Prequel to Star Light
+ By Julie
+ rated NC-17 for explicit sexual scenes
+ yaoi content. Male/male having sex, getting each other off
+ Parings: Squall/Seifer
+ Disclaimer: I do own Zell but its just a cute toy chicken. Otherwise, I don't own any of the characters or anything else... *le sigh* Oh! I also own a Griever necklace now! *proud*
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+ Chapter 12: Afraid So, El' +As if it wasn't bad enough that the entire school was in an uproar with rumors of Squall Leonhart - Prince of Esthar - being gay, but the boy also hadn't been home all weekend.
Ellone watched the clock in her third period class, glaring angrily. Couldn't time speed up? She'd called Laguna this morning the instant she'd seen Squall on campus. But Laguna had been in an important meeting over some territory line in Galbadia. So Ellone needed to try back at lunch.
The clock hands moved slowly, twirling about endless seconds that felt like hours. And the teacher's droning voice meant nothing to Ellone. Her brother finally showed his face after a disappearing act over the weekend, and she had a feeling that Squall was going to do an encore act once school was out.
"Mr. Leonhart," the teacher growled down.
Squall opened his eyes, turning his head up from where it had been resting on his chin. He blinked a few times, feeling sleep fighting against him. He'd been awake since 2:30 this morning, talking (listening) with Seifer, kissing, that one incident of meeting the Almasys, and then listening to a few of Seifer's new songs and more of Seifer speaking about Blood Kiss.
Blood Kiss was really Seifer's biggest passion. The boy loved the band, had high hopes for them. Another time perhaps, Squall might have been hopeful for Seifer too. The blonde boy placed every fiber of his being into the hope that the band would make it some day. Seifer wanted to be a self-made millionaire. Squall, in another life, might have cared.
Instead, Squall just listened and nodded a few times when Seifer asked if the songs sounded good or if the pitch was right. Honestly, Squall didn't have a fucking clue what Seifer was talking about in pitch, cord, strum, or any of that bullshit. And was Seifer hitting the right notes? Squall couldn't tell. All Squall knew for sure was that it hadn't been a lie the other night when he'd told Seifer not to wish to be like Hallows. Seifer's band was far better than that other one.
Squall understood the difference in when he was inclined to pay more attention to something than something else. Like how Squall paid more attention to Seifer than Laguna. Squall preferred Seifer over his father, which was totally understandable. Baby Turned 15. Hyne above knew how annoying Laguna could be.
Squall preferred Blood Kiss over Hallows. It was a simple decision in Squall's mind. He's rather hear Seifer sing "I can feel your fingers inside me. I can feel your eyes fixed upon me. I can feel your legs wrapped around me." than the Hallows band playing "Heal me, love me, fight me, break me. Wrap your hate around my heart, squeeze me dry, force me apart."
It was simple: Blood Kiss rocked. Seifer honestly needed to get that beat into his mind. With as smug as the blonde was, it might be thought that he'd be smug about his band. But he always felt something more was needed, it wasn't complete. Blood Kiss was missing something, and Seifer knew they wouldn't hit the Big Time until that something was found.
"Mr. Leonhart," the teacher repeated.
Squall sat back in the chair, looking up at the teacher.
"Did we not get enough sleep last night?" she asked, her voice speaking down in a mocking tone.
Like Squall would reply.
The lack of reaction seemed to piss the teacher off. "Well," she spat down. "Why don't you just lie down and go to sleep if my lecture isn't worth listening to."
Squall didn't reply, though the students around snickered like Squall had. The brunette Prince cross his arms over his desk and lied his head down, closing his eyes.
"Squall!" the teacher growled.
Squall opened his eyes and sat back up. Maybe if he was trying to be a smartass he would have asked "What?" and attempted to look uncertain. But Squall simply looked exactly like the second before he lied down - immaculately empty.
The teacher took a moment longer to glare before turning and heading straight to her desk. Her mission: detention slip. Be damned if the little fucker was going to act so brash and impudent in her class.
Squall stretched in the chair, completely unaware of the scene he'd caused. The students around were in a small whispered uproar. The president's son was about to get detention. Was the teacher looking to get fired?
It was at that moment that the teacher rethought her direct approach. If she gave Squall detention, it would be a first, and the boy couldn't help being a barren wasteland of frozen emotions. He'd been that way his entire life, she'd seen his file. Other teachers in the past had put up with it. Not that it justified Squall's insolent actions.
But she couldn't give Squall detention. So what else was there to do? Allow Squall to set a bad example, then when the other kids follow give them detention and explain to their parents that she wasn't stupid enough to put her job on the line just because Squall Leonhart - Prince of Esthar - wanted to sleep in class?
The detention slip was halfway filled out when she crunched it up and tossed it into the trash. The students saw, but fuck it. She had rent to pay. So instead she'd call up the president to inquire about Squall's home-life, to see why the boy would be so outwardly disrespectful of her lecture. This way she'd look okay to the president still, while finally beginning to fix the Squall problem.
