Chapter 8 Day of Rest
Seifer opened his eyes. He could hear water dripping somewhere as the rain pounded down on the roof. His heart started pounding as he lifted his head and looked around in panic.
'Where am I?' he thought then his eyes landed on Quistis. She sat slumped against the wall sleeping. He calmed, the sight of her there reminding him.
"Quistis" he said not much above a whisper. He got no response. Seifer swallowed, his throat dry, and tried again a little louder "Quistis?"
"Huh" she said slowly opening her eyes. She sat there dazed for moment before she realized Seifer was awake. She looked over at him blankly "Wha-- ?"
"Where----where are we?" he asked.
Quistis was wide-awake now. "What do you mean where are we?" She moved over to his side "Don't you remember yesterday."
He had laid his head back down on his arms and she reached out and felt his cheek. It worried her that he still had a fever and now he seemed confused.
"I thought it was a dream," he mumbled closing his eyes.
Quistis watched as he slipped back into sleep. He looked so battered that she wished, not for the first time that she had some cure to use on him. She didn't like seeing anyone suffer even Seifer. She made sure he was sleeping soundly before standing up and moving away from him.
Quistis went over to the fire and busied herself with getting it built up once again. She then poured the water that remained from the canteen into the pail and hung it over the fire.
With that done Quistis picked up the half empty mug of tea from last night and the empty canteen and headed for the door. She glanced back at Seifer's sleeping form before going out into the hammering rain.
Once outside Quistis looked around before heading to the stream. "Its no wonder there hasn't been any monsters around. Who or what would go out in this weather" she grumbled.
She hurriedly filled her canteen and washed out the mug then ran back for the door. By the time she got inside she was soaked.
'Thank Hyne I wore fatigues instead of my dress uniform' she thought as she unbuttoned her shirt and peeled the wet garment off and dropped it to the floor. Leaving her damp tee shirt on she reached down to release her weapons belt. After setting her weapons well away from the fire she kicked off her muddy hiking boots then debated whether to remove her pants.
She looked over at Seifers sleeping form and chewed on her lip for a minute before deciding not to worry about him seeing her partially undressed. Quistis shrugged; maybe he wouldn't wake up before they were dry.
It couldn't be helped; she wasn't going to sit around in wet clothes. One sick person was enough. She spread the clothes out as best she could to dry. She then removed the band holding back her hair and shook it out. 'I'd kill for a shower or a nice hot bubble bath' she sighed fantasizing for a minute.
She pulled herself away from that thought then went back over and made herself some tea. Her stomach growled loudly reminding her that it was yesterday morning since she'd eaten last.
Quistis pulled the pack over to her and rummaged around until she found the field rations. There should be enough here for a couple of days if they were careful.
After she had eaten Quistis sat in front of the fire wondering if she should try to wake Seifer up and feed him. Sleep seemed to be the best thing right now. Just as she decided not to bother him she heard a moan.
Quistis moved over to Seifer and crouched down beside him. "Seifer" she said his name softly "can I get you something?"
Seifer heard his name being called and fought to open his eyes. He rolled to his side and looked up at her. "C-cold" he whispered.
Quistis noticed he was shivering and reached out to feel his cheek. He was still running a fever. As another chill overtook him she made a decision. There was only one thing to do.
Quistis lifted the blanket covering Seifer and slid in next to him. She put her arms around him and held him close to her.
As the warmth from Quisits's body seeped into him, Seifer relaxed against her and soon stopped shaking.
Quistis thought Seifer had gone back to sleep and was surprised when he spoke.
"Why?" he asked huskily.
"Why what?" Quistis asked shifting slightly towards him.
"Why are you doing this? I mean" he paused frowning before adding softly "after the terrible things I did to you."
Quistis looked into his troubled eyes. She could tell he honestly didn't understand.
"Seifer you're ill. I don't think anyone would-------" She felt him laugh against her.
"Do you honestly believe that," he asked bitterness creeping into his voice. Seifer then closed his eyes ending any further discussion.
