~ Chapter Twenty-Six - Planning Ahead ~
[Seifer Almasy's Apartment, Zayin House, Sunday, 26th of October, 12:19 pm]
Entering the living room, Seifer spotted Calder on the couch. The man had almost finished eating his sandwich, only a couple of bites left.
"Hey," Seifer said, walking over to join the man.
"Hey," Calder repeated, looking up to regard the blond. He'd been able to follow the change in pitch of the argument that had unfolded next door. No words had been discernible, but the exchange between Seifer and Squall had definitely been heated, to then mellow out. Seifer even looked unburdened now;a stark contrast to the blond's expression when he'd fled the kitchen.
"I should probably head home soon," Calder said. So many questions were swarming in his head, but he was too reluctant to ask any of them. It scared him that someone he knew so well could change in an instant and look so hollow. He knew the secret lay somewhere in Seifer and Squall's shared past. That's why Squall had been the one to go after the blond. Squall had been able to do something about it. He sighed.
"When can we spar?" he asked, not yet getting up from the couch. If Seifer was cutting him off from everything else, then at least he'd still have that.
Seifer scratched at the back of his neck. "I—" he looked over at the door, to where he knew Squall was on the phone with Ellone. "Squall and I are going to Galbadia for a while."
Calder raised an eyebrow. "When?"
"We'll leave on Tuesday. I don't know how long we'll be away for."
"What will Arc say?"
"Nothing," Seifer shrugged. "There's nothing he can do. I'm going." He took a sip of one of the glasses Calder had placed on the coffee table. "I'll move up the trip to see Fujin and Raijin."
"Is he coming for that too?" At Seifer's nod, Calder resisted the urge to shake his head. He couldn't make sense of it. Despite Squall's cold and aloof nature, Seifer and Squall had become inseparable. Despite Squall having just ended his bond with his girlfriend. "Okay. Then we're sparring tomorrow evening when you finish work. Before your class," he demanded. When Seifer began to speak, he shook his head. "I'm not taking no for an answer."
Seifer held up his hands in resignation. "Alright. Fine," he agreed. "I'm all yours tomorrow evening." He'd much prefer Squall's company but he knew he had to relent. He'd hardly spared Calder a second thought after he'd returned to Esthar and now he wasalreadyon his way back out.
"Good," Calder said, finally feeling somewhat appeased. He took a last bite of his sandwich. "I have to say… This really puzzles me," he started, not daring to look at Seifer as he spoke the words. "What the hell do you see in him? I mean, yes, he's the SeeD Commander and you've told me how amazing he is with a gunblade, but don't you get frostbite?" he asked, not hiding the underlying humor in his question. He wasn't trying to be damning or hurtful, he just wanted to understand. A proper laugh left Seifer this time and Calder smiled.
"You've actually laid eyes on the guy, right?" Seifer asked in disbelief. It was a ridiculous question to ask.
Calder emptied his glass of water. "Looks can't make up for everything."
"Perhaps not," Seifer agreed, his mirth still plain. It wasn't like he'd ever sat down and considered just what made Squall so fucking irresistible. Yet the answer came surprisingly easy. "...I guess he gives as good as he gets," he said. In all his life he'd never viewed anyone as his equal. Be it arrogance or hubris, he'd never considered anyone capable of matching his strength, wit or cunning. Apart from Squall.
"In the bedroom too?" Calder asked, raising an eyebrow. He couldn't imagine Squall pressing himself up lustfully against Seifer. In fact, he couldn't even imagine Squall initiating a kiss.
Unsure whether Calder was trying to insult Squall or if the man was just curious, Seifer narrowed his eyes. "I can tell you one thing for sure. No threesomes," he stated firmly. Whenever Calder had asked about a man's behavior in the bedroom in the past it had always been with that in mind.
"My dick would shrivel at just one glare from that guy," Calder said with a light chuckle, pushing the wholly unsatisfying scenario out of his mind. "I'd prefer something else..." he added slowly. Locking his eyes with Seifer's, he opened his mouth ever so slightly and drew the blond's gaze to his lips. Licking them, he stared straight into green eyes. "Come home with me tomorrow night," he said with a coy smile. His eyes briefly travelled to Seifer's groin. "I'll suck you just as dry as on our first night," he added, deliberately forcing Seifer to remember the man's first homosexual experience.
For a moment everything wentquiet. Calder almost had to laugh at the taken aback expression on the blond's face.
"As tempting as the offer is—" Seifer started.
"Listen to yourself," Calder said and rolled his eyes. "That wasn't a business proposition," he emphasized, his point so clearly demonstrated by Seifer's response. "When have you ever said no to sex?" Before Seifer had a chance to reply, he plowed on. "He's got you wrapped so tightly around his little finger that you can't even see what's right in front of you. You're Hyne-damned housebroken," he accused. The Seifer he knew was light-years away. "When should I expect the wedding bells?"
Seifer wanted to smack the man, but then started to chuckle instead. "So you are getting jealous," he said. It was only to be expected. "Don't worry. He'll move on to his missions, back to Garden. Things will return to the way they were," Seifer said even if he couldn't quite imagine it. In fact he resented the mere thought of being separated from Squall. If he had any say in it, nothing would ever change.
"I'd like to see that before I believe it," Calder said plainly. There was no way things would go back to the way they'd been, but Calder had little to gain from convincing the man of as much. "I'll keep busy," he said, shrugging in resignation.
"Sounds like a good plan," Seifer agreed, then raised an eyebrow. "In fact… hasn't that always been our plan?" They'd never complained about each other's promiscuity before.
Calder nodded softly. "That's why I never saw this coming," he added, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. He would've sooner thought the world would come to an end than Seifer giving up one-night stands and frivolous sex."Okay, this time I really am going," he said as he stood up from the couch. Enough of being a third wheel for one day. "Let me know if you need anything," he added, attempting his best impression of one of Squall's icy looks, "but do not cancel tomorrow."
