-6-

Saviors

Seifer walked beside Squall into a large furniture store, looking around for a soft bed for the stiff brunet.

Seifer sat on one king-sized mahogany bed, "Here, this looks and feels nice."

Squall glared at the bed, "What the hell…I'm not prince charming, you know. This thing costs a damn fortune." He whispered gruffly.

"You're not that cheap, you know." Seifer bounced slightly, a grin on his handsome features, "Comon. It's cool."

Squall frowned and hesitated before he sat by Seifer, "Yeah…it's sweet."

"Not as sweet as you, kitten." Seifer winked and motioned fro the clerk, "I'll take this."

Squall reached and touched Seifer's forehead, a small frown on his face. Seifer laughed and playfully swatted the brunet's hand away, "Comon."

"Heh…and I half expected a fever made you delirious."

"Have faith in yourself, kid."

Squall shrugged and Seifer walked off to talk to the clerk about other pieces of furniture that made a room.

Squall's grey eyes clouded as he sat back down on the bed. This wasn't supposed to happen. Seifer's open and honest charm was making him waver…making him think about things he thought he had lost with the blood during the many fights he had fought during his years. Seifer made him reconsider things he had come to accept. He wasn't worth anything. All what he was after was money for his sister and him. He didn't have friends…and those who tried abandoned him all too soon. He was always frowning, always lost in his own world…too cold to have comrades, too scared to open up, too hard to be loved…

"Squall!" Seifer chuckled as he pulled his friend to his feet, "Man, isn't it dangerous to faze out in the middle of nowhere? Comon, let's go fix your room."

Squall nodded meekly and followed his blonde companion; his mind flooded with emotions he thought had died with his parents.

Seifer glimpsed the argument running behind Squall's eyes as the workers arranged the room, Mary helping around and giving instructions.

"Hey, princess," Squall looked up and Seifer smiled that the brunet now responded to the silly endearment, "You want to go swimming?"

Squall shrugged, his eyes hardened as visions of Ellone as a child running and splashing around him…how long has it been since then…2 years…three?

"Oi!" Seifer sighed with exasperation.

"What?" Squall frowned and avoided the blonde's green gaze, "I wish I could read your mind."

Squall blinked in surprise, "Why the hell would you wanna do that!"

Seifer shrugged, "Man…I would give anything to know what you're thinking when your eyes go all chilly like that."

Squall snorted, "You would be wasting your time. There's nothing that concerns you in there."

"There is a nice pool in some decent club here, you wanna head there?"

"Sure, whatever."

The phone rang and Seifer frowned, "Hello? Yes? What? Zell? Where? Be right over!" Seifer pulled out his care keys, "Change of plans, princess."

Squall frowned as Seifer strode out of the building pulling him in his wake. "What the hell is wrong?"

"Zell is in the hospital. He's been in an accident."

"Who told you?"

Seifer slid behind the wheel and frowned in thought then shrugged, "I didn't ask."

Squall glared through the windshield as Seifer sped away from the apartment, "Where is he?"

"In the National Hospital."

"When was the accident?"

"I don't know, dammit!"

"What the hell…how come you know nothing?"

"Squall, he's hurt! That's all that matters. Why are you looking like that anyway?"

"I…Nothing." Squall closed his eyes but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was seriously wrong.

Seifer jumped out of the car, Squall hot on his heels. A nurse greeted them at the reception, "Zell…Dincht…he's here? Is he okay!" Seifer cried.

The nurse frowned, "I'm sorry, but when was he hospitalized?"

"Now…I donno…now."

"No, there is no record of a Mr. Dincht now sir."

Squall stood, his back against Seifer's, his eyes scanning the reception area.

"Listen, ms…whatever…I just got a call…He's here…check again, dammit!"

The brunet's eyes widened when he spotted two black clad men.

"Seifer, this way." Squall grabbed the blonde's arm and pushed him in front of him, "Run, hurry."

Seifer frowned as Squall pushed him ahead, guiding him to the bathrooms. "Squall, what the hell are you doing!"

