Monday, October 20th- Tuesday, October 28th

One thing was for sure, it was coming into Winter. Zell stood outside the front gates, arms wrapped around himself and jumping from foot to foot in an effort to restore blood and feeling to his shins. Why did he wear shorts on days like today? It would probably get horribly hot before long, but now at 7am he was damn near freezing his arse off and no one else had showed up. He was always accused of being unprofessional and emotional and blah blah blah. Yet who was the one who was here, all prepared for this shitty mission to Esthar *on time*? Zell, that's who. Seifer was late. 'Surprise, surprise.' Quistis was probably somewhere getting coffee and Squall had yet to grace the front steps with his almighty presence. He was probably tired as all Hell. Which, as it happened, Zell was, thanks to Seifer and his insatiable sexual appetite.

The little martial artist cracked his neck and stamped a foot, half in impatience, half to get the feeling back. He was just about to call Squall's room and demand that he either get his arse to where it was supposed to be to see them off or let Zell go and get the car when he felt a heavy hand rest on his shoulder.

Seifer hated Monday's. That was something about him that would never change. Monday's were awful days. They ruined weekends just by thinking of them, they were invariably the longest and most unproductive of all the days of the week and Seifer was always stuck going on a stupid mission on a Monday. All of his worst missions had been Monday ones. Like the one to D-District. Oh that had been a laugh, especially when the truck broke down and he'd had to walk 5 miles in the boiling sun with a jabbering girl who rivaled Selphie for enthusiasm. Seifer had almost killed her. And then there was that time he'd gone to Deling City to check out a club. Oh the excitement, Seifer could barely contain himself. And now this time, he got to go to Esthar. Yay. At least he'd have some amusement though, and when he wasn't being bored, sarcastic, bitter, or sleeping he could have Zell. He smirked at the thought.

As he stepped out of the front gates he saw Zell jumping about like a rabbit on steroids and couldn't help but grin. He knew every inch of that body now and it had only taken him a week (two weeks if one was counting from Quistis' party). The gunblader tried not to think of the little blond without his clothes on but it was just too damn tempting. He looked adorably alive in this freezing Autumn air, Seifer felt proud to think that in two weeks he had also managed to knock down the superficial barriers between them to get Zell climbing into his bed. He wondered vaguely for a moment how many other barriers the two of them would have to cross before they could settle into a comfortable and relaxed routine. But really there were so many it didn't bare thinking about. Instead he approached the shivering boy and placed a hand on his shoulder.

When Zell jumped Seifer took the opportunity to pull him close and wrapped him in that infamous trench coat. They stood watching the sun rise higher, Zell's back pressed to Seifer's chest.

"Mornin'," Zell mumbled against Seifer's arm that crossed in front of him. "Nice of you to join me. I'd say 'join us' but Quistis and Squall are just as slack as you are."

Seifer grinned and rested his chin on the top of Zell's head. "I'm not slack. I intended to get here just as Squall was leaving so I didn't have to listen to another one of his dumbarse monologues. Unfortunately I misjudged the time. It seems I over estimated his commitment to his job. He's probably fucking Rinoa as we speak."

Zell screwed up his nose. "I didn't need to think about that thank you."

"Yes, you did," Seifer argued. "Consider how tragic your life would be right now if you didn't have me to show you how awesome sex can be."

"You mean if I didn't have your boner diggin' into my back," Zell replied.

"Actually that's my gunblade," Seifer joked. "But I am *very* pleased to see you."

"Seifer?" Quistis' voice ran out clearly across the small entrance way. "I'm surprised you're up this early. Where's Zell?"

"He's hidden behind my magnificence," Seifer replied. He stepped back so the re-instated Instructor could see Zell had merely been standing in front of Seifer and as she had arrived behind him that was why the little blond was shielded from her view. At least, that's what they wanted her to believe.

"I see," Quistis replied. There was something in her tone that had both blonds thinking that maybe she had seen the whole thing and was well aware of their relationship but as she said no more on the matter both dismissed it as paranoia at being discovered and neither mentioned it to the other. But that didn't stop Quistis from seeing the look that passed between them. "So... Are you looking forward to going back to Esthar, Zell?"

