Title: Silver Wings
Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII
Author: Batsutousai
Pairing: Squall Leonhart/Seifer Almasy
Rating: Mature
Warnings: AU, canon violence, Sorceress!Squall, original character death, mind rape, mental torture
Summary: On that fateful day, when a child grown visited his childhood home and a dying sorceress passed on her powers, it wasn't another sorceress they found, but a young boy running lost.

A/N: Final chapter. Hopefully all the loose ends are tied up. XD

Smut in this chapter, because why not. If you're reading this on FFN, the lemon has, again, been cut. AO3, LJ, and tumblr have the full version.

Chapter Twelve — Beneath My Wings

"Sis!" a small voice cried, and Squall opened his eyes to the beach. In the distance, he could make out the orphanage, and, running towards him–

"Hello, Squall," he murmured.

His younger self stumbled and fell backwards, landing on his arse. He stared up at Squall, eyes wide.

Ultimecia appeared behind his child self, one clawed hand held over the killing gash to her heart. She stumbled, broken wings dragging against the ground.

The child between them let out a terrified sound and moved on hands and feet like a crab towards Squall, close enough they almost touched.

"She can't hurt you, not here," Squall promised, glancing up towards the orphanage when he saw something moving in that direction.

"I...kan't...disappear yet," Ultimecia gasped as Squall recognised the person moving towards them: Matron.

If Matron got too close before Ultimecia gave up her powers, Squall wouldn't get them, he knew, and he narrowed his eyes at the dying sorceress. "You don't have a choice!" he snarled and his magic rose within him, furious at her refusal to let go.

Ultimecia screamed, the magic within her reacting to Squall's own and tearing out of her, leaving behind a broken woman who faded away as the life left her.

"No!" Matron shouted, too far away to stop the black cloud so full of violence and cruelty from rushing into the small boy curled on the ground in front of Squall.

His younger self screamed and Squall closed his eyes, remembering all too well the agony of accepting that magic.

"Squall!" Matron cried, and Squall looked down to find her falling to her knees next to his younger self.

Squall knelt down across from her. "Matron," he said, and her head jerked up. "He'll be okay." He grimaced, aware of the horrors lying in wait for himself. "Eventually."

"But, that magic..." Matron whispered.

Squall looked down at the unscarred face of his child-self. "He'll fight with it," he whispered before shaking his head. "Find him Guardian Forces," he told her, looking up into her gentle eyes, damp with tears. "He'll need them until his knight is ready."

Her eyes widened. "Who...are you?"

Squall blinked. "I'm a SeeD, trained at Garden to defeat sorceresses when they become a danger." He smiled at her, but the motion felt tired. "I was told it was your idea, but perhaps it's just a trick of time." He stood again and nearly stumbled when his wings flared out behind him, magic tingling under his skin.

"Squall," Matron realised, and he nodded to her wide-eyed stare. "You're–"

"Okay," Squall promised before his magic tugged against his skin again. "And beholden to an impatient knight." He closed his eyes and let his wings wrap around him, his magic pulling him forward through time to where a pissed off blond gunblader was scowling at him.

"Dammit, Leonhart!" Seifer snarled. "Next time you pull that translucent shit on me, I'm running you through with Hyperion!"

Squall shrugged. "I had an errand to attend to."

Seifer's expression smoothed out and he took a quick glance around them at the beach. "Sorceress Parasite gone for good, then?"

"Very much so," Squall agreed and he felt strangely light, as though a heavy burden had fallen from his shoulders at last. "And Matron will supply me with GFs until you get your head out of your ass."

Seifer rolled his eyes and reached forward to wrap his fingers around the naked chain resting too-light against Squall's chest. "Virgie?" he asked and Squall found himself holding his breath.

'I'm here,' Virgie whispered, peeking out of the pile of GFs that had curled around her. 'You're...Squally's Knight?'

"Yes. My name's Seifer."

'Hello, Seifer.' She bumped against the sense of Seifer at the back of Squall's mind and the knight twitched. 'You're very warm.'

Seifer blinked at that before raising an eyebrow at Squall. "Warm," he deadpanned.

Squall shrugged. "I always thought so."

Seifer's eyes glinted and Squall realised he probably shouldn't have admitted that, even as his knight used the useless chain to pull him in close, wrapping an arm around Squall's waist when he couldn't use the chain any more. "I'm warm, am I?" he murmured before leaning in and capturing Squall's lips.

Virgie let out a startled squeak in Squall's mind and hid behind a laughing Bahamut.

"Almasy," Squall growled against the blond's mouth.

"We killed that bitch and you've got your sister back, Leonhart," Seifer breathed, green eyes dark with intent. "That requires a victory fuck."

"If you had your way, you'd fuck me once an hour," Squall shot back even as he wrapped his arms around his knight's neck; he had to admit, Seifer was sort of right about the victory fuck thing, even if they were standing within shouting distance of their childhood home and Virgie could see everything.

Seifer huffed out a rough laugh. "If only you weren't so damned stubborn," he complained before warm hands pushed up, under his shirt, and brushed against the fine fluff that marked where his wings joined his back.

