Sudden Darkness

Title: Sudden darkness
Author: Yorda
Rating: NC-17
Diclaimer: Sadly none of the characters of FF8 are mine, but belong
to Squaresoft
Couples: Seifer/Squall/Seifer
Warnings: angst, lemon, mild language, mild violence, slight OOC, fluff

Sudden Darkness

Chapter 7:

Squall closed the shower and walked to the lockers. There had been no one else in the Training Center, so the locker-room was also empty. He sat on the bench and sighed. When ever something was troubling the brunette's mind, he'd go and kill a few monsters, and this time had been no exception. Squall closed his eyes and leaned back. A small smile crept onto his flushed face, as he suddenly remembered Zell's face, when he and Seifer had told everyone they were in love...was it eight weeks ago? He'd been so happy these past weeks. Every night when he lay in Seifer's arms, Squall wondered what had he done to deserve this much happiness.

~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~

"So, we're gonna tell them today?" Seifer asked, stroking Squall's silky brown locks. "Yeah...I know we can't let the Garden Faculty or any of the other students know about us...but Quis, Selphie, Zell and Rin are my friends...our friends, and I'm tired of pretending when ever they're around."

"*Our* friends? Hardly. Zell hates me, Rinoa still isn'tkingking to me, even after apologising to her about the Adel thing and...well, I
guess Quistis and Selphie have forgiven me and consider me as their friend.."

"Well they're gonna be here any minute now...so get up already! ...Honey-bunny!" Squall said and gave Seifer a smile, even if his friend couldn't see it. "What did you call me!??...Pumpkin!" Seifer laughed aloud. It was Saturday night and they were all bored, so they choose to hang out at Squall's room, like they usually did if there were no missions or anything. And now was one of the rare nights Quistis too was able to join them. Being the Headmaster of Garden, she always had her hands full of work. There was a desperate sounding knock on the door. Squall stood up and went to open it.

"Dude! You gotta help me! These crazy bitches are killing me! I'm no freaking-"

"Go horsey!" Selphie yelled from Zell's back and laughed. "Hey it's *my* turn now!" Rinoa said with a pouty voice.

"No way Rin! You already got to ride our little pony back in the library!" Selphie said, hogging the blonde all to herself. Quistis just rolled her eyes and sighed. "Ahhh! Have mercy Sefie!" Zell whined, and the girl jumped down from his back, giggling. Zell huffed loudly. "Hey! I *don't* weight *that* much!" Squall stepped back from the door and they all marched in. "So, what's up? Got any plans for tonight? Rented a movie or something?" Selphie asked as she made her way in.

"Don't tell me Seifer will be here too! Tell me you didn't invite that arrogant-" Zell was cut off by Seifer, who stood up from the sofa.
"Seifer!!...I..ah...I mean you're already here...that's nice.." Zell mumbled, his face turning red. Rinoa just snorted. She didn't bother hiding the fact that she was still angry at Seifer. The was a moment of silence and they all sat down on Squall's bed and sofa.

"You guys seem to be together all the time nowadays...you've become inseparable" Selphie commented and broke the silence. "If I didn't know better, I could swear you actually like each other...in *that* way!" she giggled and bounced on the sofa. Squall swallowed audibly, his face turning red, and they all saw the look he gave Seifer. "W-well...actually...the thing is that...Seifer and I...umm..." the brunette stammered with his words, unable to continue. Zell frowned and Quistis and Selphie arched their brows in surprise. Rinoa didn't realise anything, just concentrated on her nails. When Zell suddenly bounced up, she raised her gaze in confusion. Seifer wasn't quite following situsituation, not being able to see the looks on everyone's faces. Squall was blushing furiously and kept his gaze on the floor and remained silent.

