Miss Balamb Garden
Chapter Seven | Walking On Sunshine
Sand and Seifer weren't a match. He didn't like it, full stop. Which meant he was no fan of the beach. There was just so much sand. Sand on his clothes, in his hair, up his ass crack, somehow managing to cling to him all the way home no matter how many times he violently dusted himself off.
Then there was the ocean. Seifer personally did not see the appeal of submerging oneself in foul sea water that was likely filled with everyone's bowel contents and billions of whale sperm, evenly distributed. The way the waves foamed up also made him squeamish. Everyone knew foam was the scum of the ocean. All that lovely excrement skimmed to the shoreline just for you to dunk your head into for a refreshing swim.
No thanks.
His aversion to the sea was probably also a result of his lighthouse orphanage days. The beaches at Centra hadn't exactly been warm and inviting, and as kids they had never really gone in for a swim, just dipped their toes and mucked around in the wet sand with the waves lapping their feet.
But in true sunshine-pixie fashion, Selphie announced that they were due for a "day of fun in the sun" at the Balamb reserve. It was a popular scene for Garden students and Balamb residents alike, and even Seifer had to admit it wasn't a bad place to do the beach thing without really doing the beach thing. Balamb was much warmer than brittle Centra; there were no scummy waves slapping into your face at the reserve; the water was clear and pleasant with plenty of spots to swim, and even a bay where you could snorkel out to the deeper sea if you wanted to; and there was an established commercial building with restrooms, a few restaurants and a small grocery shop which you could safely take refuge in if the outdoors was really that bad.
Apparently it had been Irvine's suggestion for this beach excursion which soon spread far and wide to everyone in Garden. Something about "research" for the swimwear portion of the beauty pageant. He'd said this with the soberest, most well-meaning expression in the world and Selphie had exclaimed that it was a wonderful idea, all while Seifer sniggered to himself. Well-played, Kinneas. Well-played.
With the weather set to be exceptionally warm this weekend, and the end of exams for most students, Seifer knew there would be a crowd today.
Not entirely bad, I guess. Good for "research" purposes.
That morning he and his posse walked into the cafeteria for breakfast, Raijin proudly carrying his cabana over his shoulder, thrilled that he'd finally be able to use it. The delectable smell of hash browns and bacon sizzled in the air and Rinoa waved at them from their usual table, already sporting a large sunhat.
"Hey," Seifer glanced around at them all. Selphie waved back while Irvine rubbed sunscreen into her shoulders. What was it with people wearing more colour than usual on a beach day? Even Squall had ditched the black leather, wearing bright blue shorts under a white shirt.
"That looks good, ya know," Raijin said, eyeing the large plate of hash browns and sausages on the table.
Zell pushed it towards him, mouth full as expected. His sunglasses were propped up over his blonde spikes. "Help yourself! I got enough for the table."
As they started eating, Seifer noticed Quistis wasn't present. He furrowed his brow.
"Where's Trepe?" he asked the table at large.
"She's not coming today," answered Rinoa.
His frown deepened and he paused in the middle of eating his toast. "What? Why?"
"She's not feeling well."
"Really?" Seifer quickly scanned through his thoughts, mystified. They'd had a pageant session last night and she'd been perfectly healthy. In top condition and spirits. Well enough, at least, to drill several more facts into his head, inevitably causing him to doze off. Well enough to freaking pull his ear to wake him up. And certainly well enough to calmly tell him to hold still as she not-so-gently tore wax strips off his legs and arms, all while he bellowed and swore at the top of his lungs.
Seifer grimaced as he glanced down at his silky smooth legs. She enjoyed that. Nerghh.
This news brought an odd sense of emptiness in his stomach even as he chowed down more toast. Quistis wasn't coming? She wasn't well? All of sudden the (little) pleasure Seifer had had for this beach day diminished, as if someone had snuffed out a candle.
Breakfast was soon over and the colourful group began making their way to the front gate, Selphie and Rinoa leading the way. Seifer hung at the back in his own thoughts, and when Fujin cast him a questioning look he muttered, "Hey - I'll catch up with you guys," and turned back to make a beeline for the dormitory wing.
Seifer wasn't even aware of where his feet were taking him until he found himself standing outside of Quistis' door, pressing the buzzer impatiently.
What's taking her so long? Is she not in here? Or is she really that sick - ?
His questions were interrupted when the door finally slid open revealing the very object of his thoughts. Quistis had clearly just gotten up from lying down, clad still in a nightshirt and her hair kinked on one side. Her face was pale and drawn, her brows pulled together in surprise as she registered him standing there.
"Seifer?"
"Instructor - " Seifer was about to say something when he stopped, taking in her appearance. "Whoa, you do look like crap."
She blinked, then grimaced and said sarcastically, "Thanks."
"What's up?" he demanded. "You come down with something?"
Quistis crossed her arms. "I'm just not feeling well," she replied in a tone that suggested he drop the issue. Of course, Seifer did not.
"Cold? Flu? Stomach bug?" he persisted.
