"Where have you been?"
Rinoa never tore her eyes away from her breakfast while she chewed. "Hmm?"
"You weren't home last night."
No. She wasn't. "I was out studying."
There was a pause. "Studying?"
"Yeah, at the library?" Rinoa swallowed and met his frigid gaze. "I just wanted a change of scenery or do you not want me studying now?"
But she lied. The question remained: did Fury buy it?
Through the silence, he looked her over, perhaps lost in contemplation, then exited the kitchen. Rinoa released a breath she didn't realize she held.
She never lied to him before. Not outright, anyways. White lies and withheld information sprinkled about their conversations, but Rinoa never fabricated an answer to appease to him. A part of her wanted to spit the truth in his face, just to witness his reaction to her skipping studies to pounce a boy, only to sneak back into the mansion during the witching hours.
Regardless, Rinoa smirked to herself. This was new territory for her and it was beyond exhilarating. I could get used to this, she thought while finishing off her eggs. Lying to her father, hanging around a boy she knew he'd despise, and finally being happy for once in her life.
Seems like Seifer is rubbing off on me in more than one way, Rinoa mused with a giggle.
Rinoa refused to get her hopes up, though; who knew if what happened between her and Seifer was a one-night stand. Not that Rinoa cared, but it would have been nice if they had a repeat performance.
Classes were a higher priority, much to her dismay, and Rinoa scribbled random answers in the blank spaces of her homework. Once passed in, Rinoa collapsed in her seat, slumped over her desk, and stared out the window. Waiting for the end of the day was torture.
When the last bell rang, Rinoa hurried to the common grounds. She bounced back and forth from her toes to her heels in anticipation. Seifer was there, no different from before, though when Rinoa gazed upon him mid-battle, she drank in the sight of his muscles. Once done with his round, Seifer sought her out in the back of the thin crowd with a stare mirroring her own: insatiable and impatient.
"Hey," Seifer offered first.
Rinoa licked her lips, struggling to keep her eyes on his and not his glistening shoulders or his weathered hands. "Hey."
His eyes scanned over her. "Get home alright last night?" That purr in his words ignited a fire between her thighs. "I know you can hold your own, but it's the first night in a while that I didn't escort you back."
"Yeah," Rinoa replied, hitching her breath as he stepped closer. "Was able to fend for myself."
Seifer nodded. "Good."
His hand found the small of her back. Rinoa floated while he ushered her to a nearby alcove. Her back met the brick wall a second before his body crushed against hers. His name barely fluttered past her lips as he consumed her mouth.
Rinoa clawed at him, unable to pry herself away. He grinned into her and so did she. Whatever sparked to life the previous night had yet to die out.
"And here I thought," Rinoa murmured, "I was just going to be another notch on your belt."
Seifer snickered, bumping noses with her. "When I'm done with you, Princess, every notch on my belt is going to be thanks to you."
"I should get going," Rinoa uttered with a curse beneath her breath.
Seifer scrunched up his face. "Already?"
Their post-coital cuddle lasted all of five minutes before Rinoa slipped out of bed to locate her bra and school uniform. Once clothed, Rinoa flipped her hair over her shoulder and peeked back to Seifer. Oh, he was a delectable sight.
"Yeah. School work and stuff."
He whined. "Ugh, just do your summer school bullshit here. I don't give a fuck."
The laughter was much needed. "I don't want to bore you, though."
"Please, just ditch the outfit and sit right here." He patted next to him on the bed. "I don't mind. Besides... at the rate we're going? I'm not going to be able to sleep without your cute butt here."
"I'll keep that in mind for next time." Rinoa shuffled back over to kiss him goodbye.
Seifer latched onto her to milk every second of it. "You should. It's an excellent idea."
"Until next time, then?"
"Until next time." Seifer smirked while Rinoa pulled back. "Don't study too hard, Princess."
"No promises," she teased, slipping out of his dorm room.
Her smile vanished as she walked down the hallway. Her heart raced, albeit different from how Seifer made it pulse. She fidgeted with the hem of her skirt and gnawed her lips raw.
What if Fury succumbed to his paranoia and frequented the library to seek her out? What if he installed cameras in the mansion without her knowing?
She scurried home without a single detour. Come morning, Fury didn't question her. He never did for a solid month. For all he knew, his daughter was studying at the local library, except instead of memorizing battle formations, she experimented with sexual positions.
Rinoa forgot those irrational fears around Seifer. Spending time with him blurred out the consequences of her actions; she cared only for the moment. And when they fell from ecstasy, her heart never calmed down and her stomach hollowed out. Even when she cracked open textbooks to highlight that evening's assigned reading while curled up by Seifer, panic whimpered in the back of her thoughts.
The minutes crawled by. For once, it didn't bother Rinoa. She lied on her stomach, arms folded over one another with her chin propped on top. The meager window framed the bustling nightlife below, complete with endless cars and pedestrians. The movement on the bed didn't phase her, though she cracked a smile when Seifer peppered kisses up her spine.
