Quistis lay awake for a long time. She was curled up on the bed, back pressed again Seifer’s chest. His arms wrapped loosely around her trim waist and she could feel the rise and fall of his easy breathing against her spine. A small smile curved her lips. How she loved him.
The moon was lowering from its place in the sky and she watched the slow descent absently, as her mind lead her in circles.
I don’t want anyone else to die, the blonde thought. He wants me. He wants Seifer. Her eyes narrowed. Well the bastard can’t have him. Any of them. The fingers on her right hand curled tightly into the sheet. He’s insane, he’ll keep coming after us. And he’ll kill us one by one.
And she took a deep breath, and began to ease out of bed, eyes focused on the peach combat gear. But not if I get to him first. And if I die, maybe he’ll be content with that. Deep down, Quistis knew that wasn’t true, but she shook it away. You just don’t want to cope with the pain of losing anyone else.
One of Seifer’s arms slipped from her waist and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Almost clear. The moment the thought popped into her mind, she found herself on her back, Seifer’s hard body pressing down on hers. His jade green eyes glared into hers.
“Don’t even think about it,” he ground out and she knew he knew.
“Seifer, I just-“
“Dammit, Quistis!” His fist hit the mattress next to her head and she flinched. Breath hissed out between his lips, and he lowered his scarred forehead to rest it on hers. “How could you do that to me?” he whispered, rolling off of her and raising a hand to his forehead.
Biting her lip, Quistis sat up, looking at his muscled chest, silvered in the fading moonlight. “Seifer, I don’t want anyone else to die,” she pleaded with him, trying to make him understand.
He shot up, turning to face her and catching her jaw in his hand. “I don’t want you to die!” Letting go of her chin and slashing a hand through the air, he stared at her. “Hyne, Quistis! I lost you once already!” His hand dropped. “I won’t let you go again,” Seifer murmured in a low voice. “You’ll have to kill me first.”
Tears fell onto the sheets as Quistis trembled, blonde hair forming a curtain around her face. Her fingers curled into the soft fabric and she swallowed hard, the lump in her throat making it difficult. Hyne, she’d hurt him. That’s great, Trepe, hurt the man you love. She closed her eyes to prevent more tears from falling. Seifer, I’m so sorry…I just…I can’t let more people die, not if I can do something about it. Please understand…
A strong hand lifted her chin, and they gazed at each other.
“Quistis, I love you.” Her eyes widened a bit. He kissed first one palm and then the other. “Don’t make me lose the thing that is most important to me.”
Quistis closed her eyes, before opening them and removing her hands from his. She pushed herself off the bed, all the while staring at him. His eyes glimmered with hurt, and she backed away. The blonde woman turned away, moving to the window and giving Seifer an excellent view of her long length. She raised her arms to the side, resting her hands on the window siding. Hyne, send me a sign, she thought.
“Please.”
* * *
He hasn’t come out. Not even to eat, Lila thought, staring at Zell’s door. Biting her lip, she brushed back a strand of hair and looked around. The sun was bright and shining through the windows, and students walked together chatting merrily. No one noticed the tiny brunette standing uncertainly in front of the martial artist’s dorm room. Of course, no one had heard about Lex’s death either.
Swallowing her fear and shifting the package to under her other arm, Lila tapped at the door. No answer. She tapped again. “Zell,” she called softly. Still no answer. Hesitantly, she fingered the master card key in her pocket-Seifer really needs to check his pockets more often-and slipped it into the slot. Slowly she pushed the door open and peered inside.
The lights were off, the room only illuminated by the strong sunlight shining through the closed curtains. The silence was almost audible and the light from the hallway shone on an unused bed, a still punching bag, and piles of dirty clothes. Lila scanned the room. No sign of Zell. A spot on the floor caught her eye and she set down the package inside the door, to lean closer. Her hazel eyes widened and she brushed the spot with her fingers, examining the liquid on her fingers, before allowing her eyes to follow a trail she hadn’t noticed before.
Scared now, she left the door open and switched on the light. As if in slow motion, she followed the path to the bathroom, noticing the spots growing steadily bigger. “Zell,” she whispered, almost inaudibly. Lila swallowed hard and peered inside the bathroom. Her eyes grew large enough to engulf her face and she fell to her knees and began to scream.
She didn’t know how long she’d been screaming, but when she stopped, she became aware of a crowd around her, many of which she didn’t know. People ran this way and that way, disturbed and unsure of what to do, while others, with horrified expressions on their faces, began to give orders. She scrambled backward, resting her back against the wall, breathing heavily. The pupils of her hazel eyes moved around crazily, until she spotted a familiar face. Abruptly she leapt up, pushing her way through the throng.
“Paige!” she cried and threw herself into the cadet’s arms, sobbing loudly.
“Lila, what’s wrong?!” the redhead asked. “I can’t see a thing.” Her gray eyes dropped to the blood on Lila’s fingers.
“It’s…it’s…Zell…he…” she sobbed loudly, burying her face in Paige’s shoulder. “Blood, so much blood. Paige, is he…?”
The cadet lowered Lila to the ground, and pushed her way to the front. Her eyes took in the scene, and she turned, attempting to take charge. She raised her voice,” Has anyone sent for Commander Leonhart?” A hush went through the group as the mentioned man appeared. Like the sea, they parted before him and he hurried up to the redhead cadet, ice blue eyes focused on the scene behind her.
“Paige,” he lowered his gaze to hers. “Doctor Kadowaki. Now.”
Needing no further instruction, Paige ducked around him and took off at a run toward the infirmary.
Squall pulled the sheet from the bed, and went into the bathroom, ripping strips as he went. Just as he stepped out, blood covering his hands, Doctor Kadowaki, aides behind her holding medical supplies, quickly entered. She ordered everyone to leave, and ran to the bathroom, not waiting to see if her orders were obeyed. They were.
The only people left when the doctor and her aides exited with a stretcher were Squall and the whimpering Lila. He approached her, as she wrapped her arms around herself. His wintery eyes caught sight of the blood on her fingers, and they narrowed, but he said nothing. Sighing, he scooped Lila up into his arms and left the room.
Zell, he thought once he’d deposited Lila in Paige’s care. Zell, how could you?