In late 2024, I asked for fanfiction ideas on Tumblr. Tumblr user marmolita requested a Final Fantasy VIII fic on the theme 'only one bed'.
I think a lot about the fact that the team canonically stays in Zell's room, with its one single bed, during the occupation of Balamb.
“Soooo,” Rinoa says. “Don’t get me wrong, Zell; it’s great that you’re letting us use your room. But how is sleeping in here actually going to work?”
It’s a good question. There’s only one bed in here, and it’s not a big bed.
“I could keep watch,” Squall suggests. If it’s just Zell and Rinoa sharing the bed, they’ll probably find a way to get comfortable.
“For what?” Rinoa asks. “We’re in town. There aren’t going to be any monsters coming up the stairs. I don’t think we’ve caused enough trouble for the soldiers to start raiding houses yet.”
“Nobody’s getting past my ma, anyway,” Zell says. “We’re safe here.”
“Why don’t you share a bed with your ma, Zell?” Rinoa asks.
Zell shifts uncomfortably, scratches the back of his neck. “I really don’t want to cause any more trouble for her, y’know? She’s doing a lot for us.”
Rinoa rests her knuckles under her chin, mock-thoughtful. “Maybe Squall could share a bed with your ma.”
Zell makes an indignant squawking noise.
Squall tries to focus on the problem at hand. “I could sleep on the floor. If—”
“Actually,” Rinoa says, “we could at least find out whether we’ll all fit on the bed, right?”
-
Squall presses himself against the wall, as closely as he can, his back against the smooth hard surface of it. Trying to take up as little space as he can, so Zell and Rinoa have the rest of the bed to themselves.
“Is that comfortable?” Rinoa asks. She climbs into the bed, shuffles up close to him. “You’re as straight as a board. It doesn’t look very natural.”
“I’m fine.” He probably won’t sleep well. But he never sleeps well; that’s nothing new.
“It’s okay for you to take up space too, y’know? I’m not gonna pass out if your legs touch mine.”
“Uh,” Zell says, “Rinoa, are you sure you’re okay in the middle?”
Rinoa laughs. “You both worry way too much.”
-
Squall wakes when it’s still dark. It’s strange to realise he’s been sleeping; he wasn’t really expecting to.
Rinoa has tucked herself against his front at some point in the night; she’s barely taking up any more space in the bed than he is. It’s not something he’s used to, that kind of human warmth. She’s breathing slowly, deeply; he can feel it against his collarbone.
There’s a hand on Squall’s side. It takes him a moment to realise that it’s Zell’s. Zell is taking up most of the bed by this point, lying almost face-down, one of his arms slung across Rinoa.
Squall thinks about moving Zell’s hand, or nudging Rinoa away, getting a little more space between them.
In the end, he just closes his eyes again.