game; Kingdom Hearts II
pairing; Leon/Seifer
warnings; shonen-ai, curses
disclaimer; I do not own Kingdom Hearts or the characters used.
summary;

i

It was true that he was the leader of Twilight Town's Disciplinary Committee; well-know, respected and feared by many in his home town.

Still, as Leon had gone out of his way to make clear - it did not matter. Not when Seifer was living under the stoic man's roof, anyways, and working to earn dinner just like the rest of them. Not when there was too many things and houses and hearts in need of being repaired, restored or saved.

"It doesn't matter who you are", the brunet had said sternly, stormy grey eyes (that made Seifer's stomach flip in all kinds of ways - good or bad, the blonde had yet to decide) locked on the younger boy, pinning him down with their piercing gaze. "Or who you were. You'll simply have to earn a new reputation when coming to a new place."

Seifer had snorted stubbornly, claiming that he was who he was and that he didn't give a fuck about what others thought of him, anyway - especially not grumpy old men with a 'stick up their ass' (as he had kindly put it).

Leon had returned the challenge with a glare that would've turned the blonde into a small pile of ash if only looks could kill.

"Boys, boys", Aerith had tutted very mother-like, "Be nice, all right? Why can't we all just get along?"

The question (more like a threat, really) had been followed by a very knowing glance in the brunet's direction, some hidden message behind her emerald eyes that Leon may or may've not picked up.

Not that Seifer cared, anyway. The older man was still a stuck-up moron.

ii

It wasn't that he particularly disliked the kid - sure, he was obnoxious and rude and too cocky for his own good - but it was rather something else that Leon found so disturbing about him.

His fair hair. His ice-blue eyes. His toned body. His name.

"Squally, are you telling me that you think he's.. the Seifer? Death-enemy-and-love-rival-Seifer? But the kid's only a couple of years older than Sora! And Seifer was older than you! Besides, he doesn't seem to remember you or anything, so.."

Yuffie trailed off, watching the other man with a puzzled expression. The brunet shrugged and pushed himself off the wall that he had been leaning against in his usual manner.

"It's Leon", he muttered out of habit, before leaving the room.

iii

No matter what he did or said, he somehow always managed to piss Leon off. And it was pissing him off.

Like now, for instance; Leon had fixed his color-drained gaze upon him, studying his every move and, as Seifer hated to admit, it made his skin itch and crawl. Eventually, he snapped.

"Why are you always in my face, bastard! Stop giving me those looks and c'mere so I can fight you like a man!"

The swordsman's gaze darkened.

"You've got a long way to go before you can call yourself a man", came the spiteful response.

And just like that, the older man stood abruptly and walked out of the dining room, leaving an angry Seifer, a perplexed Yuffie, a worried Aerith and a drunk Cid behind.

"That bastard", hissed the blonde through tightly pressed lips. "That fucking bastard."

And Aerith shot the closed door a troubled look before asking if anybody was up for dessert.

iiii

After a whole day of hard work (moving boulders and building fences, carrying heavy stuff and the list went on and on) Leon had to admit that Seifer wasn't bad all the way through.

He worked hard and he was stubborn (as the brunet had confirmed several times before) and he was, although Leon disliked to admit it, quite helpful with the restoration. Who would've thought.

It still didn't mean that he didn't hate him (or at least resented him) - because he did, obviously.

iiiii

"This? Oh, I've had it since I was born", Seifer mumbled, tracing the scar travelling from his brow, across his nose, and to underneath the opposite eye when Yuffie asked him about it.

It wasn't something that he thought about very often; mostly, people just assumed that he'd gotten it from some street fight, and since nobody really asked about the true meaning behind it, he never actually got around to explaining it.

He still remembered the surprised face of Rai as he'd admitted (on a drunken night) that he was born with it. Rai had laughed and slurred something about his thug-reputation.

Seifer found himself kind of missing his friends and the life he'd had in Twilight Town. But, as he constantly reminded himself, he was here for a reason. He was here because he'd always dreamed of finding other worlds and this was just the first stop on his adventurous journey.

