Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ A Heart in the Sand ❯ Chapter 1
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: reilythryian 
A Romance Story set in the timeline of Final Fantasy VIII. It involves the Romance of Selphie and Irvine.
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Self Insertion | Uploaded On: 01.15.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 474 | Status: Completed
A Romance Story set in the timeline of Final Fantasy VIII. It involves the Romance of Selphie and Irvine.
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Self Insertion | Uploaded On: 01.15.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.4K | Visits: 474 | Status: Completed
A Heart in the Sand
Written by Aaron Burnham
"How'd you get her weapon anyways?" asked Irvine puzzled.
Selphie smiled mischievously at Irvine. She held up Quistis' chain whip. "I got her to switch weapons with me for a while. She made me promise to be REALLY careful with it."
Irvine nodded. The chain whip had been Quistis' first weapon. She always kept it locked up in her room. While she carried around 'Save the Queen'. The chain whip seemed to have a deep importance to her.
"Then I hope we don't run into any monsters while we're our here. Since you aren't very experienced with that, I don't want anything to happen." The two of them had gone out into Alcauld Plains near
Balamb alone for the evening.
"Ah, don't worry Irvy. I'll kick their butts!" Selphie jumped up, attempting to snap the whip. Instead it came back and hit her in the face.
"Dumb thing came back and bit me!" Selphie yelled. She fixed her skirt and sat on the grass. Irvine chuckled a bit, and then sat next to her.
"Ouch. How can she carry this thing around?" Selphie wondered. "It's so big and heavy." The chain was obviously too much for her petite body.
Irvine smiled and winked. "You know what else is big..."
Selphie looked at him funnily, not knowing what he was expecting her to say. "Uhh...that chocobo we caught the other day?"
Irvine shook his head, still smiling. "Remember, the party after we beat the sorceress?" Selphie gave him a disapproving look. They hadn't done anything as far as she could remember.
"You would just as soon do something like that with any other girl." She scoffed angrily. She wasn't going to be attached to someone who could just as easily get attached to any random attractive girl. Which
there happened to be plenty of in Balamb Garden.
"Quistis says you are just a womanizing pig...She knows more about that kind of stuff than I do."
Irvine couldn't believe his ears. "Come on Sefie...I wouldn't be doing anything like that with any girls. Quistis, she never even gave me a chance." Selphie looked down and pulled out a few blades of grass.
"Irvine, you even flirt with Rinoa. And you know she has Squall."
Did anyone ever understand his actions?
"I was just doing that to try and get a reaction out of Squall. You know, get him to yell or something. That didn't mean anything. When I was flirting with you on the train, that was for real."
Irvine sat a little closer to Selphie, and wrapped his arms around her tiny body. She was a bit surprised, but she leaned against him. This feeling was far different than anything she had ever experienced.
"He hates my train song." Selphie laughed. "But how'd she do it? No one could get any emotion out of him. He wouldn't even show me around the Garden when I first transferred." She remembered
amusingly.
"He's been like that since the orphanage..." Irvine said, holding her close.
"The orphanage..." Selphie could barely remember any of it. All she recalled was what Irvine had told her. Which wasn't too much. They had all gone there, with the exception of Rinoa.
Selphie looked to the beach and got an idea to help lighten the dense mood. "Hey...wanna go for a swim?" She jumped into the water, not waiting for a response. Hopping on one foot while removing one
boot, she alternated feet, and slowly made her way to the shore.
Irvine stood up, and watched her.
Putting her big toe in the water, she quickly pulled it back. "It's cold!" Slowly she stepped in, wading into the water about knee length.
"What's wrong?" She yelled to Irvine, who was still watching from the land. "Don't you like to swim?" Selphie motioned for him to follow her.
A big grin crossed his face. Irvine ran after her, and then scooped her up in his arms. Selphie began screaming and laughing loudly. "AHAHAHAHA!! Put me down!"
'...ok."
