The Transience of Memory Ch.7

The Transience of Memory Ch.7

Axel x Roxas and Hayner x Seifer

Author’s notes:
This is an extra special Double Chapter! Chapter… chapter….
See? It’s so special it echoes. Ha! I dedicate it to all the Hay /Seif fans, new and old. I love you all. I also love, to the depths of my depraved little heart, all of you who reviewed, and those of you who emailed! You. all. ROCK! Hardcore like. :*

beforewarned: MAJOR YAOI stuff happening in this chapter!


Chapter  7:


Ah. Morning. Seifer could already feel the light trying to burn his eyes. Why hadn’t he gotten around to putting something up on the windows to block it out? He raised a hand to his eyes, to shield them, but found his arm wouldn’t move. Odd. He cracked open an eye and found himself lying on the couch, inexplicably intertwined with his guest.

He blinked, looking down at the other boy. Hayner’s head was resting on his chest, a hand tucked close to his face. Seifer could feel his breath on his skin, and the heat of their naked torsos where they touched. He was wedged between Seifer and the back of the couch, every inch of his body pressed against him. He remembered casually draping his arm about Hayner’s shoulders once the other boy had fallen asleep, but not how they had gotten like this. One of Hayner’s legs was thrown over his, canting their hips closely together. His mind helpfully supplied a stream of images of other reasons for them to be in such close quarters. Not that he would normally mind, but right now, it was torturous.  

Seifer looked down on him, watching him sleep. He was so serene like that; it was a shame he’d have to disturb him.

He nonchalantly shook Hayner awake, gently, so he could disentangle himself. The blonde was a complete deadweight. Seifer shifted, pulling himself out from under the other boy. Hayner’s eyes creaked open he slid off bonelessly, mumbling and ending with his face in the couch and an arm hanging over the edge.


********


Hayner awoke to a sizzling sound, and something that smelled like food. His stomach rumbled angrily, as he drug himself into a sitting position. There was a light on in the only other room of the apartment, which must be the kitchen. He felt ravenous.

Hayner shuffled across the carpet and onto the cold tile of the kitchen. His movements were sluggish, and his head felt fuzzy, but he located the source of the noise without too much difficulty. There was a skillet on the stovetop. Actually, there were a few. Seifer was lounging in front of the stove, spatula held loosely in his hand.

Seifer looked up. The blonde looked cute all rumpled and sleepy. He smiled. “I made extra. Want some?”

Hayner crept over to the stove, peering at the skillet, regarding its contents as if they were close to becoming one of the great Mysteries of the world. His stomach growled. He nodded sleepily. “You can cook?”

“Well, yeah. I live alone,” he gestured to indicate the usually apartment. “Had to learn.”    

“Me too… mostly. But I just get things I can put in the microwave, or I eat out,” he yawned widely, partially covering his mouth with his hand.

Seifer chuckled. “It’s amazing you can stay in shape like that.”

“Roxas is the same way.”  

“Must be something in the water,” he mused.

Hayner leaned against the counter, watching the sure movements of Seifer’s hands as he flipped the eggs and other items that were on the stove. “Hey, um…” Hayner frowned. His brain was not up to functioning speed yet. He needed something caffeinated. He tried again, “You know, I kinda fell asleep during the movie last night…” he trailed off. He was going to ask if they could finish it later, but suddenly found himself wondering if Seifer realized he’d fallen asleep on him last night. It seemed such a weird thing to have happened.   

“So I noticed,” the older boy replied casually. “I had to pry you off of me, so I could get up this morning.”

Hayner flushed with embarrassment, now faintly recalling this morning. Hadn’t Seifer had to shake him awake so he could get up? Somehow, in the night, he’d ended up *laying* on him! And he hadn’t had the presence of mind to even apologize for it, he’d just gone right back to sleep. “Oh, well, sorry about that,” he mumbled hurriedly. Best to just move on to the reason he brought that up in the first place. “But I really liked what I saw of the movie… I was wondering if maybe we could watch the rest later?”

“Don’t you want to just borrow it then?”

“I don’t know when I’d get it back to you… Besides, the noise would probably bother my grandma. All her other senses are failing her, but her hearing is still sharp.”

Seifer tried to keep his expression from changing as the meaning behind the words hit him. So, he was right. After this, it was all over. Maybe things wouldn’t go back to exactly how they were before, but it would be pretty close. “It’s cool, I don’t mind watching it again. I think I fell asleep before you anyway.”

Hayner smiled. “I’d never heard of it before… Where did you come across it?”

“I think Xavier showed it to me a few years ago.” Yeah, that was one way of putting it. Xavier was such a sneaky little bastard, you almost had to admire him for it. “Oh, eggs are done. Grab me some plates out of that cabinet, over there,” he pointed.

Hayner grabbed the topmost two of the stack. They were surprisingly heavy, but a pleasing blue color. “What are these made out of? They’re heavy.”