He was here because he could. And that was more precious than the town flickering in his memory where trains arrived and departed (but never brought him along to all of the places out there) and where every day was the same. Where limits were limits and lines were never meant to be crossed.

Seifer didn't notice the stoic figure behind the doorway, accidentally overhearing his conversation with the self-proclaimed 'Great Ninja'.

And he didn't notice the slight stiffening of those shoulders as the leather-clad body heard his answer.

iiiiii

"Where'd you get that scar?" The blonde asked him nonchalantly one morning, as if they'd be discussing the weather or something equally pointless.

But since they never really talked anyway, any topic would've probably made him twitch.

Aerith seemed surprised, too, instantly glancing towards him to catch his reaction. Leon kept his cool, pressing his tongue hard against the roof of his mouth before sliding his gaze over to where Seifer was seated on the other side of the table.

All sounds ceased and everybody turned their attention the two of them, currently engaging in one of their death-gaze-competitions yet again. Even Yuffie stopped her yapping about some popular TV-show and went completely silent, watching the scene.

"Wouldn't you want to know", he replied in a monotone voice before adverting his eyes to continue with reading the newspaper, breaking the tension abruptly and indicating that the conversation was over.

"Dipshit", Seifer growled. "No need to get your panties in a twist."

Yuffie howled in laughter and Aerith tried to hold back a giggle, looking at him apologetically but failing to hide the amusement shining through.

Leon snorted.

iiiiiii

It was hot outside, sweat dripping down his body and the heat getting to his head. Seifer had even discarded the beanie that he constantly wore and his blonde locks of hair were messy and sticking to his forehead.

Some of the female inhabitants had given his impressive chest muscles a not very subtle look-over when they walked past the house that he was currently fixing the roof on, whistling and giggling and all that jazz.

Seifer wasn't really interested. Not in anyone, not in anything. He just wanted to get the damn job done already so that he could go home and get some sleep (he hadn't been doing much of that lately), but unfortunately, Fate and the sun had decided to cooperate and work against him.

"Seif, you're looking hot!" Yuffie's shrill voice interrupted his thoughts and she innocently grinned up at him, making sure he didn't miss the double meaning behind the sentence.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I've been burnt pretty badly by now", he responded. "And I think I have a sunstroke."

Yuffie puckered up her lips and frowned.

"You know, you've been doing a whole lot of work around here - I know Leon's pushing you, but you don't have to try so hard! Go get some rest, will ya?"

"Nah, it's okay, I want-"

"Well, if he'd work fast enough to finish earlier, he could've gone home already", came a familiar voice that spoke of finality. Seifer rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, jerk."

Leon glared at him for quite some time before he finally inspected the roof thoroughly. There was close to no work left and it seemed like the roof was almost completely done.

"It looks good", the brunet admitted.

Seifer would deny the slight sting of pride in his chest at that statement until he dropped dead.

iiiiiiii

It was too late to still be night and too early to be morning.

Leon found the blonde boy on the balcony, cigarette whispering against his thin lips and blue smoke raising to the midnight-colored sky. He stared at nothing particular it seemed, face relaxed and eyes there-but-not-there.

The warrior set his jaw but was somehow transfixed by the display, not able to move or make a sound. The boy looked so much more fragile like this, sitting on the balcony's edge with the moonlight drenching his skin in pale smoothness and letting the trail of smoke come out in puffs through his slightly parted lips.

Leon was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling that told him to just walk up to the other and sit next to him, watch the sky in silence or talk about battles won and battles lost.

He soon crushed that small voice murmuring in the back of his head and walked down the stairs back to his room, facade still standing tall and proud.

iiiiiiiii

Living in the same house as the older man had its perks. For example, catching him off guard when he was all curled up in the small (and uncomfortable-looking) couch, asleep in an awkward position after a long and especially tough day was just peachy.

But Seifer couldn't really use that for blackmail; he somehow felt bad for Leon (although he would never admit it out loud, obviously) and so he never got around to actually go fetch the camera and take some very embarrassing photos of the brunet's usually frowning face relaxed - or, well, as relaxed as Leon could get - he still wore a slight scowl, brows furrowed in concentration and mouth tense, despite his unconscious state.

