Disclaimer: I do not own
either final fantasy eight and its characters etc or the song ‘The Music of the
Night’
From
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Phantom of the Opera’
Night time sharpens,
heightens each sensation,
Darkness wakes and stirs
imagination,
Silently the senses abandon
their defences,
Helpless to resist the notes
I write,
For I compose the music of
the night,
Slowly, gently, night
unfurls its splendour,
Grasp it; sense it,
tremulous and tender,
Hearing is believing, music
is deceiving,
Hard as lightening, soft as
candle light,
Dare you trust the music of
the night?
Close your
eyes,
For your eyes will only tell
the truth,
And the truth isn’t what you
want to see,
In the dark it is easy to
pretend,
That the truth is what it
ought to be,
Softly, deathly, music shall
caress you,
Hear it, feel it, secretly
possess you,
Open up your mind; let your
fantasies unwind,
In this darkness, which you
know you cannot find,
The darkness of the music of
the night,
Close your
eyes,
Start a journey through a
strange new world,
Leave all thoughts of the
world you knew before,
Close your eyes and let the
music set you free,
Only then can you belong to
me,
Floating, falling, sweet
intoxication,
Touch me, trust me, savour
each sensation,
Let the dream
begin,
Let your darker side give
in,
To the power of the music
that I write,
The power of the music of
the night,
You alone can make my song
take flight,
Help me make the music of
the night.
Squall stared out at the Estharian sunset, and then at the blue city gleaming in the dimming light. It really was a beautiful place, and it was to be his. That was the only reason he was here at all, training to be president.
President Laguna Loire had contacted him
not long after his return from time compression and requested an urgent meeting.
Rinoa had of course, being the social butterfly she was, been delighted at the
prospect of mingling with Esthar’s upper class. Squall had not, he’d even gone
to the extent of bringing all their companions as well as Nida and Xu just so he
could keep the bumbling ruler’s attention away from him. As far as he had been
concerned the only good thing about the trip was going to be time with
Rinoa.
The ploy
had of course failed; after all it was not his friends that Laguna wished to
reveal his paternity to. Not that Squall minded too much, after living with the
man for a couple of months he’d actually grown attached to his father’s clumsy
ways.
Time
with Rinoa had done the opposite, he’d seen far too much of her. She constantly
dragged him to parties and other social events, showing off her heroic knight.
Scolding him when they were alone for being quiet and thoughtful, for being
himself! Several times she’d tried to push their relationship forward, which
just made him nauseous. He was fast beginning to despise Rinoa Heartily and
spent continually more time with his father, or Irvine, Nida and Zell. All of
whom he found himself able to open up to far more than Rinoa, he was even
growing closer to Quistis!
“Squall?” That was Rinoa; she was
dragging him to yet another party, during which she would expect him to make
polite conversation and surgically attach his arm to her waist except when
fetching drinks or during their numerous dances. Was life really worth it? He
looked forward to when curfew came, when they were forced to return home before
the monsters prowled into the city, between the morning and evening look out
shifts. Then he would leave her and go out on the palace roof, gazing at stars
and listening for that phantom voice.
“Squall!” Rinoa repeated more
loudly, as she pounded on his door, reluctantly he crossed the room from the
window, the plush, deep-blue carpet soft on his feet, and opened the ornate
doors of the presidential heir’s apartments.
“I still
don’t see why I can’t stay here with you!” She complained as she pushed past him
to get inside, “And what the hell are you wearing? Where are your robes of
office? Or your SeeD uniform at least!”
Squall
smiled inwardly as he picked up his third belt fastening it about his waist
along side the other two, he then smoothed down his white t-shirt before
slipping his Griever pendant over his head. Turning in front of the mirror to
check his tight leather trousers were spotless he finally replied, “I think the
answer to what am I wearing is obvious and the other two, well I don’t feel like
wearing those.”
Rinoa
was fuming as she gestured to her white dress, the same one she’d worn to the
SeeD ball when they first met, “I look beautiful; don’t you care that you’re
letting me down?” She whined; it hadn’t taken long for her selfish brat side to
come through.
