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A Break in Character	By : Resting-Madness Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Yaoi - Male/Male > Irvine/Squall Views: 919 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or setting of the Final Fantasy VIII universe and make no money from this work of fan fiction. It's all for fun.

Chapter List
- 16
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- 18
"Sir?" Squall entered the headmaster's office with brows raised in question. It's never been a good thing to be specifically called out to come in. The last time that happened he wound up in charge of the whole damned operation while Cid disappeared! He walked cautiously over to the large desk, and took the offered seat.
"Squall, you're a strong person, a leader."
'I am? Hyne, here it comes.' He crossed his arms to ward off the evil spirit of responsibilty about to be hurled his way.
"So, you are the glue between you and your friends." Cid went on.
"Huh?"
"I trust this to your confidence,"
"Sir, please just spit it out." He left out the part where it's late. He's tired. And won't make time for Cid's bad habit of beating-around-the-bush.
"Did you know that Irvine Kinneas has been in a homosexual relationship?"
Blunt. No wonder he was stalling to say it. Squall tried to hide his reaction, but his usual stoic mannerisms faltered from an escaped sound of trying to respond and trying to keep it in.
"We all are aware of Irvine's.." Cid cleared his throat. "Flirtatious habits lean towards the female cadets. However, the hospital had taken a test after the assault. They found evidence of amorous activity, but believe it was consensual."
"Why not ask Irvine about this?" Squall asked after having found his voice.
"Edea is currently doing that. I'm asking you because you're the glue of your connected childhoods, from what I understand."
'Who volunteered me for that? If anyone it'd be Irvine. He remembered all of our connection.' Until recently he didn't recognize Irvine at all. His going to Galbadia wiped out his existence to him. "Sorry. I don't know if he is or isn't." He lied, and continued to do so. "Why is that important?"
Cid placed his hands together, one over the other to come off more relaxed, rather than a drill sergeant. "We were wondering if perhaps the attack was from a jaded lover."
Squall could have laughed. Even if Irvine did break up with him, he wouldn't jump the guy. How immature would that be for anyone? "I'd look elsewhere on that theory."
"I presumed so."
Squall furrowed his brow. Does Cid know something? Did he figured it out like Seifer has?
"We're also looking into the possibility of it being a hate crime. If Irvine has switched orientation, any number of people could be the culprit. Men from homophobia or women from resentment."
That gave Squall a pause. Could that have been the reason? But no way. Who but Seifer, and possibly Selphie, knows about his relationship with the sniper? It can't be for that reason. The exposure was likely just for humiliation, as was first speculated.
"Squall?" Cid alerts him from his thoughts. "What's your take on this?"
"I think it's better not to assume anything. If the relationship is a secret, I doubt they'd let anyone find out so easily."
The headmaster scratched his temple. "I just wish in times like these, people would show some conscience and turn their self in."
Squall scoffed. That would never be a scenario realized. Too much bravado in the world for conscience to exist.
"Well... I suppose it was presumptuous of me to ask you personal questions about others. It's how gossip and rumors happen. Sorry to have bothered you."
"It wasn't a bother. I'm concerned about Irvine, too." He stood from the chair. "I'll keep alert." Not that had to be asked.
Cid nodded his thanks. He dismissed Squall, then went back to work looking over reports. He read through two before the phone rang, which caused him to stop. "Hello?" He listened to the voice on the other end. "I just spoke with Squall about it." He listened to his wife's concerns over that statement. "Oh dear. Should I call him back? He can't have gotten far, hold on a moment."
He abandoned the phone and rushed out of his office. Squall was just about to board the elevator when he rounded the corner. "Squall! Squall! Thank heavens.. I need to tell you something, about what we spoke of before."
"Sorry, sir," replied the commander. "I must have spaced-out. I don't remember what we were talking about."
Cid pressed his finger to his nose with a smile. "Good, man. On your way then." He released his exhaustion from the sudden dash when Squall was behind the closed elevator doors. How does the body become so frail when the mind feels so sharp and vibrant. Returning to his office he was told what Irvine said after Edea questioned him.