It did have some disadvantages, too, of course. Like the brief flutter of his heart when the swordsman accidentally brushed his elbow while walking past him, or the pulse hammering in his throat when said swordsman walked out of the shower, loose pants being the only thing adorning his body and his muscled chest displayed for anyone who'd want to see, dark tresses of wet hair framing his tanned face.

Seifer watched the sun sink low and disappear completely behind the horizon from his small window, painting the sky in yellow's and pink's a thousand times more intense than the shades coloring Twilight Town's skies.

And for the first time in his life, he felt something akin to peace.

iiiiiiiiii

Just like that, something started to rise from the ember left in the ashes. It wasn't friendship, but at least it was a start. Something hard and cold started to melt away and instead be replaced by something.. well, probably equally hard and cold, but perhaps not.

"What's that?" asked Seifer, pale blue eyes curious despite his trying to tone it down.

"Gunblade", came the even answer, grey eyes caressing the hard steel in his hand with their gaze like it was a precious treasure.

Seifer nodded, not sure if words were enough and not one to waste them, anyway (or so Leon guessed) - watching the strange weapon with wide eyes and the taller man couldn't help but feel a tingle of something in his gut that maybe (just maybe) was anticipation.

iiiiiiiiiii

Somehow, it had come to sparring sessions.

Seifer wasn't sure how or when, but he vaguely remembered approaching the older man and asking for something to chase away all of his pent-up frustration. Leon had watched him for a long time while some unspoken statement hung in the air, before he had stepped away from the wall and went out the front door, not bothering to look over his shoulder to see if Seifer was following.

Maybe, the blonde thought, he knew that he was going to.

An especially rough push made him snap back into reality only to find himself currently backed up against a wall, Leon's Gunblade meeting his own weapon in a silent struggle.

This way, it was so much better. So much easier to communicate, to represent himself.

Let the blade do the talk, Seifer thought. Since I obviously can't.

And he didn't really mind just as much when Leon managed to pin him against the rocky surface of one of the Bailey's walls, the scent of rust and sweat and adrenaline heavy in the air.

Sucking shallow air in through his lungs (currently restrained by Leon's weight pressed against them), Seifer realized through his slightly dazed state just how close he was to the older man.

But, not half a second later, Leon pulled back as if he'd been burned. Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving a dumb-struck Seifer with a pounding heart slowly sliding down the wall, trying to calm his racing blood.

iiiiiiiiiiii

It was wrong and he knew it all too well.

If Seifer's screams for people who just weren't anymore (forgotten names and age-tainted faces) wasn't enough to prove it, he didn't know what was. Though it wasn't the younger boy's fault that he had nightmares that was somehow linked to other worlds and memories that were his-but-not-really, it still managed to keep Leon up at night.

"Squall!" The blonde yelled, hands frantically grasping for something solid only to find thin air before his crystal-blue eyes snapped open, meeting nothing but the roof of Leon's house, his mind unfocused and not remembering the dream.

The brunet stood right next to him, not even bothering to come up with an excuse for watching him while sleeping, stormy eyes wide and afraid to find out the true meaning behind the younger one's nightmares.

"Le..on?" He whispered, dragging his tongue across cracked lips, voice hoarse. "What are you doin' here? Did I.. did I wake you?"

The Gunblade-wielder shook his head, words catching against his dry throat.

"Why're you looking at me like that?" Seifer mumbled sleepily. "Seriously.. what's up with you?"

Taking hesitant steps backwards, Leon somehow managed to stumble out of the boy's room, heart threatening to pound right through his ribcage.

iiiiiiiiiiiii

"You've been avoiding me", Seifer whispered fiercely through the dark of the room. They had, by chance, met in the hallway in the middle of the night since neither of them could sleep.

Leon's gaze hardened.

"Excuse me?" He muttered.

"You heard me."

"I did", Leon said smoothly, "But I hardly think that I owe you an explanation. And as far as I'm concerned, we've never been friends or even close."

