Contact (FFVIII)
Contact
Fandom: FFVIII
Pairing: Seifer/Quistis
Rating: PG-13
for irish_ais, for her birthday
for shanaqui, who requested it
- - -
To: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
Subject: 867-2959.1 Report
Squall,
Arrived in Timber without incident. The first request is out to our contact. Will let you know when he replies.
QT
- - -
The bar was dark and smelled like cigarettes, spilled beer, and failure. Quistis self-consciously tugged the edge of her top down farther over her stomach and headed to the corner. His back was to the door; she could see the top of his head over the cushioned back of the booth. She made sure her steps were loud enough, so he could hear them.
"Seifer."
He turned, slowly enough that Quistis knew he'd known she was coming. "Good of you to show up, Trepe."
She noticed two beers on the table. "You've already ordered for me?" She sat down across from him, eyeing the mug with distaste.
"Yeah," Seifer said with a grin. "Yours is the one that's drugged."
"Mmm." Her lips curled in a smile. "Turning to drugs to make sure you get laid this time. I wish I were surprised."
Seifer shrugged. "So you're as desperate as last time, huh? I shouldn't have bothered."
"Business first," Quistis murmured as his foot caught hers under the table. "Then pleasure."
- - -
To: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Quistis,
I thought you said the contact had already agreed to meet and deliver. Is there going to be a problem?
Squall
- - -
"This is where they're keeping it all." Seifer jabbed a finger into the map. "It's safe enough, for now. Abandoned factory or something. Nobody goes out there except potheads."
Quistis tapped at the spot, idly. "But what if someone does go out there? Are they at least hidden?"
"As well as we can hide twenty giant fucking boxes of ammunition," Seifer said. "Oh, and good job, by the way, sending the boxes that say 'Balamb Garden' on the side. You may as well have put a blinking rainbow banner on it saying 'Declare War Now'."
"Shit." Quistis shook her head, sitting down abruptly. "I told them specifically--"
"Yeah, yeah." Seifer cut her off. "I know. Bunch of dipshits you work with. Doesn't change the fact that we've got a gigantic declaration of bad intentions just sitting there."
Quistis tapped a finger against her lip in thought. "We'll have to get rid of that. Safe factory or not, we just can't afford to take the chance. If they find out Garden is involved..."
"I know, I know." Seifer sat down too. "You don't have to read me the riot act again. It's not my fault Leonhart took up with Princess Bitchface and invalidated his own contract."
Quistis snorted. "Be nice," she said automatically. "You dated her too."
"What is this, a likefest?" Seifer rolled his eyes. "And you're beautiful and charming. Now stop blabbing and tell me what to do with those crates."
- - -
To: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re:Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Squall,
No problems. I'm in touch with the contact. He's with the Owls, but works as a spy -- he has a day job as a grunt in City Hall, which gives him access to information on the Galbadian Army. I've explained Garden's situation as per the contract, and he's willing to work with us, but not for free. What are our resources like for this mission?
QT
- - -
"Spray paint." Seifer shut the door behind him and leaned up against it, clearly annoyed. "Fucking spray paint was your best idea."
Quistis looked up from her laptop, raising an eyebrow. "It's the easiest way to take care of the problem," she said slowly. "How in the world did you manage to mess up spray paint?"
"I didn't," Seifer pointed out. He leaned his head back against the door and closed his eyes. "God, the Owls are a bunch of morons."
"Seifer." Quistis closed her laptop, worry churning in her gut. "What did they do?"
He crossed the room to flop across her hotel bed, ignoring her indignant (and automatic) cry of Seifer, you're filthy. "Well, the spray paint worked beautifully on the crates. Covered up Garden's insignia in only two coats. The problem was, one of these morons realized he was standing in an old factory with a can of spray paint and a grudge against the government." He lifted his hands to cover his face. "They covered the entire fucking factory in 'Death to Galbadia!' and 'Your mom's a Galbadian hooker' and 'The Owls Will Fly Again'. That kind of shit."
"So..." Quistis spread her hands. "So they had a little fun. What's the big deal?"
Seifer turned his head to look at her through his fingers. "The entire factory, Trepe. Including the outside. In bright red and green and black. Everywhere. It's only a matter of time before somebody spots it and reports it to the cops."
"Shit," Quistis said (another automatic response). She stood up, collecting her whip and her pack of items, pausing to ask Seifer, "Why does Rinoa want to fund these people so badly?"
"Must have a soft spot for idiots." Seifer looked up from the bed. "Where are you going?"
Quistis tucked her whip onto her belt. "I'm going to keep Balamb Garden from getting dragged into a political nightmare. Are you coming or not?"
- - -
To: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Quistis,
Rinoa has approved a funding transfer of whatever amount you specify; as her executor, your word will be law. That being said, on a personal note, make sure the worth of this information justifies the price.
Squall
- - -
The sudden bright light made Quistis blink. "Mmmfh," Seifer mumbled into her shoulder, distracted. "What the fuck is that?"
