A Promising Young SeeD
Chapter 10
Nightlife
Zell stared at his computer screen, waiting to hear from who someone he believed to be an extremely attractive woman. Hopefully with a few tattoos. Someone edgy and exciting. But also smart and cool. Prim and proper on the outside, with all secret and kink underneath. He basically had zero evidence for thinking this—other than the way that "she" typed. It had become the highlight of his days… or nights, rather. Their chats. Even though they were usually "work" related. The Archivist. Man, even her code name was bad-ass. He took off his headphones for a moment, and the sound of his heavy rock music was replaced by the distinct soft hum of the spectroscopy machine. It was still running.
Seifer had given him all sorts of random powders—greens, blues, purple, one that was almost glow-in-the-dark. But he never told him what they were, and was always mysterious and gruff when Zell shared his findings. Stupid jerk. A chunk of his notebook was now filled with descriptions of the things Seifer gave him.
The markings that the spectroscopy machine spat out regarding the powders were mostly nonsense. They were like nothing he had seen before, but also occasionally had some familiar spikes that matched drugs he had seen before. The green matched some strong analgesics. But there was never enough to make a pattern. The purple powder matched an additive he had seen when examining diamonds. It made the diamond cause the user to hallucinate in addition to the high. So, Zell was able to at least surmise that Seifer was making him look at some sort of street drugs.
All of the drugs Seifer had given him did have one specific mark that linked them. Something that, from all his research, had never been seen in nature before. Or at least, he hadn't found it yet.
The mark was fascinating. And it wasn't found in the diamonds.
Zell sighed, pressing the balls of his hands into his eyes and rubbing vigorously. His vision was starting to get blurry from staring at the computer screen too long. Leaning back in his chair he crossed his arms, chewing on his lip ring as he tried to enter a meditative state. A relic from his days as a martial artist. It was one he never really could master—the whole meditation thing. It was why martial arts had morphed into brawling instead.
Seifer seemed to know a lot more than he was letting on. Zell wasn't sure if it was a trust issue, or what. He was pretty sure that Seifer trusted them to an extent, so maybe it was just that he was still so messed up from Fujin. Didn't want to get too close. He could understand, especially after seeing Selphie. He supposed they didn't really have a choice.
Quistis was sure as hell drawn in. She had even started sleeping in the jerk's bed. Zell didn't blame her. He tended to work at night and he knew Quistis didn't want to sleep alone. He missed it sometimes though, her presence. Every once in a while, during the day, she would creep into Fujin's old room, where he was sleeping on the air mattress, and curl up next to him on top of the blanket. She would lay there for a while, nuzzle his back affectionately, and leave. Reminding him they still had each other.
Seifer and Quistis had always had some weird love-hate thing going on as cadets. It only got worse when she became a SeeD at fifteen. Quistis trusted Seifer, so Zell would have to as well. His conversation with Raijin had helped him understand the former-knight a little more too. Understand the symbolism of Seifer's Odin tattoo. And Zell could certainly appreciate symbolism from a tattoo—his entire back was currently a Ruby Dragon. Now, knowing what Seifer went through? He had to believe there was a method to the madness, and things would be revealed in due time.
He just wished something would happen already. Quistis was only just tonight finally going back to Phantasmagoria. He'd watched them head out for the night and had to admit that Quistis looked incredible. She was always beautiful. Always completely unattainable. Her makeover made her a downright goddess. Being on Seifer's arm made him seem even more powerful. Man, if the two of them had teamed up ages ago, they could be running Garden.
That thought made a strange feeling settle in Zell's stomach. Like he was missing some important detail.
Life was weird. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Stupid GFs.
Zell sighed audibly, rocking back and forth on the back legs of his chair. If Seifer or Quistis saw him doing that they would yell at him.
Seifer and Quistis, huh? Zell wasn't going to pester Quistis about it. Deep down he didn't think Seifer would hurt her. Raijin had also assured him of that. And Rinoa somehow had never lost faith in the guy. Asshole? Check. Arrogant? Check. But sadist? Nah. Hyne knew Quistis had been terribly lonely. And as lonely as Quistis and Zell had been after leaving Garden, finding solace only in each other, there were certain needs that they just couldn't fulfill in one another. Their love was far more familial. Purely platonic. The thought of anything other than that actually made Zell feel immensely uncomfortable. Though he didn't think Seifer and Quistis were doing the dirty—or anything close, for that matter.
