Space is easy. Squall can give him that and while he doesn't consign himself to the idea of rest, he does agree to consider it before unlocking and slipping out of the door. He doesn't lock it behind him or leave the floor until he's brought Nida a carafe of coffee from the small station where a pot of it is kept along with various fixings for it. Cid might have liked to mingle in the cafeteria but he and Xu both prefer to be close enough to sustenance so as not to disturb their work. He appreciates having her as headmistress. It makes sharing a level with her easy with neither of them directly getting in each other's way unless they absolutely have to.
"I thought he was on vacation," she says to him, joining Squall who's loading up a tray.
"He will be," Squall assures, eyes fixed on the variety of snacks laid out. "President Loire called and is in need of a test pilot for a prototype."
"Because they don't have pilots in Esthar," Xu quips dubiously.
"None familiar with flying anything as robust as Garden." He's lying through his teeth but the necessity of it makes it easy as he falls back into his old training. "Any interest Nida has in the offer will need to be pursued on personal time."
Xu hums, seemingly appraising the idea as she pours herself a cup of coffee from the dwindling pot. "You mean vacation time. Careful, Commander. People might suspect there's a heart under all those medals."
The eyeroll sees him out and he returns to his office to leave Nida with refreshments. He won't return for a couple of hours. Time enough to make a phone call to his father ("I found a potential pilot for the test program you mentioned the last time I was there." "What test program?" "The one you wouldn't tell me more about because it's secret." "Oh. Oh! That program! Right, the secret program.") and to fetch his things from his room. The sight of Rinoa's side of the bed almost makes him hesitate. The compulsion is likely magical; it has a pull that is heady and overwhelming.
Since returning from Time Compression, Squall has noticed that the longer he's away from Rinoa, the more clear headed he feels. He's not sure why yet, but there is something that lulls him into complacency and devotion when they're together. She becomes all he can think about and then when they're apart, the fog lifts and Squall feels like he's lost himself to Time Compression again. It's unsettling and any time he's tried to talk to Rinoa about it, it's ended in her feeling like he's pulling away or trying to put distance between them. Her distress amplifies his own, feeding into a desire to make her happy again, which results in the cycle starting all over again.
...Garden really does need a staff therapist.
When he returns to his office with a duffle bag and gunblade case in tow, Squall acknowledges Nida with a nod. "Progress?"
no subject
"I thought he was on vacation," she says to him, joining Squall who's loading up a tray.
"He will be," Squall assures, eyes fixed on the variety of snacks laid out. "President Loire called and is in need of a test pilot for a prototype."
"Because they don't have pilots in Esthar," Xu quips dubiously.
"None familiar with flying anything as robust as Garden." He's lying through his teeth but the necessity of it makes it easy as he falls back into his old training. "Any interest Nida has in the offer will need to be pursued on personal time."
Xu hums, seemingly appraising the idea as she pours herself a cup of coffee from the dwindling pot. "You mean vacation time. Careful, Commander. People might suspect there's a heart under all those medals."
The eyeroll sees him out and he returns to his office to leave Nida with refreshments. He won't return for a couple of hours. Time enough to make a phone call to his father ("I found a potential pilot for the test program you mentioned the last time I was there." "What test program?" "The one you wouldn't tell me more about because it's secret." "Oh. Oh! That program! Right, the secret program.") and to fetch his things from his room. The sight of Rinoa's side of the bed almost makes him hesitate. The compulsion is likely magical; it has a pull that is heady and overwhelming.
Since returning from Time Compression, Squall has noticed that the longer he's away from Rinoa, the more clear headed he feels. He's not sure why yet, but there is something that lulls him into complacency and devotion when they're together. She becomes all he can think about and then when they're apart, the fog lifts and Squall feels like he's lost himself to Time Compression again. It's unsettling and any time he's tried to talk to Rinoa about it, it's ended in her feeling like he's pulling away or trying to put distance between them. Her distress amplifies his own, feeding into a desire to make her happy again, which results in the cycle starting all over again.
...Garden really does need a staff therapist.
When he returns to his office with a duffle bag and gunblade case in tow, Squall acknowledges Nida with a nod. "Progress?"