Chapter 4: Gossip
Seifer moaned as he was let onto the bed. He didn't know where he was, and he thought he had something big and bulky on his shoulder. Then he felt something soft, and then he felt like he was on fire, and all of a sudden very cold again. He made a grunting sound and rolled over, only to have fallen onto the floor. He gave a dry, hacking cough and tried to sit up, but only fell back down. Zell picked him up and heaved him onto the bed. Quistis came into the bedroom with a hair blower.
"What are you going to do with that?" Zell asked, watching her plug it in. She turned around and aimed the blower at Seifer, making him wave his arms at an invisible enemy.
"What do you need to do that for?" Zell exclaimed as the heat wave hit him square in the face. He backed away from the bed.
"I am not going to change his clothes." Quistis emphasized as she turned the blow dryer on 'high'.
Someone knocked on the door and Zell went over to open it. Dr. Kadowaki rushed in with Selphie right behind her. The two of them walked over to Seifer and Selphie giggled as she felt the hot wind blow by her. Dr. Kadowaki took a bottle out of her bag and a spoon. She measured out a teaspoon and tried to feed it to Seifer, but Seifer turned his head and pushed her away.
Quistis shook him a little, and Seifer reached out his hand and pushed her away too, but he couldn't see straight, and managed to spill the spoon of medicine in the doctor's hand. Quistis jumped back and glared at him. 'Great. Now I've got a stain on my carpet. Thanks a lot Seifer.'
"He's got a bad fever." Dr. Kadowaki concluded when she felt his forehead. "Over 1030. He needs medicine; someone hold him down and I'll try again."
Zell looked at Quistis, who stared back at Zell. He made a motion with his head as if saying, "Go on", and Quistis sighed. She took hold of Seifer's arms and pinned him down to the bed, but he struggled, and turned around, pulling Quistis on top of him. Selphie giggled as Quistis tried peeled herself off.
"Don't go yet…." He indistinctly muttered, and gripped Quistis' hands harder. Quistis tried to pull her hands back, but Seifer had stopped moving, and his grip didn't loosen. Dr. Kadowaki poured another dose of the medicine and shoved it in his mouth. Seifer swallowed and suddenly sat up and started coughing again. Quistis winced and tried to get out of the way.
"Man Quistis," Zell laughed, "he's gonna make you sick too."
"I hope not!" Quistis exclaimed, and yanked her hands out of Seifer's grasp. She climbed gingerly over Seifer and hopped onto the floor. "Stupid Seifer. Someone move him back to his room!"
"I'm not so sure about that." Dr. Kadowaki objected. "Someone needs to watch him, if his fever gets any higher he'll be in danger. I don't have enough help at the infirmary to watch him like that; I had just let most of my nurses away. You think you can let him stay?"
Selphie giggled again and Zell tried to suppress his laughter, but ended up laughing anyways. Quistis looked like Dr. Kadowaki had just killed her dog, but nodded.
"I'll write a note to the headmaster and you can get off until we can move him to the infirmary." Dr. Kadowaki said and stood up. She gathered her bag but left the medicine on the table. "Call me if he gets worst, and he'll have to drink this medicine every 3 hours. Make sure he doesn't get cold, or his fever will go up. You have to take off his shirt and wipe him off if he starts to sweat, or he'll get worst."
"What" Quistis exclaimed, making Zell laugh harder. "I have to do what?!"
"Wipe off his sweat." Dr. Kadowaki repeated with a serious face. "He can't be sleeping in a damp shirt!"
"Why me?!"
"Because you're the one here who's taking care of our former student." Dr. Kadowaki said, starting for the door. "Sorry I can't stay longer, good night Quistis."
The door clicked as she left, and Selphie burst out laughing. Quistis glared at her, and she stopped.
"Sorry Quisty!" Selphie snickered.
"Well, we gotta go now." Zell said and stood up. "It's getting late. Good luck Quistis." He grinned and gave Selphie a gentle push to the doorway. With one last taunting wave, the two of them left.
Quistis turned to Seifer, who was sleeping on the bed as if he was in pain with his clothes still wet. He was already starting to sweat She frowned and went to the bathroom for a towel.
