Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ The Transience of Memory ❯ b-volley ( Chapter 6 )

Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.

 

 

 

Chapter 5:

 

 

Hayner's hand hovered over the doorknob to the gang's hangout. This trepidation… was it worry that Seifer would be missing yet again, or was it fear that he would be here? Hayner tried to brush it off. Either way, it didn't change the fact that he needed to go through this door. His hand closed around the metal. With one last mental rally, he turned it, and pushed the door open.

 

It was a little dark in the room, even though the sun was still hours from setting. The white of Seifer's trench coat stood out in the gloom. He was sitting at the bar, with his back turned. Hayner closed the door silently, and crept up behind the other boy. Seifer seemed to be too lost in thought to notice his stealthy movements. His hand was wrapped around a near empty bottle of alcohol. “What's with you guys and drinking so early in the day?” Hayner whispered, as he poked his head over Seifer's shoulder. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to sneak up on, and startle him, but he couldn't help himself.

 

“Jeezus!” Seifer jumped, whipping around to face him. “Brat, what are you doing skulking around here?”

 

Hayner shrugged, trying to smother the smirk that was threatening to surface on his face. This was the first time he'd seen the gang leader caught off guard. He breathed a sigh of relief, Seifer seemed to be ok, and was acting normal. Well, what accounted for normal for him. He was also lucky he didn't startle him into a violent assault. He easily could've whipped his fist out reflexively, and clocked Hayner in the face. “I thought I was supposed to be here.”

 

“Yeah… but not sneakily.” He turned to face Hayner. “That's dangerous, you know.”

 

Yup, too bad he figured that out after the fact. Oh, well. “So, what horrors will you be forcing on me today?” The light-eyed thug regarded him seriously for a moment before slipping sinuously off the stool, abs stretched taut for what seemed like an eternity. How did he make such a simple movement look so… captivating? Ha. He probably practiced doing stuff like that when no one was around to see, so he could pull it off `naturally'.

 

Seifer placed a hand on Hayner's shoulder for support, his fingertips brushing the other boy's neck. His balance seemed to be a bit off. Maybe he hit the crown a little too hard. He leaned rather heavily on the camo-clad boy. “I'm too damn tired to think of anything for you to do right now,” he said rubbing his eyes with his other hand. “Why don't we just do something else in the meantime?”

 

“Ok, any ideas?” That was unexpected. He thought for sure there'd be loads of stuff for him to do today after the break.

 

Seifer looked askance at him, still holding on to his tantalizingly warm shoulder. Why did his brown eyes look so rich and inviting? He felt himself leaning forward, and caught himself at the last moment. God, he was losing it. He shook his head. It must be the alcohol talking. He really shouldn't have had so much to drink when he knew Hayner might be showing up. “We'll do whatever you want, so just pick something. I don't care.” He propelled Hayner out the door.

 

Hayner wondered about that last look Seifer had given him, as they headed outside. Something about it was so compelling, but he wasn't really sure what. He'd shivered when he felt fingertips run up the nape of his neck. And he could've sworn they were closer together a moment before Seifer spoke, his eyes had seemed so much larger than usual. Strange. But it seemed like Seifer had been drinking before he'd arrived, so that accounted for the unusual behavior. His motor skills were sloppy, and his coordination was crap, and he was having trouble focusing. How sad.

 

“How about the beach?” Hayner suggested.

 

Seifer shrugged.

 

“I'll take that as a yes.” It had been way too long since he'd been to the ocean. Funny how when you live so close, you find you never make time to go.

 

 

The beach was a 20 minute walk from the hangout.

 

It was an extremely uneventful 20 minutes. Hayner groaned inwardly, slanting a weary look at Seifer. The thug hadn't said a word since they'd started walking. He just seemed distracted, slinking along with his hands shoved in his pockets. Or maybe he was tired. It was hard to tell. Hayner rubbed his eyes lightly with the heels of his hands. Geez, here he'd thought not having to work would be a good thing. This was just awkward. He wanted to break the silence, but he didn't know what to say. He couldn't ask about the fight he witnessed, even though he dearly wanted to. He wasn't sure how the gang leader would take it if he told him he'd followed him.

 

“Oooo, volleyball!” Hayner exclaimed suddenly. They'd finally reached the beach area, and as they made it around the facilities building, they could see that a furious game of beach volleyball was in progress. They sat on a bench under one of the many pavilions, grabbing one that was only about 10 feet from the game so they could watch.

 

 

“You like volleyball?” Seifer asked, pulling out a pack of cigarettes, and tapping one forward. He cocked an eyebrow at the younger boy. “You play?”

