Author's Notes:

I've used a certain thing called artistic license. There are things where I don't think they were before. I've tried to keep them all in character but Seifer is little less of an arrogant shit, I reckon Ultimecia would have knocked this out of him, and Zell is a little quicker off the mark than usual. I have a theory about Zell that his brain goes a million miles a minute sometimes, like when he's fighting, and not at all sometimes, like when he's just woken up.

Feedback is welcomed (and hoped for). If it's negative please make it constructive. I know it's not the greatest work of fan fiction ever done but that doesn't mean my work, or I, need to be ripped to shreds. Thanks.

Also, there's this psychological theory that death promotes sex, it makes the sex drive go "Must make more babies! Death is coming! Have to continue the race/ clan/ whatever!" so I reckon Garden would be pretty lenient with their promiscuity... thus in my Garden you're allowed to do what you damn well please so long as you're over 16, blah, blah, blah, kinda subject to the same rules as the rest of us in ordinary life. Ah, that's it. Hope you enjoy.

One Moment, And A Year

Chapter 1 - One Moment, And A Year

By Akare

Zell awoke to an arm about his waist and his head resting on something solid but comfortable. The early morning sunlight that filtered through the window graced him with its soporific warmth and he felt too comfortable to get up just yet. He scowled as it got in his eyes. Morning sun didn't usually come through his window. He got it in the afternoon. With that in mind he realised he had slept too late. Squall wasn't going to be happy with him, although he hadn't missed any of his classes and it wasn't like he had any important meetings to go to. Squall was just a tight-arse, he decided. Much as he loved his friend the guy could be a real stick-in-the-mud when it came down to it.

A frown arrived suddenly, scowl going out the window and being replaced by something highly similar but that removed the childish little pout that had been on his lips. There was someone's arm around his waist. How the fuck had that got there? He hoped it didn't belong to a certain over-sexed cowboy. Much as he loved that friend too, giving into Irvine's advances wasn't something Zell planned on doing again. He'd been very drunk the last time and that was the end of it.

Zell was aware he was avoiding the reality of the stranger sleeping next to him but at this point he was sure he wasn't awake enough to care. He stretched a little and rubbed at his eyes with one hand, trying to wake up but he felt a little...hung-over. Oh shit, that didn't sound good. If he was hung over then he had been drunk last night and if he were drunk then it could be anyone in the bed with him... well within reason, there were a few people he was sure he wouldn't touch even when drunk, and a few he knew who would have to be drunk to excessive proportions to touch *him*.

He sat up slightly, or at least tried to, then realised whomever he was lying on was also kind of lying on him. Or more specifically had one leg wrapped around his own. Damn! One very *naked* leg... Attached to a very naked body. Leaning his weight on one elbow Zell tilted his head on the side slightly, and looked at the body beneath him. Although the bottom half was covered with a sheet he could see whoever it was was smooth, tanned, and muscled. Could be anyone at Garden, really. He stroked a nipple gently, grinning when it hardened immeadiately at his touch before he woke up enough to realise he should probably be scared about who was sleeping in his bed (or whose bed he had been sleeping in) not playing with their nipples. Time to find out who he was dealing with; whom he had spent one terribly drunk Selphie-named Quistis' Super Special Birthday Night with.

Seifer drew in a deep breath and sighed. His left arm was going numb. He shifted his pelvis a little and felt his stomach come into contact with something that felt alarmingly like a hip. It wasn't his hip (he'd be worried if it was) but that didn't really help him out much. Just then the hip and whatever it was attached too began moving. The arm slung across his chest was removed and then the leg in between his tried to. When Seifer realised he had been holding it down under his thigh and knee, he felt himself get a tight little knot of fear just beneath his ribs. What the *fuck* had he done last night? He'd gone to Selphie's stupidly named party. He'd wished Quistis happy birthday, he'd got really drunk. Damn. And who'd he brought home with him? He assumed it was his room. Hopefully.

Seifer turned his head to the right and opened one eye slightly to look around and make sure. Hyperion? Check. Black curtains? Check. They weren't drawn though. Which irritated him furthur. He'd bought them specifically so he didn't have to wake up to the damn sun. He shifted his sleepy eyes down a little to find out who was lying on his chest and was met with a nose full of blond hair. Well that ruled out Irvine and Squall, he thought with slight disappointment, he'd always been curious as to whether Squall cried out "Whatever!" as he came. Not that he would remember it, he reminded himself, being blind fucking drunk.

