[Drabble] In Your Arms

[kryss-delrhei.livejournal.com]

Title: In Your Arms
Author: kryss_delrhei
Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII
Type: Video Games
Characters/Pairing: Squall/Rinoa, Irvine
Word Count: 786
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Warning: None
Summary: After the final battle, Squall and Rinoa spend their celebration the same way they met — dancing.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII nor the characters, just borrowing them from Square-Enix for a little while.
Author's Notes: I'm a lot happier with this than I expected I would be.
Prompt: love_bingo : Dancing Together (Card 1 : Vertical Fill)

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With the battle won and the celebration in full swing, Squall watched his comrades and the other cadets of Balamb Garden as they relished in a victory they had no part of, but were still happy with the outcome. Considering that if they had failed, the whole universe and time would had been controlled and distorted and ruled as if they were mere servants to the Sorceress Ultimecia, instead of human beings like they were.

He leaned his head back, content in becoming a statuesque wallflower as was his custom at these sort of events, crossing his arms over his chest. For once he did not worry about wearing his SeeD uniform, not that Headmaster Cid would mind that small detail.

“Alone again?” Rinoa leaned against his side, her sweet voice pulling him out of wanting that very notion of being alone. Squall glanced down at her, meeting her chocolate eyes as he watched her face light up with happiness, “What do you say about sharing a dance or two with me?”

Letting a similar expression upturn his features, Squall turned to her, offering her his hand, “If it would make you happy?”

Nodding, she took his hand and quickly led him out onto the dance floor, “You know I love dancing!” her voice filled him with warmth and happiness as he slipped his arm around her waist, and pulled her close.

She met him step for step, gladly letting him lead in their dance around the ballroom, his strong arm keeping her posed and steady as he twirled her out, before pulling her back into his embrace. Laughing, she said, “My, my, your dancing has improved.”

Squall rubbed his palm against the small of her back, pulling her closer to his chest as he leaned his head down to press his cheek against hers, “This time you’re more focused on me and the two of us dancing together.”

Chuckling, she nudged her head in the direction of one of their comrades, sitting off to the side, half choking on every bite of the hot dogs he had so graciously been awarded, “Well, Zell over there does look like he needs help.”

Squall raised a brow, staring down at her with a neutral expression.

Rinoa let out another laugh, shaking her head quickly, “I’m just joking.”

His gaze didn’t change as they twirled around effortlessly, Squall’s feet quickly leading her through the steps. Rinoa’s laugh faded as she stared up at him. She licked her lips and released a soft sigh, “Honest.”

Squall quietly spun her out, lifting his arm to twirl it overhead as she came back to his embrace, her back now pressed against his chest and her arms crossed, pushing her small cleavage up a little higher. Rinoa relaxed against him, closing her eyes and listening to the music. She knew he was quiet because he was thinking, but she also knew when he thought too much, he drifted away from people and into his own world where he hid behind a wall of doubt and mistrust.

“After everything we have been through, you honestly think you aren’t on the forefront of my mind?” Rinoa mumbled, and when she received no response, she pushed for him to answer her, “Squall?”

He swayed with the music, pressing his nose into her midnight hair, “Hesitant to believe so.”

Rinoa smiled and rubbed circles on the back of his hand, “Trust me. I’m in your arms, not someone else’s. Seifer, the battle, the past, everything including the near death experience is far from my mind. You are the only person I see tonight.” He slowly spun her around, staring into the depth of her chocolate eyes, not caring that they had stopped in the middle of the ballroom floor amidst all the dancing.

“You’re the only one I want to see,” he whispered, gently caressing her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

Rinoa gave him a teary eyed smile, nuzzling her cheek against his hand, “Squall, kiss me.”

Jerking her against him, Squall captured her mouth without much hesitation, and there he kissed her for long minutes in front of a room full of witnesses, enjoying the feel of her warm body pressed to him as her arms wrapped around his neck. He wasn’t sure if the ballroom had erupted in cheering, but he knew without a doubt that his heart had.

“Smile for the camera!” Irvine laughed, causing the two lovers to pull apart, staring wide eyed at the camera Irvine was forcing into their space. Rinoa laughed, covering her mouth, her cheeks tinted pink with her flush of embarrassment.

And Squall found himself smiling, because in that moment he was happy, truly happy.