 

“Yeah,” Hayner's eyes were fastened to the action, like he was trying to absorb every detail, “I used to play a lot a few years back with a local team.”

 

“You any good?” Seifer gave him a calculating look, cupping his hands as he lit the cigarette dangling from his lips. He took a long drag, making the tip glow a fiery orange.

 

Hayner frowned. “Decent. Why?”

 

“It looks like one of the teams is short,” he gestured at the players. “Why don't you go play as a stand-in?”

 

Hayner surveyed both teams, doing a quick count in his head. He was right, they were one man short on one side. Hmn. Maybe he could. It was always a pain to keep up a game when you are missing players. But, what was Seifer supposed to do if he left to go play? He gave the skully-wearing boy a questioning look.

 

“What are you gonna do then?”

 

“I'll just watch.” Seifer took another drag and let it out slowly. “Go on,” he made a languid shooing motion with his hand.

 

Hayner shrugged, and slipped off his shoes before approaching the players. As soon as there was a natural break in the action, he sidled up to the net and waved one of the closer people over. Instead of just the one, three people actually came. “Hey,” he said, addressing both boys and the girl. “I was just wondering if you guys might want a stand-in?” He really hoped they did. It would be sorta embarrassing to get turned away.

 

“Water break!” the girl called out over her shoulder, dispersing the players on both sides temporarily.

 

One of the guys, a brunette, grabbed his arm and held it aloft, one hand cupping his triceps while the other hand loosely held his. He ran his eyes from shoulder to wrist looking as if he were evaluating his muscles. “He'll do,” the other boy announced, releasing Hayner's arm with a wink and a grin.

 

The second boy, the one with the purple Mohawk and jade green eyes, looked him up and down. “On one condition,” he said seriously, looking Hayner in the eye.

 

Hayner was puzzled. “Ok, what's that?”

 

“Lose the shirt.” The boy with the Mohawk grinned mischievously. “You're way overdressed for b-volley.”

 

The brunette laughed with what looked like a slight smirk on his face.

 

Hayner shrugged his consent, blushing slightly. Were they all going to stare while he ditched his shirt? What was he, a stripper?

 

“Oh, how cute!” The girl cooed when she spied the light flush to his cheeks. She jumped up and down and giggled, making her red pigtails bounce. “Isn't he adorable?”

 

Adorable? That was a degrading description for a boy, he thought as he pulled off his jacket. He snuck a look at his teammates, and confirmed that they were all avidly watching him. He sighed. All the other guys were just in shorts and swim trunks, so he shouldn't feel weird… but he wasn't used to being stared at like this. He grabbed the bottom of his black shirt, and pulled it up over his head.

 

“So, what's your name?” the brunette asked with a smile. “I'm Zane.”

 

“Hayner.”

 

“I'm Trixie,” the red-haired girl said.

 

“Bo,” the mohawk wearing boy introduced himself with an obvious pan up Hayner's chest.

 

“Uh- nice to meet you,” Hayner replied, a bit flustered, balling his clothes in his hands.

 

“Oooo,” Trixie leaned forward and pointed at the chain around his neck, “You're wearing someone's ring!” she said with surprise, sweeping her eyes up to meet his. “Aw, does that mean you're already taken?”

 

“No, no, I'm just hanging on to it for a friend.”

 

Trixie gave him a skeptical look.

 

“My bet is he's with the guy in the trench coat,” Zane speculated casually, with a jerk of his thumb in Seifer's direction.

 

“Well, we came here together-” Hayner began, missing the brunette's meaning.

 

Trixie took a long look at Seifer, as he lounged in the shade, sizing him up. He noticed her watching him, so he inclined his head with a sharp smile. She whipped around to face them again. “Oh, he is HOT,” she whispered, fanning herself with a hand. She paused, and gave Hayner an envious look. “That's his ring, isn't it?”

 

“Yeah, but-”

 

“See?” Zane said, “They're together.”

 

“What?!” Hayner spluttered “Hey- it's not like that.”

 

“Isn't it?” Bo asked innocently.

 

“No! He's just a-,” Thug? Miscreant? Slave driver? “a friend,” he finished lamely.

 

Bo looked between him and Seifer. “If you say so.”

 

“Are we gonna play any volleyball here, or are we just gonna talk all day?” Hayner asked imploringly.

 

“We play!” Trixie cheered. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted out to all the players, “Break over!”

