Road to Deling: Chapter 4 by ArdentSinner
A/N: This is the continuation of the long postponed Road to Deling .It's a story done by Anne and I. We were supposed to stick to 3 pages and 3 chapters, but the fic grew and we decided to keep it growing. Anne wrote chapter three and I was supposed to have finished this ages ago but a major exam and a goliath of an author's block prevented me from finishing this.
This chapter is dedicated to Anne and the Seiftis club members who are still with us! As well as all the readers out there! Please R&R on FF.net or by e-mail, it doesn't matter! I'd love them anyway! I wouldn't know whether you like it or not if you don't tell me. And thanks a million for those who went out of their way to make a review and followed through until this chapter. You guys mean the world to Anne and I.
Another A/N: Guys, sorry I have to re-post this one...as I was typing out chapter six, I realize that there was some contradicting plot. So I made some changes and adjustments. Sorry about that...I just don't have a beta reader to check for me. *hint hint*
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Road to Deling - Chapter Four: Pillow Fights and Servitude
The doorknob jingled as Seifer slotted the key in its hole and opened the door. The lock mechanism released and the door swung open with the slightest prod. Quistis slipped past him into the darkened room and a soft flump indicated that she had dropped herself on one of the beds. Seifer allowed a boyish grin slip past his features. He was certain that she was slightly miffed about not getting her way 15 minutes ago. His grin broadened as he replayed the scene in his head.
/// "We don't have to get a room! You can sleep and let me drive. I know how to get around Deling. Deling isn't that big. The town center is so far from here," she protested.
"No can do, Princess. You don't know where we're heading," he said not taking his eyes off the road.
"You can tell me!" exasperation was clear in her voice.
"And spoil the surprise? By the way, Instructor, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you're worried about me." He couldn't resist the temptation to tease her. He couldn't see her blush in the dark but he could guess and he could imagine. Her slight hesitation only confirmed his suspicion.
"H-hah! You wish. I...I was worried about my safety. What if you suddenly dozed off while driving?!" she exclaimed.
"We'll stop by a hotel or rest house or something if it'll make you feel any better, okay Instructor?"
"But I..." she wanted him to keep talking.
"We can both sleep in the car. It'll save you more or less 100 Gils. Besides we're only here for one night, right?" she suggested when he squeezed her hand in assurance then kept quiet.
"Hmm, if I was traveling alone, Quistis, I'd do just that. But it's dangerous for a lady to sleep out...even with a guardian. But then again...It'll be like sharing a single bed," he said just to taunt her even more.
"Okay then. Lets find a place to bunk in for the night!" she agreed hastily having thought about 'sharing a single bed with Seifer'.
"Okay, tell you what...we'll get a hotel here a bit away from the city center. It's cheaper...? Since you wanted to help me economize so much," he offered.
Satisfied that Seifer wasn't going to squander his money on her, she agreed, "Okay."
He was glad that she relented. He honestly didn't dare to imagine what havoc sleeping in such close quarter with Quistis would cause to his body and mind.///
"What are you grinning about, Almasy?" Quistis' voice shattered the silence and broke Seifer's train of thoughts.
"You", was the simple the reply accompanied by another toothy grin. I smile a lot lately, don't I? Seifer thought as he plopped down the other bed.
He shrugged off the small bag filled with their clothes for the night. He fell back onto the bed and rested his arm on his head shielding his eyes from the bleak yellow orange light of the room. Hyne, he was tired. He never knew that driving for 10 hours would be so draining. Hah, driving while trying to concentrate on the road rather than the exquisite blonde sitting beside him was draining, not the driving itself.
By the time they finally got into the room, it was already 8pm. Hyne the bed was so comfortable. He felt so tired and sleepy that he could barely stay awake. He could hear Quistis move around the room doing Hyne-knows- what. He wasn't sure what happened next because it all became a blank.
Quistis moved to store the water bottles and some bottles of fruit juice that they had bought along the way in the fridge. Then, she was picking the bag that he had shrugged off from the floor to place it on the dressing table when she realized that he had fallen asleep. She felt a little sorry for his fatigued state so she moved around quietly as to not wake him. After a while, she felt sleepy as well. So she got into bed and drifted to a little shuteye.
When she woke up about 35 minutes later, he was still asleep. My, he must be really tired...she mused to herself. She felt like a bath...or at least a change of clothes. After setting aside the sleepwear from the bag, she sat on her bed and tried to unzip the dress. Usually without anyone around, she would just twist and hop this way and that to get the dress zipped or unzipped. But with Seifer around, it seems like she's have to manage that in a subtler manner. So she tried to unzip the dress by twisting and bending and reaching instead of her usual method.
