irvine63

Who: Irvine Kinneas, Selphie Tilmitt
Where: Dorm room again.
Why: Selphie has a rather adamant admirer.
Date of Log: October 3rd, 2000.

Right around noonish, and instead of being at the cafeteria for lunch, Irvine's in his room. Er, the room he shares with Selphie now. Actually sitting at the desk, he's not studying, but he is reading something. Several somethings. See, when Balamb Garden moved, all the letters he got from his foster parents were held, and now all of them have been dumped on him at once. So, now he's pausing to actually read them. At the moment, he's got a distant look in his eyes, and he's actually smiling. Seems like this one is good. They've been a variety of reactions, everything from demanding he come home right away to simple gestures of worry over him. Since being with Selphie, he's actually started to understand and even appreciate the gestures. If he knew how much the little wonder in yellow had changed him over the course of the last three months, he'd probably be downright shocked.

Huh. No Irvy in the cafeteria. And to think, she thought she knew his schedule pretty well. Deciding to peek around some of the classrooms up on the second floor (as she had an errand to run up there, anyway), Selphie comes up empty handed again. Well, fine. Back downstairs, and now she'll check the dorm room. Why didn't she do that first? The door opens, and cookie munching Selphie peeks her head in. Jackpot! --Oooh, what's he reading...?

Irvine folds the letter over as the door opens, glancing up. His train of thought shatters, disappearing the moment he realizes who's walking in. He smiles, and it's faint but genuine, glad to see his Sefie, "Hey, Darlin'. Whatcha doing?" Cookies, again. Goodness, she's such a junkfood nut. No complaints about it though, Sefie's gonna do what Sefie's gonna do.

Nothing wrong with it! It's not like she gains weight from it. Walking in fully now, overly curious as per usual, Selphie heads right for the cowboy. "Nothin', what'cha readin'?" Munch. Is it a letter? Who would send him letters? Better not be some ex-girlfriend...! Rrr. Munch.

No, not from any ex-girlfriends. Though Irvine doesn't quite explain right away and it could get him into trouble. 'Dear Irvine' and 'Love, Menalie' are quite clearly visible as he holds the letter up for her to see, both of them written in a bit bigger handwritting then the body of the letter. He's just letting her take it to read on her own if she wants. But, if she does read through the body before making assumptions, it's quite obviously from his foster parents. The tone mostly humourous, an accounting of what this 'Menalie' and someone named Quinnlan have been up to lately.

Blink. Looking at the letter up and down before she takes it, 'Love, Menalie' is definately seen. But she's being -good-, and biting her tongue. Taking the paper with one hand, while the other stuffs another cookie in her mouth, Selphie scans the letter for incriminating evidence. ...And finds nothing, but rather gets the impression that, "--Is this your mom?" She -means-, of course, 'foster-mother.' But it sounds so terribly impersonal, and cold.

Irvine grins and nods, "Yeah, she's great." And her letters are always so much more fun to read too. You can tell where Irvine's sense of humor and laid back attitude came from. Nurture more then nature in this case. She's always understood his reluctance to call them 'mom and dad' too, which is nice. Letting Selphie keep that letter, he reaches for another one, opening it. He's got two left. They write often, especially when fretting.

"Wo~ow!" Smiling now, any ideas about ex-girlfriends being gone, Selphie re-reads the letter, more carefully now. Readreadread. She really is curious about what his foster parents are like, and this is -so- helping. Halfway through the letter, she idly thinks about her lack of letters from home. Of course, the girl -did- write them after Garden moved, telling them what had happened and all, and that any letters wouldn't reach her. Being back and all now, she needs to write them again... --Oh, yes! Reading Irvine's letter. "--They write you alot, huh!"

Irvine rolls his eyes, sighing in what sounds more like exasperation then annoyance. "You could say that. They really don't want me here, never have. Mom's a bit more understanding about it then Dad is." He doesn't even realize what he just called them either. See what sort of influence Selphie is? He pauses to concentrate on the newly opened letter, wishing he'd had the foresight to have written them too, and let them know not to send him anything. (As if it would have stopped them either.) He frowns again, crumpling up this latest letter and tossing it aside.
And as for the note in Selphie's hands, Menalie recounts Quinnlan's reluctance to get a puppy, and him finding one out on the street and bringing it home and insisting they keep it even though -she- had always wanted one and certainly wouldn't protest it. Then it goes on to talk about the puppy, named 'Thumper' apparently, and how much of a joy it is around the house and how much Quinnlan just spoils it. It's a rather happy sounding letter. The end is a little fretful, just asking if Irvine is ok, and that she's heard about the war.

Nodding distractedly to the cowboy, Selphie continues reading. ...Aww. She likes Menalie already! Giggling quietly, she does look up as she hears the crumpling. Laughter stopping, she watches the ball get tossed. "--Irvine! What'd it say?" That's not very nice! But maybe the letter wasn't very nice, either. ...Still!

