The first thing that filtered into Hayner's mind the following morning was the sound of a door being pulled shut. He shifted, hugging the quilt more tightly to himself and listening to Seifer's heavy feet clump through the living room and return back into what Hayner assumed was the older boy's bedroom. He squirmed about in an attempt to awaken himself further and clenched his eyes shut, sitting up.

It took him a moment to focus in on what he was looking at in particular, but when he did, it became apparent that Seifer's condo looked as if it belonged to the typical teenage boy -- clothes were strewn about, and a handful of cups sat on the coffee table, along with the random empty bowl. Beside the television was a shelf of movie cases, but Hayner assumed the stack of CDs atop the television itself was where the majority of those movies actually resided.

The blond skater huffed out a sigh between his teeth, leaning his head back against the couch and staring up at the ceiling. He hadn't expected Seifer to do what he had, never thought that the bully would care about Hayner's life enough to let the younger boy stay the night at his condo.

That brought another thought to Hayner's mind as he contemplated searching for the remote control. Seifer didn't seem like the kind to live alone, and there was no possible way for him to afford owning a beach-side condominium. It was possible that he'd inherited it, but doubtful.

Deciding to forego watching television, Hayner made a mental note to ask Seifer the next time they were on relatively friendly terms.

The thought of leaving crossed Hayner's mind -- before he remembered that his train ticket was in the very same jacket that Seifer had stripped off of Hayner and left at the pier -- and he settled back into the couch. It meant that Hayner probably wouldn't be getting home any time soon.

Realizing this, he begrudgingly left the cocooning warmth of the blanket and stood. His body ached, tremors of initial cold setting in as he stretched sore limbs, arching himself and groaning when a few joints cracked.

Shaking his arms and head to loosen them up, Hayner wandered over to what looked like the kitchen, his chestnut eyes landing on a phone that was plugged into the wall on the little island counter. Grinning, he shuffled his cold toes over to it and picked up the receiver, dialing his house and waiting for his grandmother to answer the phone.

It took a few moments before she answered, and at the same time, Hayner caught the numbers 9:45 glowing from a microwave inside of the kitchen.

"Hello?" His grandmother's voice was weak- something he was steadily becoming used to as the days wore on and she seemed to lose more and more energy to do the little things around the house. She was prone to sleeping in later and staying up late to watch her favorite shows on their small black and white television- meaning he'd probably woke her up.

"Hey gramma, its Hayner." He peered over to Seifer's door, seeing shadows moving on the other side. His grandmother made a sound of acknowledgment. "Hayner, where have you been?" Though her voice was filled with concern, Hayner could tell just by the sound of it that his grandmother wasn't too happy with him. He winced- knowing full well that he was most likely going to receive an ear full when he got home.

"I'm at Roxas' house. We went out to the pier last night and lost track of time. His place is closer, and we might hang out for a while, I don't know." It all came out in a rush of words, and Hayner wrung his hands around the base of the phone.

His grandmother hummed in thought before sighing.

"I guess it can't be helped. Be home for supper, all right?"

"Yeah, love you gramma, bye." Hayner hung up after exchanging his farewells, watching Seifer's door open and for the aforementioned blond come walking out of his room. He wasn't wearing his typical coat, but a pair of black jeans and a form-fitting navy shirt that caused Hayner's stomach to drop for reasons the blond only wished he didn't know. His chest was a lot more toned than Hayner had realized- dipping into the small curve of his stomach and a flare of his hips that left Hayner wanting to press his body up against those toned muscles.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, and Hayner placed the phone back into the cradle slowly. He was at a loss for words, eyes vainly trying to concentrate on the hole in the wall beside Seifer's door that looked suspiciously like a fist. Seifer cleared his throat and strode past Hayner and into the kitchen, pulling a cup out of the cabinet and going about getting himself a glass of water. Hayner shifted, taking his hand from the phone. "Where are my clothes at?" He felt more awkward trying to strike conversation with Seifer than starting a fight.

Seifer was quiet, taking a drink from his glass and placing it on the counter. "I had to get your jacket from the pier. Your clothes are in the dryer." He looked up at Hayner, and for the first time, the younger boy noticed how much of a vividly pale blue Seifer's eyes were. Startled, Hayner's voice left him for the second time that morning. Without his typical beanie on, Seifer's fair blond hair fell in uneven locks around his face, framing his cheeks-- though a good portion of it seemed to be matted into a slicked-back fashion from constantly wearing his beanie. Hayner had to resist the urge to reach out and feel if Seifer's silken locks were really as soft as they looked.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Hayner glanced away from the persistent stare that Seifer had leveled on him, and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "So how am I gonna get back home without any money and a ruined train ticket?" Seifer grunted, removing his hand from where it had still been gripping tightly to his cup, and walked out of the kitchen.

