edenbound | FFVIII: Favouritism

Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII
Pairing: Squall/Nida
Warnings: None
Rating: PG
Summary: Squall does Nida favours and doesn't really know why. For over_look.

Nida thinks nobody notices him. Squall likes to keep it that way, because favouritism has to be avoided. Has to be, Cid says, forcefully, whenever such an issue might even vaguely come up. He says so, of course, because Rinoa is working her way through some classes. If she causes trouble, Cid says, she gets the same penalties as anyone else. No privileges should come, he says, for the Commander's girlfriend.

Fuck favouritism.

Squall likes Nida because he keeps quiet. Something he should have done, he realises, though he knows the irony of it all. Nida would love to be in his position just as he covets Nida's invisibility. Relative invisibility, anyway.

Squall keeps an eye on Nida.

There's a brain in the kid's head, first off. Nobody has ever really noticed, because he keeps himself to himself -- more out of circumstances than choice -- and never spoke up in class. But Squall has spoken to him a few times, and knows that there's a good, level head on those shoulders. A good thing for SeeD, if used in the right way.

And well, other than that, Squall just has a spark of affection for him. He's not quite sure why, and he's not quite sure he needs a reason, though no doubt there is one. Somewhere beneath layers of psychology that nobody will ever peel back, or so he silently swears.

Fuck psychology.

So Nida gets a little payrise or bonus now and again, for being such a good pilot of Garden. And even though he'd probably sell his soul to get on a mission, Squall keeps him off missions and in Garden, watching the tiller. Keeps him safe.

He's got a level head should there be a crisis situation in Garden, anyway.

Fuck favouritism.