Reversals_part16
Warnings: Angst, still more foul language (I just don't see Seifer or Squall as not having potty-mouths shrug>. They're both too pissy, in their own ways.), violence, and Rinoa-Alert (I am attempting to characterize her fairly, but there may be part of the problem, eh? smirk>).

Pairing: Seifer/Squall

Reversals
by Lady Tempest

Part 16:

Squall stormed out of his infirmary room, scowling at the door for not swooshing aside fast enough. He had replaced the white infirmary gown with his clothes someone had left hanging neatly on a chair. The knees of his leather pants were ripped and crusted with blood, a mix of Seifer's and his own. His white t-shirt formed to his chest like a macabre armor of dried blood, stiffened and dark red-brown.

It was a conflicting sensation, having Seifer's blood so close to his own skin, and he knew it was Seifer's. In a morbid way, it was like having Seifer so close to him, Seifer's scent, part of his life, but at the same time the meaning of the stain squeezed his insides into a soul-deep pain he prayed he would never feel again.

As soon as he entered the waiting area, Zell and Quistis saw him, their faces both wrinkling into a grimace. He didn't have time to deal with their inane questions. There were things that needed to be done and then he could keep his promise to Seifer.

"Man, we could have gotten you a change of clothes..."

"No time," Squall replied curtly, passing them with little more attention than one would pay to a wall.

"What's going on?" Quistis asked.

"I have work to do."

"You can't expect to work looking like...like...well, like that."

Squall glanced down at himself, then shrugged. "I said, I don't have time. I need to call Cid and Raijin." He strode to the door, unconcerned if they were following or not. "Then run through the students records."

"I can call Raijin if you like," Quistis offered as she hurried to his side with a casual grace that gave the illusion she hadn't hurried at all. "But what are you looking for in the student records?"

His rage clawed at his throat, bringing a chill quaking to his voice, and, oddly, loosening his tongue. "I'm looking for the bastards who did this to Seifer."

Quistis' steps stuttered, but she quickly recovered any lost composure, only the stutter of her words betraying her. "What? But... I thought... I though it was a ... suicide."

"Yeah, man." Zell bounded in front of him, agitation creeping into his animated backwards half-hops as he stared evenly at Squall.

Squall grunted. "He had a little help pushing him over the edge."

"What? How?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Squall Leonhart! Stop taking everything on yourself!" Quistis snagged his arm, trying to slow him down or catch his attention. But it did neither and he shrugged her off. She sighed. "Didn't you learn anything during the war? If someone hurt Seifer, then we want to help. Right, Zell?"

Zell blinked, but nodded his head. "Yeah, man! Seifer may be an a..."

Scowling, Squall's fists clenched and unclenched, an awkward sensation without the leather of his gloves. His fingers ached to strangle Zell, and if the blond finished what passed for a thought in what passed for his brain, he would.

Zell gulped, whatever words about to tumble from his overactive mouth lost under Squall's glacial glare. The trademark horrified and wide-eyed realization that he yet again had been about to say something infinitely stupid narrowed into a startling seriousness.

"But," Zell began, his voice shaking then finding an assurance which radiated across his face. "... But he still is family! And no one messes with my family and gets away with it." Zell boxed at the air, loose and light on his feet, but a fierce dark glint shone in his blue eyes in place of his usual bright energy. Zell was serious. For once.

Squall sighed. He had to admit, only to himself, that Zell's intense sincerity, Quistis' too, was warming, maybe even a little comforting. Seifer needed to know that people cared about him. But, for the moment, Squall knew, and it actually disturbed him to keep them from the truth. A truth he could see would pain them almost as much as it pained him. Well... at least close enough. Yet, Seifer deserved whatever fragments of his pride Squall could piece together.

"It would hurt him if anyone knew and I don't want to see Seifer hurt anymore."

"Then only tell us what we need to know." Zell flashed a fanged grin. "Three heads are better than one, even if the one is the great Commander Lionheart."

Squall rolled his eyes. "Whatever..."

"So what are you looking for?" Quistis asked quietly, still keeping pace beside him.

"I think I know who attacked him. But I don't know their names."

"So you're going to look through all the student records until you find them?"

He nodded.

"That could take forever!" Zell yelped and stopped mid-bounce to fall in step beside Squall.

"I'll do whatever it takes." His jaw stiffened, and he lifted his chin in defiance, his chilling storm blue eyes daring anyone to oppose him.

Zell and Quistis glanced at each other, exchanging a strange look. A self-satisfied glint flashed in Quistis' blue eyes and quirked her lips: like a stately 'I told you'. Zell blushed, shaking his head in apparent resignation. Squall could care less what was going on between the two of them. He had only one thing on his mind and he was all that mattered.

"Oookay," Zell drawled, tugging nervously at the collar of his t-shirt, his cheeks still as red as it was. "Then describe them."

