Disclaimer: Off you go here, Final Fantasy 8 don't belong to me. It belongs to Squaresoft.

Author's notes: I'm still White Crescent… err…. I suggest you turn back now if you can't handle a badly written and OOC stuff here… I know they're OOC. I know! Gah! I'm hyper. This was done in like 4 hours. And it's what Natalie challenged me to do! Write this! I've got a baaad pairing later… so. If you think you might not be able to handle it….without flaming me… Oh well, this is a fic about Quistis and stuff. I've been thinking of this… *evil grin* Will this badly written fic be a Quall, Quefer, a Zell x Quistis, Quistis x Irvine, or some yuri pairing? Oh well, off I go, here is my badly written, horrible OOC fic, drop in a review, will ya…. Because I'm melting here…….. _

Big sign: "Please let Celes post…. Pleaaaaseee……….." and " This is NOT edited! I just wrote this to calm my hyper mind…."

And apparently it didn't work……

~*~*~*

Something with the eyes……..

1

Her eyes fell upon the couple dancing under the pale moonlight, the stars seemingly smiling at them and approving of their love, as she turned to at least see the moon.

It hurt. Though it had been a year already after the pair married, the wound, it was still raw. She loved him. And he didn't love him back. And grimly, she thought of how all the men she loved, somehow never did 'like' her that much enough for it to develop into love. Not that she was ugly, no, but perhaps, she was just too beautiful. Even other women, who pale in her comparison, find men to love them for as long as they lived.

She sighed. The curse of beauty. She never did ask to be this beautiful, to be beautiful enough to have a fanclub following her wherever she went, to be beautiful enough to have boys having her in their wet dreams…….. to be beautiful enough to make it hard to find someone who would love her for what she was truly deep under her skin. Beauty afterall, was only skin-deep.

In her sleeveless wine-red dress, with thin spaghetti straps and a silken shawl to match its color wrapped around her bare shoulders, she found herself walking around the Palace's big party hall. She was strolling around, finding all acquaintances, and people that might interest her enough to take her mind away from her problems.

But that idea, perhaps, made things worse. She found herself envying the other women and even some old friends. It made her rather, regretful of the opportunities she let past. Irvine was with Selphie, happily wed. He was but a shadow of the man who tried to win her heart day and night months ago—and she dismissed him as nothing more but a man yearning for the pleasure of the flesh. Perhaps, men can change, given a chance by their beloved to indeed change…… But then again, she doubted that she would have changed Irvine.

She heaved another sigh, and her eyes strayed to the huge clock hanging behind the orchestra playing another version of Eyes on Me; a slower and much much romantic version of it at that.

For that she grinned, remembering the past Ellone had sent them before, Laguna's past. The man loved Julia Heartily with passion. And she clearly believed that the President, Laguna Loire himself, requested that song. But at the thought of that, her thoughts deepened even more. It was ratehr intruiging, for her, Laguna's whole lovelife was so… interesting.

Before he ended up with Raine, he loved Julia so much. And somehow, guessing; she wondered if it were truly 'love' because it never seemed that Laguna was interested in bedding the woman. He loved the way she played. He admired her. But was it love?

Maybe.

She never did understood love, having been the person who had never been in a successful lovelife to know what love truly was. Wait, she had never been, in fact, in a serious lovelife. It rather sounds tragic, almost.

But if Laguna loved Julia, could his love for Raine been either lesser or more?

She'd never know.

She was bored. Bored and restless. Everybody was dancing, well, almost, but almost all the people who wanted to dance, were dancing. And she was standing there, almost like a statue, with no one at all offering her to dance.

'Great, just great.' She found herself muttering to herself, 'I knew staying at the hotel was better than this.. I knew it!' her eyes narrowed as they saw the huge open door 'I need to get out of here.'

But she just remained there, standing, watching the other dancers, looking calm and uncaring. Cold. She was good at hiding emotions. But she was never as good as Squall when it came to stability in personalities. She could be cold and demanding one moment, the other she could be the closest friend comforting and consoling someone. Squall, well, Squall was Squall. He was always the same. Even when he changed, he managed to keep a stable personality. What the quiet and thought commander was one minute, was still the quiet and thoughtful commander the other. That was a great quality for a leader. Stability.

But what could she do? She was a woman. And women, no matter what, would still have that nice soft spot deep in their hearts.

She heaved another sigh and tried to sustain herself from cursing. The song began another round…. And having nothing else to do, she sang in a mere whisper with, singing in almost a hum to herself.

~*~*~*

2

"Miss Quistis? Miss Quistis… Hello??"

