Nearly four years to the day the Forest Owls hired SeeD, Timber celebrated its second-annual Independence Day. Rinoa flitted among the crowd in a light blue dress, stopping to hug anyone she recognized, and to catch up with how they’d been since her last visit. Quistis, Zell, and Selphie, in full uniform, followed at a more leisurely pace, chatting with people they’d come to know over the past few years and fielding questions about SeeD’s involvement in Timber’s successful secession from Galbadia.
Through it all, Quistis kept her eyes on Rinoa and, when she could see it, on the ring Rinoa wore. A dark blue stone set in delicate silver filigree, it was a smaller version of the Odine Bangle, and worked to suppress Rinoa's powers, especially when she became tired or overly excited. The stone glowed when it was in use, and Quistis had learned to take this as an indication to get Rinoa someplace quiet until she calmed down.
The stone remained dark at the moment, however, and Rinoa looked more carefree than Quistis had ever seen her. She glanced over her shoulder at the SeeDs, excused herself from her current conversation, and jogged to join them.
“Seriously, you guys are so slow,” she said with a laugh. “We’ll never cover the whole festival at this rate!”
“We’re just enjoying our day off,” Zell said, then looked at Quistis. “Can’t speak for Quisty, here, though! You’re practically already on vacation; let loose a little!”
“Yeah,” Selphie chimed in, “let loose! Don’t worry, we won’t tell Squall!” She pinched her fingers together and drew them across her lips, indicating they were sealed.
“I’m pacing myself,” Quistis answered. “Besides, my vacation doesn’t start until tomorrow.”
“Rules, rules, rules! Rinnie, I thought you’d already broken her of that habit.”
“I could’ve sworn I had,” Rinoa said, a mischievous grin creeping into her lips. “She wasn’t complaining about rules that day in the library when we—”
“Never mind!” Zell shouted, clapping his hands over his ears. “We get it, you’re breaking her down slowly. Just…take your vacation, already!”
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Timber Trio!” Zone sidled up to them, beer in hand, a noticeable flush in his cheeks. Watts scurried behind him. “But, wait a minute…did you swap someone out?” He squinted at them and pointed to Quistis.
“Squall isn’t here, sir,” Watts explained.
“Oh yeahhh, that’s it! So, Rin, where is lover boy?”
Rinoa placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. “I told you last year, he isn’t ‘lover boy’ anymore. We’re just really good friends now; we work better that way. Anyway, he’s back at Garden, under a mountain of paperwork.”
“Ahh. So, who’s his replacement? She looks kinda familiar...”
“It’s Quistis, silly! You helped her escape when Galbadia cracked down on us after the TV station incident.”
“Oh yeah! How you doin’?” He offered his hand, and Quistis shook it with a polite reply. It was sweaty, and a bit sticky at the palm. She withdrew her hand with a forced grin and tried to discreetly wipe it clean on her skirt.
“She’s also,” Rinoa went on, wrapping her arms around Quistis’ free arm and drawing her close, “who you might call ‘lover girl.’”
“What? Rin!” Zone gaped from Rinoa to Quistis and back. “No fair! You’re just hoggin’ everyone for yourself now, aren’t you?”
“Not really, sir,” Watts piped up. “Technically, Squall is available.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it!” Zone’s flush deepened, and neither Rinoa nor the SeeDs could contain a chuckle. “Well, ah, anyway, good to see you guys! Hope you’re enjoying the festivities!”
“We are, thank you,” Quistis replied, and Zell and Selphie echoed her.
“I’d love to stay and chat, but I think the ol’ gut’s acting up again. Catch you later!" He waved and stumbled back into the crowd, clutching his stomach, with Watts on his heels.
The festivities continued well into the night, and Rinoa probably would have seen them into the dawn had not Quistis reminded her that they had a train to catch. After retrieving their luggage from the hotel, they walked to the platform, accompanied by Selphie and Zell. Compared to the raucous celebration throughout town, the platform was eerily quiet, and everyone's tiredness seemed to finally catch up to them.
Rinoa sat back on her suitcase with a sigh and rubbed her eyes, the ring on her finger glowing faintly. "I love a lot of things about Timber," she said, "but I especially love that they know how to throw a party."
"Do they ever!" Selphie said. "I was taking mental notes the whole time. I hope Garden increases the festival budget this year, 'cause I've got some big ideas!"
Zell rubbed his stomach. "I hope those ideas include getting some of the food vendors they had here. All of the stuff I tried was delicious!"
"Oh yeah, food's definitely at the top of the list! Followed by music, and games, and we'll definitely have to talk about pyrotechnics…"
As Selphie went on planning her dream festival, with Zell's input, Quistis took a cue from Rinoa and leaned against her own suitcase. "So," she said, turning to Rinoa, "have any special plans for our week in Dollet? Anything in particular you'd like to see or do?"
Rinoa flashed a naughty grin. "You mean outside of the hotel room, right?"
"Yes." Despite the fact that she and Rinoa had been an item for almost a year and had sought each other out for the purposes of experimentation and stress relief for months before that, she still blushed when Rinoa so much as hinted at the intimate aspects of their relationship, especially when others were present.
