Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lightning. ❯ Chapter, the Fourty-Fourth: In Which Zell Warms Up. ( Chapter 44 )

Kitty: :O

Eoko: I like this chapter. And now I'm even madder we forgot to upload for like... almost the full week!

Kitty: What do you mean we? I just do Author's Notes when I'm told.

Eoko: You're allowed to remind me. I even told you we had to and we got caught up our new RP. Speaking of new. Our webpage with all the logs moved. We have our own domain, and the links on our profiles are now fixed, so check it out. Same look, new name, kinda.

Kitty: NEW AND IMPROVED! Yaoi sex is win! -does a Selphie-like jump and air-punch-

Eoko: It is. On that note... we should let them read.

Kitty: Yes. Yes we should. And we can get back to our RP.

Chapter, the Fourty-Fourth: In Which Zell Warms Up.

Seifer sighed deeply. Finally he had Zell under him, naked and beautiful, albeit colder than a six year old popsicle. He ran a trail of kisses up Zell’s neck and along his jaw line until he reached what he now knew to be one of the fighter’s weak spots.

Zell shivered beneath the gunbladist as his ear was caressed by that warm, slick tongue. He was cold, so cold, and the contrasting warmth sent a tingle up and down his spine. The fact that it was his ear that was being played with probably played a large role in his reactions.

But the chill in his body was almost enough to overcome the tantalizing feeling of Seifer’s tongue snaking around the shell of his ear. Seifer… oh how he’d wanted this before… Before there was Irvine. All through the teasing, the bullying, the abuse. He and Seifer would always have just fit if they’d let it. Too bad it seemed to be the recent, Irvine obsessed part of his mind, that had been effected the most by the freezing water. Then there was his survival instinct, screaming at him to draw nearer to that warmth. The warmth of Seifer’s tall, strong, gorgeous body.

The blue-lipped boy grabbed tighter around Seifer’s shoulders, and whimpered, shifting his head to the side and seeking for those taunting lips. He wanted them away from his ears, as good as it felt.

It took no time at all for the gunbladist to understand what his little fighter wanted, and even less time for his lips to set to work against the younger boys. It was tender, but powerful, something that could rarely be reached unless the pair was desperate or both dominant personalities. So, considering the two had both things going for them, it was something of a mind-blowing kiss.

Too bad that Zell’s mind was still numb from his unexpected swim. But still, lights sparked brilliantly behind closed eyelids and the warmth he’d almost forgotten, in the very center of his being, began to burn bright and strong, flooding slowly, so slowly, through him.

The shorter of the two boys gave a soft whimper and the taller pulled away, worry showing in his jade eyes. “Zell?” he whispered softly, still as close to the fighter as he could be, letting Zell’s skin take the heat from his own (1). “You alright?”

“C-co… cold… st-still c-c-cold… make me wa-arm, Seifer… make the c-cold go awa-away…” Zell murmured into the taller blond’s neck, rubbing his whole body, shamelessly against Seifer’s own.

Seifer groaned lightly and nodded, his cheek rubbing against the fighter’s. “Yes, Zell. Yes, of course I’ll make you warm again.” One of his hands slid down to run along Zell’s arm, a rough, possessive touch that caused enough friction to make his own palm burn. But the martial artist’s skin became cold as soon as his hand left, and so he endured the heat, willing as much as he could into the body beneath him.

Zell’s toes curled in the bottom of the blankets. He could barely feel them, but the barely was what made it good. If he couldn’t feel them at all, he’d be risking frostbite. Nothing a “painless” little Life spell couldn’t fix up, but it was still a nasty ordeal.

The martial artist tried to use all the abilities he had honed in order to divert the growing heat in his belly and between his legs to other, more vital extremities. Not that his cock wasn’t vital, but it was a little more difficult to be a sex god among blonds with missing fingers and toes.

Seifer felt two sets of fingers press firmly against his scalp and run through his hair, fisting around short strands and holding tight as another whimper escaped the boy beneath him. He wasn’t about to complain. Everyone knew how much heat you lost out of the top of your head. The fact that it was rather sexy having hands fisting in his hair was only a distant second thought.

“More… Seifer, more… please,” Zell’s soft voice begged, and Seifer felt a shiver of his own slowly meander up his spine. He gave a soft sigh as it finished at the base of his skull and dipped his head to kiss again at the tattooed boy’s neck. “I didn’t exactly come prepared for this, Zell…” he whispered against the soft skin.