Irvine shakes his head, reaching for the last letter. "You can read it if you want to." His mood has noticably darkened also and he doesn't want to talk about it. However, before opening the envelope, he glances up, lifting an eyebrow as the smile returns. "She's great, isn't she?" He always did like Menalie, even if he didn't allow himself to get too close. Maybe it's time to go see her again. Her, at least.

...Selphie's learning when not to press subjects. Like now! She'll just quietly snatch the crumpled letter, straighten it, and read. But that's -after- she nods, smiles, and agrees. "Yeah, she is! I can't wait to meet her!" ('I hope she likes me' is conveniently not voiced.)

Irvine isn't worried about Menalie liking Selphie, since his foster mother likes -everyone-. Opening the next letter, he tries to pretend that he didn't see her pick up the crumpled letter, attempting to concentrate on reading the next one.
Meanwhile, this new letter is written in different handwriting, probably his foster father. 'Irvine' it starts off, not even a 'Dear' as Menalie begins hers. The contents are rather harsh, questioning why the cowboy stays with Garden when it's obvious he's not going to pass to become SeeD, calling on him to finally get serious with his life and come back home and take over the ranch now that his parents are retired and leaving the running of the place to hired hands. It's demanding in tone, rather judgemental too. Yet... toward the end Quinnlan seems to redeem himself just a little, admitting that he's clearly worried about his foster son, not liking him being involved in this war. Apparently he heard about the assassination attempt in Balamb too and is demanding to know if Irvine was involved and 'what are they trying to turn you into over there?'

Quietly reading over said contents, Selphie decides that... Well. It's not -nice-, per se, but she understands where he's coming from. There's -no- way Selphie would bring up Irvine's Cadet status, and her worries about it. Honestly, she did much less than he's done to achieve SeeD status! But, well, she's not the commander, so... "--Irvy~?" Recrumpling the letter, she toys with it in her hands, idly. "You wanna stay here after we're, y'know... married?" She's just curious, you know.

"Of course," Irvine replies, putting the letter down that he wasn't really reading in the first place. Looking back at her, he cants his head to the side slightly. "You want to, don't you?" He'd follow her to the ends of the world, if that's what she wanted. His foster father's words hurt, since he's well aware of his Cadet status still being there. But more then anything, he doesn't want the ranch, or the responsibility of it. He will not walk in his father's shoes.
But, of course, this little moment is thusly interrupted by a knock at the door.

Selphie oh!s, and nods, quickly. "Yeah! I was just, well -- just wondering!" Hopefully Irvine will be a SeeD before his birthday, or at least before the marriage -- Squall's not being very fair about it, but maybe if she talked to him! That'd be good. She'll convince him, or something. Maybe she'll bring her rocket launcher. Hrm~! And just as she starts planning on what to say, her attention is pulled to the door. Beam. "--I'll get it!" Selphie likes opening doors, answering phones, and getting mail. Sue her. Unless stopped, she bounds to the door and opens it.

Irvine doesn't stop her, no, glad for a moment to stop thinking about all of these things. Instead, he concentrates on the next letter as he reaches up to tug at his ponytail idly. This is another of Menalie's letters, apparently, cause he's suddenly started smiling again.
Upon opening the door, there's a Cadet standing there who's actually just a wee bit shorter then Selphie is, even wearing her uniform. Someone new, apparently. "Um... hi. Selphie Tilmitt?"

Wow. Shorter than her. Cool! Beaming happily enough at the Cadet, Selphie nodnods eagerly. "Yep! Can I help you?" The fact that the girl came to Irvine's room when she's apparently looking for -her- doesn't even cross her mind. She shifts her weight slightly, one hand resting on the door, still. Wonder what the heck the girl's here for.

The girl seems kinda nervous herself, since she's standing in front of a SeeD and not another Cadet. "Um, I tried your room, but you weren't there see and so someone told me I should look for Cadet Kinneas' room and stuff and well, that's why I'm here and someone asked me to give this to you." Whew, she -finally- takes a breath and thrusts out some sort of envelope toward Selphie.

Blink. "--Oh! ...Kay..." Looking then to the envelope, Selphie's totally puzzled. Not by the girl's outburst, but by the envelope. Why wouldn't someone just give it to her? Taking the offered item, the SeeD looks as confused as she feels. "Who?" Maybe one of the instructors...? WHy would they need to talk to her though?

The girl shrugs, "I dunno him, but I think he's SeeD." Which in this newbie Cadet's eyes makes him a God, just like Selphie. As soon as the envelope is taken, she steps back a bit and salutes, all proper like. She's definately -got- to be new to be taking this stuff so seriously.

Another blink. "Mm. Kay!" She'll open it once the girl is gone, of course. ANd that salute... Goodness. Selphie gives her a little giggle, and a wave of her hand. "Thankee!" Formalities? Whatever! Shutting the door, she turns and heads back Irvine-wards, opening the envelope even as she moves.

