SquallxQuistis
Shades of Grey
Summary: It's not always black and white.
You know how much I love feedback? Just no flames thanks, if you don't like the pairing, don't read the fic. Reviews always welcomed.
X x X
The music was soft, flowing from the gathering much like the wine. Dancing couples had taken to the floor, swaying to the gentle music, the world having fallen away except for them and their dance partner. For a single figure, standing alone in the shadows, the sight before her was devastating, and as a result, caused nothing but pain. The party was celebratory for the end of Ultimecia, a celebration for the liberation of their small world from the greedy claws of evil and for the time being, a thank-you to all those who had been sacrificed in the battle. The entire of Garden showed what appeared to be a happy ending, the small amount of students who had remained in the school earning automatic SeeD membership, all of whom had managed to fit into the banquet hall quite comfortably.
Mingled with the students, the darkened figure could see the president of Deling, as well as the mayor and his wife of fisherman's horizon. It seems their disapproval of senseless violence had not stopped them from accepting that the victory over the evil sorceress had not been unwanted. As the crowd moved slowly to the music, a small gap was created, revealing two very unwanted figures. The shadowed figure winced, looking away, but ultimately, her eyes found themselves drawn back to the swaying couple, each with their eyes only staring into the other. Quistis Trepe frowned.
(They look so well together. I've never seen Squall smile like that…)
Feeling suddenly rather sick, Quistis turned back to her glass of wine, ignoring the prickling sensation on the back of her neck that urged her to turn around and once more watch the love of her life dancing with someone who had grown to be a close friend. She sighed, running her finger along the edge of the goblet, deciding to take a pause from the celebrations that would undoubtedly last all week and return to her quarters. Her eyes automatically scanned the crowd, picking out people to avoid on her way out. Irvine and Selphie we're dancing, Quistis very much doubted by the looks in their eyes they saw anything else but each other. Zell was still sitting at the table, remains of hotdogs surrounding him, his head on the table as around him, several people patted him supportingly.
She sighed, eyes watching as Cid and Matron talked by the food table, it was now or never. She slid from the shadows, eyes on guard as she walked through the crowd, almost bumping into several people on her way out. Her mind was slightly fuzzy from the amount of wine she had consumed, but it was not enough to impair any of her senses, as she slipped through the door, unnoticed. The school was almost empty, most students having been pulled out after the battle with Galbadia Garden, and Quistis felt the pang of loneliness as she walked through the deserted halls and to her quarters, falling asleep almost immediately.
(I'm alone…)
X x X
She was alone, standing in a field of flowers. It went on for as far as her eyes could see, brightness so blinding she had to squint trying to see. Above her, flowers hovered as if on a million strings, white, yellow and light pinks. She frowned, trying to figure out how she had appeared in this strange reality, as she made her way through the brightness and toward the smallest smudge of darkness in the distance. As she neared it, she breathed a sigh of relief, seeing both Squall and Rinoa standing in the flowers on a slight uprising. Both we're holding hands, and staring into the others eyes. Only then did Quistis notice both weren't dressed in their usual attire, instead, it had been replaced with a black tuxedo and a white flowing dress. Suddenly feeling sick, Quistis walked toward them, stopping beside them. They seemed not to notice her.
I promise to love you until the end of my days...
She turned and scanned the area around them, spotting a small group watching the pair beside herself, standing to her far right. She walked toward them, stopping beside Selphie and Irvine, frowning.
I promise to love you…
"Irvine, Selphie," She said quickly, "What's going on?" They didn't seem to hear her.
"I miss Quisty." Selphie breathed sadly, as Irvine squeezed her shoulder supportingly. Quistis stared at the matching rings on their fingers as Selphie raised her own hand to cover his own.
To love you…
"I know hun. But she's here, watching over us. She'll be happy for us. I know it."
Selphie nodded, the smallest trace of a smile gracing her lips.
"I'm glad Squall decided to marry Rinoa at her grave. He wanted to be near her."
(I'm dead?)
Quistis backed away, stumbling slightly, turning away to see for the first time a grey stone, jutting from the ground a short while away. She slowly approached it, dread filling her, as she looked at the writing written apon it.
