Thursday, August 23rd

"More sprinkles!" Selphie commanded, dancing her fingers over the cupcakes Ma had just finished icing. "You get a sprinkle, you get a sprinkle, you all get sprinkles!" Happily she dusted a rainbow of candy sprinkles over the icing, even picked up a few large gumdrops and strategically plopped them on top to make them more aesthetically pleasing.

"Death by sugar rush," Ma chuckled, turning away to check on the timer for the next batch from the oven. "Last round, girlies," she said. Before she went to the oven, she stopped at the window above the sink and pushed it open.

The August heat was coming in full force this week. Despite living in a beach town and gaining the benefits of the ocean breeze, Ma reluctantly had to turn on the air conditioning even with the windows open to get the air flowing. "Make sure you stay hydrated my loves," she said. "It's hot as hell today."

Everyone dressed appropriately for the heat: Tank tops and shorts. Quistis wore a loose t-shirt that she had knotted up into the center of her ribs to expose her stomach. She had told Selphie to do the same to show off the little bump she started getting, but Selphie objected, saying instead of looking like a baby bump she was looking more like she'd had a few too many cheeseburgers.

"We brought bathing suits too," Selphie told her. "Can't wait to get out of this 'fat stage' and looking like I'm actually pregnant. Like I swear there's a baby in there, not an extra snack."

Quistis swiveled her hips and poured herself a glass of wine. "I'll put those on the cooling rack, Ma, thanks!" She quickly reached over and poured a glass of wine for Ma and handed it to her. "Thanks again for letting us take over your kitchen and backyard."

"Oh, anything for my little lion boy," Ma said as she placed the tin onto a laid out tea towel. "How's that fruit salad coming along?"

Rinoa popped her head out from the fridge. "I think it would've been better if I had just bought one from the store. It's not that pretty."

"Honey it's gonna be devoured, who cares if it's pretty?" Ma looked into the large glass bowl Rinoa was holding. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's not as cute as the picture I found." Rinoa set the bowl down and showed a photo on her phone that displayed an adorable fruit salad, complete with pineapple chunks cut into the shape of flowers and watermelons cut into hearts.

Quistis adjusted her shorts as she dropped down onto the stool. "Well, did you cut them into the little shapes? Or just the regular squares? Do you even have cookie cutters?" She gave Rinoa a sympathetic smile when the other girl gave a wince. "Awww sweetie…he'll love it regardless."

"I'm not the domesticated type," Rinoa confessed. "People thought that since it was just me and my dad that I would've taught myself to cook or something. In contrast, I became master of the microwave and preheating the oven!"

"Ain't nothing wrong with that!" Ma laughed. "My Zell grew up on canned vegetables, minute rice, and frozen dinosaur nuggets until I was able to stop working nights."

"Girl, you know the biggest life saver?" Quistis rapped her knuckles along the countertop and quickly downed her glass. "The grocery stores usually have these pre-made meats and meals. Already made, already seasoned, all you need to do is put it in the oven and voila, you feel like little Miss Suzy Homemaker. And! Best part is that it's all fresh so it's not like it's smothered with preservatives or anything."

"I'll have to look for those next time I'm out food shopping," Rinoa said.

"Do it. I swear, it'll change your life."

"I'm not sure you should be eating seafood this early on in your pregnancy," Ma said, taking a peek beneath the foil to check on the shrimp. "Shellfish should be avoided during the first trimester."

"But it's cooked!" Selphie said, pointing at the lime juice. "And I'm just about to enter my second trimester. I mean I'm literally knocking on the door of it and about to step over the threshold! I'm fine, I swear."

Ma gave her a look that made Selphie clamp her lips shut—briefly.

"Oh come on!" Selphie whined. "I wore gloves while handling the shrimp raw. I've washed my hands probably a bajillion times! Baby's cooking just fine and the shrimp won't be raw when I eat it."

"Young lady…" Ma let out a sigh and shook her head. "I'm just lookin' out for you." She placed her fists on her hips and gave Selphie another stern glare. "Aside from explosive diarrhea and vomiting you could develop a nasty allergy. It's the last thing you want to deal with while pregnant. Honestly, so much can change in your body during pregnancy. I had a friend who developed a really deadly allergy to sesame. If she comes into contact with just one sesame seed? Boom! Anaphylactic shock. Has to carry an epi-pen with her wherever she goes. Her daughter's about twenty-two now and she still has to have it with her."

"If I promise I won't eat a lot of the shrimp can I make myself a bowl?"

Ma narrowed her eyes and twisted her lips, seemingly immune to Selphie's adorable pout. "Two shrimps."