“Whatever.” Squall muttered, he couldn’t
express how fed up he was of her, “Now if you’re ready I need to lock up.” He
added; his tone already annoyed.
“I can’t
believe how selfish you’re being Squall! Don’t you care about me?” She
continued, ignoring his hint to depart.
Squall
thought for a moment before answering, he remembered the wonderful voice as it
sang in the night, the words, ‘…Close your eyes, for your eyes will only see
the truth, and the truth isn’t what you want to see…’ Well he hadn’t heeded
them the first couple of times, then he’d been under the illusion he loved
Rinoa, last night though they took on new meaning, he was going to open his eyes
to the truth, and Rinoa’s, “No, I don’t.”
Evidently this wasn’t the response she
was expecting, as for the first time he could remember since he’d met her, she
was lost for words; she just stood sputtering. Then as he’d known they would,
her brown eyes filled with tears, her face contorted in the most hideous way
that was possible and she began to bawl.
Squall
smirked, enjoying himself immensely, “Rinoa,” he continued, “You understand what
this means don’t you? You. Are. Dumped.”
At this
her hysterics increased to an enormous volume and she ran screaming abuse over
her shoulder down the corridor, he smirked even further as he realised she was
just using Seifer’s old insults, but then she hadn’t the brain power to generate
her own.
“Leonheartless! Ice prince! Prepubescent
bastard! That or faggot!” He winced at the last one, no one had ever called him
that, not since someone ended up in the infirmary for it, it was a little close
to the truth, a truth that only Seifer knew, and how he knew was why he kept
quiet.
In
return to her insults he yelled the first lame thing that entered his head and
slammed the door closed, “At least I’m not a fucking
nympho!”
He
collapsed onto the sofa, his thoughts on her last barb, faggot, he
wasn’t, yeah he was bi-sexual but not completely bent, well that was what he
claimed in any case.
He’d
realised when he was thirteen. He and Seifer had been arguing, when were they
ever not? Anyway he and Seifer had been arguing, it had come to blows and Seifer
had eventually managed to pin Squall to the floor and hence proceeded to shower
him with punches. Then the blonde unexpectedly halted his assault, staring down
at the smaller boy in the strangest way. Slowly he’d bent his head until their
lips were barely a centimetre apart, and then, when he saw Squall offered no
resistance, he closed the gap, kissing Squall greedily, his tongue seeking
entrance that the brunette willingly provided. They had stayed like that for
some minutes until they heard footsteps approaching and broke apart in a flushed
and flustered hurry.
After
that they had continued to fight but often ended in passionate clinches, nothing
more though. And besides, that had ended the day they scarred one another, after
yet one more petty argument.
Squall
sighed, ‘what was past was past and dwelling aided no man,’ that’s what
Quistis had told him, though it was in reference to Laguna after Squall’s
initial reaction to his revealed father was to berate the man for leaving him.
However it suited his present situation well enough, more to the point he didn’t
care for Seifer anymore. He had a new interest, who was, it seemed, decidedly
heterosexual, the fact he was dating a girl proved that, but hadn’t Squall been
dating a girl?
‘If
you’re going to try that one Mr. Leonhart,’ he told himself, ‘forget it, you saw
how uncomfortable he was when you tried to discus how you felt over your father
and Kiros with him.’
Again Squall let out a frustrated sigh, his friends
were right on one thing, he thought things through way too
much.
Getting
up he decided to go for a walk, he’d go out on the rooftop, maybe that way he’d
here the voice again. The voice was deep and rich, definitely male and
incredibly sexy, and Squall was a slave to it. Not infrequently could he be
found out on the presidential palace’s top straining for one bar on the song,
sung by that voice.
Squall
strode without hesitation out of the apartment after grabbing his jacket,
locking the door quickly and nodding to the passing patrol as he went. He moved
swiftly down the corridor until he reached a small, disguised door that provided
access to the roof. He pressed down upon the panel, as he had so many times
since arriving, and crept quickly up the tightly wound stairway. He’d been up
here almost every-night in the last two months, ever since Laguna had showed him
the way, but he’d only heard the soloist three times properly, though he
occasionally heard snatches that woke his slumber.
