A/N: This chapter actually a collection of ficlets about how Squall and Seifer interact daily, so each part probably unconnected. Midgar seemed appropriate place for a ruthless businessman's home

Disclaimer : Not mine, ever.

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" You're escaping!" he accused Squall whom sat on his desk reading a book.

What's he doing here?

"I'm not. You're the one that late" the brunette answered

"I knocked your door at 7.15" he said again

Too bad

"I left at 6.45"

"What? Why so early?" Seifer confused

"Got something to do"

Avoiding you to be precise

"I told you yesterday that I'll fetch you", the older boy said,

What's with you?

Squall shrugged his shoulder, and the bells for first lesson rang.

" Don't run away again!"

Seifer left his classroom grunting. Squall tried to tame his racing heart and Rinoa observed them from her own desk and began to counted Squall's words.

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Struggling with his shirt, he bit the corner of his toast. He's not a morning person, but in order to avoid certain blond he woke up earlier than usual. He heard someone knocking his door. It was 6.20 in the morning so he must be misheard. The knock began more persistent. Squall finished his shirt and opened the door. "WHAT?"

Wha...

" Such a grumpy" The blond's tall figure filled the door frame, he yawned. Watching Seifer at his door at ungodly hour while holding a cup holder Squall agaped.

"For you" he gave the bigger cup in the holder he previously hold, Squall took and examined it,

"It's chocolate milk. It's not poisoned" Seifer muttered, "It will be good to wake you up...and it also boost your puberty stance" he continued when he saw his junior still gave him a glare.

Bastard

"What are you doing here?" Squall growled at Seifer

"Fetch you" The bastard smirked, he drank his own smaller cup, "let's go, Princess"

GAHH!

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Squall safely reached his desk. It's still really early. He decided to drawing to killing time. His persistent senior had left for his morning practice. He remember the said blond still had sleepy eyes, slightly wrinkled shirt. He remember him drinking his small cup of Espresso, and the movement of his Adam's apple when he swallowed.

Idiot...

But he couldn't help to lit a small smile and finally drink his milk.

This school might be not bad at all...

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It's been more than two weeks Squall hadn't waited for her at the gate and he was awfully early too. He already sat at his desk at 6.30, doodling, reading or whatever. Sometimes she saw him drank a cup of something (cappuccino, she guessed, but where the hell he got that at early morning?). In short, she had not had her curiosity answered.

One day, Rinoa intentionally arrived at their class at 6.35 to find her answer and she surprisingly passed a familiar blond bully. The boy was oblivious of her and she assumed that he perhaps not remembering her at all.

"I met Seifer at the hall way." She informed Squall when he finally noticed her, the brunette hair boy just nod. But she couldn't help to think, that he was putting a unusual expression.

Did he just...smiling?No..no...it was... just his mouth curved a bit

"Was he here before?" She asked,

"Hn"

So it mean yes?

" His building is at the other side", she put her bag on her own desk.

Squall shrugged, " He picked me from my room"

"Ehh?"

"What?"

"Does he often pick you up?" She demanded curiously, Squall nodded, "Every morning"

EEHHH?!

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"Xu...do you know a senior, tall, blond? His name is Seifer?" Rinoa asked her fellow Newspaper Club member. Xu was also a senior, she presume they would know each other. It was a good opportunity for her since Xu was friendly girl and her opinion seemed to be believable. They sat at their club, Xu taught Rinoa to edit her last interview so it would come as a good article for the school newspaper. After spending some days editing, they satisfied with her result so far. And Xu thought that Rinoa utterly did a good job.

"Ahh...already eyeing a hot hunk Rin?" Xu smirk. Rinoa swatted her hands,"Not that...just curious, was it common for him to pursue a freshmen?", she played with her pen, seemed that her curiosity peaked after she saw him with Squall almost everyday this week. Day after day her suspicion rose.

"Did he pursue you?" Xu questioned, Rinoa shook her head, " Well, good for you"

Is it so bad if he did so?

"You don't like him?"

"Nah, it's not that bad. I was at the same class with him last year. He's an ass, a skirt chaser back then," Xu thought for a while, "but somehow he changed after he broke up with his last girlfriend" Xu continued.

"He's popular?Is he kind of a bully?"

"With that kind face and not to mention he was MPV last year, yeah I can say that he is popular. But I never heard that he bullied anyone. He's quite a good friend if you put out his asshole attitude. Does he troubling you?" Xu asked back.