This was not lost on Rinoa, who laughed and rose from her suitcase to give Quistis a quick peck on the cheek. "Well, let's see…I hadn't thought much about that. There's a few restaurants I'd like to try, and some stores I'd like to look into. Then there's the beach." She frowned. "I hope Angelo won't mind that I'm visiting it without her; she liked it so much the last time we were there."
"I don't think she even knows."
"She knows! It's like she can sense it. She'll sulk for days and look at me with these big, sad eyes. When I came back from Centra last month, it took two bags of treats to console her."
Quistis chuckled. "I think she's found your weak point."
"And I know hers: treats. I hope she gets enough while we're away."
"She will!" Selphie, with her uncanny ability to simultaneously carry on one conversation and listen in to another, spun around. "Me and Zell will take real good care of Angelo, promise!"
"Yeah," Zell chimed in, "she's a great workout buddy, so she'll get plenty of exercise with me."
"And Auntie Selphie will pamper her like crazy: treats, belly rubs, fun games. You'd better watch out, Rinnie, 'cause we're gonna spoil her rotten while you're out!"
"See?" said Quistis. "She's in good hands."
Rinoa nodded. "Maybe too good."
A whistle sounded in the distance, and within minutes, the overnight train to Dollet pulled up to the platform. After a round of hugs and goodbyes and well wishes, Quistis and Rinoa boarded. They headed into the SeeD cabin and, before Quistis had even shut the door, Rinoa flopped onto the couch with a drawn-out sigh.
"My feet are killing me," she moaned. "I must have walked a lot more than I thought I did today."
"Feel free to lie down," Quistis said, swaying as the train lurched into motion.
"Oh, I'm not sleepy. Just tired, you know, in the physical sense."
"Oh, really?" Quistis bit her lip and sat down beside Rinoa, stretching luxuriously, relishing her turn to be mischievous. "That's too bad. You see, even though Timber was celebrating, I was working. Keeping guard always leaves me a little tense, and I was hoping—"
In a single swift movement, Rinoa rolled over, straddled Quistis' lap, and gently pushed her back against the couch. "Say no more, Quisty. I'm never too tired to help you relax." She punctuated her statement with a quick kiss, then another, lingering longer each time until Quistis opened her mouth to her and allowed a deeper kiss. Meanwhile, their hands roamed over one another's body, skimming the curves of breasts and waists and hips, and Quistis felt the heat and pressure of anticipation begin to gather between her legs.
Rinoa broke the kiss and leaned back. She toyed with Quistis' tie, moving her hands up to the SeeD insignia clasp at the top. "Where, oh, where do I start with you?" she murmured, before deftly popping the clasp, removing it, and throwing it over her shoulder. She undid the knot in the tie, pulled it off, and draped it around her own neck, then grasped the zipper pull underneath. "Oh, yes," she went on, answering herself as she unzipped enough of Quistis' jacket to reveal her collarbone, "right here."
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to the hollow at the base of Quistis' throat, flicking it with her tongue while she finished unzipping the jacket. Quistis shivered and arched toward her, but Rinoa placed her hand on her shoulder and eased her back.
"You're supposed to be relaxing," she mumbled against Quistis' skin, the movement of her lips and the vibration of her voice sending another spark arcing along Quistis' spine. "Let me do the work."
"All right," Quistis breathed, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. She felt Rinoa open the jacket and get to work at the white blouse underneath. Though the buttons easily came undone for her, she took her time, pulling the sides of the blouse apart after each one and tracing a finger along Quistis' sternum, between her breasts, down her stomach. Her fingers dipped into Quistis' waistband to free the rest of the blouse, and once she had opened it all the way, she let her hands travel back up to the front clasp of Quistis' bra.
"Why, Quisty," she teased, "you were expecting this, weren't you?"
Quistis chuckled and opened her eyes. "Hoping for it, more precisely."
"Uh-uh. This—" she undid the clasp "—is SeeD-level preparation."
"Well, we are on vacation, after all, and…" Quistis' voice trembled as Rinoa moved the cups aside to join the blouse and jacket and began to circle Quistis' breasts with light fingertips, traveling slowly from the base to the nipples, which hardened at her touch. Smiling, Rinoa grabbed a handful of each breast and began to knead. Quistis gasped at the sensation and rolled her hips, slickness building between her legs, desperation knotting in the pit of her stomach. "…we might as well get off to a good start," she finished in a strained voice.
"Couldn't agree more." Rinoa dipped her head and licked at one nipple before taking it into her mouth, sucking and nibbling it while pinching and rolling the other one between her thumb and forefinger. Quistis moaned and moved her hips more forcefully, all her nerves alight, the tiny bundle between her legs burning the brightest among them. Rinoa slid her own hips along Quistis' thighs, and Quistis knew she wasn't long for this game, either. She pulled free of Quistis' breast, lips blooming pink and dark eyes hooded with lust. She reached down, slid up Quistis' skirt, then repositioned herself so that she was straddling only one thigh, her own thigh pressing against Quistis' crotch.