Irvine looks up now that the door's been shut again, lifting an eyebrow, "What's that all about?" He'd really not been paying attention to the conversation with the Cadet at the door. But, apparently it was for Selphie and not him. Odd how that's happening now, everying seems to know that she's here the majority of the time. Heh. As for the letter that's inside the envelope, it's typed, not hand written, though the script of the typing is fancy, cursive.

Are they blue, gray or green? Mysterious eyes
(as if in fact you were looking through a mist)
in alternation tender, dreamy, grim
to match the shiftless pallor of the sky.

That's what you're like- these warm white afternoons
which make the ravished heart dissolve in tears,
the nerves, inexplicably overwrought,
outrage the dozen mind.

Not always, though-sometimes
you're like the horizon when the sun
ignites our cloudy autumn-how you glow!
A sodden countryside in sudden rout,
turned incandescent by a changing wind.

"Dunno," Selphie responds, distractedly. Unfolding the letter, her eyes first look for a signature, though... Finds none. Huh. Okay, read the rest. "..." A... poem? A very well-written type poem, and very romantical, and -- Smiling before she even gets halfway through it, Selphie lets the hand that's holding the letter flop against her side, now looking to the cowboy. "--Irvine! Who'd you get to write this for you? I know you're not a poet!" And getting some poor Cadet to deliver it for him -- how silly!

Irvine gives Selphie a blank look as he idly folds the letter he'd just finished and tucks it back in the envelope on the desk. Poet? Write? What? Finally, he blinks, "What are you talking about? What's in the letter?" He even holds a hand out for it, wanting to see it. Who's sending -HIS- Sefie poetry? Jealousy factors are suddenly rising iwth the cowboy.

Not believing Irvine at first, Selphie gives him a -look-. "Oh, don't play innocent with me, mister!" Who -else- would send her poetry? Ignoring the beckoning hand, she raises the paper again, reading it aloud in a slight british accent, for fun. "...You're like the horizon when the sun ignites out cloudy autumn - how you -glow-!" And in the same breath, adds, "Where -did- you get this stuff from, Irvy?"

Irvine blinks as he listens, feeling his blood start to boil with indignant anger the further along in the poem she gets. Someone feels this way toward Selphie? He certainly does, but he neither wrote or asked someone to write that paticular poem, which means someone else did. "Is this a joke, a prank or something? Let me see that, please." He reaches out again for the paper with the poem. It could be an act, but you'd think he'd have cracked up by now without the ability to be so serious.

Looking slightly surprised as Irvine continues his 'act,' Selphie begins to think perhaps he isn't acting innocent, and that he really -is-. He would be admitting that he did it by now, since he's always so proud of his little shows of affection. Letting the paper get taken, the girl now looks thoroughly confused, though her smile stays partially on her face. Uncertain. "--We-... Well, who else would do that?" There's a laugh in her voice, though she doesn't find it funny. It's sweet, but... C'mon, -everyone- knows about her and Irvine!

Finally getting his hands on this paticularly offensive, in Irvine's opinion, note, he glances over it, cornflower blue eyes narrowing. No name. Not even handwritten. Probably no fingerprints, if he wanted to go -that- far with it. He snorts derisively, "Someone playing a prank, I bet." Yeah, that's it. Surely everyone knows about him and Selphie. This is someone's sick idea of a practical joke. Still, if it is a joke someone went to a lotta trouble for it. It -is- a well written poem.

Selphie gives Irvine an -odd- look. "Why would someone play a prank like that? That's stupid! And it's a nice poem, too." Either way, she can tell that Irvine's bugged by it. So... lighten the mood time! Smiling again, the girl moves to drape her arms over his shoulders from behind him, cooing, "I'm just soo~ totally popular, is all...! I have an admirer! You've got like, a million. It's about time I got one!"

Irvine glances up from the note, resisting the urge to crumple it up. It is -her- note, after all, from some kinda admirer no doubt. Or a prankster who just thinks this sort of thing is funny for some sadistic reason. He turns his head to the side slightly to grin at her, even if she can't quite see it. "Oh, is that so. Darlin', you only -need- one admirer. Me." Tossing the note aside, not caring where it falls, he pulls her arms from around his shoulders so he can turn around and look at her, then connecting her hands behind him again instead. "And you're -too- popular if you've got secret poets sending you things," he protests in addition, touching her hair.

Giggling now -- yay, Irvine's not all glare-y anymore -- Selphie lets herself be repositioned and such, looking up at him all the while. "Whatever! -You- don't write me -poetry-, though," she teases to his first words. Head cocking slightly to the side then, pressing her head to his hand as it touches her hair, she purses her lips slightly. "You think so...? I mean, at least it's -just- a poem! I could find my room stuffed with flowers, y'know. And then you'd have to compete!" Teehee.