"I understand. If this was a hate crime, we may have another victim on our hands." He rubbed his forehead. "Let's hope we end this before that happens. Goodnight, my dear." He hung up after receiving the same kindness.
1 week later.
Everything seemed to be back to normal. No one talked about the victim or the attackers. No one seemed to care at all. The administration were discussing it as an isolated incident. A cold case. And Gardens need to move on. They've been parked the Deling area for some time now. It was time to move on. The military tended to make civilians nervous when they remain in the area for too long. It made sense considering Galbadia once policed areas like sentinels.
Nothing more would happen... Hopefully.
"Hey Squall," Selphie greeted the roaming lion. "How fun is today gonna.."
Her words stilled as a load groan erupted through the building. All students passing through the halls and foyer paused and looked around for the created source. Those in class, did the same.
"Sounded like the Garden's bowels quit." Declared Selphie.
Squall's laugh had the girl nearly stagger to a fall, as she whipped her head around to find the source of that strange noise. Seeing it was just her friend, she smiled into laughing as well. Both their amusement stopped right away when the lights blinked then remained off.
"Uh-oh." She stepped sideways until she found a bench. "In case of stampede." She said while sitting down. "Squall, over here."
Squall followed the light from her phone, that illuminated her. He sat down beside her. "Guess the powers out."
"Explains the sound." She chuckled. "Your laugh is cute, anyone ever tell you that?"
"Not if they wanna live to hear it again." He threw her an expression that told her she was excluded in that threat.
"When are the lights coming back on?!" She bellowed to the God of light.
Although, with all the lights from phones, one could imagine the school had just installed a dimmer function to save money. The P.A. system crackles to live. All within the building anticipated the good news.
P.A. Due to a power outage, we will migrate to one of the other Gardens to resume lessons.
The newly appointed secretary, Xu, announced. Her monotone added to the cadets grief.
'And people murmur that I'm a buzzkill. Xu could bore drying paint.' Thought Squall.
P.A. As we do not know when power will be restored, we ask that you pack a small bag and report to the foyer for departure. No one is permitted within Balamb Garden until further notice. You have twenty minutes. Meet at 1100 hours. Thank you.
A collective groan went up as cadets wandered to and from their dorm room to the entrance of the building. The faculty roamed the corridors and hidden areas within Balamb Garden to flush out stragglers. Once all cadets young and old were accounted for, they migrated to the Garden of their choice. No surprise Selphie went straight for Trabia, excited to check out the new design that the technicians of Fisherman's Horizon helped construct. Quistis went with her. Squall naturally chose Galbadia, as well as Zell, who admired the Garden for its more military structure.
Ferris watched with a glare as Squall reported to Galbadia Garden like a faithful little Fuck-Boy. With a grind of his teeth, he lined up with the other cadets who'd chosen the uptight Garden as their temporary stay.
All cadets were to report to the auditorium for further instruction on room assignment and classroom rules. It was a long forty minutes before they were dismissed to class with the live-in cadets. Squall just hoped the dorm he's sharing is with Irvine. It was four to a room, if he recalls. And he's sure Irvine told him it was just Seifer, one other guy and himself. The overflow of migration would sleep in sleeping bags in the auditorium. It was an ideal choice to some. Much better than bunking with near strangers and making them feel cramped.
Squall wandered the halls with the rest of the flow of traffic, intent on dropping off their bags before heading back out to resume the day's training. He slowed his pace in order to fall behind, then he stood in a nook, removed his phone and texted Irvine asking which room number he was. It took a moment then a reply buzzed stating it was room 12. Just when the commander got his hopes up, another buzz came in alerting him that the room was already filled. Ferris Sergeant took the extra bed.
'Who? Oh wait.. That squirmy guy who wanted to train with me.' Squall pinched the bridge of his nose feeling a headache coming on from annoyance. How dare that little idiot. He must have figured he'd wanna be with his friends, and assumed there'd be more than one bed available so he may as well take it. Damn him! 'Maybe I can politely convince him to trade with me. Although, I first need to find a room.' He was considering the auditorium, hell, he'd sleep on the basketball court to avoid sleeping with strangers. No. He wants that extra bed with his boyfriend and rivalry best friend. But how does one convince another of a sleeping bag being better than a bed?
