Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lightning. ❯ Chapter, the Thirty-Fifth: In Which it Finally Happens. ( Chapter 35 )

Kitty: Man, I am so tired. All this work and no pay. -cry- Poor Kitty...

Eoko: I went out to dinner for all you can eat ribs. I'm full.

Kitty: Lucky! We're having pork for tea. Mmm... pork.)

Eoko: -giggles- When you come visit I'll take you out for ribs, okay?

Kitty: Yay! And other things. Not just ribs.

Eoko: Well der. Anyway, this is a loooong awaited chappy, I'm sure.

Kitty: YES! Because 'it' finally happens! I wonder what 'it' is? I think they should be able to work it out...

Eoko: Probably. -snorts-

Kitty: Woo! So let's let them read.

Eoko: Agreed!

Kitty: And we can RP!

Chapter, the Thirty-Fifth: In Which it Finally Happens.

Irvine flopped onto his bed with a sigh, every part of his body aching something fierce. Fucking days-long missions… Fucking creatures stocked up with a million Pain spells… He couldn’t even summon up any energy to be enthusiastic about the fact that his birthday was tomorrow. Fucking Squall! What a shit of a mission to send him on right before his birthday. Lucky Pain was easily slept off, or by Hyne, Squall would have received some hate mail.

He’d stumbled by Zell’s place on the way to his own room, receiving sympathetic murmurings and open-mouthed, hot kisses that almost served to make him forget just how bad he felt, until the fighter pressed a hand a little harder to the small of his back with the intention of pulling him closer. He’d jerked away instead, howling, and Zell had given a soft, throaty, affectionate laugh, handed him a Remedy, and ordered him to his own bed to sleep off the spells. The plucky little fighter of his dirtiest, sexiest dreams lately had offered to come take care of him, but Irvine just knew he wouldn’t get any sleep with Zell there to be watched.

After wallowing in the memory of those passionate, glorious kisses for a long few moments, Irvine forced himself to stand and strip out of his clothes. He slumped over to his bathroom and flicked on the hot water, then slumped under the spray, leaning all his weight on one hand pressed the tiled wall. He managed to remain standing just long enough to wash his body and give his hair a cursory rinse, then he flicked the water off again and slumped back to the bed, into which he fell, sliding between the sheets and falling straight asleep without even considering just how much of a tangled mess his hair would be when he awoke.

- - -

And it was a rude awakening too.

Selphie, along with The Cadets, came barreling in around six-thirty, shrieking happy birthdays, and insisted upon singing to him even before he had time to get dressed. He sat in bed, stunned, drowsy, hair like a spiky bush, and suffered through it, then when they refused to get out so he could get dressed, he did so with them all lounging around. Of course, there were catcalls and teasing comments.

Irvine was just glad he didn’t ache all over. In fact, he felt brilliant. They all settled on his bed, and he was just about to open his first present, when someone else barreled in, much more quietly and carefully. He smiled warmly when he saw Irvine perched in the center of his bed, surrounded by Cadets and presents.

“I didn’t want to wake you,” Zell said to explain his quiet entrance. “I guess I was too late.”

“Selphie were happy to wake me,” Irvine said wryly, glancing at the clock. “A fucking hour ago.”

Zell laughed and sauntered over, casually shoving Rikan over so that he could settle beside Irvine. When the sharpshooter wasn’t looking, he delivered the red-haired Cadet a smirk Seifer would be proud of, and Rikan’s eyes dropped instantly away. Ha. Satisfied his claim was made, Zell solidified his ownership by reaching up to turn Irvine’s face back to him and kiss him, hard and deep. Irvine melted deliciously under the attack, opening his mouth with a willingness that made the fighter want to pin him down and take him right there. Instead, he broke away with a purred “happy birthday”.

Irvine was an attractive pink, and it wasn’t from embarrassment. He cleared his throat and turned his attention back to his presents.

Selphie’s was a velvet cover for Exeter, Anasha’s a shoulder-strap to match. It was embroidered stunningly with a likeness of Leviathan.

“Matching presents…? Fucking dykes…” Zell muttered with a teasing grin, which lead to a Selphie-Tickle-Attack.