Irvine suddenly looks all mock-huffy over that remark. "Compete? I will -not- compete with some bozo who thinks flowery words and a room full of flowers are the way to your heart, Darlin'." Reaching under her chin to tilt her head upward, he gives her the -look- that just says 'don't be getting any ideas, missy'. "Remember, you're mine. I don't -need- to compete." Woooo, all possessive now even. Of course, now he feels all challeneged, so you just know he's gonna start doing things to beat that stupid poem anyway.

Selphie will have to find out who wrote it and thank them soon, she's sure. Hee. Letting him tilt her chin up, she returns his look with a little stubborn wrinkle of her nose. 'Whatever,' is what is portrays. Of course, at the proclamation of her being his and all, she just looks more stubborn than before. "Tch! Like you own me, or something!" She really doesn't, of course, mind. She's not some type of feminist with illusions about who rules who; she knows she's in charge, and lets Irvine think otherwise! Waha.

No, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to find the poet. But that'll come out eventually, later. Irvine lifts an eyebrow, clearly seeing the stubborness there. He knows his place in this relationship, but he's fairly certain she's not totally in charge. Reaching down now to lift her up and start carting her off toward the bed he quips, "Yeah, I do own you. Lock, stock and little yellow dress." In other words, let's see how far he can take this little possession thing.

A little squeal as she's lifted, and carted. "--Heey! Nuh-uh, nuh-uh!" Kicking her feet playfully, Selphie giggles nonetheless. "Not -yet-!" And, well, yeah. They're not -married- yet, so there. But still, the mystery of the Poet lingers in the back of her mind. A SeeD? -- Oh well, she'll figure it out.

Who knows if the guy is really SeeD, anyone older seemed like a SeeD/God to that newbie Cadet. "Ooooh, yes yes yes," Irvine laughs in reply to her protesting 'Nuh-uh!'s. "And even if not yet, you already said yeeeeeessss!" He drops her onto the bed, though certainly not roughly, hovering over her a moment before leaning down to kiss her. The hat falls right off his head and longish bangs brush past his cheeks, tickling at Selphie's face.

Selphie will deal with all of it at a later date. It's -Irvine- here now, not the poet. Giggling and squealing once more as she's dropped, the yellow-clad girl bounces slightly once she lands. Shaking her head to dislodge the hair that fell over her eyes, she stops just as he leans down. Yaay! Kissy! Being owned isn't so bad. Said hair does, though, make her giggle into the kiss. It -tickles-, sue her.

Being thoroughly amused through all this, Irvine can't help but giggle too, breaking the kiss to toss his head, trying to get those unruly bangs out of his face. It won't quite work as they just keep tumbling down again and he tries puffing them in mock exasperation. Finally, he gives up, laughing. "I love you, Darlin'." Aw, it's one of those cute, happy moments. The mysterious poet is long forgotten now, as well as the jealousy that followed his unwarranted missive.

Laughing at all of his attempts at taming his bangs, Selphie offers, "Why not wear those little hair thingees you gave me?" Hee. A quiet giggle later, she also adds, "I love you too! And I think they'd look awesome on you!" Uhoh. Better watch it, she looks like she's gonna actually try and -find- them, and make Irvy wear 'em.

"Ooooh, no you don't, I bought those for -you-, and I don't wear pink," Irvine retorts, making sure Selphie's pinned underneath him now so she can't get any further ideas. "I could just cut my hair." That's a bit of a threat there, though definately non-serious. He'd no more cut his hair off then he'd cut his trigger finger off. It just wouldn't be the same without the length.
And oddly enough, just as things are getting all cute and cuddley, the lights in the room just die. No one's near the light switches or anything. Just poof.

Uh! Squrming playfully under the cowboy, Selphie still looks for the box with her eyes. --And stops, though, at his threat. Looking at him with a look that can only be read as 'whatever,' she knows good and well he'd never do that. "What, and like, sacrifice all those hot-oil treatments you've done over the years?" Hee! Giggling despite herself, quietly, she really does enjoy these little moments. Nothing serious, just -- "--Heeey!" Where'd the light go? "Irvy!" Even though it's obvious he didn't so it, she still shouts his name as if he could have.

Irvine glances up as the lights go out, then back down at Selphie with an exasperated look. "I didn't do it." Huh. He's never had a black out in his room before, not ever. That's odd. Letting Selphie go, he gets up to test the light switch. *click, click* Nothing. "Weird. Did the lightbulb die?" Florescent lights are a wee bit different though, and usually flicker and turn purplish before failing. They don't just poof off immediately. But, even knowing this, he grabs the desk chair and brings it over to check out the fixture above. "Geesh, wonder why this happened."

Sitting up as Irvine rises, Selphie glances left and right for no reason at all. "I don't think so...! They always make little flickery things when they do that." Slipping off of the bed, she rises, moving towards the door. "I'll see if anyone else's lights went out," she chirps, opening said door enough to peek out. Normally if someone else's lights went out, they'd do the same as she is. Worry isn't exactly on her mind, since it's not nighttime or anything.