She shook her head, " I know it sound weird, how's exactly his 'pursuing' method?" Rinoa asked her carefully. With that Xu laughed out loud, " Really Rin? Have you seen him anyway?", saw that Rinoa even more confuse, Xu added, " He doesn't need any method, all he should do just say 'hi' and the girls followed him to his bed"

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Squall was dead tired today. Their teacher drilled them at P.E, and he got two tests followed, also Fuu had forced him to taking part in mural's project after school. He decided to sleep earlier than usual and couldn't help to cursed whoever made his phone rang and woke him up, but afraid something happen to his family or Rinoa, he grabbed his phone, apparently he got a text from ...ALMIGHTY. He frowned, nobody in his phonebook had that name, unless...

FRI, 29-10-2010 ; 21.57

From : ALMIGHTY

Subject : (none)

"Still awake, princess?"

There's no mistaken now. Annoyed yet excited, he answered while blushing, how did you get my number?

"Fuujin"

It's actually stupid question he admitted, Seifer found his current living from Fuu's form, of course he could get his number from the same paper.

"Sleep now?"

When he didn't text back for a while.

You woke me up, he typed, when did you put your number?

The reply came almost immediately, "first time I fetch you", it's about three months ago then, a new message came even before his finger touch the keypad, " This is stupid, I'll come to your room"

NO, Squall type in panic, but then he heard soft knocks just a moment after he hit SEND.

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"Is it even legal?" Squall asked when the he entered his room

"It's fine, tomorrow is Saturday" Seifer said, " And I can't sleep"

So I decided to annoy you

"So you decided to annoy me?" Squall pouted. Seifer just chuckled. Squall's hair messier than usual, wearing oversize shirt with very fade pajama bottom there's no mistaken that the younger teen was asleep before.

His eyes still bleary..

Seifer raided his bed. He hugged Squall's bolster and laid there like he own it. He secretly smelt the scent there. "Your bed is to narrow"

Cinnamon and...mint?

"Sleep in your own room" Squall said, but sat next to him nonetheless. He reclined to the bed board.

He's blushing.

"Nah...my room inhabitable right now. Too messy with papers, I just finished history project with Rai" he not mentioned the blush, "anyway Squall, I won't be able to pick you up on Monday until Wednesday next week"

"It's not that I asked you to do it" Squall muttered, " where are you going by the way?"

You don't care but still have to asked though...

"Esthar. Some friendly matches as last competition for us the senior" he began, " School had forbidden us to play next semester. So we'll do the best to win it"

"Esthar?"

Are there something funny? He looked so thrilled

"Yes, the so-said modern metropolitan city in Gaia. Been there?" he moved his hand to making a point

"Of course, I'm from Esthar. You should read the form more thoroughly, Seifer." Squall unusually gave him a smile, a small one but a still a smile, and it was for him.

Oh Hyne, wow...he's...beautiful...

"Aa-a...Uh..." uncommonly stuttered, he shook his head, he bet now he's the one who blushed, " so you are from Esthar?" he tried to masked his nervousness. Squall nodded, "My dad is the mayor" he said.

Oh...wait wha-,

"Mayor?of Esthar?" he asked abruptly, Squall nodded innocently,

how can you give such information so simply?

"Yes, Laguna Loire is my father" oblivious to the fact that the older boy was getting shock.

"It's not too great anyway. Most of students here got powerful parents" Squall stated, " Rinoa's dad is Galbadian military general, her mom is an actress."

Enough about Rinoa, tell me more about yourself

"How about you?" Now Squall's turn to questioned him. He shocked a bit, never remember Squall asked him personal question before, now Squall also laid on the pillow, so their head close to each other.

His scent enticing

" I'm from Midgar. Edea sent the letter after my team won a junior basketball league" he said, " I was an orphan, until a ruthless rich as hell businessman adopted me". Saw that Squall didn't believe him, Seifer added and gave him a sad smile, " It's the truth".

That time was the first time Squall saw him put down his arrogant mask.

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"How if he got a bad intention?" Rinoa asked him. They're in Balamb had a great Saturday brunch after taking Angelo for her morning walk. After this they should head back to Rin's apartement and finished their semester's projects. It was Rinoa's opportunity to confront Squall about Seifer. It become much rare for them to spend their time together lately. And she intended to use it to the fullest.

