"I...think I've had enough." Cloud slurred. He was barely able to see the wavering individual in front of him; one who he would remember to blame all this for at more convenient time.

Seifer nodded in agreement. His head was pounding from the unforgiving throbbing of loud music in the background. He had had enough as well.

Cloud linked a loose arm around Seifer's neck to steady them both, and Seifer limply slung his arm over Cloud's shoulder to complete the unstable support.

"Let's go home…"

As they began walking, Seifer smiled and chuckled. Then he began to laugh; laugh like what Cloud had suggested was the most uproarious thing he'd ever said.

"I told you…you wouldn't be able to do it."

Cloud snickered at this as well. "I wouldn't be so quick to judge if I were you. Look at you..."

"Aw shut up… " Seifer teasingly whacked Cloud in the back of his head, but used more strength than he intended. Cloud gripped the back of his head in agony, accidentally breaking apart their rickety unity, and Seifer went crashing into carpet.

It would be a long swagger home.

The two were able to make it to the front of the room, (or what they believed to be the front) managing to collect congratulatory slaps on the back and hoots from the other guests who approved (if not encouraged) their drunken state. It was all they could do to remain standing once they reached the door.

Once in the hallway, they found that the corridors had surprisingly fresh air. They both took a moment to get their bearings straight. It took about three minutes before Cloud could decide the approximate location of the door to the outside, and another few moments for them to actually build up the momentum to take a step. To prevent collapsing from just turning corners, they enlisted the aid of the manila walls. They leaned against them and slid around until they could determine the direction they were going.

It was an awkward, but effective tactic.

The air outside smacked them in the face, but it was a good feeling. It was warm, but not too warm, and Cloud felt surprisingly good. They awkwardly made their way to their housing complex, stopping a few times to make sure they were walking on the side walk instead of the grass.

"Ugh...how much further Cloud?" Seifer said, with a slight rasp in his voice.

"Shouldn't be long."

Seifer mumbled something, and brought a hand up to his head, massaging his temples as best he could with one hand. "Ugh..my head..."

"Ngh...stop it, you're making mine hurt too..." Cloud winced. "As soon as I get home, I'm crashing."

Their laggard march continued in silence until Cloud could finally see door (or what he figured was the door). They managed to make it up the stairs and down the hall, but neither of them really understood how that feat was possible. Cloud was so grateful to see his door that he didn't care though, and he leaned against it lovingly. He suddenly frowned and looked over at the equally as inebriated individual slumped over on his shoulder.

"Oh...yeah, you." Cloud muttered.

Seifer snorted. He was in no mood to argue about his transportation home. He gnashed his teeth.

"Listen to me Cloud; I'm too drunk and too tired to go over this now. Just let me crash here for the night, and I'll be out in the morning and we can argue over it then."

"Suits me fine." Cloud said with a shrug. He wasn't in the mood to argue this matter either. All he wanted was to sleep away the rest of the week.

Leon slowly opened his eyes, hearing the murmuring of slurred speech outside his door. He frowned and rubbed his eyes and glanced over at the clock. He was not surprised. Of course it was an unreasonable hour, and of course Cloud had woken him up after he had specifically requested for him not to. He had class in the morning, and had no time to fiddle with Cloud's bad judgment.

To make matters worse, he was almost certain he heard two voices; the second of which he indisputably didn't want to deal with. Then there came the knock. With the quick jerky moves of rage building within his body, Leon got up and looked out the peep hole. It was Cloud, with a friend in toe. Seifer of course.

Groaning louder than necessary, he opened the door a crack, and glared monstrously at both individuals who were determined to disturb him.

"What?" He asked flatly.

"Leon!" Cloud slurred. "Hey, lemme in, I'm not feelin' too well, okay?"

Leon twisted his mouth into a frown. "What do you think you're doing, coming in so late? Did I not say before you left that I had class in the morning!?"

Cloud chuckled, slightly embarrassed. "Oh, yeah!"

"'Oh yeah!'" Leon mocked.

"Heh, there's a funny story that can explain all this...er, you'll love it."

"Yeah, well, why don't you tell me in the morning? I'm sure we'll all have a good laugh." He proceeded to close the door, but Cloud stopped him.

"Oh come on! I live here! You can't just not let me in! Open the door!"

"Who do you think you are coming in here so late and thinking that I'd just ignore it? What's the matter with yo–," He paused, staring in outrage. "You're drunk!"

Cloud nodded pleasantly, while Leon's anger boiled over. He should have known Seifer—couldn't be anyone else—would lure Cloud into some impossible predicament. He poked Cloud in the chest.

Seifer crinkled his nose. "Oh just open the door!"

