38. Gift
When Hayner had been sixteen, his rival and 'worst enemy' (secret crush) was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. After about a week of indecision, he sought out the blonde bully, who seemed unchanged by the news that he was going to die soon; still running around the Sandlot playing Struggle with anyone who still would, and picking fights with those that refused to on account of his 'condition'. Hayner's heart jolted as Seifer turned and their eyes met, a spark of excitement flashing through that blue-green gaze.
"Hey, Lamer, fancy a Struggle?" Hayner nodded, a slight grin spreading across his face.
Seifer chucked a Struggle bat at him with a smirk and Hayner barely caught it, losing his balance for a moment.
Over the years, Hayner and Seifer had made up their own kind of language as they fought. Well, language wasn't quite right... Understanding was probably closer. But they'd always be able to tell what the other was feeling; whether they were angry or just playing, whether someone had pissed them off, whether they'd had their heart broken that day... In a way, they knew each other better than their friends did, because they could always put a mask on around them. And Hayner did. He knew Seifer did, too, because here he was, pretending everything was normal when he could tell from his slightly-too-forceful-to-be-playing moves that he was scared. Who wouldn't be?
... Hayner was too.
As they sparred, he could see Seifer's relief that someone was at least pretending that nothing had changed; that someone understood that he didn't want to be treated differently, didn't want to acknowledge that anything had gone so horribly, horribly wrong.
And seeing that fierce, arrogant, trembling fear and pride, Hayner realised something. Of course, before he could fully form the thought, Seifer had knocked him to the ground and straddled him, looking down at him with that irritating (and oh so pretty) smirk. And for once, Hayner smiled back. A look of surprise briefly crossed Seifer's features before he relaxed his smirk into a real smile, the look in his eyes almost fond. Hayner half-hoped that he was going to kiss him, but before the tension could grow any further, he blurted out involuntarily,
"Every day's a gift." Seifer frowned, blinking once and Hayner brought his arms up to cup Seifer's face in his hands, drawing him down into a slow, warm kiss. He probed Seifer's lips with his tongue, feeling the older boy gradually respond, parting them to allow Hayner's tongue entrance. To his surprise, Seifer didn't really put up much of a fight for dominance. It was almost like he wanted to submit for once. In that kiss, Hayner could feel Seifer's fervent need for someone to… to be there.
Another surprising thing was that neither Fuu nor Rai were anywhere near them when they pulled apart for air. Hayner smiled up at Seifer, who was looking uncertain and more than a bit wary.
"Let me rephrase that." His grin grew, "Every day with you is a gift." Of course, for this Seifer had to smack the top of the younger male's head and say,
"You utter sap." Before kissing him again.
No, Hayner didn't know what would happen, and yes, he was frightened that his 'newfound' lover was going to die soon, but none of that mattered. All that mattered was that he had him now.
AN: End of mass update. DDD: sorry about lateness and spamming and stuff... .