Final Fantasy VIII
Whenever You Need Me
Disclaimer: I love them. I just don't own them.
Author's Notes: Short AN, cuz I wanna start my chappy already. Thanks to all my reviewers--Seiftis fans unite!--for being so kind and helping me get this far. What is this, my tenth chapter? And I haven't even gotten to the conflict yet! Yes, ppl, these chapters make up the exposition, which is, in my English class, where the main characters and the setting is introduced. I'm hoping I can start the conflict in the chapter after next, but right now…let's see Quistis understand her favorite student a lil bit better, ne?
Chapter 10: Dream of Mine
The day before the SeeD field test, Seifer Almasy was seen in the last place anyone expected to find him.
He was in the library.
He sat at one of the tables, surrounded by books, looking almost like a lovable bookworm had it not been for the gunblade strapped at his waist, its sharp edge glinting ominously in the library's lights. Everyone who came to the library avoided him.
Everyone, of course, except Quistis Trepe.
"Studying hard?" she queried with a smile, leaning over to catch a glimpse of the book he was immersed in. Seifer shut the book silently and turned his head to face her. Startled by the closeness, Quistis stood up straight and took a seat beside him, ignoring the fluttering in her chest as he studied her with piercing green eyes.
"As a matter of fact, Instructor, yes."
"W, what?" Quistis stammered, giving a start. Her glasses bounced and she fumbled for them, keeping them pressed to her face. Seifer smiled inwardly at her rare show of surprise.
"Something wrong, Instructor dearest?"
"Well…you're actually studying," Quistis said, gesturing to the pile of book before him. "I've never seen you study for any of your other field tests before…I have to say it's a change."
Seifer opened his book again. "I guess," he muttered.
A short silence, and then, "So…what are you reading?"
His eyes shot a look over to the former instructor, who had her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands as she watched him, pale blue eyes showing interest. He sighed. "Hyne, Quis, will you ever leave me alone?"
He'd meant it as a joke, but obviously, Quistis did not get it, for he saw her eyes widen out of the corner of his eye. "Oh…I apologize, Seifer," she said, rising to her feet. "You're studying hard, I shouldn't be bothering you. Don't forget to get up early tomorrow; we're leaving at 600 hours." She turned and began to walk away when a warm gloved hand caught hers. She started and turned her head.
Seifer was holding the book with his free hand. "Hyne," he said softly, "I thought you'd understand sarcasm, my dear Instructor. Where did that wonderful sense of humor go?"
Quistis nearly let out a gasp of disbelief. Was Seifer Almasy complimenting her? For the second time? Hyne, she HAD to be dreaming!
He turned his head and looked at her. "Are you just going to leave your favorite student like that? Why, Instructor, I'm crushed." He gave her his infamous smirk. "And you really wouldn't want that to happen to your most dearest student, would you?"
"Oh, no, Seifer," Quistis replied sarcastically. She suddenly smiled. "But it would be fun to see you bawling like a baby." She turned and leaned down. "So, what are you reading? Theories on the memory-stealing properties of Guardian Forces?"
"I'm not you, Instructor." He showed her the book, and she blinked.
"Poetry? Seifer, you HAVE to be kidding me!"
"Ardente Veritate, Instructor. I'm sure you're familiar with the works?"
She nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder as she studied the poems. "I thought you were studying for the field test?"
He chuckled. "One can only study for so long. Not everyone is a nerd like you, Instructor. I needed a break."
"And your idea of a break is reading a collection of poetry. Hm." Quistis tilted her head to one side, unaware that she was leaning her head against Seifer's. "You never cease to amaze me, Mr. Almasy."
"Is that surprising?"
"Well…it's kind of like seeing Zell write a theorem on the Lunar Cry, you know?"
"What?" Seifer had difficulty keeping his voice down. "Are you comparing me to that…that Chicken-wuss?!"
She shrugged and looked at him. "Well…sort of."
He glared at her. "If that's supposed to be a compliment…" he said, his voice a soft growl.
She stared at him for a few moments, then burst into giggles. Seifer stared at her in complete bewilderment. "Uh, something I said?"