Several muted curses roused him from his sleep. Then, a soft rustle of clothes prompted him to peer from beneath his arm pressed against his eyes. He saw Quitis struggling to undo the clasp on her dress to release the zipper. He just had to laugh inside if not out loud. Slowly and as stealthily as he could, he got up and crossed the space between the beds before jabbing his fingers into Quistis' sides.
Quistis' body jerked up in response. Seifer was hysterical. Annoyed that she was shocked and laughed at, she returned the assault on Seifer armed with a down pillow. Seifer couldn't stop laughing even as Quistis pelted him ceaselessly with the pillow. He only placed his arm as his sole defense against her attack. She was so overwhelmed by his laughter that she herself began to laugh along with him.
"Surrender *laugh* Almasy! *giggle* You're no match against the Great Quistis!" she said through her laughter.
"Never!" Seifer yelled with mock rage trying to reach for a pillow to return the attack. Quite suddenly, the pelting stopped. Curious he opened an eye and peeped beyond his defensive arm. Quistis was straddling his torso to keep him down, her skirt had ridden up halfway up her thighs and her hair was disheveled in all the right places. He lowered his arm to look at her fully. She had this wild impish grin on her face and her eyes shone with glee. It was definitely a sight for sore eyes. He took in everything, memorized the scene then tucked the image in his heart.
"Hah-ha! I've got you now Seifer Almasy!!" she exclaimed triumphant. He knew that when she called him by his full name that either meant that he was in trouble or she was being entirely too formal and cold; it has always been that way. But this time it was slightly different. But oh, was he in trouble! He eyed the length of her outstretched arms at which they ended with a large pillow on both ends. His eyes widen and her grin broadened.
"Aarrgh!" he yelled with good humor trying to turn to his sides to escape the damage of Quistis' Pillow-Mace Attack but Quitis' weight kept him in place. It wasn't that he couldn't pick her up and set her aside, he just didn't feel like it. He'd never felt this free in a long, looong time. Even when he had joshed around with his posse, it was never this open and he was enjoying every single moment of it.
"Sur- *whap* ren- *bang* DER!!! *slam*" she said as she annunciate each syllable with a hit.
Seifer let loose a hearty laugh, "Alright! ALRIGHT!"
He grabbed the two pillows and pulled her closer to him, and then he said softly, "I surrender."
Quistis was shocked when he pulled her to him. Her mouth changed from the surprised 'O' to form a wide grin. On an impulse, she swooped down to drop a kiss on his nose.
"I OWN you!" she said with glee before punching her fists into the air. For the first time in 10 years that they both have been in Balamb, he saw Quistis act her age.
Finally, Seifer yielded and admitted defeat with a small smile, "Yes, Mistress!"
An elegant brow arched and blue eyes widened in disbelief. She allowed a moment for Seifer to say "Just kidding!" and laugh her off. But when it never came, she decided to ask, "Really?"
Seifer tried his best not to laugh at the childish uncertainty in Quistis' eyes. Then he spoke earnestly, "Really, Instructor."
Her eyes narrowed slightly at the nickname then smirked, "alright then, as your mistress, I command you to stop calling me "instructor". Can you do THAT, CADET?"
Seifer laughed at her retaliation. On a normal circumstance he would be awfully pissed but not today. Instead he felt good, really really great, "Only if you don't call me 'cadet', Mistress."
"Deal! Right, the second thing I want you to do tonight is...to prepare my bath!" she exclaimed triumphantly.
"Wha-?" Seifer was flabbergasted.
"Yes, my warm bath."
"Al-alright," he said as he made his way past her to the bathroom. If he would turn around to look at her at that moment, he would see the shock on her face when he agreed.
She sat on the bed after the initial shock. Shaking herself, she tried at her zipper again but she couldn't seem to tug it free. A piece of the fabric was caught in between making it impossible to release. Stupid Seifer! Doesn't know how to zip something properly!
Inside the bathroom, Seifer mused alone as he watch the foam begin to build up in the peach-coloured tub. Make my BATH! Make my BATH! Maybe taking Quistis was a mistake. Hyne, can you be anymore cruel than this? Apparently Hyne could become crueler than that because suddenly his mind was filled with images of Quistis swishing in the tub, lathering herself with foam with the milky, bubbly water lapping against her naked body.
He sat there on the floor of the bathroom, verging on a nosebleed. Holy Hyne! You ARE too cruel!
