Ah, this is incredibly sweet which is not what I expected to say about a fic involving Squall, but it is! I love how Squall's actions at the beginning are basically motivated by trying to avoid talking to people.

As Kimahri has yet to say a word to him, it seems the best way to minimise his risk of being engaged in conversation.

This made me laugh out loud. Also, the conversation with Lulu is great, exactly as sharp as you'd expect from her.

And I love the ending. That's the sweetest part, seeing him soften up a little, actually get invested in the party and what they've achieved. I could go for a version of FFX with Squall as the protagonist, it works surprisingly well.