Irvine dunked both of them under the frigid water, then pulled her back up. They came above the surface laughing, and Irvine held her hands tightly. Before Selphie had time to question or disagree, he held
her close and passionately pressed her lips to his.
Such an erotic kiss...
Selphie stepped back and took a deep breath. Along with the wet clay oozing between her toes, she felt her insides melting. Putting a hand to her neck, she noticed the difference in her bobby hairstyle. The
water had forced the large curl to fall straight down to her dainty shoulders.
Feeling herself blush, she took his hat, covered her face, and sunk back down into the dark water. She didn't want to appear embarrassed or scared.
She just wasn't used to feeling this way.
Irvine swam to her and pulled her up. He carelessly tossed his hat to the shore. Selphie looked up, almost straining her neck, to his deep brown eyes staring back at hers. The gaze seemed to last forever.
Feeling herself break, she hid her face in his neck.
Irvine didn't mind. He had waited so many years to find her again. The childhood lovers from the orphanage parted under cruel fate. Seeming to have separate destinies, but he never had given up, or
forgotten her. Irvine felt her hands on his neck, playing with his long hair.
"...memories..." Irvine muttered to himself.
"Hmm...? What did you say Irvy?"
Irvine shook his head. "I just remember, this makes me think about our first kiss."
Selphie looked at him shocked. First kiss? There was a first kiss prior to a few moments ago? Irvine could tell from her expression that she had no recollection of them ever kissing.
"...When?" Selphie got a bit angry with herself. "Why can't I remember these things...It's not fair!"
"Hey...." Irvine comforted her. "It's the GF's fault. That's why I only equip them if needed. Don't blame yourself. None of the others remembered the orphanage either."
He stroked her soft, soaked hair. Slightly sliding his hands down, he felt her shoulder blades. Sighing, he lightly kissed her cheek.
The slightest attempt to calm her nerves.
"I still should have known better. I was out by myself when I junctioned my first GF. I found it in the monster I defeated. And now...I can't remember what the GF was...or-"
"Don't worry, forget it." Irvine chuckled at the slight comic relief. The feel of her breath on his neck. Like the old times. Selphie broke the silence.
"Irvy?"
"Yes?"
"What was it like?" She inquired.
"The orphanage was great. We had so much fun...Quistis was bossy as always. Trying to get you to play House with her instead of Cowboys and Indians with me and Zell. Heh, and Seifer-"
"No, I mean...well that's nice but, I meant...what was our first kiss like? I'm not a very experienced kisser obviously."
"Our first kiss..." Irvine tilted his head back. The sweetest memory of all. Sitting on the shore, feet splashing in the crystal clear water.
Her beautiful eyes staring back into his.
"Our first kiss…was the most incredible feeling in the world."
Selphie stood in silence. What could she say? He had treasured and thought about her for years. And she hadn't even remembered him. Could he just be making these things up? No…his voice was too
sincere. Perhaps he was the sensitive sharpshooter he claimed to be.
"Irvy…" Selphie gulped. Embarrassed and nervous to ask her next question, she just held onto him. "I have another question." She stated.
He slowly pulled her away from him so he could look at her beautiful face. She looked so tense, yet calm at the same time. Reaching out, he placed his index finger on her bottom lip. "Ask away."
"Umm…have I ever…" She looked up to see his face. Being nearly a foot taller than her, he bent down so they could be eye level.
"Have I ever told you 'I love you'?"
"Once…"
Selphie placed her hands on his chest and straightened his jacket. "When?"
"The day…that they took you away from me. I didn't even know you were leaving. Or have a chance to say goodbye, before you left the orphanage. I was out playing by myself, and when I came back,
some people from Trabia were putting you into a vehicle. When you saw me, you shouted, 'I love you Irvy!'…then you were gone." Irvine looked away to hide his watery eyes.
A single tear slid down his face, glistening in the moonlight.
"Afterwards," He continued. "Seifer came up to me and told me that everyone already knew."
Selphie looked down guiltily. She didn't remember why she hadn't told him. But she did recall when Matron had broken the news to her.