QUISTIS TREPE
A beloved sister to all.
A hero.
Feeling fear, Quistis looked up, as the blue sky vanished, instead replaced by rolling back clouds, as around her the feathers came tumbling down. She screamed, as the innocent feathers changed, becoming Gunblades, tumbling towards her from the skies. She only thing she saw before everything went painfully white, was Rinoa, a smile growing on her face as her eyes slowly glowed red.
X x X
Quistis wrenched open her eyes, feeling the blood pump through her veins, remembering the dream that had woken her up with such chills. Something about Squall…the more she tried to remember, the more she seemed to forget, until with a last frown, she tried to remember what she was thinking about in the first place. She glanced at her clock, shocked to discover it was barely past two-o'clock in the morning. She groaned, but even more so as a slight knock sounded at her door. Wanting nothing more then to roll over and fall back asleep, Quistis climbed from her bed, staggering to the door and blinking at the harsh fluorescent light as it opened.
She had to blink several times just to check that her eyes we're not fooling her, staring at the dark figure who was staring back at her with almost equal intensity. She stared for a few extra seconds, before he cleared his throat, and she blinked, realizing he had come to her quarters for a reason.
"Uh…yes?" Was all she managed to ask the boy. He narrowed his eyes.
"Can I talk to you for a few minutes?" Was all he asked. Quistis nodded, moving aside to let him inside, only for him to shake his head.
"N-no. I'll meet you outside the training room, if you don't mind." Her frown only growing deeper, she nodded, watching Squall walk away.
(I wonder what he could want? I wonder if Rinoa knows he is here…)
Nearly ten minutes later she had managed to clean herself up into a fairly respectably looking person, walking into the training hall to find Squall already waiting, his Gunblade tapping into the wall. He barely acknowledged her, instead leaving her to pull out her whip, walking into the training center alone. She caught up with him a minute later, finding him already in combat with a T-rexaur. She sighed, watching him handle his blade, delivering blow after blow while she lazily cast blind, until finally with a loud roar she was sure would wake up every student in five hundred miles, it fell to it's side. He led the way over the small bridge and to the secret area, walking inside to find it very much empty.
He stopped by the windows, leaning is elbows on the railing and staring up at the garden so elegantly above him. Quistis sighed, leaning beside him, waiting for him to speak.
"Rinoa's gone." He said, voice monotone. Of all the things she had been expecting, that had not been one of them. Quistis looked up in surprise.
"Gone where?" Squall seemed not to show any emotion at the huge news he had just broken.
"I-I told her I didn't love her." He said quickly, voice showing only the slightest of a crackle. Quistis looked incredulous.
"Why on Earth did you tell her that?"
Squall looked away, and Quistis automatically knew it was the wrong thing to say. She rubbed his arm slightly, waiting for him to continue.
"Because I don't." He said, sounding incredibly tired. Quistis shook her head, refusing to believe the truth so apparently set out in front of her.
(He made a mistake, that's all. He'll realize what a fool he was and run back into her arms. After all, they we're destined to be together. And once again, I'll be alone…No expectations, no disappointments.)
"I saw you two at the party, and before that, you nearly killed yourself for her."
Squall sighed.
"I didn't want to be alone."
Quistis frowned.
"But your not alone Squall, there's me, Rinoa, Selphie, Zell, Irvine…"
Squall shook his head, bowing it slightly.
"No. I never let you guys in. W-When Rinoa came along, I'd never felt anything that that before. I was afraid, but I grew attached to her. She was different. The first girl I ever met who seemed to see the real me."
Quistis felt a slightly pang of hurt, using all of her self-restraint not to wince, or possibly, cry. He continued.
"When we defeated Ultimecia, I realised I had been wrong all along. Rinoa confessed to me that when she saw me, all she saw was Seifer. She loves him. I was so much like him, I think that's why she saw parts of him in me. I was so desperate not to be alone again after I let her in, I was afraid. We went to the party, but I knew it was over between us. After you left – (Ah, so he did notice.) – in walked Seifer and, to tell the truth, I saw it in her eyes. But when I looked at her, suddenly I realised I had never seen Rinoa. When she laughed, I always imagined another's. Her eyes, so different in colour then the one that plagued my dreams, reminded me of her in deepness. I had been so scared of rejection from the one I love, I tried to substitute her. Another, in her place. It didn't work, and I realised, I have nothing to lose. I want to tell her how I really feel. I don't want to be alone, and when I'm g-gone, I don't want to be forgotten."
