Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Be friendly ❯ Chapter 14 ( Chapter 14 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Title: Be friendly

Author: Yorda

Rating: R

Status: WIP

Couples: Seifer/Squall

Warnings: Yaoi, AU, OOC, fluff, stupid school bullies

Disclaimer: Some of the characters belong to Squaresoft.

Summary: AU fic, takes place in a normal senior high. Squall's the bullied one, and Seifer the popular one. A story about the
two of them forming a relationship of some sort ^_^

**AN: Sorry it's taken me this long to update, but I've been enjoying the heat wave and the new Harry Potter book, so I haven't
really been sitting in front of my computer.

Chapter 14:

Seifer stopped the car in front of Squall's house. He turned in his seat to look at the younger boy. Squall met Seifer's green eyes,
the look on his face a bit awkward.

"So..." the brunette began.

"....So....I guess it's good night Squall..." Seifer spoke, his fingers tapping against the steering-wheel. Squall gave a nod, his eyes
fixed on his shoes. The car was silent. Neither of them really knew what to say.

'...Ahh...why is this so hard all the sudden?? ...Should I kiss him? ...Or maybe just say good night?' Seifer asked himself, not
knowing the boy sitting next to him was having the same conversation with himself. When nothing happened, Squall finally lift
his gaze and reached for the door.

"Well, good night Seifer...I had fun tonight." The brunette spoke as he got off the car. Seifer sighed inwardly, but forced a smile
to his lips.

"Yeah, good night...I'll see you around...sometime..." the blonde gave a little wave with his hand and drove away with a
disappointed look on his face. Squall stood on the sidewalk and sighed, then gazed up to the sky. The night was still warm, even
if it was already past ten.

'...Why didn't he kiss me? After what we did in the woods, you'd think he would have kissed me good night...Or maybe I was
supposed to do that? Damn! I wish I were more experienced! Seifer probably thinks I'm a moron!...I can't do anything
right...What if he's mad at me now?....Or maybe he just...wants my body and nothing more...No, he's not like that!'

The internal monologue was a proof of Squall's low self-esteem. The brunette boy sighed, feeling confused. 'If only I knew
what he feels for me...Hell, if only I knew what I myself feel!'

"Hey Squall!" Rinoa's voice brought Squall back from his thoughts. He blinked his eyes and lowered his gaze down from the
dark night sky. Rinoa was walking towards him from the other side of the street.

"Hi..." the brunette greeted and shifted his weight from one leg to another. Rinoa came to stand before him and flashed Squall a
bright smile.

"Was that Seifer's car that just left?" the girl asked and twined her arms around herself. Squall gave a nod, remembering Rinoa
was Seifer's cousin.

"Yeah...we were at the Amusement Park." The brunette boy explained. '....I wonder if she knows....how he feels for me?' Squall
parted his lips to speak, but decided to keep his question to himself. 'No way am I asking that from her!...It would be
embarrassing and stupid and-'

"Squall? Were you gonna say something?" Rinoa inquired, narrowing her brown eyes. Squall immediately shook his head and
fixed his eyes on the street.

"...Oh, ok...You know, it's great you're hanging out with him. I think you're Seifer's only friend nowadays...He's been feeling a
bit down lately, not that he lets anyone see it. He's way too proud for that! I just know him too well, so he can't hide it from
me." The girl spoke and placed her dark hair behind her ears. Squall didn't say anything in reply. Rinoa blinked her eyes, trying
to think of something to say, the silence making her feel a bit uncomfortable.

"He's really not a bad guy when you get to know him Squall. Sure, he can be a bit unthoughtful and arrogant sometimes, but
deep down, he's a good guy." Rinoa went on with the praising of her cousin, not giving Squall a chance even to agree. "I don't
know if he's already told you, but I think you're really important to him Squall..." The raven-haired girl spoke, the look on her
face serious, but suddenly also regretful. Squall noticed this and realised Seifer had obviously talked about his feelings to Rinoa,
and that the girl was most likely supposed to keep it a secret.

"I know I am...but..." the brunette boy finally mumbled, concentrating on his laces again.

