Deuces Are Wild
by NightsDawne


Chapter 3: Like A Double Shot of Love Is So Fine

Seifer wrapped his leg over Selphie's without even waking up, used to her sleep kicking. She never stayed still, even in bed, but it was a small price to pay to have someone greet him every morning with a kiss and a reassurance that somebody in this world could love him. His skin where they were pressed against each other was sticky with sweat from her petite exothermic frame. He shifted a bit, nuzzling her sweet hair and sliding his hand down her bare back to her hip. She squirmed closer to him, lightly punching him in the chin as she threw her arm over him. He cracked open an eye, glad she used nunchukas for a weapon and hadn't trained in hand-to-hand combat. He'd wind up in the infirmary between her tossing and turning in her sleep and her enthusiastic and energetic lovemaking. His brow furrowed as feedback squawked over the public address system, the noise causing Selphie to do another roll, her heel cracking into his shin.

"..... Um, it's Squall. Selphie Tilmett and Seifer Almasy.. report to my office."

Seifer rubbed the side of his face. Shit, what did he want now? So they hadn't come back until well after check-in, it wasn't like they were students still.

Selphie bounced out of the bed, dragging the sheet with her. "Wakie wakie! C'mon, Seify sweetie, we've been summoned."

Seifer sat up, wondering how she managed to go from dead sleep to full speed without even yawning. "Babe, if we could bottle you the Garden wouldn't need to run its generators. I'm up."

She leaned down to kiss him in the midst of pulling her dress on. "If I was bottled I couldn't tell you how much I love you."

He grinned, trying to catch her to pull her to him before she danced away, but he was too late. "I love you, too." His pants landed on his head as she tossed them to him and he instinctively protected his crotch as he felt his boots hit right next to his lap. "Right. Get dressed."

"You don't want to put poor Squall through another torturous exercise with the PA, do you? He'd have to take the rest of the morning off for a nap to recover."

He sighed, pulling his pants down to get dressed, breaking into a grin as he watched Selphie try to get her boots on while standing, hopping backwards to try to maintain her balance. "Why don't you sit down to do that?"

"Done!" Selphie dropped her foot down and grinned at him, bouncing for the bathroom. "Hurry up, I'm almost ready and you're still half naked."

He shook his head, buttoning his pants and pulling on his shirt, then jamming his feet into his boots. "No contest, men can always get ready faster than women."

"That's because you don't have to do your hair and makeup." She skipped out of the bathroom to find him leaning against the door, looking at his watch. "Ha ha, so funny."

"Beat you every time." He smiled, holding his hand out to her as he opened the door. Her mock pout switched to sunshine as she took it and followed him out.

"It's a pretty simple mission. The two of you should be plenty." Squall tossed a map kit and envelope with written orders across his desk, swinging back and forth slowly in his chair.

"BOOYA!" Selphie jumped. "I was hoping we could go on a mission soon, I've been so bored."

"Thanks alot, babe." Seifer picked up the envelope, opening it. "Huh, bughunt."

Selphie hugged Seifer. "You know I haven't been bored like that. It's just that it's been a month since we've seen any combat action. Bughunt?" She leaned over Seifer's arm to peer at the orders. "Ew, Ochu. What's it doing in the middle of a village?"

Squall shrugged. "I don't think they asked it, Selphie. You two sure you can keep your minds on the job?"

Seifer looked up at him, narrowing his eyes. "I don't seem to recall you having reservations about going on missions with your girlfriend, Commander."

Squall looked away. "It's the first time you two will go out as a team."

Seifer stood, picking up the map kit. "Like you said, it's a pretty simple mission."

"Don't worry, Squall. Seifer and I have been training together. We'll just head right up and blow that Ochu to smithereens!"

Seifer chuckled. "C'mon, babe, let's roll. Unless the commander has some other problem?"

Squall looked up at the blond, grey eyes hardening. "No. Dismissed."

Seifer offered a mocking salute as he walked out, Selphie on his heels.

"I still don't know if this is a good idea, Rinoa." Ellone paced the floor of her spacious room in her stepfather's house.

"But you know Irvy well enough. And Seifer. You sent Irvy back before."

"It's not so easy. Kiros was never possessed by a sorceress's magic. Especially not a sorceress with time compression powers."

Irvine leaned back against the wall. "But we're lookin' ta find out what happened after, Sis. After Ultimecia dropped him."

"I'm not sure I can be that precise, Irvine." She sighed, looking at the tears in Rinoa's eyes. "I don't know what could happen."

"I'm willin' ta take the risk, Sis. I trust ya."