The voice jerked her back into the world and the music filled her background as her mind confirmed that she was indeed still in the party hall. And not in her make-believe world where she was with someone she never thought she would fantasize to be with.

"What?" she asked in the gentlest, most suppressed voice she could muster after being almost 'rudely' interrupted from her fantasizing. She almost flushed deep red in embarrassment as she found herself face-to-face with the president of Esthar, Laguna Loire, smiling impishly in front of her. She shouldn't have been that… irate.

"Have you seen Squall?" Laguna questioned, his hands placed on his waist just as he usually did, even while wearing his formal tuxedo. The man was forever younger than his son was. And while she herself could be said as having a mind more mature than the Estharian President, she wasn't irritated, but in fact amused. The man was optimistic.

"I just saw him with Rinoa in the Balcony, having some quality time together, President Loire." She explained.

And because of that optimism, the man had seemingly hardly aged, except for some unnoticeable wrinkles. One could even mistake him as his son's brother even!

The President, in his early forties, and with the look of someone in his late twenties instead, started chuckling. "Didn't I clear it with you guys? Call me Laguna. Yep, just Laguna." He said in his rather amusingly happy voice.

Quistis couldn't help but smile. The man would never let reality catch up on him….

"But you are the President, aren't you?" she stated. The President grinned.

"Yep. But I hate being called 'President' this that, and Mr. Loire this that… get's me suffocated." Laguna reasoned. Quistis folded her arms in amusement.

At least the man was willing to talk to him. And he was talking honestly. Most men either don't want to talk to her, or only said about their achievements and things to impress her.

"Sometimes, I doubt if you're really Squall's father." She started, raising an eyebrow while questioning.

"You don't know how I reacted when Elle told me about him." he replied, before turning his head to his right and uttering a hasty excuse.

"Yep, that's Squall, gotta go." he'd said. And he left her and disappeared into the sea of people.

And she just faintly whispered, "yes"

And she found herself picturing those emerald eyes somehow. Those optimistic emerald eyes very unlike any eyes she'd seen.

~*~*~*

She hugged the pillow tighter and closer to her small body. There it was again, the stupid feeling of 'love'. She knew what finding someone's eyes incredibly attractive meant. It was like how she found Squall's eyes immensely sexy and mysterious, and how Seifer's eyes were filled with hope and determination.

Now the eyes were filled with optimism and thankfulness; and it belonged to a man who may very well be her father. A married man whose son was the lion she fell for a long time ago.

Great, just great.

Love can be so uncomfortable, can't it? It strikes when your defenses are down. It strikes when you least expect it.

Snap out of it! The man is in his forties! He's the president of Esthar, and he's the father of your Commander and former love! Snap out of yourself Quistis! Forget about it!

She bit her pillow and tried to think of things to get her mind of the man, and thought. Maybe she needed to see other single men more. Afterall, she was starting to hopelessly fall in love with the most unlikely men…. What was next? Doctor Odine?

She threw her pillow across the wall and cursed mildly for thinking of such thoughts.

But she was also partially relieved; The were leaving for Garden tomorrow. It would make her easier to take her mind of things. She just hoped that 'sudden thing' wouldn't develop like it did with Seifer and Squall……

How was Seifer anyway?

She needed to know.

~*~*~*

3

~*~*~*

She found herself stepping out of the train and breathing in the fresh saltwater air. Fisherman's Horizon, Seifer's haven. She sighed, how was he doing?

She ran a hand into her untied hair as it flailed with the wind. She paused after recognizing the Mayor's house and adjusted her sandals. Nothing seemed changed. Nothing at all.

How was Seifer doing?

She breathed in deeply and somehow loved the fresh air. Or maybe it was the fact that she felt warm all over thinking of Seifer.

Things didn't really work out well with them before, maybe they could give it another try. Besides, things didn't even seem real before.

She pulled an old crumpled piece of paper from her handbag, and read the ink writing on it. Seifer's Address. He had thrown it to her when she decided to leave Fisherman's Horizon after another argument between them. He didn't want her to leave, but she left anyway.

She found her remembering the old path she used to take to his small house and some rather sweet memories with him worth remembering. She finally realized. She missed him. She was confused all those time. And she really missed him now, really.

She stopped in front of a door; his own house's door and slowly and almost hesitantly knocked gently.

She missed him dearly. Things… should go well from there. She was older; he was too. They….. must be ready.

There was a soft creaking sound as door opened, and behind it stood a woman, with long silver hair and deep blue eyes. Fujin. At that moment, her stomach tightened. What was Fujin doing in Seifer's house?

She assured herself; Fujin was Seifer's bestfriend. Whatever it was, she must be there because Seifer had wanted to show her something. It had to be.

