My newest fic! Now I don't know whether to make it a one piece or a chapter story so please let me know!! FFVIII belongs to Squaresoft not me, and I don't own the song "Love Said Goodbye"! And if anyone else saw the final fantasy movie was it just me or did it seem like General Hein {the bad guy} was kinda modeled after Seifer, only older? I don't know but that's what I thought. Please read and review to tell me what to do, one piece or chapter?
From the Heart
Chapter1: On a Cold Winter Night
Quistis strolled down the streets of Deiling well postured and head held high, she couldn't believe she was doing this. She of all people was wearing a red dress that was cut vertically from her thigh to her knee. The dress had threads of beads attached to the end dress. Considering it was always bitter and cold in the city she wore a thick black coat that went to her calf and was tied at the waist.
Winters were always the hardest time of the year for here, they reminded her of people coming together. Having to stay in their toasty homes together as the snow fell outside. But this night wasn't about that it was a celebration, the four month anniversary of their defeat of Ultimecia.
Quistis walked into the hotel and the artificial warmth flooded her as she smiled at the woman behind the desk.
"May I help you?" she asked hoping to sell a room.
"No I'm just meeting some friends," the woman nodded knowing that she meant the bar. Quistis walked past the door and entered the bar. She saw her friends who all smiled at her as she climbed down the staircase.
"Hi Quisty!" Selphie chirped. "I told you that dress would look great on you!"
"Thanks," she blushed. "Hi guys," they all greeted her and made room for her at the large booth. Squall Rinoa Zell Selphie Irvine and Seifer all sitting there. Yes Seifer was there sitting next to her. They found him fishing with Fujin and Rajin with no memory of anything he did. Considering they had been through hell and back they figured that they were alive and shouldn't hold a grudge for something he couldn't even remember.
"Wow Instructor imagine if the Trepies saw you now," he tease making her roll her eyes.
"Hello I'm good, you? Well I'm glad," she could throw a tease right back at him.
"Nice way to start the night Instructor," he laughed.
"When will you stop calling me that?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
"When it doesn't annoy you," he smirked.
"Common Quistis stop flirting with Seifer!" Irvine joked and everybody laughed. The waitress walked over to them, her name was Trixie.
"So what can I get for everybody?" she asked happily knowing that by serving seven people she would get a major tip.
"I'll buy a round for everybody," Squall said with a smile on his face. Looks of confusion struck their faces and they all replied at the same time.
"Whatever," then broke out laughing.
"To bad Fara is sick today she really could sing one heck of a song!" the waitress said writing down the order. "Say none of you guys would happen to be able to carry a tune would ya?"
"I couldn't sing if my life depended on it," everyone agreed by shaking their heads but Seifer piped up.
"Quistis can sing, and play piano," he said quietly.
"No I couldn't..." she was interrupted by everyone encouraging her.
"But..."
"Come on Quistis please I've never heard you sing," Rinoa asked in her sweet voice.
"Oh fine!" she went up the piano and let her hands feel the keys. How long had it been sense she played? The keys were cool and perfect and absolutely beautiful. "Okay I haven't played in a while so it may not bee that good."
"Quit stalling!" Seifer yelled.
"Sheesh okay!" she started to play a song slowly at first like she was trying to remember but as she sang the first note everything came back.
"How cold the wind whispers you are gone,
How sad, the rain that cries your name at dawn,
Where is the laughter that we once knew?
Had I but reached would I still have you?
Seeker of dreams was I then lost my way,
Keeper of hope, that promised love for another day,
How did it all slip away?
Sweet wine of youth told me that love would wait;
I stormed the castle walls but reached too late.
My life, my world are a misty blue;
Love said goodbye to my dreams and you.
Sweet wine of youth told me that love would wait;
I stormed the castle walls but reached too late.
My life my world are a misty blue;
Love said goodbye to my dreams,
And You."
