A Seiftis vignette because I haven't written one in quite a while. Hopefully it's enjoyable. Also, I hope that Seifer and Quistis are in character, for it's getting more difficult to remember their personas when one hasn't played Final Fantasy in over a year. Inspired by altol's "Fire and Ice".
Disclaimer: I just borrow them and bend them to my will. But they aren't mine.
Mawatasan
"Her name is Qusitis Trepe. She's one of our most capable young SeeDs. If she doesn't change you, no one will." Seraphim Reno's boots made thick sounds upon the marble floors of Balamb Garden. He was a tall, striking man, at least six feet tall with thick red hair that hung past his shoulders in a ponytail. His suit was dark blue, unnatural for most Garden instructors, but then again, Seraphim Reno wasn't really the conformist type. Seraphim's bright blue eyes shifted sideways to the angry-looking teenager with fair blonde hair that almost reached his height. "I'm sure she'll take care of you."
"My ass," was the rough retort. Seraphim didn't even blink.
"Is what she'll kick if you don't learn to shut your mouth. Ah, here we are." Seraphim stopped, one arm barring the teenager's way. They stood before the second to last door on the third floor, Room 106. It looked innocent enough, and if one remained quiet, they could hear snatches of a young, female voice, reciting the day's lesson about Para-Magic and Guardian Force Theory.
"Para-Magic is a subcategory of True Magic, only achieved through the inheritance of Sorceress Powers. The Sorceress Hyne was the first to teach early civilizations about Para-Magic, and it is therefore believed that it was Lady Hyne who created the creatures now called Guardian Forces. There are many theories about these Guardian Forces—mainly the purpose of such Guardians, but these theories have yet to be proved or disproved..."
"Fucking boring," the brash, fair-haired youth beside Seraphim spoke suddenly. Loudly. The voice within the classroom faltered, then stopped, and the blonde boy smirked, obviously pleased with himself for stopping the female from continuing with the monotonous lecture.
Then the door slid open with a soft swoosh, and a frail-looking girl stood in the doorway. Dressed in a standard SeeD uniform, Quistis Trepe barely touched the teenage boy's shoulders, with long, white-blonde hair and arresting blue eyes that glittered as she stared up at the blonde boy. Flashing blue met sneering green. "Excuse me," Quistis said quietly, "you're disrupting my class."
The tall boy scoffed while Seraphim stood by silently. "You've got a problem with that, Instructor?"
Quistis did not answer immediately, instead, she noticed Seraphim and turned her gaze to the redhead. "Instructor Reno. The Headmaster told me that you would be bringing a new student to my class. Is this Seifer Almasy?" She gestured to the rude boy in the cadet's uniform. Seraphim nodded, his eyes flickering to Seifer.
"Seifer Almasy is transferring from my class to yours, Quistis. Here's hoping you can put up with him."
"...I see." Quistis glanced at Seifer again, who grinned. "Thank you, Instructor Reno." She turned on her heel and without another word, strode back into the classroom. Seifer followed slowly, surveying the class with derision.
"What a crappy-looking buncha kids."
"I'll ask you only once to stop demeaning your fellow classmates that way," Quistis said quietly, standing before the class. She turned to her students, a smile gracing her usually-professional features. "We have a new student joining us today. This is Seifer Almasy." She gestured to Seifer—or rather, the place where Seifer had been. The actual Seifer had already strolled to his seat beside a blank-faced boy with gray-blue eyes half-hidden behind brown hair. Quistis said nothing, instead turning around and returning to the board.
"As I was saying, Guardian Force theories state various origins—"
The bells rang for the end of class. Quistis stopped speaking and looked at her class. "I'll be pushing back the test to after tomorrow. Please make sure to cover Guardian Force Theories in your studies tonight and tomorrow night. Have a good day. Oh, and Mister Almasy?" Seifer stopped, already at the door. "Please stay behind, I'd like to finalize the transfer papers with you."
Seifer stopped, shrugged, and sauntered over to her desk. "Please don't sit on my desk—" Quistis began, but Seifer had already positioned himself comfortably on his perch, looking at with an expression that seemed to ask, What are you going to do about it?
She took a deep breath. "You're not a very good student," she managed, and Seifer stared at her for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"The hell—? Is that all you have to say to me, Instructor?" He drew out the last word, and she fidgeted slightly, so he knew he annoyed her. "Damn, you're a lot easier to fuck with than Reno. What the hell did they send me here for? You're just a kid."
