A/N: It's the dead of the night and I had an insane plot bunny attack me as I was browsing some theme challenge LJ communities (I seriously want to take up another challenge – this time Haylette XD), and when I found the 201sttimes comm, I was looking over the list and could only get an idea for one of them. (Okay fine, I could get it for some of them, but I don't think I can commit myself to making any more challenges – I'll wait until I finish my others. XD)

SO. Here's my first Hayner/Olette (although technically the chapter I just posted of Reincarnation hints towards it XD)! Huzzah for under-supported pairings I ended up supporting.

Bleh, there's just angst oozing from every side of this – but it ends with fluff! …that's a good thing, right?

breakdown

When Hayner and Olette were the only two in the Usual Spot, no one had expected it for tears to be shed or confessions to be blurted out. It was just expected to be quite awkward.

Pence had long since returned home because his parents dragged him off to a relative's wedding.

A silence filled the air after the two friends had said their goodbyes to Pence; they hadn't really talked in a long time.

There was that one independent study thing that had happened before summer had ended, but that was all they pretty much talked about anymore – school.

"So…how're your grades?" Hayner asked, trying to strike up a conversation with the brunette.

Olette put on a small smile, "They're okay…yours?"

"The usual. Yeah, I'm failing every class again."

Olette chuckled a bit, "Work harder, Hayner!"

Hayner smiled, "Why don't you tutor me, huh?"

Olette felt a slight pain poking at her in her chest, right where her heart was.

That's all he'll ever need from you, help in school and the like. she thought sadly.

The girl had tried to tutor her blond friend before, but failed miserably last time. Lost in thought, Olette had forgotten to even answer Hayner's question.

"Olette? I asked you a question," Hayner said, waving a hand in front of Olette's face to get her attention.

"Huh? Oh – sorry…was just…thinking," Olette smiled slightly again.

Hayner gave her a curious look.

"About?"

Olette looked to the ground, and replied, "Nothing much…"

Hayner grinned brightly, "You can tell me what it is!"

"You'll laugh at me – or you'll think I'm weird…"

"I won't! C'mon Olette, just tell me!" Hayner attempted to persuade her, looking her square in the face.

Olette finally noticed how close their faces were.

"I-I just c-can't…" she stammered.

"I promise I won't laugh."

Olette bit her lip, then finally blurted out, "I like you."

Hayner laughed, "I like you too! C'mon, we're friends – we're supposed to like each other!"

But Olette wasn't laughing, not even a chuckle. When noticing that Olette was biting her lip again, Hayner stopped laughing, and finally noticed the tears that were beginning to brim in Olette's brown eyes.

"I didn't mean it that way…I like you, Hayner," she began, her voice wavering.

She began to dig her slender fingers into the tattered couch she was sitting on.

"For the past three years, I've been throwing myself at you, helping you whenever you needed it…but you ne-never noticed, just focused your-yourself on picking fi-fights with Seifer's ga-gang…"

She couldn't hold her tears back any longer.

"I did ev-everything for you, bu-but you always saw it as the nor-normal 'Olette-ish' thing to do…"

Hayner was speechless.

"I tr-tried to stop my-myself from fe-feeling this wa-way…be-because I know you, Ha-Hayner…you wou-wouldn't even no-notice it…because yo-you're Hayner…"

Hayner just stared at the brunette he'd known practically his entire life. She was so strong and brave, so smart and talented. She'd always helped him when he was in a rut, yet right now, she was sitting there in front of him, bawling her eyes out over him…

"I-I'm so sorry, Olette…"

Olette began to wipe the tears that were streaking down her cheeks away with the back of her hands.

"You shouldn't be sorry for something that's not your fault…"

Hayner shook his head.

"Maybe it is my fault…I'd never quite appreciated you – ever. Olette…I…"

He paused for a moment.

"I…also like you."

The blonde scooped Olette up in a hug while she was still stunned by what Hayner had said.

"Ha-Hayn…"

The brunette's stammer faded away as Hayner pressed his lips onto hers. It was short and hadn't gone anywhere, but it felt like time had just stopped for that small moment.

Pence wasn't too surprised to find out that his best friends had ended up making their relationship official when he had returned back to Twilight Town.

A/N: Short, sweet, and to the point – much like my friend's student council speeches (except she says to repeat your name a lot XD). xDD

Review please! I'll give you a damn Pop Tart!