Chapter 2
While it might have taken Squall a couple of days to get accustomed to Seifer's new guarddog-behavior he could not pretend to dislike this caring attitude towards himself.
He also could not deny that it did him very good, the time he spent with Seifer was time away from his work and all those social obligations. The other seemed to expect nothing from him in return and while it was hard to explain the feeling, harder even to name it, Squall slowly learned to link it to the blond.
"Developing an oral fixation now?", Squall looked up at the door – he had given Seifer his access code some days ago to refrain him from breaking into his office – pen still in his mouth.
"I was just thinking.", he muttered, while Seifer spread what he had brought for breakfast on his desk.
"More like zoning out from the look on your face", he mocked, handling the other a large cup of steaming dark roast.
"Careful it's very hot.", he advised whilst handing out Tupperware containers as well.
Squall cleared his files away, then sat down, taking sips of his coffee and watching the other prepare everything, it was like having a picnic in his office, only the checkered table cloth was missing, he joked smiling slightly.
"What's the matter? Did I miss something?", Squall shook his head.
"Just thinking."
"Nothing out of the ordinary than.", Seifer dropped into the chair opposite Squalls desk.
"Tuck in princess.", Squall scowled but did not say anything about the nickname he had grown accustomed to them as well it seemed, he definitely preferred them over Rinoas terrible names for him, what 17 year old called her boyfriend darling? She tried so hard to act all sophisticated in public that she overdid it be light years.
He picked at his scrambled eggs while sinking deeper into the thoughts about Rinoa and her latest escapades.
A piercing clang tore him from his musings, Seifer had but down his fork onto the glass surface of his desk a bit harshly, checking it for damage just then, finding none and redirecting his focus onto Squall.
"What's bothering you Squally?", he asked no mock but concern in his voice.
The brunet shrugged, putting his fork aside as well.
"Rinoa's behaving strange lately.", he stated finally after taking his time to think about how to phrase or even approach the matter.
Seifer usually acted kinda strange when it came to the Caraway offspring, Squall assumed that Seifer could still have feelings for her, as they used to date the summer before the war.
"More strange than usual you mean?", the other tried to joke, it did not help to ease the mood however.
Another shrug followed, as Squall tried to put what was putting him on edge into a coherent sentence.
"She's going on and on about closing the distance between us and that she won't put up with my ignoring her all the time much longer 'cause it's not working out the way she wants this to. I don't even know what's gotten into her.", he had picked up his fork again, stabbing a piece of egg harshly and glaring at it.
"Maybe you got her knocked up.", Seifer did not look at him as he muttered his response, this way he did not see Squall flush scarlet, hurrying to recollect his composure.
"She couldn't be", he whispered, clearly uncomfortable with the course this conversation had taken.
Seifer perked up at that however. "Why not? Things happen.", he tried to play it cool but his waggling leg gave his curiosity away.
"Whatever.", Squall took on his usual defiant tone. "If her well being interest you that much, maybe you two should get back together, you'd have my blessings as I seem to be to well..I can't do relationships.", he ended rather abruptly.
Seifer however wore a genuine smile. "No need thanks, I'm not into réchauffé.", Squall did not get it but left it at that.
They ate silently after that, once everything was empty they started to tidy the desk so Squall could resume his work. "See you for dinner then.", was he imagining things or did Seifers hand linger longer than usual on his shoulder?
Around noon, Squall took a stroll to his quarters, he wanted to shower before attending the meeting Quistis had set up with some foreign clients. Just as he was about to enter his code, he noticed that his door wasn't closed properly.
Carefully he slid it open, peeking into his living room. Or what used to be his living room, he certainly hadn't bought those frilly pink cushions, wasn't that Angle's dogbed?
Swallowing his wrath he made his way to the bathroom, at least the intruder did not seem to be there right now. He assumed the worst as his nose itched with the sweet smell of artificial flowers, he switched on the light anyways and took in the unfamiliarity of what used to be his safe haven.
His belongings were crammed into the farthest corner to make room for several colorful boxes and pens and sprays and unnecessary stuff really. Squall felt a dull pain rising behind his eyes, the usual migraine, that followed after every little liability, he didn't feel able to handle or avert himself.
He took a few deep breaths to calm the rising nausea, told himself that he was exaggerating and took his shower like he had intended to when he first entered his rooms.
He made it quick however, feeling on edge as if he had to flee from a hostile camp. After getting dressed in fresh clothes, he grabbed his emergency backpack, which was always packed and ready for spontaneous missions, this one might become one of the hardest he ever had to face though.
Squall made his way back to his office in a half jog, trying to avoid everything and everyone as good as possible. Luckily he had been able to end the meeting quite early as he had decided that those people, trying to hire SEEDs for their company, were not to trust.
Robbing the earth of it's energy depicting it to be the Perpetuum mobile, green energy they called it. He would certainly have an eye on the developments Shinra Inc. would make in the future. But for now he had his own catastrophe going on and to avert any confrontation, he simply had to lock the door behind him, mute his intercom and bury himself in all the work he could possibly find.
