A/N: Hey dudes and dudettes! What's up?
Just got back from my vacation yesterday and man was it amazing! If anyone's interested, the full story is in my journal, just like the comments for reviews on the last two chapters. No text comments, because there's no plot development in this chapter. It's written purely for 'filler' reasons, till I get my act back for the following update. Which won't take longer than any other normal period between updates. So this is just something light, relaxing, o hopefully make your day a bit. Not my funniest piece to date, but definitely amusing.
Enjoy and stay tuned!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Fruit Loops. However, Shizuka Ross is property of moi. Just the name though. It's the one I always give the Library Girl. I think the 'Shizuka' part is confirmed by Square, but the surname is 100% mine. DOWN, DOWN, DOWN!! MINE, MINE, MINE!!! :Daffy Duck style:
Last chapter summary:
A second chance
By: Sickness in Salvation
Chapter 36: Aftermath
He watched her through half-open eyes, as her body arched up and back down again with each breath she took in.
He had just woken up and didn't want to spoil the beautiful sight before him for a fair few minutes 'Let her sleep in a bit…'
He ran a finger across her exposed cheek, barely touching her, brushing a stray lock of golden hair away. The rest were sprawled upon their shared pillow, leaving her angelic face uncovered for him to marvel upon… Eyelids that covered big, round, sapphire eyes. Fair, long eyelashes. Porcelain skin. Rosy, full lips…
With one word… beautiful.
And she was his…
He grinned.
If she could hear his inner thoughts right now, she'd probably whip him to shape for daring to consider her his property 'As long as she can't hear me…' He smiled 'A man can have his secrets…'
When she slept, she completely let her guard down and became the innocent little girl he knew back from Centra. It seemed as if both of them became two completely different entities during their sleep, as if their hands were not tainted with blood, as if their eyes were purge and had seen nothing but benevolence, as if the thin scars that marred both their bodies from countless battles didn't exist.
Last night, when she lay underneath him, he saw no marks upon her body. He had chosen to ignore them. He hadn't slept with the SeeD, but with the woman that was Quistis Trepe. And he was certain she'd done the same.
Last night had been for Seifer and Quistis.
Not for a Commander and one of his SeeDs.
'Hmmm… I like the sound of this…' He smirked 'She's slept with a superior…' He joked in his mind.
He sighed and rested his head on his balled fist, tracing his finger down her back so softly that he was certain she wouldn't even feel it.
He liked watching her sleep. And apparently, so did she…
He slid his eyes open.
The room was still very dark; the sun hadn't risen yet.
The tip of her nail was gently grazing the muscles upon his chest, as he lay with his back against the headboard. He had one arm around her and she lay half on the bed, half upon his chest.
As she watched him wake up, she placed both palms upon his chest and gave him a kiss.
His breath still held the taste of a cigarette, the one he'd had only a few minutes ago. Quistis had never been actually fond of said habit. The scent of it never suited her much. But right now, the aftertaste on Seifer's lips seemed like the sweetest taste in the whole wide world. She'd heard that many people who didn't smoke actually liked that certain 'flavor' and had always wondered if it were true. She was still, however, not certain if it appealed to her so much right now for any reason other than the fact that stars and little hearts were actually zooming before her very eyes for the past few minutes and everything seemed so fucking rosy…
Seifer smiled lazily and blinked.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked.
"I like to watch you sleep…" she replied, grinning.
He smiled and wrapped his other arm around her as well, as she sighed and rested her head against his chest. Her breasts pressed upon his skin within the embrace. She hadn't bothered to put anything on yet. But neither had he…
"Do you always wear this?" she asked.
The fingertips were now touching the metal clasp on the chain around his neck.
"I never remembered where I'd gotten it," he began "But I recall always having it during my years in Garden. I figured it should be something special, so I never took it off. I recently remembered it was a gift from Edea. Right after I left the orphanage to join Garden."
Quistis kept toying with it around her fingers with interest. Seifer opened the safety slip from one side and revealed the inner part of his peculiar medallion.
"It's a pretty different military ID tag, see?" he explained, pointing at the words engraved there.
Quistis inched closer and squinted. 'Seifer Almasy'. She smiled and locked the clasp back in place.