Squall melted against his knight with a helpless moan. "Clothing," he breathed against Seifer's throat, and his magic obediently vanished their clothing, even as his wings wrapped around them, blanketing them in silver feathers.

-0-

Squall woke inside the orphanage, Seifer snoring at his side. He took a moment to stare at his knight, memorising his eased expression like he was afraid he'd never see it again.

"Ridiculous," Squall whispered to himself before twitching his wings out of the way and sitting up on the surprisingly wide bed. It took him a moment to recognise Matron's room, and then the wide bed made sense, as did the reason why Seifer had picked this one, rather than the singles that peppered the children's rooms.

He forced himself to stand, wincing in preparation for the aches he'd felt before he'd fallen asleep, but nothing hurt. Spotting their pile of things answered the question: a line of empty potion bottles sat out next to their gunblades, waiting to be returned to the Garden infirmary so Kadowaki could sterilise and reuse them.

"Protective asshole," Squall whispered as he hunted down some trousers and his boots.

Dressed, he stepped out of the run-down building. The sun hadn't quite risen yet, but the horizon was glowing pink with its intention, and Squall considered his options before flying up to the roof to watch it rise.

"Gee?" he called once he was settled.

The unfamiliar black and red lion obediently appeared in front of him, silver wings beating easily to keep her steady in mid-air.

Squall patted the roof next to him. "Sit."

Virgie looked down at her paws. "Like this?" she asked, sounding just as scared as the first time she'd realised what she'd become.

Squall opened his mouth to say, 'Yes, like that,' but he paused when his magic twisted inside him, shaping a new spell that proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it had missed Virgie as much as Squall himself had. He swallowed back a tightness in his throat and stood, holding out his hands for her. "Come here. I have a gift for you."

Virgie's brow furrowed, the motion so very obvious with the red horns arching up, over her head, but obediently moved forward, taking Squall's hands with great care.

Once her feet were resting on the roof, Squall closed his eyes and directed the new spell into his sister, twisting her form to something more familiar to both of them. And when he opened his eyes to look at her, he found the seven-year-old girl who he'd once lost, black hair braided into the pigtails she'd always refuse to let anyone else do after Elle taught him how and wearing the orange dress she'd insisted on getting to match the orange and black shirt Squall had always worn. He smiled at her past the tears filling his eyes. "There you are," he whispered.

Virgie pushed forward and wrapped her arms around him, face pressed tight against his stomach, whole form shaking with quiet sobs. Squall curled around her, wings and all.

He didn't let go until she pulled back to rub roughly at her cheeks. "Stop that," he whispered, crouching down in front of her and gently wiping at the wet lines with his thumbs. She reached up and returned the favour, and he smiled at her sadly. "I've missed you."

Virgie blinked. "You're so big," she said, voice echoing in Squall's mind like all GFs' voices did, even in her current form. "How old are you?"

"Almost eighteen," he admitted, sitting back against the roof.

She blinked at him a few more times, clearly surprised, before her expression turned into a ridiculous pout and she declared, "Now I'll never catch up!"

Squall couldn't help but laugh, and it felt a little like years of loneliness left him with the noise, catching on the sea breeze and flying away. He patted the roof next to him and she settled at his side, pressing against him. "You know what's worse?" he asked.

Virgie glanced up, curious.

"Simo's older than you, too."

"What?! Nuh-uh! He's supposed to be littler than me forever, because he poops himself."

Squall snorted and shook his head. "Not any more." His heart fell at the reminder of what had happened to Virgie's brother. "He's actually quite good with his sword, but..." He sighed and looked down at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, Gee; he probably won't remember you."

"How can he...not remember me?" Virgie asked, hurt.

"GFs, for normal people, they take memories. And after–"

After her death; Squall couldn't say it, couldn't even think to undo the miracle Ultimecia had thought to use against him.

"What do you remember, before you appeared in the castle?"

Virgie stared up at him for a moment, confused and hurt, before she closed her eyes and her brow furrowed. "We were on Trabia. Jacob and Mary-Anne ran ahead, again. I went after them and..." She opened her eyes. "I was in that other body." She looked down at her hands.

Squall closed his eyes, relief flowing through him. "We got attacked by ruby dragons," he offered and she jerked against his side. "I– we all thought you were–"

'Dead,' Bahamut supplied. 'Simo took the easy way out and got a GF as soon as he was allowed.'

"You've made your feelings on the matter quite clear, Bahamut," Squall said, rubbing tiredly at his scar; the dragon had never been particularly impressed with Simo's decision to forget about his sister, had occasionally suggested, when they saw Simo in the hallways, that Squall nudge him into remembering something. Squall had always refused, admittedly a little jealous of the fact that Simo had that option at all.

Virgie tugged on his hand and touched the scar when he lowered it. "You didn't forget me," she pointed out.

"I don't forget things." He offered her a smile, certain it came out pained. "Perk of being a sorcerer."

She traced his expression with her eyes, then leaned in and gave him a hug.

He hugged her back, hold tight and familiar, even with the change in their relative sizes.

"You have wings," she pointed out at last, looking up at him.

