Office Follies

Beta: None
Warnings: spelling errors and whatnot
Notes:


10

Griever wasn’t talking to him. Period. Seifer had spent a good thirty minutes persuading the difficult cat that coming back home without slicing Seifer to bits and pieces was a good thing. There was still some slicing and yowling. It was the third day and Griever still ignored him. Or rather, treated him like some sort of servant. The cat would not venture into the bedroom, he wouldn’t cuddle or greet him after work. The only thing he did to acknowledge Seifer’s existence was to howl and yowl demandingly by his bowl whenever he was hungry.

The blond sighed as he watched the cat lap lazily from the bowl of water. Guessed he deserved it. He had never really been gone from the cat like that. The occasional trips when he was still living at his grandma’s didn’t count apparently. Maybe he was lonely? Maybe he needed a companion of some sort? Perhaps a female although he was neutered, then again, some cats didn’t like their territory being invaded.

He sighed again before shrugging on his coat and grabbing his briefcase. Maybe he could buy some treats to win back the cat’s loyalty? Or he could just stay patient. Things hadn’t turned better by him being late for supper these two evenings. Squall had demanded they go out for dinner and Seifer didn’t know how to deny him any longer. Although, today he felt oddly weary so maybe he’d excuse himself and claim cat problem? Not that he thought the bossy man would accept it at this point… How could things turn so complicated in the emotional department just because they had slept together? Seifer hadn’t at all been ready for this.

The office was at full go when he came in. Ever since this mess started everyone seemed in frenzy in one way or another. People started working far earlier than they normally did, Seifer felt kind of lonely for being the only one still arriving at his scheduled time. Should he pick up the pace? Then he frowned as he sat down by his desk. Why would he? It wouldn’t make that much of a difference if he did start stressing and arrive an hour earlier than expected. He’d just work more for less money.

The moment he picked up on is work, time still flew by. He very nearly missed Squall’s lunch break, which the man had started taking in his office instead of actually taking a break. It put the secretary’s own schedule at a tilt. He had to get the man’s lunch before he could eat himself and that ended up with him eating at the office’s lunchroom instead of getting out somewhere. He would accept the behavior the week out, then he’d voice his opinion.

Getting out of the office building for just the time it took to buy two sets of lunch was still a relief. He chose an estharian variety of fast food this day. They had marginally healthy food for being fast food. Oddly enough, as he browsed the menu, he didn’t feel for anything. His stomach was slightly reminding him about its empty state but he wasn’t really hungry; which was odd since he hadn’t been exceptionally hungry that morning either and should be starving by now. Maybe it was the trip still in his system?

He got the food and slowly headed back. The day was cloudy and windy but not cold. The streets were crowded with people and most of them were hurrying someplace. He remembered the first time he walked in this city. How confusing and a little scary it had been. Everyone, they still did, seemed so angry or stressed or maybe they were just focused. He figured he had picked up his pace a little, but not so much he thought.

Back at the office building he let a bunch of women take the elevator before him. He could have crowded in but he felt uneasy around so many petit ladies on such high heels. He guessed the best resemblance would be of an elephant in a sheep pen; which thought made him smile in amusement.

“Wait!” someone called as the elevator doors shut closed.

A slender, brown haired man rushed up to the door far too late.

“Oh man,” he growled and cursed.

His arms were full of five shirts in their laundry wrapping, a huge bag of take-out food and another bag full of papers. The man stepped back and looked mournfully at the slowly rolling numbers above the elevator doors. Then he looked up at Seifer as if he just noticed him. The man, who appeared the same age as Seifer, had brown eyes and a slender facial structure.

“You missed it too? I’m sure those women saw us, they just ignored us, they tend to do that,” he whined and made a grimace.

“Actually I sent them ahead,” Seifer explained calmly.

At first the man seemed confused then his mouth made an o shape and clicked shut.

“Oh… ok, I guess it’s kind of tedious being in the same elevator as a bunch of giggling girls,” he grinned instead.

Seifer got the impression the other didn’t really like girls. Once he thought that he wondered why. Was it because he, like Squall, liked… well men? Seifer felt bafflement over his own conclusion. That thought would never have occurred to him before Squall. His grandma had explained that some men looked down on women because they were women and that some women got haughty and snippy because they thought all males were like that. You had to have patience and understanding in those situations.

