As the drive to Winhill was underway, Squall told Rinoa to pull up to the nearest gas station and that he'd fill up her tank. When she pulled her Cube up to the pump he immediately got out and started sliding his debit card through the machine. "Here," he said, handing her some cash. "Can you grab me a pack of cigarettes? And whatever else you want."

Rinoa smirked. "Smokes and road beers?" she teased.

Squall grinned at her and let out a shrill whistle through his teeth. "Fire it up," he said, pushing his sunglasses up to rest upon his head. "I think you've watched The Crow far too many times," he called to her as she walked away. He remembered seeing the film in her motley DVD collection and recalled that the case was beyond worn.

As Rinoa waited in line to buy the energy drinks and snacks for her and Squall, she overheard the conversation that transpired between two teenage girls that had just walked into the station. They couldn't have been more than fifteen, and together they were quietly giggling to each other as they perused the narrow candy aisle.

"Did you see him?" one said, glancing over her shoulder to peer out the window. "He was hot."

"But did you see that scar?" whispered the other. "He looks dangerous."

"And that matters why?" argued the first girl.

Rinoa pressed her lips together as she tried to muffle a laugh. Oh Squall, you little heartbreaker you, she thought. When it came to be her turn at the register, she gave the cashier a smile. "Just these and could I get a pack of Cactaur Reds?"

The cashier nodded and reached overhead to grab the pack of cigarettes. As he scanned in the rest of her purchases and bagged them, he lifted a chin at her. "Need matches?"

"No thanks, I'm sure he's got a lighter."

Rinoa finished paying and exited. She slid behind the wheel and watched as Squall leaned against the back of her car, his arms crossed and his gaze focused on the changing numbers that flickered across the screen of the pump. Rinoa ran her fingertips over her mouth as she watched him. She wasn't sure what it was, but there was something so attractive about a man pumping gas for her. Or, perhaps she found it attractive because of who that man was. She softly giggled to herself. She was no better than those little girls who were gushing about the handsome stranger they had just walked past. Every little thing he did was just another addition to her fondness of him.

God I hate him, she thought.

The nozzle clicked and Squall moved to detach it from Rinoa's car. After closing off her gas casket and ripping his copy of the receipt from the pump's machine, he slid into the passenger seat. "You ready to go?" he asked her.

Rinoa turned her head to him and gave him a soft grin. "Absolutely," she answered, reaching into her center compartment to grab her sunglasses. As she pushed them up the bridge of her nose, she caught sight of the two teenage girls leaving the station and walking towards the front of the Cube. Smiling to herself, she turned the ignition and waited for them to pass.

At the noise of the car, the girls on instinct glanced in their direction. One of them noticed Squall and her mouth dropped open a fraction.

Rinoa checked the space behind Squall to make sure no other car was leaving and slowly crept her car forward. Squall saw the girls staring at them, stepping out of the way for Rinoa's car. His brows knitted into a frown and he pulled his own sunglasses down to shield his eyes. He leaned in and gave Rinoa's cheek a kiss. "Onward, Jeeves," he said.

She gave him a slight nudge with her shoulder as she pulled onto the street. "Oh, what, I'm your chauffer now? Asshole."

"You're whatever you want to be," he said. "I don't judge."

The freeway was fairly empty, only a small amount of cars heading northbound. It was now Summer Vacation, and Rinoa knew that most families would probably be heading southwest to bask along the beaches of Balamb. Sometimes the northbound freeway would be packed around this time, filled with people leaving work at the exact same time, but since it was Sunday the traffic was minimal. She glanced at the clock, it was just after four and before they reached the gas station she had received a text from Selphie saying that she and the rest of the band were just finishing packing up the van.

The plan was for the girls to stay in one hotel room and then tomorrow night she and Selphie would drive back down to Deling in Rinoa's car while Absolute Lore left to head back towards Esthar.

Rinoa felt that small tug within her chest. Squall would be leaving again tomorrow night. She couldn't believe that she only had yesterday, today, and a little bit of tomorrow with him. Inwardly she sucked it up and kept a steady grip along the steering wheel.

"I never asked, but is it ok that smoke in here?" he asked, his hand reaching for the pack that was still in the Thank You bag from the gas station.

"Yeah," she responded. "I just don't have an ashtray."

