The Dish: An Angsty Seiftis Chapter 4: One Farewell, a final fantasy viii fanfic

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VIII belongs to Squaresoft.

This is an angst-ridden fic. It hurts in every chapter. I've been writing Sailor Moon AR romance for some time now and a friend informed me that I could write angst decently. Hence this little experiment of mine. After that, I think I will do another dish—A Most Unusual Seiftis. ^_^

The Dish: One Angsty Seiftis

Part Four: One Farewell

"Good morning," said Quistis as she sat down. She took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrance of the steaming cup of coffee in front of her.

"Hello, Quistis." Opposite Quistis, Rinoa Heartlilly scrutinised one of her best friends closely, a warm smile on her face. "You're looking quite relaxed today. What's the occasion? Something wonderful happened to you?"

Squall choked on his coffee and Rinoa thumped him on the back. "Are you all right?" she asked anxiously.

He nodded wordlessly.

"She should be relaxed, she's going on a vacation today," remarked Irvine Kinneas. "A nice, three-month long vacation." He whistled. "What wouldn't I give for a long break like that!"

Rinoa slapped her forehead. "Oh, I forgot! You haven't mentioned it much, Quistis, and you haven't told us where you're going either."

Selphie Tilmitt wagged her finger at Quistis. "Wherever you're going, send postcards. And buy us gifts!"

Squall choked again, this time on the bacon.

"Hey, you all right?" Zell Dincht paused midway through several hot dog, an eyebrow arched in surprise. "You're eating too fast, man, you keep on choking."

Quistis cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, I can't send postcards," she said gently. "I'd like to be on a real vacation for once, with no one knowing where I am…" Her voice was oddly wistful. "But I'll buy gifts for everyone, I promise."

"See that you do," Squall said emotionlessly. "And, uh, be careful." He stabbed a bit of bacon so viciously that it flew off his plate.

"Hey, there's Seifer! Hi, Seifer!" called Selphie suddenly, waving and nearly knocking Irvine's hat off.

The tall blond man stalked to their table. He stopped directly by Quistis and looked down at her, forgetting Rinoa for the first time. "Heard you were going on holiday," he said abruptly. "A bunch of those Trepies are weeping somewhere at the thought of your absence."

She lifted her head, looking at him, right into his face. It was the first time in months that she had looked him in the eyes. Her blue eyes were very grave and something in them cut straight into his heart. He froze. What was it he saw in her eyes that frightened him so?

"Yes, I am," she answered quietly.

"Where to?" he demanded brusquely, still shaken from the strange gravity of her countenance.

"I'm not sure. I think I'll do a trip round the world…unconfirmed plans," she answered quietly.

"Three months—is—a long time." He knew that there was something he was missing, but he could not put his finger on it. He wondered, very briefly, what it would feel like without seeing her every day.

She smiled faintly. "I want to be alone for a while, re-charge my batteries and all that."

"You told me once that you hated being alone." For some reason, he needed to know why she was going away. If it had to be so, he'd push until he got answers from her. She would answer him. She never failed him.

Quistis carefully sipped her coffee. "No, I said I hated being lonely." She did not look at him.

"Don't play and hide behind semantics, Trepe," he snarled harshly, then found himself regretting his harshness, but it was too late.

Colour had flared painfully in her cheek, as if he had cruelly sliced into her with his gunblade. She was on her feet so quickly that it startled him. "I hate being lonely," she said, her voice still retaining that calm, quiet, almost unnatural quality. "I like having a little time alone to myself." She took up her tray of uneaten breakfast. "If you wanted my seat, you could just have asked nicely." She walked away, dumping her breakfast before she left the cafeteria altogether.

"Seifer."

Seifer turned.

"You have a habit of putting your foot in your mouth," stated Squall, standing up. "Leave her alone."

Seifer's eyes flashed and narrowed. "I'm betting you know more about this vacation than we do," he snapped.

"Naturally." Squall shrugged. "I'm taking over her classes."

Seifer gave a snort of laughter. "You, teach? I have to see that." Abruptly he whirled and left, stalking away. Evidently he too was not going to have any breakfast.

Squall sat down and returned to his breakfast, which he tried very hard to eat, without much success.

Selphie, meanwhile, was looking thoughtfully in Seifer's direction. How very odd. He completely ignored Rinoa.

Irvine nudged her. "Selph? What's the matter?"

Selphie turned back to him. "Oh, nothing." She smiled at him. "It was just a bad feeling I had, but it's gone now."

"Well, if anything's the matter, and it's worrying you, you just tell me, okay?" He smiled tenderly back at her.

She slipped her arm in his. "Okay."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gold: Ah, deception all round…