Game characters, world and backstory belong to Squaresoft, lucky folks. The rest is mine.
This chapter has been absolutely butchered to conform with fanfiction net's censorship policy, which is a shame, because it was all relevant smut. If you're old enough and not likely to be offended by (heterosexual!) sex, please go see the full NC-17 version on my website, www.scribblemoose.co.uk ^_^
I'm still a review junkie, so please tell me what you like and what you don't, here or by e-mail (fanfic@scribblemoose.co.uk) And many thanks to my regular reviewers, who keep me going when the chapters don't come easy, and to Gwendolyn and Laura for beta-ing ;)
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Chapter 26 - Amends
Irvine's mind came back to him slowly. He heard her first, a sound like a whimper, then he felt her heart fluttering slightly under his.
Then he remembered.
He pulled himself out of her easily, already soft, and rolled off the bed, tucking himself back in his jeans and doing them up. He didn't trust himself to speak, or even to look at her.
"Irvy…"
He shut his eyes tight.
Don't. Please, don't.
Something stirred in his mind.
~Sniper.~
~Fuck off!~ He snapped out of the junction so fast it made his head spin. He collapsed into the chair by the bed, head in his hands, and willed her not to speak.
"Irvy, are you alright?"
He fought the urge to cry, or to hit something, trying to block out her voice, the memory of her soft body under his, the fact that she was here at all, he fought all of it.
"Irvine, you're scaring me. What's the matter?"
Now, I'm scaring you? Now? That's almost funny. Irvine tried to breathe, the sudden loss of junction plain in suddenly-aching muscles and mind-weariness.
"Irvy, please!" He could hear the tears in her voice. He struggled with himself, for a moment, trying to get thoughts together in something that might approach coherence; sorting out the emotions that were running through him unrepressed all of a sudden.
He raised his head, and looked at her.
She was dishevelled, her naked legs curled under her, shirt undone and falling off one shoulder. Her mouth was faintly swollen from his rough kisses, a blush still visible across her throat and chest. Her eyes were wet, her lower lip quivering, just a bit.
He couldn't tell her how sorry he was. He didn't have the words to tell her how sorry he was.
She wiped her eyes impatiently with the back of her hand, fingers trembling slightly, and looked away, pulling her shirt more securely around her, doing up buttons. She reached for her pants, pushing her legs clumsily into them.
It dawned on him that she was leaving. He didn't know whether to be relieved or completely desolate.
I can't let her leave like this.
He tried to speak her name, but his throat was too tight to allow him to do more than grunt. He held out his hand instead, tried to look her in the eye, tried to work out in his fuzzed brain how he could have let this happen.
She grasped his hand eagerly in both of hers, kissed his fingertips.
"It's okay," she said. "It's okay. I love you. It's okay."
Oh gods. What have I done?
"It's not okay," he managed. "It's not okay at all."
"Why?" she pleaded with him. "What have I done?"
He stared at her, incredulous.
"What?" She wrapped her fingers tightly around his hand. "Please tell me."
"Frila… I… It's not you, sweetheart, it's me."
She frowned at him. "I don't understand."
He didn't know where to start.
"I didn't… that wasn't… it wasn't like me."
She frowned at him, confused. "In what way?" she asked, carefully.
"I don't usually… it was too …," he took in her perplexed expression, the concern in her eyes. Priorities shifted and clarified in his brain. "Did I hurt you?" he whispered.
"No," she said, with a little shake of her head. She thought for a moment, and a trace of mischief sparkled in her eyes. "Well, maybe a little," she confessed. A lopsided grin flashed across her face for an instant, reminding Irvine disconcertingly of Duck. "But it's okay."
"Okay?" he said, weakly. He choked the sense of relief that her reassurances brought, sure that he didn't deserve them.
"Yeah. I wanted it just as much as you. It's not as if you forced me, you know. You would've stopped, if I'd asked."