She held the last word as she ended the song on a sorrow felt last note. Quistis closed the lid on the keys and stood up. There was a silence, seeing that it was making her uncomfortable Seifer began to clap and the others followed which in seconds grew to hoots and whistles. She blushed and returned to her seat.
"That was so pretty Quisty!" Selphie said in a very sincere voice.
"Really sad though," Rinoa said how was resting her head on Squall's
shoulder.
"I know!" Quistis said with an exasperated expression. "But I've always known it so I sang it."
"Yeah but where did you hear..." Zell was cut off by Trixie from the bar.
"Your drinks are ready! Say can two of you come pick them up I have some business to attend to up stairs?" she asked.
"Seifer," they all said at once.
"Why me?"
"Redemption Lapdog, redemption," Irvine joked, they could get Seifer to do basically anything with that little `r' word.
"Fine!" he said gruffly.
"I help considering I'm on the end ," Quistis got up and together they walked off to the bar. Selphie waited until they were both unable to here her.
"You guys, did you see how hooked Seifer was when she was singing?!!" Selphie excitedly whispered.
"Oh they both got it bad for each other they just don't know it," Irvine said matter of factly.
"Anyone could tell you that," Squall rolled his eyes.
"I have an idea!!" Rinoa spoke slyly and whispered her top secret plan to them. They all agreed as the two came back with a tray in each of their hands.
"So what we miss?" Quistis asked setting down her tray after Seifer who slid back into the booth.
"Nothing nothing....Oh shoot! Squall we forgot about that thing," Rinoa said 'truthfully'.
"What? OH! Oh that thing how silly of us! We really gotta go guys sorry!" the couple dismissed themselves from the table and went up the staircase not quite leaving.
"OH MAN!!!! I TOLD JADA I'D MEET HER TONIGHT!!" Zell shouted rather loudly. "She is gonna kill me!!" without even saying goodbye Zell 'left'.
"Wow that's really weird is tonight forgetfulness night or something," Selphie asked. Who knew she was a hell of an actress.
"Yeah really," Quistis sighed. There was an awkward silence.
"Well would you look at the time!" Irvine looked at his watch even thought he wasn't wearing one. "We better get going we have an early mission tomorrow bye you two have fun...OWCH!" Selphie had kicked him under the table before 'leaving' also. There was another silence.
"So how have you been Quistis?" Seifer asked looking down at the table.
"What do you mean?"
"In general how are you?" he looked at her quickly.
"Um I've been okay, not great but okay," she made a little expression which meant she was hiding something.
"Common tell me. I've seen you walking down the halls with that look on your face," he was hiding behind his cockiness now.
"Look? What look would that be?" she asked hiding behind her all mightiness.
"That mopey little look like your miserable, I want to know why Miss Trepe, don't make me send you to the disciplinary room," he pointed a finger at her, she grabbed it and twisted it. "Ow ow ow ow okay abuse!" she laughed and let him go.
"You know something Seifer you've changed a lot," she reflected on the past.
"Oh how is that?"
"You've really grown up. You aren't as arrogant anymore," she chuckled.
"Not really I just act that way to most other people," he admitted.
"Why would you do that?" she questioned.
"Because no matter how nice I am now I will always screw it up," he took a sip of
his drink. His voice was bitter and full of regret.
"You want to know what I think?"
"Sure."
"I think that your scared," she informed him.
"Scared?" he repeated.
"And lonely, I don't blame you but I think that you would have grown out of it by now," those were the wrong words to say.
"Grown out of it?" she seemed to have struck a nerve. "When you grow up with your parents not even knowing your there, just ignoring you...At least hitting me would have shown they knew I was there...But they just looked right past me like they knew that I was trouble from the beginning. When they run away in the middle of the night leaving you a six year old all alone to wake up in the morning with nobody there...I just waited and waited and waited but they never came back...When that happens to you, see if you just 'grow out of it'"
"Seifer...I didn't know," she began but he had already shut himself off to her.
"No you didn't," he agreed sourly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."
"Yes you did Instructor, don't lie."