"But what?" Rinoa asked and took a step forward. Squall lowered his gaze, not sure if he should talk about it with someone he
hardly knew.

'...Well Seifer's talked to her too...so... I guess it would be OK if I told her...' The brunette sat down on the sidewalk as he finally
decided to speak.

"I know Seifer likes me. He's told me that on many occasions." Squall began and glanced in Rinoa's direction as the girl sat
down as well.

"Yeah, he usually never has troubles to tell people what he thinks." Rinoa commented. Squall gave her a nod, a small smile on
his lips.

"....I like him too." Squall said, his voice but a whisper. Rinoa leaned closer, her brow furrowed.

"What? I didn't hear you Squall..."

"I said that I like him too." The brunette repeated, his voice audible this time. "...But..."

"But what?" the raven-haired girl inquired, arching her dark eyebrows.

"...I don't quite trust him. I guess I'm a little... unwilling to let my feelings really take over..." Squall said and picked up a little
pebble from the ground. "Our past hasn't been that pleasant...Let's just say I've had enough of disappointments..."

"I know! I can't believe him! I mean I never thought he could do that to you!" Rinoa exclaimed, interrupting Squall, her voice
suddenly filled with loathing. Squall's eyes went wide as he realised the girl knew about the Gym hall incident. He could feel a
furious blush cover his cheeks and squeezed his eyes shut.

"...Y-you know about that?? Who else did he tell?!" Squall hissed through clenched teeth.

"No one!" Rinoa said with a hurry, noting the anger in Squall's voice. "He only told me. I mean, that's not something you'd go
brag about to every passer-by." The girl glanced at Squall to see if the boy was still looking angry. "Seifer wasn't that keen to
tell me either, but I forced him to. Well actually I think he would have told me sooner or later, even if I hadn't grilled it out of
him...He too has a conscience you know...And it was driving him crazy."

Squall raised his face and gave a nod, his anger subsiding now. "Yeah...anyway, I've already forgiven him." He turned to face
Rinoa. "This is just weird..." Squall spoke after a moment of awkward silence.

"What is?" Rinoa asked, not quite sure what Squall meant.

"Well him and me!...I mean, I used to spent every day in school, hating him and his friends with all my heart... and...and then all
the sudden he's my friend and tells me he likes me!...And now...I don't know what I'm feeling, besides confusion...I mean why
would he even like me! I'm a brainy and a nobody and my looks are-" Squall took a deep breath, and before he could continue,
Rinoa stopped him by placing her finger on Squall's lips. The brunette blinked his eyes, once again blushing. It had felt weird to
talk about his feelings to Rinoa. It had felt weird to talk about his feelings, period. It wasn't like him, but he was glad now that
everything was out.

"I can't answer all your questions Squall." Rinoa finally spoke. "I don't know everything that goes on inside Seifer's head...but I
do know that if he says he really likes you, he means it." She continued and watched the expression on Squall's face. The boy
looked somewhat relieved, but also like there was still something bothering him.

'Then why were things so awkward in the car just now? Why didn't Seifer just tell me I'm his boyfriend or something, 'cause
that's sure how he acted in the woods...! He's only making me feel confused...sometimes acting like we're only friends, but then
sometimes he kisses me and-' Squall had a confused look on his face. Rinoa noticed this and it was as if she could read the boy's
mind, surprising Squall when she spoke.

"I think he's confused too." She said and caught Squall's attention. "I bet he doesn't have any more experience than you do,
when it comes to your...er...relationship. And he doesn't quite know how you feel for him, so he doesn't know how to act around
you, making him as confused as you are Squall. He doesn't know if he should just be your friend or...well, you know..." Rinoa
voiced her thoughts. Squall was blinking his eyes, staring at the girl.

"R-really?"

"Well, I think so." Rinoa nodded. "I've known him all my life, so I think I can read his behaviour pretty well." With this said,
she got up and dusted her bottom. "I think I gotta go now. I was just supposed to take out the garbage. See ya around!"