P.A. This is an announcement to all cadets migrating from Balamb Garden. Please locate a place to sleep, then report with the other cadets to the front area. Any cadet without a room should report to the auditorium for sleeping arrangements.
The message repeated. Squall did an about-face then headed back the way he came to the auditorium.
0 0 0
"Alright, everyone have your shoots secured?" Asked one of three instructors in-charge of diving. Ten cadets per plane, all strapped up and ready to go, gave a thumbs up before patting their equipment after the instructors did a final check. Safety first.
"First two divers at the door." Signaled the second instructor after sliding open the metal blockade.
The wind shoved in with a force ready to yank out anyone not anchored down. The cadets against the far wall were punched in the face by its force, leaving them with a lump in their stomach that they had to go out in that. These were the lessons not well-liked by those afraid of heights. Feet were meant to be firmly planted on the ground, we'd have wings otherwise.
"I'm ready!" Piped Ann, at the door with her second, Gabe. He was a tiny thing for his age but he remained stoic to the lesson, despite the pull laughing that it may or may not yank them heavily out of the sky with a turbulent burst of air beneath their shoot.
"Ready, sirs." He affirmed.
"Go!"
Everyone watched the pair disappear, some turned in their seat to peek from the window, others remained righted. They know there isn't anyone to see, what with the cadets moving downward from the plane's straight path. The instructor at the door signaled the next two once the first pair were a safe distance down. One jumped readily, the other stalled to cross himself before leaping out. His screams produced laughter from those still onboard. It was funny! An opera singer should reach that octave so easily without warming up.
Squall stood at the door, his partner came up beside him.
"I'm scared!" She bellowed. "Do I have to go right now?"
The instructor seemed to understand, though she poorly held back rolling her eyes. "Kinneas, you're up."
This was the closest Squall's been to irvine all day! It was driving him mad. If Irvine liked games of 'tag', Missing You Tag would really flip his sense of amusement. He swallowed a lump in his throat, and closed his eyes, breathing in the sniper's intoxicating scent as the wind blew it up in his face. He was just about to say something to him, when Irvine slammed into him knocking them both sideways and into the instructor.
"Hey!" The instructor righted himself, and helped up Squall and Irvine. "What the hell was that?!" He snapped at the cause of the collision.
Ferris placed his hands together, as if in prayer, muttering. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I felt a bug.. in my clothes."
"You put cadets lives in danger over a damned bug?" Snapped the first instructor. His large presence loomed over the jittery Ferris. "Next time let there be no next time. Got me!"
"Sir, yes sir!" He looked to Squall and Irvine silently apologizing.
'Squirmy little idiot.' Glared Squall.
"You alright?" Asked Irvine.
"Yeah. You?"
"Of course." He shrugged out his hand in a cavalier manner. "Now let's get some air."
Positioning themselves in the correct fashion, they jumped from the plane.
It was incredible! A cross between flying and plummeting, but without the fear that one would just splat into the ground below. You're just in the sky going downwards. Squall spread his arms and legs and closed his eyes taking in the wondrous sensation. He opened his eyes and searched for Irvine when hearing his newly volunteered partner give a shout of "Wooo hooo!". He smiled watching the sniper spin and do flips. Imitating the joyous free-faller he did a roll or two and a forward flip. It felt strange, but fun. Hearing the instructor in his ear, he deployed the shoot. That was something else entirely. It was like being at a standstill then getting bashed under the chin by a juggernaut's uppercut.
As he slowly floated down, Irvine beside him, he flexed out his hand. A small signal to his boyfriend that he'd of liked to hold his. To drift together. Whether Irvine understood or saw from peripheral, but he turned his head and smiled at him. He looked so happy. Like a child who found a deserted island of unopened toys. Squall blinked as a flash ran through his mind from a time when Irvine had similarly smiled at him like that, back when they were kids. What were they doing? He wondered.
