Sweet Music
Chapter Six: Reconnect
By PasifiKStaR
All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own Final Fantasy or anything associated with it.
"...I wanted to see you again."
"Squall..." her wide brown eyes stared up at him. A soft hand reached up wards and rested against his pale cheek. She could feel the warmth of his face through her sensitive finger tips.
Blue eyes closed as feather light touches traced the contours of his face. He could feel her fingers going over his mouth and pausing. He opened his eyes and looked down at her intently. "Rinoa..."
"Tell me you're not pretending," Rinoa breathed nervously. Her eyes squinted as she restrained herself from crying out. She mentally prepared herself for his answer as she pulled her hand away from his lips. "I told you before..." she warned hesitantly. "I don't want to pretend to be something I'm not."
Squall caught her hand gently in his before she could withdraw it completely. "I'm not asking you to pretend," he mumbled. He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed them against her knuckles. "This isn't a publicity stunt. I'm not trying to use you."
He lowered her hand and she pulled it back. "Then what do you want from me?" she whispered.
Squall stood there silently, his eyes focused only on her as their bodies moved to the motion of the train. "I..." Squall whispered softly. He looked down, a frown on his face as confusion set in. He had gotten on the train that afternoon, preparing to head home after an interview Nida had set up. He sat down and didn't get up until he saw her walk through the sliding doors. His hand clenched around the metal railing. "I don't know..."
What made him sit there and wait for her? What made him even sure that she would get on that very train...into that very car? Squall shook his head slightly. He didn't even known why he was sitting there until he saw her standing on the platform. Then he knew what he was doing.
A warm hand slipped over his left hand as it hung, in a fist, at his side. Squall's eyes focused on the slender, manicured hands that had cupped his into their warmth. She squeezed him gently and pulled his hand up against her chest, forcing him to look at her.
A soft smile graced her sweet face. "Good," Rinoa told him intently. "Because I don't either," she added with a quiet chuckle. Squall looked at her in question and her smile intensified. "All I know is that I want to get to know the person on the train with me right now."
Squall raised an eyebrow. "What do you want to know?" he asked, curiously. Rinoa studied his face slowly and let his hand drop from hers. He watched as she took a step forward and unsurely put her arms around his body.
Squall stiffened in her embrace and she paused, making sure that he wasn't going to push her away. When he didn't move, she took it as permission to continue and slowly wrapped her arms around him. Her dark haired head rested gently against his shoulder. He looked down at her as she closed her eyes and leaned against him.
"You," Rinoa told him with a relaxed sigh. "I want to get to know you."
She felt him relax in her arms and she smiled. Two arms wound themselves behind her, holding her against him as he rested the side of his face against hers. He buried his face against her hair and inhaled the subtle scent of her dark locks. "My name is Squall Leonhart," he told her he stroked the back of her head gently. "And I play the bass guitar for this band..."
"Zell," Selphie growled in a low voice as she closed the refrigerator door and slowly turned towards the living room. "What did you do?"
From his placed slumped over the on the couch, Zell slouched down even more. "Uh...what are you talking about?" he asked nervously as he gripped the remote in his hand.
"I had a bottle of chocolate milk in the fridge this afternoon," Selphie told him in a low voice as she slowly approached him. "And now it's gone. Through process of elimination, it can't be Rinoa...she hasn't been home yet. Quistis doesn't drink chocolate milk. She has box of pre packed ice mocha bottles in there. And I know I didn't drink them...that leaves only one conclusion..."
"Oh, hey! Selphie," Irvine wandered out from the hall way, a bag of chips in one hand and a empty bottle in the other. "Do you have any more chocolate milk?"
"Wha...Irvy? YOU took my chocolate milk?" Selphie gasped. From his seat on the couch, Zell grinned.
"See...told you I didn't know what you were talking about." Zell replied.
Selphie ignored him and marched over to the tall cowboy hat-less drummer and frowned. "Why didn't you tell me? I was thirsty!"
"You said, and I quote 'Go ahead and eat or drink anything the fridge marked with an S'," Irvine said. He lifted up the empty plastic bottle and showed her the hastily scribbled S on the side of the bottle. "And this has an 'S'."
Before Selphie could reply, the door opened and Quistis walked through. "I'm home!" she announced coolly as she kicked off her shoes at the door and wandered in. "Ah, Irvine...I see you're here again tonight."
