Alpha: FFVIII (Rated M)
I left Squall and Rinoa to themselves. Honest.
#01 - Comfort
The ebb and flow of the ocean waves was Quistis' sole comfort from the nightmares.
#02 - Kiss
Squall refuse to admit how unsettled he was after watching Laguna smooth his second-in-command's hair out of her face and kiss her on the forehead.
#03 - Soft
The brunet made it a point to leave out how each night, he woke up to soft sobs coming from the neighboring quarters.
#04 - Pain
Feeling the magic crackle along her fingertips, Quistis stood tall and spread her arms wide. It'd only hurt for a little bit.
#05 - Potatoes
Squall looked out of his office window to see a familiar foursome making the best of their collective day off. Now if only three of them weren't such small potatoes for the fourth.
#06 - Rain
The vivid-blue glares he received from both rain-soaked Zell and Quistis made Squall seriously reconsider debriefing them in his office.
#07 - Chocolate
Chocolate eyes warmed to a deep cinnamon before Rinoa leapt into his arms with a small squeal.
#08 - Happiness
Rinoa stared at the velvet-covered box in Squall's desk drawer and stifled a grin. Happiness at last.
#09 - Telephone
She slammed the drawer shut after hanging up the telephone. Rinoa respected Quistis, but when Squall insisted on taking the blond with him on the higher-level missions, she'd be a liar if she said she didn't worry.
#10 - Ears
Irvine fingered a pearl teardrop dangling from her ear before Quistis batted his hand away.
#11 - Name
"Squall," the estatic voice chirped his name to the answering service. The addressed pressed "delete" before the message finished.
#12 - Sensual
She always did love the feel of silk on her skin.
#13 - Death
A good SeeD did not fear it.
#14 - Sex
The door flung open to reveal a Quistis Trepe clad in nothing but a dark, thin, incredibly short sheath with mussed hair and a vivid, hot blush on her face.
Irvine Kinneas merely grinned until the heavy scent of sex drifted from the door.
His grin faltered when lust-darkened blue eyes fixed on him before the door slammed shut in his face.
#15 - Touch
Brown hair draped over the edge of the bed as she arched underneath the fighter's gentle touches.
#16 - Weakness
Quistis laughed when she saw the note from Kiros pinned on the silk dress in the box.
#17 - Tears
Hot tears soaked the pillow Rinoa curled herself around. Another night in an empty bed.
#18 - Speed
The cadets gathered when two of the Sorceress Six gathered to fight in the Training Center. They marveled over their speed, their abilities, and their sheer cunning.
The Trepies always marveled at how fast SeeD Trepe took down Commander Leonhart.
The other cadets marveled over the fact he let her.
#19 - Wind
"White Wind" was warm as healing magic danced over open, raw wounds.
#20 - Freedom
Quistis leaned against the railing over the wide-open ocean.
Freedom...something she'd never have.
#21 - Life
The better SeeDs always remembered their first.
#22 - Jealousy *Oh yes, I was staring at FFXIII Versus pictures*
It was true that Galbadia's newest headmaster was young, but he had the attention of every female SeeD, Garden instructor, cadet, and civilian alike with jet-black, lightly-spiked hair, steel-blue eyes, and a face rumored to be created by Hyne's hands alone. This coupled with apparently a gentle personality made him near legendary overnight.
So when he walked into Balamb Garden's ballroom wearing a smartly-tailored suit and after introducing himself to the heads of Garden Council and the Head Commander, all male eyes narrowed as he skipped over Selphie, Edea, and Rinoa to hold a hand out to a blushing Quistis Trepe.
Irvine and Squall's champagne glasses suffered broken stems shortly after.
#23 - Hands
Soft hands danced along damp folds before one lifted to palm a pale breast, rolling a pebbled nipple as she bit her lip to stifle a moan.
#24 - Taste
Zell always ate the hotdogs too quickly to remember how they tasted.
#25 - Devotion
The flyer advertising a Trepie event on the community bulletin board made Squall snicker before he ripped the poster down.
That was the sixth poster he'd destroyed today.
Their devotion to the woman was astounding.
#26 - Forever
Irvine palmed the velvet-covered box in his pocket briefly. Forever with her was long enough.