Looking up, the teacher saw Squall finish a covered yawn before lying back down.
Seeing the class watching her, she leashed her anger. "Start your homework," she growled before sitting down and pulling open a deep drawer to find Squall's file, and the home number of the president.
Squall felt the pinch of his sister's hand on his upper arm as she dragged him away from the cafeteria to a more private setting.
"You little bastard!" she said once they were alone. "Where have you been?!"
Squall covered another of his yawns before dropping his arm and attempting to focus his sister's face.
"Where have you been?!" she growled again. "Dad and I were worried sick all weekend! You better have some answers."
Reaching into his side bad (which had been kept in Seifer's truck the entire weekend), Squall pulled out his phone. It was off. He turned it on then clicked over to check his voice messages.
Ellone just glared at Squall, watching him put the phone to his ear. A minute later Squall was deleting the single message from his father that had been left Saturday.
"Are you gonna even talk?" Ellone growled.
Squall replaced the phone, then moved a few of his notebooks, attempting to look for a granola bar or something edible. He was starving. Hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon before the movies. Seifer had offered to get him breakfast as they drove to school, but Squall hadn't felt hungry.
"Urgh! Squall!" Ellone said loudly. "Listen to me! I was worried! You're my little brother, now tell me where you've been!"
Squall hadn't found anything in his bag. Damn him for never carrying anything important like granola bars around with him. With a final growl from his stomach, Squall turned to leave Ellone to the private setting. Ellone jumped over to Squall's side, again demanding answers.
"Please," she said softer. "You're my little brother, Squallie. Where've you been?"
Squall stopped walking, figuring that Ellone would never stop jumping all over him until he said something.
"Friends," he said, waiting for the next question.
"Friends?!" Ellone repeated. "The boy from Old Esthar?"
Nod.
"Why didn't you call?" Ellone asked.
Squall's answer was the most wild thing Ellone would have even imagined her brother saying, including her NC-17 rated thoughts on Squall having gay sex.
"Having fun," Squall said.
Ellone's lips parted, she was utterly shocked. A frowned formed over her eyebrows, her eyes widening.
"Really?" Ellone pursued.
"Went to," Squall started explaining. "...football game. Then a club. Seifer's band... they... played."
Not only had Squall had fun, but he was telling his sister what he'd done? Ellone shook her head, blinking a few times. She breathed then brought her attention back to Squall. He was watching her placidly.
Ellone stepped back, meaning Squall was free to go. She could only stare, the surreal short conversation spinning her mind.
"He was sleeping?" Laguna said into the phone, listening to Squall's third period teacher recount the class period.
"Yes, sir," the woman replied. "I was hoping you might have some answers as to why he was so tired. Perhaps an earlier bedtime?"
Laguna sneered. "My son doesn't have a bedtime... er... Um. He wasn't... home all weekend." Hyne, Laguna hadn't felt so nervous since the last time a teacher had called his parents for sleeping in class. Who knew Squall was so like him?
"Not home?" the teacher questioned. "Oh, a family outing?"
"He, er, was..." Laguna shifted in his office chair, which was sitting at the desk of the Presidential Office. "...missing."
Silence filled the line. Then:
"When did he show up?"
"Well you see... um... At school this morning!" Laguna finally confessed, slumping over on his desk in shame. "I tried calling him! But... he didn't answer his cellphone. I think he's been hanging out in Old Esthar, but I don't know where! And he's got friends for the first time in his life, but I donno what to do! He's my little boy, but he doesn't tell me anything. W-was he okay? In class, aside from sleeping, I mean. Did he look okay? Showered, teeth brushed, fed?"
"Um," the teacher said before swallowing. "He was clean?" It was the only answer she had. Squall seemed clean. But she decided not to mention the fact that Squall wasn't wearing a school uniform - he'd been wearing some band T-shirt and black jeans that were held up with a belt.
Laguna nodded to himself, face in his free hand, fighting back his tears. He sniffed loudly. "That's good..." Laguna allowed himself a moment before he asked "Was there any other reason you called?"
"No," the teacher quickly answered.
"Oh, okay," Laguna replied, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "If you ever need to call me, do, yes?"
"Of course, sir," the teacher answered. "Good bye, Mr. President."
"Bye bye," Laguna said then hung up the phone. The phone immediately rang the moment it hung up. Laguna sniffed then picked it up, greeting the caller while trying not to sound too pathetic.
"Daddy, you okay?" Ellone asked, hearing her father's slight sob.
"Ellone!" Laguna said, and Ellone knew he must have just been crying.
"Hyne, Dad," Ellone replied, frowning. The men in her family were so fucking weird. "Squall's at school today."
"I know," Laguna answered. "I just got off the phone with one of his teachers."
