Six Men and a Toddler
by NightsDawne

[Ugh, my apologies.. Have I mentioned that the flu sucks big time?]


Chapter 7: Solstice Baby

Squall rolled over to fill the empty space Irvine had left, cuddling up against Seifer. He opened his eyes to gaze at the blond. Seifer was absolutely beautiful when he was asleep, like a golden god, his expression relaxed, lips parted softly, his chest rising and falling gently.

Squall tried to figure out just when he had fallen in love with the other member of the trio. He'd loved Irvine from the start, although it was months before he even allowed himself to think it could be more than friendship, that he could be romantically drawn to another man. At the time he'd hated Seifer, seen him only as a bully, a dirty fighter, and his ultimate rival in everything. He'd admired him, yes, but for his skills in battle, his commanding presence, and his wicked intelligence. When Headmaster Cid had approached him to make sure it would be alright with the SeeD commander if Seifer was reinstated, Squall hadn't been surprised by reading on Seifer's records that he was a genius with a recorded IQ of 185. The written exams had never been Seifer's problem. It was his attitude that kept him a cadet.

It was Irvine who started the change in their relationship. The cowboy just seemed to have a gift with people. When Irvine had first struck up a friendship with Seifer, Squall had felt instant jealousy of an intensity he hadn't known before, but he wasn't shocked. Irvine could be friends with anyone.. well, with the exception of Zell Dincht, who had started a campaign of hating the sharpshooter the instant they met. Squall knew that it was because Zell was jealous of the attention he gave his best friend, and he hadn't wanted to be the same way with Irvine and Seifer, so he'd just let it ride. His envy erupted violently when he found out that Seifer was gay and in love with the same man he was. At the time, he might not have felt more than a fleeting moment of guilt if Seifer had killed himself that night of the reception, and that only because it would have hurt Irvine. But Seifer didn't commit suicide, and Irvine had brought them both together.

That first night they'd shared a bed Squall had still thought of Seifer as Irvine's other boyfriend. He was willing to share his lover so long as it made him happy. Irvine didn't think of Seifer as a bully but as a protector. It had surprised Squall a bit to see how tender and gentle Seifer could be with Irvine. It had surprised him even more when Seifer was just as soft with him. He could still remember Seifer's fingers in his hair, his caresses along his shoulder. It had taken a week before they'd actually kissed, but when it happened he instantly knew what Irvine had seen in their tall lover. Seifer's kisses were like wine, sweet, strong, and intoxicating.

Seifer never changed, but Squall started longing for him as much as he longed for Irvine when they would be in class or in the training center. Yes, Seifer was irritating. He was overbearing, practically a slob, and knew how to push every last one of Squall's buttons, but with a single one of those masterful kisses Squall would find himself helplessly falling for him, content only to be in his muscular arms. Love, though, seemed to have snuck in during those few precious moments when Seifer wasn't all-powerful and invicible, those rare times when he could glimpse his lover's vulnerability, when he could see past the confident mask to another heart that was just as fragile as his own.

Squall smiled, sliding his hand across Seifer's incredibly toned stomach. Seifer's body was a definate draw as well, but it came in second to his soul. Not too distant a second, though, he had to admit that. Seifer shifted, dropping the arm that had been thrown over his head, wrapping it around Squall's back with perfect familiarity. Seifer rolled onto his side, smiling before his eyes even opened to gaze drowsily at the commander.

"Morning." Seifer's voice was still husky with sleep. "Happy Solstice, babe." He kissed Squall's scar softly the way he did every morning.

Squall squirmed a bit to conform his body to Seifer's new position. "Happy Solstice. And happy birthday." He brushed his lips to Seifer's softly.

"Mmm. That my birthday present?"

"I'm not that cheap."

Seifer chuckled. "I never said it was cheap. Hey, I'm a Solstice baby, I'm used to getting the good old combination gift. So.." He let his hand drift down to Squall's ass. "Is this my birthday present?"

Squall smirked. "Maybe it's part of it. But it's not wrapped like your real present is."

Seifer squeezed a bit. "Just what I always wanted. I don't need it wrapped, it's faster this way."

"You're insatiable." Squall slid his leg up around Seifer's hip.

"You're not complaining for once."

"Stop talking, Seif." Squall grinned, rolling onto his back and pulling Seifer with him. Seifer raised a brow, but found other things to do with his mouth than replying.

Laguna watched Irvine and Kiros while he poured himself a glass of grapefruit juice. "What's that?"

Kiros offered a grin. "Happy Solstice. It's a birthday cake."

