AN: Obviously I don't own the characters, the setting, or, really, anything else. This piece is sometimes loosely, sometimes largely, based off the romantic comedy titled Friends With Benefits, which was written by Keith Merryman, David Newman, and Will Gluck. I saw the movie for the first time on television a few months ago and immediately thought of how well the story would suit Quistis and Seifer. I actually credit/blame the film for inspiring me to write fan fiction again. Anyway, I am shamelessly ripping off the hard work of others with this piece in order to have a good time amusing myself. I hope I amuse you too.

Quistis Trepe was annoyed. It was a feeling she was becoming more and more familiar with, especially in relation to her love life. As she paced back and forth in front of the theatre, she asked herself what the heck she was doing there.

"Why do I even bother?" She muttered the words while stabbing at a button on her satellite phone. Holding it up to her ear, she let out a sigh hard enough to ruffle the light hair on her forehead.

"Yo," a voice greeted her over the line.

"Where are you?" Quistis demanded. "I've been standing here by myself for almost forty-five minutes. The concert started half an hour ago."

"I know, I know! I'm on my way. I just got held up!" The voice sounded irritated and not nearly as contrite as she felt it should, given the circumstances.

"Again? I don't understand why I could make it here in time all the way from Balamb but you can't get here in time from the other side of town." Her pitch rose higher than she intended. "Need I remind you that this was your idea?" She took a deep breath and adjusted her bag on her shoulder, eyes on the traffic passing in front of her.

"I'm almost there, I swear!" He sounded equally frustrated. "Where are you? How will I find you?"

"I am the only person standing in front of the theatre," she deadpanned. A car horn blared and drowned out her murmured curse.

"What?"

"Nothing. You'll see me as soon as you get here."

"Okay! I'm just two blocks away! I'll be right there!"

Quistis leaned back against the wall to wait, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She kept the phone at her ear. "Alright, I'm watching for you. I don't exactly have anything else to do."

"Seriously!" Her would-be boyfriend cried in earnest. "Seriously, I am like practically there already."

"I don't see you." One brow lifted, she looked both ways down the street.

"I"m looking at you right now. I'm waving! Can't you see me waving?"

"Zone," she sighed again. "All I see are cars and someone running… Oh, wait, I guess that's you." She stood away from the wall. "I'm hanging up now."

"Okay! I'm coming!"

"Indeed." Removing the phone from her ear, she pushed another button to disconnect the call before dropping it into her bag. She crossed her arms in front of her and watched the young man run towards her from the other side of the street. Tilting her head, she observed as he darted in front of a passing vehicle and then jogged down the concrete sidewalk to where she waited in front of the small theatre.

Zone stopped right in front of her, lowering his hands to his knees while he caught his breath. "Made it!" He sounded as jubilant as a kid who'd won a ribbon at the science fair.

"Not really," Quistis corrected. "I think you already missed your favourite song. I heard them singing something about it ending tonight." She slid her bag further up her shoulder. "Over and over and over again." She then rolled her eyes and shook her head. At this point, she just wanted to move on.

Spinning on her heel, she strode toward the doors of the music hall, expecting him to follow. When he didn't, she stopped and turned, one hand on her hip.

"What's the matter? You don't want to miss the one about the swing, do you?"

"Uh, actually, Quistis?" He coughed and averted his eyes, looking at the ground instead of meeting her questioning gaze. "I was thinking, um, that maybe we, er…" He trailed off, shifting from one foot to another.

Her brows lowered. She had a feeling that whatever he was about to say was going to give her a very large headache.

Not for the first time, she wondered why she kept seeing him. It certainly wasn't for his witty banter. It must have more to do with his skills in the bedroom. Evidently porn magazines are filled with some pretty creative techniques. It was kind of pathetic, she had to admit. She never thought she'd see the day she traveled four hours on a cramped train for sex.

After several more stuttered attempts, Zone finally got to the point. "I was thinking we should take a break. For a while. Maybe. I just feel we should chill." He fidgeted and continued to avoid her eyes.

Quistis didn't know what she had been expecting him to say but it wasn't that. Her eyebrows furrowed and then rose, jaw clenching. "You're doing this? You're breaking up with me? Is that why you were so late?" Her high-heeled foot began to tap against the ground in her irritation. "Were you trying to figure out how to dump me after I rushed to the train station, almost missed the train to Timber, changed in a disgusting public washroom, and spent a fortune on cab fare so I would make it to a concert for a band I despise, all just to see you?"

The nerve of the man was stupefying.

