Disclaimer: Don't own them. Not making money.

Warning: Same as apply in the first chapter. This one is much cleaner.

---

They'd made it just before the start of class. Seconds before, really. Quistis watched as the two of them plowed into the room and raced to their seats. Once they were seated, she began her class… and Zell spaced out.

At the end of the class, a few students loitered for a few minutes, hoping to catch a moment to talk to Instructor Trepe alone, but she shooed them out. Only Zell remained in his seat, half asleep.

"I hope you have a good explanation for sleeping during my class," she called from her desk, just loud enough for him to hear, without sounding too harsh. Zell jumped at the sound of her voice, nearly fall off his seat.

"Q-Quistis, I'm sorry…" He started, trying to think of something plausible. "I was training so hard I uh, forgot to sleep."

"Hmm…" Quistis stood, moving closer to Zell's desk. The teen looked up at his friend and gave half a grin, standing as well. He winced a bit, his lower back aching. "Did you get injured while you were training?"

"A little. I uh, pulled a muscle in my lower back," he said quickly. Quistis eyed him for a moment, as if considering whether or not to believe what he said. She finally nodded.

"You should take it easy, not try to be so fancy when you fight. You could get the same amount of damage done if half the movements," she said, warning him. Zell grinned at her and shrugged. "Go get some rest. How is your training with Ifrit going?"

"It's fine. I think we're more compatible now," he lied. "But it's going to take a lot more work."

"I've always had trouble with him. He's so hot-headed." Quistis shrugged, watching as Zell shuffled away, the usually bounce in his step gone. "Maybe you should go to the infirmary and get something to put on your back," she suggested. Zell nodded, looking back over his shoulder.

"Thanks, I think I will."

Leaving the classroom behind, Zell was finally free for the day. Headed towards the dorms, he neglected to take Quistis' advice, knowing the pain was nothing a little hot shower couldn't heal. Why waste a trip to the infirmary and arouse some suspicions. He hadn't been training, and Dr. Kadowaki would know.

Reaching his dorm, Zell stepped inside and flopped onto his bed, realizing he really should shower. Pieces of his shirt were sticking to his skin from sweat and other fluids that had dried there. He felt gross, but for some reason he couldn't keep his eyes open. He began to drift off to sleep, his legs hanging off his bed.

It wasn't long after he fell asleep when there was a knock on his door. Groaning, Zell pushed himself up to answer it. "What?" he mumbled, seeing Selphie standing in his door.

"Um, well, you weren't at dinner and so I was wondering if you were feeling okay…" Selphie said, having a hard time finding words for once.

"What do you mean, wasn't at dinner? It's not dinner time yet, of course I won't be there. We just got out of class. I was laying down and then I was going to shower and…" Zell trailed off, turning to look at the clock on his desk. "Are you kidding me? I've been out for three hours? I could have sworn I just fell asleep…"

"Are you sure you're all right Zell?"

"Yeah, I'm fine! Just tired, and sore from training."

"Uh huh…"

"I take it there aren't any hot dogs left in the cafeteria?"

"Afraid not, sorry," Selphie said sheepishly. Zell frowned, letting his head drop.

"I swear I'm going to camp there one day! Then I'll get them!" Selphie giggled and turned to leave.

"Take a shower and you'll wake up. Then maybe you can catch the second wave. Maybe they'll have more hot dogs." Zell grinned as he shut the door, grabbing a change of clothes and brining them to his bathroom.

The hot water felt great cascading off his skin. He ran his fingers through his hair, getting all the soap out. He stayed in until the water began to cool down. Once out, he dressed and re-did his hair so that it once again defied gravity. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror, posing slightly, before sliding his gloves onto his hands and turning the lights off.

The second wave at the cafeteria was never as large as the first, and sometimes the workers brought out secret stashes of the "sold out" items from the first batch of students. But today wasn't Zell's lucky day. They really were sold out of his precious hot dogs. Why they didn't just save a few for him everyday, he didn't know. They knew him, and they knew he loved the processed meat, but they just wouldn't. Frustrating, that.

