Author's Notes: This is it. The chapter ends just as the opening cutscene of the game begins, the epic fight between Squall and Seifer set to Liberi Fatali. I think I stole a line from Slipknot, but since I've never actually heard more than 2 of their songs, I plead ignorance. As always, all characters belong to Square, I'm trying really hard to keep this from becoming smut, and please read and review. Thanks.


"Zell, lay off it."
Squall shouted at his roommate, but the stubborn Zell didn't listen. Always inquisitive, always concerned, he pried further as to what was eating Squall Leonhart.
"Squall, there's something wrong, and as your roommate, I deserve to know. It's the least you can do."
Squall didn't bother responding, instead drawing himself inwardly. Zell finally gave up.
"I'm gonna grab a shower before dinner; if you decide anything before then, tell me."
Zell turned and walked into the bathroom, taking his shirt off and tossing it on his bed. He was well built, and his extensive martial arts training didn't hurt any. Squall sat on his bed, staring into space, and almost blocked out everything Zell said-except the last part. Squall heard a little yell from the bathroom, as Zell had jumped into the shower without checking the water temperature. He bit back his apprehension, and got up, treading slowly to the bathroom. He could see Zell's silhouette through the shower curtain, and slowly opened it. Zell didn't notice it at first, but he saw Squall out of the corner of his eye, and quickly pulled the curtain shut. Inwardly, Squall cursed. He hadn't expected anything from Zell, but just the same, it was disappointing. Not only because he had been refused, but because he didn't feel the same. It was nothing like the time him and Seifer spent together-the few fleeting moments between classes, before school "training" sessions, and any other time alone. Finally, Zell peeked his head out from behind the shower curtain, and nodded.
"I should've known. Who with?"
"Seifer."
"Well how about that...Give me a minute, and we can talk."
Squall left the bathroom, and Zell dried himself off, tying a towel around his waist. He walked out of the bathroom, and sat down on the corner of Squall's bed.
"I...I don't know. I think maybe Quistis knew, but that's about it. I just wasn't sure how people would react... I mean, Seifer and I have been rivals since as long as anyone can remember. No one would've expected it, and to be honest, I didn't either when he...approached me," he said, referring to the strange diversion Seifer had created during a training session.
"Well, you certainly shocked me. But, only Seifer?"
"You always hurt the ones you love. I guess we'd been hurting each other for too long-there had to be a flipside. And yes, only Seifer. So don't worry," Squall added, with a sheepish grin.
"No big deal. We're in mercenary school, so it's almost a given. So, what. You two had a fight?"
Squall winced at the words, and Zell caught on, apologizing.
"It's nothing serious, just our first lover's quarrel."
"But you do feel better now?"
"Yes. And if you rub it in, I'll slap you."
Zell raised his eyebrows.
"So why don't you go and talk to him?"
"It's because he won't let me. I tried, but he's still pissed. Perfectionist that he is, he thinks that my attempt to save his life cost him an early chance at becoming a SeeD."
"And it wasn't any consolation that you lost that same chance?" asked Zell cynically.
"No. I love him, but he's such an egomaniac sometimes."
"Try all the time. Just try to imagine if he didn't exist, which I'm sure he does about you sometimes."
"I know," Squall said, pleadingly, "But it's so hard. Do you know what it's like?"
"Probably not. Listen, just try to talk to him between now and the field exam, and it'll probably do you some good. Set a deadline, and if you can't bring yourself to break the silence by then, then it probably was never meant to be...or something."
"Okay. Listen, thanks a lot, Zell."
Zell stood up, and held his arms open.
"It's what friends are for."
Squall met the embrace, and as he pulled away, dislodged Zell's towel. Squall quickly spun around, apologizing, as Zell giggled like a maniac and got dressed.