Harada gave him a box set of an anime she told him was called Gravitation. Her giggles made him suspicious. Hiro, ever practical, gave him a gun-cleaning kit that had just about everything under the sun in it. Terry gave him a year’s subscription to Guns ‘n’ Guys.

“I noticed you’d been getting Guns ‘n’ Girls, but I figured you’d need something else now,” he said with a wink, making Irvine roll his eyes, but blush a little

Illo gave him a voucher to the tune of five hundred gil to spend at the most reputable gun store in Esthar. Rikan refused to hand his present over, casting nervous glances at Zell the whole time, until Selphie pounced him and held him down while Anasha dragged the gift out of Rikan’s hands.

“Classy, Rikan,” Anasha said dryly when Irvine withdrew a pair of Torama-print fluffy handcuffs from the torn wrapping.

“Hot, though,” Zell added, smirking at the blush he’d known would creep across Irvine’s cheeks. “Not that you’ll ever get to see, Rikan…”

He’d left Zell’s present until last – or rather, Zell hadn’t proffered it until last – and he took it with a shy smile that made Harada “aww” as though she was looking at a puppy. He tore the wrapping away, discovering a box, which he took his time over opening only because Selphie was busting out of her skin to see what was in it. In truth, so was he, but teasing her was priceless. When he withdrew the gift, he decided it had been worth the wait.

It was his very own, cool helmet. Okay, so it wasn’t quite as cool as Zell’s own, but that was to be expected. It was still cool, and meant more than what it was. It meant he had a permanent place on the bike – in Zell’s life – and he hugged the fighter tight, thanking him softly. Zell smiled and rubbed at his back.

“You’re more than welcome, Irvine. I love you.”

Harada “aww”ed again and Irvine gave another shy smile, drawing away from Zell.

“We’re goin’ out for lunch, Zell. You comin’ with?” Irvine said hopefully, absently stroking the smooth navy-blue gloss of the helmet.

Zell smiled tenderly, shaking his head.

“No. I want you all to myself. Go have lunch with these guys, and come to my place for dinner, okay? I’ll use one of Ma’s special recipes and cook you up something really nice. Just the two of us.”

Irvine nodded.

“Alright…” he murmured, accepting the gentle kiss Zell gave him before he slipped off the bed.

“Round about five-thirty, six, okay? Dress up for me,” Zell said and Irvine nodded again before the fighter left.

“Fuck, you’re lucky, Kinneas…” Terry muttered, snapping Irvine out of his staring reverie.

“I know,” the sharpshooter, smiling.

Selphie resisted the urge to smack herself in the head. What was she supposed to do?! Anasha patted her shoulder, knowing where her thoughts must be.

- - -

At five-thirty on the dot, Irvine was standing nervously at Zell’s door, trying to summon up the courage to knock. It was stupid. First of all, he rarely knocked anymore when he arrived at Zell’s. Second of all, he got over the nervous shit weeks ago.

He hoped he’d read the tone of Zell’s voice right when he’d told him to “dress up”, because he’d taken it to mean “dress hot”, and he had. He wore the tightest, lowest riding pair of blue-jeans he owned, beneath the cuffs of which poked out the toes of Colorado boots. (1) His dark blue shirt clung to him, just barely kissing the waistline of his pants, so that when he moved, it rode up to show a tantalizing flash of skin. It was button-up, but he’d left the top half of the buttons undone. His hair, he’d drawn back in its usual tail, and his hat still sat atop his head, because he knew how much Zell liked it.

Finally, he knocked.

Zell opened the door with a puzzled expression, arching his brow at Irvine when he found him standing there. But the sharpshooter had forgotten momentarily how to speak. The fighter was wearing a pair of midnight black jeans that clung to his arse and hung off his legs perfectly, making him seem not quite as short as he was, unless you were standing right next to him. His shirt was burgundy, button-up, like Irvine’s, but the entire thing was left open to frame a crisp white tank, curving around every muscle on Zell’s torso.

“Irvine?” Zell prompted when he didn’t speak.

“Er… yeah. Hi. Can I come in…?”

Zell arched the other brow.

“Uh… yeah. You don’t have to knock you know.”

“I know… it’s just I… I don’t, like, know why I did…” Irvine blushed as he entered, then stopped short when he saw the table. It was laid for two, and possibly the single most romantic thing he’d ever seen. A lone rose sat in a silver vase in the center, candles ranged around it and a white cloth spread across the surface of the table.