"No..." He had the nerve to look up then, giving her a shy, self-deprecating smile. "I just couldn't decide what to wear."

Quistis looked him up and down, undeterred by his attempt to placate. "Jeans and a hoodie, that's what you went with?"

He nodded, still smiling. She didn't know how to respond. The entire situation was baffling and borderline ridiculous. If she hadn't been so ticked off she might have found it amusing. It was struggle keeping her temper to a low simmer.

"What, are you heading out to a pep rally after this?"

It finally seemed to dawn on him that she wasn't taking the news as well as he'd hoped. His brow furrowed and he stepped forward with his hand outstretched. "Hey, don't lash out. You're better than that."

"I'm really not." Dodging his hand, she pushed hers through her hair. Imagining the sounds he would make as she strangled him with the strings of his worn sweatshirt helped her maintain her cool.

"I'm really sorry," he said, not looking at all sympathetic. Shrugging he lifted his hands. "Really. I'd still like to be friends."

"Right." She snorted and crossed her arms. The kiosk attendant at the ticket window was watching them with wide eyes. The last thing she wanted to draw was more attention yet she couldn't stop herself from blurting out. "You said I was your soul mate."

"I did?" To his credit, he sounded legitimately surprised by this.

"You did," she reminded. "During the weekend we spent together in Winhill. Remember?"

"Oh, well..." Having the decency to finally look ashamed, he lowered his eyes and scratched at his ears. "That doesn't..."

"That doesn't what?" The three words were snapped.

"Count." With a shrug, he met her eyes.

Quistis' were filled with fury. She didn't know why, but she couldn't let him go without a full explanation. "With the understanding that I am in no way upset by this break-up, would you mind telling me why, exactly and honestly, you are ending our relationship?"

His eyes widened at that and he took a step back. Swallowing visibly, he looked away again. With his eyes darting everywhere, he looked like he was about to speak and then at the last minute clutched his mid-section. He doubled over as if in pain.

"Ohhhh! My stomach!"

Well accustomed to Zone's antics after several months of dating, Quistis simply waited. She glared at his bowed head, tapping her foot once more. There was no way she was letting him pull that on her again. Her elbow still hurt from where she'd banged it in the train bathroom while fighting into her dress. A dress she hated and wore just for him. He owed her.

Apparently realizing she wasn't going to give him a break, Zone stood back up. He ran a head over his cropped brown hair and cleared his throat. "Well, uh…" He began, briefly meeting her eyes. "It's not personal, or anything, but it's just that you're so famous and we can't go anywhere in Balamb without people following us around. It's creepy."

Quistis frowned, confused. "Since when have we gone anywhere together in Balamb?"

"Well, I mean, I have to keep a low profile for the Owls, y'know? And you're always in the news." He shoved his hands inside the wide front pocket of his sweatshirt, slouching his shoulders.

"I have to be in the news. It's my job!" She rubbed her forehead. The headache had arrived right on time.

"Well, that's kinda the problem too," he continued. "You're always working. You are so serious all the time, about everything. Sometimes I just want to hang out, relax, have fun… That's not your thing."

She bit her lip, unsure of what to say. The conversation was rapidly derailing. Unfortunately, she didn't have to interject as Zone seemed to gain confidence the more he spoke of her failures.

"You're always acting like what you do is more important than anything else. And it is!" He waved his hands in front of his face, as if to ward off argument. "But do you always have to act like it? You can be hard to talk to. You have all these things going on in your head. You seem like you got it totally together, but you're actually really emotionally damaged."

"I see." Quistis stopped listening. Head leaning to one side, she pacified her anger by imagining all the fun ways she could kill the man currently taking such glee in listing all of her flaws. She supposed she had brought it on herself, though the knowledge hardly made her feel better. Tuning back in, she listened to one more insult before she had to interrupt to save her shrinking self-esteem.

"And your eyes," he went on. "They are just so… Blue. It kinda freaks me out."

"Okay, that's enough! I get it." Somehow she resisted the compulsion to throw something at his head.

"I'm really sorry, Quistis," Zone repeated in earnest. "It's not you."

Adjusting her bag on her shoulder, she lifted her chin. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I came all the way out here even though you could have told me this on the phone. I am sorry I spent one hundred gil on a limited edition band t-shirt because I knew you would whine if you missed your chance to get one."

"Really? You got me one? Awesome!"

He's grinning, she thought, stunned. The stupid idiot is actually grinning.

"Yes. I did. Obviously you're not getting it now."

