Tanta: Ta da! The last chapter is finally up. Apologies. I thought it would take a lot less time than it actually did.
Irvine: Once again, Tanta don't own it, so like, don't sue her, okay?
Chapter Seven: Completion
Irvine and Zell ended up spending another two weeks in Timber, helping Hagan and Togun out with the Forest Racoons, sight-seeing and occasionally fighting monsters, and this time, when a Cockatrice petrified Zell, Irvine knew not to freak out too much.
The bed that they shared in the Timber hotel was quite large enough for the both of them, although Zell never wanted to do anything more than kiss or embrace Irvine, and Irvine didn't try to take the relationship any further. Even still, every morning Zell would wake to find Irvine wrapped around him as he had in Zell's small bed back in Balamb, clutching the blonde as though afraid that he would disappear.
Eventually they returned to Balamb to find the Garden was exactly where it had been two weeks ago. The two of them were welcomed back with plenty of hugs, smiles, and questions, which they mostly managed to answer without revealing anything too personal, although Selphie notice that the two men were acting a lot more friendly towards each other than they had before Zell had disappeared.
She watched, smiling gently, as Irvine answered a question from Squall and without even thinking about it, threw an arm over Zell's shoulders. For a second she wondered exactly how friendly the two of them had grown, and then decided that she didn't really need to know. What mattered was that the two of them were happy, and judging by the way they were acting, they couldn't be much happier.
It was then she realised the small bandage that covered Zell's face, and the larger bandages around both men's left leg.
"What happened guys?" she asked them, pointing to their limbs.
Irvine and Zell looked over at each other, a smile quickly forming on both their faces.
"Should we show them?" Irvine asked Zell.
"Yeah," Zell replied, his grin widening. "It should be about time to take the bandages off now anyway. We took a little trip to the tattoo parlour in Timber while we were there," Zell said, reaching up to remove the bandage on his face. He took it off very slowly, revealing a perfect black tattoo, once more unbroken.
"We decided to get something else done as well," Zell continued, tearing the bandage off his ankle with enthusiasm to reveal a picture of a small Moomba. Irvine's bandage was soon also removed to reveal an identical tattoo. "You should have seen Irvine," Zell continued, a teasing grin on his face. "He was moaning and crying like a baby. You would have thought he was going to die."
"Come on," Irvine grinned, "You were just as bad. Besides, it was worth it. I'm not about to let you forget me again."
Selphie grinned happily as the two men looked at each other once more, emotion and acceptance that didn't need words to explain or express showing on both of their faces.
Squall just looked on with a confused and utterly clueless expression on his face. Zell laughed as soon as he realised that Squall, along with most of his friends, had no idea what was going on between Irvine and him.
He stopped laughing and looked around at the Garden, realising that someone wasn't there to meet him.
"What is it?" Irvine asked immediately, seeing the curious look on Zell's face.
"Where's Seifer?" Zell asked, his brows furrowing in a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.
"He left about a week after you two did." The answer came from Squall. "The new graduate Trida went with him, and just like you two he didn't think for a second to tell anyone where they were going."
Irvine shrugged, feeling quite grateful that they wouldn't have to deal with the older man. A quick glance at Zell revealed that his friend wasn't quite as relieved. Zell stared off into the distance, as if trying to work out which way Seifer had gone, and whether he was likely to come back. Obviously, some wounds hadn't completely healed yet.
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The rest of the afternoon was filled with a mixture of formalities as Squall tried to get the two of them caught up on what had happened while they had been gone, and friendly chats as nearly everyone in Garden wanted to hear what had happened to the two men. The official story became that the two of them had merely left for a short holiday.
The most awkward moment came when it was time to turn in for the night. The two of them had walked all the way to the dormitories before either of them worked out that they were going to have a slight problem.
Zell stopped mid-stride when he realised they had reached the door to Irvine's dormitory. He searched desperately inside him for either the strength to sleep alone, or the courage and the right words to convince Irvine to stay with him for the night.
"Irvy," he said simply, looking at Irvine's hand, which had paused halfway to the door handle. Irvine stared at Zell for a second, knowing all too well that Zell didn't need words to tell Irvine what he wanted, especially since he had been waiting for Zell to say or do anything to let him know that sharing Zell's rooms would be all right.
"I hadn't really adapted to sleeping in that little room anyway," Irvine said with a large smile, taking his hand swiftly away from the door handle and walking purposefully down the corridor to Zell's room.
