CrossBlades Chapter 3

    Squall walked, nowhere in particular. He just walked, avoiding people and things on the street, staring mostly at the ground, not really caring which street he went up or which alley he went through. Nothing scared him in this city with his training but that thought was far from his head now. As long as his feet were moving his mind was numb, and that's what he wanted.
    Eventually he looked up and found himself saring down the entranceway to a park. He'd only ever driven past here with the others, never bothering to explore it.
    Well now's as good a time as any. He started down the gravel driveway, no cars around since the gates would be locked soon. Squall looked up at the sky, an orange tint seeping along the horizon. He hadn't meant to walk for so long but he needed the air, needed to be away from things.
    Things I don't want to face. A squirrel darted across the trail as he made his way further into the park, tall pine trees flanking the path and a strip of perfectly green grass dotted with picnic tables and garbage cans. Little trails ran off on either side up into the dense woods, but he'd explore those another day, for now he was content on finding out how far back the park stretched.
    The path continued on, till the trees thinned out and a grassy clearing appeared in front of him. The pines on either side cast long shadows across the grass, patches begining to glow as the sunset took over the sky.
    Something flashed within the tall shadows. Squall stopped and tried to follow what had moved. The quickning darkness and the space between didn't help. Silver glinted against black and Squall began to approach. He moved silently, trying to size up the figure that darted between the shadows. The tall man stopped when he sensed his approach. A long kitana lowered to his side.
    He turned and faced Squall, still standing half in shadow. Red bangs framed the porceline white face, dark eyes hidden in shadow. A black trencoat, bound in straps across his chest, ruffled slightly in the dusk breeze.
    Both men stood for along time, neither finding the will to speak. Squall pulled his hands from his pockets and watched the other man, such a striking figure.
    He’s beautiful. Squall caught himself, shocked at his attraction to such a stranger, and a man at that. He was practically engaged to Rinoa and yet here he was captivated by her complete opposite. Clenching his jaw, he forced such thoughts from him mind and remained alert in case the shadowed figure decided to attack him. Unarmed, he wasn’t sure if he could handle fighting an obviously skilled man with such an impressive weapon.
    Aya watched the young man as his face shifted, different thoughts obviously conflicting inside his head. What are you thinking, Shishi? Lion was a fitting name for this man. Sizing him up, he noticed the obvious strength beneath almost feline features. His soft brown hair ruffled above a thick yet still delicate jawline. The white fur collar of his leather bomber jacket served as a surrogate mane, and no doubt hid impressive muscles and a taunt body. He was a trained fighter, and somehow reminded Aya of Ken, though more heavily set. Something about him was also darker than Ken, more feral. It then strunk him that this was the same man he had seen in the bookstore that afternoon.
    Aya collected his thoughts and sheethed his sword. Obviously this man was unarmed or he would have attacked by now, and there was no feeling of danger. It was as though they had caught eachother in headlights, both frozen to the ground. Detesting such a helpless feeling, Aya turned and walked towards the treeline.
    Squall watched him turn and leave, his shadow mixing with that of the trees. Like he had been jolted out of a dream, he blinked, suddenly aware of the growing darkness. He turned to the sunset, then turned back, scanning the trees one last time.
    Why didn’t I say anything? Squall turned and followed the path back out of the park. Who was he? He was lost in thought as he continued to walk, barely aware that the gate was now closed and he had to step over it.
    Aya listened as the young man’s quiet footsteps marked his departure. He continued to lean against the tree until he knew they were far enough apart. So odd that neither had spoken. Other people would have appologized for intruding.
    Were you as enraptured with me as I was of you, Shishi? He left the shadows of the trees and followed him out of the park, far enough behind to avoid a second meeting.
    Squall walked, more dazed than he had been when he first started out. Questions and curiosities bombarded his mind and he found himself at a complete loss. How was he supposed to explane his attraction for some man he saw out in the woods when he was suposed to be straight and in love with Rinoa?
    Love? It sounded so out of place, so mechanically forced, like the enscription on a valentine’s card. It wasn’t love between them anymore. Squall felt it his duty to stay with Rinoa, that’s what everyone wanted him to do, expected him to do. He only wanted the best for his friends, but it had become so fake it couldn’t be right anymore. He didn’t feel it, so why should he still be stuck like that?