"I do," he agreed, glancing back at where they were helpfully stretching and showing off their metallic shine.

Virgie giggled and reached out to touch the nearest one, which curled around her. "They're pretty. And soft."

"The pretty has been mentioned," Squall remarked drily. "Also the soft."

Virgie frowned at him, hands petting over silver feathers. "You don't like them?"

Squall sighed and drew up a knee to lean on. "I don't like that I have to hide them," he admitted. When her frown turned confused, he explained, "I don't tell people what I am, Gee. If I'm going to leave my wings out, I might as well announce it to a magazine."

Sleepy curiosity hummed against the back of Squall's mind, and Virgie let out a startled sound.

"Seifer's up," Squall offered before ordering, "Someone tell him I'm on the roof. And to put some fucking trousers on."

Virgie giggled and covered a blush with her hands. "I already saw everything."

Squall covered his ears and shook his head. "I am living in a happy little fantasy world where my little sister has not seen my knight naked."

"Deluding yourself, Squally," Seifer declared as he stepped out of the building beneath them. He glanced up at them and did a double take upon seeing Virgie. "Okay. You're unexpected."

"Hello, Seifer!" Virgie chirped.

Seifer turned a questioning look on Squall and he shrugged. "My magic likes her."

Seifer snorted. "I suppose the two of you had to agree on something eventually." He glanced around while Virgie giggled and Squall rolled his eyes. "There is no way for me to get up there without chancing a broken neck. Get down here."

"Pushy asshole," Squall whispered to Virgie.

She wiggled a finger in his face. "Matron's gonna wash your mouth out."

"Shit," Squall realised, looking down at Seifer, "we need to find out how she is."

Seifer's mouth thinned. "We need to go find out a lot of things. Down."

Squall nodded and wrapped an arm around Virgie. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah!"

Squall pushed them off the roof, his wings spreading and catching the air to lower them gently to the ground next to Seifer, who was watching them with a fond smile. Once Squall had let a delighted Virgie go, Seifer tugged him forward and brushed a brief kiss over his lips. "Good morning, my sorcerer," he murmured.

Squall leaned up and pressed his lips back against Seifer's for a slightly longer, but no less gentle kiss. "Good morning, my knight," he murmured back and Seifer's eyes glowed in a way that warmed Squall's heart.

"Are you done yet?" Virgie complained. "I want to see Matron!" Then she paused, something occurring to her. "Will she remember me, Squally?"

Squall frowned. "She's had a rough few months, so she might not be up for visitors, but she remembers you, yes. So do Sis and Beau."

"I bet some of the other Alexander SeeD remember you," Seifer added with a smirk.

Squall snorted, perfectly aware that his knight was imagining how Alexander's crew was going to respond to Virgie's resurrection. He closed his eyes and tugged on his magic, trying to withdraw his wings, but it refused to budge. "Seifer," he called, frowning. "Help."

Seifer's hands settled at his waist and he helped Squall pull his magic in, disapproving and resigned in equal measures.

The moment Squall's wings vanished, however, agony shot through him and his knees gave out under him. It felt almost like his skin was going to burst.

"Let them back out!" Seifer ordered, cradling Squall against his chest.

Squall pressed his face against his knight's collarbone and let his magic back out. The agony vanished, leaving a bone-deep ache behind. "What...the..." he gasped.

'You spent time outside of time,' Quezacotl offered warily. 'Your magic seems to have grown again.'

'You must leave your wings out, Sorcerer,' Eden concluded.

"What if I use some magic?" Squall suggested, trying to pull away from Seifer. Fear was rolling in his stomach, old and familiar.

Seifer held him fast. "Squall, that'll only help so much, and you know it." He pressed his forehead to Squall's and locked gazes with him. "Do you trust me?"

"What does that have–?" Squall started.

Seifer shook his head. "Do you trust me?"

Squall stared up into the calm green eyes and let himself relax against his knight. "Yes," he whispered.

"I'm going to keep you safe," Seifer promised, refusing to look away. "No one is going to hurt you for what you are, because I won't let them." His eyes flickered towards the side, where Squall could sense Virgie standing. "We're not going to let them, right, Gee?"

"Right."

Seifer reached up and cupped Squall's cheek. "You can't hide any more, Squall. I'm sorry."

Squall closed his eyes and dropped his head to press his face against Seifer's collarbone. He'd always known, deep down, that there would come a day when he would no longer be able to hide what he was. Still, he'd expected the day to come in conjunction with madness, not when he was perfectly sane and happy.

He should have known better; his magic never played by the rules.

Seifer didn't push him, just ran his fingers through Squall's hair while he resigned himself. It was...nice. Almost out of character for his knight, and yet–

Squall shook the half-formed thought away and pulled back. "Well," he said, forcing himself to look at things practically, "if I can fly, we don't need Bahamut to provide transportation."

Seifer eyed him suspiciously. "Right. Just so we're clear, I am not flying with Diablos."

Squall snorted. "Trust me, I know." He looked down at Virgie. "I was going to say, Gee can fly herself."

Virgie glanced down at her very human hands and held them up to Squall. "You fixed me," she pointed out.