"You'll think of something." Seifer murmured, stalking into the living room and gathering up the quilt Hayner had used. He went about folding it, ignoring how Hayner seemed to tense up angrily and open his mouth to blurt out a retort. The blond youth's mind seemed to catch up to him, however, and he caught his voice before he shouted something particularly harsh to the older boy. Seifer had been the one to fish him out of the lake -- though it had inadvertently been his fault -- and had taken him home, practically saving Hayner's life. He allowed a low growl to emit from the back of his throat, but other than that, kept silent and turned, watching Seifer move to stick the quilt back in the linen closet.

"Th..uh. Thanks for yesterday." Hayner glanced down, wringing his hands together uncomfortably. The air was thick with tension, so much so that it seemed the atmosphere itself was nearly suffocating. The older boy let out a long sigh of a breath and shut the door, looking up at Hayner. His pale face contorted into a frustrated grimace and he scoffed loudly, whirling around and going back into his room. Hayner's chest tightened and he exhaled loudly, reaching a hand up to twist it in the fabric of the borrowed white tee.

It hurt to know that, even when trying to extend a friendly hand, Seifer shot him down. It could have been because Seifer now knew about Setzer, but Hayner couldn't bring himself to confess that he always seemed to become paralyzed with fear when the older man would approach.

Hayner was disgusted with himself at knowing he was so weak, and stepped away from the counter to grab his shoes from where they were sitting by the door. He lifted the pair, wincing at how soggy they were, and slipped his feet into them. Water squished between his toes, generating an uncomfortable and cold feeling in his legs, but Hayner ignored it in favor of standing up. A quick glance around the room let Hayner know that there wasn't a jacket in sight and that if he were to venture out- he'd have to face the cold in what he was already wearing. Holding back the sigh that wanted to escape him, Hayner quietly made his way to the door, twisting the knob and walking out of the condo without so much as a glance backwards.

Hayner didn't bother shutting the door quietly, instead allowing it to all-but slam closed before the blond teen started towards the elevator at a hurried pace, using one hand to slick back his still-damp hair that now stuck every-which-way possible.

Stepping inside the elevator, Hayner caught sight of Seifer opening his door and looking over at him just as the automated doors of the elevator snapped shut. He hit the floor button, staring at his reflection in the large, distorted mirror and trying once more to fix his haphazardly styled blond locks before the elevator beeped once and the doors opened. Making his way down the short hallway and barely made it outside of the lobby doors before his entire body was struck with an unbearable early-morning cold.

Snow crunched under his feet, sticking to his wet shoes and the hem of the pants that he'd borrowed from Seifer. The sun was barely glinting over the tops of surrounding buildings, hiding the warm sun-rays from touching Hayner's chilled skin.

Tremors began again, tearing through his very core and sending aftershocks of trembling through his limbs. The icy air bit at his eyes and ears- no doubt turning them a rosy color. Hayner waded through the snow, holding to his own body and heading in the direction he knew the train station to be in.

Hayner didn't know what to feel about Seifer's hospitality. The older boy was a cocky, pigheaded asshole who only cared about himself and those that benefited to him. To Hayner, knowing that Seifer had a kind-hearted side was a reality that sent his mind reeling. He couldn't stand the prospect of Seifer pitying him so much that the older blond would actually turn the other cheek.

As the wind picked up, Hayner's joints began to ache from the cold sting and he nearly turned back. The only thing stopping him from returning to the warmth of the older boy's condo and the faint feeling of being wanted, were Seifer's words returning to him.

"Do you always let him touch you like that?"

Hayner grit his teeth, sniffling when he felt his nose begin to run. Setzer had been harassing him for months- ever since the man had walked into the Struggle locker rooms while Hayner was in the midst of changing his clothes.

At first, Hayner hadn't understood the look on Setzer's face, nor did he take note of the leer in the man's eyes, but now he knew that expression far too well. It was the lingering touches and the way Setzer always happened to be just where he wasn't wanted that notified Hayner that the Struggle champion's advances were not normal. His fingers shook unsteadily, and attempted to stick them into pockets that weren't there. He slid them up under his armpits, relishing in the mild warmth that came from the small crevices of his thinly muscled arms.

He heard Seifer, even before the blond bully yelled out his name. The older boy's footsteps were heavy crunches in the snow, kicking the soft ice off of the sidewalk in his rush to get to Hayner. When Hayner gave him no response, it seemed to anger Seifer even more- judging by the way Hayner's upper arm was grabbed roughly and he was whirled around to stare into the icy gray eyes of the very person that sent his heart beating wildly in his chest.

Seifer's other hand grabbed to Hayner's right arm, pinning the blond teen in place. The scowl on the older boy's face was enough to enhance the contours of the ragged scar that tore diagonally across the bridge of his nose and forehead.

