Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, it's characters, places, etc. As such I am receiving no profit for my nonetheless brilliant ideas. I know, it's a shame. R&R, constructive criticism is more than welcome, but if you're going to flame me please do it in a private forum.

Author's Notes: Warning, this chapter contains pleasant mental images and comedic relief. Anybody who cannot handle either should just quit reading the story. That's right, I mean you in the back with the lack of humor. You know who you are.

Ladies and Gentlemen, for your reading pleasure:

Fated Circle

Chapter Two:

Leverage

"Irvy Kinneapoo! You can't go in there like that!" The spunky Selphie exclaimed as Irvine walked down the hall towards her in his red-striped Galbadian Garden Sudent Uniform--and a cowboy hat.

"What, did I spill something on my jacket?" he asked worriedly. They were all being put in the spotlight tonight as the elite team of heroes that they were. He hurriedly checked the crimson trim of his jacket for any signs of stains as he stopped in front of Selphie.

"No, it's the cowboy hat, silly!" She said as she jumped to pull the hat off of her taller companion. She giggled. "You look different without your hat on."

"Different?" he asked, unsure of whether it was a good or bad thing. He decided to stick with bad on this one. He moaned. "C'mon Sefie, give it back."

"Can't." Selphie exclaimed, calming down slightly. "There's a no hat rule. Don't you worry Irvy! I'll make sure nobody mistakes it for a punch bowl!"

Irvine paled. The thought of his precious cowboy hat being used to serve drinks made him sick, but he decided not to share this with Selphie. "So what are you doing out here anyway?"

"Trying to make sure everything's set up properly." She responded. "But mostly trying to find a punch bowl." Her emerald eyes gleamed up at him.

"Funny," he replied, longing to tip his cowboy hat and move in for the kill. "So is that what you think you'll be doing all night?"

"That is what I'll be doing all night, silly."

"Oh, I don't think so." Irvine said, taking her by the arm. "You look way too fine in that uniform to hide behind a punch bowl. The rest of the committee can take care of it for you, Sefie."

Irvine and Selphie entered the ballroom arm in arm, both smiling, both nervous. The huge ballroom was stunning, especially to someone who had never seen it before. Irvine was in awe of it, from the large marble tiles on the floor to the high pillars along the perimeter of the room. It was both elegant yet comforting at the same time.

"I don't see Quisty, Rinny, or Zell." Selphie said as she scanned the room.

"Or Squall." Irvine muttered.

"Woohoo, there's a big turn out though!" Selphie bounced in excitement. (That's my Sefie, making the best of a bad situation.) "Oh look, there's Quisty! She's over there---talking to Headmaster Cid, and Matron. And there's Nida and Xu! I can't believe how many people actually came!"

Irvine slipped an arm around her shoulders, causing her to stiffen. (Damn.) Irvine thought. (Bad move…) But Selphie surprised him with her cheerful smile.

Irvine smiled what was possibly the biggest smile of his lifetime and raised his hand as if shooting into the air. "Let's go dance them all right off the floor, Sefie!"

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Warm beads of water fell onto his head and shoulders: the droplets cascading down his bare chest and back. The steam helped to loosen his tense muscles, and Hyne knew how much he needed to relax. Turning the water off he stepped out of the shower and used a fresh towel to dry the moisture from his body before wrapping it around his waist. Finally, Squall opened the door to leave the bathroom--and froze.

From where she was sitting on his bed, dark-haired Rinoa gave him a quick once-over before meeting his gaze. It wasn't until she winked at him that Squall had the bashful realization that he was standing in front of her in nothing but a towel. Rinoa on the other hand was all dolled up, wearing the two-tone cream-colored party dress that she had worn the day he had met her. A chain held the two rings that she always wore around her neck, and she wore a bracelet on her left wrist. She looked beautiful, but at the moment the only thing he could really comprehend was that as they stared silently at each other he was standing in front of her half-naked. Finally Rinoa laughed. He raised a hand, and she recoiled in mock-pain before turning around--all smile-- to give him some privacy.

"You'd better hurry up and get changed if you don't want to be too late for the party." she chuckled, holding her hands playfully behind her back. His uniform was laid out neatly on his bed, just waiting for him to put it on. He shook his head, partly out of exasperation but mostly because he was amused: Rinoa was standing between him and his everyday clothes.

"I wasn't planning on going to the party." he replied as he picked up his uniform pants, and pulled them on. "I'll just sit this one out and let everyone else take the credit for once. Besides, this whole 'SeeD Victory Party' is just a political formality anyway. Headmaster Cid will just be using us as bragging rights and political leverage." Squall frowned in thought. He quickly put on his white wife-beater and his uniform pants, and finally satisfied that he was adequately clothed, told her that it was alright to turn around.

