Disclaimer: Listen, I'm a sixteen year old girl. How many chances do you
think I have of owning FF8? Exactly: NONE. I don't own it so you can't sue
me, at least that's the positive side of it.
AN: I've been a good girl and spellchecked AGAIN! Yay for me...thank you's are at the bottom again as usual.
~ Chapter eight: 'About the other day...' ~
As Quistis entered the library she could see Seifer sitting at the far end of the room.
'Focus girl. Work. That's what you're here for. He's deeply in love with his fiancée, so you just forget about him okay? Good.'
Hesitantly she walked over to him. He looked so deeply concentrated. She didn't dare disturb him. She was totally caught by surprise when he suddenly spoke to her, without turning around:
"Are you going to help me do this stuff or are you going to stand there all day?"
Silently she took a chair opposite him and grabbed one of the books on the table.
"So..." she said. "How far did you get? What do you want me to do?"
He looked at her and smiled.
"Well, I know this stuff is gonna be pretty boring, so what do you say, shall we do this together instead of deviding parts? We could start with how much it used to cost and when that's finished we can see what we'll need to spend on the project." He suggested.
Quistis nodded. Whatever he said, it was good enough for her.
"Okay then, let's get started." She said agreeingly.
He handed her his notes.
"I've already had a look at the costs per student a week. They'd need a place to stay at night, food from the cafeteria and ofcourse someone to give them a detailed tour of out Garden. We could put up some extra beds in the dorms, so that's the sleeping problem solved. We've got enouhg room for that."
Quistis was only half listening to his story. She looked eeply into his grey eyes.
'I love you.' She thought.
But she banned the thought from her head as fast as she could.
'I've got to get over you.'
But gazing into his eyes, drowning in the sound of his voice wasn't really helping. He had stopped talking. Now he was just staring back at her. Only when someone knocked over a bookshelf behind them did they break their gaze. Quistis looked down to hide her blush.
Seifer felt strange. Here he was, in the library, doing research with a friend and he didn't mind he had to do boring stuff at all. Her hand was on the table.
'Grab it you fool! Grab it!' his mind said.
But as he slowly moved his hand towards hers a surge of pain coursed through his arm, through his head.
"Bound..."
He heard it again, inside his head.
'I must be going nuts.' He thought.
He didn't even have to look at his arm anymore to know that there were bruises all over his wrist.
"Seifer...are you okay?" Quistis asked worried.
He nodded. "Yeah...just some cramp in my arm and a light headache."
"Oh..."
Her eyes sought his again and he dared to look back at her. Why was he feeling so strange. Why was he so confused. He wanted to say something to her. But he couldn't think of anything.
Then she broke the silence. She had to know why and what had happened exactly.
"Listen...about the other night...in the Secret Area..."
Seifer interrupted: "I meant it." he said. "I meant everything."
Her heart flew. He had meant it all the way!
"You did?" she whispered.
"Yes. I meant every wordt I said. I am your friend and you can trust me. I want you to tell me when something is bothering you or when you feel down. Because if you can't tell a friend then who CAN you tell?"
Immediately her heart sank again. A friend. That's all she was to him. She felt tears beginning to burn behind her eyes.
'O Hyne not again.' She thought. 'I don't want to cry again. Certainly not in front of him.'
She coughed and stood up from the table.
"I'm sorry Seifer, but I feel a bit ill. Maybe you should continue this work with Selphie or something. I have to go see dokter Kadowaki now." She said, finding an excuse to leave.
But Seifer got up from his chair as well.
"Shall I walk with you to the Infirmary?" He offered.
But Quistis refused, saying she could handle it and left as quick as she could.
'Why do you walk away? Am I-?' another wave of pain flashed through his entire body. The last thing he remembered before passing out, was an image of him and Fujin, walking through the gardens at Balamb Garden. He smiled at the happy memory, but then a bright light blinded him.
* * *
Next thing he knew he was in a soft hospital bed in the Infirmary. He looked around, but didn't see anything else than dokter Kadowaki. He sat up straight and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Ah...you're awake, good." The dokter said.
"Wh-what happened. Why am I here?" Seifer asked.
"Well...it seems like you fainted. Young Instructor Trepe brought you in. She said thatshe had left you in the library but when she returned seconds later to retrieve something she had forgotten, she saw you on the floor. She was a bit worried about you. I can tell you that. But she left when I told her all you needed was some sleep. Now. How are you feeling mister Almasy?"
