(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. .author's note. .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Last chapter was crap. I don't have much time anymore, and my writing has suffered from me rushing to get out chapters fast. So, now I'm opting for quality over speed. NO, I'M NOT TIRED OF THE STORY AND I HAVEN'T STOPPED. I WILL NOT STOP THIS STORY UNTIL IT IS FINISHED.
I reposted last chapter with numerous corrections, so go back and read it, because I've added some new things.
Other than that, sorry for the wait, blah blah blah, I don't need to waste time apologizing. . . er . . . sorry? Forgive me?
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. quistis .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
"So cool!" Laguna practically skipped through the lobby of Garden, admiring the large fountain. He strained his arm over the water to touch the statues, and I winced as I wondered the damage being done to his already injured shoulder and back.
"Hey, dolphins!" Laguna didn't seem to notice my worry. I sighed, and rubbed my forehead impatiently. "Laguna, really. It's not that -"
"HEY! Look, real FISH!"
He grinned at me, causing more flipping of my intestines. Oh, Hyne. I swallowed, and kept my tone as brusque as possible as I swept past him.
Squall shook his head. While it was merely annoying my me to have my employer and bodily obsession act in such a childish manner, I can't imagine how it felt for Squall to have his father - better known to him as president of a nation - behave that way.
Laguna was acting . . . cute. Fathers and presidents don't act cute. Unfortunately, he was the exception to the rule.
I sighed and tapped him on the shoulder. "They're a type of carp, Laguna." I gestured to the statues, and then to the bright orange fish swimming through the streams of water their stone counterparts spat out. "They help keep the fountain clean."
I felt a hand slip slyly around my shoulder, and a hat flipped over my head. I rolled my eyes and let Irvine hit on me unabashedly. Look at it like this: if it got Selphie slightly riled, maybe she'd take our little chat to heart.
Irvine whispered in my ear under Selphie's murderous glare. "Hey, so it's Laguna now, not just President Loire? And he's your employer, eh?" He chuckled good-naturedly. "Losing the professional touch?"
How could he know?! I felt my heart beat accelerate, and I winced. This information in Irvine's hands? Did he know? Could he tell? The last time he had confronted me in such a way, I had been able to truthfully deny it. I'm horrible at lying, now what do I do?
I felt my eyes widen slightly, but kept my poker face in place. Irvine snorted at my reaction and continued a bit more playfully. "Ooh, a blush?" I was blushing? I cursed inwardly as Irving continued. "Does this mean you HAVE lost the professional touch with Laguna, or . . . maybe that you've touched him rather . . . unprofessionally?"
I jerked away violently, remembering vividly - for the first time - the way Laguna had hauled me around the desert bridal style for a full day. For those who don't know The bridal style of carrying involves on hand on a thigh and the other curled slightly around the back underneath a breast . . .
Realizing my reaction, I covered it with a slight coughing fit, and glared at Irvine. He winked, and snatched back his hat. Great, now I had hat hair.
I avoided looking at Laguna, but turned to Squall. Who happened to look a lot like Laguna, now that you mention it . . . I shoved my thoughts back and slipped into instructor mode. "Well . . . Commander, where will our guest be staying?"
Squall looked at me and gave a slight smile. I frowned. What on earth . . ? Did he look . . . slightly . . . guilty?
I really didn't like the idea of a slightly guilty, slightly mischievous look on Squall. On Selphie, understandable, on Laguna, adorable, on Irvine, inevitable, but on Squall? Impossible.
I dismissed it as imagination as he handed me a key. "Show him to the room, and then show him around Garden. Quistis will take care of you during this visit, since I guess she's still under your employment."
He looked over. "Sorry, I'd do it myself, but I have things to do. I'll have Xu take over later, though."
I stepped in. "Employment? I think not."
"I think so." Squall said with gravity. "He got me to employ you as his bodyguard professionally."
I glanced at Laguna, who shrugged. "I felt guilty; I mean, unpaid work?"
"If your job didn't pay, would you still do it?" I countered. Vaguely, the idea of being under Laguna's actual employment . . . 'bugged' me.
Laguna succeeded at looking sheepish, but his shoulders set back, telling me his mind was set.
Ah. Well, Laguna was my boss now. . . Squall was dragged off by Nida, and I shook my head. Well, now I have a real reason to try and control my hormones.
I saluted Squall's retreating back perfunctorily and gestured for Laguna to follow. "You're lucky Garden is used to important persona," I remarked, "Or the students and SeeDs alike would suspect something."
"They're still staring," He grumbled amicably. I looked around. Yes, he was catching more than one eye. "I suppose," I mused, "they aren't used to seeing dead people following their instructors around."
Laguna shrugged, and folded his hands behind his head as we walked toward the dormitories, before his head did a double take to the right. "Hey! I know them!"