Several people had knocked on his door, had tried to call him out but he had ignored them all. Seifer had come by several times as well and even though he missed the blondes presence by now he was afraid that he would have to justify his actions before him.
Besides Seifer hadn't stopped by for several hours anyways, most likely Squall had managed to once again push everyone away.
He sighed and rubbed his sore neck, the old leather couch, Cid had left behind, was to run down to even compare it to anything resembling comfortable. His office also may have hold some rations now, but still no bathroom application, as there were restrooms installed on each floor for general use.
Squall took a look at the old grandfather clock in the far right corner, another piece of furniture left by his predecessor. It was nearing zero zero thirty hours, so he had managed to hole up for 34 hours straight what an achievement. Maybe he could risk the short walk to the bathroom? He could take the left route along the circular hallway, that way he would not have to cross his quarters.
He shifted slightly in his chair, then threw another glance at the clock as if expecting the carved in Guardian Forces to give some advice. They did not of course, so he slowly stood up, crossed his office and stopped for a moment to listen for footsteps before opening the door and jostling the one sitting across from it awake.
"So you're still alive at least.", Seifer groaned, wiping his face with his right hand.
"What are you doing here?", Squall demanded in a whisper.
"Waiting for you obviously.", Seifer stood up then, giving Squall a concerned once over.
"So I sorta get why you felt like entrenching yourself, I kinda hoped you'd get that you can come to me whenever you feel troubled tho'. Otherwise you'd probably die from either thirst or kidney failure one of these days.", Squall felt strange listening to Seifers words, seeing that small smirk that always fought its way through no matter how serious the conversation.
"I didn't want to-"
"You don't Squally. Whatever you're about to say just don't. Let me help you for a change.", Squall averted his eyes, he could not stand those piercing eyes and settled for Seifers forehead instead.
"Come with me then.", Seifer offered, taking the silence for a positive response. "At least my couch is extendable it'll be way more comfortable to kip on it then that old rug of yours."
He did not shrug off the leading hand on his shoulder and so once again allowed Seifer to steer him into the right direction away from the abyss of his own mind.
"You have the master keycard so you can come and go as you like.", Seifer told Squall while unlocking his door. Squall nodded, then followed Seifer into his quarters. Seifer might never had made SEED but Squall had thought it wiser to appoint him private rooms given his reputation.
"You want something to eat? I could cook while you use the bathroom, shower and everything, I can wash your clothes as well if you'd like to I can lend you something to sleep in. Just leave your stuff outside the bathroom, I've got a spare toothbrush somewhere in the cabinet just suit yourself.", Squall did not know how to answer all that at once so he settled for something he had wanted to ask for a few weeks now: "Where did you pick up how to cook? All I can do is heating whatever's inside the can." "Well you can only have so many social hours, serving in the cafeteria, before you get the knack of cooking.", Seifer joked, while collecting everything he'd need from his various kitchen cabinets. Squall left him to it and went into the narrow bathroom, which, to his delight, did not smell chemically sweet but of sea air that came in trough the open window.
"Umm could you lend me something then?", Squall stood in the doorframe, clutching on a towel, wrapped around his waist, while watching Seifer bend over a steaming pot.
Seifer seemed to have momentarily forgotten about him, from the look on his face, but regained his composure quite quickly.
"Of course wait here, could you stir the sauce please?", he somehow managed to scramble around Squall and onto the hall. A minute later he came back with a heap of clothing in his arms.
"Choose whatever you're comfortable with.", he said awkwardly holding it out to Squall, who took it nodding. "Thanks.", he mumbled before making a beeline back into the bathroom.
He eyed himself in the mirror, his reflection looked several years younger then he felt, in those to big clothes, or maybe he looked his own age for a change? Shaking his head slightly, he decided to not ponder over things now or Seifer might get worried what took him so long. Squall stroked the wet strands, clinging to his forehead out of his face and took a deep breath, to relax, noticing for the first time the familiar smell, that clung to the clothes he wore. A slight smile spread across his chapped lips as he subconsciously took in another breath.
"Dinner's ready!", Seifers voice tore him from his musings, he hurriedly picked up the spare clothes and exited the bathroom.
"Where should I put these?", he asked awkwardly, nodding to his laden arms.
"Just drop them onto my bed while I set the table." Seifers bedroom, the last room in Seifers 'home', how could he willingly give away his privacy to him while he experiences a personal crisis as soon as his own privacy is so much as scratched? He had to mentally scold himself once again, he would not start drifting off into self-doubts while being so exposed.
Squall quickly dropped of the clothes and returned to the living area, taking a seat on the couch.
"Here you go.", Seifer placed a full plate in front of him, before sitting down beside the other with his own serving in hand. He watched Squall pick up his fork and roll up a few spaghetti, face screwed up in concentration.
"You wanna watch some TV? Or would you rather talk about what's bothering you?", a shrug followed his question.
Seifer stretched for the remote on the desk, smiling softly "TV it is then."
