No Good Reason

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Squall doesn't really like her.

There's no good reason for it, of course. What does she ever do but poke around the bookshelves, glare at people who are too loud, and be stingy with her name?

Oh, he supposes, And hang around Zell like fleas on a dog.

The thought sends him to his office where he pulls out a pretty pink slip and begins filling it out with an evil look on his face. Xu says you can't fire students, but Squall is pretty sure he can do whatever the hell he wants.

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"Squall, no! GIVE ME THAT!"

And ouch, that bruise is going to be visible. Quistis stalks away with the pink paper crushed in one gloved hand, leaving Squall with almost an actual expression on his face.

"…Whatever."

There are other ways to deal with her.

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"Um, Commander, it was real nice of you to invite me training and all, but, um, I'm not too good with, you know, fighting… I'll probably just be in the way…"

"…Whatever."

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing in a military academy, if, you know, I'm no good at fighting and all… A lot of people ask me that…"

He hates listening to the sound of her voice. Her constant talking makes him want to strangle her. No one should be allowed to talk that much.

Funny enough, though, as he thinks about it, he realizes he certainly doesn't mind Zell and Selphie's constant chattering. During lunch in the cafeteria it gives his mind a much needed break, as he stops thinking and just lets their words fill his head.

But her… He tries to think of a good excuse. All he can think of is the way she brushes Zell's forearms gently when she talks like this to him. She doesn't deserve to talk at all.

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"Commander, why would you leave her in the middle of a battle with a T-Rexaur?" Xu asks, her impatient eyes flashing.

Squall shrugs.

Xu sighs. "This is a lot of paperwork, Commander. Not only for you, but for me, too. Here's the infirmary documents to sign off on, and the hospital bill, and we'll have to compensate her family for any damages." She continues railing off a list which Squall only half listens to. When she leaves, he starts his paperwork humming a happy tune.

0-0-0-0

The group-minus one- is sitting in the cafeteria mulling over the fate of the library girl, Quistis sending Squall stern but mildly amused glances over her coffee.

"Oh, poor thing!" Selphie says sympathetically, but Squall notes that, as usual, she can barely contain her glee at the thought of some kind of party coming out of this. "We should send flowers!"

"Flowers, or maybe a new spleen!" Irvine quips and receives a sharp smack over the head for his troubles.

"Squally," Rinoa cries in a high voice, "Why were you alone in the training room with her? Don't you love me anymore?"

"…" He refrains from saying that he had actually forgotten for a while that she even existed.

"Poor thing," Selphie says again, though this time she doesn't try to hide the smile. "We should really throw her a party."

"Throw who a party?" A voice says.

Squall smiles just slightly, his mood brightening drastically. Zell bounces over to the table and takes a seat between the moody commander and the still pouting cowboy.

"Haven't you heard, Zell?" Selphie says, sounding surprised . "I thought you'd be especially concerned." Squall growls grumpily at this, but no one notices.

"Who?" He says, now worried.

"The library girl."

His brow furrows in confusion. "…Which one?"

Selphie, again, looks surprised. "The pigtailed one… you know…"

He concentrates for a minute, blue eyes inverted in thought. "…Yeah… I think I know which one you're talking about. What happened to her?"

"She was attacked by a T-Rexaur in the training center." Selphie blinks. "Weren't you two… going steady?"

Zell snorts with laughter. He stares at Selphie incredulously and says, "I don't even know her name!"

A stunned silence follows.

Squall nods. "We should send her flowers."

After all, she isn't that bad.

-end-