"You always loved her dearly, didn't you?" she asked him, referring to Edea.
"Yes…" Seifer admitted "I never saw anyone else as a mother. I don't even bother trying to remember my biological one. She was never a real mother to me." He looked away.
"You came oldest in the orphanage so you knew your real parents, right?" Quistis asked.
"Biological. Not real." he said firmly "And yes."
"Sorry…" Quistis apologized, hugging him tighter "I didn't mean to upset you." Seifer chuckled.
He gently pushed her back, looking into her eyes.
"No apologies needed." he said, his lips approaching her ear "I can't get mad with you anymore…" he whispered.
He reached down to kiss her neck and gently lowered her down to the mattress.
She closed her eyes and ran her fingers through his already messed up hair, sighing.
"I can't either…" she whispered, right before he reached up to kiss her.
And right before she let his hands slither upon her body and allowed it to become one with his again…
Seifer wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his lips down to her bare shoulder.
Quistis's even breaths mingled with a sleepy moan as she began to wake up. She yawned and grinned at the ticklish sensation spreading all over her left shoulder and neck. She felt the pressure upon her waist tighten slightly and a husky voice whispered to her ear…
- "Morning…"
She smiled broadly; now that was a perfect way to be woken up every day… She fluttered her eyelids open. Seifer was holding her waist tightly, tenderly kissing her shoulder line and neck.
- "Morning." she spoke back softly "Why aren't you sleeping?" she asked.
- "I like to watch you sleep…" he replied, grinning.
- "Thief…" she murmured with a soft giggle "That's my line…"
- "Sue me…" he joked "So… Slept well?" Seifer asked, running a hand through her loose hair.
- "Like a baby…" Quistis replied, grinning.
As she turned her head and reached up for Seifer, he gave her a peck on the lips, which she promptly deepened, slipping one palm against his nape. It felt so good to finally be able to do that whenever she pleased…
When they broke apart, Quistis smiled at him and turned her head back in place. Seifer tightened the embrace and moved his lips close to her ear.
- "Wanna know something?" he whispered softly to her.
- "What?" Quistis asked back, mentally preparing herself for a morning dose of 'sweet nothings'…
- "You've got a terrible case of 'morning breath' going on…"
Quistis's eyes snapped wide open. Behind her, Seifer was already chuckling at the sudden tenseness of her body. Pursing her lips, yet unable to conceal a grin,she abruptly rolled in bed and faced him, laying a hard punch onto his chest. Seifer laughed whole-heartedly now and wrapped his arms around her tightly, causing her to stop. Still grinning, he kissed her again.
- "Yech…" he said in mock-disgust when he pulled away.
- "'Yech' right back at you." Quistis retorted, pretending to frown "You're not exactly Mr. Minty-fresh yourself, you know…"
Laughing yet again, Seifer pulled her close from the waist and kissed her. Ignoring all obstacles of 'morning breath' for good, Quistis cupped Seifer's face in her palms and shared with him the deepest kiss they ever had. When their lips parted, Seifer turned his head the slightest bit and kissed Quistis's inner palm gently.
The girl sighed and nuzzled her face into the crook of Seifer's neck, placing her palms against his chest. Seifer wrapped his arms around her and covered up her bare shoulders with the blanket.
- "What time is it, by the way?" asked Quistis.
- "Early." replied Seifer.
- "How early?" she asked again.
- "Too early. Go back to sleep." he said.
He kissed her forehead and rested his cheek against her head.
Silence…
And surrender into deep, idyllic slumber once again…
- "Y'know… I could actually feed on Fruit Loops for aaaaall eternity…" Selphie said, shoveling down spoonful by spoonful the cereal in her bowl.
She was slouched on Irvine's lap, who sat onto a chair inside one of the numerous kitchens, her legs plopped onto the table. Irvine was munching on a piece of toast, hiding his sleepy eyes under the hem of his cowboy hat.
- "I'd opt for hotdogs any day…" Zell said, poking his fried egg with a fork.
Thick, amber yolk filled his plate, but Zell, completely un-phased, began scooping it up with some bread. He rolled his eyes upwards, mouth full, finding Irvine staring at him with an expression of utter disgust. Zell ran his tongue over his smeared lips.
