Tuesday, March 17th.

At this time of year it was always difficult to be bothered getting up in the morning because of the extreme cold; especially when Garden was docked in Trabia, again. Seifer growled as the thought trickled through his head. Generally Balamb Garden remained stationary, unless there were some classes that required excursions. This week Quistis' 4th Year Cadets were studying Ice magic, Fire magic and Ice creatures. So the entire Garden got to put up with ski trips and snowmen because of them. And Seifer, as usual when they were in Trabia, was banned from going outside. He got to hang out within Garden and do exactly what he was doing now: sulk.

There was one thing lifting his spirits, but there was also a vague hope distracting him from being truly happy. He desperately wanted it to come true but knew it probably wouldn't. It was a nasty thing to want but then Seifer wasn't always the sweetest of people. What he wanted was for the rest of the Orphanage Gang to forget how important the day was; to be so busy with class, work, excursions, missions etc. that they only realised tomorrow what they'd missed out on. Unfortunately it wasn't the case.

When he arrived at his destination it was 10.30 am. Most of the occupants of the Garden were in class, on excursion or exploring the restored Trabia Garden so he was free to slip inside without anyone spotting him. He punched in the security code that was so well imprinted in his mind he could probably do it in his sleep, and probably had done at one point or another. Inside was cluttered with large and impressive unwrapped presents. Lying curled up asleep on the floor in a ray of weak Wintery sunlight was the object of his desire.

Seifer took his boots off by the door, and locked it behind him. It was a pity they'd all remembered Zell's birthday, Seifer had wanted to keep him all to himself, but he shrugged it off dismissively. He navigated his way through the shredded wrapping paper and cards to the small blond body on the floor. Then knelt beside him and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. "Happy Birthday," he whispered.

As he did so Zell woke up, blue eyes blinking at him sleepily. "Hey," he croaked and rolled over to cuddle up to Seifer's warm body.

The gunblader wrapped his arms about his partner and spooned behind him on the floor, surprised at how warm Zell was from the pathetic sunlight. He was still clothed in his pyjamas, warm flannelette that in Seifer's hands made the boy seem almost as cuddly as a teddy bear. He grinned, and nuzzled Zell's neck. "Had a good day?" he asked.

Zell shivered at the breath down his spine. "Mmm, got loads of pressies." He grinned and twisted his neck to see Seifer over his shoulder. "You been doin' much?"

Seifer shrugged. "I can't really, considering we're still in Trabia." He slid a cold hand under Zell's pyjama top and kissed his ear lobe. "Gives me more time to spend lying around doing you."

The martial artist gave a small laugh at that, then he flinched suddenly. "Man, your hands are cold." A devious smirk emerged. "Wanna go warm 'em up?"

"You tell me," Seifer replied. "Today you're the birthday boy."

"Mmm," Zell rested his head behind him on Seifer. "I am, aren't I?... Does that mean you'll do what I want?" He knew it was pushing it a bit, Seifer doing as he wanted would mean Hell had frozen over.

"No," Seifer replied. "But I may be convinced to take requests."

"Requests?" Zell sat up and smiled happily down at the older boy. "What kind of request?" He climbed over Seifer's waist, straddling him. "What if I was to ask you to... make me a cup of tea?"

Seifer frowned. A cup of tea wasn't that hard. He could manage it. "OK, how do you have it?"

That was an interesting one, Zell thought. 'He doesn't even know how I drink my tea?' "We've been doing this for four and a half months and you still don't know how I have my tea?" he raised one eyebrow but wasn't especially surprised. To be honest he kind of expected it.

Beneath him Seifer shrugged. "Well, how do I have mine?"

"Who makes your breakfast every morning like a good little housewife, Seifer?" Zell asked, smiling. "White, sometimes white with one, depending on your mood."

It surprised Seifer that he could tell Zell was hurt about him not knowing this simple bit of information, even though Zell was still smiling stupidly at him. Of course Zell should be a little upset that he didn't know but the fact that Seifer could tell he was hiding this little snippet of information worried the gunblader. Did he know Zell better than he thought he did? What did that mean? That he saw through the smile?

"You haven't answered the question," Seifer finally answered. What was he *supposed* to say?

"White with two," Zell crawled off him and leant back against the sofa. "Do you know how to put the kettle on?"

Seifer smiled back at Zell's mischievous little grin. "You little smartarse," he growled, reaching for one of Zell's ankles from where he lay still on the floor, and sitting up as he did it. As the smaller boy laughed and struggled a little to get away the gunblader pulled him closer and kissed his leg gently. "Tea," he breathed against it. "Coming right up, babe." He let Zell go and stood up. "You need a hand or are you gunna lounge on the floor?"