“They’re stoneware. It’s a type of clay. The folks used to go around buying stuff like that, and somehow I ended up with it.”

“I like it,” Hayner said, handing Seifer one plate, and flipping the other one over. He could see what looked like grains of sand peeking out through the coloring of the glaze, though the surface was smooth. It was more concentrated in the beige-grey of the uncolored base of the plate. The rough texture and coloring seemed to be a part of the clay. How weird.  

Seifer popped the plate out of his hands, and started piling it with eggs, sausage links, and hash browns. “Grab the OJ out of the fridge, wouldya?”

“Sure.” Hayner pulled on the handle, and surveyed the foreign interior of a refrigerator stocked with real food. Amazing. He wrestled the orange juice jug out from behind a gallon of milk, and swung the door closed.

Seifer indicated another cabinet before he had the chance to ask about glasses, obviously preoccupied with retrieving bread from the toaster. He opened the door, expecting more ceramics, but instead, there was an assortment of tall plastic cups. Huh.

He set the jug on the counter, pouring the juice into each of the brightly colored cups. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Seifer turning all the dials for the stove top to off. Their plates were already sitting on the small wooden table. Damn, it looked good. Everything was so hot, it was still steaming. He couldn’t remember that last time he’d eaten food like this, made by someone he actually knew. It was touching. It reminded him of what home used to feel like before he’d had to start living with Nanna.

“You coming?” Seifer asked. He was already sitting, elbows on the table, a fork poised halfway to his mouth.

“Heh. Sorry. I think I was dozing off there.” He threw the jug of OJ back into the fridge and pulled up his chair.

“Are you one of those people that need caffeine in the morning just to function?” Seifer asked as he started to eat.

“It helps.” He looked up, brown eyes hopeful. “You have anything here?”

Seifer shook his head, and swallowed. “We could get something out, though. I just don’t drink coffee very often.”

“Hmmm.” He stacked some egg precariously on a piece of toast. “You mind if we go to Rosalie’s? That’s where I usually go when I can’t stand the instant stuff anymore.” He took a large bite, somehow keeping the rest of the eggs from toppling off.

“It’s fine with me.”

Hayner bit off another piece of his modified egg sandwich. Oh, it was good! He quickly chewed through that bite, and swallowed, grabbing a sausage link. This was better than Rosalie’s food. Who knew thugs could cook?

“Thanks for making me food too, Seifer, it’s reeeeeally good!” Now the potatoes were under attack. Ah! Everything was so delicious!

“No problem.” It must be, with the way he was putting it away. Funny, but this might just be the first time he’d ever made anything for anyone. It made him kind of happy to see Hayner demolishing the food with such enthusiasm.


***


They had just left Rosalie’s when Seifer’s cell phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket. It was metallic red and extremely thin, its ‘ring’ was more of a clicking or pulsing tone than the typical melodies people used. He flipped it open, and held it up to his ear. “Yeah?” he answered.

Seifer listened for a few minutes, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He had the skully on again. It made him look less like a put-upon friend, and more like a seasoned mafia man who was regretfully about to kill an inept someone, out of compassion.  “I know. Yeah.”

Hayner could faintly hear the tinny voice on the other end, periodically, but he couldn’t make out what it was saying.

“Well, can’t you take care of it?” he said impatiently.

Hayner wondered who it was, what they were talking about. Seifer was starting to pace like some kind of caged jungle cat. He could almost see a tail lashing back and forth angrily.

The gang leader sighed explosively. “Are you sure it can’t wait?” Seifer was definitely sounding irritated now.  There was more tinny gibbering from the other end of the line. “Fine. Fine. I’ll be there. Just give me a few minutes.” He snapped the phone shut and thrust it back into his pocket.

“Problems?” Hayner asked.

“You think they could handle a simple-” he started with frustration, before waving it away. “Nevermind that.” He thought for a moment. “Listen, I have to take care of something. Can you do me a favor?”

“Uh- okay.” He was still a gofer for the rest of the day, wasn’t he? Still, it was nice of him to ask instead of demand.

Seifer pulled out his keys, and started working one off of the ring. “I need you to buy some masking tape or something that’ll hold up tin foil. That hardware store on 5th would have it. Here,” He tossed the key to Hayner. “That’s the key for my place. I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

Hayner quirked a brow. “What are you gonna do with tape and tin foil?”

“Not me,” he smiled. “This is your official gofer duty of the day.  Put that stuff up on the windows and block out the damn sun.”  

“Oh,” that made sense. The windows did face east and the morning sun had been unholy hell on his tired eyes. “You have enough foil?”

“I think so. It’d be in the kitchen.” He fished out some money. “This ought to cover it.”


Hayner took the cash. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he’d heard Seifer mutter something under his breath as he left that sounded like ‘goddamn punks’.

He shrugged and headed over to 5th Street. There was a surprising lack of people on the cobblestone street at this hour. Hordes of people usually swarmed this older district at all hours. But, it was nice to be able to walk without being jostled. The iron streetlights lined the sides of the road like rail-thin sentinels maintaining the peace. And without all the normal commotion, he could actually hear the wind rustling through the trees.