The elevator came back down and they entered together with a couple others. In the elevator the sender man put down his heavy bags with a sigh of relief. The elevator had some soft classical music on and by now Seifer new the song by heart. Not that there was any text in it but he knew the whole play nonetheless. The two others stepped off at earlier floors than the blond and the slender guy. As the doors closed on the last person, the man turned to Seifer.

“Hey, you work on the top floor?” he asked with certain excitement in his voice.

“Yeah,” the secretary answered slowly.

Brown eyes looked at him from top to toe again. Seifer thought about the man’s sexual orientation. If he was right, had he just being checked out? The thought was both confusing, amusing and a little scary.

“I didn’t know Mr. Leonhart had gotten a P.A, thought he hated that,” the man said solemnly and Seifer arched an eyebrow.

First off all, how did “working on the top floor” automatically make him Squall’s presumed P.A? The man suddenly reached out his hand to shake, Seifer accepted.

“I’m Nida, Mr. Kohoshi’s P.A,” he presented himself with a smile.

“Seifer, I’m actually just a secretary,” he explained and Nida looked kind of surprised.

“But you’re Mr. Leonhart’s secretary, right?” Nida clarified.

Seifer gave a nod and eyed the man. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something put him off. Maybe it was the mere mention of Kouri…

“Nice, I could tell because I know everyone working on the top floor and the CLO floor,” Nida smiled with obvious self-satisfaction.

Seifer didn’t know how to respond to that. He didn’t need though. Nida’s floor came before his and the man picked up his stuff.

“See you around Seifer, maybe we could take a lunch together someday?” the slender man smiled but with an expression that demanded an answer

“Sure, when I get the time for it, it’s hectic right now,” he agreed and Nida rolled his eyes while standing in the way for the doors.

“Tell me about it, Kouri returned from that trip with an extra demon on his shoulder.”

Seifer smiled in amusement because he could clearly picture it. The other demon was on Squall’s shoulder.

“Nice to meet you Seifer,” Nida said in farewell and was hurrying off before the blond got a word out. He shrugged as the doors closed. Maybe it was the mention of Kouri that put him off, Nida seemed like a nice guy. Just stressed like everyone else and stress was a demon all by itself.

Squall was writing something down as Seifer walked in with the lunch without being asked. The brunet’s suit jacket hung over the back of his chair and the arms of his shirt were rolled up, the slipknot was still in place though. With a heavy sigh Squall put down his pen and leaned back, stretching weary arms and back. He gave Seifer a sly grin and blue-grey eyes had a gleam the secretary before the trip hadn’t recognized. Now that grin and gleaming grey-blue made him feel self-conscious and flustered.

“You should go out for lunch instead,” he chided uncharacteristically.

Hadn’t he been supposed to say that in a week? Seifer suspected that gaze was the cause for his odd need to express the thought. Squall only grinned wider before leaning forward again.

“It has its perks eating in the office,” Squall answered easily and started poking about in the bag.

The comment would have made Seifer shrug before, but now he eyed the brunet suspiciously. He felt himself lean away slightly as grey-blue eyes looked up. They stared at each other for a while, then Squall frowned.

“What?” he demanded and Seifer shook his head.

“Nothing, I’ll get some proper forks,” he said before escaping the office.

He didn’t really need to get the forks since there was some competent in the bag but he had the odd need to get away from that intense grey-blue gaze.

*****

Squall was satisfied with his day. Not that any significant information or resolutions had become available in this Lioness’s mess, but there was clear improvement with his shy secretary. That lunch today had been a true pleasure. It was obvious the man at last had his thought’s spinning on the proper rack. Squall had been itching to take a go, but refrained himself.

Now when he had Seifer in the right set of mind it was far easier playing the seductive game he normally, naturally, worked on everyone else. It was amusing how a slight touch or a look could make the secretary flustered and the green eyes look everywhere but where they wanted.

At the coffee break that afternoon Squall had made a conscious effort to tease the man. Nothing too drastic. Just less than subtle glances, a leer or two, an innuendo, some touches. Back to his first try at this game. Now it worked far better. Still, had Seifer been anyone else, they would at least already have made out a little. The blond’s shy nature didn’t bother him since Squall had him. Tonight he would have the man again.

