A/N

50 scenes in honor of a pairing that doesn't get enough love. When not specified, assume 'he' is Squall and 'she' is Quistis. I hope you enjoy, and know that I treasure every review (Be sure to let me know which line you like [or dislike] most!) Prompts are taken from the beta set on the 1sentence LJ group. -JP

Walking –

As he approached, Quistis, who was clearly still irritated, pulled Selphie down into his usual seat beside her, so he and an equally perturbed Irvine kept on walking, down to the end of the table, where Seifer was patting the empty seats beside him with a snicker.

Waltz –

As she watched them dance from across the room, she was disquieted by the thought that this was the start of something.

Wishes –

Dodging past another set of gnashing teeth, he reflected that he'd never missed the crack of her whip in the air quite as keenly as he did now.

Wonder –

For a moment, he was stunned, staring down at the Squall card she'd just played to win the game, and wondering how long ago she'd absconded with it.

Worry –

Rinoa was surprised to hear him voluntarily regaling the group given his aversion to the spotlight, but here he was, telling how Quistis had saved him on that beach in Dollet, the slight crook of a smile in his normally even lips, his eyes soft with admiration, and she followed his gaze across to Quistis, who was doubly flushed with embarrassment and pride, and unforeseen, a tendril of worry curled in her chest.

Whimsy –

He fantasized that one day he'd call the lot of those damn Trepies into his office and find out just exactly what their intentions were.

Waste/Wasteland –

The terrain became an endless canyon of snowy white salt interspersed with bleached bone, and still Quistis pushed on even though her throat was dry and her legs were burning and her heart was heavy, because she'd be damned if she'd let him vanish into the mineral landscape alone.

Whiskey and rum –

He'd only been really, nastily drunk once, and when he came to she was leaning over him, incanting a curing spell, and chiding him all the while that he really shouldn't have challenged Zell to a hot dog eating contest and a fistfight in the same night.

War –

"Don't move," he whispered, leaning over her, ablaze with healing magic, adding "you need to try to get your heart rate down," not that there was much chance of that given the way his hand was absently resting on her hip.

Weddings –

As their various friends paired up and got hitched, their contest of wills dragged on, neither willing to propose and therefore volunteer for the extra mountain of Garden personnel paperwork it would entail.

Birthday –

She'd wished him happy birthday every year for as far back as he could remember, and the more the orphanage years came back to him, the more assured he became that it really was so.

Blessing –

While most wives were engaging in teary goodbyes and solemn vows, she sent him away with an exacting look, a squeeze of his forearm, and a 'mighty guard', which suited him just fine.

Bias –

He examined the roster before him, five candidates for two empty spots in his party, but his elaborate show of deliberation belied that fact that he already knew who he had to choose; if he didn't bring Rinoa she'd kill him— if he didn't bring Quistis something else would.

Burning –

She couldn't decide what was more endearing- the fact that he was trying to roast a blue dragon so she wouldn't have to eat rations on her birthday or the almost contrite look Ifrit adopted when he singed it.

Breathing –

His astonishment when she slapped him was nothing compared to his shock a moment later when she seized him in a possessive kiss, and would be still more incomparable in another moment when she cast bad breath on him.

Breaking –

He struggled to his feet, shining with a blue aura she'd never seen before, and though she was able to evade his vicious upward slash, it took her a moment to regain her composure enough to congratulate him and look to the rest of the class expectantly.

Belief –

They couldn't believe how many of the creatures from their old storybooks were living, breathing, and hellbent on killing them.

Balloon –

He presented her with a dozen bright red balloons like the one he'd given her on their first 'date'- "These things seemed a lot more expensive when I was five," he said with a shrug, "happy anniversary."

Balcony –

As he turned away from her and walked back through the training center, he was disquieted by the thought that this was the end of something.

Bane –

Sometimes when she was really irritated with him, she would invite his father for a visit.

Quiet –

Matron carried him inside and held him until his tears subsided, but in the days that followed Quistis found herself almost missing them - he was silent for a long time after that.

Quirks –

He always insisted on both of them removing their gloves first thing- as far as he was concerned there was nothing nearly so intimate about the feel of leather as the feel of her.

Question –

She was only following protocol when she asked her commanding officer for permission to marry, but he still shot her his trademark scowl before telling her for the second time, yes.

Quarrel –

She always let him stay on her couch when Rinoa kicked him out, though they both knew it probably only prolonged his banishment.

Quitting –

He tried to talk her out of it, saying Seifer wasn't good enough for her, and she bit her tongue to keep down the bitterness rising in her throat.

Jump –

It'd taken her months to convince him, but finally here they were, out on the balcony, clad only in their underwear, and soon leaping into the warm, salty waves as the moon and the sleeping garden looked on.