His journey was a lot shorter than he’d anticipated. He soon found himself at the entrance to Handy Dandy Hardware. Who picked these names? he wondered as he pushed the door open.

“Hayner!” someone greeted as the bells on the door rang.

He looked up, surprised. “Oh, hey, Zane,” he smiled and nodded to the boy at the counter. “I didn’t know you worked here.”

“Gotta feed my drug habit, you know,” he joked. “What are you looking for?”

“Just tape. Something I can use to put some tinfoil up on my windows.”

“Head toward the back, right down that aisle,” he pointed vaguely.

“Thanks.” Hayner wondered why sales people always gave such ambiguous directions. Maybe it made their jobs more entertaining when they could watch people graciously thank them for their help then wander helplessly, still very lost but afraid to ask for more assistance. Huh.

So, it looked like he had pointed down this aisle, but all he saw was drill bits, power tools, nails and stuff. Dammit, Zane.

“Need help?”

“Yeah, I-” Hayner was saying as he turned. Jade green eyes regarded him seriously. Bo worked here too?? He had the store’s apron on over his jeans and shirt. A black bandanna hid his wildly purple hair.

Hayner felt a momentary brush of unease. He could still hear that whispered voice in his ear ‘Are you sure you’re not taken?’ “I-I’m looking for tape,” he finished, discomfited. How did you deal with friends that hit on you? It was awkward, and he didn’t know if it was going to happen again.

“Hi, to you too,” Bo sounded chagrined. “Follow me, you’re in the wrong place.”

He lead Hayner past paint buckets and brushes and somehow to the adhesive stuff area.
Bo asked him questions about what he needed it for, and very professionally determined which product he needed.

“Listen, Hayner,” Bo said as he handed him the tape. “I’m sorry about the other day. I had had too much to drink.” He looked sort of embarrassed. “I don’t usually do stuff like that. Especially to friends.”

“It’s ok, I guess.” As long as you don’t do something like that again.
   
“I was an ass. I’m really, really sorry.” Bo seemed to sense the reluctance with which his first apology was received. “I want to stay friends, but I understand if you don’t want to…” he trailed off hesitantly.

Oh damn. Now he was starting to feel bad. He really liked the crazy mohawked boy, he was fun. And if he was really just too drunk to think things through back then, how could he hold that against him? “Nah, it’s not that big a deal,” he brushed it off like he really believed that.

“Thanks, man,” Bo smiled his haphazard grin, green eyes lighting up. “Hey, look-  I’ll make it up to you, alright?”

Hayner laughed. “Whatever.”

They ambled up to the register. Zane smiled as they approached. “You free to hang out later, Hayner?” the brunette asked.

“What time?”

“Maybe 5:30p or so?”

“Hmmm. I’m not sure. I might be tied up all day.”

“Doing what, exactly?” Bo inquired.

Hayner sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“Are you seeing Seifer today?” Zane wheedled. Was the blonde busy because he was seeing Seifer?

“Is that any of your business?” Hayner asked pointedly. God this was digressing into 20 questions or something.

“Well, if you do, can you extend the invite?” the brunette continued amicably, as he rang up the transaction.

“Hey, if you can’t today, maybe some other time?” Bo suggested.

“Yeah, that’d be fine.”

“Can I get your number then?” The bandanna wearing boy asked casually, handing Hayner a pen.  

“Ah, sure.” He scribbled it on the back of the receipt and handed it to the green-eyed boy. “I don’t have a cell, so this is my house line,” he explained. He picked his bag up off the counter. “I gotta go. See you round.”

“See you, Hayner.” Bo said to his back as the bells signaled his exit.

He tucked the paper into his pocket and turned to Zane. “Good save, but that was such an obvious dig for information.”

Zane shrugged. “What about you? I know you wondered if they’d be together today, too.” He pinned Bo with a calculating look. “How’d you get him to talk to you again after that sunscreen thing, anyway?”

“I told him I was too drunk to know what I was doing. Then I apologized profusely.”

“Ha! That’s a good one! You’re never too drunk to know what you’re doing! Besides, you’d only had 2 beers by then.”

“Well, he didn’t know that. And what was I supposed to say?” Bo gestured with agitation and continued, mocking himself in a deep voice, “Hi again. Sorry I hit on you before, but I really like you. Wanna hook up?”

“Okay, maybe not.” Zane agreed. “Direct doesn’t seem to be the right approach for him anyway.” He smirked “I’m surprised Seifer didn’t kick your ass for that. He looked like he wanted to.”

“Yeah, well, there were witnesses. And you only knew what I did since I told you. Seifer seemed to just know by telepathy or something.”  

“You’re in dangerous territory with that one, my friend,” the brunette warned him, his hazel eyes serious.