Squall sighed and shook his head. "No. I just gave you the option to decide how you wanted to appear. You're still a GF, and you'll always have that form."

"I bet you could have the wings without the growly face," Seifer suggested as he turned to go back into the orphanage. "You can be a prettier version of Squally!"

"Can I?" Virgie asked Squall while he rolled his eyes at his knight.

Squall shrugged. "I don't see why not."

She closed her eyes and her expression twisted with concentration. Squall's magic shifted inside of him, travelling along the connection that kept her tethered to him and lending her the magic for the change. Her wings formed behind her, shaped like a dragon's and as dark as her GF form, but with silver feathers instead of the usual leathery membrane.

Virgie looked over her shoulder and made a face. "They aren't as pretty as yours," she told Squall.

"I'll trade you," Squall returned drily and she giggled.

Seifer returned, fully dressed and holding Sheer Trigger and Squall's clothing. "Squally," he said carefully.

Squall raised an eyebrow at him.

Seifer held out his leather jacket, back to Squall. There was no damage where his wings had burst free when they were falling through Time Compression, and Squall felt his other eyebrow raise to join the first. "They are just magic," Seifer pointed out.

Squall blinked, then held out his hand for the white bundle Seifer was still holding. "Shirt."

"It's ruined," Seifer warned as he held it out, showing the stain of old blood against the ruined shoulder.

Squall snorted, eyes catching on the signs of blood showing through on the arms of Seifer's coat and the front of his waistcoat. "I'll make do." He tugged it on, pulling it carefully down his back, but feeling no resistance as it moved past where his wings joined his back. When he brushed the feathers with his fingers, they felt completely solid, but the same didn't seem to be the case for his clothing. "You are such a contrary pain in the ass," he muttered to his magic as he accepted his jacket and shrugged it on.

"I can't decide if you're talking to me, or your wings," Seifer teased as he stepped forward and reached around Squall to settle Sheer Trigger in place for him.

Squall's breath caught, the easy familiarity almost...erotic, in a way. Unexpected, certainly.

Seifer brushed his lips against Squall's as he pulled back, mischief bright in his eyes. "How do you want me?" he asked, voice pitched low.

Squall scowled. "Stop it."

Seifer chuckled and stepped back, giving Squall some space. "You can't fool me, Leonhart. I know you want me." He wagged his eyebrows.

Virgie let out a giggle.

Squall rubbed at his scar with one hand while he motioned for Seifer to turn around with the other. "Turn around. Better to have both of us looking for Garden."

Seifer turned around and tightened his arms comfortably over Squall's when he wrapped his knight in a backwards hug. "Mm. You know what I'm thinking now?"

"That you'd like me to drop you once we're in the air?" Squall asked and Seifer laughed. He glanced over at Virgie. "Ready?"

"Yeah!"

They rose up in the air, climbing until Squall felt they'd have a good view without having to worry about clouds in the way, then he turned them north-east, aiming for Fisherman's Horizon, where there should at least be a scout ship with some idea of where Balamb had ended up.

They found the Gardens first: Trabia and Balamb were escorting Galbadia north. Alexander was nowhere in sight, but Squall expected they'd run ahead to FH as soon as they were no longer needed in Centra.

"This bodes well," Seifer called over the wind, even as he helpfully motioned to Virgie that they'd found what they were looking for.

No one met them on the first floor balcony, but Squall hadn't really expected anyone to; the lookouts on the Garden bridges were told to keep an eye on the ocean, not the sky.

"I am going to fly everywhere from now on!" Virgie declared, hovering over the floor of the balcony and looking delighted.

Seifer snorted and pointed towards the emergency door. "I'm pretty sure most doors won't accommodate you."

Virgie's expression fell and she lightly dropped to the floor, her wings vanishing behind her.

"I didn't mean you had to vanish them entirely!" Seifer insisted.

Squall sighed and reached over to tap the underside of her chin so she'd look up. "Do you remember what I always said?" he asked, tapping his boot against the floor.

Virgie glanced down, then back up, understanding in her eyes. "As long as we're on the ground, you can always find us, no matter what," she recited; it was what he'd told all the kids on Alexander the first time one of them got lost. Given, he'd had a relatively small range back then, but it had helped soothe a lot of fears, and they were more willing to stay in one place if they knew he could find them.

Squall smiled at her. "Exactly. So, let's aim for a bit more walking and less flying. For my peace of mind?"

"Okay."

"Thank you." He gave a gentle tug on one of her braids and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Let's go see who we can find."

"Elle and Trepe should be in the library," Seifer recited, "Cid will be up in his office, Tilmitt and Kinneas might be over in Trabia, and Chicken-wuss is probably either in the cafeteria, or pining after that girl in the library."

Squall thought about that for a moment, given how much of a stir his wings were sure to cause, before sighing and announcing, "We'll try the offices first."

Seifer nodded, understanding warm at the back of Squall's mind, and led the way into Garden.

The first floor wasn't particularly busy, but there were still cadets and a couple SeeDs wandering around. Eyes widened every time they noticed Squall's wings, but they were always quick to perform the salute when he glanced at them. He couldn't tell if any of them understood the significance, but the military-like acceptance was reassuring and he found himself relaxing slightly.