The blond shrugged. "Yeah, hope it's better than the last time I was there."

"You haven't been back since Ultim-" Quistis caught herself in time. "Since the Sorceress War, have you?"

"Nope," Zell shook his head. Quistis was full of surprises, he hadn't known she was aware of Seifer's aversion to Ultimecia's name. 'It's a dumb name anyway. Ultimecia. Pfft.'

"Well, with luck Laguna has... mellowed with age," Quistis commented idly.

"With luck," Zell replied.

"What's so wrong with this guy anyway?" Seifer asked. He'd only met Laguna once and that was at a distance after the war when he'd been busy proclaiming in court that Esthar understood Seifer's predicament and the ex-Knight would therefore be welcome to engage in rehabilitation in one of Odine's shiny, sterile clinics. Clinics of what Seifer didn't know and at the time he hadn't wanted to find out. It seemed though that on this mission he was going to.

"There's nothing wrong with him per se," Quistis said musingly. "He's just so different from Squall and... well, a bit like Selphie."

Seifer felt his eye twitch. Super. That was all he needed. A male Selphie in charge of his fate for the next week or so. Lovely. He was just wondering if pretending to have a seizure would get him out of this when Squall arrived.

"Good morning," the Commander muttered sulkily.

Seifer smirked. At least he could have some entertainment before he went.

"President Loire has offered to send the Ragnorak to pick you up, it should be here in half an hour."

"What?" Zell folded his arms crossly. "You mean I didn't have to get up at 6 am? Man. I coulda done me hair." He ran a hand through unruly, ungelled locks before glaring at the smirk Seifer was directing his way.

"You're so vain, Chickie," he commented.

"Shut up," Zell replied. "As if you can talk."

"Don't start," Quistis interrupted. "Please. I've had a terrible morning as it is, I don't need to have to keep you two in line the whole way to Esthar."

Commander Surly waited until they were all paying attention to him again before continuing. "You'll be bringing the Ragnorak back here too. President Laguna says she's only used for ceremonies and other official stuff now and again so we'd probably get more use out of her. But Odine wants to run some tests on her too before they let her go, something to do with the space monsters. So you should be at least a week in Esthar."

There was silence for a few moments while everyone waited for Squall to say something else. He didn't and merely turned back to Garden, intent on starting on that wicked looking pile of paper work on his desk.

"So do we just sit here?" Zell asked.

Squall paused and turned back to them. "If you want."

"Talk about unco-operative," Seifer mumbled.

"Oh and Seifer? Esthar suggested that maybe you shouldn't wear that coat. If the public see you they might not be very sympathetic."

The gunblader swore Squall smirked. He knew damn well Seifer's coat was more like a security blanket than an item of clothing.

"Maybe you should buy a whole new outfit," Commander Surly continued. "I hear those Estharian official robes are very comfortable."

"Fuck you," Seifer snapped maturely.

Squall smiled. "No, thank you. Have a nice trip."

Zell and Quistis had spent their spare half hour in the Cafeteria. Quistis drinking as much coffee as she could to keep her awake and Zell wolfing down hotdogs. When they heard Nida announce over the speaker system that the Ragnorak would be landing soon they headed back out to front gate to find Seifer and get on their way. The gunblader was already there, fiddling with the cuff of his SeeD jacket.

Zell caught himself before he started drooling. There was something really *hot* about a guy in a close fitting suit. Especially when they were as good looking as Seifer.

"Love a man in uniform," Quistis muttered.

Zell grinned. "What's that Quisty?"

The Instructor rolled her eyes. "I may not be a drooling little fan girl like some people," she looked pointedly at Zell. "But I am a woman."

"You don't have to be a woman to appreciate good looks and elegants profiles," Seifer called to them.

"You heard me?" Quistis, for the first time since Zell could remember, actually looked a little embarrassed.

Seifer turned to face them, an amused smile on his face and a mischievous little glint in his eye. He had decided the SeeD uniform was not only flattering and well cut but it was easy to move around in *and* added an air of danger. Hence why he was wearing it. It was also one of the only fashionable things in his wardrobe that he hadn't already packed.