Rinoa tried to make herself look serious as she turned to face him and raised her right hand. "I Rinoa, hereby swear to save you from any 'political formalities' that Cid might throw at you this evening." She leaned towards him and clasped her hands behind her back. She tilted her head to the side as she looked up at him. "Better?" She asked. Squall frowned. (Now that I think about it my excuses are pretty lame…)

"You know Squall," Rinoa looked down as she kicked her right foot against the carpet. "Just because you're back at the Garden doesn't mean that you have to put on this whole 'lone wolf' act. Not for me." She paused, and continued to examine the floor innocently. "But if that's what you want then I guess I'll just have to stick around and bug you all night--"

"And you're going to keep chanting 'party, party, party' and drive me nuts?" Squall shook his head, and rolled his eyes as he reached past her for his uniform jacket, and walked out into the common-room that he shared with Zell and Irvine. "Forget it, I'll go."

"Is that a smile I see on your face, Squall?" Sure, politics would inevitably come up, but the grin on Rinoa's face was enough to make it all worth while. (I'll go for you Rinoa.)

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"Yo Squall! Rinoa!" Rinoa stifled a giggle when she saw Zell waving at them from across a crowd near the door. Squall shook his head as the excited blond made his way none too gently through the crowd with what he assumed to be Zell's date. She was a slender girl, who's timid behavior seemed so familiar. Of course, Irvine and him had eavesdropped on her and Zell when she had brought him a book at the Balamb Hotel about two months ago.

"Squall you're here! Never doubted you Rinoa." Squall looked down at his companion. Her dark brown eyes twinkled with mischief.

(Am I really that predictable?) Squall frowned and changed the subject. "Who's this?"

Zell smiled. "Guys, this is Melinda Miller. Melinda, these are my good friends Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly."

"Pleasure to meet you Melinda." Rinoa replied for them both.

"Nice to meet you Commander, Miss Heartilly."

"Just call me Rinoa." The dark haired girl smiled, taking her stiff date by the arm. "And knucklehead here would rather be called Squall."

Squall raised an eyebrow at Rinoa. (Knucklehead? Why is she toying with me?)

"Of course." was Melinda's timid reply.

"Oh he-ey!" Selphie exclaimed as she approached with Irvine. Both were dressed in their SeeD uniforms. Zell introduced Melinda to everyone as Quistis joined the group, and he explained that Melinda was a member of the Library Committee, and a fourth year student. Everyone wished her good luck on her SeeD exam. Zell then started to tell her the story of his SeeD exam, and how his squad had been made up of Squall, some anonymous bastard (Seifer)who nearly got them killed--and himself.

Irvine stood behind Zell, acting out every word the blond said with exaggerated mimicry. "…and he kept calling me a chicken wuss, the stupid bast---" Quistis couldn't hold the laughter in anymore, surrendering Irvine to Zell's mercy. Zell turned around, fist raised angrily to find the cowboy in mid-cluck. Irvine had to leap back to avoid his fist. "What the hell man!?!" Zell's eyes burned with rage, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"Whoa there." Irvine leveled his hands out in front of him, asking the martial artist to calm down. "Down boy! Sit!" Even nervous Melinda had to stifle a laugh. This made Zell blush in even more..

"Irvine?" Quistis asked, giving him the once over. "What happened to your hat?" Irvine slumped sadly, his energetic mood leaving him behind.

"Selphie took it." he replied. "I feel…naked. But I'll get naked for Selphie anytime." Selphie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she stared at him incredulously.

"Irvine Kinneas!"

"Yes Sefie?" he asked gently.

"Go wash your mouth out!" Selphie scolded him. Rinoa raised a hand to cover a giggle.

"Oh Hyne, look!" Selphie exclaimed out of nowhere, her frustration with Irvine being quickly replaced by her dreaminess towards another man. "Sir Laguna's here!"

Irvine deflated.

" 'Sir Laguna'?" Melinda asked Zell in confusion.

The blonde nodded in enthusiasm. "The President of Esthar, Laguna Loire, and his close friends Kiros and Ward. It's a long story, but they helped us out a TON."

The group turned as one to see the headmaster, Cid Kramer drag his wife Edea to intercept the important man and his two advisors.

"Isn't Sir Laguna so handsome?!" Selphie swooned.

"Yeah." Irvine muttered dryly. "If you like men who are old enough to be your father!"

"Someone sounds jealous." Quistis remarked with a bark of laughter.

"What was that Quistis?" Irvine grinned at her maliciously. "You say you want a dance?"

'Wha--? I never said--"

"Sure you did." Irvine replied, grabbing the blond by the arm and hauling her out to the dance floor. Zell shook his head and shrugged in response to his date's confusion. Selphie on the other hand was so preoccupied that she hadn't even noticed that Irvine had left her side. Squall just let out one long sigh.

"Poor Quistis." Rinoa chuckled.

"Damn." Squall muttered, graciously accepting a drink from a waitress. As he took a sip, it became apparent to Rinoa that his eyes hadn't left the Estharian President and his entourage, which were now moving more or less in their direction.