The body in question was currently admiring his form, he knew this because there was no way anyone couldn't. He was a god afterall, or at least, he *should* be. Especially after what that Ultimecia bitch had done to him. And he'd survived, hadn't he? Damn right he had. Bet Lionheart couldn't--- His thoughts were struck silent as he felt one gentle finger brush his right nipple. Fuck, that felt nice. Maybe his body was just super sensitive to this smooth blond between his legs. He admired, for a second, the texture and movement of the body over him before he realised exactly who it was. He'd always been slow at waking up but that glimpse of black on his companions face had brought a little something back to him. Coherent thought. He threw his head back and made a growling noise in the back of his throat. This little incident had just disproven that the Gods were *ever* on his side.

When he brought his face back down Seifer found himself gazing into the clear and shocked blue eyes of Zell Dincht. He narrowed his eyes and mentally dared Zell to make one stupid comment so he could hit the little blond and thereby resist the urge he had to hit himself. How could he have let this happen?! Surely Zell hadn't been completely drunk too?! That rose all sorts of horrible thoughts in his head about the hyper-active boy being in love with him for years and spiking his drinks so he could... oh thank Hyne he's moving off.

Zell was clearly in a state of shock, he didn't bother saying anything when he saw Seifer gazing down at him, obviously startled at their situation. He calmly removed his leg from between Seifer's and lifted himself off the other body completely, ending up on the edge of the bed- a look like a frightened rabbit in his eyes.

When Seifer saw Zell looking at him like *he'd* done something wrong the gunblader forgot all about that arousing brush Zell's thigh had made against him and the way it had almost made his cock jerk to life.

"What the fuck are you lookin' at Chicken?" he demanded angrily.

There was silence for a moment and just as he thought the other boy wasn't going to respond Zell opened his mouth to speak.

"Tell me you were drunk," he said quietly, half a question and almost an order.

Well fuck that, Seifer Almasy took orders from no one. Especially not Chickie. "Tell me *you* were," he demanded, sitting up, the sheet wrapped tightly around his waist.

"Hyne Seifer!" Zell cried, getting a little distraught. "You've got to be kiddin' me. You can't have been sober, I mean, you hate me 'n' there's no way--"

"Fuck, Chickie, calm down," Seifer replied feeling a momentary stab of kindness. It didn't last very long. "Of course I was drunk. There's no way this would've happened otherwise. The thought's enough to make me feel sick."

"Sure that's not jus' your hangover?" Zell asked with a cheeky smile over his shoulder, nothing could keep him down for long. He regretted saying it almost immeadiately, however, as Seifer grabbed him by the back of the neck, squeezing his fingers under Zell's ears and pulling his head back so the older boy could snarl in his ear.

"Don't you even joke about this, Chicken Wuss," Seifer growled. "Or I will skin you alive." He threw Zell forward again and succeeded in propelling him off the bed. "You mention this to anyone, *anyone* and I will kill you. Got it?"

Zell frowned up at Seifer from the floor. It was a pity he didn't scowl because Seifer had always felt more inclined to be kind to him when he got that little pout that always came with it. Call it nostalgia or whatever. The little blonde scratched his head and stood up. "Fine by me, arsehole. Same goes for you."

He stood there a moment, completely naked, until Seifer's eyes stopped staring at his crotch. He knew that considering his height he was pretty damn well endowed but that didn't mean Seifer had to stare like that. "Can I at least take a shower?" he demanded.

Seifer scowled. "If you must, then get the fuck out of here."

Zell narrowed his eyes crankily and headed for the bathroom. He realised with a start as he turned the water on that he didn't have to take his clothes off before he got in. That felt a little unusual but also a little exciting.

The warm water felt good running over muscles he hadn't used in a while, despite all his martial arts training there were still a few of those. Zell tried to concentrate on the feel and sound of the water, the trickles running down his skin, instead of whose shower this was and what had happened last night. He watched for a moment as rivulets ran along his arms and torso, forcing himself not to think about it, until his eyes fell upon a discolouration just beside his left hip. Where had that come from? Oh shit. That's a hickey, he thought. The worried look was replaced with a little devious grin. Seifer had given him a hickey, and so close to his cock. He tried to remember if Seifer had actually given him head but figured the mark was near enough to make it almost certain. Wait until he heard this, Zell grinned happily, finally something to hold over Seifer. Now what could he do with it? As he was forming ideas the older boy's voice called out to him from the bedroom.

