Original characters, world and backstory belong to Squaresoft, lucky folks.

There's drug use in this chapter, (in the story, not by the author ^^) and it's edited for the more graphic smut, including slash: if you're legal and you like smutty bits see www.scribblemoose.co.uk for the full version.

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Chapter 16 - Wasted

Zell was surprised, to say the least, when Irvine called in on him at the Training Centre. He was teaching a class, after all.

"Zell, I need a favour."

"Of course." Zell dragged him to the side of the clearing, waving at his students to carry on with exercises. "What's the matter?"

"Can you watch over Angelo for a couple of hours? I'd leave him in my room but he's really pining today, he just starts howling if he's not around people."

"OK. Here, boy," Zell ruffled Angelo's fur. "Why, where you going?"

"Some old friends have turned up," said Irvine, " I've decided to go pay them a visit."

"Is there any news from Quistis and the others?"

"Not as far as I know. Call me, if you hear anything, right?"

"Yeah. Well… have a good time. I'd best get back to class."

"Sure. Thanks. I owe you one."

The training centre doors swung closed behind him, leaving Zell and Angelo looking at each other.

"Well, boy," said Zell, "what was that about?"

Angelo howled.

* * * * * * *

~Sniper~

~Ether~

~You anger.~

~Yes. I'm sorry. I got a bit… wound up at Xu. ~

~She is troubled.~

~You could say that. Look, just give me a minute, and I'll calm down.~

~Thank you.~

~Ether?~

~Sniper.~

~Are you hungry?~

~I do not eat. But I need. Want.~

~Good~ Irvine grinned. ~ Because we're going out for lunch.~

* * * * * * *

"Chet, what are you doing here?" Rinoa said steadily.

"Research, of course. Just as always. But if you're expecting me to tell you anything at all useful before I kill you, you've been watching too much TV. No exposition here, I'm afraid."

He drew his hand back, Rinoa could feel the power in him. A lot of power.

"Selphie, run," she hissed. "Leave this to me."

"No, I can't," Selphie was drawing on her own considerable reserves of magic, but to Rinoa's specialist senses even Selphie's abilities were puny in contrast to Chet's. Or her own, come to that.

"It's not safe. I'm going to call Gemini."

"No, Rin, you mustn't. Squall…"

"When you ladies have finished your little chat…" Then there was a blinding flash of light, and Rinoa felt as if her body had been turned inside out and run over by a truck. She fell to her knees.

Then she felt the chain holding Squall's ring around her neck glow hot for a fraction of a second, and the pain eased; just as she was on the perilous edge between consciousness and oblivion, power surged through her, strong and sweet. She raised her head, teeth gritted, flung an arm out at Chet and cast spell after spell, fire, water, earth, thunder, anything that might hurt him.

He stumbled backwards into the alcove, eyes wide, his body convulsing with pain. "Sorceress…"

"Come on Selphie, run!"

Selphie did run, but not towards the lab and safety.

Selphie ran at Chet, completely beserk, howling a battle cry.

Rinoa grabbed for her, tried to pull her back, but she was still weak, and Selphie was too fast. She watched, as if in slow motion, as Selphie threw herself at Chet, knocking him flat on his back and flicking a kick to his head that made him go still and limp.

She knelt next to him, head on one side.

"Rinoa? Can you hear music?"

* * * * * * *

"Hiya, Zephyr."

"Kinneas! You dog! You said you couldn't come!"

"Well, I changed my mind. Alright if I come in?"

"You bet. Duck'll be so pleased. Duck, honey, look who's come to visit!"

"Shotgun? Is that you?" came a voice from a room off to the right.

"Better believe it, Duck."

"Shotgun!" There was a blur of speed and Irvine found himself with his arms full of woman. Her long chestnut hair was damp, and she was wrapped in a skimpy white Balamb Hotel towel; probably only in a skimpy white Balamb Hotel towel.

He hugged her tight, kissing her neck. "Duck, you're all wet."

"Always, Shotgun, always," she husked.

He laughed. "Gods, but it's good to hear that voice."

She pulled back a bit. "Let's get a good look at you," she said, adjusting her towel over her breasts. "Fuck, Irvine, but you're a sight for sore eyes."

"Too right," said Zephyr, passing him a beer. "It's been far too long."

"I know," said Irvine. "What can I say? I'm just a bad boy."

"I hope so," said Duck, mischief twinkling in her cloudy blue eyes. "I wouldn't like to think you've changed that much."

"Come and sit down," Zephyr indicated a large sofa.