#27 - Blood * These actually reference another drabble I toyed with, but couldn't make them work.
"Squall, Commander, whatever, we fucking need hazard pay," Irvine spoke breathlessly before he adjusted the blood-covered whip-wielder in his arms.
#28 - Sickness *
Dr. Kadowaki glanced at the IV drip before making notations on her clipboard. Whatever they ripped into Quistis' back with, it negated all forms of magical healing.
#29 - Melody
One lap turned into ten. Ten laps turned into twenty. The cadet lost count after that due to the melody being too damned hard to run to.
#30 - Star
Rinoa gasped before pointing out his office window. "It's a shooting star! Fast, Squall, make a wish!"
He yanked the blinds shut.
#31 - Home *
Zell glanced into the infirmary's window before shaking his head and turning back around.
She almost didn't make it.
#32 - Confusion *
She woke up expecting Seifer holding her Save-the-Queen in his hands in that dark cell, not bright white and steel-blue eyes.
#33 - Fear *
Rinoa knew the look that crossed her knight's face when they both watched Irvine walk up with Quistis in his arms.
It was one of the few times she actually feared him.
#34 - Lightning/Thunder
Thunderstorms triggered the nightmares, so Quistis would find herself in the training center more often than not on the stormy nights.
#35 - Bonds
Wincing at the sheer pain lancing through her, she grit her teeth when Selphie mentioned their bonds and friendship.
Because Seifer made it very clear that those bonds were very much broken.
#36 - Market
Zell didn't have to, but he accompanied Xu and she to the market, lazily fingering the various bolts of cloth before he stopped at a deep navy bolt of sateen.
#37 - Technology
There was only one true way of turning off his entire link to the outside world.
Squall took almost too much joy in yanking the power cords from the wall.
#38 - Gift
Rinoa watched the flames lick at her hands as tongues of yellow and red danced on her command.
Sometimes, being a sorceress was almost worth it.
#39 - Smile
This wasn't Rinoa, Squall jerked his shoulders back, popping the air he knew had settled in his joints.
Rinoa would gripe when he didn't hold his punches or attempted to attack her full-force, because he was meant to be soft with her.
Quistis on the other hand. Well, she could take it. At least until he completely wiped that smirk off of her face.
#40 - Innocence
No SeeD had it.
#41 - Completion
It was the breathless scream almost everyone in the hallway heard that stopped them in their tracks.
And wondered who the Hyne enjoyed whatever they were doing so fucking much.
#42 - Clouds
Selphie watched the sky, fingers of one hand tangling and brushing through blond hair in her lap as she stared upwards.
Between the sky, the ocean, and Quistis' gentle breathing, she found herself flirting with the Sandman full stop.
#43 - Sky
"The sky looks fantast-"
"Shut up," Selphie hissed low, a simmering emerald glare tossed over her shoulder when Irvine approached and sat behind her, scooting up to bolster his fiancee before she followed the sleeping blonde's lead.
"I'm sorry," he whispered against her hair before he let her lean back against him. Irvine had no problem supporting both of them.
#44 - Heaven
Squall almost whistled as he followed his second up the Ragnarok's ramp, watching blond hair swish gently against a backdrop of black jersey.
It wasn't his fault that King Cactuar hated that coral outfit of hers.
#45 - Hell
Rinoa squinted at a spot of pink on the sand far in front of them. "Zell," she tapped the blond on the shoulder and ran to the spot, cursing when she realized what exactly it was.
Holding up the shredded vest, she looked through it to the approaching fighter. "Is this who's I think it is?"
#46 - Sun
Irvine leaned back on straightened arms, letting his head loll back before he looked down at his lap.
Sunshine and citrus. His favorite combination.
#47 - Moon
He awoke with a yelp and a jerk when a fast something swiped at his head. Looking around and fumbling with a rousing Selphie, he found himself staring at pitch-black leather and fur highlighted by the moon.
"What brings you up to the cliffs of Balamb?" He plastered a roguish smile on his face and stared up at his leader's, was that concern, almost stoic face.
