You think Odine's creepy? Well, wait until you see Adel. Adel makes more contact with our heroes, Seifer is accused of being useless, and more Odine! My apologizes to those of you who don't like him. (basically Esse, no one else has mentioned anything.)
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Chapter three:
Adel growled as he looked at the sleeping boy, cradled up in his new lover's arms. This boy would find a source of strength that was not Adel, and Adel couldn't have that. Zell needed him.
"Hope he doesn't want you just for sex," Adel cooed, and chuckled when Zell subconsciously huddled closer to Seifer.
Adel had found Zell, and now the issue was getting the two away from each other.
But the boy was beautiful when he came. Oh, yes, he'd like to experience that for himself. The boy was definitely worth for himself, eyes glazed, face flushed, voice begging- beautiful.
Adel would not kill the boy, he knew. The knight, yes. Knights were pathetic, weak creatures who wanted their sorceress's glory.
He could teach the boy. Let the boy learn his own gift and they could share it, together. The curiosity of what the boy's gift had been was driving Adel to insanity. Status attacks, to give life to inanimate objects, to visit dreams? Ultimacia's gift of life was a most interesting twist. Could the boy bring back the souls of the dead?
Mm. This boy would spend time in his personal chambers, he knew, after they re-attached some Odine bangles.
Adel gave a smirk, reaching out to Zell who tightened on his Knight. "You know you are mine, boy. Don't forget."
Zell nodded sleepily, then shook his head, and then gave a whine to which Seifer awoke to. He kissed Zell's forehead softly and held him with renewed vigor, and all worry from Zell's face had vanished.
Adel growled and broke contact, awakening to see Odine bowing before him. Odine was awaiting his command, like always.
"Let's move," Adel told him, and Odine grinned.
"Yez, my zorcerezz."
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Zell awoke again in the unfamiliar bed, this time realizing he was in no dress and that he particularly enjoyed the sleeping form at his side. Seifer was still holding him, but somehow Zell was higher on the bed. He stroked Seifer's hair, the way he would a cat. Seifer was too adorable when he slept.
Seifer blinked, looking up. For a moment there was confusion and his memory returned, and he smiled. "Good morning," he stated.
"Morning," Zell told him, stretching. Seifer let go of him, returning to his own side of the bed.
"You were having nightmares," Seifer told him suddenly. "That's why…the cuddling."
Zell shook his head, chuckling. Somehow now he could sense when Seifer was lying, he could sense the emotions Seifer felt. "I liked it, regardless, Seifer." Now he could respond to ways that wouldn't make them both have awkward silences and pauses, though he figured they'd just fight them away.
And Seifer could almost do the same, he could see the way Zell wanted to be hugged and the way his eyes seemed to reflect somewhere else, and he could see the questions forming on them. To stop them he hugged Zell again, though this time he pressed his head into Zell's neck. "You should come to work with me today," Seifer told him. "It'll be practice to use your hands. I've got makeshift gloves for you."
"What if someone sees me?" Zell whispered worriedly. "I mean, Odine?"
"He probably will, but that's why Estar downtown is Security-Camera happy now. Odine has to take a van into his lab- it looked suspicious for him to have you running out with a dress. Odine's been bitching about those cameras recently, so I'll take you to the palace." He looked at Zell. "Then we go carry out our mission or whatever Kiros decides to do."
Zell nodded, biting his lip. It was better than staying still, and he had this feeling something horrid would happen if he did stay home. Seifer kissed him gently. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."
The Sorceress nodded again, a smile breaking him out of worry. "I trust you," he stated. Seifer's heart lifted.
"Let's get showers taken, then. You taste good, Zell, but it's rather embarrassing to explain what exactly is on your chest." Seifer let go and Zell hit him playfully.
"Bully." Zell remarked, sticking his tongue out at him. Seifer grinned wickedly and got out from under the covers.
"Chicken." He retorted, and fell on top of Zell, kissing him long enough to have Zell withering beneath him. They parted, Zell panting, and Seifer licked his lips. "See?"