"Really I like the arrogant you actually. You always make me smile and always did. When I was an Instructor I knew that you were the best and a really great person, but I feared for you," she explained.
"Why?"
"Because...It was just a hunch."
"Oh for a second I thought you cared," he ran his hand through his hair angrily.
"Dammit Seifer I do care!" she was a little frustrated.
"Prove it," he looked her straight in the eyes. His were green with a little bit of sea blue like poison, that is what they resembled.
"Fine I will!" she raised her voice.
"Fine go ahead!"
"Alright!"
"Alright!"
"I'm going to!!"
"I'm waiting!!"
"Okay you asked for it!," without even thinking she grabbed him by his necklace and pulled him in for a kiss. It was nothing at first but then became full of passion. Screams of excitement were heard from the top of the stairs. Quistis and Seifer broke the kiss to look at what the commotion was and they saw Rinoa and Selphie being scowled by their boyfriends.
"Opps," Selphie said. "Don't mind us..umm...I lost a contact lens somewhere up here and we were looking for it...I was so happy because we found it..heh heh yeah."
"Common Sephie lets go," Irvine smiled nervously and the two couples and Zell ran out the door.
"Well that killed the moment," Seifer rolled his eyes and Quistis giggled at him.
"Yeah really...Um...So my turn to ask a question," she said softly.
"Go right ahead."
"How did you know that I sang and played the piano?" she questioned.
"I remember when you first came to the orphanage you didn't like it, you wouldn't like anything or anybody there. So one day Matron asked if you would like to learn how to play the piano you said you would and she taught you. When the others came they were like you but they warmed up when you played the piano and sang a song..."
"You remember that?" she asked he nodded in response. "We were the first ones there weren't we?"
"Yeah you came first and I came a few days later," he told her. She had a strange feeling.
"She taught both of us didn't she?" he again nodded. Quistis chuckled. "And you would always pick on me for not being able to reach to a key..." he took her hand gently.
"You always had such small hands," he didn't meet her eyes. "But they were beautiful. I'm sorry Quistis."
"For what?"
"Everything...Everything I ever..." he was cut off by Quistis reaching in for a perfect kiss in a perfect bar in the not so perfect town, but that didn't matter now, nothing did as long as they were together.
To Be Continued...
From the Heart
Chapter1: On a Cold Winter Night
Quistis strolled down the streets of Deiling well postured and head held high, she couldn't believe she was doing this. She of all people was wearing a red dress that was cut vertically from her thigh to her knee. The dress had threads of beads attached to the end dress. Considering it was always bitter and cold in the city she wore a thick black coat that went to her calf and was tied at the waist.
Winters were always the hardest time of the year for here, they reminded her of people coming together. Having to stay in their toasty homes together as the snow fell outside. But this night wasn't about that it was a celebration, the four month anniversary of their defeat of Ultimecia.
Quistis walked into the hotel and the artificial warmth flooded her as she smiled at the woman behind the desk.
"May I help you?" she asked hoping to sell a room.
"No I'm just meeting some friends," the woman nodded knowing that she meant the bar. Quistis walked past the door and entered the bar. She saw her friends who all smiled at her as she climbed down the staircase.
"Hi Quisty!" Selphie chirped. "I told you that dress would look great on you!"
"Thanks," she blushed. "Hi guys," they all greeted her and made room for her at the large booth. Squall Rinoa Zell Selphie Irvine and Seifer all sitting there. Yes Seifer was there sitting next to her. They found him fishing with Fujin and Rajin with no memory of anything he did. Considering they had been through hell and back they figured that they were alive and shouldn't hold a grudge for something he couldn't even remember.
"Wow Instructor imagine if the Trepies saw you now," he tease making her roll her eyes.
"Hello I'm good, you? Well I'm glad," she could throw a tease right back at him.
"Nice way to start the night Instructor," he laughed.
"When will you stop calling me that?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
"When it doesn't annoy you," he smirked.
"Common Quistis stop flirting with Seifer!" Irvine joked and everybody laughed. The waitress walked over to them, her name was Trixie.