Selphie looked as if she would protest but she extended her hand after a moment of contemplation. "Deal. Can I have a cupcake now?" she asked as they shook hands.

"Of course, baby." Ma grabbed the one Rinoa had just finished decorating with chocolate chips and gently placed it in Selphie's hands. "I'm gonna go outside and tell Irvine to make sure to watch your ass."

Selphie made a face and playfully shoved Quistis when the other girl tried to hide a laugh. "Man, now I'm in trouble." She made a grunt and stirred the ceviche. "I even looked it up! I can have cooked shrimp—so long as I don't overdo it—anytime during my pregnancy. It's fish that I'm not allowed to have." She made a pout and added some more seasoning. "Irvine already gave me an earful too."

"They're just being protective," Rinoa said. "How is fish bad for you?"

"All fish has mercury and at this stage it can be dangerous for the baby's development. But it's not like I'm eating sushi! I don't even like sushi. I prefer shellfish." Selphie dumped the shrimp into the bowl and stirred some more before covering it with foil again. "The shrimp is going to be perfect…but I don't wanna face another one of Ma's lectures so I'll stick with her damned rule of only two."

"That might be best," Quistis said as she started to pop the cupcakes out of the tin to set along the cooling rack. "Even though you're almost out of the first trimester, it'd be in your favor just to play it super smart. Even if it makes you pouty."

"She looks her best when pouty," came a voice from the hall.

In walked Irvine, balancing a plate of fried potato wedges, topped with green onions, jalapeños, and bits of bacon, just as he had promised. "Careful, it's hot." He set the plate down in a free area and glanced over to Selphie, who was pouting even more despite trying not to laugh.

Outside, Zell was clicking the tongs above the barbeque with one hand while the other held a beer bottle to his lips. "Man, you smell that? Mmmhmm!" The sun glinted off of his skin, slick with a freshly applied coat of sunscreen. "Gonna get some color today," he said, nodding at Squall who was shrugging off his tank top.

"Smells amazing!" Quistis squealed, darting out and placing a Chocobo hat upon his head. She pressed a button on its tail that made it start flapping its wings. "Please don't take it off," she begged when Zell gave her an incredulous look.

"Honestly can't believe this thing still works," Zell said, trying hard to ignore the movement along his skull. "Where'd you find it?"

"Your room."

Zell made a face. "The hell you doing in my room, woman?"

"Looking for that!" She whipped out her phone and proceeded to snap several selfies with him.

"It's quite becoming," Squall said, taking a long swallow from his glass of Jameson.

"Don't tease. Found one for you too!" Rinoa quickly jumped up and slapped a flapping Chocobo hat onto Squall's head.

Before Squall could rip it off, Quistis snapped several pictures to capture his look of bewilderment. "What the—Oh hell no."

"Please?" Rinoa begged, giving her best puppy dog eyes. "You guys look so cute!"

"Give the ladies what they want, Squall," Irvine commanded.

Everyone turned and found him exiting the back door with a Moogle head headband. Selphie even reached up and flicked the little red pom pom so it swayed back and forth. "If we have to suffer, you have to suffer."

"Or we could just not wear them," Squall muttered.

"Don't be a damn killjoy," Ma snapped, chuckling as she rounded the barbeque and took hold of the tongs. "Swear, boy turns twenty-six and suddenly the word 'fun' is just sucked out of him."

"He's just an old soul," Rinoa said with a grin. "Which is a nice way of saying he's all crotchety now."

"Now?" Quistis laughed. She looked over to Zell who was practically snorting. "Squall's been crochety like the old 'hey you whippersnappers git off ma lawn' since he was probably ten!"

Zell shook his head as he swallowed more beer. "Nah, before that even."

"Whatever, smile bitches!" Rinoa shoved Irvine to stand with the others in front of the barbeque and started taking pictures with her phone. It was a glorious sight: Three gorgeous metalheads, shirtless and tattooed, wearing cartoon character head gear while the blonde siren stood with them in tiny shorts and knotted t-shirt. "Oh yeah, this is definitely going to be the cover of your next album."

Irvine scooped up Quistis into his arms while Zell and Squall held her long legs aloft. She beamed widely and posed with fingers beneath her chin like a princess. "You know what this photo needs?" Irvine asked.

"Another hat?" Rinoa asked, snapping away.

"A cannonball."

The smile was instantly slapped from Quistis's face and she looked up at him in horror. "No—No! Don't you dare!"

Squall and Zell exchanged the most devious grins Rinoa had ever seen and the three of them turned towards the pool, still clutching a squirming Quistis.

"Oh shit," Selphie balked.

