The Stuff Of Legends
The Stuff Of Legends
"Squall...I don't think this is going to work," I said quietly. The brunette startled and stared at me with wide eyes - we had been sitting there, eating dinner in total silence for almost a half an hour. It was sort of a ritual - he and I would have dinner every night, chat about normal, boring things, and then sit in silence for at least another hour. It was a comfortable silence, but I didn't really think I could handle this routine any longer. And I knew he would never leave me - he felt responsible for me.
"What?" For all intents and purposes, Squall Leonhart was perfect. He was sweet and kind, smart, strong, and completely gorgeous. He had a great job, good friends, and was working on his family relations a bit. He had it all... And one small problem that I just couldn't overlook any longer. He was in love with someone who wasn't me.
"I'm not stupid, Squall - no matter what everyone may say about me. I have eyes and I have a brain and enough brain cells to use both at the same time." I sighed while he frowned at me and wished to Hyne I had chosen something stronger than red wine with my dinner.
"I don't understand..." He frowned, causing his scar to crinkle on his forehead. It was adorable when he looked confused and it hurt so much inside to know I was hurting him. I had to think very carefully about what I was doing - if I continued on this tangent, I would destroy my romantic relationship with him.
But he would be happier.
"You aren't in love with me," I said quietly. My eyes were burning and my heart swelled so much I thought it would explode in my chest. "I understand that you're trying to be good to me, do the right thing and all that...but I couldn't bear to tie you down and have you be miserable for the rest of your life. I love you too much to do that. I love you enough to let you go and be happy."
"But I am happy!" he replied. I smiled and shook my head.
"No. No you're not. But you will be." I swallowed hard to keep my voice from wavering. Oh Hyne, I was not going to cry. Not now - I had to be stronger than this. This was the right thing to do. "I'm not afraid to be alone..."
"I...I don't understand what brought all of this on," Squall murmured. I smiled and poked at my food.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking. We've been together for almost four months now, right?" He nodded. "And at first, it was really nice. We got along great and I fell head over heels in love with you. But...then it all changed somehow. Things got...different. Things got...comfortable. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but all the...intensity of the relationship just wore off. I went up to your office this morning to speak with you. Xu was...out doing something - I don't know. She wasn't there. So I just went in and saw you in there..." Squall's face went dead white. I caught my boyfriend of four months cheating on me and all I could do was smile sadly at him.
"I..."
"Don't try to make excuses. I was shocked - to say the least. And then I went into the library to think for a while...and I began to realize some things. I was living in a dream - in total denial. I didn't see some really important things because I didn't want to. I wanted to think that it was just a phase or...pent up childhood feelings or...I don't know. I just didn't want to think there was anything wrong. So I acted like an idiot. I didn't mean to hurt you by doing so." He blinked at me, always a man of few words, and I just shook my head with a wry smile on my face. "You love him, don't you?"
Squall's stormy gray eyes slid shut and he nodded. "Yes, I do."
"Am I the only one who knows about you two?" Another nodded confirmation. "How long...?"
"Since before the war," he told me quietly. "Rinoa..."
"I know. You're sorry. So am I." I looked down and studied my dinner thoughtfully. "I like it here. And I'd like a chance to prove myself, prove that I'm not worthless. That I'm not here because I was dating you."
"You'd like to stay enrolled as a student?" I nodded.
"Quistis and I are finally getting to be friends and...the others like me too. I know it's weird having Seifer around again, but a blind man could see the looks you two give each other. Zell's been wondering how long it takes for one of you to ass rape the other." I giggled slightly and Squall blushed at the crudeness of my statement.
"We'll stay friends, right?" he asked.
"I think I'd like that. I do still love you...but I think...no, I know that it never would have worked. Other than the obviousness of you, well, being gay, you're like the brother I never had. Your dad loved my mom as much as my dad...so it's like...maybe we should have been related." He wrinkled his nose.
"Which means I would have slept with my sister. Eww." I outright laughed.
"Yeah, I kinda agree with you on that one." We laughed and smiled. "No weirdness?"
"No weirdness," he agreed.
"I think the others will be very accepting of your and Seifer's relationship. And if you guys ever want to have children, I'd be willing to be a surrogate mom. Even when I'm married and have children of my own." I stood up and walked around the table to hug him. "You guys...your friendship will be the stuff of legends. And if your love can withstand what happened, it'll withstand time. I wish you my best." There was a knock on the door of Squall's dorm room. "And that would be the lucky bastard now."
"Now?" I smiled and nodded, moving to the door.
"Hello Seifer," I greeted as I opened the door. He looked somewhat nervous and I wanted to laugh at him. But first, I was going to make him sweat. "How was your meeting with Squall this morning?"
"My...meeting?" I nodded, my image the epitome of innocence.
"Yes, I went up to say good morning and Xu told me you two were in a meeting. It sounded like you were fighting - all the screaming and banging we heard." Seifer turned red and made a strangled noise and I turned to grin wickedly at Squall.
"I...uh...uh..." Seifer stammered. It was very sweet - he didn't want to get Squall in trouble with me.
"Now, I'm going to go out. You boys play nice and try not to stain anything." I dropped a kiss on Squall's cheek and grabbed my purse from next to my chair. Squall dropped his head into his hand, shaking it, while Seifer stared at me like I had lost my mind. Since he was still near the door, I stood up on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "I know. And I wish you two all the best." Planting a kiss on his cheek, I opened the door with a flourish. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get laid by someone who isn't thinking of my ex-boyfriend. Because that's just disturbing. I'll be bye in the morning to pick up my stuff, Squall."
"Bye Rinoa," he grinned.
"Did I...miss something?" Seifer wanted to know. I laughed while Squall stood and then closed the door behind me.
"She dumped me," I heard Squall say, muffled through the door.
"She seemed to be in a pretty good mood about it," was Seifer's reply.
Yeah, for a girl who just dumped her gay boyfriend and purposely set it up so he and his lover could shack up in the place where she had been staying, I was in a pretty damn good mood. It wasn't every day that I got to help true love along.