Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Little Moments ❯ Chapter 1

Author's Notes: Well this scene takes place during disc 2 if you decide to take Quistis and Irvine with you back to the Garden before the missile launch. I love this scene because it is the only scene where they discuss the whole “go talk to a wall” part. It gives some closure to that part, and plus, it has a little hint of a possible quall. Some of the dialogue I used is directly from the game. I've never seen anyone write about this scene before, so hopefully I did decent job.

 

Warning: This is a QUALL, with a lil QUALL action at the end. If QUALLS bother you, please turn back now, or at least skip over the quall stuff at the end. Thanks!

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~*Little Moments*~

By Cailin Skylark

 

 

`Should I?' Quistis asked herself as she stood in the empty dormitory hall. For the past fifteen minutes she has been staring at a gray, metal, cold door. Funny, she realized, how those same three words can describe the occupant of the room.

 

“Then go talk to a wall.”

 

“Aren't there times when you want to share your feelings with someone?”

 

“Everyone has to take care of themselves. I don't want to carry anyone's burden,” Squall answered sharply, as he cast his metal cold gaze on her before turning to leave.

 

`Especially his eyes from that night,' Quistis shuddered as those words echoed through her mind, feeling his piercing gaze once again. Sighing, she shifted her stance a bit, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

 

`Should I knock? Should I disturb him? Maybe he won't think of it as an intrusion…. Wait, of course he would. Oh sweet Hyne,' Quistis stopped and looked up. She shook her head in disapproval.

 

She was doing exactly what he told her to do. “I am talking to a wall,” she whispered softly, barely audible to anyone around her. `Well, it's actually a door, but still…how ironic.'

 

Lately things had been pretty crazy. First, the mission to assassinate the sorceress, then the missile attack on Trabia and Balamb, followed by a meeting with the Garden master. But the most baffling part was learning that the headmaster and the sorceress were married. `Now that's just confusing.'

 

As a first-rate Squall observer she could tell he was confused too. `Maybe he'll welcome the company since we're stuck with nothing to do. Okay,' she nodded her head with determination. `I'm going to do it.'

 

`Then go…' take a deep breathe now. Try to relax.

 

`…talk…' now raise your hand….

 

`…to a…' and knock….

 

`…wall' she stopped her hand abruptly just as it was about to make contact with the door. Again with those damn words. `Forget it,' she told herself, `it's not like he would actually talk with me anyway.' Sighing, she leaned forward, and pressed her forehead against the cold cool metal.

 

“Damn it,” she murmured, and closed her eyes, trying to regain some composure, when…BEEP BEEP…WHOOSH…the door slid open. Suddenly, Quistis found herself stumbling into his dorm. Quickly, she reached out her arms to keep herself from slamming her forehead against his desk. `What the hell happened?'

 

“Hey Squall, I was just passing by. I didn't mean to…” Quistis began to say, but when she turned to look at him, she realized he was asleep.

 

`Whew, that was close,' she sighed as she swept her hair out of her face. `Who would've thought that he'd forget to lock his door? Maybe that's a sign that he doesn't want to be alone.'

 

She smiled softly as she watched him sleep. `He seems so peaceful,' she thought as she kneeled down near his bed. All traces of his iciness appeared to have melted away. She reached out her hand, and daringly brushed his disheveled hair from his face. `Yup, he's warm and beautiful and perfect and….'

 

“Sis…” Squall suddenly murmured. Quistis quickly withdrew her hand away and watched his face contort into a frown. “I'm all alone…” Squall said in a tiny, sad voice, as he curled his body tighter, burying his face deeper into his pillow.

 

`Sis? Squall has a sister? Was Squall abandoned by his sis? Well that would certainly explain a lot of things. Oh crap,' she realized, `I better get out of here before he wakes up.' Standing up silently, she softly backtracked out of the room, keeping her gaze steadily on Squall's sleeping form.

 

Nearing the door, she took one final look at him, “Well Squall, I guess we could try talking some other time.” Smiling she turned to leave…BEEP BEEP…WHOOSH!

 

“What?” Quistis cringed as she heard his gruff voice from behind. `Oops…stupid door.'