The drummer grinned from ear to ear. "Can't stay away from Selphie," he chuckled. "Hey, Quistis, the iced mocha down there-"
"No, you may not have any," Quistis sighed as she walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. She plucked a bottle from the shelf and opened it up. "They are only for myself and guests."
"I'm a guest!" Irvine countered.
"You're only a guest when you're not here more than I am," Quistis told him. "I'm going to start charging you rent."
"Aww...c'mon, Quisty...I'm thirsty and Selphie's run out of drinks!"
"I'm thirsty, too! Irvine drank all my chocolate milk!" Selphie piped with a frown.
"Ask Zell," Quistis shrugged. "Zell, don't you have anything to drink?"
"Nope, I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow! Why don't you have one of Rinoa's?" Zell suggested.
"Will she mind?" Irvine asked. Selphie merely shrugged and skipped back to the fridge to grab herself some of Rinoa's soda. She tossed one to Irvine.
"I'm sure she won't even notice...just finish it before she gets here." Selphie added quickly.
"She should be here soon," Quistis said, looking up at the kitchen clock. "She probably got out late from the Strife's again."
"Thanks again, Squall...you didn't have to walk me back." Rinoa told him, amused as he lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck.
They were standing in front of her door, just about a foot part. Squall had insisted on walking her to her apartment. Once they got to the main door, he insisted he walk her up to her door. Not really wanting to let go of his company so soon, she agreed.
"No problem...it was my fault, anyway..." Squall mumbled sheepishly. "I'm the one who made you forget about your stop."
Rinoa looked down at her feet and laughed. "You don't seem too proud of that."
"Well, I wasted your time and-"
"This wasn't a waste of time," Rinoa corrected him quickly. She pouted slightly. "You didn't want to spend time with me?"
"No! It's not that...I just...I didn't mean to distract you, that's all." Squall stammered. 'Hyne, I'm bad at this...'
Rinoa giggled and smiled. "It's okay. I don't mind, really. I enjoyed our little walk...even if it took an hour longer..."
Squall turned red. They'd fallen asleep on the train and didn't hear the PA system tell them that they were at Rinoa's stop. Instead, they kept on sleeping until they were back where they started and train workers came by to check the cars. Squall was wakened first at the sound of footsteps and groaned when he looked out the window and saw the name of the last station on the service line.
He looked down next to him and saw Rinoa, still sleeping, leaning against his shoulder. As a small smile graced his lips, a bright white light flooded his eyes and he quickly lifted his arm to block it out.
"Hey...you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here." the worker told him loudly enough that it woke Rinoa.
He was just relieved that there weren't any photographers around to see them. Nida would have a heart attack if he opened the newspapers and found their bassist bumming on a train bench. Rinoa apologized and quickly dragged Squall out of the train. They ended up having to walk an hour to Rinoa's.
"Um...did you want to come inside?" Rinoa offered quietly.
Squall's head snapped up and he tried to focus. He took a sharp breath, unaware that he did so. Inside? Inside Rinoa's apartment? Squall felt himself swallow as his face grew warmer. Where she lives? His heart slammed against his chest. Where she eats? The beating was getting faster. Where she showers? It was threatening to burst out of his chest at any moment. WHERE SHE SLEEPS?
For a moment, Squall was sure his heart flat lined. 'OhmiHyne, ohmihyne, ohmihyne...'
"Squall? Squall, are you okay?" Rinoa's voice cut through his senses and he looked up. Her eyebrows were knitted together with concern as she reached up and cupped his face. "Hyne, you're flushed! Come inside and get something to drink."
"No, it's fine-" he began, but Rinoa was already fumbling with her keys.
"Don't worry, it's not a problem," She insisted as she turned the key in hole and opened the door. "I'm sure Selphie and the others won't mind. I bet they're still awake." Rinoa beamed.
"Others?" Squall perked up.
"Hey! Welcome home!" a loud voice boomed just as they stepped through the door way.
"Rinoa! I didn't want to drink your soda! I SWEAR! SELPHIE MADE ME!" Squall narrowed his eyes as a familiar male voice echoed down the hall.
"What do you mean MADE YOU?" Selphie shouted. "I didn't make you! You're the one who opened the tab on your own!"
Rinoa chuckled and looked back at Squall. "Told you they'd still be awake."