- "What?" he asked innocently.
- "You're just plain disgusting sometimes…" the cowboy said, shaking his head in disbelief.
- "Oh, I'm gettin' heat from the guy running around the Presidential Palace in a cowboy hat and pair of boxers that say 'Bite me' in the ass?" Zell quipped, sipping some orange juice.
- "What's disgusting about that?" Irvine asked incredulously.
- "I can make a list if you want…" Zell replied, shrugging.
Selphie giggled at Irvine's half-angered, half-amused expression and gave him a kiss.
- "Hey!" Zell protested, pointing at them with his fork "No PDA." he said, making Selphie arch an eyebrow; he hadn't ever complained before… "You're making my friend here jealous…" he added, grinning, nudging Squall on the ribs.
The latter gave Zell a poisonous glare, ignoring Selphie and Irvine's laughter.
- "Why so quiet, Squall?" Selphie asked, smiling. Squall shrugged.
- "Just bored…" he replied, speaking for the first time that morning.
He rested his chin upon his folded arms onto the table, sighing. His gaze rested upon a bread knife for no reason at all, as he ignored the conversation Zell, Irvine and Selphie were having right now. He liked the way the light kept hitting upon it and getting reflecting, from different kind of angles…
His attention was soon, however, distracted by the doors that creaked open just then.
Rinoa walked inside the kitchen, hair caught up in a bun. Squall's head immediately emerged up from its previous location.
- "Morning everyone…" Rinoa said.
- "Well look who's finally up early!" Irvine commented.
- "What are you talking about?" Rinoa said, frowning "I never sleep in…"
- "And what do you call ten o' clock, missy?" Selphie added "Early?"
- "Well, yeah!" Rinoa replied "It's late for you guys, cause you're used to getting up at six thirty for years…"
- "True…" Zell agreed.
- "But hey… Ten to eight is a good record, right?" Rinoa asked, grinning and stretching.
Squall watched in hidden fascination when the fabric of her top rode up as she stretched, revealing her belly-button. Nothing he hadn't seen before of course, but it still made him feel unnaturally hot all of a sudden… When he snapped back to reality, he found everyone staring at him. All except for Rinoa were grinning from ear to ear.
- "Squall?" Rinoa asked, waving a spread palm in front of his face "You OK?"
- "Huh?!" Squall jumped up startled "Oh yeah… Just… thinking about… stuff…"
- "O - K…" Rinoa replied, shrugging.
- "I think he was just admiring your PJs, Rin…" Irvine said, smirking.
- "Oh, they're Selphie's." Rinoa replied, grinning at Squall "I didn't have anything else to wear, so…"
- "Aren't they cuuuute?!" Selphie exclaimed, springing up from Irvine's lap and standing next to Rinoa.
She wrapped her arm around the taller girl's shoulder and grinned broadly. Squall just then realized they were both wearing PJ bottoms with yellow chocobos and a strapped camisole with a chicobo on it. Only Selphie's were bright green, while Rinoa's were baby blue.
- "We're like sisters!" Selphie exclaimed, next to a beaming Rinoa.
Squall swallowed with difficulty, as a mental picture suddenly entered his mind…
Rinoa is running around Garden, clad in a teeny-tiny baby blue dress.
Her raven hair is cut in a cute bob, with the edges flipping in a completely gravity-defying manner.
She bursts into Squall's office on the 3rd floor and squeals.
"Squally-poo! Are you going to join the Garden Festival Committee? Pweeeeeeease?"
Both his eyebrows remained arched, while Rinoa pulled out a chair right next to him and began pouring Fruit Loops into her bowl, humming. The essence of some kind of floral bath product reached Squall's nose, intoxicating his mind 'Ohhh Hyne…'
- "Never seen you hair up like that, Rin." Zell commented.
- "I took a shower and wore them up like that until I go back to my room and dry them off." Rinoa replied, chewing on a mouthful of milk and cereal.
A pitiful expression crossed Squall's features 'Rinoa… In the shower…'
'I need some water. NOW.' he thought, getting up abruptly.
He walked over to the sink and looked around for an empty glass. He began roaming around the cupboards in search for one, until he felt someone touching his shoulder. He turned around and saw Rinoa resting her chin on his shoulder and he jumped back startled.