The uniform was probably the most flattering thing Zell had ever seen the older boy wear, it didn't cover up the perfect form of his body like his trenchcoat. It emphasised his height, perfect posture, and grace. And the short jacket... well, let's just say it left certain parts of his anatomy easier to perve at... and hopefully touch later on.

"We ready to go then?" Seifer asked. "When you two are done drooling over my perfect, gorgeous body."

"Shut up," Zell replied automatically.

"And we weren't drooling," Quistis snapped. "Now hurry up and stop crowing over how good you look in that uniform."

"Ahh," Seifer sighed happily. "At last she admits her true feelings for me. Quistis-"

The Instructor smacked him across the back of the head. "Pity your arrogant, annoying personality negates any good physical qualities you may have."

Seifer attempted looking hurt but failed miserably. "I guess you'll just have to settle for being jealous of whoever does get to enjoy my godly body."

"Seifer," Quistis sighed. "Shut up."

The pilot of the Ragnorak was a young Lieutenant whom Quistis had met last time she travelled to Esthar. As they talked Seifer and Zell waited together in the other room, Seifer whispering all the nice things he would do to Zell's body once they had their rooms in the Presidential Palace. After five minutes of Seifer's breath curling around his ear Zell was desperate to relieve his budding erection.

"Seif, stop it," he pleaded.

"Why?" Seifer asked with a grin. "You want it to be a surprise?"

"What if Quistis walked in and we were like this?"

The gunblader smiled, he was seated with Zell straddling his lap and facing him. His arms tight around Zell's waist prevented the martial artist from going anywhere. "It's not that suspicious. Maybe I'm just getting something out of your eye."

"Which is why my pants are half undone?" Zell asked.

"You scared Chickie?" Seifer smirked. "Now don't you worry. I'll protect you."

Zell narrowed his eyes. "You'll need all the protection you can get if you keep that up, arsehole." The little blond sighed. They got along OK until Seifer brought out his patented smirk. It was driving him insane. One minute they were teasing playfully and the next there was a heated argument. He was getting sick of the other boy's mood swings. One moment he was nice and almost loving and the next he was arrogant, uncaring and insulting.

"Stop thinking," Seifer ordered suddenly. "You're supposed to be the stupid one remember?"

Zell smacked him on the chest but his gloves and his own strength made it a little more painful than a light punch.

"Oww," Seifer complained. "I was kiddin', dumbarse."

Zell growled at him, baring his fangs and struggling to get off Seifer's lap. "I'm not dumb. Lemme go!"

"Ok, ok," Seifer conceeded, trying to calm the other boy. He thought quickly of a lie to compliment Zell. "Settle down. I know you're not. You're just muddle-headed."

Zell stopped struggling and frowned at him. "Muddle-headed?"

"Yeah," the gunblader replied absently. "You wanna do me a favour?"

"I've been doin' you favours all week," Zell snapped. "What do you want now?"

"Can you start that up again?"

"Start what?" Zell shifted slightly on the other boy's lap and realised what he was talking about when he felt the hard bulge against the back of his thigh. "I'm not a whore, Seifer," he said quietly. "And I sure as Hell ain't gunna keep lettin' you do whatever you want."

The gunblader kissed Zell's neck gently. "But it's not just what *I* want is it?"

"That's not my point," Zell argued. "It's only been two weeks and--" The sound of footsteps outside cut him off. He moved quickly from Seifer's lap and was standing, bored, by the window when Quistis came in.

"We'll be there in a few minutes," she announced. "I'm glad you two managed to be civilised."

"I'm always civilised," Seifer replied.

"Uh-huh," Zell argreed sarcastically. 'Very civil when he growls in my ear, slams me against the shower walls and--'

"Will Odine want us straight off do you think?" Quistis mused. "If he wants to experiment on the Ragnorak--"

"Who gives a shit?" Seifer asked. "I'm gunna be on holiday until we're called. If I wanted to be a bloody guinea pig I would've got myself a cage and a spinning wheel."