She slipped her arms around Quistis' neck and began to move slowly, moisture seeping through her panties and leaving a hot streak along Quistis' skin. Quistis briefly considered reaching for that warmth, but Rinoa's admonition to relax replayed in her mind, so she gave into a different instinct instead and began to rub herself against Rinoa's thigh. Rinoa gave a high-pitched whine and buried her face in the crook of Quistis' neck while Quistis placed one hand on Rinoa's waist for stability and stoked her hair with the other, planting soft kisses on top of her head.
Rinoa's breath came hot and fast as she increased her pace and pressure, grinding against Quistis' thigh and encouraging Quistis to do the same. She peppered Quistis' neck and shoulder with kisses, and Quistis' hand drifted down Rinoa's back and over her buttocks to grasp her thigh and hold it close. She rocked hard against her, enjoying the friction on her swollen clit and careening toward the edge. Rinoa's name tumbled from her lips, over and over, as she chased her release, feeling the tension inside her winding tighter, the blood pounding in her ears. She was so close.
Rinoa abandoned all pretense of control and flung back her head, decadent moans flowing from her throat. Her pace became erratic, and she sometimes lifted her hips clear of Quistis' thigh, only to bring them crashing back down to grind even harder. Through the fabric of Rinoa's dress, Quistis could feel her muscles tensing, and she jutted her thigh up to increase the pressure. Shallow breaths and fractured groans mingled with the creak of leather and muffled rumble of the rails, and none of the sounds tripping off of either woman's tongue approached comprehension.
Panting, Quistis made her movements smaller and more focused until she was practically trembling against Rinoa's thigh, and finally, the tension inside her snapped. Even though she had actively pursued it, her orgasm took her by surprise, powerful and wet, and as her thighs clenched around Rinoa, she cried out, continuing to ride waves of her release as Rinoa approached hers.
"Quisty," Rinoa moaned, already beginning to shudder. "Quisty!" As she orgasmed, she planted a full kiss on Quistis, muffling her sounds of pleasure and lavishly stroking Quistis' tongue with her own. Compared to Quistis', Rinoa's spasms were quick and sharp, an entire storm released in one go. She broke the kiss and gave Quistis a tired smile, then collapsed atop her with a dramatic sigh. Quistis laughed, still clenching, and stroked her hair again.
"So," Rinoa said, still gulping down air, "did it work? Are you relaxed?"
"Definitely." Quistis brushed Rinoa's hair back from her face and kissed her temple, licking the salt of her sweat off her lips afterward. "Thank you."
"Heh. You say that as if I didn't get anything out of it."
"Then, where's my thanks?"
Without a word, Rinoa slid her hand to Quistis' breast and gave her nipple a sharp tug, drawing forth one last spasm.
"Ah! You're welcome."
Rinoa giggled and nuzzled Quistis' neck. Between Rinoa's warmth, her own post-coital haze, and the train's movement, Quistis became very drowsy. Yes, they would both need to clean up and change clothes, but they had time. The train wouldn't reach Dollet until morning; there was plenty of time for a little sleep.
* * *
Sunlight filtered through the slats of the blinds and fell across Quistis' eyes. She groaned and stirred, and found Rinoa still asleep against her, still straddling her thigh, and herself still naked from the waist up. She gently nudged Rinoa, but when Rinoa only frowned and muttered nonsense, Quistis took the chance to carefully extricate herself from Rinoa's embrace. She refastened her bra and blouse, then parted the blinds to see where they were. A large mesa rose on one side of the tracks, while fields sloped toward a forest and the sea on the other. The Hasberry Plains. They would reach Dollet in less than fifteen minutes!
Quistis gave Rinoa's shoulder a hearty shake, but when Rinoa still didn't wake, she set about fixing her hair and pulling a fresh outfit from her luggage. She pulled some clean clothes from Rinoa's suitcase, as well, and tossed them on top of her while hissing at her to wake up. Finally, Rinoa opened one eye.
"What's going on?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.
"Hurry up and get ready. We're there!"
"Huh?"
"Dollet! We're almost there! Now, where's my tie clasp?"
Rinoa sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Guess we both relaxed a little more than we thought." She fumbled with the clean underwear until it was facing the right way, then changed right under her dress. "Looks like I'm pretty powerful even without magic," she added smugly.
"You're the one who fell asleep first." Having located her tie clip, Quistis jammed her uniform in her suitcase and popped a mint into her mouth. "We can finish cleaning up at the hotel," she said, more to herself than to Rinoa.
"Everybody looks rough getting off an overnight train." In a fluid movement, Rinoa pulled her dress over her head, then replaced it with a T-shirt and shorts.
"I do not look rough. I look—"
"Like you had a wild night." Rinoa winked. "Relax, Quisty, we're on vacation!"
"I know, and I'd rather not spend it on a train."
"Someone's an eager little creature!"
"You can hardly blame me. It's been years since I've had a proper vacation. I've had time off, but I never did much with it."
"Then we have to make up for that!" Rinoa clasped Quistis' hands and swung her arms up and down. "You asked me what I wanted to do, but what do you want to do?"