Would I? Doubt gathered swiftly in his mind, and terrified him.
"I shouldn't have," he said, looking down again at his hand, surrounded by hers. "I really shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that."
"Stop saying that," she was starting to sound more irritable than upset. "I'm not a child."
"Frila, you don't understand." I'm supposed to be responsible. I'm supposed to be in control.
She snatched her hands back and folded her arms over her chest, her eyes bright with temper that had come out of nowhere.
Better that than the tears, he thought.
"No, I don't fucking understand," she said. "And it's not for want of trying, I can tell you. Gods, but I've tried. I can understand you'd feel bad because you're in love with Selphie, but that didn't stop you fucking around in a Balamb Hotel room with whoever it was. I could understand if you didn't fancy me, but if that's the case your dick sure seems to disagree. And I could understand you being scared of getting caught because I'm underage, but we're fucking miles from Garden, who's gonna know? And you knew, for Hyne's sake. You knew, when we were in the bar, that this was on the cards. I sure as fuck did. So what's wrong? Why the guilt? Come on, Irvine, I need a new excuse. What's it gonna be?"
He flinched, recognising uncomfortable truth in her words, knowing he was about to hurt her, and hating himself for it.
"It was Ether," he said, quietly. "It wasn't me that wanted you. It was Ether."
"What?" she slowly uncrossed her arms, hands curling into soft fists at her sides.
Irvine took a deep breath.
"I did some stuff with Ether today that completely drained him. When he uses energy for certain things he can't get it back through rest like other Guardians can. He needs… feeding."
"Feeding?" her eyes went wide with shock. "You fucked me to feed your Guardian?"
"I think… basically, yes." The guilt twisted in his gut, constricting his lungs, suffocating his thoughts; he waited for her to start hating him.
She looked at him steadily for a long minute. "I don't believe you," she said.
He sighed. How could she trust him so much? He didn't deserve to be trusted that much. "If it hadn't been for Ether, I would have said no," he said. "Just like all the other times. I should have said no." I should have been in control. "I would have said no," he repeated.
"That's not true," she said, quietly, her temper fading. "Oh, Irvine, you are so full of shit, sometimes."
"What?" His eyes narrowed, slightly hurt and not a little surprised.
"It wasn't just Ether. You wouldn't do that."
Wouldn't I? "You don't know me," he said. "You don't know Ether. It can be very…"
"So you can't control your Guardian? It can make you like someone you don't like, just so you can get your rocks off and feed it?"
"Not exactly." Can I control him? I thought I could.
"You know, for someone who's supposed to be the Garden slut and actually good at relationships, you're not doing too well with this one."
He looked up at her: she was smiling at him, albeit somewhat ruefully.
The constriction eased a bit, his thoughts started to come back into focus.
"No," he admitted. "I guess not."
"So, what? If it wasn't for Ether you would have been able to keep your hormones under control, is that it?"
"Yes. Yes, exactly."
"So why didn't you say so? You could have just told me Ether made you horny."
"It's not that simple," he said. "And anyway, I did try to tell you no. I made it perfectly clear that we shouldn't be doing anything."
"Well, even I know we shouldn't be doing anything," she grinned wickedly at him, "why do you think I want it so much?"
Now it was Irvine's turn to look shocked.
"The point is," she continued, "you were in serious denial if you really thought you didn't want to. "
"But I wouldn't have…"
"Oh, Irvine," she sighed. "Listen to me. I don't mind. I don't mind that it was Ether that pushed you over the edge. In fact I kinda owe it a favour, if you think about it." She reached out a hand and brushed his bangs back from his face. "I got what I wanted," she said. "I'm happy. Ether's happy." She ran her thumb softly over his lower lip; he'd kissed it before he realised what he was doing. "What's gonna make you happy?" She moved closer, her other hand twining in his ponytail.
He frowned at her. "It's not about being happy. It's about what's right."