His wings gave him some trouble in the lift, especially since Seifer seemed more interested in watching with a grin than helping, but Squall managed. "Ass," he muttered to his knight as Seifer swiped his SeeD ID and hit the button for the second floor.

"Why are you so mean?" Virgie demanded, giving Seifer a disapproving stare.

"Some of us have an image to maintain," Seifer insisted.

"Some of us are sleeping in their own room tonight," Squall shot back as the lift opened. He offered Seifer's hurt expression a mean little smile before ushering Virgie out ahead of him. His wings left the lift far easier than they'd gone in, stretching out behind him happily before resting against his back in their usual relaxed position.

Seifer settled on his left as Squall turned towards Cid's office and said, "We can probably bribe the FH technicians into carving out a hole in the floor, so you can just fly between the levels."

"Security risk," Squall replied, shaking his head. "There's a reason the second floor doesn't have an open floor plan."

"Card reader with a metal grating that'll move out of the way?" Seifer suggested.

Squall paused, considering that. "Maybe." He shook his head. "It's not important right now, however." He knocked on Cid's office door and pushed it open, since the headmaster had never minded if he just poked his head in.

The room was empty, the desk disturbingly neat.

"Okay. I'm a little worried, now," Seifer admitted as Squall pulled the door closed.

"Makes two of us," Squall murmured as he turned, wings pressing tight against his back so they didn't hit Virgie, and stalked towards the conference room.

"Excuse y–" Quistis snapped before she recognised him. Her eyes went wide behind her glasses and she called, "Squall!"

Squall slipped into the room, making room for Seifer and Virgie to follow him. "Quisty," he greeted, glancing around the table and taking note of the neat stacks of paper around her, as well as what looked like another stack of paperwork across the table from her. "We're back."

Quistis drooped in her chair and tugged off her glasses before rubbing at her eyes. "Thank Hyne."

"Hello, Seifer," Elle called from behind the knight, and Squall looked past his wings to see her stepping into the room, smiling widely.

"Sis Elle!" Virgie shouted as she darted around Seifer and ran into Elle, wrapping her arms around her.

Elle's eyes went wide and she stared down at Virgie for a long moment before she turned to Squall. "Squally?"

"It's Gee," he promised.

Elle let out a sob and wrapped her arms around Virgie.

Seifer slipped past Squall and walked over to Quistis, who was watching the proceedings with wide, confused eyes. "Hm, this looks like Squally's paperwork," Seifer commented before glancing towards what appeared to be Elle's workstation. "Where's Cid?"

"Sis," Squall murmured, gently touching her shoulder.

Elle straightened and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe at her face and blow her nose. "I'm sorry," she whispered before crouching down in front of Virgie and wiping at her face, smiling when the girl made a face. "Goodness. We thought..." She bit her lip, looking troubled.

"Squally told me," Virgie admitted quietly.

"Ultimecia pulled her out of time," Squall explained. "She's a GF."

"Well," Elle said, tugging on one of Virgie's braids and earning her a tongue being stuck out, "I'm glad. Hyne knows we could use someone sensible around here." She glanced up and pointed out, "Squall, your wings are out."

"Irritatingly enough," Squall agreed drily before looking up as Seifer stalked back over, irritation prickling at the back of his mind. "Where's Uncle Cid?"

"His rooms."

Squall raised an eyebrow, then glanced down at Elle, hoping for a better explanation.

Elle's expression fell and she stood, one hand thoughtlessly petting Virgie's head. "Matron wasn't doing well. I don't know the specifics," she added to whatever expressions Squall and Seifer made, "but Cid declared himself on holiday and hid her away in his room. We make sure they're getting food, but neither of them will come out."

"Maybe they're–" Seifer startled before letting out a pained grunt when Squall elbowed him in the stomach.

"We'll go check on them," Squall promised. "With luck, it's nothing more serious than a holiday; Hyne knows they could both do with one." He glanced towards Quistis, who was still seated at the conference table, watching them with a mix of confusion and relief. "Quisty, thank you for staying on top of my work. You can leave it all on my desk, if you'd like, and I'll get to it–"

"Tomorrow," Seifer interrupted. When Squall frowned at him, he pointed out, "You should check in with Trabia and I'm sure Gee would appreciate a proper tour of Garden. Paperwork can wait a day."

"I get a tour?" Virgie asked, clearly delighted.

Squall couldn't help but smile at her. "After we check in on Matron."

"Do you mind if I come with?" Elle asked and Virgie's grin widened.

Squall shrugged. "Feel free. Quisty?" Seifer groaned.

Quisty stood. "Will I get an explanation for the wings?" she asked as she slipped her glasses away and started over.

Squall glanced at the silver wings. "I'm a sorcerer," he offered drily. "They're a physical representation of my magic."

"He's grumpy because they won't let him hide them any more," Seifer explained as they moved out of the room. His eyes caught on the lift and his smile turned mean. "And now back to the lift."

Squall scowled and turned towards the emergency stairs. "I'll meet you down there," he called over his shoulder.

