~*~ When Did This Happen? ~*~

:: Seiftis. Squffie hints. (Quistis x Seifer, Squall x Selphie hints) ::

Summery: Somewhat AU, Seifer is back in Garden, Quistis deals with not being a teacher, and Squall is more than a little confused with what has just happened in his life, as well as stray feelings he has for an unexpected friend.

Note: I usually go into detail with things, but I'm in university now, I have a midterms and essays staring me in the face. This is a quick and casual read. We think. Reviews are more than a little appreciated.

~Silverium~

Disclaimer: Squaresoft. Not Silver.

            He ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the cool glassy wall behind him. A night Garden turned into paradise; it was so quiet with only the rippling water of the pond to soothe him. Sitting on the stone border that rose up and enclosed the leafy garden, Squall rested in silence enjoying the placid plants and trickling liquid.

            "Squall? What are you doing here so late?"

            Squall's eyes opened instantly, gray-blue in the dim light and looking slightly surprised. The tiny figure of Selphie had crept into the lamplight and her luminous green eyes were watching him closely.

            "I could ask you the same thing," He responded after a moment of silence,

            "I was getting ready for the celebrations tomorrow night," Selphie said, a tinge of excitement creeping into her voice, "It's better to plan these things when no one's around. You get into this mood and it all unfolds around you."

            Her voice betrayed her awe for the magical blackness around them. Squall couldn't help but be surprised by the depth in her words; to him Selphie had always been a bit too perky for his liking.

            "Do you want me to leave?" He asked, 

            "Not really," Selphie shrugged, "I don't like being alone, sometimes you have to be, but most of the time I like someone to be there. Even if we don't speak. I don't know how you stay by yourself so much, I don't understand it,"

            She sounded almost helpless, "You get used to it. I don't understand how you can be with so many people," Squall replied softly.

            Selphie looked down at him and then slowly crossed the distance and sat down on the ledge beside him. Squall watched her impassively; almost curious to this new side of Selphie he hadn't seen before. She had her hands clasped in her lap, the yellow dress she always wore had dulled to mustard in the absence of true light but it still reminded him of a bright and sunny colour. Her eyes were on the floor in front of her and the tip of her tongue peeked in between her lips, but finally she looked up at him,

            "You help me get rid of my fear of being in the dark alone, and I'll make you get used to being in a crowd," She announced, "deal?"

            What the hell.

            "Deal."

~*~

            "I just don't know what went wrong!"

            "…"

            "I mean he could've told me that he wasn't interested instead of leading me on like that!"

            "…"

            "Quistis, are you even listening to me?"

            "…"

            "Quistis!"

            Quistis looked up from where she had fallen asleep on her desk. A distraught Rinoa was looking down on her with tear-filled coffee-coloured eyes. After a long period of silence Rinoa gave a huff and stalked out of the room. Quistis lowered her eyes and rested her head on the desk, padded by her crossed arms.

"So unprofessional…" She murmured.

Having her own problems to deal with, Quistis couldn't afford to be bothered with Rinoa's pleas for help. They all came to her when something was wrong with Squall, they all thought she knew him the best. It was true, she probably knew more about him than most but the stoic man was just as much of a mystery to her as to any of them. The reason for her growing closer to him had even vanished, and despite that she still felt as rigid as she had when she was an instructor, Quistis knew her time as a teacher had ended. It would be difficult to go to classes without being able to sit at the front desk. What were her Trepies going to think?

"Guess what, I'm back."

Quistis looked up, a lock of blonde hair falling across her tired face as she did so. Posing like a Roman God was Seifer, smirking at her in that infuriating way. His trench coat flared around his finger and in one hand he clasped Hyperion. Quistis' head hit the desk with an audible thump.