Irvine sees nothing wrong with that idea. If everyone else's lights went out too, then it's a problem with the electrical system at Garden. Perhaps something got crossed in all the moving or something and just needs to be fixed. "Lemme know..." The lights in the hallway are on, however. No one else is milling around there either, which most students will do just for the same reason Selphie is going out there.
But, as she steps out, there a movement somewhere, a shadow disappearing around the corner, back to the Atrium. And on the floor in front of the door is a... now how to describe this. It's disgusting, for one thing. The flayed skull of some creature, probably a monster from the training center, the gleaming white showing through congealed blood. And, written on the ground around it. 'Stay away from Selphie. She deserves better.' This was -obviously- meant for Irvine.

Looking first left and right, and seeing no other light-less students, Selphie almost misses said shadow. But, well, the dorms are well populated. No big deal. "I think it's just us," Selphie notes back into the room, turning to re-enter even as she talks. She almost doesn't notice the skull. Almost. A double-take, and a sudden gasp. "--Oh--!" She sounds disgusted, turning immediately back into the room at a much quicker pace. And she -looks- digusted, too, one hand covering her mouth. Whatever was written wasn't read, save for her name. Fetch the big strong man to deal with it.

And the big strong man has decided there's nothing wrong with the light or the fixture, stepping down from the chair in frustration. "I don's know what it's do-- what?" The gasp alarms him, approaching Selphie as she comes back into the room at that faster pace with a hand over her mouth. "What's wrong, you ok?" The skull and writing are not yet noticed, Irvine's concentrating on her, reaching toward her to hold her shoulders.

"There's..." Selphie wrinkles her nose, the image floating around her head still. "--Ugh, just, go look!" Head shaking slightly, she's at a total loss for words. What the heck is going -on-? The skull somehow being related to the poem doesn't even cross her mind. A beautiful poem and a gory skull... The relation just doesn't exist. --But what did that writing say...?

Irvine looks over Selphie's head now, cornflower blue eyes narrowing as he finally realizes what's there. Drawing Selphie aside, he walks past her to inspect the gory warning. And, aloud he reads, "Stay away from Selphie. She deserves better-- what the hell is this?" The last part of that is shouted aloud at the hallway, though there is no one there to hear him. A couple of doors open and heads peek out then. Someone shrieks and more doors open then, some slamming shut right afterward. Meanwhile, the cowboy is rubbing at his face, trying to figure this out. He's already put the poem and this oddball warning together. Someone is after -his- Sefie. "Darlin', I think you better stay in your own room for now, and keep the door locked at all times." If this guy has it in for Irvine, he's afraid whoever it is might hurt her accidently while trying to get to the cowboy.

As Irvine reads aloud the writing, Selphie just gets more and more confused. "--Irvy...!", she calls, in a mixture of worry, confusion, and altogether cluelessness. She inches closer to the cowboy, but stops at his words, hugging herself unbeknowest to her. "What?!" Stay in her own room? Locked door? "Irvine, what the heck is going on?! Why should I do that?!" Honestly, for being a SeeD, she's not very good at it when she's not on duty.

Irvine is worried, -really- worried. Rising to his feet, not bothering with the skull at the moment, seeing as he has no idea what to do with it, he frowns at Selphie, reaching out for her since she's standing there hugging herself and that bugs him. Well, that and he just needs to hold her suddenly, because this actually kinda scares him too. "I'm not sure what is going on, Darlin', but I don't like it. Someone doesn't want me around you, and I think it's whoever is sending you poetry." Classic, really. So, he then asks, "Have you talked to anyone lately who's seemed really interested in you?" Oh sure, ask Miss Popular that and expect a real answer, cowboy?

Selphie just lets Irvine hold her, dropping her hands so that she can return the favor. She doesn't understand. Sure, she knows something's going on, and that it's obviously dangerous, but her staying in her own room with the door locked... That makes -no- sense. "But---!" Well... She really has no idea why the poet and the mean-type can't be one in the same, though she likes to think there must be SOME reason. Slumping slightly as he asks his next question, the girl sounds uncertain, voice higher than normal. "--Well--! I mean, I can't... I can't think of anyone, Irvy, I... I talk to alot of people!"

Irvine releases Selphie long enough to crouch down in front of her, having to look up just a little to talk to her. He prefers this, because he's closer to being eye to eye with her then when he's standing. "Darlin', someone seems to have an interest in you that's a little on the unhealthy side. I'm guessing that he doesn't realize you're staying with me, or something... was that poem sent straight to my room or was it supposed to go to yours? Did that girl say?" He had missed the conversation, after all. "See, this guy sees me as competition, babe. He might try to hurt me to separate us and if he accidently got you in the process, I'd be sick."

Looking down to the cowboy -- she likes this too, for some reason that she's not really aware of -- Selphie cocks her head to the side as he talks. "...Uhm," she says, suddenly falling stupid. An unhealthy interest? "...Y-yeah! It was s'posed to go to my room," she explains, voice excited for some reason. "She said she didn't know who it was, though..." Quieting then as he talks once more, she blinks widely at his explination. "--But! If some guy's trying to hurt you I'm not just gonna -leave- you!" She doesn't say it, but it's obvious that she feels she's more qualified than he is -- she's the SeeD.