The next fire trial was fast approaching, and Squall was horribly out of practice. The week before, he spent most of his free time in the training center, barely surviving an encounter with the T-Rex on several occasions, and on others, laying waste to a couple of overgrown insects. He distinctly remembered quite how challenging it would be to defeat Ifrit, as his memories of the way the fire elemental had tossed him and Seifer around like rag dolls were even painful. Finally, he took Zell to the training center and learned a few basic hand to hand moves from his friend. He wasn't anywhere near as good without his gunblade, however, and the number of times Zell defeated him was almost embarrassing. He needed someone else to train with, to hone his gunblade skills. Squall had mostly avoided Seifer, despite the way Zell pushed him.
Finally, one lunch block, Squall bit back his pride, and approached Seifer. Across the cafeteria, Seifer sat with Raiden and Fujin, discussing some techniques. They quieted as Squall approached, and Seifer turned around. He saw that it was Squall, and quickly turned back, trying to engage Fujin in conversation before Squall arrived. It was too late, however, and Squall slid into an empty chair, looking directly at Seifer.
The tension grew as neither of them spoke, only staring at each other. It only helped that neither of Seifer's comrades uttered a sound. Finally, Seifer broke the silence.
"Whatever the question is, my answer is no."
"Will you at least hear my question first?"
Seifer shrugged, planning on sticking to his words.
"I just want to practice with you, before the next trip to the Fire Cave."
"I'm not going with you again. I can't wait another three months, and if I have to because of you, I won't hesitate in attacking you."
"That doesn't matter. I'm going with Instructor Trepe instead. I just want to get in a training session. Mano a mano, gunblade on gunblade. Just once. And maybe..."
"Maybe what? If there's any maybes, I won't bother. Just to train."
"All right. Tomorrow morning, before role call," Squall suggested, remembering that time as the time they would always spend together. Evidently it stirred something in Seifer too, as he winced ever so slightly, and then nodded. Squall walked back across the cafeteria, outwardly as calm as ever. Inwardly, however, he was a mess, wondering if he was doing the right thing, wondering what else might happen tomorrow morning. He sat back down across from Zell, winked at him, and pushed it out of his mind.

Squall awoke the next morning to see Seifer leaning against the doorway. He had risen much earlier, Squall noted, because his outfit was perfect and his hair even more so.
"Hurry up," Seifer said, a note of contempt in his voice. Squall almost didn't catch it and hurried to dress, not bothering with the same formalities as Seifer had.
They walked to the beach in silence, a silence only broken by the wash of the waves on the sand. A bit of a wind kicked up, and blew sand into the nearby grass. It stirred many memories in Squall, and he turned, blinking away the beginnings of a tear.
"Just a session. Nothing else."
Squall nodded, and held his gunblade at the ready. Seifer charged in with a vicious overhead attack, and Squall staggered in blocking it. He rolled aside as Seifer followed through, and swung his blade up, cutting only air but setting Seifer off balance. Seifer fell into the sand and rolled back over, lunging forward with the tip of his blade. Squall parried it and jumped back. He swung his blade horizontally at Seifer, an attack which was blocked by a backhand move by Seifer. He brought his blade back around and swung it
down again, narrowly missing Squall's head. They both jumped back, and stopped, out of breath.
"Good match," Seifer gasped. Squall nodded. Seifer picked himself up and walked down to the water. He splashed a bit of the saline liquid on his face and wiped it off. Squall took off his jacket as Seifer returned.
"I still...Seifer. I love you."
Seifer acted as if he hadn't heard Squall, and picked up his gunblade. Squall stood up, and held his own in position. Seifer began with a vicious series of attacks that threw Squall off balance, and it was only with a brutal counterattack that he managed to reverse the tides. Seifer jumped back, a wicked smile on his face.
"I do tool And I would kill you to love you."
As he spoke, a red hot fire began to form in his hand. Squall ignored it, preoccupied with Seifer's words.
The ball of fire barely missed him, singing a few hairs and catching him completely off guard. With the same wicked smile etched on his face, Seifer brought his gunblade down. It was only the tip of the blade that made contact, but it was enough. Blood poured, coating Squall's face. It was at that point that he understood.
"Then I will too."
Squall let out a yell and brought his own blade up, cutting Seifer with a mirrored strike. Seifer staggered, and he did as well. They both collapsed, falling on their knees and into each other's arms.