Double Take
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: All places, characters are not mine, nothing here is mine, everything belongs to Squaresoft.
Double Take
Chapter 3
Squall glanced around Seifer’s room, he been in here before, most nights he slept with Seifer anyway. They wanted to share a dorm but with Seifer being the headmaster they thought it wasn’t appropriate. They swooped dorms every night to be together. The brunette walked around the living room, then wandered into the bedroom, he frowned at the empty bedside table. Seifer used to always have pictures of them beside his bed. Squall opened the drawer and dug through it searching for them. He smiled when he saw a familiar frame. Why had Seifer put them away? The brunette looked puzzled at the photos, the frames were the same but the pictures weren’t. He quickly noticed that he had a scar like Seifer and he wasn’t smiling, that wasn’t right he always smiled. Seifer had once told him that his smile was beautiful and that he should show it off to the world, so he always did.
He picked out a nice one of them standing with their backs to the harbour, Seifer was smiling and he looked as beautiful as always. The brunette stood the picture back on the bedside table then sat on the bed. He suddenly realized how tired he was, the mission had really wore him out. Squall lay back on the bed and buried his head into the pillows, smiling. He always loved this bed, for one the blonde was usually in it and secondly it had a nice Seifer smell. The brunette took one of the pillows in his arms holding it length ways against his chest, pressing his nose into it and fell asleep.
Seifer spotted his friends crowded round a table in the cafeteria. How was he going to explain this one? He took a deep breath and moved towards them.
“Hey Seif, did you decide to join us after all?”
“...Um....no....it’s er....” He fiddled with the edges of his trench coat.
Quistis cocked her head at him. “What is it?”
“I may be believe this but Squall....er... came back to garden just now and-”
Irvine held up a hand to stop his. “Whoa Seifer, Squall’s in Winhill with Zell, they just left.”
“I know that but... he’s in my dorm, why don’t you come see for yourselves?”
“Are you sure you didn’t just fall asleep?”
The blonde frowned. “I’m not dreaming him up! He’s real. He’s acting strangely and the scar’s gone.”
The three friends shared a worried look. “Seifer we understand that you’ll miss Squall but are you sure you’re okay?”
The blonde gritted his teeth. “I’m not crazy!” He walked round the table. “If you don’t believe me then come see for yourselves. You’ve got nothing to lose by coming with me.”
The friends shrugged and looked at Seifer sadly. As they walked to the dorm’s Seifer told them all the differences in Squall. “It’s like he can’t remember the fight, his scar is missing and he looked shocked to see mine.” The blonde tapped in his door code and went inside with the others following. The living room where he had left the brunette was empty.
“Squall!” He turned back to the others. “Wait here, I’ll go find him.”
Selphie turned a worried look at Quistis. “Do you think it’s serious?”
“I hope not.”
Seifer wandered into the bedroom, he paused in the doorway in shock. Squall lay curled up on the bed, his knees pressed up to his chest, his head buried in the pillow and his hands gripped the blankets. As the blonde moved closer he couldn’t see the lazy smile on the brunette’s lips. Squall never smiled in the day let only in his sleep. He glanced at the bedside table and frowned at the photo, carefully he picked it up. He remembered when this was taken, on a training trip to Balamb. Why had Squall got it out? That photo was his favourite, Squall’s lips curled up slightly at the edges, that was the closest the brunette ever came to a smile.
The blonde sat on the bed beside his ex-lover and shook him gently. “Squall.”
The brunette stirred slightly and reached out an arm, he smiled when his fingers felt Seifer in front of him.
Squall moved across the bed and rested his head in his lover’s lap. The watched in confusion as Squall’s eyes opened to look up at him then closed again. Squall hated him usually and he definitely wouldn’t touch or hold him like he was now. He had to admit part of him didn’t want Squall reverting back into the cold iceberg, he was starting to like this new brunette too much.
Seifer looked up when someone gasped. He saw Quistis and the others stand and stare in the doorway.
“Squall? What are you doing?”
“Where’s Zell?”
Quistis’ eyes narrowed as she watched Seifer’s hand go up to stroke Squall’s hair unconsciously. Was this a joke? Seifer was her friend and she didn’t want him to get hurt. On the other hand if it wasn’t a joke then Zell was her friend and she didn’t want him to get hurt either.
“Squall? What are you don’t with Seifer?”
The brunette smiled when the blonde’s hand had started to stroke his hair and he started a quiet purr. Everyone in the room stared in shock.
“Okay, things are going too far.” Quistis pulled Squall up and away from Seifer. The blonde stood up leaving Squall to sit next to Quistis.
“Where’s your scar?”
The brunette frowned. “Wish people would stop asking me that. What’s the matter? You’re all acting very strangely.”
“WE’RE acting strange?”
“Yeah and-” He trailed off, looking at Irvine. “Who are you?”
“You don’t remember me?”
“We haven’t met.”
“Oh my god, he’s lost his memory!” Selphie wailed.
“I have not!” Squall defended. “I checked for that when I fell from the sky.”
Quistis opened her mouth to speak but shut it again when she realized what he said. “Fell from the sky?”
“Yeah, it was weird. One minute I’m surrounded by Ruby dragons on the island closest to hell and then I fall off a cliff and land outside Balamb.”
“Ruby dragons?” The girls shared a look.
“Why were you on the island closest to hell?”
“I was on a mission.”
“No, you went on vacation with Zell, your boyfriend.”
Squall frowned. “Zell’s not my boyfriend. I’ve been with Seifer for five years.”
The blonde gaped. They weren’t together for that long it was only a little over one year.
Selphie knelt down in front of their commander. “Okay Squall, answer these simple questions. What is your full name?”
The brunette glared at her; at least the glare was the same. “I’m not a baby.” Everyone seemed to want him to answer them so he sighed and compiled. “Squall Leonhart.”
“Good.”
“What are your parent’s names and where do they live?”
“Raine Leonhart and Laguna Loire. My mum lives in Winhill and my dad died when I was a kid.”
Selphie sat back on her heels looking worried. “Sir Laguna ‘s not dead.”
“What age did you first come to garden?” Seifer asked.
“Ten, we arrived together and shared a room.”
“Did we know each other before then?”
“No.”
Irvine stepped forward. “Okay, Squall here’s an easy one for you. What is the purpose of SeeD?”
Squall smiled. “SeeD are helping to battle Adel and her city of Esthar and bring peace to the world.”
Selphie slapped a hand over her eyes. “It’s gets worse and worse.”
“Maybe he had an accident and it scrambled his brain.”
Quistis lay a hand on the brunette’s shoulder. “Squall, why don’t we go see Dr. Kadawacki to see if she think’s you’re okay.”
Squall shrugged. “Okay, but I feel fine.”
Squall sat on the edge of the hospital bed, looking quizzically up at the doctor. The doctor shook her head and walked into the office to speak to his friends.
“I don’t understand it, he’s fine. No sign of trauma to the head or concussion. He had a few bruises and scratches but that’s it.”
“So what now?”
“I suggest you call Zell in the morning, it’s getting late in Winhill now and...” She trailed off as Squall came in and attached himself to Seifer.
“He seemed to like you, so you should look after him.”
Everyone seemed to agree not giving Seifer time to argue.