Yes, she's the SeeD of the pair, and the reminder of that, even though Selphie never -said- it aloud, makes him wince, rising back to his feet again. He's the -guy- in this situation, so he's supposed to protect her, right? Right. "I don't want you getting hurt, Sefie," he says quietly. He's jumping to a lot of conclusions in this, really, he could be dead wrong about all of it, it could be some horrid prank from someone who doesn't realize this isn't funny. It could be a lotta things. But, the cowboy doesn't want to take chances.

Selphie is, unfortunately, far too trained to believe what she's told. Any idea about what the skull and poem ensemble might have been besides what Irvine's deduced don't make their way into her head. So someone really likes her, and really DOESN'T like Irvine, for that reason. She can deal with that. And now, for her next act, she'll be very, very stubborn. "Well, -I'm- not leaving! He can just figure out that I'm staying in here and get -over- it!" Hrmph.

Irvine crosses his arms over his chest and sighs. "Well, I guess that's it, isn't it." Truth be told, he doesn't want her not staying here. But, he's gonna be -real- paranoid for a while after this. Just then, the lights suddenly flicker back on, and there's an instructor in the doorway. "Kinneas? What the devil is this? I've got students reporting whatever this is. Oh, hi Selphie."

Nod. "You bet it is!" Not only does she get easily scared when Irvine's not in the bed -- something that only recently has became a problem, obviously -- but there's safety in numbers, so. Before the subject can be pressed further, there's an intructor. "--Hi, Instructor Rhali." She's more cheerful than she was a moment ago, but not quite as cheerful as she might normally be. She'll let Irvine do the talking.

Irvine glances toward the doorway after Selphie's adamant reply and shrugs at Rhali. "Someone's playing a prank or something. Sick joke, but I don't know what else to think." He'll keep his conspiracy theories to himself and Selphie for now. But, regardless, he's a paranoid cowboy for the time being.
The instructor scratches at his head. "Well, clean it up, I guess, I'll get rid of the skull. Damn kids, no offense." He grins at the two, not saying a word about them being together. Even instructors get wind of the rumor mill if they listen. "No violence I take it?"

Giving Irvine a sideways glance as he kindasorta lies to the instructor, she nonetheless nods in agreement, hands behind her back. "None taken!", she interjects. "And, well, no. But the lights went out before it was put there!" ...She thinks. It might have been there before the lights went out. Who knows. Shifting from foot to foot idly, she decides to quiet, and let Irvine speak for her again if there's another question.

"Lights?" The instructor lifts an eyebrow at Selphie, but when she seems reluctant to answer, he looks at Irvine instead. The cowboy shrugs, giving him the kind of look that says, 'don't ask me, I dunno'. So, he waves it off. "Well, if it happens again, lights that is, call mainenance. As for the pranks, let me know personally if it keeps up, these sorta things are dangerous. Getting close to Halloween though, probably be seeing stuff like this." He shakes his head, reaching down to pick up that nasty looking skull without even flinching. But this is a hardened SeeD, who's probably seen worse by now.

Letting Irvine do the 'talking' again, Selphie just nods in response to the Intructor's advice. "Kay!" She purposely doesn't watch the skull get picked up, and instead opts to look at the cowboy's vest, for some reason, at least until they're alone again. ...It -can't- be a prank. Pranks are like, rigging buckets of water over doors. Not leaving bloody skulls and scary messages! Once he's gone, though, she'll opt to just leeeeeean against Irvine. SIGH.

Irvine slips an arm around Selphie's shoulders, not at all minding her leaning against him, idly rubrubing at her back in a soothing gesture. No, he's not at all convinced this is a prank either, but the instructor was right about Halloween coming. It makes him think. "Guess I better clean up the rest of the mess, eh?" He doesn't expect her to do it, after all, not when she gets all squeemish around roaches. Otherwise, things seem to be back to normal again. Lights are on, and it's begun to get dark outside too. Just in time.

"Irvy, we can pretend this didn't happen, right...?" And until he makes a move to clean said mess, she'll stay where she is, using him as support. She thinks the meanie that did this should have to clean it up, however, she's not holding her breath. The time -is- noted, though she's fairly glad this all didn't happen at night. She'd be terrified! It's funny, really. When she's on a mission, she can somehow not get ruffled by gunshots aimed for her, yet... When she's not, the simple things effect her. Like she's two different people.

Irvine has noticed this, honestly, as he's -seen- her in battle and knows what she's capable of, but in peacetimes, on the homefront, she seems to revert from Super-Selphie to something much more girlish. The duality is odd, but he likes it. It just means he can't quite take her for granted, and he understands there's a fierce woman beneath the soft girlish exterior. He doesn't make any moves to walk away from her either or clean up what's left of the mess. It'd be real nice if it just disappeared, but that's not going to happen. "Yeah, we can pretend it didn't." He would much rather forget all of it, provided they're allowed.

