A/N: Yo kiddies! Damn, many of you responded to my call for your votes! Thank you very much! I'll leave the matter 'open' until the next update in a couple of days or so, so if any of you haven't voted, please do. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, check out 'chapter' 26. The two stories came close to a tie for a point, but right now one is leading… It's all up to you guys! I'll announce the results with the next update.
Enjoy the new chappy!
Chapter 24: Kitten and Bunny Rabbit
Quistis woke up in the morning lying inside Seifer's arms. They were lying on Seifer's bed inside his dorm, naked underneath the black sheets. Quistis lazily opened her eyes, rubbing them. She was a bit startled to find Seifer awake next to her, holding her, looking at her face. She smiled and nuzzled her head in his neck.
- "Damn, I fell asleep in here last night?" she asked.
- "Mmm-hmm…" mumbled Seifer.
- "Oh well… I'll just leave through the window again…"
- "I'll help you…" he said hugging her a bit more tightly "By the way…" he said grinning "Did you know you make this… sound when you're sleeping?" he asked.
- "What sound?" asked Quistis looking at him.
- "This… sexy purring sound… It's kinda like a cat…" he said smiling "I think I'll call you 'kitten' from now on…"
- "Kitten?!" she said chuckling.
- "Yeah, 'kitten'… Although after last night's performance I think I should call you 'wildcat'…" he said grinning mischievously.
- "'Kitten' will do…" she said raising an eyebrow "So what will you be?" she asked.
- "I'll just be Seifer, thank you very much…"
- "No way… I'm calling you… 'Bunny rabbit'!" Quistis exclaimed giggling.
- "Are you trying to tell me I look like a rabbit?!" he asked feeling offended.
- "No… It's just that rabbits are really known for their constant… mating urges…" she said grinning mischievously "And that kinda reminds me of you…"
- "'Bunny Rabbit' it is then!" he said excitedly, grinning in the same manner "Just one thing… If you ever tell anyone you're calling me that, you're dead and I'm not joking…" Quistis began laughing hysterically "Quis, I mean it!" he said seriously.
- "OK, OK…" she said almost choking from laughter.
- "Now…" he said rolling on top of her "I'll be 'Bunny Rabbit' and you'll have to settle with 'Wildcat' for a while…" he added biting her neck, while Quistis giggled like mad…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Quistis walked inside the cafeteria to find her friends sitting in their usual table. Squall was already up in his office, Shizuka was at the Library working, but everyone else was there. Quistis grabbed a cup of coffee and a mixed toast from the counter and approached the table.
- "Morning…" she said sitting down.
- "Hey there…" said Irvine, making room for her to sit down.
- "Hey everyone…" she said sitting down.
- "What's with the excitement?" asked Rinoa.
- "Cid called me just before and asked me to go up to his office in fifteen minutes to give me my new schedule as an Instructor…" Quistis replied smiling broadly.
- "Yay for you then!" said Selphie cheerfully.
- "I'm taking the exam today…" said Irvine "Hope I pass…"
- "I'm sure you will. You'll make a great Instructor Irvine." Quistis said, smiling at him.
- "Thanks…" he replied, rubbing the back of his head.
- "When's your exam Zell?" asked Selphie.
- "In two days…" he replied.
- "You seem pretty calm…" said Rinoa.
- "I just don't want to think of it, so that I'll remain calm…" Zell said.
- "Right…" said Rinoa.
They all remained silent for a moment, quietly eating their breakfast. The silence was broken by Quistis' humming.
- "…things…disappear…I'm with you…and everything I can't remember…" she hummed, as a dreamy expression spread across her face.
- "What's that you're singing?" asked Selphie.
- "Huh?" said Quistis waking up from her trance.
- "I asked what was that you were singing." repeated Selphie.
- "Oh nothing… Just a song…" replied Quistis.
- "Well I figured that… Which song?" Selphie asked.
- "You probably don't know it…" said Quistis.
- "Try me." said the hyper girl firmly.
- "It's called 'It's been a while'. It's a rock song." replied Quistis.
- "Since when do you listen to rock music?" asked Zell puzzled.
- "Yeah, you've listening to rock for quite some time. I always hear rock songs when passing from your dorm. Why the sudden change?" asked Irvine.
- "Is it bothering you?" asked Quistis raising an eyebrow.
- "Of course not. Just asking out of… curiosity." replied Irvine.
- "I just started to like them…" said Quistis shrugging "No particular reason…"
The teenagers fell silent again. This time, silence was broken by Rinoa.
- "I'm thinking of applying for an Infirmary position…" she said.
- "How come?" asked Irvine.
- "Well… You all know it's against my beliefs to become a SeeD, but I can't stay here for long without any reason. My contract with the Garden is still valid, but I don't want to sit around all day doing nothing…" Rinoa replied.
- "Have you had any training in this field before?" asked Quistis.
- "Oh yeah… Back when I was in the 'Forest Owls', I used to take care of all the casualties. Experience can teach you a lot…" she replied.
- "Well then, I think it's a wonderful idea!" said Quistis "Dr. Kadowaki could really use some help."
- "Thanks…" said Rinoa smiling broadly "Hey Quis… Don't get me wrong but… You're being awfully nice these days…" she said "Not that you weren't before…" she added quickly "…but you've… changed…" Quistis blushed a bit.
- "Rinoa's right… You seem different… We all like it you know…" said Selphie.
