Into Esthar

by Chemotaxis

Set two and a half years after the Second Sorceress War. Squall and Seifer have moved on with their lives, but a chance encounter in Esthar confronts them with their past. Yaoi. Seifer/Squall. Written by Wolkje & Chemotaxis. WIP.

44. Equal Footing

~ Chapter Forty-Four - Equal Footing ~

[Roshfall Forest, Greater Obel Lake Area, Friday, 31st of October, 10:37 pm]

Scrambling back across the rocky riverbank to create some distance, Squall panted hard as he deflected the flurry of blows that pressed him closer and closer to the wild currents of the river. Slippery pebbles slid beneath his feet, upsetting his footing, but he recovered just in time to turn away Seifer's gunblade with his own, the loud clang of it ringing out through the forest. His arms had started to feel heavy ages ago, his breath burning in his lungs as he tried to force an opening, but Seifer was relentless, summoning a beastly amount of strength that he was hard-pressed to counter with speed alone.

A growing sense of premonition creeped up on him when Seifer forced him into the river, ice cold water lapping up his legs and sloshing into his boots, slowing him even further. His instincts screamed at him to freeze over the river and expand the battle field, but he refused to break the rules they'd set. He resorted to kicking up a spray of water instead, temporarily blinding Seifer. Ignoring the resulting startled curse, he sped out of Seifer's reach, putting the man between the river and himself. He could not afford to let Seifer get away with that again.

Wiping the water from his face, Seifer turned to him with a grin. "Fighting dirty won't save you tonight, Princess."

Before he could even think of a retort, the bastard was on him again. He only barely fended off the onslaught, reduced to parrying and reacting rather than pressing the advantage. Seifer had clearly caught on to his tricks, keeping himself out of reach of any stray kicks or shoves that might turn the tide. Seifer's berserker strength tore at his stamina, quickly rushing him towards the limits of his abilities, but a fight was never won until it was over. If the bastard got cocky enough, he might stand a chance.

Gradually weakening the resistance of his parries, he walked a thin line between keeping Seifer off him and luring the man into a false sense of victory. The bastard's smirk widened as their gazes met over their crossed gunblades, the greedy look of impatience in Seifer's eyes signaling his chance. Sparks flew off metal as he spun away, rallying every last ounce of his strength and throwing it into a tight, quick arc of his blade. Seifer's eyes widened and for a single heartbeat they teetered on the edge, his blood singing as he guided Lion Heart into a sharp twist, rushing towards the man's exposed side.

It glinted off an impossibly quick parry, unlike anything he'd seen from Seifer before, his blade wrenched aside and his momentum propelling him into an uncontrolled dodge against the immediate attack that followed. A leg hooked behind his and he smacked down harshly onto his back. He tried to lift his blade in a last ditch effort to counter, but he was too late.

Looking up with panting breaths, he grit his teeth as the light from the few small fires they'd lit danced across Seifer's face, casting his shit-eating grin into wicked, flickering shadows. Kronos was biting into his abdomen as the bastard stepped over him and turned his blade away with a casual nudge of his foot until he was forced to drop it to the ground.

Seifer lifted Kronos away from Squall's stomach to hang at his side. His muscles were aching, his body damp with sweat and sporting a multitude of bleeding cuts and nicks, but he felt invincible. This was the unmatched rush that came with besting Squall, coursing through his veins like the most powerful high he'd ever known. And the commander hadn't held back, not in the slightest. He'd gotten Squall's best game and he'd still managed to come out the victor.

"Winner takes all, was it?"

Brow twitching at being towered over with such smug satisfaction, Squall tried to process what had just happened. When the bastard shifted to the side after a few more lingering seconds, he fought to ignore the caress of the man's lecherous gaze as he pushed up from the ground. Hyne, he should've known better than to provoke the bastard with stakes like these. The last time he'd given Seifer an opening with a risky wager, he'd ended up in the man's bed.

Seifer smirked widely as he took in his prize for the night. Already his pants were stretched tight over his crotch, but if he lost his cool and gave in to the urge to fuck Squall then and there, his plan would end before he could even start it. Squall was usually quick to shoot his load, and he was determined to beat the man to the finish line this time. Only fair after Squall's plan to blueball him. He jabbed Kronos into the pebbled riverbed before stepping right into Squall's space and undoing his own pants. "Get on your knees."

Hating the reflexive anticipation that spiked his pulse, Squall flicked his gaze to the campfire a good distance away. Fujin and Raijin were nowhere to be seen, the two probably already having retired to their tent. Swallowing his pride, he lowered himself to his knees as ordered. The curl to Seifer's lips and the casual assertion of control in the man's voice were infuriating, and somehow the sight of the man's impressive erection springing free only added to the display of dominance rather than undermining it. Seifer moved closer, until his face was level with the man's cock, its deep, musky scent circumventing all reason and shooting straight to his groin.

Seifer chuckled at the sight of Squall glaring up at him, even in such a highly compromised position. Of course the commander's pride didn't allow for an easy surrender after having lost a fight he'd so clearly expected to win. Good thing too or Squall might never have agreed to such an outrageous bet. Fuck, this was turning him on.

"You know what to do," he ordered gruffly when Squall refused to take any initiative.

Hyne help him, the bastard was really going to make him do this out in the open. Flicking his eyes past Seifer again, towards the tents, Squall didn't feel at all reassured by the lack of movement or sound. How had he let this happen? He'd kill the bastard if they were caught. But worst of all, he actually wanted to take the hard length before him into his mouth. His heart still pumped with adrenaline from the fight, his mind addled with the lustful scenarios he'd been imagining all day. He could already feel himself harden, his body's reactions indifferent to the humiliation of it all.

But a wager was a wager. He wetted his lips and angled Seifer's erection towards him. The moment his tongue made contact, his senses came alive with sharp arousal. Seifer smelled and tasted like sweat and sex and raw pulsing desire. It muddled his thoughts until they quieted and made way for instinct. Placing long, firm licks all along Seifer's cock, he relished its thick taste before guiding the man into his mouth and starting into a series of firm sucks. The slight thrusts of Seifer's hips along with the sound of breathless panting made him redouble his efforts. Seifer was so hard underneath his tongue, twitching, swelling, filling his mind with vivid memories of being fucked. His own length strained against his pants, sympathetic pangs of want flushing him to full hardness.

Seifer threw back his head and closed his eyes, groaning at the eager moves of Squall's mouth around his cock. Only moments in and he was already rock solid. "Fuck, Squall," he panted, wringing his eyes open again. The view was to fucking die for. "Take it all."

His whole fucking spine gave in the moment Squall followed orders and the man's lips moved all the way to his pubes. He couldn't believe it, his mind spinning at the tight feel of Squall's throat around his cock. Grabbing a shoulder for support, he struggled not to slump at the sheer fucking ecstasy of it.

He clenched his hands just when Squall slid his mouth off him. A deep gasp for air sounded out before renewed wetness engulfed him. His hips jerked in welcome as Squall took him in all the way to the hilt again, the familiar tingles of orgasm starting to spread at the base of his cock. His free hand jerked up to grab hold of Squall's hair.

He let out a long groan, teetering dangerously on the edge, before he managed to push Squall's mouth off him and hold the man at bay.

Tilting his head back into the hand twisted in his hair, Squall sucked in greedy lungfuls of air and looked up to find Seifer staring right back at him with lustful eyes, the man equally breathless. The back of his throat was thick with precome, his length throbbing with unfulfilled arousal. While he doubted he'd managed Seifer's request with much skill, there was no need for any uncertainty when Seifer's erection stood red and rigid just inches from his face. He'd been only seconds away from making Seifer come, the mere caress of his breaths causing Seifer's cock to twitch and flush. It took all of his self-control not to part his lips in invitation.

When Seifer's fingers slid free from his hair, he straightened and struggled to calm himself, the fog gradually clearing from his mind. His pride made an inconvenient comeback as he realized just how he must look to Seifer, sat obediently before the man, aroused and hungry to finish the job. It was exactly what he'd intended to do to Seifer if he'd been the winner.

"Get up," Seifer said, his gaze raking over Squall's body as the man got to his feet. Squall's lips were plumped red from friction, the man's frown rather unconvincing when paired with the tight bulge between Squall's legs. It was beyond hot to see how aroused Squall got just from sucking his cock. Not even their exposed location seemed to have put a damper on the man's excitement. It only made his own problem that much more urgent. "Follow me," he ordered, tucking himself away before taking the lead.