I looked up. "Oh," I blinked at the pair I saw. "Raijin and Fujin. I didn't know you'd met them." I didn't know they'd returned to Garden, either. Squall must have thrown a fit when they showed up.
"I don't know them," Laguna admitted. "But the whole 'know your enemy' thing . . . I had files made of them during the latest Sorceress War."
"Ah." I pointed ahead. "The dorms. You get one of the better guest dorms, actually. Reserved normally for high ranking visitors."
"Cool!" He pumped his hand in the air.
"QUISTIS. PRESIDENT." I whirled. Fujin and Raijin had followed us.
"Hey, uh . . . we need to uh . . . ask you somethin', ya know?" Raijin waved his arm sheepishly.
I looked over at Laguna, and he shrugged. "Yes?" I asked primly.
"Yeah, we need you to come on and -"
Fujin grabbed Raijin's ear and yanked it down, muttering something. Raijin, ignoring the abuse, or more likely just used to it, nodded, and faced us.
"FOLLOW." Fujin said curtly, and tuned on her heel and went. I sighed. I was an instructor, and if these two had indeed been reinstated as cadets, I was bound to help them. I followed, and Laguna shrugged and came with me.
The walk was silent as I followed the former disciplinary committee and looked around. This was the less used, older section of the dormitories. Hardly anyone used these, only the visiting families and SeeDs. "Where are we going?" I asked curtly.
No answer.
This was getting slightly ominous, but Laguna and I were a match for these two if trouble came. I sighed and continued to follow them.
Raijin stopped. "Isn't this it, Fuj?"
Fujin examined the door he'd stopped at. "AFFIRMATIVE." She turned to me. "DRAGON."
I blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
Laguna scratched his head. "Did you say . . . a dragon?"
"In there." Raijin nodded enthusiastically. "Other guys were busy, ya know? You're a hero, and we can't take on a Ruby by ourselves, yeah?"
"NEGATIVE." Fujin said, with almost a morose look.
Well. A dragon. Was this a lie? What good would that do them? Well, if it was a hoax or trap, I'd like to have my whip out. I uncoiled it from my waist. Laguna frowned and pulled out his Uzi. I winced at my lack of perception; I hadn't noticed he'd had it on him.
I took a breath and readied my whip. If it wasn't a hoax . . . I opened the door. . .
It was . . .
A broom closet. I blinked. Laguna stepped slowly out of his battle stance and scratched his head. "Is this the wrong room -"
I felt something shove into my back, and with an 'oof' I stumbled forward. A second 'oof' followed and then . . . dark. I blinked, why was it so dark?
The sound of a door locking behind me cleared my head considerably.
"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED." I heard outside the door, fading down the hall.
"So, we did it, report back to Commander, ya know?" WHAT? Squall? Squall had . . . ORDERED this?
"TOO EASY." Fujin remarked. I opened my mouth to shout, but a broom or mop jabbed into my stomach and I gasped in my breath. Why would these two . . .
"I thought getting reinstated would be tougher, ya know?" Well, that answered that question.
I shook my head, but the dark made the gesture useless. . . my nose brushed against something warm . . . skin.
Laguna was underneath me, somehow managing to take the brunt of my fall into the closet. I closed my eyes - not much use in the lack of light anyway - and found myself wondering exactly what he looked like at that moment . . . in any case, he was very . . .
He was very warm. I could feel his breathing, still fast from the shock, and his pulse was going nearly as fast as mine. His breath was on my ear, and I suppressed a shiver . . . if I could just . . . How would we get up? Who knew what might happen in the tangle of limbs as we tried to right ourselves . . .
NO. Don't think like that, not it such a postion!
Detach yourself, Quistis. . .
I cursed inwardly as I tried to catch my breath and struggle to my feet at the same time, but only ended up trompsing on the slightly squishy President beneath me. He hissed, and helped me find decent footing. We clambered in the dark to get situated.
No words, of course. That would make things incredibly awkward. Eventually, though, we managed to stand up on our own power, facing each other.
Oh. Hyne. This was not a good thing. I heard Laguna rattle the doorknob . . . no luck.
I was locked in a closet with Laguna Loire. How horribly cliché . . . and at the same time . . .very . . .
Perhaps detaching myself wasn't such a brilliant idea.
. . .
. . . say something . . . I fidgeted slightly, and Laguna stiffened. Neither of us had said a word.
. . .
"Laguna?" I said aloud, and winced as my voice came out a bit more breathy then I would have liked.
"Uh . . . Yeah?" Laguna said in a low tone.
"I vote," I said slowly, experimentally shifting my shoulders in the darkness, "that when we get out of here, someone gets hurt."
"Good idea." His tone was wry.
I voiced my question slowly. " . . . Why on earth would Squall want us locked in a closet? What does he have to gain?"
"Eternal amusement?" He suggested.