“I know.” He glared. “I can tell there’s something going on between them, but nothing has happened yet. But, I can’t let it go if there is still a chance. I just… really do like Hayner.”

“I admit that I’m hoping you’ll find away to win him over. Maybe then Seifer would be open to taking up with someone else. Not that I think that’s very likely.” Zane ran a hand through his wavy brown hair, “God. I know Seifer’s just messing around with me, but I can’t help wondering what it would be like with him.”

“And you usually go for the cute, harmless types. This has to be a first,” Bo teased.  

“Second,” he corrected. “You’re not cute or harmless, and I went for you before.”   

“Then what type am I?” he leaned over the counter expectantly.

Zane crossed his arms, unwilling to stoke his friend’s ego. Bo knew he was good-looking. Cute didn’t describe him at all though, his face was too angular, and his eyes weren’t innocent in the least. “You’re crazy, and indecent. You’re the type that gives me psychological pain.”

“How flattering,” he grinned. “Is that what came between us?”

“Among other things.” he rolled his eyes. “Friendship with you is about all I can handle.”

“Hmn. I’m glad for that though,” he said thoughtfully. “You’re one of the only people that didn’t abandon me just cuz we weren’t sleeping together anymore.”

“I still care about you, jackass.  I just can’t stay sane with you.” He punched Bo in the shoulder, a half smile on his face. “You need to torment someone who’s a little more helpless. Though I’m not sure Hayner falls in that category.”

“Probably not. I always seem to pick what isn’t best for me.”



*****

Hayner decided to stop by his house before going back to Seifer’s to do the windows. He let himself in, and headed up to his room.

“Hayner~?”

Hayner stopped, his hand on the railing. “Yes?”

“Would you come here for a minute?” his grandmother called out frailly.

He went back down the stairs, and through the hall that went past the kitchen. His Grandmother’s room was the master suite just beyond that. He poked his head around the door. “Did you need something, Nanna?” She was propped up in her reading chair, staring out the window. Her white hair was gathered in a loose plait down her back. A large print book was lying open, forgotten, on her lap.

She looked up, and beckoned him closer. “I haven’t seen you in a while, baby. Let me look at you,” she reached for his hand.  “Where have you been?”

“Ah, hanging out with Roxas and stuff, mostly.” It was hard to lie to those kindly brown eyes. But, he couldn’t tell her that he was in temporary slavery to a gangster, even if he said it was a nice gangster. She’d get upset. “We’ve been skateboarding and we went to the beach the last two days. I made a few new friends while playing volleyball there.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear. I always thought you were so good at that,” she smiled at him.

“Maybe I’ll start playing again,” he mused. “It was fun.”

“Have you gotten thinner?” she asked suddenly, fussing with his loose borrowed shirt.

“I- no.” He tried to come up with a plausible excuse for not wearing his own clothes.

“Well, these aren’t your clothes, are they?” She frowned. “They’re so big. And not very flashy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a plain white T-shirt before.”

“I spent the night at Roxas’ house, so I had to borrow something.”

“He’s a small boy like you.” Her brow furrowed. “Where did he get such big clothes?”

“I don’t know, Nanna. He must have let his laundry go, because this was all he had to give me. I came home to get something that’d fit.”  

“I’ll let you get back to it then.” She gave his hand a final pat, and released it. “But come tell me where you are going more often, dear, you know I worry.”

He knew that. It made him feel guilty. “Are you sure I can’t get you anything?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you refresh my tea?”

“Sure, Nanna.” He took her empty cup and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead, before leaving the room.

Ten minutes later and he was back on the stairs, heading up to his room for the second time. He grabbed a change of clothes from his dresser, and went down the hall to the bathroom to take a shower.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror, making himself grimace. His hair was rebelling mightily, sticking up in every direction. This was why he always put gel in it. Controlled chaos was preferable to unrestrained chaos. And the clothes were terrible. He was swimming in them, making him look like a little kid in adult’s clothing. Bleh. He couldn’t believe he’d been out in public looking like this! He cast off the offending garments, and stepped into the shower.


*****

Within the half hour, he was on his way to the thug’s apartment. Hopefully, he would be gone long enough for him to start on the windows. If not, oh well. It was worth the risk to get proper clothes. He ended up with dark green shorts, similar to his camo pants. He also wore a black T-shirt that said, mysteriously, “no, rubber potato.” in sketchy blue-grey text.

Roxas had gotten it for him for Christmas last year, and his first impression of the thing had been less than pleasing. But, somehow it had grown on him. He’d ended up making a game out of counting the number of odd looks he received while wearing it. It was good for a laugh. Roxas knew him well after all; however, he was still devising a way to get back at him for such a weird gift. Wherever had he found the thing, anyway?

He arrived at Seifer’s apartment and pulled the key out, letting himself in. It looks like he beat him here; which was a good thing, since Seifer had given him his only key. He’d hate to have come back to find the thug waiting on his own doorstep, locked out.

Okay then. Tinfoil.


