A/N: This was originally chapter 54 of my drabble challenge "100 New Possibilities," but I couldn't resist expanding it. This probably doesn't make much sense, but I hope you'll still like it. :) It's the longest chapter I made for this story so far.

Thanks: K-chanLovesAnimeXD and M. L. Ayala, my beta reader.

~ "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't like the way you're observing me?" he asked irritably through clenched teeth. It pissed him off even more that she started to smile. ("Uh... nope.") ~

O. - Observing

Pure silence surrounded Squall, with only the scratching sound of paper on pen that interrupted the serenity every now and then. However, for some reason or another, something just didn't feel right anymore. For hours on end, he'd been working at top speed to read these papers and sign them, but now he couldn't concentrate on his work anymore, no matter how hard he tried. It was as though someone was watching his every move and that made his patience wear thin. The brunet could almost swear that he could feel eyes on him. Naturally, it didn't take Squall too long to realize what had caused this. He didn't even look up from his work to acknowledge her presence, because usually when he felt like this, she was always near him.

"Rinoa..." the brunet male started warningly, trying not to sound like he was actually this close to exploding (that wouldn't solve anything. In fact, it would only make matters worse).

"What?" she said, innocently, as if she had absolutely no idea why the man was annoyed now.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't like the way you're observing me?" he asked irritably through clenched teeth.

He honestly had no idea why she was so interested in everything he did. This wasn't a simple crush anymore; it started to look an awful lot like an obsession, since she wouldn't let him alone anymore.

It pissed him even more off that she started to smile, almost knowingly. "Uh... nope. Never."

"Well, it's annoying. Stop it," he replied with a deep frown, even though something told him that it would be of no use.

After all, when had she ever actually listened to him? What was even stranger was the fact that she just stood there in the room, looking up at him with those big questioning eyes. Was she expecting him to do something now? It surely looked like it... But what could that be? Was this some stupid girl-thing that guys like him didn't understand? He sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly. He so wasn't in the mood for this today. Didn't Rinoa already know that he sucked at picking up vague hints? Then why was she still torturing him like this?

Eventually, when he couldn't take her staring anymore, he asked, "Is there something I should know about?"

This actually seemed to surprise her immensely. "You mean... You don't notice anything different about me... at all?" she asked, the disappointment evident in her voice. "I was kinda expecting you to notice it right away, since you usually have an eye for details..."

Something different? he wondered, as he raised a dark brow.

He took his time to examine his girlfriend closely. Now that she'd mentioned it... no. Nothing. At all. It made him wonder if he really was that blind, or if the change she was talking about was just too insignificant to be even called a 'detail.' Perhaps he didn't see it because it was simply too dark in the room. Squall blinked, rather confused. Rinoa did the same, obviously waiting for an answer.

He sighed deeply, as he looked at her again. "You got new shoes?" he guessed, while trying not to sound too disinterested (knowing her, that would piss her off even more).

"No..." she replied, patiently. "Guess again."

Not again... What else could it be?

"New clothes?" he tried again.

"Nope," she replied. "Try again."

At this point, he honestly had no idea... until she started twirling her hair. Then it became a little too obvious not to notice anything.

That was when he saw it. "New haircut?"

"Yeah! That's right."

Oh... that. Of course, how could he not have seen that? he thought, sarcastically.

Honestly, why oh why did she have to be so difficult about it? What would she achieve with it? He really didn't get women, especially not the one that stood in front of him, he was sure of that.

"And...?" she started again, tapping with her right foot on the floor.

From that tone in her voice, he could clearly tell that the ebony-haired woman was more curious than ever. He should be scared now...

"'And' what?" Squall asked slowly, narrowing his eyes and preparing himself mentally for what would come next.

With someone like Rinoa, one could never know.

"And, what do you think of it? Do you like it?" she asked, turning around once, so that her boyfriend could see the back of it, too.

"Uh..."

She looked over her shoulder and smiled assuringly at him. "Oh, c'mon. You can be honest with me, Squall."

"Okay..." Squall thought about it for a moment, his brows knitting together, before replying truthfully, "It could've been a little less... short."

...And that was the first mistake he made.

At once, her attitude changed, almost as though suddenly, she was possessed by some angry spirit.

Narrowing her dark chocolate-like eyes, she put her hands on her hips and asked in a much higher voice, "What do you mean by that?"

"Uh... I guess exactly as I said it." When he saw that dangerous look in her eyes that surely promised no good, he wanted to add something like, "But maybe that's just me. I guess I'll have to get used to it," but she didn't give him the chance for that.

"Oh, is that really what you think, huh? Well, I'm sorry I'm not perfect enough for you, oh great Commander. Is there anything else you wish?"

That took the man completely off guard. "Rinoa, what's gotten into-"

"No, please don't take your words back, because you're always right, isn't it? Why in Hyne's name do you have to be so harsh about everything, Squall? I'm getting sick of it!"

"What are you talking-" he started, only to be interrupted once again.

"You never bother to look at me anymore, locking yourself up into your room and then you still dare to criticize me? You have some guts, Mister!"

