Mistletoe:
A songfic spawned from four days eating crisps and baked beans at Pete's house on my own. I own nothing 'cept the tinsel. I apologise for any spelling mistakes etc.
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'Is it right or is it wrong? I don't know, I'm unsure, And then I look at you and I wonder.'
(Dr. Natural- Do you feel how I think?)
By now the Christmas party was in full flow. Balamb Garden's canteen had been transformed from a utilitarian, but generally pleasant room to a winter wonderland be-decked with lengths of tinsel and bulbous baubles that reflected the lights in sudden flashes of festive colour.
Tacky Yule-tide songs blasted out from a hastily installed sound system that was already being lauded over by Rajin and Fujin, who for once had abandoned their arrogant leader to make sure only their preferred tunes saw the light of day. Seifer himself had secured a prime spot at the lunch counter, perched on a stool surrounded by his simpering fan-club. Each of the misty-eyed girls who'd flocked to his side clutched glasses of egg nog and hung on his every syllable, tipsy giggles rising up above the music's shrill chorus.
On the dance floor Quistis, Selphie and an indecently dressed Rinoa were so absorbed in the dull thud of the speakers that they seemed oblivious to the gathering crowd of onlookers. Entwined in a loose tangle of limbs, they swayed rhythmically together. Eventually Quistis acknowledged the attention of several drooling SeeD cadets by planting a soft kiss on Selphie's willing lips, almost as if to say- You can look, but I'm the only one who gets to touch. Rinoa smirked faintly, letting a cascade of long, ebony locks trail over the tastefully revealing front of Quistis' dress, her rich mocha eyes raked over the flustered boys, enjoying every second of their astonishment. With a barely audible laugh she returned her attention to the older blonde girl whose arms had slipped around her ivory skinned neck, the haughty smirk dissolving into a smile of genuine affection.
Over at one of the tables Irvine was discreetly reaching for his video camera, until Zell slapped his hands away from it, with a little scowl. The pout that broke out on his friend's face was enough to urge Zell into offering him an apologetic hug. The chestnut-haired cadet just flipped him off and went back to studying the girls. The diminutive martial artist adjusted his Santa hat and pulled a tongue at the Galbadian.
'And then I look at you and I wonder, What's happening in your head, Cos I know I want to, But am I rushing ahead, Should we keep talking instead?'
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In a forgotten corner a shadow separated itself from the wall and edged forward with palpable trepidation. Ever since he'd stepped into the gaudily decorated lunch room the brunette had wanted to leave. The safety and anonymity of his dorm was blessed relief each night and stilled the anxieties that plagued him endlessly.
Back home Christmas had been a time for family, a season when all his siblings gathered together again and shared a meal, exchanged presents and pleasantries. People actually did remember him, unlike here.where it was a struggle to imprint your name on anyone's memory.
Especially that of the boy whom his gaze lingered on across the maze of tables and mingling SeeDs. Every single occasion they'd encountered each other the stoic and glacial future commander had denied all knowledge of his existence. Deep down, past the benign expression he'd plastered on since the first of November that picked at Nida's heart, tearing away a tiny fragment every day until he'd come to this-hiding in the darkness and longing for something unattainable.
A low murmur of disappointment rose to his lips and he slumped back against the frigid concrete, sighing deflatedly.
'Am I being foolish, Or am I being blind? All I know right now is, I want you to be mine.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Squall leant back in his chair and attempted to force the bored expression from his delicate, but hardened features. Prior to this noisy evening of barely restrained chaos he'd been dragged almost literally kicking and screaming to Balamb by Zell and forced to endure a five hour shopping trip with the hyper son of a Chocobo. It seemed that despite his protests and about a thousand 'whatever's' the spike-haired blonde was not going to accept his apathy.
And so he ended up sat stiffly, with both arms folded over his chest, clad in the latest designer black shirt and burgundy leather pants (chosen by Zell of course) at the SeeD annual Christmas shin-dig.
The clock seemed perpetually frozen on nine thirty and to his disgust the others actually appeared to be enjoying this ridiculous excuse for a party. Although he would never admit it, under the cover of darkness the Lionheart had frequented places that made this appear like a kindergarten birthday bash. Unsurpressed and only noticed by the boy keeping silent vigil from afar, a slight rouge sprung up over the bridge of Squall's nose.
Glancing up at the clock for the second time in so many minutes Squall ran a weary hand through his praline hair. Would this torment never cease?
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'I'm so confused, I know the right thing to do, But I want to do the wrong thing with you.'