Zell rolled his eyes and Seifer laughed, walking into the bathroom. The sorceress got up, putting on shorts to wear as he remembered the dress was thrown away. A glow caught his eyes, and he turned, eyes wide as bleeting met his ears. (1) Realizing the bed was glowing, he called out. "Seifer!"
Said blonde raced out of the bathroom, ready to deal with the problem. "I think… I think the bed…" Zell remarked, watching as the covers suddenly flapped at him.
Seifer stared blankly, taking in a deep breath. No one said this was going to be easy. Zell was perhaps the most powerful sorceress and yet still pretty green, and therefore this was Seifer's responsibility. "Henry?" he asked the bed, and the bed gave several more bleeting sounds.
"Henry?" Zell asked, looking up at him. "Your bed has a name?"
"My gunblade has a name. Why does this surprise you?" Seifer shot back. The bed seemed to wobble a bit. "I think…I think Henry's alive, Zell."
Zell blinked. "A..Alive? Did I…" Zell shook his head. It had to have been the power again. "I must have." Suddenly the bed managed to hobble over to them, the sheets taking both blondes in it and it hobbled back into place. Zell gave a muffled cry inside of the covers, suddenly meeting Seifer. Seifer shook his head.
"Henry," he scolded. "Don't eat us."
There were more bleets. Zell looked up at Seifer. "What…what should I do?" he asked, and Seifer pulled Zell to him amidst the flowing sheets.
"Focus," he told Zell simply. "Let the power come to you." Really, Seifer had no idea, but it was something he'd heard Ultimacia tell one of her little Sorceress- henchmen, so he figured it might work. Besides, he always thought Henry was a little bit of a pervert and he could always buy another bed if Zell burned this one.
Zell closed his eyes, trying to do exactly as he was told. He could feel the power searching, looking for the strands that connected the bed to him, and he cut all seven of them. The bed gave a final bleet and stopped moving.
Now the question was getting out. Zell struggled in the tangled sheets, shrieking as hands found him. "Seifer!" he laughed loudly. "Don't tickle!" The hands were relentless, and as much as Zell tried he couldn't flee them. "Seifer!"
Seifer was laughing, too, a sound he hadn't heard before. "Silly chicken," he scolded. "I was so looking forward to a shower this morning, and now you've gone and ruined it!"
Zell managed to twist away from one hand, head finding air. "I didn't mean-" he cut himself off. Seifer was right above him, watching with deep green eyes and Zell wasn't sure if he could breathe. Damn those uncomfortable silences.
"I know," Seifer told him suddenly. "I'll go take that shower now, unless you want first dibs."
"I…I think you should," Zell responded. "I might accidentally blow up the shower or something." Seifer nodded, pulling off the tattooed SeeD and going into the bathroom- leaving the door open this time so there wouldn't be a struggle to get out. Zell swallowed, struggling to get out of the covers.
"Henry," Zell stated. "Does your shower have a name, too?"
The water turned on and Seifer shouted something Zell couldn't make out, so he sat on the bed, again before the decided they would need new covers and bundled them up. There were feelings of guilt, huge waves. How could he help Seifer if he couldn't even control his power? He was sure he'd casted sleep on himself last night and this morning he'd just…
All he could remember was Seifer's green eyes, damnit! Zell curled the sheets into ropes and carried them to the washer, setting them down. He wasn't sure were Seifer had new sheets, but he'd ask later. Right now, he wasn't sure what to do.
His power was burbling up again and he grabbed the washer tightly. Why couldn't he control this?
"So pitiful, but so beautiful," came a call, and Zell spun to see Adel chuckling at his weakness. "You don't get it, do you?" Zell flinched as Adel touched his face.
"Sei-" Adel hushed him instantly with the other hand. Zell glared as suddenly he felt weak, a new power rushing up inside him and encouraging feelings of submission.