"Oh, yeah," she said, softly. "I forgot. Irvine Kinneas, the guardian of Balamb Garden morality." She slid slowly onto his lap, her lips almost touching his.
"Frila, I…" His heart was pounding in his chest as he slipped his arm around her waist to hold her, cool leather under his fingers.
"Call me Hotshot," she whispered, "I like it when you call me Hotshot."
She kissed him slowly, languorously, sliding her tongue between his lips, fingertips touching the pulse at his throat.
"Hotshot…"
"So, is Ether still hungry?"
"I don't know." He tried to wrestle his mind back under control. "He's not junctioned. Probably. But nothing I can't handle."
"Well," she said patiently, "why don't you junction? And," she tapped him lightly on the nose with one slender finger, "we can see if it wants dessert."
"It's not…"
"Uhuh. No," she shook her head slowly, "no more crap, Irvine. I want you. You want me. Your Guardian wants me. We've had a fuck of a day. Let's just forget all the other shit and have some fun, eh?"
Irvine felt the last of his defences crumble, as she sealed her argument with another kiss, stripping his hair of it's band at the same time.
"I won't tell if you won't," she whispered in his ear.
It was a long time since Irvine had been seduced, but he couldn't think of another word for what was happening.
"You're a bad girl," he growled, tightening his grip around her hips as he took her lower lip between gentle teeth.
"At last, you noticed," she murmured. "Now, junction."
Irvine rested his forehead on her shoulder, and called Ether.
~Sniper. You left me ~
~I was upset. You don't like me upset, remember? And I was mad at you.~
~I was hurting. You wanted.~
~ You still hurt? Need more?~
~ Want. Need.~
Irvine paused for a moment, nuzzled Frila's ear, her hair. It was decision time.
~Then take.~
Irvine kissed her deep, and Ether sang.
* * * * * * *
"What are you doing here?"
Quistis found herself backing away from him, and stopped herself. He can't hurt me, she told herself. Not any more.
Seifer smirked at her, and smoothed one hand through his hair. "I heard there might be a war. So I came to volunteer."
"Volunteer? You? You mean you're going to try again to be a SeeD, after all this time? Well, now I've heard everything."
"See, I figured it's worth a try." He leaned against the closed door, folding his arms across his chest.
"It hasn't occurred to you that you're a little old?"
"Funny, that, in the call that went out for recruits, seems the age limit's gone way up to 25. Squally-boy must be desperate. And that leaves me plenty of time to get over the little … hiccup in my career."
"You'll never make it, Seifer. You don't have the discipline, and no-one could trust you in battle. No-one in their right mind would pass you as SeeD."
"Well, that's mighty negative of you, Quisty. Myself, I just thought maybe I'll do better with a different Instructor. After all, my old one was demoted pretty damn fast after I failed the last time. What do you think? "
"Get out," she said, her voice low and shaking with anger. "I don't care what you think you've come back for. Just stay the fuck out of my life. There's no place for you here."
"Funny," said Seifer, not showing any signs of moving. "That's not what Cid said."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Cid and Edea were quite keen for me to have another go at the whole SeeD thing. The way they see it, you need all the help you can get. And after all, if they're willing to forgive and forget, Quisty, surely you should be able to?"
"How can you… fuck it, Seifer, after everything you did, how do you have the fucking nerve to waltz in here and…"
"I'm surprised at you, Instructor. I would have thought you, of all people, would understand the importance of forgiveness."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she clenched her fists, her eyes narrowed.
"Well, after what you did, it's frankly amazing they let you stay on at all."
The memory hung in the air between them for a moment, just a moment.
She fought back the tears.
"Get out. Get the fuck out, or I'll settle this with my whip once and for all."
"Promises, promises," he sneered, but he was already turning to the door.
"Zell and Xian are in charge of training," hissed Quistis. "You can guarantee that you're not going to find it easy. If I have my way you'll be running back to FH with your tail between your legs before the war even starts, whatever Cid says."
