Stitch In Time

Chapter Ten

By Scarlet Fever

Squall frowned, rubbing his head. Where was he? His head and shoulder hurt, and he felt disoriented. He had dreamed about Laguna again. Why was this happening to him? And, who the hell was Laguna? Squall sat up, frowning at his bleak surroundings. It looked like a prison cell.

"Okay, Squall, what happened?" He asked himself, rubbing his shoulder. I… Challenged Edea…. He remembered the cold pain of iced blades hitting him in the shoulder. My…wound….? No wound…? How…..? Squall’s mind worked quickly, realizing that it had been a magic attack, and probably had been used to throw him off more than to cause injury.

The Galbadian Soldiers… We were surrounded…… He was there…. Squall remembered the cold, hard look in Seifer's eyes when he had first met them. Even though Seifer was a cold individual, although not as cold as Squall himself, the look had been alien in Seifer's eyes, making them look like the harshest winter. Seifer, leering down at me….

"Damn you, Seifer," Squall openly cursed, wondering why Seifer would betray them this way. They may not have been his ‘friends’, but he had had a relationship with Rinoa, and they were his classmates! Why was he doing this? All his thoughts were interrupted as he felt a rumbling under his feet. It felt like he was moving…. Squall sat back down on his bed, waiting for the motion to stop.

"What’s going on?!" He asked, knowing that nobody would answer him. When the motion stopped, Squall stood again, unsure on his feet. Was he in a prison? "Well, duh, Squall," he muttered, looking around his small, dirty cell again. He spun around on the spot as he heard the door open. Seifer sauntered into the room, the same cold look in his eyes that had been present on the float. For an instant, Squall could have sworn that he saw regret, shame and anguish in the endless blue depths. It was gone as quickly as it came.

"Squall, you’re pitiful," Seifer murmured, his voice sounding hypnotic, sensual.

Squall was about to reply with a snide remark when the cell moved around them, sending the prisoner off his balance. Squall careened backwards, falling against Seifer, his back pressed to the Knight’s broad chest. Seifer's body was surprisingly warm, and Squall felt Seifer's gloved hands come up, encircling his arms to prevent them both from toppling over. Squall was dumbfounded at the fact that Seifer's touch was so gentle, almost like a caress. He actually felt Seifer sigh, a small, mournful shunting of breath that sounded as loud to Squall’s ears as a thousands screams of agony. What was happening to Seifer? For a brief flicker, barely the tick of a second, Squall could feel the mental anguish that Seifer was carrying with him, the emotional baggage that was torturing the statuesque blonde with every breath he took. The moment of understanding passed, and Seifer's grip on Squall’s arms tightened to an almost painful vice.

Seifer grabbed Squall by his shaggy auburn hair and chucked him against the wall. Squall groaned as the wind was knocked out of him. Seifer always had been physically stronger than Squall. The prisoner felt his body slump against the cold concrete of the wall, which was so cold compared to Seifer's body.

"Take him away," Seifer muttered, ushering to a pair of creatures with fiery fur. They looked like a cross between small lions and playful puppies, and make cooing noises and gentle grows that reminded Squall of Cheetah cubs. They looked up at Squall with large, caring eyes, like they didn’t know what was going on. Squall couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. He numbly let himself be led away, slowly following behind a pair of Galbadian Soldiers. Squall stumbled slightly, still lightheaded from his impact with the wall. This drew the ire of the Soldiers ahead of him, and one of them struck him heavily over the head. Squall moaned, falling into unconsciousness.

When the blackness began to fade, Squall felt unnatural. His head ached dreadfully, and his muscles felt tense. He was in a strange position. He tried to move his arms, but they were bound. Squall slowly opened his eyes, surprised. His eyelids felt like they were made of lead.

"I’m sure you can imagine what happens now," Seifer purred, seeing that Squall had regained consciousness.

Squall opened his eyes fully. He was tied up to the wall, his arms stretched out at his sides, crucified in front of Seifer, who was unnaturally grinning up at him. He also noticed that there were wires around him. Was he hooked up to some sort of electric current? Panic settled in over Squall. What was Seifer planning to do to him? Squall tried to loosen the bonds that held his wrists and ankles, but they were far too secure. He arched his body away from the wall, but his efforts were in vain. "…. What do you want?" Squall asked coolly, but inside, he felt shaky and scared.