Zell giggled at the mental image. "Is that what you want for your birthday?"

"Seifer's birthday present?" Quistis asked surprised.

"It's almost 2 months from today, Quistis," Zell told her. "I thought you kept track of everything."

"She does," Seifer argued. "But you lot have never bothered remembering my birthday, why start now?"

Quistis looked up startled as Seifer left the room. "I didn't mean it like that," she said quietly. "I just didn't think *you* would buy your worst enemy a birthday present."

"He's not my worst enemy," Zell replied. "We just don't get on very well."

Laguna was very happy to see them when they arrived. He was more enthusiastic than usual, and insisted on hugging Quistis hello. He probably would've done the same to Zell too if Seifer's arrival off the Ragnorak hadn't distracted him.

"You must be Seifer," the President proclaimed, holding out his hand. "Hi, I'm Laguna."

"Hi," Seifer replied warily, shaking hands. He was moderately impressed with meeting Laguna Loire face to face like this but was mildly disappointed that he wasn't as cute as he'd expected. Sure he'd got older but he should have retained some of that... air that his son had. Maybe Squall had inherited the sultry pout from Raine.

"You'll all be staying in the palace with me," Laguna informed them. "I'm not sure how long Odine wants to poke and prod you guys for but if it goes on too long I'll call an end to it. I don't like that guy..."

"Thank you," Quistis replied. "Should we go to see him now or--"

"No, save it until tomorrow. You've had a long journey you should rest up now," he insisted and waved at a group of officially robed characters. "These guys'll show you to your rooms. I've got to get back to work unfortunately. But we should have dinner or something sometime."

"Sure," Quistis agreed as a young man in robes lifted her suitcase. "I'll look forward to it."

"Great, see you soon," Laguna waved good-bye.

"What a strange man," Seifer commented as the President skipped back to his office.

Their rooms were lavish and somewhat sparkly. Zell suspected Selphie would have had a field day when she was in Esthar last. After dumping his bag in the middle of the floor and changing into just his pyjama trousers Zell fell back on the bed. It was so soft. He wriggled a little before twisting his back and making it crack.

"Comfy?" Seifer asked from the doorway.

Zell sighed. Before he hadn't been able to shake Seifer's teasing, now he couldn't shake his constant sexual demands. "You're addicted, aren't you?" he asked.

"To what?" Seifer replied, coming to stand at the end of the bed and watching Zell.

"Sex."

Seifer smirked. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. Zell's body was a very useful tool with which to relieve stress. Maybe he was into sex, maybe he was into control. Whatever. He wasn't going to go all Freudian and diagnose that it had something to do with his mother. Or mother figure, Edea, *Sorceress* Edea. She might be the reason he couldn't go back to the lighthouse and the orphanage, she might be the reason he had nightmares about his childhood instead of daydreaming happily about it but she sure as fuck wasn't the reason he kept coming back to Zell. Maybe he was a horny young man. Maybe he was just lonely.

"I'm not addicted," he argued, crawling onto the bed. "Not to the sex anyway. You're not be *that* great."

"So what is it?" Zell demanded.

"Maybe I just like having this much control over you."

"You don't have that much control over me," Zell countered. "Sure you can make me feel damn good, but I reckon Irvine could do the same if I asked him nicely."

Seifer growled. "Irvine can go fuck himself, over-sexed little shithead. And you won't ask him nicely, you know as well as I do with all that sleeping around he must have caught something."

"It's a show, Seifer. He's not that much of a slut," he narrowed his eyes as though trying to see through the other boy. "Why do you suddenly hate him so much anyway?"

"What do you mean suddenly? I've never liked that idiot." Seifer snarled. Was it the mention of Irvine that got him so angry or was it the thought that Zell might get away? He couldn't be sure but he knew he didn't want Zell to mention either of those subjects ever again. Best way to get him to shut up these days was a kiss so...

Zell was about to demand Seifer answer the question properly when the gunblader pushed him flat on the bed and kissed him passionately. He slid his hands down Zell's bare chest to get to the waist band of his trousers and was trying to pull them off without letting go of Zell's tongue when the little blond pushed him off.