Hayner's concentration seemed to focus on that scar, noting how the malformed skin was a darker tone than the rest of Seifer's pale flesh, and that it seemed to enhance the dusty gray and blue specks in his eyes. Realizing he was staring, Hayner averted his gaze to the angry scowl on the other boy's mouth, and then away. A coil of frustrated anger sprang up in Hayner's gut as he was reminded of how Seifer seemed to only pity him outside of his regular hatred.

Squirming in the grasp of Seifer Almasy was a futile thing to do, he soon found out. Giving up after a moment, Hayner shoved at the bully's strong chest, frustration doubling when he got nothing but bursts of pain in his arms from where the older boy's grip enhanced. The near-distraught teen before him gave his shoulders a rough shake to force Hayner into ceasing movement.

"What kind of stupid idiot are you?" Seifer barked, his throat a deep growl that sent a chill through Hayner's spine. Hayner's fingers curled into the thin fabric of Seifer's shirt, his grip weak from the cold, but when he opened his mouth to retaliate, he was cut off. "I don't know what's going through that thick head of yours, but you need to learn when to take your godamn pride and shove it up your stupid ass before you get yourself killed." The anger in Seifer's eyes was something Hayner had never faced. It gave him a carnal need to run, to be safe from the danger that held him tight like a snake's prey.

Hayner writhed in Seifer's arms, his knees buckling under him in an attempt to get away from this sudden danger he was faced with- this unknown fear that Seifer would hurt him terribly in a physical and mental manner. Seifer's rage seemed to quell at the way Hayner was desperately wriggling, his thin and shaking body dropping to the snow-littered sidewalk and kicking up enough of the cold powder to leave a body-sized imprint in the ground. The younger boy couldn't rationalize much past the connection between Seifer's anger and the way Setzer would often pin him in place before letting his mouth and hands wander.

"L-let go!" He snapped, using his own body weight to try and tug out of Seifer's arms. The result was a polar opposite of his desire, when Seifer wrenched him forward, holding the blonde’s trembling body to his chest. The sudden cocoon of warmth heated up Hayner's cold skin, leaving the shorter teen with a craving need for more of it. Shaking lessening with each second spent in those strong arms, Hayner clenched his jaw tightly. He could feel one of Seifer's hands holding tightly to the back of his head, forcing his cheek to rest against the taller boy's clothed collarbone.

"I swear to God, if you die, I will never hear the end of it." Seifer growled lowly, fingers of his other hand digging into Hayner's side. Without thinking, Hayner raised his arms up to his chest in an attempt to bury himself against the intoxicating warmth of Seifer

His honey eyes fell shut and he bit down on his lower lip in an attempt at preventing it from chapping even more from the cold wind. It wobbled in his mouth, and his body felt icy in places that were unprotected.

His toes hurt, wet sneakers absorbing the surrounding snow and sending a growing numbness through his legs. He clenched down, eyes screwing shut.

"S-s'not m-my fault y-yer a jack- jackass." Was his uneven retort, followed up by a grumpy sniffle and Hayner's face rubbing any nose-residue on Seifer's shirt as a silent revenge. Seifer released a noise of disgust, shoving Hayner away and instead pushing him in the direction of the condo. "Don't wipe your shit on me because you want to try and freeze yourself to death!" The blond bully snapped, giving Hayner another forceful push to get the boy walking.

Hayner tripped over himself, nearly falling into the snow, had Seifer not grabbed him by the crook of the elbow and forced him back on his feet.

"Stop it, d-dick!" Hayner recoiled his arm, hugging it to his chest and making an unsteady walk back to Seifer's condo. Seifer sneered, walking up behind him and giving the blond teen a hearty thwack to the back of his head. "Don't try to freeze yourself next time, duh-dick."

Hayner winced, hands moving to nurse the back of his head- but he chose to keep silent. There was only so far he could go before he knew that Seifer wouldn't hesitate in knocking his lights out. They made it back to the elevator before Seifer spoke again- this time grumbling under his breath.

"You never were the brightest crayon in the box." Without thinking, Hayner's arm shot out and smacked into Seifer's chest in a weak attempt at punching the older boy. A bark of a laugh escaped the blond bully before Seifer went silent and stepped out of the elevator, walking down the hall and opening the apparently unlocked door to his condo.

Hayner followed him, seething quietly, and tried to rub more warmth into his arms. It did little to help, but it was enough to hold him over before he stepped inside of Seifer's place. Without thinking, the blond boy made a beeline for the couch, snatching up the quilt and spinning in a circle to fully encompass his body in it.

Ignoring the amused snort from the room's only other occupant, Hayner settled himself onto the couch. If he was going to be forced to stay there, he might as well make himself comfortable.

