5...
Reflecting on what he thinks is his last day, Hayner believes it all started earlier that day, when he was skateboarding in the Sandlot like he does regularly on weekend mornings.
He was going so well. His balance was steady, he executed tricks perfectly, and his landing was smooth. But when his rival decided to walk across the distance, his concentration was completely thrown out and before he knew it, he was sprawled against the ground, his whole body throbbing from the impact.
He had tried to hide from the other the fact that he had just failed, but it's impossible for anyone to look subtle when they're lying on their stomach, in the middle of an open area, while in pain. The other was making his way over to him with that signature arrogant smirk of his.
"Stupid gravity." Hayner muttered angrily to himself, trying to get in a slightly less vulnerable position. "Stupid... Seifer!"
4...
Hayner has always been able to come across as stronger than he actually is. Not just physically – only his friends would guess how fragile he can really seem. But he has always prided over being able to fight someone as tall and muscular as Seifer, despite how lanky he looks.
This is why, as the sneering blonde walked up to him, he stood up the best he could, ignoring the pain in his limbs and the stinging on his knees. Looking up at the other, he narrowed his eyes and hunched over, curling his fingers slightly. As the adrenalin pumped through his body, he readied himself for the insults to come.
"Pfft, Chickenwuss." The taller teenager cocked his head and looked down at Hayner, which amplified his annoyance. "Can't even skate properly. And after all those years of practice?"
"And I'm still better than you."
"Not if I actually tried it." Seifer raised his eyebrows then snorted, "You know, there's a reason I call you 'Lamer'..."
"And there's a reason I call you 'fuckwit'. What do you think that is?"
Hayner dodged the first punch that was thrown at him, but he wasn't expecting the second and was thrown off balance, back onto the ground. A moment later Seifer stepped over and straddled him, and Hayner tried to put off all weird thoughts of the other.
"What did you call me, Chickenwuss?"
"You heard me." Hayner knows he's being tested, but he doesn't care. "Asshole."
They're both trying to hit each other at random, not really bothering to block them, but after a while of pointless punching, Seifer stops, looks intensely down at the other, and sighs.
"I've... got better things to do than beat up stupid lamers like you." And just like that, Seifer stands up and walks off without another look to the bruised teenager on the dirty ground.
3...
In the afternoon, not long after his fight with Seifer, Hayner met up with his friends as planned. Because of the rain, they had decided to meet up at the usual spot, and soon he was with Pence, Olette, Roxas, and Axel.
At first he felt only slightly uncomfortable and disheartened with the fact that he was the only single one there. Pence was with Olette and Roxas was with Axel. Hayner had never liked Axel, thinking that he was a crazy pervert who was out to get into Roxas' pants, however, he tried to deny that it was because the redhead was taking up all of his best friend's time, and he was feeling lonely from it.
He tried to ignore it for a while, but with a few hours later when alcohol was included, their friendly meet-up was turned into a bit of a drunken whore fest. He didn't like how it reminds him of when Seifer straddles and pins him to the ground during their fights. The couples were flirting with each other way too much for Hayner to feel at ease, so he left quickly with a half empty bottle before he could feel any more left out.
Feeling slightly abandoned, he snidely thought that they wouldn't notice, and wandered around in the rain for a while before getting an idea.
2...
So here he is, staring over the edge of the tall building to the hard ground below. He throws the now empty bottle over the edge and watches as it falls down four storeys and smashes into tiny little shards against the pavement.
He's drunk, not thinking properly, and his body sways dangerously as if trying to make the choice for him. It's dangerous, but he's always been a pretty reckless person. And all he's thinking about is how his friends are fine without him, how the only one who seems to pay him any attention is his rival. He used to hang out with his three best friends, Roxas, Pence and Olette. He used to do everything with them, and they would look out for each other.
But what goes up must come down, and he had been replaced by a perve of a redhead.
1...
He's almost there. Soon, he'll pretend that he's just walking, and he'll step off. He will spiral down like those measly raindrops hitting him, and splatter against the ground.
But he's starting to feel slightly more sober now, and he hesitates before finishing his countdown. It's almost as if he is reasoning with himself. He is going to do it, he—
"LAMER?" A loud voice cuts through the sound of pouring rain and Hayner flinches before a hand grips his wrist and spins him around to face the other.
"What?" Hayner says, not getting the irritated spark he usually does. He's feeling hopeful, which he admits to himself is pretty rare.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Seifer spits angrily, and roughly leads him away from the edge.
"What does it look like?"
