A/N: Okay this should probably be read before Hoping for Snow chapter 7 if you want to understand all sides of the story. You don't have to, but if you want the full experience…it's quick too. So don't think this will be wicked long.
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Maqui remembers when Serah had coaxed him into this the first time. The heat of the moment was too exhilarating to think about anything else but her. She whispered to him all these wonderful things about them being together, her breath tinged with alcohol. Maqui didn't believe her, it just seemed so…wrong. But then she kissed him and all thoughts of doubt seemed to drift away. For those moments, he believed she was serious.
"You're a better kisser than Snow." She mumbled into his lips. Maqui stopped the kiss abruptly. For many reasons. He was better than the person he idolized? And then he thinks of Snow. Not really about hurting him by continuing this, but by how much Snow would hurt him if he found out. He started to tell Serah that this couldn't happen and she just captured him in another kiss. "We'll be together forever."
Things spun out of control from there. Maqui had never really been a fighter, he's never said no, let alone stand up to anyone. Plus the only other person he'd kissed had been Yuj. A few hours later, he couldn't think. He laid there, next to Serah, their nakedness shielded by a blanket.
The next day they returned to Bodhum from Nautilus. Maqui immediately went to bed, exhausted from the night before. He only fit in a few hours of sleep before his door was kicked open.
"Maqui!" His eyes snapped open. That was Snow's voice. He sat up too quickly and became light-headed. He didn't have time to rebalance his fluid before Snow had him by the neck, pinned to the wall, his feet dangling two feet from the floor. His eyes came to focus and all he could see before him was Snow's angry face.
"H-hey Snow." Maqui felt so small, so weak. He was almost positive that Snow would kill him.
"Serah told me about last night. How you practically forced her into it." He snarled.
"What? No! Snow I swear! I didn't s-start anything." Maqui looked at him in shock, readying himself for the pain.
"And why should I believe you?" Snow squeezed his neck a bit harder. Maqui gasped for air.
"Because I wouldn't. Because I wouldn't want this to happen." Snow released the smaller man.
"You're let off easy this time. Only because I know she can be persuasive." Maqui breathed a sigh of relief at Snow's words. "But if you ever touch her again. You'll regret it."
With those words, Snow thundered out of his room, stepping on this broken door, which was split into two pieces and laid on the floor.
Maqui didn't leave his room, unless it was absolutely necessary, for three months.
The whole thing seemed to blow over, he just kept his distance for a while. Serah would try to sit next to him or touch him, and he would just get away quickly. She didn't realize anything. That his life could be at stake. How much she hurt Snow.
The wedding was postponed. They were supposed to get married a month after the affair. But Snow just wasn't in the right state of mind. And a year later Serah knocked on Maqui's door. He answered it and immediately tried to close it. But she put her foot in the open space before it was gone.
"Maqui, I need your help."
"Why me?" Maqui cautiously whispered.
"Because you're the only one not busy." She shifted her body into the room.
"What do you need?" Maqui stayed near the door as she sat on his unmade bed.
"Well Lightning has y engagement necklace, she said she fixed it. I just need to pick it up. But I can't go alone. I know she's going to flip on me for staying with Snow." She inhales.
"To Nautilus?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry…I can't." Maqui looks at the floor. He can't go back to where it all started. This mess. It'd be so wrong.
"Maqui I need you! As a friend." He looked up into her eyes. Those clear blue eyes, brimming with tears. "Please?" Maqui had held his breath and nodded.
"But we're back here by tonight. Okay?"
"Okay." She gets up. "I'll see you tomorrow?" Maqui nods and opens the door for her.
She leaves and he's left alone all night; fearing everything, expecting the worst.
The next day at dawn, Serah came to get him and they boarded a ship for Nautilus. He sat as far away from her as he could on the crammed ship. When they got there, he saw Lightning standing about twenty feet away; arms crossed, eyes narrowed. He felt fear wash over him. He trailed Serah over to her sister.
"Hi Light." Serah said angelically. Lightning just dropped the necklace into Serah's waiting hand and walked away. Maqui looked at Serah, confused. "That was surprisingly painless."
"Yeah…we should get back." Maqui turned and headed for the ship. But Serah grabbed his shoulder. Electricity sparked through his body. He adjusted his goggles nervously.
"We spent a lot getting here, can't we just enjoy it? Maybe shop?" She spun him around. "Come on." She walked towards the nearest vendor. Maqui looked at her, then the ship. He could leave and go home, no problem. But he couldn't just leave her there, and he couldn't convince her. Then he remembers how she lied a year ago. He furrows his brow. Well, she promised they'd be back to Bodhum tonight. Mind as well enjoy himself a bit. He walked in the direction Serah had.
Hours later, they were both laughing and carrying shopping bags. Maqui had enjoyed this time as friends. They'd gotten something to eat and spent a lot of gil on the stupidest things. She'd joked with him and hadn't come onto him once. It felt good to know that the past was behind them. They were walking back to where the ships came in and out. Serah walked to the ticket vendor and then walked back to Maqui.
"He says that the last ship to Bodhum left an hour ago. But the last ship from Bodhum here is at three in the morning." She stated plainly. Maqui's heart starting beating fast. Oh no. They'd have to stay in a hotel. Together. She lead him to the closest one and asked for a room.
"Two rooms." Maqui told the woman at the front desk. Serah gave him and undecipherable look.
"Sorry, we only have one room available." She looks at Maqui with little sympathy. Serah takes the single room key and leads Maqui up the stairs. He can't believe this. He hopes there's a couch he'll be able to sleep on. The room had a queen bed, a balcony, and no couch. They got ready for bed and Serah crawled into bed as Maqui got comfortable on the floor. Well, as comfortable as one could get on a floor.