That being decided, Hayner spotted the television remote hiding under a messy pile of magazines and old T.V. Guides. He snuck a hand out from under the blanket to snatch it up and flip on the television without a word to Seifer.

While Hayner settled himself into the old couch, the blond bully went about smacking pans and plates around- the refrigerator creaking open and smacking shut. Hayner glanced over the small counter that separated the living room from the kitchen to see Seifer making what looked like eggs and toast. (*)

The sound of a frying pan smacking down onto the stove drew a wince from the blond skater, who then tried to drown out the sounds of eggs hissing on the skillet and the toaster's lever being punched down. It was a weird moment of melancholy, to be sitting in a small pseudo-home, snuggled up in a quilt with the television playing soap operas quietly in the background while the sounds of breakfast being made came from the other end of the room. Ignoring Seifer didn't get him very far, Hayner realized as he found himself listening to the near inaudible humming that the blond bully apparently did while cooking, and he leaned back against the couch to close his eyes and revel in the moment.

"Sí, pedro, a mi madre le gusta frijoles!" Sobbed the Hispanic woman to the man holding her in his arms.

A knock at the door startled both boys, but Hayner didn't bother to move from his seat on the couch. On the other hand, Seifer shoved the eggs off of the burner and stomped over to the door, swinging it open without a single word. Hayner leaned forward, peering across the living room and to the doorway, where Rai and Fuu stood with irritated scowls on both of their faces. He couldn't help but feel miffed that their time alone had been interrupted -- regardless of how irritable Seifer seemed to be acting.

"Seifer, the crew's gettin' real uneasy, y'know? They's sayin' how Zorian an' his crew ain't gonna sit around for long, y'know? It’s all gonna get nasty sometime soon, y'know?" Fuu's arm shot out to cut Rai off, scowl deepening.

"Not alone?" She harped, single steely eye peering past Seifer's large shoulder and into the room.

It landed on Hayner and the blond tensed, instantly turning his gaze back at the television as if he hasn't just been eavesdropping. Seifer stepped in front of Fuu's line of vision, throwing Hayner a warning glance before stepping out of the condo completely and shutting the door behind him with a solid 'click'.

Hayner instantly turned down the volume in an attempt to catch any form of conversation- but they were apparently talking too lowly for him to overhear anything. Disgruntled, the blond teen turned up the television again and settled for flipping through the channels before he decided to watch reruns of some kid's cartoon called 'Quixotic'.

Save for the quiet voices coming from the television, the room was eerily silent. The heater hummed gently from the vents in the ceiling, causing the walls to creak every now and then. A a sudden loud spring from the toaster that startled a small squeak out of Hayner before he could stop himself.. He laughed quietly in embarrassment, running a thumb absently over the buttons of the remote control.

When Seifer returned, he was alone and looking more than unhappy. His right hand was clenched into a fist while the other one shut the door behind him. Without a word to Hayner, the blond bully marched back into the kitchen and slammed the frying pan onto the stove. The eggs hissed loudly at being forced back onto the heat while Seifer did nothing more than wrench out the toast from the toaster and drop them onto their respective plates.

An odd thought struck Hayner, realizing for the first time that Seifer never seemed to be the type to cook -- let alone make himself a healthy breakfast. It was enough to pull at the end of his lips in an almost smile, but he buried himself into the quilt to hide it. Seifer shoveled the finished eggs onto their plates, dropping the empty pan into the sink roughly and walking over to the refrigerator and wrenching out a small carton of orange juice. He slammed it down on the little island counter that separated the kitchen from the living room, causing the juice to slosh around inside of it.

"Come get your food." Seifer muttered, placing two identical plates down on the island. Hayner wriggled out of the quilt and shuffled over, slipping onto one of the two stools and taking hold of the fork that Seifer shoved at him. Hayner felt awkward, shifting in his seat before quietly speaking up. "What was that about, earlier?" Seifer didn't answer, taking out two glasses and putting them down in front of Hayner before walking around and sitting beside the younger blond. They didn't speak for a moment, and the Seifer shoved his fist out in front of Hayner- startling the teen.

Hayner gave Seifer an upturned palm and was surprised when he was given a handful of munny. Something warm coiled up inside of Hayner and a grin stretched across his face. He couldn't muster the courage to thank the gang leader, and instead started to shovel eggs into his mouth with an embarrassed flush rising to his formerly-cold cheeks. Seifer grunted, poured himself a glass of juice, and did the same.
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The back alley just outside of Market Street was silent except for the sound of a skateboard's wheels scraping along the cobblestone ground. Hayner was subconsciously relieved that skateboarding came almost second nature to him. Because he certainly wasn't giving it his full attention the way he swerved lazily around scraps of junk that people often left lying about.

