Midnight Exchange
written by jess

.

.

.

warnings: sappy!Seifer, slight language, violence in the name of comedy

.

He honestly couldn't say when all of it began.

Maybe it was the last Struggle match when he was paired with the older boy. Maybe it was the time when they had both gotten locked in that classroom, the teacher telling them to "work out their differences," even though the only thing he got out of that was a bloodied nose and thirteen bruises. Maybe, still, it was that time when they were both found at the sandlot, alone, at midnight.

Either way, it did happen, and Hayner wasn't sure he was ready for the chain of events that were sure to follow.

After all, he was supposed to be chasing after girls, not secretly wishing he was in Seifer's embrace the majority of the day and the night. He was supposed to be asking Olette out to the school dance, like Pence had been hinting at for about three weeks now. He was supposed to get in a fight with Roxas over who would actually take her to the dance, as the other blond was hinting that he'd wanted to take her as well.

But all those things he was supposed to do, he didn't do.

All because of that pompous teen who liked having the idea that he always got what he wanted.

And, at the moment, he wanted Hayner.

Badly, apparently.

Admittedly, Pence was the first one to notice this sudden interest in the older boy's eyes. Suddenly, Seifer's Struggles with Hayner had become less harmful and more careful. Hayner had said it was because he was skilled like that. Pence, of course, saw differently.

Olette came next in the realization that Seifer's insults aimed at Hayner no longer held the same hostility and downright resentment that they used to; now they were just plain sad. To prove it, Olette firmly documented in her brain one short interaction between them that almost made her want to laugh.

"Hey, chicken-wuss, watch where you're goin'!"

"Oh, shut up you loser."

"Oh yeah? Well...your jacket's brown!"

"...What?"

"Yeah, you heard me, lamer! Your jacket's the ugliest color of brown that I had ever laid eyes on!"

Olette couldn't look at Hayner's jacket after that without erupting into giggles.

And, well, logically, Roxas was supposed to find out next. Only, it didn't really work that way. Because apparently, Roxas was denser than anyone thought imaginable. He was still miffed that Pence told him Hayner was going to ask Olette to the dance.

Oh, poor Roxie.

Lost in his strange little world.

So yeah, Roxas wouldn't be a problem in the Seifer-suddenly-found-Hayner-hott thing. Because, if he was, then he would get all big brother defensive and demand that Seifer stay at least ten yards away from Hayner at all times. Which Seifer would refuse, of course, only fueling Roxas's anger, which was never good.

No one liked seeing Roxas angry. Pence once swore that he saw lightening shoot out of his hair when he had found out that Rai was paired with Olette for their first dancing class at school.

And Vivi swore that great balls of fire burst to life and encircled the blond boy when Hayner had gotten the idea to switch his expensive hair gel with honey.

His scalp never quite fully recovered from the bee stings.

But, alas, we're getting off subject.

Olette and Pence, amazingly, supported Seifer's want of Hayner. Hayner himself suspected that was because they just wanted to form a truce between the two groups; what better way to settle a rivalry that for the two leaders to be fucking buddies?

This was never spoken out loud, of course.

Actually, in all honestly, neither of the two leaders could remember why this rivalry began in the first place. Was it merely because they thought they were too good for one another? Or was it something more? Something that neither could forgive the other for?

...Nah, it couldn't be that complex.

They were teenagers, for Merlin's sake!

Hayner supposed that none of that mattered now. The fact that they were enemies, the fact that they were both guys, the fact that Roxas would pummel someone if he found out...nothing. Because maybe, just maybe, Hayner wasn't as disgusted as he first thought he was.

Had the older boy's hair always been so blond? Hayner surely hadn't remembered, what with it always being covered with that ludicrous beanie.

Had his skin always been that flawless? I mean, it was perfection, something that Hayner couldn't quite understand. There were no bruises, no blemishes, no cuts...except for that one between his eyes, of course. But that cut was a cut that made him who he was, so it didn't count.

Had his eyes always been so...what was the right word for them? Blue? Green? Bluish green? Hayner figured it didn't matter. They were beautiful anyway. Yet he wasn't sappy enough that he'd actually compare them to the ocean or some nonsense like that. Nope. That was Sora's job. The little sappy runt.

Dammit, we're getting off topic again!

So, yeah. Back to Hayner and Seifer.

Hayner had never given any thought to his orientation; it had never been brought up into conversation. So he avoided it. Maybe because there was always that little voice in the back of his head that told him boys were nicer to look at than girls sometimes. Roxas, Setzer, that guy who begged people to hang up those Struggle posters for munny, Pence, even Rai. But never Seifer. Never.

Because maybe Seifer was out of his league.

Because maybe Seifer would reject him and make the younger boy feel like shit.