"Oh, right." Zone's expression sobered. His hands dove back into the pocket. He waited a second before he looked at her, a hopeful smile on his face. "So, we're good? I'll see you around?"

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." With that, Quistis turned and walked away, refusing to look back.

As she strode away, she wished she hadn't traded in her boots for heels as her exit would have been much swifter. It was hard to depart with military officiousness in such awkward footwear. She silently vowed never to give up her own comfort for a man again.

"Asshole."

Seifer Almasy was annoyed. It was an emotion he was used to but one he was tired of feeling. As he tipped back his glass and downed the dregs of his beer, he asked himself what the fuck he was doing there.

"Fuck me." He muttered the words while slamming the glass back down on the table. No ale in the world had an alcohol content strong enough to get him through the next few hours. For his second round, he was going to need something much, much harder.

"Seifer, Seifer, Seifer!"

Wincing, he turned his head in the direction of the voice. "Leda, Leda, Leda."

Before he could prepare, the young woman was on top of him. She threw her silk-clad body into his lap and straddled his thighs. Tipping her forehead against his, she giggled, red hair brushing over his shoulders.

"Why are you hiding in the corner?" Her breath smelled like cherries. "Don't you want to sing with me?"

"Do I look like the karaoke type?" Setting his hands on her hips, he shifted her back. "Do you want another drink?" Not that she appeared to need one. Judging by her bright eyes, she'd had several already.

Seifer wasn't immune to his quasi-girlfriend's many physical attractions but her personality at times left something to be desired. Especially when she was among her friends. When they were alone, he could normally manipulate the situation to his liking and she could be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, at the moment, they were far from alone.

The karaoke bar had opened up just three weeks ago in Dollet's main square and already it was packed every night. Leda and her friends had decided it was their new favourite hang-out. They regularly got blitzed and belted out the latest top 40 hits while prancing around on stage. It wasn't the prancing that bothered him, or the high heels they wore. What they classified as singing was another story.

He'd managed to avoid the place pretty well until tonight when she had made him promise to meet her there after work. For the life of him, he couldn't remember why he'd agreed. A long day spent babysitting his useless fellow security officers must have screwed around with his brain. It probably had something to do with the promise of drunken sex afterwards. It was kind of pathetic, he had to admit. He never thought he'd see the day he blew out his eardrums just to get laid.

Rather than answer his question verbally, Leda smiled slightly and slid off his lap. It was a testament to her abilities that she was able to rise in one fluid motion given the spiky heels of her high leather boots. Picking up his right hand she pulled him off the chair in the direction of the bar. Seifer had no choice but to follow her through the crowd.

Once they reached their destination, she dropped his hand to lean over the bar, flipping back her hair.

"I'd like another Red Ruby Martini, please." Leda grinned at the bartender then turned to Seifer and winked. "Make it a double."

That explained the cherries.

Raising his eyebrows, Seifer ducked his head to murmur in her ear. "Do you really need a double? How many drinks have you had?"

"Meh." she shrugged with both shoulders, causing her long earrings to dance. "Who cares? It's Friday night, baby. Live a little!"

When the bartender presented her cocktail, she gave the dark-haired man another wide smile before hopping up on the single available stool. It was clear she expected Seifer to pay for her drink.

Shaking his head, he ordered his own, could never go wrong with vodka, paid for both, and then leaned back against the bar. The taste of the cool alcohol was satisfying on his tongue, though it did nothing to dispel the tortured sounds coming from the stage. The current singer, if one could call her that, was better than the previous performer talent-wise. It's just too bad she seemed to have a serious case of the hiccups. He supposed her jolting movements were supposed to be sexy. Unfortunately, they just made him sneer.

Were civilians always this pathetic?

Draining his glass, Seifer was about to order another when Leda spun her chair around to face him. Her large, thickly-lined eyes were serious as she studied him while sipping from her drink. She toyed with the straw and licked her lips. He was on the point of suggesting they take off but she spoke first.

"Seifer." It was a statement. She put down her glass so she could clasp his hands in hers. "We need to talk."

Seifer lifted an eyebrow and said nothing. He hated it when she got all touchy.

"I hate to say this, baby, but it's over." Her eyes grew even wider and more earnest. "I just don't think we should see each other anymore." Gazing up at him through her long eyelashes she cocked her head. "Please don't be mad."

He frowned as Leda's words registered in his head. It had been hard to hear over the singer's pleas for someone to call her, maybe. Disentangling his hands, he propped his elbows up on the bar behind him and looked his ostensibly ex-girlfriend up and down.