"Well, that's a shame," any trace of humour drained from Seifer's eyes, leaving a glint of blue steel. "Because from what I've heard, you need all the gunblades you can find. And if I'm not on your side," the door opened in front of him, "you've gotta ask yourself, who's side will I be on?"
Then he was stalking down the hall, leather duster swirling round his heels, and Quistis was left alone, and shaking.
There was a bottle of elixir in her bag; she could junction Pandemonia in a moment and...
No.
She reached for her phone and punched Laguna's number with trembling fingers.
* * * * * * *
Irvine ran one hand along her side, teasing the warm, naked flesh, kissing her softly. She moaned, her arms draped around his neck, and pushed her hips against his.
"Steady, Hotshot," he whispered. "We've got all night."
"But I want you…"
"You'll have me, I promise," he kissed her neck, her shoulder. "But not yet."
"But… but…"
He laughed softly. "Trust me," he said, "I know what I'm doing. And remember," he whispered. "There's no-one here but me. You can do whatever you like, say whatever you like. Don't hold it back, Hotshot."
Ether purred approvingly.
His hair fell as a curtain over her belly, and she surrendered to his tongue.
* * * * * * *
Zell sat on a log near the entrance to the training centre, and pulled his gloves off. It was nearly two in the morning. He was bone-weary, and there was already not enough of the night left to get the sleep he needed.
He heard the crunch of footsteps behind him, knew who it was, even after all this time.
That's all I need.
"How's it going, chicken-wuss?"
Zell glared at him angrily, his tiredness suddenly replaced by a deep and familiar desire to beat Seifer senseless right there and then.
"If you want to be a SeeD you're gonna have to learn some respect, Almasy," he hissed. "And you can start with me."
Seifer dropped a his mostly-smoked cigarette and ground it out with his boot heel.
"I'll do that when I'm back in the uniform, Dincht, and not a moment before."
The energy drained from Zell as quickly as it had come to him; he just couldn't be bothered to fight Seifer. Not now, with everything else that was going on. There was no point.
"That'll be tomorrow morning," he said. "I spoke to Cid."
Seifer grinned, reaching for another cigarette. "You believe me now, then, eh, Chicken?"
"You're on trial, Almasy. The first sign of trouble and you'll be out of here as fast as if there was a whole herd of blue dragons after you."
"Yeah, yeah."
Zell sighed. "Why here, Seifer? Why didn't you go to Trabia with Rajiin and Fuujin? You could have made a real fresh start there. Why did you have to come back and make my life more difficult than it already is?"
Seifer lit his cigarette and considered for a moment, blowing out a long plume of blueish smoke. "It's nothing personal, Chicken," he said. "Not that it isn't lovely to see you all again. But I don't want a fresh start."
Zell frowned at him, wondering why he was even having this conversation when he could be safely tucked up in bed, and sleeping. "What d'you mean?"
"I mean," said Seifer, pulling a training gunblade from the array of weaponry near the wall, "I'm planning on picking up exactly where I left off."
A chill ran up Zell's spine.
"Only this time," Seifer tested the weapon's heft and grip, "I'm doing it right, and no-one's going to get in my way." He aimed the gunblade at a stirring grat, just over Zell's shoulder, and fired; Zell jumped, and cursed himself for it. "Not you, not Squally-boy, not the dear Instructor, not the cowboy or his hyperactive piece of skirt. No sorceresses, good or evil. I'm going to get what I want, and no-one, I repeat, no-one is going to stop me."
He took a long drag of his cigarette, holding the smoke in his lungs, eyes gleaming dangerously.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to have a little evil-guy laugh there?" asked Zell, fighting to keep his voice steady and his hands still, and wishing very hard that Squall was there to kick Seifer's ass right out of Garden.
