Chapter 7

It was silent around the table in the cafeteria.

Not to say the table was empty.

It wasn't.

Perhaps it was silent because the people sitting around the table were vaguely pissed with one another.

Seifer.

He was generally pissed at everyone and had a bloody nose (or dose).

Quistis, pissed at Seifer for still being pissed at her.

Rinoa, annoyed at Squall for not being stronger on the whole coffee thing.

Squall, he, like Seifer, was again sampling the joys of misanthropy.

Selphie was fuming at Irvine because he had wandered blind drunk back into Garden (literally, in his inebriated state, the wall and the door had somehow merged into one) the previous night and started singing a lovelorn song to the door of dormitory next to hers. The occupant being one of Irvine's ex flings. Suffice to say, the ensuing scene had not been pretty. And to add insult to injury, Selphie's entire corridor had seen her favourite moogle pajamas.

And Irvine? He was nursing the mother of all hangovers. Generally not conducive to a benevolent attitude to the world. Plus he wasn't sure why Selphie kept shooting him dirty looks. And not in the good way either.

Zell? He was the exception, a neutral party, he wasn't too bothered.

Peep wasn't either, although she was occasionally indulging in the 'lets scare Squall' game.

Squall's eye twitched as he studiously ignored the small bird, and he took a sip of de-caffeinated coffee.

Quistis turned a page over, far louder than was necessary.

Selphie sniffed and continued to stir her hot chocolate round.

Seifer was glaring at the world indiscriminately, plaster stitches across his nose.

Irvine was gazing absently at the world through half lidded eyes, wincing whenever someone made the slightest noise.

Rinoa had her arms folded on the table and had her chin resting lightly on top of them, she was looking pensively at the cafeteria staff who were (unknown to her) making bets on who would speak first.

Zell flicked a piece of scrunched up paper over the table. Peep ran over the table, peeping, to retrieve it. She returned, triumphant.

Zell patted the small bird, his warm congratulations the only sound around the table.

Peep fluffed up her feathers happily and wanting more attention wandered over to Selphie.

"Peep?"

"Not now…" murmured Selphie, not looking up.

"PEEP!!"

Selphie's head jerked up startled.

"Peep." The small bird repeated more gently, big eyes staring irresistibly into Selphie's.

A reluctant smile forced its way onto her face.

Squall watched covertly Peep…she's a weapon.

Selphie was giggling as Peep nuzzled against her hand and instinctively looked up as she felt someone's eyes on her. She met the violet eyes of Irvine who was smiling tenderly at her.

Blushing she looked down; it was kinda sweet when passed out last night…She thought absently while petting Peep.

Meanwhile Irvine was pleasantly surprised when Selphie didn't look at him like he was single celled organism which had decided to excrete on her shoe.

That didn't mean he hadn't still got a really bad headache.

Rinoa sighed, and taking pity on the sharpshooter, quietly cast cure on him.

Irvine looked up blinking, his head suddenly feeling so much lighter.

Then he felt nauseous.

Then he ran out of the room searching desperately for the nearest toilet.

Rinoa watched him go, wide-eyed.

She turned back to the table, meeting Quistis's amused gaze.

"Curative magic and alcohol don't mix, the regenerative magic tries to get rid of the poison any way possible. I've seen it before in cadets." The blond's eyes strayed to Seifer.

He scowled.

Selphie stood, startled, as Irvine hurtled out of the room.

"Wha…?" she said half questioning.

"A really bad hangover, I've seen it before in Instructors." Said Seifer with a glimmer of amusement and a sideways look at Quistis.

Seifer ducked as a book sailed his way. There was a 'thunk' as it hit the floor. Seifer smirked as Quistis grimaced.

Selphie, who had managed to ignore the entire book throwing incident, looked anxious "I'll go see if he's okay…" She left. Rinoa continued watching Seifer and Quistis with interest.

Quistis got up, dignified, and slowly walked round to pick up the book from the floor, behind Seifer's chair.

Unfortunately, it wasn't there.

Seifer squinted at the book in his hands "What the…?" he asked to no-one in particular. Quistis sighed and rolled her eyes, folding her arms "It's a book about early Guardian Forces."

"I know." Replied Seifer mildly, inspecting it.

A few minutes passed "…Can I have it back now?" asked Quistis impatiently.

Seifer, looking as smug as a man with a black eye and plaster stitches across their nose can look, replied "…No."

"Seifer…" said Quistis warningly.

"Peep!" the small bird, perhaps realising there was to be an imminent conflict, or perhaps coveting the book as ideal nesting material, jumped on to Seifer.

His eyes widened in surprise and the book flew out of his hands, only to be neatly caught by Quistis. "Thank you Peep." She said smartly, trying a smirk of her own at Seifer.

Seifer scowled.

It was silent once more around the table.

And it was likely to be for longer.

"Tell me again, why did I agree to this mission?"

"So you're not sulking anymore then?"

"I do not sulk!"

"…"

"…So, why did I?"

"You didn't, Squall said if you didn't he'd beat you to death with…What was it again Rinoa?"

"Cid's leaf blower."

"Right, he said he'd beat you to death with Cid's leaf blower."

"Ah yes okay, thanks. Cid has a leaf blower?"

"Yeah, he blows all the leaves off the steps of Balamb garden when he gets bored."

"Ah."

"Seifer, Quistis? Zell? Where's the Centra tower-thingy?"

"Well…"

"Seifer, you have the map, see where it is."

"Er…"

"You do HAVE the map don't you?"

"Er…"

"…Seifer…?"

The blonde man chuckled nervously and scratched the back of head and avoided the gaze of the irate Quistis.

"Hey Chickenwuss? You have the map don't ya?"

Zell, who was trudging along silently in the deep snow, looked up. Peep danced around his feet on the surface of the snow, leaving dainty little footprints.

"You said I was irresponsible and therefore would lose the map so you would keep it."

The group came to a halt. Above them, the winter sun of Centra shone down regardless. The layer of snow glaring back.

"Uh heheh…God if I see any more white I'll go crazy!" Seifer exclaimed and quickly hurried on ahead.

The two women exchanged looks.

Men.

SORRY for somewhat delayed and crap chapter. I have WHOLE bucketful of excuses. Plus my birthday was the day before my exams started, and I'm in the middle of them right now… :(

To cheer me up, please review!!

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What do you mean emotional blackmail??