Seifer grinned, not missing the poorly executed impersonation. "I won't," he promised, and got up from the couch as well to walk Calder to the door. "See you."
"See you, Seif'," Calder said, before shutting the door behind him.
Staring at the closed door for a moment, Seifer felt baffled at everything that had just happened. For a moment he'd felt hot when Calder had reminded him of their first night together; of how he'd discovered what truly turned him on. But he hadn't wanted to do anything. Not with Calder. Not anymore. But... If it hadn't been for Calder he might never have found out about his preferences. He wouldn't have gone out of his way to experiment. Not after his unsatisfying experiences with Fu and Rinoa. The way Calder had gotten down to his knees and looked up at him… Something had clicked into place. And the rest was history. A whirlwind of debauchery. Calder eagerly showing him everything and anything the Estharian nightlife had to offer, from carnal to psychedelic or both.
And now the man had shown him something else too. That his hunger for sex was no longer indiscriminate. Only one person would do. It was crazy, but if anything, it strengthened his resolve to make Squall just as addicted to this thing between them.
He smiled, eager for the brunet to return from the bedroom. Sitting back down on the couch, he took a big bite of his sandwich. The day really hadn't ended up anything like he'd expected and what they had lined up for the days to come was even more surreal.
Dinner with the President. Packing for a trip with Squall. An appointment with Odine and then Squall and himself leaving for Galbadia. Just a week ago and he would never have guessed any of this. It was so different from how his life had fallen into place. Squall's reappearance had upended everything. But not for the worse, not anymore. He wouldn't trade what had happened between them for anything. He still couldn't believe he was allowed to touch Squall, that a lingering touch or flirting remark wouldn't earn him a scar. He chuckled softly, not actually certain that was the case. Squall was still as fierce as ever.
Even so… Squall was willing to give up his own memories for Seifer. The man's most prized possession; his privacy. It made his head spin. No one had ever shown such faith in him. How the hell was Squall going to persuade Ellone, though? He ran a hand through his hair. It would be hard to face her if Squall was successful.
He heard the door to the bedroom open and immediately looked up at Squall. "She up for it?"
Nodding an affirmative, Squall looked around the room before sitting down next to Seifer. It seemed the blond had finally been able to get rid of his friend, so they'd be able to speak freely.
"Did she say when would be best?" Seifer asked, before taking another bite from his sandwich. He couldn't believe Ellone had actually agreed; that they were doing this.
"Whenever we can get there," Squall answered, picking up the sandwich Seifer had set out for him on the coffee table.
"Alright," Seifer said, preferring to get it over and done with. "Tuesday evening then? Go straight there?"
"I'll let her know," Squall agreed. "She'll need to pick us up at the station."
"That far out into the country?" Seifer asked. "What's she doing out there?"
"...She wants a quiet life," Squall replied after some hesitance, glossing over why Ellone had picked Winhill of all places.
"How long are we staying for?"
"We should be able to leave WinhillThursday morning," Squall replied after a moment's thought. "If things go as planned."
"Okay," Seifer said, nodding, before taking another bite. "I'll give Fu a call once I'm done with this." A soft smile played on his lips then. "Who'd have thought we'd be going on holiday together?" he asked, genuinely amused.
"You didn't tell me how the chocobo fits into the picture," Squall replied affably, meeting Seifer's gaze. The man's cheer was infectious, making him almost forget how ill advised their whole plan really was.
Huffing at Squall's remark and the memory of the annoying chocobo, Seifer relented to an explanation. "Rai and Fu always rent three chocobos when we go. From the same damned place. And they always make sure to get the exact same ones, because they know one of them has some sort of fetish for making my life miserable. It never follows my orders, it continually tries to eat me, and they think it's amusing. So yeah, you being the newcomer, you get the honor of that particular joy," Seifer said, delivering the last line with a satisfied grin at his brilliant ploy.
Finishing a bite of his sandwich, Squall rolled his eyes. He didn't feel too threatened by the proposed initiation rite. "Your authority as the DC's leader has been waning, I see," he said, choosing to comment only on the embarrassing part of Seifer's explanation.
"You just wait till it's your ass being chewed on. We'll see who's laughing then," Seifer said, still smiling. This was going to be one strange trip, but as long as he mentally skipped the part where they had to visit Ellone, then he couldn't wait. "We always go survival style. No luxury goods or anything. We eat what we catch, sleep in the wild and stay clear of civilization. So be prepared for roughing it."
Interest piqued at the information, Squall didn't mind the prospect of venturing off the beaten track. "What do you hunt with? For the food?" He wasn't a bad shot, but he'd never hunted down wildlife before. He doubted a firing range posed the same challenges.
"Rifles mostly, some fishing nets and then we just keep our eyes out for wild edible plants," he said, looking Squall up and down, sizing him up. "If you don't pull your weight, you get cleaning or cooking duty. Those are the rules, so the competition is tough..." He couldn't help but grin at the image of Squall wearing an apron while cooking a fish over a bonfire for them. "I'll make sure Raijin brings a rifle for you, so you won't be relegated to dinner chores every night."
Regarding the grin and easy wink with another roll of his eyes, Squall doubted Seifer would still find the thought of him cooking amusing once the blond had tasted one of his meals. Toast and eggs was the most sophisticated meal he'd ever managed, and the eggs had been too salty.
"Tents, or out in the open?" he asked, thinking back to the few field trips they'd been on as cadets. Thanks to those, he felt confident he could at least set up a tent in record time. Seifer on the other hand had always disappeared the moment they'd reached the camping grounds.
