So here's the next chapter. Not exactly a week later but much better then my other updates. I have an explanation though and it's at the end cus I don't want to ruin the surprise.

Warnings: Well the usual slash warnings apply and yeah there's a little bit of citrus at the end.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or it'd be a lot like the doujinshi I've read.

Chapter 7: Surprise

Seifer glared at the small blond sitting across from him on the bed. The uncomfortable silence stretched as they faced off each one trying to gather their thoughts. Finally looking away Seifer sighed. "It's because of the scars isn't it?"

"Damn it Seifer, it's not about the scars. I'm just not ready to take our relationship to that level yet. It's only been a week since you kissed me in that closet."

"And every time I try to do anything even remotely sexual with you, you clam up."

Zell sighed a let his eyes fall to the bedspread. He knew Seifer was right but he was a bit scared. So far his relationship with Seifer had been casual and sex was a level of intimacy the small fighter just wasn't ready for yet. He'd allowed his feelings for Seifer to surface and had even acted on them up to a point but he wasn't ready for anymore. A lot of people viewed sex as something you do to get your rocks off and normally Zell would have been right there with them but he knew that Seifer was in love with him and he also knew that he couldn't return that love yet.

"I'm not ready yet."

Sefier's eyes shot back to Zell and narrowed dangerously. "What's that supposed to mean. Are you regretting getting involved with me? Or was it that I was weak, crazy Seifer when you first found me and now that some of the old me is back you want out?"

Zell opened his mouth to retort angrily but quickly snapped it shut. It was getting easier and easier to fall back into old habits and their old roles when they argued but Zell was smarter now and wouldn't be baited. Instead Zell took a calming breath and continued their "discussion".

"Seifer I like you because of who you are. That includes parts from your past and present. I don't see why we keep talking about this. You know I have feeling for you or else I wouldn't be here. And don't even start on your pity case speech cus I wouldn't be here out of pity either."

The Ex-knight scowled at that. He knew it wasn't pity that kept Zell around but the countless hoops he'd been having to jump through since he got back were infuriating. He'd been reenrolled in the academy even though he was obviously strong enough to take the test and pass it without a hitch. He'd made a formal apology to the citizens of Balamb and was promptly pelted with stones before an unhappy Zell and his mother pointed them out to Selphie and Rinoa. Whatever happened to those people made everyone else keep their objections to themselves. And he'd even agreed to keep their relationship a secret from everyone except Zell's four closest friends. His insecurities still intact from his Sorceress programming it just seemed a bit too much for him to handle.

"If you don't want to tell me everything then don't. I guess my feelings for you can be a bit overwhelming. We'll leave it at that for now." With that Seifer moved away and began to pick out his clothes for the day. He had class in a little while anyway and Quistis was a bitch when he was late.

Zell laid down on the bed unable to respond. Unlike Seifer who had class to distract him from their argument Zell was forced to think about it. He wasn't filling in for any of the teachers and there were no missions that weren't being handled by the lower level SeeDs so he was stuck. Irvine and Selphie were out on a stakeout and he couldn't bother Squall. That left Rinoa and in his current state of mind she'd know something was up and make him spill his guts.

That left one thing to distract him. Something he hadn't really done with much conviction lately. Training. Mindlessly killing grats and whatever else he could lay his hands on. Grabbing his gloves from the dresser and shouting a quick goodbye he was on his way to get some release.

Even if it only was temporary.

"Mr. Almasy did you hear me? This is the fifth time I've caught you ignoring me. I'm aware you have been through this course multiple times and…." Sefier stood abruptly cutting the instructor off.

"I'm sorry. I need to be excused." Without waiting for a response he walked out leaving a stunned instructor behind.

He needed to think and class just wasn't helping. What he really needed was inside information and since Selphie wasn't here there was only one person to pump for information.

Rinoa was surprised when he arrived and practically beat the door down. Allowing him in she watched as he stormed across his living room and fell into the couch. Calmly sitting across from him she waited for him to start.

Seifer had thought to start out small and bring the conversation to his point eventually. Maybe talk about the weather or even how Squall was doing but his mind had other ideas. As soon as he opened his mouth the one clear thought he had came rushing out. "Did Zell sleep with his last boyfriend?"

Rinoa had seen this coming. From the moment the tall blond had walked through the door she knew that intimacy problems were involved. It was one of those ex-girlfriend things were they could read you like a book but you couldn't them.

