My first fic by the way

Cyclones in the Dust
Seifer's Question

Disclaimer – I disclaim, did not make, design or in anyway conceive any part of the ff8 storyline or characters or anything else. I just like playing with them, and yes I most certainly do have a God complex.

"Come on Squally-boy, it can't be that hard really. I mean it's one simple question. Three words and a question mark, even you understand that right? Where. Is. Chickenwuss?" Seifer said as he followed Squall relentlessly through the training area. His voice was cynical and arrogant as usual. His strong presence nagged at Squall's mind, his instincts were still honed to react to that presence like a threat. Squall knew however, that no matter how annoying or how monstrously frustrating Seifer was, he wasn't an enemy now.

The brunette was pale and tired-eyed from lack of sleep, but trudged doggedly on. His hair was messier than usual with erratic spikes lancing from his mane of hair. He never really having time to try and tidy it up in the mornings anymore, what with being the Headmaster of Garden 'and' Seifer's hounding, 'and' Selphie's suggestion that a welcome home party would cheer Zell up, and like all her suggestions she would hound and hound like Seifer until she got her way.

"Go away Seifer" he said to himself, knowing it to be completely pointless to direct it at the tall blonde who he imagined grinned, green eyes glittering when he heard The Headmaster's voice.

"Aww, am I getting to you? You look like you need a break, you have no idea how long I can keep this up, do you? Just tell me where he is and you can keep your own company again, Hyne knows I've had enough of it. Hanging around you is about as entertaining as watching ice thaw," said Seifer sighing and stretched looking bored in body and facial expression, only his eyes betrayed his amusement.

Squall bared his teeth, dark blue eyes flashing with anger and irritation, he stopped walking and faced Seifer who grinned knowingly at Squall's reaction to him. 'I'm the Headmaster, I don't have to tolerate this, I could have Seifer confined to quarters' … but both boys knew he wouldn't do that, that would be giving in, and Squall would never give into Seifer without a fight.

"… He doesn't need your bullying Seifer, he needs time alone" he said, voice still steady, eyes set in a glacial glare, attempting to be threatening and only coming off as tired.

"Time alone? Pfft! This is Chicken we're talking about, not you. He's not a cold temperamental dickhead. He's a people person. Now tell me where he is!" snapped Seifer, frowning in irritation and returning Squall's glare habitually with his own.

Squall narrowed his eyes to slits, and stiffened at the insult, and Seifer grinned, amused at the reaction. Squall realised what he'd done and cursed himself internally, he was having a hard time keeping his glacial expressions from cracking under strain. He was too tired to control himself properly. He took a deep breath.

"Whatever" he said carelessly, turning and gesturing over his shoulder dismissively, about to walk away.

"Wait a minuet!" snarled Seifer, he grabbed Squall's arm and jerked him roughly back to face him. The brunette reacted by shoving the blonde back, and although the blond was taller and more powerfully built than Squall, he stumbled several feet, giving Squall the room and time to draw his gunblade as he'd intended. Seifer smiled confidently, as if he knew something Squall didn't.

"I'm here to train Seifer, and your shouting is scaring all the monsters away" growled Squall.

"That an offer to spar Squally? because I've made a mental note to rectify our score…" the blonde sneered arms folded loosely over his chest, green eyes cutting and impenetrable, all amusement gone under a veil of aggression.

"You're the only monster around that I can see" Squall's voice held a note of anger and his glare was practically storming giving credit to his name-sake.

"…Funny" said Seifer dryly drawing Hyperion, eyeing Squall's Griever with a measuring gaze, then he smirked rolling his shoulders in preparation.

"Tell you what Squall, let's make a game of it. If I win, you tell me where the Chicken's flown off to, and if you win I'll go find my fun somewhere else" he smiled gesturing openly with his arms, and it would have been a charming gesture without the savageness in his eyes. Squall considered, then shrugged.

"Whatever".

"First blood wins… no magic" said Seifer coldly, frowning in irritation at Squall's non-committing catch phrase. His arms moved closer to his body as he fell into stance.

"Remember to keep your own rules this time Seifer…" said Squall acidly altering his stance unconsciously in preparation for Seifer's attack he could read Seifer's stance was offensive. Seifer only smiled at his opponents actions actions, then they engaged.

Seifer rushed forward twirling into a powerful arc Hyperion whispering through the air, his trench coat billowing out behind him. Squall blocked and the blades screamed spitting sparks, the blow nearly made his arm buckled and he gritted his teeth in frustration at his own weakness allowing his stance to compensate for the blow so he didn't stumble back or fall to his knees. He responded by narrowing his eyes and pushing Seifer's blade and body back. His arms rebelled, the muscles and tendons already aching after blocking only one blow, Squall knew Seifer was strong, but Squall also knew Seifer was devious, it was only then did then he realised what was happening.