Insert a longish silence here, before Selphie finally straightens, heading back towards the desk/bed area for one reason or another. A silent prod to go clean that stuff up, apparently. If and when he does, she'll pull out a little pad of paper, and a pen. After a moment of thought, she scribbles something. Scribblescribble.

Irvine heads into the bathroom first to grab whichever towel is the rattiest to use for the actual cleanup. Selphie's scribbling isn't noticed as he starts wiping up all the ick, smearing out that stupid message first, of course. And, after it comes clean, he just tosses the soiled towel out in the trash, figuring it's utterly ruined now. Now he notices her sitting at the desk, canting his head to the side. "Whatcha doing?"

"Writin'," she answers, distracted. There! Done! She hops up, tears that paper off, and unless otherwise stopped, trots out into the hall. Trot, trot. Heading for her door, she'll tack the note up on the bulliten board on her door. If Irvy cares to read it -- duh -- it reads, 'Hello! Thanks for the poem, but I don't think the skull was very nice. You can come apologize to me in room 23C, where I've -been staying- for like ever. I might forgive you, if you're really nice! -Selphie.'

Irvine just watches Selphie trot on out, and follows her from a distance as she heads back to the door to her room. "What are you doing?" He pauses to actually read the note, frowning a bit. "Darlin'... you sure that's a good idea?" He thinks it's asking for trouble. Then again, if the guy knows she's staying with her cowboy, maybe he'll think twice before trying anything like that again.

Dusting her hands off, Selphie barely pauses as she sees Irvine read her note. Heading right back towards Irvine's-- er, their? -- dorm, she speaks even as she does so. "I dunno. But maybe it is! Who knows?" Pausing in the doorway, she leans against it, smiling brightly. "Maybe he'll stop sending you mean things if he knows I'm with you! Besides, if he -likes- me s'much," she reasons, "He should -know- I'm staying with you."

Well, the logic is there. Sort of. Irvine kinda stands there after she passes by him, back to hi--their dorm. Shrugging finally, he walks back, glancing over his shoulder at that note. No, he's not gonna take it down. That'd probably upset her. "Ok, if you say so, Darlin'." Seeing as she's standing in the doorway, he looks at her for a moment, suddenly getting an idea... snatches her up with a low, playful growl and pulls her back into the room, shouting, "Mine!" before kicking the door shut with a foot.

Selphie beams. Yes, she does say so. And just as she's about to say something quirky, Irvine rather interrupts her. With a little quiet squeal, she playfully squirms, in mock protest. "--Nuh-uuu~uuuh!" Back to where we started, huh. Honestly, she doesn't see how her note could do anything but good. If this guy knows she's staying with Irvine, maybe he'll leave her alone. Plus, he'll likely stop bugging Irvine. That's like, killing a million birds with one stone!

The sound of a few doors opening echoes distantly outside, but they close afterward soon enough, who knows what came of Irvine's little display of ownership over Selphie. Laughing, he spins her around once, making sure her legs don't hit anything before he sets her down again. If the jerk who sent her that poem was anywhere near, well, that was Irvine's way of saying 'back off'. However... he does reach out to lock the door, just in case.

Giggling quietly at the 'ride,' Selphie just clings to his mid-section, pressing her cheek against his chest after she's set down. Le sigh! "Irvy~?" she asks, not even looking up at him. Now, the following could be a vast ARRAY of questions. Could be -anything-. Pulling away suddenly, she gives a toothy grin upwards. "Wanna arm wrestle?!" --Anything, indeed.

Indeed, when Selphie is about to ask him something, it could be -anything-. He looks down at her expectantly and suddenly starts laughing as she asks about arm wrestling. "What? Darlin', unless you're junctioned, I don't think you'll beat me at arm wrestling." He reaches down to run his fingers through her hair, kinda liking having her pressed against him.

"You're just -scared- I'm gonna -win-, is all!" Yeah, see. Selphie bouncing back! And here is where she uses a thick hick-ish accent. "Yeller-bellied varment!" Teehee. Honestly, she needs to find Carbunkle again and plop the thing in her mind. So what if it eats memories? Irvy's here to help her with that. Besides, she liked being all strong and stuff...

"Yellow bellied varmint?!" Irvine says incredulously. "Oooh, that does it, Darlin'." Here we go again, just being all macho male to prove to Sefie who's got more muscle power while unjunctioned. Picking her up, he just holds her against him. He's not letting her down anytime soon either, and staggers back a bit till he's got his back against the wall. "I'd rather tongue wrassle anyway. You have a better chance with it."

Nod!ing up to the cowboy, grinning still, the yellow-clad girl really didn't expect what happens. That is, of course, clear from the expression on her face, and the little 'heeey!' of protest. Squirming once more, she actually giggles as he moves backwards, kicking her feet even. "Oh, whatever!" Hands move in an obvious attempt at tickling the cowboy, even if it's not the best idea in the world.