Seifer tilted his head, remembering Edea’s orders. For a brief moment, regret washed over him. This wasn’t right… Squall couldn’t defend himself. Why was Edea making him do this? He didn’t want to hurt Squall this badly….

Seifer….. Edea hissed in his mind. At the sound of her voice, all Seifer's regrets were buried once again under the sludge that Edea had made of his psyche. He looked up at Squall, a wrathful smile placed on his mouth. "Tell me what SeeD is. Edea demands to know."

"SeeD…." Squall trailed off, confused. What was he talking about? …A code name, for Balamb Garden’s elite mercenary force…. SeeD… Combat specialists….????? "Don’t you already know?" Squall asked, utterly at a loss at to why Seifer would ask him such a question.

"I’m not a SeeD," Seifer answered simply, a harsh tone in his voice. "There must be some kind of secret you’re given when you become a SeeD!"

"There’s nothing," Squall answered truthfully. "Even if there was, you think I’d tell you?!" Squall tried to struggle again, but it just made him weak.

Seifer smirked. "You’re on my ‘tough nut to crack’ list." He shrugged. "Didn’t think you’d talk that easily."

Squall snorted. "… Fuck, I’m honoured."

"So, here’s a little something for ya…" Seifer smiled, snapping his fingers. As the electricity flowed through Squall’s body, causing him to hoarsely cry out in pain, all of Seifer's hatred melted away. How could he be doing this? Squall didn’t deserve to be tortured, especially for something as foolish as the answers to SeeD. Why was Edea making him do this?! He turned away, Squall’s cries echoing in his eardrums, being burned into his senses. Damn her. Shame at what he was doing, how easily he had been manipulated rose up to the surface, bubbling over into a small moan of defeat. What had he let himself become? You’re so weak…..

Seifer… Why? Squall asked, the electricity burning his senses. Even through the torture, Squall looked over at Seifer, wondering what could drive him to be like this. He saw sorrow written all over Seifer's face. It looked like he was making a move to stop it all, but something was getting in the way. Please, stop…..

Seifer, you have to stop this….. Seifer turned, ready to command the guard at the switch to stop the torture. He would stop this, and let Squall down, help him escape.

I wouldn’t do that if I were you….. Edea whispered. He felt her feathery touch in his mind, and the harshness returned. Do you think Squall would have any regrets if that were you up there? No, he would be laughing, calling everyone to watch you in your demise…..

Seifer shook his head. Edea was right. He motioned for the guard to turn off the electricity. "Even if you don’t talk, others will. The Instructor, the little messenger girl, or that Chicken-Wuss…. He wouldn’t last three seconds!" Seifer said with a cackle. Maybe he should have had Zell tied up in front of him instead of Squall. It would teach that brat to use him…. Seifer frowned, imagining a look of agony on Zell’s face as Seifer electrocuted him. It caused something to pull at his heart, but before he could truly feel it, it was swallowed up into the blackness that Edea had created within him.

Squall felt a pang of relief. They….they’re…? "They’re… all.. here?"

A brief flicker of images passed through Seifer's mind, centered around the Prison Warden beating Zell thoroughly, an image that Edea had fed him when he tried to mentally defy her. Zell… I’m so sorry…. No, it’s what he deserves. He used you, just like everyone else….. "Oh, you bet," Seifer answered. "But, since I like you so much, I thought you should go first." Seifer smiled, musing. "I was hoping you’d be there, Squall. So, how’d I look in my moment of triumph? My childhood dream fulfilled. I’ve become the Sorceress’s Knight."

Sorceress’s Knight…..His….dream…? But, Seifer…. Squall thought with pity, Now, you’re just….. "A.. torturer…." Squall murmured, the pain causing him to black out again.

"What did you say?!" Seifer demanded. Was Squall right, was that all he was? He shook it away. After all, he was Edea’s Knight. "Passed out cold, eh? This is the scene where you swear your undying hatred for me!" Seifer said laughingly, his voice sounding maniacal, even to him. "The tale of the evil Mercenary versus the Sorceress’s Knight…. The fun’s just started, Squall," Seifer purred, looking over to the guard again. "Don’t disappoint me now!" He motioned for the charge to be turned back on.