    But I can’t tell her that. How do I-? What am I suposed to do?! He stopped on the sidewalk and looked up at the stars, feeling like he could scream. She had always seemed so nice and perfect, but now that he looked back, he realized he was only reacting the way he thought he should. Everything was so perfect, they were like a window display, smiling to make other people happy. Was that all that mattered? It had been like that for so long now, what else could there be?
    He sighed and looked around. Somehow he had stoped right outside Seifer, Fujin and Raijin’s appartment. They had taken a seperate appartment since five people were more than enough for one place, plus few places had more than three bedrooms. Quistis had stayed back at the Garden, matters with Xu seemed more interesting to her.
    He found himself reaching up to the doorbell and pushed it before he could stop. Not that it could hurt paying Seifer a visit. He missed having the tall blonde around, plus his constant torturing of Zell kept everyone amused, even Zell. Everyone knew there was more to the tension between them than just jealousy.
    The door opened and Fujin stood there, taller only because of the three steps between them. Squall fumbled for a moment. He had no idea what he’d do if Seifer was there, or why he even rang the doorbell. Flying by the seat of his pants wasn’t something he did very well.
    Fujin tilted her head, her sliver hair moving only slightly in the dim light, sparkling like glass. Her annoyance showed through in her voice. “WHAT?”
    “Is Seifer here?”
    “ENTER.” She stepped back and let Squall into the hallway. She pointed towards the living room and Squall unzipped his jacket, stuffing his hands back into his pockets.
    “Thanks.” She waved her hand with her back turned as she walked down the dark hall. Squall turned to the room. The only light in the room came from the TV and casted a silver-blue glow on Seifer’s body as he was stretched out in a high backed chair, one leg draped over the arm. His right hand held his chin above the other armrest while hir left hung over the top of the chair. The black mesh tank top he wore exposed his chiseled body and revealed the hoops through his left nipple. His leather pants showed off almost everything else.
    Squall understood what Zell saw in him. He shifted his weight and the blue eyes lifted to him.
    “To what do I owe this visit from our esteemed leader?”
    “I was just in the neighbourhood.” He raised his hand and dug his fingers through the back of his hair.
    “Yeah right. Next excuse...?” The steel blue eyes returned to the screen.
    “Am I interupting you?”
    Seifer shrugged into the plush of the chair. “Not really.” His voice seemed quieter than usual.
    “Oh, umm...that’s good.” Squall caught himself from staring at the silver hoops. “Uhh...so how was your day?”
    “Why are you making small talk?” Seifer’s cold eyes returned to him.
    “Umm...well I haven’t seen you in a while, I guess.”
    “Quit being awkward and sit down.” He flicked his hand in the direction of a large red velvet couch, obvioulsy antique. Squall sat down, the plush was deceptivly soft, and he ran his finger over the cool wood trim, most likely ebony. He dragged his thoughts from the couch back to Seifer. The high contrast shadows casting from the TV streaked across the leather pants, and Squall found his eyes on Seifer’s crotch again. Seifer shifted and Squall’s eyes met his then jumped to the screen. It felt like he was in a fog. For some reason the TV was on the channel listings channel.
    “Nothing good on?”
    “You know, I keep watching this channel hoping something good will come on every time it rotates, but it never does.”
    “It’s cable, what do you expect?”
    “I expect more softcore porno movies about women’s prisons and endless cooking shows where the chef gets drunk on his own Sherry. You know what they should have? A Gundam Wing channel.”
    “I thought you’d rather a porn channel.”
    “Porno’s boring. It’s just a drawn out immitation of reality with bad moaning and skanky people.”
    “I guess I haven’t watched enough to get bored yet.” Squall looked back to Seifer‘s face, once again lost in the channel listings. The fine lines of his jaw were seeped in shadow, so hauntingly distracting. Squall leaned back into the couch, completely confused with himself. He felt like he was stuck in a cloud, like his life had turned into a fog and he was just stumbling around, drooling at everything. And why the hell can’t I keep my eyes off Seifer?
    “Why are you staring at me?”
    “I’m not staring at you.”