"There's a new exhibit at the gallery I'd like to see," Quistis said, massaging Rinoa's fingers, "and I've read good reviews about the cafe across the street from there. After that, maybe a stroll in the park, and then some shopping."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" The train's PA system beeped, and a prerecorded voice announced their arrival in Dollet. Rinoa released Quistis' hands and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. "All right, let's get this vacation started!"
A hired car took them into the city, and, after checking into the hotel and freshening up, they set out for the art gallery. The current exhibit focused on postwar art from Estharian and Galbadian artists, and while Quistis appreciated the paintings and photographs from an aesthetic and cultural perspective, she was surprised to hear Rinoa commenting on the techniques and subject matter. She turned to her, and Rinoa answered with a nonchalant shrug.
"My tutor was really big on art," she said. "She taught me a lot about different techniques and schools and styles, but she couldn't teach me how to actually paint, myself. Still, I can't help but slip back into critic mode whenever I see something new."
"I never knew! How long have you been hiding this from us?"
"Well, it doesn't really come up in casual conversation, does it? And after Selphie and Zell critiqued my model train…I guess my confidence took a hit."
"Oh, yes. I heard about that. I'm sorry."
"It really was on purpose! I'm not a great artist, but no way was I gonna use any of my talent to make Vinzer Deling look good!"
Quistis laughed. "You don't have to prove anything to me. I'm just happy to have someone to talk about art with, now! I've tried to with my students, and with Squall and even Xu, but they all let me know, in no uncertain terms, that they were not interested."
"Their loss. Hey, I'll bet the gift shop has some prints for sale. Let's grab a few and turn your dorm room into a mini-gallery, for just the two of us!"
"I like your way of thinking." Quistis slid her arm around Rinoa's waist and pulled her close, and together, they contemplated a painting of a chaotic scene at the Esthar shopping mall.
They lunched at the café across the street from the gallery and strolled through a quiet little park and made plans for a picnic there later in the week. They shopped for books and cute knick-knacks and clothes, and tried on outfits that neither of them would actually ever wear. At one point, Quistis emerged from the dressing room stall in a bubblegum-pink jumpsuit with glittery accents, and Rinoa met her in a slinky black dress cut far too low in the front, sending conflicting jolts of fear and desire through Quistis' body.
"Oh my gosh, Selphie would have field day if she ever caught you in that," Rinoa said, doubling over with laughter. When Quistis responded with only a strained chuckle, she looked up. "It's the dress, isn't it? Too sorceressy?"
"Just a little." Still, she couldn't help but want to reach out and touch the expanse of soft skin the dress revealed, to run her finger up along Rinoa's sternum, between her breasts, and feel her shiver beneath it.
"I thought it might be."
"Do they have it in other colors?"
"Navy and wine. But I'm pretty sure the effect will be the same." She disappeared behind the curtain. "Hang on, Quisty, I've got something cute and ruffly coming up next. It'll wipe all thoughts of sorceresses out of your mind!"
"It's not that bad, it's just…" Just what? Just the thrill of seeing Rinoa look so powerful and commanding, not to mention incredibly attractive? Just the dread of knowing what that power could lead to? No wonder Squall had been overwhelmed; it wasn't only the sorceress who was in danger of falling under magic's thrall.
"Here you go," Rinoa said, cutting through Quistis' thoughts as she pulled the curtain aside, "cute and sweet and totally not dangerous!"
Quistis' eyes widened. This new dress was a symphony in pastel and lace, stacking ruffles upon ruffles in a variety of shades, like flavors of sherbet on a cone. The dress itself was a soft pink, and hugged Rinoa's slim figure from her torso through her hips. The ruffles were concentrated across her breasts, giving her the illusion of more generous curves. Quistis stepped forward and took one of the ruffles between her finger, humming appreciatively.
"So? Do you like it?"
"It definitely makes a statement."
"I know. I may have overstated Selphie's delight at your outfit; I think she'd laugh about this one even more!"
"It looks good on you, though." She gave the ruffle a playful tug, and Rinoa grasped at the top of the dress with a quiet yelp.
"Good enough to wear to dinner tonight?"
"If you don't mind standing out like a neon sign."
Rinoa turned around and assessed the dress in the mirror. "All right," she said slowly, "what do you think would look good for dinner tonight? For me, I mean. What would you like to see me in?"
"Rinoa, I don't think—"
"Nope! No doubting! Pick something you think would look good on me." She turned around, grinning mischievously. "And I'll do the same for you."
"It won't be something like this, will it?"
"No."
"Or like what I'm wearing right now?"
Rinoa laughed. "Of course not! Quisty, I'm not going to embarrass you. I'm just gonna find something that'll really make you shine, that'll show all of Dollet what a looker you are…and how lucky I am to have you all to myself!"
"So those are the parameters? Well, that'll make my part of the bargain easy." Quistis winked.
"What are we waiting for, then? Let's get out of these silly outfits and do some real shopping!"
They took their time sorting through the racks of dresses, and each presented the other with several options to try on. For Rinoa, they both agreed on a light purple halter dress with a flower garden and butterflies printed along the bottom. For Quistis, a strappy dress printed with fuchsia and pink flowers and trimmed with fuchsia lace.