"I remember Matron told me I didn't really have much of a choice. She said I was going to be very happy. And I was…I miss my friends at Trabia. Hey…have you ever gone skinny dipping?"
Irvine slightly smiled and shook his head no.
"You promise not to tell anyone…?" Irvine nodded, so she continued.
"I went skinny dipping with a group of friends at Trabia. It was fun." She smiled through her tears. Irvine could tell she hurt so badly from the loss of her old friends. Turning around, she walked out of the
water and sat in the damp sand. Sticking her finger into the earth, she began to draw.
Irvine came up to see what she was drawing.
A Heart In The Sand.
She yawned, picked up his hat and used it as a cushion for her head as she lied down. Irvine lay down next to her and leaned his head on his hand, watching her close her eyes.
Once again she yawned.
"Are you tired? I'll take you back to Garden." He offered, as he got ready to carry her. She shook her head and held onto his arm.
"No, I wanna stay here." She pleaded, cuddling next to him. She slowly unbuttoned his vest.
"I don't like this purple. You should change it to…yellow!"
Irvine lightly laughed. "I knew you'd say that."
Selphie rubbed his warm chest with her cold hands. She traced her fingers around the formations of his chest and abdomens.
"It's so late…" She said looking at the full moon. "Squall wanted us back by 1900 hours."
"I didn't know we had a curfew." Irvine responded.
"Well, w don't but-" Selphie perked her head up when she voices. The all too familiar voices of Squall, Rinoa and Quistis. All three of them calling out their names.
"He he, they're looking for us." Selphie quietly laughed.
Rinoa soon spotted them. She pointed and whispered something to Squall. The two appeared amused, while Quistis looked very displeased.
"Can you hear them?" Selphie asked Irvine.
"Um…" He strained his ears to listen.
"Aw…come on they look so cute!" Rinoa said.
"I don't care. It's very inappropriate conduct. And they should have been back hours ago," Quistis rejected.
Rinoa rolled her eyes. Squall threw his arms up in protest of their argument, which was wasting his time.
"I can't believe Selphie let Irvine put his hands on her. If I were Selphie I'd-" Quistis was interrupted by Rinoa's laughter.
"HAHAHAHA! Oh please! Quistis, calm down."
"But she has my-"
"Oh, don't worry about it. Seriously, you're so high strung Quisty!"
"Don't ever call me that!" Quistis yelled, aggravated.
"Forget those two. I have work to do." Squall said, walking back to Balamb.
"Wait! I'm coming with you!" Rinoa hurriedly followed him.
"Are they gone yet?"
Selphie whispered to Irvine as she lay on his chest.
"…Quistis is still here. Watch this."
Irvine stood up and yelled to Quistis. When he got her attention. He loaded his shotgun with dark ammo and fired.
"What are you doing?!" Selphie yelled worriedly.
Irvine laughed. "Don't worry, it's a blank. It just cast Blind on her.
They watched Quistis stumble and fall over a rock while yelling profanities. "Irvine Kinneas…If I ever find you I'll kill you!"
"That was for calling me a perverted asshole yesterday!" Irvine yelled back.
"I never called you a perverted asshole you….you asshole!!" Quistis screamed, while attempting to regain her composure. She threw down the nunchakus borrowed from Selphie and walked off in the
opposite direction of the Garden.
"Who's gonna tell her she's going the wrong way?" Selphie giggled.
"She'll figure it out." Irvine said. "Besides, the Blind should wear off in about half an hour."
Selphie sat down next to the heart in the sand. Irvine sat down next to her, never taking his eyes off of Selphie. Noticing this, Selphie spoke up.
"Irvy…I love you."
Living his life fearing he would never again hear those words from the only girl he's ever loved, Irvine embraced her,
"I love you too Sefie. I've always loved you…And I've waited for what seems like forever to be reunited with my little cowgirl. I may not be a knight, but I will still protect you with my life. I'll be...your
fearless cowboy."