- "Can you get me a glass, too? I can't reach them…" she asked him sweetly, grinning.
Looking away, Squall reached up for another one, handing it to her shakily. Rinoa filled it up with water and sat up onto the counter next to the sink, drinking the lot in one gulp. She watched Squall as he filled another glass and swallowed the content apprehensively.
- "I always figured you'd be thin underneath that jacket of yours… I never knew you worked out so much…" she said absent-mindedly, cocking her head to the side.
Her gaze fell upon his defined arms and chest, quite visible underneath one of the white T-shirts he always wore under his leather jacket. He wasn't wearing his fur-lined jacket this morning. At least not yet.
Squall chocked, water spilling out from his nose and began coughing like mad. Rinoa pat him hard on the back.
- "Whoa, easy!" she said, grinning. Squall cleared his throat and banged hard on his chest with his fist.
- "Thanks…" he mumbled.
- "Don't mention it." Rinoa said, winking at him, and hopped off the counter.
Squall gripped the edge of the counter so hard, his knuckles turned white. He banged his head against the cupboards above 'Damned hormones…'
Rinoa returned to the table to resume her breakfast, only to find Zell missing.
- "Where's Zell?" she asked Selphie and Irvine.
- "Went to get the mail." Irvine replied.
- "What mail?" Rinoa asked, arching both eyebrows.
- "I called Headmaster Cid last night," Squall said, returning to the table as well "And informed him of our whereabouts. They're stationed in Dollet for the time being, so he forwarded all our mail here just for today."
- "Ah, I see…" Rinoa said, nodding "But… who'd write to any of us?" she asked, puzzled.
- "Most of it is just junk." Selphie replied "Newsletters and crap… But Zell might have something from his mom."
Right on cue, Zell walked inside the kitchen, holding a small stack of letters. He had ripped one open and was reading it.
- "Junk?" Irvine asked.
- "Yup…" Zell said, nodding, eyes still locked upon the letter he was reading "I just got one from my mom, Quistis has a bunch of Trepie letters… Seifer's got one from some 'Cedric' fellow… But the rest's newsletters and stuff."
- "See?" Selphie told Rinoa knowingly.
- "Lesee…" Irvine said, skimming through the stack for anything that might interest him "Squall, do you wanna read that Weapons Monthly thingy, man?"
- "No." Squall said, shaking his head "They won't have anything new for me in that for at least six more months…"
- "How come?" Rinoa asked him.
- "Said so in the last issue, where I saw Lionheart." Squall replied "They've yet to develop a stronger element than Adamantine, but are researching on it. You can read it if you want, though…"
- "Thanks." Rinoa said, smiling.
She grabbed the letter Irvine had tossed to the side and began skimming through, just in case there was a new model out for her weapon.
Selphie was going through the rest of the letters in the stack while Irvine was scanning the contents of his own junk mail for anything interesting. She found one letter addressed to Zell that wasn't junk, however. Arching an eyebrow, she looked at the address.
- "Hey, Zell…" she said "You missed another letter among the junk."
- "Oh yeah…" Irvine said, leaning down to look at the envelope as well.
- "Who's it from?" Zell asked, puzzled; who would be writing to him besides his mom?
- "It says: Shizuka Ross." said Selphie, frowning "Who's that?" Zell's eyes widened.
- "Umm… No-one!" he hurried to say "Gimme the letter…"
- "Hey, isn't that the name of the girl who works in the library?" Squall asked.
Selphie was in mid-movement to hand the letter to Zell. Both she and the blond froze in spot. Selphie's lips broke into a gigantic grin.
Zell made a leap for the letter, but Selphie was faster than him and pulled back.
- "Oooh! Zelly has a looooove letter!!!" she teased, beginning to rip the envelope open.
- "Give that back!" Zell hissed, springing up form his chair.
Selphie tossed the letter over to Irvine, who rose up in full height, holding the envelope as high as possible. Zell tried to ump up and reach it in vain; the cowboy was much taller than him. Selphie climbed up on the counter behind Irvine and grabbed the envelope, pulling the letter out.
