Shot in the Dark

Squall’s Pov
Hyne. All day with those damn lawyers, and I know that when I get home my entire place will be ruined.
“Squally, are you ready to go home?” Rinoa says with a bright smile. The more she smiles the more it makes my stomach hurt. It’s like every moment that were together my insides are being eaten out with guilt. “Squally!”
“No… I have some more work to get done.” I say softly, and it’s true I have tons of work to do, I wasted half the day dealing with Caraway’s finances, even dead he’s making my life hell. “I’ll try and get home as soon as I can.” That’s a lie.
“OOOOOO fine, but don’t take too long! Tonight’s gonna be *special*” Oh no. Whenever she says special like that I end up getting a little dizzy.
“Okay. If I have to stay very late I’ll call you.” Another lie.
“Yay, I looooove you Squally!” She says, leaning over and kissing me, almost trying to stick her tongue down my throat. The phone rang just in time.
“I have to take this” Thank Hyne.
“Okaaaay bye Squally.” She prances out and closes the door behind her. I pick up the phone.
“Squall speaking.”
“Good afternoon commander. What is your ETA for completing the mission in Dollet, sir?”
“32 hours. Your orders are to continue to Esthar weather we are finished or not.”
“Yes sir. Will you be attending the ball held in Esthar?”
“Hyne. I… yes of course. Is there anything else?”
“No sir.”
“I expect a full report upon arrival.”
“Yes sir, good bye”
“Squally! Why aren’t you home yet?” Rinoa shouts over the phone. “You have to come home and see this, Irvine did a wonderful job of putting my things up and Selphie offered to take us to dinner, you’re holding everything up!”
“I’m sorry Rin, I have a lot left to finish up, why don’t you go on without me and I’ll catch up alright.”
“Fine but you better hurry.” I set down the phone and sigh. I don’t really have anything left to do today, but I just can’t deal with this now. This week has been too much. I sit back in my chair and stare at the ceiling. I wonder if Esthar looks like Balamb, Laguna said that he and Kiros drew up the plans special but I wonder. And a Ball… I hate these political events, I’ll have to buy Rinoa a new dress and more jewelry then we’ll have to dance and talk… and Seifer’s going to be there. I wonder if he’ll talk to me outside of the office. I mean it’s not like there’s anything to say. Hyne I don’t want to go to this, why did I let Xu, Quitis and Cid talk me into this. Because they’ve all been doing this job longer. I wonder how mad Rinoa will be if I don’t show up.
“Hey, Commander,” A smooth deep voice says from behind the door with a light knock.
“Come in.”
Irvine pushes his way through the door, closing it quietly behind him. He slips his hat off and sets it on my desk then throws himself down in the chair across from mine.
“Working late commander?”
“Yeah, I have some—”
“Save it, I came to get you. Seffie’s treating us all to dinner so hurry up and get your coat, I know you don’t have any work left to do.”
“Mind your own business Kinneas.”
“This is my business. I said that I would get you there and I will.”
“I don’t want to go.” I said firmly, glaring at him. He stares right back at me, Deep Violet eyes dark and resolved, and something else.
“Why, are you waiting for someone?” He asks smoothly, his voice unusually cold. What happened to all that warmth and ‘I’ll be there’ maybe I need somebody now. Why aren’t you here?
“No.”
“Really? Because I know some boys that would love to get you alone in here.” He says standing up, his boots clunking on the floor as he saunters over to my desk and slides right in front of me leaning back on my desk and looking down at me.
“W-what are you talking about Kinneas?” I say with a frown. I’m doing my best to give him a death glare but he seems to be immune. He plays with a paper weight on my desk, intentionally ignoring me.
“You tell me Commander, you tell me.” I don’t like it when he calls me commander, I like Darling better. Please just call me darling Irvine. His eyes turn to me and he smirks, but not a sweet smirk, it’s something else. “Well, what is it Commander? What’s your great reason for ignoring your friends lately, and ducking out on your girlfriend?”
I stare at the paper weight next to him; I don’t want to look at him. I want him to leave. I don’t want to deal with this.
“Get out Kinneas.” I say, staring him straight in the eye.
“Not until you answer my question. What’s keeping you here? Is it Zell? Are you just hanging back waiting for him?”
“Zell? What are you talking about? Why would I be waiting for Zell?”
“Just spill already.” Why is he being like this?
“I-I don’t want to go home with her.”
“What?” The coldness seemed to just melt out of him; he leaned closer and brushed the hair out of my eyes.
“Rinoa… ever since… I just can’t. I can’t handle being with her all the time. After what I did I can’t stand being with her. It hurts.”
