~*~ When Did This Happen? ~*~
:: Seiftis. Squffie hints. (Quistis x Seifer, Squall x Selphie) ::
Chapter Seventeen: We're Going to see the Wizard! Or Something.
~Silverium~
Disclaimer: Squaresoft. Not Silver.
Note: The PG 13 rating is for language.and those romantic moments of course.
".and THEN I got trapped but it was okay, because Squally saved me but Zell got put in prison for trespassin' and then we had to go to the security building and the guy was such a brat so I bust out my new move, Super-Selphie-Dominatrix chick! And it totally worked! He was so shocked it was GREAT!"
".So how did your mission go?" Squall looked at Irvine who was smirking at Selphie's dramatic presentation,
"It was good, except for Quistis," Irvine's voice lowered,
Squall chanced a look at Seifer, staring wide-eyed at Selphie as if she were an alien. He was oblivious to their conversation but Squall had seen him earlier, and he had looked like a wreck. Turning back to Irvine Squall nodded and looked off.
He was worried about the ex-instructor. She had taken some harsh blows, losing her job, the entire fight with Ultimecia, and now the strange fluid that had burnt her eyes. She was still in the hospital, though it had only been a day since the second team had returned. Seifer had subsided into a moody state and the rest of them had warily backed off. It seemed that Quistis had been the only one keeping him in his sarcastic but cheerful mood, and now that she was in critical condition he was slipping off the edge.
The group of friends was stretched out in one of the lounges. Selphie had finished her dance and Seifer was closing his eyes and shaking his head at her. Earning a pout. Selphie fell down on the seat across from Seifer, adjacent to Squall and then launched into a new story of one of her adventures in Trabia that paralleled her experience a day ago.
"When do you think Quistis will get back?" Irvine asked
"A day or so, Dr. Kadowaki said she could get treatment in Balamb as well," Squall replied,
"You know, Squall, you're talkin' a lot more often," Irvine's grin was brilliant,
He earned a death glare and a frosty, "Hn."
But Squall couldn't argue. He was making his sentences more detailed, when usually he'd snap out a one-word reply. They all fell into a silence, except for Selphie. Squall gazed off outside and wondered about Quistis again. They had heard she might be struck blind for the rest of her life, which at that point Seifer had swore and stalked out of the room. Squall had seen Irvine turn pale and it had stopped Selphie from speaking for nearly five hours. Zell had cursed a blue streak and had been sent away by Xu who had looked near-tears.
The next two days drifted by painfully slow. Seifer had locked himself in his room, racked by guilt and refusing to speak to anyone. Irvine had sought the companionship of the ladies but even he had trouble maintaining a charismatic charm to reel them in. For Squall it was easy, he subsided into his quiet place, alone, sitting in the gardens of Balamb at night mulling over things. If Quistis were blind she would have to quit being a SeeD. First the instructor, now the soldier, she was losing everything much too fast, and Squall knew her perhaps better than they all did, she would break if she lost the soldier inside her. Playing with a rubbery leaf Squall clenched his teeth. Why did these things happen to Quistis? She wasn't as strong as people thought. Squall had looked at the way Seifer gazed at her, and he had a feeling that Seifer knew how fragile Trepe could be. It was the reason Squall had never argued Seifer's return.
"Squally?"
Squall looked up. It was déjà vu. Selphie came in but instead of looking both awed and scared she looked tired and had been crying. Again. Squall frowned and stood up.
"Selphie, what's wrong?" He asked, more sternly than he had intended,
Selphie hugged her arms and looked up at the corner of the ceiling, blinking rapidly, "I'm.I'm just so worried about Quisty. I mean." she paused for a sniff, "I'm supposed to be always happy but I can't be happy when Quisty's all alone in the hospital."
Her lip began to tremble and she looked at the floor, hiding her face. Squall swallowed hard, never before had Selphie looked so forlorn. Awkwardly he slid up to her and embraced her tightly,
"Hey, don't cry Selphie,"
"I can't help it!" Was the answering wail,
"Uh.let's.let's go visit Quistis."
Her head snapped up, eyes wide, "You mean we can see Quistis?"
"Well we're not supposed to b-"
"YEAH! We can be super stealth SeeDs!" Selphie broke free and performed a leap in the air, "Let's go wake up Seiferkins!"
Squall stared at her, "Seiferkins?"
Selphie laughed, grabbed his hand, and dragged him down the silent hallways.
