~Broken Hearts~
Ch. 4-
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A/N=*ahem*..seems some people were confused about some stuff I said about Seifer. I'll explain..this is just something of mine that I used a little "artistic license" on. I always thought Seifer could have gotten kicked out of Balamb once even before the first Seed ball for some horrible deed. It's certainly a possiblity and it adds to the story.:)
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Quistis silently moved over, making room for Seifer beside her on the balcony. They stood quietly for awhile, watching the world awashed in raindrops. Quistis felt the same as she had when she had been robbed of her instructor's license.Weak.Vulnerable.She had reached out for an angel and found nothing but air. The question was dying to be asked.
"How much did you hear?"
To this, Seifer smiled and said simply.."enough." Quistis felt horrified. He continued, "you should share your feelings more often, you know. For a minute there, you seemed almost human, instructor."
Quistis felt herself choke back a sob. The usual Quistis would have taken the insult cooly, absorbing it and keeping her anger and hurt on the inside. But, something was different tonight. Quistis couldn't simply let it slide over her. The instructor's license, everything, it was just too much.
"Look, Seifer, I didn't come here to sit and trade insults like some damn kindergartner..and further more, no need to call me instructor." Quistis gave a bitter laugh.
Seifer felt surprised. So the little instructor had some backbone after all."Alright..instructor" -it was fun to try and get Quistis mad, she always kept so cool and calm.
WHAM! Quistis's fist went sailing into the side of the balcony , only inches from Seifer's body. She snapped around to glare at him and her eyes were two twin whirlpools of anger. "I mean it, Seifer."
Seifer felt bemused, somewhat angry, and a good deal puzzled. Maybe it was just her talk with Squall that had gotten her all riled up. What was the whole deal with calling her instructor? He hadn't expected the teasing to get to her that badly. Before he could think, the words came out of his mouth.
"What happened?"
Stupid. He knows, he's just trying to get me to spill, to finally prove once and for all that Quistis Trepe is weaker than Seifer Almansy. Not wanting to reply, Quistis anwsered his question with one of her own. "Why did you come back to Balamb?"
The tables had been turned on Seifer. He contemplated a bit. "I came back for many reasons. For the challenge. To prove to people that I have changed. For a second chance; to start over.."-Seifer wished it would stop raining so he could take a puff of his cigarette, he didn't like spilling all these things. It was like talking to some damn therapist.
He continued.." Because this is my home, here, even if everyone shuns me and because"-Seifer lowered his voice-" no other garden would take me in after what I have done."
Quistis simply stared at him. He had just emptied out his emotions to her, and she was unsure of what to say. Slowly, she had felt her opinion of him changing slightly with each word he spoke.
Instead of the arrogant, cocky, unfeeling image, Quistis now saw before her a broken down man trying to rebuild his life.
Not to be distracted, Seifer added, "Now tell me the answer to my question."
Quistis slumped even further over the railing, avoiding his eyes. Seifer wondered at how she could go from angry to defeated in a mere second. Her tone was clipped and terse. "Your evesdropping skills must not be up to par..I'm no longer an instructor. I was fired. Forever. To weak. Not a good leader, they said." Thinking Seifer couldn't hear her, Quistis whispered the last part softly into the wind."And he didn't care."
Looking over at her hunched over form, Seifer felt something..pity? She was trying so valiantly to try and hide her feelings behind that mask of hers as she spoke. But it was cracking..and Seifer found himself finally realizing that what he had said in jest about how her sharing her feelings made her more human was true. No longer was she the ice queen, those eyes of hers reflecting every possible emotion as her face struggled to remain expressionless. At last, it gave out and in spite of the rain, Seifer was quite sure he saw tears moving down Quistis's cheeks.
Quistis turned her face towards his, trying her best to make out his features through the thick sheet of rain. What was he feeling, thinking? Perhaps she shouldn't have said anything, it wasn't like her to empty her feelings like that.And to Seifer, of all people. She should leave.
But as she turned around to go, she felt a strong hand yank on hers. "No..stay."Two simple words, but Quistis felt her heart give a curious leap at them. Seifer caught her chin in both of his hands and turned it to face him so that all her emotions and expressions were open to him. Quistis remembered the time he had first come to the Garden and shook her hand when they were introduced, his own as cold as ice. But now,it was different, his hands on either side of her face burned.
"So, Quistis Trepe..tell me, what does it feel like to be in love?" Surprised at the directness and the content of the question, Quistis floundered and fiddled nervously with her necklace. Seifer watched her with a smirk, she could tell he was enjoying her obvious discomfort. Quistis tried to look away at anything but him..but she couldn't. If she didn't look at those green eyes, then there was his scar, if not his scar, then there were his elegant hands cased inside their gloves; he was taking up her whole view.
