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Finally
folder
Final Fantasy VIII › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
4
Views:
2,014
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Final Fantasy VIII › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
4
Views:
2,014
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Progress
Disclaimer: Still don’t own anything but this ‘plot’. I can live with that though. :)
Squall sat in his office, doing paperwork. Nothing new about that – it was all he did now that Rinoa had left. Hell, it’d been almost all he’d done even when she WAS there. What else was there for him to do? He was Commander. He had responsibilities – one of which was the mountain of paperwork that was always waiting for him each day. OF course, before Rinoa left, he’d always ensured that his work was complete no later than six in the evening so that he would be able to have the evening free with her. What was really different today was that, he couldn’t keep his mind on the paperwork. For some very strange reason, it kept flitting to Quistis.
Not just Quistis though – his mind seemed to be full of all his friends and just how good it had felt to be laughing and talking with them, without Rinoa there to take centre stage. A flash of guilt swept through him at the disloyal thought but then he remembered that she’d dumped him. What the hell, she’d been a royal pain in the ass. Had been right from the first. Nothing had ever been good enough for her, had it? He felt surprisingly better after the little mental tirade against his ex. He decided there and then that he didn’t want to do any more paperwork - enough for one day. A truly momentous occasion indeed! He shut down the computer and locked up all his documents then stood up. Where to go? The cafeteria. Maybe someone would be there? He headed in that direction.
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When he got there, he discovered Zell and only Zell. For a moment, he was tempted to walk off, back to his office or maybe just to the training centre but then he’d be admitting defeat, wouldn’t he? He’d really be as pathetic as Rinoa said he was and he couldn’t have that. No way! He moved over and waited in line to buy whatever was on the menu today. Chocobo curry – his personal favourite. Had to be a sign, right? He paid for his food and carried his tray over to the table where Zell was inhaling gs. “Mind if I sit down, Zell?”
Irritatingly, Zell started to choke at the sight of Squall not only out of his office but willingly joining him for lunch. Once he’d recovered sufficiently, he nodded and gestured for him to take a seat. “So what brings you here, man? What’s the occasion?” Squall shrugged. “I was bored of my office…so, what’s been going on in my absence?” “Man, where to start…?” Start he did…and went on and on and on and…apparently, Squall had missed a LOT!
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It was with some relief that Squall spotted Selphie and Irvine heading towards them half an hour later. His mind was reeling with what just had to have been all the gossip from the past months of Garden – even the stuff he really didn’t need to know about people he’d previously only read names of on papers that passed through his work trays.
Selphie’s reaction wasn’t nearly as bad as Zell’s, thank Hyne. She did however, stop dead, nearly causing Irvine, who’d been following her, to walk straight into her. “Selphie honey, gotta stop doing that.” She paid him no heed however. “Oh my…Squall. Who convinced you to come out and play?” Squall sighed. “No one, I felt like a change of scenery.” Selphie jumped up and down on the spot and giggled. “Fantastic.” He sighed. This was really too much for him. He didn’t think they’d make such a big deal of it considering he’d been with them yesterday too. Of course, they obviously considered the fact that he was there with Quistis and decided it didn’t count. Coming out voluntarily off his own bat was a different matter entirely. He was just about to get up and leave when he noticed Quistis. The breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of her. She was out of her normal battle gear and dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a soft peach pullover that clung to her in all the right places…
He quickly looked down at the now empty tray in front of him. Okay, that was unexpected. After all, it was Quistis right? Even if he DID like her, he knew for a fact that she was no longer interested. This would definitely pass. It was probably just the light she was standing in anyway. Or maybe seeing her in different clothes. That was probably it. She was at the table by the time his blush had faded and he risked looking up. He looked at her, noticed the smile on her face. To her credit, she didn’t seem anywhere near as shocked to see him there as the rest of them had. Of course, he hadn’t been watching her walk up to the table so she could well have gotten over her shock by the time she was standing beside him. She sat down on the chair beside him. “Good to see you out and about, Squall.” He nodded. “Thanks.” She then proceeded to totally ignore him to ask Selphie some question about something really unimportant. Hyne, was he jealous? (Of course not. Only reason he could be jealous was if he fancied her – sure, she looked good but, that didn’t mean he fancied her, right? X_x)
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No, of course he didn’t fancy her. So why was he so pissed off that she was ignoring him? Not that she was deliberately doing so but…Damn it, he was losing his mind. Had to be! And yet, he couldn’t help brightening as she finally turned her attention to him. “So, Squall…what brings you out of your office, hmm? Cid driving you crazy?” He shrugged. “Felt like a change. Paperwork’s driving me around the bend. If I’d known there was this much work involved, I don’t think I’d have taken the post. I don’t want to be stuck inside day in, day out.” It took him a few minutes to realise that everyone was staring mutely at him. He looked at them all in turn. “What?” Irvine was the one who finally spoke. “We’re all a little in shock, I think. That’s the longest sentence we’ve ever heard you say, right everyone?” No one disagreed. He sighed. “Okay, well now you’ve had your amusement, I think I’ll head back to the office.” He stood up and reached for his tray.