***************************************************************************
A heart- wrenching, coma- inducing Christmas booze filled hour later Selphie leapt up onto the nearest table brandishing a microphone and yelled at the top of her lungs, "EVERYONE! CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!??!" After regaining their hearing, most of the assembled teenagers gave her just that. Not quite sure how to take the sight of a girl in a yellow boob tube and hotpants waving a large clump of greenery in one hand.
"I bought some mistletoe and we're gonna have a matchmaking competition!" A clashing mixture of groans and cheers came from the crowd and Selphie leant over, producing an oversized top hat from thin air.
"If I could just have a glamorous assistant please?" Quistis sashayed languidly to the front, plucking the hat from Selphie's grasp and drew the first pieces of paper out, handing them to her hyperactive companion.
Selphie bounced so high she nearly tumbled right off the back of the table, "And first up we have-RINOA HEARTILLY and ZELL DINCHT!!"
Selphie wobbled precariously at the edge of her table with a large sprig of Mistletoe outstretched.
The crowd hollered and Zell was pushed roughly towards his dark-haired nemesis. With both hands clasped behind her back, Rinoa wiggled her way towards him, giggling brightly. Zell in contrast looked as if he was walking towards his own execution. With a foundation shaking squeal of delight Rinoa flung her arms around the startled boy and attempted to devour him whole, her cherry pink lips mashed to his in a frantic, exaggerated mess of kisses. Zell flailed helplessly, until she pulled back, winking at him coyly before strutting back to Quistis' side. Seifer took a second to peer out from behind his adoring groupies and grinned maliciously at Zell.
For a few awkward moments no one, not even the constantly vocal Selphie said a word and then Quistis offered up the next fatal scraps of paper. If Selphie's reaction to the first pairing had been over the top, this one had her practically erupting with glee.
"OMG OMG!"
In a stage whisper she leant down to Quistis and Rinoa and squeaked, "This should be soooooooo funny!"
Straightening up again she bounced elatedly and proclaimed, "Squall Leonhart and Nida.uh.
With less tact than a bull in a china shop Selphie addressed her girlfriends again.
"What IS his surname?!"
They shrugged in unison and all eyes fell on Squall again.
'Do you feel what I'm thinking? Just do it to me, Do you feel what I'm thinking?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nida tried to pull his jaw up from it's new home on the floor, a step forward wrenched out of him before he could even stop it. Emerging into the warm, emerald hued light of the canteen he glanced up at Squall.
The serenely apathetic youth was staring back at him, a subtle widening of his eyes betraying the fact that he didn't even think Nida would show his face at a social event such as this. Nida assumed his surprise stemmed from an utter lack of recognition as usual.
Standing in the wanly illuminated room Nida bowed his head again, barely able to take another uncomprehending look from the one he held so dear. He studied his boots intently, waiting for the laughter to begin..waiting for Squall's refusal.
Distantly his ears caught upon Selphie, the rhythmic thud of her platforms against the table top as she called for them to give it a go. They had nothing to lose right?
Nida scoffed softly, moving to turn away and return to his solitude.
"Wait.." The command was issued with such quiet force that Nida obeyed without question. His footsteps grinding to a halt just short of the cafeteria doors. Every single student was watching with bated breath.
A hand closed around his upper arm, the graze of fingers sending skittering sparks through his skin despite the fabric barrier. Without raising his head Nida let himself be turned back around, the shame already colouring his pale cheeks with dense scarlet.
The grip on Nida's arm intensified slightly and a single fingertip slid under his trembling chin, forcing his gaze up to meet Squall's ice violet eyes. A silent plea crossed between them and the smaller brunette tried to pull away. But, before he could wrench himself from Squall's grasp, the hand beneath his chin moved-sure fingers tangling up into his tousled hair. Squall's lips met his own and all the anxious thoughts of escape dissipated quietly into nothingness.
Nida's chocolate brown eyes fluttered shut and a breathy murmur of disbelief escaped him. Instinctively he reached out, curling his fingers around the smooth material of Squall's shirt, as an anchor to something real. This was a dream, an illusion, a trick.
People like Squall never remembered him, let alone this.
With a final feather light brush against Nida's swollen lips Squall broke the connection. His impassive expression tainted by the ghost of a smile. Selphie had toppled from her podium and lay in a heap on the tiles. In the corner Irvine held up a small, silver video camera, fending off Zell's half- hearted punches of protest.
Everyone else just stared.
But Nida didn't care, this was the best Christmas present he could have asked for.