"You said before you trust me, now is a good time to prove it." The brunet turned and locked the door just as the men pounded on it.

"This is all a trap."

"What are you talking about?" Seifer glared at the pounding door and then at the brunet, who was looking for a way out.

"There!" his face lit up as he pushed open the window, pulling out a knife from his boot and tearing the net, "Get out…hurry."

Seifer frowned, "You can't be serious!"

"I never jest." Squall pushed Seifer, "Need for speed, Blondie…hurry dammit!"

Seifer hoisted himself up on the toilet and pushed himself out just as the door banged open. Squall pulled out his gun as he climbed after his charge.

A shot rang out.

The brunet grimaced as Seifer helped him, "What is going on?"

Squall yelped slightly as he stood up, "Go…get to the car!" A man appeared out of the window just as Squall whirled around and took a clean shot to the man's forehead, "God, Squall, you killed him."

"Seifer, run to the car or the next one I will kill is you!"

Seifer slid in behind the wheel and started the engine as three men in black ran out of the hospital. Squall aimed at one guy's leg, taking the shot.

"Squall!"

"Drive, Seifer!" The car sped away form the hospital, leaving the other men to deal with the nearing sirens.

Seifer parked in front of his house. The brunet had been quiet all through the ride, refusing to answer any of the blonde's questions that Seifer had given up on asking.

The brunet grimaced and limped into the apartment, Seifer shutting the door and locking it, "You know, Squall, it's my right. How the hell did you know that…"

Seifer trailed off as Squall leaned on a couch, trying to take some weight off his right leg. "My god…why did you let me leave the hospital! You're bleeding!"

Squall was taking harsh breaths, "Shut up. I'm fine…just go to bed or something. You've been through a shock."

Seifer was caught between strangling the brunet or tending to his wounded thigh, "You should have told me!"

"You would have collapsed and cried like a baby. Get me a first aid kit. I'll bandage myself."

Seifer followed Squall into the bathroom, "It's bleeding like hell, you can't see it…how the hell will you treat it? I'll do it."

Seifer brought the kit and squatted down beside the brunet, who was leaning on the sink. Reaching for the torn pants, Squall whirled around and grimaced, "No…I can manage!"

"Squall, you won't be able to see it properly. Let me, already. Take off your pants."

"No!" Squall glared at the blonde, droplets of sweat trickling down his forehead as he fought for control.

"Squall," Seifer whispered soothingly, "I know how to bandage wounds, okay. I can help you. Now stop acting like a child and take off your pants so I can see the freaking wound."

"I'm…not wearing anything under." Squall whispered, managing to blush in spite of his pain.

Seifer groaned, "For heaven's sake"

"Get me a pair of your shorts!" Squall wailed.

Seifer knew he wasn't getting his way with this too so stood up and left to fetch a pair of his boxer shorts for the shy brunet, "Here."

"Get out. I'll call you when I'm done."

"Promise you won't lock the door." Seifer frowned, "I'll just break it down."

"Okay, okay, just get out for a second." Squall growled.

The blonde stood outside, listening to the brunet struggle. Squall gasped, for once he regretted his pants were so tight. They stuck to the blood and the wound, making it painful for him to remove.

After fifteen minutes Squall called for the blonde, who squatted down before Squall's exposed thigh. "It's not as bad as it looks. Just grazed your thigh. You should be glad you don't need stitches."

Squall shrugged, "I wouldn't have done anything about it even if it did need stupid stitches.

Seifer snorted and pulled out the bottle of alcohol, "This might hurt a little."

"Whatever, just get this crap over with. I feel like a stupid child."

Seifer rolled his eyes and grasped the front of Squall's thigh, pressing the alcohol drenched cloth to the wound. Squall threw his head back in pain but said nothing.

Seifer smiled, admiring Squall's strength and courage, "You really do know how to act."

"You're the one who is overly stupid…for heaven's sake…they were shooting and you were asking questions."

Squall chuckled, "You're crazy…any man would have run first and asked questions later, but you had to know the whole story on the spot."

Seifer smiled, glad the brunet had found humor in something that still made his heart race.