A/N: This is the continuation of the long postponed Road to Deling .It's a story done by Anne and I. We were supposed to stick to 3 pages and 3 chapters, but the fic grew and we decided to keep it growing. Anne wrote chapter three and I was supposed to have finished this ages ago but a major exam and a goliath of an author's block prevented me from finishing this.
This chapter is dedicated to Anne and the Seiftis club members who are still with us! As well as all the readers out there! Please R&R on FF.net or by e-mail, it doesn't matter! I'd love them anyway! I wouldn't know whether you like it or not if you don't tell me. And thanks a million for those who went out of their way to make a review and followed through until this chapter. You guys mean the world to Anne and I.
Another A/N: Guys, sorry I have to re-post this one...as I was typing out chapter six, I realize that there was some contradicting plot. So I made some changes and adjustments. Sorry about that...I just don't have a beta reader to check for me. *hint hint*
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Road to Deling - Chapter Four: Pillow Fights and Servitude
The doorknob jingled as Seifer slotted the key in its hole and opened the door. The lock mechanism released and the door swung open with the slightest prod. Quistis slipped past him into the darkened room and a soft flump indicated that she had dropped herself on one of the beds. Seifer allowed a boyish grin slip past his features. He was certain that she was slightly miffed about not getting her way 15 minutes ago. His grin broadened as he replayed the scene in his head.
/// "We don't have to get a room! You can sleep and let me drive. I know how to get around Deling. Deling isn't that big. The town center is so far from here," she protested.
"No can do, Princess. You don't know where we're heading," he said not taking his eyes off the road.
"You can tell me!" exasperation was clear in her voice.
"And spoil the surprise? By the way, Instructor, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you're worried about me." He couldn't resist the temptation to tease her. He couldn't see her blush in the dark but he could guess and he could imagine. Her slight hesitation only confirmed his suspicion.
"H-hah! You wish. I...I was worried about my safety. What if you suddenly dozed off while driving?!" she exclaimed.
"We'll stop by a hotel or rest house or something if it'll make you feel any better, okay Instructor?"
"But I..." she wanted him to keep talking.
"We can both sleep in the car. It'll save you more or less 100 Gils. Besides we're only here for one night, right?" she suggested when he squeezed her hand in assurance then kept quiet.
"Hmm, if I was traveling alone, Quistis, I'd do just that. But it's dangerous for a lady to sleep out...even with a guardian. But then again...It'll be like sharing a single bed," he said just to taunt her even more.
"Okay then. Lets find a place to bunk in for the night!" she agreed hastily having thought about 'sharing a single bed with Seifer'.
"Okay, tell you what...we'll get a hotel here a bit away from the city center. It's cheaper...? Since you wanted to help me economize so much," he offered.
Satisfied that Seifer wasn't going to squander his money on her, she agreed, "Okay."
He was glad that she relented. He honestly didn't dare to imagine what havoc sleeping in such close quarter with Quistis would cause to his body and mind.///
"What are you grinning about, Almasy?" Quistis' voice shattered the silence and broke Seifer's train of thoughts.
"You", was the simple the reply accompanied by another toothy grin. I smile a lot lately, don't I? Seifer thought as he plopped down the other bed.
He shrugged off the small bag filled with their clothes for the night. He fell back onto the bed and rested his arm on his head shielding his eyes from the bleak yellow orange light of the room. Hyne, he was tired. He never knew that driving for 10 hours would be so draining. Hah, driving while trying to concentrate on the road rather than the exquisite blonde sitting beside him was draining, not the driving itself.
By the time they finally got into the room, it was already 8pm. Hyne the bed was so comfortable. He felt so tired and sleepy that he could barely stay awake. He could hear Quistis move around the room doing Hyne-knows- what. He wasn't sure what happened next because it all became a blank.
Quistis moved to store the water bottles and some bottles of fruit juice that they had bought along the way in the fridge. Then, she was picking the bag that he had shrugged off from the floor to place it on the dressing table when she realized that he had fallen asleep. She felt a little sorry for his fatigued state so she moved around quietly as to not wake him. After a while, she felt sleepy as well. So she got into bed and drifted to a little shuteye.
When she woke up about 35 minutes later, he was still asleep. My, he must be really tired...she mused to herself. She felt like a bath...or at least a change of clothes. After setting aside the sleepwear from the bag, she sat on her bed and tried to unzip the dress. Usually without anyone around, she would just twist and hop this way and that to get the dress zipped or unzipped. But with Seifer around, it seems like she's have to manage that in a subtler manner. So she tried to unzip the dress by twisting and bending and reaching instead of her usual method.