"No kidding..." Squall mumbled. He followed behind her as she walked past the living room. The television was still on, but all the action seemed to be happening in the kitchen.
"What's all this about my soda?" Rinoa asked as she wandered into the kitchen.
Sitting on the counter was Selphie, with her arm around Irvine's neck in a weak attempt at a headlock. Zell was leaning on the pantry door across from them laughing as he bit into half eaten hotdog and Quistis was sitting on a chair at the dining room table, still dressed in her business casual work clothes from the office.
"What's this about your guest?" Quistis asked as she lifted up one elegant eyebrow and eyed Squall over her glass of wine.
"Squall!" Irvine boomed as he saw his fellow band mate emerge from the living room area.
"What are you doing here." Squall stated, rather than asked as cold blue eyes landed on Irvine. The drummer smiled lopsidedly.
"Visiting my girlfriend." he said, lazily putting his arm around Selphie's petite shoulders. She smiled broadly at Squall and pointed her open bag of chips at him.
"Want some? They're BBQ flavored..."
"No...I'm fine, thanks." Squall said in a low voice.
"Squall, this is Selphie, my other roommate and Quistis, our resident genius," she added. Quistis rolled her eyes and finished the rest of her coffee. "We ran into each other at the train station," Rinoa told casually. "We kind of messed up on the train scheduling, so he offered to walk me here."
"That was nice of him. What train station? I could've driven by if you two were stuck." Quistis said.
"Oh...um...the last one on the Central Line...off of Aeon Avenue and Montgomery." Rinoa said. She offered a soda from the fridge to Squall, but he lifted up his hand and shook his head. She shrugged and put it back in.
"Montgomery? That's down the street from our place, isn't it, Squall?" Irvine asked dumbly as he looked at the bassist, who was shooting him a glare. "Why didn't you just walk over to the building and get your car?"
"That would've been way easier on the feet." Zell nodded.
"Not to mention FASTER..." Quistis smirked knowingly. She cleared her throat and stood up. "Well, that's enough excitement for one night. I have that trip this weekend, so I need to get some rest."
"Do you need us to drive you the airport, Quisty?" Selphie asked. Quistis shook her head.
"I have a ride," She closed her wine bottle and put it away. "Squall, a pleasure meeting you. Irvine..." She looked at his lopsided smile and sighed tiredly. "Irvine, go home every once in a while."
He beamed a smile. "Sure thing, Quisty!"
"All right, good night to the rest of you." The tired blond lifted up her hand and waved over her shoulder as she walked down the hall.
"Hey, what does Quistis do again?" Irvine asked as he looked down at Selphie.
"Lawyer."
"Ah..."
"So..." Selphie said, a devious grin crossing her usually sweet face as she locked her green eyed gaze on Rinoa and Squall. Rinoa was standing across from Squall, who was leaning against the wall, as if trying to hid himself in the shadows. "He walked you back huh?"
"It was late," Squall explained calmly. "I didn't want her to walk home alone at night."
"But you didn't want to drive her back either..." Irvine grinned. "It's a ten minute drive compared to an hour walk..." Almost immediately, he was assaulted with Squall's hardened glare. One that promised suffering. Lots of suffering.
"It slipped my mind..." Squall hissed behind gritted teeth.
"It doesn't matter how we got here, as long as we got here safely," Rinoa cut in. "Irvine, do you think you can give Squall a ride home when you go home tonight..." She trailed off and looked at Irvine questioningly. "Are you even going home tonight?"
"Yeah...I'm running out of clothes..." Irvine admitted.
Selphie pouted. "Aww...So you won't be able to stay the night, Irvy?"
"I'm going to puke..." Zell rolled his eyes and hopped off the counter top. "'Night everyone!"
"Night, Zell!" Rinoa called out. She looked back at Selphie and Irvine, who were hugging. "Oh, for crying out loud... Irvine's been here for three nights already!"
"So this is where you've been..." Squall mumbled.
Irvine chuckled. "Okay, okay...I can tell when I'm not wanted."
"Yes, and you're only three nights late in realizing that, Irvine." Rinoa rolled her eyes. The cowboy kissed Selphie one more time.
"I'll call you when I get home."
"I'll be waiting!" Selphie told him. She pulled him back down to kiss his cheek and Rinoa grabbed Squall's hand and pulled him into the living room.