~END~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A songfic spawned from four days eating crisps and baked beans at Pete's house on my own. I own nothing 'cept the tinsel. I apologise for any spelling mistakes etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Is it right or is it wrong? I don't know, I'm unsure, And then I look at you and I wonder.'
(Dr. Natural- Do you feel how I think?)
By now the Christmas party was in full flow. Balamb Garden's canteen had been transformed from a utilitarian, but generally pleasant room to a winter wonderland be-decked with lengths of tinsel and bulbous baubles that reflected the lights in sudden flashes of festive colour.
Tacky Yule-tide songs blasted out from a hastily installed sound system that was already being lauded over by Rajin and Fujin, who for once had abandoned their arrogant leader to make sure only their preferred tunes saw the light of day. Seifer himself had secured a prime spot at the lunch counter, perched on a stool surrounded by his simpering fan-club. Each of the misty-eyed girls who'd flocked to his side clutched glasses of egg nog and hung on his every syllable, tipsy giggles rising up above the music's shrill chorus.
On the dance floor Quistis, Selphie and an indecently dressed Rinoa were so absorbed in the dull thud of the speakers that they seemed oblivious to the gathering crowd of onlookers. Entwined in a loose tangle of limbs, they swayed rhythmically together. Eventually Quistis acknowledged the attention of several drooling SeeD cadets by planting a soft kiss on Selphie's willing lips, almost as if to say- You can look, but I'm the only one who gets to touch. Rinoa smirked faintly, letting a cascade of long, ebony locks trail over the tastefully revealing front of Quistis' dress, her rich mocha eyes raked over the flustered boys, enjoying every second of their astonishment. With a barely audible laugh she returned her attention to the older blonde girl whose arms had slipped around her ivory skinned neck, the haughty smirk dissolving into a smile of genuine affection.
Over at one of the tables Irvine was discreetly reaching for his video camera, until Zell slapped his hands away from it, with a little scowl. The pout that broke out on his friend's face was enough to urge Zell into offering him an apologetic hug. The chestnut-haired cadet just flipped him off and went back to studying the girls. The diminutive martial artist adjusted his Santa hat and pulled a tongue at the Galbadian.
'And then I look at you and I wonder, What's happening in your head, Cos I know I want to, But am I rushing ahead, Should we keep talking instead?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a forgotten corner a shadow separated itself from the wall and edged forward with palpable trepidation. Ever since he'd stepped into the gaudily decorated lunch room the brunette had wanted to leave. The safety and anonymity of his dorm was blessed relief each night and stilled the anxieties that plagued him endlessly.
Back home Christmas had been a time for family, a season when all his siblings gathered together again and shared a meal, exchanged presents and pleasantries. People actually did remember him, unlike here.where it was a struggle to imprint your name on anyone's memory.
Especially that of the boy whom his gaze lingered on across the maze of tables and mingling SeeDs. Every single occasion they'd encountered each other the stoic and glacial future commander had denied all knowledge of his existence. Deep down, past the benign expression he'd plastered on since the first of November that picked at Nida's heart, tearing away a tiny fragment every day until he'd come to this-hiding in the darkness and longing for something unattainable.
A low murmur of disappointment rose to his lips and he slumped back against the frigid concrete, sighing deflatedly.
'Am I being foolish, Or am I being blind? All I know right now is, I want you to be mine.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Squall leant back in his chair and attempted to force the bored expression from his delicate, but hardened features. Prior to this noisy evening of barely restrained chaos he'd been dragged almost literally kicking and screaming to Balamb by Zell and forced to endure a five hour shopping trip with the hyper son of a Chocobo. It seemed that despite his protests and about a thousand 'whatever's' the spike-haired blonde was not going to accept his apathy.
And so he ended up sat stiffly, with both arms folded over his chest, clad in the latest designer black shirt and burgundy leather pants (chosen by Zell of course) at the SeeD annual Christmas shin-dig.
The clock seemed perpetually frozen on nine thirty and to his disgust the others actually appeared to be enjoying this ridiculous excuse for a party. Although he would never admit it, under the cover of darkness the Lionheart had frequented places that made this appear like a kindergarten birthday bash. Unsurpressed and only noticed by the boy keeping silent vigil from afar, a slight rouge sprung up over the bridge of Squall's nose.
Glancing up at the clock for the second time in so many minutes Squall ran a weary hand through his praline hair. Would this torment never cease?
***************************************************************************
'I'm so confused, I know the right thing to do, But I want to do the wrong thing with you.'
