Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Like a Bracelet ❯ Bandaids pt2 ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Author's notes: To the "people" sending all those idiotic reviews and PMs to work with me on my "amazing art" *eye roll* kindly stop. I'm not interested. Thank you.

x x x

'It doesn't look like rain, but I feel a storm is coming.' Thought Quistis when their car pulled into the free parking lot just outside of town.

It's a little outdoor carport that Selphie and Zell nicknamed "The Stable". It houses 4 vehicles under an overhead roof without walls. There are lines to prevent crowding; it was created for the cadets to avoid crowding through a small town where every location is, at most, ten minutes on foot. Balamb Town is very accommodating to the school.

Quistis was relieved to see that the train wasn't unloading passengers yet. Unless it was an early arrival, but that seemed unlikely. She smoothed a hand down her loose ponytail wishing to not look like a dandelion ready to release spores.

"Quit being nervous, you look amazing. I'll bet even if you didn't, he'd still think you're gorgeous." She sped up a few paces then turned and asked. "How 'bout me? Pretty enough to not embarrass, or too pretty you're worried I'll steal attention?"

Quistis smiled. "You look cute, Selphie."

The chipper teen beamed. "I know. I just wanted to have someone say it." She chuckled then fell back into step beside her friend.

The pair walked towards the train station. Right away they saw Seifer's tall stature above the people heading in to catch the train. He was getting up from the bench to join Zell and Squall at the items shop.

"Fingers crossed." Zell said either to himself or Squall. He grabbed a three pack of Triad cards. Each pack contains 15 random cards. Duplicates are bound to happen, but he was fine with that so long as he got at least two rare ones. "Train hasn't come yet." He said when Quistis and Selphie joined them.

'I wish it would hurry so I can get this over with.' The sooner it arrived the sooner they could be done with introductions and head to the theater.

As if on cue the train pulled into the station. The passengers swam among each other like schools of fish as they loaded and unloaded the train. Quistis felt her heartbeat speed up when seeing Bailey through the window.

"Hey!" He greeted Quistis.

"Hi." She'd meant for there to be more emotion in her tone, but it came out like something typed in a text's quick reply.

"We were chatting on the way over." Rinoa said. Her big brown eyes traveled over to Squall. "Hi." She waved.

Squall glanced at her and shrugged, which caused her to laugh and made Squall roll his eyes.

"Which movie are we seeing?" Bailey asked.

"Awful quick to get out of daylight Fright Night." Seifer commented.

"Not at all," came the reply. "I just wanted to watch a movie."

"We have to wait for just a bit. Irvine hasn't shown up." Selphie explained.

"Oh." Another reply that came off more like a speed text.

Selphie nudged Quistis, then gestured by cocking her head that she should introduce them while they waited.

"Right. Bailey, this is Seifer, Zell, Selphie, and Squall. Everyone, this is Bailey."

"Hello!" Selphie said with a brightness in her tone that Quistis envied.

Her emoting abilities seemed to vanish. She hoped the rest of the visit would get better from here.

"S'up, man." Zell wiped his palm onto the hip of his jeans then stuck out his hand. He felt sort of pleased seeing the cashier had done the same before sticking out his hand to take his. "Quistis talks about you-"

Seifer cut off the shorter blond. "Almost never." He ignored the hand that extended out towards him. "Pokey better hurry up, the natives are getting restless." His cyan gaze shifted left to where Squall was making his way down the stairs to the kiosk to pay for his Triad cards.

"Pokey?" Bailey noted that Squall had ignored his handshake, as well. Friendly bunch.

At least one of them actually is. And, Selphie. But that seemed a given. Even as he'd watched the trio of friends having lunch together three weeks ago, he could tell the shrimpy brunette was a kind and cheerful young lady.

The group turned their heads when hearing the train depart. Another engine slid in six minutes later.

"The fun has arrived." Irvine said when departing the train.

"It's about time." Seifer straightened from the pillar he was leaning against. "Next time drive."

"Somebody's cold." Zell remarked about the sniper's attire of a sweater and loose-hanging scarf and puffer vest.

Irvine shrugged. "And you must be Bailey," he extended his hand out. "Nice to meet ya."

"Hi." He briefly took Irvine's hand and shook it.