~*~
Seifer stirred and opened his eyes. He didn't know where he was; all he knew was the room was definitely not like his. His shirt was gone; he only had on his boxers. Seifer rolled over and saw Quistis, sleeping on the ground. Actually, she looked more like she had fallen onto the ground from the chair she on. Either way, it didn't look very comfortable. Seifer sat up and felt something wet fall onto the bed. He picked up the wet cloth that was on his forehead and placed it on the small table beside the bed. He got up and slowly walked past Quistis. The cool evening breeze came in through the window and Seifer noticed that it had stopped raining.
'How the hell did I end up in here?'
Quistis made a soft moan, and he turned around. He watched her as she rolled over. The small streak of sunlight through the window shades played on her hair that spread out across the floor, giving it a silvery illusion. Her eyes fluttered over and she gave a yawn and sat up, rubbing her back.
"Had a good night sleep?" Seifer inquired.
Quistis rubbed her eyes and looked towards his direction, but not really paying any attention to him. She yawned again and pulled herself up, stretching.
"If I were you, I would have at least put a blanket on the floor."
Quistis ignored him and groped her way to her bathroom. Seifer watched in amusement as she nearly tripped over the low table in the middle of the room and banged her head on the doorway. He opened the bathroom door for her and held her in front of the mirror. Quistis opened one eye and yawned another time, leaning back on Seifer.
"Hey! Get off of me!" Seifer exclaimed. "Dammit Instructor! I thought you of all people would be awake in the morning!"
After half an hour, Quistis had finally woke up, and walked into the bedroom clad in her SeeD uniform. She had her hair tied up again, and looked like the way she did all the time – definitely not like the Quistis he had just witnessed.
"Awake now Instructor?" Seifer asked with a smirk. Quistis glared at him with a hint of red on her face.
"You're lucky you're sick."
"Really? I think I'm better now."
"I don't think you're better now." She strolled over and felt his forehead.
Seifer watched her expression as she placed her hand on him. Her hand was soft and light. It felt nice against his warm forehead. She frowned and leaned closer, watching what, Seifer didn't know; he didn't mind either. He leaned forward a bit and watched her facial expression change, he could smell her shampoo from where he was, and he never noticed it until now; it smelled like lilacs. When she pulled away, Seifer sighed and leaned back.
'Watch yourself Almasy.'
"You're still warm, maybe 99 or so." She concluded, taking a step back. "You're lucky it's Sunday and I don't have a class."
"Lucky?!" Seifer leaned back on the bed. "I don't consider spending my free time with a teacher 'lucky'."
Quistis frowned and gave him a poke. "Fine then, leave! You think I want to spend my time with my students?"
"What? What happened to 'my life revolves around my job?'"
"When did I ever say that?" Quistis exclaimed. She took a step back as Seifer stood up from her bed.
"You showed it." He took a step forward, and she took a step back.
"When? How?"
"By freaking out when you found out you were fired." He took two more large steps, and she walked back more, almost hitting the wall of her small bedroom.
"I DID NOT!"
"Yea right; you went far enough to complain to Puberty Boy, didn't you? And look where that got you; you're still not an instructor, and in the end he wasn't any help, all he was rude, right?" He smirked.
"So are you!"
"Don't tell me you still have a crush on him. He's still puny and girly-lookin'."
"What's this got to do with my job?" Quistis gazed at him with a calm look, even though she wasn't, because Seifer was now practically on top of her. She blushed.
"Nothing much." He sneered and moved in closer, almost flattening Quistis against the wall. "But us talking is better than us arguing, isn't?
"Eh -- ... " She started, unsure of what to say. She was getting really uncomfortable with Seifer crushing her against the wall, not to mention the fact that he was shirtless, and he had a fever, and it wouldn't look very good if someone came in just about –
"Quisty!!!!" Selphie bounced into the room. She stood there in the door when she saw Quistis and Seifer, and frowned. She blinked blankly at them, and looked confused. "Quisty?"
"Hi!" Quistis squeaked.
Seifer laughed and got off of her. He made his way to the closet and found a towel, then headed to the bathroom. Quistis sighed and fell to the floor. She glanced at Selphie, who was still confused, and still standing by the bedroom doorframe.
"So, how did you get in?"
"I always had an extra key."
"Oh."
There was silence.
"How come you didn't tell me you were going out with Seifer?" Selphie suddenly blurted.
"What?!" Quistis yelled.