Satisfied at the sound of Squall's footfalls obediently following him, Seifer guided them right to the edge of the riverbed clearing, to where one of the small fires they'd lit fought back the darkness of the forest. The moment they reached the trees, he nodded at the nearest one that would provide a modicum of cover from prying eyes. "Put your hands on the tree. Ass out."

Squall bristled at the crude command that came in a deep, throaty voice, brooking no argument. His body however continued to disregard his mortification, rendering him helpless against the thrill of want that coursed through him at the impatient look Seifer was giving him; nostrils flared and eyes dark with lust. His erection throbbed in immediate response, despite the bastard's obvious intent to make good on his threat of fucking him and leaving him hanging.

The only token of resistance left to him was to do exactly as he was told. No more, no less. He placed his hands against the indicated tree and jutted out his hips, skipping the part where Seifer no doubt had intended for him to bare himself in the process. Even if his body screamed for release, he was determined to remain in charge of himself.

Impatience growing at the unsubtle show of defiance, Seifer stepped right behind Squall and reached around to roughly undo the man's pants. Yanking them down in one harsh tug, he was done with playing games. There was only one thing he needed and he needed it right fucking now.

Eyes locked on Squall's exposed backside, he fished out the single use pack of lube from his back pocket and squeezed its contents out onto his fingers, then pulled one of Squall's buttocks aside to spread the cold liquid over the man's anus. Pushing his fingers inside, he fucking loved the hiss that left Squall in response. No matter how much Squall was trying to hold his ground, he knew that once he was sinking his cock into Squall and fucking him senseless, Squall would cave. The man had already betrayed himself the moment he'd wrapped his lips around Seifer's length. By the time he was through with Squall, the man would be delirious with want.

Squall drew in a sharp breath when Seifer's probing fingers retreated, immediately followed by the rough touch of Seifer's hands as they pried his buttocks apart. He could feel the warmth radiating off Seifer's body as he positioned himself in place, the man's breaths coming in fast, and then there was only pure heat the moment Seifer began to push into him with one long thrust, cleaving him open.

Any hope he'd had of casting his mind elsewhere while Seifer got off crumbled utterly. There was no saving himself from the crippling desire that seized hold of his body. It was all he could do not to meet the second thrust into him, or the third, or fourth. He forced himself to stay still, but Seifer more than countered his silent protest, making him feel every inch of the bastard's cock with excruciating, glorious detail.

He bit down on the inside of his cheek when Seifer's pace picked up, every rough thrust accompanied with a deep, guttural moan, sparking pleasure deep within him. His hands clenched tightly in search of better purchase, bark crunching beneath his gloved fingers as the bastard rocked him harder and harder. He could feel his own moans rising up to his lips, but he held them back through sheer will.

Seifer tightened his grip on Squall's hips. If Squall wasn't going to meet his thrusts, he'd just have to fuck him harder. Keeping the man firmly in place, he set a harsh pace and locked his gaze on where his cock was thrusting into Squall. The pressure around his cock coalesced with Squall's stunted breaths as the man desperately tried to hide just how badly this was undoing him as well. He could easily imagine how any second now Squall's cock would let out ribbons of hot come and the thought drove him wild. He shut his eyes, felt every sensation even more keenly and let the waves of ecstasy wash over him.

His cock pulsed as he emptied himself into Squall. Savouring the feeling, he hooked his arms around Squall's stomach and pushed in deep a final few times before the world slowly came back into focus. Squall's skin was damp against his cheek, the man trembling ever so slightly in his hold and tense as hell. He lowered a hand and ghosted his fingers along Squall's length, the man tensing even further at the brief touch. Still fucking rigid.

Fuck yes. He'd won. Hands down, no fucking doubt about it. The real victory he'd been planning for ever since Squall had made his proposal. He'd come first and here Squall was, impaled on his cock and so damned close it was almost painful to witness. He pulled out by a careful inch, then stayed in position with Squall still stretched around him. Just enough to tease. Just enough to tempt Squall into thrusting back onto his eagerly awaiting cock. "Feel that?" he spoke into Squall's ear. "Want more?"

Squall let out a choked sound of frustration. The bastard had stopped just when he was so unbearably close to his own orgasm. He'd known this was coming, but his body was in utter denial. Seifer's cock was still twitching inside him, a feeling he now intimately knew to connect with the receding waves of the man's orgasm. Hyne, whatever the bastard's aim was for leaving him hanging like this, he'd had enough. His ass and erection were throbbing with something that went beyond mere arousal. It was an all-consuming ache that pulled his entire body taut with desperation, threatening to wipe out any shred of decency he had left.

But he refused to beg.

"Fuck me or pull out," he demanded hoarsely, his voice a wreck. One way or the other, he needed this bet to be over before he did something he'd never live down.

Seifer felt his face split into a manic grin at the rude command. "All you have to do is ask nicely and I'll give you what you want. Exactly what you want." He pushed back in, by the same careful inch, aware he was playing with fire. The man didn't move a muscle, not letting a single sound escape, let alone a plea. "No?" he asked playfully, bringing down his hands to stroke Squall's buttocks before speaking lowly into Squall's ear. "Then take it. Make yourself come."

The maddening feel of being stretched wide around Seifer's unmoving erection almost caused Squall to miss the inherent mistake in the bastard's last order. Like hell he'd stoop to obediently impaling himself onto Seifer's cock under such compromised circumstances.

Junctioning before Seifer could say another word, he slid off Seifer's cock. The Blind and Silence spells hit their target before he'd fully turned around, his palms meeting no resistance when he gave Seifer a hard shove. His pulse soared as he watched the bastard fall onto his ass, properly incapacitated, a string of curses escaping that devilish mouth.

Pushing up onto his elbows, not sure what the hell had just happened, Seifer frowned at the complete darkness that greeted him. He'd pissed Squall off badly to have earned himself a reaction like that. He could hear the rustling of fabric and the muted but angry panting of Squall's breathing.

Branches creaked and snapped underneath the fall of heavy boots, moving closer. A boot nudged against his left thigh, the other appearing to his right. He looked up without seeing anything, sensing Squall's looming presence above him. A sudden whirl of motion startled him, but no punches followed. Instead Squall was on him, his shirt yanked up forcefully, his entire chest exposed as a hand shoved him flat onto his back and kept him pinned into place.

He held his breath. Squall was junctioned and there was nothing he could do about it. He groaned when a hand moved to hold the base of his cock, followed by familiar heat and tight friction gradually enveloping his hard length.

Squall was taking what he wanted and making himself come. Just as ordered.

"Fuck," he hissed, his eyes rolling back at the feel of Squall driving himself down on his cock. There was an aggressive edge to the man's moans he'd never heard before, everything about Squall's movements warning him to lie back and take whatever Squall felt like doling out. And fuck, it felt amazing. He'd come just moments ago and already his cock was rock hard again. No one had ever dared to take him on with such rough force.

He felt Squall's hand clench against his chest as the man thrust down hard with a trembling moan. A few more plunges and Squall went rigid, wetness splattering onto his stomach.

"Fuck—" he started breathlessly, wanting to see and feel. Bringing up his hands to knead Squall's thighs, he threw his head back while Squall slowly rode out the last pangs of his orgasm. It was a fucking crime he'd missed the view.

"Shit, Squall," he cursed breathlessly, his hips raising off the ground of their own accord. "Remove the fucking Blind. Now."

Catching his breath as his entire body buzzed with the power of his release, Squall flicked his gaze along Seifer's body to rest on the man's face. A thrill ran through him at the frustrated frown he found there, the man's voice laced with a desperation that was far more satisfying than the bastard's cocky orders.

Grabbing hold of Seifer's wandering hands, he leaned in over the man and pressed them into the ground above Seifer's head. Only then did he do as instructed.

Feeling the gentle magic of Esuna swirl through his body, Seifer opened his eyes to look straight into silver glowing irises. He couldn't fucking breathe, mesmerized by the assertive fire to Squall's eyes. Squall was too fucking hot like this, demanding and one-hundred percent in control. He could fucking come from the strong grip on his wrists alone.