Zell tilted his head to look up at the older boy. "I think I'll lounge thank you very much." He grinned. Seifer was actually being nice. He wondered for a second if he could manage to have birthdays every day of the year.

While Seifer moved off to the little kitchenette Zell leant back again, putting his arms up on the seat. He was slightly nervous about Seifer making him tea, strangely he wanted to get up and go make sure he was doing it right. Not that he really cared about how long his tea bag was left in or whether the milk was added before it was taken out or whatever, but it confused him to have the gunblader in his kitchen. He'd be stuffing something up for sure.

But Seifer was actually quite adept at making tea; he even knew where Zell kept his teapot. It was something he'd learnt from Matron, how many spoonfuls of leaves to put in, how long to let it brew etc. He unconsciously flinched as he thought about her. It was horrible to feel such blatant... fear for the woman he considered his mother but after Her it was the only way Seifer could see his Matron. He loved her, and yet she scared him, all that power he knew had run through her veins. Where was it now? In Rinoa? He didn't like to think about that, it just made him almost scared of the daft bint. Certainly she was frightening in light of her fetish for lip balm and choice of clothing (or lack thereof, what was *with* those really skimpy tops? The gunblader had no need to see half her breasts, he hadn't wanted to see them when he was going out for her for Hyne's sake, let alone now...) but fear of her strength? Seifer couldn't think of anything more ludicrous. And yet it was there. The thought that Rinoa could control him as She had once done made him shiver. Was that possible? Was she that strong?

The gunblader was just pouring hot water into the pot when he felt Zell's arms curl around his waist. Turning he caught the martial artist's eye. "What?" he asked.

Zell just smiled and gripped him tighter. "Thank you," he finally replied quietly.

Seifer frowned. 'Thank you' for a cup of tea? How curious. He would never have thought of doing that. "Umm... you're welcome?"

Then arms tightened around him and a tongue flicked out to lick his lips gently. He smiled, leaning down to kiss him again and slid his body close up against Zell's. "You're the birthday boy," he whispered. "You deserve a little kindness."

"But you're the one who's upset," the martial artist looked up at him, eyes wide with concern, and tried to smile.

Looking at him Seifer could almost believe it was all worth something; life, love and friendship. But twenty-one years of not giving a shit had taken its toll. The thought vanished almost as soon as it arrived. Though it did almost alarm him that Zell had known something was wrong with *him*. But then Zell was observant too.

Something his time with Zell had shown him was that the little blond was actually smarter and more sensitive than others gave him credit for. Sometimes, of course, more often than not, Zell would seem a complete blond but this trouble stemmed a lot from the fact that his mouth would keep on talking while his brain moved onto something else. He really didn't think about what he was saying but it wasn't because of his stupidity, rather it was because his mind wandered and his mouth kept going without him. It seemed the lies he had told to charm Zell were turning out to be the truth. He was just muddle-brained.

It surprised Seifer no end that the martial artist had managed to pass not only the SeeD exams but also the Garden Instructor ones. Zell had told him he hadn't even studied for the written ones. He'd had the 'flu for his SeeD exams and then couldn't be bothered doing any work while he recovered. Before his Instructor exams Irvine had taken him out drinking so the little martial artist had been severely hung over. The reason he passed in the top percentile of his year was not because he was a genius rather it was blind luck. The smaller boy was surprisingly lucky.

But the gunblader preferred to just ignore it all. It was better for them both if he didn't know Zell too well, if they kept some element of distance. Knowing that Zell wasn't stupid and that he'd be a great ally at a casino was nothing but an idle fact.

He petted the smaller boy's hair for a moment then pushed him away. Maybe he was a little stressed but that didn't mean he would take comfort from a Chicken Wuss. He handed the martial artist a cup of tea.

"Here, drink up."

Zell thanked him with a little smile. They went into the lounge room to drink it and Zell sat back on the floor by the window, cradling the cup in his hands. There was silence between them for a while until Zell spoke up suddenly. "So what's wrong with you?" the little martial artist turned to look at Seifer on the couch with a troubled frown. "I can't order you to be happy," Zell sighed. "Hyne knows you wouldn't pay any attention anyway."

But Seifer just ignored him, as the smaller boy had suspected, and sipped his tea. Somewhere in his pocket was a little bar of Trabian chocolate he'd managed to get (or steal) especially for the other boy's birthday. He knew Zell preferred Trabian chocolate to the bitter Galbadian brands and it was hard to get a hold of when he couldn't step foot on Trabian soil. It was three times more expensive when bought somewhere else.