He ignored her question and got up from his bed.
"She left? Didn't she say she felt ill herself? She left me to go see you, because she was feeling ill, that's what she said!"
"Calm down mister Almasy! Sit down this instant. No she did not say anything about feeling ill. She waited until she was sure you were okay and then she left."
Seifer sat down on his bed again.
'I guess I AM that horrible...if you try to get away from me by saying you're ill. I must be a horrible guy...'
"She must hate me." He mumbled.
"Did you say something mister Almasy? I wasn't listening." The dokter asked.
Seifer shook his head. "No, I didn't say anything."
He got to his feet again and started walking towards the door.
"Mister Almasy! You can't leave already. What if you faint again?"
"Yes, we can't have that can we. I don't want to have to carry you back here again. You're really heavy do you know that?" a voice sounded from the door.
Dokter Kadowaki smiled.
"Ah, miss Trepe. Good to see you. Your friend here wants to leave."
Quistis looked from the dokter to Seifer and back again.
"Dokter, could you give us a few minutes? I would like to talk to him."
Kadowaki nodded politely and closed the door behind her.
Seifer sat down again and Quistis pushed a chair next to his bed.
"Are you okay now?" she asked.
Seifer nodded. "Listen Quistis. You didn't have to take me up here. Why did you do that?"
Quistis shrugged and smiled saying: "Seifer, you offered to do the same for me. Ofcourse I did it. Because you're my...friend." Her smile faded a little, forcing that last word out.
He saw her smile fade. 'Oh...she really does hate me. She can't even call me her friend without whincing.'
"Quistis, you don't have to act as if you like me. I can see it in your eyes when you say the word 'friend'. You can't say it. You must really hate me. I can understand, because I'm not one of the easiest people to get along with but-"
"No no! I don't hate you! Quite the opposite, I-...I don't hate you..." almost she had betrayed herself. Almost she had said those dreaded words.
"You...you don't?" Seifer asked hopeful.
'Thank Hyne! She doesn't hate me!'
"But...Quisty...if you don't hate me, then why do you act so weird around me?"
"That's because..." she hesitated.
'Should I tell him? No. I can't. I can't say those words. I can't ruin his happyness with Fujin.'
"You'll have to find out by yourself Seifer, that's the only way. Maybe I'll tell you sometime, but not today."
She got up from her chair and stuck out her hand. He shook it, but didn't let go.
"Hey...how about we train together sometime. When I get outta here? You know, you and me. I'd like that."
Quistis smiled. 'Wow, a training session just him an me...no focus girl.' "Sure Seifer. I'd like that too. How about tomorrow?" she answered him with a smile on her face.
Seifer smiled back. She turned around to leave the Infirmary, but he called her back one last time.
"Hey Quisty...one last thing."
"What?" she called back.
Seifer blushed slightly. "Will you...give me a hug? It would make me feel better..."
"Sure..." she walked over to him and gave him a tight hug.
'He smells nice.' She thought.
He didn't let her go from the hug, but held her tight. 'I like this. This is nice.' He thought.
He felt her heart beat next to his own. Hyne her heart was beating fast. But so was his own.
"Seifer?" she whispered.
He mumbled something back.
"Seifer, can you let me go now? I can't breathe..."
"Ow! Sorry Quistis. I didn't mean to strangle you, dear Hyne no!"
"It's okay, really, it is." She assured him. "But I have to go now. Classes to teach and all that. Bye."
"Tomorrow after lunch?" he called after her.
She put up her thumb. "Sounds great."
And then he was left alone again. Unfortunately not for long. At that moment the dokter came in again.
"Ah, I see you finally decided to stay put. Good. I've got just one or two little tests to do and if that works out alright then you can leave. Just hold still while I get my things ready."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
* ~ * ~ *
^_^ wow, four reviews in ONE day! Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel REALLY loved by you faithful readers! Merci beaucoup, Danke sehr, dank je wel, thank you...that's all the languages in which I know how to say thank you at this moment...right...that's enough of my sillyness for now eh?
Sickness in Salvation: YES we want confusion!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for reviewing again!
Dark Angels: Hope you didn't think you had to wait to long for another updat ^_~
Verdanii: Dank je, ik vind het errug leuk dat je ALTIJD reviewd. Thank you!