"Computer," she murmured, her breath catching as his lips returned to the nape of her neck. "It's probably--"
"Don't care, Trepe." Seifer moved upwards, catching her lips with his. "Shut up."
- - -
To: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re:Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Squall,
Understood. We have an agreement. The request has been submitted electronically. I should have enough information to return shortly; the contact is doing one more round of the building tonight to see what else he can find.
QT
- - -
"Remind me next time," Quistis said, breathlessly, "to check all of our illegal exports before we send them out."
"Right," Seifer murmured against her mouth, pressing her body into the wall of the second abandoned factory. "I'll keep it in mind."
Quistis tightened her fingers in his hair, then slid her hands down and up under his jacket; Seifer groaned. She smiled against his lips. "This place is filthy," she whispered.
"So is your hotel room," Seifer said, pulling the neck of her top away from her shoulder to suck at her neck. "This can be a test, see. How abandoned is the warehouse?"
Quistis' eyes fluttered shut against her own will. "When you put it that way," she murmured, and hooked a leg around Seifer's waist.
- - -
To: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Quistis,
Glad to hear it. Who is the contact?
Squall
- - -
"Alright, I've been wondering." Seifer rolled over and up on an elbow, looking at Quistis. "Explain to me again how you got sent here?"
Quistis raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you really care?"
Seifer waggled his own eyebrows. "It's sexy when you talk SeeD."
"No, it's not." Quistis laughed. "You just want me to help you fall asleep, don't you."
"Of course not," Seifer said quickly, but he bunched up his pillow under his head. "Explain it."
Quistis sighed, pulling the sheet up over herself. "Squall invalidated Rinoa's old contract with the Owls when they got involved, knowing that there'd be an undefendable conflict of interest if it ever came up before the board. But Rinoa wouldn't let him dissolve the entire thing without some major concessions. This is one of them."
"Concessions?" Seifer tilted his head to look up at her. "You mean demands."
Quistis shrugged. "Whatever. Rinoa lined up a brand new mission and a lot of work before she'd let Squall toss out the old contract. The new mission is being funded right from her pocket, and I'm the executor and advisor. Basically, I've been assigned to find out how SeeD can help the Owls without starting another civil war."
She glanced down. Seifer's eyes were closed.
"I knew it."
- - -
To: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Squall,
You know I can't tell you that. See you tomorrow.
QT
Fandom: FFVIII
Pairing: Seifer/Quistis
Rating: PG-13
for irish_ais, for her birthday
for shanaqui, who requested it
- - -
To: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
Subject: 867-2959.1 Report
Squall,
Arrived in Timber without incident. The first request is out to our contact. Will let you know when he replies.
QT
- - -
The bar was dark and smelled like cigarettes, spilled beer, and failure. Quistis self-consciously tugged the edge of her top down farther over her stomach and headed to the corner. His back was to the door; she could see the top of his head over the cushioned back of the booth. She made sure her steps were loud enough, so he could hear them.
"Seifer."
He turned, slowly enough that Quistis knew he'd known she was coming. "Good of you to show up, Trepe."
She noticed two beers on the table. "You've already ordered for me?" She sat down across from him, eyeing the mug with distaste.
"Yeah," Seifer said with a grin. "Yours is the one that's drugged."
"Mmm." Her lips curled in a smile. "Turning to drugs to make sure you get laid this time. I wish I were surprised."
Seifer shrugged. "So you're as desperate as last time, huh? I shouldn't have bothered."
"Business first," Quistis murmured as his foot caught hers under the table. "Then pleasure."
- - -
To: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Quistis,
I thought you said the contact had already agreed to meet and deliver. Is there going to be a problem?
Squall
- - -
"This is where they're keeping it all." Seifer jabbed a finger into the map. "It's safe enough, for now. Abandoned factory or something. Nobody goes out there except potheads."
Quistis tapped at the spot, idly. "But what if someone does go out there? Are they at least hidden?"
"As well as we can hide twenty giant fucking boxes of ammunition," Seifer said. "Oh, and good job, by the way, sending the boxes that say 'Balamb Garden' on the side. You may as well have put a blinking rainbow banner on it saying 'Declare War Now'."
"Shit." Quistis shook her head, sitting down abruptly. "I told them specifically--"
"Yeah, yeah." Seifer cut her off. "I know. Bunch of dipshits you work with. Doesn't change the fact that we've got a gigantic declaration of bad intentions just sitting there."
Quistis tapped a finger against her lip in thought. "We'll have to get rid of that. Safe factory or not, we just can't afford to take the chance. If they find out Garden is involved..."
"I know, I know." Seifer sat down too. "You don't have to read me the riot act again. It's not my fault Leonhart took up with Princess Bitchface and invalidated his own contract."
Quistis snorted. "Be nice," she said automatically. "You dated her too."