Squall’s unconscious body shook with the tremors of torture, which caused Seifer to purse his lips. He pushed it out of his mind continuing. Squall moaned, regaining consciousness.

"Well, now, Squall, I’ll ask again. What is SeeD? And why do they oppose the Sorceress?"

Squall tried to raise his head. SeeD… Oppose the Sorceress….?

A meek looking guard entered, eyeing Seifer warily. "Sir Seifer, the missiles targeted for the Garden are ready to launch."

Seifer sighed. How could he go along with this? He grew up at the Garden. His concern was buried, and he answered "Excellent." He turned to Squall. "Balamb Garden is to be destroyed on charges of training SeeDs to oppose the Sorceress."

Squall’s heart jumped with fear. WHAT?!

Seifer smiled sadly, but there was malice behind it. "It’s a pity, really. I grew up there, too…." He sighed again. Squall could tell that there was some sort of inner conflict within Seifer. "But, orders are orders, and Edea wants it destroyed." Seifer sounded sad, mournful.

"…N..No…" Squall sputtered, trying to struggle again.

Seifer frowned, the hard look back in his laser blue eyes. "After the Garden’s gone, the SeeD hunt will begin. I’ll be Edea’s bloodhound and hunt down every one of your kind…" Seifer trailed off shaking his head. He looked back up at Squall, smiling jaggedly. "It’ll be fun, Squall. Don’t die on me, yet."

A… Torturer…. Squall’s words passed through his mind again and again. He was supposed to be Edea’s Knight, but he was reduced to torturing people who couldn’t defend themselves. There had been so much bad blood between him and Squall, but the other man didn’t deserve this, especially not from Seifer's hands. Fuck you, Edea. What have you done to me?! I’m not going to let this happen anymore…. I’ll……

Seifer froze. That voice didn’t sound like Edea’s. Edea’s voice always had a velvety, sensual air about it, but this was harsh, cold, spoken in a Slavic accent. It sounded like broken glass etching across his earlobes. Edea…..

"Who are you?" Seifer whispered. Seifer, you have to stop this. Squall may die…..

"Sir, Sorceress Edea wishes to speak with you," a Soldier commanded. He motioned for the torture to stop, but Seifer knew it was only temporary.

"Continue with the interrogation," Seifer muttered, not able to stand this anymore.

"This way," the Soldier commanded.

Seifer nodded dully, the strange, heartless voice ringing in his ears as he followed the pair of guards to Edea’s room. Who was that woman? It sure as hell wasn’t Edea. He wondered if Squall would be okay. Seifer had always had a rivalry with the other man, but he had admired him more than anything else. Squall was an excellent gauge of his own talents, and if he could have only been as good as Squall… Maybe he would have deserved more. Look at what you’ve become, Seifer. You don’t deserve anything, except to have them all look up at you while you’re crucified for them. What have you done to deserve anything?

"Seifer," Edea mused as he entered the room. The guards flanked Seifer on either side, unmoving. "Tell me, did you get the answers I sought?"

Seifer bowed his head. "No, Mistress."

Edea nodded, steepling her fingers. "And why would that be?"

Seifer remained silent, then answered. "Squall wouldn’t divulge that information to me."

"Hmm," Edea stood. Seifer looked up at her. That’s when he noticed that there were ten guards around her. What were all the Soldiers doing there? "He wouldn’t divulge that information, eh? Why not?"

"He said he didn’t know. He passed out from the pain…." Seifer trailed off, hearing Squall’s pained cried reverberating in his mind.

"Oh, I see. It was because he passed out, and not because you showed weakness?"

Seifer said nothing, looking down at the toes of his boots.

"You wanted to defy me again, didn’t you?" Edea sounded calm, like the eye of a hurricane.

Seifer continued to remain silent.

"It doesn’t matter if you answer or not. I already know…."

Seifer sighed. You will learn your place, kursed brat. That same jagged, broken voice hissed in Seifer's ear.

"Well, I guess you haven’t learned yet. Besides, I have yet to punish you for failing against that stupid SeeD during the Galbadian parade." Edea looked over one of her elegant shoulders at the group of guards. "Do as you please with him."