The
night was heavy with the coming storm and Squall quickly realised tonight he
would not be able to stay out long. He looked up at the now star sprayed heavens
and tried to imagine what the voice’s owner looked like. That was when it
started, beautiful and clear, the notes riding the night
winds.
“Night time sharpens, heightens each
sensation, darkness wakes and stirs imagination,” Slowly Squall began to
walk toward the sound, his footsteps sounding all too
loud.
“Silently the senses, abandon their
defences, helpless to resist the notes I write, for I compose the music of the
night,” It continued, a beautiful harmony that caressed his ears, but as he
turned the corner that would unveil the source of the serenade, the song cut
short and instead the sound of running feet echoed across the once more lonely
roof. A moment later the rain began to fall and Squall was forced into
retreat.
That
night he dreamt of a phantom with the voice of an angel.
“Squall!” The yell was accompanied by a
frantic pounding on his door, “Squall open this fucking door
now!”
Groggily
he stumbled out of bed pulling some blankets about his waist before struggling
over to his apartment entrance and unlatching the door, “Selphie?” He just had
time to enquire as a yellow blur flew past.
“Squall
what the hell happened between you and Rinoa? You realise she’s left for Deling
in floods of tears?” She demanded as he tried to pull the blanket about his nude
form more securely.
“No I
didn’t but why should I care? She’s not my girlfriend anymore.” He replied and
grimaced as his covers began to slip.
“You
dumped her?” Selphie stared at him in shock.
“Yes,
what’d she say?”
“Well,
from what I heard, after she left here she went to Nida’s, laid into him and
then told everyone that she found out you two were together, as in having an
affair.” She explained; calming now she knew this was obviously not the
case.
“What!?!” Squall cried almost losing his
grip on the bedclothes in his surprise, “And you believed
her?”
“Well
no, not at first, except when I went to find you and Nida to ask about it you
were both gone, as were Irvine and Zell mind you so I guess I did jump to
conclusions. But then Nida reappeared after a while all out of breath and I
asked him straight, ‘did you fuck Squall?’ and he blushes all embarrassed like
and goes, ‘Hyne’s sake I got a girlfriend don’t I?’ but he seemed to be acting
so suspicious. Course he wanted to know why I asked so I said you spilt with
Rinoa and next what happens hey? Only his damned girlfriend starts ringing me
saying he dumped her. Looks completely suss to me.” She finished while Squall
just gaped, dropping the covers in shock.
She
frowned at him, “That’s an impressive endowment and all but have you no
modesty?” He looked down and rushed to cover himself up.
“I ought
to get dressed, see you later Selph.” He mumbled her and almost ran into the
bathroom, forehead creased in thought.
Nida liked him? Or at least it looked that
way!
Squall
let out an exasperated sigh, he’d been looking for his Asian friend all day and
could find nothing but rumours of where the brown eyed pilot had been, not
helpful really.
He
wasn’t exactly sure what he was going to say to the man, after all he really
didn’t feel the same way, but they had to talk. It didn’t help that Irvine and
Zell were also missing and his father was doing P.R. stuff, there was no one to
talk to.
He
collapsed onto a bench in the hallway his hand going to the bridge of his nose
as he rested elbow on knee.
“Squall!
Out of that position now! I thought the one decent thing Rinoa did was break you
of it!” Quistis ordered as she walked toward him, “What’s
up?”
He
looked at her trying to decide whether or not he wanted to
say.
“Come
on, I’m your friend, now speak.” She encouraged.
“Two
things, Nida and something else.” He said, not wishing to discus his nighttime
outings.
“Nida
doesn’t have the hots for you and I’m well aware of how much time you spend on
the roof.” She told him, smiling slightly at his shocked
look.
“How do
you know?” He asked, not sure which he was wondering
about.