"You have to be careful how you feel, boy. Romanticism can lead to one ability, or another. Fear can cause massive flares, your depression huge ice sheets." Adel stepped closer to the young sorceress and grinned much more wickedly than Seifer could ever manage. "Your happiness can haste the bloomings of flowers, don't you see? If you don't keep your emotions in check, you keep your power in check. That's the rule."
Zell tore his face away from Adel's hands, though he could not move his body. "Rinoa doesn't-"
"Rinoa is a weak and pathetic excuse for a sorceress," Adel stated sternly. "Don't learn from her example." Zell nodded quietly, wanting Adel to leave as soon as possible.
"Zell!" a voice called from somewhere. Zell turned to it, but Adel caught his face again.
"Don't listen to him. He wants to take you away from this, from me." Adel bent over quickly and Zell realized just what Adel was aiming for. He dropped to the ground, avoiding an otherwise stolen kiss. The older sorceress's face was covered in fury as the link broke, though Zell still could not see.
"He calls to you," a new, sadder voice said. "He calls, little one. Answer."
"Seifer?" Zell asked, and suddenly the light returned, and Seifer was standing in the doorway. The lathered shampoo on his hair suddenly made Zell realize he must have stopped mid-way to help him.
"Zell?" he asked, and Zell tried not to cry. "Zell? I felt like something was wrong and I came to check on you and you didn't answer." He crouched down, the towel exposing his outer thigh. (2) Zell simply nodded as his lip quivered. Seifer helped him up. "What happened?" Seifer asked concernedly.
"Adel…" Zell whispered. "Adel found me again." Seifer held Zell as Zell suddenly burst into tears, his hope almost all taken from him. "He told me…he told me how to control my power." He looked up at Seifer. "It's in my emotions."
Seifer sighed. "That'll be difficult for you then, huh?" he asked, and Zell nodded. "That doesn't explain the bed, though."
Zell turned a bright shade of red. "It does," he stated. "I was…I thought earlier… about how alive I'd like the bed to be… with you…"
Seifer turned red also, suddenly the tension becoming a little more than awkward. "Oh."
Zell bit his lip. "But if you're here, then I guess I'll be okay, right? Because you'll protect me." He looked hopeful, and Seifer nuzzled him.
"Always," Seifer replied. "I don't trust myself taking showers now," he stated, "but I think I should finish."
Zell laughed and played in the bubbles of Seifer's head. "I think you should, too," he admitted. "And then I'll have mine."
Both looked at each other, wanting to say the same thing. Zell blushed a deeper shade of red. "I think… I think I can feel your thoughts. Not read them… but…"
"That happens, Zell," Seifer told him quietly, hand sneaking past the shorts.
"Pervert," Zell stated, scooting away. He stuck his tongue out at his knight. "Maybe I'll join you, then. Maybe not." Seifer gave a pouting face and Zell laughed at him. "Fine, fine. Give me a second."
Seifer got up. "I'll hold you to that," he responded, leaving Zell to his thoughts. Zell shook off Adel's words and followed in after his Knight. He was greeted with steamy words to match the heated water, and he couldn't bring himself to regret any of it.
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The palace never seemed empty, with aides and interns running around, but the section Seifer had brought him to did indeed look like no one had entered for several years. He was quite worried because Odine had a small desk in this hallway, he knew- Squall had him check on Rinoa in this particular section. He hugged his knight closer, the choker still wet from the events in the shower.
"You tripped me," Zell accused for the forty-eighth time that hour. His knight rolled his eyes and petted his head. Zell continued. "That was just an excuse to…to get me to suck you 'cause you know I've got no restraint. That was low."
"I didn't trip you, Zell," Seifer stated nonchalantly. "In fact, you dropped to your knees after I gave you head, and that's where you got the idea from." The two turned the corner, passing an aide that was far too busy to pay attention to their conversation.
"But…" Zell stated, trying to think of something. He couldn't, as they walked. "You knew I'd come in there and you knew I'd let you do that and you knew I'm a sucker for a head massage." He grinned at his knight. Ha! Let's see Seifer come up with something better than that!
