monsters on the front and a brown intricate design on the back. Squall flipped the deck and returned to his pocket. "Just a few guys gambling some gil, if you're interested my dorm is 107. By the way, your roommate, Zell, he knows where it is. He'll be coming too." Squall clicked his tongue mischievously as he turned down the hallway.

Irvine scratched his head. Wasn't he like cold as ice a few minutes back?

Selphie tapped the remainder of her lunch silently. Rinoa stared.

"How do you know Irvine?" She asked bluntly. Selphie shrugged.

"Met him in the library, went on a walk…fell asleep in the forest." Selphie murmured. Rinoa squinted at her, then busted into laughter. Selphie wrinkled her nose, "What's so funny!?" Rinoa clasped her hands over her mouth to restrain her giggles.

"I'm sorry (laughs) it just looks like someone has a boyfriend…"

"I met him yesterday!" Selphie clamored.

"I know… listen, did he ask you to do anything else with him?" Rinoa interrogated as soon as she stopped her laughter.

"Yeah…he asked me if I wanted to check out the town with him on the weekend." Selphie answered quietly.

"I KNEW IT! Two days and you already got a boyfriend!" Rinoa clapped her hands and chuckled again.

"He's not my………" Selphie just considered it. Maybe he really does like me. He did ask me out.

Later that day

Irvine followed Zell through the long slender dormitory hall.

"How many guys are there?" Irvine asked. Zell hummed in thought for a moment.

"Usually it's only Squall, Seifer, and me. Sometimes someone invites an extra someone. Once, Seifer brought his girlfriend, that Instructor Quistis and she whooped us all." Irvine pondered for a moment; who's is dating an instructor?

"Instructor Trepe?"

"Yeah, the one who teaches Training Skills of Fight." The two reached the dorms, which started to be numbered 110, 109, 108, 107. Zell stopped in front of the door and turned the knob. Inside was a normal double dorm. There was a crowed room with a large wobbly table in the middle and two doors in the back. In one corner of the room, there was a large black box with a silver lion on the top leaning against the door. On the same wall, there was a large professional portrait hanging. It showed Rinoa and Squall hugging each other. Rinoa was wearing a long silky white dress with thin spaghetti straps and pearl jewelry. Around her neck she wore a silver chain with two rings on it. Squall cheek was laid against hers. He was wearing a fancy SeeD uniform. In the lower right corner, there was a close up on their faces. Rinoa smiled dearly and her eyes glittered. Squall grimed and lowered his eyebrows. The tips if their knuckles could be seen. On Seifer's side of the room there was a gunblade placed on a shelf. There was a small photo of Quistis with her hair down laughing tacked near the shelf. On the table there was a large papyrus mat with elegant letters spelling "Triple Triad"

Zell pulled out a chair and laid out his deck in front of him. One of the doors opened. A blonde with a sharp nose wearing long black pants and a white T-shirt walked in.

"Chicken wuss, what makes you think you're welcome to barge in like that?" He snapped quickly.

"Shut up Seifer." Zell remarked back. Squall entered the room from the other door.

"You two at each other's neck, save it for the game." Squall sat down as he pulled out his own cards, "Hey Davinsen, you have any cards?" Irvine shuffled his feet, yes, no not really. Just lie for the hell of it.

"Course' just I never bring my cards with me." Irvine said causally. Zell shook his head as he passed ten cards to him.

"Pay me back later." He mumbled. Irvine nodded as he quickly looked through the pictures of monsters and numbers. Seifer flipped five cards over.

"Okay Chicken wuss. 50 gil and the strongest card." Seifer slapped down five bills on the table.

"Shoo, forget that. I'm gonna wipe the board with ya. 100 gil!" Zell threw down a bill and smiled, "Fraid' ya gonna lose???" Seifer laughed as he placed his first card down. It was a picture of Quistis, she had strong numbers, except one and an "A".

"Quistis babe helps me out." Seifer chuckled. Zell sneered as he placed a Trauma on her side. Quistis flipped.

"Oh, sorry." Zell replied coldly. Seifer pulled out another card, a blue dragon card. No flips. "What was that?" Zell asked in awe. Zell quickly placed another to flip his dragon. Seifer laughed as he laid his next card. It was a simple geezard.

"PLUS, COMBO, COMBO, COMBO!" Seifer shouted. Zell look at his last card as he hopelessly placed a mesmerize down. "Cough up the Trauma," Seifer ordered as he snatched the 100 gil. Squall stared at Irvine who ruffled through his cards as quickly as he could.

"Davinsen?" Squall called.

"Irvine." He corrected quickly. Squall rolled his eyes.

"Okay Irvine. Tell me a little bout' yourself."