"Please." Squall is hardly a sadist. "Think about it, it's as though he's trying to bring us together or set us up . . ." I praised the darkness of the closet as I flushed and my words grew cluttered. "I mean, I . . . I really don't think he would enjoy having to call me 'Mom,' do you?"
" . . . Uh . . . yeah, you got a point there . . ."Laguna said slowly. I nodded in agreement, but he continued. "You'd be the strictest Mom in like, all Esthar . . ."
I cuffed him soundly on some part of him, I couldn't tell where. "Laguna, think PROPERLY."
"Sorry," He said slowly. "I'm kinda distra - er, yeah, it's hard to think in here . . ." He cleared his throat unsuccessfully. "You know, it's all hot and uh . . . close . . ."
"I could tell, Laguna." No need to remind me, really . . . I sucked in a deep breath as Laguna shifted. Ah . . . I both cursed and blessed the dark.
"Hey, Quistis?"
"Hmm?"
"I . . . uh . . . nevermind . . ."
I remembered vaguely a time when Selphie had ended up shoving Zell and that librarian in a closet. I had seriously doubted the effectiveness of such a maneuver on so bashful a person as the librarian and as clutzy a person as Zell . . . but then, it had seemed to work well enough . . . ahem . . .
I shook my head and slumped over . . . onto the closet's other occupant. Laguna stiffened but didn't say anything. "There's a broom poking into my back," I explained wearily. "I can't stand up straight."
I blinked in the darkness. It was pitchblack, and though I knew I was burying my face in Laguna's jacket - which smelled wonderful - I didn't know what part of his jacket I was burying into.
I was . . . snuggling. And I liked it.
I sighed. Well, look at it this way. I have no choice but to be smushed against a man I am attracted to . . . PHYSICALLY, mind you, nothing more, but I might as well enjoy it. It wasn't as if Laguna could protest.
At least he didn't seem to mind.
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. .laguna. .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
CRAP. Crap crap crap on a STICK. Oh man, this was NOT good. This was really not good at all. The woman was burying her face in my chest. Jeez, she was how old, eighteen? Even if she was half my age, the point is she was still old enough to know the effect she had on men.
Men, including me. Unfortunately. I swallowed.
I mean, whoa . . . she was warm and nice and smelled good. I'm not one for perfumes, but she still smelled good. Like . . . I dunno . . . flowers, I guess.
Heh, not much of a romantic am I? Squall got that from me too. Floating through a freezing vacuum wasn't the best way to hit on a girl.
I bet a lot of guys hit on Quistis, though. Like that Kinneas guy. He'd just waltzed up behind Quistis and grabbed her! And what HAD he whispered in her ear to make her blush like that? I thought he was after Selphie . .
Hey, I remembered her name. Frowning for a moment to debate on whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, I shrugged.
Moving was . . . not a good idea. I brushed up against Quistis again, leaving me to wonder just which part of her anatomy I was brushing against . . .
NO. Something, anything, just get my mind off of . . . you know . . . THAT.
"Um . . ." I muttered. "So, how about a game?" I looked up, and mentally smacked myself. That was really, actually, LAME.
"Like what?" Her voice was whispery, cool, and calm. Woman of ice.
"Um . . . A. Albatross."
"Hmm?" I detected a quizzical note in her voice.
"Think of a bird that begins with B."
"Oh . . ." A pause. "How about, bald eagle?"
"Cool. C, Cormorant."
"D, Duck."
"E. Eagle."
Quistis whapped at me. "I already said eagle," she scolded lightly.
"Nooo," I said, exaggerating the amusement in my voice since she couldn't see my (charming) grin. "You said BALD Eagle."
"And the difference is?" Impatience, hmm? Was Quistis tense? I wished.
I struggled for a reply. "Bald eagles are . . . well, bald," I explained. "My eagle isn't."
"Fine." She snapped. Ooh, barracuda. "F, Flamingo."
"G . . ." What's a bird that begins with G? I thought back to past games with Kiros . . . "Um . . ." I sighed. "Yeah, I'm bored."
"No, you're stuck," Quistis contradicted. "You can't think of a bird that begins with 'G."
I whined petulantly, crossing my arms even though she couldn't see. "So what? Can you?"
"Golden eagle."
"We already said eagle - twice!" I howled plaintively.
"Those eagles were different. My eagle is golden." So?
"Yeah, well . . ." I fought the urge to cross my arms, I'm still bored."
"Well, being trapped in a closet does limit ones actions slightly."
"Slightly?" I didn't bother choking down the sarcasm in my voice. What can I say? I was tense. "You're kidding me, right?"
"I am prone to understatement." Her voice was as cool as ever. Quistis, as usual, was able to keep herself completely calm in any situation, even being locked in a small dark space with . . . well, me.