And Hayner didn't want to go through that.

So he didn't.

But then Seifer turned the tables on him, and instead of Hayner being interested in the older boy, the older boy was now interested in the younger one.

Very much so.

And so here lay Hayner, gazing up at the stars and wondering, "What would it hurt to like him back?"

"Hey, you're spacing out again," whispered a voice from beside him on the Struggle arena. Only now, at midnight, no Struggling was taking place.

Hayner snapped back to the present. "Oh. Sorry." The boy beside him sighed.

"What's the matter, chicken wuss? You're never this quiet." It was funny how a simple, mean insult could hold such affection now.

"Just thinking," muttered Hayner, turning to bright blue eyes that glowed even in the dark. "About stuff."

"Okay, now I know something is wrong. You don't think, dude, you never do."

"Why do you like me?" asked Hayner suddenly, avoiding the blue eyes. He needed to make sure he was doing the right thing. He needed to know why he was feeling this way about...about his enemy.

But were they enemies anymore?

All the heated touches, soft caresses, passionate kisses, breathy moans, names shouted out in ecstasy...

Those were certainly not because they hated each other.

"You already know, Hayner," said Seifer softly, bringing a hand up to rest it on Hayner's blond locks. "You already know."

"But I...I don't think I deserve you. I've never even given the smallest amount of affection or words of mushiness like you always do, which, by the way, is still kind of freaking me the fuck out sometimes, yet you still always come back to me...I don't understand." Seifer let a small smile grace his face as he moved his body close to the younger boy's.

"You don't have to do anything, Hayner. This," he motioned to their two bodies, pressed close together, "is all I need. To be with you. You don't have to do anything. I love you, and you deserve so much more than me."

This was all too overwhelming for Hayner, who wasn't used to Seifer being so loving, caring, decidedly not a bastard. This relationship was new, fresh, and he was still trying to adjust. But Seifer seemed certain, even if it was the hormones talking. He loved Hayner, and for the life of him, Hayner couldn't exactly deny his feelings for the older blond.

"Yeah, well, I suppose I do too," he whispered, snuggling into Seifer's chest with a sigh. This made him happy, both him and Seifer, so what was wrong with it? Nothing, that was what.

Seifer tensed for a few seconds in Hayner's embrace, but quickly recovered. That had been the first time Hayner had said he loved him. It hit harder than the older boy realized.

"Dammit Hayner, I won't be able to live without you," he muttered, pulling Hayner even closer, "Don't leave me. Please." Hayner grinned into Seifer's chest. He had to admit, there were a few times when Hayner didn't mind Seifer acting like a total girl. Worse come worse, he could use it as supreme blackmail if they ever were to (god forbid) break up.

"Don't worry," he said, but the sound was muffled, "I don't think I'll be going anywhere for a while."

And Seifer smirked.

All was at peace.

Three.

Two.

One.

"HAYNER! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN SEIFER'S ARMS?"

Seifer blanched. Hayner chuckled.

"Only a matter of time," whispered the younger one as the fiery blond stalked up to them, Struggle bat pulled out of nowhere and pointing at Seifer's head dangerously.

Hayner wiggled out of Seifer's embrace and held up his hands in surrender.

"It's okay Roxas, I'm fine."

"You damn well better be!" Roxas yelled, both lightening shooting out his hair and fire balls of doom circling around him ominously.

"Look, I can explain..."

"I know what was happening! Seifer was going to molest you!"

"I was not!" retorted Seifer, standing up and towering over Roxas.

"Yeah, we've got some explaining to do," Hayner mumbled, taking the Struggle bat from Roxas's hands gently.

"What's going on!" Roxas screamed, unhappy because his weapon had been disposed of.

"I'm fucking your friend," Seifer announced simply, pulling Hayner's body to his, "and we're going out."

...Yeah.

Seifer wasn't always the smartest of the bunch.

Miles away, in a completely different world, a boy with cinnamon hair awoke with a start and stared out his open window.

A terrified shrieking could be heard from his spot on the bed, followed by a dull thud, a yelp, and an angry slur of curses.

"Aw man, Roxas found out," Sora muttered sadly, closing the window and slumping onto the bed, "Seifer will be out for a week."

Something moved next to him.

"So does that mean we don't have to go visit them?"

Sora nodded. "S'pose that'd be best for a while."

"Good," Riku muttered, lips descending onto the younger boy's lips. Riku didn't like Roxas that much, anyway.

Seifer would just have to get through the trauma of being beaten by Roxas by himself.

Because, really, Seifer should have figured out by now...

Never get Roxas angry.

It may very well be the last thing you ever do.

And Hayner was just glad that Roxas had kicked Seifer in the balls only twice—

"Ahhh!"

—three times.