Zell chuckled softly, then ushered Irvine over to sit.

Dinner, Irvine thought, was the most enjoyable meal he’d ever eaten, and afterwards, Zell curled up with him on the couch and they talked softly, occasionally kissing and touching. When Irvine felt certain they’d come to the end of things they had to talk about, they’d remain in comfortable silence for a while, then one of them would come up with something else.

“Irvine,” Zell whispered in his ear after a time. “Irvine… I want to show you something…”

Irvine blinked at him, then nodded silently and let Zell help him to his feet. His stomach gave a disconcerting flip-flop, though he wasn’t sure of the reason.

The fighter led him to the bedroom door, then touched the button to open it. It hissed quietly open to reveal more candles, silk sheets, and rose petals scattered around. He stared, stunned all over again at how devoted and gorgeous his boyfriend was, then he looked at said boyfriend, mouth opening and closing a couple of times as he tried to think of what to say.

“You can say no,” Zell murmured simply, but the thought had never crossed the sharpshooter’s mind. He wanted this. He had wanted it for some time now. It would be the perfect end to the perfect birthday.

Irvine shook his head and touched Zell’s hand, nervousness, excitement, shyness, eagerness and a thousand other feelings flitting through him as he spoke.

“I don’t want to. I… I-I want… you.”

Zell reached out and stroked a hand down Irvine's cheek, smiling at him softly.

"I'm glad of that." He leaned in and took the sharpshooter's mouth with his, the kiss gentle. He wanted Irvine to be able to calm down a little.
Warmth spread to Irvine's toes at that smile and, though his belly fluttered with nerves, the rest of him was well enough in control. He opened his mouth to the kiss, allowing himself to fall into it, a very easy thing to do, with Zell.
Strong arms wrapped around the cowboy, moving in close to him, feeling the press and warmth of their bodies coming together. It felt so good to be near him. No matter what it always felt wonderful and the idea of being closer still to the man he loved was slowly driving Zell insane. Thankfully he had enough self-control to take this next step slowly.
The sharpshooter snuggled willingly into Zell's arms, one of his hands fisting in the material of the fighter's shirt, low against his back. No way was he going to let the man get away this time. He couldn't bear it, now, if they didn't go ahead.
The fighter drew away from Irvine, hand running down the slender arm to curl his fingers around the sharpshooters and lead him over to the bed. Rose petals squished under their feet, stubborn ones clinging to them, but no notice was taken of the bright petals. Zell turned Irvine a little and sat him down on the bed, resting one knee to the side of the cowboy's thigh and pressing his shoulders back onto the mattress.
Both their boots and socks went first and Irvine's breath hitched, his eyes going just a little wider than normal. His heartbeat stuttered to a faster pace. He could barely believe how eagerly his body begged for a touch from this man. Selphie had told him how easy, how right, how good it could be, but he'd not really believed her. Until now. He offered Zell a shy smile.

The fighter offered a warm one in return and leaned down to kiss along Irvine's jaw. It was amazing how different it felt right now. They'd fooled around before, rather heavily some times, but this was the beginning of something, it lead up to a next step, and they both knew it. They knew it wouldn’t end with them panting and full of lust, but panting and sated. It would be prefect. Zell was determined to make it so.

Irvine found his eyes falling shut without his conscious assent. He would rather keep them open and watch Zell, but they fought him, and the brush of the fighter's lips was too good to be ruined by concentrating on trying to open his eyes. He ran his hands up under the open shirt, fingertips tracing the line of his lover's – his lover’s! – spine through the tank.

“Zell...” he whispered, just because he knew how special it would sound this time.

The gentle murmur of his name and the stroke along his spine sent a shiver through Zell's whole body. His hand slipped around to Irvine's back, lifting him slightly, pressing him close as he moved the sharpshooter further onto the bed and climbed over him.

“Mmm, Irvine,” came the soft reply.