When the cashier turned his back to them, to Seifer, the sniper imitated the handshake by flapping his hand up and down; Seifer snickered. The small group made for the theater. It was a short walk, but they chatted companionably about their morning. Somehow a movie turned into a movie and lunch.

…..

"We could do rock-papers-scissors?" Zell suggested.

"Yeah!" Seconded Selphie. She placed her right fist onto her left palm ready to begin.

"Why not just take a vote?" Seifer recommended.

"Would that work?" Quistis wondered to herself.

The group looked over the movies playing; from action to dramedy the little town had a good selection.

"Okay. I wanna see the Beast of the Golden Fist." Zell declared.

"The Internet." Irvine hoped someone else was interested.

Lifting her hand a bit to avoid talking over each other, Quistis voted. "Same."

"That seems kinda boring," Bailey commented quietly. Louder, he gave his vote. "Beast.."

"You like fighting movies?" Quistis looked at her date.

"They're a lot of fun." He nodded.

Quistis stored that tidbit of information away. Two votes went to Seifer's choice of Live Alive and a singular vote went for the horror Silent Evil. Rinoa was the remaining vote. She did want to see that ballet movie, but they'd be outside forever without a decision. With a certainty that she'd piss off somebody, she decided on Seifer's choice.

Squall looked longingly at his choice. Whose bright idea was it to Quistis on her date anyway? Couldn't they meet up after their own choice and have lunch to get to know the guy? 'I should say that.'

"Buy your own snacks." Seifer cut him off without knowing it.

They entered the theater, heading for concessions. After purchasing popcorn and soda and a couple candy bars, they entered the viewing room. Unfortunately there weren't eight seats open, so they sat in separate rows of four in the back and four in front of them.

"Quistis should sit closest to the wall." Bailey said when seeing Irvine about to enter the row for that particular seat.

"Why?"

"Because it's polite."

Irvine chuckled because it sounded pretty stupid as a defense to the suggestion, but he put up his hands and yielded to the seating arrangement. The guy probably wanted un-monitored touches in the dark. He supposed he could respect that; however, the touches had better be respectful. Stranger or not, he will intervene.

That in mind, he sat beside Bailey, who sat, of course, beside his girlfriend. Squall sat beside him. Behind them were Seifer, Selphie, Rinoa, then Zell.

"Do you know what this is about?" The cashier whispered to his girlfriend.

"I haven't seen any trailers. I hope it's nothing weird." She replied. Her nerves calmed now that they're all past the scrutinizing each other session.

"Wanna hold hands?"

Blushing, she nodded and took his hand. The bucket of popcorn rested on the armrest between them; their hands were linked underneath the space. She could feel tension from his grasp. It was kind of euphoric to know she could create such a reaction from someone. She's nervous, too. They rarely have seen each other in-person despite dating for a month.

He leaned over and whispered. "You look beautiful with your hair like that."

"Thanks," she whispered. "You look really nice in green." He's wearing a green turtleneck sweater.

He smiled then leaned over and kissed her cheek. Quistis was glad for the cover of darkness, because she was surely a beet red. The most they've done was held hands or gave a kiss through the phone. He always seemed to sense her hesitance, or he has his own; for Bailey to do it in front of her friends, clearly the hesitation was on her end.

Irvine nodded to himself. 'I knew it. Players in the dark.' However, Quistis seemed fine with it, so he didn't say anything to embarrass her. His gaze instead went to the screen to watch the coming attractions.

The movie was great. No one but Seifer knew what it was about when going in, but it turned out to be a good selection. A man woke up outside of his body; where one would think that would turn towards the horror genre, it was actually a mystery. The man wound up helping an actual ghost living in his apartment, to find her murderer. He woke up in his body, lived his waking hours completely fine, but when he slept he was very much in another realm.

The main conflict switched from simply helping a ghost to trying to return to his body that was slipping into death each visit. He wouldn't have known at all had it not been for the nosebleeds and a visit to the doctors. Compelled to help the ghost, he continued visiting the other side until the mystery was solved.

The film was open ended…

"He died." Zell decided. "If he lived, his finger would have twitched or something."

They're on their way to the diner; they've been speculating the outcome and their reasons why during the walk.

"I think he was dead from the start." Bailey chimed in.