"Thanks for walking me back, Squall. I really appreciate it." Rinoa said. Squall nodded.
"I told you, it wasn't a problem."
Rinoa nodded as well and bit her lower lip. She looked away from his eyes, unsure of what to do now. Part of her wished for Irvine to hurry up and get out there already and the other part not wanting her time with Squall to end. 'Oh, Hyne, Rinoa...he's leaving for the night! Not DYING!' her mind scolded. She mused for a second. "Of course... he doesn't HAVE to leave..." she whispered.
"What?" Squall asked.
"Nothing!" Rinoa blushed as she looked back up at him and smiled. "Hehehe...just thinking out loud..." Squall narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but nodded.
"All right...uh..." He took a deep breath and turned to look at her. "Rinoa...I..." He trailed off as his voice constricted in his throat. What was it about Rinoa that made him a blubbering idiot?
"Yes?" Rinoa asked carefully. She looked up curiously at his eyes. He wanted to say something, she knew that much.
"Umm...I'm sorry about the car thing," Squall told her. Rinoa stared at him, her mouth open slightly. She was fairly certain that wasn't it. "Yes," he asserted as he looked down at her. "I completely forgot. If I had remembered, you wouldn't have had to walk in the cold-"
"I told you, it was okay," Rinoa sighed. She grabbed Squall's hands in hers. "I enjoyed our walk," she insisted with a warm smile. "We had a nice chat...I got to know Squall Leonhart a little bit better...Trust me, it was great."
Squall took a deep breath and offered her a weak smile. "Thank you..."
"For what?" Rinoa asked smiled, confused. "You're the one that walked me home."
Squall looked down at their hands. Her smaller ones held his in their warmth. "I..." he began. 'Just say it...say it or you'll regret it...Hyne damn it, Squall! You didn't spend several hours on a train, that circled the city, just so you can part ways now!' His mind thundered.
Rinoa watched as emotions danced across his veiled eyes. His face remained stoic, but his eyes were momentarily unguarded. Worriedly, she leaned closer to him. "Squa-"
"When can I see you again?" Rinoa jerked her head back. She focused on Squall's face and how he seemed to be readying himself for the worst possible news.
She chuckled to herself and smiled. "Are you free tomorrow?" she asked softly.
"Tomorrow?" Squall asked, surprised. He blinked and Rinoa nodded.
"If you're busy-"
"No, no, I'm free..." Squall insisted. "Where do you want to go?"
"Umm...we're having this picnic tomorrow for the students that we tutor. Free food...um...would you like to go?" Rinoa asked, slightly embarrassed. Squall nodded.
"Sure...Are you okay with that?"
"What do you mean?" Rinoa laughed. "Of course, I'm okay with that!"
"It's just...I just want to make sure you're comfortable being seen with me...I don't want you to be dragged into something you don't want to be dragged into." Squall elaborated.
Rinoa looked down and thought for a moment. She shook her head and looked at Squall. "I said I didn't want to pretend to be something I'm not. If you want to see me...seriously, not as a publicity stunt or something, that's fine with me," She grinned and put her arms around his neck, giggling as he stiffened and looked surprised. "Besides there are worst things than being seen out in public with a hot guy."
'They're staring at me...' Rinoa put down the tray of strawberry gelatin on the picnic table. 'I can feel them...'
"Rinoa, are you all right?" She stood up straight and turned to her side to see Squall standing there. She nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine...really..." she insisted. 'Okay...stop being paranoid, Rinoa. No one recognized Squall. Most of these adults are parents and professors...they're OLD and don't listen to-"
"Hey, has anyone ever told you that you look like that guitarist from Scars?" Rinoa nearly fell backwards as she turned around and saw Rikku studying Squall. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she rubbed her chin suspiciously.
Squall backed away and looked at Rinoa, unsure of what he was supposed to do. "Uh-"
"Rikku! What are you doing?" a male voice shouted from the picnic table. Rinoa looked over her shoulder and saw an annoyed looking blond man with an eye patch glaring at the perky blond. "Stop harassing Rinoa's man and help us out here!"
Rinoa blushed as she whirled around. "Gippal! He's not my-"
"OOooohhhh..." Rikku grinned from ear to ear. "Rinny did good! Nice one!" She said as she skipped past Rinoa and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up with both hands. Rinoa groaned and ran her hand down her face.