Irvine shivered, and it took him a little while to realise it wasn't from fear. He hesitated a moment, then pressed upward, against the strong body above him, wrapping his arms the tighter around Zell's shoulders.
The fighter's lips traveled down Irvine's neck, tongue flicking out ever so gently once or twice along its path. Irvine's skin was smooth and soft and begged to be touched and felt, begged to be examined and Zell was not about to deny it.
Sounds pressed at the back of Irvine's teeth, but he fought them, until Zell's tongue swept across a point just below his jaw, and he couldn't keep back a tiny whimper. He turned his head aside and arched his neck, offering better access with an unconscious, natural sensuality.Zell's lips traveled further down, along the raises of Irvine's collar bone, then up a little to sweep his tongue against the cowboy's adam's apple. He was so beautiful, and his body moved in all the right ways, ways in which Zell didn't think a virgin could know to move. Irvine was born to have sex, well, weren't we all, but Irvine was born to have sex with him.

The sharpshooter had a moment of confidence, knew with sudden clarity that he wanted the shirt off the fighter. He tugged at it, drawing it upward and pouting an altogether sultry pout when Zell's arms stopped its progress.
The martial artist lifted his lips and body from the man beneath him, giving a little smirk of amusement and apology. He shrugged off the shirt and crossed his arms over his torso to peel the white tank off and over his head.

"Better?" he asked, eyes almost half-lidded.

“Much,” Irvine whispered, part of him embarrassed at the shyness of his tone, but most of him too busy with other things to care. He ran his hand down the center of Zell's body, then back up again, passing a palm across a dusky nipple just to see what the reaction might be.

Zell's head tilted to the side as he let a soft and happy sigh escape his lips at the gentle touch. It felt good to be touched, but he wanted more to touch Irvine, and the fact his top was already partially undone from when he stepped in the door wasn't helping Zell's urge to rip it off.

Irvine grinned at Zell's response, then brought the other hand up to treat the second nipple to the same attention, rubbing slow circles and watching the fighter's face. He truly was a sight to see.

Zell leaned back down over the cowboy, letting the hands continue their touching as his own went to undo the rest of the buttons on Irvine's shirt.The sharpshooter let out a slow, nervous breath, a thousand baseless worries causing his hands to still, then slip up to Zell's shoulders as though in an effort to keep him there. What if he didn't like what he saw? What if he laughed? What if he looked away? What if? What if? What if? Nerves fluttered in Irvine's belly again.

The fighter dropped one hand to hold himself over his soon-to-be lover, the other stroking along his torso, pushing the flaps of shirt to the side. Sapphire eyes traveled up from Irvine's navel and flashed when they reached the smooth chest and the glinting piercings.

"Oh my, look at that," he almost whispered with a little grin playing at his lips.

Irvine's cheeks pinked slightly and his lashes lowered demurely over his eyes.
“Got them for a dare, 'n' decided I liked them too much to take them out again... I-if you don't... I can get rid of them...” he assured Zell quickly, misreading the tone of the fighter's voice."No, please, don't do that," Zell said with a smirk, leaning down further to lap slowly at one of the nipples. In case it was impossible to tell, Zell had a bit of a thing for mutilation of the body in forms of ‘art’.
Irvine shivered. The piercings had come after the fateful night with Selphie, and no one had ever touched them - except himself, of course - let alone licked them. His eyes slipped shut and the fingers of one hand came to Zell's hair. It felt so good."I like these very much," the martial artist murmured against his skin then took the ring and nipple into his mouth, sucking gently.
“O-oh Hyne... so do... so do I... Mmm...” Irvine whispered, then he moaned softly, body arching reflexively towards Zell's mouth."These could prove to be very fun." Zell smirked as his free hand moved to the opposite nipple and gave it a little pinch. But tonight was about gentle love making, not kinky sex. (2)Irvine whimpered softly at the pinch, and a slight smirk curved his lips.

“They already are…”Zell pulled away from the sparkling rings before he got carried away and trailed both hands slowly over the cowboy's body. Hyne he was a sight, so beautiful, and near untouched. It made Zell's heart flutter to know he would be the first to take this amazing man.
The sharpshooter shifted a little under Zell's touch, astonished all over again at how readily his body responded. There was no painful shyness or struggle to become excited, only a painful, needy ache that was undeniably enjoyable, and a heat low in his belly that made him want to squirm.