Seated alone at one of the tables, Zell picked at the mystery meat in front of him, taking an occasional sip from the bottle of water to his left. He watched as other students came and left, some just grabbing an apple to bring to their rooms, and others joining friends at tables. The Disciplinary Committee walked in and sat down at their usual table, Seifer sprawling out in his chair. He glanced in Zell's direction and grinned. The tattooed teen turned his head away, standing. Ignoring Seifer (which was probably not a very smart thing to do, he realized in retrospect), Zell left the cafeteria and returned to his room.

Much later that night, Zell left his dorm to train. The training grounds were quieter at night. Most students were in bed, so Zell had pretty much free reign of where he wanted to go, without having to worry about interrupting someone else's fight.

After about an hour, Zell was exhausted. Raising compatibility with a hot-headed GF took a lot out of a person. Taking a break, Zell made his way to the secret area. A few cadets were there, and looked at him briefly as he came in.

The night was cool and felt good on Zell's sweat stained skin. The light breeze carried the scent of flowers and a barely perceptible tang of salt from the sea a few miles away. Nights like this, Zell wished he was in his own room at home, the window looking out on the sea.

"What are you doing out of bed?" A loud, obnoxious voice came from the entrance. Zell sighed, rolling his eyes. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was. The few other people there muttered apologies and ran, their rapid footsteps fading.

"Late night training, chickie?" Seifer asked, coming up next to Zell, leaning against the rail next to him.

"Yeah," Zell muttered.

"You're all sweaty. Looks like you've been training hard." Seifer reached out to wipe a trail of sweat from Zell's face. The younger teen jerked his head away.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Trying to touch me. Someone could see us."

"No one is going to come in here. Raijin and Fuujin are outside." Seifer continued to move closer.

"What the hell! Seifer, knock it off, I'm going to bed-"

---

"Let me through!" Selphie yelled, stamping her feet. Fuujin and Raijin stood before her, arms crossed.

"DENIED!"

"Seifer's busy, ya know? He said not to let anyone through, ya know?"

"Oh, He can't do that! That's for all students!" Selphie frowned, sizing up the roadblock. Fuujin was smaller but much smarter than Raijin. Maybe she could get by him.

"What is Seifer doing in there?" Selphie asked.

"FORBIDDEN!"

"He didn't say, ya know? Just said we had to- HEY!" Selphie sprinted past Raijin when he looked at Fuujin. She heard a yelp behind her as the aggressive white haired girl kicked her companion in the shin.

Selphie skidded to a halt in the shadows of the secret area. Eyes wide, she watched as Seifer turned Zell around, pressing his back against the rail. Was he in trouble again? She was ready to interrupt and save her friend when Seifer did the most unexpected thing. One hand wrapped around Zell's back, the other tangled in his hair. She watched, mouth open as he dropped his head, nuzzling the side of Zell's neck.

"Oh my…" Unable to pull her eyes away, she stayed silent.

---

"Seifer…" Zell breathed. The two were completely unaware that they were being watched. Tilting his head back, he gave Seifer access to his neck.

"You ignored me in the cafeteria today," Seifer said, with a warning nip.

"I- I was pissed. I missed the first wave and didn't get any hot dogs. Besides, you already had your fun today."

"You had fun too, don't deny it."

"Yeah, well…" He groaned as Seifer kissed his collarbone. "Could we, not do this here?"

"Why not? Don't you think it'll be exciting?"

"No." Zell closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Seifer's shoulders to support himself more when he heard a noise behind them. Zell pushed at Seifer to get him to stop, but he didn't.

"Probably those two fighting."

---

Selphie couldn't watch anymore. It was too much. Zell wasn't fighting Seifer off of him. He looked like he actually… enjoyed it. Selphie turned to run and slipped, falling down. She swore softly, hoping she didn't attract attention. Pushing herself back up, she ran past Raijin and Fuujin, ignoring them when they called her to stop.

Sprinting through the training center, Selphie ignored any of the fights that popped up, preferring to flee. She wanted to get back to her dorm and pretend she didn't see anything. No. First she had to find Quistis or Squall. Maybe… maybe Zell was being blackmailed. Yeah! That was it. Zell hated Seifer. There was no way he'd let him just touch him like that.