Squall shook away the memory and returned to his attention to the landing. There was no target, simply an instruction to land safely and on-the-ready. Meaning, they don't get buried in their parachute. He felt a sense of pride watching Irvine gallop to a perfect stop, shoot out behind him. He was a step or two behind, landing perfectly as well. Albeit looking far less like a young pony in a sprint.
"That was amazing!" Irvine declared.
Squall tensed when feeling his boyfriend grab his sides to hoist him up and spin him around. Irvine caught himself, and instead silently asked for a 'five'. Which he gladly gave.
"I am IN to go again." The sniper grinned, looking at as the next four cadets were still in flight. "Who knew something so hazardous could be so fun?"
'Yeah.' Squall watched the falling, then walked to rest of the cadets who were seated on the grass having a drink to hydrate. It's a scorcher out. Removing a drink from the cooler, he grabbed another and handed it to Irvine.
"Thanks." He twisted the cap off then drank it halfway down. "It's a lot higher up when you're lookin'."
"Yeah." He sat on the grass. Squall blinked when Irvine sat, but moved away from him a bit. 'Right. We'd better keep up appearances until we tell everyone.' Drinking his water, he lowered the bottle then said. "It might not be so fun at night."
"Mm. A lot less easy to see the ground." Agreed the sniper, not wanting to land in the ocean. He couldn't imagine drowning in a training session.
"Irvine.." He whispered. "What happened with the room?"
"That weird kid wanted it. He damn near insisted." Replied his boyfriend, sounding offended by the unwanted roommate.
"See if you can convince him to the auditorium or to someone else's dorm."
"I heard they're all taken up." Irvine suddenly smiled as a friend engaged him.
"Wild ride, right?!"
"One of my favorite classes so far, this year." He agreed.
Squall watched the exchange. He bit his tongue when the interloper pounced on Irvine and playful wrestled with him. Who the hell was this loser anyway?
"Say, Wes'.." Irvine shoved the guy off, straightening up. "You got a spare bed in your dorm?"
"Are you kidding?"
"Would you be interested in trading?"
"Why? You get stuck with an asshole or neat-freak?" He nodded towards Squall. "It wasn't him was it? I won't be stuck with a hardass of Balamb." Weston grinned. "I'm Galbadian but not tough enough."
"No. It's this other guy... he's kinda like a.. I don't know, sycophant." Irvine said playfully. "I don't mind that with the ladies, but if some guy is gonna be sniffin' around me, I'll pass."
"I can imagine." He sounded a little pointed in his empathy. "I mean.. I'd like to help you, but I've got two girls.. Swapping with a guy would just suck."
"I'll owe you a favor."
"A favor. Like what?"
"I don't know. What do you want?"
Weston seemed to really put some thought into it. "I can't think of anything."
"Right now. ...You get back to me."
Weston snickered at the persistence. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get back to you before twenty-hundred."
Irvine waved him a goodbye as he took off to prattle with another friend.
"Thanks." Squall said.
"Sure."
Squall sensed something in the tone used to reply. But he let it go. Exhaustion was settling in him, too. It was the drop from the pressure, the altitude. It was like a weird jet lag. All the other cadets seemed to be experiencing it as well. That, and the heat. Of course the mood would get a little distant...
0 0 0
Squall looked into the darkness before him. Nothing like a sleeping bag on the hard floor to keep a guy wide awake. Zell, beside him, seemed to have no problem with it. As he put it "I love a firm sleep. Try finding this perfection with a mattress.". He wished he was so disciplined. He needs a bed. He closed his eyes and turned on his side. This was not the location to be thinking 'lovely thoughts', but he couldn't keep his mind from wandering to sharing a bed with Irvine. And knowing what it was like, there was very little wonder for his imagination to do. He felt sleep come over him, just as his boyfriend's hands slid over him.
X x X
Commentary: Wooof! It had been a week, let me tell you. Between body aches and being busy... And the icy cold rejection of competition life through idiotic story themes, I found time to update.
I hope you enjoyed reading, and haven't abandoned me too much because of the wait. I'll try harder to update sooner next chapter. Enjoy your weekend. Thank you for reading.
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A Break in Character