Sipping from her cup like what Seifer had said had not been to ask about the weather in the least. "Why don't you ask Zell?"

Seifer knew better then to take Rinoa's calm collection as anything more then a façade. So he continued on. Plus he was Seifer and no one says no to Seifer. "Because we both know how that will go."

Rinoa smiled imagining the conversation in her head.

A tall and menacing Seifer towers over a quivering Zell. "Did you sleep with your last boyfriend."

Zell, now recovered from the shock, stands up to the other man. "How's that any of your business?"

"It's my business because it's about you and another man. And the fact that your afraid of me helps too?"

"Damn it I'm not afraid of you and you're just sore cus you're horny."

Seifer's jaw drops and Zell smirks victoriously.

Shaking her head to clear that startling yet very accurate portrayal of them she considered the matter at hand. Either she could tell Seifer about Zell's experiences and help him out or she could shut the hell up like she was supposed to. Rinoa though, never one to pass up a chance to dabble in someone else's romance couldn't leave well enough alone.

"No."

Seifer's face fell. It took her 5 minutes to tell him no. If it had been anyone but Rinoa they'd probably have been a smear on the wall by now but Sefier unfortunately had a soft spot for the girl and was forced to grind his teeth together instead.

"So you're telling me they didn't do anything sexual together."

Rinoa smiled knowing how to get Seifer riled up. "No."

"So they did do something together then?"

"Yes."

"Damn it woman just tell me already!"

Rinoa sat back a very Seifer like smirk on her face and simply said, "No."

Seifer took a deep breath. And then another one. She was trying to kill him with this. "I never should have went out with you. You were so innocent and now your… well… not."

Rinoa grinned and stood up. "I know. But if you really want to know I still say ask Zell. Just be tactful."

"And how exactly am I supposed to ask this… tactfully."

Rinoa shrugged smiling evilly again. "That's for you to find out. Now since you skipped class come help me with a surprise for Squall."

Seifer scowled at the happy raven haired girl, "If this has anything to do with a kinky sex surprise then I don't want to be involved."

"Oh but I just want you to help me out with something. Now that you're in a relationship with Zell that cat suit you bought me is gonna go to waste. Plus I might just give you a little piece of that information you were looking for."

Seifer's scowl deepened and he shook his head, "I really never should have went out with you."

Zell killed another Grat with ease and smirked at the bodies around him. He hadn't done this in so long. The adrenaline coursed through his blood and his mind cleared every time he trained

And now that he paused to think it was back. His dilemma. To do something with Seifer or not. He really enjoyed their relationship even though his initial reservations had told him other wise. It worked in some weird way even though they could both get the other's blood boiling with almost no effort.

Fira-ing another Grat into oblivion he let the possibilities run through his head. He and Vigil had only went so far and their relationship had went so fast in the first few weeks. Is that what he was afraid of. That this would end up like Vigil. Or was it the fact that Seifer killed Vigil.

No. He'd already forgiven him for that and so had Vigil's parents. Maybe it was that their relationship was moving so fast. It was kind of intimidating now that he thought about it. But it didn't feel wrong to be moving like this. They had known each other so long and intimately as enemies and now they knew each other as a couple. And that's when it hit him.

He wouldn't move their relationship forward because he was still stuck in the past. The old Seifer had resurfaced and with that all the old resentment and fear. Fear was a big one since he thought Seifer used to hate him.

Balling his hands into fists Zell made a decision and started off to his dorm

Seifer sighed as he watched Rinoa paint another flower on the wall. "I really don't think he's going to like this. You should have went with the kinky sex idea."

Rinoa pouted and looked around the room. "I don't see anything wrong with this. It's just like my room. And I only did the bedroom anyway. His area is so sparse and militaristic that if I don't have something to lighten it up I'm going to go crazy."

Rinoa had decided that they should surprise Squall by painting the room and had even bought everything ahead of time. The walls were now a light lilac color and covered in large pink and yellow flowers. Seifer knew that when Squall saw it he was gonna freak and Seifer's job was to help paint and help her deal with an unhappy Squall. Whatever she had had better be worth it or someone was going to end up in pain.