"Seifer?"

The gunblader looked up, Zell was crouched in front of him, half-empty tea cup on the floor, hand resting on Seifer's knee.

He pulled the chocolate out of his trench coat pocket. "I got you this."

It was a rare act for Seifer to commit, giving something of any sort, so Zell accepted it almost tentatively.

The reasons behind Seifer's actions were obscured somewhere amongst all their insecurities about one another and about themselves. Seifer was a bully, he'd always *been* a bully, not because he wanted attention and thought this was the best way to get it, not because he was mean but because he didn't know how else to behave. He didn't do kindness because no one had expected it of him.

Back at the orphanage they'd all had their place. Quistis was the boss, the mother; Selphie the clown; Irvine the charmer; Zell the baby; Squall the popular, clever, good-looking hero. What did Seifer have left? He wasn't the baby, he was older than Selphie, Zell *and* Squall and he wasn't sensitive enough to *need* looking after. He couldn't do the looking after because that was Quistis' job, besides he liked to have fun not obey every single damn rule anyone ever made so he couldn't take her role. He wasn't the clown because he wasn't that happy. He wasn't charming because people constantly disappointed him, why would he want to charm them when they were all idiots? And he wasn't the popular, clever, good-looking hero because that was Squall. The position was already filled and something in him just couldn't bear to share. That was his problem with Irvine ever touching Zell, for once Seifer had something that was *his*. He didn't have to share fucking *any*thing.

That was why he'd wanted that perfect girl for him when he scribbled his "Ten Things To Do Before You're 21" list. Because to her he'd be all of those characters. He'd look after her, he'd make her laugh, he'd make her relax, he's make her feel needed, he'd be her clever, good-looking hero.

Except it wasn't a 'her' it was a 'him', and no one knew that but Zell... and maybe Rinoa. The only reason he was hiding it was because he hadn't found that specific person, and because it didn't quite fit in with his idea of the character he did play. Gay? The powerful, respected warrior? Not a chance!

He hadn't wanted to be a Knight to protect his Mistress... Her, the Sorceress. He'd wanted to be a Knight so people would know he was the most powerful, to respect him for his strength... and mercy. But Her Knight fucked that idea up royally. He hadn't been merciful and now he couldn't be sure he'd ever really known what that meant.

Initially he had done the right thing, Matron had told him as a child he *had* been kind but it had been scrubbed out of him because of the competition. His natural inclination was to be number one, was to be the most respected, the most powerful but Squall had challenged that so he'd had to evolve. He wasn't Squall's rival because he was who he was. He'd become who he was because he was Squall's rival.

Fate, Destiny, Hyne. Whatever you choose to believe in had dealt Seifer Almasy a shit hand. His path and his personality just did not mix. With a family maybe he would have been their number one and rivalry with Squall would have just been an irritation that occurred at Garden. But his life didn't turn out like that, and it didn't end with Squall as his nemesis. It ended with Her.

If she hadn't come along he would have stayed the bully and maybe passed the SeeD exams the next year. But that hadn't turned out, instead he was a traitorous, malicious bastard. The only people who remotely understood him were his Matron and Zell; the little fighter whose bright blue eyes looked worriedly into his own.

"Seifer?"

"Just thinking," he shrugged. 'And being melodramatic, you poor, pathetic, misunderstood idiot,' he thought, mentally berating himself. "You like your chocolate?"

Zell nodded his head eagerly, clutching the thing against his chest. "How'd you know I liked Trabian chocolate?"

"It's smooth," he offered Zell a sleazy grin. "And bad for you."

Zell rolled his eyes and unwrapped the present. "Just like you, you mean?" he smiled, popping the end of the morsel into his mouth.

"Just like me," Seifer put down his empty coffee cup and shifted closer to the edge of the couch, closer to Zell.

"Actually," Zell continued, ignoring the way Seifer's body began to press against him. "I was readin' this thin' in Quisty's office the other day that said if you have chocolate and red wine at the same time they help you absorb the nutrients in each other."

"Mmm," Seifer replied. He pushed Zell backwards to lie on his back on the floor. "Want me to get you some red wine too huh?"

"If you would," Zell hitched a breath slightly as Seifer nipped on his neck. He took the chocolate he had been sucking out of his mouth and glared playfully at the gunblader. When he had Seifer leaned over him further and bit off the end of the chocolate.

"You're right," he said thoughtfully, running the melted goo over his tongue. "Trabian chocolate is definitely the best."

