Bring the Game

Chapter 2 - The Balamb SeeDs

"Come on! You ladies call that basketball? Get your shit together."

The SeeDs grumbled at their overbearing Assistant Coach and Zell hunched over to rest his palms on his knees while panting in an attempt to catch his breath. Shit! That Naruto boy was fast. "Dammit, Seifer...do you have...to be such an...ass?"

"Hmm..." Seifer appeared to consider his question while drumming the fingers on one hand across his chin. "Yes!" he finally replied with much fervor.

Zell groaned inwardly then occupied a seat on the bench to the left of Squall. "We're winning, so there's no reason for you to be so obnoxious."

"Hey! You don't tell me how to do my job and I don't tell you how to- Oh wait...Yes, I do!" he taunted, blatantly flaunting his superior position over his other classmates.

Zell sighed deeply and threw back his head. "When is Laguna coming back?" he mused out loud, terribly missing their kind and supportive coach and wondering how such a saintly man could leave them in the hands of the devil incarnate.

"Ask someone who gives a shit," scoffed the older boy.

"Hey! Who drank all the red Gatorade?" whined Biggs as he rummaged through their cooler for his favorite flavored sports drink, missing the guilty expression across Wedge's face.

"Drink piss and die for all I care," raged Seifer who had had it up to his ears with his immaturity. Here they were trying to defend their championship cup and he was getting worked up over a sports drink?

Zell opened his mouth to say something but on retrospect decided to close it, not wanting to further incur the wrath of Seifer.

Irvine excused himself and reached behind a very depressed Biggs to retrieve three bottles of the refreshing liquid for himself then joined the rest of his team on the bench, taking the available seat next to Zell. He handed one to the blonde who graciously thanked him and took an immediate swig. Irvine reached over to hand one to Squall as well but the brooding youth didn't take it, too occupied with the scene that was playing before him near the other team's bench.

Zell noticed his friend's detachment from the corner of one blue eye during mid-gulp and so did Seifer.

"What's your problem now?" the exasperated teen asked and when Squall showed no signs of responding or that he'd even heard him, Seifer became more incensed. "Hey, Miss Sunshine, I'm talking to you!"

Zell followed Squall's heated gaze to see Naruto and the other team's point guard, Sasuke attempting to strangle the very life out of each other and he smiled knowingly. "I think Squall's just worried about his new boyfriend."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and all eyes traveled to the two boys who were now being pulled apart by Kakashi.

"Yeah, I'd be worried about him too," Seifer drawled using this as a golden opportunity to ruffle his rival's feathers. "He's one stupid mother-fucker, but if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have made those easy baskets in the first-quarter so be sure to 'thank' him when you see him tonight, eh, Squall."

The jibe worked and the other boy shot to his feet, one arm snaked out to grasp Seifer by the collar and yank him closer until their noses were almost touching but the blonde instigator just grinned at the assault. Squall said nothing, he didn't have to, his infuriated gaze spoke volumes and Seifer brazenly met his glare, their eyes locked on an even level since they were about the same height.

"Guys, come on, let's not do this now, you'll have plenty of time to go at it after the game," Irvine cut in, playing the role of the arbitrator. "And Seifer, Laguna left you in charge so you're supposed to be the responsible one."

"HA!" Zell barked. " 'Seifer', and 'responsible' in the same sentence. I do believe you've created a paradox, my good friend."

Seifer had to break his gaze with Squall so he could affix it to the tattooed teen. "Shut the fuck up, Zell!" and the other blonde flashed him a glimpse of his tongue, confident now that Seifer couldn't retaliate.

Squall released him then and returned to his previous seat leaving the other boy to adjust his shirt. "Okay maggots, listen up," their temporary coach announced, ready to reveal their course of action that was sure to lead them to victory. All attention was glued to him and his ego fed off of it. Seifer loved being the one in command especially if the one he got to boss around was Squall.

Biggs, however, had his attention on the cheerleaders and he was rudely brought out of his fantasies by a hard slap against the back of his head causing him to yelp and gingerly rub the area that smarted with his hand.