Rinoa smiled at Irvine, then looked to Ellone pleadingly. "Seifer can't really be one of us without this, Ellone. Please?"

Ellone looked down, letting her breath out slowly. "Alright. But if anything starts to go wrong, Rinoa, I may need your help to get him back out safely."

Rinoa nodded, pulling Irvine over to Ellone's bed. "I'll be right here watching."

Irvine took off his hat, handing it to her and laying down, stretching his legs out and getting comfortable. "Ain't no biggie. Just like fallin' asleep."

Ellone sat on the edge of the bed, giving Rinoa a little smile before looking back to Irvine. "Alright, Irvine. You've done this before. Just close your eyes." Her voice drifted from further and further away and he started to dream.

Selphie slid her arms around Seifer's waist, kicking her legs out into the wind on either side of the motorcycle. "Go faster!" He didn't respond, so she knocked on the back of his helmet, repeating herself as he looked over his shoulder. She could feel his laugh as he leaned forward again, cranking the acceleration grip until they were sailing like lightning over the black ribbon of road.

Broken mirrors. They flashed through his mind, the sounds of shattering glass interrupting his thoughts whenever he tried to focus. His heart was racing. They stood before him. Squall. Quistis. Zell. That girl that had just started at the Garden, the one who graduated with Squall when he failed at the Dollet mission. The sniper whose eyes he couldn't bear to meet. They were looking at him, studying his face. They thought he was free. They didn't understand. There was no way to be free after what had happened, only abandoned. A prisoner of his own mind, watching himself do things he would never do, watching himself destroy everything that meant anything. But nothing meant anything anymore. Couldn't they see that? She'd win anyway. Things would be over soon. The whole world would be destroyed. That was the only way to be free. But what if they stopped her? What if.. oh God, what if he survived? He couldn't let it happen.

"What are you doing, Seifer?!"

He had her in his arms. Rinoa. She had meant something once, hadn't she? Not that it mattered now. He had to die, he couldn't live like this. Broken mirrors. Shattering glass. "I'm finishing what I started!" Maybe he'd save her. Squall, the man she loved now. Maybe he wouldn't. Either way, his own pain would be over. Squall would kill him or Ultimecia would kill everyone. I need her, now! Another sorceress. They were all part of it, more broken mirrors. Ultimecia, Adel, Rinoa. It had to end now, didn't it. His life, the world, what did it matter which one now? His pain would be over. He looked up at Squall's disbelieving face and shoved her toward the glowing pillar where Adel waited. Another mirror, that's what it was.

Through the looking glass, baby, you won't even feel a thing.

He stumbled back, drawing his weapon. No GFs, no magic to protect him, five of them. It would be quick. He wouldn't put up much of a resistance. Broken mirrors. Shattering glass. He staggered from the chamber, waiting for them to fall on him or for the world to end. Sorceress Knight. They all thought he'd been that. It was all tricks of the mind, smoke and mirrors, broken mirrors.

He heard them coming and lifted his head. He couldn't live with honor, he'd already lost that. He'd at least meet death with dignity. It was Squall, Zell and Quistis with him. Hell, the walking shadow who never spoke, the chickenwuss, and the instructor who couldn't do shit, couldn't match him. Well, it was three on one and he had no magic. Only broken mirrors and shattering glass and they offered no defense. Quistis's whip lashed out at him, wrapping around his leg. He couldn't feel it. Hilarious, he'd felt every wound when he had no control over his own body and now that it was his again he couldn't feel a thing. He fell to one knee, bringing the gunblade up and blocking Zell's kick.

Not you, chickenwuss, you won't be the one to kill me. Only one has that right, only one deserves to strike the fatal blow.

He could see the stormclouds of rage in Squall's eyes, watched as they broke like mirrors, shattered like glass. Do it, you son of a bitch, do it now. Silver flashed, the gunblade slashing into his unguarded chest. He felt nothing, but he tasted blood in his throat. It'll be over soon. He fell forward on his hands and knees, struggling to lift his head, to meet the final blow. He could see his rival's boots in front of him.

"..... No. I won't kill you."

Do it, you bastard! Don't leave me here alive! I taught you to show no mercy, now don't show me any, you fucking son of a bitch! Don't walk away from me!

He slumped to the floor, hoping the wound was deep enough. Let it end, let the pain end. Broken mirrors. Shattering glass.

Irvine woke up, grabbing his head. He sat up, his eyes wide as he looked to Rinoa's frightened face and Ellone's drawn one. The shattering of glass had fallen silent. He was in the present, in his own body, his own mind. He fell back against the pillow, closing his eyes, afraid of what could have left his friend's mind so broken, shaking from touching madness. "Send me further back," he whispered.