- "Really? I didn't… I just… It just comes out naturally…" Quistis said blushing more profusely.
- "No need to feel embarrassed… We're all complimenting you here…" said Zell.
- "Anything new in your life we should know about?" asked Irvine meaningfully. Quistis turned burning red now.
- "Don't be silly… If there was, you'd know…" Quistis replied.
- "Would we?" asked Irvine raising an eyebrow.
- "Sheesh, what's with the interrogation Irv?! Of course we'd know, right Quis?" asked Zell looking at her.
- "Right…" she said, hastily gulping down the rest of her coffee "Wow, look at the time! Cid's waiting for me, gotta go! See you at lunch everyone!" said Quistis getting up from the table.
The rest of the gang went on with their breakfast. Zell was reading a tabloid mag quietly, when his eye fell upon an article he found interesting.
- "Yo, listen up…" he said and everyone turned around to look at him "That bitch Robinson's at it again… She's saying something about a secret affair in a military academy…Not saying which one though…" Irvine raised an eyebrow.
- "What does the article say exactly?" he asked.
- "It reads: Scandal is about to hit one of the world's greatest military academies. A high-ranked soldier is currently being involved with a lower-ranked one. Where is the scandal you ask? The scandal lies within the nature of the relationship. We deeply regret the fact that no more can be said, as the evidence that will prove the existence of this relationship is still not solid. The affair is still being kept a secret, but our expert reporters are currently on the case, gathering evidence. You'll hear more on that case, when more material gets brought to surface." said Zell.
Everyone paused for a moment. Irvine immediately got the hint and chewed on his bottom lip nervously.
- "Military academy, huh?" said Rinoa "Aside from Garden, what other academies do we know?"
- "Who says it's not a certain Garden this article is referring to?" asked Selphie.
- "C'mon! Don't tell me you actually bought it?!" asked Irvine exasperated.
- "Well… Why not?" asked Zell shrugging.
- "'Cause it's just like the one about Squall and that stripper!" said Irvine.
- "You might be right… Still… That sounds like it could be true…" said Selphie rubbing her chin.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The elevator doors opened and Quistis found herself outside Headmaster Cid's office. As soon as she walked over to knock, she saw Seifer coming out.
- "Hey." he said approaching her "Guess what?"
- "What?" she asked smiling.
- "I'll be off in another mission in a few days!" he said cheerfully.
- "That's great! What's it about?" she asked.
- "I didn't get many details. I just know it'll be in Trabia. Cid said I'll be briefed soon, he just wanted to know if I was willing to accept a new mission so fast." replied Seifer.
- "I'm really happy for you…" said Quistis holding his hands.
- "Yeah, it's great…" said Seifer grinning, like a kid who got the toy he'd been longing for "It feels really good to finally be a SeeD…"
- "I knew you'd make it one day."
- "Yeah, I guess I did too… I owe it to you mostly, you know…" he said looking at her.
- "That's really sweet to say…" she said smiling "I bet it hurt a lot to admit, huh?"
- "Like a bitch…" he said grinning.
Both of them laughed. Seifer held Quistis' face in his hands and caressed her cheek with one finger.
- "Good morning…" said a familiar female voice behind them.
Startled, they both quickly turned around. Seifer immediately drew his hands away and tried to act casual. In front of them, stood a smiling Edea, just out of Xu's office.
- "Hey Matron…" said Seifer "S'up?" he asked awkwardly.
- "I'm fine my child…" she said approaching them "And so are you I can see…"
- "Yeah… Well, I gotta run… See you around!" he said and quickly headed for the elevator.
Both women watched him as he disappeared behind the elevator doors. Edea turned to look at Quistis. Quistis shot her a really awkward look. Edea put a long, slender finger on Quistis' chin and examined her face.
- "Glad to see you've taken up my advice…" she said.
- "A-a-advice?" stuttered Quistis.
- "You know what I'm talking about…" said Edea meaningfully "You really seem like you needed it. You look really happy now…"
- "Matron… I don't…" said Quistis blushing.
- "It shows on your face… Both your faces…" went on Edea. She took Quistis' head in her hands and kissed her tenderly on the forehead "Don't let it go…" she whispered and made a move towards the elevator.
- "I…" began Quistis, but Edea interrupted her.
- "I always knew you'd be right for each other. Your chemistry is beyond just 'good'." she said approaching her again "You two complete each other. Like Fire and Ice." she added holding Quistis cheek softly "The two elements by themselves are too intense… But Ice melts into warm, welcome water when it meets with Fire, while Fire sizzles and becomes less fearsome."
- "It's just that…" began Quistis again, but was again interrupted.
- "Your secret is safe with me…" Edea said smiling "…but if I were you, I'd want to get out and shout it from the rooftops…" she added. She gave Quistis a wink and walked away, disappearing too, behind the elevator doors.
Quistis stood still for a moment. Edea knew. Was this good? Was this bad? Quistis couldn't think at the moment, so she just walked over to Cid's office door and knocked.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: The 'Fire and Ice' thingy is a cameo for the title of a great Seiftis, 'Fire and Ice' by altol. Great ficcy, check it out.
ON THE NEXT CHAPTER OF 'LOVE CONQUERS ALL':
Seifer 'volunteers' to help in the Quad (Selphie can be quite persuasive… ^_^)
Seifer has another nightmare. Will he tell Quistis what it's all about?