The hard press of Squall's lips and the man's insistent tongue made him want to yield even more. All he could think about was getting more of this, more of Squall taking everything he wanted. More than he'd ever given to anyone else. A frisson of deep want shuddered through him, short-circuiting his brain and pumping him rigid. He fucking loved this forceful side to Squall. He'd seen glimpses of it before, but this… He moaned into their kiss and pushed his hips off the ground to thrust into Squall.

Above him, Squall withdrew from their kiss and finally released his wrists to move back into an upright position. His hands jerked in an immediate attempt to touch Squall, but a heavy weight kept his wrists pressed against the ground. The slightest hint of a curl to Squall's lips told him it was entirely deliberate. Magic. Cheeky fucker. Of course he had to fall for the one fucking person who'd use magic as a restraint during sex. And it was making his cock swell. Bucking his hips again, needing the friction, he was stopped when Squall ground into him hard and pinned his hips into place with unnatural strength.

Seifer felt goosebumps line his arms and back at the authoritative gleam to Squall's eyes. The man was doing things his way now. Narrow hips lifted up as far as possible, almost far enough for his cock to slip free. Seifer sucked in his breath and held it deeply in his lungs.

Placing a staying hand against Seifer's abs, Squall closely watched every twitch to Seifer's face as he slid back down onto the man's cock, immediately following it up with another quick lift and an even faster drop. Seifer's gaze was dark with lust even as the man was straining reflexively against the press of his hand and the strong weave of gravitational magic around the man's wrists. Continuing to forbid all movement, he picked up speed and kept his eyes glued to the useless twitches of the well-toned muscles beneath his palm. Junctioned, it required no effort at all to both restrain and ride Seifer, hard and fast.

Seifer's rough panting and groans went straight to his head, further aggravating his renewed arousal. Unable to stifle his own moans, he moved faster still. Seifer had wrought this terrible need in him, thinking he could be ordered around and denied without repercussion. Driving Seifer's cock deep into him, he could feel the first teasing sparks of another orgasm shoot through him. Seifer was at his mercy now.

Wanting to move badly at the look Squall was giving him, Seifer let out a moaning stream of curses. His touch starved hands twitched against the ground, his lower back muscles starting to cramp as he failed to meet Squall's downward thrusts. Fuck, not that the man needed any help. Or wanted any.

Forcing himself to relax and ease into Squall's restraints, he stopped trying to take charge of all the sensations washing over him, through him, unchecked, outside his control. Silver eyes bored into his as Squall rode him fiercely and rendered him entirely fucking mindless. And then Squall froze, the hard press of Squall's hand against his chest becoming almost painful as the man came once more, new wetness spilling onto his stomach. He hissed in blissful agony, following closely after with powerful waves of pleasure that seemed to shoot straight up from the base of his spine. Squall made sure to take it all with slow but purposeful thrusts, before coming to a panting and shaky stop.

The silver glow to the man's eyes flickered and doused, the magic dissolving from Seifer's wrists seconds after, leaving pins and needles in its wake. Not about to ask whether his release had been intentional or a post-coital accident, Seifer took advantage of Squall's slackened hold and surged upward to gather the man in a crushing embrace and claimed the man's lips.

Squall moaned softly into the sneak attack kiss, his brain too muddled to consider denying Seifer such a small pleasure any longer. Meeting the eager strokes of Seifer's tongue with his own, he deepened the kiss and poured the last embers of his calming passion into the exchange. His pulse and breathing slowed as he let himself enjoy the possessive hold Seifer had on him, the man refusing to let go of his regained freedom. He found he no longer minded, any remaining ire burnt out of him with his last orgasm, leaving his body satisfyingly tired and heavy.

Perhaps sensing the change, Seifer pulled away with a final nip at his lips before meeting his gaze. His heart beat faster again at the broad smile that greeted him, those green eyes alive with mirth when Seifer started into a breathless peel of laughter.

"Not just a Commander in the field, huh?" Seifer said, looking down at the mess coating his abs with a wide smirk. "Good thing I'm a gracious winner."

Unfazed by the implication that he was the opposite, Squall loosened his hold around Seifer's shoulders to better regard the man. "I never broke any rules."

"Hn. Just bent them a little." Seifer leaned in to pull Squall's lower lip between his own with a gentle nip, then ran his hands along the man's naked thighs. He let out a chuckle when he spotted Squall's pants and underwear a small distance away, hastily and angrily kicked to the side. "You're hot when you're worked up," he commented in between soft kisses.

"You took things too far," Squall said unapologetically, answering with a sharper nip of his own.

Not replying immediately, Seifer took his time stealing more kisses instead. "I'll have to do that more often then."

Squall's brow twitched at the worrisome threat, stated so happily while Seifer's hands slid up his sides and back, underneath his shirt. "You can try," he said dryly, his eyes traveling the lines of Seifer's lips. "I won't be responsible."

Seifer hummed in contentment, not about to admit that he fucking craved it already. He grinned widely at the thought of just how different Squall was in the bedroom compared to everyone's perception of the man. He'd even fallen into that trap himself, more often than not having imagined Squall to be frigid back in their teenage days. He couldn't have been more wrong. He deepened their kisses, his hands sliding over firm muscles.

Feeling too grimy to let Seifer tempt him into another romp, Squall pulled away from Seifer's eager lips and pushed off the man, his move steadied by Seifer's hands. His legs ached as he stretched them, Seifer's come immediately trickling down his thighs. Seifer didn't look much better off, the man's exposed stomach covered in ejaculate, his blond hair matted down with sweat. A day of riding, a hard spar and even harder sex hadn't exactly left them in the best of states. Able to smell himself, he shrugged out of his damp shirt and picked up his remaining clothes before walking over to the river.

Seifer quirked an eyebrow as he watched the spectacular sight of one very naked Squall, clad only in boots, striding over to the water without any hint of discomfort at his nudity. Not frigid and definitely not a prude either.

Taking off his own shirt, he wiped off the drying come on his abs before pushing up from the ground. He could definitely do with some cleaning up as well. By the time he made it over to the rocky riverside, Squall was already waist deep and diving into the water, the man applying the same no-nonsense approach to this as he did to everything else.

Undoing his pants and boots right next to where the water was lapping at the pebbles, Seifer eyed up the water with a hint of trepidation. When their spar had veered off into the water it had been cold as fuck. Letting out a curse as he stepped into it, he wished that for once in his life he could appear as graceful and unaffected as Squall. Not a chance in hell.

At the sound of Seifer's nearby voice, Squall broke through the surface of the water and looked behind him. His lips curled into a smile when he spotted the comical display of Seifer letting out sharp curses and wading into the river with awkwardly stilted motions, the man's silhouette backlit by the fires on the riverbed. Swimming closer until his feet touched rock again, he stood up and braced himself against the current.

"Cold?" he called out.

Looking up to meet Squall's amused gaze, Seifer decided that to hell with it all, painful or not, he was going to just charge in there. A couple of quick strides later and both his hands were clenching underneath the water. His balls had probably already shrivelled up and died because he could no longer feel them. At least Squall was staying put as he made his way over. Not that he'd be able to stay in the freezing water long enough to take any real advantage of the naked man in front of him. The witty retort he'd been hoping to speak died on his lips as another loud curse left him. "Fuck."

Squall eyed the slight shiver to blue lips with pity, unable to remember the last time he'd felt that cold himself. Stepping closer, he placed his hands on Seifer's shoulders and let the buoyancy of the water lift him up until they were kissing. Strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him close, letting him feel the shivers that wracked Seifer's body. After a few twining strokes of their tongues, he pulled back and studied Seifer's face. "You should get out."

"No shit," Seifer agreed, a short chuckle leaving him. "I'll go warm up by the campfire." He let Squall go after one last kiss. Ducking under the water briefly, he ran his hands through his hair when he came up for air. That was all the cleaning he'd bother with in the freezing river. Making it out of the river in record time, he cursed as the wind stole any remaining heat from his body. If anything it was actually worse out of the water than in. He shivered as he grabbed his boots and worn clothes and hurried over to the camp. It was too fucking cold to steal any more glimpses of Squall.

Dumping his stuff by the tent, he hurried inside and dried off as quickly as possible. The moment he was wearing clean boxers and a t-shirt, he wrapped a large blanket around himself and grabbed a towel for Squall. Back over by the campfire he sat down and placed Squall's dry towel next to him on the log. He could already feel some of the heat returning to him as he opened up the blanket in front of him to soak up the warmth radiating off the fire and gulped down another cup of hot tea.