"Thanks," Irvine slipped his duster off and threw it and his hat over the back of a chair, before Duck grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the sofa. Zephyr disappeared into the other room, leaving the two of them alone.

Irvine drank in the sight of his old friend; he'd forgotten how tall she was, probably the same as Squall, maybe taller, with long, graceful legs that she tucked up under herself, pushing her newly-washed hair out of her eyes, grinning at him.

"You look well, Duck. Things treating you alright?"

"Not bad. You?"

"Well, you know. Busy."

"You like Balamb? I guessed you must've, since you never came back, you bastard."

"Yeah. Well, it just worked out that way. But I missed you guys like you wouldn't believe."

"Oh, really?" she raised an eyebrow, her expression sardonic, but her eyes smiling. "Because, if you miss us so much, how come you never visit?"

"I'm sorry, Duck. Really I am. I'm here now, though."

"So you are. And I'm not going to waste time telling you off." She patted his arm. "We all thought we'd lost you, though. That some deserving wench had snapped you up."

He shook his head. "No," he said, "close call for a while, but…. No. Still young and free."

"Glad to hear it." Her hand was still on his arm, stroking the sensitive skin on the inside of his elbow, almost tickling.

"You still doing the knife throwing?" He said, his voice making conversation while his eyes found hers and asked a different question.

"Oh yeah. I made SeeD, you know. So did Zephyr. We haven't done much work, though. Balamb seems to get all the juicy assignments. We just get the odd mopping up operation." She smiled at him, licked her soft, full lips,

"Not fair, huh?" He brushed the back of his hand across one bare shoulder.

She pouted. "No. But it does leave us more time for … other things." She leaned towards him, her towel gaping slightly, offering Irvine a tempting glimpse of cleavage. Duck had the sort of cleavage naturally that other girls spent a fortune on underwear to achieve.

Zephyr came back into the room, carrying a plastic bag, and sat down the other side of Irvine. "We're thinking of starting a band," he said. "Only Duck can't be arsed to learn how to play anything."

"Too much like hard work," she shrugged. "Hon, d'you mind if I get started? Only I've missed him so much, and he looks so good…"

"You go right ahead, girl. I'm just gonna roll us something for later, and I'll be right with you." He produced cigarette papers and a clump of grass from his bag and winked at Irvine. "You warm him up for me."

In one swift movement Duck straddled Irvine's lap and covered his mouth with her own, sliding her tongue between his lips before he'd even had a chance to take a breath.

"Oh cowboy," she drawled at him, "oh, you taste so good. I'd forgotten how good you taste." She dived in for another kiss, pulling the band off his hair, letting it fall down his back. "All this gorgeous, gorgeous hair… Why don't you grow yours long, Zef? I'm always asking…"

"Doesn't look right on me, Duck." Zephyr ran the fingers of one hand through his spiky blonde locks. "Makes me look like a girl."

"So? I like girls, too."

Zephyr laughed, slapped her affectionately on the butt, and Irvine laughed too, the tension washing away from his body. He'd missed this so much, just being able to … be, without responsibilities, without worrying about hurting anybody, or about what people thought of him. He knew exactly what Duck and Zephyr thought about him, with a certainty he couldn't apply to Squall, or Rinoa, or Selphie, probably never would. His body buzzed with pleasure, just at the freedom. He knew Ether liked it too.

"Can I ask something before we go any further? It's just that," Irvine concentrated hard to keep talking, despite the distraction of the feather-light kisses she was peppering over his neck and ears, "I have this Guardian, it feeds off lust and that kind of thing. In case it bothers either of you."

"Suits me," said Zephyr, spreading grass in a long line on joined papers, "kinda cool. Does it bother you, hon?"

"Fuck no," said Duck. "Sounds like my kind of Guardian, Shotgun. There's plenty of love to go round."

"Oh, babe… you're the best." Irvine pulled her towel off, leaving her completely naked. He caressed her back, her shoulders, hungry for the feeling of soft, warm flesh against his fingers. She felt so damn good. He wanted, needed this so much.

"Mmmm…" she arched her back.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so abandoned, so liberated. He junctioned Ether, allowing the Guardian to fill his head with its song.

It felt like coming home.

* * * * * * *

"Selphie…" Rinoa pulled herself to her feet. "Selphie, can you hear me? Come on, we have to go. Now!"

Selphie turned to her, still knelt astride Chet's limp body, her eyes wide, as if in disbelief.