Despite all the protests, it was Quistis’ hand on his arm that stopped him. “Stay, Squall. We’re just teasing. No harm meant.” He looked at her for a moment then nodded, sat back down. He relaxed only when Zell started teasing Irvine and Selphie about their blossoming relationship. Selphie for her turn gave just as good back to him about Rachel the Library Girl. He couldn’t help but relax in their company. It felt really nice to just sit back and listen to the banter flow around him.
That was strange in itself, he supposed. He’d always preferred his own company over that of everyone else. Even with Rinoa, he’d only been able to tolerate a little of her before feeling the urge to flee build. Normally, he managed to ignore it. He had always wondered if he was unusual in thinking that way or if everyone felt that way about the person they were ‘in love with.’ Before Rinoa, he’d always assumed that, love meant you wanted to be around the other person as much as possible, were happy to hear what they had to say but, he hadn’t felt like that with her. Just felt kind of…suffocated. Like she expected far too much of him and he was definitely never good enough for her. Indeed, if he was honest with himself – and today it seemed like he was being nothing but – he could admit that she hadn’t made him happy even a little. Sure, she’d gotten him to open up but, that was more bloody minded persistence on her part than a wish to divulge information on himself to her. Not that he felt like sharing anything with the people around him either but, he just didn’t like talking about himself that much. He wasn’t particularly interesting after all, was he? No, not really. Of course, if they asked he’d tell them.
During a quiet moment, he looked at Quistis. “You’re not in your normal clothes.” She tried not to show it but, yes the fact that he noticed pleased her. She didn’t think he would ever register something like that. Not that she was silly enough to think it meant something – he just noticed the change. No big deal. She nodded. “Yes, I got tired of Selphie…” She turned for a moment to glare playfully at her friend. “…harassed me, I finally consented. I now wear these sort of clothes off-duty.” He nodded slowly. “Suits you.” That DID make Quistis do a double-take though she thought she hid it well. “Thanks.” He nodded a little then seemed to disappear into his thoughts again. She sighed softly. Ah well, a compliment from Squall wasn’t to be taken lightly, was it? She should definitely feel happy to have gotten it. She watched him for a few seconds, the smile on her face growing.
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Squall walked out of the cafeteria feeling…well, happy. It was a feeling he wasn’t really accustomed to but, he liked it. Yes, he was definitely going to have to make this a regular occurrence. Talking – or mostly just listening to them all – had helped him, made him feel so much better than he had.
Quistis walked into her room, almost as happy as Squall was right then. Yeah, having him there had made her day so much better. Sure he’d been quiet but, it seemed to be what he wanted and as long as that was the case, it was only a minor thing. The fact was that he was there and of his own volition. That had to be progress - maybe there would be life for him after Rinoa after all. :)
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Squall sat in his office, doing paperwork. Nothing new about that – it was all he did now that Rinoa had left. Hell, it’d been almost all he’d done even when she WAS there. What else was there for him to do? He was Commander. He had responsibilities – one of which was the mountain of paperwork that was always waiting for him each day. OF course, before Rinoa left, he’d always ensured that his work was complete no later than six in the evening so that he would be able to have the evening free with her. What was really different today was that, he couldn’t keep his mind on the paperwork. For some very strange reason, it kept flitting to Quistis.
Not just Quistis though – his mind seemed to be full of all his friends and just how good it had felt to be laughing and talking with them, without Rinoa there to take centre stage. A flash of guilt swept through him at the disloyal thought but then he remembered that she’d dumped him. What the hell, she’d been a royal pain in the ass. Had been right from the first. Nothing had ever been good enough for her, had it? He felt surprisingly better after the little mental tirade against his ex. He decided there and then that he didn’t want to do any more paperwork - enough for one day. A truly momentous occasion indeed! He shut down the computer and locked up all his documents then stood up. Where to go? The cafeteria. Maybe someone would be there? He headed in that direction.
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When he got there, he discovered Zell and only Zell. For a moment, he was tempted to walk off, back to his office or maybe just to the training centre but then he’d be admitting defeat, wouldn’t he? He’d really be as pathetic as Rinoa said he was and he couldn’t have that. No way! He moved over and waited in line to buy whatever was on the menu today. Chocobo curry – his personal favourite. Had to be a sign, right? He paid for his food and carried his tray over to the table where Zell was inhaling gs. “Mind if I sit down, Zell?”
Irritatingly, Zell started to choke at the sight of Squall not only out of his office but willingly joining him for lunch. Once he’d recovered sufficiently, he nodded and gestured for him to take a seat. “So what brings you here, man? What’s the occasion?” Squall shrugged. “I was bored of my office…so, what’s been going on in my absence?” “Man, where to start…?” Start he did…and went on and on and on and…apparently, Squall had missed a LOT!
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It was with some relief that Squall spotted Selphie and Irvine heading towards them half an hour later. His mind was reeling with what just had to have been all the gossip from the past months of Garden – even the stuff he really didn’t need to know about people he’d previously only read names of on papers that passed through his work trays.