- "Dammit, Selphie that's personal!" Zell shouted at the top of his lungs "Do I interfere with your life?!"
- "A life full of luuuuuuuurv…" Selphie cooed, completely ignoring him.
She cleared her throat.
- "Ahem! Dear Zell…" she began loudly.
- "DON'T YOU DARE!!!" Zell shouted from down below.
Rinoa and squall were listening to Selphie intently. Rinoa was grinning broadly and even Squall had cracked a smile…
- "…The Headmaster informed us about your whereabouts today through the intercom." Irvine read on "After hearing about all the adventures you went through, I felt the need to drop you a few lines."
- "Irvine, Selphie, I'm warning you!" Zell threatened, pointing his index finger ominously at them.
- "…We've all heard about Lunatic Pandora and Ultimecia," Selphie continued "And that you all plan to stop them. I think you're really brave to go off on a quest like this and I just wanted to wish you good luck. My heart will be there with you and all my prayers to Hyne will be addressed to you."
- "Awwww…" cooed Rinoa, touching her chest with one palm and cocking her head to the side.
- "…Sincerely, Shizuka." Irvine finished, smiling.
- "Zelly is in wooooov!" Selphie squealed, wrapping her arms around Zell's neck and jumping off the counter.
- "Yo! Get your girlfriend off me, will ya?" Zell growled at Irvine in annoyance, but his skin had turned crimson.
- "Oh Zell, don't be grumpy…" Rinoa said "I thought it was really sweet. You should write back before we leave."
Zell snatched the letter from Selphie's hands, who was still chuckling, and sat back down on his seat, crimson-faced. The whole matter was dropped after that, but Squall caught him numerous times peeking at the letter, blushing, as the subject of discussion changed…
- "Am I the only one who just realized that Quistis hasn't woken up yet?" Irvine suddenly asked.
- "Seifer hasn't either…" Selphie said mischievously.
- "Seifer always sleeps in." Rinoa said "Made me wonder how that ever guy made it into SeeD…" she added, shaking her head.
- "You mean without counting death threats to the entire Garden Board?" Squall quipped. Rinoa giggled.
- "But seriously…" Irvine said "Quistis always wakes up very early. Maybe even earlier than any of us…"
- "So what?" said Zell, shrugging "She slept in for once… It's not like we're in a hurry. Laguna hasn't contacted us yet."
- "Fair enough…" said Irvine, reaching for another piece of toast fromthe table.
Accidentally, his arm knocked over Selphie's glass of juice, spilling most of it onto her PJ bottoms.
- "Aw, crap…" Irvine said "Sorry babe…"
- "Meh, it's OK…" Selphie said, shrugging, while she dried her pants with some paper towels Rinoa handed her "I'll go change and be back in a sec…"
Selphie slipped a pair of orange sweatpants on and walked towards the bathroom, holding her stained PJ bottoms in one hand. She sealed the drain of the sink and soaked the piece of clothing in water, humming.
:Giggle:
Selphie arched both eyebrows.
Come on… Stop it…
The girl turned the water tap off and tried to listen more intently.
Stop… Mmmm… :Giggle: OK, don't stop…
The sound was coming from the… shower stall. Puzzled, Selphie walked towards the empty stall, examining the white tiles. Weird… She didn't think anyone else was staying in the Palace aside from them… And that voice belonged to a woman. How could it be, though? She was more than certain that the room next to hers was…
Selphie clamped her palms onto her wide open mouth 'Seifer's!!!'
The girl pressed her ear against the tiles. But of course… She hadn't heard them last night because she'd slept over at Irvine's… And it certainly explained why Quistis hadn't woken up early, either…
But wait… what if the girl wasn't Quistis?
Mmmm… Quis…
'OK, strike that…' Selphie thought, grinning broadly 'Hyne… This is too precious!'
Quistis sat upon the white counter next to the bathroom sink, clad in a white towel. She had her legs wrapped around Seifer's waist and her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. Similarly dressed, Seifer held her waist tightly.
He pulled away, kissing her bare shoulder before looking back up at her. Quistis's stomach rumbled wildly. Seifer chuckled.
- "Hungry?" he asked.
- "Starving." replied Quistis "You?"