He nodded and stared at the pack in his hand. He blinked, remembering that he hadn't told her the cigarettes he smoked. But there in his grasp was the very brand he always had. He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. So perceptive, he thought. He slid a stick between his lips and quickly lit it, rolling down the window after shoving the lighter back into his pants. "Thanks for driving," he said.

"Well duh…how else would you get there?"

He smirked and leaned forward to fidget with the radio. "No, I mean thanks for actually driving. I've been wanting to prolong driving as much as possible before we drive off tomorrow night."

"Ah." Rinoa turned to look at him and gave him that heart warming smile. "Of course."

Soon the car was filled with the ending of a song that Rinoa had heard before, but the name of the band was escaping her at the moment. Squall leaned back into his seat and nodded his head rhythmically as he blew smoke through his lips.

Then, the smokey and breathy voice of Mecia crooned through the speakers. "Hey everyone, it's Mecia, thanks for joining us. So, as you know we had one of our amazing local bands here in the studio earlier today and in case you missed the interview we have it on our webpage, go to it, watch it, love it. I order you to. You'll also be able to watch our recording of their show from last night at The Rough Divide. Tonight they are playing up in Winhill before they trek off back East for the remainder of their tour with the equally wonderful Djin Theory. Right now, here is the newest track from Absolute Lore. Enjoy, my children."

The familiar strum of the guitar caused Rinoa to widen her eyes and glance over at Squall. She all but squealed in excitement as the words,

Artist: Absolute Lore

Title: Stars

scrolled across the screen of her radio. Her smile only grew wider when she saw that Squall was slightly grinning, his eyes staring at the screen while he casually sucked on his cigarette.

"Hey, it's me," he said coolly as the first pound of the drums vibrated through the stereo. He leaned forward after discarding his cigarette and turned the volume knob so the music poured into Rinoa's car and made her windows shake. Squall moved his body closer to Rinoa and nuzzled her neck as he sang, "Do you wanna be my lover tonight?/We can leave everybody else behind/Say alright…"

Rinoa giggled and playfully shoved him away. "I'm driving!"

Squall looked over at her, his eyes smiling and watching her adoringly as she danced in her seat. She shook her shoulders and bobbed her head to the beat, her mouth wide and bright as she sang along. When they passed a nearby car and were in the clear, he leaned in and placed kisses along her neck, pulling away only to play the drums against her dashboard.

"Fall out of the atmosphere/Let's run…Run until we disappear/And never let them come and catch us/Never let them take away our stars…" He leaned back into his seat and bobbed his head, closing his eyes and envisioning Zell working his fingers over the neck of his guitar during the solo.

He thought to when he and Zell wrote the composition for the song. It was just like how Quistis said it sometimes happened. Squall was tapping a beat against his knee for a few minutes before Zell came in and started singing his own riffs. Without instruments they created Zell's solo.

"I take it you like this song?" he asked Rinoa. "You know all the words."

Rinoa laughed and gave his cheek a quick pinch before focusing back onto the road. "I love it!" she said. "Every time I hear it I just get pumped!"

Squall leaned over the center console and rested his forehead against Rinoa's shoulder. "I'm glad you like this song."

He said it so softly that Rinoa hardly heard him. She stole a quick glance at him and saw that his eyes were closed, his long eyelashes dark crescents against his skin. Rinoa moved her eyes back to the road and kept them there until the song had ended a new one began in its stead.


Winhill

When they arrived at Winhill, Rinoa pulled up to the hotel Squall had said they made the reservations for. As she parked he sighed and rubbed his palms over his eyes. "Aw man," he muttered, stepping out of the Cube and stretching his arms overhead. "Home sweet home."

Rinoa cocked her head and reached for her purse. "Huh?"

Squall closed the door behind him and scratched the back of his neck. "Winhill's my hometown," he told her.

"You were born here?" Rinoa asked.

Squall nodded, gesturing towards a bar down the road. "Yeah, that bar down there is the one that my mom owned."

Rinoa craned her neck to look at the sign. "The Limit?" she asked.

He narrowed his eyes, just now noticing the name that blazed across the building. "Uh…no. It used to be called The Wishing Star. Well, it's been under a few different owners over the last twenty some odd years so I'm sure it's gone through several names."

"You wanna check it out?"

He shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

As they walked through the doors of The Limit, Squall immediately scanned the area to see what was different. He hadn't been in this particular establishment in years, the last time he came in the owners at the time had tried to turn it into one of those bars that sold dry chicken wings served by beautiful women in low cut tops and neon shorts. Basically, it was one of those places that people did not go to for the food. Now it appeared to be run by an older couple that was focused on making it a quiet little dive.

Squall escorted Rinoa to the bar and pulled out the stool for her.

"What can I get you two?" asked the bartender, a woman in her sixties with a dark blue scarf wrapped around her head. She finished drying off the tumbler in her hand and set it on the glass shelf behind her.

"Uh, I'll take a pale ale and a shot of Jack." He looked over to Rinoa. "You?"

"I'll just take a sangria."

"Sure, what kind, sweetie? We just got in our seasonal berries so we've got blueberry sangria, peach sangria, and even a pomegranate."

"Ooh…a peach one, please."

The woman nodded and hustled away. "You got it."

Rinoa glanced around the area and noticed the staircase near the back of the building. "Is this one of those old time buildings where people lived above the establishment? I remember doing a photoshoot for a restaurant where the owners actually owned the upstairs units and lived there."

Squall glanced behind her and nodded. "Yeah. Upstairs was a two bedroom apartment equipped with a kitchen, full bathroom, and a den." He exhaled a soft laugh as he tried to think back as far as he could remember. "I only remember the layout because Ellone had drawn it out for me before when she was telling me stories about our mother."

The drinks arrived and Rinoa sipped as she watched Squall throw back the shot. She lowered her lashes for a moment and gently nudged his calf with her foot. "What do you remember about your mother?" she asked. "You told me she passed away when you were young, but you have to remember something." Rinoa pressed her lips together and dared a quick glance at him. When she saw he was only staring out at the shelves of glass bottles behind the bar, she winced. "I'm sorry," she whispered, bringing up her glass. "Never mind…we don't need to—"

"Her hands," he said lowly.

Rinoa turned her head, her glass still up by her lips. "What about her hands?"

"They were always so cold," he said. "She was always cold…always wore some big sweater and jeans."

"Was it because she was sick?" Rinoa asked, her nails quietly clinking against her glass.

"Probably." He took a long swallow from his beer. "It'd make sense." He sighed and stared out ahead of him. His eyes landed upon a photograph just across from the bar and he frowned. "Excuse me, miss?" He waved to the bartender and pointed towards the framed picture. "Could I see that picture a moment?"

The woman nodded and plucked it from the shelf. "Sure hun," she said. "Those were the original owners. They started this business from the ground up almost thirty years ago." The woman sighed as she started to hand the picture frame to Squall. "That poor family, such a tragedy." Before the frame left her fingers her eyes scanned over the faces beneath the glass. The woman paused, looking intently at Squall just then. "Wait…" She set the picture down in front of him.

Squall locked eyes with the woman for a few beats before taking the frame in his hands.

Rinoa leaned in and looked at the three smiling figures. There was a man and a woman, most likely in their mid-twenties, standing in front of the building she and Squall were currently in. The Wishing Star had previously been a dark red brick building with black iron bars around the windows.

The Limit was still a brick building but it had been painted gray many years prior, some of the muted red showing through chips and cracks. The original sign had been painted on a large wooden slab, now the bar's name was proudly displayed in lights.

The man in the photo was grinning, a small child clinging to his leg. He stared into the camera with dark green eyes and had a proud arm thrown around the shoulders of the woman beside him. The woman was tall and had long, ash brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She wore a chunky, pale gray cable-knit sweater over dark blue jeans that were shoved into brown motorcycle boots. In the photo the sun was shining and the air looked warm, the woman's outfit seemed out of place, especially since the little child was wearing a pink romper and the man wore a plain white t-shirt and faded blue jeans. But despite looking bundled up and overdressed in Summer, the woman was smiling brightly and her blue eyes shone like sapphires.

Rinoa looked up at Squall, trying to decipher the expression that displayed on his face. But he only stared at the woman, hardly blinking as he traced a finger over the corner of the frame.

"Are…you related to her?" the bartender asked him.

His eyes flickered towards her for a moment before aiming back at the woman in the picture. "She's my mom."