"What is this, a likefest?" Seifer rolled his eyes. "And you're beautiful and charming. Now stop blabbing and tell me what to do with those crates."
- - -
To: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re:Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Squall,
No problems. I'm in touch with the contact. He's with the Owls, but works as a spy -- he has a day job as a grunt in City Hall, which gives him access to information on the Galbadian Army. I've explained Garden's situation as per the contract, and he's willing to work with us, but not for free. What are our resources like for this mission?
QT
- - -
"Spray paint." Seifer shut the door behind him and leaned up against it, clearly annoyed. "Fucking spray paint was your best idea."
Quistis looked up from her laptop, raising an eyebrow. "It's the easiest way to take care of the problem," she said slowly. "How in the world did you manage to mess up spray paint?"
"I didn't," Seifer pointed out. He leaned his head back against the door and closed his eyes. "God, the Owls are a bunch of morons."
"Seifer." Quistis closed her laptop, worry churning in her gut. "What did they do?"
He crossed the room to flop across her hotel bed, ignoring her indignant (and automatic) cry of Seifer, you're filthy. "Well, the spray paint worked beautifully on the crates. Covered up Garden's insignia in only two coats. The problem was, one of these morons realized he was standing in an old factory with a can of spray paint and a grudge against the government." He lifted his hands to cover his face. "They covered the entire fucking factory in 'Death to Galbadia!' and 'Your mom's a Galbadian hooker' and 'The Owls Will Fly Again'. That kind of shit."
"So..." Quistis spread her hands. "So they had a little fun. What's the big deal?"
Seifer turned his head to look at her through his fingers. "The entire factory, Trepe. Including the outside. In bright red and green and black. Everywhere. It's only a matter of time before somebody spots it and reports it to the cops."
"Shit," Quistis said (another automatic response). She stood up, collecting her whip and her pack of items, pausing to ask Seifer, "Why does Rinoa want to fund these people so badly?"
"Must have a soft spot for idiots." Seifer looked up from the bed. "Where are you going?"
Quistis tucked her whip onto her belt. "I'm going to keep Balamb Garden from getting dragged into a political nightmare. Are you coming or not?"
- - -
To: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Quistis,
Rinoa has approved a funding transfer of whatever amount you specify; as her executor, your word will be law. That being said, on a personal note, make sure the worth of this information justifies the price.
Squall
- - -
The sudden bright light made Quistis blink. "Mmmfh," Seifer mumbled into her shoulder, distracted. "What the fuck is that?"
"Computer," she murmured, her breath catching as his lips returned to the nape of her neck. "It's probably--"
"Don't care, Trepe." Seifer moved upwards, catching her lips with his. "Shut up."
- - -
To: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re:Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Squall,
Understood. We have an agreement. The request has been submitted electronically. I should have enough information to return shortly; the contact is doing one more round of the building tonight to see what else he can find.
QT
- - -
"Remind me next time," Quistis said, breathlessly, "to check all of our illegal exports before we send them out."
"Right," Seifer murmured against her mouth, pressing her body into the wall of the second abandoned factory. "I'll keep it in mind."
Quistis tightened her fingers in his hair, then slid her hands down and up under his jacket; Seifer groaned. She smiled against his lips. "This place is filthy," she whispered.
"So is your hotel room," Seifer said, pulling the neck of her top away from her shoulder to suck at her neck. "This can be a test, see. How abandoned is the warehouse?"
Quistis' eyes fluttered shut against her own will. "When you put it that way," she murmured, and hooked a leg around Seifer's waist.
- - -
To: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Quistis,
Glad to hear it. Who is the contact?
Squall
- - -
"Alright, I've been wondering." Seifer rolled over and up on an elbow, looking at Quistis. "Explain to me again how you got sent here?"
Quistis raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you really care?"
Seifer waggled his own eyebrows. "It's sexy when you talk SeeD."
"No, it's not." Quistis laughed. "You just want me to help you fall asleep, don't you."
"Of course not," Seifer said quickly, but he bunched up his pillow under his head. "Explain it."
Quistis sighed, pulling the sheet up over herself. "Squall invalidated Rinoa's old contract with the Owls when they got involved, knowing that there'd be an undefendable conflict of interest if it ever came up before the board. But Rinoa wouldn't let him dissolve the entire thing without some major concessions. This is one of them."
"Concessions?" Seifer tilted his head to look up at her. "You mean demands."
Quistis shrugged. "Whatever. Rinoa lined up a brand new mission and a lot of work before she'd let Squall toss out the old contract. The new mission is being funded right from her pocket, and I'm the executor and advisor. Basically, I've been assigned to find out how SeeD can help the Owls without starting another civil war."
She glanced down. Seifer's eyes were closed.
"I knew it."
- - -
To: sleonhart@balambgarden.net
CC:
From: qtrepe@balambgarden.net
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Re: 867-2959.1 Report
Squall,
You know I can't tell you that. See you tomorrow.
QT