Standard Disclaimer: Same one as last time applies here, but with a serious yaoi warning. Do NOT read if under 18, offended by guy/guy relationships, or haven't gotten past disc one. Thank you.

Rinoa is silent for most of the dinner. The others watch her as she slowly picks at her food. Finally Selphie decides to break the lull. "Rinoa? You feelin' okay? You haven't said anything since you got that journal."

"Squall......."

"Did that book say something bad about you? Tell us. We want to help."

"He loved me but,.......... (he loved Irvine too...)"

"What was that? You trailed off."

"I gotta go. I'm not finished reading the whole thing. I'll see you guys later."

Zell stands up and offers to escort her back to the hotel room. As they are walking upstairs, Rinoa begins to leak out pieces from the journal entries. "(Those beautiful eyes....... His smile.....)"

"Who're you talkin' to girl?!" Zell interrupts.

"Can I tell you something, Zell?"

"Always."

"Squall was in love with two people. I was one of them."

"Who was the other person?"

Rinoa stops in her tracks right before she reached the hotel room. She turns to Zell and reveals Squall's other love. "......................... Irvine."

"That guy?! The sharpshooter?! Are you sure?"

"He wrote about how cute he thought Irvine was. But he wrote similar things about me. Oh, Zell..... I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Hey, you need to rest. Need anything else?"

Rinoa stares blankly at Zell. "Could you get me the journal again? I want to keep reading."

Zell nods and walks away. Rinoa pulls out a set of keys and opens the door to her room. She sprawls out on her bed and thinks about Squall. About forty minutes later a sudden knock on the door startles her. She hears a dog barking and a man talking.

"It's Zell! I have the journal and something else! Open up!" An excited feeling engulfs Rinoa as she opens the door. A large collie rushes her and causes her to fall backward. The dog licks her face and covers her in dogwater. "Angelo! Thank you Zell!"

"I thought you might need some company, so I had Quistis talk to the new headmaster and she got both the journal and Angelo for you."

"Thanks! I'll talk to you guys tomorrow, okay?"

"Fine with me Rinoa. G'night."

"Good night, Zell."

Angelo curls up on the bed next to Rinoa. Her head rests in Rinoa's lap as the journal is opened up again. Rinoa picks up where she left off.

June 24th,

So much has happened. I haven't even had a chance to write until now. The whole Deling City mission was not a total loss. I did find it unbelievable that General Caraway was Rinoa's father. He's a top military general and she's an anti-government activist! Go figure. He insisted that Rinoa didn't participate in the mission. He had her locked up in her room as he continued to explain the mission and assign the teams. He put Irvine and me together for the sniper team and Quistis, Zell, and Selphie were the gateway team. This mission was hell......

As we were headed toward the parade crowds, Irvine asked about the SeeD standards. I thought he already knew since he attended Galbadia Garden, but I told him anyway.

"I hear you never question your orders," He said.

"What do you care?.............." I forgot most of the discussion because I was too busy checkin' him out. We were smack dab in the middle of the crowd. While the Sorceress gave her speech, I noticed she had Rinoa beside her! We had to save her!!!

Suddenly, the parade began. The Sorceress Edea put on quite a show, but I was more worried about Rinoa. Irvine and I started to make our way through the crowds when some weird creatures called Iguions came out of the statues and attacked Rinoa. Our plans were put aside as we rushed to rescue her. We got there just in time, and the slimy bastards were no match for Shiva! Rinoa got on her knees and told me how scared she was. She looked so desperate for attention and emotion...... I couldn't tell her how I really felt, so I just told her to stay close to me. It was good enough for her. She followed me and Irvine into the holding area for the clock tower. There we found the rifle waiting for us. I picked it up and handed it to our sharpshooter. "Irvine Kinneas, it's in your hands now...."

Irvine nodded and took the gun from me. He walked to the other end of the structure and slumped into a dark corner. The rifle rested on his shoulder as he sat there. I noticed he got very quiet, but I thought he was concentrating. So I talked to Rinoa instead. "Seifer, he's still alive..."

"What does it mean?"

"I wonder what's going on with the parade.."

It was only small talk, but why was Seifer helping Edea? I had several questions, but I was more worried about Irvine. He hadn't said anything to me or Rinoa since he got in the corner. When I sat down next to him, he began to shake. Was he freakin' out?! He whimpered like a scared child. Tears fell from those eyes again. "I....... I can't do it!!"

That sentence stung me in more ways than one. I wanted to hold him so bad, but Rinoa was right there with us. "Rinoa......?"

"Yes, Squall?"

"Could you leave us alone for a little while? I need to have a heart-to-heart talk with Irvine, and it's a little personal."

"I understand. Guy stuff, right? No problem."

Rinoa walked out the tower for now and left me and Irvine alone. As soon as she left he broke down in my arms. "I always choke like this...," he whispered.

I thought "(loneliness of a sharpshooter, I guess you have a point.)"

"I try to act all cool and joke around, but I just can't handle the pressure."

"Please Irvine..... You gotta shoot."

"My bullet, the Sorceress.... I'll go down in history...... I'd change the history of Galbadia, of the world! It's all too much....." His tears soaked my jacket.

I stroked his long hair, trying my best to comfort him. "Forget it. Just shoot."

"I can't, dammit!"

I wiped away his tears with my thumbs. I kissed those quivering lips in hopes of loosening him up. "Calm down," I told him. Then I did the unthinkable. The time was almost 20:00, and Irvine's moment was near. I unzipped his pants and reached inside. He gasped my name as I gently touched his exposed manhood with my fingers. He grew harder by the second. The pressure of the moment got meoff and I slid his crown into my mouth.

"Squall, what are you....?!"

His sentences became short fragments as they were interrupted by moans of pleasure. Irvine's hand caressed the back of my head as it pulled me closer to his crotch. I drove his cock deeper into my mouth. My tongue truly savored him for the first time. Just as Irvine was about to reach his peak, the clockturned 20:00. The tower moved into position. He stuffed his member back into his pants and got his gun ready. Rinoa managed to come back in time. Fortunately, she didn't see anything. At least, I think she didn't. I noticed Edea's float was trapped. Quistis' party was successful. Now it was our turn.

"I thought I head some weird noises..." Rinoa recalls. "So that's what you two were up to..." Despite the graphic descriptions Squall wrote, she keeps reading.

I told him once again to relax. "I don't care if you miss. Whatever happens, just leave the rest to us..... Think of it as a signal."

"Just a signal...."

"That's right. A sign for us to make our move."

"Just a sign."

My heart pounded as I saw him aim his gun. He looked into my eyes and smiled. "Thank you Squall...... For everything....." Irvine took aim and pulled the trigger.........

Rinoa closes the book and weeps. She knows how the story went from there. "There was a force field. Irvine's aim was perfect, but now it was up toSquall. So he did love Irvine. Squall, you should've told me...... I would've understood, but I guess you were undecided. Wherever you are, you'll be happy to know that I've become stronger because of you. And Irvine is doing good. Good night, my love....." She tucks the journal into her bedside table and slinks underneath the covers. Angelo yawns and lays her head on her paws. Within a few minutes Rinoa drifts off to sleep.