Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ In Time With You ❯ Our bonds ( Chapter 8 )

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

"What are you talking about? Headmaster's sending you to Galbadia?" Zell asked. He hurried down the stairs behind Seifer, falling into step with him. "I thought he meant for you to come back to Balamb. He's sending you away?"

"No. I'm sending me away." Seifer looked away from the panicked, shocked movement of a cadet, who saw him and bolted back into the library. "I would stay in Balamb, but I don't feel like it's the right fit for me."

Seifer and Zell heard a few disgusted whispers before someone mumbled in wonder of what Seifer Almasy was doing back.

"Hey," he grabbed his arm to stop Seifer's pace. "If this is about the other students, to hell with them. The people that want you here are what's important. The others will come around."

"You gonna sing 'We are the world' next?" Almasy jokes. "It's got nothing to do with those losers, Dinky. I'm not a baby with hurt feelings from bullies. I just don't feel like I belong here anymore."

"That's not a good reason."

Seifer pulled his arm free. "That's the reason." He shrugged his shoulders.

"What about Fujin and Raijin?" He walked along with him. "You're gonna ditch them?"

"They're not babies either. I think they'll live."

Zell noticed they were headed for the cafeteria instead of the exit. "Well, won't you reconsider?"

Seifer snickered. "Watch it, Dinky, people are gonna think you're sweet on me."

"Shut up. I just thought that… I don't know." He shrugged out his hand. "I thought maybe we could put all that nonsense behind us and maybe just be friends… With everything we found out… It's all kinda weird."

"Aww. Ha! I'm in your heart." He pointed a finger at him. "You're such a loser."

"Seifer!" Selphie crashed into him. "Aww, you're all jacked-up." She giggled. "I'll take care of that." She cast Cure on him.

"Thank you, Selphie." He held out his elbow. "Wanna have lunch with me?"

"Sure."

"Don't get so chummy. He's not staying." The brooding martial artist mumbled.

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because.."

"Because Seifer feels like he doesn't belong here. He'd rather go to our rivals."

"Well, so, Irvine goes to Galbadia. I was sad at first, but then I realized it'll be fine." She removed a slip of paper. "I wrote down the group chat information. But you have to download the app on your phone to use it."

"Why is everyone cool with this except me?" Zell wondered to himself. What happened to togetherness? They're doing it all wrong.

"Aww. The baby chick imprinted on me. It's sad." Seifer mocked.

Selphie's chuckle didn't help Zell's brewing agitation.

"Hey," Irvine said on his way by.

"Do you know Seifer's going to Galbadia?" He followed Irvine to the cafeteria.

"Really?" He cocked a brow. "I can see that."

"I guess, but… I kinda thought we'd all be together again."

"You do know I'll be heading back tomorrow? I'm not staying at Balamb, too."

Zell scratched the back of his head with a dry laugh. He didn't say out loud that he's used to Irvine not being around. The guy used to bug him - still does, sometimes. But, he does like him. He's just used to him not being around. However, knowing what he knows now, he'll keep in touch. They all will.

"It's gonna be nice having someone else around." The sniper mentioned. "I'm getting something to go. I'll come back, if you want?"

"Naah, go ahead." He got into the lineup.

Irvine gave his friend a kindly squeeze on the shoulder to comfort him before going to the grab-and-go area. He looked over the selections and grabbed a soup without a lot of meat and noodles. A pack of crackers and a bottle of water. Perfect. For himself he grabbed a turkey sandwich, chips, and a can of apple juice.

"Where are you going?" Seifer asked, watching Irvine approach in his departure.

"To feed the lion."

"Guess who the new headmaster is?"

"Not Martine?" He paused his exit to talk.

"No. Closer to home." He shook his head as he kept his Gardenmate out of suspense. "Matron."

Irvine's face lit up. "Really?! That's great!" He was liking the idea of going back to Galbadia more and more.

The sniper returned to Squall's dorm. He was surprised to see that he wasn't asleep but blowing his nose.

"I think this might be the last wave." He said before tossing the tissue into the waste bin. He reached for the tray with his food. "Thanks."

"I got something that might be light on the stomach."

Squall grimaced at the red brother that could only be tomato based. He's not the biggest tomato fan. But, he supposed he could think of it like pasta. He can eat tomato sauce without gagging.

"Matron is the new headmistress at Galbadia."

"That makes sense." He ate three spoonfuls. There was an underlying beef flavor that masked the tomato taste. He's satisfied and continued eating with an appetite.

"Are you gonna keep in contact after I leave?"

"Are you?"

Around a bite of sandwich he replied. "Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

Squall shrugged his hand out. "I'll come clean.. I know about your bet with Selphie and Zell."

Irvine looked down at his food. "Busted. How'd you figure it out?"

"There was nothing to figure out. I unintentionally eavesdropped on their conversation."

When they were in the cafeteria he watched the two of them playing rock-paper-scissors. It was distracting enough that he kept watching them. Assuming he'd read their lips to figure out why they were playing so feverishly, he discovered that they were talking about him. Irvine had his back to him, so he's not sure what he was saying, but he read their lips. When Irvine started hanging out with him, he put the rest together.

"You mad?"

"No."

"Good. And it wasn't a bet." Irvine thought of a nicer description. "It's more like…"

"A pass the problem?" He cocked a brow. Stuffing another three bites into his mouth, he then opened the crackers.

