I don't own ff8 (as you all probably know)! I do own a measly collection of vinyls and obsession with peaunut butter, mmmm peanut butter....
Seifer sat, watching tiny bits of dust perform their ballet in the early light. He loved to do this, sit and watch the light in total peace. Sleep had become strenuous, deep dark memories poured themselves into his dreams, reawakened nightmares. This was all a constant reminder of his weakness, as Quistis had pointed out before.
Seifer, however, had felt the need to point out her own weakness, learning too late that the wounds were still very fresh. The blonde sighed, sitting up in bed, watching the dust flutter around him and ultimately falling onto the plush black comforter on his bed.
He hadn't had an undisturbed sleep since before Ultimecia, before his crimes. He could always feel the blood stains on his hands, the screams ringing in his ears; they never ceased to be heard. Women, children, anyone who got in his way, in the Sorceress' way. At first after the wars he was arrested, hated by all, exiled to a remote prison, built for the sole purpose of keeping him away from anyone and everyone who might kill him. He half chuckled, that was everyone.
Of course that was when Matron came forward, pleading it unfair not to understand Seifer. Seifer thought this odd, for even he could not understand his actions. Matron persisted, asking why one soul could be forgiven and another tossed away. She told stories of how she remembered Ultimecia's forms of mind control, clearly executed on Seifer.
This bugged Seifer, he always thought it was the simple way of saying he was too weak to see the dream she was giving him was not real. A truth in itself, but he didn't like his weakness pointed out, especially not in the newspaper. Eventually an anonymous jury found Seifer to be under a form of mind control, 'willingly', but yet unaccountable for his actions. When he was first released he ran as far as he could, to live in the Trabia mountains. Unfortunately he was found and chased out.
Which landed him in sleepy little Dollet, living over a club owned by his friend Nex. When he had first arrived Nex hired Seifer simply for the controversy, but then found him very useful, nobody would dare threaten Seifer at the door. Seifer breathed heavily, wondering how everything could seem great for him and he was still so down.
Maybe the saddest thing about Seifer was for all the pain he held, he had never felt love.
Seifer ran his hand through his hair impulsively before lighting a cigarette. Raijin and Fuijin had just called to tell him they were in town and they had decided to meet up down at the beach. That's when he saw them.
He stopped walking for a moment, throwing his unused lit cigarette on the ground and crushing it with the heel of his boots. There, standing in front of him at a housewares store, were Nex and Quistis.
The site wouldn't have been so awe inspiring had Nex's arm been at his side instead of around Quistis' shoulder and they both wouldn't have been giggling. Seifer shook off the odd feeling of discontentment and continued to walk right past them.
It's been a week since she came, Seifer picked through the situation, trying to find what exactly his dilemma with the couple could be, It was eventual, right? She was going to get together with someone, and who knows, maybe she was friends with him before this? I haven't even talked to her since I said I was sorry. They might not even be a couple, they might just be shopping together, for furniture, that Nex will probably pay for.
Seifer had always been prided himself on his mind, along with other things, but now he found it running around the point of the matter and it bugged him. As he continued to the beach all he could think about was Quistis and furniture and why the combination bugged him so much.
They had been shopping for about an hour when Nex had announced he had a meeting, leaving Quistis with a pocket full of someone else's cash and an apartment to furnish. The morning had been great; they had laughed the whole time, talking as they went. It was just when Nex put his arm around her she felt kind of empty. That was around the time she had smelt Seifer, smelt being the opportune word. He had this certain musky scent, half his own and a bit of cigarette smoke and cologne. She instantly became more uncomfortable knowing Seifer had seen them, and so she started to shy away. This is what lead directly to the meeting announcement, maybe Nex had noticed her reaction to Seifer's presence.
She handed over a wad of cash to a cashier and gathered the lamp off the counter, turning to leave. Shopping on your own is not half as much fun as with a friend and she had been at it for hours, finally deciding to retreat homeward where Nex had dropped off all she had bought up to the point when he left.
She sighed, uncomfortably shifting the lamp onto her right hip. She shoved her back into the door of the shop, pressing all her weight against it. The door opened on its own, causing Quistis to fall flat on her back, risking permanent spinal injuries over breaking the lamp.
"Instructor, you should watch where your going," Seifer sneered looking down upon the fallen Quistis for a moment before reaching a hand downwards to pull her up.
Quistis looked at the hand suspiciously before handing it the lamp. If she knew one thing about Seifer it was to always second-guess his motives. Seifer groaned, taking the lamp easily into one hand and watching Quistis get up off the dusty doormat.
"What are you doing here," she questioned, shaking off the dust clinging to her back.