"...Not quite."
"Then what is it? Ah, I know." He snapped his fingers. "This is karma for ripping out my hair follicles last night."
Her mouth twitched. "Are you still crying about that?" she asked impishly.
Seifer waved his hand at her, refusing to be distracted. "So what's up with you?"
Quistis let out a breath, saying deliberately, "I just don't feel up for the beach today."
"Why not? Is it the sand? 'Cuz I freaking hate it too. Or the sea? Can you not swim? Or is it the Trepies, are you scared they'll be out there in full force - ?"
"No, Seifer." She sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. He had the odd sensation that perhaps he was annoying her. Nah. "It's that time of the month for me."
"What time of the - oh."
"Yes."
"That bad?"
"Sometimes. This time, yes."
"How the hell do you go on missions and fight normally then? Not like you can tell your genitals to hold off for a minute while you slay some Wendigos."
"It's not the genitals, you ignorant oaf, it's the uterus," snapped Quistis. "And I used to be on birth control which stopped it altogether, but I've read that it's not the greatest thing, and well… with things calmer now I thought it would be good to let my reproductive system run its cycle."
The words birth control and reproductive made Seifer wonder, for a fleeting second, if she was sexually active. Which was a terribly weird and absurd thing to consider. Icicle-Trepe, sexually active? Poor dude would probably get hypothermia.
But still he wondered, and found himself curious.
"Birth control because there might be a possibility you could give birth?" he asked slyly.
Quistis made a face and turned away from him. "Please, Seifer, I am not discussing this with you. Go along now and enjoy the beach. Make sure you don't get any strange tan lines."
"Are you telling me to go nude?" he asked roguishly.
"For goodness' sake - "
"You need to come with me, Trepe," Seifer spoke over her, surprising even himself.
Quistis blinked at him. "What?"
"You need to come with us. It's - uhh - a pageant-related event!" Shoot, he was stumbling over his words. "And you're my mentor. You have to be here to support your student. You can't abandon him in this hour of need."
She rolled her eyes, putting one hand on the door frame. "Please, I hardly count watching everyone clad in their swimwear as a pageant-related event. I think you'll manage that part just fine without me."
"Please, instructor," said Seifer solemnly. He also put one hand on the door frame, determined to leave it there to prevent her closing the door on him. "You need to come."
"Why?" she asked irritably.
Because -
I can't be there and you're not. You're one of the golden children.
I can't imagine you not being there.
I want you to be there.
"You shouldn't let this uterus thing stop you from having fun with your friends," he finally settled on.
Quistis gaped at him, and he rather thought he'd shocked her into silence with his wholesome response. Heck, he was surprised himself, but also grateful none of the other thoughts had come spilling out. He had to file those for later and sort through them. Damn things come outta nowhere.
"I'll carry your bag for you and get you a prime spot under Raijin's cabana," Seifer rushed on, taking advantage of her momentary speechlessness. "Guaranteed shade. All you gotta do is lie there. I'll kick anyone's ass who tries to disturb your peace."
Quistis was still gazing at him as if trying to figure something out. She looked quite perplexed. "...Oh, fine," she relented at last, unfolding her arms with a sigh. "I'll go get ready."
Seifer grinned jauntily at her, then another thought occurred to him. "Wait, can you even swim while you… you know?" He threw his arms out while making a whooshing sound.
She pulled a face. "Yes, there are ways around it."
"Geez, why does it have to be so hard? Bad enough there's a crap ton of blood comin' outta your hoo-ha, it doesn't need to hurt as well…"
"I'm closing the door now, Seifer. I'll be ready in twenty minutes."
It really was a picturesque day for the beach. Inviting hues of aqua reflected the brilliant and open sky above where the sun was a jewel, brilliant and bright. The air was warm and light, kissing the bare skin of beachgoers as they basked in the sunshine.
True to Seifer's predictions, there was a large turn out, but not so much that the reserve felt packed and crowded. Instead there was a lively and enthusiastic ambience; mostly Garden students clustered in groups, girls lounging on their towels closely together giggling, boys performing dives and bombing into the water, but also some young Balamb families with children armed with spades and buckets building castles by the shoreline and elderly couples stretched out on camp chairs under cabanas similar to Raijin's.
Seifer dumped his and Quistis' bags under Raijin's cabana and insisted she sit there. Raijin gladly welcomed her, much to her embarrassment and protests, and Seifer practically had to shove her down onto the chair Raijin had brought along all while Fujin watched the exchange with a suggestive smile.
Quistis wasn't alone for long, though. Within a few minutes Rinoa and Selphie came flouncing over, exclaiming over how cool the cabana was (Raijin was totally stoked) and also taking up residence in the shade. Fujin wanted to check out the rockpools, so Seifer and Raijin joined her. Raijin set up a fishing spot by the rocks while Seifer accompanied Fujin to look at the hermit crabs and starfish.
"ELUSIVE," remarked Fujin as Seifer replaced a shell back into the pool.
"Huh? Me?"