How could she have answered that question? She herself was guilty of always thinking the worst of him.
Exhaustion finally overtook her and Quistis's eyes slid closed as she slipped into sleep.
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Something woke her. Quistis looked around but it was too dark to see much. Then she heard it again.
"NO" he gasped in his sleep "No, I didn't---" Seifer mumbled. He had moved away from her in his sleep but she could still feel him trembling. "Please stop---" he begged.
"Seifer?" Quistis got no response. "Seifer, wake up" She gently shook him.
Seifer took in a sharp breath and shot up. His heart was pounding and a fine sheen of sweat covered his skin as he looked around, disoriented.
"It was just a nightmare. It's ok." Quistis said softly putting a hand on his bare shoulder, noticing his fever had gone down.
Seifer turned to her "Quistis?" He still looked dazed.
"It's ok" she repeated, leaning towards him she cupped his cheek.
Seifer looked into her eyes intently. He was drawn into their sapphire depths and leaned forward without conscious thought. Their lips touched in a feather light kiss that deepened as Quistis moved into his arms. Her hand moved up running through Seifer's hair to the back of his head, pulling him closer.
Suddenly Seifer pushed Quistis away from him. "We shouldn't have done that" he declared in a shaky voice. He hesitated for a moment then turned away from her. Just who was he trying to fool. He shook his head, 'I'm not that pretty boy Squall.'
Quistis sat there stunned, not knowing what to say. She watched silently as Seifer got up slowly and moved over to the fire. She lay down and stared at his back while he got the fire burning again.
One thought rushed around her head 'Seifer kissed me.' Then another thought hit home 'and I liked it---NO bad Quistis' she scolded herself 'it's Seifer for Hyne's sake. I'd be crazy to---- even think of him in that way.' Quistis fell asleep telling herself how wrong it would be to get involved with Seifer.
Seifer turned away from the fire when he heard Quistis's breathing even out and watched her sleep.
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Author Notes: Thanks again for the great reviews and Happy New Year.
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Seifer opened his eyes. He could hear water dripping somewhere as the rain pounded down on the roof. His heart started pounding as he lifted his head and looked around in panic.
'Where am I?' he thought then his eyes landed on Quistis. She sat slumped against the wall sleeping. He calmed, the sight of her there reminding him.
"Quistis" he said not much above a whisper. He got no response. Seifer swallowed, his throat dry, and tried again a little louder "Quistis?"
"Huh" she said slowly opening her eyes. She sat there dazed for moment before she realized Seifer was awake. She looked over at him blankly "Wha-- ?"
"Where----where are we?" he asked.
Quistis was wide-awake now. "What do you mean where are we?" She moved over to his side "Don't you remember yesterday."
He had laid his head back down on his arms and she reached out and felt his cheek. It worried her that he still had a fever and now he seemed confused.
"I thought it was a dream," he mumbled closing his eyes.
Quistis watched as he slipped back into sleep. He looked so battered that she wished, not for the first time that she had some cure to use on him. She didn't like seeing anyone suffer even Seifer. She made sure he was sleeping soundly before standing up and moving away from him.
Quistis went over to the fire and busied herself with getting it built up once again. She then poured the water that remained from the canteen into the pail and hung it over the fire.
With that done Quistis picked up the half empty mug of tea from last night and the empty canteen and headed for the door. She glanced back at Seifer's sleeping form before going out into the hammering rain.
Once outside Quistis looked around before heading to the stream. "Its no wonder there hasn't been any monsters around. Who or what would go out in this weather" she grumbled.
She hurriedly filled her canteen and washed out the mug then ran back for the door. By the time she got inside she was soaked.
'Thank Hyne I wore fatigues instead of my dress uniform' she thought as she unbuttoned her shirt and peeled the wet garment off and dropped it to the floor. Leaving her damp tee shirt on she reached down to release her weapons belt. After setting her weapons well away from the fire she kicked off her muddy hiking boots then debated whether to remove her pants.