"The stairs won't be any better, Leonhart!"

Squall ignored his knight, instead pushing through the door. The stairs were less cramped than the lift, but there wasn't enough room to fly, and going down stairs was no great joy, as tall as his wings were. "I hate you so much," he told his wings as he ran his ID on the first floor and pulled the door open.

Most of the floor had cleared out, likely gone to spread rumours about the fact that Squall and Seifer were back and that Squall had wings. He sighed, torn between irritation and a sort of resigned amusement at the very much expected response of the Garden population. Doubtless, everyone would know about his wings by lights out; whether they'd know what they meant was another matter entirely.

He stepped out onto the bridge leading to the lift and shot the lift a glare before jumping over the guard wall and letting his wings flare out to bring him easily to the bottom of the stairs in front of the lift as the others started down them.

"Making a statement, Leonhart?" Seifer teased as Virgie caught Squall's right hand with a bright smile.

"You may have a point about that grate," Squall replied drily before starting around the central hub. "I expect we're headed for FH to collect Alexander?" he asked Quistis.

She blinked and nodded. "And see if they can do anything for the damage inside Galbadia Garden. Their bridge took some damage, as did some other systems necessary for them to function as a school," she explained.

Squall frowned. "How much fighting did you have to deal with?"

Quistis sighed. "More than we'd expected. The soldiers in the headmaster's office were easy to subdue–" she shot him a suspicious look and he shrugged in response "–and it wasn't hard to crack a window and set off a couple of the fireworks Captain Owens and his crew had brought, but that put the Galbadians on guard. Soldiers started coming up the lift before we were prepared for them." She looked away, ashamed.

"Thank you," Elle said, and Squall looked back at her in surprise once he realised she was talking to him. "For the feather. It teleported Matron and I to Alexander when the soldiers came up."

Squall stopped, blinking at her in surprise, and Seifer laughed next to him before petting warm fingers over the wing closest to him. "How the hell did you manage to fit a teleport spell into a single feather?" he asked them.

Squall got the sense that his magic was preening, quite pleased with itself, and he sighed while Seifer laughed again. "Come on," he murmured to Virgie and she giggled as they started walking again, leaving the other three to catch up.

On the staff and guest hall, Quistis and Elle fell back, clearly having been turned away enough times to be uncertain about disturbing the headmaster. Seifer, on the other hand, had no such compunctions, and he stalked past Squall and Virgie and practically pounded on the door.

Cid pulled the door open, face twisted with irritation. He paused upon finding Seifer staring down at him, then squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed tiredly at them, knocking his glasses askew. "It's not a good time, Seifer."

"Make it a good time," Seifer suggested.

"Seifer," Squall called, disapproving, and his knight snorted before moving to one side. "Uncle Cid, you'll understand, I expect, why I can't let you shut me out without at least checking up on Matron. If you want to remain on holiday until we return to Balamb, I won't stop you, but you need to let me make sure she's okay."

"Is that Squall?" Matron's voice asked from inside the room, faint with exhaustion.

"Edea," Cid complained, but he moved out of the way when she appeared behind him.

She looked painfully small, almost skeletal under the black dress that hung heavily from too-thin shoulders. Seifer drew in a sharp breath and Squall bit his tongue against his own noise of discontent.

"Matron?" Virgie asked, voice tiny.

Tired eyes looked down towards the girl holding Squall's hand. She blinked once, then her eyes went wide. "Virgie," she breathed and caught herself against the doorframe.

Cid reached out like he wanted to touch his wife, but yanked his hand back before he could, expression troubled. It was enough of a warning and Squall grabbed Virgie's shoulders before she could go to Matron. "Tell me what's wrong," he ordered.

"It's nothing–" Cid started.

"Do not lie to me," Squall snapped before meeting Matron's tired stare. He gentled his voice and offered, "She was in my head for six months. Let me help."

Matron slowly held out one hand. It iced over with magic, like she'd once done to show Squall her magic so very long ago, but the ice was shot through with lines of black and the shade of purple that Squall knew meant Demi or Maelstrom. "My magic is tainted," she admitted quietly. "There's nothing Cid or I can do to fix it."

"Have you tried equipping a GF?" Seifer asked.

Matron smiled, but it was cracked around the edges and she leaned more weight against the doorframe. "Yes."

Squall's magic twisted inside himself and he closed his eyes, trying to figure out what it was up to. When it revealed its new creation, he sucked in a breath: His magic wanted him to draw the tainted magic that Ultimecia had left behind into himself.

'Is that wise?' Diablos asked, eyeing the spell suspiciously.

'It is technically the Sorceress's magic,' Shiva pointed out. 'And we have fought back this darkness before.'

'The Sorcerer isn't exhausted from months under the Dark One's hold,' Eden added. 'Not like his Matron.'

'Do it,' Bahamut ordered. 'Matron can't keep this up.'

Squall opened his eyes and met Seifer's hard stare. His knight gave a sharp nod, then glanced down at where Squall was holding Virgie's shoulders. He nodded back, then told his GFs, "Keep it away from Gee."