“You're... you're amazin',” he whispered, watching the fighter.
"I could easily say the same thing about you," Zell said softly as his lips moved to brush against the sharpshooters. His hands pushed further down, sliding over Irvine's thighs before coming back up to work on getting his pants undone.
They'd done a lot of kissing and Irvine's response was instant and eager. His lips parted, begging for a deeper kiss and he shivered at the stroke of Zell's hands along his thighs. Oh, how he wanted this.

The fighter dipped his tongue into the waiting mouth for only a moment. As much as he wanted to kiss Irvine, he wanted more for the auburn-haired man to be fully aware of exactly what was happening. Zell gave a little tug at the low-riding jeans and then pulled them off slowly. Hyne, he had something beautiful to love.
Irvine looked up at Zell, teeth worrying at his lower lip, and he swallowed, half-rolling to try and hide in an instinctive reaction. He was blushing again.
"You okay, baby?" Zell's hand lifted to carress Irvine's cheek, the other set lightly on the cowboy's hip.
How could he not be? Just that touch and the gentleness in the fighter's words were enough to calm him and he relaxed, shifting onto his back again.

“I'm... I'm fine just... nervous, I guess...” he said softly, smiling hesitantly at Zell.

"I know, I know you are. It's alright to be nervous." He ran a thumb across Irvine's cheekbone then let his hand travel down the cowboy's neck and chest. It felt good just to be able to touch his skin as he lay under him, how he trusted the fighter so much.
“But I... I want... this - you. Even though... Hyne, I want it so bad I think I'd die if you stopped now...” he admitted, hands running down Zell's bared back and up again, tracing the lines of his perfect body."I won't stop. I couldn't do that to either of us. I'll be gentle and careful for you though." Zell sat up a little more, drawing his hands away from Irvine's body so that he could undo his own pants. He couldn't get Irvine completely naked and be half-dressed himself. That just wouldn't do at all.
“What, you're usually not gentle and careful...?” the sharpshooter teased, watching Zell's hands attentively. He was determined to see everything, and re-confirm his wants and needs. He didn't want to be shy of it anymore.
"With you, always," the fighter said with a warm smile, although he was pretty sure Irvine was too busy looking elsewhere to catch it. He slipped his own jeans down and off, and being the little exhibitionist his mother knew him for, he had decided against any form of undergarment. Who could blame him when he was certain he'd be getting some?
Irvine gave Zell's comment a cursory smile, but his attention really was elsewhere. He unconsciously licked his lips, various daydreams and sleeping ones flashing across his mind. He heard himself groan.

Zell chuckled deep in his throat and moved his body back over the sharpshooters.

"Does my body please you, Irvine?"
Judging by the lightheaded feeling when the fighter moved over him, he figured yes, it really did, and he nodded.
“Oh, yes,” he whispered. “Yes, it does.”
The marital artist's hands slid back down Irvine's body. Nearly nude was not good enough. And with only one article of ‘clothing’ remaining it didn't take long for the cowboy to be completely naked under the blond.

Irvine lifted his hips to help Zell remove the last scrap of clothing and a shiver coursed through his body when they lay naked together.
“I've dreamed 'bout this,” he said, his hands running down Zell's sides, then hesitating and stopping at his hips. “But it's better.”
Zell let his body lower onto Irvine, still supporting his own weight. He sighed past happily and on the way to dreamily. The warmth of their bodies, the feel of their skin touching all over felt so damn good.
The sharpshooter slid his hands around so that his arms were wrapped about Zell's strong torso and he pressed up against him, rubbing like an affectionate cat. That felt good enough to make him moan breathlessly against his lover's neck.
"No offence to the girl, but better than with Selphie?" Zell asked with a smirk. He'd been called a tease more than once, and since he wasn't about to deny Irvine anything, nor be anything but gentle and sweet his teasing would have to be with words, and at the expense of Miss Tilmitt it seemed.
Irvine laughed throatily, nodding.
“Yes, better than Selph. But, let's face it, she ain't a guy. Considerin' that, she did a pretty good job. Luckily, someone's since convinced me I don't like girls.”He grinned and licked at the fighter's neck, wanting to taste him. “But... I do rather like you...”

Zell chuckled at the line about the 'someone' that had 'convinced him he didn't like girls'. Good thing too, or else he may have never realized he had such strong feelings for the cowboy.

