Uncertain Memory: With You
Part Four - The next morning… again. (still spring 1998)
DISCLAIMER: Okay I want to say this now and get it over with. I got the story structure for this story from a book called Magic’s Pawn by Mercedes Lackey. She is my goddess author and I love her to death. While I was reading it one night, I got the idea for a prequel to the game and decided to write it because I wanted to give props to my fav author. There were 4 specific scenes that I needed from the book to make this story work.
The scenes are:
1. Savil teaching Tylendel about shielding and their conversation before he leaves.
2. Vanyel overhearing about Tylendel (if you read it you know what I’m talking about).
3. Vanyel seeing Tylendel read a book through the window.
4. Tylendel comforting Vanyel after his nightmare.
I’m really REALLY nervous about posting this because I don’t want flames about me ‘stealing’ Misty’s work. It’s hers, not mine! NEVER MINE! I just own the books and read them over and over cause I love them so much. I’m only doing this because they gave me an idea. All of the aforementioned scenes are hers that I have changed to fit the FF8 world, the rest is my own crappy writing ^_^ I hope you enjoy it all the same because it’s a fic, and I don’t get paid for this anyway. ^_~
Uncertain Memory: With You
Part Four - The next morning… again. (still spring 1998)
Quistis’s head bopped to a song that ran through her mind as her feet strolled through the halls of the dormitory. She stopped at one of the corners when she heard a door open around the corner. She peeked around to see a sleep rumpled Seifer exiting the door. Quistis frowned when she saw that he hadn’t left his room, but the room adjacent to his. When Seifer took a breath and leaned on his door she took the moment to advance on him. She grabbed his sides and barked, “RAURF!!”
Seifer jumped about six feet and put his hand to his chest as he turned to her. “Damnit Quisty! Don’t scare me like that!” He growled and punched in the code to his room, holding the door for her. She strolled in and leaned on the door adjoining his and Squall’s rooms as he stepped away from the front door as it closed with a ‘whoosh’ sound.
“So.”
“So… what?” he asked with a shrug.
“What’s with leaving his room?” Quistis jerked a thumb at the door behind her. Jade green eyes darted around the room as he tried to search for an answer. Quistis put a hand to her forehead and muttered, “Why? Why do I even strive to be a teacher?”
“You love children?”
“Not grown ones,” she narrowed her eyes at him and smirked. “So, was it good?”
“What makes you think we did anything?” Seifer pulled his vest off and stared at her.
“You are just seething sex.” Quistis grinned.
“I am not!” He threw his vest down and glared at her.
“You’re glowing,” she said and started to giggle.
“I don’t need to hear this!” Seifer kicked his vest into the corner and frowned.
“This is quite shocking. One minute you two are rivals, and the next you’re lovers?” Quistis shook her head. “I’m quite confused,” she mused aloud as a knock resounded from the door Quistis was leaning on.
She blinked and turned around to look at the door. For a moment she was shocked to hear any noise come from the other side, but then again… She smirked and unlocked the door. A confused Squall stood on the other side when she opened it.
He blinked at Quistis and then glanced at Seifer. The blonde boy waved him over and Quistis stepped aside. Squall hesitated for a moment, but finally crossed the bridge when Seifer sat on his bed and patted his lap softly. The brunette sat on his knees as strong arms wrapped around him. He looked a bit nervous of the blonde girl.
Quistis stared as the boy relaxed and smiled back at the blonde. She’d never seen them act that way towards each other, let alone at all. It was quite a shock. She coughed conspicuously which startled them. A blush painted Squall’s cheeks and Quistis had to bite her lip to keep from giggling.
“Squall, you remember Quistis,” Seifer gestured to the teacher as Squall sank to the floor to lean against the bed.
“Yeah, I never really talk to you though.” The brunette stared up at her. “Thanks for trying to help me get Griever back.”
Quistis smiled and sighed when Seifer shook his head at the brunette. “No, he means do you remember me from the orphanage?” The blonde girl looked down at Squall, who gazed at her in confusion.
Squall stared at the floor with a frown while he picked his brain for the moment. Quistis also took a minute to try to remember the brunette. “The bossy girl?” he asked and Seifer grinned.
“Excuse me? Bossy girl!?” Quistis smacked Seifer’s skull as the two boys laughed.
“Well you were!” Seifer retorted.
“And Zell was a loudmouth,” Squall supplied. “Now I know why I tend to avoid him.”
The two blondes laughed. “You do remember!” Quistis replied to the brunette with a smile. “But I just have one simple question. Why now, are you two together? Did I miss something?”
“We both missed a lot.” Seifer entwined his fingers with Squall’s. “We let Squall forget who we were and why we were sent here.”
“I didn’t mean to forget,” the brunette told them. “When I came here all the kids made fun of me. I didn’t like remembering that…” he trailed off.
“And we never stood up for you either. Then when I got older I became a bully,” Seifer replied.
“And Squall grew handsome so the girls liked him.”
“And me of course.” Seifer grinned.
Squall grunted in agreement.
“So what happened?” Quistis asked again curiously.
The brunette’s head fell. “I didn’t want to be alone. The GF’s they helped me to forget. But when I tried to use Griever… It couldn’t help me forget.”