Squall got up as well and watched Rinoa cross the street. He hesitated, but called after her. "Hey!...You think I should...you
know, tell Seifer how I feel?" Squall asked. Rinoa turned around but didn't stop walking.

"Definitely." She answered with a pleased smile on her lips.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::..

Squall blinked his sleepy eyes open, still half asleep. His room was dark and silent. Something had woken him up, but Squall
had no idea what it was. He glanced at the alarm clock and sighed. 'Only 2.30 am.' Squall closed his eyes, wanting to drift back
to sleep. Before he could fall asleep however, there was a noise that caused him to blink his eyes and open them once again.

'What?...Am I hearing things?' Squall sat up on the bed and tried to listen. The room was soundless. The brunette rubbed his
hazy eyes and looked around. The lights from the street gave his room a dim lighting, casting shadows on the walls and the
ceiling. Once again the same noise. Squall was still and tried to listen which direction it came from. When he heard it again, he
turned his face toward the window.

'Sounded like a bird or something, pecking behind the window...' Squall threw the blanket aside and stood up from the bed, his
eyes fixed on the window. He let out a little gasp as he saw something clearly hit the glass. 'A pebble??' Squall hurried over to
the window, his eyes widening when he finally saw the source of the noise that had woken him up.

"Seifer!" he exclaimed, blinking his eyes, feeling totally dumbfounded. 'What's he doing down on our yard in the middle of the
night?!...Obviously throwing stones at my window...' Squall turned on the lamp on his desk and leaned in to open the side
window.

"Finally!" Seifer exclaimed as he saw the light coming from Squall's room. He watched as the brunette opened the small side
window and leaned against the window ledge. "What are you, the Sleeping Beauty who only wakes from the kiss of a Prince?
I've been standing out here, throwing stones for at least an hour now!" the blonde exclaimed, twining his arms around himself,
the cool night air making him shiver.

"Shhh! You'll wake the neighbours!" Squall hissed up from the window and motioned for Seifer to keep his voice down.
"...Wait there! I'm coming down..." the brunette whispered and withdrew from the window. He turned off the table lamp and
sneaked out from his room, then closed the door and stood still in the dark upstairs corridor. He could hear his father snoring in
the other room, but no sounds from his sister's room. She was always a quiet sleeper. As Squall made his way downstairs,
toward the basement door, his mind was filling with questions.

'What's he doing here?...At this hour! And where was his Porsche? Did he walk here?? All the way from Hilltop Valley!' Squall
opened the basement door and almost tripped in the stairs. "Shit! It's dark in here..." he hissed and gripped the rail with both
hands. '...Well, I guess I'll have my chance now, to tell him how I feel...Oh hell! I'm wearing only these!' Squall frowned as he
realised he was wearing only a pair of socks, his old shorts and a sleeveless shirt he always slept in on a hot weather. When he
finally opened the door leading outside, he glanced up and noticed Seifer was already waiting in the upper end of the stone
stairs. Squall climbed up, taking two steps at a time. He stood before Seifer and opened his mouth to speak, but the blonde was
faster.

"I couldn't sleep. I need to talk to you." Seifer said and lead them towards the swing. Squall arched his brows, looking a bit
confused.

"In the middle of the night?? What could be so important?" the brunette whispered as they sat down in the swing for two. Seifer
used his long legs to rock the swing and glanced at Squall.

"Sorry I woke you up..." he said casually, eyeing Squall's clothes and messy hair. The younger boy just gave a wave with his
hand, wanting to hear why Seifer had to see him.

"I assume you had a pretty good reason to do that...and to come here all the way from Hilltop Valley in the middle of the
night...How did you get here anyway? I didn't see your car..." the brunette spoke, his eyes fixed on Seifer's face, though he
couldn't really see his expression in the darkness.

"I walked." The blonde spoke, missing the surprised look on Squall's face. "And yeah, I have a good reason." He continued, but
went silent again. Squall could easily see Seifer was thinking, for he himself was quite familiar with internal monologues. The
brunette waited for Seifer to continue and brought his legs up, his socks feeling wet from the dank grass. He could hear the
sound of some night crickets, coming from the surrounding bushes. Squall pressed against Seifer's frame, the night air sending
shivers down his spine.