I shut up and closed my eyes. Quistis was still buried in my jacket . . . I looked down at where I felt her head to be. Quistis was one of the strongest women I knew. . . actually, THE strongest woman I knew. Yet, at the moment, she seemed really really fragile. I guess she was in a sense, but . . .
I winced. I had let go of Raine - not completely, that as impossible - but then I'd decided to get a crush on the one woman who couldn't return my affections. Not that she COULDN'T, she just didn't THINK she could.
Same difference. I guess -
"Do you hear that?" Quistis said abruptly, cutting off my thought.
"Huh?" Hear what? I concentrated. . . . tap . . . tap . . . tap . . . footsteps? FOOTSTEPS? "Hey, I hear someone!" I'M SAVED! I swear, one more second like this in this closet, and I am NOT responsible for my actions. On Quistis. Eh heh.
"HELLO!" Quistis lurched out of my chest (damn!) and pounded on the door. "HELLO! Can you help us out?"
I joined in enthusiastically. "We got locked in here! HEY!" . . . nothing. I winced. "Are you there?" I leaned against the door, putting my ear to it. "Crap . . . Quistis, I don't hear them anymore . . ."
I felt Quisis wriggle by me to put her own her to the door. At this point, we were both fully leaning on the door. . . So when it swung wide open . . .
I tumbled the ground, landing on my side. Hard. I winced, and before Quistis could suffer the same fate, I jabbed my arm out. She landed . . . on my arm. Ow. So much for fragile.
"Ouch. You need to lose some weight." I pulled my arm out from under her, rubbing where my new bruise would soon show up.
"It's muscle," She said crossly, rubbing her back. "Let's go kill Squall now."
I grinned. "One track mind, Quistis?"
"I do NOT enjoy being locked in closets." She glanced at me and caught my next question. "No, not even with you. Not with anyone. At ALL."
I heard a very, very familiar chuckle, and Quistis sat up curtly. "Well, that didn't take as long as I expected," an amused voice said behind us. A very, very familiar, amused voice. "It was what, four, five days? Bravo."
I swiveled on my bum. Oh, crap. "K . . .Kiros?" I could see his eye beginning to twitch . . . which meant in any second the innuendoes would be brought out.
Presidential Rule #1: when caught in a scandalous position, be it fabricated or deliberate, DENY DENY DENY. "Uh," I swallowed. "It really isn't what it looks like, I swear . . ." I glanced at Quistis, who was getting up very deliberately with a set look about her mouth.
"Right . . ." Kiros grinned mischievously, his eyes glinting more than usual. "Well, if you two aren't worn out by morning, we need to call an impromptu meeting."
"Exhaust . . .?" Quistis questioned, before bolting into a ramrod straight position. "KIROS!"
"Eh heh . . ." I swore. No, no no no, man oh man, I would never hear the end of this . . . "Kiros, my man, seriously . . . this is, uh . . ." I fumbled for an explanation, but really, the truth was way to bizarre to be believed.
Quistis muttered sullenly. "This is going to be a rough week."
"Yeah." I agreed.
Kiros grinned. "What are you two whispering about?"
"I . . ." Quistis flushed, and fluidly dropped the keys in Kiros's hand and turned on her heel. "I'll be in my room if you need me. Kiros, I hope you can help Laguna find his room, I have work to do."
And so, she fled the scene. Traitor.
Speaking of fleeing, though . . . I blinked at her retreating form before turning to Kiros sheepishly. "How'd you get here?"
"Well, I called to make sure Squall knew you weren't really, you know, dead, to find that he already knew." He shrugged. "So I told him you were headed to Balamb, and he told me that he'd get you to Garden. So, I left Esthar with Ward and hurried over to set plans for your great unveiling."
Kiros frowned, and waved his arm in front of my face. "Hey, you okay?"
I jumped. "Ah . . .Yeah . . . I just think I'd like to get to my room right now, too. . ."
"Laguna," Kiros said slowly, mockingly. "You aren't staying to chat?"
"No offense, but I really need a shower right now."
"Cold?" Kiros quipped. I know that he was joking, but I really wasn't thinking. Seriously, I was seeing red and pretty much doomed myself in Kiro's mindset when I answered in utmost honesty.
". . . Damn straight."
To the sound of Kiros laughter, I ignored my former friend and hobbled off to my room. Yeah . . . a REALLY cold shower.
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. .author's note. .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
I SUCK at humor. This entire chapter is pure crap. Why am I posting this? Why why why? Beacasue I don't want you thinking I'm one of those unfaithful author's, that's why! Tch . . . so much for quality over speed . . .
Next chapter WILL be better.
My writer's block led me to take you guys suggestions. Yes . . . evil matchmaker Squall . . . this is gonna be interesting. . . although I worry. This fic is ending up like . . . we're walking . . .we're walking . . . walking . . . BAM! Random lemon! So, I'm increasing the . . . tension.