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" He spoke slowly, legitimately confused.

"Please, I know!" She crossed her legs and leaned forward, reaching out to touch his side. "We've had a lot of great times. It's just that, you're not nearly as, well, exciting as you used to be. "

"As I used to be?" It wasn't his style to echo but he was baffled by her phrasing. "We've only been seeing each other for a few weeks. Can't have changed that much."

"I know! I know! And it feels like so much longer, doesn't it?" Her eyes rolled and she giggled. "You used to be so cool, so dangerous. But lately you're just grumpy and you never want to go out any more. I like to party! You like to… Actually, I have no idea what you like to do. All I know is you need to care a little bit less about work and a little more about the girl you're dating." She shook her finger at him with a stern expression and then laughed again.

"Right. Maybe if the girl I'm dating cared a little bit more about..." Seifer snorted and then pulled away from the bar, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know what? Not your issue any more."

"I just think we're heading in different directions." She reached up and placed her hands on his shoulders.

Eyes rolling, he unfolded his arms and pushed her off. He leaned forward with a smirk. "Yeah, you to the stage and me not! Best. Breakup. Ever." Instead of speaking the last out loud he mouthed it silently for emphasis.

"You're a great guy. A little too emotionally distant, if you ask me..." Leda shrugged her shoulders and wriggled down from the bar stool. "It's not you. It's me. Truly."

"Look, Leda. I don't give a rat's ass. Of course it's me. You're breaking up with me!" Staring down at her in disbelief, he almost felt like laughing. He wasn't sure how much more he could put up with while remaining remotely polite.

"It's not! It's me!" Her eyes pleaded with him for a long moment and then she smiled, bright as a child. "I just don't like you anymore! But I really do wanna stay friends."

Fuck this, he thought. Why am I still listening to this shit?

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." With that, he turned to walk away. "I'd say it's been fun, but really it's been a pain in the ass." He didn't bother to look back.

At least she'd had the decency to tell him before the crowd really got going. If he'd waited around all night listening to more crappy music only to get dumped at the end, he would have really been pissed. He silently vowed never to endanger his hearing for a woman again.

"Bitch."

Quistis Trepe was sweating. It was the day after her disappointing non-date with Zone. She'd spent the entire journey home keyed up and ticked off. In the past she had found that the best way to release such tension was physical exercise. Almost immediately after arriving back in Garden around six am, she called up Xu and invited her to join her in a run. A venting workout was always better when served with a friend.

Up ahead she could see the beach, which meant they'd made it about ten kilometres already. Too bad she still wasn't feeling a whole lot better.

"Cripes, Quis, wait up, would ya?"

Realizing she had gotten quite a few strides ahead of the shorter woman, Quistis slowed her pace to allow her to catch up.

"Sorry, Xu." She shook her head. "I just need to get it out of my system."

"No kidding." Xu's breath came out in short pants. Her bangs were swept back from her head in a white head band but it didn't stop the sweat from dripping into her eyes. "It is way too hot for this."

In truth, Quistis had barely noticed the warm temperature or the climbing sun. Every time she thought about the events from the previous night, her veins froze over. Even the bright spring morning couldn't lighten her mood.

"Did you want to take a break?" She glanced over, adjusting the strap of her tank top.

"Maybe in a minute. When I collapse and die, you'll know it's time."

Running was not Xu's favourite cardiovascular activity. She much preferred hitting the spin bike at the gym where at least she could enjoy the male scenery. Killing things in the training center was also a lot more fun as it also involved a mental workout. Running was dull, mindless, and, she could admit, she sucked at it. Her competitive nature automatically hated anything at which she wasn't the best. Nevertheless, Quistis was her best friend. Sometimes one had to suck it up and do the right thing.

Chuckling, the blond woman grinned at her friend, eyebrows quirked. "Race ya to the beach?"Without giving her friend a chance to reply, Quistis took off, feet hitting the gravel with a satisfying crunch.

"Hey! Wait! Ugh!" Xu groaned. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Veering off from the pathway, Quistis ran down the steep grass hill towards the water. She never felt as free as she did when she was running. All the stress could be left far behind and she could pretend there was nothing else in the world but herself and the wind. It had been where she found her solace after the painful events of the Second Sorceress War. In the two years since it all ended, she had rarely skipped a day. No matter how bad things got, she could always find peace in her well-worn sneakers. It was just too bad the feeling didn't linger very far off the trail.

