Final Fantasy VIII
Whenever You Need Me
Author's Notes: Congratulations to the winners of the "Seiftis Forever" Awards! You truly are the best of the best!
~**Best Romance--"Shattered Thoughts and Broken Dreams" by Alonia Everclear
~**Best Original--"Crimson Lies" by Ashbear
~**Best Poetry--"Dulled Hyperion" by grrl_gamer
~**Best Kiss--"Wicked Game" by Starlight
~**Best Characterization of Quistis--"Aftermath" by Wravyn
~**Best Vignette--"Aftermath" by Wravyn
~**Best General--"Majestic" by Jacks
~**Most Heartbreaking Moment--"Walls Between Us (Fear of Love)" by Brazen Angel
~**Best Characterization of Seifer--"Fire Cross" by Zachere
~**Best Humor--"First Contact" by Ashbear
~**Best Drama--"Crimson Lies" by Ashbear
~**Best Twist--"Day of the Strong" by Malice Shaw
~**Best Action/Adventure--"Waiting for Magic" by Starlight
~**Best Lemon--"Smoke and Mirrors" by Ifalna
~**Best Songfic--"November Rain" by Alonia Everclear
~**Best What-if?--"Mist Over Winhill" by Kate Lorraine
~**Best Angst--"The Guilty Show No Mercy" by Malice Shaw
~**Most Original Plot--"Crimson Lies" by Ashbear
~**Best Parody--"THE Queifer" by Astraea
~**Best Mystery--"Shattered Thoughts and Broken Dreams" by Alonia Everclear
**these fics and/or authors can be looked up on the FF.net directory
Once again, congratulations to all you Seiftis authors!
Chapter 15: Maybe Friends
Seifer sighed, then glanced at the clock that hung above the door. It read 2:55. "One hour and five minutes more," the teen muttered, sighing. "Damn Instructor Gast."
It was a few days after Quistis had awoken from the infirmary. All of Garden had already known about the T-Rexaur fiasco, and it had taken many announcements on Headmaster Cid's part to assure the anxious students that no, T-Rexaurs would NOT be taking over the school anytime soon. Soon after that, Instructor Gast had stuck Seifer in the disciplinary room.
"What the hell for?!" Seifer had raged when Saravien broke the news.
"Sephiro--Instructor Gast seems to think that you were responsible for Quistis' accident," said the SeeD.
"What? It's not my damned fault that she went into that training area all by herself! She's the idiot, not me!"
"You know, you should really calm down."
"Yeah, you try being calm when you're accused of a crime you didn't commit. I'm innocent. I was at the freaking wrong place at the wrong time."
"Well, I'm very sorry, Seifer, but unless you can prove that…" Saravien shrugged helplessly.
So there he was, sitting in the disciplinary room, from 2 to 4, every day, until Instructor Gast let him off the hook.
Seifer was annoyed. No, scratch that, Seifer was out and out pissed off. This was what he got for saving someone's life.
'Tch,' the young blonde thought, 'that's the last time I'm saving Trepe's ass if she won't even vouch for me.' He sulked silently, arms crossed over his lean chest, jade eyes dark as he stared at the clock above the door. Then the door opened.
"Excuse me, Instructor Tashikawa?" asked the fair-haired girl from the door. "Instructor Gast was wondering if you could release Seifer Almasy…"
"Almasy? Why?" the auburn-haired teacher asked.
"He needs to talk to him…" Quistis' voice trailed off as she caught a glimpse of the seething Seifer. "Right now, Instructor."
"…Ahhh, okay, okay. Almasy."
Seifer quietly rose to his feet and walked out the door, brushing past Quistis roughly. The girl thanked the instructor and jogged after him, calling his name. "Seifer, wait up!"
He stopped and she crashed into him, tumbling to the floor. "Could you tell me when you're going to stop?" Quistis asked, frowning slightly as she lifted her face up to glare at him. "You're like a brick wall, you know--"
"Shut your trap, Trepe," the boy growled dangerously.
"I--" Quistis blinked.
"I save your life and what do you do while Gast sticks me in the goddamned disciplinary room? Nothing!" Seifer spat. "That's the last time I ever save your sorry ass." He whirled around and stalked off towards Instructor Gast's classroom, leaving Quistis alone in the hall.
The girl took a shaking breath and ran after him, entering the class at the sound of Gast's voice.
"Quistis confessed to being the first in the training center. She also said you had nothing to do with the wild T-Rexaur that attacked her, and that you tried to save her. She also said it was her fault that the T-Rexaur caught up to her in the first place. I'm sorry for wrongly accusing you. Quistis will be the one in the disciplinary room from now on. I apologize."
