Chapter 3
"Morning sunshine!", Seifer ruffled through Squalls already unruly hair, earning himself a stern glare. "It's so handy having a caffeine-junky for a roomie.", he fawned with a grin, pouring himself a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
"So, any plans for today? Like, I don't know talking to your 'girlfriend'? I mean I'm not complaining I enjoy your company but you ignored her for three days straight, that's not normal couple behavior and chicken wuss is getting on my nerve also, they figured I must have taken you hostage or something.", Seifer ended his babbling with a small shrug as if to add that he does not care what others are talking about.
"I have to, don't I?", Squall sighed, swinging his cup, so small waves where emerging from the dark liquid. "Squally you're commander of SEED, have been for nearly a year already, if you don't want Rinoa near you, just kick her out.", Squall simply shrugged, taking a sip. It is not as if Rinoa had ever listened to whatever he wanted, why should she start doing so now?
"Sometimes I wonder why you're together at all. I mean you could simply break up with her and spare us all the drama.", Seifer argued, never looking away from the other, thus catching his hurt expression and feeling guilty about what he'd just said.
"Look sorry Squall I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you will feel better too, once this is over and done with."
"I know", he sighed, "it's just that.. I don't want to hurt her I guess.. I'm afraid of that conversation.", he finally admitted, averting Seifers gaze as always when he talked about personal matters.
"No one likes to have this talk, but trust me it's hurting her more if you keep procrastinating. Hey at least she will always hate me most 'cause I was the first to ever break it with her.", Seifer added smugly, but his presumptuous grin softened as soon as Squall looked him in the eye.
"But what about her powers? I was supposed to be her knight after all wouldn't it I don't know, make her go mad if she's left alone?"
"As if you two had bonded!", Seifer spat, his features changed to an emotionless mask quickly though. "Trust me you wouldn't be able to sit here with me if you were her knight. She'd seek you out, use her powers to listen in on your conversations and thoughts she'd order you to come back to her and if you try to resist... It'll only get worse.", he gulped, his hands, clenched around his mug, were fidgeting.
Squall had the pressing urge to lighten the mood, seeing this expression he knew so well from his own reflection, edged into Seifer's face, he shouldn't feel this way. He should feel like he felt the last couple of days, safe and welcome and happy.
"So how do you start a break up talk after ignoring your girlfriend for so long? Hey Rinoa guess you already suspected this, but I don't want to continue this relationship please take your ugly pillows with you?"
At this Seifer actually snorted into his mug. "Fuck princess you've got humor after all!", he beamed at Squall, who could not avert a chuckle of his own, as he watched the cold coffee run down Seifers chin. Maybe this is how it was meant to be, without Garden and Guardian Forces at least, Squall thought. He eyed Seifer several more times over the course of their breakfast, their easy banter made him temporarily forget about what was lying ahead and which consequences he might have to face in the near future.
"Tell me what happened.", Seifer demanded as they waited for the elevator.
"Well if I'm still able to I will. See you.", he sighed, as the doors slid open. He stepped into the lift and rode up to the third floor, a sour feeling of foreboding settling in his stomach. He gulped as the doors slid open once more, to reveal Rinoa, tapping her foot on the floor and having her arms crossed in front of her chest, her usually stunning features, contorted with rage.
"There you are! What got into you Squall? Why were you avoiding me?", she screeched, her face turning red from the strain already.
"Rinoa please calm d-"
"CALM DOWN? You don't tell me to calm down Leonhart! I thought we were over this! You don't ignore the people you like, least your own girlfriend!", she was spitting with rage now, stomping her feet and making wild gestures towards Squall,who felt at a loss for words.
"I needed time to think things over.", he stated weakly, his voice quavering audibly.
"But that's all you ever do! Thinking, not talking, backing out of things!"
"At least I'm not forcing things!", Squall finally snapped, his clenched fist, making his leather gloves crunch.
Rinoas eyes narrowed instantly, her brows were drawn deep, he voice dangerously calm.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I didn't want you to move here-"
"But-"
"No Rinoa it's my turn. You never listen, you rush things, you force me into things. I've tried to tell you this a year ago, when your insubordinate behavior endangered not only me or my friends but the whole world. You start fights in the middle of hallways. You wanted this relationship and started it without ever asking me about it. So I'm ending it without asking for your consent.", Squall hadn't raised his voice, his face was as calm as his tone except for his drawn brows, Rinoa however looked as though he had slapped her across the face.
"You can't just break up with me!"
"Looks like I just did.", Squall retorted indifferently while passing her on his way to his office.
"Squall wait-", he did turn around.
"Rinoa just pack your stuff and leave, please.", his voices monotone tone left Rinoa speechless, so Squall used this rare opportunity to cross the remaining distance to his office, shutting the door behind himself.
He let out a long-drawn breath but could not fend the smile that was fighting its way onto his face, he felt like a heavy weight had finally been taken off his shoulders.
Around noon, Squalls work was disrupted by a knock on his door.
"Come in!", he called out, without even looking up. Only when the scent of warm bread hit his nostrils, he lifted his face.
"Hey", he greeted the blond, nodding to the chair in front of his desk.
"Hey yourself.", Seifer said grinning, flopping down and putting a brown paper bag in front of the other.
"Burgers. But more importantly", he leaned forward, placing his chin on his crossed fingers and smirked mischievously, remembering Squall of a girl about to gossip.
His waggling his eyebrows finally broke Squalls silence.
"Okay I'll tell, just don't do that anymore. I broke up with her."
"No shit Sherlock! Chicken wuss told me hours ago, your luck Trepe's on a field trip with her Trepies and Selphie's assigned to a mission. Kinneas is maintaining a neutral stance by the way. He seems to think that you want to sow your wild oats or something."
"But if you already knew-"
"I wanna hear it from you.", he interrupted him with a exaggerated eye-roll.
"Come on Squally we're past this aren't we?", at this Squall snorted with laughter.
"That's what she said.", he explained, noticing Seifers confused look, he gave in than, rehearsing their fight and even enjoying it. Seifer really was a great audience, cursing under his breath and broaching into Squalls narration by making mean comments about Rinoa's mental health but most importantly, he gave Squall the feeling that what he had done had been the right decision.
It was long past curfew when Squall finally decided to call it a day and leave his office,thus it was no surprise that he did not run into anybody on his way.
The doors slid open, the familiar smell, that seemed to welcome him in, calmed him down immediately.
"What are you doing here?", Seifer asked grinning, leaning out of the bathroom to check the living room, toothbrush still in hand. "Rinoa quit the field, didn't she?", he clarified, seeing Squall's confused expression and the dawning comprehension.
"Right.", he answered slowly, then shrugged.
"I like it here, also I don't own sweatpants.", he answered, smiling awkwardly.
Seifer ducked back into the bathroom, only to reemerge seconds later, throwing a greyish blue bundle at Squall. "Choose something to watch while I brush my teeth.", he yelled, with, at least from the sound of it, his toothbrush back in his mouth, already.