"Don't use all of my fucking hot water, Chicken," Seifer called crankily. He'd been sitting on the edge of his bed wondering how he'd managed to get a bite mark half under his silver choker, when he realised Zell probably would use all the water being such an absentminded little shit. The bite mark was irritating him more at this point however. What had he done last night? How had he got this nasty looking bite over the dip in his collarbone? He rarely got drunk enough to forget, preferring to maintain control and take advantage of everyone else's inebriated state. But last night had been different. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead as though trying to massage his brain back to working. Seifer could remember the party, remember Rinoa practically flinging herself at Squall, he could remember Irvine casting lustful glances at just about everyone in the room...or maybe that was just how he looked ordinarily. So why had he gotten so drunk last night? As this method of self-interrogation proved fruitless Seifer got up and headed for the bathroom to kick Zell out, he needed a shower too, but as he passed the phone it began to ring shrilly. He held his head in his hands, cursing himself for not getting coffee and some sort of hangover cure earlier, then answered the phone.

"What?" he demanded roughly, head throbbing.

"Seifer," Squall's voice began lecturing him. "What did I say about causing trouble?"

"Huh?" Seifer replied intelligently. So he'd done something stupid while drunk, the faint sound of Zell humming in the shower made this doubly clear.

"I know you spiked that bloody disgusting punch Selphie made us drink," Squall replied, calmly. "So I blame you for the headaches we're all suffering."

Oh. The punch. Yeah, Seifer remembered that too now, some horrible concoction of Selphie's. He remembered the insane girl almost forcing a third glass of the awful stuff down his throat. "I didn't spike the punch, Squall," Seifer replied patiently. "I'm suffering from the same damn headache. Now fuck off and let me go back to sleep." To prove his point Seifer slammed the phone down. It rang again almost immeadiately.

"Could you at least make a vague attempt to not be such an arrogant shit, Seifer? I realise it's asking a lot--"

Seifer hung up again then left the phone off the hook. With luck Squall would get the picture and hopefully not come around to bitch at him face to face. If he did there was a risk he'd find a semi-naked Zell at his bathroom door.

"I used your towel," Zell stated simply (although via his dripping status it was obvious he hadn't used it enough) and began hunting for his clothes.

Seifer scowled appropriately at him, noticing how different he looked with his hair down like that, and *dripping*. As much as it irritated him to admit to himself that Quistis was right, Zell could be damn good looking if he'd only stop with that stupid crest. That said Seifer's thoughts and actions were often two different things. He was never going to say that out loud. "Get out Zell."

"I'm tryin', idiot," Zell snapped, finding his shorts by the wardrobe. "But it'd look a bit suss me leavin' your room in nothin' but a towel, huh?"

"You wouldn't even get the towel," Seifer replied, thinking of covering up his nakedness but deciding if Zell wasn't embarrassed about it he wasn't either. "It's my towel."

"Possessive arsehole, aren't you?" Zell muttered, keeping up the banter to protect himself from an awkward silence.

Seifer declined to respond, instead heading for the bathroom to take a long awaited shower, then he'd have coffee, he decided. He could hear Zell muttering in the background as he continued hunting for his clothes. Seifer sighed. A year ago he probably would have thrown the martial artist out on his arse to put his clothes back on in the hall or he would have threatened him with Hyperion until the little shit pissed himself. Fortunately time had matured him... a little... maybe. He knew neither of these were sound options, so being practical seemed to be, well... practical. He'd let Zell get dressed and then leave and niether of them would ever speak of it again under pain of death and supreme embarrassment once anyone else found out. He was just wondering whether there was anything in his room that would embarrass him if Zell found it when a sudden little hot flush ran through his stomach. His right hand that had been rubbing absently at the back of his neck froze, it's touch had brought back a memory. He remembered the feel of something, of fingertips on his neck tracing the line of it slowly down to his shoulder as lips sucked and bit gently on his nipples. Oh shit. He didn't want to remember last night. If Chickie proved to be a good fuck he would never be able to look at him the same way again. Actually he probably couldn't now, considering he had woken up with one of Zell's legs trapped between his own.