Over by the water, the small fires they'd lit along the riverbed for their spar were starting to dwindle, casting the river in darkness and depriving him of any ogling he might have done. The mere thought of Squall swimming around in those freezing waters chased another shiver down his back. Adding a few thick branches to the campfire, he hummed contentedly as the heat of the flames sank into his chilled flesh.

He couldn't help but smile. That same lovestruck smile that probably made him look Hyne-damned stupid as fuck. But it had been such an amazing night. And fuck, Squall had been so sexy when taking charge. The way he'd driven Squall right to the edge with want, enough so for the man to lose his cool. It had completely blindsided him how entirely hot it made him. He'd never allowed that before. No-one had ever even tried to restrain him. He'd always made sure to give off an air of being the one in control, never relinquishing even an inch. Not truly. Not where it mattered. Tonight though, he'd been more than happy to let Squall seize control.

His mind froze, his gaze darting over to the riverside though he still couldn't make out Squall in the dark. He'd never thought about it before, not with anyone else, hadn't allowed his mind to go there, but for a moment his senses were thrust into full acuity at the fantasy of Squall fucking him.

The imagined feel of Squall thrusting into him sent a dull ache to his groin. His pulse erupted into a fast beat as he remembered the hungry determination in Squall's eyes. Maybe Squall had imagined it too? Had wondered what it would be like? It seemed like insanity he hadn't even considered the possibility before.

It had to be an intimacy thing. Too exposed, too fucking vulnerable to let someone do that. Calder had asked, but had obviously not held out too much hope since he'd immediately taken Seifer's refusal at face value and had never brought the topic up again. Maybe things would be different with Squall. They always were.

Maybe he'd actually let Squall go there. Hell, if tonight was any indication, he might just get his rocks off in record time with Squall on top. His smile turned lopsided again. He severely doubted he'd be as trigger happy as Squall when stuffed on cock, but it was still worth trying. And if it turned out to be a bad bet, they always had this as a fallback. Not bad by a long shot.

The sound of water breaking down by the river and footsteps growing closer drew his gaze up into the dark night. Squall was strolling over unhurriedly with his clothes stuffed underneath an arm, boots shoved back on and two gunblades in his hands, as if he hadn't just taken a skinny dip in ice cold water. Not a single fucking shiver to be seen. At least the man looked damned fine, dripping wet like that. Seifer nodded at the towel next to him, then took Kronos and Lion Heart from Squall and jabbed the blades into the ground.

Laying out his clothes and shoes to dry on the nearest log, Squall grabbed the towel that had been warming by the fire. He gave a nod in thanks, but Seifer just looked at him with a lopsided smile that bordered on the lewd side. Rolling his eyes, he moved to face the fire and toweled his hair and skin dry. The cold water had been refreshing, soothing and numbing all the small aches in his body. In contrast, the heat of the fire made him feel sluggish. Seifer seemed to prefer it greatly however, leaning far too close to the fire.

Wrapping the towel around his waist, he nudged a cold foot against Seifer's shin and suppressed a smile at the resulting hiss of complaint. "Move over."

Doing as ordered, Seifer grinned. Now this was the life. Warming up by the fire while well worn from the exertion of sparring and one-hundred percent sexually sated. And with enough dirty fantasies to last him into the new year.

"Worth the wait," he commented with a wicked grin.

Too late to completely stifle an answering curl to his lips, Squall looked towards the fire. "Don't let it go to your head."

"Much bigger chance of it going somewhere lower with the new fantasies you've supplied me with. You sure get creative with magic."

Rolling his eyes, Squall considered the changed nature of their spars, the adrenaline of the fight irrevocably contaminated with lust. He hadn't really understood the why of that until tonight. For as long as he remembered, he'd always wanted to compete with Seifer and measure up. And while part of it had been honest admiration, another less noble motivator turned out to be the desire to dominate. The discovery might have unsettled him if not for Seifer's enthusiastic participation.

"How long have you been waiting to do that?" Seifer asked with a smile, wagging his eyebrows. "I mean, I did promise to fulfill your dirtiest fantasies, but I'm starting to think I might've underestimated you. What else you got in store for me?"

Glancing beside him at the teasing question, Squall didn't even attempt a reply. Each and every single urge Seifer had stirred in him so far had managed to blindside him completely, his current relationship with Seifer far removed from anything he'd ever thought possible, let alone something he'd actively fantasized about.

"I didn't hear you complain," he replied evenly, leaning over to pick up the kettle by the fire.

Seifer chuckled at the transparent deflection. Watching Squall pour himself a cup and sit back down, he considered the man's every move with new eyes. New desire. "And I'm not about to either. Just saying I had no fucking clue you run so hot beneath the surface. You hid that well." A smile spread across his lips when Squall just met him with a noncommittal look. "Promise me you'll use magic like that again soon. Or will I have to provoke you again?"

Squall let out a snort. "I'll take you down a peg anytime, anywhere."

"Can't fucking wait, Princess," Seifer said eagerly. "No one's ever had the guts to do what you did."

Squall huffed, remembering how people used to shrink away from Seifer when he'd been strutting the hallways of Balamb Garden. The cocky display had never managed to intimidate him. Perhaps because deep down he'd always known Seifer's true nature, despite the endless provocations and fights. "I have the benefit of years of experience," he said with a lift to his lips.

"That you do." Squall had always given as good as he got. One of the many reasons Seifer was so fucking obsessed with the guy. And now that was starting to translate into the bedroom as well. "Who knows, maybe I'll even let you take it further."

Quirking an eyebrow, Squall glanced at Seifer to try and gauge the sincerity of the statement that implied the man was up for more submission in bed. He wasn't sure how to deliver if that's what Seifer was after. His loss of composure that evening had been entirely instinctual, something he doubted he could recreate on demand. "Further?" he baited dryly, masking his uncertainty. "I had you completely restrained."

"And you loved every moment of it." Seifer met Squall's gaze with a broad, lopsided smile. Squall looked so fucking gorgeous with his hair still wild and damp and the thought of being fucked by him wasn't offputting in the slightest. On the contrary. After all these years of only dishing it out, he wanted to feel what it was like to take cock. That, and he wanted to see what Squall would look like in the moment of coming, when taking that sweet friction for himself. "But I was thinking of something different. You topping."

Confused when he'd been on top just that evening, Squall didn't dare make any assumptions. "You mean…"

"You fucking me for a change."

Squall's brain ground to a halt at the blunt proposal. He stared at Seifer, at the tilted smile that suggested the man was completely at ease with his declaration. His pulse erupted into a nervous flutter that didn't quite match the usual excitement he felt whenever Seifer showed him something new. He'd never considered it, but then again, that was the norm when it came to Seifer's proposals. His imagination was forever lacking in that department.

Seifer smirked at the bemused expression Squall was sending him. "I have no fucking idea if I'll like it, so you might not get far. But going by how quickly you shoot your load, it can't be all bad. So if you want to try it, I'm game."

Unable to process everything contained within Seifer's crude clarification at once, Squall wasn't even sure it sounded like Seifer expected much of his own suggestion. Instinct immediately made him bristle at the weird accusation that he was quick to come, but he had no frame of reference to challenge the man over the matter. He hadn't even realized it was something he should have been paying attention to. And then it sank in what Seifer had truly said.

This was a first for the man. Something Seifer hadn't done before.

He wasn't sure why he wasn't surprised. He should have been. Ever since Avalanche he'd assumed Seifer knew everything there was to know about sex, knowledge gained by extensive past experimentation.

"Why?" It was all he could think to ask, his confusion too loud for him to be able to specify his misgivings any more than that.

"It might be hot as hell," Seifer said, starting to realize how strange the whole idea seemed to Squall. He couldn't even fault him for it, not when he hadn't spared it any thought himself. "I want to see you lose it. It feels fucking amazing to come like that."

Squall battled a frown. He didn't like how Seifer's motivation seemed to center on his pleasure, the man himself resigned to the possibility of it maybe feeling good. He couldn't quite imagine himself with Seifer that way. Up until now at least one of them had always known the way. From the very start, Seifer had been very clear and unwavering in what he wanted from him, taking the lead with a firmness that in retrospect seemed more than just the experienced initiating the inexperienced.

