Misery's Son

Chapter Thirteen - Original Prankster

By Pixie518

Life, Life, Cannot Go By the Letter ~ Time, Time, Prozac can make it better…

There was, as it turned out, plenty of hot water left when Squall joined Seifer in the shower. Within minutes the Commander’s skin had flushed a deep, dusky pink and his hair was hanging in sodden disarray, sending thin rivulets streaming over his cheeks and down his neck.

Seifer stood directly under the spray of water, head tipped back, eyes closed, lips slightly parted as he rinsed his hair. Squall watched him, riveted, needing to blink away the water droplets that clung stubbornly to his eyelashes, but unwilling to close his eyes and cheat himself out of even one second of the arrogant beauty that was Seifer. He was amazed, once again, that he was capable of feeling like this…about anything. To finally be able to feel was a shock in and of itself, but to feel it with his long-time enemy was still just beyond the scope of Squall’s reasoning.

He stood there, within the marbled walls and began to shiver, and still he couldn’t tear his eyes away. Every line of Seifer’s body was perfect symmetry. From his beautifully shaped calves to the graceful arch of his neck, he was everything that Squall had never been able to, and probably never would, put into words. Trying to call forth the intense hatred they’d once shared made his worship all the more surreal. It was almost unthinkable. But then, it had never really been hatred…had it?

Seifer opened his eyes then and the brightness of his eyes seemed almost otherworldly in comparison to the absolute whiteness that surrounded them. Water clung to his eyelashes, Squall watched him blink them away. He smiled at him, that slow, knowing smirk and Squall felt it land like a punch, right at his midsection. His lips parted slightly and he inhaled audibly.

"You thinking too much again?" Seifer murmured, reaching for him and pulling him close. Squall moved into his arms without hesitation, turning his face up to catch the warm spray. Seifer moved back a little, bringing Squall directly beneath the spray.

"You’re shivering." He said, almost to himself. Squall nodded, closing his eyes as the water slicked his hair back and slid over his body soundlessly.

Seifer’s fingers danced over Squall’s skin, following the trails of water and he sighed. Squall lowered his chin and gazed at him just in time to catch the look of sweet yearning that Seifer just couldn’t seem to hide. If he even wanted to hide it.

"Squall…" He whispered, no other words available to him at that moment and Squall smiled at him, that sweet, boyish, unguarded smile that completely swept away Seifer’s sense of reality.

Squall lifted one finger to rest on Seifer’s bottom lip and he rubbed against him with one slow, desirous arch.

"I know what you want." He assured him, the low purr of his voice coaxing even more of a reaction from Seifer than he’d first imagined it would. Seifer moved behind him then, sliding his hands over Squall’s chest and rolling his hips against him, knowing their time was limited, but quite simply unable to care.

Seifer lowered his head to the curve of Squall’s neck, tasting the faint sweetness of his skin while one hand slid over his ass and down the back of his thigh. Squall inhaled sharply and Seifer steadied him, wrapping one arm firmly around his waist.

"Seifer…." Still so strange to whisper his name like that, with reverence and lust, as though his heart and his body were conspiring against him, planning his ultimate surrender. And surrender it had been, although Squall wasn’t sure who’d waved the white flag first. He was sure that he couldn’t care less and as he felt Seifer lifting his leg to balance on the marble ledge, he breathed his name again, his voice trailing off in a little whimper.

Seifer turned Squall’s head with one finger on his chin, his lips moving over Squall’s as though he couldn’t taste him enough.

Squall spurred him on with small, throaty whimpers and when Seifer answered him with a low, rumbling growl of his own, Squall broke the kiss, leaned his head back on Seifer’s shoulder and breathed, "Fuck me."

Seifer’s eyes slid closed and he bit down on his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood as he attempted to stem the intense tide of want that was rushing unchecked through his veins.

Tightening his arm around Squall’s waist, he guided himself into his lover’s body, taking his hand away when his cock found the place it sought. He wrapped both arms around Squall then, hands splayed over his delicate ribs as he thrust upward roughly, sliding in perfectly after that initial push. Squall moaned his name brokenly, the pleasure almost too intense to bear, particularly after he’d spent the night in very much the same position that he was in at that moment. But when he felt Seifer’s fist close over his erection, and heard his ragged breathing right next to his ear, Squall’s focus disintegrated and he leaned forward, both hands on the wall, his back arched at just the right angle.