The woman sucked in a breath and placed a hand over her heart. She looked over to Rinoa and gave her a soft smile. "You don't have many pictures of her, do you kiddo?" she asked Squall.

Slowly he shook his head. "No."

"We have a tradition here, all the owners take a picture in front of the bar and we keep the pictures here on our shelves with the bottles." The woman tilted her head. "You know, I have a photo copier in the office, why don't I make you a copy of that?"

Squall lifted his gaze. "Would you?"

"Absolutely. I didn't know the family personally, but I do remember when this place used to be The Wishing Star." She took the frame from his hands. "I'll be right back." She gestured for another bartender to cover her post and bustled off.

Rinoa gently took Squall's hand and gave his fingers a squeeze. "That was your mother," she whispered. "I didn't know you were a spitting image of her."

Squall chuckled and laced his fingers with hers. "Are you saying I'm pretty?"

Rinoa laughed and gently nudged him with her shoulder. "You're beautiful," she told him. "Just like your mother. I see a lot of her in you." When he gave her a skewed look that told her he wasn't entirely sure if she was teasing him or not, she laid her hand upon his thigh. "I'm serious!" she laughed. "I mean, you and Ellone do look alike because you have similar coloring but…from looking at the photograph I can see that you took more after your mother and she took after her father. I'm assuming that the man in the photo was her father…"

Squall nodded. "Viktor." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair before he started talking again. "My mom married her high school sweetheart right after graduation," he told her. "She had Ellone immediately after. Things went fine for a while but then Ellone's dad passed away when she was about eight."

Rinoa thought about how the bartender had mentioned 'tragedy' when she spoke about the original owners. "How terrible…what happened to him?"

"Well after he helped our mom open up The Wishing Star he started working for a business firm that apparently had very high stress levels." Squall shifted in his seat and cracked his knuckles. "One of his coworkers went a little bezerk and went on a shooting spree."

Rinoa's eyes widened and she nearly sent her sangria toppling over the counter's edge. "Are…are you serious?"

"Yeah. He shot like six people and two of them died—one of them was Viktor."

"Holy shit."

Squall nodded. "Yeah…" he said lowly, bringing up his beer to his lips.

"Wow…do you know anything about your dad? I mean, Ellone must have met him because she was older?"

He gave her that slight, wry smile. "What, is this an interrogation?"

Rinoa paled. "I'm sorry," she blurted out. "I just…I only wanted…fuck."

Gently he ran the back of his fingers over her cheek, his thumb softly grazing over her bottom lip. "It's fine," he assured. "I knew more about you in the first week that I met you, didn't I? It's been a couple of months now…you're probably curious as hell."

Rinoa narrowed her eyes at him. There he went again, seeing right through her with those sharp, gorgeous blue eyes of his. Know it all… she thought.

The bartender came back with a photocopy of the picture and handed it to Squall. "Sorry I don't have a frame," she said.

"It's alright, thank you, I appreciate it." He held the thin paper between his fingers and his brows furrowed as he tried to think of the best way to fold it up to fit into his wallet.

Rinoa gently plucked it from his hands. "Don't fold it," she said, pulling up her purse and producing a small notebook. "I'll hang onto it in here so it doesn't get wrinkled." She slid it between two blank pages and nestled the notebook back into her purse for safekeeping.

"Ellone doesn't really remember my dad," Squall continued, running a finger down the side of his glass. "All she can remember was that he was in the military and was passing through Winhill for about a week. My mom still owned the pub at the time he had come through here. Some time during that week he was in town my mom got pregnant with me. Ellone said she never saw him again. She doesn't even remember his name…only that he had long black hair."

Rinoa ran her fingers through Squall's—rich brown—hair and smiled. "That's pretty generic," she said. "Do you think you'll try to find him one day?"

Squall shrugged. "Maybe one day. I've gone almost twenty-six years without him, I could go a few more." His phone started ringing and he pulled his hand from hers to reach for the interrupting contraption. "Yeah?"

"We just pulled up," said Zell on the other line. "Where you at?"

"The Wishing Star…I mean, The Limit."

"Got it."

A moment later the bar's entrance opened up and in walked in the remainder of Absolute Lore, along with Selphie. The tiny brunette honed in on Rinoa and Squall at the bar and immediately broke into a sprint, hopping onto the barstool to the left of Rinoa and sliding an arm around her shoulders.