Seifer had never, not once, guided his hand to explore any lower than the man's groin, when most other touches had been encouraged and indulged. A touch denied meant something with Seifer, but he'd never stopped to question it. Every single tryst with Seifer had been so mindblowingly good, there'd never been any need to.

"Why now?" he tried again, unable to pinpoint why he felt so unsure.

"Because I trust you." The answer came so naturally, Seifer didn't doubt it as the truth for even a second. Why trust was needed for someone fucking him and not the reverse was harder to figure out, but he wanted things with Squall he'd never even attempted with others. "And because with you it's not just fucking."

Squall grew still at the honest reply. For him it had never been about just sex, not even that very first time. Who topped mattered little to him and he suspected sex with Seifer would be good no matter what form it took. He wasn't sure what the difference had to do with trust, but it clearly mattered to Seifer.

For him it took love to be able to be with someone in a sexual way. He knew that now, unequivocally, despite having tried very hard to deny all the obvious signs. He'd assumed it took mere physical attraction for Seifer. His own hurdle had been right at the start, so he'd never considered others might qualify different kinds of sex, requiring different kinds of connection. It was an alien concept to him, but even scarier was the thought that Seifer trusted him with something he'd never entrusted to anyone else.

He looked away from the fire to meet Seifer's gaze. "So… you want this?"

"Yeah. I do," Seifer said, things finally starting to make sense. Once again, Squall was far more concerned with Seifer's desires and needs than his own. That's what was holding Squall back. "Shit. Let me make this as clear as possible. I've never looked at a guy and wondered about this. Never. Didn't even consider it after blatant offers. Right now though, just looking at you and thinking about what it might feel like makes my dick grow hard. So yes, I want this."

Such a vulgar declaration shouldn't be as reassuring as it was. Squall held Seifer's gaze and felt a spark of interest take root in his pulse despite himself, small and curious and cautious. He still couldn't imagine it, but now the idea hung between them, palpable and growing larger and more plausible the longer they looked at each other. His heartbeat quickened, heat creeping up his neck.

"I don't know how to make it good," he warned, cutting off the part of him that favored action over caution. He didn't ever want to abuse Seifer's trust.

"Lube, and lots of it," Seifer joked even though he knew that for most guys he'd been with it was also the honest-to-Hyne truth. Squall was an exception, like always. And said exception was starting to eye him up with a heated gaze he had every intention of exploring. He'd already made up his mind, so fuck waiting. "Getting hot under that towel there, Squall?"

Squall raised an eyebrow, not sure why he'd expected Seifer to be any more reverent about this than any other sex they'd had so far. Seifer was the textbook definition of impudence, talk of trust or no. Before he could think of a suitable reply, the man just got up with a knowing smile and started to saunter towards their tent. It was a very persuasive display, cocky and infuriating in a way only Seifer could pull off.

Casting a quick glance towards Fujin and Raijin's tent, he still couldn't discern a single sound or movement. If they hadn't woken by now, they probably wouldn't. He set down his forgotten cup of tea, got up as well and followed Seifer into their tent. Ducking underneath the tent flap, he watched Seifer cast aside his blanket and sit down on top of their sleeping bags. The blond must have been busy earlier, their sleeping bags already spread out with the clear intention of them sharing what little space the tent offered in the most intimate of ways.

Sending Squall a lewd smile, Seifer yanked off his shirt as Squall joined him on top of their makeshift bed. He'd already lit the small camping lantern suspended from the ceiling of the tent, the warm hues of the light drawing his gaze to Squall's well-trained arms and pecs. Entirely too fucking sexy.

Lifting his hips, he pulled off his boxers and grabbed the larger bottle of lube from his duffel bag, then chucked it Squall's way. It was fucking weird to know it was going to be used on him this time, but part of him was ridiculously curious as well. Taking hold of his hard cock, he gave himself a couple of quick strokes before getting all up in Squall's space and tugging the towel wrapped around the man's waist loose. Squall's cock was rigid and pumped red too. A clear sign thatSquall was just as eager to explore this new territory.

Refraining from comment when Seifer tossed the wet towel aside in a messy heap, Squall was glad for the distraction when the man leaned in and kissed him. The bottle of lube felt cold and conspicuous in his hand, so he set it down for now and let himself be carried away by the caress of Seifer's lips, drawing him in, coaxing him in a way he knew was intended to make him relax. Realizing as much didn't make it any less effective.

As the twining of their tongues deepened, a warm hand crept up his thigh, up his side and slowly down again. Moving closer, wanting more of their skin touching, he could feel Seifer smile against his lips before the man sucked on the tip of his tongue. Hard.

His erection started to ache with need as they kissed, nipping and teasing moves alternated with greedy bouts of conquest. By the time Seifer broke away, he was breathless, no coaxing required for him to lay down with Seifer when the man moved onto his back. Precedent would now have him moving astride Seifer, but this time he settled slightly beside, slightly over the man and placed a leg between Seifer's. His heart began to beat faster when Seifer immediately accommodated him and spread his legs to make more room for him. Jittery nerves plucked at his stomach as he looked down at Seifer, only an inch between their faces.

Catching Squall's lips in another hungry kiss, Seifer grabbed hold of the man's buttocks. Just one last moment of control before he'd let Squall take over. He felt every inch of Squall's hard cock between them, acutely aware that it wouldn't be long before that same length would be pushing into him. Completely fucking surreal. He had no clue what to expect, the anticipation sending thrills of excitement up his spine. He clenched his grip on Squall's buttocks one final time and ground himself up against Squall's warm skin, before resting his hands in a loose hold on Squall's waist.

Another jolt of nerves lanced through Squall when Seifer ended their kiss and shifted subtly beneath him to give him the space he'd need. His brain briefly froze at the prospect, but the soft grin Seifer sent him silenced his self-doubt long enough for him to move into a kneeling position between Seifer's legs and pick up the bottle of lube. His gaze traveled Seifer's body as the man shamelessly spread his legs wider, one hand propped underneath his head and the other resting languidly on his stomach, in a pose of relaxed confidence. His breath stuck in his throat.

Start simple. Do something.

Uncapping the bottle of lube, he squeezed out a large helping of the slippery substance and warmed it between his hands. All the while Seifer eyed him up with an obvious anticipation that made it hard not to fumble the bottle as he set it aside. He allowed himself one more second of delay and study before wrapping a hand around Seifer's cock and giving it a firm few strokes. He trailed his other hand further down to tight balls, massaging and fondling, gauging Seifer's expression as he let his touch wander.

Moaning softly at Squall's warm hands on him, Seifer kept his eyes trained on the man. Squall's focus on the task before him was fucking hot, just like the first time Squall had gone down on him. The hand that was playing with his balls drew lower, starting to massage the area beneath. Closer to no-man's land.

He breathed slowly, focused on the slick warmth trailing against his cock. He knew relaxation was key to this, just as much as desire. He'd learned that lesson early on with his first partners, yet had to suck in a gasp of air when Squall's fingers dipped lower to stroke against his anus.

Shit, it actually felt good. Intense. Ticklish even. His cock jolted in Squall's hold, flushing to its full girth. Why the hell hadn't he tried this sooner?

Every single slide of Squall's fingers over his anus made him pant harder, every single circling motion causing his hips to push against Squall's pumping hand. The combination was incredible and there was no fucking way he was keeping a lid on it when it meant even more of Squall's undivided attention. Good thing he'd already come twice that night or he would have been in real trouble. He closed his eyes and arched his head back, focused solely on Squall's touch.

Spurred on by the clear approval in Seifer's every reaction, Squall felt his own arousal start to push to the forefront, jeopardizing his concentration. The strangeness of touching Seifer like this lessened with every stroke and accompanying moan, making it increasingly difficult not to let his thoughts jump ahead to the final reward. His gaze was glued to the entirely novel view, quickening his pulse. Positioning one finger just right against Seifer's entrance, he pushed it inside.

Eyes flying open at the foreign feel of something slipping in where it quite evidently should be moving out, Seifer looked down, as if watching would actually change the weird feeling one bit.

That really wasn't how he'd expected it to feel. Especially not with how amazing every single touch up until then had felt. It wasn't exactly painful. Not anymore at least, now that Squall had stopped in place and was watching him with a slight frown. Even the hand on his cock was no longer moving. He felt Squall pull his finger back out and his ass clenched like there was no fucking tomorrow. Stifling a curse at the uncomfortable sensation, he realized he had to act fast if he didn't want Squall to pack up shop and never, ever, attempt this again.