She bit her lip, stifling her giggles. "To think I actually got under your skin," she remarked. "Today's just full of surprises, isn't it?" She straightened, looking thoughtful. "You know, I never thought this would happen…"
Seifer felt confused. "Never thought WHAT would happen, Quis?" he asked, aware that he was sounding very much like a child.
She shot him a smiling glance. "We're actually communicating without being at each other's throats," she said softly. "It's nice to finally hear you talk without making fun of me." She looked at the books surrounding him. "And I'm glad that you're finally taking this field test seriously. It's always been a dream of mine, Seifer, to see you become a SeeD."
Seifer stared at her. Her dream was to see him graduate? He had trouble sounding like his usual arrogant self. "Well, Quis, I'm sure you have other dreams--" he began.
She shook her head. "No, not really." She smiled at him. "Hm, I've been taking up too much of your time. I should let you study. I wouldn't want to cause your failure in the field test." She patted his shoulder and leaned close to him. Seifer felt his heart beat faster.
"Good luck, Seifer," Quistis whispered in his ear. "Do the best you can, which will be more than enough to pass, I'm sure."
Seifer turned his head, and their eyes locked. "I promise," he said quietly.
She smiled. "And a knight never breaks his promise, does he, Seify?" she asked in a soft voice. Starting, Seifer released his grip on her other and she giggled. "See you at 600 hours tomorrow, then," she said, turning to leave.
"Quisty?"
"Hm?" she asked, turning back to him.
Seifer turned his head and smiled at her. A genuine smile, not the smirk everyone in Garden knew him for. For a moment, Quistis felt like they were back at the orphanage. He was Seify again. "Don't worry, Quisty," he told her, still smiling. "Tomorrow, I'll make your dream come true."
~Bunny's Corner~
Bunny: (looks nervous) Ah, um, uh…what do you ppl think of my latest chapter? Tell me in your reviews! Oh, and I'll be inviting three more Seiftis authors to my place in my next chappy. (grins) Hm, I wonder who'll get a kiss from Seifer this time…?
Whenever You Need Me
Disclaimer: I love them. I just don't own them.
Author's Notes: Short AN, cuz I wanna start my chappy already. Thanks to all my reviewers--Seiftis fans unite!--for being so kind and helping me get this far. What is this, my tenth chapter? And I haven't even gotten to the conflict yet! Yes, ppl, these chapters make up the exposition, which is, in my English class, where the main characters and the setting is introduced. I'm hoping I can start the conflict in the chapter after next, but right now…let's see Quistis understand her favorite student a lil bit better, ne?
Chapter 10: Dream of Mine
The day before the SeeD field test, Seifer Almasy was seen in the last place anyone expected to find him.
He was in the library.
He sat at one of the tables, surrounded by books, looking almost like a lovable bookworm had it not been for the gunblade strapped at his waist, its sharp edge glinting ominously in the library's lights. Everyone who came to the library avoided him.
Everyone, of course, except Quistis Trepe.
"Studying hard?" she queried with a smile, leaning over to catch a glimpse of the book he was immersed in. Seifer shut the book silently and turned his head to face her. Startled by the closeness, Quistis stood up straight and took a seat beside him, ignoring the fluttering in her chest as he studied her with piercing green eyes.
"As a matter of fact, Instructor, yes."
"W, what?" Quistis stammered, giving a start. Her glasses bounced and she fumbled for them, keeping them pressed to her face. Seifer smiled inwardly at her rare show of surprise.
"Something wrong, Instructor dearest?"
"Well…you're actually studying," Quistis said, gesturing to the pile of book before him. "I've never seen you study for any of your other field tests before…I have to say it's a change."
Seifer opened his book again. "I guess," he muttered.
A short silence, and then, "So…what are you reading?"
His eyes shot a look over to the former instructor, who had her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands as she watched him, pale blue eyes showing interest. He sighed. "Hyne, Quis, will you ever leave me alone?"