Seifer arrived a little later, looking quite vexed. He slammed the door, making Hayner drop the roll of thin metallic light-blocker. It made a flurry of crinkly whooshy noises as it fell.

Seifer looked over at him. “Went home and showered, huh? Good idea.” He disappeared into his room, and soon the sound of running water reached Hayner’s ears.

It was rather loud. Had he left both doors open? Hayner tiptoed to the doorway, and craned his neck cautiously. The bathroom door was half open. It was hinged to open out into the room, and towards the bedroom door, so the bathroom was shielded, except for the thin strip between the door and its frame.

He saw movement suddenly, through the opening. A flash of white, and the trench coat was flung out into the room. It was quickly followed by the black of Seifer’s shirt. He got a glimpse of a muscled back before he realized what he was doing. He wrenched himself away from the doorway, his heart beating fast and loud. What in the hell was wrong with him? Who cares if the door’s open? That doesn’t mean you have to go watch!   

He resumed his struggles with the tinfoil, ignoring the impulse to go back to the doorway. This was seriously disturbing. Thank god he already finished the window in there already.

Hayner was putting the finishing touches on the Living room window, when Seifer came back out. His blonde hair was disheveled and wet, falling into his eyes. A pair of dark brown cargo pants rode low on his hips. Stop looking! He told himself vehemently.

“Done already?” the gang leader asked, walking past him into the kitchen.

“Yeah, just about.”

Seifer returned, handing him a cold bottled water. “Looks good,” he said, cracking his open and taking a drink. “I’ve been meaning to do that for a while now, thanks.”

Hayner opened his own bottle, and took a swig. “Sure. I sorta owed you anyways.” He tipped his bottle at Seifer. “You haven’t been making me do stuff lately.”   

“I’m sure I could come up with something if you’re that desperate to do work.” Seifer said slyly.

“Jerk. You know what I mean.” He poured a little water into his hand and flicked it at the miscreant.

“Don’t start stuff you can’t finish, shrimp,” He said as he ran a hand slowly down his chest and stomach, the blonde’s eyes following the motion. He wiped the excess water on his pants. “You want to watch the rest of Boondock Saints?”

“Okay.” Hayner tore his gaze away from Seifer’s torso, berating his own odd behavior, and went to put the movie on. He started it near the beginning, since he wasn’t quite sure where they’d left off last time.

Seifer sat towards one end of the couch, giving him room this time. The room was pleasantly dark even though the sun was still up, thanks to the tinfoil. Hayner sat as near to the middle as he could without crowding the other boy, so he could see the movie better.

The two main characters, attractive youngish Irish guys, were crusading against the evils of the Russian and Italian mafia in their hometown of Boston, believing themselves to be on a mission from god.

They learn of a meeting of Russian syndicate bosses at a Boston hotel. Wearing masks and carrying a variety of weapons and tools, the two brothers crawl through the ventilation ducts of the hotel and accidentally crash through the ceiling into the middle of the mob gathering. It was unreal. They argued about whose fault it was while they squirmed, suspended in an undignified manner. All eyes were on them in disbelief. The shock eventually wore off, and the men started to go for their guns.

Entangled hopelessly in the rope and hanging upside down, they did the only thing they could do. They started shooting, quickly taking out the nine bosses and underbosses.

Somehow they got themselves down.

Saving the leader for last, they recite a short prayer in their rich Irish accents, and kill him with two gunshots to the back of the head. The brothers place coins on the dead men's eyes.

Hayner’s eyes were glued to the screen. It was amazing how funny the movie managed to be in the midst of all the killing. The brothers had both the worst and best luck. It was incredible they didn’t get killed. And all for the sake of a friend that was roughed up by the mafia. It was safe to say they were just a bit nuts.


Seifer watched him watching the movie. He brooded, studying his profile. His gaze fell to the blonde’s lips, remembering the popsicle incident. That tongue sliding provocatively up its pink icyness. The look that was in his eyes a thousand times over; the desire he refused to recognize. Damn brat, you’ve been torturing me for days. I can’t even think about anything else anymore. I want to make gasp and cry out my name, until we can’t even move.



***

“Hey,” Seifer said quietly a while later.

Hayner pulled his eyes from the screen. Seifer was looking at him with an intent expression. It was obvious that he had something on his mind, and hadn’t been watching the movie.

“Were you ever afraid of me, Hayner?” he asked unexpectedly, voice smooth, and low. His eyes glinted in the dim light.

There was a suspended quality to the moment. A breathlessness that seemed removed from the actual words.

Hayner felt put on the spot, his heart beginning to thump roughly in his chest. Why did that sounded like a loaded question? And since when had the miscreant ever called him by his name? “Err…”

Seifer leaned forward, pinning him with a scrutinizing stare. “Did your knees ever quake?” What was with that intensity? That predatory look? He shivered, unable to break eye contact. Something clenched and tightened in his stomach, making his eyes want to flutter closed.