Rinoa found herself smiling as she examined the contours of his face. Seeing through his stone-hard mask of annoyance to the nervousness hidden deep within his dark-rimmed blue eyes.

Squall looked back at her over the rim of his glass. "What?" he asked her. That smile of hers could be infectious and he could feel it working on him.

"Did you know that you tilt your head slightly to the right when you ask a question? It's kind of cute."

"Whatever." he turned, concealing his blush and returning his attention to Laguna, who was closer now than before. Zell and Melinda quickly left to go get food--the two of them seemed to be hitting it off quite nicely--and Selphie ran off to find Irvine. That left Squall and Rinoa alone, and Squall found his attention drawn in two directions. He knew he had to pick one, and it wasn't too hard of a choice (much to his surprise).

He turned to find his light eyes meet her dark ones. He could always find comfort in those eyes, and they always seemed to carry a special warmth for him. The moment dragged on, and there was a question he meant to ask her when the sound of his name averted his attention.

"Squall," Cid spoke as he approached. "You remember President Loire."

"Laguna, I've been meaning to thank you." Squall nodded at the dark haired Estharian president. "Without your help at the Lunatic Pandora--"

Laguna waved a hand in dismissal. "Just paying back the favor. You guys got us out of a few nasty situations."

"Most of which Laguna got us into." Kiros remarked. Ward nodded his agreement.

Laguna scratched his head. "What's with the hostility? I didn't get us into that many scraps…"

Rinoa smiled at them as they recapped their past adventures (Most of which attributed to Laguna's disability to read a map), but soon found her attention drawn to the conversation going on behind her.

"…You sure that's the sorceress that freed Adel?"

"Of course I'm sure! I heard that SeeD back there call her 'Rinoa'. Isn't that the Sorceress' name?"

"Hmm…sounds right."

"You idiot, don't get to close! Who knows what she could do to you…"

Rinoa frowned. Nobody else seemed to have heard the conversation. She bit down on her lower lip, the words running through her mind. (…The Sorceress who freed Adel…who knows what she could do…)

Rinoa excused herself from the group, using an excuse that she hoped everyone would buy. She needed a moment to herself, to figure out her emotions. As she fled into the crowd, she didn't see Squall looking worriedly after her.

She slinked off into a corner, leaning back against one of the marble pillars for support. (Does everybody hate me?) She stood there alone for a moment before she had the strength to look up at the dance floor. There were many people dancing , but one pair stood out. Irvine had finally convinced Selphie to come out and dance with him, and although he was a foot taller than her she had to admit they'd make a cute couple.

(That's what everyone thinks about Squall and I.) She looked up at the sky through the glass dome of the ballroom.When she looked down, she could see him standing in the center of the dance floor looking for her. When their eyes met, he smiled--Rinoa loved that smile--and subtly pointed towards the sky with a questioning finger before heading her way. Rinoa embraced him as soon as he was within range, and he lifted her easily from the ground and spun her around.

"Did you see that?" he asked as he set her back down on the marble floor. "The shooting star?"

"You did not see a shooting star."

"Sure I did."

"Liar." Rinoa replied with a halfhearted smile.

"Rinoa…" Squall raised a hand to wipe away the tears glistening from her eyes, and she broke down into his arms, the only true thing that could bring her comfort.

"They hate me, Squall."

Squall gently caressed her hair as he held her, searching for the right words to say. (Three months ago I wouldn't have given a damn what I said…you've changed me so much, Rinoa.)

"They…they don't understand what's going on, Rinoa. They don't know who to hate." (They should hate Ultimecia…they should hate Seifer. But never you Rinoa…)

"You were busy with the Headmaster, and with Laguna." Rinoa seemed to have calmed somewhat, wiping her eyes and taking a step back. Her hands came up to rest on her necklace, and the two rings held there. "I was scared…so I came here. I guess this was the only place where I thought I could find some comfort."

"This is where we met." Squall observed, remembering the day fondly. Rinoa had been wearing the same dress that she now wore. She looked just as beautiful now, despite her dried tears. It didn't escape his notice that the same music was playing as they had danced to that day. He reached out, taking her hand. "Rinoa, dance with me?"

Her jaw dropped in shock as he dragged her to the center of the floor, but she smiled as they moved into position. Squall smiled back down at her as they started to waltz. The steps came much more easily than they had the last time, Squall being in total ease with her. For a moment he forgot all about the other people in the room, and it was just him and Rinoa dancing. Dancing on the clouds…

A/N: Awwww how cute! Anyways, chapter 3 is in the works but it doesn't get posted until I see reviews between this account and my DeviantArt one. Also if you really like it my DA journal is always full of spoilers. Check it out at http://jenkimimay. Thanks muches! You can also join a great Final fantasy RPG at Okay, enough shameless plugging for one night. Hope you all enjoyed!

Special thanks to those people who commented on this chapter. I took your advice and did a reformat. XD

So, how do you think the press conference will go? Will it be a sucess or a failure? What will the press' reaction be to the events of the past year? Find out in chapter three!