"I win!" Hitting the sand of the Balamb shore, she slowed down and threw her arms up in the air. She skipped a few steps and then lowered her hands to the ground to rotate her body in a cartwheel.

"Show off!" The other woman shouted as she jogged down the hill. Xu swore, though there was no malice in her voice. "Where the hell do you get the energy?"

Quistis bent to stretch out her legs. "It's not energy. It's rage."

"Ah. I guess that'd do it." Finally making it to the sand, Xu threw herself to the ground, arms and legs flayed out. "Kill. Me. Now."

"Um, I wouldn't do that," said her taller friend, peering down at her. "Your muscles will seize and you won't be able to run back." Xu let forth with a stream of obscenities so profane, all Quistis could do was laugh. "Okay, if you like we can walk it."

"The things I do for you," muttered Xu. She blocked the sun from her eyes with one hand and reached out with the other. "Help me up."

Once she was on her feet again, she removed the band and elastic from her shoulder-length hair and shook it out. The sweaty strands touched the back of her neck and she grimaced. The shower was so very far away. As she gathered her brown tresses back up into a short ponytail, she studied her friend.

"You gonna be okay, Trepe?"

"Yeah…" Nodding, Quistis looked out over the water. "I'm not hurt. Just angry. I can't believe I invested all that time and energy for nothing."

"Not nothing." Xu stretched an arm over her head and smirked. "The sex was okay, right?"

"Sure," the blonde rolled her eyes, "but what good is that? I'm no better off now. And I'm short a couple hundred gil." She paused then made a face. "He called me emotionally damaged. His exact words."

Dropping her arms, Xu shook her head in sympathy. "What a douche. You should have strangled him with that t-shirt."

"The thought did cross my mind." Quistis sighed and returned her gaze to the other woman. "You're right. It is hot out here. Are you ready to head back?"

Giving a one-shouldered shrug, Xu fell into step with her friend and began the climb back up to the path.

"I wouldn't dwell on it, Quis. You're not the only woman to be taken in by a goofy smile. Don't beat yourself up."

"Ugh." At the top of the crest, Quistis kicked at the gravel road, watching it fall. "I just don't know if I can go through it all again. Why can't I keep someone interested? It's so infuriating!" She started walking, making sure to match her stride to Xu's this time. "I don't know what is wrong with me or why I keep trying to put myself out there. What do I have to do? I mean, I even wore that skanky dress you made me buy."

"You mean the red one?" Xu gave her a sidelong glance.

"Yes. With the buttons."

"Right. And the—"

"Yes."

"Hell, Quis, I don't know. I'd fuck you in that dress!"

"Exact-" Quistis cut herself off when she realized what her friend had said. She gave Xu a strange look but the woman only smiled. She shook her head and kept walking. "Exactly."

"I am positive he is punching himself in the head this morning over his own stupidity. If I ever see that creep again, I'll do a whole lot more."

"Thanks, Xu." The other woman's loyalty made her smile. "Zone wasn't the best choice of boyfriends. I know that. But he seemed so sweet."

"Don't they all?" Adjusting her shorts, Xu wrinkled her nose. Her legs were beginning to feel sore from the run but a breeze had picked up off the ocean to help cool her down. That was something.

"No!" Snorting at an old re-surfacing memory, Quistis raised an eyebrow in her friend's direction. "The Estharian you tried to pawn off on me was far from sweet. Talk about an ego."

"Oh yeah!" Xu's expression brightened and she snickered. "What was his name again? I can't remember. Dorian? Axel? Miletus?"

"Paavo," she corrected then lowered her brows. "Miletus? You sure know a lot more men than I do."

"Well, duh!" It came out louder than she'd intended so Xu tried to soften the jibe with a playful nudge with her elbow. "I get out a lot more. I don't lock myself up in my apartment like it's some kind of convent."

"Whatever." Tired now that she had vented, Quistis wasn't in the mood for her friend's teasing. She just wanted to get back to Garden and on with her life.

Xu didn't take the hint. "Careful, Trepe. I think that's the second time you've said that this morning. You don't want to turn into our great and powerful commander."

"Maybe I do, Xu. Maybe he was right all along." Quistis threw up her hands. "That could be my problem. Perhaps I try too hard or expect too much. Maybe I need to approach my future relationships with absolutely no emotion whatsoever. It seems to work for him. He's been with Rinoa for over two years now."

Now it was Xu's turn to frown. Sometimes she really worried about her friend. "Are you sure about that? Stoic and taciturn isn't your style."