Serah's head looked over the edge of the bed, down at him.
"Maqui, what are you doing?" She said with a hint of humor in her voice.
"Trying to sleep."
"On the floor?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You know why." He looks up at her.
"Maqui, all that stuff is in the past, we're friends." She looks at him, her eyes focused. "Aren't we?" He sighed. They were friends now. He got up and got under the covers of the bed, being sure to stay as far away from her as possible. He was starting to drift to asleep when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Hmm?" Maqui grumbled.
"I'm cold." Serah whispered her reply. Maqui offered some of his blanket, and felt her leg touch his. He moved his away. "You treat me like a disease."
"No I don't." Maqui said defensively, suddenly awake.
"Then let me close to you." Serah said, clearly sounding hurt.
"Fine. But just because you're cold." Maqui said, treading carefully. She wedged her body closer, conforming the back of her body to the front of his. His heart beat a little quicker. She shivered a bit and took his arm. She gently put it around her waist.
Just friends, just friends, just friends. Maqui kept repeating in his mind. Serah shifted and turned her body to face him. Her eyes gently opened and she looked at the flustered Maqui.
"Don't be so nervous." She pushed her body into his a bit more.
"I'm not." He said, his voice cracking.
"Good." She put her arms around his chest and hugged him. A friendly move. That was okay. Then Maqui felt her lips press to his neck. Not so friendly. Not okay.
"No, Serah." Maqui tried to gently push her from him but she had him on his back and her body was on top of his. "Serah we can't okay?"
She put her legs on either side of his narrow hips and ran her hands up his chest. Okay, he was extremely turned on, but not so much that he couldn't think. He took her hands and pressed them to her sides.
"No." He said as firmly as he could. She gave him a sad look and scooted her body so she was sitting on his calves. Good, she's getting off of me. Maqui thought with a sigh of relief. He smiled a bit, but that quickly disappeared as she ran her hands up his thighs. Oh crap. She paused her hands over the most sensitive of spots and he cringed. She slipped her hands under his shirt and leaned forward, resting her body on his, her head on his stomach. His mind started to fade as she slowly unzipped his pants.
From there, things kept getting more and more unfriendly. From when she ripped his clothes off, then hers. Then teased him until he couldn't think about anything but her body. Then she positioned herself on him and….
It all happened so suddenly, she was still on him, moving her hips forward and back, his hands on her waist. She was moaning loudly, her hands on his thighs behind her, her back arched. He let his hands wander all over her body and she let out a loud scream as she climaxed. She was riding out her orgasm when the doorknob to their room began to twist. Oh shit.
Snow's face peered in, the door swinging open. His eyes focused first on Maqui, then on Serah, then right to where they connected. His face was indescribable and he stood there, motionless. It felt like hours as he just stood there in disbelief. Then he just turned and walked away. Then Hope walked past the door in the opposite direction.
Serah got off of a now turned off Maqui and got her clothes hastily on. Maqui just laid there, exposed and ashamed as she closed the door behind her. Why hadn't they locked it? Maqui slowly got his clothes on and sat at the edge of the bed.
Now, he sits here remembering all the events that lead up to this moment. He wasn't thinking. Damn, why was he so easily manipulated? He put his head in his hands, a man defeated. The door creaked open and Maqui jumped up, expecting to see Snow, ready to murder him. But it was just Serah.
"Is Snow okay?" Maqui couldn't think of anything else to say.
"What do you think? He probably hates me." Serah got her bags.
"You're leaving?" Maqui couldn't believe this. He was still having a hard time registering what just happened, while she seemed to have just brushed it off.
"I'm getting my hero back Maqui. By whatever means possible." And with that she left the hotel room.
Maqui returned to Bodhum in the morning and went straight to bed, planning on staying holed up in there for a few years. Later that night Yuj knocked on his door, wearing nothing but a robe and fuzzy slippers.
"Lebreau is making some drinks if you want to join." He smiled slightly, trying to be as helpful as possible. And as much as Maqui wanted to say no, he just got up and followed Yuj to the bar. He saw Hope and froze, not sure what to do. But he took a deep breath and decided whatever happens to him, he deserves it. He sits on the stool next to Hope and Hope looks at him with no emotion on his face, then turns back to his drink. All three men sit there, sipping on alcohol. Lebreau tries to lighten the mood every now and then with a smile or a joke.
"One more Lebroo." Maqui doesn't turn around at Serah's mumbled voice. She walks into the room and Lebreau assists her in sitting on the stool next to Yuj.
"No Hun." Serah sways and grabs Yuj for support. Maqui just stares at his hands in disbelief. Is this her plan to get Snow back? By endangering her life so that he'll be there to save it? She sways again and stupidly grabs a bottle for support. She tumbles over and the bottle breaks as she thuds to the ground. Yuj immediately hops up to get a towel and Lebreau kneels down to comfort Serah. Hope and Maqui just stand and stare, both no doubt with a swirl of emotions coursing through them. A door opens and Snow comes racing forward.
He nudges past Yuj and slams Maqui out of his way, sending him smashing into the bar. His back instantly hurts. But he knows he deserves it. So he stays silent. He deserves every ache he gets, and every pain that get afflicted. He regrets everything and wishes he could go back. But he can't.
This is what his life has become, and the only choice he has is to live it.
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End A/N: Done! So I hope you enjoyed the quick insight. Hopefully now you'll be able to understand the depth of the situations. Now go read Hoping for Snow chapter 7!