"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Last chapter was crap. I don't have much time anymore, and my writing has suffered from me rushing to get out chapters fast. So, now I'm opting for quality over speed. NO, I'M NOT TIRED OF THE STORY AND I HAVEN'T STOPPED. I WILL NOT STOP THIS STORY UNTIL IT IS FINISHED.
I reposted last chapter with numerous corrections, so go back and read it, because I've added some new things.
Other than that, sorry for the wait, blah blah blah, I don't need to waste time apologizing. . . er . . . sorry? Forgive me?
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. quistis .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
"So cool!" Laguna practically skipped through the lobby of Garden, admiring the large fountain. He strained his arm over the water to touch the statues, and I winced as I wondered the damage being done to his already injured shoulder and back.
"Hey, dolphins!" Laguna didn't seem to notice my worry. I sighed, and rubbed my forehead impatiently. "Laguna, really. It's not that -"
"HEY! Look, real FISH!"
He grinned at me, causing more flipping of my intestines. Oh, Hyne. I swallowed, and kept my tone as brusque as possible as I swept past him.
Squall shook his head. While it was merely annoying my me to have my employer and bodily obsession act in such a childish manner, I can't imagine how it felt for Squall to have his father - better known to him as president of a nation - behave that way.
Laguna was acting . . . cute. Fathers and presidents don't act cute. Unfortunately, he was the exception to the rule.
I sighed and tapped him on the shoulder. "They're a type of carp, Laguna." I gestured to the statues, and then to the bright orange fish swimming through the streams of water their stone counterparts spat out. "They help keep the fountain clean."
I felt a hand slip slyly around my shoulder, and a hat flipped over my head. I rolled my eyes and let Irvine hit on me unabashedly. Look at it like this: if it got Selphie slightly riled, maybe she'd take our little chat to heart.
Irvine whispered in my ear under Selphie's murderous glare. "Hey, so it's Laguna now, not just President Loire? And he's your employer, eh?" He chuckled good-naturedly. "Losing the professional touch?"
How could he know?! I felt my heart beat accelerate, and I winced. This information in Irvine's hands? Did he know? Could he tell? The last time he had confronted me in such a way, I had been able to truthfully deny it. I'm horrible at lying, now what do I do?
I felt my eyes widen slightly, but kept my poker face in place. Irvine snorted at my reaction and continued a bit more playfully. "Ooh, a blush?" I was blushing? I cursed inwardly as Irving continued. "Does this mean you HAVE lost the professional touch with Laguna, or . . . maybe that you've touched him rather . . . unprofessionally?"
I jerked away violently, remembering vividly - for the first time - the way Laguna had hauled me around the desert bridal style for a full day. For those who don't know The bridal style of carrying involves on hand on a thigh and the other curled slightly around the back underneath a breast . . .
Realizing my reaction, I covered it with a slight coughing fit, and glared at Irvine. He winked, and snatched back his hat. Great, now I had hat hair.
I avoided looking at Laguna, but turned to Squall. Who happened to look a lot like Laguna, now that you mention it . . . I shoved my thoughts back and slipped into instructor mode. "Well . . . Commander, where will our guest be staying?"
Squall looked at me and gave a slight smile. I frowned. What on earth . . ? Did he look . . . slightly . . . guilty?
I really didn't like the idea of a slightly guilty, slightly mischievous look on Squall. On Selphie, understandable, on Laguna, adorable, on Irvine, inevitable, but on Squall? Impossible.
I dismissed it as imagination as he handed me a key. "Show him to the room, and then show him around Garden. Quistis will take care of you during this visit, since I guess she's still under your employment."
He looked over. "Sorry, I'd do it myself, but I have things to do. I'll have Xu take over later, though."
I stepped in. "Employment? I think not."
"I think so." Squall said with gravity. "He got me to employ you as his bodyguard professionally."
I glanced at Laguna, who shrugged. "I felt guilty; I mean, unpaid work?"
"If your job didn't pay, would you still do it?" I countered. Vaguely, the idea of being under Laguna's actual employment . . . 'bugged' me.
Laguna succeeded at looking sheepish, but his shoulders set back, telling me his mind was set.
Ah. Well, Laguna was my boss now. . . Squall was dragged off by Nida, and I shook my head. Well, now I have a real reason to try and control my hormones.
I saluted Squall's retreating back perfunctorily and gestured for Laguna to follow. "You're lucky Garden is used to important persona," I remarked, "Or the students and SeeDs alike would suspect something."
"They're still staring," He grumbled amicably. I looked around. Yes, he was catching more than one eye. "I suppose," I mused, "they aren't used to seeing dead people following their instructors around."
Laguna shrugged, and folded his hands behind his head as we walked toward the dormitories, before his head did a double take to the right. "Hey! I know them!"