Seifer stood silently, then swiftly turned and walked out. Quistis stilled, unsure whether to get out of the way, but Seifer grasped her wrist and pulled her with him. He pulled her to the dormitories and then let go, turning to her. Quistis braced herself for his rage.
His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Quistis stared at him for a few moments, then asked shakily, "S-Seifer?"
"Uh, this is kinda hard to say…" For the first time since Quistis had met Seifer in Garden, he looked flustered.
"Ummm…"
"Look, Trepe, I'm sorry." Seifer let out a short breath and looked away. "For getting so pissed off at you, I mean…I guess I was just stressed. So, um…sorry."
"Uh…I…" Quistis blinked. "D-don't worry about it."
Seifer relaxed. "So…I'll see you around?" he asked in a low voice, as if he didn't want to be heard.
She nodded. "Y-yeah. Okay."
He smiled slightly. Not his usual cynical smirk, but a shadow of a real smile. Quistis started; she'd seen that smile before. Somewhere…a long time ago…she struggled to remember, but something held the memories back. An unknown force, a wraith that pushed the recollections away from her. She blinked and found herself staring at Seifer again. He looked worried.
"Hey, Trepe, you back to reality?" he asked quietly.
"Uh…sorry," she whispered. "I…I'll see you later, then."
Seifer nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Bye, Trepe."
She smiled. "…Bye." She watched him walk off, and a thought struck her. "Hey, Seifer."
He looked back at her. "Yeah?"
"Uh…never mind." Quistis bit her lip and shook her head. Seifer looked puzzled but walked on. After a few minutes, she headed towards the disciplinary room to serve her time. Even though she was being punished, she felt considerably lighter.
She'd just managed to evade Seifer Almasy's rage. That counted for something. And he DID apologize. She must be some sort of hero.
Quistis smiled as she walked into the disciplinary room, startling the instructor there. Maybe Seifer wasn't such a bad guy after all.
Quistis' smile grew as her mind wandered to the possibilities.
Who knows how they could end up?
Maybe acquaintances.
…Maybe friends.
Final Words:
Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm hopeful you'll review!
~kokuro usagi
Whenever You Need Me
Author's Notes: Congratulations to the winners of the "Seiftis Forever" Awards! You truly are the best of the best!
~**Best Romance--"Shattered Thoughts and Broken Dreams" by Alonia Everclear
~**Best Original--"Crimson Lies" by Ashbear
~**Best Poetry--"Dulled Hyperion" by grrl_gamer
~**Best Kiss--"Wicked Game" by Starlight
~**Best Characterization of Quistis--"Aftermath" by Wravyn
~**Best Vignette--"Aftermath" by Wravyn
~**Best General--"Majestic" by Jacks
~**Most Heartbreaking Moment--"Walls Between Us (Fear of Love)" by Brazen Angel
~**Best Characterization of Seifer--"Fire Cross" by Zachere
~**Best Humor--"First Contact" by Ashbear
~**Best Drama--"Crimson Lies" by Ashbear
~**Best Twist--"Day of the Strong" by Malice Shaw
~**Best Action/Adventure--"Waiting for Magic" by Starlight
~**Best Lemon--"Smoke and Mirrors" by Ifalna
~**Best Songfic--"November Rain" by Alonia Everclear
~**Best What-if?--"Mist Over Winhill" by Kate Lorraine
~**Best Angst--"The Guilty Show No Mercy" by Malice Shaw
~**Most Original Plot--"Crimson Lies" by Ashbear
~**Best Parody--"THE Queifer" by Astraea
~**Best Mystery--"Shattered Thoughts and Broken Dreams" by Alonia Everclear
**these fics and/or authors can be looked up on the FF.net directory
Once again, congratulations to all you Seiftis authors!
Chapter 15: Maybe Friends
Seifer sighed, then glanced at the clock that hung above the door. It read 2:55. "One hour and five minutes more," the teen muttered, sighing. "Damn Instructor Gast."
It was a few days after Quistis had awoken from the infirmary. All of Garden had already known about the T-Rexaur fiasco, and it had taken many announcements on Headmaster Cid's part to assure the anxious students that no, T-Rexaurs would NOT be taking over the school anytime soon. Soon after that, Instructor Gast had stuck Seifer in the disciplinary room.
"What the hell for?!" Seifer had raged when Saravien broke the news.