Zell grinned and swatted him lightly. "Don't steal my present, arsehole."

The gunblader grabbed his wrist and held it gently beneath them. He was being deliberately careful, Zell knew, probably because it was his birthday. But in contrast Seifer pressed his lips firmly to his partner's, almost violent in their assault but sending those pleasant little shivers all over the fighter's skin just like a passionate kiss would.

"You serious?" Zell asked, leaning his head further back so Seifer could nip and suck under his jaw. "You wanna do this in the middle of the living room?"

"Yep," Seifer sat up slightly. "Or does the birthday boy have another request?" he asked tiredly, sighing.

Zell shrugged, sliding his legs around Seifer's hips. They lay in silence for a moment; Zell watching the last of Winter's snow droop and drip on his balcony, Seifer watching him. Zell didn't look twenty-one, he thought. In fact he barely even looked eighteen. It might have been something to do with being small, or maybe it was those big blue eyes. Whatever the case he could easily be mistaken for one of his students and had been recently by a Transfer Instructor from the rebuilt Galbadia Garden. Seifer smirked at the thought.

As the gunblader's mind wandered Zell had turned back to look at him and seeing that smirk he knew Seifer was thinking of teasing him so he attacked first. Pushing Seifer's shoulder suddenly he rolled them both over so the gunblader was trapped beneath him, then he slid one hand beneath Seifer's shirt and tickled. To his surprise Seifer wriggled and began laughing.

"Geddoff," he hissed. If Zell hadn't known better he would have sworn Seifer was giggling.

"Nup," Zell replied around his chocolate. Tossing back his head he managed to get the last little bit out of the packet and in his mouth without letting up his busy hands. When he spat the packet out at Seifer the gunblader grabbed his wrists hard and sat up, pressing their mouths together in the same movement. Zell wriggled to get away for a second but the noise that it caused from Seifer made it evident he was rubbing someone up the right way, so he stopped and settled for fighting the gunblader with his tongue.

Seifer was currently fossicking around in his mouth trying to retrieve all the chocolate into his own mouth but Zell was having none of that. It was his damn present and he'd keep it. So when Seifer's tongue began cleaning his teeth Zell slowly began clenching his jaw shut eventually Seifer got the idea and retracted his tongue before it was bitten off. When their mouths parted, wet and kiss bruised, they stayed close, lips almost touching with every breath. There was silence for a moment.

Zell stuck out his tongue and was immediately attacked by Seifer's mouth again.

"Little shit," Seifer hissed, between licks and kisses. "Gimme the damn chocolate."

But Zell just giggled and lay back until his shoulders lay between the gunblader's calves. Seifer leant over him. "Good thing you're flexible," Zell noted idly.

Seifer rolled his eyes and pulled his legs back to kneel between Zell's knees. He leant over the smaller boy again, pressing their chests together and nuzzling his nose into the martial artist's ear, breathing him in. Soon though, the little fighter got sick of that and turned to press his lips to whatever part of Seifer's face they could reach.

First they hit his ear, sending warm breath in there and causing that sudden shiver between his shoulder blades and almost down the back of his throat. Then Zell's lips pressed against the gunblader's jaw licking the sensitive neck and biting over folds of flesh. Seifer smiled and slowly turned his head a little more so his could wrestle Zell's tongue with his own.

When their mouths collided they both smiled. Wet, comfortable kisses were fun. They kissed without tongues for a moment, Seifer taking Zell's bottom lip between his own and sucking all the blood to the surface but then a tongue slid along his own lip, gentle suddenly as though their play fighting hadn't happened.

But Zell pulled back slightly, his bottom lip still caught between Seifer's, and ran his own tongue wetly across the inside of the older boy's again. "I didn't realise you were ticklish," he whispered with raggedy breath, when Seifer had let go.

"I'm not," Seifer lied. They stayed like that, kissing gently until Seifer tried to tug off the smaller boy's shirt.

"Lemme alone," Zell replied smiling. "You first."

Seifer grinned and tugged his jumper off, quickly following it with his shirt. He knelt there, on all fours, holding Zell's gaze as though they were about to speak of something serious. To the gunblader's surprise something did occur to him. "Why did Squall have leaves in his hair?"

Zell blinked. "Huh?" He frowned, puzzled. "Seif? Weren't we about to--"

"Yeah, I know," Seifer replied. "But I got distracted since you're still wearing clothes." He grinned as the younger boy pouted crossly.

"Well, that's your fault, not mine," Zell grinned and stretched his arms out beside him, inviting the other boy to get down to business.