Seifer's neck snapped up, and he stared at Edea with wide eyes. What was she planning? Seifer didn’t have a chance against twelve Galbadian Soldiers. "Mistress…."

"I’ve had it with your insubordination, Seifer. Maybe these fine gentlemen can show you the error of your ways…." She ran a thin, claw-like finger over his cheek, which caused Seifer to shiver. "He’s all yours." She left, the door slamming behind her with a severe finality.

Seifer slowly turned. The guards were staring at him, sizing him up. He didn’t like the dead look in their eyes. He wondered if Edea, or the mystery woman, had hypnotized them, or if they were just predatory in nature. Were they going to beat him up? A few of them crossed their arms over their chests, while he could hear a few cackles of unholy laughter. Well, he could handle a beating. He knew Edea wouldn’t let them kill him. For some reason, she seemed to need Seifer.

One of the guards leaned against the large, velvet covered, crimson wingback chair that Edea had been sitting in. "You look a little nervous, brat."

Seifer turned again, looking at some of them, his movements silenced by the thick carpeting. Why had Edea chosen this room if they were going to kick the shit out of him? It seemed so lavish. Maybe this room was soundproof or something….

"You know," the guard leaning against the chair began. "It’s really a pain in the ass having to take orders from a kid. It makes us…. Angry."

Seifer looked around again. There was something about the way these men were looking at him that frightened him. There was a predatory look of….lust. Before he could make another move, he felt a pair of strong hands grip his upper arms from behind. His initial reaction was to struggle, but he felt a second pair of iron hands, so that one pair of hands was on each arm, holding him tightly and preventing any escape. He tried to struggle, but his efforts were rewarded with an elbow in the small of his back. Seifer groaned, looking over at the guy against the chair, the obvious leader.

"So, if you’re going to kick the shit out of me, get it over with," Seifer muttered.

The man cackled, walking over slowly. "Well, we could do that…." He trailed off, lightly slapping Seifer across the face. "But, Edea made her instructions clear. She wanted us to really give it to you." He laughed again, sneering as he gripped Seifer's hips in a very suggestive manner.

Seifer's eyes widened, and he kicked his long legs out, his feet hitting the Soldier in the thigh.

"You fucking bitch!" He roared, gripping Seifer's throat. The other Soldiers moved away as the first Guard tightened his grip on Seifer's pale throat, and he threw the frightened blonde onto the ground in an ungraceful heap. The two guards who had held his arms before kneeled on the ground, pinning his arms out to his sides, crucified on the carpet. One used his knee to hold Seifer's wrist down. Two more kneeled by his legs, each gripping his knees, prying Seifer's legs apart.

Oh, God….. Seifer mentally cried.

"Now, pretty boy, we don’t like having to take orders from you…." The first guard murmured, undoing Seifer's belt. "So, we were more than thrilled to help the Sorceress show you your place…." He pulled the belt away.

"Fuck you…." Seifer spat, struggling against the unyielding grips that held him.

All the men laughed. He felt frightened about the fact that the other men were standing around him, leering down at his prone form, anticipation written all over their faces. The first man slapped Seifer on the chest with his own belt. "I think it’s the other way around, little girl." He gripped Seifer's pants and boxers, pulling them down to his knees. "Okay, maybe you’re not so little, brat."

Seifer closed his eyes as the ringleader roughly grabbed his hips, lifting them up off the floor. He felt his arms being shrugged out of his trenchcoat, then pinned to the ground once more, the grips on his arms becoming tighter, bruising the tender flesh. It all seemed so far away, as Seifer tried to concentrate on loosening his body, knowing that if he tensed up, it would be more agonizing, more painful. His train of thought halted and derailed as he felt his body being invaded in one swift motion. Seifer screamed out in agony as he felt the tender flesh around his rectum tearing. His screams caused the men around him to laugh. The man inside him gripped his throat, thrusting in all the way. Seifer opened his mouth in a silent scream, feeling the warm stickiness of his own blood running over his thighs and the curve of his ass.

"Oh, come on, pretty boy, scream for daddy again!" The rapist taunted, pulling out.