Before Rinoa could say anything, Absolute Lore was jumping—and screaming—into the water. "Ohmygod!" She ran to the edge of the pool and covered her mouth as she watched them all break through the surface.

"Fuck all of you!" Quistis sputtered, grabbing onto the edge of the pool. "Oh! You are so lucky I didn't bother with makeup today!" She was just about to hoist herself up but then paused and looked up at Rinoa with a grimace. "Um…I'm not wearing a bra."

"Irvine!" Rinoa shouted. "You can't throw a girl who's wearing a white shirt into the pool!"

He tossed the soaking wet Moogle headband onto the concrete and swiped some strands from his face. "My bad. Didn't even think about it." His charming grin, however, told Rinoa that he wasn't very sorry at all.

Ma came back outside with one of Zell's shirts and some towels. "Alright you little scoundrels, out." She handed the boys a towel one by one and shoved them away to give Quistis some privacy. "Come on girlie," she said, wrapping the towel around her.

As Quistis made her way past them to head into the bathroom, she gave Irvine a swift and hard kick to the ass. "You jerk!"

"Welp, I think these are ruined now," Zell said, holding the poor Chocobo hat by its wing. "Don't think motors and water mix too well." He took the one Squall held and tossed both of them onto one of the lawn chairs.

"Well I'm glad you guys finished up your videos with Seifer the other day," Ma said, tossing a wet towel onto a lawn chair and spreading it out to dry in the sun. "I don't think you would've gotten a smile out of her after this little stunt."

"We're wet too! We all went in," Zell argued, rubbing the towel against his hair. "But yeah, she probably would've scowled the whole time."

"She's even prettier mad though," Irvine laughed. "So it could've worked in our favor. Or one of Seifer's guys could've hit on her. But…" He shrugged. "She'll kick our asses later."

A few moments later Quistis and Rinoa returned to the backyard with the food in hand. "Happy birthday asshole!" Quistis announced, holding the plates perfectly along her arms like a true seasoned server. As she set the table outside, Rinoa brought out more drinks and cups.

"Dig in, birthday boy!" Irvine shouted, placing a pristinely seared tomahawk steak onto a plate and handing it to Squall. While they all started to sit, Selphie passed around shots of Jameson to everyone—and a shot of ginger ale for herself—and then gave Irvine a beaming smile while he made her a plate.

"To Squall!" Zell held up his shot glass.

"To Squall!" they all responded.


Saturday, August 25th

"Hey, Djin Theory's playing a secret show tonight!" Quistis announced. "Fujin just posted this morning."

"Where at?"

"The Brother's Bar. That billiard down by the community college."

Rinoa looked at her over her coffee cup. "Ooh, that sounds fun!"

Absolute Lore was currently enjoying a bit of time off now that the tour was over, recording the LP was finished, and Seifer's videography company was just finishing up their documentary of the making of the LP. Zell was currently at the gym working with a previous client, and Squall and Irvine joined him to pass the time. Selphie was being visited by her mother, who had swooped in and taken her away to go shopping and prepare a registry for her baby shower. So, Quistis and Rinoa decided to have a quick coffee and lunch date.

"Any news on the shower for Selphie yet?"

Rinoa shook her head and toyed with the remnants of her sandwich. "Not yet. I think she's due late March so I know her mom was talking about having the shower in beginning of February. She was tossing an idea of a Valentine's Day theme for it but I don't know if that's for sure."

"Aww…that'd be so cute. A little love bug." Quistis pulled her cigarette pack from her purse and lit one. As the cigarette dangled from her lips she quickly shot off a text to the rest of their group about the show. "They go on at like nine," she said. "Irvine mentioned that Seifer reached out to him and said that their documentary on us was almost complete. I wonder how it'll turn out."

Rinoa finished her coffee and set the empty cup onto the table. "Well, from knowing Seifer and his company's past experiences, it's going to be great! You've seen their work, they're pretty damned good."

"This is true." Quistis took a long drag and blew the smoke through her teeth. "He uh…he asked me to dinner," she said, moving her eyes towards her.

"Did he now?" Rinoa planted her elbows onto the tabletop and rested her chin between her fingers. "And what was your response?"

Quistis barked out a laugh and waved her hands in a shooing motion. "Oh, stop it."

Rinoa chuckled and sat up straight. "But seriously! If there's a spark then there's a spark! It couldn't hurt…and anyways it's just dinner. It doesn't have to be made to be anything more serious than just dinner."