She nodded and Seifer scoffed, "Like you can talk. You and Raj have been MIA for the last few weeks. I feel like I can't even breathe in our room."
"FAIR. PROGRESS?"
Seifer shrugged a shoulder. "Eh, it is what it is."
"HAPPY," pointed out Fujin. She was watching him carefully.
"Well, your happiness means the world to me, Fu. You know that."
She rolled her eye. "NO. YOU. HAPPY."
"As in I'm happy?"
"WITH QUISTIS."
Seifer knew what she was implying and he didn't want to have a bar of it. But instead of opposing it head on, he decided to side-step her attention. "The thing with the instructor is, if you don't pretend you're happy or you're paying attention, she'll resort to violence," he said candidly.
She arched an eyebrow, "QUISTIS. SADIST?"
"You didn't hear it from me," Seifer said in a conspiratorial voice.
"UNBELIEVABLE," Fujin said in a tone that plainly stated she didn't believe him.
Seifer shrugged with a significant, knowing expression. "The girl uses a whip. Come on, Fu."
Fujin looked like she was contemplating this for a moment, before she looked at him directly and told him, "MASOCHIST."
Seifer didn't miss her meaning. If she was calling him a masochist and he thought Quistis was a sadist… He rolled his eyes and swatted the air at Fujin as she let out a sly snicker.
Fortunately they were interrupted by Raijin then, yelling for them to come see his enormous catch.
After slipping on some moss and landing on his ass, Seifer decided he had enough of the rock pools and returned to the cabana to find everyone there watching a heated game of Triple Triad between Quistis and Squall. Seifer watched with great interest too but to his disappointment didn't see his card in play. The pair of them drew after a tense fifteen minutes, upon which Zell proposed a game of beach football which was met with enthusiasm.
To Seifer's slight disappointment, Quistis opted out, but he supposed she really wasn't in the mood to be crash tackled into the sand. Instead she said she would referee the game. Fujin and Raijin were in, plus Nida and Xu and a few other SeeDs they knew, and the game was on.
The teams were pretty evenly matched; Zell and Raijin were brute strength on one side, but Squall and Nida were agile and accurate. Selphie was tiny and quick, and Irvine had a great long-distance throw, while both Rinoa and Fujin had no qualms tackling the boys head on and taking them down with underhanded methods like tickling and pinching. Xu barked out orders to her team in a very effective manner and Seifer pelted back and forth on the side, scoring touchdowns often.
There was a lot of bodies colliding into one another, slipping and sliding onto the sand, yelps as the ball was suddenly pelted into teammates at the last second, backsides slapped as they cheered a touchdown, playful ribbing and teasing the other team, and shrill blasts from Quistis' whistle as she told the girls to stop their illegal tactics (Seifer unfairly thought she allowed these to go on for far too long before telling them off).
Twenty minutes later, the girls all dropped out of the game to take a dip in the water, except for Rinoa who said she'd take over refereeing for Quistis.
Seifer had to admit, it was a nice day. It was refreshing to enjoy the outdoors with everyone, the worries of everyday militant life not resting on their backs, especially with all his current stress about the upcoming Timber mission, his hopeless squad and the pageant.
And as for the research… Seifer was keeping half an eye out for how the girls held themselves. It was interesting, particularly with everyone more scantily clad than usual in their swimwear, how much he could tell about someone's confidence. And it didn't always correlate to a particular body type, either.
"Got it!" Seifer yelled as Squall sent a particularly good kick from one end of the field towards him. He threw his arms out and caught the ball as it bounced into them.
"Lookin' good, Sefie!" wolf-whistled Irvine, and Seifer glanced up as well. Selphie was perched up on the rock in a diving position, attired in a tiny bikini the same shade as her sundress, and she struck a cheeky pose for Irvine before jumping smoothly into the water.
But then, just as he was about to look away, Seifer noticed the other figure rising up, and it was as if time suddenly slowed as he stared. Dimly, some part of him knew he sure as hell wasn't the only one looking.
Quistis had removed the dress she'd been wearing, revealing - his heart stuttered and stopped - a black one-piece swimsuit. It featured a criss-cross push up top with a hole above the belly button revealing the smooth, flat pane of her upper stomach. The swimsuit was not overtly provocative in any way; it certainly covered more than what most girls were wearing today, but Seifer's mouth went inexplicably hot and dry as his eyes swept over the swell of cleavage just visible above the neckline, the length of her strong, toned legs, and the wealth of creamy skin on display.
Whoa.
And that was the last barely-coherent thought Seifer had before something akin to a semi trailer truck came plummeting into him and he was knocked right over. Face, meet sand. Sand, meet face.
"Got him!" whooped Zell's voice from somewhere above him, mingled with the laughter and cheers of the others. Seifer kicked himself back up, swearing and shaking sand out of his eyes and hair. He moodily passed on the ball and continued to play, but couldn't help darting his eyes back over to Quistis again. He couldn't see her anymore so she had to be in the water.