"Well, at least I got Rikku's seal of approval..." Rinoa sighed. She looked over at Squall, who was looking slightly uncomfortable as people bustled around him, preparing the picnic tables, placing the food, and decorating the little gazebo they had rented out.
"Rinoa, we can use some help with the BBQ," someone called over. "Think your friend can give a hand?"
Rinoa glanced over at Squall. "Is that okay?" Squall shrugged.
"It's just a BBQ..." he mumbled as he walked over to the grill.
Rinoa looked up at Squall, who was sitting on the toilet of her bathroom. His face was set in a stern frown as she lifted up the light blue face towel and began wiping his face of the soot. "It's not that bad..." she said, trying to smother her giggle. Squall shot her an annoyed look. "Really!"
"The younger ones asked if I was a clown."
"Then surely, they don't know how a real clown looks." Rinoa snickered and bit her lower lip to keep herself from laughing.
"I'm never going with you to a picnic again." Squall stated. Rinoa rolled her eyes.
"You're the one who was being macho and said 'it's just a BBQ'," she snorted as she stood up and rinsed the black soot from the towel. "Seems that SOMEONE got a little excited with the lighter fluid."
"How was I supposed to know that the moron-"
"Tidus, his name is Tidus. He's an undergrad volunteer like Rikku." Rinoa chuckled.
"Whatever," Squall growled. "That TIDUS had already emptied an entire bottle of lighter fluid on the coals. What kind of idiot empties an ENTIRE bottle?"
"I admit, he can be a bit dense-"
"The bleach from his head probably bleached his brain..." Squall grumbled. Shook her head and laughed.
"You're so mean..." she grinned. "Okay...one more and it should be all gone..." She knelt down in front of him and lifted her hand to hold his chin firmly. She smiled and gently wiped his face. Unconsciously, she leaned in closer.
"I'm not going to throw any BBQ parties any time soon, either." Squall added.
"Like you actually would," Rinoa snorted. "Besides, it wasn't all bad. You weren't recognized," Rinoa paused and pulled away slightly. "Were you?"
"I got a few looks," Squall admitted. "And that Rikku girl kept studying me...I think she knows..."
Rinoa sighed heavily. "If she knew, she would've said something..." she began. Squall knew she was talking, but vaguely heard her voice in the background as something else caught is attention.
Squall diverted his eyes and mentally groaned. He had to divert them DOWN. And right over Rinoa's low cut tank top. 'Bad Squall! Bad, BAD Squall!' his mind screamed. He tried to tear his eyes away, but instead found himself memorizing the exposed lace pattern of Rinoa's bra. 'Black...hmm...flower pattern? Maybe stars...no, definitely flowers...'
"Squall...?" Rinoa's voice snapped him out of his little trance and he looked up. Rinoa was giving him a dull look as she raised one eye brow. "Eyes up here." She stated. Squall's face turned red as he swallowed.
"Sorry...I...I didn't mean to..." he mumbled. Rinoa smiled softly and kissed his forehead as she stood up.
"Sure..." she said, sarcastically. She began to rinse the towel off. "Okay, all done."
"Thanks." Squall said as he stood up. He stood behind her by the sink and studied his face in the mirror. He wanted to make sure all of the soot was off.
As he turned his head to the side, Rinoa turned around and put her arms around him. "You smell like burnt ash." she snickered. Squall rolled his eyes.
"And you smell like grass," he retorted. Rinoa still had grass stains on her jeans from the games she had been playing with the kids. Squall leaned down and buried his face in her hair. "Are you free tomorrow...?" he asked softly.
"Yeah..." Rinoa whispered softly as she nuzzled the crook of his neck. "Where do you want to go?"
Squall struggled to suppress the naughty responses that came to mind as her hot breath blew across his nape. He swallowed and firmly planted his hands on either side of Rinoa. "Somewhere a little more secluded...I know a place..."
She couldn't understand why he had driven her two hours out into the deserts outside of Esthar City. The sun was setting as they left behind the towering glass and metal sculptures of the city and took a lone two lane road out into the desert. 'When he said secluded, he really meant it...' she thought tiredly as she looked around. They were in the only car for what looked liked miles.
The sun had set over the horizon, leaving only a faint glow of gold and orange against a dark, dark sky around the flat mesas in the distance. The even purr of the motor was heard, overpowering the music coming from the radio. They hadn't really spoken since they left the city boundaries, when she had relentlessly bombarded him with questions as to where the were going and why. He had refused to say. After they had passed a sign that said "You are now leaving Esthar City", Rinoa had given up.