"I rather like you too," he said, and turned his head to kiss Irvine.
Irvine returned it, feeling it tingle all the way down to his toes. He wanted to bring a leg around Zell's waist, so he gave into the want, and did so, arms tightening. Being wrapped around the fighter went suddenly to the top of his list of Favourite Things To Do.
"Mmm," Zell made an affectionate, pleased noise from all the way down in his chest. "Feels so good to be close to you like this..."
“I've never felt anythin' like it,” Irvine said truthfully, shifting a little.
The talk was nice, but his skin tingled where it touched his lover's, and he wished the fighter would do something, even if he only had a vague idea of what that might be.
"I want you, Irvine," Zell said, with complete sincerity and a gentleness he didn't even think he was able to reach. And he did. He wanted Irvine so badly. He had wanted him for so long.
The sharpshooter smiled, warmth spreading out under his skin and he brought a hand up to touch Zell's cheek. His voice was barely a whisper, almost too afraid to make the words heard, but he wanted to say them.
“...I... I love you, Zell.”Zell's next breath came out as a long, slow exhale. Oh that felt good to hear. He'd known it, felt it in the touches and kisses, but hearing those words left no doubt in his mind.

"I love you, Irvine." He'd said it before, and he'd say it again and again. As far as Zell was concerned, he'd always love Irvine Kinneas.
“Then show me,” Irvine purred in a tone that surprised even himself. “I'm goin' crazy... I want you, too... So, so much...”

Zell's eyes widened a little at the seductive tone Irvine had used. He'd been right; the cowboy was born for sex and he didn't even know it. The fighter shifted against the man beneath him and reached over to the bedside table. He was definitely prepared. Everything would be perfect.

Irvine watched Zell intently, trembling with a mixture of anticipation and fear. But he trusted this man, knew the fighter would never hurt him.
“I love you...” he said again, because the words felt good on his tongue.

He kissed Irvine softly, flicking the cap open on the little bottle. He could easily read the sharpshooter’s nervousness, and he understood it.

"It's alright, my beautiful cowboy. Just try to relax your body."
“Easy for you to say...” Irvine accused, but he relaxed as much as he could, thanking Zell's classes for the added control they'd given him over his body. He pressed a hand to the small of the fighter's back, half of him certain he must be dreaming, because it all felt so good.

Zell coated his fingers, making sure they were slick. He wanted the experience to be as pain free and pleasurable as it could be. With his free hand, he shifted his and Irvine's weight a little and moved his fingers to the cowboy's entrance. He smiled softly, with his lips and his eyes and slowly pressed one finger inside.

Imagining this moment, dreaming it, was entirely different from experiencing it, and the sharpshooter found any fantasy he had conjured up in his mind could never match it. His instinct was to tense up, but Zell had already told him to relax, so he remained that way, stroking his hand up the fighter's back and down again to reassure himself. The man could snap a Death Claw in half, but Irvine knew his gentleness. He whimpered, burying his face in his lover's neck.

Zell’s lips came down again to kiss at Irvine's neck and chest. He wanted to focus every bit of his attention on the cowboy, wanted to demonstrate all his love and affection in every way that he could. Beneath him, Irvine’s breath came faster, and he shuddered, skin twitching under the touch of his mouth. The sharpshooter returned the favour, licking at the fighter's neck and ear.The movement of the blond's hand faltered ever so slightly as Irvine's tongue swept across his ear and he gave a soft moan. That had felt extremely nice, so he'd have to repay the pretty cowboy. Zell slowly pressed a second finger into Irvine's body to join the first.

"You alright, Irvine?"
“N-no...” Irvine whispered against the ear. “I'm go-oin'... crazy... I... I never knew it... it'd feel... so... so... good...” And he licked at the ear again, wanting to taste as well as feel and hear and see and smell - Oh, he smelled wonderful.

Zell chuckled lightly. However, it was quickly cut off with a shuddering sigh as a shiver ran all the way down this back and to his toes. Irvine really had to stop doing that to his ear.

"Soon, my love. Soon it will be even better."

Somehow, Irvine came to the conclusion that his licking was gaining quite a pleasing reaction. He couldn't help a tiny smirk that curved his lips and his free hand went into Zell's hair so he could lift himself a little and give a good, lingering swipe of his tongue along the lines of the fighter's ear.
The fighter moaned again and nuzzled his face against Irvine's shoulder.