Seifer whimpered, the pain shooting up his spine, and straight into his mind. He screamed again as the man entered him roughly again. Tears of shame ran down Seifer's cheeks, and he shivered in disgust as his tears were licked away by the man’s tongue. He felt scratchy stubble against his cheek.

"That’s more like it," was taunted in his ear as Seifer was pounded into mercilessly. "For such a useless brat, you’re a pretty good fuck," the rapist whispered breathlessly. "Nice and tight…."

Seifer moaned, thick sobs of agony ripping from his chest as the pain continued to shoot through his body. Why would Edea let them do this to him? He didn’t deserve this…. Just like Squall didn’t deserve to be tortured by Seifer's hands. You deserve this…. Seifer told himself. He made an injured whimper of disgust as he felt the hot explosion of semen deep within his torn channel. When the first Soldier pulled out, Seifer started weeping, a shamed flush colouring his cheeks. The blood continued to slowly flow from his broken body as he cried, degradingly pinned against the floor. His reprieve from abuse was short lived as one of the standing Soldiers kneeled between his bloodied thighs. To further add to his humiliation, Seifer was completely stripped of the remainder of his clothes so that he was laying naked and prone for further attack. Seifer just continued to weep as a trail of cruel bites was made down the center of his chest. He couldn’t even find the mental strength to scream as his abused opening was penetrated again. His bruised mind began to detach itself from what was happening to his body. The sharp shards of pain that would make his body stiffen and quiver, traveling to his mind was the only thing he could really feel.

"Stop….. Please…." Seifer wept as the Soldiers continued to take pleasure from him. They all laughed at his pleas. "Oh, begging," the current invader purred. "Music to my ears. You want me to stop? Okay…." He pulled out, which caused Seifer to shakily sigh. Seifer gasped in shock and disgust as he felt the warm splatter of semen, mixed with his own blood, slap him across one tear-streaked cheek. Seifer renewed his struggling, the waves of disgust making him feel physically ill. Seifer was hoping that now that they had completely humiliated him, they would all leave, but it didn’t stop. A third Soldier began to thrust into him, making it as deep and painful as humanly possible.

Seifer began to cut himself off again. God, someone please help me…. Zell, help me….. No, no, no. What would Zell say if he saw you now? He’d probably laugh and tell them that I liked it when he used his tongue to pull on my nipple rings. Just feel lucky that they haven’t ripped them out yet….. Even if Zell cared about you, you haven’t done anything to deserve him. He’s perfect, and look at you, you failure. You could never deserve such an angel. Besides, you’ve betrayed him, so many times. Look at you, you let yourself do this to him, you let them help you betray Zell.

Seifer's mental punishment was beginning to fade away as the physical abuse continued. The pain was becoming too much for him to bear, and his body was shutting itself down. He moaned in defeat as he was ejaculated into again. The last think he heard was the cackling laughter of his assailants before the welcoming darkness claimed him.

Seifer's welcome black was being chased away as he felt himself being slapped in the face. He opened his eyes, and found himself staring up at the angry eyes of one of the guards. "Wakey, wakey, sunshine."

Seifer moaned in agony. The burning pain that had originated from his rectum was now burning a loathsome trail down his legs, making them feel numb and useless. His body also felt sticky from his blood, and something else. He looked down at his chest, which was smeared with the sticky white fluid of his attackers’ collective seed.

"We don’t want you to fall asleep just yet….. The show must go on…." This Soldier made a motion with his head to an area beside Seifer. The broken blonde looked over, his bleary eyes widening in shock as he saw a video camera on a tripod.

"What are you…..?" Seifer sighed, his whole body echoing the rasping shower of breath. Seifer clamped his eyes shut with shame. Had they videotaped him when he was unconscious? What had they done to him?!

"Shhh, Princess. It’s my turn now…." The Soldier settled over Seifer's body, kissing him, almost gently, which made Seifer shiver with displeasure. He pulled out a butterfly knife, lazily twirling it. With his free hand, he reached between Seifer's bloodstained thighs, cupping his genitals. Seifer moaned in agony, shaking his head violently between his upstretched, pinned arms. The gentle ministrations continued, and Seifer whimpered as his body reacted.

