Beneath the Fireworks
A/N: And here I present to you another Seiftis oneshot. I keep meaning to do something Squistis/Quall, but Seifer's way more interesting than Squall anyway. Right guys? Right. Anyway, I'm assuming the SeeD ball isn't really strictly SeeDs only, more of a free-for-everyone-who-attempted-the-exam. Or something. Either way Seifer's only there so Rinoa can be his date to come to see Cid, instead of randomly gatecrashing. So he has a valid reason for attending. Hah.
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It was cold outside, but Quistis could think of worse things - one of which was currently inside the ballroom, dancing away merrily with Squall. Then again she had to hand it to the mysterious brunette. The young woman had managed to drag Squall away from his pillar and get him to actually dance, which was quite a feat in itself.
It just irked her that she knew he would never get on the dance floor if she'd asked him, but he had done so quite willingly for a stranger. A stranger in a very short skirt. Hmmm. Maybe Squall wasn't quite as asexual as she'd thought.
A breeze blew past and she shivered, pulling her fur cape tighter around herself. She picked up the cocktail resting on the balcony ledge and took a long sip. The warmth it created in her bowels was duly welcomed. Normally Quistis frowned upon alcohol consumption, but even she needed a break from her own rules once in a while; and tonight was as good a reason as ever.
She leaned over the edge of the balcony and peered into the darkness ahead. In the distance she could barely make out the instructors' lounge, still lit up and obviously occupied despite the occasion. For once she felt so totally alienated from the rest of the people her age that she actually longed to join the older men and women in that room. But she no longer belonged with them either; plus she had taught several of today's new SeeDs, so there was no way she'd be allowed to leave. For the duration of the ball, she still maintained her status as an instructor, and therefore the responsibilities of one too.
Raising the cocktail glass to her lips again, she drained the rest of its contents and then slumped herself over the balustrades, eyes tightly shut.
"Don't," someone said from behind her.
Quistis turned her head sluggishly, half hoping they were talking to someone else. Blue met green, and she jolted when she realized it was Seifer who was speaking. He had left his mobster trenchcoat outfit in his wardrobe and donned a white suit and pants for the dance. She could see a little of his tie that he had evidently tried to tie himself, before deciding to leave his top shirt buttons undone to cover up his failed attempt.
"Don't what?" she asked, picking herself up to stand face to face with him.
"Jump," said Seifer.
She stared at him for a moment, before the absurdity of the idea struck her and she started giggling. "Why would I do that?"
"A recently fired instructor, alcohol, and a balcony. Not a very safe combination, in anyone's books."
Quistis froze. "How did you find out?" she asked quietly. It had been mere hours since she had been informed of her premature retirement as an instructor, and it had been a very private matter. She prayed that the news hadn't already been leaked around Garden.
He shrugged in response. "Disciplinary Committee," he replied, as if that explained everything.
"Well, you said it yourself before," she said with a sigh. "I was a mediocre instructor."
"I didn't say I was surprised," he said.
Feeling one-upped and rather piqued, Quistis sagged and turned her back on him again. "I won't jump, so you can go back inside," she said, through gritted teeth. "Thank you for your concern, Seifer."
There was a moment's pause where Quistis waited for his retreating footsteps, but didn't hear it. She swivelled back around in confusion to find that Seifer had his hand outstretched towards her. "A dance, then," he said, a smirk tugging at his lips. "To make you feel better. And to make up for the fact that I'm ditching my date right now."
Quistis felt her mouth drop open, and resisted the urge to slap him in the face in place of the other girl. Was there no end to the despicable things he could do? "I can't believe you're leaving a girl stranded by herself in the ballroom," she hissed. "You invited her yourself, didn't you?"
"Yeah, well, I need to get away from her for a while. And she's not just here to dance."
"Well I think maybe you should go back inside to check on her."
"She's fine," he said, looking annoyed.
"Fine? She's probably looking for you right now!" she yelled.
"Actually, she's dancing with Squall."
A wave of shocked realization washed over Quistis, and her mind quickly pieced things together. So the brunette was Seifer's date. And yet there she was, dancing with Squall. All of a sudden she felt a lot less sorry for the girl and a lot more sorry for her own naïveté.
Seifer probably noticed her revelation, because he gave a loud sigh. "Give me your hand," he ordered.
It must have been the alcohol getting to her head - for some reason, she complied. Fancy that, an instructor taking an order from her own student! The irony threatened to evoke another fit of giggles, but before it could Seifer was already leading her into the middle of the ballroom. The mirth died in her throat as he put a hand on the small of her back and grasped her fingers with his - rough and calloused from wielding his gunblade - other.
Had he always been so tall? she wondered as she craned her neck to look at his face. Then again she'd always been looking down at him from her elevated desk and never really had much chance to talk to him outside of class. So she wouldn't know. Their eyes met for a second, then two and then five and held on, neither side willing to lose the mental battle by looking away first. It was only when they started dancing that Quistis eventually got distracted by Squall's figure out of the corner of her eye, and turned her gaze elsewhere.
At the end of the first song, Quistis had become aware of two things. One, that Seifer's date and Squall seemed totally entranced by each other, which made her want to cry, and two - that Seifer was an excellent dancer. She had, admittedly, expected him to have two left feet, but he was in control on the dance floor as much as he was in all the other aspects of himself. He moved like a leopard and for once Quistis had been the one struggling to keep up her perfect posture and technique, so as to not become overshadowed by her partner.
"Not bad," Seifer told her as the next song started.
Quistis smiled despite herself. "SeeDs are expected to know how to dance."
He took her bait and scowled deeply, and she bit back a laugh at his childish reaction. Even with the whole Squall-dancing-with-a-stranger thing, she was enjoying herself, she really was. Funny how it had taken Seifer of all people to turn her miserable evening around and lift her spirits.
"Are we going to keep dancing?" she asked.
Seifer looked over the crowd and nodded emphatically. "They're still at it, so we might as well."
And so they continued. Quistis wanted to laugh every time Seifer hazardously cut into another couple's path, which nicely countered the times she wanted to cry when she saw Squall. She had never before had people yell constantly for some reason or another at her partner during a ball. Tonight was a refreshing first time.
She had also never thought that Seifer could ever come close to looking graceful, but here he was, proving her wrong with every fluid step he took.
An hour later, the music stopped and the lights dimmed. "Fireworks," Quistis explained to Seifer, who looked like he was preparing himself for a fight. She turned her head slightly and watched as the brunette woman and Squall finished off their waltz with an agonizingly intimate move. "I'm impressed," she murmured.
"She's good with people," Seifer offered, an almost apologetic tone mixed in with his usual brashness.
Quistis was saved from thinking of a suitable response by the explosion of light over their heads, casting Seifer's face into angular portions of light and shadow. The fireworks were a customary end to every SeeD ball; she'd experienced the marvel for the first time at fifteen. This time around, all she could think about was the image of Squall and the girl in that near-kiss position. That, and the fact that Seifer's hand was still resting on her lower back.
"Hey," she said, catching Seifer's attention. "I think your date just ran off."
"I guess she found her target. I should probably join her." He looked Quistis in the eye, and gave a mock bow. "Thank you for the dance, Instructor Trepe."
"Quistis," she said.
He looked nonplussed. "What?"
"I'm not your instructor anymore. Call me Quistis."
Seifer's look of surprise didn't last long before it was replaced by his usual smirk. "Alright then. Goodnight, Quistis."
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