He pressed his hands up against the tiled walls of his showerstall and rested his head between his biceps. After stretching forward and pulling all the muscles in his back pleasantly, he tilted his head back and with his eyes now closed he saw an image, all divine and all glorious. Zell naked; knees apart, mouth open and a lustful, arousing moan coming from him. A moan caused by the fact that Seifer's cock was buried to the hilt inside him. Seifer froze in the shower. His eyes flung wide, scared almost. They *had* fucked and damn did the boy look good flat on his back. Seifer could see this was going to cause him problems, he didn't want to think about Zell like that. He didn't want to know the burning heat the other boy's flesh had had around him, he didn't want to think about fire and lust consuming him as he fucked Zell. Better then, perhaps, if he got out of the steamy environment of the shower.

When he stepped out he realised Zell had taken the last clean towel. Seifer frowned. That gave him options, he was used to that, although usually it was either do as Squall said or get expelled. Now he got to decide whether or not he wanted to go drying himself with a towel that Zell had been rubbing all over himself. Seifer grinned, the idea suddenly much more appealing considering he'd proven to Zell once and for all who owned who's arse last night, albeit that Zell wouldn't remember. He went out into the bedroom, smirking when he realised it was now he who was all wet and slippery.

"Zell?"

The other boy turned around, he was pulling his t-shirt over his head but once his eyes connected with Seifer's body he blushed. "Mmm?" he replied, quickly looking away again. Damn! Seifer was built! And to think he'd been getting a blow job off this guy just a few hours ago. He bit the corner of one lip as he smiled. "Whazzup?"

"My towel," Seifer replied. "It's the only one I've got, the rest are down at the laundry. You want to hand it over?"

Zell glanced back at Seifer, one hand absently resting on the bed behind him where said towel was lying. He looked down at it. "It's a bit wet," Zell mumbled before flinging it at Seifer.

Seifer grinned victoriously before heading back into the bathroom. Why the reacquisition of his towel was so important he wasn't sure but he liked his possessions, in fact he liked to own things full stop, and this was his favourite towel. It was big and fluffy and dark blue- his favourite colour. As he rubbed himself down with it he wondered if Zell would be gone by the time he emerged. Probably but as he wanted to make sure the little shit wasn't going to tell anyone he upped the pace a little.

 

Zell sat down on the corner of the bed, glaring over his shoulder at the item of furniture like it could tell him what he wanted to know: whether or not he and Seifer had actually... done the deed last night. Almost every part of him was screaming to get out of Seifer's room before something untoward happened again but he couldn't do it. He had to know if Seifer was suffering the same memory black out that he was. So he sat and waited, forcing himself to sit still and just... *wait*.

When Seifer emerged from the shower he was slightly surprised Chickie was still there but also a little bit pleased. This would give him another opportunity to order Zell not to tell anyone- just in case he forgot.

"You're not going to say anything," Seifer told him as he began to hunt for some remotely clean clothes. "You get that?"

"What's to tell?" Zell asked quietly. "I don't remember anything."

Seifer looked up at him; watched as Zell stood up, almost ready to leave but something holding him back. It was always obvious when Zell was considering whether or not to say something, he usually made his emotions clear, as though there were nothing to hide. He was like a child that way.

"Oh?" Seifer asked, willing Zell to tell him what was on his mind so he could either beat him up for it or know he didn't remember a thing and therefore feel safe that Zell had no idea what had *really* happened.

"Say," Zell began innocently. "You don't remember anything do you?"

Seifer felt an uncharacteristic blush forming. He remembered plenty, Zell's thighs tight against his ribs; the way he threw his head back and whimpered; and a burning, tight caress around his cock as he fucked Zell senseless. And all that from a second of memory. Oh yeah, he remembered all right.

"No, I don't," Seifer snapped. "And if I did I'm sure I'd need therapy to cure me of beastiality for fucking a chicken."

Zell narrowed his eyes, he wasn't even sure they *had* fucked, but he declined from dignifying that with an answer anyway. Seifer didn't deserve one, he was sure. And besides for a comeback that one was terrible. He figured Seifer needed to work on them a bit more. He was probably feeling weird about the whole thing and wasn't sure how to respond to Zell. Figuring this was the problem Zell decided to stay the hell out of Seifer's way for the next few days so things could get back to normal. He certainly wouldn't mention that hickey now. With this in mind he rose and headed for the door, as he passed into the hall he glanced back and caught Seifer's eyes on him, glaring. He snarled back and headed for his own room.

Oh Hyne, Seifer thought. I was *not* just checking out his arse.

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