"Well, it is now!" Pulling her face into a determined expression, Quistis tightened her ponytail and straightened her shoulders. "From now on, I am swearing off romance. I no longer believe in the stupid fantasy cliche of true love. I am just going to shut myself down emotionally. Just call me Squall Leonhart!"

Seifer Almasy was sweating. It was the afternoon after his frustrating experience at the karaoke bar and he was still irritated. Unable to sleep, he had spent the night glaring at his television before he'd had to get up and head in to work. Yelling at his subordinates hadn't made him feel as better as it usually did so he was still in a sullen mood by the time he'd met up with Raijin. If ordering people around didn't improve his perspective, hauling furniture up three flights of stairs wasn't a better alternative.

"Tell me again," he said, grunting under the load of a mahogany bureau. "How did Fujin get out of this?"

"Doctor's appointment," Raijin called back to him from the other end of the dresser, sounding entirely too chipper. "She felt really bad, ya know?"

"I'm sure she did. What kind of doctor is open on a weekend?" Seifer grumbled the last mostly to himself as they reached the top of the stairs. He set the bottom end of the bureau down on the floor to give his shoulders a short rest.

Raijin smiled and shrugged in response, not seeming at all affected by the heavy lifting. "We're almost done, ya know? After this there's only a coupla boxes."

"Yeah, okay." Wiping the sweat from his forehead with an arm, Seifer bent to pick up the wooden chest once more. "Let's get this over with."

He complained but he wasn't really that narked about helping his friends move. If he was honest with himself, he was happy to do it. Fujin and Raijin had done more than enough shit for him and he knew he owed them a lot more than a day's labour. He was more than pleased they were re-locating to Dollet as he missed having them around. Things were never going to be like they were in the old days, too much had changed, yet it would be good to have some old friends in town. Maybe he would finally learn to like the place. Or, at the very least, not hate it so much.

It took them a minute to figure out how to fit the wide bureau through the door of the apartment. It was an old building and all the entrances were incredibly narrow. Raijin himself had to turn sideways just to fit through. Eventually they ended up flipping it and angling it in so that they could get around the tiny square of space in the entry way. Neither man was in bad shape but the dead weight took its toll after a short period.

"Fuck," Seifer swore. "Where the hell'd she get this thing anyway?" He had half a mind to chuck it down the stairs.

"Dunno," Raijin replied, voice muffled on the other side of the doorway. "Think it was her grandmother's."

"I didn't even know," Seifer paused to take a breath as he lifted the furniture higher so they could maneuver it around, "she had a grandmother."

"Me neither." The other man let out a grunt as they finally made it all the way inside the flat. "Don't like to question her, ya know? It hurts."

"Yeah." It was true. Fujin had one hell of a roundhouse.

The two men steered the dresser around the piles of boxes and furniture already inside in order to get to the bedroom. With a lot more grunting and only a few mild curse words, they hefted it into its final resting place and stood back as if to admire their handiwork.

Seifer rolled his shoulders. "How many boxes did you say are left?"

"Uh," Raijin scratched his head. "Couple. Maybe five? Not sure, ya know? Think there could be some still in the car too."

"Break time?" He didn't want to wuss out, but at the same time, it was hot in the small space. His t-shirt was slick against his back. Before they finished, he needed a drink.

His friend nodded and padded into the main room. Dragging a hand through his hair, Seifer followed, work boots clomping on the laminate flooring.

Though it was hard to tell with everything still piled up everywhere, as he looked around the apartment he could easily imagine his friends living comfortably there. The space wasn't large but it was open with large windows. It was a heck of a lot nicer than the hovel he'd fallen into after first arriving in the city. Of course, now that he'd been there for over a year and a half, he probably could find a better place to crash. Maybe even somewhere with reliable plumbing. It just seemed like too much work, especially since he was so rarely at home.

Raijin headed over to the refrigerator in the kitchen; the sun poured through the window over the sink and cast him in an eerie glow. Without curtains, the whole room was blinding and Seifer had to squint. Taking the offered beer can, he moved to the sliding door of the balcony, and stepped outside. The cool breeze from the ocean felt refreshing on his heated skin. Raijin stood next to him and leaned over the stone wall.

"Pretty cool up here, ya know? Ain't have balconies like this in Garden."

Seifer couldn't help but grin at Raijin's excited expression. His spirits lifted seeing his friend look so happy. "They don't have much in Garden. Just a whole lot of damn rules."

"Yeah. I don't think I mind leavin'. Fuj wasn't sure but I think it'll be a good change." Raijin took a large drink from his own can. "Thanks for hookin' me up with the job and all, ya know? I owe you, man."