"Quistis?" Fujin's voice was considerably softer and more pleasant to hear than what Quistis remembered hers to be. She replied with a nod and Fujin made way for her to come in.

She was confident. Seifer, things would work out between them, finally.

"Seifer?!" Fujin yelled in a way that would never resemble how she used to scream a long time ago. She wasn't even wearing her eyepatch.

And that pretty much answered a question for Quistis. The patch was just for fashion.

"—Coming Fuu!" A voice called out from within one of the rooms. And it was Seifer's voice.

Fujin offered her to sit, and as soon as she was seated, the silver-haired woman sat in one of the seats herself. "What brings you here?" Fujin asked in a natural friendly way.

Quistis smiled sweetly. "I was jus—"

"Quistis!"

She looked up and saw, a very mature Seifer, wearing a simple white woolen sweater, and plain jeans. He wore the brightest of smiles, and his eyes gleamed, attracting her even more.

Changed.

"Seifer, I never thought you'd be able to give up your trenchcoat!" Quistis remarked as she looked up. The blonde grinned.

"I figured it had to go. Besides, it did cause a lot of arguments…" he trailed away. Quistis remembered how troublesome that treasure trenchcoat was, and it often was the start of their arguments……. "So," Seifer sat beside Fujin. "What brings the Ice Goddess here?"

Quistis stifled a laugh, but maybe it showed that she was uncomfortable of something. And that something was the fact that Seifer sat beside Fujin and not her.

"Nothing…. I.. umm…." She trailed away at the sound someone wailing. Quistis was about to ask what it was, but Fujin quickly excused herself and disappeared in one of the rooms.

"What was that, Seifer?" Quistis questioned. And at that moment, Seifer's face softened.

"That's our daughter, Gale." Seifer explained. He knew why she was there, and she knew it too.

"Oh." Quistis managed. She was utterly shocked at what Seifer said, but she managed to hide her feelings enough.

"I married Fuu almost a year ago…. I.. I'm sorry, Quis. I told you that I'd wait for you. I guess, I couldn't wait any longer." He explained. She rubbed her forehead and smiled at him.

"No, no, it's okay. I was just checking on you guys. I was surprised though. I had no idea earlier why Fujin was in your house….." she trailed away and turned her eyes to the rooms. "So, how does little Gale look like most?"

Seifer threw his head back and laughed. "Well for one thing she doesn't look like me much—" he stood up and turned to her, "maybe, more like you, Quis. Want to take a peek?"

She stood up, her smile unwavering. "Absolutely." And she followed him into the baby's room.

But deep down, she was hurting. And it was torture.

~*~*~*

4

~*~*~*

Her eyes bolted open at the sound of the beeping digital alarm clock. She groaned slightly and pushed back her messed up hair. Sometimes, technology can be really annoying.

She stifled a yawn and rubbed her face with her hands. It wasn't like she had a class to handle like before. And things were boring, now that she was a 'real' SeeD.

Utterly boring.

And without anyone to waste time thinking about, she was running out of things to occupy herself. She got herself off the bed and right after she threw her blanket recklessly on her bed, she grabbed the beeping alarm clock and jabbed her palm on its button.

Good riddance.

She then walked towards her laptop and turned it on. The friendly screen made a musical beep as the screen popped and she moved the cursor over her calendar and gawked at it.

It was Saturday.

And she knew half the Garden's population would be out partying somewhere if not in their own rooms. She sighed, and the sigh turned into a groan from the sound of someone calling through the intercom.

Yep, SeeD life has no care for what day it is…..

She rushed towards her door and ordered it to open. It did so with a gentle whoosh and revealed a uniformed Xu standing with a gentle smile on her face.

Marriage did wonders for Xu, Quistis thought. It made sure Xu always wore a smile no matter what in the mornings.

"Good Morning Quistis." She greeted. Quistis smiled faintly and breathed in deeply to stop herself from feeling any grudge at all towards the happy married SeeD.

She sarcastically noted to herself, most of the SeeDs she knew were married…….

"Good Morning, Xu." She greeted back, and after smoothing her rough uncombed hair withing a fast moment she quickly asked Xu of why she was there. "Do I have a mission?"

Xu shook her head, and then her eyes trailed away. "Not really a mission. The Headmaster Cid just told me that you should bring some reports to Esthar. To President Loire since Squall is too busy with paperwork himself, and all the others are preparing for the upcoming Garden Festival."

Quistis frowned slightly; so she was asked to take some report because she was the only one who wasn't doing anything. "So I need to take this because I'm actually slacking?" she questioned sarcastically in a friendly way.