    “Don’t act like Rinoa, why are you staring?”
    “I am not!”
    “What? Not going to defend her? Trouble in Princess Paridise?” Seifer ended the sentence in a lispy breathy voice that sounded eerily like Rinoa’s.
    “Yes.” Squall leaned forward and rested his elbow on his knee and dumped his chin into his hand.
    Seifer drummed his fingers along the wood accents of the chair. “Ooo. Now you’ve got my interest.” Squall just looked at the floor. “Are you going to tell me or not?”
    “Well she’s driving me nuts! I can’t do anything....and...I ...I kinda saw this person today...they were...”
    “You kinda saw them? It was a guy wasn’t it?”
    “Uhh..well...” Squall couldn’t ignore the heat in his face.
    “So the cunt strikes again, leaving another helpless gay guy in the wake of her nasty snatchiness.”
    “Well...what? You’re gay?”
    “I thought it was pretty obvious.”
    “Well you don’t go around wearing an “I’m gay” sign. How are we supposed to know?”
    “Why should I have to advertize my sexuality? So tell me about this guy.” Seifer’s cool features took on an almost smarmy charm. Squall found himself at a loss for words again.
    “Umm...well...” The memories of that evening returned full force. The long figure with his matching katana, red hair mimicing the flame in the sky above them. I was so captivated I couldn’t even speak. He was so beautiful.
    “Beautiful as in phyiscally beautiful, beautiful as in soulfully beautifully or beautiful as in Rinoa...ugly.”
    Seifer’s words snapped him out of his daze. He hadn’t even realized he’d spoken. I’m losing control. I can’t stand this! “Rinoa’s not ugly.”
    “Not everything’s physical.” Seifer’s gaze seemed farther than the TV. So I’m not the only one with things on my mind.
    “Okay...” Squall trailed off, one eyebrow raised. Seifer looked over at him.
    “What?”
    “You’re as transparent as that shirt you’re wearing.”
    “You seemed to have taken quite a notice to my shirt.”
    “It’s hard not to with you sprawled out over there like some homoerotic fantasy. Blame my hormones. I just turned gay, what do you expect?”
    “You don’t turn gay.” Seifer’s voice seemed almost indignant.
    “Well I never thought like this before.”
    “You weren’t told to think about it so you didn’t.” Something hit Squall. Maybe Seifer was right. He’d never done much for himself, he was too busy trying to prove how good of a SeeD he could be, or how well behaved he could be, why care about anything else.
    “Okay, so I’m a lap dog. What’s your character flaw tonight?”
    “Well I guess you could say I share your affliction.”
    “What, you saw him too?”
    “No, you stupid fuck.”
    “Well then what? Something’s on your mind.”
    “Just...thinking. I know you’re not used to being around thoughtful people.”
    “You’re avoiding the subject quite well.”
    “I saw a guy today that looked like Fujin, almost a carbon copy.” Seifer’s voice grew hard, almost tense. It was obviously bugging Seifer more than he would let on.
    “What, with boobs and everything?” Squall tried to get a rise from the scarred soldier, but it almost went unnoticed.
    “No. His eyes were...uh, well eye, was yellow, like hers.”
    “Eye?”
    “I told you he looked like Fujin. Even an eyepatch on the same side.”
    “Wow, that’s pretty odd.”
    “Yeah well, whatever.”
    “That’s my line.”
    “Why don’t you just dump Rinoa?” Seifer asked, changing the subject quickly, almost defensively, obviously uncomfortable with the current thread of conversation.
    “What? Just like that?”
    “Why not, it’s not like you love her or anything.”
    “Well, I don’t want things to get...” Squall trailed off at a loss for words.
    “You’re afraid of change, you’re afraid of expressing your emotions.” Seifer was right, whether Squall wanted to admit it or not.
    “You make a great shrink.”
    “I like to think that I know people.”
    Squall leaned his elbow on the armrest, slipping his hand over his mouth and let a small laugh escape him. Squall found it amusing that Seifer thought he knew people. He didn’t know that Zell seemed to drool all over him and want to suck his dick. Even Rinoa had picked up on that.
    “What’s so funny?”
    “Nothing, nothing. Hmm, well I should probably be going.”