Several muted curses roused him from his sleep. Then, a soft rustle of clothes prompted him to peer from beneath his arm pressed against his eyes. He saw Quitis struggling to undo the clasp on her dress to release the zipper. He just had to laugh inside if not out loud. Slowly and as stealthily as he could, he got up and crossed the space between the beds before jabbing his fingers into Quistis' sides.
Quistis' body jerked up in response. Seifer was hysterical. Annoyed that she was shocked and laughed at, she returned the assault on Seifer armed with a down pillow. Seifer couldn't stop laughing even as Quistis pelted him ceaselessly with the pillow. He only placed his arm as his sole defense against her attack. She was so overwhelmed by his laughter that she herself began to laugh along with him.
"Surrender *laugh* Almasy! *giggle* You're no match against the Great Quistis!" she said through her laughter.
"Never!" Seifer yelled with mock rage trying to reach for a pillow to return the attack. Quite suddenly, the pelting stopped. Curious he opened an eye and peeped beyond his defensive arm. Quistis was straddling his torso to keep him down, her skirt had ridden up halfway up her thighs and her hair was disheveled in all the right places. He lowered his arm to look at her fully. She had this wild impish grin on her face and her eyes shone with glee. It was definitely a sight for sore eyes. He took in everything, memorized the scene then tucked the image in his heart.
"Hah-ha! I've got you now Seifer Almasy!!" she exclaimed triumphant. He knew that when she called him by his full name that either meant that he was in trouble or she was being entirely too formal and cold; it has always been that way. But this time it was slightly different. But oh, was he in trouble! He eyed the length of her outstretched arms at which they ended with a large pillow on both ends. His eyes widen and her grin broadened.
"Aarrgh!" he yelled with good humor trying to turn to his sides to escape the damage of Quistis' Pillow-Mace Attack but Quitis' weight kept him in place. It wasn't that he couldn't pick her up and set her aside, he just didn't feel like it. He'd never felt this free in a long, looong time. Even when he had joshed around with his posse, it was never this open and he was enjoying every single moment of it.
"Sur- *whap* ren- *bang* DER!!! *slam*" she said as she annunciate each syllable with a hit.
Seifer let loose a hearty laugh, "Alright! ALRIGHT!"
He grabbed the two pillows and pulled her closer to him, and then he said softly, "I surrender."
Quistis was shocked when he pulled her to him. Her mouth changed from the surprised 'O' to form a wide grin. On an impulse, she swooped down to drop a kiss on his nose.
"I OWN you!" she said with glee before punching her fists into the air. For the first time in 10 years that they both have been in Balamb, he saw Quistis act her age.
Finally, Seifer yielded and admitted defeat with a small smile, "Yes, Mistress!"
An elegant brow arched and blue eyes widened in disbelief. She allowed a moment for Seifer to say "Just kidding!" and laugh her off. But when it never came, she decided to ask, "Really?"
Seifer tried his best not to laugh at the childish uncertainty in Quistis' eyes. Then he spoke earnestly, "Really, Instructor."
Her eyes narrowed slightly at the nickname then smirked, "alright then, as your mistress, I command you to stop calling me "instructor". Can you do THAT, CADET?"
Seifer laughed at her retaliation. On a normal circumstance he would be awfully pissed but not today. Instead he felt good, really really great, "Only if you don't call me 'cadet', Mistress."
"Deal! Right, the second thing I want you to do tonight is...to prepare my bath!" she exclaimed triumphantly.
"Wha-?" Seifer was flabbergasted.
"Yes, my warm bath."
"Al-alright," he said as he made his way past her to the bathroom. If he would turn around to look at her at that moment, he would see the shock on her face when he agreed.
She sat on the bed after the initial shock. Shaking herself, she tried at her zipper again but she couldn't seem to tug it free. A piece of the fabric was caught in between making it impossible to release. Stupid Seifer! Doesn't know how to zip something properly!
Inside the bathroom, Seifer mused alone as he watch the foam begin to build up in the peach-coloured tub. Make my BATH! Make my BATH! Maybe taking Quistis was a mistake. Hyne, can you be anymore cruel than this? Apparently Hyne could become crueler than that because suddenly his mind was filled with images of Quistis swishing in the tub, lathering herself with foam with the milky, bubbly water lapping against her naked body.
He sat there on the floor of the bathroom, verging on a nosebleed. Holy Hyne! You ARE too cruel!