Chapter Five

Quistis trudged to the door, opening it up looking into the eyes of Miyoko. Her eyes were full of worry and fear. "Priestess Masako? Your SeeD, Irvine, is outside against the wall. It seems that he's a little too drunk..."

Quistis sighed and walked out into the hallway, staring down at the slumped over Irvine. She knelt down next to him, looking into his face. "Irvine...what have you gotten yourself into?" she asked, concern filling her voice.

Miyoko stepped back as she saw Quistis lift the cowboy up, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, and dragging him back into the room. Quistis turned around, giving her a small smile. She smiled back, nodding her head peacefully. "I hope he's ok. He said that he could handle the drinks..."

Quistis frowned. Irvine can handle any alcoholic beverage thrown at him. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Send my regards downstairs." Miyoko nodded her head and ran back down the hallway.

Quistis placed Irvine onto the couch and walked back over to the door to shut it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man dressed in all black dart off into the shadows. Her immediate instinct was to chase after him, but she stopped and simply closed the doors, locking them. She walked back over to the couch, kneeling next to Irvine. "Irv? You ok?"

He opened his sparkling violet eyes and smiled dumbly at Quistis. He placed a hand onto her shoulder and grinned. "I's be ok..."

Quistis sighed. "What did you drink?"

"I's just have three glasses of wine..."

She gave him an odd look. "Anything else?"

"Nopes...Miyoko said she would get the drinks fors me, and she dids..."

Quistis sighed and patted his shoulder. She looked over to the bathroom. Squall certainly was taking his time. "Alright. Go to bed, Irvine, we'll discuss this tomorrow morning."

She stood up, only to feel hard, callused hands against her arm. He tugged her back down and pulled her face close to his. "I ain't drunk..."

"I'm sure of it, Irvine..."

"I was drugged..." Quistis cocked an eyebrow at him. "The whole table was discussing something 'bout the assassin..."

Quistis sighed and patted his head. She heard the water turn off and was grateful. Irvine lifted his head and brushed his lips against Quistis'. She froze, her eyes slowly shifting towards Irvine. "Wha..."

In his drunken slurred voice, he asked, "Please, Quistis...go out with me..."

She stood up, shaking her head. Squall emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a robe. He looked at Irvine lying on the couch and frowned. "What happened?" Squall asked, rubbing his hair with another towel. Quistis' heart started to race as she began to think about what exactly was under that robe. "Well?" he asked.

"Oh! Priestess Miyoko brought him up here. He says that he was drugged and that the table was discussing something about the assassin sent here."

Squall nodded his head and sat down on the opposite couch. Irvine looked over at him, smiling dumbly. "I can't resist a pretty face!" he slurred out. Quistis rolled her eyes and walked over to her suitcase.

"Ok, Irvine...sober up."

Quistis laughed. "Squall, it's not like magic. You can't point at him and say 'Sober up!' and have it happen. Give him water, and force him to eat something with carbs in it, like bread or pretzels."

Squall stood up, walking over to her. "You ok? You seem shaken up or something."

Quistis blushed and shook her head. "Just want to take a shower..."

Squall shrugged and walked over to the mini-kitchen, searching for anything. Quistis walked into the bathroom, shutting the door and leaning against it, her heart pounding loudly. She turned on the water and slipped off her clothing.

She looked around the bathroom, eyeing the two robes hanging on the wall. Five towels rested on the towel rack and she touched one. It was Trabian fleece. She grinned and pulled down one of the robes, also Trabian fleece. She placed it back and pulled off her underwear. She stepped into the shower, closing the glass door and smiled at the warm water pounding against her skin. 'No wonder Squall took ages...'

She heard the door click open and Irvine's voice echoed out. "Uh...Quis? I just need to...use the toilet..."

She abruptly covered herself up. "Go ahead..."

Her warm shower was suddenly ruined by the sounds of bowel movements coming from Irvine. She groaned loudly and turned back to the shower, washing her hair quickly. She pulled out the soap and began to lather herself up.

