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A Fate Worse Than Death
Chapter 2
Squall:
"WHAT?!" My voice grated harshly in my throat, remembering hours of coughing that I did not. The condition of my vocal cords was my least concern, however. Seifer…Seifer fucking Almasy sat not three feet to my right, far closer than I liked anyone; especially him. He had his arms stretched over the back of the couch, making me nervous each time he moved them, and he knew it, too.
He stopped making fake lunges with it as soon as I screamed. In fact, he stopped moving altogether, just staring at me and making me even more uncomfortable than I already was. Which was pretty damn uncomfortable.
"Mister Leonhart, there is no need to scream. This is only a temporary arrangement, it should take no more than three months undo it." Dr. Kadowaki reached forward to pat my arm, in what she thought was reassurance, but I jerked away, giving her the full effect of my glare. Beside me, I heard Seifer smother what sounded like a laugh. I ignored him, focusing on the problem at hand.
Three months spent within five feet of Seifer at all times? Did they have any idea what that would do to me? I'd rather die. I really would. And I told this to Dr. Kadowaki. She didn't seem to believe me.
"Now, Squall, you're being unreasonable. Three months will be over before you know it. We've already had special arrangements for a room made, and we have a counselor just down the hall, in case either of you need it, due to this…unusual…situation."
Suddenly I couldn't breathe, and the walls seemed to be closing in around me. White lights swam lazily across my vision, and my throat closed off, making tears spring to my eyes. I could barely make out the form of Quistis, next to Dr. Kadowaki. She was yelling something, but I couldn't hear; my heart was thudding in my ears, it was so loud…
The floor spun, twisted, trying to throw me off of it, and I clutched at my throat, clawing at invisible fingers. Something grabbed me, clamping my arms to my side, and I felt my skin crawl with repulsion. My legs dropped out from under me, and I braced myself for the hit with the hard tile floor, but it never came.
Gradually, the black receded, fading out in small spots, and I heard someone yelling.
"Seifer! What were you thinking, walking off like that! We told you what would happen, and don't say you aren't getting anything out of this! You have no choice! This is your fault, after all!" The hands were still clamped on my arms, and I fought their gentile grip. Quistis should know better than to try and restrain me, especially when screaming in my ear like that.
I blinked, fighting nausea. Dr. Kadowaki was still in front of me, and Quistis was over to my left, hands fisted as she screamed at Seifer, who was…
"Calm down, Quisty. I forgot. Hyne, I just wanted a drink of water. Look on the bright side; at least now he knows this isn't some really bad joke." Seifer was attached to the hands that held my arms against my sides.
He was right, though. I could breathe again. Please, I closed my eyes, jerking out of Seifer's hold and reaching blindly for the couch, please, let this be another bad dream. When I opened my eyes, I was not in my room, waking up. I was in the infirmary, staring at a very pissed off Seifer, who somehow managed to look like an arrogant bastard at the same time. Taking a deep breath, I sat up straight, ignoring Seifer and looking at Dr. Kadowaki.
I was fighting for emptiness, for calm, for the apathy I knew was in easy reach. Seifer, on the couch once more, moved his arm, grinning when I jumped, and I shut him out, closing my eyes and locking imaginary doors of brick and iron, until I met a real wall. This one was made of ice, lights dancing upon its smooth surface, and I felt a small smile creep onto my lips as, in my mind, I placed a palm upon its surface, to be mirrored by a slender blue hand swirled with diamonds.
Shiva smiled, cold and calm and beautiful, the familiar chill settled into my body, and I opened my eyes, looking directly at Dr. Kadowaki, in control of my body and mind once more. Nothing mattered, now. There would always be this; this detached bliss I could fall back upon when things went wrong. I took a deep breath.
"Why?" I asked the small Asian woman, and she frowned slightly, most likely at my change in behavior, and then reached behind her. I looked at Quistis, but she didn't seem to notice anything unusual about me. I nodded to myself; I was back to normal. All I had to do was survive three months with Seifer. No problem.
"Well," Dr. Kadowaki pulled a few sheets of notebook paper off of her desk, looking through them carefully, "All right. So far, using Seifer's account of the story," She cast an unfriendly look to my long time rival. I out of the corner of my eye I saw him move, and fought the urge to jump. I turned and glared at him as well, and he frowned, staring at my eyes. I looked back to the doctor.
"We discovered that he attempted to cast a Doom spell, which I am inclined to remind you, is against the rules here at Balamb. But we won't get into that." Seifer snorted.
"Are you sure you don't want to hit me over the head with it one more time, just for good measure? I'm not completely sure I understand if what I did was against the rules or not." I didn't even bother looking at him; he only did this for attention. Quistis rolled her eyes, and Dr. Kadowaki hid a smile.
"Quite," she said pertly, and continued, "As I was saying he was clearly not ready for this level of spell-" Here I smiled, ignoring a weak attempt at a death glare from Seifer-"and he got the incantation wrong. Instead of timing the number of attacks the user performs, as it is supposed to, it somehow measures distance from the spell caster, and when you go beyond that distance, you'll die."
I blinked. Was everyone really this stupid? I could get up right now, die, and then be revived! It wasn't as if we didn't have enough Phoenix Downs lying around. You'd think a doctor would realize-
"Out loud, Squall. We aren't psychic." Seifer sighed, his tone bored, and I unconsciously narrowed my eyes into my perpetual glare.
"I'll go K.O." I told Quistis and Kadowaki, "Just use a Phoenix Down. That's how Doom is said to work. No Esuna, no dispel, you can only proof, K.O., or kill the cause." Everyone's eyes flickered towards Seifer, and I had the distinct pleasure of seeing him look incredibly nervous.
