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

Squall Almasy

Chapter 4

By Takira

The huge T-rexaur, its mouth dripping hungrily with saliva, crashed its way through the forest causing terror in front and disaster in its wake. Its nostrils flared and sniffed the air for signs of food. The scent of a wounded creature wafted in making a low growl rumble from its chest. It slowly approached its prey, placing each foot, wreathed in claws, softly on the ground.  As the target came into sight it was disappointed by the size and confused at the appearance. It was grey with a light yellow head and black hooves, perhaps a new monster? The beast took a few steps closer then roared. Seifer leapt to his feet and spun around wildly as the sound exploded in his ears. The prehistoric tyrant smashed through the trees aiming it's snapping jaws at this creature. At the last second it spun round, smashing its tail into Seifers' side sending him flying into a tree and crashing to the ground. He groaned and clutched his ribs as the T-rexaur approached again. It lowered its head to grab Seifer in its terrible jaws when a battle cry rang out and Lionheart sliced down the side of its face. It screamed in anguish, thrashing its head and tail to get whatever did this to it. But Squall was too small and evaded its massive bulk easily. When the monster stopped Squall lifted his fist up to his forehead and became wreathed in light. With all his concentration he summoned his most powerful GF.

"Diamond Dust!" he cried, pushing his fist forward. He and Seifer vanished as small sparkling ice flakes floated down, collecting on the ground and freezing the earth. The T-rexaur turned around and was faced with a huge pinnacle of ice shooting out of the small patch of frozen ground. Preserved inside was the ice spirit herself, Shiva. She opened her eyes to assess her target and smirking, flung open her arms, smashing the ice encasing her. Slowly she brought her arms up above her head collecting flakes of ice and arctic wind, moulding them with her energy into a lethal ball. With a cry she threw her arms forward again, shooting a sub-zero gale from the ball that surrounded the dinosaur and froze even the water vapour in the air until tall ice crests like frozen teeth towered each side of it. Then, with a simple flick of her wrist the glass waves exploded apart sending shards as sharp as knives directly at the T-rexaur that slashed at its flesh from every direction. It made a throttled wail before crashing back into the woods, trailing blood and roaring in pain.

Squall and Seifer faded back into view, Squall still with his fist forward, both panting with exhilaration. Squall walked over to Seifer and crouched down beside him. Seifer had pushed himself into a sitting position and was rummaging through his pocket for his last Hi-potion+

"Come on, I'll take you back to the bar," said Squall, reaching for Seifers' arm.

"No way," retorted Seifer, pulling his arm away. "I'm not going back just so you can tell everyone and mock me."

"Mock you? Why would I do that? Come on, you're injured"

"I'm not going back," he replied more firmly. Squall grew impatient.

"Well I can't leave you here by yourself, not with T-rexuars about."

"I can look after myself Squall, I'm not weak," snarled Seifer, folding his arms sulkily.

"Yea 'cause you handled the last one so well," replied Squall sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"I was caught off-guard!" Squall grabbed the Hi-potion+ from Seifers' hand and threw it into the air above his head. Seifer sighed as he felt the more acute aches and pains slip away.

"It's simple Seifer, you stay, I stay." Seifer shook his head and lay down. Although outside he acted like it didn't matter to him whether Squall stayed or not, inside, he was dancing.

"Seifer?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you cold? Coz, ya'know, if you are..."

"I'm fine, I've got my trench coat, what about you?"

"Fine." Seifer leaned over and placed his hand on Squall's arm.

"That's a lie, you're freezing."

"Yeah. Um, Seifer?"

"Yeah?"

"Ya'know that body warmth, um, I wouldn't want you to catch pneumonia or anything..." Seifer grinned. With one swift movement he turned over and wrapped Squall in his coat, pulling his body closer so they could both warm up. Squall looked up into Seifer's eyes.

"Seifer?" The blonde chuckled.

"What?"

"Do you, ya'know...like anyone?"

"I'd have thought it was pretty obvious I do." Squall sighed.

"Oh, right." Silence followed, Seifer shuffled awkwardly and spoke again.

"You are aware it's you, right?" Squall smirked a little and nodded his head. Seifer stared for a wile into his grey stormy eyes before kissing him lightly on the forehead and closing his eyes to sleep. "'Night Squally." Out of Seifer's gaze, Squall could now smile properly. He felt strangely at ease with the whole situation, as though it was always meant to be like this. He thought about his last relationships, how he always felt out of place and awkward, especially when Rinoa recounted her days with Seifer. She though it was the graphic descriptions of her that turned him on, but it was the images of Seifer that really did it for him. It scared him and so he never really thought about it further than that. Usually in this exact circumstance with Rinoa he would feel uncomfortable, she would immediately start asking for sex and never had the time or patience to just lie in each other's arms. Seifer didn't need or want to go any further at this point. Squall steeled himself to grin. Suddenly, the consequences of what he was starting dawned on him, how Rinoa and everyone would react. How would his reputation be changed if he came out and admitted that Seifer, the one that almost everyone in Garden hated, was actually his lover? His grin vanished; he would lose their trust, their respect. With these ominous thoughts going through his mind he made his decision. If he was going to be with Seifer ever, then it was only for tonight. He buried his face in Seifer's chest and slowly, surrounded by warmth and comforted by the rhythmic breathing, he fell asleep.

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