"Alright. That was not what I expected," he stated blatantly, willing his buttocks to unclench. He nodded at the lube. "Try some more of that."

Frozen in place at the sudden change in Seifer, Squall wasn't sure this particular situation called for the man's usual obstinacy. Somehow he'd managed to mess up right at the very start. "We should stop."

"No fucking way." Seifer wasn't giving up and he was the one about to undergo a rectal exam. If he could get others to loosen up and enjoy it, then so could Squall. "Just stick some lube on your finger, ease it in slowly and distract me for a bit. When you can get your second knuckle in and have me moaning, we're golden." He grinned. "At least until you try two fingers."

Squall frowned, unable to mirror Seifer's levity. He'd been under the impression he'd been going slow, but now it seemed he couldn't even trust himself to properly read Seifer's reactions. More hesitant than when starting out, he picked up the bottle and squeezed out another big helping of lube while considering how to fulfill the 'distraction' part of Seifer's instructions. Clearly stroking Seifer's length wasn't enough.

Placing a careful touch against Seifer's entrance, not yet pushing in, he angled Seifer's cock towards him with his other hand. At least the man was still mostly hard. Leaning down, he took Seifer's length into his mouth and started into a slow sucking pace. Soft flutters of the tongue, slow circles and strokes of his fingers. He attuned all his senses to even the smallest reaction, vowing himself to do better.

All thoughts of discomfort successfully blown from his mind at the wet suction around his cock, Seifer held Squall's gaze and an electric spark shot up his spine at the determination that met him. If he'd thought he'd been at the center of Squall's attention before, then he was the fucking center of the man's universe now.

He panted lowly, pushed his hips up to meet Squall's downwards moves. It was a fucking sin how good Squall had gotten with his mouth, how the man could make him unravel with such ease. He couldn't take his eyes away from that clever pink tongue lapping away at his cock, teasing the slit, before Squall plunged him deep into his mouth again. Fuck, those eyes and lips would make a lesser man weep. And then he felt it. A tentative touch of Squall's index finger against his hole, wet and smooth with lube.

He focused on the swirl of Squall's tongue around his glans as the man's finger slipped inside him, slow and incremental. The penetration itself wasn't nearly as unpleasant as the initial experience but it still was Hyne-damned odd. Odd but more and more intriguing by the second as he felt himself relaxing around the intruding touch.

Relieved when no pained winces followed his second attempt, Squall tried not to get distracted by the overwhelming tightness that clamped around his finger as he pushed it in further to the second knuckle. It took all of his concentration to both pleasure Seifer with his mouth and slowly stroke him open. It didn't seem possible that an opening so small and unyielding would have to accommodate him and he wasn't even nearly as large as Seifer.

Flicking up his gaze now and then to see how Seifer was holding up, he quickly learned that Seifer was very different in this than him. If the situation had been reversed, he would already have been overcome with impatience at such a time-consuming pace, hungry for the edge of pain. Seifer clearly required a more delicate approach, one he was ill-equipped to provide.

So he let every twitch of Seifer's body guide him; the slight lifts of the man's hips, the swelling of his cock, every sound that escaped Seifer's lips. It was strangely intense and addictive.

Growing more and more lightheaded at the unwavering assault of Squall's lips, tongue and hands, Seifer sucked his breath in hard. Squall's finger inside him no longer caused him any pain and the combination of the blowjob and fingering was actually starting to feel good. He'd always known what this could do to men, but more than the feeling itself, it was the reality of having Squall of all people doing this that unraveled him.

"One more," he let out breathlessly.

After Squall retracted his finger, the man thankfully remembered to add more lube this time. And then his entire mind singled in on the touch of two fingers pushing into him. The discomfort was back, drawing him further away from the bliss that had been building, but the intensity of it all stayed. And those fucking eyes were taking in every single inch of him, making sure what they were doing was fine.

Jaw tiring from such a prolonged blowjob, Squall was determined to learn and improve. The feel and swell of Seifer's erection against his tongue provided a treasure of information, allowing him to quickly adjust whenever needed. The expressions that stole over Seifer's face were fascinating and it was becoming more and more difficult to tell apart the little pained twitches on Seifer's brow from the stabs of pleasure. Encouraged by the sight, he slightly and carefully scissored his two fingers while taking in all of Seifer's length, swallowing down the tip.

There it was again; that look on Seifer's face. That exquisite interplay between too much and not enough.

He eased off Seifer's erection and took a deep, gasping breath, only to pick up the intensity of the blowjob. Enough distraction, he hoped, for a third finger. Blindly groping for the bottle of lube, he quickly added more to his fingers before easing in an extra digit. A clear groan spilled from Seifer's lips in answer, but no dissuasion followed. His tongue still stroked a hard erection that was straining for more.

So he continued to tiptoe along the line that Seifer's body was laying out for him. It was different than their previous times together. Even when utterly lost to the throes of passion, Seifer had never felt this… naked. He grew drunk on the indescribable feeling of Seifer's warm flesh giving way to his fingers and found himself getting bolder as he got the hang of what Seifer could handle. His three fingers slid in and out smoothly, not even a testing scissoring of his fingers eliciting a wince anymore.

"Do it."

Looking up at the unmistakable order, Squall held his breath as he searched Seifer's expression and analyzed the man's tone. His heart erupted into a thundering pace. All he saw was approval as they held each other's gaze. Not having expected to actually make it this far, he was overcome with a sharp wave of arousal that flooded his system all at once. Whatever out-of-body focus he'd managed while pleasuring and preparing Seifer was gone in an instant.

Pulling out his fingers, he swallowed nervously as he took the bottle of lube in hand again. His erection was leaking, his tumescence almost painful after such protracted neglect. It was as if he hadn't come at all yet that evening, even though he could still clearly feel the lingering ache of penetration running through his backside. The mere thought that Seifer would soon feel this as well blew any remaining hesitation from his mind.

He tried to keep his movements measured and steady as he squeezed out even more lube and applied it along Seifer's entrance and inside. He stroked Seifer's erection a few times, covering it in lube as well, remembering how good it had felt when his length had slipped wetly against Seifer's abs during sex. Only then did he finally smear another helping of the stuff along his own erection. All the while Seifer's eyes followed his every move hungrily.

Heart pounding in his chest, he moved in on top of Seifer and settled between the man's bent legs. Propping himself up onto one arm, he couldn't help but marvel at the muscular body stretched out beneath him, poised and ready for him. Seifer's gaze flicked down to his erection before meeting his gaze expectantly. Spurring him on.

Drawing in a deep breath, he took hold of his length with his free hand and positioned himself against Seifer's entrance. The touch of heat reduced his mind to a haze of want. Only one thought remained standing. Go slow.

He held Seifer's gaze as he tilted his hips forward, giving a slight push against the tight ring of muscle. Seifer's brow furrowed in immediate response, a raw sound escaping the man's lips. Hyne, it was tight, despite all the preparation. Unable to stifle a moan, he pushed further inside, past that initial mind-bending resistance. Unbelievably, Seifer's body gave way to him, enveloping his length with gripping, pulsing heat. His mind stuttered to a halt when he was fully sheathed.

Seifer breathed through the protests of his body, through the aching intrusion of something much more significant than three slender fingers. It wasn't as painful as he'd expected. The feeling of having Squall buried deep inside him, ball's deep on the first fucking push, nearly drew an amazed curse from his lips, but the look on Squall's face silenced him.

He grew hotter as he watched Squall struggle for equilibrium, those dark brows knotted in pleasure, the man's eyes wrenched shut. He knew exactly what that meant; what Squall was feeling. Unable to look away, he was undone the moment grey-blue eyes opened and regarded him with open need. He felt about to explode from the sheer strength of all the emotions washing through him.

He was Squall's now. Utterly and completely. Ass bent upwards, Squall's for the taking. This had taken every last ounce of his trust and even when impaled by Squall, filled to the fucking seams by the man, he didn't doubt for a second that Squall would never abuse that trust. This was them. Give and take in equal measure. He was giving Squall the exact same nerve shattering pleasure Squall had already given him on countless occasions.