That admission had been something of an extraordinary lie, as a tube of lubricant sat neatly in one of the pockets of his trench. But it would not serve him well to have Zell aware of the fact that he planned to sleep with him.

One of Zell’s arms moved stiffly down Seifer’s neck and over his shoulder, down his arm. Goosebumps (I dunno if you call em goosepimples or chocobobumps or chocobopimples in this case, so… you pick) rose in the wake of the slow trail of the tattooed blond’s palm, still cold, but not the freezing touch of icicles like only minutes ago.

Seifer’s eyes only widened slightly as Zell pulled his hand back to his mouth, bringing two fingers past his lips and sucking slowly. His tongue moved along the sides, swirling all around and then through the middle. Even slowed and befuddled from his near death swim, he was still so sexy it made Seifer hurt.

“There,” Zell said softly when he withdrew the fingers from his lips. He gave a little push at Seifer’s hand and lifted his hips slightly. “Come on…”

It was really more than he could have hoped for. Zell was pretty much telling the taller blond to fuck him now. Whether in askance or demand, he was not going to deny anything the smaller boy said. His fingers moved swiftly from near Zell’s face to his entrance, sliding one in slowly.

Zell’s back arched a touch more and his lips began to twitch into a small smile. He wasn’t a bottom. He was dominant through and through. But with Seifer it felt right to be laying on his back, receiving what he had so often given. Seifer was a top among tops, a Jecht Swallow of the real world.

Seifer’s finger moved gently within him, eyes sweeping over closed eyelids, slightly parted lips, dark tattoo and wet bangs that hung over a furrowed brow. Oh Hyne was he a sight. The gunbladist ran his tongue along Zell’s lower lip as he added a second finger to the shivering body beneath him.

The younger boy made a pleased little sound, shifting his hips down to force Seifer’s fingers deeper, encouraging him to lose a bit of his gentle edge. Zell was freezing, not fragile. His felt warm, hot, almost on fire, despite the chill that still lingered on his skin.

Seifer smiled down at Zell, the boy squirming with pleasure and, more likely, impatience. But the gunbladist was in no hurry to end this experience. Although he wished that this could go on forever, that Zell would finally be his, he knew, deep in some logical, rarely used, recess of his mind it probably wouldn’t. So, he savored the moment, the feel and sight and sound of Zell beneath him. And it was glorious.

“Seifer…” the little blond whimpered. “Where I come from fucking would best be defined as you shoving that lovely cock of yours up my arse and making me scream like a whore.”

The scarred boy swallowed. That hadn’t effected him at all, or not. Dirty Chicken wuss… He withdrew his fingers and was about to use his own saliva to coat himself when Zell’s voice sent a shiver down his spine.

“Fuck me, Seifer… Now!” The tattooed boy squirmed and held tight to his closest friend, soon to be closer, and lifted his hips a little, giving the gunbladist even more of an invitation.

An invitation that Seifer didn’t exactly need. He closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath, holding onto the moment and confirming to himself that it was reality. He shifted his position ever so slightly and opened his eyes, locking them with Zell’s dark sapphires. The gaze held as Seifer thrusted into the smaller body beneath him.

Zell clenched his teeth, then gasped loudly, but the eye contact did not break. As the gunbladist stilled within him he pressed closer and sighed happily, as if some long ago fantasy was being fulfilled.

Seifer bent his head to nuzzle his cheek against Zell’s black tattoo and was pleased to feel the other boy copying his movements. When he felt the younger boy’s lips pressing soft kisses along his jaw he couldn’t help himself from turning his head to meet those kisses with ones of his own.

Zell shifted his hips up and against Seifer’s, effectively breaking the kiss when he caused the older blond to moan lightly. “I’m ready,” he whispered, smiling up into Seifer’s face and beautiful jade eyes.

The gunbladist could do nothing but nod, bracing one hand next to the younger boy’s head, the other resting against his hip. Even with his first thrust he could feel Zell’s body moving to meet his own. Perfect from the start. So what if it required near hypothermia to obtain.

The tattooed boy’s hips moved against Seifer’s with every thrust. Even as the taller blond’s pace quickened and grew more powerful, he stayed with the changing rhythm.