"Well, there's always three of them. One's dark-haired, tall, about 6'3'', skinny, always has an irritating smug look on his face..."

"Wait!" Zell and Quistis interrupted in unison.

"The New DC."

"Huh?"

Quistis nodded. "Sounds like the head of the DC, Jake." She pushed at the bridge of her glasses, her head tilted slightly in thought.

Shrugging elegantly, she continued, "... I can't remember his last name at the moment. He's a real jerk, uses his position as head of the disciplinary committee as a power-play. It wouldn't surprise me if he moved up to physically abusing someone, or rather, being more blatant about it. He should have been kicked off the committee a long time ago, but there's never been proof that he's violated Garden policy. And since he was appointed by Cid during the war, there wasn't much chance to notice his abuses until recently, and then, Cid's been gone..."

"Whatever. I don't need the bastard's fucking life's story," Squall growled, half impatience, half building rage. His anger was a step closer to finding its target. "I just want to find who hurt Seifer. Where's his dorm?"

"Follow me."

*****

"Squall!" Rinoa called excitedly, hurrying across the foyer.

Fuck! He was beginning to loathe his name. Hearing it over and over and over and over was really starting to fucking piss him off. And Rinoa! It definitely was not the time he wanted to deal with Rinoa; Not that he really ever wanted to.

"Not now. I'm busy."

Her gaze darted to Quistis, then Zell, then back to Quistis again. A frown formed on her pouty lips. "Oh." She tilted her head, long, dark hair brushing a bare shoulder, and her hands clasped at the skirt of her pale blue dress.

The color suited Seifer far more than it did her. The blond had been downright gorgeous, but then, he always was... even lying, damaged and broken, in the infirmary...

"But we were supposed to go to the movies tonight. You pr..."

He didn't have time for this shit! "You know, I really don't give a fuck for your stupid plans. There are more important things in this world than seeing some crappy movie." Far more important things.

"I know," she said defensively, tears welling in her chocolate brown eyes. "But..."

"Fuckin' grow up! You're not a goddam princess and I am certainly fucking not your fucking prince. Now, I have important things to do. Later." Squall turned on his heel and stalked toward the dorms.

"But... but you're my knight." Rinoa said weakly.

"Whatever..." He replied without looking back, rolling his eyes, and waved Zell and Quistis onward. "Let's go."

"Meanie! I don't see what could be so important that you always have to break plans with me." She blurted out, desperation and hurt in her voice. "It's only a silly school."

Squall halted, his shoulders heaving, and quaking with thinly reined anger. He had enough. Whirling around, he glared at her from under his ragged bangs so coldly she shivered.

"You don't?" he snapped like brittle ice. "How about this: Seifer tried to kill himself last night. That important enough for you? Considering you supposedly loved him once, I would hope so."

"Seifer? Oh... oh, dear. You're not serious. How...? Seifer?"

"I'm very serious. Now can I leave, your highness?"

Rinoa stood, wide-eyed and frozen with horror and, surprisingly, guilt. Not waiting for an answer, not that one mattered, he turned back and continued on his path, rejoining Quistis and Zell who waited for him several yards ahead. And left Rinoa, alone.

********

As they turned the corner to Dorm Hall C, the three halted. At the end of the corridor, was Jake, laughing, his smug grin firmly in place, with the other two vermin slithering down the hall on either side of him.

"How convenient. There they are now," Zell chuckled with an ominous undertone.

"I know," Squall seethed in reply. His hands reflexively clenched into fists, and rage quaked through him, darkening his eyes to the gray-blue of an impending storm.

The three students continued strolling towards them, Jake's infuriating smile and laughing glance the only indicator that Squall had been noticed. Nothing in the student's manner showed awareness of Squall's uncharacteristic fury. Whether concealed by control, or just plain oblivious, Squall didn't give a shit.

He stalked towards Jake, and with each step the tall boy's smug smirk only heightened his rage. It reminded him of Seifer, and what had been done to him, all he had suffered. And looking past the maliciousness in Jake's expression, to just the arrogance and confidence of it, it reminded him of what had been stolen from Seifer. What Seifer had once been.

Apparently something in him must have given the bastard pause, because Jake suddenly stopped several feet away, the boy's thugs coming to a startled stop beside him.

"Commander," Jake acknowledged, all smooth and cool calm. How could he act like nothing was wrong? Like he hadn't... Like he hadn't done...anything to Seifer? No less what he...?

The fury roaring within Squall rose beyond the fire of blood to a glacial ice which would chill even Shiva herself. Before his mind knew, his legs closed the two steps between them. Fucking bastard! No one hurt Seifer! No one!

Without thought, without warning, Squall punched him. Squarely. In the face.

And it felt good. Very good.

(End Part 16)
(tbc)