Rinoa sighed as her dark hair flew all over the place as she rode in the passenger's seat of Squall's black convertible. When he had arrived, she stared at the car, silently wanting a shiny black convertible, too. Squall said it was a car his father gave him as a birthday present a few years ago and he hardly drove it. Rinoa kept wondering why. It's sleek dark interior and glistening, smooth paint job seemed to go so well with Squall's usual choice of dark, sexy clothes. 'Sexy...' She smirked and glanced over at the driver's seat.
Her handsome companion was dressed in black pants and a plain white T-shirt beneath his leather jacket. Blue eyes were kept on the road as one gloveless hand gripped the steering wheel and the other shifted the gears. The wind blew through his brown locks, lifting them over his piercing eyes. Rinoa felt her face heating up as she bit her lower lip.
His hair was so thick and soft and always smelled good. She gripped her hands in each other tightly, trying to resist the urge to run her hands through his hair. "So where are we going?" she asked once more.
"We're almost there," Squall assured her. Rinoa wrinkled her nose and Squall smiled slightly. He had been telling her that since they drove away from her building. "I'm serious this time."
"Right..." Rinoa rolled her eyes, disbelievingly. Squall chuckled and slowed down. Rinoa squinted her eyes at the dirt road in front of them. The sky was growing darker by the second and soon they would be completely without any source of light except for the headlights of the convertible. "You really know the meaning of 'secluded'..." she sighed. She ran a hand through her own hair and looked at the road ahead of them. "Squall...are you sure you now where you're going?"
"Don't worry," Squall assured her. "We're not that far from the main road." Dust was picking up behind them as the car bounced along the dirt road they had turned on to. Rinoa cringed, thinking about the poor car. She could just see the dents all the little rocks would make on the flawless paint job.
Slowly, the car came to a stop and Squall put it on park. Rinoa sat up straight in her seat and looked around. A questioning look went over her face. "Wow..." she said as she eyed the dusty expanse of flat plateau. It was all but vacant except for the rising mesas in the distance and the occasional bush and cactus groups. "Its...umm..."
Squall held in his amusement as Rinoa looked around at the side of the car. They were parked right on the lone dirt path with nothing but rocks and more rocks around them. The closing of a car door caught her attention. She looked over her shoulder saw that Squall was gone.
The guitarist was walking around the back of the car and popped the trunk open. He began to pull some things out. Curiously, Rinoa opened her own door and got out, closing it behind her. "What do you have there?" she asked. She craned her neck to peer into the trunk as Squall passed her, a thick, heavily cushioned blanket in his arms.
"Camping supplies." he stated simply. Rinoa jerked her hair back.
"We're going camping?" she nearly shrieked. She stomped her foot on the ground, kicking up a small cloud of beige dust as she looked at him accusingly. "Why didn't you tell me? I didn't even bring a jacket!"
"I didn't say we were camping, I said camping supplies," Squall corrected calmly. He was about ten feet from the car and surveying an area in front of him. He seemed to nod his head in satisfaction as he threw out the blanket and set it out over the ground. "It's just an old sleeping bag."
Rinoa walked over to sleeping bag. It was unzipped and lay out in a square on the ground. Squall went around to all sides and straightened it out before heading back to the trunk. Rinoa knelt down next to it and touched the soft interior material. Her eyes widened when she realized the bag was cushioned.
"Can I sit?" she asked.
"Go ahead," he replied behind her. Rinoa cautiously sat down and smiled. She could feel the layer of cushioning keep the rocks on the ground away. She patted the material around her, not noticing as Squall closed the trunk of the car and walked over with two couch pillows under one arm and a bag of Chinese food in the other. "Hungry?"
Rinoa looked up and laughed as she saw him standing there, two sets of chopsticks still in their wrappers pinned between his lips as he lifted up the bag. She nodded and stood up, helping him put the food down. "I'm not that hungry...I snacked before I left. Besides, I thought you said you never wanted to go on a picnic with me again." she added with a lopsided grin. Squall merely shrugged.
"This isn't a picnic," Squall assured her. He put the pillows next to each other and Rinoa sat down. "Like it so far?" he asked quietly.