Seifer shook his head but moved to pull Zell's arms out of his sleeves anyway. "Are you gunna answer the question?"

"I guess it was Irvine's fault."

"It usually is," Seifer growled in Zell's ear as he leant to pull the back of his pyjama shirt off. The mention of that cowboy still made him angry. "He can't keep his fucking hands to himself."

Zell giggled softly as the rumble of his growl sounded into his ear. "Do that again," he asked. It had felt like the possessive sound of an animal and shivered all through his sexually sensitive body, even more sensitive now Seifer was tweaking his nipples.

But Seifer didn't repeat the sound. Instead he let out an irritated snap and bit his partner's nipples, not hard enough to bleed, but hard enough to make it feel real. He wanted to own this smaller boy. Not for any sadistic reason, he realised but because he wanted something to belong to him. Once Zell totally succumbed to him then no one else could take his possession from him... especially not Irvine.

Beneath him Zell arched into the bite, Seifer really did have a thing for biting, it was surprising considering Seifer didn't seem the particularly oral type. Everyone always teased Zell about his addiction to hotdogs, those little fang teeth of his, the way he talked too much but Seifer was the one who liked putting things in his mouth. Zell's ear lobe, his tongue, lips, jaw, neck, throat, nipples, stomach, cock occasionally, and just about anything else he could reach whilst fucking. Zell didn't care what was going on so long as he enjoyed it and he had something in his arms. Both of them needed that. The comfort of another presence, of arms wrapped around his shoulders or back, something clinging to him, something that wanted him.

The martial artist pulled away slowly. "Seif..." he whispered, tilting his head to see into the gunblader's eyes. "Bedroom? It's more comfortable than the floor."

Seifer nodded, but for some reason Zell got the feeling that he was thinking of something else entirely- though what it was he couldn't say. It may have been because he didn't meet Zell's eyes, the way he kept his head down, the way he didn't snatch Zell up in his arms and get him undressed and ready for fucking as quickly as possible. That was probably it.

They were back to their weird relationship now, loyal but emotionless. At least it had begun that way, strangely Seifer had begun to feel like Zell was a friend. Not in the same way Raijin and Fujin were but he was someone Seifer spent most of the day with, when they weren't in class or trying to pretend to everyone who knew them that they still argued a lot. That façade had died down of late. They tried but the fighting just didn't seem to have the same authenticity about it anymore. Quistis had actually congratulated Seifer on his new found ability to not be such an arsehole. Even Squall had seemed pleased. Seifer wasn't, it meant people would approach him and ask questions, and he hated people.

When the gunblader had deposited him on the bed Zell held onto him, gripping his neck tighter and nipping hungrily on Seifer's ear. "Fuck me," he whispered softly, thrusting his hips up toward the other boy's warm stomach.

Seifer smiled and kissed him gently. He reached to help Zell push off his trousers just as the doorbell rang. A low growl rumbled through Seifer's throat. "You are *shitting* me," he hissed.

Zell laughed. "I'd better get that, if it's Squall or Quisty they know my pass code," he sat up, sighing, and pressed a kiss to Seifer's lips, licking them once before leaving the room to find his pyjama top to put back on. "You'd better get dressed too," he added. "In case they wanna come in or somethin'."

The gunblader shook his head. He'd have to change the code for Zell, or at least get him to double lock his door so they needed the pass code *and* a key to get in. This was one of the many reasons he thought friends sucked. Or at least Zell's friends did. He didn't have many but the ones he did have were infinitely better than Commander Sulky and co.

So he struggled around the room and eventually found his t-shirt in the lounge-room. He had just got it on and was frowning appropriately by the window when Squall entered, halfway through a conversation.

"You'll be heading off at the beginning of next week."

Zell nodded and stuck his tongue out at Seifer from behind their Commander's back.

"Seifer..."

The gunblader looked over his shoulder at his old rival. "What?"

Squall glanced at Zell as though expecting an explanation but when one wasn't forthcoming he frowned and looked back at the ex-Knight. "I hope you're not hassling him. It *is* his birthday, you know?"

Seifer raised one eyebrow and looked at Zell. "Is it?" he frowned but inside he was actually quite pleased at his acting. "Heh," Seifer shrugged and turned back to look out the window, re-folding his arms the other way around. In the short silence that followed he got the idea that both Zell and Squall were looking at him behind his back. Strangely it made him almost nervous so he brushed his hand through his short hair and scowled some more out the window. He couldn't see them but that didn't stop Squall being irritating. Stupid Squall.

"Ummm," Zell put in awkwardly. Silences had never been his thing. "About the mission Squall?"