After leaving Seifer's condo not more than a half hour past having eaten, Hayner had taken the first train inland. Things between them had become awkward at school, and Seifer's attitude had turned neutral towards Hayner's existence. It sent a feeling of disappointment churning inside of Hayner's stomach like bile. Seifer - regardless of what the blond thug's claims had been - had acted only out of pity and a feeling of forced responsibility in the way he'd treated Hayner last Sunday.

Since then, Rai and Fuu would sometimes send Hayner the off-glance, but it would be nothing more than that. Hayner didn't pry. He knew Seifer's temper better than anyone else.

Hayner felt something on the right wheel of his skateboard jerk before it caught on the corner of a busted car engine that was lying about. It happened so quickly that he wasn't able to stop his fall -- cursing when his right arm caught on the corner of some scrap metal that had been beside the engine. The sound fabric ripping came first, followed up by a searing burn of sudden and forceful pain striking him. It was so brutal that a cry of distress left the blond skater before he could stop himself.

He moaned, his other hand going to grab at where the injury had occurred and feeling nothing but even more pain and a thin, sticky fluid that he instantly recognized. Looking down at the rapidly bloodying mess of his arm and then to what he'd hit, the blond realized that a nail had been sticking into the sheet metal, and the force of his fall had gashed open his arm on it. The sleeve of his green turtleneck was soaking up a good portion of the blood that gushed from the wound, and Hayner tenderly began to roll the sleeve up, hissing and wincing as the fabric brushed along his wound. He reached the crook of his elbow and bunched the rest of the sleeve there, rolling it a few times to make sure it was secure before he was satisfied.

Focusing solely on the sheer agony generated by the gash in his arm, Hayner hadn't realized his leg had been bent at an odd angle until he tried to stand -- shouting out again when his knee buckled painfully and his shoulder slammed against the wall in his sideways trip. Cursing at this stroke of bad luck, the teen hobbled over to his upside-down skateboard and kicked it back on its wheels. He hugged his arm to his chest, vainly ignoring the warm squish that his own blood made when his fingers tightened in an attempt to stop the feeling of his heavily throbbing heartbeat in every nerve of his hand and wrist.

His right leg ached with each second that he forced weight onto it. Using his left leg for balance, he pushed himself off down the alley, leaving nothing behind but splashes of red on dirty cobblestone.

Hayner knew he had nobody to rely on -- if Roxas hadn't met Axel, he was sure the blond boy would have eagerly offered his pristine white jacket to wrap his friend's injury in- but he wasn't. Pence and Olette walked home together every day, having started going out sometime over the summer, ignoring Hayner's desires to still have them act like a dynamic trio. His friends had abandoned him and Hayner had lost his skating partner to a matchstick, he had the hots for an insensitive asshole and his grandmother seemed to be getting weaker as the days wore on- they were all things that were out of his control.

Hayner's face was in a permanent cringe of pain as he unevenly glided through the Sandlot on his way to where he and the others would often meet up after school. It was closer than his house, and for once, Hayner was more than grateful of the little nook. His arm was leaving spots of blood in the sand, a sick kind of trail to Hayner's destination.

He saw Seifer sitting on one of the benches that lined the Struggle ring, watching him. Keeping his gaze forward and away from the stormy eyes that seemed to follow him as he skated past. Hayner's fingers clenched to his wounded arm just a tiny bit more. The world seemed to be muted, Rai's voice inaudible against the deafening ring in Hayner's ears and the 'dump dump' of each beat his heart sent through his arm and knee.

Skating up the incline was difficult, and he nearly didn't make it when his knee buckled under him. He was able to catch himself before his entire body hit the ground, grabbing his skateboard and hissing at the agony that shot through the very injured arm he'd used to stop his descent. He heard Seifer call out his name from behind him, ignoring it in favor of standing and tucking his skateboard under his good arm.

Each step he made towards their spot was like being hit in the leg with a hammer, Hayner's limp too profound for the injured blonde’s liking. Seifer's voice was louder- demanding of Hayner's response to hearing his name called.

Rai was the first one to reach him, grabbing Hayner's shoulder firmly enough to startle a gasp from him. Hayner jerked away, snapping at the dark-skinned boy to get away from him. Rai backed off out of pure shock, and Seifer slipped in past him, a calloused hand grabbing the crook of the shorter boy's elbow and holding him captive. Seifer's hazy blue eyes scanned over the damage, looking at how the blood slicked down from the wound and pooled over where his fingers held onto Hayner's arm. His lips pursed and pulled back into a snarl, moving his gaze to focus on Hayner- who had turned his face away in shame.

"What the fuck happened." It was not a question or a request, but a statement that demanded an answer. Hayner watched from the corner of his eyes as Seifer waved his two friends away, but his stormy gaze didn't stray from their concentration on the boy in his grasp.