Seifer rubbed the brunette’s neck affectionately before looking up at the other occupant of the room. “Quisty,” he started and the blonde girl put a hand up.
“Seifer, I won’t tell anyone.” She smiled knowing that he wanted to get down to business. “But you know, unless you act like you did before toward each other, people will start to talk.”
“I’d been thinking about that too,” Squall murmured and moved to sit on the floor.
“Maybe you should train together, only make it look like you’re fighting.” Quistis bit her lip in thought. “You don’t have to stay enemies, maybe slowly work up to being friends.”
“We could always have someone pretend to have a thing with us,” Seifer mused aloud.
“I can do that.” Quistis smiled. “But you’re too obvious Seifer. I spend all my time with you and everyone knows we’re too close to date.”
“They talk about that,” the brunette put in. Quistis gave him and odd look and he continued. “They kinda know about his preferences. Well, actually they’ve been guessing because he’s never dated anyone. Not even you.”
“That is a little problem.” The girl bit her lip and pondered the situation. Why couldn’t both of the boys have admirers? “How about you hook up with someone on your next training session? I’ve been ordered to take a group to Timber and you’re in the group Seifer.”
His forehead furrowed in a thoughtful frown. “You mean a long distance relationship? Like a lingering reminder in the background for everyone so they don’t talk, right?”
Quistis nodded. “And I’ll be Squall’s admirer.” She looked to Squall. “I mean, if you’re comfortable with that.”
“I’m not a great actor but I think I can swing it.” The brunette nodded to himself. “Should I flirt with you?”
Quistis shook her head. “Nah, you should be the strong silent type. Like the quiet lion everyone sees you as.”
“I love façades.” Seifer lay back on the bed.
“No façade in here though, right?” Squall turned around and Seifer sat up.
The blonde gave the boy on the floor a gentle smile and stroked the porcelain cheek with a calloused thumb.“Of course not.” Squall closed his eyes and leaned into the caress. “Now, while you’re down there…” Seifer laughed as the brunette hit his blonde head and smirked.
“You pull your pants down and I bite,” Squall muttered.
“Hey we all know you’ll be ‘Headmaster’ someday!” Seifer dodged another punch before Squall jumped on him and they began to wrestle on the bed.
Quistis watched the two with a wistful feeling. She was happy that both of them had finally admitted their feelings but she wondered if it would last.
“Why do you have to make fun of me?” Squall was now sitting on Seifer’s chest, looking down at the laying blonde.
“I only tease people I really care about.” The blonde replied. “I mean, ask Quisty.”
“Trust me.” She winked. He did tease the ones he cared about. Maybe this would last longer than expected.
“Why do it?” Squall asked.
“Cause I know you could play along if you wanted—and that you can take it. I know you.” Seifer grinned.
“You don’t really hate Zell do you?” The brunette played with the piece of Seifer’s blonde hair that wouldn’t cooperate with the rest.
“He’s one of the orphanage gang. How could I hate him?” Seifer smiled. “Besides, he’s a big boy, he can handle a holy terror on his ass.”
“You stay away from his ass.” Squall mumbled.
“Oh, but I can’t guarantee I’ll stay away from yours.”
“I don’t mind that.”
“Excuse me?” Quistis waved a hand knowing they’d forgotten about her again. She rolled her eyes as they blushed again. She stood and leaned over them. “Back to my first question.” She coughed and smiled politely. “Was it good?”
“You better believe it!”
“Squall!”
“What? It’s the truth.”
“You give me too much credit.”
“I give up.”
“Where are you going?”
“To puke. You two are driving me insane. All lovey dovey.”
“You’re just jealous.”
“Whatever.”
“Hey! That’s my patented line!”
“Hyne, help me.”
“Hyne, I can’t believe him. Doesn’t he ever get tired of that?”
“Huh?” Squall looked up from his lunch at Zell, who stood next to his table. He followed Zell’s gaze to see Seifer harassing yet another cadet. As Cid entered he and the other two members of the DC became pally with the young cadet. The blonde waved at Cid politely when he greeted them. When Cid crossed Squall’s vision, Seifer’s eyes lingered on him for a moment, and waved a moment longer with a real smile. His mask then slid back into place and he began to poke the poor cadet.
“I don’t know how anyone could say he’s a fag. He’s too damn macho to be gay.” Zell muttered and sat across from Squall. The brunette raised an eyebrow, knowing for sure that he hadn’t invited the other boy to sit. With a sigh he turned his gaze back on Seifer who caught him again.
“Hey! Pussy boy! Watcha staring at?” Seifer let the cadet go and focused his attention on the brunette.
Squall narrowed his eyes and stared back at his rival. He opened his mouth to retort but Zell beat him to it.
“Shut up Almasy. Go back to your rat hole!”
“I wasn’t talking to you chicken-wuss.” Seifer smirked when Zell jumped up, ready to fight.
Squall stood and pushed Zell back in his seat. “Whether he’s gay or not matters little—he can still kick your ass,” he hissed and turned. “Almasy, Training Center, now!” he barked angrily to get a smug grin out of the blonde. Hey, at least this way he didn’t have to train later and maybe that evening they could do something else—something much more fun.