He knew the precise moment that Seifer lost control as his thrusts became unmeasured and he began making those mindless, inarticulate noises in the back of his throat. Squall arched further and felt Seifer throbbing within him, so very close to reaching his peak that Squall closed his eyes and let go, his restraint falling away immediately. He reached behind him with one hand and let his fingers slide over the sharp plane of Seifer’s hip. Seifer’s hand tightened around his cock then he began to moan incoherently, Squall’s name spilling off his lips even as he was spilling uncontrollably into Squall’s body.

Squall followed him over the edge only a second after, his sobbing cries reaching a new summit. Seifer stopped worrying that someone might hear them, as he realized it would save him the trouble later of telling anyone who would listen that he was lost. Utterly. And that he had no intention of ever going back.

Kato perched on the back of the sofa in Laguna’s sitting room; his balance and grace rivaling that of a cat’s. That he also had a cat’s nine lives and a cat’s uncanny ability to always land on his feet was no coincidence. While his life hadn’t been an easy one, Kato was a pro at mastering any unfortunate situation and turning it around to suit his needs whenever necessary. It was the one thing that had drawn Seifer to him when they’d first met. It was also the one thing that irritated the living hell out of Kiros.

Said General was standing in the doorway, his expression grim, his dark eyes following Laguna’s every movement.

"Laguna. We’re not going to a resort. This is not a vacation." He reminded him for what had to be the tenth time in so many minutes.

Laguna looked up, undaunted, either ignoring the snippy tone of voice, or just so used to hearing it that it didn’t really require acknowledgment any longer. He zipped up his small travel bag and winked at Kato before turning to face Laguna.

"I know precisely where we’re going, Kiros, and I’m not really happy with our current state of affairs, so if I want to pretend I’m going on vacation, that’s exactly what I’ll do." He sounded sunny and cheerful, but Kiros caught the edge of steel beneath it and curved his lips up into a very convincing sneer.

"We’re losing valuable time. What are they doing up there?" He griped. Kiros never bitched and whined, he was just too dignified. This made Kato all the happier for his sour mood because it meant he could take advantage and maybe even send Kiros flying into a hissy fit before the day was out. He grinned. Free from Seb and gifted with Kiros to tease to his hearts’ content. Life was good.

It was at that precise moment that Squall’s tortured, keening cry echoed down the hallway, reverberating throughout the second wing of the palace.

Kiros raised his eyes to the ceiling, shock delineating his face, mixed with just a hint of distaste.

"Sweet Hyne…" He murmured, wishing he could close his ears to what he was hearing, as there was no mistaking the cause of such a wail.

Laguna tilted his head and folded a pair of socks, humming sweetly and appearing quite oblivious to the ecstatic shout that had so obviously just come from his son. Kiros was still staring at the ceiling as though he expected the bathroom floor to give way so that he would become witness to whatever Seifer was doing to Squall that had made him scream loud enough to shatter glass. Kato merely looked inordinately amused.

"Whassa matter, Kiros? You never had somebody make you holler like that?"

Kiros turned his gaze to Kato so fast that one could almost imagine hearing his bones snap.

"What the hell did you just say to me?" He demanded, deep red flush riding high on his cheekbones. Kato smiled wickedly at him, blue eyes sparkling.

"Kato, would you please grab my robe from the back of the bathroom door for me?" Laguna asked him sweetly and Kato nodded, smirking at Kiros as he hopped down from the sofa and padded out of the room.

"I wish you wouldn’t encourage him." Kiros said, sounding for all the world like a petulant child.

Laguna chuckled. "Encourage him to what exactly?" When Kiros didn’t answer, and only scowled that much more, Laguna laughed again, louder this time.

"Stop acting like an old woman, Kiros. We’re in a mess here, we’ll just have to make the best of it."

Kiros unfolded his arms from his chest and stood there, mouth agape and unbelievably insulted. Kato, of course, chose that exact moment to reenter the room. As he tossed the white fluffy bathrobe to Laguna, he quirked an eyebrow at Kiros.

"Might want to close your mouth, Kiros…or is that an invitation?"

Kiros made a small, strangled sound and lunged for Kato, who promptly jumped behind Laguna and grinned, his small, white teeth flashing in yet another display of impertinence.