"Just walking around, looking for flowers, tea sets, you know that kind of stuff," he smiled mockingly at her, "I saw you earlier."
Quistis sighed, she had been hoping in the slimmest that he hadn't noticed them before, but what harm could it do, "Yeah, I've been shopping all day. Could you do me a favor?" She looked pleadingly at Seifer, knowing all too well this wouldn't make the slightest difference.
"What's in it for me?"
"Nothing Seifer, okay? I'm flat broke and I can't carry that dumb lamp. I just thought you might be able to take it home with me, if your going that way," she spoke coldly, Seifer always seemed to want something, like a spoiled child.
"Hyne, I was just asking, fine. But then I get coffee at your place," he looked at her dead serious. So serious in fact she laughed, causing Seifer to fake dropping the glass lamp and watch her expression. He sighed relief as he passed the attention on to Quistis.
"Fine," she looked serious now as well. The pair started walking towards the club, which was situated on the other side of town.
Seifer stared in for awhile, slightly in awe of the transformation it had made. In a week the cream walls had been painted deep red, white furniture had been purchased and an assortment of lamps made the built in lighting unneeded. He quickly noticed his lack of movement and jumped in the room, trying not to show appreciation.
"Do you like it," Quistis turned and smiled at him from the position she had taken in the kitchen.
Seifer paused, the room was red, very red, so in typical Seifer style, "It's very red." Decorating was simply not his thing.
Quistis continued on fidgeting in the kitchen, stopping only once to tell Seifer where to put the lamp he had been carrying. Seifer found it easy to make himself at home and took a seat on one of the bright white couches. He didn't really like the room in particular, but he admired its straight-forward nature. The white was a little extreme, especially against the blood red of the walls.
When Quistis had finished making the coffee, as Seifer had soon realized, she walked over with a tray and took a seat across from Seifer on the opposing couch. She placed the tray, filled with cream, sugar, a mug of tea and a mug of coffee, on the coffee table between the two couches.
"Didn't know how you like your coffee," she spoke somewhat pleasantly, still getting over Seifers' lack of commenting on what she believed to be an awesome transformation.
"Black, just black," he reached down to grab the mug of coffee off the tray, "So, how are you liking Dollet?" He winced at the commonness in his words. He had never spoken like this before, not in such a prefabricated sentence kind of way. He was used to getting his point across, hence his drawing to Fuijins' wonderfully eccentric expression of emotion. He didn't like to sound all gooey and into other people.
Quistis grabbed the tea off the tray and took a sip before answering, "Oh, its okay. Better then staying at the garden." She watched Seifers' reaction as he smiled knowingly. For that moment she somewhat found the connections between the two. They had always been to cold to one another, but in reality they were so much alike. They were both used, they both could be cold, they both were 'outcasts'. Quistis rolled the word around on her tongue, that's what they were. Outcasts; No longer accepted in society.
She opened her mouth to share her revelation but found the words hard to come by. How could she tell the one she pretends to despise that she feels like an equal towards him. It didn't really matter now because Seifer seemed to be thinking the same thing.
He smiled again, "You know Quistis, were a lot alike. Don't laugh, its true." He was still smiling when he finished, but Quistis knew he was speaking from somewhere deep inside, somewhere untapped.
"Yea," she half mumbled at the floor, "I guess we are." She paused and collected her wits. She had just claimed, out loud, that she and Seifer Alamsay we're alike. "So, Almasay, why did you come to Dollet, this town just doesn't seem very you?" The quick adding of Almasay was meant to dehumanize him, she had scared herself back there, letting herself relate to someone so unstable.
"Hmm, I don't know? It's a slow town, and was just passing through and I saw a help wanted sign. I came inside and was hired on the spot, seemed like a good deal," he reached up and scratched his head, "You must know how insanely hard it is to get by when everybody has their own opinions of you." His face had gone stark, smile faded, looking completely serious.
Quistis almost had to hit herself, the only time she had seen Seifer this serious was when he was under Ultimecia's control. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it so she started to talk without thinking, "Yeah, guess that's why I tried to disguise myself. You know trick people into thinking it wasn't me, avoid attention." She sighed deeply, drawing Seifers' attention, "I can't even imagine what its like for you."
He looked serious, still be completely still, no anger seemed to flare, "I don't need your pity Quisty. I can deal with it on my own."
Quistis brought her eyes up to his level, he was staring at the ground. In that one look she knew he couldn't, that he was lying, putting up an impenetrable shield. He hadn't called her that since they were at the orphanage, and she hadn't been expecting it here. It gave such warmth to his words, changing it from a warning to a calling out for help. He noticed the silence and looked up. She looked at him noticing a whole new depth. His green eyes, much richer then before, holding much more sentiment and pain. His blonde hair fell stiffly from its roots, rough, he probably didn't care.
