Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

Inclusion

Now I really am the outsider, Rinoa thought dejectedly as she took a seat, alone, in the cafeteria. The hour was late and everyone was supposed to be either at their guard posts or in their dorms, but Rinoa couldn't sleep. Her mind was full of the revelation that her friends shared something that she could never be a part of. She'd never be able to fight like them and now… she could not share the part of their hearts that still loved Matron Edea, the woman who was now the Sorceress. Nor could she understand their desire to fight Edea and kill her if necissary.

"It's rather cold in here. I'm surprised you aren't shivering," observed a quiet voice from behind.

Rinoa jumped and latched onto the table to keep from toppling to the floor. "Geez, Squall! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I didn't sneak up on you; you were too busy thinking to hear me," he retorted, taking a seat across from her. "I thought I was supposed to be the one who broods and irritates people by bottling everything up."

"I'm not bottling things up," Rinoa protested. "I-I just wanted some time to think."

Squall raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. "Really?" he drawled. "Well then, would you join me in getting a snack? I only just got out of the control room…"

"Lost track of time?"

"Mmhmm."

"The cafeteria is closed, though."

"I didn't show you the vending machines, did I?"

"Vending machines?" Rinoa perked up and squinted to see in the mostly dark room.

"Over this way," Squall stood and walked to the northernmost part of the cafeteria. Low and behold, three vending machines were present: one held drinks, another junk food, and a third had all sorts of frozen deserts.

Rinoa hugged the desert vender. "Mine! All mine!"

"I don't think you can eat all that… and Zell would hunt you down if you could."

"He's obsessed with deserts, too?"

"Zell worships 'food gods.' Of course he's obsessed."

"Point…" Fishing out a few coins, Rinoa purchased a nutty bar. Squall, on the other hand, bought cola, a bag of chips, and a chocolate bar. "So… now that you and the others know you were raised together, has anything… you know, changed?"

"Not really." Squall shrugged. "They're my friends regardless, I still hate Seifer, and we're all going to find a way to stop Edea."

"You make it sound so simple." Rinoa turned away and began walking back to the table.

"It is simple. You're complicating things."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"We aren't going to leave you out or send you away. Face it, Rinoa, you're stuck with us," Squall deadpanned.

"Oh, horror," Rinoa giggled. "Hurry up and sit down so you can eat. I thought you were hungry."

"Starving," Squall agreed, taking a seat.

A/N Okay… so Squall is out of character, but hey… I think he tends to open up more around Rinoa. She's even made him blush a few times in the game, so perhaps this scene isn't too farfetched.