Crossed Fates
Chapter Ten : For the love of Angels and Lions.
Authors note. The 19 year old Squall and Clouds words/thoughts/actions will be enclosed by < >. The events in this chapter take place shortly after the ball shown at the credits of final fantasy VIII. (After their first kiss!)
<'This is my room.'>
Cloud looked around the room that had been recently painted in a white that had just a hint of blue. It was rather Spartan. The only furniture was the bed, a desk and chair and a computer. On the desk sat a photograph of eight people; Cid and Edea Kramer, Selphie Tilmitt, Irvine Kinneas, Zell Dincht, Rinoa Heartilly (now an honorary member of SeeD for her bravery in helping Garden in the fight against Ultimecia), Quistis Trepe and the leader of SeeD who had only been sworn in that night, Squall Leonhart. Three jackets hung over the head of the bed. One just like the one Squall wore at that moment, one with a very ornate shoulder design and one that was similar, but not quite as beautiful. There were seven black cases lined up against one wall. Each one had the symbol that Squall wore around his neck. A name was written on each one.
<'Revolver.'>
<'Shear Trigger.'>
<'Cutting Trigger.'>
<'Flame Saber.'>
<'Twin Lance.'>
<'Punishment.'>
The final one lay empty. <'Lion Heart.'>
<'Those are my gunblades.'>
"Rinoa, I am exhausted!"
"Come on, I want to talk."
"Can't it wait? We've been talking all night at the ball."
"Aww please."
"Whatever."
"You promised you wouldn't say that any more!"
"I didn't say that. I said I'd try not to say it."
The young couple walked into the room. Squall fell back onto the bed and sighed. She knelt on the bed beside him. "What's up."
"I'm just wondering if I'm going to get any sleep tonight."
"Why?"
"Because you'll talk me into submission."
"I won't. You look tired Squall."
"It's nearly four a.m, I've been either dancing, talking or shaking hands all evening. Now there's a beautiful woman in my room and she could talk until the cows come home."
"Hey!" She punched him lightly on the arm. "And do you ever take that jacket off?"
"Only to sleep." She pulled it off him and hung it up by the one exactly like it. When she turned around and saw Squall's eyes half closed. His breathing was slowing. 'He looks so sweet when he's asleep' She thought for the second time. She went to pull his T-shirt over his head. His hand caught her wrist a little too sharply. "What?"
"Don't."
"What?" Again she tried to pull the shirt off.
"Rinoa!" He stood up and moved away from her. "No."
"What's the matter."
"Look I just don't..."
"I wasn't going to do anything... That's not it is it?" She put her head on to one side. "Are you shy about the way you look without your shirt on? That's it, isn't it?"
"No, I just don't..."
"Squall."
"Please Rinoa.." He turned away from her.
"Wait." She said as he walked away from her. She stepped across the room and reached out to him, meaning to catch his wrist. She missed and found the hem of his shirt. He turned away from her again with such force that the seam along the side creaked and split. She gasped as she saw the skin below the material. "Squall." He stopped dead in his tracks.
"You were right Rinoa. I'm not exactly happy with the way I look. It's not for the reasons that you think though." This time he allowed her to remove his t-shirt. She winced in sympathy when she saw his back. Although he had a fine physique, one to be proud of after all the time he had spent training with gunblades and against Zell, his upper body was covered in long scars. "I'm not really in mint condition."
"Who did this to you?"
He turned to face her and he ran two fingers of his right hand over the scar on his forehead. "All except one came from him, Seifer."
"Seifer did this to you?"
"Not all at once. Did you think this was my only scar?"
"Where was the other one from?"
"My first ever real fight. I went up against a regenerating monster, but I didn't know it could regenerate. I turned my back on it and it attacked me. The scar that runs alongside my spine came from that fight. Trust me Rinoa, never turn your back on one of them or Seifer..." Then he added under his breath "... They're the same breed." He closed his eyes. "I hate looking like this. It's a sign of my weakness, because I let him hurt me."
"Don't be silly."
"I'm..."
"Shush." She put a finger on his lips. "You're the nicest guy I've ever met and the probably the strongest too. Whatever's past is past, you can't change it, Ellone told you that. We can only decide what happens today and thereby tomorrow. I just want my tomorrows to be with you."
"Do you mean that."
"With all my heart."
"I love you Rinoa."
She smiled. "I know you do."
They lay on his bed together, just holding onto each other and nothing more. She had told him she loved him, but Squall did not need to hear it. She had told him she wanted to spend every tomorrow with him, and she had made him more happy than he had ever been. For the first time in years he fell asleep with a smile on his face.
<'You surpressed a memory like that?'>
<'It hurts me to remember it, I loved her more than life itself.'>
<'I guess the next place is the last on the list.'>
Authors notes.
Okay okay, you all thought this was going to be disgusting didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?
I am not like that, yet. This is an echo of real life... I thought it was sweet so I put it in.