Author's Notes: The '*'s indicate a new chapter. This is a shounen-ai story, as in there's no graphic descriptions of intercourse, (No sex please, we're british!) but there's plenty of snogging.

Quistis lead Squall into the infirmary and pointed to the bed where Squall slumped down and hung his head. Quistis watched him and waited.

"I thought you were gonna check me over," he grumbled. Quistis sighed and sat down beside him.

"Squall what's wrong? Where's Seifer?"

"Whatever happened is between me and him," he snarled. "Why does everyone keep checking up on me?"

"Because we worry about you Squall, and as headmaster, your moods affect us."

"I can look after myself, stop interfering."

"Squall," Quistis replied firmly. "You've already upset one of your friends today, try not to upset another. You're reverting to your old self," she added, worried.

"I'm not, Quistis, I just..." Squall hesitated, staring intently at his hands.

"Please, Squall," Quistis placed a friendly hand on his shoulder, "this is entirely confidential unless you otherwise make clear. I'm a trained doctor but I'm also your friend, trust me." Squall took a deep breath and looked at her.

"Okay, but not a word?" Quistis nodded and he stared back at his hands. "Something did happen between me and Seifer out there. He...I mean, I...I mean, we...kissed eachother." Quistis tried to suppress a knowing smirk as Squall struggled to continue. "He ran off in embarrassment or something, and I caught up with him about 15, 20 minutes outside of Balamb. He was being beaten up by a T-rexaur, quite a strong one." Quistis gasped.

"My goodness, is he alright?" Squall nodded.

"Well, depends what you mean by alright, he's not hurt physically."

"I expect his pride's hurt a bit," she smiled.

"Yea," Squall hesitated before babbling out his confession. "We spent the night together, nothing happened though!" he added hastily. "It was purely survival tactics."

"And what tactics," Quistis said dreamily. Squall laughed and shrugged in a vague sort of agreement.

"Yea, I guess it was sorta nice and...well," he turned toward her. "It felt sort of, um, natural, ya'know?" Quistis sighed.

"Wow, how romantic."

"You still can't tell anyone. If the students ever found out they'd lose their respect for me and hate Seifer even more."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Quistis exclaimed, standing up to make her point. "You are the headmaster of this school, Squall Leonhart, If they are prejudice toward you or Seifer because of this or anything like it then they don't deserve to be here! I still won't tell anyone, but they've have had six years to mope over Seifer, it's time they grew up and let it go. You said so yourself," she added, sitting down again. Squall smirked confidently.

"Yea, you're right... in a way. I only wish I knew where Seifer was."

"You mean, you don't know?"

"No, he just went off.  The only thing I know is that he went from Balamb."

"Well that's a start at least, we can ask them if they know where he went." Squall sighed and stared at his hands. "Why do I get the feeling," Quistis said, hesitantly, "that you don't want to go find him?" Squall toyed with a small leather bracelet that Rinoa had given him.

"Just the way he went sorta implied he didn't want to be found."

"He may come back in his own time," Quistis offered.

"And if he doesn't?" Squall growled. He shook his head in an attempt to sort out what the hell he was thinking. "I don't even know why I'm acting like this, I don't...ya'know, love him, I don't even know if I fancy him, I..." He took a deep breath, "I decided last night was to be the first and last time I would be with him."

"Why?" Quistis asked innocently. Squall was growing impatient; this relentless questioning was driving him mad.

"Because!" he exclaimed, standing up. "I can't Quistis, I just can't, surely you can see that. I don't know if I'm gay, bi or whatever, how can I! I only kissed my first guy yesterday, so will you get off my back about him!" Quistis reeled a little from the onslaught.

"Okay, Squall, I..."

"Don't bother, I'm gone." Squall stormed out of the infirmary, pushing a couple of students out of the way as he did. Quistis quickly apologised to them and rushed after him.

"You can't just run from this Squall!" she yelled down the hall, Squall stopped. "One of your oldest friends is out there by himself, which I know is not unusual, but this time he's scared, frustrated and probably feeling very alone." She lowered her voice as she caught up with him. "You were so close, so close to integrating him back into this Garden, don't give up now. It'll be more likely he'd come back if you went to get him." Quistis sat down on a nearby bench and patted the space next to her.

"I'd rather stand," he said, sulkily folding his arms. "I'm just not sure, I mean I want him back..." he coughed," ya'know, as a good SeeD...yea, but you know what he's like. What if he just keeps running?"

"Can I tell you something?" she asked, grinning. Squall looked at her a little suspiciously and nodded. "I always know there was something between you two, something a little more than brotherly love. It shows in the way you look at eachother, your body language, the way you forgive eachother in an instant." Quistis smiled as Squall sat down beside her. "To be honest, we all just followed suit when you decided to forgive him and let him back into Garden, convinced ourselves we were being immature about it."

"What do you mean the way we look at eachother?" Squall asked, his curiosity peaked.

"You remember when you brought Seifer into the infirmary, when he was all beat up? Remember, and you wouldn't tell me why?" Squall nodded. "I noticed it then, like a dozen times before. Seifer was whining so much and you just smiled fondly at him."

"Yea, I remember that. He wouldn't shut up huh?" he replied, staring at his hands and smiling affectionately at the memory.

"There! There's the look!" Quistis started laughing until Squall joined in and they got up to leave. As they walked away, a small figure emerged from the indoor bushes behind the bench carrying a small trowel and dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit. DETENTION was written in white letter across his back. My, my, he thought, tapping the trowel against his arm. Our dear headmaster has queer feelings for none other than sailor-boy Seifer. He grinned and whistled for his goon to come, if this were to get out...it would ruin him. The huge, seven foot ex DC member approached his boss.

"I just got some extremely important info that could spell our way out of detention and that prick Squall's way out of this Garden." He left a dramatic pause before continuing. "Mr Leonhart... is in love... with Seifer Almasy." The goon wretched.

"Ugh! No way! That's disgusting, gays make me sick!"

"Along with everyone else mate," the shorter man replied, placing an arm on his friends'. "That's how we'll get our revenge, there's no way I'm gonna let a couple of faggots push me around." The goon put his fist in his hand and grinned.

"Yes sir, we'll get them freaks back." They were interrupted by their supervisor yelling at them.

"Hey, you! Get back to work," he brandished his truncheon threateningly. "Don't forget, My Leonhart gave me express permission to beat you if you step out o' line." The two ex DC members gave a sarcastic mock salute before getting back to work.

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