"See?!" he demanded. "This is exactly what I mean. Now stop fucking around and answer the damn question. Why did you get so angry when I brought up Irvine?"

A little part of him wanted Seifer to say he didn't want Zell to go sleeping around. A little part of him wanted Seifer to say that Zell belonged to him and no one else. It wasn't however, surprised when Seifer said nothing of the sort.

"Because I don't like him," Seifer stroked Zell's hair gently in an attempt to calm him down and hopefully get him back in the mood for what Seifer was planning. "He tried to kiss me the other day."

Zell frowned. "Why?"

"Who knows? Because he's a horny little bastard..." The smirk returned. "Or he couldn't resist my perfect body. Not that I blame him, not that *you* could blame him."

A tight knot of anger built up under Zell's ribs replacing any lust he had felt. "Every fucking time," he hissed through clenched teeth. "You just can't help yourself can you? It all comes back to you and your almighty ego."

Seifer tilted his head to one side slightly. "This has nothing to do with my ego. I like fucking you, Zell. I like the way you move, I like the fact that you're tough enough to hold your own, and I like the way you make me feel. That's all it is. So can we get on with it or would you like to sulk?"

One of the things that irritated Zell the most about Seifer was the fact that he managed to make it seem like he was being childish when really Seifer was just being an arsehole and the whole situation was his fault. And every time Zell didn't really bother to defend himself, he just gave in. Like now, here Seifer was being an arrogant prick and he was just lying flat on his back, with Seifer's knee resting between his legs and his hand stroking through Zell's hair. He sighed, either he could give in and spend the next week or so curled up in bed, comfortable and fucked, or he could fight and argue and spend the next week angry and pissed off because Seifer was such an arsehole. He decided after a moment that he didn't really want to waste his holiday, and besides sleeping with Seifer wasn't that bad, in fact it was quite good.

"Fine," he replied finally. "But could you at least *try* not to be such an arsehole?"

Seifer smiled smugly. "Squall said that to me once."

"Mmm? And?"

"And I hung up on him," Seifer smirked and kissed Zell's jaw. "Now get your trousers off."

A week of holiday passed. Quistis spent the time trying to catch up on all the things she thought she should have finished 3 weeks ago while Zell tried to read all the books he'd always meant to have a look at but had never had the time. Trouble was Seifer was no shrinking violet, there was no way he'd let Zell read a book if he wanted someone to hassle, or someone to fuck. So by the end of the week Zell was feeling very put upon and very pissed off. Maybe he shouldn't have given in.

"Quistis!" Laguna called across the library.

She half expected the library staff to hiss "Shhhh" at him but they seemed to be very used to the President's antics. "Laguna," she replied quietly.

The President giggled. "Sorry, I always forget this is a library. I guess they're used to me yelling around here nowadays. I'm always coming here to find Kiros. Speaking of which have you seen him anywhere?"

"I believe he's in your office," Quistis replied. "He called you up there on the speaker system an hour ago, didn't he?"

"Oh yeah," Laguna realised. "Right. I'd better get going then. By the way, Odine's done with the Ragnorak so you can take it to Squall now if you want. He also said he only needs two for the memory thingumy he's got going so you can sit it out or whatever."

"Right," Quistis packed up her papers. "I'd better go and tell Seifer and Zell, then we can decide who's going. Thank you, President."

"Jeez!" Laguna huffed. "How many times do I have to say it. La-goo-na. My name's Laguna."

Quistis smiled. "Of course, my apologies."

The ex-soldier grinned. "See you at dinner."

Quistis found her fellow SeeDs arguing in a small courtyard just outside their rooms. She had thought they'd grown out of it but obviously she had overestimated them.

"Odine is ready for us," she said sternly, wondering if her Instructor voice would still work on the two of them. It did. Perfectly. They both stood up straight immeadiately and turned to face her. "But he only needs two so... who wants to go?"

"I'll do it," they said together, then glared.

"You? Volunteering to do work?" Zell asked amazed.

"Of course, I'm not a chicken, Chickie," Seifer smirked back at him.