"It's simple shampooing, Zell. Besides, you also finished my hair, did you not? I didn't force you to come in, hauling your ass on a leash." Seifer grinned and leaned down into his ear. "Unless you'd like that," he cooed, and Zell looked away. Realizing his mistake, Seifer pulled back and took Zell's hand, looking at it. "Nah. I think you're prettiest when you're free." He kissed the hand gently.
Zell blushed, thanking Seifer for his amendment of words silently. The two continued down the hall to Kiros's office, the large, glowing doors opening instantly. Kiros was busy with paperwork and he looked up at the intruders.
"Zell!" he stated with surprise. "I thought you were helping with Odine?"
Zell held onto Seifer with a dark look, and Kiros looked to Seifer for an explanation. Seifer said nothing and Kiros stood. "How did you two come to meet?" he asked quietly. "Zell, didn't you fight him?"
Zell nodded, trying not to look to childish. He just wanted to be protected right now, not wanting to face questions or insults or-
Kiros was staring at him oddly. Zell looked up at Seifer, who sighed. "You just cast Wall, Zell," he told him. Zell swallowed and gave a wave at the dark man who blinked several times before taking a seat and motioning for the other two to do so. Zell sat, the newly bought clothes baggy and unconstricting.
"I'm…I'm a sorceress," Zell started. "And Odine was…experimenting on me." His eyes grew to their dark shade again and Kiros nodded understandingly.
"Don't go into detail, Zell, unless you're comfortable." He stated. He knew too well what kind of experiments Odine had done before- that's why Odine was considered "inhumane". He shivered mentally at some of the memories that resurfaced.
"Thank you," Zell stated. "Adel… she gave me her powers," Zell continued. "And Odine caught her body, trying to reraise it. But he couldn't find the SeeD who had her power- so he just asked for SeeDs. Squall told me he was quite picky with who he wanted, and he sent me thinking I'd be sent back. Odine would let me give a check-up and if you look, requested I stay longer."
Kiros was already flipping through files. "It checks out," he stated. "Continue," he told either one, and Seifer picked up when Zell bit his lip.
"Zell had tried to escape many times, I'm sure, but one time he managed to come by my apartment. I…I let him go, unsure of what was going on, but I followed the men and crept into the lab. I managed to get Zell out and he stayed at my house yesterday." Zell gave Seifer an appreciative glance and Kiros caught it.
"So in a day you two managed to make up?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Seifer's less of an ass," Zell told him helpfully, smiling brightly as Seifer shrugged. "And I…I guess I needed somebody, and he's the only one who reached out."
That was sweet, Seifer stated, looking at Kiros. Kiros shrugged "I'm sure we can loose this paperwork once we explain it to Squall. I'll try to contact him immediately, but he is on a flying garden, and they don't have the radio receivers hooked in yet." He stood. "And the Garden has requested some of those monsters, Seifer, now that they're all weak and stupid. I'm allowing both you and Zell to kill some, but not too many." He looked at Zell. "You said Odine has Adel's body?"
Zell closed his eyes. "It's worse. Adel's alive," he responded.
Kiros said nothing, looking at the papers. "I… I can't believe that, Zell." Zell shot up from his seat. Kiros held up a hand and Seifer held Zell in an instant. "Let me explain. Odine isn't stupid. He'd be executed if we found Adel. It's hard to hide a ten-foot body anymore. We've searched up and down, and we haven't seen anything. I believe Odine did some horrible things to you, Zell, and he will be punished for it."
"You never checked the cargo bay! And she's changed, now, she's only 7 foot!" Zell shouted suddenly, and Seifer held him tighter as a draft breezed in through the room. Kiros closed his eyes, hands darting to his weapons.
"Zell, shh. It'll be okay," Seifer told him, and the power died down as Zell submitted to Seifer's arms. "Let's go, okay? We've done what we can." Zell nodded and left. Seifer turned to Kiros. "I strongly suggest, Kiros, keeping Ellone away from Estar for a while. You never know who might pop up."
Kiros glared at him, and Seifer smirked. "He's my sorceress, Kiros. I'll stick by him, right or wrong."