"I'm cold..." he mumbled, mostly to himself. But the feel of Squall's body pressed against his, caused Seifer to blink his eyes
and end the internal conversation with himself. He turned his face to look down at the younger boy and hesitantly twined his
right arm around Squall's smaller frame, pulling him closer. Squall looked up, unable to meet the blonde's eyes in the darkness.

"I can't take this no more. I've had enough of this. Let's end it now." Said Seifer finally, his voice, at the same time sounding
tired, frustrated and determined. Squall blinked his eyes in slight confusion, feeling his heart leap up to his throat.

'I knew it... He's gonna tell me he doesn't wanna see me no more! He's fed up with me...' the brunette told himself in his mind,
the look on his face turning gloomy. He expected the hand around him to disappear any minute now and was already readying
himself to be dumped, even if they never officially dated.

"I think you agree with me Squall?" Seifer asked, trying to meet Squall's eyes. The brunette was silent for sometime, then
mumbled something Seifer couldn't quite catch, and finally pushed the hand away and got up from the swing.

"Fine. Whatever. I don't care! Have a nice life Seifer." He hissed and began to walk towards the basement door. The blonde sat
in the swing, dumbfounded and watched as the younger boy walked away from him.

'What the hell?? What was that all about?' Seifer blinked his eyes and bounced up from the swing. "Hey Squall! Where are you
going?! I didn't even explain myself yet!" he called and hurried after the brunette. Before Squall could descend the stairs, Seifer
grabbed him by his shoulder and forced him to turn around.

"Where are you going?? I'm not even finished and-"

"You don't need to explain! I can accept the fact that you don't really like me quite easily. Actually, I was already kinda
expecting this, so you can go now, I'm just fine. Perfect." Squall spoke, forcing himself to sound indifferent. Even if he couldn't
see it, he could somehow feel the older boy was confused. Squall tried to rid himself from Seifer's grip, but the blonde wouldn't
allow this.

"Squall what the hell are you talking about?! Of course I like you, I never said I didn't! Are you still half asleep?! 'Cause you
sure as hell aren't making any sense here!" Seifer exclaimed anxiously, shaking Squall by his shoulders.

"B-but you just said you wanna end this and-"

"Hey! You've got it all wrong!" Seifer interrupted, sighing inwardly, realising why Squall had suddenly stormed away. "Come
on, I'll explain it all." He said and lead them back to the swing.

"What I meant was that I'm tired of feeling so...so confused all the time. I don't know what to think or do when I'm around
you..." Seifer spoke, sounding frustrated. "I don't know if you wanna be just friends or if you want something more!...Every
time I wanna kiss you, I feel guilty, 'cause I know that's not what friends do...And-" Seifer went silent in the middle of his rant,
feeling Squall's hand on his cheek.

"...Squall...I don't think I can be friends with you...it's not enough for me..." the older boy spoke, sounding weak and defeated.
He could still feel Squall's hand on his cheek. "Just friends isn't enough...so if that's all you want, I think it really is best if we
don't see each other anymore..." Seifer continued, his voice filled with sadness, even if he tried to hide it. He gasped as he felt
the hand on his cheek lower to his neck and pull him down. Squall remained silent and simply leaned closer and without any
hesitation, pressed his lips against Seifer's. The blonde realised this was Squall's answer to his question, and the simple gesture
turned quickly into a fervent kiss. The older boy brought his own hands around Squall's back and pulled him closer, pressing
their bodies together. He deepened the kiss, pouring every bit of feeling and affection he felt for the younger boy into the kiss
they shared.

::::::::::::::::To be continued::::::::::::::::::

**AN: I think I wanna save the 'main lemon' for the next chapter. Or I don't actually know if it's the main lemon, but it's gonna
be the first real lemon scene in the fic, and there's probably gonna be more, if I can just think of a way to build the plot. Also, I
haven't touched this fic for over two weeks, so I'm a bit 'out of the fic', so sorry it this chapter was kinda lame.

-yorda