"Tents," Seifer said, his mind already running away with fantasies of him and Squall getting up and close in the confines of his small tent. "I've got one that should fit both of us," he said, enjoying the prospect all too much. "You'll need a sleeping bag though... unless you'd prefer to share." His smile changed into a lopsided smirk. "It could be cold this time of year."
Blinking at the return of Seifer's shameless flirtation, something he now recognized as thus, Squall ignored the way his stomach flipped. "I'll buy a sleeping bag."
Already thinking up countless excuses to get into Squall's sleeping bag, Seifer reminded himself to get a new bottle of lube. He definitely didn't want to run out of that in the wild. "So yeah, a tent, sleeping bags, blankets, clothes, basic cooking utensils and weapons. That's about everything." Getting up from the couch, he brought his empty plate to the kitchen sink. He couldn't believe how eager he was getting. He hadn't looked forward to something as badly as this in years. "I'll give Fu a call," he said, getting out his phone. Dialing the number of his friend, he waited for the woman to pick up.
"YES?"
Upon hearing the stern voice he knew so well, a huge smile appeared on his face. "Hey Fu," he said, warmth entering his voice.
"SEIFER!"
The greeting he received only made his smile grow larger. "Good to hear your voice too," he said, amused. "So, how's my favorite mercenary?"
"GOOD."
"And Rai?"
"SAME."
"You guys driving each other nuts at home at the moment?"
"RAIJIN... PEST," Fujin said. He could hear Raijin mumbling a complaint in the background.
"Same old tough love as always, huh?"
"ALWAYS," his friend said, her tone light with amusement.
"So listen, I'm calling—"
"SEIFER, HOW?" Fujin never had been good at patience.
"I'm good Fu, great in fact—"
"WHY?" the woman asked. Trust her to immediately get to the core of things.
Leaning back against the counter, he held Squall's gaze as he tried to formulate a reply. "I... Well—" he stalled, wondering how much he could get away with saying in front of Squall. He also wanted Squall coming along to be the surprise of the century.
"TELL," the woman demanded without any hesitation.
"You guys up for going hunting this week?" he asked, deciding to try and change the conversation around. "Meet up on Thursday?"
"CHEAT!" Fujin exclaimed, immediately calling him out on his ploy, but apparently letting it slide. "THURSDAY, FINE." She was probably just as eager to hang out as he was.
"Great," Seifer said, excited that their plan was coming together.
"EXPLAIN, NOW," Fujin ordered, quickly getting back to business.
"...I'm bringing someone along," he said, hedging. He had to get Fujin to read between the lines.
"BOYFRIEND?" she asked and he couldn't help but grin. Fuck, if the brunet knew what he was about to say, the man would skewer him with Lion Heart.
"Got it in one," he said, looking straight into Squall's eyes as he spoke the words. "So bring another chocobo and rifle, 'kay?"
"YOUNG?"
Seifer chuckled before he answered. "Yup."
"CUTE?"
"Mhm." Yup. Squall would definitely kill him if he knew what the hell he was saying.
"SEXY?"
"Very."
"NAME?"
"You'll find out."
"...SUSPICIOUS."
"No need to be."
"...OKAY." Fujin paused, evidently trying to puzzle things together, then quickly spoke up again. This time with more resolve. "NO SEX. TENTS."
He had to chuckle again, unable to concede the point. "You say that now. I'm pretty sure you'll change your mind once you meet him."
"BET?" she asked.
"Oh yeah, I'm willing to bet," he said. Who wouldn't want to hear Squall fucking Leonhart's moans echoing through the forest?
"PRIZE?"
"A bottle of Galbadian Bluewhistle." It only seemed fitting after Squall had emptied his last one.
"DEAL."
"THURSDAY, WHEN?"
"Probably early afternoon."
"OBEL LAKE?"
He hummed in agreement. "Let's meet in Wendel, at the pub. The first round will be on me." His friends would definitely need a stiff drink in order to process the surprise he had in store for them.
"ACCEPTABLE."
"Well, then, Sweet Cheeks, I guess that's all for now."
"RAGE."
"Yeah, yeah... I know you love it."
"NEGATIVE."
"Guess you'll just have to kick me on the shins when you see me then, Baby Cakes."
"AFFIRMATIVE."
"I'll see you soon, Fu."
"BYE, SEIFER."
Hanging up the phone, he turned around to face Squall. "All sorted," he said, his mind getting distracted when he laid eyes on Squall. With all the interruptions and Calder's presence, he hadn't been able to get in much seduction since getting back, and the prospect of an afternoon and evening without being able to touch the lion wasn't appealing at all. He didn't necessarily need to fuck Squall. But he definitely needed to see Squall come again.
"What bet did you make?" Squall asked warily, trying his best to ignore Seifer's shameless gaze. From what he'd overheard, the man was intending to bring him along as a surprise guest, something he didn't think was particularly wise.
"She seemed certain whoever I'd bring along would hold us back," Seifer replied. "I'm not so sure," he said with a playful smile, sitting back down next to Squall.
Squall suppressed a sigh. Already the man's friends were protesting the presence of a nameless stranger. If worse came to worst, he could always simply leave the group of friends to their reunion. What mattered was them getting to Winhill. Finishing the last of his quick lunch, he opened his laptop and got to work.
"What're you up to?" Seifer asked, casting a quick glance at the laptop.
"Booking train tickets," Squall answered, entering his search and scanning over the results. "There's only one connection that fits a transfer from Fisherman's Horizon to Timber. It leaves at 12:30." Entering the number of passengers he wanted to book for, he continued, "In Timber we take a train southwest."
Seifer shook his head as he watched Squall's hands fly over the keyboard. Using the Garden consoles during their cadet days had seemed like cutting edge at the time, but here the brunet was, using a piece of technology ten times smaller to buy train tickets online. The world had changed radically since the fall of Adel's tomb and Esthar's opening. Despite being an Estharian citizen now, the technological revolution had mostly passed him by. He'd simply never had any cash to spare on something like that.
