Author's note: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or its characters. This is for the 30 Kisses challenge using list iota. This is set after the game and is slightly AU. Theme 17: I Can't Say "I Love You".

Already Taken

Morning sickness was a pain in the ass. Quistis was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she was two months pregnant, and not being able to eat breakfast was not helping. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Her breakfasts had been reduced to tea, toast, and crackers, and she missed scrambled eggs. Unfortunately, they just made the nausea worse these days.

What Quistis really wanted was Seifer. This was partially his fault, and he should at least be here to hold her hair back while she threw up. But, no, Seifer was on a several month long undercover mission, and no nonessential communication with the team was allowed. And as much as she disagreed, personal messages between a couple did not count as essential communication.

No one knew she was pregnant except for Dr. Kadowaki, Edea, and Cid, and Quistis planned to keep it that way until she had a chance to talk to Seifer. She did not need the whole of Garden gossiping about her pregnancy before she had a chance to talk to the child's father about it. They had never discussed children, and while Quistis was terrified by the prospect of having a child, she was also thrilled by it. She hoped Seifer would feel the same.

"Instructor Trepe?"

Quistis paused and turned to face the young man. He was one of the SeeDs who had transferred from Trabia after the Sorceress War. "I'm not an Instructor any more. Quistis is just fine."

The man smiled at her, and she racked her brain to try and remember his name. He was a marksman, Trabian, dark hair, blue eyes. She should know his name.

"Do you have a minute, Quistis? There was something I wanted to ask you about."

What she really wanted was a nap and perhaps a bowl of mint ice cream with peanut butter. "Of course."

He took her hand and knelt before her. "Quistis Trepe, do me the great honor of being my wife."

He let go of her hand to produce a ring from his pocket. Quistis blinked, one hand coming up to cover her mouth, the other pressing against her still flat stomach. There were so many things wrong with this scenario that she didn't know where to begin. How the hell was she supposed to handle this? She couldn't even remember the man's name for Hyne's sake.

"I'm truly flattered," she began, "but I honestly can't accept."

"What do you mean?" His rose to his feet.

Quistis bit her lip, kissing her hopes of not making a scene goodbye. She didn't want to hurt this young man, but how could she honestly accept this proposal. If Seifer were here, he'd laugh, wrap his arms around her waist, and inform this fool she was taken. It would annoy her at the time, but it would be easier than this.

"I barely know you. I can't really commit to a lifetime partnership without at least some sort of friendship between us first." Quistis took a deep breath, her nausea was coming back. "I don't even know your name. Besides, I'm already in a relationship."

"But I adore you. We were made for each other!"

Quistis lost her battle with the morning sickness and threw up on his shoes. She hoped he got the point.