"I swear to Hyne, when I get my hands on you…" He began.

Kato wrapped his arms around Laguna’s waist and peered out from under his arm, grinning impishly.

"Promises, promises, Seagill." He taunted him, the husky edge of his voice leaving no doubt as to where his thoughts were headed.

Laguna chuckled again, leaning over to ruffle Kato’s hair.

"Aw, come on, Kiros, lighten up." Laguna admonished.

Kiros looked dumbfounded. "Lighten…lighten…" He snorted, beyond annoyed and he spun on one heel to leave the room, grumbling to himself.

As his grumbling faded out of earshot, Laguna turned to Kato, who looked quite pleased with himself.

"He’ll only let you taunt him so much, you know." Laguna warned him. "I can’t promise he’ll restrain his temper forever."

Kato laughed as he curled up on Laguna’s just made bed, rumpling the blankets as he stretched lazily.

"That’s what I’m counting on." He responded, grinning at Laguna sweetly.

Laguna shook his head.

"Hyne help us."

Kiros stood outside the room that Seifer had called his own over the past few days and waited. It was strangely silent, which could mean one of two things. One, they were done humping like animals and were finally ready to go, or two, certain physical circumstances were preventing them from screaming aloud. Kiros didn’t hear any grunting or moaning however, and taking that as a good sign, knocked on the door. The floor was so heavily carpeted that one was unable to hear actual footsteps, but he straightened anyway, looking as though he had a steel pole strapped to his back. Raising his hand to knock again, he halted when the door was pulled open and he found himself staring into a pair of hazy green eyes.

"Can I help you?" Seifer prompted when Kiros simply stood there, words apparently having deserted for the first time in years.

Kiros blinked and squared his shoulders. "It sounds as though you’ve been helpful enough this morning. Now if you’re quite finished…" He waved a hand in the air as he cast about for a tactful enough word. Ah well, in for a penny, in for a pound. "…fucking…may I suggest you get your asses downstairs so that we might leave sometime today?"

Seifer narrowed his eyes briefly, a little insulted, and he tossed a glance over his shoulder to Squall, who was lacing up the front of his leather pants. Squall looked up then, feeling the weight of both Seifer’s and Kiros’ stare and he smirked, his expression both blissful and self-satisfied.

Seifer answered with a smile of his own and Kiros shook his head slowly. Knowing that it would do no good to admonish either of them, particularly considering the fact that if he were given an option, he’d be wrapped around Laguna Loire, feasting on depravity, he favored Squall with a long-suffering look.

"Hurry up, little cub, before your father starts packing the china. We need to get moving or we’re going to have two full days of travel instead of just the one."

Squall nodded, the slow, almost imperceptible lifting of his chin that had always, to Kiros, smacked of arrogance. Narrowing his eyes at the Commander once more, Kiros spun on his heel and made his way down the hallway, backbone rigid with indignation when Seifer’s parting, "Tight-ass", reached Kiros’ ears a split second before he’d closed the door.

Kiros considered going back into the room and slapping Almasy around just to prove that he could, but decided instead that his dignity had suffered enough for one morning. And Hyne knew, having to deal with Kato all fucking day was definitely going to try his patience enough. No. Better to reserve his scathing comments and biting wit for the car trip from hell. Kiros bowed his head, covering his face with his hand, and groaned.

"Kiros?" Laguna’s sweet voice carried up to him from the bottom stair and he smiled then, his private ‘Hyne I want you but you’re too dense to see it’ smile that he worked so hard to hide when he was around other people.

"On my way." Was all he said, his sarcasm carrying no weight with Laguna, who always missed it anyway.

At the bottom of the stairs lay an indecent amount of luggage, with Kato perched on top of the pile. Typical. Laguna stood off to the side, holding his little travel bag and patting Ward’s arm as he read from the list of precautions that were to be taken in Laguna’s absence.

Kiros glanced at Kato, who grinned disarmingly and hopped down from the pile of suitcases.

"Where’s Romeo and Juliet?" He inquired lightly, not wanting to push Kiros too far, not yet, anyway.

Kiros scowled. "They’re coming." He mumbled, wanting to go over a few things with Ward before they had to leave.

Kato gave an amused little snort and hefted one of Laguna’s bags over his shoulder.