And then Squall moved without warning. Just when he'd halfway managed to adjust to the feeling of being spread wide around Squall's hard cock. The slow slide out and push back in caused his breath to freeze in his lungs, the sensation short-circuiting his brain. Another breathless moan spilled from Squall's lips before the man gripped one of his legs and pushed it back for a better angle, sending a potent wave of arousal straight down his spine. Squall's toned body on top of him was a fucking sight to behold. Looking down, catching sight of Squall's cock almost leaving him only to sink back in, was too fucking much. His own arousal fed off Squall's, every last moan and gasp leaving the man rushing straight to his cock. He couldn't keep his own hand away, needing the friction along his aching erection to accompany the warm burn inside.

Squall's pulse soared as Seifer began to stroke himself with enthusiasm, the man's hips meeting his with subtle thrusts for more. His eyes were glued to the combined view of his length sliding into Seifer and the quick pumping motions of Seifer's hand around a glistening erection. Seifer's moans were getting louder, any tells of discomfort long gone, further impeding his struggle to temper himself.

Speeding up as much as he dared, Squall lost himself to the wet sounds and an incredible, tight heat he'd never experienced before. He reveled in the slight shake of Seifer's body that followed each impact of his thrusts, an entirely new kind of arousal driving his hips forward as he made Seifer feel him as deeply as possible.

It was the sight of Seifer's eyes rolling back, accompanied with a softly growled fuck that ended him. Pressure built inside him, ready to erupt, clouding over his brain with the irreversible tide of his climax. His erection jerked as he guided his free hand behind Seifer's muscled thigh, groping hot skin. Pulling Seifer closer to him, he came with one last deep thrust.

Seifer held his breath when Squall stiffened into place with an expression of sheer bliss. He could feel the man's cock twitch inside him, knew that Squall had just covered his insides with jizz. Grunting out in satisfaction, he stroked himself furiously and followed Squall into oblivion moments after. Wave after wave hit him, his whole upper body arching up from the ground as his muscles contracted and he shot his load. Fucking filled up to the brim while every part of him tightened in release. He cursed and panted hard before slowly reopening his eyes.

His heart squeezed in his chest.

Squall was looking directly at him, panting with exertion. The man was so fucking gorgeous, brown locks even wilder than before, those grey-blue eyes naked and intense. He ached for that look ever since Squall had first looked at him like that during their night on Avalanche. His feelings refused to settle down, roiling through him like a storm. Overcome with need, he scrambled upwards and craned his neck to capture the man's lips.

Blindsided by the sudden movement and kiss, Squall let himself be pulled close despite the strain it put on their awkward position. With their difference in height, it was definitely easier to kiss when Seifer was the one topping, but the man didn't seem to care about the added discomfort. Drawn in by the hungry demands of Seifer's mouth, he leaned in further, pressing back Seifer's legs as their lips entangled and their tongues swirled together. Giddy relief leaped through his body. He'd been able to make it good for Seifer.

Meeting every one of Seifer's kisses, he couldn't help pulling back every now and then to take in the way Seifer looked at him before claiming the man's lips in another greedy kiss. He couldn't recall when exactly it had happened. This ease of being honest with himself and what he wanted. Hyne, how he wanted Seifer.

He wished they could stay in that moment indefinitely, kissing and caressing, but he could feel himself start to soften, wetness trickling past the loosening seal between their bodies. Seifer wasn't showing any signs of stopping even though the man had to be uncomfortable. Breaking their kiss, he pushed up onto his hands and glanced around him.

"The towel," he said, nodding at the item that was just out of his reach.

Seifer smiled lopsidedly at him and tossed the damp towel his way, before relaxing back down against the sleeping bags. The man's ass was still arched up however, pinned in place. Struck all over again by the unbelievable view, Squall quickly maneuvered the towel underneath Seifer's buttocks. He was unable to look away as he steadied his length with one hand and slowly slid himself free. An immediate trail of his come accompanied the distancing move, leaking down Seifer's crack.

Groaning at the uncomfortable feel of trickling jizz and one well-pounded ass, Seifer pushed onto his elbows. About to complain, he got distracted by the way Squall's gaze lingered on his ass. "Careful there, Princess. Keep looking at me like that and we might end up with round four."

Knowing better than to underestimate Seifer's bluff, Squall tore his gaze away and moved to lay down next to the man. His heart was still beating rapidly, his mind replaying every detail of what had just transpired between them. "Another marathon?" he asked, his lips curling to mimic Seifer's.

"I fucking wish," Seifer said, grabbing the towel to wipe down the sticky wetness between his ass cheeks. Squall stopped him from tossing it in a corner and cleaned himself as much as the dirtied item would allow. The moment the man settled back down beside him, Seifer pulled the blanket over them both and draped his arm right across Squall's stomach. He let out a long, contented exhale. "Too tired and too fucking comfortable for another round."

Squall studied Seifer closely, all too aware what the slight stiffness to the man's moves meant. "Too sore?"

Focusing on the aching burn at his backside, compounded by sharp stabs whenever he moved, Seifer quickly suppressed a reflexive wince. "Nah. Nothing I can't handle," he supplied easily. If Squall could take the aftermath without a single complaint then so could he.

Not given a chance to express his doubt, Squall was met with a seductive smile as Seifer pulled him close for a deep kiss, effectively silencing him. He wasn't fooled however, able to feel the tension in Seifer's muscles and lower back even as they kissed. Junctioning, he cast a Cure before Seifer could protest, guiding the healing energies through their kiss, through his palms that stroked Seifer's muscles, through every inch of skin that touched.

Humming deeply at the tingling feel of a Cure spreading throughout his body, Seifer didn't have it in him to complain when he was happy to lose the painful reminders of the otherwise incredible experience. He could get used to Squall calling his bullshit and healing him like this. Fuck, he'd probably let the man get away with anything right now. His brain was nothing but a warm puddle of goo and Squall felt so Hyne-damned good in his arms, against his lips.

The sex had been phenomenal. Fucking stars had gone supernova, vulcanoes erupted and the universe had come to a complete standstill. Just like every other time they were together and the best part was that it wasn't just in the bedroom. It was in every fucking way they interacted. He would never, ever, tire of Squall.

He stopped their kiss and rested his head on his arm as he looked at the man next to him. With a soft smile he reached out and ran his thumb across Squall's lower lip. Squall didn't shy away from his touch. In fact, he couldn't remember a single time Squall had refused him apart from when others had been within earshot or the few times they'd been about to spar. Drawn in even further, he trailed his hand along Squall's cheek to card through thick, brown hair.

"Shit," he whispered softly, absolutely transfixed. "I can't believe this is actually real."

Enjoying the soft strokes against his scalp, Squall understood Seifer's sentiment all too well. He'd been in a continuous state of disbelief ever since Seifer had made his first move. Yet here they were. In a world of their own, sheltered together in a small tent. With Seifer, familiar things suddenly felt new. Wherever they went together, his world was transformed and gained color just because of Seifer's presence in it. Even food tasted better lately.

Turning his face into Seifer's touch, he kissed the warm skin of Seifer's wrist before moving closer and instigating yet another kiss. Seifer immediately drew him into his arms, holding him close. At this rate he wouldn't have minded another sex marathon, if not for their exhaustion and the prospect of another long day of riding. And he liked how Seifer relaxed against him, the responses of the man's lips growing more and more languid.

Seifer ran his hand slowly along the length of Squall's back as every last one of his muscles loosened up. It really was amazing to be with Squall like this. Beyond anything he'd ever known. He felt warm and fulfilled, like nothing in the entire universe mattered but the two of them, tangled together. Determined to stay close for the whole night, he spoke against Squall's lips. "Turn around."

Not quite ready yet to call an end to their evening, Squall stalled with another kiss before a soft nudge coaxed him into turning onto his other side. Seifer smoothly slipped an arm underneath him, cradling his head while pulling him close with his other arm. He still remembered his confusion and unease the first time Seifer had maneuvered him like this. Now he settled into the man's hold easily, allowing Seifer to line up every inch of their bodies.

He'd come to like the tickle of Seifer's breath against his neck or all the little idle touches that served no purpose. Seifer's hand rested atop his, the man's fingers slowly fiddling with his old Griever ring, stroking and turning it. Warm lips caressed the back of his neck now and then, triggering little sparks of sensation that rushed up and down his skin. But eventually those lazy movements stilled as well as Seifer nodded off without ever relinquishing his tight hold on him.