With a forceful exhale he started jogging back down the field - only to catch Rinoa's eye as she sat there in the cabana. Her cheeks were uplifted in a superior smile.
"What?" Seifer grunted out warily.
"Oh, nothing, nothing," she winked, tilting her head back towards where all the action was. "Best keep your eyes on the ball, hey?"
Seifer was about to eke out an exasperated, "Whatever," when he realised that was Squall's motto, and chose instead to ignore her. And to shake off that image of Quistis from his mind.
Meanwhile, as Quistis and Selphie waded in the pleasantly cool water, the instructor found herself glad that she'd come out today after all. The pain always seemed less sharp and engulfing when out with friends in the sunshine. Seifer had been right about her needing a distraction. She was surprised at how much he'd been right about lately. She supposed he'd never lacked brains and discernment. Actually, that was part of the problem when he'd been her student; he'd been very clever, too clever, but without any restraint. Always questioning authority. He would have a fair point too, but he just couldn't execute it in a controlled and rational way. Too fiery. Too consumed by his own bigness.
Quistis found herself glancing over to the game where Seifer was tearing up the field and landing a successful goal, throwing the ball onto the ground with an obnoxious roar and doing that man-thing with Irvine where they both jumped up and smacked each other with their stomachs.
As if she could hear Quistis' thoughts, Selphie spoke. "Hey, Quisty, I'm glad you came out today. I really didn't think you were gonna make it."
The blonde thought back to this morning, to her surprise at seeing Seifer standing there in her doorway. Quistis let out a little chuckle, doing a few leisurely strokes with her arms in the water.
"Seifer wouldn't take no for an answer." "Seifer?" Selphie raised her eyebrows, her green eyes twinkling. "So that's where he went this morning. You guys sure are spending a lot of time together, hey?"
"Well, yes. I'm his pageant mentor."
"Right, right," smirked Selphie. She pulled herself out of the water to sit on the rock, shielding her eyes and leaning back to get a good view of the game. "Gosh, he is a total hunk, though, isn't he?
"What?" asked Quistis warily.
"Quisty, just look at him," Selphie said emphatically. "He looks like he's carved from marble. Look at those shoulders. Those abs. Those pecs! You could probably eat a meal off his stomach."
Quistis frowned reprovingly. "He's not a piece of meat, Selphie."
"Hey, I'm just admirin' Hyne's good creation. Plus, don't tell me you haven't thought it. All those private sneaky-peek sessions you've gotten for yourself," she said slyly, "the waxing, the dressing, the undressing..."
Quistis went hot, wincing at both the thought and how she was reacting to it. "Oh, gosh, Selphie, it's not like that!" she protested.
"Quisty, you're totally blushing. Do you like him?"
"What? I am not."
"Why don't you like him?" Selphie demanded.
"I don't not like him…" mumbled Quistis, then in a bid to have a comeback: "Do you like him?"
Selphie wasn't perturbed. "You know I like everyone, Quisty," she said comfortably.
"Even after what happened?" asked Quistis, looking at the petite sprightly girl carefully. Selphie sobered for a moment, considering this.
"He apologised," she said simply.
"He what?" Quistis was taken back. "When?" Apology was not a word she thought existed in Seifer Almasy's vocabulary.
"Hmm… maybe a few months after he came back?" mused Selphie, kicking her legs back and forth, causing ripples in the aqua water. "It was right before he made SeeD. You know, when you were helping him with that. Heeey, I sense a theme here of you being his mentor. I think that's sweet. No wonder he's in love with you."
"Stop trying to stir a non-existent pot, Selphie. Tell me what he said to you!"
"I was so taken-aback. He said something about since we had to sit at the same table at the cafeteria now, he owed me a sorry about my home." Selphie paused, then continued, "You know what really got to me? The fact that he knew it meant so much to me. I didn't expect him to realise. You know… he always seems to just be thinking about himself. So that was a surprise."
This was a spot-on assessment of what Quistis had once thought about Seifer, so she nodded in understanding.
"He also said that we used to always be the leader on opposite sides of war when we were kids, and he was glad we weren't anymore," said Selphie with a reminiscent smile. "I didn't remember that until he said so."
Quistis listened to this with a sense of awe. As well as an inkling of pride. "Wow," she commented at last. "That's… so different."
Selphie nodded vigorously, "I know. And I don't think this pot I'm stirring is non-existent. I just think you don't realise yet, Quisty. Just like you haven't realised how he keeps looking over this way at you."
Quistis blinked. He's… looking at me? Instinctively she looked over at the game, but couldn't make out much except for a flurry of bodies running. She felt rather warm in the face, but the feeling wasn't unpleasant. It was… flattering. Perhaps more than just flattering.
"Anyways, you guys totally have my blessing if you want to mate and date!" cheered Selphie, winking hugely at her. Quistis cringed, casting an alarmed look around her although there was no one close enough to overhear them.
"Oh, heavens, Selphie."
"He's changed a lot, Quisty," the brunette said earnestly, "and I think he totally has the hots for you."