Selphie’s reaction wasn’t nearly as bad as Zell’s, thank Hyne. She did however, stop dead, nearly causing Irvine, who’d been following her, to walk straight into her. “Selphie honey, gotta stop doing that.” She paid him no heed however. “Oh my…Squall. Who convinced you to come out and play?” Squall sighed. “No one, I felt like a change of scenery.” Selphie jumped up and down on the spot and giggled. “Fantastic.” He sighed. This was really too much for him. He didn’t think they’d make such a big deal of it considering he’d been with them yesterday too. Of course, they obviously considered the fact that he was there with Quistis and decided it didn’t count. Coming out voluntarily off his own bat was a different matter entirely. He was just about to get up and leave when he noticed Quistis. The breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of her. She was out of her normal battle gear and dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a soft peach pullover that clung to her in all the right places…
He quickly looked down at the now empty tray in front of him. Okay, that was unexpected. After all, it was Quistis right? Even if he DID like her, he knew for a fact that she was no longer interested. This would definitely pass. It was probably just the light she was standing in anyway. Or maybe seeing her in different clothes. That was probably it. She was at the table by the time his blush had faded and he risked looking up. He looked at her, noticed the smile on her face. To her credit, she didn’t seem anywhere near as shocked to see him there as the rest of them had. Of course, he hadn’t been watching her walk up to the table so she could well have gotten over her shock by the time she was standing beside him. She sat down on the chair beside him. “Good to see you out and about, Squall.” He nodded. “Thanks.” She then proceeded to totally ignore him to ask Selphie some question about something really unimportant. Hyne, was he jealous? (Of course not. Only reason he could be jealous was if he fancied her – sure, she looked good but, that didn’t mean he fancied her, right? X_x)
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No, of course he didn’t fancy her. So why was he so pissed off that she was ignoring him? Not that she was deliberately doing so but…Damn it, he was losing his mind. Had to be! And yet, he couldn’t help brightening as she finally turned her attention to him. “So, Squall…what brings you out of your office, hmm? Cid driving you crazy?” He shrugged. “Felt like a change. Paperwork’s driving me around the bend. If I’d known there was this much work involved, I don’t think I’d have taken the post. I don’t want to be stuck inside day in, day out.” It took him a few minutes to realise that everyone was staring mutely at him. He looked at them all in turn. “What?” Irvine was the one who finally spoke. “We’re all a little in shock, I think. That’s the longest sentence we’ve ever heard you say, right everyone?” No one disagreed. He sighed. “Okay, well now you’ve had your amusement, I think I’ll head back to the office.” He stood up and reached for his tray.
Despite all the protests, it was Quistis’ hand on his arm that stopped him. “Stay, Squall. We’re just teasing. No harm meant.” He looked at her for a moment then nodded, sat back down. He relaxed only when Zell started teasing Irvine and Selphie about their blossoming relationship. Selphie for her turn gave just as good back to him about Rachel the Library Girl. He couldn’t help but relax in their company. It felt really nice to just sit back and listen to the banter flow around him.
That was strange in itself, he supposed. He’d always preferred his own company over that of everyone else. Even with Rinoa, he’d only been able to tolerate a little of her before feeling the urge to flee build. Normally, he managed to ignore it. He had always wondered if he was unusual in thinking that way or if everyone felt that way about the person they were ‘in love with.’ Before Rinoa, he’d always assumed that, love meant you wanted to be around the other person as much as possible, were happy to hear what they had to say but, he hadn’t felt like that with her. Just felt kind of…suffocated. Like she expected far too much of him and he was definitely never good enough for her. Indeed, if he was honest with himself – and today it seemed like he was being nothing but – he could admit that she hadn’t made him happy even a little. Sure, she’d gotten him to open up but, that was more bloody minded persistence on her part than a wish to divulge information on himself to her. Not that he felt like sharing anything with the people around him either but, he just didn’t like talking about himself that much. He wasn’t particularly interesting after all, was he? No, not really. Of course, if they asked he’d tell them.
During a quiet moment, he looked at Quistis. “You’re not in your normal clothes.” She tried not to show it but, yes the fact that he noticed pleased her. She didn’t think he would ever register something like that. Not that she was silly enough to think it meant something – he just noticed the change. No big deal. She nodded. “Yes, I got tired of Selphie…” She turned for a moment to glare playfully at her friend. “…harassed me, I finally consented. I now wear these sort of clothes off-duty.” He nodded slowly. “Suits you.” That DID make Quistis do a double-take though she thought she hid it well. “Thanks.” He nodded a little then seemed to disappear into his thoughts again. She sighed softly. Ah well, a compliment from Squall wasn’t to be taken lightly, was it? She should definitely feel happy to have gotten it. She watched him for a few seconds, the smile on her face growing.
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Squall walked out of the cafeteria feeling…well, happy. It was a feeling he wasn’t really accustomed to but, he liked it. Yes, he was definitely going to have to make this a regular occurrence. Talking – or mostly just listening to them all – had helped him, made him feel so much better than he had.
Quistis walked into her room, almost as happy as Squall was right then. Yeah, having him there had made her day so much better. Sure he’d been quiet but, it seemed to be what he wanted and as long as that was the case, it was only a minor thing. The fact was that he was there and of his own volition. That had to be progress - maybe there would be life for him after Rinoa after all. :)
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