"Well, hello," Rinoa sang, affectionately patting Selphie's hands. "How was the drive?"

"Ugh. Long. After this did you wanna come back to the hotel with me and get ready?"

"Sure!"

The boys turned their backs and broke into a conversation about set lists. Quistis tapped Irvine's shoulder and told him to just let her know the order of the songs so she wouldn't play the wrong song and separated to join Selphie and Rinoa.

"Did you know that this bar used to be owned by Squall's mom?" Rinoa asked.

Quistis nodded. "Well, yeah. Oh? Did he just now tell you?"

Rinoa shrugged. "Still getting to know each other," she said.

Quistis leaned in across the bar and laid a hand upon Rinoa's wrist. "Hey, just give it some time," she whispered. "You both got a lot on your plates right now but…I can tell you one thing." She glanced behind Rinoa to make sure Squall wasn't listening. When she saw that he was getting his ear chatted off by Zell, she grinned. "He is nuts about you."

Selphie's eyes widened and she sent Rinoa a muted—but still very much excited—squeal. She bobbed her head in agreement and clutched Rinoa's arm just above the elbow. "I second that," she whispered. "Irvine told me that Squall watches the video of you dancing nearly every night."

Rinoa chuckled but rolled her eyes. "I already knew that," she said. "He told me. It's for spank bank material, I'm sure."

"Oh for fuck's sake…no!" Quistis gave Rinoa a little pinch. "Guys don't need to look at a pretty girl for that shit. Sure, it helps, but that's what porn is for. Why would he watch a small, ten second snippet of you shaking your hips—fully clothed, I might add—when he could watch a twenty minute video of some chick getting her ass pounded if all he cared about was cumming?" She crinkled her nose in quiet laughter when a slight flush crept along Rinoa's cheeks. "The point is…he'd rather be focused on you when he's blowing his load."

Selphie nodded. "Yeah!" she concurred. "Isn't that romantic? Despite the crudeness?"

Rinoa practically snorted with laughter, capturing the attention of the boys behind her. She clamped her palm over her lips and spun around, her brown eyes large as they gawked at her.

"Everything alright, ladies?" Irvine asked, arching a brow in wonder and then narrowing his eyes when he saw Selphie practically squirming in her seat from trying not to burst out giggling. "What?"

"Nothing!" Rinoa said quickly, her lips pressing together as she tried to keep herself from laughing. But Quistis's vivid description left heated images in her brain and all she could imagine was Squall with his dick in his hands, his eyes closed and his throat working, his teeth bared as he reached his peak—which was then replaced with the image of her on her knees before him…much like she was just before they left her apartment after she packed a bag.

Quistis slid from her seat and draped her arms around Rinoa's shoulders. "None of your business," she said. "I was just telling Rinoa about how tiring it is being on the road with three sexually repressed men. Ugh, seriously girl, do not aim a black light into the van. It'll light up like a Christmas tree."

Rinoa couldn't stop herself then. The laughter practically exploded from her lips and she nearly fell over the countertop.

Zell threw back his head and howled. "Oh man, you're hilarious!"

"Says the one who's been having a secret affair with Hans in the tour bus," Squall said, slowly sipping the remainder of his beer. "Supposedly, of course."

Rinoa turned her head in Quistis's arms. "What? I thought that was a rumor?" She darted inquisitive stares between Squall and the tall blonde.

Quistis only shrugged but the smirk on her lips remained. "Allegedly," she corrected. "There is only proof of us making out. Once."

"Oh really?" Rinoa asked. "Do tell."

"Oh, there's not much to tell," Quistis chuckled, releasing her hold on Rinoa. "That was years ago. I think that same night I made out with Fujin."

She spoke of it so casually, so nonchalant and so carefree that it was almost impossible to not smile. Everyone at the bar broke into a fit of laughter and then when the front door opened up again, they turned and raised their arms in welcome. "Speak of the devil!" Quistis roared.

Fujin stepped through the entryway and let out a booming hello. "What, were my ears supposed to be burning?" she asked, making her way towards Quistis and giving her a hug.

"Possibly."

"Hey girl!" Fujin said to Selphie, leaning in to give her a friendly peck to the cheek.