***************************************************************************
A heart- wrenching, coma- inducing Christmas booze filled hour later Selphie leapt up onto the nearest table brandishing a microphone and yelled at the top of her lungs, "EVERYONE! CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!??!" After regaining their hearing, most of the assembled teenagers gave her just that. Not quite sure how to take the sight of a girl in a yellow boob tube and hotpants waving a large clump of greenery in one hand.
"I bought some mistletoe and we're gonna have a matchmaking competition!" A clashing mixture of groans and cheers came from the crowd and Selphie leant over, producing an oversized top hat from thin air.
"If I could just have a glamorous assistant please?" Quistis sashayed languidly to the front, plucking the hat from Selphie's grasp and drew the first pieces of paper out, handing them to her hyperactive companion.
Selphie bounced so high she nearly tumbled right off the back of the table, "And first up we have-RINOA HEARTILLY and ZELL DINCHT!!"
Selphie wobbled precariously at the edge of her table with a large sprig of Mistletoe outstretched.
The crowd hollered and Zell was pushed roughly towards his dark-haired nemesis. With both hands clasped behind her back, Rinoa wiggled her way towards him, giggling brightly. Zell in contrast looked as if he was walking towards his own execution. With a foundation shaking squeal of delight Rinoa flung her arms around the startled boy and attempted to devour him whole, her cherry pink lips mashed to his in a frantic, exaggerated mess of kisses. Zell flailed helplessly, until she pulled back, winking at him coyly before strutting back to Quistis' side. Seifer took a second to peer out from behind his adoring groupies and grinned maliciously at Zell.
For a few awkward moments no one, not even the constantly vocal Selphie said a word and then Quistis offered up the next fatal scraps of paper. If Selphie's reaction to the first pairing had been over the top, this one had her practically erupting with glee.
"OMG OMG!"
In a stage whisper she leant down to Quistis and Rinoa and squeaked, "This should be soooooooo funny!"
Straightening up again she bounced elatedly and proclaimed, "Squall Leonhart and Nida.uh.
With less tact than a bull in a china shop Selphie addressed her girlfriends again.
"What IS his surname?!"
They shrugged in unison and all eyes fell on Squall again.
'Do you feel what I'm thinking? Just do it to me, Do you feel what I'm thinking?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nida tried to pull his jaw up from it's new home on the floor, a step forward wrenched out of him before he could even stop it. Emerging into the warm, emerald hued light of the canteen he glanced up at Squall.
The serenely apathetic youth was staring back at him, a subtle widening of his eyes betraying the fact that he didn't even think Nida would show his face at a social event such as this. Nida assumed his surprise stemmed from an utter lack of recognition as usual.
Standing in the wanly illuminated room Nida bowed his head again, barely able to take another uncomprehending look from the one he held so dear. He studied his boots intently, waiting for the laughter to begin..waiting for Squall's refusal.
Distantly his ears caught upon Selphie, the rhythmic thud of her platforms against the table top as she called for them to give it a go. They had nothing to lose right?
Nida scoffed softly, moving to turn away and return to his solitude.
"Wait.." The command was issued with such quiet force that Nida obeyed without question. His footsteps grinding to a halt just short of the cafeteria doors. Every single student was watching with bated breath.
A hand closed around his upper arm, the graze of fingers sending skittering sparks through his skin despite the fabric barrier. Without raising his head Nida let himself be turned back around, the shame already colouring his pale cheeks with dense scarlet.
The grip on Nida's arm intensified slightly and a single fingertip slid under his trembling chin, forcing his gaze up to meet Squall's ice violet eyes. A silent plea crossed between them and the smaller brunette tried to pull away. But, before he could wrench himself from Squall's grasp, the hand beneath his chin moved-sure fingers tangling up into his tousled hair. Squall's lips met his own and all the anxious thoughts of escape dissipated quietly into nothingness.
Nida's chocolate brown eyes fluttered shut and a breathy murmur of disbelief escaped him. Instinctively he reached out, curling his fingers around the smooth material of Squall's shirt, as an anchor to something real. This was a dream, an illusion, a trick.
People like Squall never remembered him, let alone this.
With a final feather light brush against Nida's swollen lips Squall broke the connection. His impassive expression tainted by the ghost of a smile. Selphie had toppled from her podium and lay in a heap on the tiles. In the corner Irvine held up a small, silver video camera, fending off Zell's half- hearted punches of protest.
Everyone else just stared.
But Nida didn't care, this was the best Christmas present he could have asked for.
~END~
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