"No." He was developing his court little responses. But, he quickly broke the habit. "It was more like an assignment that I gladly took."

Squall raised his brows and stared as he wondered how that was better. "That hurts." He chomped into a cracker then ate another.

"Sorry. It's really not like that. I really just wanted to get to know you." Kinneas nodded to his thoughts. "It was a good opening."

"Opening?"

"Sure!" He set down his sandwich to talk with his hand. "I always get this feeling like you kinda don't want me around."

"Because I forgot about you?"

"Sorta, but mostly just because." He shrugged. "Anyway, it was a confidence chip to just go for it and hang with you."

Squall thought about the past seven months. His encounters with Irvine, until this week have been few and far apart. "It's not because I want you gone or that I don't like you. I just didn't think we had anything in common, so being around each other would be awkward. I don't like awkward."

"I can respect that." He opened his potato chips releasing the strong scent of sour cream and onion barbecue. He was going to miss these. Galbadia offered three options. Plain original, low sodium, and baked. He wondered if Matron could help change that? "But, it turns out we have a lot in common. We like the same show. We like the same music. And we both hate T-Boards."

Squall smiled so small it could be classified as not there. But he is smiling because he feels the smile. Even if he's uncomfortable showing it. "You're just begging to get worse." He warned when the tip of a turkey sandwich dipped into his cooling soup.

"It's fine." He bit off the soggy chunk from his meal. "Seifer's joining Galbadia."

Leonhart would have wondered why. But he knew. There was no need to speculate it out loud.

"Are you upset?"

"It's just good that he's somewhere. It doesn't have to be Balamb." And he meant that. Something about Seifer being all alone in Balamb town felt a bit unsettling. Sad even. Everyone had a peaceful outcome but he seemed banished. It wasn't right.

"I'll take care of him." Reported the sniper.

'I'm more worried for you. You've never been to school with Seifer Almasy.' His gaze envied over the bag of chips.

He'd like one, but his stomach is stil in knots, better, but still sensitive. It's humiliating. Maybe it's an even better situation than he'd thought having Seifer join Galbadia. Maybe Zell could join him? He saw their expressions before his utter embarrassment of vomiting in public. The mess is probably still by Seifer's doorstep, unless a kind neighbor cleared it away.

"Wanna play a word game?" Irvine scrunched up the empty chip bag and tossed it into the small bin.

"No." He got up from the bed and left the room for the bathroom. When he came back he stuffed his feet into his boots. "I wanna go for a walk. I need some fresh air." His gaze asked whether or not was he going alone?

Irvine, done with his meal, joined him.

...

"Whale." Squall said.

Thinking for a moment Irvine responded. "Alienate."

Squall was silently thinking, his pace continued to nowhere. The walk had no destination, they're simply circling the area. "Wait. Am I going off of ate or nate?" He stopped walking.

"Nate."

He resumed walking. "Nation."

Irvine made an error sound then raised his hand with intention to flick Squall on the forehead. Leonhart swatted away the attack.

"Wrong how?"

"That's not how you pronounce nation."

"What's your answer?" He thinks he's so clever.

"Obviously natal."

"Natal isn't a word on its own. It's prenatal."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it's not."

They removed their phone and looked it up.

"See! It's a location in the Galbadia region."

"Get it over with." He huffed.

Irvine flicked Squall on the forehead. The thump was quite satisfying. "Does it hurt more with the scar."

"Don't know. I can cut you and you can find out in a week or two." He thought of another word to resume the word chain game they are playing.

It's nice out. The sun is high and playing spy behind thick greying clouds. It's likely going to rain later. No uncomfortable seasonal weather shifting winds. It's comfortable enough to wear sleeveless.

"Don't let it go to your head, but, I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm not dying." He snickered. "But, thank you. I'm gonna miss you, too."

"I may not remember our childhood beyond the trauma, but, if you were this easy to be around back then, too, I must have liked you."

Irvine smiled.

"Stop it."

He laughed. "How can I not let that go to my head? I love it."

"I take it back."

"You can't take it back, it's in the vault."

'You're an idiot.' It felt nice, though, that Irvine didn't tease him about it. Not as the others would have. He just liked it.

"Front entrance." He looked at the gate. Irvine shrugged. "Guess I better finish getting my stuff together. I want first dibs on a room - maybe Seifer'll be my roommate."

Squall would love to see that hidden camera. Whether Seifer is his usual self or nice, it'll be entertaining. He's got no recollection of the pair being around each other, so the dynamic should be studied, preferably with snacks.

Irvine gave Squall a nudge to snap him out of his thoughts. There was no way he wasn't thinking something either rude or funny. Blank Squall seemed like a nickname jerks gave him to have an excuse to belittle his friend. He's heard guys talking now and then. It's not always admirable.

"You take care of yourself," he gave him a one-arm hug.

"I always do."

"Good." He walked away towards the quad.

Squall headed for the dorms. He wondered if that's what real friendship is like? A battery depletion without having done much. He really meant it, he will miss Irvine. Seifer, too. He may never fully get back his memories, but he's glad to know he's never going to fully lose his friends. Not if fate truly does exist.

The End

X x X

Commentary: Thank you for reading this story of random cluster lol. I don't know. I just wanna try this and that for a while. I might go horror road. I'm aimless right now. So, thank you for your read. It means a lot.