"So what can I get for everybody?" she asked happily knowing that by serving seven people she would get a major tip.
"I'll buy a round for everybody," Squall said with a smile on his face. Looks of confusion struck their faces and they all replied at the same time.
"Whatever," then broke out laughing.
"To bad Fara is sick today she really could sing one heck of a song!" the waitress said writing down the order. "Say none of you guys would happen to be able to carry a tune would ya?"
"I couldn't sing if my life depended on it," everyone agreed by shaking their heads but Seifer piped up.
"Quistis can sing, and play piano," he said quietly.
"No I couldn't..." she was interrupted by everyone encouraging her.
"But..."
"Come on Quistis please I've never heard you sing," Rinoa asked in her sweet voice.
"Oh fine!" she went up the piano and let her hands feel the keys. How long had it been sense she played? The keys were cool and perfect and absolutely beautiful. "Okay I haven't played in a while so it may not bee that good."
"Quit stalling!" Seifer yelled.
"Sheesh okay!" she started to play a song slowly at first like she was trying to remember but as she sang the first note everything came back.
"How cold the wind whispers you are gone,
How sad, the rain that cries your name at dawn,
Where is the laughter that we once knew?
Had I but reached would I still have you?
Seeker of dreams was I then lost my way,
Keeper of hope, that promised love for another day,
How did it all slip away?
Sweet wine of youth told me that love would wait;
I stormed the castle walls but reached too late.
My life, my world are a misty blue;
Love said goodbye to my dreams and you.
Sweet wine of youth told me that love would wait;
I stormed the castle walls but reached too late.
My life my world are a misty blue;
Love said goodbye to my dreams,
And You."
She held the last word as she ended the song on a sorrow felt last note. Quistis closed the lid on the keys and stood up. There was a silence, seeing that it was making her uncomfortable Seifer began to clap and the others followed which in seconds grew to hoots and whistles. She blushed and returned to her seat.
"That was so pretty Quisty!" Selphie said in a very sincere voice.
"Really sad though," Rinoa said how was resting her head on Squall's
shoulder.
"I know!" Quistis said with an exasperated expression. "But I've always known it so I sang it."
"Yeah but where did you hear..." Zell was cut off by Trixie from the bar.
"Your drinks are ready! Say can two of you come pick them up I have some business to attend to up stairs?" she asked.
"Seifer," they all said at once.
"Why me?"
"Redemption Lapdog, redemption," Irvine joked, they could get Seifer to do basically anything with that little `r' word.
"Fine!" he said gruffly.
"I help considering I'm on the end ," Quistis got up and together they walked off to the bar. Selphie waited until they were both unable to here her.
"You guys, did you see how hooked Seifer was when she was singing?!!" Selphie excitedly whispered.
"Oh they both got it bad for each other they just don't know it," Irvine said matter of factly.
"Anyone could tell you that," Squall rolled his eyes.
"I have an idea!!" Rinoa spoke slyly and whispered her top secret plan to them. They all agreed as the two came back with a tray in each of their hands.
"So what we miss?" Quistis asked setting down her tray after Seifer who slid back into the booth.
"Nothing nothing....Oh shoot! Squall we forgot about that thing," Rinoa said 'truthfully'.
"What? OH! Oh that thing how silly of us! We really gotta go guys sorry!" the couple dismissed themselves from the table and went up the staircase not quite leaving.
"OH MAN!!!! I TOLD JADA I'D MEET HER TONIGHT!!" Zell shouted rather loudly. "She is gonna kill me!!" without even saying goodbye Zell 'left'.
"Wow that's really weird is tonight forgetfulness night or something," Selphie asked. Who knew she was a hell of an actress.
"Yeah really," Quistis sighed. There was an awkward silence.
"Well would you look at the time!" Irvine looked at his watch even thought he wasn't wearing one. "We better get going we have an early mission tomorrow bye you two have fun...OWCH!" Selphie had kicked him under the table before 'leaving' also. There was another silence.