"Irvine…" she murmured, and one hand flew to her mouth, as if in shock, despair. "Oh! What have I done? Sweetheart… so much blood.. my fault… oh Irvine…" She looked at Rinoa in confusion and horror. "No!"

"Selphie, come on!" Rinoa ran towards her friend, grabbed her arm. "We have to go!" She could hear music now, soft, seductive, just at the edge of her hearing… She focused hard, blanked her mind. Whatever was happening to Selphie, she didn't want any of it. Despite her best efforts, thoughts started to filter through her mind, memories, dreams maybe… yes… Squall… Irvine… Squall and Irvine… naked and together and…"

She shook her head, desperate to concentrate.

~Leviathan? Gemini~

Nothing.

Selphie was crying now, slumped over Chet. He was still breathing, Rinoa registered as she pulled Selphie up and dragged her off him. Still breathing, and starting to stir. Fuck. She wasn't sure which spells had worked, no time for a scan… so she wrenched him over to reveal the vulnerable spot at the base of his skull before he had a chance to come to properly, grabbed Selphie's nunchaka and hit him hard with the handle. He slumped again and she dropped him, took Selphie's hand and ran.

* * * * * * *

"Oh babe… oh, fuck, that's so good. No-one does that like you, babe, no-one… except maybe Squall, but hey…"

He whimpered as she raised her head, regarding him through slitted eyes, her luscious mouth widening into a grin.

"You're kidding me. Squall Leonhart? The Squall Leonhart?"

He laced his fingers through her hair.

"Maybe."

"Oh, you naughty, dirty boy," she husked, still grinning. "Did you hear that, Zef?"

"Yes, my love, I did." Zephyr put another finished joint down on the table, brushing odd bits of grass and paper off his lap. "I think we need details."

Irvine shook his head. "Nope. I'm just going to have to tease you," he said. "That one's on the secret list. And you know if you tell anyone I'll deny everything, and probably kill you."

"As if we would do that," Duck pouted.

"You should know us better than that," Zephyr was kneeling next to him now, stroking Irvine's hair with one hand and Duck's shoulder with the other. "We won't tell a soul."

Irvine drank in the sight of him; lopsided grin, golden skin, slender, almost girlish hips at odds with the hard, tight muscle covering his chest and stomach.

"So, he was good?" Duck asked, "didja fuck him?"

"Duck," Zephyr chided, "leave the boy alone. Let him keep his secrets. You wouldn't want him telling Commander Leonhart all about us, would you?"

"Well… only if he'd share. Would he share, Shotgun?"

Irvine shook his head. "Sorry, babe. Squall's not the sharing kind. One at a time kind of guy. You know what it's like with heroes."

"Ah well, good thing I've got plenty of other options."

"Hey, Shotgun," Zephyr whispered in his ear, "you're mighty tense. I don't think they've been treating you well."

"Gnnhghn," Irvine agreed incoherently. Not as well as this, at any rate.

Zephyr rubbed his shoulders, working the taught muscles, probing layers of tension Irvine had forgotten were even there.

"Gng… Zef… Duck… that's so, so good…"

"Sure is, babe," Zephyr whispered, lowering his head to kiss and lick at Irvine's nipples. "The best."

He'd never felt Ether's power so strong, coursing through his body, chasing the lust, consuming it and doubling it in return. He was lost in that pure, perfect moment of wanting, needing, taking.

~Want. Need. Take. ~

~Too right, Ether. Fuck, this is good.~

~You are always good, Sniper. You are magnificent. ~

"Hey, I heard that," murmured Zephyr, "was that your Guardian?"

"Yep," said Irvine, not caring, lost in the feeling of Duck's caresses. "You heard it?"

"Mmm… I can do that, sometimes, if a junction's strong enough. It really likes you, huh? Strong bond." He looked down at Irvine, his pale blue eyes bright with lust. "This is good." He stroked Irvine's face with one hand, cupped his chin. "Fuck, but I've missed you." He covered Irvine's mouth with his own, kissing him urgently, needily, and with a confidence that made Irvine's heart soar.

He felt completely out of control. And he loved it.

* * * * * * *

Rinoa pushed Selphie through the vent and into the duct beyond just as the alarm started. Selphie was like a dead weight, conscious but still sobbing and refusing to move on her own, apparently completely unaware of her surroundings. She kept calling Irvine's name with such despair and regret that Rinoa found herself fighting her own tears. It was that name that had set off the alarms, yelled at full volume as Rinoa had dragged her back into the lab, away from Chet and the crystals and the music.