 

 

Seifer watched the exchange with barely concealed amusement. Hayner was blushing like a schoolgirl. The poor kid was having a tough time fending off his obviously flirtatious teammates. The boys had looked like they were going to jump him as he removed his shirt. He couldn't blame them. Hayner had a naturally lithe body, and a nicely muscled chest and arms, probably coaxed into being by lifting weights. Only next to Seifer, or a bodybuilder, would he look diminutive. Next to most other people, he looked buff. And the nervous blushing just made you want to put the moves on him just to get a reaction. Made you want to hear what sort of noises he'd make when drowning in passion.

 

He saw the red-haired girl point to Hayner's chest, looking up at him questioningly. Seifer squinted, and saw the sun flash off a silver chain around the boy's neck, and the silver ring that hung there. That was a surprise. He hadn't known Hayner was wearing his ring. It gave him a smug satisfaction to see something of his worn by the blond boy, even though he probably didn't realize the implications of such. The brunette hiked his thumb in Seifer's direction, at which point Hayner emphatically shook his head `no'.

 

The girl threw Seifer a long look over her shoulder, trying to determine if he and Hayner were together or not. He returned it with a possessive smile, a silent warning that he was moving in on the other boy and would not appreciate anyone getting in the way. She turned around quickly, and soon the other two rounded on the blonde boy, throwing looks between him and their new member. It was clear they were jumping to the conclusion that the two of them were together, which wasn't surprising. Why else would you wear someone's ring around your neck?

 

Hayner was becoming increasingly flustered being surrounded by his teammates, as they teased and shot meaningful looks over his head while he floundered. He was a little too innocent for his own good, Seifer thought fondly.

 

 

The game dragged on late, finishing up after the day's warmth had started to wane. Seifer guessed it to be about 6pm when Hayner returned to him, looking enticingly windblown and shirtless.

 

“See you guys!” he called back at his comrades, waving.

 

It seemed that during the game, the blonde had gotten a lot more comfortable with them. Now they were all smiles, acting like old buddies. A lone catcall followed him as he approached Seifer, to which he responded good-naturedly with a rude gesture.

 

Seifer got to his feet and stretched, heading out of the pavilion.

 

“Hey- wait,” Hayner was hopping on one foot as he secured a shoe. The thug was leaving without him. “Seifer!” Damn, couldn't he wait a second? He got the other shoe crammed on and ran to catch up. He didn't miss the amused look Seifer shot him.

 

“I want to get some ice cream while we're here,” Hayner said a little snottily, indicating a shop on the other side of the street. Seifer kept that amused expression, as they walked to the storefront, making Hayner scowl. What was so damn funny?

 

Seifer stopped just in front of the ice cream parlor's door. “You going in?” he asked.

 

“Yeah,” Hayner drawled in annoyance. Wasn't that the point?

 

Seifer pointed at a sign that neatly read: No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service.

 

Hayner turned red.

 

His shirt and jacket were still in his hand, and even this small distance from the beach, being nude from the waist up looked horribly out of place. He cursed, and struggled into the garments. He had completely forgotten to put them back on which, he decided, was Seifer's fault for rushing him.

 

He collected himself, and found the miscreant holding the door open for him, in mock consideration, a smirk plainly evident on his face. Hayner glared as he brushed past. Oh, yeah, laugh it up you bastard.

 

He was not going to let the thug top him with that, he would keep his cool. He ignored Seifer as he sauntered up, studying the sea salt ice cream varieties with determination. Okay… he could get mango lime, or maybe the raspberry lemonade….oh wait- that one was wretchedly pink. Perhaps vanilla tangerine would be good?

 

“I'll take the frozen coffee thing,” Seifer was saying, “and that one,” he gestured to something in the case, “for my lackey.”

 

“Very good, sir,” the man at the register said as he accepted Seifer's money.

 

“Eh?” Hayner was ripped from his musings. Lackey?? How could Seifer possibly call him that with a straight face?

 

“Here you are, young sir,” said the strangely butler-esque sales clerk, holding out the frozen desert to him.

 

A neon pink concoction loomed menacingly in front of his eyes. What a horror, he thought, taking it gingerly since he didn't know what else to do. Seifer, he noticed, had a rich looking coffee with crushed ice. What the hell was he supposed to do with a PINK popsicle?? He fumed.

 

He slouched over to one of the dainty wrought iron dinettes, and slumped into a seat.

 

Seifer took the seat across from him watching him expectantly, sipping his infinitely better looking iced caffeine. “Problem?” he asked in a voice that could have passed for one containing a shred of decency.

 

“You,” Hayner pointed the ghastly thing at him threateningly, “are doing this on purpose.”