I looked up. "Oh," I blinked at the pair I saw. "Raijin and Fujin. I didn't know you'd met them." I didn't know they'd returned to Garden, either. Squall must have thrown a fit when they showed up.
"I don't know them," Laguna admitted. "But the whole 'know your enemy' thing . . . I had files made of them during the latest Sorceress War."
"Ah." I pointed ahead. "The dorms. You get one of the better guest dorms, actually. Reserved normally for high ranking visitors."
"Cool!" He pumped his hand in the air.
"QUISTIS. PRESIDENT." I whirled. Fujin and Raijin had followed us.
"Hey, uh . . . we need to uh . . . ask you somethin', ya know?" Raijin waved his arm sheepishly.
I looked over at Laguna, and he shrugged. "Yes?" I asked primly.
"Yeah, we need you to come on and -"
Fujin grabbed Raijin's ear and yanked it down, muttering something. Raijin, ignoring the abuse, or more likely just used to it, nodded, and faced us.
"FOLLOW." Fujin said curtly, and tuned on her heel and went. I sighed. I was an instructor, and if these two had indeed been reinstated as cadets, I was bound to help them. I followed, and Laguna shrugged and came with me.
The walk was silent as I followed the former disciplinary committee and looked around. This was the less used, older section of the dormitories. Hardly anyone used these, only the visiting families and SeeDs. "Where are we going?" I asked curtly.
No answer.
This was getting slightly ominous, but Laguna and I were a match for these two if trouble came. I sighed and continued to follow them.
Raijin stopped. "Isn't this it, Fuj?"
Fujin examined the door he'd stopped at. "AFFIRMATIVE." She turned to me. "DRAGON."
I blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
Laguna scratched his head. "Did you say . . . a dragon?"
"In there." Raijin nodded enthusiastically. "Other guys were busy, ya know? You're a hero, and we can't take on a Ruby by ourselves, yeah?"
"NEGATIVE." Fujin said, with almost a morose look.
Well. A dragon. Was this a lie? What good would that do them? Well, if it was a hoax or trap, I'd like to have my whip out. I uncoiled it from my waist. Laguna frowned and pulled out his Uzi. I winced at my lack of perception; I hadn't noticed he'd had it on him.
I took a breath and readied my whip. If it wasn't a hoax . . . I opened the door. . .
It was . . .
A broom closet. I blinked. Laguna stepped slowly out of his battle stance and scratched his head. "Is this the wrong room -"
I felt something shove into my back, and with an 'oof' I stumbled forward. A second 'oof' followed and then . . . dark. I blinked, why was it so dark?
The sound of a door locking behind me cleared my head considerably.
"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED." I heard outside the door, fading down the hall.
"So, we did it, report back to Commander, ya know?" WHAT? Squall? Squall had . . . ORDERED this?
"TOO EASY." Fujin remarked. I opened my mouth to shout, but a broom or mop jabbed into my stomach and I gasped in my breath. Why would these two . . .
"I thought getting reinstated would be tougher, ya know?" Well, that answered that question.
I shook my head, but the dark made the gesture useless. . . my nose brushed against something warm . . . skin.
Laguna was underneath me, somehow managing to take the brunt of my fall into the closet. I closed my eyes - not much use in the lack of light anyway - and found myself wondering exactly what he looked like at that moment . . . in any case, he was very . . .
He was very warm. I could feel his breathing, still fast from the shock, and his pulse was going nearly as fast as mine. His breath was on my ear, and I suppressed a shiver . . . if I could just . . . How would we get up? Who knew what might happen in the tangle of limbs as we tried to right ourselves . . .
NO. Don't think like that, not it such a postion!
Detach yourself, Quistis. . .
I cursed inwardly as I tried to catch my breath and struggle to my feet at the same time, but only ended up trompsing on the slightly squishy President beneath me. He hissed, and helped me find decent footing. We clambered in the dark to get situated.
No words, of course. That would make things incredibly awkward. Eventually, though, we managed to stand up on our own power, facing each other.
Oh. Hyne. This was not a good thing. I heard Laguna rattle the doorknob . . . no luck.
I was locked in a closet with Laguna Loire. How horribly cliché . . . and at the same time . . .very . . .
Perhaps detaching myself wasn't such a brilliant idea.
. . .
. . . say something . . . I fidgeted slightly, and Laguna stiffened. Neither of us had said a word.
. . .
"Laguna?" I said aloud, and winced as my voice came out a bit more breathy then I would have liked.
"Uh . . . Yeah?" Laguna said in a low tone.
"I vote," I said slowly, experimentally shifting my shoulders in the darkness, "that when we get out of here, someone gets hurt."
"Good idea." His tone was wry.
I voiced my question slowly. " . . . Why on earth would Squall want us locked in a closet? What does he have to gain?"
"Eternal amusement?" He suggested.