- "I could eat something…" he replied shrugging "Here's an idea… I'll go grab something from the kitchen and we can eat here."
- "Sounds good…" Quistis said, giving him a peck on the lips "Hey, can you lend me something to wear? Most of my stuff were at the Lunar Base…" she said, grinning "And the PJs are Selphie's."
- "Sure." Seifer said shrugging "Just grab a tee and a pair of boxers from my bag."
- "Thanks…" she said, nuzzling her head against the crook of his damp neck, hugging his waist.
- "I'll go change." Seifer said, giving her a peck on the forehead "You do whatever girly crap you need to do and I'll be back in no time." he added, grinning.
Selphie barged inside the kitchen in a state of ecstasy. Ignoring the puzzled looks everyone gave her, she dashed over to Irvine and cupped her palms around his ears, beginning to whisper to him frantically.
Rinoa watched as Irvine listened curiously for a few seconds. Suddenly, his eyes snapped wide open.
- "WHAAAT?!" he shouted, grinning from ear to ear.
- "What? What happened?" Rinoa asked eagerly.
- "Right now?!" Irvine asked Selphie, completely ignoring Rinoa.
- "Hey, hey! Let us in on it, too!" Zell protested. He was blatantly overlooked as well…
- "Yuh-huh…" Selphie replied to Irvine, grinning mischievously and nodding.
- "Will we make it on time?" Irvine asked eagerly.
- "Dunno. If we hurry, maybe…" the girl replied.
Irvine jumped up from his seat and grabbed Selphie's wrist, running towards the double doors.
Rinoa beat them to it, however, and stood spread-eagled against the door.
- "You're not going anywhere before you tell us what's going on!" she demanded.
Irvine grabbed her from the waist and wheeled around, placing her upon the table with ease. He made a move towards the door again, when it got pushed open from outside.
It creaked open and the top of a straw blond head came in sight.
Seifer froze in spot, upon seeing everyone gathered in there. He hadn't been expecting company… 'Fuck! I knew I should have tried another kitchen!'
- "Well, well, well…" Irvine said, examining Seifer from head to toe.
The tall blond was dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a plain white T-shirt, hair still damp from the shower he had taken just before. The expression of utmost surprise on his face was priceless…
- "…Good morning." Irvine added.
- "Morning…" Seifer mumbled, standing as still as ever.
- "Are you gonna come in, or not?" Selphie asked.
- "Y-yeah…" Seifer said, timidly making his way inside the kitchen.
Irvine and Selphie resumed their seats, never taking their eyes off him as he approached the fridge and began taking out stuff. They still watched as he closed the fridge back and walked towards the door.
- "See ya…" he mumbled.
- "Umm… Where are you taking those?" Squall asked, scowling.
- "My room…" Seifer replied, trying to look and sound nonchalant.
- "Aren't you gonna sit with us?" Rinoa asked.
- "Oh… yeah… that…" Seifer said, frowning 'Well, I… uhh…"
- "Surely you don't prefer eating alone, do you?" Selphie asked, arching an eyebrow.
- "Ummm, no… I just-" Seifer stuttered.
- "Then sit your ass down." Irvine insisted.
Seifer complied half-heartedly, while possible scenarios for a way to get out of this situation began to run through his head 'Fake fainting? Too risky… They'll take me to my room and Quis is still there… Fake feeling sick? No… I really need to eat something… Distract them and skedaddle? Yeah, right… With what? Hmmm… Kill 'em all? Damn, I don't have Hyperion with me…'
- "That's a boy." Irvine said, slapping him on the back heartily.
- "ARGH!"
Seifer touched his wounded back with one palm, whimpering.
- "What do you got there?" Zell asked "Wounds?"
- "Yeah…" Seifer answered a bit too quickly "Y'know… From last n-evening!"
- "Last Nnnevening?" Selphie said, grinning "Interesting…"
- "Yeah… so… it hurts…" Seifer mumbled, nibbling on a piece of toast.
- "I bet…" Irvine said, arching both eyebrows.
- "Are you, OK?" Squall asked "Cause we have an important mission ahead today and you seem a bit out of place. We can't have that." he said, frowning.
- "I'm fine, Pubes." Seifer growled.
- "You sure?" Irvine asked.