"What?" Asked Irvine.

"Nonsense." Added Seifer.

"Well, it's possible." He shrugged his hand. "He's not some freak psychic astral projecting, he could have had like any illness and that's why he was slowly dying but didn't notice. The whole "other side" could have just been a coping mechanism. Like, he chose to stay because of Valerie."

"That's brilliant, if you think about it that way." Quistis helped her boyfriend's argument. She actually believed the guy died because he wasn't strong enough to wake up.

"Thanks." He kissed her on the cheek, this time closer to her ear. He took her hand, lightly giving it a squeeze.

"Aww," Irvine said at the sight.

Seifer grimaced.

Squall looked over at his rival and gave him a nudge. "Well?"

""Well", what?"

Suddenly less stoic, he replied in a cheeky manner. "I think it's been long enough; aren't you gonna tell me about your romantic dream?"

Seifer cocked his head with a dismissive look at the suddenly bratty Lion-of-Balamb. "Shut it."

Squall snickered to himself behind Seifer's back as the ex-knight continued on to the eatery.

"What are you getting?" Bailey asked his girlfriend.

Quistis looked over the menu board then said to the cashier. "Salmon burger with pineapple, and herb fries."

"I'll order for you."

"That's not necessary." She replied. "But, thank you. It's sweet."

"I kinda thought we could share." Muttered the defeated.

"We can still share. We'll split the fries, and cut our main in half."

"No. It's fine." He ordered a bowl of fried rice. "Can we at least sit alone? I thought this was a date, too."

"It is. But, the purpose of it was a meet-and-greet with my friends." Quistis explained, although she felt she had no reason to. Bailey should have known this already. In fact, she was quite sure he was aware. 'He must be uncomfortable. This is Seifer's fault, Squall's too. Why do they have to be so intimidating? At least Irvine and Zell are trying. Selphie and Rinoa already like him… Maybe we should sit alone?'

She instantly scrapped that idea. She didn't like it when students under performed because of fear. She always helped them, and had them stick with it. Bailey is no different.

"Please ignore any ill feelings you're getting from certain people. They mean well, but they're not easy to get along with at first."

"I'm impossible." Irvine teased, hearing only Quistis. "But a puppy once you get to know me."

Bailey spared the playfulness a glance. "I need the restroom."

Quistis pointed it out.

"Thanks."

"Are you good with him being so affectionate in public?" Irvine asked once they were alone from the ears he didn't want to hear him.

"Yes. He's my boyfriend, Irvine." Quistis raised a brow. "This is what couples do."

"Just checking." He gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "You're my big sister, but I'm gonna look out for you."

"That's really sweet. But, it's not needed. Bailey likes me - he's allowed to like me." She made a fist at him.

"Ok, ok."

After everyone ordered they grabbed a booth and the table beside it rather than the open booth behind it for better communication. They talked about themselves, their job, their random goofy little stories. Everyone got along with Bailey, to Quistis' delight.

And by the time they were saying goodbye, she was assured that her boyfriend received a gold star from her friends.

"Bye, Quisty." Irvine hugged her. "See you, Thursday."

"What's on Thursday?"

"I have a mission." Quistis replied.

"Do you have to?"

Even Rinoa chuckled at that question. From what she knows about SeeD, yes, you have to go.

"Don't be worried, Bailey," she said. "She's a highly trained professional assisted by a passable goof."

Irvine gave her a teasing shove. "Hey,"

She smiled. "She'll be home and in one piece before you even realize it's Friday." She grabbed his shoulders and steered him onto the train. "Bye, you guys."

"Bye, Rin'!" Selphie waved to the three boarding the train.

"Wait!" Bailey hurried around Rinoa over to Quistis. "Do you mind?"

"Mind?"

She got her answer as a kiss landed on her lips, receiving a synchronized "Awww!" from Selphie, Irvine, and Rinoa. Zell stiffened up and looked away. Squall wasn't watching in the first place. Seifer glared like a beam of sunlight through a magnifying glass over an ant.

"Stay safe." Bailey whispered to his girlfriend.

"I will." She smiled over his shoulder when he hugged her. "Bye."

"Bye."

They waited for the train to pull away to head back to Garden. Quistis felt on top of the world. Seifer felt a cold wind blowing.