    “Yes it’s far past your SeeD bedtime. Have pleasant dreams.” Seifer lifted his hardly existant shirt and ran his hand across his taunt stomach, exhailing noisily.
    “I could already see your stomach, thanks for the show.” He rose and stared at Seifer, not sure whether to be aroused or unamused.
    “You know you want it.”
    “Yeah....right. I’ll see you later.”
    “Yup. Don’t get raped on the way home.”
    “Umm...I’ll try?” He walked down the hall.
    “No you won’t. You’ll get all knocked up like the floozy you are! Hussy! Don’t think you can come back and beg for my help then!”
    “Later Seifer!” He called from the doorway, then looked at the door. “You want me to lock this?”
    “I’ll get it later.”
    “See ya.”
    “See ya.” He shut the door and zipped his coat up against the cold night air.

    Squall shut the door quietly behind him. He steped into the living room to drop his jacket on the chair but stoped, noticing a shape on the couch. On closer inspection it turned out to be Irvine. He was sprawled out and staring at the ceiling. Squall stepped closer, jumping when his foot crushed a box of crackers. Irvine’s head rolled sideways.
    “I was wondering when you’d get back.” His voice sounded tired and somehow odd, Squall couldn’t place it.
    “What are you doing in here? It’s so dark.” Squall reached for a light switch.
    “No, don’t! They’ll come out!” Irvine waved and moved to prop himself up on his elbow.
    “They?”
    “The elves, err..the leprechauns. Yeah. They’re afraid of the dark.” He whispered.
    “What are you talking about? Are you drunk?”
    “No, not...exactly.” Irvine muffled what almost sounded like a giggle, then rolled over and rummaged through a box beside the couch.
    “What are you eating? And why is this place such a mess?”
    “I was trying to find something.”
    “What?” Squall moved to the center of the room, avoiding stepping on several food boxes and jars. He nugged a jar of pickles with his foot.
    “These!” He held up the box and Squall took it from him.
    “Lucky Charms?”
    “Yeah! They get mad if they see me eating them!”
    Squall looked in the box, then noticed a weird smell.”What’s in these? Wait, who will get mad?”
    “The Leprechauns! I finally got their charms!” He snickered and stretched his hand after the box. Squall reached into the box and took out a handful. Small wrinkled objects were scattered in with the cereal, like dried brown fruit almost.
    “Mushrooms?”
    Irvine nodded. “They taste good with cereal. But don’t tell the leprechauns!”
    Squall dropped the box onto the floor and switched on a light. “I don’t beleive this.” He began to pick up the scattered food.
    “Ah! They’re comming back!” Irvine snatched up the box and held it above his head, starring wide-eyed at the carpet.
    “Nothing’s coming! I can’t believe you ruined all this food!” He picked up a jar. “Mustard?”
    “You’re one of them!” Irvine gasped and hugged the box to his chest.
    “Grow up! You’re jeopardizing the mission!” He yanked the box from Irvine.
    “What mission?” He took the box back, surprisingly quick. “Am I on Jeopardy? Ooo, I want to spin the wheel!” He began to stare off into space.
    “Wrong game show! Whatever, this is a waste of my time.” He took what little of the food that was free of fungus and returned it to the kitchen. On his way back through the living room he stoped and glared.
    “I hope you sober up by tomorrow.”
    “I hope you don’t!” He stuck out his tounge, then looked confused. “I mean I don’t. Umm... Oh well!” He threw his hands up. “You sound like Rinoa.”
    “I do not!”
    “Go away! You’re ruining my trip!” He munched another handfull of cereal. Squall shut off the lights and went upstairs. Rinoa’s form didn’t move from her bed as he striped to his boxers and slid into his bed, a few feet parallel of the other bed. It had been her idea that they keep the beds seperate, and something he had never questioned, never having slept by another person before in his life anyway. He pulled the sheets to his shoulder and tried to quiet his mind. It seemed like an eternity before his body eventually gave in and let him sleep.

    Rinoa was still twisted in the sheets as Squall dug out fresh clothes. He stuffed the edges of a crisp white dress shirt into navy blue suit pants and pulled a matching coat over his shoulders. The coat almost reached his knees as he looped a black tie around his neck. Slices of his bangs fell back in front of his eyes as he combed his hair smooth.