They'd been arguing this morning about how Seifer always expected Zell to put out when he wanted something and then didn't let Zell have anything when he was horny. It had morphed into an argument about how Seifer didn't care about anyone but himself and Zell didn't realise what a beautiful thing it was that Seifer was giving him when Quistis had arrived.

"I'm glad you've both decided to go," Quistis said calmly. "That means I don't have to. Have fun." She left quickly. This had proven to be a very productive mission, like a holiday really.

In the courtyard Zell glared at Seifer. "Well done, shithead."

"Fuck off, Chicken Wuss," Seifer snapped. "Why don't you go re-apply your make-up?"

"Excuse me?" Zell took a step toward him. "You're the one with an obsession with leather."

"And you like to take it up the arse, what's your point?" Seifer stood over him menacingly.

They glared for a few seconds before Seifer grabbed the collar of Zell's jacket and pulled him into a secluded alcove, shoving him against a wall.

"Fuck you," Zell murmured quietly as he hooked one leg over the gunblader's hip.

"Mmm," Seifer said. He grabbed Zell's arse and ground himself into the smaller boy before licking quickly over his open lips. "We should fight more often. It makes you gorgeous."

"I hate you," Zell replied.

"Good." Seifer latched his teeth onto Zell's neck, biting and sucking ferociously as Zell began shamelessly rubbing his hardening cock against Seifer's body. The winter clothes were making it more difficult to feel any of the burning warmth of another person but Zell could feel Seifer hard against his thigh and knew exactly where he wanted that erection. This was making him horny enough.

"We can't do this here," the martial artist complained. "We've got to go see Odine."

Seifer tore his mouth away from Zell's neck, grinning smugly when he saw the dark mark he had left behind. "Fine," he pressed closer to Zell, crushing him between the wall and Seifer's hard body. "Later?"

"Yeah," Zell relinquished. "OK."

Seifer let him down and stood back to straighten his clothes. When he looked over at Zell he realised the mark he had left behind was still visible. Taking off his scarf he wrapped it around Zell's neck.

"Did you give me *another* hickey?" Zell asked.

"No," Seifer replied. "I bit you. Figured it was my turn."

When Laguna finally found his way back to his office Kiros had been waiting for over an hour and a half. The President put on his most apologetic face before opening the door.

"You're late," was the first thing Kiros said.

"I know," Laguna replied. "I got lost and--"

"You got lost?" Kiros frowned as Laguna slunk guiltily to his side. "In your own palace? Oh Hyne help us all."

"I'm not that bad," Laguna argued. He smiled cheerily, trying to lighten Kiros' mood. "Odine's finished with the Ragnorak so Quistis and the others will head home soon."

Kiros nodded. "Don't you think it's a little... suspicious?" he began hesitantly. "I mean Odine has such an interest in Sorceress powers and he just happens to have an ex-Knight in his chair right now?"

Laguna shrugged. "Seifer can take care of himself."

"That's exactly what I mean, what if Ultimecia didn't take everything with her when she died? What if a little part of her remains alive in Seifer?"

Laguna's eyes widened. "You think Seifer is still..."

"No, if he remained under her control he'd be more obvious. I just mean what if after she had her claws in his brain she left little pieces behind, a magical power here or there? A GF?"

Laguna sat on his desk and mused. "Should we stop Odine?"

"I don't know if that's necessary... but you're the President," Kiros said, smiling at his friend's concern.

"Don't give me that," Laguna replied. "You know I'm no good at this. You've always thought for me."

Kiros laughed and placed a chaste kiss on the President's cheek. "Whatever you think is best."

Odine's lab was just as depressing as always. The creepy little scientist was running around twisting dials and knobs and not paying much attention to them at all. Seifer debated whether or not he would be able to drag Zell into a corner and fuck him without the Doctor noticing when the older man turned to them.

"Zit," he ordered bluntly.

The two SeeDs exchanged a look of slight trepidation but took off their outdoor clothes and sat down in the large chairs that reminded Zell scarily of the dentist's. They sat still while Odine strapped a few wires onto their heads and arms.

"Quiet now, if you pleaze."