After she was done, she turned off the water, still hearing Irvine's moans. She opened the door, staring over at the robes. Quietly, she stepped out of the shower and tiptoed towards the robes. She turned around and looked at Irvine leaning against the toilet, his moans becoming less audible. She turned back towards the robes, her eyes catching the door wide opened as she turned.

She screamed as she saw Squall there, looking dead at her naked body. Irvine spun around at the sound of the scream, taking in all of the naked Quistis. She reached for the robes, but slipped on the drenched floor. Irvine wiped hi mouth and crawled over to her just as Squall was walking in. Irvine yanked down one of the robes and wrapped Quistis' body in it. Squall walked in and grabbed a towel, tossing it down at Irvine. "She ok?" he asked. Irvine nodded his head and looked up at Squall, seeing his cheeks crimson red.

"What? Never seen a nude girl before?" Squall blushed even more now, if that was at all possible. "Not even Rinoa?"

Quistis moaned loudly, rubbing her forehead. Squall quickly walked out of the bathroom, wicked thoughts flaring into his mind. 'She was naked! Stark naked! Completely naked!' He paused and turned around as he saw Quistis pushing Irvine away as she placed on the robe. His mind screamed at him to turn away as he saw her right breast being covered up. He blushed again and rushed to the couch just as she turned to look at him. He turned on the television, turning the volume up some so he could drone out his brain.

Quistis glared down at the smirking Irvine. "You're a jerk," she whispered, so Squall didn't hear her.

Irvine stopped grinning, giving her an odd look. "What? I didn't do anything! I helped you..."

She threw her arms up, whispering still. "Helped me? Hah! Barely! You could have shut the door!"

"I was ready to puke! Jeez...why are you so pissy? Is it because Squall saw you naked?"

She quickly mumbled, "Maybe it was because you saw me naked..."

"Oh...so that's it?" he asked. She turned around, shocked that she was heard. Irvine stood up, peeking at the door and seeing Squall lounging on the couch, flicking through the channels. Irvine shut the door slightly, grasping Quistis' arms. "What is wrong with you?"

She blushed. "What?"

"Look, I know you like Squall. You always have. Yet you go and hide it, either that or you just don't want to admit it..."

Quistis blushed and looked over at Irvine. Her wet hair draped her face and she opened the door. "Get out..."

Irvine shook his head. "Quistis...why can't you just understand the fact that I really do like you? Squall doesn't even notice you...why bother?"

With those words, Quistis walked out of the bathroom and over to her suitcase. She bent down, looking through it and pulling out a pair of pajamas. Squall glanced over at her, blushing at the fact that he saw her naked. She stood up, carrying her pajamas into the bathroom. Irvine emerged and looked at her dead in the eyes. Quistis shifted her weight, waiting for Irvine to move.

Irvine shook his head and walked over to the other couch, lying down. The door shut and Irvine looked over at Squall. "What's up with her?" Squall asked, concern touching his voice.

Irvine picked up on the concern right away. "You know women...she just wants privacy is all..."

Squall nodded his head and turned back to the television. Irvine laughed at one joke in a show, and frowned as Squall changed it. "Gonna pick a channel?"

"No..."

Irvine grunted. Quistis opened the door and walked out, staring at the two men lying on the couches. She coughed to get their attention, and both of them turned around. Squall quickly grew red as he saw Quistis standing there in a pair of black silk shorts and a loose, but sexy, black silk camisole. "Mind turning the television down? I'd like to get some sleep..."

Squall nodded his head dumbly, causing Irvine to give him a bewildered look. 'Maybe he really does like her...'

Squall turned back to the television, turning the volume down. Quistis crawled into the bed, feeling bad that they had to sleep on the couches. "Hey guys?" she called out. Irvine and Squall both turned. "We can rotate the bed..."