"About time for you to head out, Princess," Seifer groaned into her ear. "Get your studying in and what not. Can't have you failing classes."
Any other time and she would have laughed at him. A firm line comprised her lips.
"I mean... unless you're game for another round." Seifer sucked on her earlobe, enough to elicit a tiny mewl from Rinoa. "Hard to say no to you."
As much as she relished his teasing, Rinoa didn't respond with her typical giggles and pounces. Seifer stilled himself against her, lips hovering above her ear.
"Rin, what's up?"
Was she to tell him the truth? Would he laugh at her? Or did it not matter in this pocket world where reality didn't exist? Seifer's lips brushed along the back of her neck and a pleasant chill traveled down to her toes. She couldn't ignore him if she wanted to.
"My mind's all over the place," she murmured, her words like an echo. "You... know how I have to leave early to head back home?"
"Yeah, so you can study or something, right? Even though you've squeezed some work in here." He chuckled. "I get it, I'm just a big distraction, you can say it. You want to be the A+ student that drives every guy like me fucking crazy. Won't lie... it's kind of hot."
It was almost endearing. Rinoa could have ran with that, but lying to Seifer twisted her stomach into knots.
"Not really," she mumbled.
"Then what?"
"It's... my Dad. After the first night I was here, he was miffed."
A newfound bout of seriousness coated Seifer's tongue. "Did he find out?"
"No, I told him I was out studying at the library."
He snorted into her neck. "Good one!"
"But since then, I just... worry that he's been keeping a better eye on me or something."
"Well..." Seifer nuzzled in and kissed her shoulder and neck. "You keep running back here, so I must be doing something good enough for you to not give a shit about your old man."
Rinoa furrowed her brow despite the attention. "I still worry."
"Rin." Seifer drew out that pet name for her. "The only thing you have to worry about is whether or not you're having fun when you're here."
"No, you don't get it." With a frustrated huff, Rinoa pushed herself away from him and sat upright. "It's not like that. He... he..."
As the words escaped her, Seifer joined her. All humor left his face and voice.
"Rinoa," he said, almost as soft as when he spoke in her ear during their moments of passion. "Try me."
Part of her didn't want to involve Seifer in the mess that was her father, but who had she confided to before? Anyone? The last time—the only time—people expressed concern was when her mother passed away. And when her eyes met with Seifer's, she found more than carnal desire reflected there.
So she told him. Told him about how her father changed over the years since Julia's death, told him of Fury destroying her dream of art, and told him of her current career path being nothing but her father's punishment. Seifer said nothing while Rinoa poured out the thoughts forever trapped in her head. Her confessions gushed like water breaking through a dam. Fear kept her from breathing life to those thoughts. Now her only worry was ceasing the cascade of nonsense spilling from her lips.
While silent, Seifer's face wrinkled up. Fingers clawed into the bed sheets while his eyes averted elsewhere. The perpetual frown did his lovely face no favors. Not even a kiss would remedy that scowl.
Once every last drop trickled out, Rinoa heaved out a sigh and combed anxious fingers through her hair. "Seifer?" She blinked and leaned into him. "Hey, are you—"
"You know what?" He met her gaze. "Fuck your father. Anyone who thinks it's okay to bend someone to their own will like that is disgusting and weak. People like him are the worst kind of cowards. Tch, he doesn't deserve to be called a father. What an asshole."
His reaction was a sucker punch. Despite the initial sting, Rinoa couldn't disagree, not when his plain, blunt words were better than anything Rinoa ever came up with.
"Um... yeah." Rinoa rubbed the back of her neck and looked into her lap. "That's where I'm at."
"It's bullshit."
She chuckled. "Tell me about."
"I am. You should cut him from your life as soon as possible."
Her heart skipped a beat. "W-what?"
"You heard me."
"I... it's not that easy, Seifer."
"It's only as easy as you make it out to be."
Damnit, why are you making this difficult now? "As long as I live with him, I can't escape him."
Seifer arched an eyebrow and shrugged. "So? Then leave. Pretty simple if you ask me."
Spoken like that, it was easy. Running away crossed Rinoa's mind multiple times, especially during the days when she wanted to throw her textbooks out the window, but where was she to go? How would she survive on her own?
"I don't... know how I'd go about doing that."
Cocking his head, Seifer heaved out a massive sigh. "Really? Do I have to spell it out for you, Princess? Get a suitcase, cram all the important shit in it, get the cheapest train ticket out of Deling City, and settle someplace far away. You don't need to make a million gil to live comfortably. Just enough to get by. Sometimes keeping it simple is better. All the other shit just complicates it. Who knows, maybe you'll settle down in an off-beat country home, where you can do your art until you die."
She liked that idea—loved it, even—but was it truly that simple?
"I don't know what he'd do if I left," Rinoa said, eyes cast out the window past Seifer.