He'd meant it as a joke, but obviously, Quistis did not get it, for he saw her eyes widen out of the corner of his eye. "Oh…I apologize, Seifer," she said, rising to her feet. "You're studying hard, I shouldn't be bothering you. Don't forget to get up early tomorrow; we're leaving at 600 hours." She turned and began to walk away when a warm gloved hand caught hers. She started and turned her head.
Seifer was holding the book with his free hand. "Hyne," he said softly, "I thought you'd understand sarcasm, my dear Instructor. Where did that wonderful sense of humor go?"
Quistis nearly let out a gasp of disbelief. Was Seifer Almasy complimenting her? For the second time? Hyne, she HAD to be dreaming!
He turned his head and looked at her. "Are you just going to leave your favorite student like that? Why, Instructor, I'm crushed." He gave her his infamous smirk. "And you really wouldn't want that to happen to your most dearest student, would you?"
"Oh, no, Seifer," Quistis replied sarcastically. She suddenly smiled. "But it would be fun to see you bawling like a baby." She turned and leaned down. "So, what are you reading? Theories on the memory-stealing properties of Guardian Forces?"
"I'm not you, Instructor." He showed her the book, and she blinked.
"Poetry? Seifer, you HAVE to be kidding me!"
"Ardente Veritate, Instructor. I'm sure you're familiar with the works?"
She nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder as she studied the poems. "I thought you were studying for the field test?"
He chuckled. "One can only study for so long. Not everyone is a nerd like you, Instructor. I needed a break."
"And your idea of a break is reading a collection of poetry. Hm." Quistis tilted her head to one side, unaware that she was leaning her head against Seifer's. "You never cease to amaze me, Mr. Almasy."
"Is that surprising?"
"Well…it's kind of like seeing Zell write a theorem on the Lunar Cry, you know?"
"What?" Seifer had difficulty keeping his voice down. "Are you comparing me to that…that Chicken-wuss?!"
She shrugged and looked at him. "Well…sort of."
He glared at her. "If that's supposed to be a compliment…" he said, his voice a soft growl.
She stared at him for a few moments, then burst into giggles. Seifer stared at her in complete bewilderment. "Uh, something I said?"
She bit her lip, stifling her giggles. "To think I actually got under your skin," she remarked. "Today's just full of surprises, isn't it?" She straightened, looking thoughtful. "You know, I never thought this would happen…"
Seifer felt confused. "Never thought WHAT would happen, Quis?" he asked, aware that he was sounding very much like a child.
She shot him a smiling glance. "We're actually communicating without being at each other's throats," she said softly. "It's nice to finally hear you talk without making fun of me." She looked at the books surrounding him. "And I'm glad that you're finally taking this field test seriously. It's always been a dream of mine, Seifer, to see you become a SeeD."
Seifer stared at her. Her dream was to see him graduate? He had trouble sounding like his usual arrogant self. "Well, Quis, I'm sure you have other dreams--" he began.
She shook her head. "No, not really." She smiled at him. "Hm, I've been taking up too much of your time. I should let you study. I wouldn't want to cause your failure in the field test." She patted his shoulder and leaned close to him. Seifer felt his heart beat faster.
"Good luck, Seifer," Quistis whispered in his ear. "Do the best you can, which will be more than enough to pass, I'm sure."
Seifer turned his head, and their eyes locked. "I promise," he said quietly.
She smiled. "And a knight never breaks his promise, does he, Seify?" she asked in a soft voice. Starting, Seifer released his grip on her other and she giggled. "See you at 600 hours tomorrow, then," she said, turning to leave.
"Quisty?"
"Hm?" she asked, turning back to him.
Seifer turned his head and smiled at her. A genuine smile, not the smirk everyone in Garden knew him for. For a moment, Quistis felt like they were back at the orphanage. He was Seify again. "Don't worry, Quisty," he told her, still smiling. "Tomorrow, I'll make your dream come true."
~Bunny's Corner~
Bunny: (looks nervous) Ah, um, uh…what do you ppl think of my latest chapter? Tell me in your reviews! Oh, and I'll be inviting three more Seiftis authors to my place in my next chappy. (grins) Hm, I wonder who'll get a kiss from Seifer this time…?