Selphie smiled and looked down. Life seemed even more carefree than it ever had. Right now, the only people in existence were the two of them, here. If only time could freeze this moment.
"Booyaka!" She said as she put his hat on.
Reaching out at the same time, the two lovers wrote their names inside the heart.
Written by Aaron Burnham
"How'd you get her weapon anyways?" asked Irvine puzzled.
Selphie smiled mischievously at Irvine. She held up Quistis' chain whip. "I got her to switch weapons with me for a while. She made me promise to be REALLY careful with it."
Irvine nodded. The chain whip had been Quistis' first weapon. She always kept it locked up in her room. While she carried around 'Save the Queen'. The chain whip seemed to have a deep importance to her.
"Then I hope we don't run into any monsters while we're our here. Since you aren't very experienced with that, I don't want anything to happen." The two of them had gone out into Alcauld Plains near
Balamb alone for the evening.
"Ah, don't worry Irvy. I'll kick their butts!" Selphie jumped up, attempting to snap the whip. Instead it came back and hit her in the face.
"Dumb thing came back and bit me!" Selphie yelled. She fixed her skirt and sat on the grass. Irvine chuckled a bit, and then sat next to her.
"Ouch. How can she carry this thing around?" Selphie wondered. "It's so big and heavy." The chain was obviously too much for her petite body.
Irvine smiled and winked. "You know what else is big..."
Selphie looked at him funnily, not knowing what he was expecting her to say. "Uhh...that chocobo we caught the other day?"
Irvine shook his head, still smiling. "Remember, the party after we beat the sorceress?" Selphie gave him a disapproving look. They hadn't done anything as far as she could remember.
"You would just as soon do something like that with any other girl." She scoffed angrily. She wasn't going to be attached to someone who could just as easily get attached to any random attractive girl. Which
there happened to be plenty of in Balamb Garden.
"Quistis says you are just a womanizing pig...She knows more about that kind of stuff than I do."
Irvine couldn't believe his ears. "Come on Sefie...I wouldn't be doing anything like that with any girls. Quistis, she never even gave me a chance." Selphie looked down and pulled out a few blades of grass.
"Irvine, you even flirt with Rinoa. And you know she has Squall."
Did anyone ever understand his actions?
"I was just doing that to try and get a reaction out of Squall. You know, get him to yell or something. That didn't mean anything. When I was flirting with you on the train, that was for real."
Irvine sat a little closer to Selphie, and wrapped his arms around her tiny body. She was a bit surprised, but she leaned against him. This feeling was far different than anything she had ever experienced.
"He hates my train song." Selphie laughed. "But how'd she do it? No one could get any emotion out of him. He wouldn't even show me around the Garden when I first transferred." She remembered
amusingly.
"He's been like that since the orphanage..." Irvine said, holding her close.
"The orphanage..." Selphie could barely remember any of it. All she recalled was what Irvine had told her. Which wasn't too much. They had all gone there, with the exception of Rinoa.
Selphie looked to the beach and got an idea to help lighten the dense mood. "Hey...wanna go for a swim?" She jumped into the water, not waiting for a response. Hopping on one foot while removing one
boot, she alternated feet, and slowly made her way to the shore.
Irvine stood up, and watched her.
Putting her big toe in the water, she quickly pulled it back. "It's cold!" Slowly she stepped in, wading into the water about knee length.
"What's wrong?" She yelled to Irvine, who was still watching from the land. "Don't you like to swim?" Selphie motioned for him to follow her.
A big grin crossed his face. Irvine ran after her, and then scooped her up in his arms. Selphie began screaming and laughing loudly. "AHAHAHAHA!! Put me down!"
'...ok."
Irvine dunked both of them under the frigid water, then pulled her back up. They came above the surface laughing, and Irvine held her hands tightly. Before Selphie had time to question or disagree, he held
her close and passionately pressed her lips to his.
Such an erotic kiss...