Yet.
Raijin and him had a bet on when it would happen. It was only a matter of time. Even if the two of them didn't see it.
Zell was lonely too. Some nights he really missed the library girl. Other times it just made him feel all the more embittered about what had happened. The fact that Laney had accepted Garden's explanation that Selphie was some slutty, crazy, drug-addled murderer. It hurt. It was so off-brand from the girl he knew too. But it was enough to break them.
Seifer's hacker had been a welcome distraction.
His reverie was disrupted by Raijin handing him a large reusable glass bottle of water.
"You need to hydrate more, ya know? You were always so strict before. Gotta keep it up, ya know. Slack off, you'll regret it."
"Thanks, Rai." Zell waved a grateful hand and took a large swig of the water. Raijin was right. Raijin, strange bedfellow, strange new friend, and now trusted confidant. Zell and Raijin had become close, this past month.
"Headed to Phantasmagoria to meet the boss. Don't stay up, ya know," Raijin called as he trudged down the stairs to the door.
Zell sighed. Alone once again.
Until his computer dinged.
Don't have long. Give this file to the boss…
An encrypted file began to download onto his computer screen, and Zell quickly set to work on decoding it and making sense of it. It was some sort of spreadsheet. Red and black and names and dates. Money transfers?
A large sum of money from Balamb Garden to Odine Laboratories. Probably for their super weapon. What was shocking was that Garden had that much money in their account to be able to afford that. Not that many years ago, they were on the verge of shutdown with the whole NORG fiasco. There was some shell corporation that had deposited a large amount of money to Garden about six months before the weapon acquisition. A few months after the drug-program started.
Money from Odine Laboratories to D-district prison?
There were a number of shell companies that were pouring money into Garden or Odine… and vice versa. Their accounts were located on Minde Island, which meant it would be very hard to find their owners. Minde Island made their money by existing solely for individuals to hide their wealth.
What had Balamb Garden done that would have earned them enough gil to pay Odine for a weapon like that?
His computer dinged again.
One more thing. You need to watch this… Have to go, not safe.
A video popped up on his screen.
It was a large cannon. Initially it looked like a standard military cannon. Then it started to charge. Maybe it was infused with some magic? Magic cannons weren't unheard of, Garden had a few of them, but in the end they were never as useful or powerful as a Guardian Force itself. And they required constant infusions of spells to keep them going.
The cannon hummed a little, and the camera panned to a small island somewhere. It looked like it might be in the Rhem Archipelago. One of those beautiful pristine white beaches with palm trees, surrounded by perfect crystalline water. It made him miss Balamb and Ma for a moment.
The island was littered with monsters Zell recognized from the Lunar Cry. Strong, terrifying monsters. In the center was the unmistakable white mass that was Omega Weapon.
Zell blinked rapidly, slamming all four legs of the chair on the ground as he squinted at his screen in disbelief. Omega Weapon? That was impossible.
They had destroyed Omega Weapon. And Omega Weapon existed in the future. In Ultimecia's Castle.
This shouldn't be possible. It had to be some sort of manufactured creature. But based on what? The only people that knew what Omega Weapon looked like were the Fated Children. Well, and Ultimecia, he supposed. Unless someone was accessing their memories. And the only way to do that was through Ellone.
But why would Ellone be accessing their memories from Ultimecia's Castle, unless…
This whole thing reeked of Odine.
A disembodied voice spoke off-camera. "Watch the power of this. I think Garden will be most happy with it."
A bright blast shot from the cannon onto the island of monsters. It was so bright that Zell practically had to shield his eyes from his computer screen. A bright enveloping light that almost reminded him of when Rinoa cast Ultima when she was in Angel-wing mode.
As the light faded, he did a double take.
There was nothing there anymore.
No monsters. No island. Just smoke and specks of dust in the air.
Had that cannon destroyed an entire island? Leveled its entire existence, including everything inhabiting it? Dissolved into nothing…
How the hell had they created something that powerful?
Something that powerful could destroy the entire city of Esthar! Holy shit…
No wonder Garden didn't need the GFs anymore. But why would they need anything as powerful as this cannon? What enemy needed to be destroyed with this much power? And how on earth was this weapon created?