"So how have you been Quistis?" Seifer asked looking down at the table.
"What do you mean?"
"In general how are you?" he looked at her quickly.
"Um I've been okay, not great but okay," she made a little expression which meant she was hiding something.
"Common tell me. I've seen you walking down the halls with that look on your face," he was hiding behind his cockiness now.
"Look? What look would that be?" she asked hiding behind her all mightiness.
"That mopey little look like your miserable, I want to know why Miss Trepe, don't make me send you to the disciplinary room," he pointed a finger at her, she grabbed it and twisted it. "Ow ow ow ow okay abuse!" she laughed and let him go.
"You know something Seifer you've changed a lot," she reflected on the past.
"Oh how is that?"
"You've really grown up. You aren't as arrogant anymore," she chuckled.
"Not really I just act that way to most other people," he admitted.
"Why would you do that?" she questioned.
"Because no matter how nice I am now I will always screw it up," he took a sip of
his drink. His voice was bitter and full of regret.
"You want to know what I think?"
"Sure."
"I think that your scared," she informed him.
"Scared?" he repeated.
"And lonely, I don't blame you but I think that you would have grown out of it by now," those were the wrong words to say.
"Grown out of it?" she seemed to have struck a nerve. "When you grow up with your parents not even knowing your there, just ignoring you...At least hitting me would have shown they knew I was there...But they just looked right past me like they knew that I was trouble from the beginning. When they run away in the middle of the night leaving you a six year old all alone to wake up in the morning with nobody there...I just waited and waited and waited but they never came back...When that happens to you, see if you just 'grow out of it'"
"Seifer...I didn't know," she began but he had already shut himself off to her.
"No you didn't," he agreed sourly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."
"Yes you did Instructor, don't lie."
"Really I like the arrogant you actually. You always make me smile and always did. When I was an Instructor I knew that you were the best and a really great person, but I feared for you," she explained.
"Why?"
"Because...It was just a hunch."
"Oh for a second I thought you cared," he ran his hand through his hair angrily.
"Dammit Seifer I do care!" she was a little frustrated.
"Prove it," he looked her straight in the eyes. His were green with a little bit of sea blue like poison, that is what they resembled.
"Fine I will!" she raised her voice.
"Fine go ahead!"
"Alright!"
"Alright!"
"I'm going to!!"
"I'm waiting!!"
"Okay you asked for it!," without even thinking she grabbed him by his necklace and pulled him in for a kiss. It was nothing at first but then became full of passion. Screams of excitement were heard from the top of the stairs. Quistis and Seifer broke the kiss to look at what the commotion was and they saw Rinoa and Selphie being scowled by their boyfriends.
"Opps," Selphie said. "Don't mind us..umm...I lost a contact lens somewhere up here and we were looking for it...I was so happy because we found it..heh heh yeah."
"Common Sephie lets go," Irvine smiled nervously and the two couples and Zell ran out the door.
"Well that killed the moment," Seifer rolled his eyes and Quistis giggled at him.
"Yeah really...Um...So my turn to ask a question," she said softly.
"Go right ahead."
"How did you know that I sang and played the piano?" she questioned.
"I remember when you first came to the orphanage you didn't like it, you wouldn't like anything or anybody there. So one day Matron asked if you would like to learn how to play the piano you said you would and she taught you. When the others came they were like you but they warmed up when you played the piano and sang a song..."
"You remember that?" she asked he nodded in response. "We were the first ones there weren't we?"
"Yeah you came first and I came a few days later," he told her. She had a strange feeling.
"She taught both of us didn't she?" he again nodded. Quistis chuckled. "And you would always pick on me for not being able to reach to a key..." he took her hand gently.
"You always had such small hands," he didn't meet her eyes. "But they were beautiful. I'm sorry Quistis."
"For what?"
"Everything...Everything I ever..." he was cut off by Quistis reaching in for a perfect kiss in a perfect bar in the not so perfect town, but that didn't matter now, nothing did as long as they were together.
To Be Continued...