Selphie stepped back and took a deep breath. Along with the wet clay oozing between her toes, she felt her insides melting. Putting a hand to her neck, she noticed the difference in her bobby hairstyle. The
water had forced the large curl to fall straight down to her dainty shoulders.
Feeling herself blush, she took his hat, covered her face, and sunk back down into the dark water. She didn't want to appear embarrassed or scared.
She just wasn't used to feeling this way.
Irvine swam to her and pulled her up. He carelessly tossed his hat to the shore. Selphie looked up, almost straining her neck, to his deep brown eyes staring back at hers. The gaze seemed to last forever.
Feeling herself break, she hid her face in his neck.
Irvine didn't mind. He had waited so many years to find her again. The childhood lovers from the orphanage parted under cruel fate. Seeming to have separate destinies, but he never had given up, or
forgotten her. Irvine felt her hands on his neck, playing with his long hair.
"...memories..." Irvine muttered to himself.
"Hmm...? What did you say Irvy?"
Irvine shook his head. "I just remember, this makes me think about our first kiss."
Selphie looked at him shocked. First kiss? There was a first kiss prior to a few moments ago? Irvine could tell from her expression that she had no recollection of them ever kissing.
"...When?" Selphie got a bit angry with herself. "Why can't I remember these things...It's not fair!"
"Hey...." Irvine comforted her. "It's the GF's fault. That's why I only equip them if needed. Don't blame yourself. None of the others remembered the orphanage either."
He stroked her soft, soaked hair. Slightly sliding his hands down, he felt her shoulder blades. Sighing, he lightly kissed her cheek.
The slightest attempt to calm her nerves.
"I still should have known better. I was out by myself when I junctioned my first GF. I found it in the monster I defeated. And now...I can't remember what the GF was...or-"
"Don't worry, forget it." Irvine chuckled at the slight comic relief. The feel of her breath on his neck. Like the old times. Selphie broke the silence.
"Irvy?"
"Yes?"
"What was it like?" She inquired.
"The orphanage was great. We had so much fun...Quistis was bossy as always. Trying to get you to play House with her instead of Cowboys and Indians with me and Zell. Heh, and Seifer-"
"No, I mean...well that's nice but, I meant...what was our first kiss like? I'm not a very experienced kisser obviously."
"Our first kiss..." Irvine tilted his head back. The sweetest memory of all. Sitting on the shore, feet splashing in the crystal clear water.
Her beautiful eyes staring back into his.
"Our first kiss…was the most incredible feeling in the world."
Selphie stood in silence. What could she say? He had treasured and thought about her for years. And she hadn't even remembered him. Could he just be making these things up? No…his voice was too
sincere. Perhaps he was the sensitive sharpshooter he claimed to be.
"Irvy…" Selphie gulped. Embarrassed and nervous to ask her next question, she just held onto him. "I have another question." She stated.
He slowly pulled her away from him so he could look at her beautiful face. She looked so tense, yet calm at the same time. Reaching out, he placed his index finger on her bottom lip. "Ask away."
"Umm…have I ever…" She looked up to see his face. Being nearly a foot taller than her, he bent down so they could be eye level.
"Have I ever told you 'I love you'?"
"Once…"
Selphie placed her hands on his chest and straightened his jacket. "When?"
"The day…that they took you away from me. I didn't even know you were leaving. Or have a chance to say goodbye, before you left the orphanage. I was out playing by myself, and when I came back,
some people from Trabia were putting you into a vehicle. When you saw me, you shouted, 'I love you Irvy!'…then you were gone." Irvine looked away to hide his watery eyes.
A single tear slid down his face, glistening in the moonlight.
"Afterwards," He continued. "Seifer came up to me and told me that everyone already knew."
Selphie looked down guiltily. She didn't remember why she hadn't told him. But she did recall when Matron had broken the news to her.
"I remember Matron told me I didn't really have much of a choice. She said I was going to be very happy. And I was…I miss my friends at Trabia. Hey…have you ever gone skinny dipping?"
Irvine slightly smiled and shook his head no.
