(no subject)

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

Who: Quistis (and anyone who might happen along)
What: CONCERN and busy about Garden
Where: Balamb
When: Early evening.
Rating: TBA

    Quistis has heard nothing from Squall. It wasn't just that he had forgotten the usual communications on his mission, and it wasn't that he was just lazing around and having fun with Selphie. They should have been back by now, but they weren't. Something was seriously wrong. With a faint smile Quistis remembered how Selphie had promised they'd be back real quick, because she wanted to relax before all that instructor training. So why no contact?  All the worst possible scenarios went through her head, but they still didn't run as badly as what was actually going on. She was ready to call in reinforcements, and for a search and rescue mission. In her office, she called the relevant people. Satisfied that she'd done what she could, she closes her eyes and tips back her head. Still, she was anxious, and she had that field exam to do too...  

Comments

[xx-cowboy-up-xx.livejournal.com]

Irvine had known she was going to the mission ... he had declined going to stay and relax a bit before instructor's duties began. He had started worrying and decided to go find what happened. He was straggly looking, in a pair of jeans that were a little too loose, and a t-shirt a little too tight. He knocked on Quistis' office, and ran his hands through his hair.

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

Quistis opened her eyes sharply and sat upright and professionally in her chair. She leaned closer into her desk, resting her hands on the papers in front of her.

"Come in!"

Her voice was sharp and clear, but she had just a second to rub her eyes before her visitor could enter.

[xx-cowboy-up-xx.livejournal.com]

Irvine walked in, looking rather haggard, as he sat down in front of Quistis, and looked up at her, sighing.

"Please ... tell me you've heard something about Selphie..." he said quietly, like a young child.

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

Her gasp was nearly audible as she set sight on Irvine. He looked so far removed from himself that it shocked her. Despite the small frown, Quistis managed a faint, but sad smile as she slowly shook her head. She was unable to take her eyes off him, her own voice quiet as she spoke.

"Not yet, I'm afraid."

She paused and just looked him over again, frightened of his reaction. "I'm expecting word any second now."

[xx-cowboy-up-xx.livejournal.com]

"...you mind if I sit here with you and wait?"

He looked hopeful, but like he hadn't slept in days. The faint trace of heavy liquor lingered on his breath. He hadn't shaved, and had a small beard, as he hugged his arms around himself.

"I shoulda gone with them. "

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

"Irvine, I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason -"

She was doing her best to sound hopeful, as much as for herself as for Irvine too. He was a mess, and needed help, or at least he just needed Selphie. But her sentence was broken by the ringing of the phone, and as fast as her reflexes would let her she picked it up.

"Yes? Wha- what do you *mean*?"

Her voice trailed off, and took her eyes from Irvine in a way that was clearly significant.

"Yes. Yes...I-I understand..."

When Quistis took the phone from her ear she held it in midair, just gazing at it.

[xx-cowboy-up-xx.livejournal.com]

Ivine gripped at the desk, looking up at her with wide eyes when she looked away. He stood up, and leaned in.

"What -is- it Quistis? Tell me! Please" he murmured.

Mmm. Hot icon.

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

It seemed like it took forever before Quistis put the phone back. Still, she couldn't bare to look at Irvine. She couldn't even bring herself to speak. She felt completely choke, and when she did take a deep breath and get round to speaking, her voice croaked in a tiny whisper.

"Selphie..."

But she couldn't continue. She just couldn't. But she had to...

"...she... She died. In an accident." Always straight forward, and it just hurt too much to put off what she needed to say.

Re: Mmm. Hot icon.

[xx-cowboy-up-xx.livejournal.com]

Irvine looked like he had taken a knife to the chest. He froze, his eyes wide and disbelieving.

".... No ...." he shook his head, his entire body starting to quake. Without thinking his hand cocked back, punching the woman's desk with all of his strength, his chest heaving like he was about to sob.

He turned then, not being able to speak right then, and started to leave.

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

Quistis remained completely still, her shoulders only very slightly flinching as Irvine hit the desk. But as he turned to leave she stood sharply, afraid to leave Irvine alone.

"Irvine...wait..."

[xx-cowboy-up-xx.livejournal.com]

"I have arrangements to make ..." he said, his voice breaking. The unsaid was evident though. He had drinks to drink, and drown in bottoms of bottles until the pain of his heart slowly shredding to pieces was only a dull ache.

It was all his fault. He shoulda gone with them. He could have protected her! He opened the door, and looked at her with the eyes of a storm brewing.

"If .... when ..." he choked up "Her remains are brought to garden. I wish to ..." he felt a tear slide down his cheek, "Handle ... their interring"

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

Quistis moved away from her desk, slowly pacing across the room towards him, a friendly hand outstretched to rest on his forearm.

"Irvine..."

But she had no idea what to say. All she knew that was watching him was like having her own heartbroken. She couldn't bare to see her friend this way. There was no way she was going to tell him that they hadn't found a body yet.

"Irvine...sit down...Let's...talk about this."

[xx-cowboy-up-xx.livejournal.com]

"Quistis. Stop" he said, looking up. "Right now I just need to be alone." he said with finality, and gripped his hand tightly into a fist. "I just lost the woman I love ... because I was a lazy bum. I have a lot of thinking to do"

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

At that, Quistis took a slow step back. She really didn't want to leave him alone. She didn't want to *be* alone either. But she had so much to do - there were people to contact, things to be done. Running the place without Squall and Selphie...gone. As soon as the word 'love' came out of his mouth, she took yet another step back. It was something she had never really expected to hear him say, and she felt all the more awful for it.

"You can always find me here if you need me. And you know, none of this was your fault."

[xx-cowboy-up-xx.livejournal.com]

"It was ... she wanted me to go and I refused. I could have ... I could have -prevented- this!" he yelled it, rage, hurt, anger, sadness, deprication, boiling. He turned then, before he got violent, and moved down the hallway. He was a ghost, people clearing a path for him as he walked, his shoulders quaking as he fought back tears.

[takeoffmyhead.livejournal.com]

Quistis just pressed a hand to her forehead, shielding her eyes from him - she didn't want to see him and she didn't want him to see the tears in her own eyes. She wanted to say something, but couldn't. He'd disappeared anyway, so she just turned and snapped the door shut before getting back to work.