 

Turning around to face him, she tried to hide her embarrassment from her eyes. Her mind worked quickly to come up with something to say. “You're looking pensive,” she answered in her normal instructor tone. `Huh? Where the hell did that come from? Why not a `Hi,' `Hello,' or a `Sorry'?'

 

Squall arched his eyebrow in annoyance, shooting her that famous icy glare. Breaking away from the stare, Quistis turned and looked down at something less threatening…like her feet. Of all the things to say, she had to say that. `You know he hates it when you act as if you know everything about him. No wonder he'll always see you as his nosey instructor and nothing else,' Quistis mentally reprimanded herself.

 

She looked back up to Squall, however, he was no longer looking at her. Now his gaze landed on the new Weapons Monthly magazine sitting on his desk. She could tell that he was ignoring her, probably hoping that she'd take the hint and leave.

 

After coping for several more seconds with the intense, uncomfortable silence, Quistis asked in a stiff voice, “So do you want to be left alone?” There, she said it. She practically gave him a way out, and he knew it.

 

But he didn't say anything. She got absolutely no response; he didn't even move. Her heart was thumping loudly in anticipation. This was it, this was going to be her last try. If he told her to leave, she'd go and never try again. Besides, this was probably her last chance to try to get closer to him. She could tell there was something between him and Rinoa when she saw them dancing at the ball. But with the way they've been arguing, there was still some hope for her, right? Come on now, they just met….

 

“It's not like that,” Squall finally said softly, so softly that she almost didn't hear him.

 

“Really? Okay?” She was…stunned. Squall Leonhart actually wanted to talk to her. Wow! Hmm…did she just see a pig flying outside of the window? Nah it must just be her imagination. But this, this moment right here, was totally unbelievable!

 

“Hey, do you remember?” She dared to ask another question. “Going to the `secret place' together, the night you became a SeeD?” She just had to ask because she sure did. She'll never forget that night for as long as she lives. It's amazing how little moments can be very significant. Squall nodded his head, with a small frown forming on his face. `Yea, you better remember….'

 

“You gave me the cold shoulder,” she said as she unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself protectively. “But maybe now, you understand how I felt.” When she looked up at him, she was surprised to find that he was looking at her and listening. After a couple more seconds, Quistis saw him nod again slightly, and she just couldn't keep herself from smiling.

 

“Sometimes people need someone to talk to…” she took a cautious step forward back into the room. She didn't want to scare him off now.

 

“I think I understand. But…” he paused and looked at her intently. He seemed confused, lost even. Just like a little boy.

 

“Why don't you talk to me? Might make you feel better.” Her question received no response. “Or do you want to go talk to a wall?” she started to laugh at her own joke. Not because she thought it was funny, but because she was so nervous.

 

Squall sighed and looked away. Oh no, she was losing him again. Quickly she stopped laughing and tried to regain her composure. “So what do you want to do?” `Please don't close up on me again. I'm here for you. And I think I need you too….'

 

He ran his fingers through his hair and looked back up at her. She could tell that he was carefully thinking about it. “I do feel like talking…” he shrugged a little, as though he was embarrassed.

 

“Good!” she squeaked a tad too loudly. His eyebrows slightly twitched upwards in surprise. `Wow, I got another response out of him. Today certainly has been a good day. Okay now, remember to breathe.'

 

Squall pulled out his desk chair, a silent gesture for her to sit, and then sat down on his bed. `Awww …how sweet. Squall Leonhart's also a gentleman.' She perched on the edge of the seat, with her hands folded in her lap. After several minutes, the only sound heard was the light jingling of Quistis's chain belt, as she nervously moved her foot up and down, while Squall sat slouched on his bed, with his elbows resting on his knees, staring at the tiles. `Ok, now what?'

 

Clearing her throat, she finally dared to break the silence. “So how do you feel about what's been going on lately? I personally am confused.”

 

“I don't get any of it…” Squall started slowly, and looked up at her. “Are we all…just puppets for others to manipulate? Is this what we endured all that training for?” His eyes seemed to plead for an answer, any answer from her; as if the rest of his life depended on what she said next.