 

“Doing what? I thought you wanted that one,” Seifer feigned innocence. “You were looking at it the longest.”

 

“With horror,” he said, aggrieved.

 

“Who cares how it looks? How does it taste?”

 

Stupid jerk. Didn't even bother to ask what I wanted. Fine, have it your way. Hayner locked eyes with Seifer challengingly. He held the popsicle up to his lips, sweeping his tongue delicately and slowly up it's entire pink length. Seifer was watching him in an almost fixated manner. He wasn't even blinking, as he traced the motion with his eyes. He felt a giddy rush of power, as those strangely intense eyes shifted to his. He brought the tip of the popsicle into his mouth and savagely bit the top off. The thug winced almost imperceptibly. Ha! he thought as he chewed.

 

“Oh, hey!” Hayner said, slightly surprised, unwittingly breaking some of the tension, “it's pretty good.” He took another bite, crunching through the sweet-sour iciness. “How's yours?” he asked with interest.

 

Seifer held his cup out to him, “Wanna try it?”

 

“Ok.”

 

The blonde grabbed hold of the cup and, consequently, Seifer's fingers as he leaned forward to take a sip. His eyelids lowered as he took the straw into his mouth, forming shadowed crescents over his smooth skin. Seifer watched as he pulled the iced coffee up the clear tube, impossibly slow, and into his mouth, his throat working as he swallowed.

 

Seifer's heart was starting to pound a bit harder in his chest, warmth flooding his body suddenly. Damn. Was the kid doing this to him on purpose? It was hard to tell if it was innocent or not.

 

Warm brown eyes met his, lids at half mast as Hayner pulled back. “It's good,” he said lazily, fingers still touching, his light pink tongue darting out to lick his lips. Seifer had to hold himself back. He was dangerously close to pulling the tease over the table and crushing that mouth to his, consequences be damned.

 

I'll showhim good. “I thought so too,” Seifer said instead.

 

Hayner leaned back in his chair, crunching through the rest of his popsicle, as if the last 5 minutes had never happened.

 

Seifer cringed. It was ghastly. Who the hell eats them like that anyway?

 

“I thought you were only paying if I won the bet.” His brown eyes were normal again. “What gives?”

 

Seifer shrugged. “For some reason I'm taking pity on you. Don't question it.” Not that you deserve it after all that, you little brat. He tried to push thoughts of ravishing Hayner firmly out of his mind.

 

“Hn. If only I hadn't lost that bet,” Hayner muttered to himself. “…it's embarrassing to have you pay. And then you order me weird stuff.”

 

Seifer had to admit that he was being a bit lecherous when he'd ordered for the blonde boy. It was a shame he'd had to eat it in such an unlikely way. “Then the only difference would be that you weren't my gofer.”

 

“How's that?”

 

“I said if you won, I'd buy you ice cream for a month.”

 

“Yeah, but then I wouldn't have to sit here and have you pay.”

 

“I never specified that.” He said with a sly smile. “I was going to personally pay for each and every one to sour your victory.”

 

“Aw, man!” Hayner sighed harshly, looking dejected. “It was win/win for you then. Either way, you'd get to torment me.”

 

“Either way, I'd get to see you every day,” he threw out casually.

 

Hayner started. “Why in the hell would you want that?” He seemed perplexed. “We always fight. I thought you hated me.” The blonde turned that confused gaze on him.

 

“On the contrary, I respect you,” he volunteered openly. “Ever since that first day at the skate park.” Although now it seemed like he had much more than just respect for him. And if it got any worse than this, he was going to be driven mad.

 

“If you respect me so much,” Hayner said suspiciously, “why don't you act like it?”

 

Seifer shrugged. “You wounded my pride, what can I say?”

 

“And now?”

 

“Now it's just out of habit,” he grinned. You're also cute when you're angry.

 

“Greeeeeat.” Hayner felt kind of touched that Seifer said he respected him, even if it didn't seem like he did. Maybe he had been a little snarky with him all this time for no reason. Was it possible they might be able to be friends? He kind of liked spending time with him. “You wanna come to the beach again tomorrow?” he asked hesitantly.

 

Seifer just looked at him.

 

“We could go swimming and stuff if we come earlier…”

 

The beach. He groaned inwardly. He was not a fan. There were reasons he usually avoided it. But it was hard to say no to the hopeful look Hayner was giving him. “Ok,” he reluctantly agreed. “Let's just meet here then.”

 

Hayner smiled.

 

It was a rather sweet look, probably worth the torment of tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

TBC