Obsession Kills
Chapter 12 - Nida
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters they belong to squaresoft and the song lyrics belong to the singer, producer, writer.
Author's Notes: This is a little complicated, all the pairings switch in the middle.
Not the best chapter in the world, suffering from a mixture of writer’s block and work overload at college. But please review, good or bad.
Obsession Kills
Chapter 12 - Nida
Squall poured himself a coffee from the machine, as he sleepily rubbed his eyes. He walked unsteadily to the kitchen table and sat down. He hadn’t thought it was necessary to use his crutches just to walk across the kitchen. Of course Seifer would probably disagree, but luckily the blonde had yet to surface. Squall knew his friend wasn’t alone last night, they did share a wall. He was just going to sit there and wait to see who is was that had disturbed his sleep last night and he still had to ask Seifer about the strange guy he meet yesterday. He sat there quite happily, even though he was only wearing a pair of boxers. He thought Seifer was still into Quistis, he wondered what had prompted the sudden change. His friend’s guest was definitely male.
He sipped his coffee thoughtfully. He wondered if his sexy stranger was the only one watching him or did he work with others. It would be a bit nerve racking if there were lots of different people watching his every move.
He looked up at Seifer’s door as he heard movement and voices. As Squall turned to put his cup in the sink, the door opened. Squall whirled round to see the guy but the door was quickly slammed shut again. He frowned. What was that about? Maybe he was shy, but Seifer didn’t usually go for shy people. No, something wasn’t right here.
The door opened again, but only enough for Seifer to slip out and shut the door firmly behind him.
“Morning.” He said in a low voice. He hovered around the edge of the kitchen.
Squall frowned. “Why are you acting so strangely?”
“I’m not.” He gave a tight smile.
He nicked a piece of toast from the toaster, buttering it and spreading marmalade on it. Squall knew Seifer didn’t like toast so must have been for his guest.
The brunette watched as his friend edged around the room again, going back to his bedroom door. He opened the door slightly and pasted the place inside.
“Can I meet your date?”
“No.... he’s shy.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re acting very strangely.”
Then a new thought stuck him. What if it was someone he knew? Or didn’t like? Seifer might think he wouldn’t approve.
“Do I know him?”
“No.” The blonde replied too quickly. Squall instantly didn’t believe him.
“Is it someone I’ve been with?”
The blonde tensed and turned away from Squall guiltily. The brunette knew he’d hit the bull’s eye.
“But I haven’t been with anyone recently... Except Zell.”
Seifer looked even guiltier.
“Oh.” Squall said, seeing his friend’s expression. “Why would I mind? It’s not like I remember the guy.”
“You’re not angry?”
“No, but I thought you hated him.
“So did I.”
Seifer finally opened his bedroom door. “You can come out now.”
“But-”
“He knows.”
Squall watched as Zell appeared in Seifer’s doorway. The short, blonde hesitantly followed Seifer into the kitchen.
“Zell.” He nodded in greeting.
The assassin nodded at Squall then pulled a T-shirt over his head. “I have to go; Quistis will be wondering where I am. I was supposed to be at work 30 minutes ago.”
Squall watched from his chair as Seifer kissed his lover goodbye. The blonde wasn’t usually so caring with people that shared his bed, unless it was Squall.
“So,” He started. “Are you two serious?”
Seifer closed the door and sat down opposite his friend.
“I think so. Does it bother you?”
“No, I’m just a bit confused. What about Quistis? Why are you suddenly so into Zell?”
“It wasn’t sudden; I just didn’t want to admit it. I wasn’t really that into Quistis.”
Squall couldn’t believe his ears. Seifer had been crazy about her, how could he say he didn’t really like her? He was obsessed with finding her.
“What are you talking about?! You were crazy about her!”
“Not really, I was more jealous of you and Zell.”
“No, before you found out about that, you were obsessed with finding her.”
“Squall, I know your memory is a little fuzzy but that didn’t happen.”