"Who fucking cares what he thinks or does?! He's the asshole who's making you miserable!" And when she didn't flinch, Seifer sighed again and knelt in front of her. "Look, Rin, you're an awesome girl. I don't know many who got a spirit like you do. It's... refreshing to talk with someone and not feel like I'm intimidating others. It's like you're on my level in a way. So I know you have it in you. All you need to do is do it. So what if money is tight or times are rough? Would you rather sacrifice that all just to live a luxurious life under his thumb? If that was me, I would have told him off years ago."
"You ever tell off your parents before like that?"
Seifer hesitated. "Don't have any to tell off, but if I did, I'd sure as fuck give them a piece of my mind. And you don't need to barge in head first with guns blazing to get your point across to him. It can be as simple as, 'I'm leaving,' and boom, out the door. Gone. Over with. Simple."
"I just—"
"No, whatever you're going to say, just stop. Don't say it. Because it's not true. You deserve so much better, Rin, but you got to want it for yourself. I can't be some charming knight swooping in to save you."
The image left Rinoa stifling her amusement. "I wouldn't be opposed to it either way."
"Pffff, tough shit, Princess." He nudged her playfully and she shoved him back just as hard. His face beamed with that grin she admired. "I only got another week and then I'm packing my bags to head back to Balamb."
Her eyes widened, followed by the pout of her lower lip. "What? So soon?"
"Oh, don't give me that face. You knew as damn well as I did that this wasn't going to be a forever thing. I'm only out here for the summer."
"Yeah, but one can dream, right?"
He snorted. "Sure, why the hell not. Guess that's all we got at the end of the day—hopes and dreams." Then he narrowed his eyes on Rinoa. "But don't keep your hopes as just dreams in your head. I know you can do it, Rin."
"You really think so?"
"Tch, know so. You might not be cut out for the military, but I bet you'd make for a badass SeeD."
She wrinkled her nose. "I feel like that still involves studying and other nonsense I don't care about."
"Eh, give or take, but it's different than here. At least I think so. Well... maybe you're not the fucking poster child for SeeD, but fighting spirits like ours are gems. You got to use it for something. Being holed up in Deling City isn't doing you any favors."
"I don't even know what I'd do with it."
"You'll think of something. Hell, bare minimum you can be a voice for those who don't have their balls or what not. I mean, I'm all for you painting your days away in a little cabin, but I've seen passion in your eyes; you're bound for something special. Something more."
Rinoa blinked and tilted her head. "Why do I have the feeling that this is all an attempt to get laid again?"
He flashed a wide grin and wiggled his eyebrows. "Is it working?"
In response, Rinoa whacked him upside the head. Seifer pounced her and initiated a mock wrestling match with Rinoa. She squealed and flailed until he pinned her to his chest and collapsed into the bed. Together, they laughed until their throats rubbed raw and the ambiance of the city washed over them.
"I mean it though, Rin."
She perked her head up enough to catch his eyes. "Mean what?"
"That you're meant for something big."
"If you say so," she said with a chuckle.
With her head along his chest, she focused on the beats of his heart, only to relapse to his words. Maybe he had a point, both with her father and what she was meant to do with her life. Sticking with the military made her gag. She would rot there. Rinoa's soul ached for meaning and purpose beyond strict rules and tests. She longed to know how to escape it without an ounce of anxiety. Maybe it had to start with cutting ties with Fury.
"How much more time before you have to run along?"
Rinoa scouted the room for a clock and squinted. "About fifteen or twenty minutes. Depends if I'm literally running back home."
The tone in his voice smoldered with the same spark which set her off during their first kiss. "Enough time to make you forget everything again?"
A smirk of her own tugged at her lips. "Is that a suggestion or a promise?"
"I hope you like running."
The Balamb students departed as quickly as they arrived, taking summer with them. Rinoa sought out Seifer, only to find him by the main entrance instead of the common grounds. He broke away from his group to meet her halfway and caught her in his strong arms. They exchanged smiles and pecks on the cheek. Not exactly how she wished to send him off, but it was the only suitable act to perform in public.
"You take care of yourself, Princess," Seifer murmured. "I won't be here to save you and all. Got to look out for yourself."
Rinoa nodded. "I don't need anyone to save me. I can take care of myself."
Seifer grinned and clapped her shoulders. "That's the spirit!"
With an inhale, Rinoa stepped into him, her voice low. "Don't be stranger, either, okay?"
"What, you want me to send love letters to you daily or something?"
She giggled and whacked his arm. "I'm not asking for you to talk to me all the time, silly! Just... don't want you to disappear forever."
"Nah, not going to disappear. If I'm in the area again, I'll be sure to look you up."
"Same goes to you."
His chest puffed up over that comment. "Well... until next time." He squeezed her hands before releasing them. "Take care, Rin."
Next time felt like a lifetime away. The unknown left a dreadful abyss in her chest. Then again, perhaps Seifer would be a SeeD when they crossed paths again. Rinoa smiled and waved goodbye as he and the others boarded a bus en route to the train station.
Next time, Rinoa kept to herself, I won't be a military pawn.