"Nah thanks." Irvine finished shuffled his deck and set it on the table. "A game Squall?" He challenged. Squall nodded as he announced the rules.

"Open, sudden death, and plus." Squall spread his five cards across the table.

Selphie sat in the dorm trying to finish her homework, her mind continued to remember what Rinoa said.

"I'm sorry (laughs) it just looks like someone has a boyfriend…"

"I just met him yesterday!"

Selphie placed a period on the last sentence of her essay and stuffed it into her bag. She watched the clock. It's 8:30, I guess I should go to sleep. Maybe I can have breakfast with Irvine in the morning.

Near Midnight

Squall won another game against Irvine. Irvine had already burned through 260 gil and 50 of Zell's cards.

"Let's call it a night." Zell pleaded not wanting to lose more cards. Irvine gritted his teeth as he stared at Squall icily. Squall gathered his winnings and brushed them against his face.

"Sure. This was fun Davinsen." Squall pushed the Triple Triad across the table, landing it on the floor. Seifer, who lost and won a reasonable amount of games, sighed as he gathered his cards as well. Seifer and Squall waited for Zell and Irvine to leave the dorm before they began to talk.

"That Irvine guy is the single-most worst Triple Triad card player I've ever seen." Seifer laughed. Squall's eyes laid thin.

"Maybe…so bad that he never played before." Seifer sat straight.

"So what? He never played Triple Triad, who really cares?" Squall clubbed Seifer.

"Shut up, it isn't that. Each time he lost, he had to answer a question from me. By looking at his hands, he was lying every single time." Seifer shook his head.

"Maybe he isn't lying."

"No, it's called a lying test."

"Duh, I know what it means."

"Even compulsive liars show the least bit sign of lying. That Irvine person may be who I'm looking for." Seifer slapped his forehead, he pressed the tip of his finger towards Squall's forehead.

"This Kinneas deal is going to that empty head of yours." Squall pushed Seifer's hand away.

"Touch me again and I swear I'll give you another scar." Seifer stood up immediately. He grabbed his gunblade,

"I ain't taking that." Squall snatched his Griever plated Lion Heart gunblade.

"Oh?" Seifer playfully hit Squall's sword, "If you don't remember clearly, I gave you your scar first, then you countered."

For the next few days Irvine continued his classes trying not to catch attention. Selphie usually walked with him and ate with him. The two had no other similar classes together. It was soon time for the weekend to come.

Many days later

Rinoa and Selphie sat in the dorm.

"Well, are you going to where anything real special?" Rinoa asked.

"I would I if had something." Selphie replied as she wore her favorite sundress. It was bright yellow corduroy mini skirt. Along her neck was a barely visible silver necklace. On her shod feet were two damp boots. "Plus, we'll be walking all day. It won't really matter."

Rinoa shrugged as she sat herself on Selphie's bed.

"I remember my first date with Squall, at least the first date I enjoyed." Selphie sat down by Rinoa.

"How did you meet Squall?"

"Wasn't really my choice…" Rinoa turned her head to the door. A constant knocking was heard. "Looks like Irvine is here." Selphie spread a smiled across her face. She quickly appeared at the door.

Selphie turned the doorknob. Irvine appeared in the doorway. Selphie gasped as she looked at his ensemble, he was wearing worn out, beige, baggy, pants with a caramel colored top with unbuttoned cuffs. On his head was a black hat. His hair was messily uncombed. He looked down at Selphie. She was mouth gaped for a moment. She shit her mouth as quick as she realized it was opened. He looks so, different in these clothes.

"Ready to go?" He asked as he held out his hand. Selphie blushed.

"Bye Rin." She shut the door. Irvine walked in front of Selphie.

"I was thinking." He started. Selphie nodded her head,

"Yes?"

"Never mind."

The time it takes to get to Balamb Town later

Selphie gazed around the stone covered streets.

"It seems so tranquil here." She sighed. Irvine walked beside her. He looked high at into the sky, the seagulls cawed as they flew overhead. Irvine looked back at Selphie.

"What do you want to do first?"

"I…just want to see the town." Irvine bobbed his head.

"Me too." Irvine took hold of Selphie's hand. Selphie blushed a little again.

The two walked past the harbor.

"Ever fished before?" Selphie asked as she caught a few children attempting to catch a fish.

"Nope, you?"

"If you count ice fishing." Selphie laughed. Irvine spotted fishing poles for rent.

"Want to try and catch, a warm fish?"

Another thirty minutes later Selphie & Irvine sat on a small bench with fishing poles in their hands. Selphie's line rattled quickly.

"I caught something!" She panicked. Irvine rushed over to help her. He laid his arms around Selphie and grabbed the pole. Together the two pulled hard. After a struggled jolt the hook came flying through the air with a small minnow hooked on at the end. Irvine held the line still for Selphie to claim her prize.