“Yes it DID! I remember everything clearly now except for Zell. Are you saying you don’t remember how you felt for Quistis?!”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I thought there was something wrong with me, if I can remember everything except Zell, but if you can’t remember Quistis then.... that’s not natural is it?”
Seifer frowned. “You’re starting to scare me now Squall, I think you’ve been watching too many movies.”
“You’ve got someone new, Zell wanted you and I’ve got no-” That reminded him.
“Seifer, last night I meet someone, I wondered if you knew him.”
The blonde frowned again. “Who was he?”
Squall looked down thoughtfully at the table. “My guardian angel.” He whispered.
“What?”
“That’s what he called himself, he said he was a mercenary and his job was kept me safe. He carried an axe.”
“Do you want me to check him out?”
Squall nodded, getting up and limped into his bedroom to get dressed.
Seifer fake glared at his friend. “Where are your clutches? Why aren’t you using them?”
“I’m fine, Seifer.”
Nida snorted. Ass-holes. What did they know? New job, play nice with the enemy, collect info. He wasn’t a messenger boy. How was he supposed to mix with scum like that? Apparently the female assassin was becoming a problem; the company needed to know about her and the blonde guy. He was under strict orders not to hurt any of them. It made him so angry, they don’t deserve to live. What good was info? When he could easily take them out.
On the plus he would be able to get close to Squall. He smiled at that; he was on his way to the brunette’s home now. He saw the front door open and Zell stepped out. Nida froze and ducked into an alley. He watched as the blonde kissed Seifer at the door. A slow smile spread over his lips. It was working. If Zell was left single, then he could get back together with Squall and make new memories to replace the ones Nida stole. Seifer had had feelings for Zell, it was easy to just enhance them and delete his feelings for Quistis.
Those assassins think they are so smart, they’d been played like pawns and they didn’t even realize. Zell didn’t seem too upset about losing Squall; Nida would be so much better for him than Zell was. The axe-wielder moved around to the back stairs and climbed onto the roof of Squall’s building, watching Zell walk away. He would get close to Squall and use that to get close to the assassins.
After he had been standing on the roof for a while, he heard Seifer’s voice from below talking to someone, probably Squall. The tall, blonde stepped out followed by Squall on his crutches. They moved down the alley, Nida followed from above. The friends spoke in whispers, too quiet for him to hear. He followed until they disappeared into a bar. The bartender was well known to be a source of information.
Nida slipped in behind them, keeping out of sight, as they approached the bar. He was close enough to hear this time. The tall, blonde was asking about someone, a mercenary. Nida grinned. Looking for him were they? He heard them offer money for any info. Squall didn’t have to pay to find him; all he had to do was call. He must have made some impression if they were that keen to find him, The bartender said he knew nothing even after they offered more money. Nida smiled. Of course he didn’t know, only an amateur let everyone know about him or her and their business. He gave him the advance to be the mystery guy.
The two friends turned and left the bar, walking right past Nida.
Seifer and Squall paused in the alley, talking in hushed whispers. Seifer stood below a walkway that ran between two buildings.
“I’ll go to the club, you go home.”
“I’m not an invalid, Seifer.”
The blonde stared hard at his friend.
“If you wanted to find me, you should just call.”
Squall jumped slightly and Seifer spun round, looking up at the walkway.
The axe-wielder leaned casually on the railing. Seifer glared at him menacingly.
“What would I call? You didn’t tell me your name remember.”
The stranger smiled, walking down the metal stairs and up to Squall, but Seifer blocked his path. He smiled friendlily but it turned smug as Squall told Seifer to back off.
“Nida.” He held out his hand to the brunette.
Seifer turned to him. “Wait a minute, we can’t trust you, we don’t know you and-” He stared in shock as Squall shook the offered hand.
“Squall!”
“If you need me, just call I’ll be around.”
Their eyes were fixed together. It was like Seifer didn’t exist, he stood there, his eyes flicking between the two men. Squall’s expression was blank, while Nida had a mischievous look in his eyes and a small smile on his lips. Slowly he backed up, still looking at Squall. He sighed, flicking his eyes to Seifer, nodding slightly.
“See ya.” He turned and left silently.