Sorry this took so long. And well, when you can't move forward, try taking a step back for another look, right? (Edited to fix a minor issue I found last night. Whoops!)

I own the story, not the characters or the setting. "DAMN!"

BitterSweet 16

Raijin's off-key singing informed everyone in the cafeteria that it was Fujin's birthday. She set down the coffee and buried her face in her hands, trying not to laugh. "He's such a bad singer! I wonder if the candles in a bagel this year or an omelette like last year?"

Secretly, Fujin was happy at having her birthday remembered. But she had a reputation to maintain. Raijin knew the game – after all, they'd played it for the last three years. She'd 'forget' his birthday and leave his present in his room; he'd try to embarrass her with some public display. She looked up to glare at Raijin and her jaw dropped.

"Happy Birthday, Fuj!" Raijin yelled, and stepped aside to reveal Seifer holding a beautiful birthday cake. All decorated in blues and greens, it was covered with sugared violets. Seifer grinned crookedly. "Okay, it's a little girly. But hey, no huge roses on it." When Fujin just blinked, Seifer's expression changed to one of uncertainty "Raijin okayed it," he said quietly.

After a long moment of silence, Fujin closed her mouth and looked at the other two. "MINE?" she asked uncertainly.

"Yeah!" Raijin beamed. "It is your birthday, sweet 16, ya know? Gotta be something special, right?" He took the cake from Seifer and set it on the table. "And no candles. I remember what happened last time."

"That's 'cause eggs make lousy candleholders!" Seifer chuckled as he sat down. Looking sheepish, Raijin took the remaining chair. "So," the blonde looked back at Fujin, who was trying not to smile. "Any big plans, since there's no classes today?"

Shaking her head, Fujin cut the cake into three pieces. "NEGATIVE" "Wow, this is good! Glad it was a small cake or I'd eat myself sick!" "REPORT"

Seifer shook his head with a smile. "All work and no play. Fuj, you need to unwind some time. Or are you just going to drool over chicken-boy and his new ink?"

Kicking Seifer under the table, she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "It would be so much easier if Seifer didn't despise Zell. No, what would make it easier would be if the airhead in the library did."

"He ain't good enough for ya, ya know?" Raijin shook his head. "Too much dancin' around that he calls fighting. 'Sides, he's too hyper. Not your type at all. OW!" He broke off as Fujin kicked him hard "Hey! It's true, ya know!" Raijin scooted back in his chair to be out of reach of the next kick.

Seifer just leaned back in his chair, finishing off his piece of cake. "Tell ya what, Fuj. You go take care of your 'report' this morning, and after lunch we'll head into town or something. How's that sound?"

Fujin nodded and stood up, leaving the guys to deal with the dishes. "LATER" And she headed to her room to get her notes, taking the 'scenic route' past the gym, which was unoccupied. Retrieving her papers, she went to the library. A couple of people giggled "Happy Birthday" at her, but most of them suddenly found it not-so-funny when she glared at them.

The library was nearly deserted. Fujin scanned the first set of shelves, looking for Centran history for her paper. She had found and was flipping through the first book when she heard a familiar voice at the desk.

"So she's not here at all today?"

"Nope. Sorry, Zell."

"Damn!" There was obvious disappointment in his tone. "Ah, well. I'm at the Infirmary tomorrow, so I'll try some other time."

Fujin closed the book with a heavy sigh. Looking for the next book, she was startled by Zell's voice right behind her. "So, you like your cake?"

Taking a deep breath, Fujin glance skyward before turning, expecting to face a mocking smile. The tattoo made his eager smile look even more crooked, and Fujin couldn't help smiling back. "He looks kinda puppyish like that." "DELICIOUS"

Zell's smile spread to his eyes. "Thought you would. Ma's the best baker in Balamb! She told me Raijin wanted a cake for you. I told her no frou-frou stuff. Glad I was right!"

"TH … THANKS" she stammered, wishing she was good at small talk so he'd stay a while.

He suddenly noticed the books in her hands. "Homework on your birthday? Bummer! Me? I'd do it tomorrow. But I'll let you get back to it." He turned to leave. "Oh," he looked back over his shoulder. "Happy Birthday!" Zell stuck his hands in his pockets and left, whistling quietly.

Watching him walk away for a moment, Fujin shook her head, smile fading. "Figures. He came in here to talk to her. I'm just an 'oh, hey'. I can't even be interesting for more than a couple of minutes!" She sighed and went back to her stack of notes by the computer. Opening the top book, her mind kept going back to Zell. "Wonder why his face? I mean, of all the places to get a tattoo, why make that one bigger? … No, Focus! Homework now, wonder later."

"Why not ask him?" Pandora's voice snuck in to her thoughts.

"Pan! I thought you didn't eavesdrop!"

"Sorry, but your thoughts on that young man are so loud." The GF sounded more amused than sorry. "So, like I said, why not ask why he marked his face?"

"Cause I can't do small talk, that's why." Again she tried turning her attention to the pages before her. "Besides, why make small talk with me when he can chat up a perfect little airhead who's more his type?"

"Ah, child. You humans focus too much on the unimportant. If you talked, he'd listen. You're not uninteresting."

"No? I'm sure I sound it, the way I talk! Now, if you'll butt out, I have work to do."

"Very well. Just don't forget to celebrate some time today. If you'd never been born, we never would have met."

"Good point. Thanks!" With the GF quiet and no one else to interrupt, Fujin went back to work on her report.