Quistis felt her chest grow tight.
(Oh, God. He's in love with someone else. He'll never see me.)
"Do I know her?" Was all she managed to stutter. Squall sighed.
"Yes."
Quistis took a deep breath.
"Student, Instructor or SeeD? Or is it someone else?"
Squall thought for a moment.
"Instructor."
Quistis felt her heart fall through the floor. She was a SeeD. Normal, like everyone else.
"Oh. What's her name?"
Squall looked at her.
"Quistis."
Quistis frowned.
"Yes?"
"That's her name." He said, frowning slightly. Quistis sharply glanced at him.
"Your joking, right? Tell me this entire thing is a jok-" She was stopped as a pair of lips pressed against her own. Pulling away, Squall shrugged.
"I love you." He said, looking away and stuffing his hands in his pockets. Quistis looked at him intently.
A smile broke across her face.
"I love you too."
He glanced back at her, hope filtering through his eyes, as she pulled him across for another kiss. As they pulled away, she grabbed his hand, his other arm snaking around her shoulders as they looked at the Garden they called home.
"Wait a minute," She said quickly, pulling away and looking up at him, "You said you we're in love with an instructor, I'm not anymore." Squall looked at her, eyes twinkling.
"Oh, I must have forgot, sorry."
Quistis frowned.
"It's nearly daybreak. I need to get back to my quarters and change before everyone sees my in my sweats." Squall smiled.
"I think you look beautiful."
Quistis blushed.
"So does this mean you're my boyfriend now? We can act all gooey eyed in front of my male fan club? They may leave my alone when they realize I'm taken. " She asked, smiling slightly. Squall glared at her, before resting his palm over his eyes, as Quistis grabbed his arm for him to walk her back to her quarters.
"Oh god, what did I get myself into?" He asked. She hit him lightly across the arm, as they arrived in the dormitory. He smiled, giving her a final kiss, before vanishing in the direction of his own. Quistis walked into her room, feeling very much awake, before noticing something sitting on her bed.
CONGRATULATIONS
to
QUISTIS TREPE
A NEWLY RE-INSTATED BALAMB GARDEN INSTRUCTOR
For example of leadership excellence in the ultimate battle
Commander Squall Leonheart
Headmaster Cid Kramer
Quistis looked up in surprise, a smile spreading across her face. Things we're getting a whole lot better.
(I'm not alone.)
X x X
The field of flowers. She was back again. Quistis sighed in resignation, looking around for the familiar back smudge in the distance that was Rinoa and Squall getting married. Seeing it, she dragged her feet, well aware of what to expect, stopping in surprise as she stared at the pair in front of her. Squall was holding hands with someone, who looked very familiar…
"I love you. Will you marry me?" Squall asked, a smile plastered across his usually emotionless face. Quistis nodded, looking down at her white dress.
"I do." There we're cheers from her surrounding friends as her eyes raked across Selphie and Irvine, their wedding bands shining in the sunlight, Cid and Matron, hand in hand, smiles on their faces and Zell and Xu, standing side by side, clearly clapping the loudest. She smiled again, looking at the man opposite her in his usual clothes, leaning forward and kissing him tenderly.
"I'll love you until the end of my days…" He whispered into her neck. She smiled.
"I'll love you until the end of time." She whispered, kissing him again, as around them white feathers tumbled to earth, harmless, as Balamb garden flew overhead.
"It's a fantastic ending." Cid murmured, staring at the hugging couple, so clearly in love. From behind him, a voice answered.
"No, headmaster. It's the perfect beginning." He looked around to see Rinoa, tightly gripping Seifer's hand. "They look beautiful together." She whispered. Cid couldn't help but agree.
X x X
(I'll never be alone…)
End