Feeling cornered, Hayner vainly tried to pull free, an angry snarl escaping him. Displeased by this, Seifer wrenched him so close that their chests bumped harshly together.

It was hard for Hayner to ignore the way his breath seemed to escape him -- the way that his pain dulled for a mere half second that his mouth brushed up against Seifer's collarbone. It came back twice as forceful in an instant, crippling his hand with the fire of agony that struck him.

Hissing, he slammed his skateboard against Seifer's chest with such a force that it winded the blond bully. Exhaling sharply, Seifer let go of Hayner long enough to snatch the skateboard and wrench it from the other teen's hand.

"Stop messing with my head! Just leave me alone! It’s better than this- this- stuff you do to me!" With that, Hayner stormed off, favoring his injured leg with each step he took up the incline and towards the usual spot.

Seifer didn't move at first, standing with a blood-slicked hand and Hayner's old skateboard. Fuu came up behind him, touching her small hand to his shoulder. "Alright?" Her normally cold voice was soft, worried. Seifer wiped Hayner's blood off onto his pants, turning to look at Fuu and Rai with a pained expression. Rai sighed loudly, scratching at one of his sideburns.

"I dunno why y'keep tryin, Seifer. He's not interested y'know? Just drop him, he's a wuss anyway, y'know?" Seifer all-but shoved Hayner's skateboard into Rai's chest to silence him. Fuu withdrew a handkerchief from her pocket, wetting it with the water bottle she'd been previously holding. Satisfied, the fair-haired girl used it to clean the excess blood from Seifer's hand.

"Still hope." Was her quiet reply, and Seifer thanked the petite girl gently before nodding at her statement and retracting his hand. "Fuu's right, I know it." Though his voice was loud, there seemed to be a weakening conviction in the way he spoke. Rai mumbled unpleasantly under his breath, but didn't say anything more. Seifer inhaled softly, adjusting his beanie before Fuu gave him a rough shove to the side.

"Go. Hurt. Protect." A second shove and a water bottle being shoved into his hand later, Seifer was traipsing off after Hayner.
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Hayner instantly understood why he'd had an increasing feeling of dread coiling inside of him the very second he reached the usual spot. Setzer stood outside of the entrance, his tall body leaning against the fence and thoughtfully running a thumb over the scar on his chin. Catching sight of Hayner, the Struggle Champion allowed himself a smile.

Hayner clutched to his injured arm, his eyes concentrated on the very source of all his anguish- and nearly turned back. The only thing that kept him from returning to the sandlot was knowing that he'd have to face Seifer's questioning and pity. He bit down forcefully on his lower lip, eyes flickering from Setzer's lax stance, to the flap of an old quilt that he and Pence had draped over it at the beginning of winter.

If Roxas had been there, he would have told Setzer off and taken care of Hayner on his own. If Pence and Olette were with him, they would have guided Hayner away from both of his problems and tried to comfort him. They weren't with him, though, because all three of his best friends had found things more entertaining than a scrawny blond punk who was far too competitive for his own good.

Hayner stood straight, his lips drawing into a thin line and his good hand nervously clutching to the throbbing injury that was the source of all his aggravation. Drawing in a deep breath, the blond skater strode forward with barely-concealed hesitation. His body did little more than to ghost past Setzer when the taller man's large fingers grabbed Hayner by his injured arm, wrenching it towards himself. Pain shivered down the expanse of Hayner's nerves, putting a grimace onto the boy's face -- to which he reflexively tried to pull himself free. Setzer held up the bloody appendage, eyes narrowing in a scrutinizing manner.

Hayner opened his mouth to speak when Setzer's hand shifted and his fingers slipped on the blond boy's blood, digging into the gash and tearing the skin open even further. Hayner choked on his own breath, a wheeze of a moan leaving him. His knees buckled, free hand going to grab Setzer's fingers and try to pry that agonizingly firm grip from inside of his wound.

A slow grin pulled itself across Setzer's thin mouth, eyes alight with something Hayner couldn't recognize or even begin to comprehend. Setzer's free hand rose, slipping affectionately through Hayner's gelled locks of hair until they clamped down tightly at the base of his skull, forcing Hayner's head to tilt back and look up at Setzer.

"Just like my darling Maria." Setzer murmured over the gurgling sound of pain that the child below him emitted. He pulled Hayner's arm to his mouth, lips nearly brushing against the blood-encrusted knuckles of Hayner's hand that no longer could gather enough energy to pull Setzer off of him. Chokes and a keen for air were the only noise Hayner could muster through the increasing darkness that clouded his eyes against the haze of agony that struck him. Setzer's smirking face slipped in and out of focus, a drowsy film coating Hayner's vision. He clenched his eyes shut, feeling the fingers in his right hand twitching,

The sound of his heartbeat was deafening in his ears, coupled by weakened mewls and the squelch of his own blood as Setzer withdrew his hand. A gasp escaped Hayner, slumping in relief and instantly being forced to sit up straight by the hand in his hair.