He was almost purring and licking his lips when imagining this golden wonder in his bed. Blue silk would match that toned skin perfectly. There was so much more they could do in a big and proper bed. Squall played with the fantasy of using some… toys but figured he better put a leash on himself. Slow and steady obviously was the method here, and bluntness. Subtlety only worked so far with the man.

The brunet eagerly shut down his office and grabbed his suit jacket and coat. Just to make tings obviously clear, he’d make them take dinner home. Or maybe that was a bad idea? Knowing himself he’d ignore the food and jump to the dessert right away. Squall exited his room and was pleased to find the secretary already ready to go.

“Ready to go?” he purred and got a short nod in reply.

He narrowed his eyes at the man but green eyes avoided his. Perhaps he had waited too long for this? No matter, he’d make certain the man remembered the ecstasy. In the elevator Seifer took his customary place in corner. At first that had annoyed Squall. Like the man tried to hide himself. However, the action had been explained later on. Seifer loathed having a smaller person behind him because he was afraid he’d trample the other. That explanation had annoyed Squall, too, at first.

Until he realized the intelligence in the concept when watching Kouri ignore such facts one day and a petit lady had to squeeze herself out while looking flustered and bothered. Squall, who was among those smaller people in Seifer’s head, wouldn’t accept being crowded, but he understood the gratitude some women felt for the silent gesture. Not few of their female co-workers had taken a liking to the handsome blond for his gentleman gestures. However, and Squall narrowed his eyes, they had a snowballs chance in hell pawing at the blond right now. Squall wasn’t done with him.

“Sir…” Seifer ventured on their way down.

Squall turned and raised an eyebrow in question.

“Do you need me to start earlier? A lot of the others seem to do,” Seifer asked but still sounded like he wouldn’t like a yes.

It was kind of endearing how Seifer so strictly held at his rights. He did his job very, very well but he never put the work before himself. Squall was actually amazed the secretary hadn’t mentioned the lunch earlier since he knew it impeded on the blond. He didn’t know why, but for some reason Seifer seemed oblivious to normal human behavior. It was normal to do the extra that should impress your superior and hopefully result in a bonus or a promotion or lessen the chance of getting fired. Either Seifer was so self-assured about the chances of him being replaced that he didn’t care, but most likely the secretary only followed his nature.

“No need, beside, you’d probably demand a raise if I did, right?” Squall answered with humor.

He wouldn’t mind giving the blond a raise if he put in more working hours, but Squall had no need of him earlier. Not really.

“Of course,” Seifer answered as a matter of fact and Squall very nearly rolled his eyes.

He needed to teach this thickheaded, although gorgeous, stud how to take a joke. Anyone else would say Seifer had balls to so straight forward say such a thing, but really, it was just Seifer being Seifer. Down in the lobby Squall continued on toward the garage, expecting the secretary to follow.

“See you tomorrow then?”

He stopped dead in his track and swiveled to face the blond who obviously was heading for the main doors. Squall narrowed his eyes. Really, there were limits…

“Dinner, my place,” he growled just to take away all uncertainties in an instant.

Still Seifer glanced at the huge doors.

“I need to get home,” he explained lamely and Squall stalked up close to the secretary.

He stared deeply into those emerald eyes to make certain he read the situation right. There was a definite faint blush in the face.

“Trust me when I say my place is quite neat,” Squall said slowly, deliberating using words he had said before.

It actually made the secretary swallow hard and the shyness and fluster in the man was obvious to anyone except a blind. Hadn’t he understood earlier then?

“I really need to get home,” Seifer repeated but his voice wasn’t so steady.

“Why?” Squall pressed.

“I haven’t… gotten some stuff settled since we got back,” Almasy explained uncharacteristically evasive.

“What stuff?” Squall growled

He was in danger of becoming pushy and bit down on his tongue before he said something that would seem desperate Still, he was not going to accept something as lame as that.

“You two heading out?”

Squall turned and actually hissed at the black haired annoyance. He had the worst timing of any human walking on the earth. Was it some sort of supernatural ability of his to so perfectly time his interruptions to annoy the hell out of Squall?

“Yes,” he growled and didn’t try to hide his annoyance with the man.

“I was just heading home,” Seifer interjected and Squall glared up at him.

Almasy didn’t look down. The nerve! Kouri quirked his lips and probably quite easily read the situation. Behind him hovered his persona assistant.