Rinoa finished her last flower, a half way decent looking yellow rose, and smiled at her forced partner in crime. "Now when Squall arrives I want you to lead him in here with eyes closed. Then I'm going to tell him he has a surprise and to open his eyes. This is when your part it crucial. If he looks a little upset convince him it looks good and then I'll give you what you want."

Grumbling Seifer nodded. All this just to try and figure out what went on in Zell's little blond head. It was better then class though and at least he'd get a little entertainment out of the deal.

The door swished open and Rinoa shooed him out the room.

"Seifer what are you doing here?" Squall was understandably concerned as he just caught Seifer stumbling out of his bedroom.

"Come over and close your damn eyes. Rinoa's got a surprise for you."

Squall obeyed, though somewhat tensely. This was nothing however compared to how tense he became when he opened his eyes. The commander was stunned and speechless. His mouth opened and closed and his eyes got extremely wide.

"Look Rinoa. He's so stunned with how awesome it is he's speechless." Seifer was trying his hardest not to burst out laughing.

Squall looked at Rinoa then Seifer and scowled. "This was your idea wasn't it?"

"Nope this was all the beautifully talented artist that is your girlfriend. Don't you like it?" Leaning closer he whispered. "Say yes our she'll be extremely pissed and you won't be getting any for a long time."

Squall's scowl deepend. "Oh yes Seifer. I love it."

Rinoa grinned and hugged the unhappy man. "Good cus if you didn't I would have been angry and had to sleep in my room."

Squall nodded, still trying not to let his anger show.

Rinoa let go of Squall and dragged Seifer into the hall. "This is what you wanted to know." She leaned up and whispered in his ear.

"Ummm… I don't want to know how you know that."

Smiling Rinoa pushed him out the door. "Now go find him and have a good talk."

Seifer just shook his head and walked down the hall. He had a blond to talk to but this time he hoped it didn't dissolve into another argument.

He opened the door and noted the sound of the shower. Zell must have just beaten him back. Falling into bead he sighed. All this stress had exhausted him and it still wasn't over. Groaning at the prospect of another fight he buried his head in the pillows.

The shower shut off and seconds later the bathroom door opened. The bed shifted and Seifer rolled over to be greeted by the sight of a still damp and glistening Zell in a towel. Sighing and mentally congratulating himself on his self control, Seifer propped himself up. "So I think we need to actually finish our conversation from this morning."

Zell smiled slightly and nodded. "You're right." Slowly he crawled across the bed to position himself above a very curious Seifer.

Leaning down Zell caught Seifer's mouth in a sensual kiss. Letting his tongue run against Seifer's bottom lip before diving past Seifer's all to pliant lips Zell let out a moan. Breaking apart Zell quickly removed Seifer's shirt before slamming back together, Zell nearly lost in the euphoric feeling of dominating the taller blond.

Zell pulled back to gaze into eyes filled with lust and surprise before sitting up over Seifer to pull off his towel and discard it into some unknown corner of the room. Seifer's eyes hungrily raked over his body and landed on Zell's obvious excitement.

Before the scarred blond could reassemble his wits and take his normally dominant position, Zell leaned down and reclaimed Seifer's lips. Pushing Seifer down against the mattress Zell ground his erection against Seifer's own straining erection, eliciting a loud moan from the other man.

Pulling away from their kiss Zell shifted and kissed his way down Seifer's chest stopping to let his tongue flick over the other's left nipple before kissing his way to the other and catching it between his teeth. Seifer gasped in a mixture of shock and pleasure, his back slightly arching at the unexpected sensation.

Continuing his path down Seifer's torso Zell ran his tongue across Seifer's navel before coming to the top of his jeans. After quickly undoing them and reaching inside to pull out Seifer's erection Zell glanced up. The gunblader stared down, mouth slightly open and eyes wide, unable to speak. Zell allowed himself a small smirk before he returned to the task at hand.

Leaning forward he let his tongue circle the tip before running down the underside. Licking his way back to the top, Zell flicked his tongue across the tip before quickly swallowing the entire length. Pulling back to the tip Zell sucked hard before slowly bobbing back down letting his tongue wrap around the base, encouraged by Seifer's moans and thrusts.

The only thought running through Seifer's mind was that Rinoa's informant was right. Zell gave excellent head.

Now I've earned my M rating. Hides in embarrassment.

So yeah it took a little longer cus I changed some unimportant details and had to finish the citrusey bit.

You can thank Madonna's song Human Nature for the end bit.