"You are?!" Selphie continued, not waiting for an answer. "We all thought you hated him!! How come you didn't tell me?! I can't believe it Quisty!"
"I'm not!" Quistis tried to explain, but Selphie's bubbly mood took over.
"I would've been on your side! I swear!! Everyone thinks the two of you look cute! You should've told me!" Selphie blabbed, she took a breath. "Okie Quisty, I understand if you didn't wanna tell, I won't tell anyone. OK?"
"But we – "
"I said it was ok!" Selphie giggled. "Rinoa was gonna try to set you two up anyways; I'll just tell her you're already together. I'm gonna go get some breakfast now, ok Quisty?" She took a deep breath and skipped out of the room and out the hall.
Quistis groaned. Oh well, she can always straighten everything later, right?
~*~
"Hey Quistis! Over here!!!" Zell yelled across the cafeteria. He waved his hands like crazy and stood on top of his chair.
Quistis looked over and spotted him with Squall, Rinoa, and Selphie seated at the end of the lunch room. She made her way over but didn't sit down.
"Hello."
"Morning Quisty!" Selphie squealed in an abnormal way, like she was nervous. Quistis dismissed it.
"Morning!" Rinoa grinned.
"I can't stay; I just came for breakfast."
"Oohhh!" She giggled. "Did you make Seifer any breakfast?"
Squall grunted, as if he wanted to beat the crap out of Seifer if he was there. He turned his head and stared out the windows of the cafeteria. Quistis looked at him strangely.
"No, not yet. Why?"
"Nothing."
"So!" Rinoa started, then paused, then she said, "How's Seifer doing?"
"Better, why?"
"Nothing." Selphie covered Rinoa's mouth with her hand, suddenly panicky. Her eyes averted to the cafeteria doors, where a groups of Trepies just came in. "uh – Quistis – I gotta go, ok?" She squeaked.
"Huh? Sure. What's wrong Selphie?" Quistis asked.
"Huh? Oh, nothing nothing!" Selphie suddenly looked nervous, which was extremely uncommon for her. Quistis didn't notice the Trepies coming closer, but Selphie did. She popped up out of her chair and raced out of the cafeteria as if she was on fire.
"Instructor!" A Trepie rushed up to Quistis. Quistis turned to him, and he blushed, uncomfortable. "Uh – Instructor… we .. uh…"
"Yes?"
"Eh…"
A Trepie on the side of him gave him a nudge, saying "go on!".
The Trepie took a deep breath. Zell chuckled; the bunch of 'em looked like they had ran a marathon and was sweating like crazy. The one talking - or trying to talk – to Quistis looked like he was going to die any second. Rinoa gave him a glance to be quiet, and Zell stopped laughing.
"Uh… Instructor.. can I ask you something?"
"Of course." Quistis replied, a bit impatient.
"Um.. we.. heard that you eh…. " the Trepie gulped; turning even more red.
One of the girl Trepie in the back yelled: "Instructor !! How can you date someone like Seifer??!!!"
"WHAT?!"
Rinoa covered her ears and Squall winced. The Trepie in front of the now fuming Quistis looked like he was about to explode. Quistis turned on him, and he shrunk back.
"Where did you hear that from?
He pointed to the hall. "A guy outside…"
"Oh don't hide it Quisty!" Rinoa smiled. "WE all know about it; I think it's so cute that you two are dating!"
"We're NOT dating!!" Quistis exclaimed, infuriated that they'd think so.
"The whole Garden knows it Quistis. " Zell grinned. "I don't think anyone is thinking otherwise."
Quistis took a deep breath. "Fine!! Let them think that! The truth is – I. AM. NOT. DATING. SEIFER!!!" She turned on her heels and stormed out towards the door. Halfway out of the cafeteria, she heard someone shouting to her.
"Hey Instructor! Your boyfriend was trying to find you!!"
Quistis spun around and glared at he person who had shouted. The girl drew back. Quistis clenched and unclenched her fist, then turned back around and storm out of the lunch room.
Right now, all she had on her mind was to find Selphie.
~*~
I made a mistake with Seifer's temperature..and does anyone notice? No. I guess that's good... but 980 degrees wwould burn up the whole Garden and turn Seifer to a crisp.. o well, at least I fixed it! Thanks for reading!