"Hn, Irvine... shouldn't do that... don't want me to lose my... composure now," he mumbled, still managing the large word at the end.

Irvine ceased, but stored the knowledge away for later tort- err, affection. He brought both hands to Zell's hips, hesitated, then sent them resolutely lower, fingertips tracing the curves of the fighter's delicious backside.

Zell arched his back slightly, causing Irvine's hands to move a little and grinned.

"You're beautiful."

“You’re only sayin' that 'cause you want in my pants...” Irvine teased, but he was flattered and a touch pink. He bit his lip, wriggling a little and shifting his hips in silent asking.Zell withdrew his fingers and squeezed more of the liquid from the bottle onto his fingers, moving them to his length and coating himself carefully.

"As far as I can tell, your pants are already gone, so I can't exactly 'get in them' now can I?"

“Technicality...”

Irvine swallowed. He was surprised he could even manage to joke, but it felt good to do so. They always seemed to anyway, why would this be any different?
One of the blond's hands came to rest on Irvine's hip, thumb making gentle circles over the skin.
"Are you ready? It might hurt a bit. Just try to stay relaxed, okay?"

“I'm ready,” Irvine promised. “And I'll try... I trust you...”

He brought his hands back up to Zell's shoulders, rubbing there, and smiled. He'd been ready for a long time now, had wanted this for a long time.

"Okay," Zell smiled and leaned down to kiss his cowboy once again as his free hand moved Irvine just a little and he slowly, carefully moved into that beautiful body beneath him. Another whimper tore its way free of his throat, and he shuddered, clinging to Zell and whispering his name.
The martial artist stilled once he was completely inside. He bowed his head and kissed Irvine's shoulder. Oh, Hyne, it was good.

“N-ow I'm... really goin' crazy...” Irvine whispered against the fighter's skin, shivering. “S'good...”
Zell's fingers flexed against Irvine's hip. He was ready, they both were. He just knew, so he let himself slide out and thrust back in, still gentle. He was probably being overly careful, but as soon as Irvine was used to the feeling, he could let some of his self control falter, a little.Irvine was on fire. That was the only way he could describe it. He'd had some worries it would be Selphie all over again, but he knew now there was no chance of that. He moaned softly, arching.
Zell moved one hand to the mattress by Irvine's head, holding himself over the auburn-haired man. He was amazed. Irvine was amazing so it didn't take much to be amazed by him. He didn't cringe or whimper in pain. He just moved and sung with the pleasure. It was beautiful.Irvine brought both legs tighter around Zell's waist, letting himself wallow for a moment before his body refused to be still, and his hips lifted to meet most of Zell's movements. Nothing he'd imagined had been this perfect.
Zell lowered his body, wanting to press his skin to Irvine's with every thrust. It felt so good. So damn good to be naked with this man, inside this man. He could scream just for that. But he was a top, and they remained quiet for the most part. He couldn’t help it. The lowering of his body made Zell just that little bit easier to cling to - not that Irvine needed an excuse. He pressed against the fighter, moving with him, against him, whatever felt best, and another moan, slightly louder, throatier, broke free of him."Hyne, you make pretty sounds, Irvine," Zell whispered against his neck, his pace staying steady, but the strength of his thrusts increasing. Irvine may be slender and pretty, but he wasn't a woman, not that all women needed it gentle either. (3)
“Pretty...?” Irvine tried to scoff, but again he was flattered, and besides, it didn't matter when he couldn't think and could hardly remember his own name anymore. He could only feel, and the name on his mind and his lips was Zell's.Slowly, Zell snuck his hand away from Irvine's hip, across his stomach and lower to curl his fingers around the sharpshooter's length. His breath was coming in heavy pants which were only interrupted by soft groans and moaning of the cowboy's name.

Irvine cried out then, arching his back and shuddering from head to foot. His mind was spiraling further away from him, and he didn't really care to get it back again. His fingers worked against the fighter's back, tripping down his spine to clutch at his hips, and tense and relax there in a silent 'yes'.Zell’s hand wasted no time being gentle, not with the force of his movements as they were. It was hard to know what was really happening, with so many senses being flooded with so many good things, but he knew his strength, and how much of it Irvine was taking right now.
Irvine didn't complain, indeed, he reveled in it. The strength. The power. It was what he wanted, and he knew it now.Zell smiled warmly, lovingly at the man wrapped around him in more ways than one. It was heaven on earth.