She looked over at Seifers sleeping form and chewed on her lip for a minute before deciding not to worry about him seeing her partially undressed. Quistis shrugged; maybe he wouldn't wake up before they were dry.
It couldn't be helped; she wasn't going to sit around in wet clothes. One sick person was enough. She spread the clothes out as best she could to dry. She then removed the band holding back her hair and shook it out. 'I'd kill for a shower or a nice hot bubble bath' she sighed fantasizing for a minute.
She pulled herself away from that thought then went back over and made herself some tea. Her stomach growled loudly reminding her that it was yesterday morning since she'd eaten last.
Quistis pulled the pack over to her and rummaged around until she found the field rations. There should be enough here for a couple of days if they were careful.
After she had eaten Quistis sat in front of the fire wondering if she should try to wake Seifer up and feed him. Sleep seemed to be the best thing right now. Just as she decided not to bother him she heard a moan.
Quistis moved over to Seifer and crouched down beside him. "Seifer" she said his name softly "can I get you something?"
Seifer heard his name being called and fought to open his eyes. He rolled to his side and looked up at her. "C-cold" he whispered.
Quistis noticed he was shivering and reached out to feel his cheek. He was still running a fever. As another chill overtook him she made a decision. There was only one thing to do.
Quistis lifted the blanket covering Seifer and slid in next to him. She put her arms around him and held him close to her.
As the warmth from Quisits's body seeped into him, Seifer relaxed against her and soon stopped shaking.
Quistis thought Seifer had gone back to sleep and was surprised when he spoke.
"Why?" he asked huskily.
"Why what?" Quistis asked shifting slightly towards him.
"Why are you doing this? I mean" he paused frowning before adding softly "after the terrible things I did to you."
Quistis looked into his troubled eyes. She could tell he honestly didn't understand.
"Seifer you're ill. I don't think anyone would-------" She felt him laugh against her.
"Do you honestly believe that," he asked bitterness creeping into his voice. Seifer then closed his eyes ending any further discussion.
How could she have answered that question? She herself was guilty of always thinking the worst of him.
Exhaustion finally overtook her and Quistis's eyes slid closed as she slipped into sleep.
....................................
Something woke her. Quistis looked around but it was too dark to see much. Then she heard it again.
"NO" he gasped in his sleep "No, I didn't---" Seifer mumbled. He had moved away from her in his sleep but she could still feel him trembling. "Please stop---" he begged.
"Seifer?" Quistis got no response. "Seifer, wake up" She gently shook him.
Seifer took in a sharp breath and shot up. His heart was pounding and a fine sheen of sweat covered his skin as he looked around, disoriented.
"It was just a nightmare. It's ok." Quistis said softly putting a hand on his bare shoulder, noticing his fever had gone down.
Seifer turned to her "Quistis?" He still looked dazed.
"It's ok" she repeated, leaning towards him she cupped his cheek.
Seifer looked into her eyes intently. He was drawn into their sapphire depths and leaned forward without conscious thought. Their lips touched in a feather light kiss that deepened as Quistis moved into his arms. Her hand moved up running through Seifer's hair to the back of his head, pulling him closer.
Suddenly Seifer pushed Quistis away from him. "We shouldn't have done that" he declared in a shaky voice. He hesitated for a moment then turned away from her. Just who was he trying to fool. He shook his head, 'I'm not that pretty boy Squall.'
Quistis sat there stunned, not knowing what to say. She watched silently as Seifer got up slowly and moved over to the fire. She lay down and stared at his back while he got the fire burning again.
One thought rushed around her head 'Seifer kissed me.' Then another thought hit home 'and I liked it---NO bad Quistis' she scolded herself 'it's Seifer for Hyne's sake. I'd be crazy to---- even think of him in that way.' Quistis fell asleep telling herself how wrong it would be to get involved with Seifer.
Seifer turned away from the fire when he heard Quistis's breathing even out and watched her sleep.
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Author Notes: Thanks again for the great reviews and Happy New Year.
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