"WHAT the hell?? You telling me you guys are...Haa haa! A good one Squall!" Zell forced out a faked laugh. "You and Almasy...yeah right, like that would ever happen...not in a million years!" When Squall still remained silent, Seifer spoke for them both. "Well actually, Zell, it could happen, and *did* happen." The room went silent. Squall raised his face to inspect the looks on everyone's faces. It was Quistis who finally broke the silence. "You guys do realise that if the word gets out...well...you know how the Garden deals with-" she was cut off by Rinoa, who suddenly stood up, balling her slender hands into fists. "Squall! What about *me*?! How could you! I mean you're supposed to like *me*" Squall didn't understand and blinked his eyes, bewildered. "What? But Rinoa, we broke up like ages ago...we're just friends nowadays and-" The girl suddenly left the room, before anyone had the chance to say anything.

"What the hell was *that*?" Selphie asked out loud. "Who knows..." Quistis replied. "So you guys really are together?" Selphie asked cheerfully. "Yeah.." Squall said with a little smile on his lips. "Ha! I knew it! I'm *so* good! ...Maybe I should be a fortune-teller." Selphie laughed.

"So, Zell, you're awfully quiet.." Seifer commented from where he was sitting. Zell was still standing, looking confused. "I...I...Squall!
I mean *you* and *Almasy*! Why couldn't you choose...well choose someone else..*anyone* else! I mean-" When Zell saw the looks Selphie and Quisty were giving him, he closed his mouth and sat down. "I mean how nice...I'm so happy for you two.."
he said through clenched teeth. Selphie gave him an approving smile. "But you better keep your hands to yourself when I'm around!" Zell added, smiling a little.

~*~*~*~*~*~End of flashback~*~*~*~*~*~

Squall stood up and got dressed. He slowly made his way out of the Training Center, towards his dorm room. The brunette kept his gaze down on the floor, and didn't even notice Quistis, who was walking towards him. "Hey Squall! Haven't seen you for a while. Coming from the Training Center?" When the boy didn't seem to notice her, she tapped his shoulder. "Squall? You ok?" she asked with a worried look on her beautiful face. The brunette looked up and blinked his eyes in confusion. "Huh? What? Oh..hey Quisty.."

"Squall, is something the matter? You look troubled.." she asked and sat down on a near by bench, motioning Squall to join her.
Squall sighed but remained silent. He came to sit with the blonde girl and slumped down on the bench. Quistis had known the younger boy ever since they were little, and knew when something was troubling him. She also knew how to make him talk. Quistis saw Squall's eyes were getting wet, and took his hand into her own. "Tell me Squall." The brunette was silent for a while. Finally he parted his lips to speak. "Well...It's about Seifer.. Quis, we-" Quistis remained silent, and let the boy take his time. "I..I think he doesn't like me anymore!" he finally said and let a small tear fall down his cheek. Quistis frowned in confusion. "Squall, what do you mean? You seem to be so happy together.."

"We are!....No..*were*." Squall said, lowering his face, and again remained silent before continuing. "He's been acting weird these
past three weeks...I--I don't understand him anymore!" Another small tear rolled down the brunette's face. "He doesn't talk, doesn't leave his room, not even to eat! And by the looks of it, doesn't even sleep!"

"...All he does is sit in his room with Hyperion...And the worst thing is that he won't even let me touch him!"

"When ever I go there, he seems to get mad at me for some reason...And I don't even know what's with him! Quistis, I..I feel so helpless!"

"Squall, it's ok, just let it all out." The brunette finally let the tears of frustration and confusion fall as he cried into the girl's shoulder. They were both silent for a while. Quistis was thinking about what Squall had just said. The brunette leaned back and wiped his eyes. "Look at me...I'm pathetic!" he snorted. "It's not like me to...cry." Quistis gave the boy a small smile. "I told you, it's *ok*." She was silent before continuing. "Squall, it sounds like Seifer's depressed.."

"What?" Squall raised his face, his brows drawn together in confusion. "Well, the way you just described him...it sounds like he's depressed...
could it be the fact that he's blind? Or is there something else that could-?"