"Irvine..." he whispered softly against the cowboy's ear and nuzzled his cheek.Irvine whispered Zell's name back to him, and that was all. He tumbled over the edge with a suddenness that shocked him to his toes and back up again, a shudder running through him and a long, low moan signaling it.
Zell's free hands clenched in the sheets as Irvine's body tightened around him. One final thrust into that sated body was all he needed to join his lover. Mmm, lover, that sounded so good.

It took Irvine a long few moments to collect his mind and return it to some semblance of order, and even then he was still twitching. He heard his breathing, harsh and ragged, and Zell’s echoed it by his ear and it was all so perfect.

“You’re so… so beautiful…” Zell whispered and a smile curved the sharpshooter’s lips, even as his eyes were falling half-shut.

“So’re you…”

Zell snorted and shifted carefully off and out of him, stroking his sensitive skin and making him shiver.

“Considering what just happened, I’ll let you get away with that, Cowboy, but I am not ‘beautiful’. I’m manly, and handsome and… stuff…”

Irvine chuckled from the back of his throat, watching Zell through lidded eyes as the fighter reached across to snag a damp cloth from the bedside table. Of course he’d had everything ready. He wasn’t about to have to give up afterglow to go and fetch a cloth from the bathroom.

Carefully, tenderly… and a little teasingly… he cleaned Irvine off, then himself with far less production before he put the cloth aside again and lay back down, propping himself up on one elbow to cast his eyes over the sharpshooter.

Irvine gave a languid, sated smile, all shyness taken away by exhaustion and pure joy. He stretched, purposely showing off, and muscles flexed beneath his skin. Zell couldn’t resist reaching out to smooth a hand across his chest, down his abdomen and along a thigh.

The sharpshooter watched him, heart aching with love for him and with the knowledge of the fighter’s own love. He could see it in those sapphire eyes and, if he hadn’t known Zell loved him already, he would have known it now. It felt nice. He could enjoy the touch without the resultant need coming hard on its heels.

“Was good…” he murmured, half-yawning.

“Perfect,” Zell replied, brushing sweat-dampened and clinging hair from the sharpshooter’s cheek. “You’re perfect.”

“Gonna make me cocky, sayin’ stuff like that,” Irvine said, laughing softly.

“It’s only the truth,” Zell murmured, settling down beside him and pulling him close.

On impulse, Irvine slung a leg over the fighter’s hips and Zell smiled, curving a hand gently over it and rubbing little circles with his thumb. The sharpshooter wriggled down a little, so he could rest his head on his new lover’s shoulder, eyes heavy and fighting his efforts to keep them open.

“I love you… Zell… Thank you… for my birthday… for this… for… everythin’…”

“Shh… I love you, too. You’re more than welcome. Go to sleep, and I’ll be here in the morning when you wake up.”

“Will you… make love to me… again then…?”

Zell chuckled, kissing his hair.

“We’ll see. I’d love to.”

“Mmm…” Irvine murmured, then drifted gently off to sleep to dream of the strong, gentle man who held him.

Zell remained awake for some time, stroking Irvine’s skin and listening to his even breathing. He couldn’t keep a faintly idiotic grin off his face. Everything was so perfect.

Nothing could go wrong.

~ ~ ~ ~

(1) There’s a Colorado on Gaia now? Go figure. *winks* I just love those boots. I want a pair, dammit!

(2) Next time, though. ;)

(3) We love you, Val!

A.N: And the readers go wild! Omgosh! Finally! Sex! Woot! Woot! *does a dance* I can’t claim to have written this chapter exclusively, since the lemon was a co-written scene via IM with Eoko, of course, playing Zell and myself playing Irvine… which… mind you, wasn’t so easy. Not used to playing him as a fluttery virgin. He’s usually a sex-crazed maniac when I play him…

Eoko’s AN: Not to mention the way we RPed the scene was way different from the way we normally RP them, so that proved to be in interesting experience. But we did it! Everyone must be so happy. ^^