No, not a good idea, actually. Irvine squirms and nearly loses his grip on Selphie, dropping to his knees as he loses his balance yet refuses to just drop her. A hissing intake of breath, knees not exactly happy with him for that move of sacrifice, he still can't help but chuckle after that. But! He's still not willing to let her go either, and if she attempts a getaway, she'll find strong cowboy arms pulling her right back in against him.

Yelp! But she giggles nonetheless, still playfully squirming. And then, suddenly, she ow!s. "--Owowow! My tummy--! Ouchiie!" Now, she's not really hurt, but she dang well sounds like it. She even stops squirming. Uhoh! Is Selphie hurt? What could have happened? Maybe she's sick. Oh nooo!

Irvine blinks, suddenly forgetting the pain in his knees. Sefie's hurt somehow! "What's wrong, Darlin'?" He doesn't let her go, but his grip changes from trying to hold into a squirming fiancee to merely holding her instead. "What happened?" Suddenly he's afraid he's hurt her somehow in all this silly horseplay, though he's not sure how. He relaxes the grip, slowly laying her back against the floor, leaving an arm around her so she's not lying flat. Blue eyes are more then worried.

...Well, she -is- faking. Just so he'd let her go, of course. But now that he seems -so worried-, maybe... she'll have to go along with it. Yipe. Selphie feels really bad for trying to fake him out now, and there's no way she's gonna tell him she's not really sick. So she clutches her stomach slightly, frowning. Good thing she's a good actress when she wants to be. "I dunno~," she drawls, sounding every bit the part. Luckily, it -is- almost that time, so she can blame it on cramps! Yay!

Irvine reaches up to tuck those damned unruly bangs behind an ear, he licks his lips, frowning a bit as she continues with the 'act'. "Did I hit you accidently or something? God, I'm sorry, Darlin'. I didn't mean to hurt you." That oughtta further add to her feelings of guilt, but he's not at all aware that she's faking it. When she says she's hurt, he believes her. He wonders quietly if she ate too much junk food or something too, but wouldn't it have hit her already if that was the case?

Oh, jeez! She feels terrible! Waaah! "No, no! ...I think it's just cramps," she adds, quietly. Eek! Maybe that'll shut him up, though. And it rather occurs to her that every time she's faked being sick back at Trabia, and even back before she went to Garden, she always got sick immediately after it, if not the same day. Some weird type of Karma, or maybe she's -that- good of an Actress. So she really, REALLY regrets doing this... Sniffle.

Blinking, Irvine knows what cramps mean and he wrinkles his nose, finally starting to relax, thinking maybe he didn't hurt her. Still, this is a 'woman' thing, and being male, he's never understood it. "Oh... that time of the month coming? You want some aspirin or something?" He knows women have certain things they like to take for the pain, he just doesn't remember exactly what. However, he can't help but ask, for the sake of reassurance, "So... I didn't hurt you then?"

Selphie nods slowly, sniffling for some reason that she's not aware of. Eek. She -is- close to that time, come to think about it... "N-no thank you, I'm okay now..." Erg. She feels baa~aad. And then shaking her head, she adds, "No! You didn't hurt me, silly! I'm fine!" Of course, she'll wake up in the middle of the night with horrid cramps, thanks to this little escapade. Sigh. Looking up at the cowboy for a longish moment, she decides that she shouldn't waste an oppertunity like this. "--Will you give me a backrub, thoo~oough? It makes me feel better...!"

Irvine smiles, nodding in response. Anything to make his Sefie feel better. "Yeah, come on, let's get you off the floor then." He'll just help her up though, no more picking her up and taking her anywhere for now. It's probably noticable that he's being excessively gentle with her too, suddenly treating her as if she were made of glass and might shatter. Poor fragile Sefie. "Sure you don't need anything else?"

Well, she's already condemmed to hell as it is, she's sure. But she'll take further advantage of this later. A backrub is good enough for now! With Irvine's aid, she rises to her feet, not minding his obvious care with her. "Noper, that's okay!" She'll even act a little more in need of help, to make him feel more needed. Aww. She'll let him point her wheverever -- she doesn't know how he wants to sit/lie to do this.

Irvine guides her to the bed, even helping her sit on the edge before saying, "Lie down, be back in a sec." He turns and disappears into the bathroom after he's sure she's ok, rummaging around for something. When he comes back, he hangs the duster up finally, and the hat. Not gonna do anything with em anymore and he has no further plans of going out anywhere.

Sitting, her first task is to take her boots off. Kick, kick. Man, she feels really guilty! But not guilty enough to pass up a backrub. Hee. And Selphie doesn't in fact lie down. She instead opts to lean back on her hands, suddenly realizing how -tired- she suddenly is. Odd. Oh well, backrubs will make it all better. And though she wonders what Irvine's rummaging for, she doesn't ask. Nope. She'll be patient!