When the raven-haired woman finally seemed to be done with her tirade, Squall tried to reach over to her, "Rinoa, I'm really not into the mood for this-"

"Not in the mood? Ugh, you really are impossible, you know that! I wonder if you ever are in the mood to actually do something that doesn't involve your job. Actually, never mind. I don't want to know. Good night, Squall."

With that being said, she abruptly turned around and prepared to leave, but Squall didn't plan on letting her get away with it just like that. "So first you say I can be honest with you about my thoughts, but when I do, you insinuate that you'd rather wanted me to lie about it? And now you're calling me impossible? Get real."

This made her stop. It became eerily quiet in the room as seconds passed, making it seem like eternities. Then, without saying anything, she continued her way to the door and slammed it shut with the loudest bang! Squall had ever heard. It was a wonder that the door didn't fall off its hinges.

Now that the first round of their argument was over, an unpleasant feeling took over Squall. He recognized it immediately: guilt. He decided that this was the last time he would be actually honest to her. Seriously, to hell with honesty. It only got him into more trouble than when he lied about something.

The brunet male guessed that it was that time of the month again, for there was no other explanation for Rinoa's actions than that. She always became emotional during that time, so it was either that, or a weird girl-thing that men couldn't possibly understand. Perhaps it was better to apologize now, because if he waited any longer, she might let him sleep in the garage. Surely, that had never happened before, but with someone like Rinoa, one can never be too sure about anything. With that, he got up from his place and went to the living room first. This way, he could check if the TV and the lamps were turned off, for he wanted to sleep after he had talked with Rinoa.

As soon as he had thought about what to say to her in order to ease her mind again, Rinoa entered the living-room, carrying a huge pile that consisted of a blanket and a pillow in her arms. She dropped it unceremoniously on the couch, not making any eye contact with Squall who stood next to the couch, and turned around to leave again.

It took a moment for him to figure out what this gesture meant, but when he did, Squall quickly said, "Wait… you don't have to sleep on the couch."

She would be all cold and uncomfortable the whole night, not to mention incredibly stiff the next day. That, and he didn't want to sleep without her, because he would be cold all night, too, no matter how many blankets he used. There was no blanket that could replace his Rinoa.

"Don't worry. I won't, 'cause that will be your job," she replied, sharply.

This, he certainly hadn't expected to hear. Squall sighed, running a gloveless hand though his chocolate-colored hair. Of course she would try to make this the most uncomfortable night of his life.

Women.

He'd better do something about it now, because he hated sleeping on the couch. It would leave him with major back problems for the rest of his life and there would be no massage that could change that fact.

"Rinoa," he started. "Come on, you're not serious, are you? This doesn't make any sense!"

The raven-haired beauty gave him an extremely cold stare, indicating that she was dead serious about what she had said. "Oh, you think I'm joking? Nu-huh. Not this time, buddy."

"But the couch... it's too small for me. I won't fit on it."

"Not my problem," she said in a sing-song voice.

"...How can you be so heartless?" Squall asked, his frown growing deeper.

"Hah! Heartless? Seriously? Says who!"

She didn't give him the time to come up with something else, because she left the room and went straight to their shared bedroom. The commander waited for a moment, before making up his mind and following the ebony-haired woman. Their bedroom door was slightly ajar. He opened it soundlessly and leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her to notice him. She had just changed clothes. At that same moment, she looked in the mirror and they happened to make eye contact.

She yelped and her eyes widened considerably, obviously not expecting him to be standing there, as she swiftly turned around. Squall didn't get this weird behavior of hers. It wasn't like he had never watched her change clothes before...

"Are you watching me? I knew you were heartless, but now you're a perv, too? You never cease to surprise me, Squall."

"I'm your boyfriend. I have the right to watch you."

That made her blush.

Wait... did he really just say that aloud? It had sounded much better in his head, not to mention less-

"So?" she said, looking at him defiantly and putting her hands on her hips.

That just didn't make sense at all and he knew that she knew that, too. It was almost cute how she was saying pure nonsense when she was mad like this. This made him think... Maybe he should try another tactic. And if this didn't help, then nothing would.

He stepped forward and caught her in his arms. Gently grasping her chin between his thumb and index finger, he bent forward slightly.

However, when the raven-haired woman realized what he was trying to do, she tried pushing him away from her. "Oh no. Kissing me won't change a thing, Mister! You're going to sleep on the couch tonight and that's my final-"

Squall effectively silenced her by kissing her. When he was absolutely sure that she wouldn't interrupt him anymore, he pulled away and admitted, "Look, I'm really sorry for hurting you. I didn't mean to and it won't happen again, promise. I was just tired. Forgive me?"

The intensity of his stormy blue eyes made her look away. Eventually, she nodded.

"So I can just sleep in my own bed now, right?" he asked, just to be sure she wouldn't bite his head off if he stayed here.

"...Yes, but only because you're my favorite pillow. Next time, you won't get away with it that easily," she said, jokingly.

"Thanks..." A small smirk appeared on his face, as he whispered, "Sucker."

Did she really think that he meant anything of what he said? Unbelievable. If he had known that it would be this easy-

At once, Rinoa turned around again, giving him a questioning look. "Did you say something?"

Squall was quick to suppress his grin. "Uh... I only said that I love you."

She smiled. "Aww, you're so sweet! I love you, too, Squall!"

That was a close one...