"How much do I owe you?" he asked.
Squall glanced at Seifer. "Nothing. I still have to repay you for your expenses."
"What expenses?" Seifer asked. "It's not exactly like you eat lots. Definitely not enough to pay for a trip to Galbadia... or should I be expecting empty cupboards here?"
Squall gave a slight shrug. Food hadn't been the only cost to him staying at Seifer's place. "You missed work because of me," he pointed out. "I could've gotten us into a SeeD compartment, but I don't need Garden to know about this." Free transport wasn't worth the trouble. "Quistis is breathing down my neck enough as is."
"You'd think she'd have better things to do," Seifer commented, wondering if it'd really be so bad for Quistis to know. "You think she'd call in the SeeD cavalry if she found out?"
Squall quirked an eyebrow as he glanced Seifer's way. "Not a chance," he replied, slightly bemused as he considered the lengths the woman would go to. "You are one of the few reasons she'd leave her post for herself."
Slightly dubious, Seifer raised an eyebrow in reply. "Really?"
Concluding the man had to be dumb if he didn't think Quistis would hunt him down in person, Squall was reminded of a phrase Selphie had used. "You're the one that got away," he said with a shrug. "You know her. She'd chew you out and set you straight. Probably try to reenlist you."
"You really think she'd try to reenlist me?" Seifer asked, looking at Squall as if the brunet had lost his mind.
Finalizing the purchase of the train tickets, Squall looked Seifer's way. He had no doubt at all that once Quistis understood the truth, she'd waste no time in reaching out. "Yes."
"Did you hit your head recently?" Seifer asked. "Might explain a thing or two," he commented with a raised eyebrow.
At Seifer's continued disbelief, Squall realized the man didn't know about the sense of loyalty that tied their group together; a group that ultimately included Seifer, whether the man knew it or not. "Don't underestimate her," he said simply, regarding Seifer levelly. "She'd want to know about you. They all would." He glanced at his laptop, remembering the folder of pictures. "But it's better they find out on your terms. If you want them to."
"My terms?" Seifer asked, thinking more and more he'd landed in some alternate universe. "You do realize just how insane this sounds, right?" he added with a raised voice. "I tried to kill them, fought on the opposite side of a war, and you make it sound like we simply lost touch."
"I didn't say it would be simple," Squall said, placing his closed laptop onto the coffee table. He knew there was little point in discussing this. Seifer would either find out firsthand or not. His choice.
"But you're saying you think they'd want to know," Seifer commented, studying Squall closely. "I don't mind them knowing. It's not like I've been hiding from anyone. I thought you'd be the one loath to have to explain our situation. You could definitely do without the association."
Squall frowned at the way Seifer made them spending time together sound like a bad thing. "I associate with whoever I want," he deadpanned. "People can think what they like."
"True," Seifer agreed, realizing he shouldn't have expected any other attitude from Squall. Back at garden Squall had never cared about other people's opinions either. "How come you haven't just told Quistis then? Got her off your case?"
"Had I done that, she'd be on both our cases now," Squall replied, wondering at the blond's obtuseness. "Here, in Esthar, to try and drag us both back to Garden."
"You wouldn't have to tell her my address," Seifer stated with the beginnings of a smirk. He liked the thought of getting under Quistis's skin and at the same time solving Squall's problem. "Just tell her we'll meet up with her once we get back."
Squall rolled his eyes. "If you're that hard up for trouble, she'll be here for that meeting." As he said the words, he grimaced at having forgotten his promise to have lunch with her after the meeting.
"Would we have time for that?"
"...No," Squall let out, already dreading the prospect of standing Quistis up. "I was supposed to have lunch with her."
"So she's going to love you even more, huh?" Seifer pointed out. "Just get it over with. Tell her what is going on and to back the hell off."
"Tell her that I'm standing her up to go on holiday with you?" Squall asked as he turned to meet Seifer's gaze, already imagining the ill-boding twitch to Quistis' brow.
"Or better yet, go for broke and really mess with her head. Tell her that we're fucking now," Seifer laughed, already imagining Quistis's heart attack. "With any luck she'll be stuck in a brain loop, trying to process that for years."
Glaring at Seifer for the crude joke, Squall hoped he'd never have to explain to the woman why sleeping with Seifer had seemed like a good idea at the time. Seifer was right about one thing though; she probably wouldn't believe him.
"Come on, you've gotta admit that's hilarious," Seifer said with a widening grin. "I'm not sure what our good old prim and proper instructor would say to the image of her two favorite students doing the nasty, but I sure wouldn't mind finding out," he added, laughing.
Squall huffed at the less than amusing scenario. "You're an idiot."
"An attractive idiot... a sexy idiot... or just someone you like to fuck?" Seifer asked, smirking. When Squall seemed to have lost his ability to speak, he moved closer on the couch and placed his head right in Squall's lap. Stretching out languidly, he grinned at the brief moment of what the fuck that crossed Squall's expression. "Sorry about interrupting your chat with Selphie earlier."
Squall failed to reply immediately, Seifer's remark unintentionally reminding him of how Selphie was the only other person to have flopped their heads down in his lap like that. Because it's comfy and it annoys you! Double win!
"I'm sure she already found another victim to entertain her," he said dryly, looking down at his lap full of idiot blond. There was no point in trying to keep up with the man. At least by taking things in stride he hoped to maintain some poise.
Letting out a low hum in agreement, Seifer eyed Squall fondly. "I remembered her earlier. Us teaming up in destroying some poor bastard's sand castle."