"Well, the strangest thing," Ellone said, watching as a few students walked passed her.
"Yeah?" Laguna asked.
"Squall told me he had fun," Ellone explained. "And that he went to a football game, and to a club."
Laguna's sniffle could be heard through the phone. "He told you that?"
"I got in his face then finally he said something," Ellone said.
"Who-who's this boy he's been hanging out with?" Laguna asked. "Seifer!"
"I told you what I know already," Ellone replied.
Laguna breathed. "He's in a band, and that's how Squall met him. That's all you know?"
Elone shifted. No, that wasn't all she knew. She also knew Seifer was gay. And, though she didn't see it, a lot of people were saying that Seifer kissed Squall Friday when he picked her brother up. That wasn't info Laguna needed to know.
"That's all I know," Ellone answered.
Laguna sighed heavily. "Why would Squall suddenly be interested in friends?"
"Donno, Dad," Ellone said. "I've gotta go. It's lunch and I need to eat."
"Okay, honey," Laguna said. "See you tonight. Wait! Make sure Squall comes home, yes?"
"I'll try, Dad," Ellone said, nodding. "I'll try. Bye."
"Bye bye," Laguna replied then the phone line went dead.
Ellone clicked her cellphone off then headed back to the cafeteria.
"El'," Krystal said, pointing. "There goes your li'le bro."
Ellone turned quickly, seeing Squall beginning to walk down the steps of the school, towards the curb. But no Dodge Truck waited. Checking her watch, she noted the time - too early. Seifer was probably on his way. But Squall normally waited out of the crowd's way until Seifer showed up, then Squall would crawl out of hiding in his dark corner.
Squall was already walking down the stairs. Did that mean Seifer wasn't going to show up?
Ellone dropped her back pack then raced over to see her brother. Squall was five steps down before Ellone caught his arm. He looked up, waiting for her to make her point and let him go again.
"Dad wants you to come home tonight," Ellone said.
Squall delicately removed his arm from Ellone's grasp. He stared at her a moment before he shook his head. "Later tonight," he told her.
"Seifer's coming, huh?" Ellone asked.
Squall nodded.
"Eager to go meet him," Ellone commented on Squall's early approach of the meeting spot.
Squall shrugged. Was he? He didn't know.
"When will you be home?" Ellone asked. "Because you've gotta swear, Dad was upset when I talked to him."
"Late," Squall answered. That was all he knew. He'd be late.
Ellone sighed. "Make sure you at least go say something to Dad tonight."
Squall nodded then turned away from Ellone. He started his way back down the 30 steps, leaving his sister.
Ellone stepped back up, watching her brother while frowning. She shook her head then headed over to stand with her friends once more.
Squall shifted his stance slightly when he noticed Seifer's truck pull up into the parking lot. Squall hadn't realized a lot of the kids were watching him, then more when Seifer appeared. Yet he was completely oblivious of everyone's interest.
The bass vibrating truck came to a stop at the curb in front of Squall, Seifer opening the driver's door then slipping out. He smiled at Squall then frowned at a lot of the kids. Apparently the teens at this school didn't have lives of their own.
Walking around the truck's still roaring front end, Seifer felt slightly awkward. His right hand at his side held a small gift that he'd stopped off to get for Squall, but it felt dumb with all the kids watching.
Normally Seifer had brass balls, but it was intimidation of the rich society. Seifer wasn't anything in their eyes, just some low life kid. And the Prince of Esthar had chosen Seifer to go slumming with. Squall was just using Seifer.
Seifer didn't think it was true, but it was still unnerving to now know Squall could possibly one day be the President of Esthar, if Ellone declined the position after Laguna retired. Squall was second in line. And what was Seifer to Squall? Just some boy that had been giving him attention. Seifer didn't think Squall got a lot of attention. Perhaps attention, just not the type Seifer gave. Seifer respected Squall as a person, not some boy to use and not some son to order around.
Forcing away his uncertainties, Seifer stepped up to Squall, who always now waited for Seifer to open the passenger car door for him. Seifer liked doing that for Squall, so Squall let him.
"Hey, sweetheart," Seifer said, acting in his normal smug attitude.
Lifting his right hand he held up the single white rose he'd bought. Squall reached up and took the rose, looking at the large white pedals. Raising his gaze, Squall looked into Seifer's eyes.
Seifer shrugged. "Thought... Well, you'd like flowers, huh?"
Squall moved to hug Seifer, arms over Seifer's shoulders, holding him close. Seifer smiled, hugging Squall back. Squall then released his tight hold, moving to press his lips to Seifer's.
Ellone's mouth was still hung open, even as the truck pulled away, her brother inside. Yes, her brother was gay. How was she going to explain this to dad?
+ Lyrics from "Lackluster" by Saliva is in the above on Squall in the classroom. The second lyrics aren't anything except some random thing I typed out.