"It's pouring hard..we should get going back inside the training center"-Quistis struggled in Seifer's grasp and made to turn around. She must have decided that completely avoiding his question was the best way to go, thought Seifer.
He grabbed her chin back with one hand and held her hands down with the other, forcing her once again to look at him. "No, no..I'm not letting you go until you answer my question. What does it feel like to be in love?"
That was it. Quistis had had enough of Seifer's litle mind games. She'd show him. Pinching the fist holding her hands captive as hard as she could, she looked on in satisfaction as Seifer let go with a yelp.
This was her chance. Pulling back her hand, Quistis got ready to slap him as hard as she could. The hand went fast, with all the power Quistis could muster..and Seifer flinched. Quistis grinned in victory, she'd shown him, now she could leave Seifer behind and forget they ever had this coversation. Yes, that's what she would do.
But somehow, once her hand was there on his face, she couldn't get it to move; it was paralyzed on the spot. In spite of herself, Quistis felt a blush rising to her cheeks.
Seifer felt her hand sting his cheeks. How dare she? He glared down at her, ready to give that little miss thing a lesson in manners. Her hand didn't leave his face, though, and Seifer found himself staring down at her, his eyes roaming over her features.
The rain hung from Quistis's hair in little droplets; tiny droplets like small strewn jewels, and her eyes stared at him through the rain, light blue and wide eyed, as if she was afraid of something. She was beautiful, realized Seifer..how come he had never seen it in her before?
Then, Seifer ceased to think. Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her. Thoughts shot through Quistis's head like fireworks.. "Why?What will become of this?"
But Quistis found she didn't care as she deepened the kiss. All that mattered was right now, she, Quistis Trepe, was loved and cared for, even if only for a brief minute.
~@~@~@~@~@
...to be continued?
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A/N yet again=bwahaha...I said this would be the last part. I'm becoming so into this story,I might end up making it much longer and adding more chapters.*glares at everyone groaning*
Anyway, remember, artistic license...I am not switching time periods in the story.
BTW=lots of reviews are, of course, a good thing..so if you took all the time to read this chapter, give me a word or two of your opinion on it.:)
Ch. 4-
--------
A/N=*ahem*..seems some people were confused about some stuff I said about Seifer. I'll explain..this is just something of mine that I used a little "artistic license" on. I always thought Seifer could have gotten kicked out of Balamb once even before the first Seed ball for some horrible deed. It's certainly a possiblity and it adds to the story.:)
-------------------
Quistis silently moved over, making room for Seifer beside her on the balcony. They stood quietly for awhile, watching the world awashed in raindrops. Quistis felt the same as she had when she had been robbed of her instructor's license.Weak.Vulnerable.She had reached out for an angel and found nothing but air. The question was dying to be asked.
"How much did you hear?"
To this, Seifer smiled and said simply.."enough." Quistis felt horrified. He continued, "you should share your feelings more often, you know. For a minute there, you seemed almost human, instructor."
Quistis felt herself choke back a sob. The usual Quistis would have taken the insult cooly, absorbing it and keeping her anger and hurt on the inside. But, something was different tonight. Quistis couldn't simply let it slide over her. The instructor's license, everything, it was just too much.
"Look, Seifer, I didn't come here to sit and trade insults like some damn kindergartner..and further more, no need to call me instructor." Quistis gave a bitter laugh.
Seifer felt surprised. So the little instructor had some backbone after all."Alright..instructor" -it was fun to try and get Quistis mad, she always kept so cool and calm.
WHAM! Quistis's fist went sailing into the side of the balcony , only inches from Seifer's body. She snapped around to glare at him and her eyes were two twin whirlpools of anger. "I mean it, Seifer."
Seifer felt bemused, somewhat angry, and a good deal puzzled. Maybe it was just her talk with Squall that had gotten her all riled up. What was the whole deal with calling her instructor? He hadn't expected the teasing to get to her that badly. Before he could think, the words came out of his mouth.
"What happened?"
Stupid. He knows, he's just trying to get me to spill, to finally prove once and for all that Quistis Trepe is weaker than Seifer Almansy. Not wanting to reply, Quistis anwsered his question with one of her own. "Why did you come back to Balamb?"
The tables had been turned on Seifer. He contemplated a bit. "I came back for many reasons. For the challenge. To prove to people that I have changed. For a second chance; to start over.."-Seifer wished it would stop raining so he could take a puff of his cigarette, he didn't like spilling all these things. It was like talking to some damn therapist.