There was no point arguing with Selphie when she took a whim to her head, so Quistis contented herself with a shake of her head.
Thankfully Selphie didn't raise the matter again, although she sometimes wiggled her eyebrows suggestively when the others finished their game and joined the girls in the water, Seifer among them. Quistis made a point to ignore her.
The rest of the afternoon was golden and spirited. There was an underwater breathholding contest for which Squall claimed victory (they were all very competitive about this), Selphie and Rinoa coerced Quistis into doing some synchronised swimming with them, and finally back on the sand they played a few childhood games from the orphanage days: relays, the eagle and the hen, octopus and limbo.
Seifer sat under Raijin's cabana after being eliminated, watching as Selphie, of course, bent herself to an extraordinary angle and shimmied herself under the pole that Quistis and Zell were holding up.
Chuckling, Irvine walked up to the cabana to grab a drink. He passed a can to Seifer, almost absently. That was very like Irvine - he was always offering something like it was second nature. Must've been the southern Galbadian in him. "That's my girl," he chuckled affectionately, looking over back to the limbo competition as Selphie jumped up and down cheering.
Seifer smirked, also watching the scene before them as he cracked open his can. "Nice research trip, Kinneas."
Irvine looked over at him and winked, holding his can up in a cheers. "Good to get everyone out. It's been ages since we've all been together like this." His drawl softened and his next words were barely audible over the sound of people laughing and the splash of the water. "Just like the good old days, eh?"
Seifer glanced at him as Irvine whistled then, catching the gang's attention and suggesting they take a photo together, and in that moment he realised perhaps this really hadn't been about pageant research.
Perhaps he was not the only one who remembered their childhood so clearly. Seifer suddenly felt much fonder of his dance partner, more than he'd ever care to admit aloud.
There was pushing and domino-falling as the seven of them crowded into frame, Selphie holding out the camera to take several selfie snaps of them. Rinoa wrapped her arms around Squall and rested her head on top of his with her fetching grin; Squall cracked a rare barely-there smile; Zell threw up the victory sign; Irvine kissed Selphie's cheek; Selphie beamed so hard her eyes became moons; Quistis was laughing; Seifer kept a deadpan look but couldn't help smiling in the last few shots.
SNAP.
And there they were, the liberi fatali captured at the beach, sunburn and all.
It was five minutes until eight o'clock as Quistis scanned her room with alert eyes, checking that she hadn't left anything vital lying around. It was a pointless venture, really; she'd triple checked already and her room was always tidy. "A place for everything, everything in its place" was how Quistis liked to live her life, and she was pedantic about putting items away as soon as she was done with them. Clear space, clear mind, maximum productivity.
Quistis wasn't used to sharing her space with anyone. She remembered when she'd been a cadet and had had a messy and social roommate. It had taken every ounce of her willpower not to draw a physical line down the middle of the room to indicate where her domain started and stopped. Then she'd become older and they'd gotten their own bedrooms with a shared common area, and not too long after that she'd made SeeD and was allocated her very own dormitory.
By then she was surrounded by people who were several years older than her and often gone for months at a time on missions. The SeeD wing was a very quiet and randomly habited area, so different from the cadet dorms where students were always visiting one another and boys and girls were sneaking into each other's dorms.
Quistis wasn't so sure what she preferred. The silence and solitude she welcomed, but it had also been nice to feel somewhat part of the social energy as she sat in her own dorm. The thump of music next door and the laughter of people her own age was a soothing accompaniment to her lonesome studies.
Now as an instructor, she supposed she had the best of both worlds. Instructors were always around but no one was ever partying. Silent company.
Quistis wasn't accustomed to having a regular visitor, especially not one like Seifer Almasy. She'd been especially careful the first time to make sure everything was orderly and filed away before he arrived. She knew his eyes, always sharp and keen for anything amiss, would find an object and badger her about it until he got the reaction he was looking for, like an excited dog shaking the life out of a rabbit.
Still, it wasn't a terrible thing, coming to expect someone regularly. It certainly felt less lonely.
There was a knock on the door to signify his arrival, and after casting one last glance around her impeccably tidy room, Quistis got up to answer it. Seifer stood there when the door slid open, dressed in a grey shirt and black pants. Her eyes lingered on his chest longer than she cared to admit, remembering Selphie's unhelpful comments about his abs and shoulders which were easily discernible underneath his tight shirt.
Oh no. Stop thinking.
His hair was damp and she could smell body wash, indicating he'd just showered. Quistis grew even warmer at the thought of his bare body underneath a stream of steamy water -
Seifer didn't appear to know where her mind was at (thank goodness) and held out a tupperware box to her in greeting. "Here."
Quistis blinked, chastising herself mentally. "What is it?" she asked in a considerably even voice, taking the box from him.
"Coconut slice," he answered as he strode in and hit the panel for her to close the door. "For the bet I lost."
"Oh." Quistis pulled open the lid and peeked in, an odd feeling stealing over her. It was a moment before she realised she was touched by this gesture. No one had ever baked for her before. "Thank you."
