Author's Note: First of all, I know it took me so long to update and I'm sorry. But school was really…well, shoving me off the cliff. I'm terribly exhausted and I still have projects to do. Can you believe that? It's the last day and I still have to submit projects! *sigh* High school life is hard. Anyways, here's the twenty-fifth chapter. Oh, before that, some thanks. Man…my head is spinning…or is it the room…?
Dark Raion – There's no reason I would be mad. Thank you for reviewing. And don't worry…it won't be for convenience; trust me.
yummychocolatexD – Violent, huh? Haha! Thanks for the review. I'm sorry for the late update…I was really busy. Hope you enjoy the chapter.
Barr – Thanks for the review. No worries. They will eventually work things out and Seifer won't be hurt so bad…at least, I'll try not to hurt him so bad.
Tai-Style – Thank you for reviewing. Seifer will do something to his father…but I don't think you'll like it very much. And…well, I don't know about what's dying to happen…
PasifiKStaR – You don't seem biased to me. Thanks for reviewing. And whether Seifer does something or not, Rinoa will still end up with Squall!
SquallsGIRL – Thanks for the review. And…um…I don't think you should think about it anymore since we all know who she's going to end up with, right? J
LionHeart823 – Of course you are…thank you for reviewing. Hm…one thing I should tell you is that you should say goodbye to the bastard. Read the chapter and you'll see why.
lostfallenangel – Glad you liked the chapter. I hope you end up liking this one, too. Thank you for reviewing and I'm sorry for the late update…
flare draco – Yes, Zeon is a creep, isn't he? Well, he won't be 'creeping' around for long. Thanks for the review!
The wise – Firstly, thank you for your review. Second…uh…you're right on target.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Seifer felt the burning fury rising in his chest as he entered the room. But he held it down as his father faced him, trying desperately hard to stop himself from trembling. He mustn't jump too quickly. He loosened his hold on the Gunblade and mustered a smirk. "Hello, father," he greeted casually.
"What are you doing with that?" his father said, gesturing at the Gunblade.
"I was going to go out for a while," he answered. His father was keeping his hands busy by shaking a small snow globe over and over again, while trying – and failing – to restrain what seemed to be a spiteful laughter. Seifer frowned. "What's so funny?" he questioned.
"I have a question for you, boy," said his father.
"What?" Seifer said.
His father put the snow globe on the table as he took a seat on the chair beside the desk. "Well, it's about…hm…your fiancé…Rinoa…" muttered Zeon.
"What about Rinoa?" Seifer asked. 'Say one wrong word…just one…' he thought, though still trying to control his angry urges.
"Tell me," said Zeon. "What makes her…special?"
"Special?" Seifer asked.
"Why…of all girls in this world…did you choose Rinoa?" Zeon asked. Seifer felt confused. What did this have to do with anything?
Seifer shrugged. "She's just special, there's just something about her that catches my eye. Rinoa's different from other girls," he replied. "Wait a minute. What do you care anyway? It's not like it's of any importance to you."
Zeon laughed and smiled at Seifer. "What if…she died, Seifer? What would you do?" Zeon questioned in an almost mocking manner.
"She won't die," Seifer answered firmly.
"What if she does?" said Zeon. "What if you come home and find her dead, drenched in blood? What if one morning she doesn't wake up? What would you do?"
Seifer glared at his father. "She won't die," he repeated, more firmly this time. "I won't let anything like that happen. Not ever."
"What makes you so sure? What makes you believe that you can actually stop Rinoa from dying?" Zeon said. It was only a statement, but to Seifer, it was a threat, a mock, a taunt, an insult to ever fiber of his being.
"I just know," he answered.
"Fine," said Zeon. "But…don't forget…she almost died once…and where were you? You weren't here to protect her then, were you?"
Seifer felt himself begin shaking again. "Shut up," he said.