Xu smiled. "Yes. You should groom yourself fast. The Ragnarok's leaving in an hour. I wou—"

Quistis cut her. "Ha, of course, now let me close this door and step in for a nice warm shower. Good day." And she closed the door.

She caught Xu's laughter before the door slid close. Esthar. What's it going to do to her to go there? Besides, it was time to get some new clothes……..

~*~*~*

"It's you, Quistis?" Laguna scratched his head at the entrance of the blonde in his office.

And as usual, Kiros was standing beside the President, in the old what has to be said, goofy, Estharian Officials' uniform.

The door closed behind her and Quistis smiled. "I was the only one slacking, so they had me bring the report." She stated as she walked over to his desk. "They're all busy with the Garden Festival." She placed the reports on the desk then placed her hands on her waist.

"I think they're making so much fuss because you were invited afterall." She muttered.

Laguna sat on his seat and looked over the report while talking with her. "I dunno about them. I told them not to fuss about it a lot, but heck, I guess you can never do anything about Selphie." He grinned and looked up her.

"So how's everyone back at Garden?" he questioned.

Quistis raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you just have a party for your birthday a few days ago….." she trailed away. Laguna chuckled.

"Guess I forgot. I am getting old, so chill, how're they?" he questioned again.

Quistis shrugged. "Same old. Though I guess, I'm not surprised that the office has that 'Do not Disturb' placard hanging a little bit too often."

At that Laguna grinned. "Must be Rinoa."

"Well it can't be Squall, can it?"

Laguna laughed. Then he paused. "You know, since Selphie can't come here, I guess I can use your help."

Quistis raised an eyebrow. "What?"

It was getting somewhat…. Irritating?

Laguna scratched his head. "Well, I've been pretty lonely and seeing my son happily wed makes me think of getting myself a new wife….. " he trailed away.

Quistis doubled up in laughter. At least she didn't feel the eye thing. And at that moment, she was avoiding any eye contact.

"Whatever." She muttered when she regained her composure in an attempt to emulate Squall. It was really amusing though, and she couldn't imagine how Squall would look…..

"—And I have close to no idea how to get one. Besides, being stuck in this office… I think I've lost my charm…….." Laguna explained.

"Hyne, please, just get to the point or I'll end up laughing my lungs out!" Quistis chided suppressing herself from laughing.

Kiros rolled his eyes at the man's utter foolishness… But being a fool made someone cute…….

"Okay, okay. I just need someone's help to get me some nice new clothes and to go with me to some place where single's hang out……………" Laguna finally said.

"Save the poor man's soul before he becomes crazy, Quistis." Kiros non-chalantly muttered and Quistis found herself further amused as Laguna turned and actually narrowed his eyes at his friend.. just as if he were some teenager………

Quistis laughed. "Okay, okay, I think I'm in need of finding myself someone and some clothes anyway. So when'll we shop?"

Laguna's grin reached from ear to ear, "How's about tonight? You're no doing anything right?"

Quistis shook her head, "Sure. Shopping huh?"

"Yep." Laguna replied and happily read through the reports.

And as she exited the room she cleared her mind.

..It isn't a date for Hyne's sake!

~*~*~*

5

~*~*~*

"I told you blue things look very good on you." Quistis whispered as they entered one of the transporters.

Laguna grinned, holding some shopping bags. "You're just saying that 'cause I always wore that blue jacket before." He paused and look up to her.

The eyes. The eyes were staring into her. And she froze and lost herself for some moments before she regained her voice again.

Stupid love. No, actually, it was stupid mind. You can afterall practically fall in love with anyone you want to……..

……..But she certainly did NOT ask for this. The man was in his forties……..

"I guess so. But, blue has always look good with green." She explained. The transporter stopped and they stepped out. Laguna had that grin. "So, it's your turn, huh?"

She nodded not really caring.

"Oh well….. so where are we off to?" he asked her. Quistis rolled her eyes.

For the first time in the night, she finally felt some annoyance. And it was probably because she knew she was 'liking' the man when she didn't like him at all.

"I'm asking you, Mr. President—" She said smiling, "—this is your city."

Laguna couldn't help but scratch his head.

~*~*~*

"Red looks good on you." Laguna declared as he watched her turn around in a red tight and strapless dress. It was also rather short. And it made Quistis feel uneasy.

"I always wear red." She mumbled.

Lagune clicked his tongue and then walked over to some clothes. "Then what's the use of looking for red clothes? Try green."

Quistis raised an eyebrow. "When did you last shop with your wife?" she questioned.

Laguna grinned, and she realized what she'd just asked.