Setzer hummed gently, bloody hand moving to stroke Hayner's fair cheek. "My Maria- a fragile bird who needs its wings to be clipped first." Hayner grimaced at the sticky feeling against his face, swallowing down the burning bile that rose up from his stomach and threatened to break loose. The blond teen clenched his teeth tightly, pained wheezes escaping through his teeth before being sucked in through his nose.

Setzer quirked a single brow, red-stained hands forcing the teen to tilt his head left and right. "So submissive when in pain, it’s quite the pleasurable sight to behold." He cooed, tapping Hayner twice on the chin with his thumb, eyes face lighting up at the way the blond teen flinched faintly. "It’s almost amusing to see such an outspoken boy like yourself be abandoned by his supposed friends."

Hayner tried to pull his face from Setzer's grasp -- though the effort did little more than generate a series of painful wrenches to his captive blond locks. "I've seen the way the great Seifer Almasy has taken pity upon your pathetic disposition." Setzer pulled on Hayner's hair again, repeating it until Hayner held back a shout of pain and shakily forced himself back to his feet. Setzer's hands moved to hold the shorter boy's arms captive, backing Hayner up against the side of the usual spot. Hayner squirmed, his eyes drooping dizzily and another noise of desperation leaving him -- his good hand shoving up against Setzer's firm chest weakly.

Setzer leaned in, brushing his lips along the shell of Hayner's ear. "I am the only one who desires your company, so give in." His left hand released Hayner's arm, drifting up to gently stoke the back of his knuckles along a faintly reddened cheek. Hayner wrenched his head away angrily.

"Get off of me, you sick bastard." He spat out, wriggling himself to loosen the grip on his bicep from Setzer's strong hold. He jerked his head forward -- almost accomplishing his attempt at head-butting the older man but was met with a laugh as Setzer leaned back and avoided Hayner's retaliation.

"Go die in a hole, jackass!" Hayner barked out, his legs trembling with the sheer energy it took to hold himself up. Setzer leaned forward again, free hand reaching out to grasp firmly to the blonde’s wobbling chin and hold it in place. Mouth touching to Hayner's forehead in a feather light kiss, Setzer smiled.

"If I die, then your beloved Almasy will have no reason to give you that second glance that you always seem to be vying for." The clarity of Setzer's words struck Hayner instantly -- like a cube of ice dropping low into his stomach and settling there. His breath left him, and Hayner could do nothing but stare blankly at the very man that gave his life Hell.

Setzer was right-- Hayner knew his grandmother wouldn't be around much longer, that Roxas and the others were slowly leaving his life, and that it was only after their encounter at the Underground Concourse that Seifer had even bothered to grace Hayner with the time of day. However, hearing it come from the mouth of the one person he despised was like a shot to the chest, nearly rising tears in the young blonde’s eyes.

Hayner dropped his head in shame, taking his lower lip between his teeth and biting viciously down on it. Setzer's lips were thin and cold against Hayner's hot forehead, leaving a chilling trail down his temple and cheek, nudging the teen's head to rise up once more and look at him. Setzer's hot breath puffed against Hayner's face, drawing a flinch from the blond boy that only increased when the fair-haired man forced his lips up against Hayner's own.

Grimacing, Hayner pursed his lips and clenched his eyes. Setzer's mouth was thin, prying and unpleasant. It was nothing like how he envisioned Seifer's kisses to be -- considering how he'd nearly been caught staring at the older boy's soft mouth more than once.

He wanted to struggle, to fight back and tell Setzer to leave him and never come back. He wanted Seifer to see him for the strong-headed, self righteous teenager that he always strived to be. Hayner hated this feeling- the headache that was becoming increasingly noticeable, the throb in his arm that had now numbed all feeling in his fingers, the trembling of his knee and the way that everything felt so much heavier than it should have been. He wanted to lift his lead-weighted arms and punch Setzer in his scarred face, to knock the cocky bastard down and tell him that nobody could touch Hayner like that without his permission.

He couldn't, however, do much more than angrily turn his head and force Setzer's mouth off of his own with a weak gasp for air.

Setzer laughed, his hands releasing Hayner and stepping away from the blond. "Until next time, little bird." He uttered, turning to walk back down the alley. Hayner's knees shook at the sudden loss of that suffocating pressure before they collapsed beneath him. He sat down heavily, back leaning against the rough brick wall behind him and his shaking hands rising up to cover his face.