"This is lovely," Quistis said, smoothing the skirt and admiring her reflection, "but not something that I'd normally choose for myself."
"That's the whole point!" Rinoa crossed her arms and nodded, as if looking over a job well done. "Break out of your comfort zone a bit, Quisty, and you'll find there are lots of things you've never done or seen or worn. Things that are good for you. So, do you like it?"
"I love it!"
"That's the spirit!" Without warning, Rinoa hopped into the stall, pulling the curtain closed behind her, and planted a kiss on Quistis' mouth. The kiss was gentle, but insistent, and Quistis' fear of being discovered paled in comparison to the thrill of the situation. She responded, pulling Rinoa close, one hand on her waist, the other sliding up her back and into the hair at the nape of her neck. Rinoa placed both hands on Quistis' shoulders and gently guided her back against the wall, catching Quistis' lip between her teeth and sucking hard, then kissed her again, harder still, before breaking away with a gasp.
"I'll bet you don't normally do that, either," she said, the blush risen in her cheeks.
"No," Quistis answered, still trying to catch her breath. "You do?"
"No." Rinoa giggled. "The idea never really crossed my mind, until right now."
Quistis began to giggle, as well, a high-pitched, girlish sound she was not accustomed to hearing come from herself. Before long, they both escalated to full-fledged laughter, and Quistis caught several curious glances from other customers when Rinoa exited the stall. Both buoyed and aroused by Rinoa's bold move, she changed quickly and the two of them headed to the counter with their purchases, then left the store arm-in-arm.
By the time they got back to the hotel to change for dinner, the sun had sunk below the surrounding buildings, and the streetlights in the city center flicked on.
"I like this time of day," Rinoa said, brushing her hair in front of the window. "The cool colors of evening, the warmth of the streetlights. It's almost magical, like all the worries of the world are put on hold for a while. If sunrise is like holding your breath, waiting for the day to start, sunset is like letting it go, and relaxing."
"It's strange," Quistis said, joining her and looking out over the rooftops toward the harbor, "I've seen so many sunsets in my life, but I've only started noticing them these past few years. Before that, they were just another part of the day. I lived by clocks and calendars for so long, I started to feel detached from the natural world."
"So, what changed?"
"Our ordeal with Ultimecia made me realize a few things. How little time we actually have, and how quickly it can be taken away." She swallowed hard and gave a rueful smile. "Even losing my instructor position helped, odd as that sounds. I was trying for so long to be the best, to be perfect, that I was running myself into the ground, and for what? Cid doesn't appreciate anything. But now, I feel a certain…acceptance? I suppose that's what it's called. When you no longer have perfection to strive for, it gives you a few free moments to enjoy what's happening around you. To just be."
"A silver lining, then?"
"Something like that."
"Would you still want to be an instructor, though?"
Quistis paused, letting Rinoa's question sit in her mind for a while, weighing it against the responsibilities and stress of the job of an instructor. Then, slowly, she shook her head. "No. No, I don't think I would. I'm happy being a regular SeeD, at least for the moment. I gave Garden my childhood, and I still give them my allegiance; the least I deserve is a chance to enjoy what's left of my life, right?"
"Right!" Rinoa grasped her hand and squeezed it. "So, let's stop this kind of thinking and get ourselves something to eat. Let's enjoy!"
* * *
The paper cup of ice cream was sweating in Quistis' hand as she scooped another velvety dollop into her mouth and let it melt on her tongue. Beside her, Rinoa was racing to finish her ice cream cone before it completely melted, licking streams of strawberry ice cream from her hand and forearm.
"It's a bit messy," she admitted, "but this was a great idea, Quisty! The portion sizes at that restaurant were a joke!"
"Tell me about it! It was like a parade of appetizers; I kept waiting for the main dish to arrive."
"It gave me flashbacks to all those high-class functions back in Deling City. A huge plate with two or three pieces of food on it. I was little then, and I still left hungry. I can't imagine how all those big military officers felt."
"How did Caraway feel about it?"
"Oh, he hated it!" Rinoa chuckled. "I remember going to some officer's family banquet or something when I was about seven or eight years old. It wasn't over until very late, and I thought it would be fun staying up way past my bedtime, but dinner was early and not very satisfying, and my stomach was growling all night. I told Caraway about it when we got home, and he admitted he was still hungry, too.
"Our cook had already gone to bed by then, but we snuck into the kitchen and made pancakes. Well, he made the pancakes. I just made a big mess. We tried our best to clean it up, but wow, was the cook mad the next morning, when nothing was where she'd put it the night before!"
Quistis smiled. "So you do have good memories of him, after all."
"Of course. But there aren't many, and most of them are from when I was little. Kids grow up and get a mind of their own, and I guess he couldn't handle that. Couldn't handle losing that last bit of control…" Rinoa frowned and took a bite of her cone. "I'm sorry. I don't really feel like talking about it."