Zell sighed and closed his eyes. He could put up with this weirdness. He could just lie back and dream of something else, like what Seifer was going to do to him when they were done in Odine's lab. He grinned involuntarily and wondered for a second if it really was Seifer who had control over their relationship. Maybe *he* had control... that was highly unlikely. But it was pretty well known that Seifer wasn't the hottest thing on the market since the Sorceress War and Ultimecia, maybe that fucked up his chances with most people and thus Zell was an important asset to the gunblader, one he couldn't afford to let go of if he wanted to get any sex at all.

Odine flipped a switch that made Zell's head vibrate nicely. It felt like a massaging machine, until it started giving him visions. The orphanage. He smiled, that was a good memory. He could smell the sea air, salty but somehow different from Balamb's. The sun warmed his skin, burned sunlight into his veins...

It started at the orphanage, it always did. Edea, calm, peaceful, loving and motherly. The way she was supposed to be instead of the heinous bitch who had tormented him for such a short space of time but had had such an impact on him...

Then it was night and raining. Water fell on metal, the harsh tink of heavy drops. The night before he left to go to Garden. His Ma was sad but she knew what he wanted to do and she had faith in him. In his strength, in his honour, in his knowledge to do what was right even if he was joining a military academy that sent children off to kill things...

Then he was fighting with Squall. They were only young but still they argued and fought and glared at each other. He'd got his first set of magic a little while before and was trying them out on the younger students. Blizzard on the irritating one who bounced too much. Fire on the one who wore too much tight lycra. And Berserk on the little Chicken. He grinned at the memory of Zell getting angrier and angrier, just like the child he was. The children they both were...

Then he was falling through Time Compression, then he was back at Garden, then he was lying in bed, at Quistis' party, in Seifer's room. Oh Fuck! Seifer, naked, beautiful, seductive and completely engrossed in licking every inch of his body...

Then he was fighting Squall and giving him an almighty scar, then he was with Rinoa, then with Ultimecia, then in Time Compression and back at Garden and at Quistis' party and lying naked in his bed tasting Zell's skin. Now that was something he never wanted to forget... again. The sweet, perfect texture of the little blond's body beneath his tongue...

Then Odine pulled the plug. "It doez not zeem to be doing what I want it too. Thiz will require more work. Monthz of work." He rubbed his hands together. "You may go, I am finizzed. It iz a failure for now."

"Right," Seifer murmured as the Doctor left the room.

Seifer was breathing extremely deeply, like he'd just run somewhere. Zell glanced over at him, hearing the sound of puffs of air escaping. In a second Seifer was at his side.

"You got that? You remember?" he asked breathlessly.

Zell nodded. He didn't trust his voice, especially not to Seifer considering what they were both feeling. It was as though all that had only just happened, so clear were the memories.

"Hyne," Seifer whispered, amazed. "We gotta do that again."

"When?" Zell asked, he could deal with one word sentences he decided.

"Now," Seifer replied. He tugged on Zell's arm, dragging him out of Odine's lab and back to the palace.

Author's Note

(1)Ha ha. A pun!! Go me!! XD

Hmm, no sex in this one either really. I'm slipping. Next chapter is Irvine's Birthday. There's sex in that one for sure.

The beginning of this chapter has made me like Squall more than I usually do. I think he's a great character but Seifer and Zell were always my favourites. However, now that I'm playing around with their characters (which I have no right to do but do anyway) I find Squall is heaps of fun. He's just so surly.

Is the memory scene in Esthar too confusing? Should I have made it clear that the p.o.v. shifts from paragraph to paragraph? Or is it obvious enough from what each of them is remembering? This is why I need someone to beta read this for me. So if anyone wants to then email me. s_carlyle@hotmail.com

Also in regards to Laguna/ Kiros I just don't like to see Laguna (or Kiros) on their own. They've known each other for (and been together for) ages I figured there had to be some kind of lovin' going on. I left it at that because I wasn't sure how far they'd go. Is it a relationship or just a close friendship? I dunno.

Thanks for the reviews again. I never realised how encouraging it was for authors to get reviews, now I do, that's why I write these so fast. Thank you.

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