"Yes."

Zell frowned, confused. "Was there anything else I needed to know?"

"Not really," the Commander finally tore his glare away from Seifer and directed a stare at Zell. He still wasn't very good at friendly expressions. "I decided you'd be best as you're probably the fastest of the SeeD's and I've been told the creature can move quicker than most we've come across."

Zell nodded. He didn't need reasons for him getting the job, even if Squall had decided he needed to know on his birthday. It really could have waited until tomorrow. He wasn't even leaving until Monday, and that was almost a week away. "So..." he began.

But Squall was already at the door. "I'm leaving now."

Before the sound of the locking clicking shut had faded Seifer was carrying Zell back to the bedroom, his tongue firmly entrenched in the other boy's mouth.

"Seif?" Zell asked as he was restored to his former position on the bed. "Do you think Squall suspects something?"

"I don't care," Seifer replied, tugging off their shirts. "Maybe not rushing to explain why I was here would have seemed weird to someone else but Squall is an idiot."

"Hey," Zell scowled. "Don't talk about my friend like that."

The gunblader raised an eyebrow and sat back to peel Zell's pyjama trousers off. "You've never cared before. Besides you know as well as I do that Squall doesn't pay attention to anything that doesn't directly concern him."

Zell shrugged and rested his head back on the pillow, closing his eyes. Slowly he felt the shift in the air around him, warming as Seifer crawled and settled over him. When the gunblader blew in his ear, Zell smiled and flinched away.

"So," Seifer breathed against his neck before kissing gently. "How do you want me?"

Zell sucked in a breath at that line. How *did* he want him? Tender? Kinder? In love with him? The little martial artist smiled at the thought. No, he just wanted to lie there and for Seifer do make him feel real good. Though he did that most nights anyway.

"I want to look at you," Seifer whispered when he didn't respond. "OK?"

He smiled and nodded slightly, half opening his eyes. "'S'long as you warm me up first."

A puzzled look crossed Seifer's face. When he leant back to pull a blanket over them both Zell laughed and stopped him.

"No, babe," he stayed the gunblader's hand and kissed him gently. "I meant warm me up like..." He gasped suddenly as Seifer got the idea and wrapped one strong hand around his cock. "Yeah, like that."

Seifer smirked. Maybe he didn't often go down on the younger boy but it *was* his birthday. Smiling lightly he slid down Zell's body; one hand trailed from his strong shoulder, down his arm, over his hip and rested, finally, beneath Zell's shin. He rubbed the martial artist's soft skin with his thumb for a few seconds then stroked with his whole hand. Watching the way Zell shivered in response, especially when his fingers went anywhere near his upper thigh.

Turning his gaze from the naked leg beside him Seifer looked along the panting body and grinned. Suddenly he felt like it was his birthday.

"Seif-FER," Zell reached pathetically for him, leaning to one side and struggling to grab a hold of the gunblader. "I want you *now*. Not when you're done staring."

"Now, huh?" Seifer smirked.

"You do that *way* too much," Zell grinned as the gunblader slid back over him to kiss. He nipped lightly against Zell's lip and buried his nose back beside the smaller boy's ear. "Where's za stuff?" Zell asked. He twisted his neck to look up behind him. The lube could be anywhere; Seifer had made a complete mess of his room in the past few days. Before him Zell had been meticulously tidy, but he'd learnt to live with a bit of junk now. The gunblader seemed to be ignoring the question; he just slid both hands under Zell's torso and held him up slightly, starting up his kissing trail along Zell's neck again.

When Seifer tickled him again Zell almost shrieked. He'd been all relaxed, happy with closing his eyes and wrapping his legs tightly around the older boy's hips, but then Seifer's hands restarted their assault. He kicked instinctively, but it didn't connect with the gunblader as his legs were wrapped behind him. "Seifer!" he squirmed and tried to push the other boy away. But he held onto the martial artist, pressing him down with greater body mass and laughing as Zell struggled. "Stop..." the smaller boy managed to gasp between giggles. "No... Sei-FER!" His voice hit an all time high pitch when Seifer slid one wet finger inside him whilst still tickling. "Uhnn~" Zell moaned.

Seifer stopped playing for a minute and instead waved the lube at Zell. "Found it under the pillow," he explained, pushing his hips closer to Zell's and parting the martial artist's legs more as a result.

