The Seventh Month

Questions & a Room Key

I can't believe it Seifer just smirks at me and is about to speak when he has what I assume is a change of mind. "Why don't you tell me? Oh Mighty Headmaster." Is what he finally says to break the silence. How am I supposed to tell him where he's been? If I had known I wouldn't have asked. I glare at him, but he just leans back comfortably in his chair. Damn him. Fine I'll play his little game.

Okay, I know where he hasn't been, and I know only a handful of people that knew I was getting promoted today. I also know that those mini computers are issued to SeeD's Seeing as he couldn't have gotten it today, that means he's known about his SeeD rank for a while now and that someone in authority got the journal for him and covered for it. "You were with Cid.." I absently think out loud. No that can't be all. I continue thinking and almost miss Seifer's retort. It's times like these that I truly miss the bastard. Yeah right.

"Got to try harder than that Squally. I think you might have noticed me hanging out under the desk in Cid's office." I give him another glare, he doesn't even bat an eyelash. Are my glares going soft, or has he finally built up an immunity. Sort of like those kings that used to take a little bit of poison in their meals to build up a defense against it so they could never be murdered by poison. I hope my glares aren't some sort of poison people have to build up immunity to so that they don't fear me. Actually I wouldn't really mind all that much if it kept the reporters away.... Wait a minute! Reporters, haven't heard a whisper of news on Matron, since she went back to Centra. About a month later, Seifer sightings stopped coming in. Perhaps he went to work things out with Edea. Cid could have found him, told him about SeeD, sent him on a 'mission' to help Matron. Probably what happened. But why didn't he tell me? Why send him back now? Of course, Cid is going to go be with Edea he doesn't need Seifer there to keep an eye on her, and if he sends Seifer here he doesn't need Edea to keep an eye on him. Why suggest him as Commander though? Maybe it's just some distant dream of his to see his best Gunbladers and worst rivals finally work together. Tssh, fat chance of that happening, you'd be luckier to get a 100% compatibility with both Shiva and Ifrit at the same time. Trust me it's not gonna happen.

Oh no, how long have I been thinking... I look at the clock, barely three minutes. Then why is Seifer looking at me like that? Probably because he is expecting an answer sometime this millenium, but there is no reason he has to look so smug about it. I guess I'll just have to bring him down a peg... or five. "So how is Matron? And I hope Cid has been paying his fees."

Score! His eyes bug out and his mouth goes slack, he looks like I just told him that I really am related to Shiva. Unfortunately before I can immortalize the look of Seifer shocked he slips back into arrogant smirk mode. "She's well. And I'm sure that Cid would never cheat his beloved Garden out of money. We had some stuff to work out so Cid hired me as a SeeD to help her rebuild the orphanage and keep her safe."

"I'm to know of and co-approve all missions."

"Yeah, So what? He was the Headmaster, he could do what he wanted. I'm sure the files are on his computer if you don't believe me."

He has a point, I should probably read through al the headmaster reports before I do anything. For all I know Seifer could be lying. Although I doubt it. I look at him and realized that although he has changed, he's still the ex-sorceress knight. I wonder if he realizes that it could be a problem. "This doesn't change anything."

He looks slightly confused at the change in topic. "Change What?"

"Opinions."

It clicks for him and he leans forward in his chair looking straight at me. "Listen Leonhart, SeeD know were mercenaries and we don't have the luxury of holding grudges or choosing sides. Cadets and Junior Classmen are too scared to go against their hero's judgment. So the past doesn't matter. Not here anyway." As he finishes a far off look appears in his eyes. The look of someone who tried to make it in the real world beyond hired killers and military regulations but has failed. Not only failed but has been beaten down and driven out of town. He's still the proud and arrogant Seifer Almasy I've always known, except now he seems to have learned to think first and perhaps some humility. I almost feel sorry for him for what he has suffered. Almost. I still like my life and am not about to risk it by pitying Seifer.

"What are you doing here?" Although I've changed topics, I'm sure he knows me well enough to know that I'm not forgetting about his reputation just putting it aside until I have more reasons for concern. I hope he has a real reason for being here in this office and not just a 'because Cid said you'd make me Commander' answer. Because I seriously don't think I'm prepared to let him be commander, SeeD yes, Commander? not yet.

"I need some place to sleep don't I? And the last I heard is that the Commander is in charge of dormitory assignments." He gives me this look as though I'm an idiot. Thank you very much, I'm well aware of who gives out the stupid room keys. "So, Who is the new Commander? I don't have all day to wait." I look at him with wide eyes. Surely he wasn't hinting that he should be commander. I look at him and see that he is looking around the room to see anything that might tip him off to the new commander's identity. So he doesn't know yet that B-Garden is without a Commander for the time being.

"No one. But I'll get you a room" He give me a surprised look, as if he can't believe I haven't picked someone yet. Hello? I thought I still had a month to talk Cid out of me being Headmaster, and even then I would have another month to judge a worthy candidate. I switch on my view screen and bring up the dorm listing screen. Let's see where to stick him. If I were cruel I'd put him in one of the single rooms that are used by one of the junior classmen instructors. It's right in the middle of that wing so they can keep an eye on the kids. I wonder how long Seifer would last in a room surrounded by hyper, dumb, immature little brats... wait a second he just might fit right in. Either that or Garden would amazingly find itself short a few dozen male junior classmen. Okay, no torture for Seifer, let's see what else is open.