"It looks like you're trying to fuckin' kill yourself, dumbass!" Frustrated, Seifer runs a shaky hand through his hair, then continues. "But what I just can't figure out is why the fuck you'd wanna do that!"
"You wouldn't understand..."
"Yeah? What, you're a lonely, misunderstood teenager? Well guess what: I'm a teenager too. Just at least... try to explain!" Seifer's eyes are pleading, but after Hayner doesn't reply for a few seconds, he asks, "Ugh, why do I even try, Hayner?"
He turns away to storm off, but only makes it one step before Hayner impulsively grabs his hand and meekly calls out, "wait!"
Hayner hasn't heard his rival use his actual name – not just an insult like 'lamer' or 'Chickenwuss – in years, and his hearts starts to pound. He figures the two have always had a strange bond, some sort of pull to each other. Even though they're supposed to hate one another, they've known each other longer than the rest of their friends, even longer than he's known Roxas. They grew up with each other, therefore they know stuff the others wouldn't.
And he suddenly realises that Seifer never left him behind like the others did.
"You... you don't know." Hayner starts, and he can feel his voice wobbling slightly but tries to cover it up the best he can. "They don't... need me anymore."
"Who's 'they'?"
"Roxas... Pence, Olette."
"What do you mean they don't need you? They're your best friends." Seifer doesn't really understand what he means, but tries to be patient.
"I've been like, replaced. By that stupid Axel guy!" Hayner exclaims. "They used to talk about how it'd be so fuckin' awesome to always be best friends together and stuff, and now they don't even want me."
"So his lover boy came along and stole the attention, hey?" Seifer gets it now, but he really isn't sure how to help.
"...Pretty much." Hayner sighs. They're both kneeling in the puddles, and he still feels short compared to the other. "See? I'm not needed here. No one really notices when I'm gone. I mean, I was with them just before, but they started sleazing all over each other, and didn't even notice me leave."
"That's not true." Seifer's voice is forceful now, and Hayner recoils slightly as he is about to be punched. "I notice when you're... not around."
"What, because you don't have a punching bag to release your stress with?" It was meant to be a joke, but Hayner failed to keep the biting tone out of his voice. "That's the only use I'm good for."
"Well, no..." Seifer's glances are nervously shifting every few seconds, and Hayner can't recall ever seeing him like this. "Well, the thing is..."
"Yes...?" Hayner tries to prompt him. "Just say it."
"Uh. I don't fight with you because I need stress relief. I..." He just can't seem to find the right words. "You put up a pretty good fight, you know."
"Get to the point, Seifer..."
"I, uh..." With one quick, ungraceful movement, the taller blonde's hand grabs the other and bows his head with embarrassment.
Hayner blushes as he takes in the warmth of the hand – they're both soaking in the rain, and he wants to just curl up against the other and stay there for a while.
"I haven't abandoned you. And I won't." Seifer stares at him intently, but Hayner still isn't satisfied with the answer.
"But why? How do you know you won't just find someone cool and run off?" Hayner feels both miserable and flustered.
"Hayner, because... I've already found someone cool. And I don't have to run off to get them." Their noses awkwardly touch and they realise just how close they are, but the shorter blonde leans up and their lips meet softly. It's a short and hesitant kiss, but a kiss nonetheless, and Seifer feels he's gotten to his point.
However, Hayner leans away and sneezes a moment later, then pouts with disappointment.
"We need to get you home, you're freezing, and your t-shirt is completely soaked through." Seifer chuckles and takes his jacket off, wrapping it around a grateful Hayner. "What are you even doing out in the rain with only a t-shirt, anyway?"
The two walked back to Seifer's house, and once the door is shut, Hayner gets another idea. This time though, not so reckless. "There are other ways of warming me up, you know."
"Like?"
"Well, you know... friction... vigorous movement..." Hayner tugs on the other's collar and stares up at him mischievously, and Seifer doesn't have to be told twice.
"You've got it." Seifer smirks before leaning down to the other and kissing him quickly, and it doesn't take long before they're definitely warmed up. But that doesn't stop them from getting even warmer...
Well, this came out a lot sappier than I meant it to be! Haha. I kept getting distracted while trying to write it and watching episodes of ArrestedDevelopment in between. Has anyone else watched it? I love it! But I'll stop my little rant now.
Anyway, so, this was written for the 80 prompts contest on the DeviantART group, Camobeanie. My prompt was 'gravity'. I'd love to know what you thought about it, though! Was it too confusing or something? I didn't like the ending. But anyway! Thanks a lot for reading! :D