Firess Ifrit Devil: Don't worry, the next chapter...well, that was this one...but the nineth is on it's way too. ^_^ I'll be as quick as I can!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all the nice people who reviewd, you all ROCK. ~Raven55
AN: I've been a good girl and spellchecked AGAIN! Yay for me...thank you's are at the bottom again as usual.
~ Chapter eight: 'About the other day...' ~
As Quistis entered the library she could see Seifer sitting at the far end of the room.
'Focus girl. Work. That's what you're here for. He's deeply in love with his fiancée, so you just forget about him okay? Good.'
Hesitantly she walked over to him. He looked so deeply concentrated. She didn't dare disturb him. She was totally caught by surprise when he suddenly spoke to her, without turning around:
"Are you going to help me do this stuff or are you going to stand there all day?"
Silently she took a chair opposite him and grabbed one of the books on the table.
"So..." she said. "How far did you get? What do you want me to do?"
He looked at her and smiled.
"Well, I know this stuff is gonna be pretty boring, so what do you say, shall we do this together instead of deviding parts? We could start with how much it used to cost and when that's finished we can see what we'll need to spend on the project." He suggested.
Quistis nodded. Whatever he said, it was good enough for her.
"Okay then, let's get started." She said agreeingly.
He handed her his notes.
"I've already had a look at the costs per student a week. They'd need a place to stay at night, food from the cafeteria and ofcourse someone to give them a detailed tour of out Garden. We could put up some extra beds in the dorms, so that's the sleeping problem solved. We've got enouhg room for that."
Quistis was only half listening to his story. She looked eeply into his grey eyes.
'I love you.' She thought.
But she banned the thought from her head as fast as she could.
'I've got to get over you.'
But gazing into his eyes, drowning in the sound of his voice wasn't really helping. He had stopped talking. Now he was just staring back at her. Only when someone knocked over a bookshelf behind them did they break their gaze. Quistis looked down to hide her blush.
Seifer felt strange. Here he was, in the library, doing research with a friend and he didn't mind he had to do boring stuff at all. Her hand was on the table.
'Grab it you fool! Grab it!' his mind said.
But as he slowly moved his hand towards hers a surge of pain coursed through his arm, through his head.
"Bound..."
He heard it again, inside his head.
'I must be going nuts.' He thought.
He didn't even have to look at his arm anymore to know that there were bruises all over his wrist.
"Seifer...are you okay?" Quistis asked worried.
He nodded. "Yeah...just some cramp in my arm and a light headache."
"Oh..."
Her eyes sought his again and he dared to look back at her. Why was he feeling so strange. Why was he so confused. He wanted to say something to her. But he couldn't think of anything.
Then she broke the silence. She had to know why and what had happened exactly.
"Listen...about the other night...in the Secret Area..."
Seifer interrupted: "I meant it." he said. "I meant everything."
Her heart flew. He had meant it all the way!
"You did?" she whispered.
"Yes. I meant every wordt I said. I am your friend and you can trust me. I want you to tell me when something is bothering you or when you feel down. Because if you can't tell a friend then who CAN you tell?"
Immediately her heart sank again. A friend. That's all she was to him. She felt tears beginning to burn behind her eyes.
'O Hyne not again.' She thought. 'I don't want to cry again. Certainly not in front of him.'
She coughed and stood up from the table.
"I'm sorry Seifer, but I feel a bit ill. Maybe you should continue this work with Selphie or something. I have to go see dokter Kadowaki now." She said, finding an excuse to leave.
But Seifer got up from his chair as well.
"Shall I walk with you to the Infirmary?" He offered.
But Quistis refused, saying she could handle it and left as quick as she could.
'Why do you walk away? Am I-?' another wave of pain flashed through his entire body. The last thing he remembered before passing out, was an image of him and Fujin, walking through the gardens at Balamb Garden. He smiled at the happy memory, but then a bright light blinded him.
* * *
Next thing he knew he was in a soft hospital bed in the Infirmary. He looked around, but didn't see anything else than dokter Kadowaki. He sat up straight and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Ah...you're awake, good." The dokter said.
"Wh-what happened. Why am I here?" Seifer asked.
"Well...it seems like you fainted. Young Instructor Trepe brought you in. She said thatshe had left you in the library but when she returned seconds later to retrieve something she had forgotten, she saw you on the floor. She was a bit worried about you. I can tell you that. But she left when I told her all you needed was some sleep. Now. How are you feeling mister Almasy?"
He ignored her question and got up from his bed.
