Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Iron roses ❯ Rain of rust ( Chapter 2 )

What's ahead?: Hetero lemon and probably a bit of yaoi (still have to think about it!)

Pairing: Mainly Quistis/Seifer

Disclaimer: I don't own and I really regret it :)

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Chapter 2: Rain of rust

(On board of the Ragnarok)

Her soft whisper came from beside him, slightly muffled as she rested her head against his shoulder and kissed it. Squall, busy with the ship's commands, flipped a few more switches before he turned his head to her, but her closed eyes didn't met his. It was probably better that way. She was the first person he had seen when waking up in Deling City's hospital, feeling nothing but pain, a huge cocoon of pain encircling his broken body. They said post-traumatism. It was more like a personal apoclypse. Not a bone, not a vein in his body hasn't got a total checkup. He was the hero, it was his duty to stay in one piece. Rinoa helped him. The first days, when he was totally lost from all the painkillers he was litterally fed with, she's be the one holding his hand, the only familiar face he could hold on to when he was knocked out or feverish. He was immensely thankful to her for all she has done.

If only she hadn't done it with "love."

Love wasn't something he was comfortable with. Especially when that love was coming from someone he considered as a great friend, who had suffered with him while they were fighting Ultimecia, and after. And apparently Rinoa jumped to conclusions and now he was stuck with her, acting with her like he actually was her boyfriend althought he never felt anything more than friendly tenderness for her. He had sex with her. More than once. He acted just like a loving boyfriend. How could he act differently after all she had done?

But you don't "love" her...and tonight is the SeeD ball...

Squall have toyed with the idea of telling her the thruth for the whole week. Because things would be differents back at Garden. Because he didn't wanted everybody, his old friends, his superiors and inferiors in rank, to believe he was actually Rinoa's boyfriend. He was an icy bastard and he has some pride. If he had to fall for someone, he'd fall. But hell, he'd never want anybody to believe he had fallen when he didn't!

The man checked his watch, then the world map emblazoned up the command deck. He was just above Timber forest, he could see the scared cockatrices fly under Ragnarok's clawed feet. Still one hour to go and he'd be back home to his new life. Then what would happen?

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Seifer was knocked out of his reading by the very annoying intercom bell and Cid's voice:

"This is Headmaster Cid talking. Commander Leonhart's ship have been located over Balamb and will land here shortly. Everybody gathers at the landing area. No pushing, no running in the corridors!"

And it was instantly party outside. Seifer could hear the human tide flowing from the dorm area to the outside of Garden, where a landing space have been built for the return of the one and only Ragnarak-and it's one and only owner. Seifer sighed and closed the book- it was a very strange story about an ugly boy obsessed with scents and who had no scent himself. Pepper lent it to him three days ago and he had litteraly devoured it. Placing the book back on the shelf, he stood up, stretched and straightened his clothes, and grabbed his trench coat from the nearby chair. Stepping out the door, he left a couple overexcited kids pass in front of him before he joined the crowd down the hallway. Outside, the sun was slowly setting behind Balamb's mountains, dark green meeting fire red in a fiery embrace. In front of him, the huge form of the Ragnarok was landing, his hot breath blowing the scent of oil and steel in his nostrils. Slowly, almost ceremoniously, the ship landed and the boarding ramp descended. Then Squall appeared, quickly followed by a very excited Rinoa, who jumped behing him and grabbed his arm to walk down the ramp. Squall accepted the gesture with uneasiness and led her to Cid's handshake and then to the Garden's entrance. Apparently, Squall would have a private meeting with the Headmaster before joining them. Seifer sighed, he had really hoped to catch up with Squall and maybe invite him for a beer or a cup of coffee before the great ball. So much happened since Ultimecia's death, and it hurt Seifer to think Squall maybe still thought of him as a witch's lapdog.

"Seifer?"

This sweet, tingling voice. Rinoa.

"Hi..."

"How are you?"

"Good...how's Squall?"

"Oh he's fine."

"And...how's Quistis?"

« She's been a little depressed lately...I guess she's not used to being away from the action."

"Yeah...and where is she?"

"Well she should be back in time for the ball. She promised."

"Wasn't she in the Ragnarok with you?"

"No, she wanted to spend a couple of days by herself before coming back to Garden...she left a week ago, by train, she was heading to FH."

"Oh...I hoped I could see her before the ball. Too bad."

"She'd be there tonight, don't worry, she'll see you become a SeeD. And by the wait, congratulations! I knew you would make it."

Seifer smiled at the made-up phrase. The summer before, Rinoa had tried to make him quit Garden and join the Timber owls, arguing he would never make it to be a SeeD. Seifer wondered if she'd said it because she badly wanted him to join her resistance movement, or because she really thought he was a loser and wanted to help him. In both cases, he felt the sudden urge to crush her skull against the wall and watch her brain splurt out of her ears. He swiftly turned his back to Rinoa and walked toward the Garden. His happiness was gone, he just felt empty, and moody. He went back to his dorm room, slamming the door shut behind him. He fell backward on his bed, using one of his arms as a pillow while he shifted to grab the book he had been reading earlier, throwing it away as soon as it have been opened. He didn't felt like reading, he felt like smashing things. Something inside him told him Quistis was not going to be back in time for the ball. It was already six and they had to be ready at seven flush. No, Quistis wouldn't be there. The scene he had been repeating in his mind for the past two months wouldn't come to reality. He wouldn't tell her how he felt for her.