Seifer had planned this.

He'd deliberately kept Squall up at night, had deliberately consumed the times Squall could have had a break. Seifer had slept himself while Squall was busy with Headmaster duties, but had always prevented Squall from doing the same in any great measure. He'd done it deliberately so he'd have the upper hand now.

"Son of a bitch!" snarled Squall. Seifer laughed at him with an arrogant, knowing laugh. They circled one another the blade tips only a breath from touching, the dust settling from the previous flurry of movement.

"Finally caught on Squally? I was wondering if you ever would," he attacked again not waiting for a reply using his arrogant speech to distract Squall, this time he narrowly missed his shoulder. The brunette dived into a roll and scrambled up turning quickly, blue eyes storming with anger.

"You fucking planned this!"

"I thought we'd already established that?" Seifer cocked an eyebrow mockingly and smirked. Squall knew that expression, it was an expression Seifer had whenever he went in for the final blow, when he knew he was about to win. Squall yelled as he attacked, Griever flashing like lightening. Seifer blocked in such a way that Squall's blade slid down the flat of his harmlessly with a high pitched grinding. Squall's focus had been on Seifer's blade and his own, so when the blonde's right fist pelted his face he was caught of guard and pain exploded across his head in time with after images across his eyes.

Seifer rested the point of his blade on the ground and lent casually on it watching Squall blink stupidly, sprawled out on the floor as dust settled around him. Squall scowled then got up looking left and right for his blade, casting a dark glare at Seifer in between. Squall was confident Seifer wouldn't attack, he had a warped sense of honour but he wouldn't take advantage of an unarmed opponent… well friend, he wouldn't take advantage of an unarmed friend, he took advantage of opponents all the time and they usually ended up dead.

"Squally" said Seifer in sunny voice. Squall glared at him, and when Seifer gestured to his lips. Squall's eyes widened, he put his gloved hand to his lip, the rough leather caught on the split skin and stung, he winced and pulled his hand back quickly. He found a wetness on the black leather as he drew his hand back. He glared at the offending fluid, livid.

"You fought dirty!" he snapped stormy blue eyes snapping up to lock with Seifer's.

"You know I do" said Seifer softly, dangerously viridian eyed gaze holding Squall's. The Headmaster looked away and sighed, then he dusted down his leather trousers, head down.

"I don't know where he is" he said quietly hoping Seifer wouldn't laugh at his incompetence. 'How could I have let Zell leave without making him say where he was going? Stupid!'

"You what? What do you mean you don't know where he is? What kind of Headmaster are you?" he yelled in response, advancing a step, Squall's head shot up, he instinctively fell into a defensive stance. He wasn't as good at hand to hand as Zell, but if it came down to it… his thoughts trailed of when he took in Seifer's appearance. Tension had shot through his body and his arrogance had gone, replaced by genuine anger.

Squall stared at him, shocked by the reaction. 'Seifer is angry because he doesn't know where Zell is?' Squall questioned mentally. The blonde was so angered, his usual smirk-of-arrogance had slipped to an expression of rage, teeth bared, eyes flashing viridian fire. His fists clenched, one firmly around the hilt of his gunblade.

"…He will return on Friday… and I don't want you giving him a hard time" Squall said, mentally noting Seifer's reaction. The tall blond hadn't even noticed the anger with which he'd berated Squall… 'does he even know what he was acting like? Perhaps I should ask Selphie to keep an eye on Seifer and investigate his interest in Zell… it'd keep her off my back about the party… and occupy Seifer.'

"What're you staring at puberty-boy, are you fucking gay!" snarled Seifer savagely sheathing his blade roughly and folding his arms stiffly. He was agitated and tense.

"No… are you?" Squall asked warily and curious about Seifer's reaction to the situation concerning Zell. Seifer stared at him, Squall could almost feel the heat radiating of the blonde in his anger.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" he yelled arms dropped quickly to his sides fists clenched, and Squall figured he'd gone too far, until Seifer responded.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Seifer growled sounding angry, but Squall knew a defensive tactic when he saw one, especially where Seifer was concerned; he looked threatening, but he wasn't advancing.

"Whatever" said Squall, placing a hand on his hip and looking away, deciding not to provoke Seifer for the time being, his stance showed Seifer he was thinking but didn't care to share his thoughts. He knew for a fact Seifer could read his body movements as easily as he could read Seifer's, an ability formed from being rivals and enemies.

"Don't go getting ideas Leonheart… might hurt yourself," said the blond. He spoke with dark voice void of his usual cynicism and arrogance, it was accompanied by a threatening viridian glare before he stormed of, his coat billowing behind him raising cyclones in the dust.