AN: Yet another randomly begun fic. Probably a SxS of some sort, although no plot as yet...
Disclaimers: ff8 characters are © Squaresoft, original characters (if there are any) are © me :)
Warnings: None yet, but rating may increase depending on what plot I end up with ;p
---SQUALL---
I stare at Seifer, goosebumps racing across my skin, and wonder again what on earth prompted me to accept the mission. Not only that, but why I decided to go personally. It's not like there aren't plenty of SeeDs at Garden now, all of them perfectly capable of leading or supporting a mission, and all anxious to be out on missions. In fact, Garden's actually getting crowded, and we don't have enough mission requests to keep everyone happy. Still, they can't complain that much. They get paid whether they're on a mission or not, although I had to pull the written tests for advancement of SeeD level. There were simply too many bored SeeDs sitting around doing written tests to get A ranking and more gil.
Maybe I decided to come myself because I was, literally, getting ready to rip the head off the next SeeD who accosted me in the corridor to ask for a mission. Then again, I still haven't found anyone who can come close to defeating me in a fair fight, and everyone knows I was Seifer's sparring partner, so they don't dare try any dirty tricks. It's almost depressing that no one has the guts to really try and win, even by cheating. Probably they're scared that I'll put them on the bottom of the mission 'waiting' list. So I'm still Seifer's only equal, and I don't trust him not to try something with anyone who can't at least fight him to a standstill.
Then again, maybe it's the lingering sense that I owe the blond, for something. I can't for the life of me remember what, and I don't want to ask any of the others about something that could, potentially, be highly embarrassing.
"Well, well. The Great Squall Leonhart himself." Seifer sneers at me. I'm confused. He doesn't seem surprised to see me, almost as if he expected me to come, but I never let him know who was coming. "Was I supposed to be honoured?" I raise an eyebrow in a 'you can be honoured if you want, but I don't expect you to be' expression. He snorts, seemingly reading the expression correctly. If I'd expected him to have changed after everything... But I hadn't, not really. Seifer's attitude is one of those unchanging facts of life, like the sky being blue. It's also a refreshing change from all the SeeDs at Garden trying to suck up to me.
"I didn't want to lose any more recruits to you." The out-of-the-blue comment startles Seifer, but not as much as it startles me. Clearly my brain has been doing its own thing whilst I mused. Thinking about it, it makes sense. Garden has been – and is – losing SeeD candidates – they're leaving, not dying – at a steady rate. It makes sense, thinking about the number of SeeD requests in this area, and the number of candidates we've lost on those missions. But why would Seifer be recruiting potential SeeDs? All my suspicions are confirmed as I glance at Seifer's slightly shocked expression.
---SEIFER---
My surprise must show on my face, at least to someone as observant as Squall. I guess all my efforts to keep my recruiting secret failed. Still, I'm surprised a SeeD contingent hasn't been sent after me already if they know it's me who's responsible for the high loss of candidates.
"Hmm." I stare at him, noticing the faint twitch of his hand. So my scrutiny is making him uncomfortable. I wonder why? "What makes you think I don't have enough already?" He shrugs, but keeps silent. Maybe his comment was just a guess, pure conjecture on his part. Still, I guess I've already given the game away. Point of fact, I've achieved my aim. Squall Leonhart, standing in front of me, unaware of why he's really here. Unaware of just what he owes me. At least, he doesn't look like he remembers. If he did I'm sure he'd still be running.
I suppress a snigger and turn away, hiding the grin that spreads across my face. I gesture curtly over my shoulder for him to follow me. A moment later and I hear the sound of his footsteps begin a lighter counterpoint to my own, heavier, tread. I hope he ate sometime recently because we have quite a way to travel...
***
A few hours later and I hear his footsteps begin to falter. I hid a smile when we entered the desert and he suddenly closed the gap between us, and I guess the silence is letting his memories take a hold. I just hope he's not going to crack on me just yet. I know, I'm a fine one to talk about cracking under pressure and having a strong mental outlook, but I've done all the cracking I intend to do in my lifetime. What I know, about Squall, that a lot of people don't know, is that whilst the outside is sheer ice, inside is a maelstrom of fire that he can't control.
The brunette works so hard to hide his true nature that he's lost sight of it himself. That was one thing Ultemecia taught me. If you try hard enough you can successfully change your nature, at least on the outside, but you'll never be happy. I tried so hard to make myself fit my dream that I lost sight of what I really wanted. Still, my explosion was more of an implosion. I was never the outgoing one at the orphanage, but the GFs have made everyone except Edea and Ellone forget that. Squall... Well, suffice to say that when – not if – he loses it, and he will eventually, it will be an explosion no one's likely to forget.
Call me whatever you want, but at least I was never really much of a threat. I admit that, although you'd never get me to say it out loud. But Squall has no equal, not even me. Point of fact, with Griever and Eden, Squall's probably as dangerous as Ultemecia ever was, maybe even more so.
That's why he has to be stopped. Stopped from exploding without control, or just stopped. Whichever it has to be. And I'm the only one who can stop him, either way, because I'm the only one who knows what he's going through. And because I'm the only one who can get close to him and still do whatever has to be done.
AN: Oooh, darkness... I think maybe the next chapter's gonna include an angst warning... This looks like being a very dark fic, so bring a torch :p After all, things have to get worse before they get better...
Rxr and bear with me on the sporadic updates (of all my fics) I'm a little snowed under by coursework, homework and general work ;_; I hate college *sniffles*