"Again?" He asked incredulously and laughed when Kiros practically snarled at him.

"Start loading the vehicle, we’re already behind schedule." He told Kato in a steady voice, practically amazed at his own restraint. Perhaps he was getting soft. Too mellow in his old age.

Kato frowned. "What am I? The houseboy?" He complained.

Kiros turned to fully face him, his expression dark and forbidding.

"Laguna doesn’t like blood stains on the carpet. I, however, have no such qualms. Get your ass moving." He growled and wasn’t surprised when Kato grinned.

"Yes, sir, General Seagill!" His heels snapped together and he saluted, turning the respectful gesture into one that required only one finger before he moved quickly past Laguna and Ward, wisely out of Kiros’ reach.

Seifer chose that moment to make his appearance, Squall following close behind, and Laguna looked up and smiled.

"We’re ready when you are!" He told Seifer, and Squall ran a gloved hand through his tousled hair.

"Let’s go." He murmured.

Ward waved silently, his easy smile a fitting farewell as he watched them pile into the vehicle, struggling to secure Laguna’s luggage – and thanked the gods that he wasn’t going too.

Kiros was in hell. With Esthar quickly becoming a memory and Laguna decreeing that the air was cool enough to simply roll down the windows and enjoy the breeze, Kiros was so aggravated he could have gnawed through a leather strap.

He sat, long legs folded uncomfortably before him to make room for the long legs that were pressing directly into the back of his seat, in obvious misery.

Laguna was turning this trip into a family camp out, and Kiros felt his temples beginning to throb. After his initial suggestion of a sing along had been met with Almasy’s unamused glare, Laguna had switched on the radio where some sort of Christian rock was flowing gleefully out of the speaker that was situated right at Kiros’ ear level.

His hands beginning to shake, Kiros covered his ear with his palm and rested his elbow on the window. They would have to stop to refuel again and Kiros vowed to sever the speaker wire when Laguna had his back turned.

Kato watched Kiros with no small amount of amusement and he leaned up between the seats and rested his chin on Laguna’s shoulder. Laguna glanced down briefly and smiled before turning his eyes back to the road.

"What can I do for you, Kato?" He asked brightly and Kato slid a glance at Kiros before he sighed dramatically.

"I was just wondering if you’d mind turning the volume up. I can’t hear the music very well and I really love this song."

Laguna beamed and reached over to pat the top of Kato’s head before reaching for the volume control on the radio.

"Sure thing, Kato. It is pretty catchy, huh?"

Kiros gripped Laguna’s wrist then, moving faster than a snake strikes, and turned to look at him, his right eye beginning to twitch.

"No." He ground out, and switched the radio off himself, releasing Laguna’s wrist and settling back against the seat with a ragged breath.

Laguna shot him a strange look and flashed Kato an apologetic smile in the rearview mirror.

"Sorry, Kato. Guess we won’t be listening to the radio right now." Laguna looked pointedly at Kiros then and turned his attention back to the road ahead.

Kato sighed. "Ah well. Maybe later." And he sat back again, stretching his legs out to prop his bare feet on the console between Kiros and Laguna.

Kiros didn’t start screaming right away so Kato twitched his toes and began humming a rather cheerful rendition of ‘Give me that old-time religion’.

Squall couldn’t repress a low chuckle and Seifer grinned at him, leaning down to whisper, "You haven’t seen the half of it."

Kato winked at Squall and continued humming, putting added emphasis on certain parts of the tune. Kiros tasted blood on his tongue as he bit into his lip and he thought to himself that no amount of religion was going to save Kato when Laguna stopped the car.

A/N ~ Okay…I feel as though I must apologize for the amount of slacking that I’ve been doing and yes I know that there was no Zell in this chapter…Please believe me when I say that if I’d started in on Zell and Irvine, this would have been another 18 page chapter. Okay, so that’s not really a problem for anyone except me…

The tone of Zell and Irvine’s interaction in no way fit with Kato’s brattiness, so next chapter, I promise. Maybe I’ll even post again over the next few days! Never can tell!

Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews. Glad to know that at least a few people are following ;)

*Note to my good pals Race and Darksquall who totally fucked me on the reviews last chapter ~ RP allowances will not be made. No excuses. :P

Return to Archive | next | previous