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Chapter 5 - Squall Talks to Quistis
By Kaerith
Author notes:
I don't own any of these characters. You can still send me money. Please? (j/k)
Send me an email if you liked/hated it. Just keep in mind that I am a person with feelings and pepper spray.
Back to Balamb
Chapter 5 - Squall Talks to Quistis
By Kaerith
QUISTIS:
I walked to the Quad, where I thought Squall would be. It was the least populated place and easiest to hide unnoticed in a corner. I peered into a shadow and saw him sitting on a bench, facing away from the path. I stepped towards him. "Hey, Quis."
"How did you know it was me?" I asked as I sat down beside him, facing the path.
"I can feel your mothering instincts ten feet away," he joked. "Actually, I knew you would be the one looking for me, since Zell was carrying Selphie's bag."
"Hard seeing him again, huh?" Squall sighed. "Yeah, harder than I thought it'd be." I sat silently, waiting for him to start talking.
He shifted a little. "Well, last time I saw him, he was the enemy. We had been trying to kill each other since Deling City. Almost succeeded a few times, too." I didn't know whether he meant him or Seifer succeeded, but it didn't really matter. I patiently waited for the real reason to come out. "I've cut down on using GFs," He began, "A lot of memories are coming back. The orphanage… Sis… you know." I nodded.
"We haven't always fought. Me and Seifer. We were friends for a while…" I didn't remember that, but I still had hung on to the most powerful GFs. I claim it is because I didn't want to entrust them to anyone else, SeeD or not, but it is really because I am lonely, even with Nida, and the most powerful GFs are the oldest and most intelligent. I can have actual conversations with them, unlike Ifirit or Shiva. Squall and Seifer being childhood friends doesn't surprise me.
I waited for him to go on, but he didn't. "What happened?"
Squall shook his head. "I don't know. I don't remember yet." He sighed again. We both sat for awhile; just sitting, not talking.
"He cares about you, you know?" I ventured after a long stretch of time. Squall turned his head in surprise. "He didn't want to come visit Garden while you are still getting over Rian. Didn't want to 'push you completely over the edge.' Seifer thought that you seeing him would make you even more depressed. He told me he was going to wait a few months before visiting, but then you and Zell came back in the room." I didn't know whether I should stop there or continue. I glanced sideways at Squall. He just looked thoughtful. Go for it, Quis, I told myself.
"You two are alike. Both of you are vulnerable, but hide it beneath facades. He with arrogance and bullying, you with your isolation and uncaring act. The similarities don't end there, though." Is he going to start defending? Are his shields going to snap right back into place?
I was surprised when Squall just laid his head on my shoulder. "I know we are," he said softly. "And thanks for caring, Quisty. You know… I do love you, you know." I wrapped an arm around him.
"I know," I whispered. "I love you, too."
ZELL:
"Wow, this is so big!" Selphie exclaimed, twirling in the middle of the room. She was talking about the size of the guest room she was staying in.
"Yeah," I said, "Quistis decided that the basement guest rooms could be made large with all the room down here." I went back over to the door. "I'll be right back. I'm just gonna show Seifer his room."
""Kay!" she trilled, retrieving her choco from her suitcase. She immediately started fussing over it.
"What's it with girls and small animals?" I asked Seifer when we were in the hallway. I figured he'd know, having dated more than I have.
"Mothering instincts?" he guessed. I shrugged, "Prob'ly." A couple doors down the hall, I stopped and unlocked a room.
"Here you go, " I handed him the card key for that room.
"Eight-bee-ess" he read the room number. "What does 'BS' stand for?"
"Basement. Room eight," I replied.
"I got the room number eight, Zell."
"Hey," I stopped Seifer, "Man, thanks for not calling me chicken-wuss."
A blander version of that old grin came over his face. "The visit's just beginning…" he threatened. I raised my fists. "Aw, just kidding. Y'know, I got a chance to do a lot of soul-searching during my exile, and I decided that you're a decent guy. I know that I'm going to need all the allies I can get in the next few years."
I was startled. Man, he's really changed if he can admit this stuff to me. "Thanks, man," I lightly punched his shoulder. "We're cool." He nodded, and smiled. Whoa! I'm not used to him smiling like this! All… nice and shit. "We're gonna meet in the cafeteria at six. Rest, wander, whatever you want to do, Kevin." I grinned back at him. "See ya!" I started running back down the hall to poke my head in Selphie's room to tell her the same thing.
SEIFER:
Kevin Trepe. Right. With the welcome, I had almost forgotten I was supposed to be incognito. I set my duffel down on the bed. Kinda sad that Zell is so surprised when I'm nice to him. Says a lot about who I was before Time Comp.