"Sephiro--Instructor Gast seems to think that you were responsible for Quistis' accident," said the SeeD.
"What? It's not my damned fault that she went into that training area all by herself! She's the idiot, not me!"
"You know, you should really calm down."
"Yeah, you try being calm when you're accused of a crime you didn't commit. I'm innocent. I was at the freaking wrong place at the wrong time."
"Well, I'm very sorry, Seifer, but unless you can prove that…" Saravien shrugged helplessly.
So there he was, sitting in the disciplinary room, from 2 to 4, every day, until Instructor Gast let him off the hook.
Seifer was annoyed. No, scratch that, Seifer was out and out pissed off. This was what he got for saving someone's life.
'Tch,' the young blonde thought, 'that's the last time I'm saving Trepe's ass if she won't even vouch for me.' He sulked silently, arms crossed over his lean chest, jade eyes dark as he stared at the clock above the door. Then the door opened.
"Excuse me, Instructor Tashikawa?" asked the fair-haired girl from the door. "Instructor Gast was wondering if you could release Seifer Almasy…"
"Almasy? Why?" the auburn-haired teacher asked.
"He needs to talk to him…" Quistis' voice trailed off as she caught a glimpse of the seething Seifer. "Right now, Instructor."
"…Ahhh, okay, okay. Almasy."
Seifer quietly rose to his feet and walked out the door, brushing past Quistis roughly. The girl thanked the instructor and jogged after him, calling his name. "Seifer, wait up!"
He stopped and she crashed into him, tumbling to the floor. "Could you tell me when you're going to stop?" Quistis asked, frowning slightly as she lifted her face up to glare at him. "You're like a brick wall, you know--"
"Shut your trap, Trepe," the boy growled dangerously.
"I--" Quistis blinked.
"I save your life and what do you do while Gast sticks me in the goddamned disciplinary room? Nothing!" Seifer spat. "That's the last time I ever save your sorry ass." He whirled around and stalked off towards Instructor Gast's classroom, leaving Quistis alone in the hall.
The girl took a shaking breath and ran after him, entering the class at the sound of Gast's voice.
"Quistis confessed to being the first in the training center. She also said you had nothing to do with the wild T-Rexaur that attacked her, and that you tried to save her. She also said it was her fault that the T-Rexaur caught up to her in the first place. I'm sorry for wrongly accusing you. Quistis will be the one in the disciplinary room from now on. I apologize."
Seifer stood silently, then swiftly turned and walked out. Quistis stilled, unsure whether to get out of the way, but Seifer grasped her wrist and pulled her with him. He pulled her to the dormitories and then let go, turning to her. Quistis braced herself for his rage.
His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Quistis stared at him for a few moments, then asked shakily, "S-Seifer?"
"Uh, this is kinda hard to say…" For the first time since Quistis had met Seifer in Garden, he looked flustered.
"Ummm…"
"Look, Trepe, I'm sorry." Seifer let out a short breath and looked away. "For getting so pissed off at you, I mean…I guess I was just stressed. So, um…sorry."
"Uh…I…" Quistis blinked. "D-don't worry about it."
Seifer relaxed. "So…I'll see you around?" he asked in a low voice, as if he didn't want to be heard.
She nodded. "Y-yeah. Okay."
He smiled slightly. Not his usual cynical smirk, but a shadow of a real smile. Quistis started; she'd seen that smile before. Somewhere…a long time ago…she struggled to remember, but something held the memories back. An unknown force, a wraith that pushed the recollections away from her. She blinked and found herself staring at Seifer again. He looked worried.
"Hey, Trepe, you back to reality?" he asked quietly.
"Uh…sorry," she whispered. "I…I'll see you later, then."
Seifer nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Bye, Trepe."
She smiled. "…Bye." She watched him walk off, and a thought struck her. "Hey, Seifer."
He looked back at her. "Yeah?"
"Uh…never mind." Quistis bit her lip and shook her head. Seifer looked puzzled but walked on. After a few minutes, she headed towards the disciplinary room to serve her time. Even though she was being punished, she felt considerably lighter.
She'd just managed to evade Seifer Almasy's rage. That counted for something. And he DID apologize. She must be some sort of hero.
Quistis smiled as she walked into the disciplinary room, startling the instructor there. Maybe Seifer wasn't such a bad guy after all.
Quistis' smile grew as her mind wandered to the possibilities.
Who knows how they could end up?
Maybe acquaintances.
…Maybe friends.
Final Words:
Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm hopeful you'll review!
~kokuro usagi