Seifer settled for a grin, albeit not a pleasant one. "You look tired, Chicken," he said. "You need to keep your strength up, with all this being in charge you have to do. Why don't you go to beddy-bye? I'll just stay here and do some evil-killing. You won't need to worry about a thing."
Zell was shaking from the effort of restraint, without even knowing what he was restraining himself from. He couldn't fight a student. He was too tired to argue. He was nearly too tired even to care.
"I missed you, you know, Chicken." His voice was teasing, or mocking, Zell wasn't sure which. "I thought about you often. Did you miss me?"
Zell took a deep breath.
"Six thirty. Gunblade hall. Xian. Be there or you fail before you even started," he said, and stormed out of the training centre before the hot tears pricking at his eyes betrayed him.
* * * * * * *
Frila breathed deeply, sending oxygen to contracting muscles, intensifying the pleasure that flowed through her body in waves. Her heart pounded in her chest; she licked dry lips and let herself relax for a moment.
He took his tongue away, slipped his fingers out of her, and for a moment she felt bereft.
"You okay?" he kissed his way up her body, sealed his mouth over hers; she tasted herself on his lips.
"A lot more than okay," she said, brushing back damp bangs from his face. "Fuck, you're gorgeous. Have I ever mentioned that?"
"Not as such," he smiled, flooding his violet eyes with warmth.
"Well, you are. How's Ether?"
"Buzzing," said Irvine. "He likes you."
"That's nice to know."
"So do I."
"That's even nicer." The way her smile suddenly widened reminded him that he hadn't said that before, and that she needed to hear it.
"Have you ever used elixir?" he ran one finger idly along the underside of one breast, knowing now that it was a place that felt good to her, but wasn't too ticklish.
"You gave me some on the beach that time, after I called Oceanus," she reminded him. "But I don't really remember it. Otherwise, no. I may not be brilliant with a gunblade, but I've never managed to hurt myself that bad. Why?"
"Don't put yourself down," he planted a kiss on her breast, just above the nipple; "you're great with a gunblade. Also very sexy, with the leather and all. And I didn't mean drinking it."
"Oh." She looked happy, absorbing the compliment. "What else do you do with it?
He grinned. "Let me show you."
He dragged himself away from her to rummage briefly in his pack, beside the bed, and returned with a small vial.
"Why, Captain Kinneas," she looked at him in mock surprise, "surely you're not going to teach an innocent cadet how to misuse mission supplies, are you?"
He grinned at her. "First off, Ms Alfyrd, after…" he checked the time on the clock by the bed, "… two hours and twenty five minutes in bed with Irvine Kinneas, you are definitely no longer innocent. And secondly, this isn't Garden issue. It's mine. I have a friend in Galbadia who makes it for me with," he opened the vial with a hiss, "extra fizz."
"Fizz?" she said weakly, starting to imagine where this might be going.
"Fizz," he affirmed, and gently poured a few drips of the multicoloured curative over her glowing skin.
"Good, huh?" he said, massaging the oil gently into her quivering flesh with one finger. "You have amazing breasts," he added, dipping his head to lick the elixir from her.
"They feel pretty amazing, I can tell you," she murmured. She felt the desire start to rise in her again, stronger than ever. He seemed to know exactly what to do to keep her in this state of almost perpetual arousal, no sooner exhausted from one orgasm than looking for the next, while he hadn't come even once yet…
"Let me," she said, reaching out for the vial. "I want to do something for you, now."
"I'm fine," he said. "There's a few more places I want to rub this into, yet." He knelt back on his heels, hair falling over his shoulders in streaks of dark rust. His cock was as hard as ever, she'd not noticed it soften once in all the time he'd been making love to her. Pre-come glistened at the tip, and she had an almost overwhelming desire to taste it.
"No," she said, "please. I want to."
He grinned his sexy, lazy grin at her. "Alright then," he said. "But be gentle with me, huh?" he teased, and handed her the vial.