Once in the duct Selphie started to calm down a little, and with a push from Rinoa behind her, started to crawl. Rinoa followed, pushing slime-encrusted hair out of her eyes, checking her microphone was still intact.

"Quistis, can you hear me? Quistis, it's Rinoa."

"Rin? What's up? Have you done?"

"Yes, but something's wrong. Chet was there, and Selphie's hurt."

"What? Are you still there? You're not talking to me from the lab, are you?"

"Of course I'm fucking not. I'm in the duct, we're on our way back."

"Is Selphie badly hurt? Can you heal her?"

"It's not… that kind of hurt. She's OK. Be ready with any curatives you've got when we get out. We shouldn't be long."

"Alright. Be careful, Rin. Keep the line open."

* * * * * * *

Irvine was only dimly aware of Zephyr kissing him now, as his senses focused him more and more on Duck. He only really became aware of Zef when he stopped kissing for a moment and whispered, "good boy, good Shotgun… you remember this, dontcha? You like this…"

Irvine screamed with pure release. There was no thought, no fear, no love, even. Just lust, pure, simple, glorious lust.

"Oh Shotgun," whispered Zephyr. "That Guardian of yours is right. You really are magnificent."

* * * * * * *

Quistis listened as Rinoa encouraged Selphie to move along the tunnel, willing them both with every fibre of her being to go faster.

"Come on Selph, not much further," came Rinoa's distorted, far-away voice. "Come on, keep going. Not much further. Not much…no, don't stop, honey. Keep going, please."

"I can't," Quistis heard Selphie's voice, tiny and muffled. "I don't… it hurts so much…"

"What hurts, Selph? What is it?"

"My head… I can't remember what…how did we get here?"

~Come on, Selphie, Quistis thought, ~come on, get your act together.

"We don't have time, Selph, just keep going and we'll help you, please, please, just keep crawling."

"OK, but… oh shit, shit, it hurts so much…"

"I know, honey, I know, just keep going… hang on. Selph, stop a minute."

"Make your mind up," came Selphie's voice, sounding more like her usual self.

"What's that sound?"

"Music?"

"… oh fuck. Oh, fuck, no!"

"What? Rinoa? What's happened?" yelled Quistis

"Selphie! No! No! NO!"

Quistis flinched with pain as a scream exploded in her ear.

Then the radio went dead.

* * * * * * *

"I see you still have the knack, Shotgun." Duck passed him the joint. She was draped in his lap, stroking his skin languidly.

Irvine took a long drag, sucking the smoke deep into his lungs and holding it there.

"Good," said Zef. "'Cos it's our turn next."

Irvine let the smoke curl slowly out of his mouth, puffing blue rings.

"How long you got?" asked Duck.

Irvine opened his eyes lazily, ruffled her hair. "As long as you like, Duck."

"Dontcha have to save the world? Or see your terribly serious Balamb friends? Or seduce any commanders?"

He laughed. "No," he said. "Not today. Things are a bit… difficult."

"Poor baby," she soothed, but she didn't ask any questions. She probably didn't care, come to think of it. Compassion wasn't one of Duck's finest qualities. But that didn't matter to Irvine for the moment. She had lots of other fine attributes to make up for it.

Irvine felt his body relaxing, really relaxing, for the first time in weeks. Months. Ether was humming contentedly in his head, almost purring in the afterglow. Duck's touch was starting to get serious again, and he remembered he had a debt to pay.

He put an arm round Zephyr's shoulders, whispered in his ear. Duck watched curiously from under her long, dark lashes as Zephyr laughed, then nodded. She smiled to herself.

Irvine took another drag of the joint, passed it back to Duck and pulled Zephyr close; they locked mouths and shared the sweet smoke, breathing together as Irvine explored Zef's tongue with his own, savouring the sweet taste of the grass, the cool rush as the drug reached his brain.

Duck was tugging them both towards the floor.

Irvine and Zephyr obediently allowed themselves to be pulled to the thick hotel carpet, kneeling facing each other, Irvine's blowback turned into a full-on snog. Zef's fingers were running lovingly through Irvine's hair, across his back, firing his body up all over again. Irvine felt Duck pull the delicious Zephyr out of his arms and into her own. Bereft for a moment, his reflexes too dulled to protest, he looked down and smiled at her.

He grinned. Shotgun. Just like old times.

* * * * * * *

Quistis lowered herself down the tunnel, knowing she wouldn't be able to go far, she was too big, but she couldn't just wait above ground. It had been more than an hour since she lost contact, and she was starting to feel frantic.