Zeon laughed. "All I'm saying is if you go out there again, Rinoa is left…alone…" Seifer seethed with fury.
"And what are you getting at!?" he yelled. "Are you saying you're going to shoot her again!? Huh!? Is that it!?" He turned around and headed to the bedroom. He found Rinoa seated on the bed. He went to her, dropping the Gunblade on the floor.
He immediately wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "I love you," he told her. "I love you, okay?"
"I know, Seifer," she said with a small laugh. "I love you, too." She returned his embrace and he tightened his hold.
"Is something wrong?" she asked him.
"No," he said. "I just want you to know I love you. I want you to know that I won't let anything happen to you. Do you understand me?"
She laughed again as he loosened his hold to look at her. "I love you," he said. She caressed his cheek and sighed.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," he answered, placing his hand over hers.
She smiled. "I love you, too," she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. He picked up the Gunblade and went to the door. He turned to look once more at her smiling, comforting face. He would do anything to keep her smiling.
He smirked at her so she would be sure there was nothing wrong before he left the room. 'Don't get mad, Seifer,' he thought to himself. 'There's no reason for you to do anything to your father…calm down…'
But he knew he would need to pass his father's study to get to the stairs. He groaned. He walked briskly, trying to block out every sound but as he neared the door to his father's room, he couldn't. His father was laughing hysterically, talking to himself again.
Once more, Seifer felt the rage burn within him only this time, he couldn't hold it back. He rushed into his father's room. "Damn you, you fucking asshole!" he half-whispered, half-yelled as he ran towards his father who was seated on the chair.
His father barely had time to even gasp as Seifer swung his Gunblade at his throat in one swift motion. Blood immediately sprayed across the room, staining the walls and floor on half of the room a dark crimson. Zeon, gasping for breath, collapsed on the floor. Desperately, he crawled to Seifer, unable to speak.
"How do you like that!? Huh!?" Seifer asked, kicking his father away before any blood got onto his clothes. Zeon began mouthing words, trying in vain to speak. The garbled sounds from his mouth were followed by spurts of fresh blood. Seifer smirked. "You won't be able to touch Rinoa anymore…you won't be able to ever go near her again."
Zeon could no longer move. He had lost so much blood. "That's the price you pay for doing such things to Rinoa…" Seifer mumbled. He was about to stab his father again when he heard Rinoa's voice outside the room.
"Seifer?" she called.
"Shit," he muttered, immediately stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him. Fortunately, he had been right on time and Rinoa had just reached him. He breathed out in relief and faced Rinoa.
"I thought you were going out," she said.
He shrugged. "I checked on my dad for a while."
Rinoa looked at him doubtfully. "You didn't fight again, did you?" she questioned, reaching for the doorknob.
"No!" Seifer said firmly, grabbing her hand. At her perplexed look, he repeated, in a calmer voice. "No, we didn't fight." He hadn't thought about what the consequences would be if he killed his father.
He let go of her and she tilted her head slightly to one side while hiding both her hands behind her back. It was a movement Seifer knew as doubt and curiosity. "So…" she began. "Why were you checking up on your father? I know you couldn't care less."
"I…" he muttered. "Uh…I was asking him why he suddenly left at dinner." Rinoa narrowed her eyes at him.
"What did he say, then?" she queried.
"He…wasn't in the mood to talk to me," he said, with another shrug.
Rinoa just stared at him. She reached for the doorknob again and Seifer grabbed her hand. "Don't," he said. "He said he's going to sleep."
"Why doesn't he just go to his room if he's going to sleep?" asked Rinoa. "Why sleep in his study? His room is right next door."
"You know old people," said Seifer. "They get…uh…lazy." Rinoa just sighed and he kissed her. "Anyway, I have to go, baby."
"Okay," she answered.
"Don't go into my father's study," he said. "Can you promise me that?"
Rinoa nodded and he kissed her one more before leaving. Rinoa waited until he was gone before staring at the door. She frowned.