“Well,
Nida and Xu are probably two of my best friends since we spent so much time on
the bridge together, therefore we confide in each other. He is sleeping with a
man, that was why he dumped his girlfriend, the guy is finally ready to commit,
it was just bad timing on his part.” She explained while Squall sat there in
bemusement, “And as to your night time wanderings, well I am an expert Squall
observer and I know who it is you listen to singing. They only sing because
you’re there so it makes sense.”
“Who?”
he pleaded, but she shook her head.
Smiling
she shook her head, taking his hand, “Why do you want to
know?”
“Because…” He blushed, hanging his head,
“Because there’s someone here that I have feelings for and I want it to be
them…”
She
quickly raised a hand to his forehead whilst exclaiming, “Squall are you sick?
You just confided in me!”
He
glared at her from under his bangs, “Whatever.”
“Look,
I’ve gotta go but I’m sure he’ll reveal his identity when he’s ready.” She told
him as she rose sweeping down the corridor in that stately way of
hers.
Squall
flopped backward growling his frustration loudly, and receiving some curious
looks from a passing patrol. So it wasn’t Nida; that was good! But that meant it
was either a stranger or Zell or Irvine. He couldn’t help wondering. Could it
be? But he has a girlfriend! So did he and Nida though, didn’t seem to stop
them. But he had seemed so much closer to her since the war’s end, closer than
he or Nida had been to their respective girlfriends. Rising he punched the wall
in frustration.
“And
what has my palace done to you?” His musings were abruptly interrupted by
Laguna’s cheerful voice.
“Nothing, how’d the P.R. thing go?”
Squall replied wanting to concentrate on something else.
“Well, I
think. I imagined I’d lose a lot of support when Kiros and I came out but it
hasn’t happened.”
“Dad
they love you, the people of Esthar aren’t prudes like Galbadians.” Squall
responded, wincing the moment it was out of his mouth.
Sure
enough Laguna jumped onto it, he was clumsy granted but also way to quick, “I
take it you and Rinoa finished badly.”
Squall
looked up suddenly guilty, “I’m sorry, I know how you felt with her being
Julia’s daughter and all.”
“Squall…” His father interrupted him,
“…It doesn’t matter and besides she’s nothing like Julia, what’s important is
that you’re happy, shall we go to dinner?”
Squall’s
stomach grumbled and Laguna chuckled, “I’ll take that as yes, let’s go.” That
said he grasped Squall’s arm and began steering him down the corridor that
Quistis had vanished down previously, after a few moments Squall reclaimed his
arm, but that was to be expected.
They
walked through the ornately decorated building toward the kitchens and dining
area, the blue and gold colours looked beautiful as the sunlight fell on the
walls through the large stained windows. Greens and purples, reds and oranges,
all shades fell all over the palace as though proclaiming, ‘Laguna lives
here.’ That was actually Irvine’s first opinion when they arrived and it
made them all laugh, but it was wonderful really, like a giant playground.
Squall had no doubt that Laguna had tried to turn it into a playground at some
point, he remembered the day an exasperated Kiros had fled his lover’s office
cursing about, ‘replacing the stairs with slides
indeed!’
“What’s
on the menu?” Squall asked at length, his father was wearing that glazed
expression it got when he thought about Kiros so he tapped his arm and repeated
himself, “I said what’s on the menu, if you can stop fantasising long enough to
answer.”
Laguna
blushed, “Was not fantasising.” He muttered.
“Fine
then reliving whatever, just answer the question.” Squall
teased.
The
president blushed further, glaring at his son he declared, “Hot
dogs.”
“Not
again, hire a damned cook, you’re the president aren’t you?” He
complained.
Laguna
countered quickly, “Why should I when it ensures you suffer
so?”
“Bastard.” Squall returned
glaring.
Laguna
just laughed shoving his son through the doorway ahead of
them.
His movements were smooth and fluent, moves he had
known for many years. To strike, block, parry. The routine was beautiful and
perfectly synchronised with the song that floated about him on the breeze. His
feet dancing back and force as he went through the kata, gun blade flashing in
the moonlight. His eyes were closed and his breathing steady, the notes gushing
over him, through him.