"That's just it. There's no spark. Not even a flicker. He's nice and all—to me anyways—a little cocky maybe, but I just don't see him that way. I mean, we all go way back to middle school era. Well, me, Zell, Squall, and him, so I know that he and I could have dinner together and it not actually mean anything. But…" She shrugged her shoulders and focused her attention back to her cigarette. "I don't know."

"What'd the guys say?"

"Oh, I haven't told them yet."

"Would they mind?"

Quistis shook her head. "Doubtful. I know Zell and Squall might voice their displeasure about it." She made a face. "I take that back; Zell would say something. I think Squall would just grunt."

Rinoa had to laugh at the accuracy. "And Irvine?"

"He'd probably just tell me to hit it then quit it!"

"He would!" Rinoa screamed with laughter and clapped her hands. "Hey, free meal? Possibly sex? Not seeing much of a downside."

Quistis shook her head madly and wagged a finger at her. "No, no." She reached for the blueberry muffin she had been saving for last and started tearing off the top. "I don't even want to go there! Plus, you and Seifer had that thing and I just don't want to make any type of mess in our friendship." She popped the muffin top into her mouth.

"Aw, that's ancient history my love. Hardly even a blip on my radar anymore."

Quistis held up the rest of her muffin. "Especially now that Squall's all up in your business?"

Rinoa flipped her hair with extra flair. "To say the very least. But honestly, if you're just not feeling it just stick with the 'no thanks' and if he gets all pissy just send Zell on him."

"That'd be something alright," Quistis said. She rolled her eyes and tapped at her cigarette. "Seifer always picked on Zell when we were in middle school. It was different than how he'd pick on Squall. He would agitate and annoy Squall but full-on bully Zell. Even though the banter between them now consists of a lot of insults, it seems—for the most part—to be harmless. But if Zell thinks Seifer's harassing me?" She let out a low whistle. "My money's on Zell. Even before Squall and Irvine could get their hands on him."

"And this is where I have to give Seifer credit," Rinoa told her. "It seems he does respect the 'no.' He was hitting on me a little bit in the beginning, but he did completely drop off when I think he noticed that I wasn't interested. The only texts or e-mails I get from him are about our collaborations or band related." Rinoa lifted her shoulders. "Can I ask you something?" When the blonde nodded, Rinoa shifted in her seat a little. "You've known Squall and Zell a long time. You three go way back?"

"Zell and Squall have known each other the longest. Think they met in preschool or kindergarten? I moved to Balamb around fifth grade but I didn't really know them or hung out with them until maybe a year later when we were like eleven? We met Seifer in middle school when we were about thirteen." She chuckled softly as she started to remember. "Those three were a rambunctious lot right in the beginning."

"I can only imagine," Rinoa laughed.

Quistis waved her cigarette. "Anyways, yes, you said you had a question?"

"It's just out of my own personal curiosity…but, did Squall have any girlfriends? I mean, like a serious one. Our being together is still so new and we have been talking a lot more…about a lot of things, but…" She let out a long groan and then started laughing at how ridiculous she felt at that moment. "I don't know. I'm curious but it's not something I want to ask him? I want a female perspective and the perspective of someone who's known him longer."

"Ah, say no more. I mean, I'm not going to air all of Squall's dirty laundry or anything, but I get what you're saying." She crossed her legs and leaned back against the chair. "In comparison to you he hasn't had anything too serious. You know about Kendra and I think she was probably the most 'serious' lady friend he had. Did he 'date' girls?" She held up her fingers in air quotes. "Yeah, but it was mostly just pure physical stuff. He's a guy and not bad looking so he got around." She crushed the cigarette filter beneath her heel and pulled out another cigarette. "Before Kendra I think there was one girl that was around pretty often. It was way before we met Irvine and officially formed Absolute Lore. I think we were like nineteen or twenty? We were in another band before, mostly just messing around and playing covers at house parties or small venues, you know? Anyways, there was this one girl…god, what was her name? Anyway, she was like a friend of a friend of a friend so she was around. She was cool. She and Squall would mess around but they weren't like exclusive or anything. Even when we'd be at a show and she'd hang out with us it's not like they were all over each other. All that sex stuff between them was always in private and behind closed doors."

Rinoa nodded her head as she listened. "He's still very much like that."

"Always been the quiet one." Quistis shot her a look and grinned. "The quiet ones are always the freakiest, aren't they?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea of what you mean."

Quistis squealed out a laugh and blew a stream of smoke off towards the side. "Those were the only two that really stick out in my memory," she said. Her eyes suddenly widened and she pointed at Rinoa. "Juniper!" she exclaimed. "Her name was Juniper. Went by Juni."

"What happened to her? They just…" Rinoa fluttered her hands. "Stop?"

