Chapter 9.
-
Squall still stood staring at the bed in shock then he slowly looked up at Irvine. "You told him that we were-"
The cowboy shook his head. "No."
They shared a look. "Maybe Quistis-"
"But why would she?" Squall said. "She knows that we aren't like that."
Irvine shook his head. He really didn't have an answer. "I don't know, we can ask him at dinner."
Squall nodded, looking back at the bed. "I'm not sharing that with you."
The cowboy tried to look hurt. "Why not?"
"Because I know you, you'll be all over me in the morning."
Irvine tried to smother the smirk that threatened. "I will not, scout's honour." He gave the scout salute.
Squall scoffed. "You were never a scout."
"Well no but I always wanted to be." He grinned.
"I'll go and ask Laguna now if I can have another room."
"But Squall-" Irvine reached for him as the brunette tried to walk past, pulling him into a kiss before he argue.
"Mmm? MMPH!" Squall protested, pushing at the cowboy's chest.
Irvine turned shoving the brunette into the wall, a hand tilting his head up and kissed him hard.
Squall's protests got weaker and weaker until his hands, that were flat against Irvine's chest to push him off, clutched at the material of his clothing and he kissed him back.
Irvine broke the kiss with a broad grin on his face. Squall slowly opened his eyes, forgetting where he was for a second as soon as he saw Irvine he hurriedly shoved the smug cowboy back.
Irvine laughed at first then Squall moved towards the door he called after him. "Squall? Where are you going?"
"To ask Laguna for another room." He glared at the cowboy and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.
Irvine laughed and blew him a kiss when Squall looked back at him, the door in one hand. The brunette walked out and shut the door behind him.
Irvine pouted and sat on the end of the bed flopping back onto it and spreading out his arms and snuggling into the blankets.
Plenty of space for two.
III
Squall walked down another corridor. The palace was huge and very easy to get lost in. He almost felt badly for Laguna getting teased for getting lost in this place now…. Almost. Squall had stayed there a few times over the past year whereas Laguna had lived there for….. Eighteen years, you'd think he'd be used to it by now. Kiros always told Squall of the time he got a phone call from Laguna to say he had gotten lost in the lower levels somewhere and couldn't find his way out so Kiros had to go looking for him. Laguna had insisted it was a long time ago but both Ward and Kiros insisted that it was only a year ago. Squall got the end of a corridor and looked around the corner, the lifts were there. He frowned. This wasn't right. He had expected to come into the wide hallway with large windows and the chairs next to them. He turned and went back to the left turn that he didn't take before and going down there instead. He came to the large windows that he remembered, nodding to himself and paused when he heard voices.
Kiros and Laguna he could hear them talking and laughing. He rounded the corner and then wished he hadn't.
Laguna was sitting straddling across Kiros' lap, they weren't doing anything just talking, teasing each other and he supposed it wasn't really in public as the only people allowed up to that level were Laguna, Kiros, Ward, his wife and now himself and Irvine. But still it was a shock.
He paused at the corner then turned and went to leave but Kiros had already spotted him.
"Squall." The dark man called him.
He winced and stopped, facing away from the couple, slowly he looked back. Laguna had got up, glancing back at Kiros looking all embarrassed now.
"Sorry." The brunette mumbled.
"It's okay." Kiros said. "I have things to do anyway." He gave Laguna look before he walked off.
Laguna sat down in the chair Kiros had just got out of and gestured for Squall to take the other. "What's the problem?" He asked Squall.
The brunette looked uncomfortable. "Sorry about that."
Laguna shrugged. "Don't worry about it."
Squall fidgeted. "About the room situation with me and Irvine."
"Oh yeah." Laguna grinned at him. "I know you have trouble saying these things I saved you the trouble of asking."
Squall frowned. "Did Irvine tell you that we were-"
"No." He shook his head. "I know the signs."
Squall gave him a look.
"Well okay, Kiros noticed the signs and then pointed them out to me."
"The signs? What signs?"
"Well-err-" He smiled. "When they found you two and both of you were half awake and err- cuddled together-"
"It was really cold." Squall reminded.
"Well yes I know and when they tried to separate the two of you, neither of you wanted to let go."
Squall frowned. "We were cold and almost unconscious." He protested.
"And then there's the way he looks at you." Laguna continued.
Squall just frowned at that one.
"And that you have that-" He smirked. "Ruffled, freshly kissed, buttons undone type of look to you."
"Undone?" Squall said, looking down for the first time. "AH!" He stood up and did up the button on his trousers. "Stupid bloody cowboy."
Laguna laughed.
"We are NOT a couple." Squall said.
"You're not?" Laguna looked doubtful.
"No! He's just a- a- a horny idiot who- who sometimes leaps on me for- for kisses."
Laguna laughed.
"And we want another room." Squall said.
Laguna grinned stupidly at him. "Another room? Well -err- we don't have anymore."
Squall frowned. "There's a whole palace whole of rooms."
"Yes well they're all taken."
"By who?"
"Well Quistis and her-err- friend have arrived and err-"
"That's two people!"
"Can't you just go and make up with Irvine?" Laguna asked.
"Make up? We're not a married couple having an argument! He is NOT my boyfriend! We are NOT a couple!"