"So are you, Mister Almasy. I suggest you stop using profanity in my classroom before I'm forced to take steps." The words were said softly enough, but there was a silent fury behind them, like a raging ocean beneath a surface of ice. She drew herself straight and pinned him with her stare, and he was almost impressed by the anger behind them.
"Yeah, sure, demerits. Detention. I've done it before." Seifer waved a hand dismissively, smirking at her. She bristled, her calm gaze now a glare. "Listen, you wannabe teacher, there's nothing you can do that—"
He was abruptly cut off by the sound of the air whistling, and turned his head just in time to meet her fist. He keeled over, falling off the desk and stumbling dazedly to his feet as Quistis shifted her feet, taking up a stance. "The fuck—" Seifer began again, only to be met by a blow to the stomach. He doubled over and dropped to his knees, wheezing, as Quistis straightened.
"You're not—supposed to—hit your students," he managed to gasp out.
"No, if I were an Instructor. Currently, Garden Bell states that I'm just a student, and that means there's nothing except the Disciplinary Committee that'll stop me from kicking your ass if you keep saying words like 'fuck' in my classroom, Almasy." Quistis reached down, grabbing Seifer's collar and hauling him to his feet. "I'll only ask you once, Mister Almasy, to stop being such an asshole to me and to my class, or else you're going to get a punch to your nuts like you wouldn't believe. I'll kill whatever hope you have left of having little Seifers. You got that?" The last three words were punctuated by a harsh push, sending Seifer sprawling to the floor once more.
Seifer sat up, staring up at the student-Instructor with an odd look in his eyes. "You can fight," he finally said, one hand rubbing his jaw. "Shit, that was a hell of a punch."
Quistis smirked, looking so like Seifer that it was almost eerie. "I'm not some pussy Instructor you can fuck with, Almasy. I didn't make it this far, this young just so I can be punked around by some kid with a superiority complex." The two stared each other down, a battle of wills, and then...a smile broke out on Seifer's face, a genuine grin that caught Quistis off-guard and made her step back when her student rose to his feet, stepping up to her.
"You've got balls, Instructor. I think I'm kinda turned on." There was a sneer on Seifer's face, but there was a genuine warmth in his eyes, a playfulness that unnerved Quistis. Her hands fisted again, ready to fight. Seifer held up his hands, smirking. "Don't take it the wrong way, Teach. I think I kinda like you."
"W…what does that mean?" Quistis asked, frowning at her student.
"You're cute when you're angry." At the compliment Qusitis wavered, a blush coloring her pale cheeks, and Seifer nodded in her direction, obviously amused. "Don't let it get to your head, though." He turned away, headed for the door, and Qusitis, utterly confused, asked, "Aren't you going to get mad?"
The boy glanced back, questioning. "Usually I get pissed when I get punched in the face. Never had a girl do it…so, no. Just don't do it again."
She scowled. "I will if you say one more word of profanity in my classroom."
He paused, stared at her, and shrugged. "So I guess we got us a truce. You understand?"
She was very startled. "Instructor Reno never said you were this…acquiescent."
"Instructor Reno never threatened to punch me in the crotch for swearing in his class." Something in his voice made Quistis smile, and she quickly raised a hand to hide it. Seifer saw it, and grinned back. "I'll see you tomorrow. Quistis, right?"
The Garden Bell chose that moment to ring, and new students began to file in, making their way around Seifer and greeting Quistis with smiles. Seifer glared at some, then turned his attention back to Quistis. "Don't think I'll be staying after class anymore for our after-class quickies, Instructor. You understand, don't you?" He smirked as Quistis' class turned to their instructor with wide eyes, she has quickies with Seifer Almasy!
She fought down the blush and met his eyes squarely. "No problem, Almasy. There's not much I'll miss. You understand, don't you?" she shot back, and the wide-eyed gazes shifted to Seifer.
He scowled, and Quistis thought, Right on cue. "Shut up, Instructor." And he left.
The next day, Raijin saw a glimpse of Seifer's face, his right cheek swollen and purple. When asked what happened, Seifer merely growled noncommittally, a perfect model of rebellion and disregard. "Some kid," he had said, acting every inch the proud, defiant, and fiery lone wolf.
At that moment Quistis happened to pass by, and spared him a vague glance. Sneering green met flashing blue. They stared each other down, a battle of wills.
What happened to who you were yesterday, Seifer?
This is who I am, Instructor. You understand, don't you?
Quistis broke the stare, and said quietly, "Put some ice on that, Almasy. Looks like some kid kicked your ass."
Seifer sneered at her, though it hurt to do so. "Lay off, Instructor."
They went on their separate ways.