A wave of assent came from his GFs and they settled protectively around his connection to her.

"Stay here," he ordered her before stepping forward and meeting Matron's gaze. "I can help, but you need to trust me," he warned.

She smiled. "Of course I trust you, Squall."

"I need to you trust that I know what I'm doing," Squall insisted. "If you fight me, this is going to backfire, and that magic will kill you."

A horrified gasp came from down the hall, and Squall sensed Virgie turning and running back towards Elle, Quistis, and Zell, who had only just joined them.

Matron gave a slow blink. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to take the tainted magic from you," Squall admitted. When her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to argue with him, he pointed out, "I have been fighting with that magic most of my life, Matron. It's angry and it's violent and it wants nothing more than to destroy the world. I know." She deflated, eyes falling shut.

"If you die with that tainted magic," Seifer pointed out firmly as he came to stand at Squall's side, "it's going to go on to whoever inherits your magic. At least Squall and I know what we're in for."

Matron looked between them for a moment before smiling again, tired and defeated, and holding her hands out towards Squall.

Squall tugged off his gloves and took her hands, hissing at the feeling of the violent magic prickling under her skin. He closed his eyes and reached for the familiar darkness with the spell his magic had shaped, gathering it at their point of contact and drawing it out of her.

He pulled away from her once he was sure he had it all, stumbling a step before Seifer caught him, warm and safe. The prickly magic withered under their combined will, inching away from the wall of GFs when Bahamut snarled at it. It seemed almost...lost...for a moment. Lonely. But then Squall's magic beckoned and it fled towards it, integrating seamlessly and vanishing into the magic that, Squall realised, hadn't been so dark in a long time. It gleamed silver in his mind's eye, instead, the same shade as his wings.

He wondered, as he opened his eyes to find Cid holding Matron tight, if that meant that he'd managed to heal Ultimecia's madness and, if so, what that meant in terms of his own possible madness in the future.

"Your wings looked like my ice for a moment," Matron whispered, eyes locked on his wings.

Squall glanced back at them, but there was no sign of the tainted magic in them any more. "I'm stubborn," he remarked drily, "and Seifer is incapable of accepting 'no' as an answer."

"Not true," Seifer insisted. "No is absolutely an acceptable answer. So long as I'm the one giving it."

Squall rolled his eyes and shoved at his knight. "Let me go."

"Mmm... No."

Squall rubbed at his scar, resigned.

Matron let out a tired laugh. "It's so good to see you two together at last," she admitted before coughing.

"Edea?" Cid pleaded, clearly worried.

"Maelstrom," Squall recalled before pulling away from Seifer and quickly casting an Esuna, followed by three para-magic Curagas chained together by a half-conscious Triple.

The effect was immediate, the sickly pallor clearing from Matron's pale skin. It didn't change how thin she was, but there was a new life to her that suggested she'd be just fine, and she stopped leaning on Cid quite so much. "Oh," she whispered.

"Sorry," Squall offered. "I should have thought of that sooner." He shook his head.

Matron pulled away from Cid and took three quick steps forward so she could wrap Squall in a hug. "Thank you, Squall," she whispered as he hugged her back, his heart soothed by the strength of her hold on him. When she pulled back, her eyes fell to the empty chain hanging against his chest. "Your necklace..." she whispered, clearly horrified.

"It turned into Gee," Squall soothed before looking over at their audience.

Virgie was clinging to Elle, but she took the glance as permission to hurry forward. "Matron, are you...okay?" she asked, scared and hopeful.

"I will be," Matron promised, holding out her arms for a hug, which Virgie wasted no time in rushing into, hard enough that Squall had to brace Matron to keep her from falling over. "It is so very wonderful to see you again, sweetheart," she whispered against the top of Virgie's head before pressing a kiss there.

"Squall?" Zell called after a moment.

"Go away, Chicken–" Seifer started.

"Seifer!" Matron snapped, cutting him off, and Seifer sort of froze, shock flickering at the back of Squall's mind.

"What is it, Zell?" Squall asked, somehow managing to keep his amusement from his voice.

"Why do you have wings, man?"

Squall sighed while Elle and Virgie both started giggling. He suspected he'd be answering that question a lot.

-0-

Squall's favourite reaction to his wings had to be when they met up with Odine to kill Adel. They'd bypassed the city, Laguna having sent directions to what he called the Sorceress Memorial, which was – Laguna had to admit after Squall had dryly explained that, yes, the wings were permanent at this point – probably the best course for everyone. (Not, as Kiros pointed out, that people couldn't have seen Squall and Seifer flying over the city and panicked over it. Seifer had only laughed a little.)

Odine met them inside, and his eyes caught on Squall's wings first, going wide and glinting with greed. Then he took in Squall's face and his eyes seemed almost to double in size. "Sorcerer," he breathed, reaching out towards Squall.

Seifer stepped in the way, fury and disgust mingling at the back of Squall's mind. "Back the fuck up, Odine," he snarled, hand hovering over Hyperion's hilt.

Odine back-pedalled fast enough that his feet got caught up in his robes and he crashed to the ground in a heap. "Knight!" he shrieked. "Understood! You are the Knight and angry!"

