My second fic for Xedra. I'm not altogether happy with this, because it seems kind of sloppy and rushed... but I hope you enjoy anyway!
The knock on his door startles Squall – though he'd never admit it, he'd begun to drift off into a light sleep with his head on the desktop. He jumped, straightening and picking up a pen to make himself look busy. "Come in," he called.
Well, shit.
Because it was Irvine who walked through the door, sweeping off his hat and nodding a hello as he closed the door behind him. "How's it going?" he asked, his smile warm but a little wary.
Squall nodded back, shifting papers around on his desk and trying to look as though he was actually doing something. "Fine," he said curtly. "I'm sort of busy, though."
"Really?" Irvine's grin was nothing short of predatory, and it did nothing to help Squall's obvious anxiety. "You don't look it."
Squall's glare met Irvine's amused ones for a split second before darting away, and Squall seemed to be studying the pen in his hand with far too much interest. "It's late," he said, and realized with a glance at the clock that it actually was. "I should go to bed." He stood, stuffing papers into the drawers of his desk and pushing his chair in a little too hard. It clattered upon contact with the desktop and Irvine chuckled.
Squall ignored him, but when Irvine stepped just a little to the side to bar the doorway, it became more difficult.
"What?" Squall demanded, seriously considering just shoving Irvine out of the way.
"You've been avoiding me, Commander," Irvine said.
"No, I haven't," Squall snapped, glaring at the wall just above Irvine's right shoulder.
"I'm no genius, but I'm not dumb, either." Squall could feel Irvine's thoughtful gaze on him and tried not to fidget. "You haven't looked me in the eye proper since Selphie's birthday party."
Squall said nothing.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with anything that happened at the party, now, would it?" Irvine leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms and looking as though he was prepared for this to take as long as it had to. Squall could have sworn there was the beginning of a smile on Irvine's lips.
"I get it," Squall growled. "I do, okay? You were drunk and I was just sort of there. Only now things are awkward, and-"
"Squall, darling, who ever said you were 'just there'?" Irvine was leaning in a bit, too close for Squall's comfort, smelling too good – like leather and soap and gunpowder – and now he'd taken a step closer and Squall could feel the heat from his body. His voice was a slow, deliberate drawl, warm and low. "All right, I may have been a bit tipsy. But things are only awkward when you make them that way. And I don't know about you-"
It took every ounce of Squall's will not to shiver at the brush of Irvine's fingers over the junction of his neck and shoulders, soft, light touches trailing down to settle on his arm. He knew that the effort had not gone unnoticed, by the smirk on Irvine's lips as he opened his mouth to speak. "-but personally, I very much enjoyed myself."
Squall told himself to take a step back and shake off the hand Irvine had placed on his hip, but then Irvine was kissing him again, pulling him close, and Squall could do nothing but reciprocate.
He still felt awkward kissing – had had very little experience and was all too aware that Irvine had a great deal more – but he tried to follow Irvine's lead. He leaned up, pressing closer, tasting mint on Irvine's lips. Auburn hair tickled his cheeks as Irvine tipped his head sideways until their mouths fit as though they'd been made to.
When Irvine pulled away, Squall wasn't sure what to make of the silly grin on his face. "I wouldn't kiss you if you'd been 'just there'," Irvine told him, and had yet to let go of Squall's hip, or back up at all. Squall's every breath was filled with Irvine, and even his lips tasted of Irvine's toothpaste.
"Squall," Irvine said, now stepping back and looking very sincere, "I'd like to ask you on a date."
Squall very nearly laughed – the whole situation was so unexpected and strange and surreal – but something told him he might hurt Irvine's feelings. Still, he had no idea what to say. "I – a date?"
"Yeah," Irvine confirmed, looking a little more at ease now. "You know, people go out to dinner or the theatre or walk on the beach or something. A date."
"I-" Squall was at a loss. Irvine ducked his head trying to hide a rueful grin.
"Or we could just have a beer," he added, shrugging, and profound relief spread over Squall's face.
"Okay," he said, knowing he sounded awkward and uncertain and probably very childish.
But- "Okay," Irvine was saying, and suddenly he was kissing Squall again, tipping his head back and parting Squall's lips with a gentle tongue. He had better not get used to being in control, though, Squall thought as he tentatively brushed his tongue against Irvine's. Because as soon as Squall had everything figured out, he would be taking it back.
Of course, he reasoned as Irvine's hands slipped under his t-shirt to trace slow, soothing circles on his back and pulling their hips a little closer – sometimes, it wasn't so bad to be led.