"Basically. Like I said, they weren't serious at all. Just having some fun. And I know she wasn't the only one he was messing around with at the time. Not that he had a new girl every night or weekend or anything, but he was single and did as single men did. And Juni was the same way. It was something that worked for them. I think I remember something about how she moved away for university or something. After her there wasn't any one girl that was around Squall much until Kendra came along. And even then they didn't like hang all over each other at shows or practice or when we'd go out. But everyone knew they were together, you know what I mean? And not just us people in the band or our roadies but like other people in the crowd."

Rinoa continued to nod and watch as Quistis quietly sucked on her cigarette. She wasn't entirely sure what she thought she'd gain from asking Quistis about Squall's past with women, but for some reason the information she received made her…happy. Hearing about how he interacted with the women in his past in comparison to how he interacted with her were similar but also felt so different. She truly felt that he only had eyes for her. And the fact that with his previous women, not including Kendra, he made it known to her that they were exclusive made her feel warm and giddy inside.

"It's different with you," Quistis was saying, taking Rinoa out of her thoughts. "How he is with you is so different from all the other women. Even Kendra." Quistis's lips twisted and her eyes traveled off behind Rinoa, not really looking at anything in particular, but wandering as if her mind took off without her.

Rinoa frowned. "You ok?"

"So…you didn't hear this from me. And you better not tell Squall I told you."

Rinoa's eyes widened. "Um." Her stomach dropped as if a lead ball dropped inside it.

"Nothing bad, I promise. Zell told me about how Squall found Selphie's pregnancy test and thought it was yours."

"Yeah…" Rinoa thought back to the fight that she and Squall had when he confronted her about it.

"But it's about why he and Kendra really broke up." Quistis licked her lips and let out a long breath. "About a month or so before they ended it, Kendra thought she was pregnant. Her period was always on the dot. Always. And it was late and she wasn't having any stress or any dietary changes or anything that would have made it randomly disappear. She noticed late Friday evening and wasn't able to get a doctor's appointment until like the following Wednesday. So the whole weekend she and Squall were on pins and needles."

"She didn't take a test?"

"She did. It was negative but Squall was so sure that she was pregnant. I guess at the time they weren't very into condoms." Quistis sighed and rolled her eyes. "What a dumbass, right? After the doctor's appointment they found out that she wasn't pregnant. I think he said something about her thyroid was acting up and the hormones made her skip a period. She'd had a history of a hyper-active thyroid in high school and then it became hypo…she was on a lot of medication for it for a while and then she thought it had regulated itself when she was in her early twenties. I guess maybe it still acts up afterwards. But anyways, that's what happened in that situation and created that little pregnancy scare."

"Is that why she was so insistent on figuring out what they were?"

Quistis nodded. "Yep. After that she and Squall argued a lot. She wanted to know where the relationship was going, what she was to him, all that. And he…" Quistis looked down at her cigarette and swore when she saw the long stalk of ash. "Dammit." She flicked it away. "He knew he didn't see her that way. He didn't see a future with her. He didn't…want a future with her, I think. And…Kendra didn't tell him but she told me, she felt the same way. She liked him, a lot, but she did not think that he was husband material. I mean, they were what…twenty-two or twenty-three at the time?" She rubbed between her eyebrows as she tried to think. "Fuck, I'm getting my years all mixed up. I'd have to write all this down and draw up an outline or something. But she was definitely not thinking about marriage when she was seeing him. I think the pregnancy scare was a huge lightbulb moment for the both of them."

Rinoa bit into her bottom lip as she listened. Squall always skirted around the reasoning behind the breakup with Kendra, always said it was because he wouldn't commit, but she had a feeling that it was more than that. It wasn't entirely a messy reason but it made sense. She thought back to when she was that age and could sympathize with how Kendra felt. It was only a couple of years ago but so much can happen in the span of one year, let alone two or three. A lot of finding oneself, and a lot of growing up.

"Squall never wanted a bastard like himself," Quistis said. "His words, not mine," she added when Rinoa's brows shot up and her mouth dropped. "This leads me to what you really can't tell Squall what I told you."

"There's more?" Rinoa balked.

"Oh yes babe, I'm not done. But I think you're gonna like this part. When Squall found the test in your trash can he ran an errand in the morning."

"Yeah, he got cigarettes and creamer."

"He also went to the pharmacy in the same shopping center."

Rinoa frowned. "What could he have gotten there? Did he try getting a morning after pill? Because that wouldn't have worked."

Quistis laughed and waved her hands. "No, no," she smiled. "He bought something…for you." She clasped her hands together and leaned forward onto the tabletop. "Zell told me that Squall went to the pharmacy and bought a pacifier."