"When a hacker," he pointedly looked at the now awake Selphie, who offered a sheepish grin before she turned her attention to the woman still pillowed on her lap. "Disables my security system, I always have a back-up plan."
"He asks the Trepies," Selphie finished for him, brushing blond hair out of a porcelain face before shaking the slumbering woman's shoulder. "Sort of wish I could call 'The End' at will."
#48 - Waves
"Nightmares?" He finally asked after contemplating the question for the last three months. Squall needed Quistis to be the second he knew she refused to be, but he needed her behind him just in case, when he fell.
Now the better question would be if she lied about the entire matter to his face or faced the music, so to speak.
"Since Time Compression." She lifted her head from off of her knees and stared at the black ocean. It was a new moon that night, but she could hear the waves and they were enough.
"Fucking Ultimecia." He cursed and leaned against the archway, joining her in the almost-silence.
#49 - Hair
She stared at the mirror and inhaled a deep, calming breath. "To a new me," she spoke to her reflection. Picking up the scissors, she combed down a flat sheet of blond and started snipping.
#50 - Supernova
Selphie and Zell leaned against the door and heard the pleading and begging of "please, Hyne, don't, right there, so close, please," before they exchanged looks torn between shame and being completely impressed.
A scream went from vocal to breathless at its end before all fell silent within Quistis' quarters.
Fifteen minutes later, the door slid up, the only noise in the hall as Selphie and Zell pressed themselves into a nearby nook.
Zell peeked around to see the half-dressed Galbadian Headmaster step out into the hall, pale skin glistening with sweat and he was sort of jealous of the bastard for looking so fucking composed after that performance.
"I told you it was nothing," they both heard Quistis' sultry assurance, before she too stepped into the corridor wearing nothing but that thin sheath.
Selphie joined Zell and gasped, the noise immediately catching the blond's attention, her head and darkened eyes snapping to them. The brunette yanked her partner-in-crime back into the nook and waited for the door to slide home once more.
Zell waited thirty more seconds before he looked at Selphie, a blush high on his tattooed face. "Irvine has now officially earned my respect, Selph."
She grinned and leaned back into the nook. "I'm jealous. He got the full-view and we got busted."
That was actually more fun than I figured they'd be.
#01 - Comfort
The ebb and flow of the ocean waves was Quistis' sole comfort from the nightmares.
#02 - Kiss
Squall refuse to admit how unsettled he was after watching Laguna smooth his second-in-command's hair out of her face and kiss her on the forehead.
#03 - Soft
The brunet made it a point to leave out how each night, he woke up to soft sobs coming from the neighboring quarters.
#04 - Pain
Feeling the magic crackle along her fingertips, Quistis stood tall and spread her arms wide. It'd only hurt for a little bit.
#05 - Potatoes
Squall looked out of his office window to see a familiar foursome making the best of their collective day off. Now if only three of them weren't such small potatoes for the fourth.
#06 - Rain
The vivid-blue glares he received from both rain-soaked Zell and Quistis made Squall seriously reconsider debriefing them in his office.
#07 - Chocolate
Chocolate eyes warmed to a deep cinnamon before Rinoa leapt into his arms with a small squeal.
#08 - Happiness
Rinoa stared at the velvet-covered box in Squall's desk drawer and stifled a grin. Happiness at last.
#09 - Telephone
She slammed the drawer shut after hanging up the telephone. Rinoa respected Quistis, but when Squall insisted on taking the blond with him on the higher-level missions, she'd be a liar if she said she didn't worry.
#10 - Ears
Irvine fingered a pearl teardrop dangling from her ear before Quistis batted his hand away.
#11 - Name
"Squall," the estatic voice chirped his name to the answering service. The addressed pressed "delete" before the message finished.
#12 - Sensual
She always did love the feel of silk on her skin.
#13 - Death
A good SeeD did not fear it.
#14 - Sex
The door flung open to reveal a Quistis Trepe clad in nothing but a dark, thin, incredibly short sheath with mussed hair and a vivid, hot blush on her face.
Irvine Kinneas merely grinned until the heavy scent of sex drifted from the door.
His grin faltered when lust-darkened blue eyes fixed on him before the door slammed shut in his face.
#15 - Touch
Brown hair draped over the edge of the bed as she arched underneath the fighter's gentle touches.
