So i thought i'd try my hand at a one-shot. Depending on how this update goes, more will come to follow. I'm going to use this as a series of one-shots on Squinoa both AU and Post-Game.

Dont worry, this hasnt "shrunk my responsibilities on my other stories". :)

This idea was inspired by an older friend of mine, who got home from work and entered upon her husband in the kitchen...

Salt

Rinoa waved to Ma Dincht as she left the older woman's house and wobbled her way to her own modest accommodation. She had gone over to Zell's house during lunch time to help the woman with any errands around the house, as she, being more or less home bound, was suffocating with boredom.

She had spent the entire time at the Dincht's residence peeling potatoes, learning how to knit socks and even helped clean Ma Dincht's silverware. The time spent was a lot more enjoyable than sitting with her legs propped up in front of the TV watching daytime soap operas.

She was in her third trimester, seven and a half months into her pregnancy and as time went by she felt her bump getting bigger and bigger. At first she had thought she was expecting twins, but a trip to the doctor and a scan told her she was only carrying just the one of a mini Squall.
The size just seemed big to her, having never been pregnant before and having such a slender body. But as she looked at her hands and felt the bottom of her chin, Rinoa knew she was not the baby blue duster wearing teen she was when she had first met Squall. Now she was the twenty pound heavier, maternity jeans wearing, young adult married to the now less anti-social lone wolf.

Her experiences with her pregnancy were all new to her, she had tried to read books from the Garden library on stages of pregnancy and what to look out for, though not all books were helpful.

"Every woman is different, you cant write a manual on pregnancy." Ma Dincht had said to her that afternoon.

Recently, Rinoa had developed a strong craving for anything salty. Anything with masses of salt were her liking, pretzels, crisps, melted cheese, though the latter made her feel sick afterwards, salted peanuts and so on. Even on her meals, she'd sprinkle masses of salt on it. She had been told off by Ma Dincht that afternoon as she nearly emptied half the salt shaker on her grilled fish. "An awful amount of salt is never too good for your blood pressure, nor your baby's."

But Rinoa couldn't help it. Whenever she was hungry, she craved the bitter taste of salty food in her mouth, just thinking about it sent her salivating.

As she walked the cobble stones of Balamb Town, she approached her house and took out her keys from her purse. The front window was open and the lights were turned on, indicating Squall's arrival.

Although Rinoa was a lot more accustomed to living in a big house, with wide rooms and plenty of storage, she was very happy with the small terraced house she and Squall purchased. One of the benefits of living in Balamb's town was that Squall was only a few minutes away in Garden, should she need his help.

Stepping into the house she wiped her feet and kicked her shoes off.

"Rin, that you?" Squall asked from the kitchen.

"Yep." She replied back and attempted to take her jacket off.

Squall walked up to the small passage way that separated the kitchen and the lounge. Walking up to her he planted a small kiss on her lips and asked how her day was.

"Good, learnt a lot from Ma Dincht." She replied back after hanging up her jacket. "Something smells nice." She commented as she made her way to the lounge.

"I got home early so thought I'd make dinner for a change." He replied, watching her as she slowly lowered herself onto the couch and positioned cushions behind her.

Walking up to her, he took her legs and propped her feet up on to the coffee table.

"Thank you." She replied smiling at him. She had thought she'd see even less of Squall now that she wasn't living in Garden, she had considered the fact that, given the amount of work Squall put into Garden, he'd be too preoccupied to hold her hand through her pregnancy.

But she was wrong, and happy that she had been. He had attended all her doctor's appointments, every scan and even made sure he was home before she retired to bed to give her a foot rub.

She knew a part of him did it because he didn't want his own children growing up without a father, like he had. She also knew he did it because he loved her and wouldn't allow her to go through it alone. Whatever the reason, she was happy he was there side by side, her knight in shining leather clothing.

"Can I get you anything?" Squall asked, looking at Rinoa expectantly.

"Yes please." She said slightly out of breath. "A really, really, really cold, freezing glass of water and anything with salt in it." She asked expressively as the familiar taste of salt came to her tongue.

Squall nodded and walked back to the small kitchen at the front of the house.

Leaning her head back against the top of the couch, Rinoa made small conversation with Squall.

"How's everything in Garden." She asked, closing her eyes and letting the smell of the aromatic spices seeping from the kitchen fill her nose. She craved now more than anything to rush into the kitchen, and take out whatever Squall had in the oven, and chomp straight into it.

"The usual, I think Quistis is contemplating Instructorship again." Squall's reply came back.

She heard his footsteps approach and place her wanted items on the small coffee table.

Leaning down he kissed her forehead, causing her eyes to open slowly and smile at him.

Looking down at the coffee table, Rinoa could see the condensation already gather on the glass drinking cup, it made her mouth feel dry just looking at it. Taking a gulp of water she noticed the small pointed salt shaker sitting quietly on the coffee table.

She looked at Squall with both a smirk and questioning look.

"What?" He asked blinking.

"What's that?" She asked pointing to the salt shaker.

"You said to bring you a cold glass of water and anything with salt in it." He replied, repeating her earlier words.

It took her a second for her to process what Squall had said, and how he had interpreted her words.

Letting a chuckle escape from her mouth, she placed the water down on the table and took his arm. Pulling him down to her level she planted a kiss on his lips.

She sure wasn't the baby blue duster wearing teen he had met a couple of years ago, but he was still the Squall she had met, and she wouldn't change him for the world.

Aww.

More to come hopefully, that is if you guys liked it. ^^