Irvine laughed. "Not a chance, Priestess."

Squall blushed. His mind decided to speak out against him. "Maybe if you were still in it..."

It was barely audible, but both of them stared blankly at him. He opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped as Irvine saved the day. "Nice joke! Too bad Quistis didn't hear it..."

"What was it?" she called out.

Irvine sat up and looked at her. "Eh...it's for the people who sleep on the couches to hear."

Irvine was knocked in the head with a pillow. Surprisingly enough goose down really hurts when it's flying at you at such fast speeds. Squall sighed and snuggled into the couch, settling on a movie to watch. Quistis lay in bed, the blankets surrounding her. Irvine turned to look at Squall, who in turn looked back at him. "What?" he whispered, the sound of the television covering his voice.

"Do you like her?"

Squall blushed. "As a friend..."

"I mean as more. Do you?" Squall shrugged. Irvine frowned and gave him a concerned look. "Heh...guess I have competition for once..."

"What?" Squall gave him an odd look, but Irvine was fast asleep before anything else could be said. Squall sat up, throwing a blanket over him. Squall walked back to his couch, grabbing his blanket, but seeing he had no pillow. He looked up at Quistis' bed and walked over to it, staring down at her golden hair fanning the pillows. 'Is she sleeping?'

He reached behind her, grasping a pillow and slowly pulling it out from behind. Quistis' eyes flashed open as she saw Squall there. "Need something?" she murmured. Squall, out of shock, lost his balance and fell oof her, his face landing in her hair. She chuckled softly and when Squall sat up, stared up at him. "Well? Do you need something?"

He coughed softly, staring into her eyes. "Pillow."

She nodded her head and leaned forward some, allowing him to pull the pillow he had his hand on away. He pushed off of the bed and walked over to the couch, turning to see Quistis snuggle back into the sheets. He lay down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

oooooooooooo

Squall opened his eyes to reveal a SeeD uniform clad Irvine staring down at him. "Wake up, moron. Quistis is just about ready."

Squall shot up and grabbed his SeeD uniform, staring blankly around. "Where is she?" he asked, nervousness oozing through his nerves.

"Bathroom. She should be done soon."

Irvine walked over to the couch and folded his blanket, military style. He placed the pillow on top of the folded blanket and smoothed out his uniform. Quistis opened the bathroom door, her blonde hair resting on her shoulders. She wore a soft pink dress that came down to her knees and had spaghetti straps. On the dress, a white sarong was tied around her waist, causing the white cherry blossom petals on her dress to stand out a bit more. She walked over to the suitcase, eyeing Squall and Irvine, and placed on the cherry blossom headdress.

"I'll be out in a moment," Squall reported after taking in the beauty of Quistis' outfits.

He grabbed his SeeD uniform and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Irvine walked over to Quistis, staring down at his shoes. Quistis slipped into a pair of white open toed dress and pulled the latch around her ankle to insure that her heel would stay put. She did the same with the other foot. "Stunning, as usual Quistis." Irvine took her hand and bent down to kiss it. She now stood a good five foot eight inches.

"Shush you..."

Irvine grinned. As soon as he woke up, he decided to win Quistis over, and he had the perfect plan. "Look. If you want Squall to like you, you have to give him some competition."

"What?" Quistis asked, a bit stunned.

"Like another guy. Give him some sort of a challenge. Trust me on that." Quistis gave him an odd look. With her lightly colored pink lips, Irvine inched closer, touching them lightly with his own. "Pretend to like me, and watch the fireworks in Squall explode..."

Quistis shoved Irvine away, walking over to the door. "Look, enough with this, Irvine. If you really did like me as much as you act and say, then do something drastic instead of flirting with every random girl you see," she spat out at him. She opened the door and walked out, staring at the guards. "What's going on?"

"Ah, Priestess Masako!" the guard on her left said, and smiled softly. His voice went a bit deeper and serious. "A Galbadian official has been murdered."