Unbeknownst to the injured teen, Seifer stood just at the corner outside of the usual spot, watching Setzer approach him. His dusty gray eyes narrowed at the man, who smirked widely and clapped a hand to Seifer's broad shoulder, smearing red along the top of the blond teen's pristine white coat. Setzer moved to leave when Seifer grabbed him by the front of his coat and wrenched the man up close to himself, their noses brushing. In his other hand, the bottle of water he'd gotten from Fuu crinkled loudly.

Neither man spoke- the only sound emanating from where they stood was Seifer's heavy, angry breaths that heaved from his nose. Setzer's eyebrows rose, daring Seifer to act. The blond bully snarled quietly, upper lip curling back before shoving Setzer away and stalking forward towards where Hayner was huddled up against the wall.

Reaching the blond boy, Seifer knelt down in front of Hayner, silently taking the very arm that was cradled against the skater's heaving chest. It startled Hayner- who snapped his head up to stare at Seifer with red-rimmed eyes that were close to tears. Seifer's jaw clenched, but he said nothing, and instead pulled Hayner's injury towards himself to look at it.

The gash began just a little ways below the underarm of Hayner's wrist, leading a jagged trail downwards for nearly two inches. The edges of the laceration were red -- as if the wound had been forced wider than it should have been. Blood had bubbled up over the edges of the boy's torn skin, pooling down to the crook of his elbow and around that faintly-tanned skin in rivulets. Most of it seemed to be smeared from too much handling, and there was a large spatter of red against Hayner's green turtleneck shirt.

Seifer sighed gently, letting go of Hayner's arm -- which hovered nervously in the air -- and uncapping the water bottle. He held Hayner's arm steady by the wrist to pour the water all over the shaking teen's arm. Hayner shrieked, trying to wrench his hand back, but it was forcefully held in place by Seifer- who's mouth and eyes were set into a firm expression. Hayner's other hand tried to pull the water bottle from Seifer's grasp as the last of the water continued to splash into his wound- but Seifer snapped, "Stop it." and Hayner stilled instantly.

Placing the water bottle onto the cobblestone ground of the small alley, Seifer let Hayner go and stood up, making his way to the entrance of the usual spot and disappearing behind the thick quilt. Hayner clutched to his shaking arm, teeth clenched so tightly that they made a barely audible grinding sound. Fresh blood was bubbling up out of the cleaned injury, spilling over the sides and starting the process over again before Seifer came out with what looked like one of Pence's spare shirts that the large boy had torn the arm off of. Seifer ripped it, stripping off a thick piece of fabric and kneeling down next to Hayner.

"You let him touch you again." Seifer murmured as he meticulously wrapped up the injury, his eyes never once rising to look Hayner in the face -- as if he was ashamed to be near the boy. Hayner scowled, trying to pull his arm free and having his efforts shot down by a warning pull from Seifer.

"I'm starting to think you like it when he does these things to you."

Instantly, Hayner's his leg snapped out and kicked Seifer in the chest, forcing the older boy away from him. Seifer let loose an angry shout, scrambling to his feet as Hayner tried to stand. Instantly Seifer was on him, shoving his weakened body up against the brick wall with two large hands fisted in the front of his ruined shirt.

Seifer's forehead leaned down to press against Hayner's own, his soft mouth pulled back into a snarl. Hayner could feel the fabric of Seifer's beanie pressing against the skin of his own forehead, his honey eyes connecting with faded blue and a spark of something rushing through him.

"I can take care of myself!" He barked out, his good arm rising to grab the same shoulder that had stains of red smeared across the normally white coat. Seifer sneered, picking his arms up and forcing Hayner to stand on the tips of his toes.

"A fucking coma patient could take better care of himself than you could." The blond bully growled, giving Hayner a rough shake. The shorter boy narrowed chestnut eyes in defiance -- ignoring how things seemed feel weightless -- and leaned up to push against Seifer's forehead.

"Why do you care what I do with my life? You're just some jackass who feels bad for a punk kid that can't even win a decent struggle match!" Seifer shook Hayner again- jarring the boy enough that his dizzy spell doubled tenfold.

"What the fuck do you know?" Seifer barked, breathing heavily through his nose in an attempt to control his rising anger. Hayner's voice died, leaving behind a defiant glare and a loosening grip on Seifer's jacket.

There was a tense moment of silence between them before Seifer suddenly moved forward, his head tilting down. Panic struck Hayner- and without realizing he'd done it -- giving Seifer a violent shove backwards just as he felt a ghost of a touch against his mouth.

Neither boy moved, neither boy spoke. Seifer stood barely a foot from Hayner, who held a shaking hand over his mouth, watching the boy before him with a flurry of unreadable emotions. Seifer opened his mouth to speak and Hayner whirled around, running from the alley with a limp in each step.

Seifer snarled, anger and frustration coiling up in his gut before his arm shot out, cracking against the wall- shocks of pain sparking up his arm and the skin of his knuckles tearing against the rough bricks.