Seifer lifted and lowered a shoulder, dropping into his place on her couch. "I keep my word."
She broke off a small piece and sampled it. The slice melted in her mouth, sugary and subtle and crumbly, and she hummed aloud in such an enthusiastic way that his mouth quirked at the corner.
"It's really good," said Quistis earnestly, taking another piece. "Wow. You weren't just tooting your own horn. I wish I could bake like this."
Seifer smirked, lacing his fingers behind his head and leaning back casually. "You're welcome, Trepe. I can teach you."
She looked over at him dubiously, having not expected that. "You will?"
"Sure. Why not? There's a communal kitchen open to students all the time. That's where I made this. We'll start with something easy. Like cookies. You can't screw up cookies."
Once upon a time, the thought of baking cookies with Seifer Almasy would've made her balk. Or seriously suspect that he wanted to poison her. Now… it was a pleasant possibility. Something she actually looked forward to.
Better not let Selphie catch wind of it, though. She'll probably start writing poems about it and posting it on Garden Square. 'Seifer and Quistis, baking cookies with tea. K - I - S - S - I - N - G.'
…We really can't let Selphie know, Quistis thought grimly.
But really, what was so special about doing something with a friend? Was Seifer even her friend? She wouldn't think twice about playing Triple Triad with Squall or getting a drink with Irvine or even visiting Zell's Ma with him in Balamb to say hello.
Baking with Seifer surely belonged in the same, innocent, purely-platonic-non-sexual category. Never mind how she was starting to get strange flutters in his presence and his eyes simultaneously unnerved and excited her and she was thinking a little bit too much about his broad shoulders and his face above hers as they danced -
Seifer cocked his head to the side, frowning slightly as he regarded her. "So… I'm happy for you to keep appreciating me all in my blooming glory, instructor," he said slowly, "but I thought you liked to be on schedule."
Quistis flushed, turning to the side quickly and hurrying to the kitchen to set the box of coconut slice down.
"Yes. Yes. Of course, let's start."
Seifer relaxed his head back down and closed his eyes. "Hooray. I'm ready to be hitherto dazzled by more negotiation points between the Shumi and Cid. How the hell does a Garden that's only twenty years old have so much mundane history to it?"
"I think we're good with the history," replied Quistis. "I think I - uh - may have overdone it a bit." At Seifer's outraged look, she hurried to say, "But you're more than well-prepared for any question the judges might hit you about that, and I doubt they expect you to answer well. So you'll definitely impress them on that front."
He exhaled heavily. "Geez, you kill me, instructor. So what are we doing today?"
Quistis hesitated. "There's - um - something else we need to figure out. But - but I think we should go to my room for this part. We'll need a full length mirror."
Seifer's eyes flew open and he thought his pulse might have halted for a second. "Your… your room?" he repeated.
Quistis looked back at him, expression neutral. "Yes."
Why the heck do we need to go into her room? He stood up and stretched, putting on a show of nonchalance. "Lead the way."
Seifer tried not to betray too much curiosity as he entered her bedroom after her. And when she flicked on the lamp, there really wasn't too much to see. Most of her possessions were out in the living area. Clearly Quistis was one of those people who kept her bedroom just for sleep.
What did catch Seifer's attention was her king-sized bed, perfectly made up with three plush pillows and a stone-coloured bedspread. He gazed at it as she busied herself in the closet, scoffing that someone who slept alone shouldn't need such a giant bed, and then suddenly wondering if sometimes maybe Quistis did have a night time companion…
Quistis emerged from her closet and turned back around to look at him. Seifer's eyes darted to her, schooling his expression to something more cavalier, trying to erase mental images that had flooded his mind.
"Hey, look," he said by way of filling the silence. A smirk flitted across his face as he gestured. "It's your bed."
She raised an eyebrow. "Yes."
"Nice." And without further ado Seifer pitched himself forward and lay on top of it, spreading his arms out wide luxuriously. It felt just as comfortable as it looked.
"Seifer!" exclaimed Quistis in consternation.
"What? I'm clean." He rolled around, knowing he was messing up her spotless bed, sighing with relish. "Ahhhh, smells good. I could just fall asleep here."
"Ugh, get up!" she huffed, grabbing his arm and attempting to tug him back up. Seifer snickered, deliberately making his weight leaden and dead. She had no chance of pulling him anywhere.
"I think I'm good right here, instructor."
"Come on, Seifer - '' Quistis was now grabbing him with both hands, fruitlessly trying to tug him back. He allowed her to drag him up halfway before he gave a sudden pull, causing her to yelp and fall forwards on top of him.
Seifer grinned right into her flustered face, holding her by her arms in place over him. She was annoyed, her brows pinched together as she shook her golden hair out of her eyes. "For goodness' sake, Seifer," she complained and he had to chuckle.