She couldn't hear anything, the air was still, no vibrations, nothing. She pushed herself along until she couldn't get any further without lying down, hugged her knees to her chest and waited, her ears and eyes straining for any sign of Rinoa or Selphie.

None came.

* * * * * * *

Irvine paused, luxuriating in soft, willing flesh. He felt Ether stirring, suddenly realised that this wasn't something he'd done before in the Guardian's presence.

~Is this alright, Ether?~

~Want, need, take.~ Ether purred.

Irvine groaned with pleasure, Ether's power flowing like honey. Want. Need. Take.

He should put that on a T-shirt.

"Gods, Shotgun, that feels too good," Zephyr said.

Irvine shook his head, whipping Zephyr's back gently with his hair. He could only imagine what they looked like, the three of them thrusting and panting and sweating, the definition of debauchery.

Xu would not be pleased. The thought made him laugh out loud.

~Sniper!~

~What? Ether…oh, sorry, my feelings about Xu not palatable, ne?~

Irvine blotted Xu from his mind and concentrated on the very, very good feelings that were running through his body.

* * * * * * *

Rinoa realised she'd completed a circle: she was nearly back at the entrance to the tunnels, and there were no exits she hadn't tried. Nowhere else to go.

She saw Quistis, felt relief and despair.

Nowhere else to go. Nowhere else to try.

Nowhere.

"Rin," Quistis whispered, stretching out an arm to help Rinoa out into the main tunnel, where she could stand at last, although all she could actually manage was a stoop, her back cramping from crawling around on hands and knees for so long.

She realised there was blood: her knees and palms were raw. Funny, she couldn't feel any pain.

She looked up at Quistis, feeling strangely calm now. No more tears, no more panic.

"Selphie's gone," she said, and collapsed unconscious at Quistis' feet.

* * * * * * *

~Sniper~

~Ether~ oh, fuck, fuck, fuck… Irvine was vaguely unnerved to hear Ether's voice; usually by this stage it was just power, not power and talking.

~Sniper~

~Yes? What. Is this not g..good?~ Irvine was finding it difficult to focus on internal conversations, it all felt too good.

~Warning.~

Irvine tried to reach through the fog of sex and dope in his brain to make sense of this. ~Warning?~

"Uh, Shotgun, don't stop…" Duck panted.

"Sorry, babe…"

~Sorry, Ether, it'll have to wait…~

The Guardian didn't reply, or else Irvine didn't hear him, lost in stunning release.

Irvine gradually came back to his senses, what were left of them, rolled off the pile of bodies and lay on his back. He was dimly aware of Zephyr moving away and lighting another joint, of Duck curling up under one arm, pressing her breasts against his side.

"Mmmm, Shotgun," she purred. "You haven't forgotten a thing. In fact, you've gotten even better."

His wide mouth was already grinning, so he giggled weakly in response.

"Hey, Shotgun, your coat's making a noise," said Zephyr.

"Wha?" Irvine raised his head. "Oh, that's just my phone. It's OK, the message service is on."

"Don't you want to answer it?" Duck licked his nipple, as Zephyr passed him the joint.

"Nah, it won't be important," Irvine took a deep drag and closed his eyes contentedly.

~Sniper.~

~Ether? Oh, yeah. Thank you.~

And Irvine let the junction go, thinking he might just fall asleep, and it unnerved him when he slept junctioned.

His phone continued to ring.

"Shut the fuck up!" he yelled at it, not moving, then dissolved into helpless giggles as Duck stuck her tongue in his belly button.

The phone chirruped once more, then stopped.

"Sheesh," Duck knelt next Irvine's naked and lust-ravaged body, stroking his skin with velvety fingers, "they need to give you some space. SeeD are just too demanding, sometimes."

"Yeah," Zephyr agreed, settling back to watch whatever Duck had in mind to do to Irvine, with that wicked grin on her face. "After all, I bet it's not as if someone's died."

Irvine pulled Duck on top of him, and laughed.

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Author's note: It was *very* hard to write the less smutty version of this chapter, it's 800 words shorter grin and I'm not sure it works as well, so apologies for that. F*****g censorship =_=

Trivia of the day: the definition of 'riding shotgun' in terms of sailing is "taking the second steering position on a boat with two steering positions to double the steering power against strong winds and currents" (marisafe boating dictionary). In case you were wondering ^~

Tell me what you think of this, by review or e-mail. Please feed the author ^_^ ~I'm hungry~