"If you think I'm letting a couple of lushes—who have demonstrated absolutely no self control, and certainly don't have any now—into this dorm, you're out of your mind. Sleep in the hall!"

Cloud knitted his eyebrows together. "Please? Come on Leon, have a heart!"

"Yeah, come on!"

"NO!"

"Leon! Please?"

"No way!"

"You tight wad! Open the door!"

"Stop asking!"

"But–but–"

Leon placed a hand on his hip. "I tell you what. You give me one good reason why I should let you in, after what you've done to yourself, and after all the time I've wasted—time that I should have been dedicating to sleep—on you, and then we'll talk."

"Because due to the effects of alcohol, I am unable to control my actions… therefore I am incapable of not getting myself into trouble." Cloud slurred. The rather text-book answer surprised him, and couldn't help but grin.

Leon stared in amazement at Cloud, the effects of inebriety only intensified his natural stupidity, but he sighed and obliged him because he did have a point, and he didn't exactly want Cloud to sleep in the cold hallway.

He stepped aside, and waited while tapping his foot for Cloud to enter. He let him pass, but not without first making sure Cloud caught his scowl. Then, his eyes shifted direction as he stared dead at Seifer.

"Where do you think you're going?" He started to wedge him in the door.

Seifer grunted and placed his hand on the edge of the door frame.

"Move. I'm crashing here tonight."

"Absolutely not!" Leon barked. "There is no way I'm letting you stay here! Go back to your own dorm!"

"Cloud said it was fine. Just get out of the way."

"I don't care what Cloud said! In case you haven't noticed—which I wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't—he's drunk, and so are you! It's bad with just him here, but with you it'll be even worse!"

Seifer growled. If he was in no mood to deal with Cloud, then he certainly didn't want to argue with Leon. "I said move!" He pushed the back, knocking Leon off balance. It swung open as he swaggered in.

Leon backed up, slightly unnerved. "Cloud! Do something!" He looked at him, but Cloud was already planted face down onto his bed, not to be disturbed unless acted upon by an outside force.

"Cloud! Wake up!" Leon yelled. Seifer bit the inside of his cheek. There was nothing he hated more than hearing Leon scold Cloud and him. Out of all Leon's personality flaws, this one he would not tolerate.

"Ngh, Shut up!" He took a few more swaying steps forward, making Leon back up a bit more.

"Cloud!" He yelled again, not at all liking the position he was in. Seifer raked his hands through his hair, feeling the full wrath of inebriety. Listening to Leon screech his head off like a cackling pigeon wasn't helping any.

"Don't you know what shut up means?!" he cried, flailing his arm too close to the desk and knocking the lamp over on it. Leon's breath caught in his throat. Seifer growled and advanced toward him. He closed the ground between them so quickly, Leon didn't have a chance to react.

"Just keep quiet, okay? Quit all that yelling. Nothing pisses me off more than hearing you do that!"

The smell of the potent alcohol on Seifer's breath made Leon's eyes water.

"I don't want you here! Get out!" Leon's statement was indeed quieter, but he still intended it to be forceful. Hopefully it was enough to get Seifer to obey.

Seifer's back shoulder hunched loosely to the side as a frown crossed his lips.

"You're beginning to irritate me Leon."

Leon was taken off guard by this comment, but frowned and pressed on. "Are you gonna leave or am I going to have to–"

"Keep your mouth shut!" Seifer stepped forward so that Leon had no choice but to move back his back was up against the far wall nearest his bed.

A cool line of sweat dripped down the side of Leon's neck as he felt the cold wall. His eyes darted left and right, but Seifer's stayed locked on. Cloud was still lying on his bed. Maybe if he could just get Cloud's attention, then... He took a deep breath.

"Clou–"

Seifer roughly clamped a hand over Leon's mouth and part of his chin, latching on tightly until he could feel the back of Leon's head grinding into the wall.

"There you go with the screaming again!"

Leon whimpered. He felt heat rising off his skin in contrast to the cold chills. It sent icy waves through his muscles and made his hairs stand on end. He could hear his heart thumping in his ears, drowning out the silence of the standstill. His breath quickened as Seifer stared at him for slowly passing seconds. Finally, his grip on Leon's face tightened, and he swiftly pushed him to the floor, knocking Leon's teeth together.

Hand still locked on, Seifer muttered something barely audible.

Leon's eyes widened. He pushed his hands against Seifer's chest in an effort to free himself and somehow get Cloud's attention. But Seifer used his other hand and pushed it back down onto the floor next to his head. Leon's other hand still pushed defiantly against Seifer's chest, but it was too weak to push him off. Soon he was pined down, completely helpless.

"Wait! No...Please!" the muffled words fell on deaf ears as Seifer grinded his teeth together and wrenched away Leon's clothes.