"You owe me nothing." Seifer shook his head and stepped away, eyes on the horizon. "It was the least I could do. I'm surprised dickhead Leonhart gave you permission."

Raijin chuckled at his friend's nickname for Balamb Garden's commander. "He kinda had to when Fuj told him the news. She couldn't keep bein' a SeeD no more in her condition, ya know?"

"What do you mean her condition?" Frowning, Seifer looked back at the other man. Was Fujin injured? He was about to ask when it hit him. "Hyne. Is she pregnant?"

"Yep." Raijin looked proud as he beamed back at him. "Can't believe it, ya know?"

"Shit." Seifer slowly shook his head, not believing the news himself. How fast everything changed… An uncomfortable emotion he couldn't name poked at the back of his brain. It wasn't jealousy, not exactly, but it was just as dark. Shaking it off, he forced a smile on his face for his friend's benefit. "Shit, Raij, why didn't you say anything? Congratulations!" He punched the larger man in the shoulder with his free hand.

"Thanks, ya know?" Raijin was still beaming. He downed his beer and then crushed the can in his hands. "I wanted to tell you but Fuj was worried. Thought you might be upset, ya know? I told her you wouldn't but she wanted to wait. She'll be mad I said somethin' so I am glad you aren't."

"Of course I'm not. If you guys are happy, that's all that matters." Seifer finished his own beer and kept the grin on his face. "Fuck, who've thought?" He tossed the can at the open dumpster below, not bothering to watch as it sailed directly inside. "So what're you gonna do? Are you actually gonna get married and shit?"

"I dunno." Brows lowering, Raijin scratched the back of his neck as if thinking it over for the first time. "D'ya think I should propose? Would she want to?" His expression was at once both stunned and concerned.

"What are you asking me for?" Shaking his head again, Seifer turned to go back inside. The temperature was dropping and the breeze was starting to make him feel chilled. At least, he told himself it was the breeze. "You know a lot more than I do about relationships."

Raijin followed him in, not bothering to close the sliding door. He looked more and more worried. "But you know Fujin, ya know? Should I get her a ring? C'mon, man, help me out!"

"You're on your own, buddy. Me and women have nothing in common." The events of the previous night returned to the forefront of his mind and Seifer scowled. "Let's go. We should finish up before Fujin gets home."

As they plodded back down the stairs to where the truck was parked outside, Raijin continued to plead with him. "Hey, why don't you n' Leda come out for dinner with us? Maybe you can talk to Fuj, find out what she wants, ya know?"

"Yeah, that's not happening," Seifer's expression darkened further. "Leda and I are done."

"Oh," said Raijin. His eyes widened and he looked guilty. "I'm sorry!" He barely caught the box the blond man shoved at him.

"Don't be." Seifer stacked another box on top of the one in Raijin's arms. "You didn't know. And I'm not." He picked up two more boxes and headed back into the building.

The other man hurried to catch up. "I thought you guys were serious, ya know? You seemed to be happy."

"She was more into it than I was." He took the stairs quickly, not enjoying the current topic of conversation. "Until she wasn't." He paused briefly before climbing the last few steps. "Why do relationships always start off so fun and then turn into suck-a-bag-of-dicks?"

"Oh," Raijin repeated. He clamoured up behind, not seeming to break a sweat despite the fact the boxes in his hands primarily contained books. "You'll meet someone else, ya know?"

Seifer didn't say anything until he reached the top of the stairs again. Striding into the apartment, he glanced around. "Yeah, whatever. What is this junk? Kitchen?"

"Think so." Raijin set his own load down and then shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts. "Doesn't matter. Hey, Seif, women are tough, ya know? It's so hard."

Running out of patience with the subject at hand, Seifer shouldered past his friend and went back down for another load. The sooner they finished, the sooner he could leave. Originally he'd planned on sticking around to see Fujin, maybe grab some food, but if Raijin just wanted to yammer about his love life he could change his plans. He had better things to do.

There were only two more boxes in the back of the rental truck so he grabbed those and left Raijin scrambling in his wake to close the door and get the others out of the car. He could still hear the other man rambling about something behind him and he figured it was better to just tune him out. Seifer knew his temper would only last so long. It wouldn't be fair for Fujin to come home to the two of them engaged in a fist fight. His friend meant well but that didn't mean he had to listen.