"Er…hold on, now," he began, but Dr. Kadowaki help up a small hand.
"That…won't work." She said quietly, and I swallowed. Something was wrong here. Being knocked out always worked. It was the cure for everything but petrifaction.
"Wh-" My voice didn't work at first, and I glanced helplessly at Quistis and Seifer. Quistis sighed, and Seifer looked at the door, away from me. "Why not?" I asked quietly, confusion beating despair on my features.
"Well, there are certain…complications." Dr. Kadowaki said evasively, and I felt a headache coming on. I never was good with patience. My hand unconsciously came up to trace my new scar, a raised welt that slanted between my eyes.
"What do you mean?" I wanted to leave, now.
"Well, when we performed a test, we found a trace of your magical aura mixed into his, and vice versa." I blinked and considered asking a question, but I didn't have to.
"The aura is in the blood, Squally. When you hit me with Revolver, your blood was on it, and when I gave…my blood was everywhere." Seifer finished awkwardly, and I stared at him. He was going to say something important, or at least interesting. I felt my mouth crease into a familiar frown.
"Don't call me Squally," I told him quietly, and focused on Kadowaki, trying to get her to continue without having to talk. Luckily, she got the message.
"Anyway, because of that, killing Seifer would result in nothing, as due to the nature of the spell, it would only result in you carrying around his dead body, and if we were to kill you, the part of his blood in you would 'remember' the spell, and reinfect you. It is quite fascinating, really. This would not have happened had the spell and the first blood not been mixed at exactly the same moment. Really quite extraordinary."
I felt sick; angrier than I had been in awhile. Extraordinary? Fascinating? I was forced to spend three months with Seifer, or three months in agonizing pain, and she found this fascinating? I suddenly wished I had my gunblade. I wanted to kill Seifer. I wanted to maim him beyond recognition. I wanted to hurt him more than I had ever wanted to hurt anyone in my entire life. My hands balled into fists, joints popping with the strain. Quistis was staring.
"I'd rather die." I whispered quietly, "I never asked for this. I only wanted to be unnoticed. I'd rather die."
Seifer:
I sighed, sinking into the couch and watching Squall glare at his hands, hidden behind a veil of silver-brown hair. I could tell he was gone, long gone, frolicking off in Squall World where I'm sure he was completely alone, where no one would threaten to touch him or make him talk. Really, Squall. Get over yourself.
"I'd rather die." He voice was soft, and I had to strain to hear it. His head lifted up, and his eyes were oddly cold, frozen with a lack of emotion that masked the fiery hate I usually saw within them. "I never asked for this. I only wanted to be unnoticed. I'd rather die."
Too bad. Waste of a pretty face, that would be, but no matter. His choice was his choice.
"All right, then," I announced, standing up and stretching. Quistis stared at me, aghast, and Dr. Kadowaki averted her eyes, refusing to look at me. Right. Guilt trip. Those involve a conscience, which I, luckily, lack.
"Nice knowing you, Squall. You were one of the few people actually able to hit me every once in awhile," I told him, and began to walk for the door. Quistis leapt up, eyes blazing, and strode towards me, almost making me want to cower, but just before I was about to give in, there was a choking noise from behind us.
Squall was keeling on all fours on the floor, limbs shaking with the effort of holding himself up. His face was rapidly changing color, and Quistis ran for him, wrapping her arms around him and attempting to pull Leonhart towards me.
I almost laughed when I saw that he was fighting her, throwing himself backwards onto the couch he had recently fallen from, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Quistis was fighting tears, and Dr. Kadowaki suddenly appeared, syringe in hand, causing me to wince in pity from my view at the door.
The needle sunk in smoothly, and immediately Squall stopped struggling, and went limp, allowing Quistis to drag him over to me. His color rapidly returned, and he began to breathe again, but he was still shaking, his sleeping form curling in on itself in an extreme version of the fetal position.
Dr. Kadowaki walked over after disposing of the tranquilizer, patting her hair back into place.
"He must really dislike you, Seifer." She concluded, her voice flat and worried as she glanced down at him. "I almost can't trust him with you, but this is the only way. And you'll take care of him, too. Or you'll be thrown out of Balamb altogether." A sigh escaped her lips, and I knelt down to pick up Sleeping Squally.
I almost rolled my eyes, but decided against it. I was already facing expulsion and exile if I caused his death through any neglect to this 'special condition' on my part, the last thing I really needed to do was provoke a lady who had just knocked out the Balamb Lion.
"I'll take care of Squall, provided he doesn't piss me off," I assured her, shifting said boy in my arms and wishing I was gone already, "And the fact that he hates me is only an addition to the problem. I think having to spend that much time in close proximity with anyone would drive Balamb's little hermit more insane than he already is."
Dr. Kadowaki glanced at the brunette currently trying to roll out of my grip, and a frown creased her lips.
"Just keep a close eye on him, alright?" She asked, concern overpowering disapproval of me, "Get me, fast, if he pulls another…stunt, like the one before." With that she turned around, heading back to her desk, and I groaned, steadying Squall as I made my way towards the dorm.
"What the hell did she mean, Leonhart?" I asked my rival, "'another stunt like that one'," I glanced down at the uneven haircut that was Squall's head, casting a flirtatious smile at a group of nearby girls, all of whom smiled back.
"Something I should know about you?" I inquired, turning my attention back to my passenger, but his only response was to curl into an even smaller ball, thus causing me to scramble not to drop him, and wonder if he would roll if he fell.
Then he stirred again, craning his head to look up at me, a very rare smile coupled with a strange liquid warmth that emanated from his eyes causing me to stop in the middle of a staircase and stare down at him.
Must be the drugs.
End of Chapter 2
Well, there we go. Chapter two.