    A loud snore caused him to look over his shoulder in the mirror. He looked away quicky and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.
    Irvine was still passed out on the couch as he crossed the hall into the kitchen. Glancing at the clock, he slopply buttered a piece of bread and stuffed the corner into his mouth then riffled through the fridge for something to drink. The orange juice flavor sourly mixed with the toothpaste and Squall haistly spit into the sink. He grabbed a thin breifcase from beside the front door and locked it behind him.
    Since arriving in Japan, they’d had a weekend to adjust before actually meeting with the client. An apparently wealthy company had hired SeeD for some purpose, and, given the sum, the reason had never been discussed. Quistis insisted in them taking this mission since the garden needed to upgrade a few things. It was odd that the client insisted on as many soilders as possible, and even Seifer had let himself be bribed into comming along. Rinoa had just insisted she attend on general principle as the girlfriend, despite all Squall’s hesitation. She was a strong fighter, but having her in the party was just distracting and the dog was an absolute pain to travel with. Squall forced away the rest of his distain as he borded a subway car going to the center of the city. He was to meet their employer, known so far as simply the client, at 8 am sharp in one of the many intimidating office towers somewhere downtown. This would be the second time Squall would talk to him, the first time in person.
    Looking from the note to a map to the street signs, then back to the map, Squall felt like an absolute idiot. With so much spare time, Squall assumed he’d at least have time to memorize the actual location. Why shopping was so important he’d never figure out.
    On the right street, he eventually stopped in front of the right building. Colums of steel and glass met him on all sides as he looked up, sunlight barely reaching a quarter of the way down some of them. The clouds floated dizingly high above him and he turned back to the building in front of him, armoured in highly reflective black glass that jutted sharply down towards him at almost random yet somehow systematic intervals. The city was nothing like anything he’d seen in a while.
    The elevator ride was almost too fast and he had to grip the rail as it quickly jolted to a stop. He walked through the doors and into a dark hallway. Red carpet slightly flecked with black hardly moved under his boots. The walls were as shinny as the glass outside, almost onix. Japanese characters sprawled across the wall above the receptionist, seated behind a polished glass desk. She looked up over thick rimmed glasses, a rapid string of japanese sylables escaping her mouth. Her eyes narrowed when Squall stopped in front of her and hesitated.
    “What is your business here?” The sharp accent was almost cold. Squall wished they had at least properly learned the language before taking this assignment.
    “I represent the Garden.” He kept straight as he could, letting himself slip into a more militant mindset.
    “One minute.” She clicked her fingers across the keyboard and flicked down the mic on her headset. More japanese and she looked back to him.
    “This way now.” She rose and walked out from behind the desk to a large set of black doors. The silver handles thunked heavily and swung open into a large room. She stood against the door and gestured him in. The doors shut behind him. Light slid across the floor through translucent blinds drawn halfway from the ceiling to the floor. Chairs were gathered in perfect alignment around a long black table stretching back into the room. Glasses caught the scarse light and sparkled in their respective places on the table.
    A figure stood on one side of the room, looking out the window.
    “I take it you are Squall Leonhart.” There was no traceable accent as his soft spoken words echoed slightly off the same reflective walls.
    “Yes.” Squall watched as he turned and crossed to the table.
    “I supose you would like to know why we, why I have hired you?”
    “Yes.” Squall tried to dismiss the childish feeling he had in front of this man. It was hard to tell if he was actually Japanese, but he was at least Asian. He leaned against the table and crossed his arms. Feathery black hair sat above ivory skin and dark eyes, well set features mirrored the black tailored suit, a mint green shirt stood out from under the tie and buttoned jacket.
    “You have been hired as body guards. My company requires the service of elite fighters such as SeeD. I trust this isn’t your first job.”
    “We have served as guards before and are well prepared to handle any situation.”
    “Good. Have you dealt with assasinations?”
    “Yes.” Sqaull felt it unnessicary to question which side of the assasination.
    “Good, you will not disapoint me then.”
    “If I may ask, who will we be protecting?”