"That's it?" She asked disappointedly. Irvine stared at the dried minnow; the small little fish gripped the hook tightly. Irvine smiled, and then laughed. Selphie joined his laughter.

"Let's drop this fishermen act." He chuckled as he tossed his fishing pole away.

Selphie and Irvine spent the next hours walking along the streets of Balmab talking. The couple passed a small booth titled, "Snap Shots, 2 gil a row." Selphie's eyes glistened.

"Let's take some photos." She pulled Irvine's arm towards the booth.

"Err, let's not." Irvine stepped back. "Let's go eat something." He suggested. Selphie pointed at a small beach restaurant called, "Extremely Fried Fastitocalons."

At Sunset

Irvine guided Selphie out of the town. Selphie's eyes were glued somewhere else. Irvine faced his head in the direction Selphie had.

"What is it?" He questioned.

"The sun…" Selphie answered dazed.

"What about it?"

"Let's watch the sunset." She replied. Irvine shrugged.

"Okay, where?" Selphie grabbed his arm.

"Let's go to the beach, it's just on the outskirts of the town. C'mon."

Selphie raced to the beach beside Irvine. She slowly panted. Irvine, who obviously has no problem in running, slowed his pace to stay alongside with Selphie.

Selphie stopped abruptly. Irvine paused as well.

"We're here." She pointed. Irvine gazed in front of him.

"So we are…" Selphie giggled as she sat herself on the smooth white sand as the golden-lit sun slowly shrank under the horizon. Irvine joined her.

This day, I'll always remember. Irvine thought. The water glittered the light. The wind pushed the sand here and there. Selphie's ears perked up.

"Do you hear that?" Irvine listened for anything unusual.

"No, what?"

"I never sang my song…on this stage on my own." Selphie silently murmured, "I love this song." From a faraway distance, the famous song "Eyes on me" could be heard. Irvine lowered his eyebrows. He held out his hand.

"May I have this dance?" Selphie looked down at his palm. She looked into his eyes and shook her head vigorously.

"I'd love too." Irvine stood and placed one hand in Selphie's palm and laid the other on her shoulder. Selphie corrected him and placed his hand on her hip. She laid her extra arm on his shoulder.

Disclaimer: "Eyes On Me"/Faye Wong

I never sang my songs

On this stage

On my own

I never said my words

Wishing they would be heard

I saw you smiling at me,

Was it real or

Just my Fantasy

You'll always be there in the corner

Of this, tiny little bar

Selphie took a step back, Irvine slightly stumbled. Selphie could easily tell; he'd never danced before. Irvine did his best and followed Selphie allowing her to lead. He watched her feet every other second to make sure he was on the right track.

My last night here with you

Same old songs

Just once more

My last night here with you

Maybe yes, maybe no

I kinda liked it your way

How you shyly placed your

Eyes one me

Oh did you ever know?

That I had my eye on you

Irvine caught quickly having passed a few dances in his life, not that he had ever did it. He carefully dipped Selphie near the ground and pulled her on to her feet again. Selphie continued to hum the distant song.

Darlin so there you are

With that look on your face

As if you're never hurt

As if you're never down

Shall I be the one for you

Who pinches you softly

But sure

If a frown is shone then

I will know, you are no dreamer

Selphie felt like she was gliding on air. Irvine wasn't the best dancer, but a person who offered to dance just because he could tell the other did is a sweet thing to do, even if he stumbles here and there. Selphie imagined being on the clouds with some perfect being holding her. Selphie felt the soft piano music ringing through her ears as Irvine twirled her around.

So let me come to you

Close as I

Want to be

Close enough for me

To feel your heart, beating fast

You say there all whispers

How I love your peaceful

Eyes on me

Did you ever know?

That I had my eye on you

Irvine stretched his arm. Selphie swung over. Her boot kicked a small stone. Her balance was lost. "Splash!" Selphie was in the ocean. Irvine watched for a moment What the hell!? What if she can't swim!? Irvine threw his boots off as he prepared to jump into the water. "Well? Whatcha waiting for? Come on in! The water is great!" Irvine looked up, Selphie's head poked out from the water. Irvine smiled as he flopped into the cool blue.

Irvine reached Selphie. Selphie's eyes were closed. She quickly placed her arms around Irvine's waist.

"This was the best day of my life." She whispered. Irvine rested his arms on her shoulders and pressed his forehead against the top of her head. Mine too. The next move was Irvine's; he lifted Selphie's head, and laid his lips on hers.

Darlin so share with me

Your love if you have enough

Tears if you're holding back

Or pain if that's what it is

How can I let you know?

I'm more than a dress

And a voice

Just reach out and then

You will know, that you are not

Dreaming