 

“I know everything's strange. But all we can do for now on, is follow our heart,” Squall gave an exasperated sigh, stood up and walked over to his window. “I know it sounds corny, but it's the truth,” Quistis said, following him over to the window.

 

“Like Selphie. She went to the Missile Base to stop the launch even though it wasn't an order. She went because her heart told her to go,” Squall kept his back to her, but she could tell that he was listening.

 

“Do you think they're all right?”

 

“Yea, I do. Something tells me that they're safe,” he nodded his head. “Hmm …hey Squall,” she lightly touched him on the shoulder. “Do you regret sending Rinoa instead of me?”

 

She heard him sigh again. “I sorta do.”

 

“Oh…” she whispered softly, and looked down at the ground. `Of course he'd rather have Rinoa here.'

 

“Because then I'd know that they'd be okay if you were with them,” she looked back up and met his eyes. They seemed so much kinder, and gentler than before. “I'm worried about them. I …hope they're okay. But I also knew that I'd need you …here to help me evacuate the Garden and to explain things to the headmaster.”

 

Quistis couldn't help but smile. “Hey, do you want to talk a little more over some tea?”

 

“Sure,” he replied and she could've sworn that she saw a faint smile tugging on the corner of his lips. Squall grabbed his jacket and slipped it on, and she followed him to leave.

 

DING, DING, DINNNG! Squall and Quistis both stopped just by the door and glanced at each other.

 

“Hello everyone,” a voice rang out from the loudspeakers. “This is the headmaster speaking. The lines have been fixed, and I'm glad to be back on the air. Hurrah!” Quistis began to chuckle, while Squall rolled his eyes, causing Quistis to laugh even more.

 

“Uhm!!! Whoa!!!” the headmaster cried out sharply, as the garden began to shake unsteadily, causing Squall to fall back against the wall, catching Quistis in his arms.

 

“Squall! This is the headmaster speaking! Please come to my office!” Quistis looked up and met his gaze. “Please come to my office right away!”

 

Squall frowned deeply, and slowly stood up. “I gotta go. Maybe we can have some tea some other time,” he looked down at her apologetically and let her go. “Thank you for listening to me. And I'm sorry about what I said before…Quistis.”

 

“No problem,” she heard herself answer calmly, but her heart was beating rapidly. `Oh, why did it have to be now?' she sighed as she felt the pain from that night melt away. And somehow, her name seemed so beautiful and exotic when he said it. She felt absolute bliss….

 

Squall turned to leave, but before she knew what she was doing, she grabbed him, and kissed him lightly on his lips. At first he seemed rigid from surprise, but soon she felt him deepening the kiss. `Yup, he's just as warm, sweet, and perfect just like I always thought.'

 

She knew she had to let him go, even though she could kiss him like that forever. She pulled away, still cupping his face in her hands. Squall unconsciously ran his tongue over his lips, and slowly opened his eyes.

 

“You better get going,” he nodded softly. The door beeped open, and he turned and looked at her one last time, then left. However this time, his gaze was filled with something else that she just couldn't place. `Hopefully, I'll have more of these little moments with you to figure out just what that look means,' Quistis smiled to herself, as she lightly touched her lips.

 

 

 

 

Author's notes: Well, hopefully that wasn't too bad. I'm probably still going to keep revising this over and over again. I really love this part. It's short, but it's just so sweet. If you haven't seen this version yet, I encourage any quall fan to play it over. I'm also thinking about re-writing “How you remind me” as a continuation of this one-shot. Please leave me a review to let me know if anybody out there thinks that it's a good idea, and would actually like to read it. And like always, I do not own ff8. Are these disclaimers really necessary?

 

Okay my dear readers; here is why I decided to do the kiss. I know it seemed a bit rush, especially with the way I had written the rest of the story, but if I continue my other story, I wanted to follow up on this scene. That perhaps the kiss was unforgettable, and that they had felt a special connection with each other. Even in the game, it seemed the two were connecting, and reaching an understanding that can potentially grow. Besides, why can't Quistis put aside all her reservations when her dream moment was finally coming true? Her asking Squall to the `secret area' would be ooc for her usual instructor demeanor, so to me, it seems like she's willing to take risks occasionally.