“Softly, deathly, music shall caress
you, hear it, feel it, secretly possess you,” The song called to him and he
obeyed, eyes shut, his face relaxed as he allowed everything to flow, his lethal
routine slow and assured. He knew he would come to no harm on that rooftop, the
stars and singer his only audience. His silky brown bangs swayed as he thrust
forward, dodging backward, as though sparring with some invisible partner. For
once he was not thinking, he was simply doing, acting on
impulse.
The
singer watched the brunette as he carried out his deadly art, how beautiful and
graceful he looked, “Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in, to
the power of the music that I write, the power of the music of the night,”
It was time to stop, it was not time for the last part yet, that would come
later, he watched momentarily as Squall shook his head as though coming out of a
trance, and then he turned and fled.
“Soon.”
He whispered, a promise to Squall, and to himself, as he ran,
“Soon.”
Squall
sat silently on the balcony of his apartment watching those below as they made
their way home before curfew. It had been two weeks since he last heard the
singer, three since he split up with Rinoa and he was beginning to think he’d
gone mad. It was only remembering Quistis’ admission to knowing the singer that
kept him from dismissing it as a dream. In the last few weeks he’d also seen
little or nothing of his three male peers and it did nothing to help his mood.
Selphie too was annoyed and together they had drunk themselves into a stupor
more than once, and from her drunken ramblings he’d managed to glean the fact
her and Irvine’s relationship was on the rocks. Quistis of course had been non
too happy to find them that way and had given them a severe tongue lashing in
the morning before vanishing herself.
Xu had
left the palace after fighting with her boyfriend, Zell, and so that only left
Ward who was even less talkative than Squall, Laguna having been labelled a
write off as he was never out of Kiros’ company.
Squall
rose and made the all too familiar journey through the palace up to the roof,
this was to be his last visit, tomorrow he returned to Balamb, his training now
complete. He seated himself on the cool concrete to wait, pulling his
fur-collared jacket close about himself for warmth.
Hours
passed when the sound of footsteps wakened Squall from his doze, he looked up to
see a figure just disappearing around the corner of the structure housing the
stairwell. Just as the song began he got up to follow the
person.
He
rounded the corner to see the soloist facing out toward Esthar, the song clear
and strong as ever. Squall did not move forward however, he was content simply
to watch now his question had at last been answered. He studied the figure he
knew so well, had fought alongside so many times, had tried to comfort in times
of need. A person whose life he had saved many times and, who had saved his own
life an equal amount, a person he knew better than most.
The song
was approaching its conclusion, only two lines left. Squall now came forward
slipping his arms about the slender waist, kissing the neck and shoulders of the
artist as he completed his piece, “You alone can make my song take flight,
help me make the music of the night.”
Slowly
Squall watched, as Zell turned round, baby blue eyes searching his grey pair
hopefully, face flushed from the exertion of singing the song to key. He parted
his lips to speak, but before he could make a sound Squall leant forward
claiming the blonde’s mouth for his own, plundering the sweet depths. The kiss
lasted long moments before they parted breathlessly.
Squall
smiled, tracing the curves of Zell’s tattoo with his fingers gently until the
martial artist reached up and grasping them began brushing his lips across each
fingertip, inciting a chuckle from Squall, “If you’re that hungry there are
still some hotdogs left from dinner.”
Zell
laughed, “Sounds like an idea, I haven’t been eating well
lately.”
Squall
gave him a worried look, “Why?” Having finally got Zell he was suddenly scared
he would lose the small blonde just as quickly.
Again
though the other simply laughed, “I was nervous I’d mess the song up, or you’d
reject me.” He admitted blushing and looking down, his gaze was quickly
redirected however as Squall’s hand found his former friend’s chin guiding
Zell’s lips to meet his own keen pair once more. Squall smirked inwardly as he
found the smaller man melting against him.