Zell grinned and using one heel as leverage pushed himself further down onto Seifer's finger. "Babe..." he whispered happily. Zell knew that Seifer was well aware he liked the playful fucking the most; playing around made him feel more relaxed. But he wondered how long it would be before one of them stepped out of line. Before they said or did something that reminded them both of the way their relationship was *supposed* to be. The way it had been a month ago when they'd fought. Zell shook his head, no time for serious thoughts today. It was his birthday and he would play with his presents. Seifer especially.

The gunblader was smirking at him again, leaning up on one arm and sliding that slick finger in and out of him but making perfectly damn sure not to brush anything that might make it feel really good. He ignored Zell's pathetic little whimpers, even though he wanted to fuck him as many times as humanly possible today- to make him feel good and to cover up for only getting him chocolate as a present. He would have to show his need for the smaller boy in actions rather than words since his pay was pathetic and he couldn't go outside Garden to spend it anyway.

"Please..." Zell hitched a breath and grabbed Seifer's upper arms in his strong hands. "Hyne, Seif... *Fuck* me."

Seifer smiled and turned his gaze away from his partner's needy blue eyes. The hands that gripped his arms were surprisingly small for the strength contained within them. Seifer often went home with a few bruises after a night of teasing Zell, but looking at them they seemed so gentle and surprisingly dark against the gunblader's pale skin even though neither of them were particularly tanned despite their blond hair and Zell's living by the sea. Maybe he didn't swim very much.

"Seifer!" Zell dug in his short nails, and gripped harder with his thighs.

"Chickie need attention?" the ex-Knight leaned over him again and pushed his finger right up close to Zell's prostate. All it needed was one little push to make him feel *very* good. But he stopped. And waited. His pale, hungry green eyes stared straight into Zell's wide blue ones. He knew Zell would give in first.

Zell could hold his own against Seifer a little. He had physical stamina to burn but when it came down to just waiting he *always* got impatient. Who wants to sit around when you could feel pleasure *now*? He did try though, he glared into Seifer's smug eyes and narrowed his own. The gunblader looked so pleased with himself, it almost reminded Zell of how he'd been before Her.

"Seifer..." he whispered, trying to force as much want into his voice as possible. Maybe Seifer would take pity on him.

To his surprise Seifer smiled and slowly pressed his finger forward. Zell arched his back, his mouth opened but no sound came out, he only let out a heavy puffing breath. It blew back Seifer's hair softly and curled into his ear, causing the gunblader to shiver gently. He pushed a second finger in, pushed them both deeper inside him so Zell would whimper more.

"Just..." Zell keened at him. "Please Seifer..."

The gunblader grinned; it was that whimper he longed to hear. "Since it's your birthday," he whispered. "And since you said please."

Zell smiled lazily, his eyes half shut and hitched a faint breath. He curled his arms around Seifer's neck before asking, "Can't I have *your* arms around *me*?"

The gunblader brushed his hardened cock against Zell and grinned. "Alright, baby." It was nice when Zell acted all needy. It made him feel wanted. So he removed his fingers and pushed gently into him.

The martial artist smiled, head tilted back now he didn't have the will to keep it up, Seifer filled him so completely. He clutched the older boy tighter and thrust against him. His skin tingled, he felt like he had a fever and it reminded him of why he was here to begin with. Seifer's body over his filled him with a primal, violent need to be possessed. He crashed through a thousand hazy visions and ended up in a heated dream that freckled over his body like a day of sunbathing. He was warm and sleepy and in oh-so-much pleasure he thought he might explode. Was that possible? Would he spontaneously combust because Seifer made him so damn hard? Would he be left a shuddering ecstatic mass, shivering as Seifer came deep inside of him?

"Oh fuck me," he breathed.

Above him Seifer laughed and jerked gently, pressing inside him further. Every time Zell would consume him so thoroughly, wrap him up in his arms and clench around him. Even though Seifer was on top, even though he set the pace, even though it was his cock thrust to the hilt inside Zell, the smaller boy surrounded him completely. He was possessing and possessed. The strong arms around his neck held him in place, the thighs around his waist held him down, and that grip around his cock... It flickered all the way through his legs sometimes, made him go weak at the knees. If only Zell could surround him always, if only this moment, this fire that somehow threatened to drown him could stay he would never get angry or sad or frustrated again.

They had stopped moving now however, both lost in the feeling and Zell lay, head to one side, watching him through half-open eyes. So Seifer ran one hand down the martial artist's side and rested it there, teasing even now.

Zell giggled as the hand began to tickle and wriggled a little. "Seif..."

The older boy smirked and pressed his thumb deeper into Zell's side, jerking roughly further inside him as he did so. "Don't cry out my name if you don't want me to come."