"Now that I've got your undivided attention," he attempted again, "let's play defensively this round. It's the final crunch and if we can prevent them from making too many shots we might stand a chance. Irvine, keep your guard up around that Neji character. I hear he never misses a shot so make sure he never gets the chance to take one."

The long-haired brunette nodded in understanding and Seifer turned to Zell. "Zell, if Neji does manage to break through Irvine's defense it will be your job to defend the basket." The young boy sighed and assured he'd try his best.

"It's not going to be easy with Naruto tagging me," he muttered despondently.

"Hmm...Squall, see if you can get your little boyfriend to throw the game for us."

"SEIFER!" warned Zell and Irvine in unison.

"Pfft, fine," and the callous coach raised both hands in mock surrender. "Wedge, whenever you get the ball, pass it to Irvine and let him take the shot. The 'Ninjas' aren't the only ones with a secret weapon," he grinned. "Squall, you do the same and Biggs..." he trailed off and rested disdainful blue eyes on him. "Try not to make an ass of yourself. Any questions?"

Biggs raised one arm.

"I didn't think so. Now go out there and try not to bring shame to our school."

"Great pep talk, coach," Zell mumbled wryly.

"If you want someone who's gonna pat you on the head and spit nonsense about how 'It's not whether you win or lose but how you play the game' or some such other shit then go home to your mother, but I say if you fuck up and lose this game then I'm gonna kick your asses in alphabetical order, starting with Biggs and ending with Biggs."

"Hey!" whined the boy that had become Seifer's human punching-bag over the few short years they'd known each other.

"Wow, don't they ever do anything besides fight," Irvine said with a low whistle when he noticed that the Konoha Ninjas had got themselves involved in another altercation.

"And they're supposed to be a team?" Zell added with a shake of his head. "I can't believe they made it to the championships."

"Damn, you'd swear those two were lovers," came Seifer's snide remark. "You better keep your eye on that Sasuke, Squall."

The indifferent brunette 'hmphed' at his rival's comment but glared at the Uchiha none the less. He shouldn't be jealous, he had no reason to be, Naruto had assured him that there was nothing going on between the two of them but he couldn't deny the fact that everytime he saw the two of them together, everytime they spoke to one another, everytime Sasuke put his hands on his Naruto whether in comraderie or in anger he'd be filled with so much rage, and it scared him. He had always kept his emotions under control, always kept them suppressed inside and he never expected that they'd reach a stage where they would get so far out of hand, but...he never expected that he'd fall in love with Naruto either.

There was just something about him that Squall found so appealing and while he had to admit that he did find the other boy aesthetically pleasing he knew the reason for his attraction wasn't because of his physical appearance. He didn't understand why at first, they were both polar opposites: He was dark and brooding, Naruto was exuberant and outgoing. He liked to withdraw into himself while Naruto was more affectionate towards others. He was quiet and meditative while Naruto was loud and hyperactive.

The old Squall would never have wanted those qualities in his girlfriend, not that he ever planned on having one, but for some reason, those qualities in Naruto made him...perfect. He wasn't afraid to approach him, not like other people who saw him at first glance and decided he was best left alone. Actually, Squall had tried to ignore him the first time they met but Naruto had been persistent and didn't give up until he actually had to speak and order the irritating blond to 'leave him alone' and even then the determined youth didn't give up.

Naruto didn't see him as strange, 'emo' or anti-social and Squall wondered if he was blind or just plain annoying but he soon learned that the other boy was just...friendly. He also realized that Naruto wasn't afraid to touch him and even though Squall had strict rules regarding his 'two-feet of personal space' he found he didn't mind when Naruto was near him, when he put his hands on him, when he...kissed him.

The referee's sharp whistle brought him out of his wayward thoughts and Seifer ordered them to get their lazy asses off the bench and onto the court. Squall sighed heavily and followed the rest of his team-mates to endure the final round of their harrowing match, fighting his raging desire to reach out and touch the boy that was so close but he had to endure, had to remain aloof for the sake of his team and Squall knew this was going to be the longest ten minutes of his life.