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
The kissing didn't stop in the taxi ride home. With a magic wave of his hand, a car had appeared for them, Seifer leaving Raijin to run business in Phantasmagoria. With a privacy shield blocking the driver from view, Seifer hauled Quistis onto his lap as his lips attacked her neck, his hand snaking under her skirt to caress the smooth skin of her thigh. The kissing didn't stop in the elevator, either. Seifer pressed Quistis against the wall, his hand now pushing her dress up far enough to feel the flimsy lace fabric on her hip and grip her tightly, like he was afraid she would disappear if he stopped. Eventually, the two of them crashed into the apartment. Zell had headphones on upstairs, and most likely, he wouldn't hear anything.
Quistis couldn't believe she was being so reckless. She was never reckless. Well, not until recently, at least. It was exhilarating and liberating. Throwing caution to the wind and giving in to her primal attraction to Seifer, and the reward was…
She just wanted to be loved. And she had an inkling that it was all he ever wanted as well. It was all any of them wanted. Orphans doomed to be lonely mercenaries.
Stumbling into Seifer's room, their lips never parted. Quistis was tugging at his jacket like her life depended on it, and he obliged, shrugging it to the floor as his hands momentarily left her.
Quistis wasn't sure who was the aggressor in this situation. Their kisses were needy, desperate. Seifer's hands were all over her—running through her hair, cupping her face, trailing fire down the sides of her body. She was attacking the buttons of his shirt like they were an enemy, eager to get the garment off his body.
At some point the back of Seifer's legs hit the bed and he sank down onto it. He had lost his button-down shirt, and undershirt during the process, Quistis slid onto his lap, knees on either side of him.
"Holy shit…" Seifer murmured against her skin, his hands burning holes on her as he trailed them up the bare skin of her arms to push the straps of her dress down. She reached up to help him, tugging the dress down below her breasts, revealing the expensive black and emerald lace bra underneath. The lingerie she had purchased with him, what seemed like ages ago.
She had put it on on a whim before going out.
"I've dreamed of this for a long time," he murmured, placing a wet kiss in the center of her chest. His fingers trailed over the lace bra almost reverently, her nipple hardening through the material, eager to feel his touch. The way he was gazing at her made her feel celestial. Like he was in awe of her presence.
"Me too," she admitted softly, her nimble hands moving down to work at his belt.
He pushed them aside to do it himself, deftly maneuvering her on top of him so he could shrug down his pants to his ankles. He took the opportunity to push up the bottom of her skirt to her waist so she could settle on his lap more readily. Her panties were lace as well, and the rubbing of the material—which had been itchy before—was suddenly pleasant.
He ground his hips up into her and pleasure shot to her core.
Holy…
He was eager. And not just a little. Hard and ready and… more than she was expecting.
Another thrust of his hips left stars behind her eyes and Seifer chuckled darkly before his lips pressed against hers again.
This time the kiss was less urgent. Gentler, almost adoring. Seifer moved his hand from her hip to softly push her hair away from her neck, trailing to her cheek and rubbing his knuckles against it affectionately. He placed an open mouthed kiss to her pulse point as he lightly rocked his hips into hers.
If he was making her come this undone, when they still had clothing on? She was right to assume that he was sure to be a devastating lover. An addiction. One she was willingly taking on.
He was being almost impossibly tender. It surprised her. She assumed Seifer would be all aggression and lust, but instead he was staring at her in amazement, and his fingers were ghosting her skin as if she were made of porcelain.
"It's been a long time," he whispered softly, lifting her off his lap and laying her on her back on the soft mattress.
The confession came as a bit of a surprise. It was not for lack of options, she could be sure of that. Even at Garden, Seifer, resident bad-boy, had quite a reputation. A reputation that apparently had undersold just how impressive he was, she realized, as he stood and shrugged himself out of his boxers. Rippling muscles seemed even more imposing in the moonlight. His waist was trim, a perfect 'V' of his hips leading to a trail of blonde hair that led…
Quistis unconsciously licked her lips and Seifer smirked, his hand coming to palm himself, stroking almost lazily.
"Like what you see?" he asked cheekily.
Quistis' eyes remained on that hand, readying himself, and she realized that he wasn't even fully hard yet. It was going to be even…
She flushed, feeling the heat go all the way down her chest.
Seifer crawled over her like some sort of animal stalking its prey, and he looked like something she couldn't describe, with his muscular arms hovering his body over hers, his lips coming down to meet hers again in an affectionate kiss. He kissed her as he helped her shimmy out of her panties and tossed them across the room. He then reached behind her, unclasping her bra with an expert hand. Easing it off her arms, he flung it into the corner.