Hayner leaned back, trying to gain some distance, some time, but Seifer leaned closer. “Did your pulse ever hammer in your throat?” he practically purred. Like now?? No, never.

“Maybe… once or twice,” he squeaked.  Oh, that was dignified.

“When?” Seifer breathed, his eyes looking so light and so dark at the same time. It would be like hypnotizing yourself; trying to figure out the true color. His body was now dangerously close.

Was it getting hot in here? “Well, um… the first time we met you guys at the skate park.”

“Go on,” He encouraged in a low voice. “Tell me about it.”

Hayner swallowed. Was that Seifer’s breath he was feeling on his neck? No, it couldn’t be. “I knew who you were then. I just sort of acted in the moment… I thought I was going to get a brutal… ass kicking.” Hayner bit his lip. Seifer was nuzzling his neck, and making his heart jump erratically. “Um, Sei-“

“What was the other time?” Those eyes were boring into his.

“When I-” he paused, looking away, “sorta saw you the day of that gang fight,” he said uncomfortably. Damn, he hadn’t wanted to tell him about that.

“Oh? You were following me?” The smile spreading across Seifer’s face was making his knees weak.

“No! Well, maybe…” Hayner decided enough was enough. He shifted, looking for a way off the couch, and found himself completely pinned. When did that happen? “Seifer, let me up.”

“What if I say no?” Seifer challenged him, softly.

Hayner flicked his gaze back to the gang leader.  He found himself staring into smoldering ice-blue eyes. His breath caught at the intensity of the look being directed at him. All at once, a mouth descended on his, sending shock waves through him, and making his toes curl. The heat of Seifer’s body against his was robbing him of conscious thought, and he thought he heard himself moan.

He broke away, gasping. “What… What are you doing??”

Seifer leveled him with an unreadable look.  It turned hard, and Hayner found himself wanting to hide. That was the scary look. “Don’t fight me,” he ordered huskily.

That voice made his insides ache and pulse. He closed his eyes. God, what was Seifer doing to him? He felt a hand trail over his stomach and slip under his shirt. Such sure hands… quickly unraveling his mind with their touch.

Seifer teased a tender spot on his neck with his tongue, making him squirm. “Seif-“

“Shhh.” His mouth started suckling on that spot while his hand ran over his chest.

“Unnnn,” Hayner groaned, feeling those hands slide low, lower, impossibly low, slipping underneath his shorts to stroke him. He tried to think of how wrong this was, but his body wasn’t listening. It was begging for him to let this to continue.

“You’re such a brat,” Seifer murmured. “I don’t know how you caught my attention so easily.” He kissed the younger boy deeply.

Lips and tongue, and lust. He couldn’t think. “Me… either,” he gasped when they parted, trying to focus on anything but the hands that were caressing him so intimately.

“And you were such a troublemaker, too.” He brushed their lips together tenderly.

“That’s… part of my natural charm.” Oh my god, was he flirting with the miscreant? Shouldn’t he be putting a stop to this?

“Charm?” Seifer chuckled throatily, making the other boy shiver. He pushed Hayner down onto the couch. “I would’ve said obnoxiousness.”

He hovered over the blonde, giving him an unobstructed view.

Hayner swallowed, as his eyes took in the expanse of skin and tensed muscle. He wanted to feel that body lowered to his. He must be going crazy. “Are you saying that being irritated turns you on?” Hayner grasped at the familiar verbal sparing. Seifer’s voice alone was making him come undone. He was aching.

“Maybe, if it’s you,” he said wickedly, hiking Hayner’s shirt up. His mouth descending upon newly bared skin.

“You… ahh! …freak.” Damn that sinful tongue. Now he could hardly string a sentence together, not even a measly two-worded one.

He barely noticed as Seifer stripped them of their remaining clothes. The older boy kept distracting him with kisses and touches that were driving him insane.

Seifer nudged his legs apart with a knee.

“Hey, wait!” Hayner said starting to sit up. “I don’t know if I’m ready for all of that just yet.” He’d just barely gotten used to the idea that he maybe sort of wanted Seifer.

Seifer forced him down again with a mind blowing kiss, and inserted a slicked digit. “Mph!!” Hayner struggled, until that finger brushed something that made his insides turn to jello. He moaned, arching into Seifer.

“See? You’ll be fine. Now shut up and let me love you.”

Hayner nodded dazedly. Seifer kept brushing that spot as he stretched him. It was incredible.

Too soon, the fingers left him. Seifer lifted one of Hayner’s legs to wrap around him as he lay on his side, and gently, but firmly pushed into him. Hayner cried out as Seifer slid across his sweet spot.

“God, you’re sexy when you do that,” Seifer growled. He pinned the other boy’s wrists, and thrust into him. “Cry for me, Hayner,” he breathed. “I want to hear everything.”



He was losing his mind. The feel of Seifer’s muscled body covering his, moving against him. Each stroke less restrained, hard, intoxicating. Lips still played at his neck, trailing warmly until he lost track of them again.