She tipped a little into her palm, gasping at the tickley fizz. "Where d'you like it?" she asked, feeling suddenly and unreasonably shy. She'd let him touch her anywhere, everywhere, but presented with six foot of stunningly beautiful Irvine Kinneas to play with, she didn't really know where to start.
"Wherever you like," he said, cupping her head in one broad hand and massaging the base of her skull with his thumb. "It's all good."
"Okay then." She dipped a finger into the pool of elixir in her hand, and tentatively drew a line down his chest to his belly, taking satisfaction in the quiver of his flesh. The liquid left a fading streak of rainbow colour behind, and she was suddenly inspired. She traced patterns across his chest, just to see the colours glow against his smooth, golden skin.
"Oh, Hotshot… oh, Hyne, that's good, baby."
* * * * * * *
"Thank you," he said, and she raised her head, surprised when he pulled her up to kiss her, his tongue licking his own flavours from hers.
"If I'd known you liked it I'd have saved you some," she murmured, "but it tasted good. Hope you don't mind."
He groaned softly. "Oh, Hotshot…"
"Was that okay?" She was suddenly aware that she was aching for him; she was wet and hot and wanted badly to feel him inside of her.
"Oh yes," his voice deep and still husky with lust.
"Ether like it?"
"You bet."
"What does it feel like?" she kissed a wet line down his shoulder towards one finely-muscled arm. "Ether, I mean?"
"It's like… like this. Like you touching me, only in my mind, and it feels good, very, very good, like a purring cat, and… oh gods, Hotshot, can I fuck you now?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck, looking into the depths of his warm violet eyes.
"Yes please," she said.
He pulled her back onto the bed, so they were lying side by side, and hitched her knee up to his waist.
"How do you do that?"
"What?" He paused, brushing the hair out of her eyes.
"Stay hard like that. You're always fucking hard! And you only just came."
He grinned at her, stroking the velvety skin of her butt as he held her steady against him. "Keep on with the relaxation sessions and you might find out," he said.
She laughed. "That's enough motivation, even for me. It's not an Ether trick, then?"
"No, it's pure Kinneas," he said. "Like this."
Ether was buzzing, no longer voraciously hungry, just lying passively in his mind, soaking up every ounce of pleasure and doubling it.
"Okay, Hotshot?"
"Oh yeah," Fuck, but she's picking this up quick. "You?"
"Perfect," he whispered. And it was. He felt happier than he had for a long time, strong and peaceful and incredibly horny: his favourite feelings.
"Ether?" Her voice was ragged, she was starting to pant.
~Yes, Sniper. Good. Strong. You are magnificent.~
"Ether's a very happy Guardian," he brushed his lips against her hair, "thanks to you."
"Hn.." She didn't have the breath to answer him, her pleasure mounting quickly.
"I can… feel it…" she said, her eyes flickering open to show surprise.
"Feel what, babe?"
"Ether… I can feel it… oh, gods, that's good… "
~Ether?~
~She can hear me. Some can.~
Like Zef, Irvine remembered. He said he could feel a Guardian, if the bond was strong. And at that moment Irvine couldn't remember a time when the link between him and Ether had felt stronger.
"Is it okay? I can unjunction, if it's making you uncomfortable?"
She shook her head, "oh, no. No, it's fine. It feels great. It's so … happy."
Irvine laughed softly. "You can say that again." He kissed her forehead. "I'm happy, too," he said.
She smiled, as her eyes drifted shut again. "And me," she whispered.
They moved together, faster now, and Irvine's mind emptied of everything but this moment, this pleasure, this soft, warm body in his arms. Then she was coming again, and the power from his junction threatened to overwhelm him altogether. He let go and buried himself deep inside her to come, crying out with the intensity of it.
The power faded, and Ether slipped to the back of his mind.
~Thank you, Sniper. Release me.. You must rest now.~
Irvine lowly let the junction go, feeling suddenly tired, but not as drained as he'd expected. Just sleepy. Very, very sleepy.