Finally his large palm encased her breast without the lace in the way, his fingers pinching a nipple gently. They both groaned at the contact.
"You're fucking perfect, you know that?" Seifer whispered in her ear, before pressing his lips to her neck again. He perched himself above her with an elbow so he could gaze down at her, his other hand trailing from her breast to the apex between her thighs. She instinctively opened her legs for his touch. Eager for it.
It had been far too long for her, too.
His fingers found her core, pressing two within her up to the knuckle while his thumb pushed against her bud.
He chuckled again. "Mmmm, apparently you really like what you see. You're already soaking."
Quistis was ready to feel embarrassed, but instead she realized that Seifer had sounded extremely pleased with what he had discovered.
She moaned as he found an incredible rhythm with his hands, seemingly perfectly content just to pleasure her. Her hand searched desperately to try and grab him, to stroke him, but he swatted it away with his free hand, grabbing it in his own and pinning her down, the hand between her legs continuing to satisfy her expertly.
She was… so close and it was going to be intense. Her legs were shaking madly and there was a tightness in her belly that felt ready to snap. She knew she was being loud, but she didn't care. She could actually hear just how excited she had become from the fervent, yet gentle thrusting of Seifer's fingers.
Seifer leaned back, still holding her hand, and stared down at her. She could see the tension across his muscles and realized he was holding himself under very careful, barely contained control. He looked like a cord ready to snap at any moment. He licked his lips.
And that did it.
With the next thrust of his fingers, she climaxed—violently, intensely, screaming to Hyne, begging for him, saying god-knows-what as her entire body shivered and her mind went blank.
Was it supposed to be this intense?
As she slowly recovered, her shaking subsiding, she saw that Seifer was smiling. Not smirking, but a genuine smile on his face as he watched her, unabashedly enjoying the show.
"So that's what Quistis Trepe looks like when she orgasms. Damn… I think I might be in love. No wonder you had a fan club."
He said it jokingly, but the sentiment hung thickly in the air between them. Was it love? She didn't know. It certainly was more than lust. Honestly, she didn't really care. The label didn't matter. It was all she needed; she was sure of that. Maybe it always was love. Maybe it always had been, and it had taken getting the GFs out of her system to realize that. There had been a reason she wanted him pardoned. One she had maybe never understood until now. This thing between them that went back so long. All she knew was that Seifer was her lifeline. He was her lifeline, and yet somehow at the same time he was the one making her drown.
He finally removed his fingers from her carefully, and then brought them to his lips. She could see the moisture coating them, glistening in the dim light of the room. Quistis' eyes widened as Seifer actually licked his fingers, apparently eager to taste her.
He hummed, sounding extremely pleased with himself. "I look forward to tasting you for real next time."
Her heart began to hammer even more violently in her chest.
Next Time. Holy. Fucking. Shit.
"Please…" She tugged his body on top of hers and pulled her knees up around his hips. Wanting to feel him. Ready to feel all of him. "Please… Seifer, I—"
She had never felt like this before. She had never wanted anything so much in her entire life. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. Whatever this was between them, it was so much more than just primal desire. And desperation.
He reached between their bodies and lined himself up, pushing into her. A content hiss left his lips and she moaned. As he began to slowly slip into her, she knew that what was coming was going to be even more intense than what he had just done to her. He paused, not fully inside, his body covering her own. He was all toned muscle, and she was already grinding her nails into his back.
Why was he stopping?
"Shhh," he whispered.
"Wh—what?"
He pulled away from her, pushing himself to his knees, the warmth of his body gone, but half of his erection still buried within her. Quistis kept desperately trying to push her hips down, to take all of him, but he held her still, strong hands pinning her down.
"Shh… do you hear that?"
As if she could hear anything, with the pounding in her ears. All she could hear was her own gasps, his voice, the sound of their skin—
He stood abruptly, pulling fully out of her. She whimpered in protest. He tugged on his boxers and grabbed Hyperion from the closet. There was a wild look on his face.
"Stay here!" He turned back at her, pointing a commanding finger—the same one that had just been inside of her. "Just… stay here."
She sobered quickly. Not that she was planning on obeying the command anyway.
But then she did hear it.
A mighty crash sounded from the living room.
beta: colobonema
