Chapter One
As soon as Squall Leonhart stepped into the dorm, he knew something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. Everyone used to joke that he had a sixth sense for these kinds of things, but no one knew that he really did. And his sixth sense was yelling that something was wrong. He immediately knew this was bad. He ignored his conscience, which was scolding him for barging into someone else's dorm, and focused his attention on trying to figure out what was wrong. "Zell?"
No answer.
He tried again, louder this time, "Zell? Are you in here?"
Still no answer.
Squall sighed and kicked a path through the messy living area back to the bedroom. The door was closed. Squall knocked. "Zell?"
There was a barely coherent moan from the other side.
"Zell, I'm coming in." Squall slowly typed the number code to open the door. Nothing had ever really scared the lion, yet he was terrified of what he might see. As the door slid open, his worst fear was revealed.
Zell Dincht lay naked on the bed, handcuffed to the headboard posts. His eyes were closed as if her were sleeping. One side of his face was swollen and red. All across his stomach were cuts that were still seeping with blood.
Squall took a deep breath and went to the bed, taking a seat beside the blonde.
Zell's eyes opened wide with fear.
Squall reached out and touched the smaller boy's tattooed cheek.
Zell flinched.
"I'm sorry." Squall retrieved his hand and stood, looking for the keys to the handcuffs.
"He took 'em," Zell whispered hoarsely, watching Squall. "But he left the blade." He let his eyes fall on the sharp metal that had caused him so much pain. It was resting on the bedside stand. It was a thin blade, curved enough to pick the lock on the restraints.
The brunette followed his gaze and picked up the weapon. He leaned over a wounded Zell and picked the handcuffs, releasing him.
Zell blushed and pulled a wrinkled sheet over his bare body before rubbing at his sore wrists.
"Where'd he go?"
Zell shrugged. "He said he was hungry."
"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner."
He shrugged again. "Not your fault."
"Do you want me to look at your wounds? Do you need a Cure spell?"
Zell shook his head. "I'm fine."
This was not the first time Seifer had done this to Zell. This was not the first time Squall had saved Zell. It was a normal thing. Zell and Seifer were somewhat of a couple. Zell adored Seifer more than anything, but Seifer only used Zell for his sick sex games. With Seifer, sex always involved bondage. He was always the one to dominate, and he'd give pain but never pleasure. When Seifer wanted to fuck, Seifer fucked. No questions were asked, and Zell would do anything for his boyfriend. Even if that meant being raped.
Squall was the only one to know about it. Others heard rumors and such, but they never paid them any attention because the two blondes actually made a cute couple. No one ever heard the harsh words that were spat from Seifer's mouth because it was only behind closed doors that Zell was abused. Physically and mentally.
Squall had tried to stop Seifer on numerous occasions, but Seifer would never listen, and Zell would end up getting beaten even worse because Seifer thought Zell had tattled. That was never the case, because Zell had never uttered a word to anyone. The only reason Squall knew was because he had walked in on the two as Seifer raped Zell. Seifer had said nothing, only made Squall not to promise to spread any more rumors. Squall, of course, had kept quiet, not wanting to get involve. However, he did end up getting involved, helping Zell each time something happened. He cared for Zell, and he wanted to make sure he was safe.
But there was nothing Squall could do.
Was there?
Presently, Squall shook his head. "You are not fine, Zell. You're the worst I've ever seen you. What happened?"
Zell wrapped his arms around his midsection and began to rock back and forth. "He was mad at me."
"Why?"
"Because I told him no. I stood up to him, Squall." Zell looked up, his wide blue eyes moist with tears that were threatening to fall. "I was stupid."
"You are not stupid. He's stupid, and I'm going to beat the shit out of him."
Zell frantically shook his head. "No, Squall! Then he'll know I told." His voice was pleading.
Squall didn't know what to say. Zell was right; if he confronted Seifer, Zell would get a beating for it. He rubbed his forehead. "I can't let him keep doing this to you."
"I'm fine. Nothing a Cure can't fix." Zell tried to smile, but a split lip prevented him from doing so.
"Where all are you hurt?"
"Squall, I..."
"Where all are you hurt?" Squall repeated, giving Zell a firm look.
Zell sighed. "My face, lip, wrists, chest, and asshole." He shivered, remembering what Seifer had told him:
"You've been a bad boy, Zelly. No lubricant for you."
There was pain, so much pain. Searing, scorching his opening. Seifer had shown no mercy, thrusting into him with so much force, Zell was surprised there wasn't any blood.
"He cut you, didn't he?" Squall asked softly.
"Only on my chest. They're not deep though. Just enough to draw blood."
"Can I see?"
Zell hesitated. What if Seifer found out someone else had seen his body? Seifer had made Zell vow not to let anyone else see his body. There was a scar curved into an S on his left hip to prove that he belonged to Seifer.
"He won't find out," Squall promised.
Zell took in a deep breath and pulled the sheet from his body, revealing the six or seven cuts Squall had seen earlier.
Squall leaned down and examined them closely. He was no doctor, but those looked pretty deep. "How much blood?"
"Not that much..."
"You need a Cura, Zell."
"I'm fine," he insisted.
"No, you're not. See, look at this one." Squall pointed to the deepest gash, a tender wound where blood was leaking from the skin. Before Zell could say anything more, Squall cast a Cura spell, and the wounds healed into faint scars.
"Thanks," Zell mumbled, looking away.
"I want you to take a hot bath and get yourself cleaned up. Get dressed and run to the cafeteria before everyone starts to wonder why you're not there for your hotdogs." Squall smiled a bit and gently touched Zell's cheek.
This time, Zell didn't flinch.
"I'll see you later." Squall lightly placed a kiss on Zell's forehead before getting up and leaving.