"That kind of thinking got you in trouble the last time," Kiros snapped back.
"Good thing Zell has an honest heart," Seifer shot, leaving the room in a huff. Zell was waiting for him, and was by his side instantly.
"Thank you," Zell told him, nuzzling into Seifer's arm. "You didn't have to do that, you know."
Seifer smiled at the blonde. "I'd hate myself," he told Zell. "I'm supposed to take your side. It's not hard, you usually end up on the right side of things." Zell smiled and closed his eyes.
"Ziz iz impozzible!" came a cry. "He cannot be here!"
Zell looked up and Seifer motioned for Zell to stand in a small doorway as he covered the blonde with his back. Odine came stomping into the hallway, throat speckled with purple bruises and his regular collar crumpled in places. He started to say something but stopped, seeing Seifer.
"You. You are Ultimacia'z knight, are you not?" he asked, his anger seemingly gone.
"I don't think it was much of a Knighting," Seifer responded. "And she is dead now, if you weren't aware." He made as if to move, but stayed. Zell's heart was beating a million miles a minute.
Odine laughed, walking up to the war-experienced man without fear. "Were you looking for zomeone elze to protect?"
Zell stopped breathing and Odine continued. "To make up for your pazt miztakez? To zhow the world you can be…competent?"
Seifer slapped him suddenly, the rage inside Zell's knight enough to make Zell worry. He pressed his head against Seifer's back, an attempt to show Seifer it didn't matter to him, and Seifer was here with him and that was all that mattered. Seifer acknowledged it and stepped back a little. "Keep walking, you pathetic clown," he hissed. "If I ever get you to myself I will make you suffer for every sorceress you put through that damn lab of yours."
Odine took a sniff of the air, and broke into a grin. "You've found him, have you not? My boy, he iz wiz you." Odine looked around and Zell touched Seifer's back as well. This time the touch was more afraid, more worried and Seifer took note of it. "Come out, my boy. It iz all right, I will not harm you. You are mizzed, my boy, mizzed and we want you back. Think of all you have done for uz."
Seifer unsheathed Hyperion. "Get out," he hissed, and Odine opened a bottle. A strange sent filled the air, one that hurt the nose and made the eyes water. Seifer growled and swung the gunblade menacingly. Odine backed away.
"Boy!" he continued to call. "My beautiful boy, we want you to come back, zhe and I."
Seifer felt Zell shift. Zell was falling half-asleep, listening to Odine's commands. Well, Seifer supposed, Odine wasn't an expert on Sorceresses for nothing. Zell moved but Seifer held him still, no longer hiding but keeping Zell from reaching the scientist.
Damnit, Zell, stay still for what your life is worth!
Zell started to whine at the imprisonment, pushing at Seifer repeatedly. Odine listened for the whining, cocking his head to one side. "Zhe and I are waiting, my little one…"
"She and I?" a voice called out. "You suddenly have a wife, Odine?"
Kiros, Seifer noted, relaxing for a second. Zell gave another whine and Seifer tensed up, while Odine was covering the bottle. "A cook," Odine covered. "Zhe gave me ziz wonderful… wine, can you not zmell?"
Zell stopped pushing at Seifer, coming around. "Wha-" An elbow convinced him to shush.
"I'd like a word, Odine," Kiros stated and Odine bowed.
"Of courze. I am willing to pleaze." Odine followed Kiros into the office, glaring at Seifer as he entered. As soon as he was gone Seifer moved, Zell falling into his arms.
"What happened?" Zell asked groggily.
"Odine had a scent that made you feel weak, and submissive," Seifer told him. "I can't quite place it."
"It's powdered dragon bone," Zell told him. "I know it now." He sighed and nuzzled into Seifer's chest. "I can't thank you enough, can I?"
"It's my job, Zell," Seifer told him, though it was becoming much more than that.
