Title: The Masque

Fandom: FF8

Pairing: Quisfer

Rating: PG

Note: It's all just fluff. Events leading up to fluff. And ending on a fluffy note. FF and characters belong to Squaresoft and junk. Final chapter.

Nov. 1st – 0600 hours

Morning had finally come, and Quistis couldn't have regretted that last glass of champagne from last night. Rolling onto her side, she reached across her bedside table to turn off her wailing alarm, when she felt a warm something touch her instead. There seemed to be a firm arm wrapped around her waist, refusing to let go.

Anxiety taking hold, she quickly switched off her clock and carefully began to maneuver onto her other side. She didn't want to wake up whoever had the nerve to stay in her bed overnight. Gently lifting the arm off her waist, she settled back into the mattress, only to find the guy still wearing his mask.

'This guy seriously does not give up,' she thought to herself, as she frowned in disappointment, 'but, he is asleep. It's not as if he'd notice if I took the damn thing off …'

Thus, lifting a steady hand towards the black and red guise protecting the man's identity, she removed it. And nearly had a heart attack.

Mouth open in a silent scream, the former instructor began to panic, looking around for an escape route – or maybe even an explanation. But realization soon sank in, and anger replaced shock. Tossing the limp arm still wrapped around her body, she jumped out of bed and quickly covered herself with the nearest piece of linen.

At that point the male she'd just uncovered began to wake up, groaning in dismay at his hangover, "Ugh … I thought I dreamt that last bottle …"

He seemed to be completely oblivious to his surroundings, his eyes still half-closed in a grimace. Refusing to give the man the benefit of the doubt, she grabbed the nearest object (which happened to be her stuffed teddy, Rygel) and threw it at the unsuspecting victim, "S-E-I-F-E-R A-L-M-A-L-S-Y."

That got his attention. Nearly jumping out of the bed in surprise, the former SeeD caught himself before he hit the floor, "What the--!" Tumbling amongst the sheets and pillows, he managed to compose himself as he stood, holding a pillow to his … exposed areas.

"I can't believe you'd sink this low. Of all the destructive ideas you've ever had, this had to be the worst. Why? Because after you're done dressing and getting out of my room, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A HOME TO GO BACK TO." She was being irrational, to say the least, but Quistis couldn't help it. She felt so betrayed, and ignorant. How could she have fallen for something as elementary as a seduction? Feeling disgusted with herself, she started towards the bathroom when …

"Wait," He sounded like the voice of reason, "It's not what you think." Releasing a sigh, Seifer slowly sat back down on the bed, urging Quistis to return, "Please, can you just sit for a sec while I think about this?"

Furrowing her brows, Quistis gave a glance in his direction, taking her time to ponder as to whether or not he was trustworthy. At that moment he seemed the most vulnerable little boy in the world, but Seifer was a good actor. He'd deceived her plenty of times before – there was no reason for him to make this time an exception. But he seemed so desperate for someone to talk to … she couldn't just abandon him. It was her duty as an instructor to help all her students, even former ones. Not allow the awkwardness of the situation dissipate, she walked over to the bed and took the spot next to the former SeeD, as he helplessly figured things out in his own head.

"I –" He began slowly, knowing exactly what his next words would be, "I can't explain what happened tonight, because I didn't know that things would turn out the way they did." His voice was pleading when he took her hands and looked into her eyes, "Please … please believe me when I say that I didn't mean for all that to happen. I mean, you're the last person I'd ever want to sleep with – …"

This guy was a lot dumber than she thought he was. Yanking her hand out of his grasp, she smacked him across the head and rose from the bed, "I figured you'd do something stupid, Almasy. I just didn't think you'd factor me into it. You have to be the most irresponsible person I've ever had the displeasure of knowing."

Tempers beginning to flare, Seifer became visibly redder as Quistis continued on her careless rant, but at the point where she got to "… unworthy to take of your own mother …" part, he rose and raised his voice like a foreboding thunder clap, "I'M irresponsible?!?" Quistis stopped mid-sentence, her lips still parted as she sucked in her last comment, "How can YOU ever all ME irresponsible?!? If you recall, Instructor, I wasn't the one that got kicked out of this miserable excuse of an academy, and I wasn't the one that nearly got everyone killed in Deling City. But you are just stubborn and selfish enough to lay all that on me, since I was the one that nearly killed Squall, and I was the one that was siding with the sorceress, when really I should've been seen as the victim in the matter." He paused to let the last part sink in before continuing, "You never even lifted a finger to help me, Trepe. Not once. And I'm glad you didn't, or else I'd have to stick to you like one of your stupid fanboys out there. Don't think just because of this one night stand that I'm gonna feel sorry for anything I did – including you." Sneering with satisfaction, Seifer quickly grabbed his clothes and started for the exit as he pulled on his shirt and boxers.

Quistis was left standing there, bewildered and speechless. She couldn't believe those words had come out that mouth. Turning to retort, she found her voice was lost to her, and watched as Seifer began to leave. Just as he reached the door, he looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes towards the heart-wrenched woman, "By the way. Try not to spread the word about last night. I don't want people starting to think we've got some sort of relationship happening between us." And with that, he was gone without another word.

Swallowing the hard lump in her throat, Quistis slowly sat back down on her bed, on the verge of a breakdown. But she told herself to hold it together; it wouldn't do for a soldier to cry about a matter as petty as this. Taking in a deep breath, she repressed any emotions dying to be released into the middle of her chest and waited for them to stop pushing.

You knew better than this, Quistis. Nothing's ever going to go your way, so you better get used to it.

Lying back down on the unkempt bed, she wrapped herself within her blankets and stared at the wall in front her in silence, contemplating the rest of her day.

Author's Note: Okay, yeah, so it didn't end on such a fluffy note … but what did you expect? He's Seifer. She's Quistis. They hate each other, even when they love each other. And, yes, this really IS the end of this fic. Hopefully, in the future, I'll get inspired to write on these two again, but until that time – sad endings are gonna come out on top. My sincerest apologies to the romantics out there that wanted them to get together.