'Seifer's depressed? Did *I* do something to make him feel that way? I...I don't understand...We were so happy, and then all the sudden he was like another person..'

"Squall?...Hey Squall.." Quistis saw the boy before him was deep in thought. "Squall, you should go get some sleep...You look tired." Squall lift his gaze and blinked. "Oh..yeah..Maybe I should." He stood up and gave Quistis a small smile. "Thanks Quisty, I mean it." The girve Sve Squall one of her beautiful smiles. "Anytime..Good night Squall." she said, and watched Squall disappear behind the corner. Squall soon reached his room. He tossed his sweaty clothes aside and sat down on his bed. He ran his long fingers through his damp hair and sighed. Squall felt helpless whenever he thought about Seifer, and hated it. 'What can I do to help him, if I don't even know why he's acting the way he is! Still, I have to do *something*! I can't just stand and watch him pine away!' He was fiddling with the bed sheets nervously, trying to figure out what to do. The moonlight that shone through the curtains, was reflecting from Squall's Gunblade, and caught the brunette's eyes. "Of course! Why didn't I realise that earlier!" Squall exclaimed. 'All Seifer does is sit in his room with *Hyperion*..And whenever I go training, he gets mad and it looks like he's gonna ...gonna cry..' Squall felt quilt sting in his heart. 'Well done Leonhart! It's all your fault...again!' He stood up, quickly got dressed and left for Seifer's room. He was walking down the hallways, lost in his thoughts. 'Seifer...You somehow managed to deal with the fact that you've lost your eyesight...And then I had to remind you, you'll never be able to use your Gunblade ever again...Fuck!' Squall balled his fists, feeling angry at himself. 'I just had to be a complete idiot, not realising how you must feel, when I go train, and you've been robbed the chance to ever feel Hyperion in your grip again...To not be able to do something you're best at...something you *love*..that must be horrible.'

Squall was standing behind Seifer's door, feeling nervous. He hadn't seen the blonde in at least a week, and didn't even know what he was going to say to him. He raised his hand and knocked quietly. There was no answer, so he used the key code he now knew, to open the door. The door slid open and Squall stepped in. It was dark inside the room, just like it had been the last time Squall had visited Seifer. "Seifer?" he called hesitantly. There was no answer, but Squall could sense Seifer was near. He noted Hyperion was lying on the floor. "Seifer, it's me..Are you-"

"Why'd you...come here?" Squall jumped when Seifer suddenly spoke. He scanned the dark room with his eyes and noticed the blonde was lying on the sofa. "W-why would you wanna be with me?...I'm useless.. I-I can't do anything...I.." he continued, his voice filled with self-pity. Squall noted this. He kneeled before the blonde and took his hand into his own. "Seifer! I'm *so* sorry I didn't realise earlier! I'm sorry for being a complete idiot...I should have known how it makes you feel when I brag about the new monsters in Training Center and-" Squall gasped when Seifer suddenly squeezed his hand with all his force. The blonde's hand however, quickly dropped on the cushion, and Squall heard he was breathing heavily. The brunette stood nd tnd turned on the small table lamp. His eyes went wide when he saw what the blonde had become.

"Seifer! When was the last time you ate something?!...Or slept a full night sleep!" During the past three weeks, Seifer had lost weight, and his eyes were circled with dark rings from the lack of sleep. It looked like he didn't even have the strength to sit up. Squall sat next to him, and took Seifer in his arms. He stroked the blonde's hair and felt him tense, but quickly relax. They were silent. Squall felt his shirt get wet and realised Seifer was silently crying on his shoulder. "Squall...I missed you s-so much I-"

"Hush..It's ok now.." They remained like that for a long time, and Seifer finally fell asleep in Squall's arms


~*~*~*~*~


**AN: I don't think I did that good a job in re-writing this chapter, but I'm doing a new SxS fic, so I think may have neglected this one. Sorry! And boy were the guys OOC in this chapter!!! o_O

-yorda