Rinoa watched him as he sat down next to her, the bag of food off to the side. She nodded. "Yeah...strange place for a picnic. Strange time for one, too," she grinned. She looked up at him with a warm smile and raised an eyebrow. "I thought picnics were done in parks in the day time..."
"I didn't take you here for a picnic," Squall told her once more. "I just brought the food because you might get hungry."
Rinoa tilted her head to the side and gave him a questioningly look. "Squall..." she said hesitantly. "Why did you bring me to the desert then?"
She caught the slight twitch on the corners of his lips, as if he were fighting a smile. He moved closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Lay down." He told her softly.
Brown eyes went wide and Rinoa's entire body stiffened. A furious blush rushed up her face as her mouth dropped. "I...Squall...what?" She blabbered nervously. A thousand emotions ran through her as wave after wave of images involving her, Squall, and a sleeping bag flooded her mind. "HERE?" Her eyes squinted disbelievingly and Squall nodded.
"Just close your eyes...," Squall assured her. He put a little pressure on her shoulders and carefully cradled her head as he helped her lay back on one of the pillows he had placed on the sleeping bag. "And lay back and relax."
Rinoa swallowed unconsciously as she snapped her eyes tight. Her hands tightened into nervous fists at her sides as she felt Squall's hand leave her head as soon as it rested against a soft pillow. Beside her, she heard Squall shifting and felt the pressure of a warm human body against the sleeping bag.
She laid there stiffly, her heart racing in her chest, preparing to explode at the slightest touch. Her face felt as if it were burning and with each passing moment, her nervousness rose to another level.
"Squall...?" she whimpered anxiously.
Squall smiled slightly as he turned his head and looked over at the beautiful young woman laying next to him. He lifted his free hand and gently swept back some stray strands of dark hair from her eyes. Rinoa felt her heart leap to her throat as she felt his finger tips brush her forehead. He paused for a moment to admire her. "Go ahead...open your eyes."
Almost immediately, Rinoa's brown orbs flew open and a sharp gasp signaled her surprise. "Oh my God..."
"That's why I brought you here," Squall said quietly. He glanced over at her, hoping she would like his little surprise. "What do you think?"
Rinoa's eyes were mesmerized at the sight above them, her mouth opened slightly as dark eyes reflected the shimmering darkness. A billion diamonds glittered miles above them against a deep indigo sky and Rinoa found herself swept away by the sheer view. She felt as if she were enveloped by the night sky as she stared in awe. Being in a city girl her entire life, she'd never seen the sky like this before. She had never, in her entire life, seen so many stars at once.
"Oh, Squall..." she whispered softly. Her eyes softened as she completely relaxed against the soft sleeping bag and pillow. A warm smile caressed her pink lips. "It's beautiful..."
"Do you like it?" Squall asked, hoping he didn't sound as nervous as he felt. "There was a meteor shower tonight..." he trailed off sheepishly.
She reluctantly tore her eyes away from the brilliant night sky and gently locked them with crystal blue eyes that were looking at her expectantly. She could see the fear somewhere far behind eyes, as if he was terrified that she would be unhappy with him. She smiled and raised her hand to touch his smoothly shaved face. "Thank you," she smiled as she gently caressed the side of his face. Squall closed his eyes and let himself get lost in her touch. "It's beautiful, Squall...I love it..."
She didn't even realize he was kissing her until she felt her breath stolen from her. He quickly pulled away to let her breathe and a mere breath later, his head lowered and he pressed his lips against hers for another sweet, fleeting movement. Rinoa closed her eyes as hot lips seared over hers and she didn't want it to end. When Squall finally pulled away, Rinoa's eyes were heavy as she laid back against the pillow. Squall's warm voice was heard over her as she laid there, unable to get herself to move. "I told you this wasn't a picnic."
Rinoa nodded dumbly and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at his face, his soft bangs falling over and gently brushing her forehead. The stars glowed around his face and Rinoa raised her hands to cup his face above hers. "I'm starting to like your idea of secluded," she grinned. Squall grinned back as he felt her hands pull him back down. Soft, warm lips met his once more before parting. "I like it a lot."
Rinoa stumbled into the apartment in the early morning hours of Monday. She silently thanked Hyne that she didn't have to go to work that day. After Saturday's little BBQ explosion, her supervision believed that Rinoa deserved a day off. If only to care for her injured 'friend'.