Then as she watched him laugh, something - something like fondness and endearment - softened her gaze. And Seifer wasn't laughing anymore. He was suddenly, intensely aware that their faces were only inches apart, that her lips were full and plump and inviting, and that she was pressed right on top of him. His senses were filled with her smell - jasmine and fresh apples - and she was looking at him again with those eyes, those unveiled, open eyes as if she was looking at him, not through him.
Seifer gulped, unprepared for the lurch his heart gave. He sat back up quickly, bracing her against him so that she didn't topple off by his sudden movement. Quistis was startled but jumped off him, brushing herself down while giving him an incredulous look.
"Alright, alright, here I'm sitting up," Seifer announced, attempting to sound breezy. "Good enough?" He cleared his throat, casting his eyes around quickly for a change of subject which he found in the form of the emerald dress she'd just brought out. "So what are we doing? Are we trying on the dress again?"
Quistis still appeared ruffled, but chose to follow his head. "Yes, we will," she said. "But first, Zell saw this idea online and he told me about it, and I want to try it out."
He was curious. "What is it?"
She looked a bit embarrassed as she answered delicately, "It's for your chest."
"My chest?" frowned Seifer, then he realised. "Oh… as in… the lady bubbles?"
Quistis was definitely blushing now. "Yes. Um, let me show you…" And she disappeared into the bathroom only to emerge a few seconds later holding what looked like two sizable balloons in either hand.
Seifer gawked, firmly planted on the bed. "Oh dear Hyne. Are those water balloons?"
"Yes."
"And… stockings?"
"Yes."
"And I wear that… around my neck?"
"Yes. Here…" Quistis walked up to him and he was clouded by her scent again, making him grit his teeth (get a grip on yourself, you idiot). She gently placed the stockings around the back of his neck and lay the balloons against his chest.
Seifer stared at himself in the mirror. It was him, now with two bright water balloons on his chest. "I look like a freak," he deadpanned.
"Well, it doesn't make sense now. You'll put this dress over you and see how it looks. Um, you…" Quistis reddened again, mumbling, "You'll need to take off your shirt."
It was amazing how her embarrassment (which he found endearing) sparked a playful life in him, making him want to tease her, but as soon as she caught him unaware with one of her mushy words or deep looks, he was like a puppy with its tail between its legs. Strange dynamic.
"You want me to take my pants off too?" he said devilishly.
She rolled her eyes. "Actually yes." That wiped the smile off his face and he looked at her strangely. "It'll get in the way of the dress," she explained. "That way we can see how it actually looks on you. I'll turn around."
Quistis kept her back to him patiently while Seifer got changed, but he still felt his heart beat erratically as he removed his shirt and pants as quickly as he could. This was totally scandalous. Standing there in his boxers, Seifer felt a prick of dread as he stared at the water balloons and dress.
"Uh. Trepe?"
"You're done already?"
"No. You're gonna have to turn around. I'm gonna need help."
"...Are you wearing pants?"
He cringed. "It's like I'm wearing shorts. I dunno what everyone makes such a fuss about," he suddenly ranted, "just 'cos they're considered underwear…"
Quistis turned back around slowly, her eyes squinted as though shielding herself from an unholy sight. But without too much awkwardness she put the water balloons in place and then helped Seifer into the neck of the dress, pulling it down over his body. He felt ridiculous and stood there stiffly in front of the mirror when the dress was on him and Quists was done adjusting it.
Holy hell. I have boobs. Boobs. BOOBS. He jiggled them a few times and was impressed by their bounciness. Not bad. This was Chicken-wuss' idea? What the heck is he watching?
Quistis' head was tilted to the side as she appraised him. He recoiled when she unexpectedly shoved a hand down the front of his dress. "Oi!" he protested hotly, swatting her way.
She stared at him, alarmed and irritated, "What?"
"You can't just do that!"
Quistis flushed, "Oh please, I'm helping you adjust them. I'm not feeling you up like Irvine might do. They're not even real."
"That is so insensitive, instructor," said Seifer, feigning offence. "'They're not even real'. Hyne, is this how violating it feels? No wonder you girls are shouting harassment all the time. And I'm telling Cowboy what you said."
"You do that and I'll…" she muttered, trailing off ominously as she stuck her hand back into his chest and moved the balloons against him. The uncharacteristic threat made Seifer raise his eyebrows. Quistis just kept on surprising him.
After a moment she stood back and looked at him again. "Hm. Not bad. I suppose it'll look better once you put on a bra. Swing that way. Now go that way. Yes, they do need more padding, but they look quite realistic!"
Seifer couldn't stop a small smile from taking root on his face. Quistis Trepe excited about fake breasts, who would've thought. It was cute.
"This is so surreal," he remarked in a low voice, pressing his hands against his 'bust'. To be fair it still did look a bit ridiculous in the mirror, his wide, clearly masculine frame squeezed into a green gown with two melons poking out of his chest, but Seifer thought he kinda looked like one of those strong athletic women. That was trendy now, wasn't it? He continued to push his balloons and massage them, enjoying their novelty as Quistis rummaged in her wardrobe again.