At the remark and the lighthearted way in which Seifer shared it, Squall felt hopeful. Maybe reminiscing about their time at the orphanage didn't always have to end up in difficult conversation. "Quistis's sandcastle," he corrected, remembering the impressive fallout. There was no doubt Selphie and Seifer had helped hone the woman's lecturing skills from an early age on.
"Just makes the memory even better." Seifer said, grinning. The surreality of him lying with his head in Squall's lap was doing wonders for his mood. Squall hadn't moved an inch to try and displace him, hadn't even done anything to indicate that he'd intruded on his personal space. The man's initial tenseness had faded, and now Squall was simply watching him. Another pleasant surprise was how comfy this was. He'd never had the impulse to get into this particular position before.
He took his time watching Squall. He still loved the way Squall looked more hardened; how the brunet had aged subtly. The longer locks were nice to touch and mess with. But the eyes were still his favorite, the scar he'd placed on Squall's forehead a close second. He still wore his own with pride.
He couldn't believe how relaxed and comfortable he felt.
How good he felt.
How good Squall made him feel.
Compelled to catalog the brunet's every feature, he didn't hide his close study. A small twitch to Squall's brow told him that the man was starting to grow self-conscious under his prolonged stare, but the brunet never looked away, giving him tacit permission. Dropping his eyes to Squall's lips, he followed the lines of the delicately curved cupid's bow, continuing down to a full lower lip. He'd been surprised by how soft Squall's lips were, and how uncertain and unskilled Squall's kisses had been at first. Squall had gotten the hang of it fairly quickly, but there'd been a newness there that betrayed how rarely the man must have kissed before. Surely Squall couldn't have been denying Rinoa something as simple as that. But if there'd been no attraction…
Sitting up, he steadied himself and leaned in for a kiss, keeping his eyes fixed on Squall's. Their lips meshed together as Squall returned his soft kiss readily. He pulled back ever so slightly, lingering a teasing distance away before moving in for another slow sampling of Squall's lips. He couldn't help himself, mesmerized by how amazing such an innocent act could feel.
For once Squall had expected to be kissed, but it hadn't made him any more prepared to deal with the depth of his own response. His head swam with unformed thoughts and new feelings he was too afraid to put a name to. His heart sped up when Seifer started to kiss him more deeply. Their tongues stroked in a languid rhythm that seemed to electrify every synapse in his body. He'd never realized the sheer variety of ways in which people could kiss, nor had he ever wanted to learn each and every single one.
When Seifer guided him to lie down on the couch, Squall followed the man's lead without thought. He exhaled unsteadily at the feel of Seifer's body covering his own, his lips immediately recaptured in a deep kiss. Seifer brought their groins together with exquisitely slow grinds, matching the unhurried pace of their tongues. A large, warm hand stole underneath his shirt with wandering caresses, their every kiss infused with sounds of pleasure, most of them unabashedly Seifer's.
Wrapping his arms around Seifer's back, he drew his entire body flush against Seifer's to better meet the man's achingly slow grinding, move for move. They were both aroused, but there was no hurry, no fumbled rush to completion. Something about the moment dissuaded crude lust, the air between them charged in a way it hadn't been before.
Inhaling deeply as he broke away for air, Seifer relished the clean, heady scent that was entirely Squall's. He'd forever associate it with this now; warmth, comfort, and the slow burn of building arousal. Tracing the curves of Squall's lips with his own, he pulled back and lowered his gaze to the brunet's parted lips. Running a hand along Squall's ribs, he watched as the man's breath hitched. He lowered his groin back against Squall's and moaned as he slid his own hardness along the stiff bulge between the man's legs. His eyes travelled up on their own accord, drawn to the man's heavy lidded gaze. He couldn't stop himself from staring.
He was fucked.
So utterly fucked.
Closing his eyes slowly, he pressed his lips against Squall's again and felt a wholeness spread throughout him. Almost as if the brunet had cast a Cure on him, a tingle spreading from their point of contact and suffusing his entire being whilst everything else disappeared from existence. It was too much. Just one fucking kiss and his world was upended. He'd never thought just one man would be enough for him. That something like this could be so insanely intoxicating. Fuck.
Feeling Seifer's gaze, the man's lips withdrawing just out of reach, Squall opened his eyes to find an inscrutable expression on Seifer's face. The intensity of it was almost alarming, those green eyes boring into his. As if they could see right through him, to the core of him.
When Squall was certain he couldn't bear another second of it, his heart nearly thudding out of his chest, Seifer suddenly pressed the entire length of his body down against his own. Seifer's nose burrowed into his hair, those warm lips playing with the sensitive skin beneath his ear. Tightening his arms around the blond, he arched his neck into the pleasurable ministrations, unable to stop the soft moan that escaped him.
Needing more, he twisted in the man's hold to meet Seifer's lips, drawing them into a hungry kiss. Hyne, it felt good to give himself over like this. To let himself want this. Emphasizing his need with a roll of his hips, he jerked in surprise when Seifer proceeded to grind into him forcefully, the man's tongue roving along his own with enough fervor to steal his breath away. Kissing Seifer back hard, he wasn't entirely sure when his hand had snuck lower to grasp the man's ass cheek. He gripped more firmly when Seifer inexplicably distanced himself, breaking their kiss just enough to leave their lips brushing against one another.
"Want me to suck you off?"
Squall held in a breath at the bluntly stated offer. His length twitched with need when the man moved down a hand between them, cupping him and coaxing an eager roll from his hips. He knew what he wanted, but the offer seemed too easy, too surreal. If he would ever have wondered what Seifer would be like in a situation like this, he'd sooner have expected the man to demand a blow job than to offer one. A frisson of excitement stole through him at the daring thought. Feeling Seifer's erection press against him, the man for once not dashing ahead where he could barely follow, Squall realized the opportunity that had presented itself. Steeling himself before he could change his mind, he met Seifer's gaze.
