Quistis jumped with a start and looking around.
"Who's there?" Her voice quavered and she stood visibly frightened. Wiping her eyes and cursing herself, she quickly started regaining her composure.
She looked timid and lost a shell of the strong woman most knew. She saw a figure in the shadows and stepped back. The figure shifted a moment as if unsure what to do.
"Damn it Rinoa I said I was fine." Quistis shouted angrily at the intrusion.
"NOT RINOA." The voice said firmly.
She stepped out of the shadows like a demon, her lone, crimson eye shining in the darkness. Her silver hair was frosted from the cold and glittered in the light. Her skin was paler than normal and had faint blue hue.
"She must've been out here all night." Quistis thought with alarm.
"Fujin?" Was all she could stammer.
Fujin stood with her arms folded over her chest, as always she wore her royal blue dress uniform. Stoic and statuesque she was unreadable.
"What do you want?" Quistis blinked in shock and grew annoyed with embarrassment.
"YOU CAME." Fujin pointed out.
Quistis ran her hands through her hair and groaned. She felt so foolish and nearly laughed aloud.
"Out of all the people to breakdown in front of." She thought and looked up at the woman regarding her.
"You want me to leave I take it?"
Glaring at her unblinking, Fujin shrugged impassively, her arms still folded.
"DON'T CARE."
Quistis thought about leaving, but what was the point, it couldn't get worse now. She turned and leaned on the railing. She could still feel the other woman watching her.
"You must find this hilarious huh." She said morosely.
"NEGATIVE."
"Ever the conversationalist." Quistis joked sourly.
"FUCK YOU." Fujin responded bluntly.
"Nice mouth." Quistis sighed and looked over at her odd companion.
"It's not her fault your upset, don't be so defensive." She scolded herself.
"Sorry." She said softly, the edge vanishing from her voice.
Fujin nodded and leaned back against the wall. Neither spoke for a long while and uncomfortable silence hung in the air as they watched the night sky.
"So, have you been out here all night?" Quistis said quietly.
"AFFIRMATIVE"
"Aren't you cold?"
"NEGATIVE."
More silence, even longer this time and Quistis started to feel awkward. She looked at Fujin again; the woman stood staring mournfully at the heavens. Quistis could sense something amiss.
Curious and needing something to take her mind off her own troubles she decided to try to talk to her.
"Are you okay?" She started simply. Fujin ignored her efforts and paid her no mind. Expecting as much Quistis continued undeterred.
"I mean you seem distant." She paused thoughtfully a second. "That is, even more than usual." She offered a disarming smile.
"I've been told I'm a good listener, who knows I may be able to help."
"LIKE YOU CARE." Fujin snapped irritably. She could care less for whatever Quistis was trying to prove by offering her help. A sneer of contempt crossed her face and she turned away.
"Don't be hostile, I was only trying to help." Quistis said quietly.
"YOU NEED IT MORE." Fujin said icily.
Quistis looked hurt and nodded.
"Fair enough." She said simply and turned her gaze back to the horizon.
Fujin eyed her sourly and blew a cloud of frosty breath before looking back to the night sky. Silence reigned once more as the two women stood watching the heavens.
Fujin glanced back at Quistis curiously. She wondered why she tried to reach out. They'd known each other for years and had hardly said a word to each other.
Besides it was no secret Seifer and her hated each other with a passion, why then would she want to help someone so close to him.
Fujin sighed inwardly at how easy her thoughts went back to Seifer. She frowned not wanting to think about it and let her attention fall once more on Quistis.
"COLD." Fujin said, more of a statement than a question.
"I'm fine" Quistis murmured and closed her eyes. She was so tired and the alcohol she'd been downing all night wasn't helping. She slumped heavily against the rail and after a while spoke again.
"Fujin?" She asked quietly.
"YES?"
"I'm sorry." Quistis said softly, her voice, small and distant.
"FOR WHAT?" Fujin blinked in confusion.
"Losing him…. I know what its like." She sighed. "To loose someone you care for."
Fujin didn't response, not that Quistis expected her to.
"Tired." She whispered weakly and sank to the ground.
She was fast asleep by the time she was wrapped in a coat and lifted off the ground.
The next morning Quistis awoke with a start. She looked about not sure as to where she was. She relaxed upon realizing she was in her apartment. She looked down at the deep blue dress jacket she was entangled in.
"Who?" She mouthed curiously, and then she remembered.
"Fujin…" She whispered softly, looking out the window. Sitting up on the edge of the bed she folded the jacket in her lap. She replayed what she could of last nights conversation.
"How odd." She thought and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It said: 10:00AM she'd overslept.
With a groan she stood up and went to the closet after a brief search she removed a simple black skirt and white blouse and laid them on the bed.
She then headed to the bathroom and came face to face with her reflection.
"Ugh." She scowled at her reflection. Mascara streaked her blood shot eyes making her look like some gothic drug user.
"Shower.." She grumbled in a tone more befitting a zombie. Turning away from the specter in the mirror she removed her dress and left it in a heap by the door.
After ridding herself of earrings and underwear she stepped into the shower. The water was hotter than usual and she welcomed it, the sting quickly snapped her to full awareness.
It was five in the morning when Fujin awoke. Running fingers through her silvery-white hair she grumbled irritably. It was impossible to do anything with and she kept it shoulder length to keep it out of the way.