Talk To Me
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: See prologue.
Quistis looked on as her cadets paired off to spar. It had been almost five months since the arrival of Jayden and her two friends, and although none of them had any fighting experience at the time, she was amazed to see how quickly their skills were improving. She didn't know if it was from her teaching, or if the three youths were simply born with their ability. Of course, Jayden and Matt were always more than ready to follow her instructions. It was almost as if they were competing for her attention…and possibly something more? She suppressed a grin. Even though he was probably a little closer to her in age, Matt didn't stand a chance. Jayden on the other hand, well, she didn't need to be thinking about the violet-eyed young woman right now. The last thing she needed was for one of her students to be injured due to her daydreaming.
"All right class, today we're going to be training with our secondary weapons. Does everyone have a sparring partner?" When she received no reply, she nodded her head and clasped her hands behind her back. "Begin. I will observe from here. Your goal here today will be practicing offensive and defensive techniques," she paused and looked from Jayden and Matt to a few of the known Trepies in the class, "not to see who can impress me the most." That added comment earned a few giggles from her cadets, but indeed she felt it necessary. All too often someone was injured because their sparring partner was more concerned with trying to win her affections than mastering their weapon of choice.
Quistis walked around the group in a wide circle so she could observe each group. They were practicing out in the quad for this exercise for it provided much more room for students to spar, and then there was the fact that the quad was devoid to monsters. It was very difficult for two people to spar when there was always the threat of being attacked by something else other than your partner.
She stopped near to where Jayden and Matt were sparring with one another, both physically and verbally. Though she couldn't understand what they were saying, she could tell that it only made their sparring more intense. Though verbal sparring wasn't banned during battle, it was something that often led a simple test of skills to something much more dangerous. Squall and Seifer were a perfect example of that. However Squall and Seifer were rivals whereas Jayden and Matt were practically siblings.
Quistis couldn't help but be transfixed as she watched the two cadets' spar with one another, and apparently their classmates couldn't help themselves either. Most had stopped their own training to watch them as well.
She had never seen someone that moved with such fluidity and grace. Their blades were like deadly whirlwinds in their hands; the sun gleaming off of them seemed more like a light show than a mere reflection. Perhaps that was what was keeping everyone transfixed, except Quistis. No, Quistis was more transfixed with Jayden and the look that was in her eyes. It was a look that she always had whenever she was fighting. And boy did Quistis love to watch her fight.
She was startled when she suddenly heard Jayden scream in pain, and then in anger. Before Quistis was able to stop her Jayden had launched herself at Matt, her scimitars twirling in her hands and slashing at her friend with such speed he couldn't help but go on the defensive. He struggled to block the slender blades with his katanas, but he was having difficulty keeping up with her movements. His hands were sweating, and since he had chosen not to wear gloves, he was having trouble keeping hold of them as well. Jayden seemed to be putting all of her strength into every attack she came at him with.
Quistis quickly pulled her whip from where it hung at her side and, with a quick flick of her wrist she knocked one of Jayden's scimitars out of her hand. Both students dropped their weapons to the ground and looked at her.
"What was that all about? You were told to just spar, not try and kill each other!"
Jayden was about to open her mouth to speak when Matt beat her to it. "I'm sorry ma'am. One of my attacks made it through Jade's defenses, and it appears that I've injured her."
What? That little fucker! Jayden thought to herself. There was nothing accidental about this whole thing. She knew that Matt was pissed at her joining the Trepies, but what pissed him off more was that they had never extended the invitation to him or Nic. Of course, Nic was so obsessed with a certain auburn haired cowboy he didn't even sense the growing rivalry between his two friends. There were other things that factored into the equation; Jayden seemed to be turning into the better melee fighter and also seemed to be winning the affection of Instructor Trepe.
She had put up with all of his whining and verbal sparring because that was just how her friend was. Now that he'd taken his anger out in a physical way, Jayden was pissed. She wasn't going to let someone's jealousy mess up her chances of becoming a SeeD.
"You're full of it! That was no accident and you know it you sniveling little bastard!"
"That's enough from the both of you!" Quistis stepped in between the two and gave them both a look that showed her disapproval. She turned to Matt and pointed to the quad's exit. "I want you to go to the detention hall right now!"
Matt balked at this. "But…but…it was an accident! Don't tell me she's getting not going to be disciplined?"
"Don't worry she'll be joining you as soon as her injury is taken care of." Quistis turned to the rest of the class and dismissed them for the day.
After everyone had left, Matt included, Jayden watched and waited for the reprimanding she was sure to get. She hated that she had lowered herself to Matt's standards, but she surely wasn't about to let him walk over her. What she hated more was that by doing this she might have caused Quistis to lower her opinion of her.