Irvine spread more frosting on. "Yeah, today's Seifer's nineteenth. Kiros, don't eat all the frosting."

"I was just making sure it's good all the way through, Squirt."

Laguna blinked. "Wow, he's a Solstice baby?"

Irvine nodded, sneaking a fingerful of frosting himself. "I made his favorite. Killer-Choco-Fudge-Lust with chocolate cream cheese frosting."

Laguna furrowed his brow. "Isn't that a little, um, rich for breakfast?"

"We're gonna have breakfast first." Irvine nodded toward the waffle iron. "Chocolate chip banana waffles with whip cream and chocolate syrup."

"Seifer apparently likes chocolate," explained Kiros.

Laguna nodded. "Let me guess, hot chocolate to drink with it."

Irvine grinned. "With marshmallows."

Laguna scratched his hair. "I don't think I'm going to eat for most of January. How are we going to have room for dinner?"

Irvine blinked. "You'll have room. You better. I ain't fixin' a deep fried turkey and a Galbadian glazed ham for ya ta just look at."

Kiros snickered. "Their metabolisms haven't caught up with them yet. Give them twenty years and they'll all have love handles if Irvine keeps cooking like this."

"Oh, well." Laguna helped himself to a bit of frosting. "Solstice comes but once a year, I guess we can get away with it. Mmm. This is fantastic!"

Irvine waved his spatula. "Save some for the cake! Outa my kitchen, both of ya!"

"Alright, we're going, we're going." Kiros turned Laguna for the door as he dug his finger through the bowl again. "We'll just go get Veddy up."

Laguna looked back over his shoulder. "I got dibs on licking the bowl, okay?"

Seifer finished off Squall's waffle for him as Irvine pushed away from the table to head into the kitchen. Seifer looked over at him. "Where you going, cowboy?"

"Nowhere. Just be patient." Irvine winked over his shoulder as he vanished. Kiros got up and dimmed the lights.

Seifer frowned. "What's going on, Squall?"

Squall shrugged. "I don't know."

"You're no good at lying, babe." Seifer dotted whip cream on Squall's nose. "I hate surprises."

"Don't do that." Squall wiped his face. "Irvine loves them and it's your birthday, so humor him."

"Oh, that makes perfect sense. It's my birthday, so I have to let you two run the.." He trailed off as Irvine walked out with the cake. "Killer-Choco-Fudge-Lust cake?" Seifer grinned, even willing to bear a chorus of Happy Birthday for his favorite dessert. "Okay, okay, enough. You guys are so fucking off key it's pathetic." He leaned forward to blow out the candles.

"What'd ya wish, gorgeous?" Irvine hugged Seifer's shoulders from behind, kissing his ear.

"If I tell it won't come true, cowboy. Besides, wishing is kid stuff."

"But you made one anyway." Squall tickled Seifer as Kiros cut slices for everyone.

"Stop that, I'm not ticklish. And so what if I did? I'm still not telling." Seifer smirked at both of them as he started in on his cake.

"Fine. Don't tell." Squall motioned to Ward, who got up to turn the lights back on before retrieving two packages out of the china hutch, putting them in front of Seifer. "Open your birthday presents."

"Wow, I get birthday presents and Solstice presents? Or do I just get to open my Solstice presents early?" Seifer picked up one of the packages and shook it.

"You get both." Irvine sat down. "That one's from me."

Seifer raised a brow and tore the wrapping off. "Cool! Black Slash!" He grinned at the cd of his favorite metal band and gave Irvine a kiss that nearly knocked the cowboy out of his chair.

"Great. Guess what I get to listen to all the way home." Squall sighed and slid the other one over to the blond.

"They're a good band. Better than that crap you listen to." Seifer winked to the commander and opened up the other one. "... A gameboy advanced, huh?" A slow smile spread across his face.

"That way we can play head to head." Squall smiled. "If you think you can handle it."

"Bring it on, Commander, I'll kick your ass any time." Seifer gave Squall a kiss. "Thanks, babe."

"If I'd known it was your birthday I'd have gotten you something as well." Laguna propped his chin on his hand.

"No problem, Goonie. You gave me Wasabi, remember?" Seifer held a forkful of cake down under the table. "Sabs? Here kitty kitty."

"Cats don't eat cake." Squall frowned as Wasabi came running, then started eagerly licking the fork off.

"Everything loves Killer-Choco-Fudge-Lust cake, darlin'." Irvine grinned and reached down to pet Wasabi. He drew his hand back quickly when the siamese hissed and retreated between Seifer's feet. "Right, no touchin' the cat."