"That's fine. I'm sorry I brought it up." Quistis sighed. What had she been thinking when she asked? Rinoa's relationship with her father was still a sore spot, and she should have known better than to agitate it. But she was also curious; growing up in the company of orphans, she wanted to know how it felt to have a family, even one with which you were on bad terms. What did it feel like to remember being loved, to remember belonging? And how did that shape who Rinoa became, whether she wanted to admit it or not? From whom did she inherit her drive, her soft heart, that adorable crooked grin that preceded a flurry of laughter?
They stopped beneath a streetlight and Rinoa discarded the soggy remains of her ice cream cone in a nearby trashcan, and when she turned around and wrapped a sticky-sweet hand around Quistis', Quistis realized that none of the answers mattered.
Rinoa was Rinoa. Wherever her traits had come from, they coalesced into the beautiful, vibrant woman before her, the one who coaxed the passion out from beneath Quistis' layers of quiet reserve, the one who made her feel like anything was possible. The one who followed her heart unswervingly, and gave that heart unconditionally. The one leaning forward on tiptoe, one leg bent back, to press a quick kiss to Quistis' lips and steal a taste of the ice cream she'd been enjoying.
"Hmm, chocolate-orange," Rinoa said, licking her lips. "I'm definitely getting that one tomorrow, and in a cup, this time!"
Quistis laughed and offered her a spoonful. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, then closed her lips around the spoon with such a decadent little moan that Quistis' legs weakened on the spot.
"I know how to make tomorrow come a bit faster," she whispered into Rinoa's ear, before planting several light kisses on her neck.
Rinoa flung her arms over Quistis' shoulders. "And they say only sorceresses can manipulate time."
* * *
The light from the hallway cut a harsh swath through the darkened hotel room, which was lit only by the tepid glow of the streetlights below the window. Quistis closed the door, and Rinoa fumbled for the light switch.
"Leave it," Quistis said, pulling Rinoa close and letting her fingertips trail up Rinoa's bare back, dancing playfully around the knot holding the top of her dress up. Rinoa trembled and arched against Quistis, her own hands busy seeking out the zipper on Quistis' dress. When she found the pull, however, she had no time to work it before Quistis undid the knot with a quick, gentle tug, and peeled away the fabric to reveal small, pert breasts with dusky pink nipples. She cupped them in her hands and kneaded the flesh, feeling the nipples harden against her palms, then pressed Rinoa back against the door and smothered her with a slow, luxurious kiss.
Rinoa opened her mouth to her without hesitation and, having given up on the zipper for the time being, grasped the barrette in Quistis' hair and pulled it free, sending golden locks cascading over Quistis' shoulders. The sudden release felt good, and Quistis expressed her appreciation by breaking away from the kiss and moving her mouth along Rinoa's jaw and down her neck, flicking the tip of her tongue at the pulse point and traveling down to her shoulder, her collarbone, her breastbone, and finally latching onto one breast.
Rinoa gasped and jutted her chest forward, running her fingers through Quistis' hair. Quistis lavished one breast, and then the other, with licks and sucks and tiny nibbles, all while hooking her thumbs into the waistband of Rinoa's dress and pulling it down over her hips. Rinoa wriggled to help it along, then carefully stepped free of it once it was on the floor, shivering as Quistis sank to her knees and her lips quickly trailed along the newly-exposed skin, her hands sliding up and down Rinoa's waist, toying with the tops of her panties, taking the elasticated band between her teeth and giving it a gentle tug.
"Go ahead," Rinoa breathed, stroking Quistis' hair. "Take them off."
Without looking up or giving any indication she'd heard, Quistis slid Rinoa's panties down, centimeter by agonizing centimeter, stopping to plant kisses along every bit of revealed flesh until she reached the top of the dark curls between Rinoa's legs. Then, she switched to working her way up from Rinoa's knees, inside one thigh, then the other, the tiny tremors beneath her hands and lips sending a series of shockwaves to her own core. The last barrier between her and Rinoa removed, Quistis leaned back and smiled up at Rinoa's flushed face before nuzzling her own face into the warm moisture between Rinoa's legs.
It was divine, a scent and taste at once familiar and strange, a sense of intimacy at once heartwarming and heartbreaking. She licked along Rinoa's slit, lapping up her juices as her hair tickled her nose, listening to Rinoa's breathing come quicker, feeling the muscles in the backs of her legs intermittently tighten and release. She adjusted her grip on Rinoa's legs, gently pushing them farther apart, then dipped her tongue inside her folds and drew it up as slowly as her own arousal would let her. Rinoa grabbed a handful of Quistis' hair and let out a high-pitched whine.
"Ohh, yes," she whispered, rolling her hips toward Quistis. "Please, Quisty, more."
In response, Quistis slid her tongue inside Rinoa's opening, probing tenderly. She curled the tip and pulled it against Rinoa's walls, circled the entrance and dove in again, repeating the process, more quickly and forcefully with each iteration, until a stuttering groan came from Rinoa's throat and her legs began to gave out. As Rinoa slumped against the door, struggling to stand, Quistis lifted her legs onto her own shoulders, one at a time, then leaned forward, pressing her back against the door and supporting her weight, and resumed her ministrations without a word.
