CHAPTER TWO
//Another night, another dance partner// Squall thought to himself. He knew it was sad, that every night after work he always ended up back at this club. Squall was positive that there was no one quite like him in the world. This night his dance partner was a short, muscular blond with a tattoo down the left side of his face. He could barely remember the boy's name but knew that he would go home with him. He had no idea why he felt the need to go home with someone different every night. It was like a disease, except this night he wasn't as sick as he usually was. He knew why of course, he had developed a crush on the new manager. Squall had never met anyone like Irvine before, he was handsome yes, but there was also a youthfulness about him that never seemed to disappear. It contrasted well with the utter, cold, maturity Squall felt these days. There was also a mischievous twinkle in Irvine's violet eyes that Squall didn't want to see disappear, but no matter how much he thought about it he knew that he would make that twinkle disappear. He had lost count of all the people he had hurt over the years and he didn't want Irvine to be one of them, so he swore that he would not start something with the handsome Galbadian.
Irvine looked around as once again he entered the club. He didn't know why but somehow he knew that Squall would be there that night. He knew he wouldn't make any advances towards the cold, brunette, but he still wanted to see him dance. The minute he entered the main room he spotted the brunette grinding against a short blond. He ran a disinterested look over the blond and noted absently that he was cute. It seemed that Squall had good taste. He then let his eyes wonder over the figure he had come to think of as ethereal, this evening he had on a pair of loose black jeans and a blue, silk shirt with the bottom few buttons undone to show off his creamy naval. Irvine swallowed the lump in his throat and hoped feverishly that the lump in his pants would also disappear, as quickly, though he knew it was futile. He had only to look on the brunette to get a reaction towards him. Irvine thought there was no one quite as beautiful as Squall in the world, but he knew that nothing would come out of a relationship with the other boy. He almost had a need for different people, like he was afraid to commit to one person alone, and Irvine knew he would never be able to share him, so he decided not to let anything happen. He tore his violet gaze from the thrusting boy and ordered a drink then took a seat at a vacant table where he had a good view of the other boy.
The minute Irvine entered the establishment Squall knew it was him, the noise seemed to quiet voluntarily and he felt that he and the cowboy were the only two people on the planet. He slowly let his eyes rove over his manager and felt himself smile. He wondered if Irvine knew how sexy he was, but watching the way the other boy sat with that conscious grace he expected that yes he did know, and knew how to use it to his advantage as well.
"Who's that?" His dance partner breathed locking gazes with Irvine. Unwittingly Squall felt a flash a jealousy start in his abdomen and rise to the back of his throat. He wondered if he was jealous because the blond punk was no longer paying attention to him, but no he knew he was jealous of the way Zell looked at his manager. Squall longed to scream mine at the top of his voice but knew that he didn't have the right.
"Don't know," Squall shrugged cautiously, "he must be new to town."
"Would you mind if I asked him to dance?" The other boy asked shyly, obviously he felt uncomfortable leaving Squall along on the dance floor.
"No, go ahead, it's a free country," Squall told him turning his back on the short blond and making his way to the bar to get a drink.
Irvine watched in amusement as the short blond made his way over to him. He knew what the boy was going to ask him and entertained the idea for a minute, he decided not to that it wouldn't be fair on the smaller boy. The one he really wanted was the boy he'd been dancing with and he felt it would be unfair to use this blond in his stead.
"Would you like to dance?" The small blond asked casually, though Irvine could see that his blue eyes were scared of rejection.
"Just a dance okay." Irvine nodded giving in to the cute boy, but only for a dance. He had no intention of sleeping with this kid; it would just hurt too many people in the long run.
"Of course," the blond blushed, "what did you think I had in mind?"
"Nothing of course," Irvine smiled amused, he didn't know that people could blush these days, he thought it had been bred out of the population.
"All right, then how's this song?" The boy asked as a particularly sultry song came on.
"Perfect," Irvine breathed smiling disarmingly at the cute boy, "what's you're name? I'm Irvine, I'm new to town."
"Zell, and I've lived here my whole life." Zell smirked flashing the cutest pair of canines Irvine had ever seen.
Squall saw red as he watched Zell pull Irvine on to the dance floor. He didn't understand why he was so jealous, he had no claim on either Zell or Irvine but still he wanted to hurt someone. He was too absorbed in his own thoughts when someone sauntered up behind him.
"Hey Squall?" a familiar voice breathed in his ear.
"Seifer, why are you here?" Squall asked of the tall blond. Seifer was the man that Squall had gone home with the night before, but now he didn't feel even a small amount of the attraction he'd felt for the other man.
"I was hoping to see you again, and I see you're once again alone." Seifer smirked arrogantly.
"It was a one off deal Seifer, I don't feel anything for you anymore." Squall told him coldly, glad to notice that he was telling the truth. Squall didn't flinch when a cold look came over the blonde's face, he was used to scorned ex lovers, and Seifer wasn't acting any different. He was just one of the multitudes that wanted to make Squall Leonhart his own. Since Squall had arrived in Balamb a year ago he'd developed quite a following, not by choice mind you, and he didn't understand it, but Squall Leonhart was one of the most sort after young men in Balamb.
"So is that what you do? You get someone to care for you, use them for your own enjoyment and then throw them away like they're trash?" Seifer snarled, pushing his face right into Squall's. Squall didn't panic, he realised that Seifer was just drunk and wouldn't hurt him.
"I didn't ask you to care about me." Squall murmured sadly, whoever cared about him inevitably got hurt, it had just happened again, he was breaking a perfectly nice boy's heart, all because he couldn't care.
"Yeah, well it happened. Here ya go, call me if I've short changed you." Seifer sneered throwing a wad of bills at Squall and stalking off.
Irvine watched the scene unfold before him, he was shocked. He couldn't believe that Squall could so callously shrug off someone like that. Someone that obviously cared about him.
"What's his story?" Irvine asked his dance partner.
"Oh Squall, a year ago he came to town with nothing but a duffel bag and some sort of weapon, a cross between a sword and a gun. He's earned himself a bit of a reputation over that year, every night he comes here, and every night he leaves with someone different, it's not wise too fall for him, that was Seifer's mistake, he's been obsessed with Squall for the past two months since he arrived in town. He'd watch Squall dance and leave with partner after partner, and then he'd leave in a jealous rage. Then last night Squall finally chose him and well I guess it was too much for Seifer." Zell explained sadly, though he hadn't admitted that he himself wanted Squall as well, though he knew he would never have a chance with the taller brunette.
"You were dancing with him before, are you one of Squall's many followers?" Irvine asked smirking sarcastically, he was quickly falling into the same pattern as the tall blond.
"I want Squall, but I'm not obsessed with him. Subconsciously I know I'd never have a chance so he and I are regular dance partners, though I think he would have taken me home tonight." Zell grinned up at the taller man.
"If I hadn't of come along, would you have wanted to leave with him?" Irvine asked the cute boy smiling.
"Yes I think I would have consented, but I know it would only be a one night stand." Zell explained quietly.
"You Zell, deserve better than a one night stand, I only wish I could give it to you?" Irvine smiled planting a soft kiss on the boy's lips before leaving the club.