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Seifer admitted to himself, watching Zell take on the last of the monsters in this area, that Zell was really, really good at fighting when his power was loose and free. Monsters lay dead and killed by different ways; a booyah, or a different beat for some of the tougher ones, and different magic scarred the rest of the bodies. Zell finished casting flare. "That's the two-hundred, seventh one today," Zell said happily. "Let's go home."
Seifer stared at the ground, trying not to feel inferior. "I…"
Zell cocked his head, waiting for Seifer's words. They didn't come, so Zell tried the next best thing- reading his emotions. There was depression, sadness. Seifer looked at him. "Stop," he stated coldly, and Zell stopped.
"What's wrong?" Zell asked him, walking up to him. The two continued up to the surface. Sewers were icky, Zell reminded himself.
"I only got to kill five monsters," Seifer told him. "You took my job!" Zell's face looked crestfallen, and Seifer tapped him lightly on the face. "Don't take it personally. You could have used the exercise, and it was nice playing solitaire in my head." Zell broke into a grin, nuzzling the older blonde.
Seifer was awesome, Zell had decided. Maybe before he used to be mean, or maybe he used to be "evil" but really, Zell decided, Seifer was just an insecure guy dealing with his feelings. Zell couldn't hate him for that. In fact-
There was a boom radiating in the sewer, one that was…magical. Oh, crap. "Seifer," Zell whispered. "Someone's coming."
Seifer looked back, watching as the walls seemed to tremble. "It's not a monster?" he asked, and Zell shook his head vigorously. "See that ladder? Run for it. Once you're above ground the cameras will show to trace you if anything bad happens." He gave Zell a quick kiss. "Run, Zell."
Zell ran, suddenly cursing himself for using so much power. Now he was tired and felt weak- the power was linked to him after all. Seifer noted and cast haste on his sorceress, and backed up. Zell was halfway finished with the ladder when the voice rang out.
"You can't keep running from me, boy!"
Adel, Zell realized as a sickening feeling overtook his stomach. He climbed faster, shouting a warning to his knight. "Run, damnit!"
Seifer took off, trusting his sorceress with more than he most likely would have if he hadn't been terrified. There were waves of water, now, and Zell emerged from the entrance, coughing as his lungs inhaled sudden smoke. Seifer emerged a little after, holding a handkerchief to Zell's mouth to protect Zell from breathing it in. The two made it to the exit, Seifer going out first.
He was blasted to the side as soon as he stepped out.
Zell stepped back suddenly, and an arm shot out to grab him. "No, no," someone whispered, dragging Zell out from the smoke. A henchmen grabbed Zell and placed a bangle on his arm, while another held out bangles for him. Seifer was lying against a support pillar for the highways above, his eyes closed.
"Seifer!" Zell called, and someone chuckled, emerging from the smoke. Adel, followed by Odine.
"Zee, Adel? I knew he would not be very far…"
Adel hushed him by faking a hit. Odine whimpered and flinched away, behind his henchmen. The older sorceress chuckled and stood in front of Zell, lightly tracing the tattoo.
"Should I kill him?" came the question. Zell snarled and snapped his power at the taller man, and Adel's head flared back a second before coming upright, blood dripping from his nose. Another bangle was added, and Zell had to fight his eyes from closing now. Adel leaned closer to the new sorceress, grinning. "If you don't cooperate, he dies."
Zell bit his lip, looking at his knight. "You…You…"
"Kill him," Adel stated coldly. "I have no use for him." The henchmen moved.
"Wait, Adel, could I not have him? He iz very lovely," Odine asked, drool dripping from the side of his mouth. Zell struggled in vain.
"Keep your dirty paws off him!" he yelled, and Adel petted his head.
"You know what to say, then." Adel watched as Zell closed his eyes, taking in a breath.
"I surrender," Zell whispered raggedly.
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Everybody likes sheep, right? So, let's have sheep-beds!
That's why we always tie our towels on the side, so there are no…indecent exposures.
Yeah, just want you to know that this chapter never appeared in the original story. Instead, there was an early morning shag and Adel attacked as soon as Seifer stepped into the shower. I like this one much better.
See you soon!