Rinoa was inching closer to orgasm with every stroke of Quistis' tongue, her legs clenching on either side of Quistis' neck. Sliding her tongue in and out of her one last time, Quistis let her mouth travel upward, teasing the area around Rinoa's sensitive bud, while she slipped two fingers inside Rinoa's wet heat. Rinoa gasped and thrashed above her, but Quistis maintained a deliberate rhythm, pushing her fingers in to the knuckle, curling them ever so slightly, then drawing them back out.
"T-tease," Rinoa managed to say, tugging on Quistis hair to turn her face up toward her own. "You know better than that."
Quistis gave her a quizzical look that melted into a wicked grin as she slid her fingers in again, then curled them tightly, pressing hard against the sensitive bundle of nerves inside Rinoa, while her thumb flicked over the one outside. Rinoa's eyes rolled back, eyelids fluttering, and she tipped her head back against the door with lascivious moan.
"Like that?" Quistis asked.
Rinoa responded with only a grunt, pushing her hips toward Quistis with growing urgency, her face flushed and her eyes screwed shut, her lips pursed against sounds far more wanton than the one she'd just made.
Quistis bit her lip. Just the sight of her so undone, careening toward ecstasy, made her own clit throb and a gush of warm fluid flow from between her legs. She buried her face in Rinoa's curls again, seeking her clit and treating it to a series of luxurious strokes before capturing it between her lips and sucking hard.
Rinoa squealed, no longer caring who heard her, and bucked her hips wildly, pulling at Quistis' hair hard enough to make her scalp sting. Undeterred, however, Quistis increased the speed of her fingers, thrusting up into Rinoa with just as little reserve, alternating between sucking on her clit and flicking it with the tip of her tongue. All manner of nonsense and obscenities poured from Rinoa's mouth, culminating in a strangled groan as she stiffened, then spasmed, sending a wave of hot fluid over Quistis' fingers and into her palm.
Rinoa sagged against the door with a heavy sigh, her weight suddenly pressing down on Quistis' shoulders. After licking her hand clean, Quistis carefully removed Rinoa's legs from her shoulders and supported her with an arm around the waist as she rose. Rinoa looked up, her dark eyes feverish in the half-light of the room, and chuckled weakly.
"You sure know how to wreck a woman," she said.
"I've had a very good teacher," Quistis replied, brushing Rinoa's hair out of her face and kissing her lightly.
"Who?" Rinoa murmured against her lips, earning her a gentle bite on her lower lip. She laughed, and Quistis followed.
"This isn't over, you know," she said when she could stand on her own again. She kicked her dress and panties out of the way, then motioned for Quistis to move to the bed. "It's my turn, now."
"What have you got in mind?" Quistis asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"You'll see." Rinoa stood between her legs and stroked her hair, then her face. "Oh, you'll see." She slid her hands down to the back of Quistis' dress, finally pulling the zipper down, then slid the straps off her shoulders and scoffed at the strapless bra underneath.
"Really, Quisty? You really insist on making more work for me, huh?" She popped open the hooks in the back.
"Well, I do need a little more support than you do."
"Don't rub it in."
"It's not an insult. These things can get pretty heavy, and I can't just throw on cute clothes on a whim like you."
Rinoa lifted and lowered Quistis' breasts, then began to knead, softly. "I see no disadvantages from here."
"And I see nothing wrong with yours." Quistis sighed. "They're just as lovely as the rest of you."
"Let's just admit we're both gorgeous," Rinoa said with a grin before kissing Quistis and pushing her back onto the bed and clambering up, herself. She continued to play with Quistis' breasts, digging her fingertips into the soft flesh, pinching her nipples and giving them light tugs. Quistis gasped against her mouth, and Rinoa took the opportunity to press her tongue in deeper, teasing the roof of her mouth with its tip. Reflexively, Quistis tightened her lips and sucked. Rinoa grunted in surprise, then rewarded her with long swirling strokes as she pulled away.
She knelt above Quistis with a smug grin, her own nipples already hard again. Then, in a smooth motion, she grasped the Odine ring on her finger and slipped it off, setting it on the nightstand. "Oh, have I got plans for you," she whispered, and Quistis saw the magic beginning to glow in her hand.
Quistis' stomach tightened in anticipation, and she worked her way back up the bed to the pillows, to give Rinoa all the room she needed to do whatever she had in mind. She was still wondering what that might be when a blast of frosty air hit both of her nipples and forced a sharp cry from her throat. As she shivered, Rinoa loomed over her, hair sweeping over her stomach, then placed her hot mouth on one of Quistis' breasts.
Oh! The sensation was like nothing Quistis had felt before, fire and ice in one small, sensitive place. Rinoa's mouth dispersed the chill, and the tingle of blood returning to her nipple was electrifying and agonizing at once. She moaned loudly and dug her nails into Rinoa's back. Rinoa seemed not to notice, and moved to Quistis' other nipple, leaving a hot trail of saliva between her breasts.
"This is amazing," Quistis groaned.