He gave a weak smile, "What are you looking at?" He asked this more playfully, less like the ordinary threatening voice he embraced. He stared back at her, still getting used to her brown hair. She looked beautiful, her blue eyes held so much warmth, untapped, hidden from the world. He wished he could reach out and touch her hair, but he couldn't. He had decided a long time ago that he couldn't connect with people, it would only lead to pain for both.
She smiled, shyly, "Apparently not much."
Seifer growled, a slightly mocking threat, "Your one to talk." He laughed lightly, thinking, Hyne Quistis, I've gone bezerk. I think I've fallen for you.
"You better go, I have a date tonight." She watched the playful smile drain from his face. He took another sip of the coffee before replacing it on the tray. "No, you can take it to your apartment, give it to me tomorrow or something," she tried to rekindle that faint memory of a smile, not a smirk, a true smile.
He nodded politely and rose from his seat, grabbing the coffee with his right hand, "Have fun tonight, we have work tomorrow." At this Seifer walked out of the room, leaving Quistis to wonder what in the world had gotten into him.
The date had been okay. Quistis and Nex had gone to 'La Boheme', a swanky restaurant on the richer side of Dollet. However, quite frankly, Quistis was happy the date was over. Nex was a nice guy but things just didn't seem to fit.
There wasn't any type of connection. His dark eyes seemed emotionless, his hand so smooth and cold, as if they had never worked a day. He simply didn't appeal to Quistis, she was used to guys who grew muscles taking down a T-Rexasaur, not lifting weights at an uptown gym. Never the less she had let Nex walk her up to her apartment.
They were standing at the door when Nex kissed her, lightly on the lips, causing Quistis to almost shudder involuntarily. Leaning back she spoke, "I had a nice time."
"Yeah, so, you'll call me," he asked politely. Quistis nodded thinking, Yes but only because I can't break your heart in person.
Nex turned to leave, Quistis moved into her apartment, neither had noticed Seifer staring out from a crack in the door of apartment door 6.
"QUISTIS, QUISTIS," a mans voice was franticly screaming through the door.
Quistis sat up groggily, unfocused eyes making the world spin around her. Someone was screaming her name. She recognized it a second later, it was her friend Menka. Menka had now started pounding intently on the door
Sensing the urgency in his voice she jumped out of bed and slowly gripped the door knob, opening it to Menka's disturbed looking face.
"What's wrong?" Quistis looked concerned for the normally mellow man, she pushed down a ruffle in the right side of her grey sleeping gown.
"Just wash up quick, I'll explain in the car, we're going to the hospital," Menka continued to stand outside the door, "come on now! Its serious!"
Menka had taken Quistis downstairs to his car and they were now driving to Dollet Regional Hospital. Quistis couldn't help feeling the solemn fog hanging in the air. It had only taken him a few seconds to speak.
"Its Seifer, he was in the club all night. He was drunk out of his mind. He was so out of it. He had some girl hanging off his arm. Well, he said he was going out, somewhere else. I couldn't really follow, he was so out of it. I told him to stay but he wouldn't, I tried to stop him, but he just pushed past me. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to let him go, he thought he was a bloody crusador or something, waving around his gunblade like it was nothing to chop someones' head off."
Quistis interrupted Menka's jumbled ranting, "So then what happened, did he get in a fight?" She had just made peace with Seifer, maybe even persay felt connected to him, all to have it torn apart by his stupid binge. In reality she had no depth of exactly how far Seifer had taken the connection, for it was the same thing that had broken him the night before. Seifer was drunk because he had fallen for Quistis, and he had just seen her kiss another man.
"He was in a car accident, he basically drove his car off a bloody cliff, dumb bastard," Menka talked seriously, so concentrated on the road.
"How bad, he's still alive right?" Quistis was scared now, she drove him to do something so stupid.
"Bad, not dead, he's in a comma, broken ribs, tons of stitches, leg broken two places, and it goes on and on. That was all the hospital said when they phoned the club this morning, you know seeing as he has no family" Menka went on as Quistis dozed in and out of dreamy hope, she saw everything working out okay. Things were just starting to look up, why would Seifer do this?
Notes: OOoooOOOoO..fancy...Seifer's a drunken maniac...hurray...well that all happened too quickly...Seifer's so disturbingly cute...hes like a morphed person...hes hard to keep in character but everybody is different around the person their in love with or falling for, so allow me some creative room...I'll be leaving for vacation soon so I won't update for a while......................