Author's note: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or its characters. This is for the 30 Kisses challenge using list iota. This is AU. Theme 22: All the Romantic Clichés.

All the World

Single's Awareness Day was Quistis' least favorite holiday, and Valentine's Day was a bad time to be trying to hold a serious rehearsal, even if the show did open in two weeks. It also didn't help that the director had run off for his own little romantic liaison leaving her to do all the work. She was tempted to call the whole thing off, but they did need the practice. The revival of Oklahoma opened at Balamb's most famous theater in just two weeks, and while things were coming together, there was still a lot of work to do.

But it didn't help when most of her cast and crew were paired off and more interested in each other at this moment than working on the play. It also didn't help her mood any that every where she turned she found all the romantic clichés: bouquets of red roses, heart shaped boxes of chocolates, diamond jewelry. It was rather much. And it emphasized one fact about her above all others.

Quistis was single. Well, sort of. She really didn't know what her relationship with Seifer Almasy, one of the lead actors, was. He was one of her oldest companions; they had been at the same orphanage together when they were children. The two of them weren't dating as they didn't go out together much, nor did they live together, but most of the time they could be found at each other's place. They had never put a name on their relationship. Seifer was simply always there when she needed someone, and she did the same for him. And they had great sex.

The only problem was she had fallen in love with him, and she was desperately afraid to tell. It could change everything between them. For all she knew Seifer was just interested a good time. Quistis had a bad track record with relationships. Her birth parents had died when she was three. Her adoptive parents had sent her back into the system at ten. She had always been the loner at the foster homes after that. And her romantic relationships didn't even bear thinking about. No, Valentine's Day was not helping her mood at all.

"All right, people," Quistis called. "Let's get to work."

There were groans all around. She ignored them, but she couldn't ignore the fact that nobody was moving. Quistis sighed.

"Come on. If we can get through the whole second act today, I'll let you go home early," she wheedled.

"But, Quisty," that was Selphie who played Ado Annie, "it's Valentine's Day."

Selphie was curled up in the lap of her boyfriend, pouting and looking at Quistis with puppy-dog eyes. Quistis thanked every deity known that after years of living with Selphie as a child, she was mostly impervious to that look.

"Be that as it may, we still need to work on the second act today."

"Come on, Quistis." Rinoa, the other female lead, cajoled. "One day off can't hurt. We'll work extra hard tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, but we really need to work on act two."

Others took up the cause, and Quistis soon found herself inundated with begging and pleas for the day off. As much as she wanted to give in to them, the director would kill her if she didn't get them to make some progress on the second act.

"Sorry, folks. Let's get to work. The sooner we get started the sooner we can leave."

The cast finally started to move into position for the beginning of act two, and Quistis let out a sigh of relief. Seifer grinned at her as he took up his position. The managed to get through the act's opening musical number and onto the auction of the lunches when things started to get out of hand. Quistis was having a hard enough time keeping people focused, they kept sneaking off between scenes to make out, and after hauling one of the minor actresses out of the wings for the third time, the girl lost it.

"Listen," she snarled at Quistis, "I'm sure you don't get it, being as no man would want such workaholic bitch, but some of us have plans for today that don't involve being stuck in a musty old theater."

Quistis bit her lip and blinked back sudden tears. She didn't deserve that, and it shouldn't hurt so much. She could hear the silence around them. She didn't look around at the others. She didn't want to see their pity or their agreement.

"Let's take a ten minute break then start from the top again." She wanted a chance to have a good cry in the bathroom and compose herself. Then she would get through this damn rehearsal and go home and have a pint of chocolate fudge ice cream.

She turned on her heel, heading for the bathroom, when an arm snagged her around the waist.

"Come're, Quisty."

Seifer drew her to the center of the stage, turning her to face out to the seats. Taking one of her hands in each of hers, Seifer dropped to one knee.

"Quistis Cariad Trepe, you have been my best friend and closest confident. You have been there for me whenever I needed someone. You've seen me at my worst and at my best. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you. Will you marry me?"

Seifer just smirked up at her while everyone else stared at them. She nearly choked under the weight of their looks; they wanted a show. She'd have to give them one.

"Yes," she managed to whisper. Then in a louder voice, "A thousand times yes."

Leaping to his feet, Seifer bent her back in a dramatic kiss. When he finally released her lips, a small black box was pushed into her hands.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Quisty."