"Fuck…. Stop…." Seifer panted, tears falling down his face again. "Please…"

"Please what?" He asked, making a ribbon cut in Seifer's shoulder. "You seem like you like it…" The Soldier continued to stroke Seifer's cock, which was becoming hard, despite Seifer's protests. He then cut Seifer's chest, making a jagged line under his pectoral muscle.

They all laughed as the current attacker slowly entered Seifer, still stroking him softly. He made another cut on Seifer's pale flesh, this time, in his thigh. He followed that with a second and third one, creating a bleeding ladder along the outer side of Seifer's thigh. The rape continued, and Seifer felt his body beginning to tighten as he neared orgasm.

"No…. Stop…." Seifer begged. "Help me…. Zell…..please….. Zell, help….me…."

The Soldier jammed into him viciously. "That’s the third time you’ve called that name. Who is it, your boyfriend? Well, if he could only see you now, brat." He moved his hand faster over Seifer's crotch, ripping a cry from the blonde’s chest.

Seifer wept bitterly as he was brought to orgasm, his ejaculate spilling across his taut belly as the man within him released as well. As he pulled out, he made lazy cuts with the butterfly knife over Seifer's arms and torso, each cut being thin, probably just deep enough to leave a scar. Seifer didn’t even notice as he cried, cursing his body for reacting the way it did.

"Have you learned your lesson, Pumpkin?" The first Soldier asked, ushering the others towards the door. One of them took the camera as they left. "Now, maybe you’ll learn your place."

Seifer didn’t hear anything that they said, he curled up in a ball on the floor, feeling used, horribly dirty. The sound of the door slamming behind the Soldiers caused Seifer to gasp. He looked down at his body. He was covered in blood and semen. He shakily reached for his coat, wanting to save the last thread of dignity he possessed. He shivered on the floor, his entire body aching from the abuse, and utter shame.

"Seifer…."

He looked up from his fetal position on the floor. Edea was looking down at him. He hadn’t even heard her come in. She walked over to him, standing directly in front of him.

"How could you let them do this to me?" Seifer asked, his voice small and weary.

"It had to be done. I think you’ve learned your lesson for now. You can clean yourself up in my bathroom."

Seifer simply whimpered, standing up, wrapping his coat tightly around his bleeding body to hide his nudity. Edea noticed that he was shaky on his feet, and she offered her hand to him. He reluctantly took it, his whole body shivering. Edea frowned, noticing the difficulty he was having with walking. Her heart went out to the boy. Nobody deserved this.

Why? He’s only a boy….. Edea silently pleaded.

Edea sighed. Her Mistress knew that to punish Edea, she could punish Seifer. No, Mistress. He’s learned his lesson, as I have.

Edea nodded, letting Seifer fall, almost cruelly, on the bathroom floor. Her dark Mistress was right.

Seifer crumpled against the bathtub, feeling like a heap of trash on the floor.

"Get yourself cleaned up, then come find me. We have big plans."

Seifer remembered that they were to blow up the Garden, and he was to hunt down SeeDs, killing them. Would that mean that he would have to kill Zell? He wished someone would hunt himself down, putting Seifer out of his misery. "Why…..?" Seifer began meekly.

"No questions, boy. I can call for the guards again. They seemed to enjoy you…."

Seifer whimpered in defeat as Edea left, giving him privacy, saving what little self-respect he had left. On her way out, Edea had turned on the shower, and now the spray was hitting the frosted glass of the shower stall door. The bathroom was mostly black and the red from Seifer's blood stood out on the white marble floor. Seifer gripped the side of the sink, shakily standing. He tossed his bloodstained coat on the floor and locked the door before stepping under the warm stream. The water felt good on his bruised skin, but he knew it would never leave him feeling clean. He sank down so that he was sitting on the floor of the shower, his blood making the water run pink. He took a facecloth and scrubbed away the chalky spots of semen left on his body by his attackers. He flung the black cloth against the wall with an angry sob, curling up in a ball.

Seifer sobbed. "Zell, I’m so sorry…….. I’m so sorry, Zell…." His words came out choked, and something inside him shattered, and he let out a scream of agony that echoed off the shower walls, and poured out of his soul.

Edea sighed, hearing the faint echo of Seifer's scream in her mind, fed to her by her Mistress. Her heart broke for him, and she frowned, hearing the broken glass voice replacing the anguished scream.

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