“But you didn’t—”
“You may have shot Carraway, but I made the order. His blood is on my hands. And even if she never finds out… I don’t think it’ll be okay. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Awe, Darlin’ just relax.” He says softly, squeezing my shoulder lightly. He called me Darlin’. I can feel the hot salty tears trickle down my cheeks, but I don’t know why. “Squally~” He moans out softly brushing one of his big strong hands against my cheek.
“I had to spend all day going over every aspect of his life, going over his finances and Rinoa’s inheritance, with her telling me how great a boy friend I am and she can’t wait to get me home. But I don’t want to go home. I don’t want to do it. I don’t want her to climb on top of me and—” I can feel my cheeks getting hot; I think I said too much. He just looks down at me with those violet eyes. They’re so warm I feel like I could wrap myself up in them.
“Is that why you and Zell—”
“What about Zell?”
“You two spent most of the night together.”
“I fell asleep in the training center, he kept asking me to talk, but I didn’t want to, so he just stayed.” He blinks away his confusion
“Oh! When I found the picture~”
“What picture?” He winces at my question. Was he looking through my stuff?
“When I was changing the sheets and putting up the bed stuff I noticed the picture on your desk, and some photo’s fell out the back.” He says as nonchalantly as he can.
“You saw them?” I say softly, my face is burning up. I can’t believe that he saw them. “But—what does that have to do with—”
“Nothing Baby, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.” He drawls with a big honey sweet grin. “Just relax Darlin’ don’t worry about a thing right now.” He says softly, edging around behind me and placing those big hands on my shoulders.
“What are you doing?”
“Shh. Baby just let me do my thing.” He whispers into my ear, sending chills down my spine as he starts rubbing my shoulders, making all of the muscles in my back twist and tingle. My back isn’t the only thing that’s tingling.
“You really got rid of my sheets?” I sigh out leaning back into his strong but still gentle massaging.
“Yeah, sorry Darlin, they were nice. So smooth and you, they even smelled like you.” I can just imagine Irvine curled up in my sheets, and now more than ever I wish that all of my things had been left alone. My sheets, my empty desk, my pictures. “I’m sorry.” He says again.
“No need to apologize. Just don’t call me commander.”
“Why?”
“Like Darlin better.”
“Really?” I can hear the smile in his voice and it makes me relax, the honey sweet of him laced with a hint of gunpowder filling my nose. Mmm I could get used to this. “Darlin” He hums out softly, sending a shiver down my spine as he slips my jacket off and continues massaging me.
“What about dinner?”
“How about I just keep you company here for awhile Darlin.” He says so warmly, I just want to wrap myself up in him. His eyes, his voice, those strong tender hands. I wonder if his whole body is like that, tan and gorgeous, strong and gentle.
“Oh~ yeah~” I groan out. Making him chuckle.
“You don’t relax enough baby. You should come to me when you feel this stressed; I can fix you right up.”
“Really?” I say softly, I feel like I’m drifting off. He releases me and wraps his arms around my shoulders, his cheek brushing up against mine.
“Anything for you baby.”
“Irvine~ no, let go.” I say trying to stiffen up, I feel like I’m loosing myself in his arms. I don’t know how to handle that. He lets go and swivels my chair around. He looks down at me with a confident smirk, licking his lips coyly. He reaches his hand out to me and I take it, I don’t know why… I just had to. He pulls me up and wraps his big strong arms around me, and I’m loosing myself again.
“Irvine~”
“Shh baby, don’t be scared, I won’t hurt you. I would never hurt you.” He says running his hands up and down my sides. He’s so warm, and I can smell him around me, it’s just like I imagined it would be. I can hear his heart beating, it’s so quick, he’s excited too. He runs a hand through my hair and down to my chin, tilting my head up. He looks down at me and smiles, eyes smoldering with warmth. He runs his thumb over my lip slowly then leans in, his lips brushing against mine gently. He pulls back and I lean forward to meet his lips again. He chuckles and kisses me again warm lips pressing against mine, making them tingle. He holds me so close and licks playfully at my bottom lip, slipping his tongue into my mouth and making me moan. And then a knock on the door ruins everything. I pull out of his arms, and put my jacket back on.
“Commander?” Some cadet says from behind the door.
“Yes?” She comes in and eyes Kinneas, still hovering stunned behind me. “What can I do for you?”
“There was a call from Ms. Tilmit”
“Oh, thank you.”
“Squall~” He breathes out sexily.
“That’s commander.” I snap quickly, not wanting to be too familiar in front of a cadet. He frowns and nods.
“Fine, commander. I’ll see you later.” He says without looking at me, then completely passes the cadet by.
“Err… if there’s nothing else you’re dismissed.” She salutes me and hurries out of the room. Hyne what did I just do?