"What about you?"
A hot flush of arousal shot straight to Seifer's cock. He closed his eyes. Fuck. He couldn't have heard that leaked from his cock, leaving a wet patch in his boxers.
"After," he forced himself to mumble gruffly against Squall's ear. First he wanted to hear Squall moan in abandon. It would be the best Hyne-damned foreplay ever. His cock would be solid rock by the time he was through with Squall.
Moving to sit between the brunet's legs, he lowered his head and popped open the buttons of the man's fly. Pulling down the man's boxer briefs just enough for Squall's hard cock to spring free, he eyed it up hungrily. He couldn't wait to feast on it and to memorize every single detail from its tangy taste to its hot firmness against his tongue.
Blowing against the velvety tip, Seifer smirked as it swelled in response. Running his lips along the man's shaft, he inhaled deeply before repeating the move with the tip of his tongue, all the while refusing to break eye contact with the brunet.
Lapping at the ridge of Squall's erection before sliding his tongue over the head, he listened keenly as the man's breathing started to falter. Grinning, he brought the whole of Squall's tip into his mouth and swirled his tongue while applying firm suction. Squall's hips immediately jerked up and he had to chuckle.
Taking a deep breath, he drew the entirety of Squall's length into his mouth until his lips were wrapped firmly against the base of Squall's cock and he could feel the man's tip press into the back of his throat. Pulling back up, he inhaled through his nose before plunging Squall's cock all the way back into his throat again. The deep moan that left Squall had his cock throbbing. Repeating the move again and again, he loved the way Squall was growing increasingly tense beneath him, how pale fingers were starting to clutch onto the couch.
Continuing to deep-throat the man, he knew it was only a matter of moments before Squall would come. He sucked harder. He moved faster. He wanted Squall to shoot his come down his throat. He wanted to render the man speechless, to repay the fucking spell Squall had cast on him earlier. If he was Squall's, then he'd make damned sure Squall was his as well.
And there it was. Squall's hips shot up just as the man's expression seized up, hot rivulets of sharp-tasting come spurting down the back of his throat. He took it all, swallowed it greedily and then pulled back ever so slightly, just far enough to keep the head of Squall's cock inside the warmth of his mouth. With his lips still wrapped tightly around the man's shaft, he swirled his tongue around, cleaning any remnants of come while relishing the twitches it brought to the man below.
When Squall finally came to a still beneath him, he removed his mouth entirely, leaving Squall's cock to slap wetly against the man's stomach. Moving up to fill up as much of Squall's personal space as possible, he pressed his lips to the unblemished skin at the crook of Squall's neck and sucked hard.
"Fuck, I love making you come like that," he confessed against the brunet's hotskin, before trailing his teeth further up and settling on a new place to mar.
Through the haze of satisfaction, Seifer's admission was slow to register with Squall. The man was saying he liked giving him blow jobs by the mere merit that it made him come. It seemed implausibly generous, but... wasn't this what sex was supposed to be like? Making each other feel good? Drawing in a ragged breath, he bit his lip when Seifer started to grind against him, the man clearly not done with him yet. The urge to touch and explore returned tenfold.
He had tried to pay attention this time, had tried to catalog how Seifer had pleasured him, but he'd failed spectacularly. The moment Seifer had swallowed down his entire length, he'd been lost to one mind-blowing sensation after the other. He hadn't stood a chance. One thing he was certain of however. He wanted to try. He wouldn't be able to deliver the kind of skill Seifer was probably used to, but he was determined to make the attempt. If he could make Seifer feel even a fraction of what he had been given himself, then he decided it would be worth the potential embarrassment.
Mustering himself to the task he'd set himself, he pulled up his boxers and broke free from Seifer's hold on him. The growl of protest was cut short when he pushed to move on top. Seifer was quick to accommodate and turn in place beneath him, but that was where the man's compliance ended. Insistent hands grabbed his hips, locking him into place for Seifer to grind up against, hard and urgent. His window of opportunity was closing fast.
Stop thinking. Just do. Drawing in a steadying breath, he seized Seifer's wrists and forced them down against the couch.
Seifer grinned. The determined look to Squall's eyes immediately dissuaded any urge to resist. If Squall wanted to call the shots, then Seifer would be more than willing to obey. A few seconds passed as they regarded each other before Squall moved back slightly to sit further down on Seifer's legs. Squall began pulling at the hem of his pants, undoing the top button. Then the zip. Seifer lifted his hips when Squall hooked his fingers beneath the fabric, cold air rushing against his cock as it jutted out. Seifer held his breath. He couldn't fucking believe it, but he had heard Squall right earlier. The way gray-blue eyes were sizing up his cock left no doubt in his mind.
He let out a groan and threw his head back. He couldn't look or he'd shoot his load the instant Squall wrapped his lips around him. Gritting his teeth, he immediately regretted his choice and quickly looked back down. There was no fucking way he was going to miss the moment those soft lips made impact.
Shit Squall, just do it already, his mind begged, but instead of heeding his wish, Squall traced Seifer's hipline with slow caresses. And then Squall's fingers singled in, only to stop briefly at the edge of Seifer's groin. The man's hand ghosted along his erection and fuck it felt good to have those combat-hardened fingers run along his shaft.
He had to give it to the man. Squall was a natural fucking cocktease. Whether it was instinct or curiosity, the man was doing one hell of a job of teasing him all the way to the edge of no return. The man hadn't even looked up to meet his gaze since he'd started, all attention focused on his cock. The way he was being studied was fucking unbearable.
But then Squall lowered his head, a pink tongue darting out between those tantalizing lips. Seifer's eyes went wide as the moist tip pressed against the base of his cock before trailing slowly to his tip. A strangled noise left him, followed by a curse. He couldn't suppress the small frown wrinkling his brow.