He felt both fragile and strong under Seifer. Fragile, that he might be torn apart; strong, that he took it and eagerly awaited more. This passion was like oblivion. A crescendo into white nothingness. Everything so intense, that eventually you felt nothing but peace.  

Was it normal to feel this way about someone so quickly? To feel so helpless against them, so undermined, yet encouraging them to make you submit.

Hayner had a strong sense of self, something he would never give up to anyone, and yet… something in Seifer acknowledged that, held it high and safe, while he razed Hayner to the ground. He could give in to this, and it would not be seen as weakness. He knew that, and understood it, without needing to exchange words.

When Seifer looked at him, he could always see the underlying respect. He had seen it even that first time they met.  While inside, he was shaking with fear, he stared down a devil, and earned its approval, its interest, its… desire. How could he know that was what he ran from all this time? The true consequences of that day… The reason Seifer felt irresistibly drawn to him, seeking him out time and time again, ignoring the barbs he flung, and returning his own as a way to keep even. Hurling insults as he sidled closer, a delicate web pulling them in and binding them inescapably, neither truly realizing it.

They were both helpless. Slaves to this. And there was never any other way for this to be.

Seifer’s mouth sought his, hot and wanting. Demanding everything he had to give, and more. Seifer was overcoming him, just as he would overcome Seifer in the end. Consuming him, just as he was inevitably consumed.

He felt his body start to tremble uncontrollably, a tremor forming in his thighs from tensing unused muscles for so long. His focus narrowed to the feel of Seifer within him, their harsh breaths, and the shaky tightness in his belly that was threatening to make him explode. He bit his lip, trying to stifle the moans that fell unsolicited from him his lips as he gasped for air.

Seifer stilled his movements, flicking his tongue lightly over Hayner’s bitten lip. “Stop that,” he murmured. “Let me hear you.”

He slipped his hand under Hayner’s thigh, hiking his leg embarrassingly high, to rest over his shoulder. Hayner flushed finding himself so open and exposed to the boy above him. Seifer watched his expression as he thrust into him again, seemingly forever, the new position allowing him to penetrate so much deeper.

“Ahhh!” Hayner cried out helplessly. God help him, he couldn’t keep it in any longer. His body tucked inward as Seifer rocked into him, each stroke a thousand times more intimate. Seifer’s fair hair caressed his face like brushes of silk. He moaned uncontrollably, no longer having the presence of mind to try and stop. The aching in his body was unbearable. He pulled Seifer’s hips into him roughly, fingernails marking the skin as he willed the motions to come faster, harder, anything to hurry this spiraling tightness. Seifer’s mouth hovered over his, sharing his breath, drinking in his gasps when he finally shuddered and came. The older boy gasped loudly, his breath hitching as his body tensed, pouring his essence into his lover, and joining him in oblivion when he collapsed.     



***

“Why can’t I get enough of you?” Seifer mumbled into his neck when their heartbeats had finally slowed. His hand began to wander down Hayner’s side, kneading, stroking. Hayner shivered, his pulse picking up again as Seifer’s hand ghosted across his stomach.

“What are you doing?” he asked drowsily. “We already-“ He was cut off as Seifer kissed him. He felt the passion still lingering there, waiting to be ignited, like glowing embers.

The threadings of desire were working their way through him like iridescent strands of red fire. Seifer cupped him in his hand, teasing him slowly, making him bite his lip. Surely they wouldn’t be able to do this so soon?  Seifer stroked him then, lightly, harder, lightly again, before rocking his thumb gently across the tip of him, making him squirm; the sensation was almost too much. Seifer gripped his hips to still the movement, panting slightly. Hayner could feel him growing hard again inside him. He blushed furiously.

“Hey.” Seifer caught Hayner’s gaze with his, searchingly. “I’m not sure how you’re perceiving this…” he looked like he was having difficulty saying what was next, “but you have to know this isn’t just a one time thing for me.”

Hayner was startled. He had wondered before if that was all this was going to be. The thought that he might’ve been nothing more than a conquest pained him too much to dwell on. “I… wasn’t sure, you know, before…” he looked away. What does he mean? That I’m a good enough lay to have more than once? Or is he trying to say something else? Could they be on the verge of a relationship? “I don’t know how this kinda stuff usually goes.” Did Seifer even do relationships?

Hayner glanced back at him, vulnerability in his eyes. “Have you been with anyone else like this?”

“A few times,” he conceded reluctantly. “But this is different….I want you,” he said huskily, “but I want all of you. I want your time, your loyalty, your trust…I want everything.” His look intensified, fear and defiance warring in his gaze.  “Can you handle that?”

“Are you trying to ask me out?” Hayner replied mischievously.