Zell gave a strangled laugh through his moan of pleasure and rolled his eyes. "Bad, Seif, real bad."

Seifer's smirk faded into a genuine smile, but it disappeared quickly and he set to making his bones burn with lust again. Letting his mind just float away was easy, especially with his cock buried so damn deep inside the smaller boy. He was unrestrained, free for a moment, long enough to release it all into this body that was *his* and just burn as brightly as Firaga. He thrust roughly suddenly, grinning a half smile when Zell arched his neck further and shouted.

"Fuck! Oh! ..." The martial artist sucked a deep breath between his teeth and clenched sweaty thighs around Seifer's hips again, the action made him tighten around his cock too.

Seifer let go of Zell's ribs and clutched one of the muscular thighs, digging in his fingers and letting out ragged pants as he buried himself within the smaller boy. Zell could feel Seifer's breath gusting into his mouth, drilling down his throat like honey and Holy Water, and settling in his belly along with the aching, scorching need he had for Seifer. He tried tensing every muscle he could just to get to that moment of blinding purity faster; just to feel Seifer flowing into him, inside him, *through* him, shooting up his body like fireworks.

He started with his hands, clenching fingers then his forearms; he even pressed his jaw further into Seifer's shoulder. Then he pushed his tummy up against the gunblader's, squeezing his aching cock between their bodies and clenching his arse around Seifer's. As the ex-Knight clutched his arms around Zell's waist the younger boy pistoned his hips violently and quickly against his partner, impaling himself thoroughly on the thick cock that pulsed inside him.

Thinking of Zell for a change, Seifer slid one hand between their bodies and pumped Zell's member quickly. He was so fucking close, all he need was one little sound from Zell, like the moan he always--

"Seifer..."

The gunblader pitched forward suddenly as Zell released over his hand, and slammed them both into the mattress hard. He came deep inside his partner, with clenched teeth, the tendons in his neck straining against the energy that exploded within him.

They lay, together, crushed and tangled in bedclothes and limbs as their orgasm swept gently over their skin and away.

"Hyne in cream cheese fucking sauce," Seifer breathed. He rested his forehead on the pillow beside Zell. "You're fucking... beautiful."

Zell grinned. His eyes were closed, his body heavy, like lead weights had settled upon him, but it was just Seifer, his warm, comfortable blanket... or teddy bear. He grinned further at the thought and must have laughed a little for Seifer turned his face to the side, nuzzling into Zell's ear again.

"What's so funny?" he asked, breath tickling.

The martial artist clenched his arms around Seifer tighter, forgetting for a moment that that kind of hold from him could break someone's ribs. "Teddy bear," he giggled.

The gunblader struggled a little, trying to get air back into his lungs but when he realised that just made Zell grip him tighter, he stopped and lay against the smaller boy's chest. "Babe?"

"Mmm?"

"I gotta... *breathe* you know?"

Zell looked puzzled and turned to face him before realising how tight Seifer was against him. "Oop, sorry." He peeled sweat sticky arms off his partner and smiled sheepishly.

"Just wanted to cuddle huh?" Seifer asked with acidity.

Zell frowned. A sudden change of tone wasn't surprising with Seifer but it would have been nice to maintain the fantasy that either of them actually cared for a little while longer. To his surprise Seifer kissed him gently, then pressed his lips to Zell's crinkled frown as well. He slipped his arms back around the smaller boy and lay against him, closing his sea-green eyes and sighing once softly.

The martial artist almost shivered, both from the sudden breeze of Seifer's breath and the sensation of his strong arms wrapped about Zell's shoulders. He smiled but did so warily. This absolutely beautiful... *god* he was sleeping with was also someone he'd considered an enemy for many, many years. He was a guy who hated all of Zell's best friends, even though they were all like siblings really. He'd never thought about considering Seifer a friend. Was he? They had always hated each other, and still Seifer isolated himself from all of the people Zell held dear, yet here he was cuddled up to the martial artist resting peacefully after a delicious bout of fucking. What in Hyne's name was going on?

Author's Note

Red wine and chocolate? Actually I read that in a magazine and thought it was just so cool I had to share. So red wine helps absorb nutrients in chocolate and vice versa... Bring on the Cabernet Sauvignon!!! And Swiss chocolate!!

The next chapter will have none of this character development. I promise. Almost pure sex. Yay! Its working title is: "Mind-Blowing Sex and Gentle Kisses" hope that gives you some idea.

Also if anyone wants to come talk to me (I like talking, I do it a lot) I have an lj now http://www.livejournal.com/users/akare_kay/ so comments and chattiness is good XD

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