Eyes darting up, Squall drew confidence from the clear approval he saw on Seifer's face. The nervous flutter in his stomach still refused to settle down, but he was beginning to think he could actually pull this off. Repeating the move with a little more pressure, he applied the entire flat of his tongue. The salty tang that flooded his senses wasn't new. He'd already tasted something like it on Seifer's kisses; his own taste. This was better. More pungent and better suited to the musk of Seifer's scent. Meeting intense green eyes again, the taste intensified as precome hit his tongue.
Pulling back, he played the substance around on his tongue. Concluding it wasn't anything he couldn't get used to, he slowly returned his lips to the tip of Seifer's length and drew his tongue along the slit and around the head. Encouraged by the deep groan that left the blond and the muscles tensing beneath his fingers, he took hold of the base of Seifer's cock, needing more control over what he was doing.
Angling the rock hard erection towards him, he took a second to steel himself before he wrapped his lips around hot, smooth skin. Limiting himself to the tip, not yet daring to tackle the full extent of Seifer's girth, he bobbed his head up and down once. The breathless "fuck" that left the blond's lips confirmed he was at least on the right track. Less hesitant, he continued, but he quickly stopped at the slightly too dry feel hindering his moves.
Realizing he'd have to accept some level of sloppiness, he backed off slightly and moistened his lips. Bending down again, he laved Seifer's cock with a few strategic licks, before wrapping his lips around the head once more. This time his lips slid wetly against heated skin. Closing his eyes, he didn't bother pondering the easy transition he'd made into going down on a man. Instead he focused on the sensations and sounds of the act as he moved his mouth along the heavy cock in his hand. The scent that hit his nose wasn't exactly pleasant, but it in his mind he already associated it with sex. When on Avalanche, he'd loved it.
Taking heed of every encouraging groan and twitch, Squall caught on to Seifer's bias for a rougher approach. Increasing the pressure of his lips and fingers, he sped up and gave a testing suck to the tip of Seifer's length. And then another, slightly harder. A trickle of saliva reached the hand he had wrapped around the base of Seifer's cock, but he ignored it, too entranced by the way Seifer was rolling his hips to meet his mouth and tongue a bit faster every time.
He could feel his own cheeks heating at what he was doing. Seifer was bucking beneath his mouth, groaning out curses, and all he could taste and smell in return was Seifer. He hadn't anticipated how sexy the blond would be; how exhilarating it would feel to be the one to bring it out. His jaw ached and the further he moved down on Seifer's length, the more difficult it became to breathe, but he didn't care.
Briefly, he wondered whether he should try more things, but he didn't want to risk making the wrong move when Seifer was actually enjoying himself. Trying to regulate his breathing through his nose, he went as far down as he could without gagging and stuck with the fastest pace he could manage. When another strangled noise left the blond, he tried to remember to massage the flat of his tongue against the base of Seifer's cock with each hard suck, even though it left him breathless.
Between his own stunted breaths and Seifer's harsh panting, he almost didn't make out the blond's warning.
"I'm close."
The low grunt-like quality of the words wrapped around Squall's brain, imprinting a heady sense of accomplishment. He was doing this the right way. He could feel Seifer reaching, those hips seeking and arching, and in that moment he realized this would have aroused him if it wasn't for the fact he'd only just come himself.
Slightly lightheaded, he accepted all of the blond's bucks and grunts. Keeping up his fast sucking motions, he glanced up to watch Seifer's expression. He wanted to see. Greeted by smoldering eyes, their gazes only held for all of a few seconds before the blond wrenched his eyes shut and went rigid, hot pulses of come flooding Squall's mouth with the man's every shudder.
Not having anticipated the lack of control that went with the messy event, Squall didn't quite manage to swallow all of the sharp tasting liquid right away. He rode out the blond's orgasm, unable to prevent a trickle of come escaping the corner of his mouth. When Seifer stilled and went limp, he eased off the man's length and worked down the remaining thick fluid with an awkward swallow.
Drawing in a greedy breath, he straightened and ran the back of his hand along his mouth and chin to wipe away what he hadn't been able to keep in. His chest rose and fell in rapid succession as he looked down at Seifer, slightly apprehensive of what the man would say.
Unable to move his eyes off Squall, wanting to remember every single fucking detail, Seifer felt his entire body hum with ecstasy. He'd just had the single most amazing blow job of his life. Not because of skill but because of who had done it: the fucking ice prince of Balamb Garden. The sexiest mother-fucking guy on the planet had just sucked him dry and swallowed his come.
There was no way he'd ever forget this. No drugs. No alcohol. Nothing had made Squall do it but the man'sown fucking will. He groaned softly as he tucked himself away.
"C'mere," he said, his voice gruff with the same need he'd felt earlier when they'd been making out slowly, the same need that was both foreign and new.
Settling close beside the satisfyingly dazed blond, Squall wasn't entirely ready yet to relinquish control. Besting Seifer in the past had always brought him a particular kind of rush, but this was better. A different kind of control. Moving half atop the man, he claimed the blond's lips, heedless of the taste that still lingered on his tongue. Seifer didn't seem to mind in the slightest, the man's arms tightening around him when Squall deepened their kiss until he could no longer distinguish who tasted of who. The part of him that felt like he was spinning out of control ever since their night on Avalanche quieted for the first time as he imposed his own pace on the blond.
A grin pulled at the corners of Seifer's lips. This was definitely the commander coming out to play. A man who took what he wanted, when he wanted it. A contented groan left Seifer as Squall pulled back for air. He looked up at the man, unable to hide his mirth.