Zell
pulled away shaking his head, “Kitchen,” He said determinedly, “Preferably
before I faint.” Squall smiled another of his rare smiles, and taking Zell’s
hand led him downstairs.
They
made there way through the corridors in silent contentment, their fingers
entwined. To each it seemed like they had been together forever and yet they
knew what the reality of the situation was, that they were barely together at
all.
“Hey
Squall! How’s my favourite son?” Squall sighed inwardly as he let go of Zell’s
hand and turned to face his father, who stood in a doorway they’d just passed,
his arm about Kiros’ waist.
“I’m
your only son and I’m fine.” Squall replied avoiding Zell’s hurt
gaze.
Kiros
picked up on it though, “In a hurry to be somewhere you
two?”
Squall
looked at Zell, then the couple, then Zell again and reaching out he reclaimed
the blonde’s gloved palm and responded, “We were going to have dinner if you
must know.”
Laguna
glanced at his watch, “At this time?”
Zell
looked at his own digital watch, the luminous numbers telling him it was one
o’clock, “Oh yeah…”
“Well we
were going to go get something from the kitchen as well actually, so how bout I
whip you something up while I’m at it?” Kiros offered, and Zell nodded
fervently, “I’ll help!” Everyone knew Kiros’ reputation for being a gourmet
chef.
“That
decides it then!” Laguna concluded clapping his hands, “And while Kiros and Zell
get things together we can talk Squall.”
Squall
groaned audibly, then smiling gestured down the corridor, “Lead the way oh wise
one.”
“Look I
just think you ought to be aware that it will hurt him and you the first time,
or are you already past that?” Laguna continued oblivious to Squall’s blushes,
finally Squall decided to shut him up.
“No, we
are not, not that it’s any of your business, and I know and shut up!” Squall
flustered.
“Ok,
that sounded way to much like me for comfort!” Laguna replied, “Ah
food!”
At that
moment, much to Squall’s relief Zell and Kiros walked in bearing numerous dishes
and the obligatory plate of hotdogs.
Zell
waved his hands at the dishes, “A midnight feast fit for royalty, or
presidentalty, or, or whatever.”
“My
line. Look’s great though, specially considering tomorrow, no I mean today, is
going to be a long day, we’ll need our energy.” Squall pointed
out.
“Don’t
remind me. I was really beginning to enjoy it here, and getting to know your
father here and all.” His blonde boyfriend returned.
Laguna
looked up from his plate, “You do realise that we’ll have to come to Balamb in
about two weeks right?”
Both
young men looked up in confusion, Kiros clarified, “We have to sort out a
contract with SeeD for body guards on the presidential tour, and obviously it
would be better for P.R. if the heir and his partner were with
us.”
Zell
answered for Squall, “We’ll go as body guards, no P.R.
appearances.”
“Touché.” Laguna returned, “Anyway I’m
tired, good night, err, morning? Whatever.”
“That’s
my … oh I give up.” Squall sighed in exasperation as the president and his
partner departed. Turning he asked, “Something I’ve got to ask, where’ve you all
been this week?”
“Well,
Nida has been with Irvine…”
“What? I
should’ve known!”
“…They’ve been together a while, that
being why Irvine and Selphie are on the rocks…”
“How did
I not notice?”
“…And
then I’ve been with Quistis while she tried to talk me into revealing
myself.”
“I’m
glad she succeeded.” Squall breathed, closing in on the smaller
man.
“Squall,
I, I’m not ready for…”
“Neither
am I, shush…” Squall replied as he closed in for a deep and passion filled kiss,
wrapping his arms around Zell, and playing with the martial artist’s hair. Zell
in turn leaned into the kiss, feeling safe in the arms of the one he
loved.
Squall
at length pulled away and began, “Zell, I…”
“I know,
I love you too.” The blonde finished, tipping his head for another
kiss.
~The End~
Author’s note: Hope you enjoyed, please e-mail me at
kaylanightwolf@hotmail.com as this is my first slash fic and if I hope to
improve in my next I need your criticism and
suggestions.