#16 - Weakness
Quistis laughed when she saw the note from Kiros pinned on the silk dress in the box.
#17 - Tears
Hot tears soaked the pillow Rinoa curled herself around. Another night in an empty bed.
#18 - Speed
The cadets gathered when two of the Sorceress Six gathered to fight in the Training Center. They marveled over their speed, their abilities, and their sheer cunning.
The Trepies always marveled at how fast SeeD Trepe took down Commander Leonhart.
The other cadets marveled over the fact he let her.
#19 - Wind
"White Wind" was warm as healing magic danced over open, raw wounds.
#20 - Freedom
Quistis leaned against the railing over the wide-open ocean.
Freedom...something she'd never have.
#21 - Life
The better SeeDs always remembered their first.
#22 - Jealousy *Oh yes, I was staring at FFXIII Versus pictures*
It was true that Galbadia's newest headmaster was young, but he had the attention of every female SeeD, Garden instructor, cadet, and civilian alike with jet-black, lightly-spiked hair, steel-blue eyes, and a face rumored to be created by Hyne's hands alone. This coupled with apparently a gentle personality made him near legendary overnight.
So when he walked into Balamb Garden's ballroom wearing a smartly-tailored suit and after introducing himself to the heads of Garden Council and the Head Commander, all male eyes narrowed as he skipped over Selphie, Edea, and Rinoa to hold a hand out to a blushing Quistis Trepe.
Irvine and Squall's champagne glasses suffered broken stems shortly after.
#23 - Hands
Soft hands danced along damp folds before one lifted to palm a pale breast, rolling a pebbled nipple as she bit her lip to stifle a moan.
#24 - Taste
Zell always ate the hotdogs too quickly to remember how they tasted.
#25 - Devotion
The flyer advertising a Trepie event on the community bulletin board made Squall snicker before he ripped the poster down.
That was the sixth poster he'd destroyed today.
Their devotion to the woman was astounding.
#26 - Forever
Irvine palmed the velvet-covered box in his pocket briefly. Forever with her was long enough.
#27 - Blood * These actually reference another drabble I toyed with, but couldn't make them work.
"Squall, Commander, whatever, we fucking need hazard pay," Irvine spoke breathlessly before he adjusted the blood-covered whip-wielder in his arms.
#28 - Sickness *
Dr. Kadowaki glanced at the IV drip before making notations on her clipboard. Whatever they ripped into Quistis' back with, it negated all forms of magical healing.
#29 - Melody
One lap turned into ten. Ten laps turned into twenty. The cadet lost count after that due to the melody being too damned hard to run to.
#30 - Star
Rinoa gasped before pointing out his office window. "It's a shooting star! Fast, Squall, make a wish!"
He yanked the blinds shut.
#31 - Home *
Zell glanced into the infirmary's window before shaking his head and turning back around.
She almost didn't make it.
#32 - Confusion *
She woke up expecting Seifer holding her Save-the-Queen in his hands in that dark cell, not bright white and steel-blue eyes.
#33 - Fear *
Rinoa knew the look that crossed her knight's face when they both watched Irvine walk up with Quistis in his arms.
It was one of the few times she actually feared him.
#34 - Lightning/Thunder
Thunderstorms triggered the nightmares, so Quistis would find herself in the training center more often than not on the stormy nights.
#35 - Bonds
Wincing at the sheer pain lancing through her, she grit her teeth when Selphie mentioned their bonds and friendship.
Because Seifer made it very clear that those bonds were very much broken.
#36 - Market
Zell didn't have to, but he accompanied Xu and she to the market, lazily fingering the various bolts of cloth before he stopped at a deep navy bolt of sateen.
#37 - Technology
There was only one true way of turning off his entire link to the outside world.
Squall took almost too much joy in yanking the power cords from the wall.
#38 - Gift
Rinoa watched the flames lick at her hands as tongues of yellow and red danced on her command.
Sometimes, being a sorceress was almost worth it.
#39 - Smile
This wasn't Rinoa, Squall jerked his shoulders back, popping the air he knew had settled in his joints.
Rinoa would gripe when he didn't hold his punches or attempted to attack her full-force, because he was meant to be soft with her.