"Got anything good left?" I flinch a bit, hopefully unnoticeably, I didn't even see him get out of his seat let alone move to peer over my shoulder at the screen. How come he is the only one that can slip past my senses? or maybe I was just enjoying the thought of torturing Seifer, the way he tortured me. Memories of D-District prison wash over me, and I'm sure I pale slightly. It's been forever since I've given hard thought to that. I hadn't meant to even think about it. I was just thinking of the times Seifer used to tease me and trip me. I guess I still need to work on not thinking about getting electrocuted.

"Are you okay?" He has concern in his voice but it's well hidden under impatience. I guess he noticed me flinch or pale. I wave off his question with a hand as I bring up another window.

Ah, I pull up the screen of the SeeD hall that my friends are in. My SeeD room is still empty and even though I'm not expecting trouble from the SeeDs it would be nice to have the gang make sure that no harm will come to Seifer while people adjust to his presence. "This will be your new dorm." I tell him as I point to the screen. "Here's the keycard and the default code is 1234" I hand him the keycard for his room, and I don't bother explaining how to change the rooms access code as I'm sure he's done it a million times before.

He looks at the card key for a moment and then at me. I try to ignore his gaze, but find it disturbing. "Anything else?" I ask just to brake up the tension. I know it was rude, but I need to think. This was not how I imagined Seifer coming back into my life.

"No, just wondering to myself if you'd have anything of interest to write in your journal and if it's worth reading." He smirks at me waiting for my reaction. I refuse to give him one. With all my might I just stare back back at him.

"You should know my life isn't that interesting." He shrugs and moves back to the other side of the desk. "Now, I believe you had to move in, and I was busy changing offices." I say and I make a show of organizing stuff on my desk to be moved over. He thankfully takes the hint that I want to be alone.

"Whatever the Headmaster wishes." He says with a mock salute before picking up his stuff and leaving the office. The smell of cedar, steel, and Seifer linger around me as I try to focus on packing. Just ten minutes with the guy and I hardly know what to do. Obviously Cid thinks he would make a good Commander, and maybe after I read the reports on him I might agree. But a commander needs to be respected and liked by his peers and followers. Not feared and hated. Time would tell if Seifer was really Commander material.

Would anyone else be Commander material. I would suggest all my friends for Headmaster in a second, but Commander is quite different. Selphie would be good for the most part, but I fear that every mission would end with something being blown to smithereens. Quistis knows her stuff and SeeDs would follow her to the end of the world, the only problem is that she tends to second guess herself. She almost blew the Galbadia Parade mission going back to Rinoa that way. A headmaster has time to debate and research all possible answers the Commander needs to be able to make split second decisions. Irvine won't be SeeD until he passes his written exam at the end of the month. He's come along way, but he still might crack under the pressure, besides he's not really that much of a people person. More a lady person. Xu is an excellent SeeD, but I don't think the other SeeDs would follow her, they respect her, but they really have difficulty seeing her as one of their own. She has a distance about her. A commander needs to be friends with his troops as well as their leader. Zell would be good with that, but he just might forget the lead part. He gets easily flustered and forgetful at times. How could he not remember that his fists were his weapon in the D-District prison. Come on, and not being able to get a rope to save Rinoa when she fell off the Garden. Whatever. So unless someone else comes to mind, I'll just have to wait and see how Seifer pans out.

I should probably tell the others he's back. I'll call them down to my new office, just as soon as I unpack and see if Cid has files on him. I grab one of the boxes from the pile by my door that my secretary left for me and start filling it. After all of my stuff is neatly packed into two boxes I grab them and heft them over to my new office. I read one of Cid's many notes and eventually find what I'm looking for on the view screen. Seifer Almasy SeeD Rank 19, Centra Mission, hired by Cid Kramer. I scan through the detailed reports. They are filled out precisely to protocol, although I shouldn't expect anything less from the head of the Disciplinary committee. It was never the written tests he failed on the way to becoming SeeD. As I read through the reports I can start to see why Cid would consider Seifer. Suddenly the thought of Seifer in the Commander outfit doesn't seem that farfetched. Also in my imagination the Commander uniform looks quite good on him. Showing off all his best features, his eyes, and of course his butt.... Wait a Second! What the Hell am I thinking. Focus Leonhart. You can not like Seifer in that way.

I figure the best way to stop this train of thought is to call the gang into my office. I'll tell them Seifer is back and they should ramble on about my new office long enough it should bore any sexual thoughts I have right out of my head. I switch on the intercom. "Will Quistis, Irvine, Selphie and Zell please report to the Headmasters office ASAP." Sorry Rinoa, you don't have clearance to overhear SeeD missions, even completed ones. Technically neither does Irvine, but I'm willing to bend a rule or three. Now if only they'd get here so I could stop thinking about the way Seifer casually leaned over me to look at the view screen....

~~~~~~~ Author's Notes ~~~~~~~~~

Okay, don't ask because I have no idea what I was writing for the last half of the fic. As soon as Seifer left I should have ended it but I decided it was too short. So what should I do, cut out the last part leave it as is, or try to fix it up. I do have a plot, but at the rate I'm going it might take another twenty chapters to get somewhere ( I sure hope not) I'll try to get some action in soon, (and not just that type you perverts.) So obviously you've read so please Review. Also sorry I didn't bother to edit it before posting so I apologize about mistakes.