"Please." Squall is hardly a sadist. "Think about it, it's as though he's trying to bring us together or set us up . . ." I praised the darkness of the closet as I flushed and my words grew cluttered. "I mean, I . . . I really don't think he would enjoy having to call me 'Mom,' do you?"
" . . . Uh . . . yeah, you got a point there . . ."Laguna said slowly. I nodded in agreement, but he continued. "You'd be the strictest Mom in like, all Esthar . . ."
I cuffed him soundly on some part of him, I couldn't tell where. "Laguna, think PROPERLY."
"Sorry," He said slowly. "I'm kinda distra - er, yeah, it's hard to think in here . . ." He cleared his throat unsuccessfully. "You know, it's all hot and uh . . . close . . ."
"I could tell, Laguna." No need to remind me, really . . . I sucked in a deep breath as Laguna shifted. Ah . . . I both cursed and blessed the dark.
"Hey, Quistis?"
"Hmm?"
"I . . . uh . . . nevermind . . ."
I remembered vaguely a time when Selphie had ended up shoving Zell and that librarian in a closet. I had seriously doubted the effectiveness of such a maneuver on so bashful a person as the librarian and as clutzy a person as Zell . . . but then, it had seemed to work well enough . . . ahem . . .
I shook my head and slumped over . . . onto the closet's other occupant. Laguna stiffened but didn't say anything. "There's a broom poking into my back," I explained wearily. "I can't stand up straight."
I blinked in the darkness. It was pitchblack, and though I knew I was burying my face in Laguna's jacket - which smelled wonderful - I didn't know what part of his jacket I was burying into.
I was . . . snuggling. And I liked it.
I sighed. Well, look at it this way. I have no choice but to be smushed against a man I am attracted to . . . PHYSICALLY, mind you, nothing more, but I might as well enjoy it. It wasn't as if Laguna could protest.
At least he didn't seem to mind.
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. .laguna. .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
CRAP. Crap crap crap on a STICK. Oh man, this was NOT good. This was really not good at all. The woman was burying her face in my chest. Jeez, she was how old, eighteen? Even if she was half my age, the point is she was still old enough to know the effect she had on men.
Men, including me. Unfortunately. I swallowed.
I mean, whoa . . . she was warm and nice and smelled good. I'm not one for perfumes, but she still smelled good. Like . . . I dunno . . . flowers, I guess.
Heh, not much of a romantic am I? Squall got that from me too. Floating through a freezing vacuum wasn't the best way to hit on a girl.
I bet a lot of guys hit on Quistis, though. Like that Kinneas guy. He'd just waltzed up behind Quistis and grabbed her! And what HAD he whispered in her ear to make her blush like that? I thought he was after Selphie . .
Hey, I remembered her name. Frowning for a moment to debate on whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, I shrugged.
Moving was . . . not a good idea. I brushed up against Quistis again, leaving me to wonder just which part of her anatomy I was brushing against . . .
NO. Something, anything, just get my mind off of . . . you know . . . THAT.
"Um . . ." I muttered. "So, how about a game?" I looked up, and mentally smacked myself. That was really, actually, LAME.
"Like what?" Her voice was whispery, cool, and calm. Woman of ice.
"Um . . . A. Albatross."
"Hmm?" I detected a quizzical note in her voice.
"Think of a bird that begins with B."
"Oh . . ." A pause. "How about, bald eagle?"
"Cool. C, Cormorant."
"D, Duck."
"E. Eagle."
Quistis whapped at me. "I already said eagle," she scolded lightly.
"Nooo," I said, exaggerating the amusement in my voice since she couldn't see my (charming) grin. "You said BALD Eagle."
"And the difference is?" Impatience, hmm? Was Quistis tense? I wished.
I struggled for a reply. "Bald eagles are . . . well, bald," I explained. "My eagle isn't."
"Fine." She snapped. Ooh, barracuda. "F, Flamingo."
"G . . ." What's a bird that begins with G? I thought back to past games with Kiros . . . "Um . . ." I sighed. "Yeah, I'm bored."
"No, you're stuck," Quistis contradicted. "You can't think of a bird that begins with 'G."
I whined petulantly, crossing my arms even though she couldn't see. "So what? Can you?"
"Golden eagle."
"We already said eagle - twice!" I howled plaintively.
"Those eagles were different. My eagle is golden." So?
"Yeah, well . . ." I fought the urge to cross my arms, I'm still bored."
"Well, being trapped in a closet does limit ones actions slightly."
"Slightly?" I didn't bother choking down the sarcasm in my voice. What can I say? I was tense. "You're kidding me, right?"
"I am prone to understatement." Her voice was as cool as ever. Quistis, as usual, was able to keep herself completely calm in any situation, even being locked in a small dark space with . . . well, me.