Laguna was giving him that silly smile again as if he didn't believe him.
"Oh forget it!" He got up and stormed off.
Squall stomped into the room he shared with Irvine angrily. The cowboy sat up on the bed, where he had been sprawled when Squall came in.
"Well?"
"We have to share."
Irvine raised an eyebrow. "Didn't ask him did you?"
"I did!" Squall insisted. "But he wouldn't let us have two rooms."
"Why?"
"Because he's mean." Squall snapped, wandering into their little ensuite bathroom. "I need a shower."
"Are we still going to dinner with them?"
Squall shrugged, standing in the doorway. "I suppose so."
The cowboy rose from the bed, rubbing his hands together. "Better make myself presentable then." He gave Squall a look. "Don't suppose you'll let me shower with you?"
Squall scoffed walking into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.
"That's a no then is it?" Irvine chuckled.
III
"Elle?"
The girl turned and spotted the cowboy walking towards them. "Irvine!" She ran towards him, meeting in the middle for a hug. He lifted her off her feet she squeaked slightly until he put her back down.
"Uncle Kiros told me you guys were here."
"Yeah, have you seen Quistis yet?"
She nodded with a smile. "Yeah and I meet her "friend"." She giggled.
The Irvine's grin faltered. "Oh yeah, him."
"Don't you like him?"
He shrugged. "I guess he's alright, I just didn't like how when he first came to Balamb everyone thought he was Mr. Wonderful." He frowned.
She giggled. "It's just a phrase, I'm sure it was the same when you joined Balamb garden."
He grinned. "Except mine never wore off."
She laughed. "Still the same old Irvine I see."
He shrugged.
"Irvine!"
Quistis walked toward them from the same direction that Ellone had come with Evan in tow.
"Quisty." Irvine greeted with a grin.
"Where's Squall?"
"He was in the shower when I left.
"When you left?" Quistis asked.
"Oh!" Ellone suddenly said. "That reminds me, I'm so happy to hear that you two are a couple." She hugged him.
Irvine laughed.
Quistis gaped and Evan frowned in confusion. "You are?"
"No, no we aren't."
Ellone frowned. "But I heard-"
"I know what you heard but we aren't, I mean I wish but….. You know what Squall's like."
The other three all nodded.
"You meant the Kinneas charm hasn't worked?" Ellone teased.
Quistis laughed.
Irvine shrugged. "Not really, although sometimes he looks at me and I think I've cracked it and then he goes all cold again."
The girls nodded in understanding.
"But we do have to share this room now and a bed."
The girls both shared a look and then smirked at him. "You have to share a bed why?"
"Laguna's idea of a joke I think." Squall said as he walked up to join them.
"Squall!" Ellone gave him a hug.
The cowboy felt foolish for the bit of jealousy that wormed its way in. Ellone was the only one who could hug Squall without him tensing up, besides himself. He depended on Squall's mood but sometimes he would let the cowboy touch him. An arm around his shoulders, a hand on his back, fingers moving a stray piece of hair that sort of thing.
"Sis." Squall said in greeting.
"Uncle Laguna said you had hypothermia!" She patted him down as if checking for injuries.
"Well Laguna's an idiot, I'm fine and I never had hypothermia." He protested, standing beside Irvine.
"Ooh you still have wet hair." The cowboy reached out and ran his fingers through Squall's wet hair.
The brunette ducked his head slightly and gave the cowboy a look.
The girls shared a look.
"So are we all eating together then?" Ellone gestured for them to start walking.
The group followed her down the corridor and into the lift.
Squall explained his little chat with Laguna about getting another room. Ellone laughed. "He probably thinks like I do that you two would be such a cute couple."
Squall rolled his eyes.
The lift doors opened on a lower floor. Squall had been so glad they had had these lifts fitted he hated the chair lift thingies. Especially voice activated ones, the amount of times he had gotten on board and told it to go to Laguna's office and the stupid thing had taken him to the kitchen or the entrance or somewhere else useless.
They walked out following Ellone, the only one who knew where she was going. They walked into a large dining room with a round table in it. Kiros was putting cutlery and place mats down. He looked up as they entered and smiled.
"Sit down, Laguna's probably making himself a nuisance in the kitchen."
Ellone laughed.
The dark man headed for the door. "I'll go and find him."
"Aren't you going back to garden tonight?" Squall asked Quistis.
She shook her head. "I thought I'd take some time off here for a couple of days with you, Evan and Irvine."
"But garden-"
"-Will be fine with Xu in control of everything."
Squall made face.
"What's wrong? You don't like Xu?"
"I don't not like her it's just- she's a bit- a bit-" He looked at Quistis. "She's your friend isn't she?"
She smiled. "Yes but go on."
"A bit…. Weird."
Irvine sniggered.
"She is not weird, she's quiet, hardworking, strict…." Quistis said.
"….She glares at the cadets." Squall said.
"And she doesn't like me." Irvine said.
Quistis smiled. "Well she had good taste then."
The cowboy frowned at her in an amused way.
Squall got up from the table. "I'm going to go and see what's keeping them…. Probably stopped for a passing grope in the kitchen." He muttered on the way past.
III
TBC