Quistis on the other hand. Well, she could take it. At least until he completely wiped that smirk off of her face.
#40 - Innocence
No SeeD had it.
#41 - Completion
It was the breathless scream almost everyone in the hallway heard that stopped them in their tracks.
And wondered who the Hyne enjoyed whatever they were doing so fucking much.
#42 - Clouds
Selphie watched the sky, fingers of one hand tangling and brushing through blond hair in her lap as she stared upwards.
Between the sky, the ocean, and Quistis' gentle breathing, she found herself flirting with the Sandman full stop.
#43 - Sky
"The sky looks fantast-"
"Shut up," Selphie hissed low, a simmering emerald glare tossed over her shoulder when Irvine approached and sat behind her, scooting up to bolster his fiancee before she followed the sleeping blonde's lead.
"I'm sorry," he whispered against her hair before he let her lean back against him. Irvine had no problem supporting both of them.
#44 - Heaven
Squall almost whistled as he followed his second up the Ragnarok's ramp, watching blond hair swish gently against a backdrop of black jersey.
It wasn't his fault that King Cactuar hated that coral outfit of hers.
#45 - Hell
Rinoa squinted at a spot of pink on the sand far in front of them. "Zell," she tapped the blond on the shoulder and ran to the spot, cursing when she realized what exactly it was.
Holding up the shredded vest, she looked through it to the approaching fighter. "Is this who's I think it is?"
#46 - Sun
Irvine leaned back on straightened arms, letting his head loll back before he looked down at his lap.
Sunshine and citrus. His favorite combination.
#47 - Moon
He awoke with a yelp and a jerk when a fast something swiped at his head. Looking around and fumbling with a rousing Selphie, he found himself staring at pitch-black leather and fur highlighted by the moon.
"What brings you up to the cliffs of Balamb?" He plastered a roguish smile on his face and stared up at his leader's, was that concern, almost stoic face.
"When a hacker," he pointedly looked at the now awake Selphie, who offered a sheepish grin before she turned her attention to the woman still pillowed on her lap. "Disables my security system, I always have a back-up plan."
"He asks the Trepies," Selphie finished for him, brushing blond hair out of a porcelain face before shaking the slumbering woman's shoulder. "Sort of wish I could call 'The End' at will."
#48 - Waves
"Nightmares?" He finally asked after contemplating the question for the last three months. Squall needed Quistis to be the second he knew she refused to be, but he needed her behind him just in case, when he fell.
Now the better question would be if she lied about the entire matter to his face or faced the music, so to speak.
"Since Time Compression." She lifted her head from off of her knees and stared at the black ocean. It was a new moon that night, but she could hear the waves and they were enough.
"Fucking Ultimecia." He cursed and leaned against the archway, joining her in the almost-silence.
#49 - Hair
She stared at the mirror and inhaled a deep, calming breath. "To a new me," she spoke to her reflection. Picking up the scissors, she combed down a flat sheet of blond and started snipping.
#50 - Supernova
Selphie and Zell leaned against the door and heard the pleading and begging of "please, Hyne, don't, right there, so close, please," before they exchanged looks torn between shame and being completely impressed.
A scream went from vocal to breathless at its end before all fell silent within Quistis' quarters.
Fifteen minutes later, the door slid up, the only noise in the hall as Selphie and Zell pressed themselves into a nearby nook.
Zell peeked around to see the half-dressed Galbadian Headmaster step out into the hall, pale skin glistening with sweat and he was sort of jealous of the bastard for looking so fucking composed after that performance.
"I told you it was nothing," they both heard Quistis' sultry assurance, before she too stepped into the corridor wearing nothing but that thin sheath.
Selphie joined Zell and gasped, the noise immediately catching the blond's attention, her head and darkened eyes snapping to them. The brunette yanked her partner-in-crime back into the nook and waited for the door to slide home once more.
Zell waited thirty more seconds before he looked at Selphie, a blush high on his tattooed face. "Irvine has now officially earned my respect, Selph."
She grinned and leaned back into the nook. "I'm jealous. He got the full-view and we got busted."
That was actually more fun than I figured they'd be.