- "Yeah, you look kinda… tired…" Selphie said "Doesn't he looked tired?" she asked everyone.
- "A bit…" Rinoa replied, shrugging.
Seifer swallowed his bite with difficulty.
- "I said I was fine…" he insisted "In fact-"
- "Hey, what's taking so l-?"
All pairs of eyes turned abruptly towards the door.
Quistis, clad in a big T-shirt and a pair of black boxers, hair damp, stood frozen still, eyes wide, much like Seifer had just a few minutes ago. Irvine, Selphie and Rinoa were the only ones grinning broadly. Zell and Squall looked as if they were one second away from a heart-attack and Seifer seemed as if he just wished Gaia would split open and swallow him.
- "Morning Quisty!" Selphie said, with the cool and collected air of a person who announced the weather on a news report "Breakfast?"
- "Uhh… Sure…" Quistis croaked out.
She approached the table almost terrified, looking for the less 'suspicious' position. Next to Zell it is…
- "Fruit Loops?" Selphie suggested, smiling.
- "A-alright…" Quistis uttered, shrugging.
Selphie filled a bowl with milk and cereal, plunged a spoon inside and pushed it towards Quistis. The blonde nodded as a thank you, tucked her loose, somewhat damp hair behind her ears and began eating wordlessly.
Unbearable silence spread within the kitchen. The tension inside the room was so thick, it could actually be cut through with a knife…
- "So Seifer…" Selphie broke the silence "I didn't get to ask you…"
- "Ask me what?" Seifer asked, arching an eyebrow; he had calmed down a fair amount by now…
- "I thought you looked tired, so I was about to ask… Who did you do-?"
Quistis choked on her cereal and began coughing loudly, while Zell slapped her hard on the back. Seifer stopped in mid-chew. Irvine and Rinoa were grinning, while Squall ran a palm down his face.
- "Oh, sorry…" Selphie said innocently "I meant what did you do… Silly me…" Seifer pursed his lips, frowning.
- "Nothing at all. Just had a bit of trouble sleeping. But I didn't stay up too late…" he replied, shrugging, and continued to eat quietly.
- "Well…" Irvine piped in "It would certainly explain why he was up so early…"
Quistis almost suffocated from the bite that got lodged within her throat this time.
Seifer clenched his teeth.
- "Yes it would, Irvine." Selphie said, matter-of-factly, nodding "Wow… Sleeping late, yet getting up so early… Gives a whole new meaning to the term early riser, doesn't it?"
Zell snorted into his glass of juice, Rinoa buried her teary, red face against Squall's shoulder, who was even cracking a grin himself. Quistis's skin was the color of a fine red Merlot and Seifer looked about ready to commit murder.
- "Anyway…" Irvine said, shrugging "You say you're not tired, so we believe you. Quistis on the other hand…" The blonde looked up, a terrified expression on her face.
- "…Looks positively glowing today." Selphie finished for him.
- "Maybe it's the new tee…" Irvine suggested, rubbing his chin.
- "Oh yeah… What does it say…?" Selphie squinted "Barbie is a bitch." she read "Hmm… I swear that sounds familiar…"
- "Yeah, doesn't it?" Irvine agreed, nodding "I can't quite place it, however…"
- "Maybe it's not the T-Shirt, though…" Selphie said, shrugging "But you know what they say when someone's glowing like that, don't you?" she asked "They're either getting too much sleep or too much-"
- "Anyone want any water?!" Quistis snapped. Everyone shook their heads "No? Alright then… I'll get some for myself…"
She quickly got up and hurried over towards the counters, fumbling around the cupboards. Selphie and Rinoa shared a meaningful look and got up as well, walking over to her.
The blonde filled a glass, holding it with trembling hands. She began wolfing down the water, trying to keep it together and calm down. Rinoa brushed by her and hopped up onto the counter, crossing arms and legs. Selphie wrapped her arms around Quistis's neck.
- "We want aaaaaall the juicy details…" Selphie said, giggling.
- "What details?" Quistis asked naively.
- "Ah, playing innocent, are we?" Selphie insisted "C'mon Quisty, tell uuuuus! Tell us, tell us, tell us, tell us, tell us, tell us, tell us…"
- "You do know that she hasn't even started to get annoying yet, right?" Rinoa asked, grinning.
