Author's Notes: Yikes. Where do I start? I'm not even close to being finished with the game, so I'm sure there's OCCness everywhere. Among other things. This is just a little riff on the scene where Quistis is announcing who gets stuck with who for the SeeD exam. Cause I always wondered if Zell overheard Squall's pissy remark. Oh yeah. Italics indicate dialogue stolen directly from the game do not pass go.

The Quiet Behind the Loud

By Tiffiny

"You'll be with Zell Dincht. Quite a lively fellow."  That was Quistis talking. Who was she talking to? Oh sweet Shiva's tits, she's talking to Squall Leonhart. I'm gonna be with Squall Leonhart for our SeeD exam? Oh sweet, sweet Shiva. That's right Quisty. Keep talking. Tell Squall how cool I am. Tell him how good I can fight. Tell him...

"Lively? He's just loud. Can't I switch members?"  That was Squall talking now. I didn't like what he had to say half as much as I did Quistis. So he thinks I'm loud? A fucking rock would seem loud compared to Squall. Where does he get off asking if he can switch members? He's damn lucky he was paired with me. He could've been paired with Jamie Akinsa who doesn't know one end of his sword from the other. Or with Seifer Almasy, for cryin' out loud. Or with Sadie Mitchell who would just stare at him and giggle cause he's sooooo cuuuuute. At least I don't giggle. Even if I do think he's cute. More than cute. Hot. Way hot. He's got that cool hairstyle. I bet he doesn't have to use a quart of mousse to get it to look that way. And he's got those eyes. And that ass. And he's got his gunblade. Seifer's the only other one in the whole garden who has a gunblade. Seifer's a bastard, though. Well, ok. Squall's a bastard, too. But it's different.

Anyway, like I said. He should be thanking his lucky stars he got paired with me. I know I am. Thanking my lucky stars, that is. And once we become SeeDs, he'll see just how wrong he was about me. But in the meantime, I think I'll have a few words with him. There's no need for him to be so pissy. Maybe I'll even give him an advance demonstration or two of my talents. Somewhere private.

I made quite an entrance if I do say so, myself. Quistis appreciated it, even if Squall didn't. It takes a lot to impress Squall, though. Mostly he looks like he doesn't give a grat's ass about things. Probably because he doesn't. Like I said, I think a few words alone with Mr. Squall "I'm so perfect" Leonhart are in order.

Quistis sort of rolled her eyes when I asked her to excuse us for a minute. She thought it was some pointless mysterious guy thing no doubt. It probably was pointless, but there was no mystery. I wanted Squall to notice me, dammit. I wanted to show him that I wasn't just loud. And I wanted him to take back what he'd said about not wanting me on his team.

Squall just stared at me when I asked him if we could have a few words alone. His eyes were a dark gray blue today. Kind of like the ocean right before a big storm. I stared back at him, not giving an inch. My own eyes are just plain old blue, but they're ok for the most part. They're just nothing special is all. Squall finally shrugged and said whatever. Like that was a surprise. You could see that one coming a zillion miles away.

He followed me down the hall. I could hear his boots echoing softly behind me. Couldn't he walk beside me or something? Yeah. Yeah. Stupid question, I know.

I didn't know where else to go, so we wound up in the training center. The secret spot they have in the middle. That's where everyone goes when they want a bit of privacy. I just hoped there wasn't anyone there right now. Even if there was... I was in a fighting kind of mood. So if they didn't want to leave, I'd just kick their ass. Uh huh.

Lucky for them, there was no one in the secret spot when we got there. Squall folded his arms and leaned back against a tree. Then he just stood there and stared at me some more. Bastard. Ok. Ok. So I know I was the one who wanted to talk to him. But would it kill him to say something for once? Yeah. Yeah. I know. Stupid question. Right.

"Uh... I can fight really really good. I may not have a gunblade, but I can still fight... really... really... good." Quezacotl's balls. That was so lame I can't even blame Squall for the look he's giving me.

"Are you through?" He's already moving away, towards the exit.

"No! I'm not!" A little desperate, but it worked. He stopped.

"I think we could make a really really good team, Squall." And if I said really one more time then I was going to ask Squall to take out his gunblade and just kill me. Please kill me.

"Whatever." He was heading toward the exit again.

"I could have been Seifer, ya know." That didn't make a whole lot of sense, but it got his attention. Anything to do with Seifer always got his attention. And I try very hard not to think about why.

"No. You couldn't." It was a simple statement of fact. But it pissed me off to no end. Because it was true, dammit. I could never be Seifer. Could never be Mr. Disciplinary Committee butthead who went around acting like he was Garden's gift to the world. Could never make Squall Leonhart notice me.

Well, Squall might not notice me, but he'd notice this. I reached out and grabbed a fistful of Squall's t-shirt. Beneath the soft cotton, I could feel the heat of him. Hot enough to burn. Funny. I always thought he'd be cold.

He looked surprised for a split second, his gray-blue eyes wide and his mouth hanging open a little bit. Then I leaned in and kissed him and that really surprised him.

And then he really surprised me. Instead of reaching for his gunblade or breaking my arm, or, at the very least, pushing me away, he kissed me back. His lips were soft and he smelled like soap and this kiss was off the freaking scale and...

"I'm afraid that's not possible."  Quisty's reply sent me crashing back down to earth. Hard. Time for me to wake up and smell the hot dogs. Like I'd ever have the balls to kiss Squall Leonhart except in my dreams. And even if I did, he'd put an end to it real quick with a gunblade through my heart. He sure wouldn't kiss me back. Nope. The only thing he saw when he looked at me was a loud mouth punk with two fists and no brains. So that's what I'd give him. I'd be so damn loud he'd never hear the quiet behind it.

I somersaulted forward towards Squall and Quistis, pretending I hadn't just overheard them talking. I added a few back flips for good measure. Didn't impress Squall one bit. Some things stay the same whether you're talking dreams or reality. Quistis smiled a little. I wish it had been the other way around.

"Whoa, I'm with you?" I held out my hand. Squall just ignored me. Pretty much like I figured he would. So I let myself look at his lips for just a second. A second of quiet to savor behind the loud. Story of my life.

The End

Return to Archive