"Seifer," Squall called, amused. Behind him, Laguna was practically in tears, he was laughing so hard. "We do need him to deal with Adel."

Seifer remained staring down at Odine for a long moment before he snorted and relaxed, tossing a smirk over his shoulder at Squall. "But after?" he requested.

Squall patted Seifer's shoulder and stepped past his knight towards the only door ahead of them. "Only if he tries something."

"What's your definition of 'something'?"

Squall rolled his eyes and pushed open the door to the next room. It was massive, glowing technology lining the walls and ceiling, with cables running between the walls and the large device in the centre of the room, which held a red-haired person. Adel, Squall knew from his history classes.

A group of women in Estharian robes stood in a corner, near two technicians. If the robes hadn't given them away, the way they all tensed upon seeing Squall's wings would have done it. The technicians traded terrified looks, while one of the woman whispered, "Great Hyne..."

Squall sighed. "President Loire, if you could calm yourself for ten minutes so we can deal with Adel?" he called over his shoulder as he stepped fully in the room. His wings flared out behind him once he'd cleared the door, as though they were trying to appear threatening, his magic's attention focussed on Adel. "Stop that," he ordered it. "You're making a fool of yourself. She's unconscious."

His wings curled against his back, seeming almost to snarl around Squall at the frozen sorceress.

Seifer stopped next to him, then, while Laguna attempted to calm the women and Odine gathered the two technicians. "What's wrong?" his knight asked.

Squall shook his head. "It's like my magic thinks Adel is–" He looked up towards Adel and snapped his mouth shut upon realising her eyes, which had been closed before, were open now. She was staring at Laguna, who was standing no more than two metres in front of the machine, back turned towards it. She had moved one hand while no one was looking and it was pointed at Squall's father. The bumbling, hopelessly kind man who Squall had got to know and begun to be fond of on the way down to Centra.

Squall jumped over Seifer before he could consider the consequences, shouting, "Dad!" as his wings carried him over everyone, flaring out to either side as he landed to protect Laguna and the sorceresses-to-be from the Ultima that Adel loosed.

He grunted as the spell hit, his magic absorbing the spell, but not the force behind it. Behind him, Adel roared her fury.

"You're out of time, Odine!" Seifer shouted as he ran down the pathway towards Adel, the women, Laguna, and Squall all moving out of his way.

Squall and Seifer locked eyes as the knight passed, anger and concern flaring at the back of Squall's mind.

But then Seifer was past him, Hyperion singing with a mix of para-magic and some of Squall's magic, which had gladly leant itself to vengeance, as he cut into Adel.

Squall felt his magic tear into Adel in a way that only it could manage, and he grimaced even as he grabbed Laguna and flew him over the group of women, having no interest in testing his theory about Adel's magic being more likely to go to a woman than himself. And if he was getting himself out of the way, he might as well take Laguna with him.

They turned back to watch as Seifer jumped back, out of the way, before an explosion that looked very like Apocalypse destroyed Adel from the inside. A cloud of dark grey magic rose out of her and hung in the air for a moment before a beam of light from one of the flickering machines in the ceiling hit it and it split into five separate clouds. Each one went into a different woman and they all collapsed as they struggled to adapt to the magic.

"I'll get their companions," Kiros murmured before leaving the room.

"You called me Dad," Laguna breathed, and when Squall turned to look at him, he found there were tears in his father's eyes.

Squall sighed. "Apparently," he agreed, forcing his tone to remain bland.

"I'm out of things to kill and pissed the fuck off," Seifer snarled behind him, and Squall looked back to find his knight glowering at Odine and the two technicians who were eyeing the unconscious women. "If you value your lives, you'll get out of my sight."

Unsurprisingly, they fled.

Seifer turned to Squall then, stalking forward and practically breathing fury. "Leonhart," he growled, and Laguna shifted nervously next to Squall.

Squall raised an eyebrow at him, refusing to be cowed by his angry knight. "What would you have had me do instead? It was only an Ultima, Seifer."

In his mind, his GFs let out laughter that was varying degrees of hysterical.

Seifer stopped and stared at him for a moment before rubbing angrily at his eyes. " 'Only an–' What if it hadn't been an Ultima, Squall?" he asked, voice less angry and more shaken.

Squall sighed and stepped forward, gently taking his knight's wrists and pulling them away from his face. "But it was," he promised. "She had one good shot; I knew she'd go for the strongest spell in her repertoire, and I knew I'd be fine."

"You did not," Seifer muttered, freeing his wrists so he could pull Squall against his chest. "You didn't have time to figure any of that out."

Squall sighed and wrapped his arms around Seifer's neck, scratching his fingers against the grain of his knight's short-cut hair as his wings wrapped around them. "No," he admitted, "but it sounds less like I was feeling suicidal if I say that."

Seifer snorted and leaned down to brush his lips against Squall's. "I'd tell you never to pull that shit on me again, but–"

"I have to save who I can," Squall whispered.

"I know," Seifer breathed before kissing him hard, warm and safe and full of love.

-0-0-0-
OWARI
-0-0-0-

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