Rinoa only hummed around her nipple, then swept her hand over Quistis' free breast to start the process over again, somehow, more intense this time. Quistis could not keep quiet, and could not keep the shockwaves from traveling straight to her clit, soaking her panties and causing her hips to roll up against Rinoa's of their own volition. When Rinoa began a third round of magical sensations, Quistis felt her own powers welling up inside her. Smiling to herself, she placed her fingers at the small of Rinoa's back and pulled up a White Wind spell in her mind, then unleashed the cool tingle of healing magic all along Rinoa's spine.
Rinoa yelped and arched her back, then tossed Quistis a stupefied look.
"I have magic, too, you know," Quistis said, grinning.
"Not as powerful as mine."
"Show me what you've got."
"Is that a challenge?"
Quistis shook her head. "A request."
"You're way more adventurous than I thought." Rinoa smiled, then slowly ran her fingertips up Quistis' arm, sending tiny sparks arcing along her skin. Quistis sucked in air through her teeth as Rinoa pulled those sparks over her shoulders and down her chest, crossing each hand over the other as she guided the magic to Quistis' breasts, circling up to the tip of the nipples and letting the sparks dance there. Husky groans flowed from Quistis' mouth as she arched her back into the sensation, pressing her head back against the pillows, her hips up against Rinoa's, and they began to move against each other.
Rinoa's breathing had become shallow and stuttering by the time she moved her fingers from Quistis' breasts and trailed them down her ribs, and she made quick work of removing the rest of Quistis' dress and her panties. Once Quistis was naked beneath her, Rinoa extinguished the magic in her fingers and proceeded to lavish her with a series of kisses and gentle bites, down her stomach, on her hips, on the inside of her thighs, making sure to linger long enough and suck hard enough to leave a veritable landscape of tiny marks come tomorrow. Tiny marks hidden from the rest of the world; tiny marks mapping the way to treasure, and to pleasure.
Rinoa pressed her face into the swath of gold between Quistis' legs and teased the tip of her tongue along Quistis' slit. Meanwhile, she reached aside and ran hands hot and tingling with unidentifiable spells up and down Quistis' thighs, over her hips and around to her buttocks and back. Quistis cried out, her voice dissolving into a sigh, and raised and lowered her hips in time to Rinoa's movements, pressing herself against Rinoa's hungry tongue. When that tongue pushed into her, Quistis pushed back, all her nerves alight with magic, her clit swollen and throbbing and begging for attention.
Rinoa indulged it, letting her tongue travel up to flick at it between probing Quistis' heat and lapping up her juices. Her hands continued to roam over Quistis' body, still crackling with magic, and she did not bother to rein that magic in when she slid her hands up the inside of Quistis' thighs and pressed two fingers into her.
Quistis bucked her whole body as Rinoa's energy ricocheted against the walls of her vagina, and she screamed and gathered the sheets in her fists when Rinoa curled her fingers and concentrated her magic on that glorious spot inside of her. She continued to yell, wantonly, recklessly, each part of her body seemingly moving independent of the others as Rinoa continued to move in and out of her. She squeezed her eyes shut and surrendered to the feeling, to her body contracting in on itself in preparation for release.
She called Rinoa's name, over and over, between curses and pleas to gods she wasn't sure even existed. And between her own cries, she heard Rinoa's ragged breathing, her own whimpers as she chased down another orgasm of her own. Rinoa moved her thumb to Quistis' clit and stroked it hard, and just when Quistis felt she would explode from the pressure building inside of her, Rinoa sent a spark of magic to her clit and tore her world apart.
She arched off the bed with the force of her orgasm, crashing down and kicking her legs straight out with the spasms that ran through her whole body. Raw moans tore from her throat, and behind her eyelids, the darkness exploded into millions of bright stars. When the last wave of pleasure wracked her body, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see Rinoa flopped down beside her, panting and swallowing hard.
"How," Quistis gasped, "did you learn to do that?"
Rinoa laughed, then turned her head to look at her. "You don't seriously believe I would pass up the chance to find alternative uses for magic, do you?"
Quistis' eyes widened. "How long have you—"
"Since I learned to control it. It's better than touch alone, and cheaper than a toy."
"Can't argue with that."
"I'm just glad I was finally able to share it." She reached up and cupped Quistis' face, running a thumb over her cheek. "And I wouldn't want to share it with anyone but you."
Quistis returned the gesture, then nuzzled in the crook of Rinoa's neck, planting a few surreptitious kisses against it. "Thank you," she murmured.
"For what?"
"For sharing yourself with me. For helping me see the brightness in the world. For being my friend, my lover." She laughed. "For being you."
Rinoa reached out and pulled Quistis close, running a hand through her hair. "Thank you for being you, too," she said, a giggle rippling through her voice. "For believing in me, for standing by me. For being a great friend, and a wonderful lover. And a stubborn, bossy know-it-all!"
"What?" Quistis looked up.
"That's what I love about you!" Rinoa kissed the tip of her nose. "Don't ever change, Quisty. Don't ever change."
In the wake of their orgasms, sleep stole in quickly. Quistis held Rinoa close and stroked her back as her breathing became soft and even, then closed her own eyes, and they drifted off in each other's arms, bathed in the gentle glow of the streetlights below.