"Hey now," Irvine warned. "Don't be doing that to my girl. You might give me some ideas." He wagged his eyebrows and fastened a charming grin to his face when the two ladies rolled his eyes at him.

"Dog," Fujin laughed, her eye suddenly coming over Rinoa. "The photographer!" she exclaimed. She outstretched a hand. "I have seen your work—you are phenomenal. Really."

Rinoa preened at the compliment and her cheeks started to hurt from smiling so much. "Oh, thank you! I can't wait to see you guys play tonight, I had to leave before your set yesterday because I had work early this morning."

"Well, we'll be sure not to disappoint!" said the man behind Fujin, gently nudging her out of the way so he could introduce himself. "Hi there, I'm Hans. Pleasure." He took Rinoa's hand in his and gracefully pulled it up to his lips.

In complete shock, Rinoa only sat there with her mouth hanging open. "Oh, well…um, hi! Rinoa." When she got her hand back she was shaking from the laughter that was bubbling within her.

Quistis intervened and shoved Hans away with the toe of her sneaker. "Back off," she teased. "You'll scare her away with your pushiness." When Hans tipped his head at her and stepped away to mingle with Zell and Irvine, Quistis shot a look to Squall and blew him a split-second kiss.

He only raised his brows at her in quick acknowledgement and downed the rest of his beer. His eyes traveled to Rinoa and he offered her a slow and simmering grin when she looked at him. He lowered his gaze to check the time on his phone and he cleared his throat before saying to Zell, "We should get going."

Reflexively Zell looked to his watch. "Yep. Alright, band members of all shapes and brain sizes, we gotta go."

Squall threw down a few bills to cover his and Rinoa's drinks. As he stepped off his stool he leaned towards her ear. "I'll see you after?"

"Of course," she responded. She hopped off the barstool and casually brushed by him. "I brought a dress, by the way," she whispered to him before walking off with Selphie. Even though she forced herself to keep her gaze ahead of her as she exited the bar, she could feel the heat of Squall's stare trickling over her body.


Selphie watched as Rinoa slipped into the crocheted blue lace dress and pull the thin straps over her shoulders. The brunette narrowed her green eyes and twisted her lips into a knowing scowl. "Now…how did we come to this?" she pondered aloud, stepping into a pale yellow sundress.

"Hm?" Rinoa paused, her hands behind her back as she clasped the zipper. "What?"

"It's funny…only two months ago you were making fun of me for wearing a skirt to a show. You said it was impractical."

"I said it was impractical for me to wear a skirt because I was working. I can't really run around and jump and dangle off fixtures to take shots if I'm in a skirt!" Rinoa zipped herself up and adjusted the bust of her dress. "I'm not working tonight."

Selphie glanced to Rinoa's purse. "But you still brought your camera…"

"Oh, just a regular point and shoot. Not my fancy stuff."

"Uh huh…who are you dressing up for? A tall, brooding, roguishly handsome brunette who apparently can't stop jerking it to your video?"

Rinoa squealed and hurled a pillow at her. "Selphie!"

"What? He's a guy! They do that nearly every day! They have to—really—or else it'll get backed up or something."

Rinoa let out an aggravated growl and scooped up her makeup bag. "That sounds like an excuse! You know, like, 'Aw come on baby don't be like that. Finish me off, don't let me have blue balls!'" she called over her shoulder as she walked to the bathroom and flicked on the light. The hotel room they reserved was large, perfectly sized for the three girls except for the fact that there were only two beds. Selphie had previously mentioned that she may sneak away to Irvine's room just in case, since there were three beds.

Quistis came in through the door, a bright pink duffle bag thrown over her shoulder. "Alright, you beautiful creatures! Help me pick out an outfit." She dropped her bag onto the bed closest to her and unzipped it. She pulled out perfectly folded articles of clothing that been organized inside the bag like precise puzzle pieces. "Let's see…" She looked the girls over and cocked her head. "Shall I join the dress crew over here?"

"Do it!" Rinoa shouted, digging through her makeup bag to find her eyeliner.

Selphie picked up a rose colored maxi slip dress. "Is this a dress or a nightie?" she asked, watching as the fabric practically fell over her fingers like water.