Careful not to jostle the man, he reached up to turn off the overhead lantern. The flickering light of the campfire shone through the tent fabric. The sounds of crackling flames and nocturnal creatures, the wind in the trees, the distant but ever present rush of the river all provided a lulling background for the soft breathing of the man behind him, filling him with a sense of peace.

He could feel the rise and fall of Seifer's chest and tried to draw the man's restfulness into himself, but sleep eluded him. His head was too full with new impressions and experiences that seemed intent on him analyzing them. He didn't want to. He wanted to simply exist in this happy moment without a single thought, but his mind kept returning him to all they'd just shared. Every look that had swept across Seifer's face. The sounds the man had made. The way Seifer's body had felt, welcoming him and only him.

Now that his stage fright and doubt had been obliterated by the potent experience, he tried not to feel a sense of satisfaction at the knowledge he was the only one to have been allowed this close. For the first time he understood why Seifer had appreciated the news that he'd never slept with another man. It wasn't possessiveness per se. It was the certain knowledge that he'd earned Seifer's regard in a way no one else ever had. It was a kind of greed he'd never dared to indulge before. The bold notion that he might matter to someone; that he was special to Seifer, not because of his fighting skills, status or fame, but by virtue of simply being himself. The disappointment he'd seen so often in Rinoa's eyes failed to materialize in the way Seifer looked at him.

A small, budding feeling was arising inside him that maybe he was enough. Maybe it was possible for him to find happiness with someone. With Seifer. He never would've dared to imagine an evening like this. To hold Seifer and claim him. To kiss and heal him with a tenderness he'd never realized he was even capable of. And Seifer had allowed it all, welcoming and accepting him without pretense or demands.

Only now that the invisible line Seifer had been drawing between them was gone did he realize its impact. Part of him had always been hesitant, holding back, uncertain of what would be met with acceptance and what would cross the unspoken boundaries Seifer had erected. Tonight however something had shifted between them. A balance righted.

He was still at a loss as to how it had happened. While he understood the personal cost and fear that came with surrendering yourself to another, he wasn't sure why this was where Seifer had drawn his line; why this particular sexual act had required trust of all things. Ultimately, trust was the belief that the other wouldn't hurt and betray you when you were at your most vulnerable.

The implications caused him to frown. Faced with Seifer's eager confidence, he'd been swayed into letting go of his initial misgivings, but his gut feeling was rarely wrong. Until this night, some part of Seifer had feared being hurt by sex. The same man who had unapologetically admitted to not even being able to remember how many people he'd slept with in the past couple of years.

A chill he couldn't explain ran up his back as he suddenly got the sense they'd rushed into something that could have backfired. Not once had Seifer shown even a shred of interest in being on the receiving end, to all of a sudden spring it on him and immediately act on what now felt like an impulsive decision. He could only thank Hyne he'd managed to stumble through his own inexperience without causing any harm.

While Seifer wasn't nearly as appreciative as he was of the pain that came with anal sex, he doubted fear of discomfort was what had caused Seifer to avoid it. With you it's not just fucking. That was the other variable Seifer had indicated. The difference lay in connection, in the feelings they held for each other, and Seifer's threshold was relinquishing control.

The moment the thought occurred to him, he was certain he was right. His stomach dropped as he followed the train of thought to its logical conclusion. Seifer's need for control was more than just an innate preference. It was a learned behavior. A self-protective strategy that required trust and affection to overcome. He knew the feeling intimately and understood all too well that such tendencies didn't spring from thin air.

There was only one time he knew of when Seifer had been robbed of all control and free will during sex.

He'd pushed it from his mind mostly, since Seifer hadn't chosen to talk about it either. The man probably hadn't even intended for him to ever find out. There had already been so many difficult conversations, so many traumas laid bare, that he hadn't pursued the topic. Because of Seifer's more than unrepentant playboy lifestyle, it had been easy and perhaps tempting to assume that Seifer held no scars in this matter.

Of all the damage Ultimecia had inflicted, he'd managed to ignore the fact that Seifer had been raped.

His mind recoiled from the label he hadn't ever wanted to put on the horrible truth. He couldn't even begin to imagine the repercussions an experience like that would inflict on someone. The more he considered it, the harder it became to breathe. The kind of sex they'd had that evening suddenly seemed reckless considering how unpredictably Seifer was still triggered by the past. He didn't ever want sex to become a source of pain between them.

Tightening his hold on the arm wrapped around him, he inhaled slowly and deeply and tried to calm himself. He had to return Seifer's trust in him and believe the man was capable of assessing his own boundaries. The sex had been good, for both of them. He knew that, so he refused to doubt what they'd shared. He would accept whatever Seifer chose to give him and try to be worthy of the man's trust.

Turning around underneath Seifer's arm, he let his eyes sweep along the lines of Seifer's sleeping face. A faint smile lingered at the corners of Seifer's lips, as if caught in a pleasant dream. The sight tugged at his heart. Looking at Seifer like this, you'd never guess the hardships he'd been through. Even though he knew Seifer was stronger than he ever could be, he was overcome by a strong desire to keep the man safe and happy. His boyfriend. The thought still managed to send a giddy thrill of joy leaping through his chest.

Unable to resist temptation, he raised a hand and lightly brushed his index finger along the familiar scar that ran between Seifer's eyebrows. It was darker than his, but otherwise identical. It even felt the same as his. Seifer's eyelids twitched in response to the soft touch but didn't open, the man's soft snoring and sleep undisturbed.

The snapping of branches caused his finger to freeze in its path, his whole body tensing in readiness, his mind immediately recalling where he'd left his gunblade. It was only when the sound drew nearer that he relaxed again. One light pair of footsteps and one pair that was particularly heavy. Fujin and Raijin.

Their shadows slipped past the tent, their voices muted but audible to his ears.

"Looks like they're asleep, ya know?"

Fujin only replied with a soft grunt. He didn't need to see her face to know it was disapproving in nature.

"Wanna sit by the fire for a bit?"

No response came this time. He heard the sound of their tent being zipped open, some muted rustling, and then nothing again but the sounds of the forest and river.

He frowned at how unaware he'd been of his surroundings. He'd never even noticed the two leaving during their spar and had believed them asleep, but for whatever reason they'd been out in the forest until this late hour. The mere thought of those two walking in on Seifer and him during sex made him cringe. Even worse, hearing now how clearly every sound traveled through the night air, he realized the flimsy fabric of the tent provided no barrier for sound at all and they hadn't even tried to temper their voices. Just as every other time when he was with Seifer, he'd lost all sense of propriety. It was dumb luck Fujin and Raijin had been away and out of earshot. The last thing he needed was Fujin's opinion of him dropping even lower.

Not that he thought he'd ever be able to raise it. The woman was determined to dislike him no matter what. But however harsh her glare, however tense the air between them, part of him almost appreciated her single-mindedness. He'd committed an unforgivable crime and she treated him accordingly. There was a clarity in her judgment that despite everything was still missing in his interactions with Seifer.

With Fujin he knew exactly where he stood.

With Seifer there were too many layers of feeling, too many things that still confused him. There were no easy answers. As hopeful as they were for a future together, he knew that they were nowhere near calm waters yet. When they were lost in each other's embrace, it was easy to forget the pain that could blossom between them at a moment's notice.

Looking at Seifer's face now, he remembered all the conflicting emotions that lurked behind the man's peaceful expression. Seifer trusted him, but at the same time couldn't forgive him. Seifer couldn't look at him without remembering the war, but also didn't want to let him go. They hurt each other and comforted each other. He didn't understand how such diametrically opposed things could be true all at once.

The real reason Fujin's stare felt so oppressive was because he suspected she saw him far more clearly than anyone else ever could. She'd seen the ugliest, truest side of him. He wasn't the kind, loyal companion his friends seemed to think he was. He wasn't the hero or savior the media made him out to be. He definitely wasn't the kind of boyfriend Seifer deserved.

He was selfish however. His heart seized up at the mere thought of leaving Seifer's side. He was no longer certain he'd be able to repeat the attempt he'd made in Winhill to cut ties. He'd do whatever he could to stay by Seifer's side for as long as possible, including weathering Fujin's righteous anger.

Closing his eyes, he nestled himself closer to Seifer and touched their foreheads together, as Seifer had done from time to time, aligning their scars. Even if this was an imperfect, uncertain love, he'd gamble all he had for it.

~ o ~