"She left? Didn't she say she felt ill herself? She left me to go see you, because she was feeling ill, that's what she said!"
"Calm down mister Almasy! Sit down this instant. No she did not say anything about feeling ill. She waited until she was sure you were okay and then she left."
Seifer sat down on his bed again.
'I guess I AM that horrible...if you try to get away from me by saying you're ill. I must be a horrible guy...'
"She must hate me." He mumbled.
"Did you say something mister Almasy? I wasn't listening." The dokter asked.
Seifer shook his head. "No, I didn't say anything."
He got to his feet again and started walking towards the door.
"Mister Almasy! You can't leave already. What if you faint again?"
"Yes, we can't have that can we. I don't want to have to carry you back here again. You're really heavy do you know that?" a voice sounded from the door.
Dokter Kadowaki smiled.
"Ah, miss Trepe. Good to see you. Your friend here wants to leave."
Quistis looked from the dokter to Seifer and back again.
"Dokter, could you give us a few minutes? I would like to talk to him."
Kadowaki nodded politely and closed the door behind her.
Seifer sat down again and Quistis pushed a chair next to his bed.
"Are you okay now?" she asked.
Seifer nodded. "Listen Quistis. You didn't have to take me up here. Why did you do that?"
Quistis shrugged and smiled saying: "Seifer, you offered to do the same for me. Ofcourse I did it. Because you're my...friend." Her smile faded a little, forcing that last word out.
He saw her smile fade. 'Oh...she really does hate me. She can't even call me her friend without whincing.'
"Quistis, you don't have to act as if you like me. I can see it in your eyes when you say the word 'friend'. You can't say it. You must really hate me. I can understand, because I'm not one of the easiest people to get along with but-"
"No no! I don't hate you! Quite the opposite, I-...I don't hate you..." almost she had betrayed herself. Almost she had said those dreaded words.
"You...you don't?" Seifer asked hopeful.
'Thank Hyne! She doesn't hate me!'
"But...Quisty...if you don't hate me, then why do you act so weird around me?"
"That's because..." she hesitated.
'Should I tell him? No. I can't. I can't say those words. I can't ruin his happyness with Fujin.'
"You'll have to find out by yourself Seifer, that's the only way. Maybe I'll tell you sometime, but not today."
She got up from her chair and stuck out her hand. He shook it, but didn't let go.
"Hey...how about we train together sometime. When I get outta here? You know, you and me. I'd like that."
Quistis smiled. 'Wow, a training session just him an me...no focus girl.' "Sure Seifer. I'd like that too. How about tomorrow?" she answered him with a smile on her face.
Seifer smiled back. She turned around to leave the Infirmary, but he called her back one last time.
"Hey Quisty...one last thing."
"What?" she called back.
Seifer blushed slightly. "Will you...give me a hug? It would make me feel better..."
"Sure..." she walked over to him and gave him a tight hug.
'He smells nice.' She thought.
He didn't let her go from the hug, but held her tight. 'I like this. This is nice.' He thought.
He felt her heart beat next to his own. Hyne her heart was beating fast. But so was his own.
"Seifer?" she whispered.
He mumbled something back.
"Seifer, can you let me go now? I can't breathe..."
"Ow! Sorry Quistis. I didn't mean to strangle you, dear Hyne no!"
"It's okay, really, it is." She assured him. "But I have to go now. Classes to teach and all that. Bye."
"Tomorrow after lunch?" he called after her.
She put up her thumb. "Sounds great."
And then he was left alone again. Unfortunately not for long. At that moment the dokter came in again.
"Ah, I see you finally decided to stay put. Good. I've got just one or two little tests to do and if that works out alright then you can leave. Just hold still while I get my things ready."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
* ~ * ~ *
^_^ wow, four reviews in ONE day! Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel REALLY loved by you faithful readers! Merci beaucoup, Danke sehr, dank je wel, thank you...that's all the languages in which I know how to say thank you at this moment...right...that's enough of my sillyness for now eh?
Sickness in Salvation: YES we want confusion!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for reviewing again!
Dark Angels: Hope you didn't think you had to wait to long for another updat ^_~
Verdanii: Dank je, ik vind het errug leuk dat je ALTIJD reviewd. Thank you!
Firess Ifrit Devil: Don't worry, the next chapter...well, that was this one...but the nineth is on it's way too. ^_^ I'll be as quick as I can!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all the nice people who reviewd, you all ROCK. ~Raven55