"Here, put this on," she said when she emerged again.
Seifer looked at what she was holding and lost his breath momentarily.
The moment had arrived. The bra. It was a plain black one. Kinda silky. And Seifer was no expert, but it looked expensive.
"Uhh…" he said, dumbfounded.
"Oh, right. You don't know how." Quistis shifted awkwardly, "Um… I'll help you." She lay the bra on his lap while he sat down on the bed and she helped pull the dress off him down to his waist. A part of his mind noted how oddly intimate this was, but for the most part he was too busy studying the bra that was on his lap.
Quistis was talking him through how to clasp it together at the front and twist it around so that the cups were now on his chest, and was helping him fill it carefully with the balloons when he had a sudden thought.
"Wait. Is this yours?" Seifer asked in a hushed voice.
She went red for the umpteenth time that evening, hands shaking a little as she continued her ministrations, and his mind exploded. I'm wearing… Quistis Trepe's bra. Her bra. That means this fits her. That means this is the same size as her…
Holy crap.
Think wholesome thoughts, Almasy.
"Please take care of it," said Quistis stiffly, now pulling the dress back over his shoulders into place.
He had no smartass comeback for that. "I - uh - I will." Crap. Did he just stutter? What was wrong with him?
With the bra now on - Quistis' bra - Seifer had to admit he looked pretty good. Quistis was pleased with the effect too, and asked him to stand still for a moment while she pinned in the dress. Maria had made it a tad too loose in the bust region (obviously as she hadn't anticipated how large that area would be) and Quistis said she was going to take it in for him.
"This is insane," remarked Seifer, pressing and prodding the balloons through the material of the dress and the bra. "Men are gonna have trust issues after seeing this."
"Stop squeezing your boobs!" she ordered him.
"Oh my gosh, Instructor Trepe, did you just say the B-word?" said Seifer with mirth, giving one of his assets - the right one - an extra hearty squeeze.
"Will you stop joking around," she said irritably through a mouthful of pins, "I need to pin this properly - "
She gasped and Seifer yelped when the balloon burst in his grip, leaving one large wet patch and a very deflated right side of his dress.
He looked warily at Quistis who had received some of the damage, her glasses lenses sprinkled with water, and to his surprise she started to laugh. Seifer automatically grinned in response to this, once again unprepared for the strange jolt in his nether regions.
"We should probably fill them with something more viscous with water. I'll do some more research," said Quistis candidly, smiling up at him. Seifer didn't trust himself to say anything without giving himself away, so he just nodded and stayed silent as she helped him out of the dress and the single balloon.
Later, Quistis raised the issue of his swimsuit which they had not yet decided on, standing with her back to him as he got dressed again in his shirt and pants.
"The one you wore the other day was nice," said Seifer without thinking, tapping her on the shoulder so that she knew he was decent and could turn back around.
Ah, shoot, he told himself furiously. Will you shut your mouth?
"Oh." Quistis' eyes dropped down bashfully. "You liked it?"
Seifer paused, then decided to just go for it honestly. "Yeah." Then he had to back pedal a bit. "I guess. It wasn't bad."
"It was a research trip so you would've seen plenty of other swimsuits. Did you… like them too?"
The way her tone was, deliberately casual, and the way she worded her question, made Seifer gaze up and directly meet her eyes, making sure she saw him.
"I liked yours the best," he told her in a low voice.
She bit her lip, seemingly pleased by this reply, and Seifer allowed a smirk to settle across his face.
"Maybe we can get one similar to it, then," said Quistis, and damn maybe he was delusional but was that a hint of a coy smile on her lips?
This girl was driving him nuts.
It was getting late now and Seifer thought they had made plenty of progress on dresses and boobs. Before he left, Quistis picked up something from her desk and handed it to him.
"By the way, Irvine told me to pass this onto you."
It was a photo of them at the beach. Seifer looked at it intently, studying their faces. To his disappointment Irvine had printed one of him actually smiling instead of one of his stellar serious faces. Actually they were all smiling in some sort of way. Like a freakin' Brady Bunch.
"Ugh, this is lame," he scoffed.
Quistis frowned. "I think it's cute. You are going to keep it, aren't you?" she added, looking at him beadily. "Not throw it into the trash or something."
"Since he went to the trouble of getting it printed, I guess I'll take it." Seifer shoved it into his pocket, adding carelessly, "Will make a good coaster."
Quistis looked scandalised and he chortled.
But later that night, when he was about to hit the pillow after another long, cold shower and he had shaken off the several strange thoughts and feelings that had taken place in Quistis' dorm, Seifer's eyes fell on the photo sitting on his desk. He got back up and looked at it again. An unconscious smile formed as he spotted himself in the bottom corner next to Quistis, their heads tilted towards each other as they laughed.
Seifer had an odd feeling that there was a photo of them all like this from years ago at the orphanage. Maybe that was why Irvine had made them take this.
Making a mental note to ask Matron the next day, Seifer picked up the picture and pinned it to his corkboard next to one of him and his posse.
