Breathless

By Tyrael aka Broken Sword Disclaimers: FF8 belongs to SquareEnix Chapter Twelve: M

Author's Notes: I would like to thank all my fans for being so patient with me, and the slow interval of my updates. It seems that everyday life is not very forgiving, unfortunately.

And as far as the story goes, from this point on, the Quistis we'll see will be a different Quistis from the one we're used to. This is a woman who's lost everything, her inhibitions and obligations, her past and her future (as we will see soon).

Once again, thank you for reading and I hope that you will continue to find this humble story, worthy of your attention.

P.S. Thank you to Lisa, who e-mailed me way back during Chinese New Years. I offer my apologies, and this chapter, which I dedicate to you for your patience.

Again, somewhere in this city today
Two people will meet and fall in love;
The curtains are violently opened.

Even so, everything eventually,
Someday, has an end.

Again, somewhere in this city today
Two people split apart;
The curtains are quietly dropped.

--"M", Ayumi Hamasaki

She had expected love to be fiery, passionate, raging with unspent emotion. She had expected it to be…wild. Like an untamed beast. But…she had not expected it to be gentle…to…complete her. She did not find love in lust-filled kisses, but in feather-light touches, honest smiles, and warm gazes.

Quistis looked up from her cup of Japanese green tea, to the other girl sitting across from her. Rinoa was stirring the milk into her cup of coffee, watching the swirls of white melt in with black. She delicately, tapped the spoon against the cup's rim, before placing it down and lifting the cup to her lips. A pink tongue darted out to catch the remaining droplets of bitter liquid before resting the cup down next to the spoon.

They didn't say anything to each other for a very long time. There was no tension, only a sense of peacefulness. And strangely, Quistis found herself appreciative.

She loved it how Rinoa didn't bother with the same questions everyone was asking her. Did she remember anything at all, is she adjusting well, why there were scars on her wrist…

Being here with Rinoa was much more…simpler. They had talked about the weather, favorite books or movies –or rather Rinoa had-, and how badly the man on the piano played…

Rinoa had laughed, saying that Quistis could have done an infinitely better amount of job with her guitar. She then sighed and said how much she missed Quistis' guitar playing and how disappointed she was that she hadn't touched in instrument in years. Quistis just smiled and assured her that she would look into it.

Although other people had also discussed such trivial matter with Quistis, she felt that it was different with the sorceress. When she talked, she did not feel that Rinoa was stepping on eggshells around her, or tiptoeing around an even bigger issue, as many before her had done. There was no pressure to remember the life she had led before.

Quistis sighed deeply, then turning her direction to the waves crashing on the shoreline. They sat on the bistro's patio, where it opened to Balamb's beach. Although the day was sunny, there were almost no people. Quistis assumed this was because it was weekday noon. Frankly, the entire town seemed to be in the same state of desertion.

"Aren't you going to reprimand me for not being in class?"

Quistis turned back to Rinoa, to find the girl gazing at her with mischievous eyes, and a smile to go along with it.

The blonde smiled in return. "I should, shouldn't I?" Shivers ran down Quistis' spine as she delighted in how Rinoa threw her head back and laughed.

She was like the wind, untamed and free. And Quistis felt like she couldn't catch her, even if she wanted to.

"The coffee's not so good today." Rinoa sighed, pulling a face. "How's your tea?"

"It's fine." Quistis replied simply, after a moment of hesitation. It would be rude to criticize a meal that she was being treated to.

Rinoa crinkled her nose. "Bullshit!" She declared. "Come on, try again."

Quistis raised her eyebrows, unsure of what to say, but decided to answer honestly. "Uhm…well it's somewhat bland…"

"Yes?"

"And um…uh…" Her eyes darted back and forth, unsure of what to say, unsure what answer Rinoa wanted.

Rinoa rolled her eyes, before waving her off with a delicate hand. "I suppose it will have to do for now."

Quistis managed a small smile.

The brunette sighed again. "Well, I think we're done here." She waved for the check, and because Quistis has failed to bring her purse, the blonde could do nothing but thank Rinoa.

As they left the café, the sun was beginning to set, setting the sky and the Balamb Ocean alike, aflame with brilliant shades of fire.

"Sorry we can't go on the beach, huh?" Rinoa said, linking her arm through the blonde's. "Stupid monsters." She grumbled, leaning her head against Quistis' shoulder. "Too bad something so beautiful is untouchable."

"Yeah." Quistis said. "Too bad."

Quistis guessed that she must have been staring because there was the small sound of giggling before she felt herself being jerked forward by her hand.

"Where are we going?" Quistis heard herself shrieking in surprise as Rinoa led her running through the streets willy-nilly. The girl didn't reply, and the instructor didn't care. She was running along with her, side by side. She felt her voice joining Rinoa's as their laughter chorused together in unison. Quistis didn't care where they were going. Why they were running. She pretended that they were running away together, leaving everything behind them. The Garden, the Teaching Staff, the file she had found on Cid's desk…She pretended that there weren't scars on her wrist.

She forgot about these things as they ran further and further away. Nothing seemed to matter. All she knew was Rinoa's smile, the space between them, their clasped hands, and the pounding of their hearts as they ran faster and faster.