Seifer bit his lip. Sure, the man had a point, but still..

"Something's not right", he whispered, careful not to wake the sleeping girls just a wall away. "There's something you're not telling me."

The Gunblade-wielder's stormy eyes widened and he set his jaw. Turning around with every intention to leave, he was quite surprised to find a strong-but-hesitant hand clasped around his wrist.

"You're not walking out on me this time", the blonde spat, eyes dark, and the true meaning behind those words hit Leon's skin like sharp daggers.

"Try me", Leon hissed, prepared to pull his hand out of the other's grasp when-

Seifer leaned in, unable to resist the not-quite-attraction-but-probably-something-like-it practically clouding the suddenly loaded air, astonished by the fact that the other hadn't even tried to knock him out yet.

It wasn't exactly firworks exploading behind his tightly shut eyelids, nor was it a bubbly feeling filling Seifer's gut and making his mind fly away to Seventh Heaven.

It was harsh and messy and before he knew it he was (willingly) being pushed against the concrete wall behind him, tounges and lips and greedy hands rough from years of hard work whispering over the tight abs and tanned skin beneath his shirt.

"Bastard", he ground out when Leon pushed their hips together, hot leather grinding against his own loose sweatpants.

"At least it's better than 'puberty-boy'", the brunet muttered.

Even though he didn't competely understand it, it was enough to take Seifer to Sixth Heaven, at least, and maybe - just maybe - that was enough, for the time being.

iiiiiiiiiiiiii

"You're.. leaving?" It wasn't sadness stifling that voice, not even close, actually; rather, he sounded like he had been expecting it.

Which he had. Obviously.

"I have to. I've been outta' Twilight Town long enough, and.. I don't think that Rai, Fuu and Vivi can settle the scores without me. They need me, you know. There are people who do", Seifer mumbled.

"Sure there are", Leon agreed without any trace of emotion in his voice.

"Whatver. You try to get that stick out of your ass and I'll be back before winter, all right, chicken-wuss?"

It wasn't a promise. It wasn't something to count on. It wasn't even something that Leon dignified with a response.

But he'd be lying if he said that those words didn't struck a chord within him, yet another forgotten memory floating up to the surface from where it had been hiding, covered in spider-webs and telltales of fake names and bottled-up feelings.

"I will be back, you know", the younger of the two continued confidently. "Not that I'd wanna see you first thing I do when I get back here."

And the electricity seding sparks between them intensified as they locked gazes, everything around Leon forgotten but the constant pounding of blood rushing to his head.

"Aw, we'll miss you, Seif!" Yuffie exclaimed, breaking the spell, while fighting off sobs. Aerith crushed him against her chest in a warm hug. Cid grumbled something, patting the blonde on the shoulder.

"Ya did good, lad. Be proud."

And as the leader of Twilight Town's Restoration Committeé (if that was all he was) boarded the Gummi Ship, his sapphire eyes locked with steel-grey ones, something painful and nostalgic bubbled up inside of him.

It wasn't a promise, but then again, maybe it was. In their own little twisted way where words were actually pretty worthless.

Leon nodded to him through the polished glass of the window, somehow feeling as if it was the last time he saw him, despite Seifer's confident monolouge.

Still, it wasn't like it was anything new. It was just another person leaving, after all - just another goodbye, just another piece of his heart vanishing along with a memory of identical scars running in opposite directions. This time, for good.

(Maybe he'd be off better that way).

Seifer pretended not to notice when something wet slipped from his narrowed eyes, stubbornly frowning even as his fingers started shaking.

"Bye, Squall", he mouthed without knowing why.

He caught the surprised widening of those ever-emotionless eyes seconds before the Ship departed and brought the brunet out of his vision.

(Maybe forever).

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

A/N; I love this pairing. Really, I do. I think I love them more in Kingdom Hearts 2 than in Final Fantasy VIII, with Seifer's memory-loss and all. I think I'll have to write another story sometime that circulates especially around the memory-thingy, because I didn't really portray their relationship the way I wanted to here.