She was surprised however when Quistis turned to face her. The look of disapproval was still there, but there was also something else there.
"Let me look at your arm."
She winced as she pulled the torn sleeve of her cadet's jacket aside. Blood had trickled down her arm from where she had let it lay limp at her side.
"Hmm…it's hard to tell how bad it is. I'll have to clean it before I can determine whether you need stitches or not." Quistis gently took Jayden's arm in her hands and tried to get a closer look before sighing. "Come with me, I have a first aid kit in the classroom. I'd take you straight to the infirmary, but Dr. Kadowaki is swamped with patients. It seems there was a problem with a shipment of hot dogs…" She stopped when she felt Jayden's other hand cover one of her own. When she looked up, she was surprised to see that certain look back in Jayden's eyes. Quistis finally realized it for what it was. It was a look of passion. And it certainly made her heart do funny things…and caused other parts of her body to react in a rather distracting way as well.
Jayden didn't know what to do; well she knew what she wanted to do, she just wasn't sure whether or not she should do it. This was her instructor. Even though she'd been wanting her ever since she'd first seen her back in Esthar, she knew when to draw the lines. Sure flirting was fine, everyone did that. The occasional "good job" pat on the shoulder that lingered just a little longer than it should, but not enough to be obvious. She knew Quistis wanted her, and Quistis had to know that she wanted her. But could they cross that line? Did they dare? She had to say something to break the moment, something to make those beautiful blue eyes to look away from her. Intending to ask if Quistis was disappointed in her she opened her mouth to speak, only what came out wasn't what she expected. "I want to kiss you." And then it came out in a whisper, which certainly didn't help things.
Quistis was taken aback by the statement. It was the last thing she was expecting, but something she so dearly wanted. For so long she'd been alone. All of her friends had someone, even Zell, why couldn't she? The consequences, however, could be severe. Not only could she lose her license as an instructor, she could possibly be expelled from the academy all together along with Jayden.
She silently weighed her options in her head, all the while never breaking eye contact with Jayden. Deciding to throw all caution to the wind for once in her life Quistis stepped closer to Jayden, bringing their faces within centimeters of each other. Quistis could feel her heart speed up and her breathing get heavier. Her lips quirked up in a slight grin when she saw that she was having the same affect on Jayden; she moved ever closer still and when their lips where almost touching she whispered back, "Kiss me then."
That was all it took for Jayden to close what little distance there was between them. Her lips claimed Quistis's, and Hyne, it felt so good. They were as soft as she had imagined they would be. It was almost like kissing velvet, only velvet didn't have a tongue, and there was definitely a tongue tracing her lips. She parted her lips to allow Quistis access, and she swore she could have melted right then and there when she heard a small moan escape her instructor.
Quistis couldn't help but moan when her tongue entered the hotness that was Jayden's mouth. Yes, she had imagined this moment, but never had she thought it would feel this good. She slowly moved her hands from where they rested on Jayden's arms and let them travel upwards slowly. Wrapping one arm around the younger woman's shoulders, Quistis brought the other hand up to the back of Jayden's neck and wrapped her fingers through the girl's silky hair, and with a jerk she pulled their lips apart.
She rested her forehead against Jayden's in an attempt to get control of her breathing…and her body. Hyne she was feeling things that she hadn't felt in a long, long time. Quistis wanted nothing more than to reclaim those lips, those lips that were now swollen from the kiss they'd just shared, those lips that had her wanting to take Jayden back to her dorm and claim other parts of her body. However, she also wanted to take things slow. Yes, slow would be best. Quistis thought to herself.
It wasn't until they heard voices that they realized where they were and slowly broke apart. Whenever she heard Jayden wince slightly she suddenly remembered her injured arm. "Oh Hyne, I'm sorry!"
Jayden quickly surveyed the area and realized that the voices were just from some cadet's passing by. Smiling slightly, she ducked in and placed a quick kiss on Quistis's lips. "It's okay. You said you had a first aid kit in the classroom?" She smirked and wiggled her eyebrows at Quistis. "The empty classroom…"
"…that anyone can walk into at any moment." Quistis finished for her.
"Bah…" Jayden sighed dramatically, earning a slight chuckle from Quistis.
"Come on let's go get you fixed up," she paused, "so you can go to detention."
Jayden smiled slightly and nodded in understanding. "No special favors?"
Quistis shook her head, glad that Jayden understood that even with what just happened and what was possibly to come, she was still her student for the time being.
"Well, now I really do have to qualify for the exam."
Quistis outright laughed as they headed towards the quad's exit.
A/N: Well that was chapter three. What do you think? Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but now that I've got my internet connection back, I promise more updates! Thanks for the kind reviews! Later.