"You okay, Hotshot?" He pulled out of her body and rolled onto his back, cradling her in one strong arm.
"Mmm ver' sleepy," she mumbled, snuggling into his side.
He smiled. "Thank you, " he whispered, with a kiss to her hair.
She was already asleep.
* * * * * * *
Squall finished doing up the last of his belts, watching Rinoa slowly waking up in the soft morning sunshine. His body felt warm and sated, even if his mind was already starting to cloud with worry and responsibilities.
"Hey," she said, blearily, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "You up already?"
"It's gone seven," he kissed her softly, tasting of toothpaste. "Time to move."
"Okay, Commander." She yawned, and dragged herself to sitting. "If you say so."
"I'm going to find Kiros, see if Odine's got anywhere with Selphie," said Squall. "I'll see you down there when you're dressed."
"Right. Hey," she pulled him back to her for another kiss, "thanks for last night. You were amazing."
Squall gave her a little smile, and blushed slightly. "So were you," he said.
"Tell me again why we waited two years before we started fucking like bunnies?" she asked, getting out of bed and brushing her naked body sensuously against his leather-clad one on her way to snag a towel from the radiator.
"Because I had a stupid mind block," he said. "Although I don't know why that stopped you."
"What?" She wrapped the towel around herself, pushing her tangled hair back from her face.
"The mind block I had, like the one you had yesterday. That's what it stopped me."
"From being with me?" she stared at him incredulously.
"Pretty much."
"For two years?"
"Yes. Well, I didn't know it was a mind block, for all of that time. I just thought I was confused."
She laughed. "Well, you've always been confused," she said. "Doesn't it strike you as weird, though? I mean, I can understand why Chet blocked my magic. Why would anyone block you from wanting to be with me?"
"I don't know. I don't even know who put it there," said Squall. "Irvine said it was like a remnant from a spell. I guess it was an accident, probably from Ultimecia. There was so much magic flying around then. I'm just glad Irvine spotted it when he did." Squall shuddered; he'd been trying very hard not to think about this, he realised. He wasn't sure whether to be angry at the wasted time, or anxious as to who or what had messed with his mind, and neither emotion would help him get through another day of leadership.
"But.."
"I don't have time to worry about it now, Rinoa. It's gone, that's the important thing." He kissed her forehead, resisting a strong temptation to whip her towel off and drag her down onto the bed.
"Okay." She gave him a little wave as he left their room, and then headed for the bathroom, her body still flushed with the remembrance of cool leather against her flushed skin, of brooding blue-grey eyes under soft dark bangs.
She turned the shower to cold, and stepped under it's icy flow with clenched teeth.
* * * * * * * *
Irvine rested his head on Frila's shoulder, grinning broadly and listening to her gasping for breath.
"You really do need to work on your breath control, Ms Alfyrd," he said, "I keep telling you, breath deeply, but you won't listen…"
"It's hard to… concentrate… on.. breathing…" she panted, "when you're… fucking me into.. the fucking wall."
"Would it be easier if I fucked you on the floor?"
"Shut up. Just fuck me."
Irvine was only too happy to oblige. He hitched her legs higher around his waist, pushing the neck of her T-shirt to one side and clamping his lips on the soft flesh, sucking hard.
"Fucking vampire…" she muttered, but he felt her body respond in approval.
The door chime went.
Too late to stop, he kissed her to muffle their voices as they came.
The door chime rang again.
He took a moment, waiting for his mind to come back through the haze of lust.
"Who is it?" he called, as soon as he could find a reasonably steady voice. Frila was giggling helplessly into his shoulder.
"It's Rin. You okay? I thought I heard banging."
Irvine bit his lip to suppress his laughter, and gently lowered Frila to the floor. He watched her scrambling into her leathers, still giggling softly as he stuffed his still throbbing cock painfully back into his jeans.