"We should have done this years ago," he said with a sly smile as he looked up into gray-blue eyes. "Imagine that. Us sneaking off in between spars to exchange blow jobs." He chuckled lowly at the slight frown that appeared on Squall's brow. "Fuck, it makes me horny just thinking about it," he said, pressing his groin to Squall's. "I mean, sparring with you is amazing and all, but getting blow jobs from the hottest guy in Garden would've been pretty amazing too."
Quirking an eyebrow at being called 'the hottest guy' when most cadets had called him scrawny, Squall didn't reply. He figured he should count himself lucky they hadn't done this years ago. They were only one day into this… thing, and already they were neglecting their training. They would probably have failed their SeeD exams together then. Squall wrinkled his brow at the ridiculous visual of them in the 'secret area'; Garden's not quite so secret make-out spot. If anything, he would most likely just have punched Seifer for trying anything back then.
"All right... There's gotta be a rule against frowning post blowjobs," Seifer commented lightly as he regarded Squall.
Bemused, Squall met Seifer's gaze. "That wasn't the rule Garden applied," he commented dryly. Back then, the Garden Faculty had been particularly strict about fraternization and promiscuity amongst cadets. Not that sneaking into the blond's dormitory room would have posed any real challenge.
"Would've been a better rule," Seifer added, grinning. "And if it's broken the penalty is one blow job. So better watch out there, Leonhart. Could get costly."
Squall rolled his eyes. He'd like to see the man try and enforce that opportunistic rule. "I see you still make or break the rules as you like."
"Of course," Seifer said with an amused smile. "And this one I particularly like."
As the absurdity of their conversation caught up with him, Squall huffed quietly, again wondering what the hell he'd gotten himself into. Here he was, letting Seifer bargain with him over blow jobs. And he was idling around on the man's couch. Two situations that needed remedying.
"We should go," he said, shifting slightly onto his elbow. They had already stalled their training for far too long.
"Mmm, we should," Seifer agreed, yet he didn't move an inch from his relaxed position. This was far too comfortable and he knew that when they got up, he'd have to actually try and focus on training. He wanted to get better with his magic, he really did, but this was too fucking addictive. That, and he'd have to drop the bomb he'd avoided thus far.
For one more moment he savored Squall's attention and the way the man was stretched languidly against him.
"I talked with your dad," he said, watching Squall intently, not missing how the man's eyes immediately narrowed. "We're having dinner at the palace tonight."
Growing very still, Squall was instantly cured of his conflicting desire to spend the rest of the day in Seifer's bed or on the man's couch. Apparently Seifer was arrogant enough to think he could make those kind of decisions on his behalf. It was one thing to discuss his recovery behind his back, but this... He had expressly told Seifer how he felt about Loire, and of all people, he'd expected Seifer to understand.
"Have fun," he deadpanned in reply, pushing away from the meddlesome blond.
Grabbing hold of Squall before the brunet could make it off the couch, Seifer sat up. "Come on. Free food. Fancy food," he said, unable to feel sorry about it when it meant he'd get to experience the high life for once. "Laguna told me you've got something to pick up as well."
Squall frowned and pulled free from Seifer's grip. The man was most likely referring to the items he'd asked Quistis to send him. "That wasn't your call to make," he said, his words clipped with anger.
"We can skip out early. Go spar. It's just dinner."
"This is Loire," Squall said, pointing out the man's naive mistake. Fancy food, as Seifer called it, happened to come in several, lengthy courses and the president made a habit of drawing things out unnecessarily. "You don't get to skip out early."
Seifer wagged an eyebrow. "We can always work in a bit of fun whilst there."
Squall's frown deepened at the mere thought of being caught in a compromising situation by one of the palace guards. "We won't."
"Guess I'll just have to go on my own then," Seifer said, fully aware of how much Squall would loathe the prospect.
Alerted by the unconvincing nonchalance, Squall narrowed his eyes and gauged the man's intentions. The ploy was transparent enough, but that didn't change the fact that his predicament was now reduced to figuring out the lesser evil: chaperoning Seifer's visit or not. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he pushed up from the couch. "After dinner, we leave. He'll talk all night if you let him."
"Deal," Seifer agreed, fighting his grin into submission. Most likely Squall would make him pay for this stunt, but he'd gladly pay the price if it earned him the favor of the president. That, and he actually wanted to get to know Squall's dad. "You can take it out on me afterwards," he said, getting up from the couch as well.
Squall held the man's gaze sharply, still far from appeased. "I'll hold you to that." At least there was nothing like defeating Seifer in battle to vent his frustration with the arrogant blond. "What time is Loire expecting us?"
"Seven," Seifer said, before leaning in to steal one last kiss.
Letting himself savor the brief contact before Seifer moved away, Squall let out a sigh as he considered his radically changed schedule for the day. On top of already having fielded Calder's many questions, he'd also have to deal with Loire and Rinoa. His patience was starting to wear thin.
"I have to drop by Rinoa later," he told Seifer, already regretting how it would cut their training short.
Unable to keep a frown off his own expression, Seifer stopped in place. The thought of Rinoa and Squall alone together was enough to put a damper on his mood. "Sure," he said, feigning indifference.
Watching as Seifer moved away to grab his gear, Squall considered the blond's sudden frown. It seemed that despite the many phone calls behind his back, Seifer and Rinoa still weren't on the best of terms.
"Looks like we're even," he said, joining Seifer's side to grab his jacket. When he was met with nothing but a confused look, he clarified. "Your rule."
Taking a moment to catch on, Seifer grinned. "I'll pay up after the spar," he said with a wink. Hoisting his duffel bag over his shoulder, he walked to the front door.
His own gear in hand within moments, Squall was eager to get their day on track. Spirit lifting at the thought, he followed Seifer out the apartment and fell in stride beside him. The sooner they fulfilled their duties, the sooner he'd have Seifer on the other end of Lion Heart again.
~ o ~