"You promise not to tell anyone…?" Irvine nodded, so she continued.
"I went skinny dipping with a group of friends at Trabia. It was fun." She smiled through her tears. Irvine could tell she hurt so badly from the loss of her old friends. Turning around, she walked out of the
water and sat in the damp sand. Sticking her finger into the earth, she began to draw.
Irvine came up to see what she was drawing.
A Heart In The Sand.
She yawned, picked up his hat and used it as a cushion for her head as she lied down. Irvine lay down next to her and leaned his head on his hand, watching her close her eyes.
Once again she yawned.
"Are you tired? I'll take you back to Garden." He offered, as he got ready to carry her. She shook her head and held onto his arm.
"No, I wanna stay here." She pleaded, cuddling next to him. She slowly unbuttoned his vest.
"I don't like this purple. You should change it to…yellow!"
Irvine lightly laughed. "I knew you'd say that."
Selphie rubbed his warm chest with her cold hands. She traced her fingers around the formations of his chest and abdomens.
"It's so late…" She said looking at the full moon. "Squall wanted us back by 1900 hours."
"I didn't know we had a curfew." Irvine responded.
"Well, w don't but-" Selphie perked her head up when she voices. The all too familiar voices of Squall, Rinoa and Quistis. All three of them calling out their names.
"He he, they're looking for us." Selphie quietly laughed.
Rinoa soon spotted them. She pointed and whispered something to Squall. The two appeared amused, while Quistis looked very displeased.
"Can you hear them?" Selphie asked Irvine.
"Um…" He strained his ears to listen.
"Aw…come on they look so cute!" Rinoa said.
"I don't care. It's very inappropriate conduct. And they should have been back hours ago," Quistis rejected.
Rinoa rolled her eyes. Squall threw his arms up in protest of their argument, which was wasting his time.
"I can't believe Selphie let Irvine put his hands on her. If I were Selphie I'd-" Quistis was interrupted by Rinoa's laughter.
"HAHAHAHA! Oh please! Quistis, calm down."
"But she has my-"
"Oh, don't worry about it. Seriously, you're so high strung Quisty!"
"Don't ever call me that!" Quistis yelled, aggravated.
"Forget those two. I have work to do." Squall said, walking back to Balamb.
"Wait! I'm coming with you!" Rinoa hurriedly followed him.
"Are they gone yet?"
Selphie whispered to Irvine as she lay on his chest.
"…Quistis is still here. Watch this."
Irvine stood up and yelled to Quistis. When he got her attention. He loaded his shotgun with dark ammo and fired.
"What are you doing?!" Selphie yelled worriedly.
Irvine laughed. "Don't worry, it's a blank. It just cast Blind on her.
They watched Quistis stumble and fall over a rock while yelling profanities. "Irvine Kinneas…If I ever find you I'll kill you!"
"That was for calling me a perverted asshole yesterday!" Irvine yelled back.
"I never called you a perverted asshole you….you asshole!!" Quistis screamed, while attempting to regain her composure. She threw down the nunchakus borrowed from Selphie and walked off in the
opposite direction of the Garden.
"Who's gonna tell her she's going the wrong way?" Selphie giggled.
"She'll figure it out." Irvine said. "Besides, the Blind should wear off in about half an hour."
Selphie sat down next to the heart in the sand. Irvine sat down next to her, never taking his eyes off of Selphie. Noticing this, Selphie spoke up.
"Irvy…I love you."
Living his life fearing he would never again hear those words from the only girl he's ever loved, Irvine embraced her,
"I love you too Sefie. I've always loved you…And I've waited for what seems like forever to be reunited with my little cowgirl. I may not be a knight, but I will still protect you with my life. I'll be...your
fearless cowboy."
Selphie smiled and looked down. Life seemed even more carefree than it ever had. Right now, the only people in existence were the two of them, here. If only time could freeze this moment.
"Booyaka!" She said as she put his hat on.
Reaching out at the same time, the two lovers wrote their names inside the heart.