Rinoa felt her body run hot. "He bought…a pacifier?"

"For your baby. Well, 'your' baby."

All of a sudden her limbs felt heavy and her head felt fuzzy. "Oh my god," she whispered. "I need to sit."

"You are sitting."

"Then…I need a drink." Her tongue felt dry and heavy in her mouth. Her vision blurred and she didn't even notice Quistis rising from her seat and disappearing. She barely even saw her return with a glass of ice-cold water.

"Here." Quistis moved the straw to Rinoa's lips and ordered her to drink. "You ok?" she asked after a few gulps.

"When he thought I was pregnant he told me that even though he wasn't ready, he'd be there for me if I wanted to see it through."

"I thought this was something you should know," Quistis said as she sat back down in her seat. "What you guys have may be new and maybe there's still some uncertainty, but I wanted you to know that he's…well, to put it simply…he's head over heels in love with you. And something tells me you feel the same way."

Rinoa sucked down the rest of her water and coughed. "Oh fuck. That's putting it lightly. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I don't think I've ever been in love before but how I feel for him…I can't even put it into words."

Quistis made a squeal in her throat and smiled at her. "You guys are too cute. You and I haven't really had a chance to really talk about anything and I just thought that this was something I really wanted you to know. I adore Squall, he's like a brother to me and when I see him with you I just melt into this puddle of squee-worthy goo and I want him to be happy. And from I've seen and heard…you make him happy. I just want you guys to make it, truly. I'm not talking marriage or anything because that's not my business. But what I see between you two? I want to make sure it lasts and grows. And now that you and I are friends and I've taken quite a liking to you, I want to make sure you stick around." She smiled widely and grabbed Rinoa's outstretched hands. "I love you both. I want you two to thrive together. I think you guys go really well together."

Rinoa made a face of endearment and tried not to let her eyes water. "Stop!" she squealed. "I'm not going anywhere. Ya'll are stuck with me."


Fujin lowered herself onto the stool that was set up for her. As the lights shone down on her and the screams started to rise from the crowd, she displayed a pretty smile on her deep purple lips and bowed her head. "Thank you," she said softly into the mic. "Thank you. We're going to slow it down now…but just for a moment." She looked behind her and took hold of the glittery pale blue guitar that Hans handed to her. She hooked the strap over her head and nestled the guitar against her thighs. "Now, this is a song I wrote a little while back but I never performed it." She flipped her silver hair and laughed. "Until now!" She shrugged her shoulders at the whistles and hollers.

Quistis placed two fingers in her mouth and let out a shrill whistle. She stood up from her seat at the bar beside Squall and Rinoa and held up her beer bottle in a toast.

"Thank you, thank you. Now, this song I think a lot of people can relate to—women especially, I think—when there's that certain someone in your life that you just can't have. Timing is an odd thing, isn't it? I mean, you meet someone and completely connect with them and in those few short moments it hits you—bam!—and suddenly you're just completely fuckstruck and you are just head over heels…and then…" She paused for a moment, her finger tapping along her lips as she waited for the crowd to calm. "…then you find out that they've already got someone."

The crowd released a wave of sympathetic groans and Fujin chuckled. "They've got someone that they already have those same exact feelings for. And then you see them together and you realize that they are…perfect. They may not be entirely perfect for each other, because hey, who is? But together they are perfect…and you can only hope that you meet someone who will look at you the way they look at each other."

She strummed her guitar a few times and slowly melted into readiness. She closed her eye and sang softly into the mic. "I got a girl crush, hate to admit it but/I got a hard rush, ain't slowin' down." As she sang she leaned forward slightly, letting the words spill from her heart. "And I got it real bad, want everything she has/That smile and that midnight laugh she's giving you now…"

Rinoa's heart stilled. This song…those words…Fujin was baring her entire soul with each letter. She wanted to look over to Squall but she resisted. However, she did feel his fingers softly brush over her knuckles. Softly she smiled and turned her hand around so that his fingertips skimmed over her palm.

"I wanna taste her lips, yeah 'cuz they taste like you/And I wanna drown myself in a bottle of her perfume/And I want her long black hair, and I want her magic touch/Yeah 'cuz maybe then you'd want me just as much/I got a girl crush." Fujin ran her tongue over her lips and sighed deeply. "I got a girl crush."

With each passing beat and vibrating strum of the guitar, the entire venue fell into a dead silence. Everyone was completely hypnotized by her haunting voice and baring words. A few patrons lifted their lighters in the air, flickering stars in the sea of unseen faces.