    “It will vary. Myself, certain employees of mine.” His head tilted to the side as he casually uncrossed and recrossed his legs. “You will be called upon ahead of time to serve as motor escorts in provided cars, maybe spotters and crowd control. It will be important that we can call upon your services up to a day beforehand.” The softness dropped slightly from his voice.
    “That won’t be a problem.”
    “I will be honest with you. My company has rather...powerfull enemies. There is a certain ammount of risk involved. I need men I can count on. Personally.” He held Squall in his gaze.
    That rules out Irvine and Rinoa. “You have several capable memebers of SeeD at your disposal. We await your request.”
    “Very well.” As though he hadn’t moved he threw something at Squall. He used the least ammount of motion to catch the object, a frighteningly small cell phone. “I will contact you on this phone. Please carry it with you at all times.”
    “Yes.”
    “Thank you for your services.”
    “It was a pleasure meeting you.” Squall knew better than to offer a handshake. Such people usually hired people to hire people to shake hands. Perhapps SeeD was farther up on the list of expendable people.
    “I look forward to seeing you again.” He bowed slightly forward. Squall bowed and turned to the door. It opened before he could reach it and the secretary ushered him out again.

    “So we’re basically hired goons?”
    “And another group of people take us up the ass and put on a puppet show to rule the world. How origional.” Zell leaned back on the couch, throwing both arms over the back.
    “What kind of organization are they anyway?” Seifer cast his cool gaze to Squall.
    “Yeah really though. Do they even have a name?” Selphie shifted next to Irvine.
    “Garden took this assignment without question and it’s important that we do the same. We’ve been told what we need to know.”
    “Yeah, but it’d be nice ta know what we’re up against here, ya know?”
    “TRUE.” Fujin remained pertched on the armrest of Raijin’s chair. The criss crossed straps of their outfits seemed to match, the couple probably used to dressing alike by now. No one even questioned them being together anymore, it was just assumed.
    “Squall knows what he’s doing.” Rinoa piped up from her seat in front of Squall. He shifted his weight off the back of the chair and ran a hand through his hair.
    “And that’s what I’m most concerned about.” The slightest glint of silver passed behind his trench coat as Seifer turned against the wall, remaining his ever unyeilding self.
    “Hey, I wouldn’t talk if I were you. He’s been a SeeD much longer than you.”
    “Shut it, Chicken.”
    “You wanna make me?” Zell’s hand shook as he spun around on his knees and gripped the back of the couch. His feelings for Seifer were undeniably strong, no matter which way they swung. It was hard to think Seifer could be so dense about something so obvious.
    “Mature.”
    “Guys, come on-” Squall was cut short by a trill chirping. Everyone stared puzzledly. He vaugely remembered the cell phone and fished it out of his inside coat pocket.
    “Hello?” Everyone hung in wait. “Alright.” Squall turned and faced the window. “No, that’s fine.” Silence. “Yes Sir.” He lowered the phone and clicked it shut.
    “Well?”
    “Who does that phone belong to, Squall?” Rinoa seemed currious and irritated at the same time.
    “Our client gave it to me.”
    “So he’s our pimp now.” Selphie dug her elbow into Irvine.
    “Shh!”
    “He wants us for a job tonight.”
    “Nice warning.”
    “What’s the job?” Seifer leaned his shoulder against the wall.
    “We meet downtown at nine tonight.”
    “That’s it?”
    “We’ll be told further when we meet our contact.”
    “Oh I just love being left in the dark. For all we know we could be robbing a bank tonight.”
    “I doubt it’s that, Zell.”
    “Well then what is is? I’m not going into something this crazy without a clue.”
    “Since when do you stop to think?”
    “Seifer.”
    “What?”
    “I’d ask that you accompany me tonight.”
    “Sure, I’m not a wuss.” Zell got halfway off the couch before Selphie caught his arm.
    “Zell, I’d also like you on this mission.”
    He looked back to Squall then the carpet, slumping back into the couch as the flush left his face. “Yeah sure. Count me in.”
    “What can I do, Squall?”
    Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard Seifer’s voice: Nothing. “I’d rather not involve everyone right now. It woukd be better if he didn’t know exactly how many of us there is, at least not until I know I can trust him.”