"Raine never did like shopping a lot. Guess Squall got most of his characteristics from her……" he trailed away and was about to put back the green piece of clothing when Quistis walked over him and took it from his hand.

She smiled. "I'll try green, then we're gonna hunt out for those single women, okay."

And she walked into the trying rooms.

The man was kind of someone to feel pity for. And she thought of him as rather foolish, and childish.

But whatever, he was cute.

~*~*~*

6

"And the frog turned prince afterall. Ward says Quistis did a good job." Kiros commented as Laguna showed off his new clothes.

Quistis grinned and felt slightly proud. Laguna actually did look younger……..

She looked down on her emerald green slim dress. According to Laguna, she looked hot. Hot enough to catch the eye of every single man in where they were going.

And well, Quistis couldn't help but tell Laguna he would have all the women too drooling on him. And it that it would be hard to say that he was a president……

Shopping and talking with Laguna was actually more fun that what she'd imagine it to be as they rode into a club. It was fun. The man was a natural when it came to talking and he was actually interesting.

And sometimes, she couldn't help but find herself remembering the man who got his foot cramped whenever he got nervous……..

Whatever, she was going to have fun tonight; With or without anyone except the president of Esthar.

~*~*~*

7

~*~*~*

~--*Quistis' Livejournal*~--

I know I haven't been posting for a long while. I haven't had things to write. My life has been pretty uneventful….

But I had some fun after delivering the report to Esthar. And that is quite very unlike me.

Laguna, The President that is, asked me to go shopping with him. It sounds odd. But I guess he being that 'moron' Squall said of him a long time ago, he thought that having a girl shop with him would help him buy better things.

I guess he was planning on asking the resident designer, Selphie. But I guess with the Garden Festival and all coming up soon…… He had no choice but to ask me!

And I think I'm not even keen on fashion… Just because I'm what they call gorgeous, that doesn't mean I have the ultimate knowledge in fashion. But it was fun, really.

Two people who'd been alone from the fashion world for such a long while wandering on the streets of Esthar…. It was just actually, pathetic.

Actually; cute.

I think he was a bit too naïve…. He had this trust in me… and my whip. He didn't call for any bodyguards, which was a good idea.

And well, it was even more fun when we went out to that club. It was just all to dark, and the smell of smoke was everywhere we ended up getting out for fresh air, and having fun ourselves. It was like we were of the same age!

Believe me, we even ended up playing some game in some arcade center.

And, well…. We just had so much fun, he suggested that we should have fun more often…. Even with the whole gang.

But you know, I think……..

~----* End Journal * ----~

~*~*~*

"So, who did you get….dad? Since you are introducing her to us soon, can we at least have an idea who she is?"

"Well, she's a lovely girl….."

"Every girl's lovely."

"She's a blonde….."

"There are tons of blondes out there."

"She has blue eyes."

"……"

"And she's younger than me."

"…… And how long have you been going out with her…..?"

"Well, um…. Almost a year……….."

"……"

"Awww… come on, it's not like I married for you."

"You're married?!"

"Yes."

"Since when?!"

"Yesterday."

"……… Why do I—"

~*~*~*

She turned to him and shook her head. "I told you this was a bad idea."

And he shrugged, "I didn't think he'd react like that……….."

~*~*~*

Author's note: NOOOO! DON'T!… *runs away from fruits and cactuars thrown by avid Quall, Quiefer, Quistis x Irvine, Quistis x Zell, and all sorts of pairing fics involving Quistis fans* Ouch! *but fails and eventually gets pounded…….* I know it's badly written. I know I'm gonna get flamed. I know, I know….

But I also know I'm going to shock Natalie! MWAHAHAHAHHAHA~~ *gets hit by some tomatoes on the face* I made this fic to frighten her as she seriously begged me not to do the pairing…. I couldn't resist but try! MWAHHAHHAHAHAHAH~~ Yeouch! *stoopid cactuar…..* Anyway, off I go, if you want to drop a review, feel free, the review box is open. Right now, I don't care somehow if I get flames for this one… *No! I won't erase it! I deserve it! ;_;* Because I know it's sloppy and badly written, the chars are OOC, and it's pathetic. You don't really think those two can possibly go together, do you? Well, I was thinking of them as older… blah blah.. blah… I'm hyper today. Blame sugar and cup noodles for this. And I couldn't find a nice music to play………. Waaaaahhhhhh *gets hit by some tomatoes again* Sure, I know that already, I'm a bad writer. So I am off. Dear people, please, no more fruits…. *glomp*

~*~*White Crescent

Whatever…….

Squall: Of all people…… *palm over head*