Astounding how much it took him to let his hand linger, the touch barely connecting, forcing himself to be that steady pillar he'd wanted to be when the movement commenced, despite an inner voice screaming at him to not ever touch Squall again.
Just as surprising was the fact that the other didn't move away, didn't even truly flinch. Especially when Seifer full well knew that Squall did not appreciate being touched, or crowded.
Maybe that was the reason it felt a little easier for him to remain as he was?
For the time being, he elected to refrain from giving his thoughts on Time Compression — and Artemisia — allowing for the other to set the pace of the conversation. Clearly he had been through something no one had made him privy to yet, and frankly, Seifer wanted to know what it was. He privately had always prided himself knowing the other one better than anyone else, and not being able to tell as much about what went through that aloof head of Squall's definitely caused some discomfort.
As if he was still entitled to know as much to begin with…
So when Squall set to speak, the blond's brows knitted slightly, expression stern as he tried to imagine what it must have been like to be stuck in the described vertigo, always pushing forward yet never reaching anything. No goal, no enemy to fight, no place, nothing.
A truly and thoroughly horrifying circumstance to be stuck in.
Years, maybe even decades…
The words were enough to have Seifer inhale a sharp breath, his fingers unintentionally curling into the fabric where his hand was still resting on Squall's arm, lips pressed thin.
He himself had been through something not exactly similar, but when Artemisia took away his sleep, every minute of the day seemed to stretch impossibly, his head all foggy and dazed, confusion hard to push past. He could only guess how terrible it must have been to not just be caught in this kind of haze, but to physically be stuck like that.
Still remaining how he was, he let Squall continue, listened to how he believed the sorceress had somehow still been present, taunting and cursing him, as if hellbent on taking him down with her, if it was the last thing she could do.
It was then that he moved, not thinking twice about it, his grip tightening further as he pulled Squall closer, arms snaking around the other.
It was impulsive, and probably his former rival would finally be fed up with him encroaching into his space like that, but hearing what he had been through made him feel like he'd slip out of his grasp any moment, taken back into whatever hellscape it was Time Compression had forced him into.
"….'m sorry…", he murmured, breath ghosting over brunet hair as he pulled Squall in even tighter, inhaling his scent for what seemed to be the first time in their lives.
"I was stupid to follow her in Timber. Should've known better. You should never have needed to go this far."
Had he not sworn to himself to make sure Squall was ready for everything? Had he not, without ever saying it out loud, sworn to protect him?