“You damn punk,” Seifer growled playfully a slight smile surfacing on his face, “I was trying to be serious.” He chose that moment to move within Hayner, making him groan. He smirked, mollified somewhat, but his attention was starting to wane as he felt the boy’s muscles constricting around him. “God, Hayner,” he breathed. This was bad. He didn’t know what he was going to do if the blonde boy wasn’t interested in a relationship. He’d never had anyone affect him so wholly like this. He’d never needed someone so badly after having just had them. He’d never had anyone hold any power over him. “Give me an answer,” he whispered into his neck. He closed his eyes tightly, feeling the pain of uncertainty marking his features.

“I-“ Hayner was having trouble keeping his brain from turning off. Seifer kept moving within him, and his lips and mouth descending on every inch of his skin. He gave up. “Yes?” Hopefully that was a sufficient answer, because he didn’t think he could be any more eloquent at the moment.

Seifer pulled back, so he could study his face. He realized that asking something like this right now was probably about the worst timing possible, since he wanted a real answer; not one given in the throes of passion. But here they were, and he didn’t want to wait until later on to know. Hayner’s eyes were at half mast, swimming with lust, his face open and honest. He could see the insecurity there, and the fear. But there was also trust in those rich brown eyes; a trust so pure that he wondered if he could ever be worthy of it.

Seifer felt relief flushing through him, as a tension he hadn’t realized was there seeped out of him, a fragile smile forming on his face. He hid it quickly against the other boy’s neck, not wanting to be completely exposed, knowing that Hayner had already seen it and smiled in turn. He found himself laughing at the nonsensicality of that - what was the point in hiding what has already been discovered? Despite the jangled mess he was feeling at having been seen so defenseless, part of him was glad.

Hayner ran his hands down Seifer’s back in a soothing manner, saying nothing about the wetness that fell upon his neck. He knew from his own experience that it came unbidden, and sometimes unnoticed.

After a time, Seifer propped himself up on an elbow, touching a hand to Hayner’s face. “Thank you for giving this a chance,” he said uncharacteristically, a soft expression in his eyes. He leaned in and kissed Hayner slowly, pouring everything he was feeling into it.

“I do hope you’re going somewhere with that,” Hayner breathed. He’d never felt such emotion for another person before this. He wanted to meld with him… to push through… to fall inside of him till the boundaries of skin faded around them.

“Anything, for you,” Seifer replied, making love to him a second time.


“Oh, god,” Hayner groaned, heaving in heavy breaths, as Seifer went down on him. He was losing himself all over again, caught between the swirling slick torture, and the hands that held his hips so firmly.  He was so close…

“Not yet,” Seifer commanded softly.

“I… can’t… ah!” He panted, trying to keep himself under control, but losing the battle. Seifer was bringing him almost to climax, and back down again, so many times now, he was losing count.

“S-Seifer,” he moaned, his voice sounding strained, “please.”

Seifer hadn’t meant to torture his lover so, but he couldn’t seem to stop. He wanted to own every noise that slipped out, wanted to hear his name called out in that voice endlessly. But, he was almost near completion just from listening to Hayner’s pleas.

“Wait for me” he breathed, laying himself across the blonde’s restless body.

Hayner whimpered as he settled on top of him. It took every ounce of willpower not give in to the rushing pull of pleasure.

Seifer prepared himself gingerly, gritting his teeth against the sensation of the cool gel. He waited for his breathing to calm before sliding slowly into his waiting lover.

“Ahh! Seifer!” he could hear the desperation in the blonde’s voice.

“Not yet,” he whispered. Hayner’s hands were clutching desperately at his back. Wanting. Needing.  He began to move, shallow thrusts that were blinding him with their intensity. He held out as long as he could, but it was faster this time, their bodies still thrumming with the force of their first coupling. His heart beat a frantic staccato in his chest.

“Now,” he consented, feeling Hayner rock into him sharply as he cried out, dragging control out of his hands at last. He felt Hayner constrict upon him almost violently, sucking his length in undulating waves. He bit his own hand to keep from screaming out at the intensity of his orgasm. It was like liquid fire was coursing through him, making him shudder roughly as he granted his body the release it sought.


***

When Hayner regained his senses, he looked at his tormentor. “Seifer, you do that again, and I’m going to have to kill you.”

“You… liked it,” Seifer replied, still trying to catch his breath.

“I feel like I just died,” he said tiredly. “I thought you were supposed to go easy on me my first time.”

“I tried.” He almost sounded repentant, but the satisfied smirk that kept stealing over his face was ruining the effect.
  
“And I’m not gonna be able to walk for at least a week,” he said, punching Seifer in the arm. “You prepared to carry me around?”

“Of course,” Seifer said with a leer. “But why get up?”

“Argh. Are you trying to kill me?” he moaned, putting a hand over his eyes.

“Never,” he replied, brushing a feather-light kiss across his temple.

Hayner moved his hand out of his eyes, resting it on his forehead so he could look Seifer in the face. He studied his features like he could commit them to memory.

“All that,” he said quietly, “and I still don’t know how the damn movie ends.”

Seifer grinned. “Ain’t that the way? I’ve seen the movie dozens of times, but I’ve only seen the ending twice.”






TBC