"How bad?" Squall asked whiled forked his diced steak

"I don't know...he's not after your money I think" she admitted, "You unusually close to him. And you answered him more than a 'hn'". She quieted to see his respond. Squall swallowed his food and looked at finally looked at her after a moment.

"...I don't know. He just...there" he said unsure, " I getting more and more used to him being there." Squall bit his lip, " Do you think it's bad?" he asked

"No" she answered, " I'm just afraid he'll do something bad like bully you, I just want to take care of you, Squall. I don't him or anyone harmed my best friend" She remarked.

"But I guess you really like him, right buddy?" she said softly, she watched blush crept along his smooth cheek. And after some seconds he nodded eventually.

"I'm damned, right?" not really asking a question. Rinoa hold his hand, and shook her head, " No. But if I were you, I would be carefull" she gave him a soft look, "and prepare myself for a broken heart."

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WED, 03-11-2016, 10.08

From : ALMIGHTY

Subject : (none)

"We won!"

Squall smiled to the message, then realized that he was still in his chemistry class.

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" I'll finish earlier today" He told Raijin in their class while working some papers, Seifer already finished his worksheet despite everything his grade was quite impressive, " do you have something to tell Fuu?"

Raijin confused, it was uncommon his friend so eager to meet Fuujin, "No", he said, " Today just a usual practice, I won't be late again"

"Your lost" Seifer back to his worksheet. Raijin eyed the blond, " You're getting better, you know?"

"What are you talking about? I'm always sexy"

"Nah...you lost that 'brooding-aura', you know?" He grinned ear-to-ear, " Who's the lucky girl?"

"None"

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He watched Squall from behind. The smaller boy held a wet brush in one hand and his canvas mostly blank save for few stroked here and there. He looked like he put his concentration too hard, he even didn't hear Seifer footsteps.

Seifer put his hand on his arms, Squall jumped, he's suprised that he no longer alone in the room. When he cocked his head he saw Seifer stood behind him and a bit too close that he could feel his breath on his cheek. The burly man laughed, "Surprise?" he asked.

I don't know that you are this jumpy

"Yeah"

Seifer grabbed nearest chair and put it near Squall's. " What did you paint anyway?". Squall shook his head, " No idea" . Squall tilted his head, " a lion...perhaps..."

"A lion?" Seifer asked, " Why a lion?"

"Just feel like to paint something strong," Squall answered, " I painted a tiger before, a lion shall be a good companion."

"Which one yours?" Seifer stood and looked at the hung paintings, he didn't see any tiger.

"Which one do you think?" He asked back. He saw Seifer touch the dry painting one by one, then he stop at the painting of a sleeping creature in the middle of...a lake?

"This one?"

Squall showed him his rare ,even it just a small one, smile, it so rare that Seifer stunned. " Yes, it's mine"

"So, where's the tiger?" he asked again, " No tiger here"

" It's at the mural. Not really finished yet"

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" See?It's a shorter way to cafetaria from your class" he said, " And that tree..." Seifer pointed at a quite big tree, "has a hidden corner, the best place to make out"

"Uh,how do you know?"

Indifferent

"Experience" he smugged. Squall instantly pouted.

Cute, please jealous already?

After succeed in fetch Squall from his dorm each morning, now he's trying to kidnapped him for lunch. "Where are you taking him Seifer?!" he remembered Rinoa glared at him and Squall gave her apologetic face.

"You're right. It's a bit shorter." Squall remarked when they reached the cafeteria.

It's a simple achievement yet you seem so happy.

"SEIFER!"

He heard a familiar barking voice called him. He approached Fuu's desk and not surprised to see Rai also with her. Fuu was eating a sundae, and Rai got himself a large fries.

"Squall!" they heard Rinoa called for him, she crossed her hands and seemed messy and very pissed. Immediately Squall left his side after mouthing 'bye'. Seifer waved his hand lightly then sat next to Rai.

"Who's that?" Raijin asked. Seifer gave him a shrugged, a perfect imitation of Squall's shrugged.

"FRESHMAN" Fuujin answered, " ART CLUB"

"Ahh..." Rai finally connected the dots, "Eh...it's not a girl, right?"

Seifer palmed his face meanwhile Fuujin kicked her boyfriend arse.

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Squall walked alone to his next class, his phone unusually rang. He picked it up after few seconds without seeing whom the caller was.

"Squall?" a male voice, Squall recognized it instantly. His heart raced in uncertainty.

"Kiros?"

Please do not be a bad news

"You're not gonna like the reason I called you" the man sighed.

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