With a lopsided smile on her face, she stepped into the kitchen and inhaled the warm aroma of coffee. "Good morning, Rin."
"Morning, Quisty..." Rinoa sighed as she lazily made her way to the coffee pot. Quistis was sitting at the table, coffee in front of her along with a newspaper. "You're up early."
"I just got back," Quistis said. She was dressed in a comfortable pair of blue jeans and a blue knit sweater. She looked up at Rinoa as the young brunette poured herself a mug of coffee. She caught the look of utter content on Rinoa's face and grinned. "Have a fun night?"
"Squall took me to the desert." Rinoa sighed.
Quistis' eyebrows furrowed. "The desert?" she asked. "Not exactly the most romantic place in the world..."
"Oh, but was..." Rinoa let out a content sigh as she put her mug on the table across from Quistis and sat down. She leaned back against the chair, a lazy smile on her face. "You should've seen it, Quisty...it was so beautiful...there were so many stars..."
The blond lawyer couldn't help but smile for her friend as Rinoa slipped into an already treasured memory. "He took you star gazing in the desert? That is romantic," Quistis agreed. "Did you spend the whole night there?"
Rinoa nodded dumbly. "He brought a blanket and we laid out by the car. We saw a meteor shower, Quistis!" Rinoa beamed proudly. "It was gorgeous! It was like the sky was moving!" Rinoa let out another blissful sigh as her warm brown eyes twinkled with excitement. "I feel asleep and Squall carried me to the car..."
Quistis' mouth curled into a knowing smile and she nodded. "Let me guess...you two fell asleep in the car...and you..."
"Woke up wrapped in his arms...Hyne, Quistis! It was amazing! I've never been so...so..." Rinoa's eyes darted around, at a loss for words.
Quistis chuckled. "Happy?"
"Happy is an understatement," Rinoa corrected. Quistis laughed and shook her head as she opened her newspaper. Almost immediately, her brilliant smile faded. Rinoa looked up from her coffee and saw the stern, concentrated look on Quistis' face. "Quisty? Is something wrong."
Quistis opened her mouth slightly, but nothing came out. Her blue eyes looked up at Rinoa behind thin black glasses and she took a deep breath. "Rin...I thought you weren't going to make your relationship with Squall a public affair."
Rinoa tilted her head to the side questioningly before shaking her head. "We're not. We wanted it to be quiet; just our friends and stuff to know...why?"
Pale, slender hands smoothed out the newspaper and slid it across the table. Rinoa's heart was starting to race as a trembling hand reached across the glass surface and lifted the newspaper up. Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her other hand.
"You better call Squall," Quistis told her as she stood up and went to empty her coffee mug into the sink. "I think its' time we talk about this."
"General Caraway, here's your morning paper." the maid brought in neatly organized pile of newspapers to the regal man sitting at the head of a long and empty table. He merely nodded as he lifted the front page.
Just as he did so, a few sections fell on the ground and before the maid could reach down to get it, he waved his hand to dismiss her. "I can do it myself, thank you. You're free to go." The maid nodded and left the dining room. The former general lifted the newspaper on the table and froze before he let it go. Bold, black letters seemed to mock him from the 'variety' section of the Deling City Chronicle.
Estharian rock star dates Deling City native.
And slapped on the front cover was a black and white picture of an all too familiar girl holding the hand of handsome young man. If he hadn't seen the picture, he wouldn't have cared. But he had. His eyes drifted to the caption and he narrowed his eyes. His hands began to shake as they gripped the page.
"RENO!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. A red headed man dressed in a black suit and a white buttoned up shirt ran into the room.
"Yes, sir?" he asked calmly as he stood up straight next to the General.
"Call Trepe and Dincht immediately!" General Caraway roared as the Turk nodded. "I want to talk to them about my... daughter..."
Reno nodded and headed off. The old man at the table lowered his eyes back to the tiny letters below the picture. The caption seemed to jump off the page as Caraway read it over and over.
Squall Leonhart seen here with Rinoa Heartilly, tutor at Esthar University.
A.N. - Thank you all for being so patient. I really appreciate it. And to those who reminded me to write, thank you more so. Special thanks to Kris who told me about the song lyric policy here. :) I'm afraid I'll have to stop using song lyrics in my stories, so I'll work around that. I won't change the other chapters, but I'll be more careful.