Warnings: Foul language. Fluff.
Disclaimer: FFVIII does not belong to me.
Notes: Written in literally 10 minutes. I'm aware that it's corny and cliché and overdone. I'm also aware that these boys are adorable and should be treated as such.

oooo

"Pining."

"Depressed."

"Pining."

"Depressed."

"Pining!"

"For Hyne's sake, you two, shut up."

Quistis glared over her shoulder at the irate blonde behind her, and Selphie stuck her tongue out in his general direction.

"Not my fault you guys are fucking annoying." Seifer grinned, now, bright and catlike. He nodded a goodbye to Raijin and Fujin, who left to go teach their respective classes, and strolled over, sinking down next to Selphie. "What are you babbling about anyway?"

"Nothing," Quistis said stiffly, but Selphie pointed.

"Squall," she said, a bit sad. "He's pining."

"Depressed," Quistis corrected.

Seifer looked over. "How long's he been there?" He asked, cocking his head to the side as he eyed Squall.

Squall, who was sitting in the same place he'd been for hours, with the same cold cup of coffee in his hand. He had a stack of paperwork in front of him that didn't seem to be getting any smaller and a despondent slump to his shoulders that didn't suit the proud man.

"Since breakfast," Selphie replied. "He doesn't even like the cafeteria. Says it's too noisy. But he hasn't moved and it's because he's pining."

"For what?" Seifer said, preempting Quistis' insistent 'depressed!'

Selphie shrugged. "Dunno. Something. Someone. Maybe a whole period of his life. I can't claim to understand the way he thinks."

"And how have you all been trying to fix this?" Seifer said patiently, sipping from his cappuccino.

"We've tried everything," Quistis said, baited into conversation. "Bribery, logic, compassion… He's fixated. We can't snap him out of it."

Seifer grinned. "Challenge accepted," he declared. He stood up and tossed his empty cup into the garbage.

"Seifer, no!" Quistis hissed. She reached out to grab his duster, but the hem slipped through her fingers and he was gone. "He doesn't need your bullshit right now!"

"On the contrary, Instructor," Seifer said, winking back at her, "he needs my bullshit now more than ever."

They watched as he crossed the room and sat down next to Squall, appearing in a sudden flurry of gray coat and blond hair and devilish smirk. He said something, stealing the abandoned cup of coffee and taking a sip. This, he spat back into the mug, a revolted look twisting his face into an unattractive mask.

Squall said something back with an amused half-smile.

Seifer shook his head, his lips moving quickly as he sped through a response. Squall attempted to halt him by shaking his head, but Seifer only narrowed his eyes and talked even faster.

Squall rolled his eyes.

Seifer sneered.

Squall turned back to his work.

With no further ado, Seifer grabbed the back of Squall's head and tugged him into a deep, dirty kiss.

Quistis and Selphie gasped in unison.

They stayed like that for a good 10 seconds, Seifer's fingers lost in Squall's hair, angling his face. Then, tremulously slow, Squall's hand fluttered uncertainly before settling down on Seifer's sleeve. His fingers clenched into the fabric, hiding the scarlet cross from view.

And Seifer pulled away, standing so suddenly that Squall was left blinking up at him in a daze. Seifer gave a laugh like bells and jerked Squall to his feet, and Squall tumbled up into his arms before Seifer was off like a gunshot, the tight weave of their fingers laced together keeping Squall running after him so he wouldn't end up being dragged along. Then there was silence, with only a cold cup of coffee and a forgotten stack of paperwork as evidence that the pair was ever there.

Quistis looked at Selphie. "Pining," she agreed.

Selphie beamed.