Zell watched him for a second; unsure whether he should be pleased or nervous, before running to catch up with the taller man and walking close beside him.
Soon they were curled up together, sharing a bed as they had been for the past two weeks. Zell lay there in the darkness, thinking of how much he was beginning to like the feeling of Irvine wrapped protectively around him, making him feel warm and safe. Zell wondered what it would have been like if it had been Irvine that night instead of Seifer.
As if reading his mind Irvine whispered into his ear right at that moment.
"Zell," he said, ever so quietly. "Zelly, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to. I don't mean to pry or anything, but have you ever been with anyone apart from Seifer?"
"No," Zell answered truthfully, snuggling further into Irvine's chest.
"The bastard," Irvine cursed softly.
Yes, Zell thought quite happily. Irvine would keep him safe no matter what, and he would never do anything that might hurt Zell in any way.
That thought brought another one into Zell's mind; one he wasn't sure whether he approved of or not. If their relationship was going to progress at all, then he was going to have to be the one to make all the moves.
With this thought in mind he quite deliberately rolled over a bit so that Irvine was lying on top of him, and very shyly and slowly pressed a kiss to Irvine's lips. He had caught Irvine off guard as he had hoped, and slipped his tongue into Irvine's mouth. Soon the kiss had dissolved into an all out make-out session, until Irvine pulled back, panting for breath, a sly smile gracing his lips.
"Well," he panted. "That was unexpected."
"But good," Zell hesitated, unsure of what he had just done. "Right?" he questioned.
"Of course good," Irvine answered, pressing another, very light kiss to Zell's lips.
"Good," Zell said, the grin on his face making him appear a lot surer of himself than he really was. "Because I'm not finished yet."
A quick caress from Zell let Irvine know exactly what Zell meant, and Irvine's body wasted no time in letting him know that it thought what Zell was implying was a really good idea.
He searched Zell's face, still seeing a large degree of uncertainty in the smaller boy's features.
"Zell," he whispered. "You know you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I'm all for taking it slowly. I definitely don't want to do this unless you're completely ready for it."
"I know you don't," Zell said, the last trace of uncertainty leaving his features. "And that is why I am ready. I don't want to be frightened to love any more."
It took Irvine a few seconds to realise the full implication of what Zell had just said, and then the look of wonder on his face was too beautiful for Zell to not kiss him.
"Just one thing," Zell said, breaking the kiss. "I get to be on top, and if I hurt you even a tiny little bit, promise me that you'll tell me and I'll stop."
Irvine merely nodded, unable to believe that Zell was ready for such a big step.
The next hour was full of a pleasure that was almost painfully slow. Zell made sure to move very slowly and gently, so that he wouldn't hurt Irvine, and Irvine made sure that he left Zell in complete control of every movement. He also made sure not to do anything that might trigger any of Zell's bad memories. Zell's ears were left untouched the entire time.
When they found pleasure it was as the rest had been, long and gentle, and they found it together, screaming each other's names into the night.
When it was over Zell lay back, staring at the ceiling, unable to believe how different things had been with Irvine. Irvine moved slightly so that he could lay his head on Zell's chest and stare up at his lover's face. Zell caught Irvine's stare and his heart seemed to skip a few beats. The intensity of love in Irvine's gaze might have scared him if he didn't return the man's feelings.
"Irvy," he whispered, stroking his new lover's hair. "Irvy, I love you."
"I love you too Zelly," Irvine replied, snuggling into Zell's shoulder. "Always have, always will."
Irvine was soon asleep, his breath warm against Zell's neck. Zell watched as the other man's fingers twitched in his sleep. Subconsciously, Irvine's arms wrapped around him once more, pulling him closer.
"Don't worry," Zell whispered, kissing Irvine on the forehead. "I won't leave you."
In his sleep Irvine smiled.
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So maybe you do still need me. I'm no longer ashamed to admit that I still need you.
I'm not going to lie to myself and pretend that our lives are going to be any easier than they were before. I'm dreading the way your homophobic mother is going to react, and I don't know what will happen if we ever confront Seifer, but I'm not too worried, because I'm not alone this time.
This time, we'll face the world together.
~~*FIN*~~
Tanta: Finished, but for those of you who are completely hooked, or are wondering what happened to Seifer and Trida, don't worry. There will be a sequel, called "Destined for Nobody." Look out for it. Thanks again to all those who reviewed.