Birthdays, Anniversaries
By: Karasu Kyra
"So," said a voice from the doorway, making Squall Leonhart pause what he was doing and turn sharp, blue-gray eyes on the speaker.
A grinning Seifer Almasy stepped across the threshold and into the disgruntled Commander's office. He leaned nonchalantly against the farthest wall and pushed a bit of blond hair from his eyes. "Where's my birthday present?"
"You don't get one." The brunette glared.
"Ouch, Princess. You wound me. Right here!" The ex-knight pouted and put a hand on his heart.
Squall didn't deem that comment worthy of a reply and turned his attention back to his paperwork. After the first few minutes, the Commander shifted his weight in annoyance and glared at the door meaningfully.
Seifer glanced at the door, then at the Commander, smirked, and strode purposefully forward. At the brunette's warning glare, he took a seat in one of the chairs positioned across from his childhood rival. The chair let out an un-earthly squeak as he sat. It wasn't even comfortable. Squally-boy needed new chairs, the blond decided.
It was a good half-hour before Seifer spoke again, instead amusing himself with watching the brunette. Squall was slightly self-conscious for a moment before it was replaced with unending irritation. Finally, the commander had had enough.
He glanced up sharply, stormy blue eyes clashing with emerald green. "Seifer, is there something you need?"
"Yes."
Rivalry flashed across Squall's eyes before he asked, "And what might that be?"
He stopped breathing and held statue still when a calloused hand reached across the desk to touch his jaw just below his ear. Eyes still locked, the hand traveled farther, tracing down the brunette's jaw and trailing down his throat to linger on his collar bone.
Squall shivered and let out a breath, just to find his lips captured by another pair.
"My birthday kiss." Seifer winked.
As soon as the blonde straightened his posture, the Commander had a scowl set in place on his face just in time to hear a knock on his office door. "Yes?" he asked, clear and precise.
"Come on, Squally, let me in!" a soft female voice called loudly.
"Don't call me that," the brunette man said.
The yellow ball of energy took that as an invitation and entered the office, obviously hiding something behind her back. Squall waited patiently as Selphie Tilmitt looked like a child in a candy store. Finally, Selphie broke and started babbling a-mile-a-minute.
"So, I knew your guys' anniversary was coming up, so I got you a present! Doyoulikeit? Doyou?Doyou?Doyou?" she asked as she pulled out a yellow-wrapped package with a pretty pink bow.
Squall's eyebrow's drew slightly more together in complete confusion. He glanced at Seifer who wore a Cheshire cat grin. He then asked, "Anniversary?"
Now the petite brunette girl looked confused. "Well, yeah. Quisty told me that there was a big date coming up, so then I asked Seifer and he said it needed a present. Then he said he should help because it was actually your guys' one year anniversary, which is a really big anniversary, you know? So, he came with me to get it and I wrapped it and made the bow and stuff, so open it! Open it!"
Squall, having put two and two together, frowned but accepted the gift. He carefully pulled the bow and paper off to reveal a brown box. Opening the brown box, he found a stuffed cat. It was yellow and orange polka-dotted with buttons for eyes.
The brunette forced the tiniest smile to his face and said, "Thank you. I…like it."
Only the blonde caught how forced the words were.
"Yes!" A screech pierced the air. "I've got to go tell Quisty that you like it."
Then there was a yellow flash and a lack of Selphie.
The Commander sat in silence for a moment after the door swung shut. Then asked, "Seifer?"
"Yes?" asked the blonde back, grin still in place.
"It's not our anniversary."
"Nope."
"It's your birthday."
"Mm-hm."
"Why do people even know about our relationship?"
"'Cause you don't hide those marks on your neck well enough."
Squall pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, these marks just scream, 'I'm from Seifer!'?
"Of course."
"I still don't understand how they know."
The ex-knight knew this was a hint to explain or he wouldn't be getting some for a while, but chose to answer with, "Squally-boy, it's obvious to everyone that we're together. Don't ask me how, they just know. I would bet money on Tilmitt."
"That still doesn't explain why you told Selphie it was our anniversary and not your birthday."
"The only way I knew how to get you to accept a gift was to have you receive it from Selphie. I also know that you have now obligated yourself to get something for me and give it to me in front of Selphie." Seifer winked, then. "I would also like you to keep in mind that no matter what or how ridiculous it is, I will be using, wearing or whatever it."
"You are so damn aggravating."
"I try."
In an uncharacteristic bout of emotion, Squall muttered, "I love you."
He muttered it knowing Seifer hated his birthday and would prefer it to the traditional 'Happy Birthday'. The blonde hated it not for the facts people usually do, but because if brought him grief.
He felt when he betrayed his childhood rival that no one should respect him and despite the love he grew for Squall, who reciprocates it, he still holds that belief.
"I love you, too."
"No matter what." The commander was firm.
"Despite the fact that I don't deserve it."
"I keep telling you it was Ultimecia's fault, not yours. You won't believe it, I know. She's from the future, Seifer. We don't know what she's capable of. Even now."
"I know."
"So, I love you."
"I love you, too."