For a moment, he considered telling the Headmaster he was sick and couldn't attend the ball. But it was still his night. Could he let her steal his night? No, definitely not.

So he pulled out the beautiful uniform from his wardrobe and slowly got dressed, stopping from time to time to sweep an angry tear, swearing at his own weakness.

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It was a bit weird for Squall to be back in his SeeD uniform. After the Ultimecia events, he had a lot of time to spend alone with himself, and to question himself about his own life. He remembered the last time he had wore this uniform. The SeeD ball, last year. When his heart had been briefly smitten by Rinoa's perky, care-free attitute. He couldn't tell what happened to him since then. Losing the last remains of innocence, meeting hate and despair in it's purest forms. Learning from it all. All this with only one SeeD mission, his first. And maybe his last? The question itself filled him with distress. He had been raised as a soldier. He never knew anything else. Now Cid was telling him he wanted to retire as a Headmaster, go back to Edea's orphanage and spend the rest of his life beside her and taking care of the orphans, and that he wanted him, Squall Leonhart, soon 18, to fill his place. Claiming he was his only choice, and that nobody else, even amonsgt the older, more mature SeeDs around, could be better than he was.

If Squall accepted the Headmaster's offer, his young life would soon be drowned in responsabilities. The new spark he had experienced in the previous months' events, the excitation, the friendliness, would disappear behind paperwork, public appearances, fancy meetings. No more training until dawn, no more battles and sore muscles. No more teamwork, endless days and nights shared with other SeeDs trying to coordonate their actions and elaborate tactics. He'd lose again.

But if he said no, he'd deceive the whole Garden and all those who fought along with him as the Garden commander and who apparently, or so Cid said, asked for him to be promoted Headmaster. Thinking it would please him. What the fuck did they knew anyway? Calling for him to take over their lives, to show them the way, losing himself along the road but making them all happy.

He hated them. And for a moment, he truly regretted having fought that hard for them, for the whole world.

A soft knocking on the door pulled him out of his angry reverie. "You ready, Squall?"

Rinoa. Another torn. Another pain. Squall took a couple of deep breath before straightening his uniform a last time, quickly checking his handsome reflexion in the mirror one last time and finally heading to join his "girlfriend", who smiled and instantly cuddled against him as soon as he opened the door to her. He tried his best not to stiff when Rinoa threw her arms around his neck and planted tiny kisses on his lips, trying her best not to smear her lipstick on his mouth. Still, he buried his face in her perfumed neck, briefly kissed where her neck met her shoulder, and held her hand to go down the hallway.

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Seifer smiled at a young girl he had briefly dated two weeks ago and accepted a drink from her. They had passed the field exam together and got caught together by the raising tide while fighting an adamantine on a sand island. They then had been forced to get back swimming to the boat waiting for them, which happily didn't influence their rank and made everyone laugh hard. Lallie, that was the girl's name, had almost succeeded keeping him faithful and happy. But Seifer's heart was not the kind easily smitten, and althought she had been closer to perfection than any of his previous girlfriends, Seifer soon had to leave, rather than lying to her. They were still friends, thought, and still occasionaly lovers, althought that rarely happened. Even if he never talked to Lallie about it, Seifer knew his relationship with the dark-haired, hot-tempred woman helped him realize who he really loved.

The new SeeD's gaze scanned the room, which was now full of uniforms and fancy dresses as the party had been thrown several hours ago. Squall and Rinoa had already disappeared into some dark corners, Selphie was running around the place with Irvine's cowboy hat in her hand, giggling as the cowboy himself ran behind her trying to retrieve his trademark from her grip. Seifer laughed along with Lallie when the happy pair bumped into the Headmaster and melted in embarrassed excuses. As he expected, Quistis hadn't showed up, but nobody seemed worried about it, even though she promised to be back in time.

"You okay, Sei?" Lallie's voice caressed his ear.

"Yeah, I think."

"You think? It's you SeeD ball, Seifer, you've been dreaming about it for so long!"

"I haven't dreamed about it that much, Lal..."

"No?? Stop bullshitting me, Almasy! You kept me wide awake so many nights talking about the day you'd become a SeeD!"

"Yeah...I guess I should have done more than keeping you awake eh?" Seifer chuckled.

"Well...there's still time to make up for it, you know..." His friend's voice grew lustier and a tongue darted to meet the soft cartilage. His eyes closed and he appreciated the shivers of pleasure she sent through him, until he felt his arousal growing into an uncomfortable erection. Seifer moved his ear away from her exquisite instrument and briefly kissed her offered lips.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I really don't feel like it. Tomorrow maybe?"

"Okay," Lallie adorably pouted. "You're leaving now aren't you?"

"Yes, I think I better...you're not angry at me?"

Lallie smiled and pressed another quick peck on his lips. "Not at all. See you tomorrow, maybe?"

"I'll come to your room with dinner tomorrow."

"How sweet."

Seifer handed her his glass to finish and quickly left without a glance for anyone.

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Done for now, the flu viruses are having a party in my head and I'm not sure I know how to type anymore. Thanks for encouraging reviews!

The book Seifer is reading in his room is Perfume: The story of a murderer by Patrick Süskind. Good good good book. You'll never think of your sense of smell the same way after reading it!