Author's note: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or its characters. This is set after the game.

The Music Box

With a sigh, Quistis hung the last of the evergreen boughs. She looked down the ladder only to find that Zell, who had been her spotter, had wandered off. Quistis closed her eyes for a moment then headed down the ladder. She shouldn't be that surprised. Everyone had been more than a little distracted since they'd arrived. True, it was almost Hynemas, but it was frustrating that everyone else kept sneaking off to make out with their significant other. They had all come to the orphanage to celebrate together with Matron, but some how Quistis had ended up doing most of the decorating by herself.

She didn't really blame the others, but Quistis couldn't help but feel a little envious. Squall and Rinoa still had some things to work out, but they were so clearly happy with one another that it sometimes made her teeth hurt. Irvine and Selphie had started seeing each other after the war, and their relationship had surprisingly gone rather well so far. Even Zell had finally asked the library girl out. She was happy for them all, but it made her feel like a third wheel most of the time. And she was more than a little lonely.

"Quistis?" Matron's voice called her back from her melancholy thoughts. "Do you think you could fix up a few more beds? I have three last minute guests arriving."

"Of course, Matron."

Being busy helped some. That was why Quistis had thrown herself into work after the war. While she wasn't an instructor anymore, with the influx of students from both Galbadia and Trabia she had been put to work as a tutor and administrative assistant. Until the other two Gardens were repaired, Balamb was going to be understaffed. Collecting sheets from the linen closet, Quistis bit her lip, trying to think where there was space for three more beds. Rinoa and Squall were sharing a room as were Irvine and Selphie. Zell and Hypatia each had single rooms, and Edea and Cid were sharing. There was one other room available besides her own.

She'd make up two beds in the extra room, and then see who exactly it was. If there was another girl in the group, she could bunk with Quistis. Trying to get into a more festive mood, Quistis began humming carols as she worked. She got the first bed done and moved onto the next one. The bed was halfway finished when a tenor started sing along.

"In the meadow we can build a snowman and pretend that he is Parson Brown."

Quistis let out a squeak of surprise when a pair of hands helped her finish with the last blanket. Seifer smirked at her.

"Hey, Quisty."

She struggled to regain her composure. "Seifer, what are you doing here?"

His smirk widened. "Celebrating Hynemas with Matron. What else would I be doing?"

He was right. He was as much one of Matron's children as the rest of them were. Quistis smiled at him.

"All right. Maybe you'll be more help than the rest of them."

"Getting cavities from being stuck with the lovebirds?"

She threw the pillow at him. Seifer threw it back, and things degenerated from there. Nearly twenty minutes later Matron found them engaged in a tickle fight and laughing hard enough to cause tears. The woman just smiled as she watched them from the doorway.

"If you two aren't too busy," their foster mother said, "there is still some decorating that needs to be done downstairs."

The two of them allowed themselves to be talked into finishing the last of the decorating. They were rewarded for their efforts with Matron's trademark peppermint hot cocoa. Quistis was perfectly content to curl up with her mug in front of the fire, and to her surprise, Seifer joined her. There was some awkward silence at first, but it didn't take them long to fall into a conversation, and before she knew it, Quistis found herself telling Seifer a number of things that she had been keeping to herself lately. She had forgotten how close they had once been. As the oldest two at the orphanage besides Ellone, they had often been thrown together. They hadn't exactly been friends, but they had been close. Quistis still found that Seifer understood her a lot better than most people.

They had both been outsiders, and that was a common bond. And truthfully, Seifer really was good company when he wasn't trying to piss her off. However, their comfortable discussion was interrupted by the return of the rest of the gang. They were clearly as surprised to see Seifer as Quistis had been. Only they didn't take it as well as she had. It took a lot of talking to keep things from being ugly, but in the end, she and Matron managed to convince the rest of them that Seifer, Fuujin, and Raijin were staying for the holidays, and they would all have to get along. Seifer, amazingly, managed to keep his mouth shut and not make things worse.

Things were a little awkward after that, but they all managed to have a fairly peaceful holiday. And Quistis found that she was rather grateful for Seifer's presence. At the very least she now had someone to make snarky comments about the couples to. Seifer seemed to understand that and had his own share of comments. Apparently, Fuujin and Raijin had also hooked up. There was also the fact that she didn't feel quite so alone with him here. It was nice not to be the only one who was left out because they didn't have a date.

It was actually a very nice Hynemas Quistis though as she curled up by the fire. Somehow, she had managed to get the seat closest to the fire when everyone came down to open presents. Of course, that might have something to due with the fact that she had been one of the first ones up, so she could help Matron get things ready. Now she was comfortably curled up with a mug of cocoa and presents scattered around her feet. They were the same things she typically got every year: books, training gear, and gil. The only surprise had been from Matron. She had given Quistis a delicate silver necklace that held a heavy silver pendant. The pendant held an impression of an old fashioned coat of arms and the words 'Omnia Vincit Amor' beneath it. Matron said it had been with her when she had been left at the orphanage as an infant.

Most of the presents had been opened already, including Rinoa's engagement ring. Quistis was one of the few people who had found something to give Seifer. She was startled when another present was plopped in her lap. Quistis looked up to meet Seifer's green eyes.

"Merry Hynemas, Quisty."

"You didn't have to, Seifer."

"I wanted to. Open it."

She carefully pulled away the paper to reveal a beautifully carved wooden box. She opened the lid and a bittersweet tune began to play. It was really quite beautiful.

"Thank you, Seifer."

He shrugged, and Quistis could swear there was a trace of a blush on his cheeks.

"No problem."

Impulsively, she leaned towards him and kissed his cheek. "Really, Seifer. Thank you."

She wasn't sure what this relationship between them really was, but it wasn't a bad start. Quistis made a mental note to make sure she caught him under the mistletoe some time later today. It was Hynemas after all.