"Oh, hey, Rin, I…"
The door slid open just as Frila finally got her pants done up.
"Morning, Irvy, I was… oh. Hello, Frila."
Rinoa took a long look at her, taking in her flushed face, her loose, dishevelled hair and the fact that she seemed more than a little out of breath.
"Rinoa. Hi. We were just…"
"Relaxation," said Irvine, smoothly. "She's having a lot of trouble controlling her breathing, Squall wanted me to work on it. Is it time to see Odine?"
Rinoa gave him a searching look, but he wouldn't meet her eye, turning away to the mirror to straighten his ponytail.
"Yes," she said. "Just thought I'd see if you were ready."
"Sure," he said. "You coming, Hotshot?"
Frila nodded, biting her lower lip to keep from laughing.
"Where's Squall?" asked Irvine, as they followed Rinoa down the corridor.
"He's gone ahead," she said. "I think he wanted to talk to Kiros first. You know how unintelligible Odine can be."
"Oh, gods, yes. I can't usually understand a word he says."
Irvine fell silent after that. The adrenaline was fading, and the world he'd so successfully escaped in Frila's arms last night was starting to crowd in on him again.
"It'll be okay, Irvine," Rinoa said, noticing his pensive expression. "This is Selphie we're talking about. She'll bounce right back, you'll see."
Irvine flashed her a grateful look, and hoped she was right.
* * * * * * *
There was no sign of Odine when they reached the meeting room, much to Irvine's relief. For all that he was buzzing with Ether's power, he still didn't think he could cope with the manic scientist's ramblings just yet. Kiros sat next to Squall, explaining things in his clear, quiet voice, pouring them coffee as he spoke.
"Odine thinks Chet tampered with Selphie's mind," he said. "Probably in the same way as he did with Xu's."
Irvine suddenly recalled what he'd found in Xu's mind: the repulsive, black writhing echo of Bane; his fists clenched.
"She'll almost certainly have a mind block," Kiros continued. "Probably more than one, and that'll stop her fighting whatever Bane's left inside her head. Would you agree, Irvine?"
Irvine nodded. "That's the way it seems to work," he said.
"Right," said Squall. "So the first thing is to get rid of the mind block. Then maybe we can get her to tell us what happened."
"That could be difficult," said Irvine.
"Why?" asked Squall. "You've got rid of all the others. I'm sure you can do this."
"All the others were willing," said Irvine. "Even Xu, in the end. I can't go into an unwilling mind, and Selphie won't let me anywhere near her."
"Won't it work?" asked Kiros. "Doesn't Ether have the power, if it's not a willing invasion?"
"I've never tried," said Irvine, coldly.
"Irvine," Rinoa said, softly, "it might be Selphie's only chance. You know she would let you, if she was in her right mind."
"But she isn't. I can't… there has to be another way. Ask Odine to do some research, maybe…"
"Fuck it, Irvine, I don't have time!" Squall stood up abruptly, glaring desperation at Irvine across the table. "I'm sorry, I know how you feel about this, but I don't have a choice. There have been reports of skirmishes the last few nights near the Dian caves in Centra. We can't put this off much longer, we need to find out what Chet's doing, and Selphie must know something."
There was silence for a moment, before Irvine spoke, with tears in his eyes.
"I can't," he said. "I just can't hurt her like that."
"Don't make me do this," said Squall, ice and entreaty both in his voice.
Irvine's steady violet gaze locked with Squall's.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I refuse."
The air grew heavy; Kiros, Frila and Rinoa watched the two men, perfectly still.
"You can't refuse," said Squall, with finality. "It's an order, Kinneas."
Irvine blinked.
"I'll meet you in Selphie's room in ten minutes," Squall continued, already turning to leave.
"You bastard," whispered Irvine.
Squall paused at the door.
"If I have to be," he said.
And with a swish of the doors, he was gone.
* * * * * * *