“Really? Where do you live, anyway?” Kouri asked with a far too innocent look.

“Costa street,” the blond answered.

Of course neither Kouri nor Squall knew where that was exactly.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said on the restaurant. Mind if I accompany you home? I got some questions about it,” Kouri asked calmly with an open expression as if the thought had just hit him.

Squall sucked in his breathe and went white with rage. Seifer seemed as oblivious as he usually did and Squall feared what he would answer.

“Seifer need to get home. He got stuff to fix for tomorrow,” Squall growled and both men looked down at him.

Kouri with a knowing smirk and Seifer with slight bewilderment. Hyne above! Why’d he have to go and find the most gorgeous idiot on the planet!? Kouri shrugged.

“Ok, another time then when your boss accepts it,” Kohoshi smirked.

“Yeah…” Almasy answered slowly.

Then there was an awkward moment where Squall waited for the idiot to get the hell out and Seifer slowly doing so. Once the man was out and in dubious safety, Squall turned on his heel and marched toward the garage. He cursed the blond silently. Then he cursed the CLO and lastly he gave himself a few choice names since he should have held on to the momentum he’d had. How could he have guessed the insufferable tease would withdraw like this?

“That was kind of harsh of him I thought you two were down hot by now,” Kohoshi commented once he had caught up to Squall.

“You’re not helping,” he growled back.

His car was closer to the entrance than Kouri’s. Kohoshi’s assistant continued on while Kouri trailed Squall.

“Seriously though, you got him, didn’t you? So what’s all this?” Kouri asked more seriously.

Squall didn’t know what his agenda was right now.

“He’s just being difficult because you interrupted,” Squall said and realized he was sounding petulant when Kouri grinned in a certain way.

Squall angrily opened the car door and threw in his briefcase.

“So he’s new to the concept then, is he? Why not let me help you with opening his eyes?” Kouri suggested.

Squall felt his hackles grow and he glared at the man.

“He’s not your type,” he countered.

Seifer wasn’t really. Kouri never took the bottom position and Squall was quite sure Seifer wouldn’t either. Squall had no desire to top. He also sensed that trying to make a threesome with the two men wouldn’t work out. They were too different. Seifer might someday find some domineering spirit but he was leagues from Kouri. Then there was the matter of Squall’s odd possessiveness. It would probably ease up after a while but that wasn’t now.

The black haired man suddenly stepped up close and personal and fisted Squall’s hair. He put his hands against the broad chest as he was kissed hungrily. Their tongues battled and Squall felt a growing irritation with the blunt attack. Until Kouri’s hand softened and started massaging his scalp. He surrendered the kiss and softened his approach, skillfully giving Squall back the reins. The other hand on the man stroked the brunet’s back down to his buttock. He was squeezed and fondled until he relaxed. Then the kiss was broken and Kouri inserted his leg between Squall’s to give him something to rub against.

“Then let me make it up to you. I got some nice tail in my car for a threesome if you want it?” Kouri purred while urging Squall on with a hand against his back and the leg moving.

The tail was most likely that PA, whatever his name was again. Squall couldn’t stand such hovering personnel, which he and an unfortunate lady had discovered and mutually agreed on. Kouri was sure a male PA would suit Squall better but he wasn’t so sure. He tried to disentangle himself from the taller businessman but wasn’t let too. Kouri bit his ear teasingly and applied more pressure at the right places.

“Come now, I know you want to get rid of that excess energy,” the man encouraged.

He wasn’t wrong and the mood Squall was in would likely leave Kouri with gauges across his back. The thought aroused him even more.

“Fine, but I don’t want… that PA of yours around,” Squall said sullenly though he was already itching to get to Kouri’s place.

Kouri released him and grinned widely.

“It’s Nida,” he reminded the name forsaking brunet.

“Whatever,” Squall grumbled irritably before getting into his car.

Names weren’t his thing except when there was something important about the person. The brunet gritted his teeth again. Tomorrow he’d get the blond to his apartment even if he had to knock the idiot out and tie him up.

Author’s Note:
Get accustomed to long waits. Gods, if I could win a couple billions and live off of it, I would spend so much more quality time writing fanfiction. However, since finishing school and getting kicked out into the real world I’ve come to understand that “feetime” is just a very pretty word… *growl*