"And I don't get no sleep, I can't get no peace/Thinkin' about her…under your bed sheets/The way that she's whispering, the way that she's pulling you in/Lord knows I've tried! I can't get her off my mind."

Behind her Hans came up and took over the guitar's notes, allowing Fujin to take her hands off her own instrument and cradle the mic stand as she crooned. "And I wanna taste her lips, yeah 'cuz they taste like you/And I wanna drown myself in a bottle of her perfume/And I want her long black hair, I want her magic touch/Yeah 'cuz maybe then you'd want me just as much/I got a girl crush." Her body shifted forward, closer to the mic, her brows furrowed as her voice strongly carried throughout the stage. The veins in her throat throbbed as she growled her words. "I got a girl crush…hate to admit it but/I got a hard rush, it ain't slowing down…"

She held that last note as she carefully pulled away from the mic, sitting up straight upon her stool. She opened her eye and lowered her head, a shaking breath escaping from her.

The crowd exploded into thunderous applause, whistles blowing, screams, and stomping feet echoing throughout the venue. Rinoa threw her hands in the air and clapped, jumping up and down as she and Quistis vocally proclaimed their excitement.

Fujin lifted her head and quietly laughed. "Thank you!" she said, stepping off of the stool and taking a quick bow. "Thank you!" She smiled brightly and blew kisses to the crowd. "Before we shove off, we just want to give a quick little birthday shout out to one of our near and dearest."

Hans wrapped his arm around her shoulders and spoke into the mic. "Didn't think we'd forget did you?" he said with a debonair smile. He scanned the crowd for a moment and saw arms waving at him from the bar. "I see you!" He laughed and pointed for the light to follow the movements.

The light raced over the crowd and landed on its target, sitting at the bar with Irvine beside him. Irvine was laughing and theatrically pointing to Squall, who was trying to hide behind his hands. "Right here!" Irvine shouted.

"There he is!" Fujin shrieked with triumph. "Happy birthday Squall!" She lifted her hand towards the crowd and egged them on to chime in as she started singing The Birthday Song.

Soon the bar was filled with everyone singing Happy Birthday to Squall and Rinoa giggled as she caught it all on her phone. "You love it," she said to him when the song was finished and everyone went back to eyeing the stage.

Afterwards, Fujin met them over by the bar and ordered her usual drink. "Thanks for coming out you guys!"

"Of course!" Selphie said, glancing over to see if there was an empty seat.

"Oh! Sorry, did you need to order something from the bar?" Fujin asked. "I can move."

Selphie shook her head and waved her hands. "Oh, no I just wanted to sit down. You're good!"

"Did you wanna get some air?" Rinoa asked, fanning herself. When Selphie declined, she looked over to Squall and gestured towards the door with her drink. "Well, I'm roasting in here."

"Agreed." He leaned into Fujin and gave her a quick hug when she held her arms out. "Thanks for the shout out."

"Thanks for being born!" she replied with a grin. Then she raised her glass to Rinoa in cheers as they made their way towards the exit.

"Goddamn I always forget how hot it gets here," Rinoa said breathlessly when they finally got outside. "High nineties even at night and then a hundred or so bodies in a small and cramped venue? Oi."

Squall nodded in agreement as he dug his cigarettes from his pocket. The heat was probably his least favorite thing about playing or going to shows in Summer. Looking back, he had no idea how he was able to see shows all the time as a teenager. Something about being a teenager made you completely oblivious to how stifling it could be inside a club during a heatwave. Perhaps it was an age thing. Inwardly he snorted, maybe Ma was right, maybe he was getting old.

"Any plans tomorrow?" he asked.

"Not tomorrow. I have a Senior portrait scheduled on Monday. School just started but I guess it's a staff day so the students are off." Rinoa sipped at her drink for a moment and then nodded at Squall. "Actually, funny story, the kid's SEED."

He cocked his head to the side in intrigue as he took a hit from his cigarette. "No shit?"

"Yep, transferred to Balamb Garden for his Senior year."

"That's what I did."

Rinoa grinned and swirled her drink. "Yeah, his mom said she wanted to make sure we got plenty of shots of him in his SEED uniform." Absently she ran her fingers through her hair. "Do you still have your uniform?"

"Of course."

She sent him a wicked smirk. "Mind putting it on for me one day?"

The look he sent her was so heated and charged that she felt a tingle spark its way through her veins. Privately she felt a rush of visions of him in his SEED jacket, no shirt beneath, his tattooed chest hovering over her with that delicious nipple ring begging her to tease with her tongue.

Squall gently pinched Rinoa's waist. "Behave," was all he said.