Jester –

"So…does this make Squall a Trepie?" mused Irvine, earning himself an icy glare, "no—the President of the Trepies," Zell rejoined; Quistis, for her part, took it in stride: "Squall is of course justified in giving you that look—the Trepies are a constitutional monarchy, as everybody knows."

Jousting –

Sometimes if they kissed while they were still junctioned, he could hear Shiva begin to hum mischievously, which always elicited a snarl from Ifrit in her ear.

Jewel -

The man in the junk shop actually dared to look at him askance when he asked whether they might carry any jewelry or other nice accessories.

Just –

He sat in on her first class when her instructor's permit was reissued, and at one point a cadet dared to make a snide comment, but just as he rose to rebuke the boy, her voice cracked down, quick and sharp as her whip, and the commander retook his seat, looking down at his clipboard to disguise his amusement.

Smirk –

One of her proudest memories was of arming the gatling gun just in time to make mincemeat out of that infuriating monster pursuing him so relentlessly— now if only Rinoa was so easily dealt with…

Sorrow –

Edea held the crying woman in her arms, stroking the frazzled blonde hair soothingly, and vowed to have a talk with Squall; he was no longer a child, and this was hardly a game.

Stupidity –

When she raised the subject of children his answer was always the same- what if they turn out like Laguna?

Serenade –

He never sang anymore, but occasionally she would sing some song from their orphanage years and he might hum along if he was too distracted by something else to notice.

Sarcasm –

She would always roll her eyes in response to his lame answer, but he could tell this time she was more annoyed because she muttered something like "What if they turn out like you?"

Sordid –

She was like a daughter to him, so Cid felt justified in voicing his concerns- "Certainly he is a fantastic commander and an excellent fighter, but he's just so cold…and besides, he's always picking up those 'Girl Next Door' rags…"

Soliloquy –

She pondered to herself whether there was more lion in the ferocity of his attacks or the slight purring sound he made when he was completely content and completely sure they were alone.

Sojourn –

He began dubiously— "We could go on a picnic on our day off. There's a beautiful spot on Elkin Isle…" transitioned predictably— "…the dragons there have scales that are crucial for the new gunblade mod…" and finished intriguingly— "I made sandwiches."

Share –

She soon grew used to the loping gait of the chocobo, relaxing against his back, cheek resting on soft leather with fur tickling her nose, and tried to pretend Selphie wasn't pressed just as tightly behind her, whooping with excitement.

Solitary –

A great memorial was constructed in his honor, and the crowds that flocked to it to pay their respects left piles of flowers, cards, and other trinkets, such that hardly anyone noticed the lone red balloon that appeared at the base overnight once a year for several years thereafter.

Nowhere –

Having rolled up his pants and pitched his boots, he waded out, the cool Centra tide swirling around his calves– sisterly affection, she'd said, and he had to wonder, had he finally burned so many bridges with her that there was nowhere left for him to cross?

Neutral -

At the reunion, Seifer prodded him with a cane and he glared back through his bifocals and she found herself having to separate them as always, though it was admittedly easier now that they both had rheumatism.

Nuance –

He'd played the Squall card to flip the Quistis card, and with the Trepie distracted by defeat, his eyes had met hers and something instantaneous had flashed across them, which was either nothing or the only time he had ever hit on her.

Near –

Somehow he didn't hear her come in, but suddenly he felt arms encircle his waist and she pressed against him—he sighed, the brooding air about him dispersing like a fog, and though she teased him (" I was only three hours late…"), she understood, because she was an orphan and a soldier too, and a keen awareness of the temporality of things came with the territory.

Natural –

She led his hands and guided his hips, and gradually he worked out how to shift his weight and where to let his touch linger- indeed after all this time he could hardly believe how easily he fell back into the role of her pupil.

Horizon –

Laguna clapped him on the shoulder, saying "Son, if there's one thing I can promise you it's that there's life after a Heartilly," and Squall was glad he'd listened rather than decking the man like he'd wanted to, because it was the best advice he ever received.

Valiant –

A sudden, vicious tug at end of her whip sent it flying from her hand, but just as the dragon made to escape with her beloved weapon wrapped around its horn, he leapt on the handle, holding on though he was yanked through the air with each failed takeoff of the now-terrified wyrm.

Virtuous –

Invine drummed the pencil on the blank sheet, a warning that even his ample good will had a limit, and tried one more time: "Do you want your woman back or don't ya? Now what do you love about her BESIDES her impressive stats and tactically invaluable limit break?"

Victory –

When she could no longer ignore the spreading light, she made to rise, but he caught her and pulled her back down, settling back on top of her and resuming his slumber in flagrant disregard of the meeting they were both expected at that morning— it was only then, as she lay there running her fingers through the mop of chestnut hair at her clavicle, that she allowed the insidious little cracks of elation to spread.

Defeat –

"Selphie, no!" he shouted, sprinting after her as she ran squealing down the hall in search of the nearest thing with ears, leaving Quistis feeling flushed and a bit bereft.