Quistis took the dress from her and held it out at arm's length. "Tonight I say dress!" She quickly stripped out of her yoga pants and band tee and shimmied the dress over her head. She entered the bathroom and checked her reflection for a moment before shouting through the open door, "Hey Selphie, toss me that black bra will you?"

"You mean the one that could moonlight as a flotation device?"

"That's the one. Bitch." She caught the bra and turned away from Rinoa for modesty as she quickly tugged the top half of her dress down so she could change bras. When she turned back towards the mirror she adjusted her straps and cupped her breasts through her dress.

Rinoa fanned her eyes as she let her eyeliner dry. "Good lord woman," she murmured. "What a change."

Quistis laughed and nodded as she looked at her now ample cleavage in the mirror. "It's all for show," she said. "I must say that I do love how it makes dresses look on me." She ran her hands up the back of her head and piled her hair atop her skull, twisting this way and that as she looked at her reflection.

Selphie came into the bathroom and hopped on the counter so she could be right in front of the mirror. "How are you planning on doing your makeup tonight?" she asked Quistis, dabbing foundation onto a sponge.

"Dunno. Should I go for vampy lips with a neutral eye or smokey eye with nude lips…or full on starlet with all the toppings?" She glanced over at Rinoa and arched a brow at the precise eyeliner she had drawn. "You could fly away with those wings," she said. "I love it."

Rinoa laughed. "I don't normally wing them out that far…but tonight I say fuck it."

"Yes, fuck it!" Quistis giggled and ran back to her duffle bag for her makeup case. "Just fuck it…fuck it all. No rules tonight, just whatever we feel like." She leaned towards the mirror and started brushing on her makeup.

After about forty minutes the girls were ready and were in giggling fits in front of the mirror. Rinoa had tied up Quistis's hair into a messy bun, wisps of gold spilling from the topknot. She stuck in the hair pick that Quistis had handed her, the blood red gem dangling just above her crown.

"Rinoa, wear this," Quistis demanded, pulling a choker from her bag.

Rinoa lifted up her hair and watched their reflection as Quistis secured a black leather choker around her neck. The charm in the center was likened to an old fashioned cameo, except that the woman's profile was that of a skull.

"Cute," said Rinoa, her fingertips gently grazing over the embossed resin. "We ready?"

Selphie quickly sprayed one last coat of hair spray over her hair and fluffed up the ends. "I do believe so!" She hopped off the counter and wrapped an arm around Quistis's waist as they all posed in front of the full length mirror that rested on the wall outside of the bathroom.

"Too good for mere mortal men," Quistis said with her dark lips in a pout. She grabbed her phone and aimed it at the mirror. "Look hot, bitches!" she ordered.

After a few shots she picked one she liked and immediately posted it.

ALtrepetastic: Your #squadgoals are our #squadreality. Love my girls #theoriginalselfie and #RHphotography

"God we are so damn cute," Rinoa said.


"Hot damn!" Irvine whistled, stepping away from the mirror after adjusting his belt. "The little ladies have certainly enjoyed dressing up today." He quickly added a heart to the picture and scrolled down to see another shot of the three, this one shot from an upward angle and displayed the girls blowing kisses to the camera.

theoriginalselfie: Ready for a spectacular night with these hotties!

Beneath that picture was one posted by Rinoa, this one had Rinoa in the center while Selphie and Quistis leaned in to give her cheeks a kiss.

RHphotography: Woman crush Wednesday comes on a Sunday with these two ladies! #theoriginalselfie #ALtrepetastic. Can't wait to see #ALofficial play tonight!

Squall lay on the bed, having been dressed for quite a while and was patiently waiting for Zell to finish styling his long blonde hair into the perfect mountain of spikes. He scrolled over the photographs the girls had posted and his brows lifted. Instantly his eyes drifted over the dress that Rinoa wore, the smile that glittered across her face, and the way that her eyes crinkled while she laughed.

He couldn't wait to see her in person.

He felt someone staring a hole into his head and he lifted his gaze to see Irvine grinning at him with that infamous Cheshire Cat grin. "What?" Squall muttered.

"Can I come to your wedding?" Irvine chuckled.

Squall responded by hurling a pillow at that grinning face.


A/N: Hi! Next piece will be the show, I promise, still piecing it together! Had a little fun focusing on the ladies in this chapter =) Thanks again for all the reviews and new followers! xoxoxoxox to you all!