"What a song huh?" Quistis said with a sigh as she approached. "Just hearing those words in Fujin's hauntingly gravelly voice…oh it's beautiful. Something about the topic of unrequited love just gets to you."

Squall gave her a skeptical look and flicked the ash from his cigarette. "You know you can always do something about that," he told her as he brought the cigarette to his lips. "You just refuse to for some reason."

Quistis gave him a snort and lightly kicked at his boots. "Shush. You know why."

Zell popped out of the venue and made his way over to them, comically moving his body as if he were dancing with an invisible dance partner. "My love!" He wrapped his arm around Quistis's waist and outstretched her arm to the side. "Fujin has requested we accompany them at Bang for a dance. Come on, Tish, how long has it been since we've waltzed?" He wagged his eyebrows at her and pretended he had a rose between his teeth.

Quistis clicked her tongue and bashfully lowered her lashes as she played along. "Oh, Gomez…" she purred. "Hours…" Then the two loudly hummed a horrid rendition of the waltz and swung each other around. After a few moments they broke into laughter and she looked over to Rinoa. "How about it? Wanna go dancing?"

"Yeah, come on!" Fujin said as she broke through the doors. "Come dance with us! It's gonna be fun and the night is still young!"

Rinoa grinned but shook her head. "I don't know guys," she said, softly laughing when the three of them gave her a pout. "I'm pretty beat. Thinking it might just be best to head home."

"Phooey." Fujin looked over to Squall and gave him a smirk with her painted lips. "Take it easy on her, big guy, you're wearing her out." She then gave a comical 'wink,' overly exaggerated due to her eyepatch, and waved her claws at Rinoa before turning away and taking Quistis's hand.

Squall barely placed a reaction but glanced over to Zell, his jaw set. Zell only gave him a shrug in return.

"Women have more detecting skills than the FBI," was all Zell said in return before racing after the two.

When they were alone, Rinoa broke into laughter. "Well…seems our little secret is out."

"Appears so." With Fujin's song of an unrequited love—or lust, he felt was a more appropriate term—about a guy and girl with long black hair, and her comment about Squall wearing Rinoa out…it did seem that his private life was becoming more known, at least, to those close to them. He hoped Rinoa didn't feel uncomfortable, but she seemed to be nonchalant about it and didn't seem to be making a big reaction. He hoped that meant that she felt secure with her placement in his life.

She gave a chuckle and lightly patted Squall's chest. "Whatever are you going to do?"

Squall shook his head and placed a hand over Rinoa's, the pad of his thumb stroking over her fingers. "Oh no," he murmured. "What a scandal." As his other hand brushed over her waist and pulled her closer, his hand around hers brought it up to his lips, a soft kiss trailing over the back of her fingers. Before she could react, he let go and stepped away. "Alright, I've fulfilled my PDA quota for the month."

Rinoa blushed and a snorting laugh erupted from her. "Jerk!" she said, clamping a hand over her lips.

Ignoring her outburst, Squall leaned back against the wall and gave her a slight grin. "I was asking what you were doing tomorrow," he reminded her.

"And I may just be busy," she huffed, crossing her arms over her breasts and tried her hardest to appear annoyed with him. It didn't work, of course, his grin only grew wider and made her weak in the knees. God, I hate him, she thought. No you don't, her mind argued with her. Stay out of this.

"I think it might be time to get a new coffee table," he said.

"What, the cracked look isn't doing it for you anymore?" she laughed. "How'd it get like that anyway?"

"Honestly? I can't remember. It's looked like that for as long as I've had it. Six years, since I know you're going to ask." He tilted his head to the side in amusement when Rinoa made an offended scoff.

"You don't know me!" She stuck her tongue out at him and finished her drink. "So, what, you want a shopping buddy?"

Squall shrugged. "You've a good eye," he said. "You know my place. Think you'd be more than capable to find something that would look good."

Furniture shopping? With Squall? Rinoa's insides were practically screaming with delight. She tossed her empty cup into the trash off to the side and made a show of contemplating his request.

"I suppose you can pencil me in for tomorrow. But fair warning, I fully expect a milkshake in exchange."

"I suppose that's fair."

Rinoa rolled her lips between her teeth as she looked at him. "And maybe a burger."

"I'll cook it myself."

"Naked."

Squall sighed and hooked his arm around her shoulders to pull her towards the parking lot. "Ok, you're done. Time for you to go home."


A/N: Good lord this was a long one. Sorry! Had part of this written years ago and then I just couldn't stop adding to it. Anyways, thanks for still reading along with me!

"Girl Crush" music and lyrics (c) Little Big Town