He continued.." Because this is my home, here, even if everyone shuns me and because"-Seifer lowered his voice-" no other garden would take me in after what I have done."
Quistis simply stared at him. He had just emptied out his emotions to her, and she was unsure of what to say. Slowly, she had felt her opinion of him changing slightly with each word he spoke.
Instead of the arrogant, cocky, unfeeling image, Quistis now saw before her a broken down man trying to rebuild his life.
Not to be distracted, Seifer added, "Now tell me the answer to my question."
Quistis slumped even further over the railing, avoiding his eyes. Seifer wondered at how she could go from angry to defeated in a mere second. Her tone was clipped and terse. "Your evesdropping skills must not be up to par..I'm no longer an instructor. I was fired. Forever. To weak. Not a good leader, they said." Thinking Seifer couldn't hear her, Quistis whispered the last part softly into the wind."And he didn't care."
Looking over at her hunched over form, Seifer felt something..pity? She was trying so valiantly to try and hide her feelings behind that mask of hers as she spoke. But it was cracking..and Seifer found himself finally realizing that what he had said in jest about how her sharing her feelings made her more human was true. No longer was she the ice queen, those eyes of hers reflecting every possible emotion as her face struggled to remain expressionless. At last, it gave out and in spite of the rain, Seifer was quite sure he saw tears moving down Quistis's cheeks.
Quistis turned her face towards his, trying her best to make out his features through the thick sheet of rain. What was he feeling, thinking? Perhaps she shouldn't have said anything, it wasn't like her to empty her feelings like that.And to Seifer, of all people. She should leave.
But as she turned around to go, she felt a strong hand yank on hers. "No..stay."Two simple words, but Quistis felt her heart give a curious leap at them. Seifer caught her chin in both of his hands and turned it to face him so that all her emotions and expressions were open to him. Quistis remembered the time he had first come to the Garden and shook her hand when they were introduced, his own as cold as ice. But now,it was different, his hands on either side of her face burned.
"So, Quistis Trepe..tell me, what does it feel like to be in love?" Surprised at the directness and the content of the question, Quistis floundered and fiddled nervously with her necklace. Seifer watched her with a smirk, she could tell he was enjoying her obvious discomfort. Quistis tried to look away at anything but him..but she couldn't. If she didn't look at those green eyes, then there was his scar, if not his scar, then there were his elegant hands cased inside their gloves; he was taking up her whole view.
"It's pouring hard..we should get going back inside the training center"-Quistis struggled in Seifer's grasp and made to turn around. She must have decided that completely avoiding his question was the best way to go, thought Seifer.
He grabbed her chin back with one hand and held her hands down with the other, forcing her once again to look at him. "No, no..I'm not letting you go until you answer my question. What does it feel like to be in love?"
That was it. Quistis had had enough of Seifer's litle mind games. She'd show him. Pinching the fist holding her hands captive as hard as she could, she looked on in satisfaction as Seifer let go with a yelp.
This was her chance. Pulling back her hand, Quistis got ready to slap him as hard as she could. The hand went fast, with all the power Quistis could muster..and Seifer flinched. Quistis grinned in victory, she'd shown him, now she could leave Seifer behind and forget they ever had this coversation. Yes, that's what she would do.
But somehow, once her hand was there on his face, she couldn't get it to move; it was paralyzed on the spot. In spite of herself, Quistis felt a blush rising to her cheeks.
Seifer felt her hand sting his cheeks. How dare she? He glared down at her, ready to give that little miss thing a lesson in manners. Her hand didn't leave his face, though, and Seifer found himself staring down at her, his eyes roaming over her features.
The rain hung from Quistis's hair in little droplets; tiny droplets like small strewn jewels, and her eyes stared at him through the rain, light blue and wide eyed, as if she was afraid of something. She was beautiful, realized Seifer..how come he had never seen it in her before?
Then, Seifer ceased to think. Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her. Thoughts shot through Quistis's head like fireworks.. "Why?What will become of this?"
But Quistis found she didn't care as she deepened the kiss. All that mattered was right now, she, Quistis Trepe, was loved and cared for, even if only for a brief minute.
~@~@~@~@~@
...to be continued?
-----------------
A/N yet again=bwahaha...I said this would be the last part. I'm becoming so into this story,I might end up making it much longer and adding more chapters.*glares at everyone groaning*
Anyway, remember, artistic license...I am not switching time periods in the story.
BTW=lots of reviews are, of course, a good thing..so if you took all the time to read this chapter, give me a word or two of your opinion on it.:)