- "I am aware of that…" Quistis mumbled.
Behind them, Seifer was eating an apple, totally ignoring the intent glares from Irvine, Zell and Squall.
- "You gonna say anything or what?" Irvine asked.
- "About what?" Seifer asked.
Irvine dragged his chair close to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
- "How was it?" he asked.
- "How was what?" Seifer asked back, still pretending to be blissfully ignorant. Irvine arched a sarcastic eyebrow "I'm not telling you a thing."
- "Good…" said Zell, rubbing his stomach "I'm not entirely sure I wanted to hear this anyway…"
- "I second that…" Squall mumbled.
- "Well I do!" Irvine protested "C'mon, man!" he insisted, nudging Seifer on the ribs.
- "Screw you, cowboy… Haven't you ever heard of the word 'privacy'?" Seifer said, crossing his arms.
- "Of course I have. I simply choose to ignore it…" Irvine said, shrugging.
- "The answer is still 'No'." Seifer persisted, yanking Irvine's arm away from his shoulder.
- "Why the hell not?!"
Seifer ignored Irvine and shot a glance at Quistis, who seemed about ready to scream bloody murder if Selphie kept nagging her.
- "You're just gonna be jealous…" Seifer replied to Irvine's previous question, arching both eyebrows playfully, getting up from his chair.
He walked towards the three girls and grinned as he saw Rinoa nudge Selphie to stop, whispering that he was coming. Seifer wrapped his arms around Quistis's waist who tensed up for a moment. He bent down the slightest bit and rested his chin on her shoulder.
- "Sorry to interrupt ladies…" he addressed Rinoa and Selphie "Would you happen to know where the glasses are?" he asked Quistis playfully. She chuckled; she had asked the exact same thing last night, before…
- "Up in this cupboard." she replied, pointing at it, without looking at him.
- "Do you mind getting me one?" he asked again "I want some juice…"
Quistis reached up for the cupboard and took out one glass, handing it to him. Seifer freed one hand and grabbed it.
- "Thanks." he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek and turned his heel.
Selphie and Rinoa grinned broadly at Quistis's sudden dreamy expression.
- "Well that says it all…" Rinoa said, giggling.
- "OK, fine… We're together now… Happy?" Quistis admitted.
- "Well we'd figured as much!" Selphie said exasperated "What we wanna know, is-"
- "Great. Let's just leave it at that then, shall we?" Quistis said and turned around, walking back towards the table.
As she made her way back to her seat, she passed by Seifer's chair, who grabbed her wrist and pulled her down, making her sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist again and looked around at everyone, arching an eyebrow.
- "Anyone got a problem with this?" he asked. Everyone shook their heads in negation "So we're done with the stupid questions and innuendo?" he asked again, turning to glare and Irvine and Selphie.
- "Where's your sense of humor?" Selphie asked, grinning "We were only joking…"
- "Am I laughing?" Seifer asked, turning dead serious.
- "Geez, imagine what he'd be like if he hadn't gotten any last night…" Irvine mumbled, just loud enough for Selphie to hear.
- "What was that?" Seifer asked.
- "I said it's alright. We'll cut it out." Irvine replied.
- "Thank you." Quistis finally spoke.
She rested her head against Seifer's shoulder, who placed a crooked finger under her chin and gave her a peck.
- "It's not like you'd miss a chance to rip on any of us…" Selphie mumbled. Seifer's head emerged the slightest bit from Quistis's neck.
- "I can actually be discreet, Messenger-Girl…" he said, smirking.
- "I'd like to see you being quiet after having heard about something like, say, Zell's love letter…" Irvine muttered.
- "HIS WHAAAT?!" Seifer asked, jaw dropping to the floor.
Zell's eyes widened 'Aw, shit…'
A/N: Some Seiftis fluff here and there :coos: and the occasional 'naughty' humorous remarks. Hopefully something that made you crack a grin or two till the next chapter –which actually contains plot- is ready in a few days.
ON THE NEXT CHAPTER OF 'A SECOND CHANCE':
The gang meet up with Laguna and make their plan to get back Ellone.