    “We’re protecting some guy you don’t even trust?”
    “I just want to be safe. Fujin, Raijin?”
    “YES?”
    “I’d like it if you two worked back-up. Watch from a distance, just in case.”
    They exchanged glances. “We’re in, ya know.”
    “Then it’s planned.”
    “Squall,” Protest bitterly coated rinoa’s voice. “I don’t like this at all. What if it’s a trap? I should come to protect you.”
    He was glad to be out of her reach, such a comment would usually be followed by her gripping his arm and clinging like a wet rag. “Everything will be fine. I’d rather you three stay here. We’ll have Fujin and Raijin to back us up. There’s nothing to worry about.”
    “Fine, but I’m comming on the next mission.”
    “Rinoa-” Her condescending him in front of the whole bloody group was infureorating. The last thing he wanted was to make a scene, especialy so close to their frist assignment, and that’s exactly what she was doing.
    “No, Squall, you can have your little troop this time,” She stood and crossed the room, gripping his hand and pushing it to her lace covered chest. “But I’m just as strong as the rest of you and I’m going next time and that’s the end of it.” She kissed him then turned back to everyone else as if part of the poster couple for DisneyLand.
    Heat tore at his cheeks and he stiffened against her. “I’d like everyone involved tonight to meet here at 8. Until then familiarize yourself with downtown. We’ll be in cars but the last thing I want is us getting lost. And try to dress professionaly.”
    “As you command, oh great one.” Seifer bowed dramatically and swooped out the door.
    “Later, ya know.” Fujin and Raijin followed him out.
    Squall snapped out of Rinoa’s grasp and plunked into the now abandoned chair.
    Selphie stood and stretched. “Well that sounds like an excuse to shop to me. Who’s with me?” Irvine groaned and dug deeper into the couch. “Fine, ShroomHead! I’ll go by myself.”
    “I’ll come. Maybe I’ll find a nice hole to crawl in.” Zell stood and leaned on Selphie.
    “Who needs you guys? I’ll find my own entertainment.” Irvine waved a fingerless glove at them.
    “Picking up sales clerks is not what I call fun.” Selphie put her hands on her hips, Zell still hung on her shoulder. “Let’s go, Zell.” Her nose went up into the air as thet headed out the door, not before sticking her tonge out at him.
    The cowboy indignatly thumbed his nose at her. “Brat!” He rose and pulled his hat down, claping Squall on the shoulder before leaving the room. “God, I love her!” He grinned. The brown duster swirled out behind him. The door shut and Squall pressed his palms to his forehead.
    “What do you think you’re doing?”
    “Huh?” He had almost forgotten her presence.
    “I’m still a part of this team.”
    “When did I say you weren’t?”
    “How do you think it feels to be left out, Mr Leader?”
    “Selphie isn’t comming and she didn’t say anything.”
    “Well I’m not her, am I?”
    “No you certainly aren’t.”
    “What the hell does that mean?”
    He stood to face her. “Look, I just don’t want you getting hurt, that’s all.”
    She brought her hand down swiftly across his cheek. “How’s that for hurt?”
    Stunned, he stared at the wall, since that was what his head was pointed at now. She stomped off up the stairs.
    “Rinoa, wait!” He moved quickly after her. The door slammed in his face. “Come on! This isn’t solving anything.” His eyes ran over the caramel wood of the door. It abruptly opened.
    “Maybe there isn’t much left to solve.” She tried to shut the door again but he held it open. She backed up into the room and stopped in front of his bed.
    “Rinoa...” He advanced into the room, stopping very close to her and reaching out for her arm.
    She swatted his hand away. “Don’t you dare, Squall Leonhart, don’t you dare!”
    “Dare what? Talk to you?”
    “I’m through talking to you!” Her shoulder hit him hard as she shoved past out of the room.
    Clenching his jaw he ran to the stairway. “When did you start?!” The door slammed shut. Comming back into the bedroom, he pivoted on his heels and dropped onto the bed. Seifer’s right... Both hands slid over his eyes, stretching the skin on his cheeks. I have no idea but Seifer’s right. Squall lay in his empty bed for a minute longer, then rose to change.

Chapter 4
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