I shut up and closed my eyes. Quistis was still buried in my jacket . . . I looked down at where I felt her head to be. Quistis was one of the strongest women I knew. . . actually, THE strongest woman I knew. Yet, at the moment, she seemed really really fragile. I guess she was in a sense, but . . .
I winced. I had let go of Raine - not completely, that as impossible - but then I'd decided to get a crush on the one woman who couldn't return my affections. Not that she COULDN'T, she just didn't THINK she could.
Same difference. I guess -
"Do you hear that?" Quistis said abruptly, cutting off my thought.
"Huh?" Hear what? I concentrated. . . . tap . . . tap . . . tap . . . footsteps? FOOTSTEPS? "Hey, I hear someone!" I'M SAVED! I swear, one more second like this in this closet, and I am NOT responsible for my actions. On Quistis. Eh heh.
"HELLO!" Quistis lurched out of my chest (damn!) and pounded on the door. "HELLO! Can you help us out?"
I joined in enthusiastically. "We got locked in here! HEY!" . . . nothing. I winced. "Are you there?" I leaned against the door, putting my ear to it. "Crap . . . Quistis, I don't hear them anymore . . ."
I felt Quisis wriggle by me to put her own her to the door. At this point, we were both fully leaning on the door. . . So when it swung wide open . . .
I tumbled the ground, landing on my side. Hard. I winced, and before Quistis could suffer the same fate, I jabbed my arm out. She landed . . . on my arm. Ow. So much for fragile.
"Ouch. You need to lose some weight." I pulled my arm out from under her, rubbing where my new bruise would soon show up.
"It's muscle," She said crossly, rubbing her back. "Let's go kill Squall now."
I grinned. "One track mind, Quistis?"
"I do NOT enjoy being locked in closets." She glanced at me and caught my next question. "No, not even with you. Not with anyone. At ALL."
I heard a very, very familiar chuckle, and Quistis sat up curtly. "Well, that didn't take as long as I expected," an amused voice said behind us. A very, very familiar, amused voice. "It was what, four, five days? Bravo."
I swiveled on my bum. Oh, crap. "K . . .Kiros?" I could see his eye beginning to twitch . . . which meant in any second the innuendoes would be brought out.
Presidential Rule #1: when caught in a scandalous position, be it fabricated or deliberate, DENY DENY DENY. "Uh," I swallowed. "It really isn't what it looks like, I swear . . ." I glanced at Quistis, who was getting up very deliberately with a set look about her mouth.
"Right . . ." Kiros grinned mischievously, his eyes glinting more than usual. "Well, if you two aren't worn out by morning, we need to call an impromptu meeting."
"Exhaust . . .?" Quistis questioned, before bolting into a ramrod straight position. "KIROS!"
"Eh heh . . ." I swore. No, no no no, man oh man, I would never hear the end of this . . . "Kiros, my man, seriously . . . this is, uh . . ." I fumbled for an explanation, but really, the truth was way to bizarre to be believed.
Quistis muttered sullenly. "This is going to be a rough week."
"Yeah." I agreed.
Kiros grinned. "What are you two whispering about?"
"I . . ." Quistis flushed, and fluidly dropped the keys in Kiros's hand and turned on her heel. "I'll be in my room if you need me. Kiros, I hope you can help Laguna find his room, I have work to do."
And so, she fled the scene. Traitor.
Speaking of fleeing, though . . . I blinked at her retreating form before turning to Kiros sheepishly. "How'd you get here?"
"Well, I called to make sure Squall knew you weren't really, you know, dead, to find that he already knew." He shrugged. "So I told him you were headed to Balamb, and he told me that he'd get you to Garden. So, I left Esthar with Ward and hurried over to set plans for your great unveiling."
Kiros frowned, and waved his arm in front of my face. "Hey, you okay?"
I jumped. "Ah . . .Yeah . . . I just think I'd like to get to my room right now, too. . ."
"Laguna," Kiros said slowly, mockingly. "You aren't staying to chat?"
"No offense, but I really need a shower right now."
"Cold?" Kiros quipped. I know that he was joking, but I really wasn't thinking. Seriously, I was seeing red and pretty much doomed myself in Kiro's mindset when I answered in utmost honesty.
". . . Damn straight."
To the sound of Kiros laughter, I ignored my former friend and hobbled off to my room. Yeah . . . a REALLY cold shower.
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. .author's note. .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
I SUCK at humor. This entire chapter is pure crap. Why am I posting this? Why why why? Beacasue I don't want you thinking I'm one of those unfaithful author's, that's why! Tch . . . so much for quality over speed . . .
Next chapter WILL be better.
My writer's block led me to take you guys suggestions. Yes . . . evil matchmaker Squall . . . this is gonna be interesting. . . although I worry. This fic is ending up like . . . we're walking . . .we're walking . . . walking . . . BAM! Random lemon! So, I'm increasing the . . . tension.