Raijin stacked the three boxes from the car on top of each other as quickly as he could. They weren't heavy, not for him; however his natural clumsiness meant he almost dropped the one containing dishware on the ground. Recovering his hold and steadying the box on top, he closed the car door with a foot then attempted to catch up with Seifer. He felt bad about his flub and could tell Seifer was pissed off. Regrettably, the more he talked, the more ticked off the other man seemed. Fujin was going to be mad if she found out he'd said something stupid again.

The thing was, he felt kind of bad for Seifer right now. Things had been going so well for him and he wanted his friend to be just as happy. It felt weird to be in an almost superior place in life than his old buddy. Ever since they'd known each other Seifer was always the man in charge, always the one who had all his shit together. After the war, everything had kind of reversed and neither man was really comfortable with the changed dynamics.

Fortunately, in the last year and a half everything had begun to improve. Seifer now had a respected position with the Dolletian government and appeared to be leading a somewhat normal life. They never spoke about the past and Raijin knew he was trying to forge ahead the best he could, in spite of the restrictions placed on him. When he had casually mentioned Leda's name over the phone, Raijin had been pumped. He'd imagined the four of them hanging out together and hoped things could eventually even out between them, even if they couldn't revert to the way they were in the old days. Learning that was over now disappointed him.

Back inside the apartment, Raijin set down his final load and scratched at his left shoulder with the opposite hand. He looked over at Seifer who was cracking his neck while checking the messages on the phone in his hand.

"That's it! Thanks a lot for your help, ya know? Fuj will be glad it's all done!" Raijin grinned and surveyed his new abode. "D'ya want another beer? I got lots!"

Seifer slid the phone into the back pocket of his jeans before replying. "I've gotta head out."

"Oh, you sure? We were kinda hopin' you would stay for dinner, ya know? It's been a while since we hung around and we don't have anythin' else goin' on…" Raijin tried to think of a way to convince the other man to stay. "I'm really sorry if I said something to bug you. You know me, always spoutin' crap. I didn't mean to offend you, ya know?"

"Nah, it's not that." Seifer shrugged, expression guarded. "I should check back in with work for a bit. Make sure it hasn't blown up."

"So you're not mad about breakin' up with your girl? I'm really sorry it didn't work out." Raijin's countenance turned sorrowful. His distress was so sincere even Seifer had a hard time staying angry.

He sighed, clenching and unclenching his jaw. "I am mad, just not at you. Shit, it doesn't matter. She was a bitch. I'm over it. Just something to do for fun." Shrugging again, Seifer lightly punched the doorframe.

Not the most percipient of individuals, Raijin took Seifer's flippancy at face value. "That's good, ya know? Listen, maybe Fujin could set you up with someone. I am sure she knows people and—"

"Fuck, Raij! Lay off, will you?" He didn't mean to yell but the discussion was riling him up all over again. At his friend's startled expression, he took a breath and counted to ten. "Look," he started after a few moments. "I'm not interested in seeing anyone right now. Got better things to do than waste time buying flowers and making nice with ditzy friends just to get laid. I'm tired of all the bullshit games."

Raijin nodded slowly, scratching his head. "Yeah. That sucks, man. But it's not always like that, ya know?"

"Really?" Seifer laughed then, a joyless sound. He crossed his arms. "It's always been like that for me. Relationships ain't exactly my style."

"That's just cause you haven't met the right person yet, ya know?" Raijin walked over to the fridge and opened the door. He smiled with confidence. "You'll see."

"Whatever," his friend rolled his eyes, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Chuckling, Raijin pulled out another can. "You sound like the commander, ya know?"

Seifer glared. "Compare me to that dipshit again and I'll pound on your head." He strode back over to where Raijin was standing and snatched the can out of his hand. Taking a drink, he considered his friend's words for a moment. "Fuckin' Hyne. Captain Puberty did have it right in some ways, though. Maybe I'd be better off right now if I acted more like him."

Bemused, Raijin raised his eyebrows. "Ya think?" He never thought he'd see the day Seifer admitted Squall did anything well. Things had obviously changed more than he'd guessed.

"Yeah, why not?" Seifer took a large gulp then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, liking the idea more and more. "He seems to get more action than I do. From now on, I am not gonna bother with trying to please anyone but myself. Never got me anywhere anyway. I am just going to work and fuck. Just call me Dickhead Leonhart."

AN: I was originally going to get the majority of the exposition over in this chapter but it ran a lot longer than I planned so unfortunately I still have some explaining to do before I get to the juicy bits. On the plus side, I should have the next one up pretty fast as it's most plotted out already. Thanks again for reading!