Seifer’s breath quickly turned to soft panting, eyes never wandering from Zell’s face, focusing on half-open sapphires and a beautifully parted mouth. He didn’t need to look to know the body beneath his was squirming and writhing for him. For him…

Zell’s hands clutched at the skin of Seifer’s back, short nails digging in and, on occasion, clawing. Little whimpers would escape his lips, then gentle moans. He no longer felt cold; not on his skin or within his burning body. All he could feel was Seifer; above him, inside him, everywhere. There was only him and Seifer.

The older blond leaned down as his pace continued, pressing his parted lips to Zell’s before sliding his tongue within. Where his thrusts were quick, strong and passionate, his kiss was gently but claiming, making Zell feel like he was the most important person in Seifer’s life. It was a shame he didn’t know then how right he was.

The martial artist’s eyes flew wide and his back arched, pressing him flush against his partner, as Seifer hit that sweet, sweet spot deep within him. He’d almost forgotten what it felt like and was glad the gunbladist had reminded him. He didn’t keep those thoughts to himself either. Seifer’s name followed by numerous little words of encouragement dripped from his lips.

Shivers ran up his spine and he moaned Zell’s name against his ear. It felt like a Curaga after a hard day training, Zell calling his name, Zell begging for him… It was blissful. Blissful and turning him on ever further.

As one of Zell’s hands slipped up into his hair, Seifer’s hand slunk away from the fighter’s hip and over to curl his fingers around the younger boy’s length. He grinned to himself, knowing he was the cause of the boy’s arousal and not some nancy cowboy.

Zell arched again, finger’s tightening in Seifer’s hair as strong fingers wrapped tight around him and wasted no time pumping him to the same rhythm as his thrusts. The tattooed blond had no problem decided how to move with the added pleasure. He continued to meet Seifer’s thrusts, knowing his hand would continue its perfect torture.

The next time their eyes met, they stayed, not straying anywhere else. And what they saw filled them both with warmth and doubt. They saw love, deep and profound, in both sapphires and jades, but that couldn’t be so. No… What they thought they saw must have only been the reflection of their own eyes and the love they knew they held for the other. (2)

Regardless, they held each other’s gaze as Seifer’s thrusts gained more speed and power. They were both on the edge and they could feel it in the other, knew how close they were, and that only seemed to make the pleasure two-fold.

Within moments the two blonds found their release, only seconds apart. Seifer cried out Zell’s name like it was the password to deliverance. The little fighter’s scream was soundless, but Seifer could see the syllables of his named spelled out on those sweet lips.

The tent fell silent to their ears, despite the heavy breathing of both boys. Seifer lifted his hand to stroke gently at Zell’s cheek, the other boy nuzzling against the palm immediately.

“Thank you, Seifer…” Zell murmured, raising his hand to run his fingers through the gunbladist’s hair. “You saved my life with sex.” He grinned cheekily and pulled the older boy down for a kiss. This one he held the dominant edge, even though he lay under his partner.

And Seifer didn’t argue, letting Zell’s tongue slide into and around his mouth, stroking his own against it. As the kiss ended, the older blond pulled slowly out, causing the younger to shudder and moan across his lips.

“No more falling into ice covered lakes, understand?” Seifer teased, reaching into his bag and pulling out a casual t-shirt; one that he wasn’t exactly sure how it had gotten in there. Well, no matter. He held it near the heater until it was a little warm, then used it to clean the two of them off.

Usually he wouldn’t have bothered. He’d much rather curl up against his lover and hold them until the both fell asleep, bathing in an uninterrupted afterglow. Showers and washing machines weren’t for nothing. But the idea of sleeping, for Hyne only knew how many more nights, in less than clean bedding was a little less appetizing.

“What? Not going to lick me clean?” Zell said, cocking a brow before giggling.

Seifer arched a brow of his own at the little fighter. Had he completely forgotten Irvine? Well, if he had Seifer could sure as hell do the same. He grinned and tossed the rag-shirt away, moving onto his side and pulling Zell against him. “You’re a very dirty little Chicken wuss.”

“Yep,” Zell agreed, snuggling against the taller blonder. “You must have rubbed off on me.”

“I think that was a given.” Seifer grinned and breathed in the scent of Zell and sex. His grin grew and he pulled the little blond in closer. “We should sleep naked every night. You make me so much warmer like this.”

“Even though the heater’s still on and we’re both still hot from sex… okay.” Zell nuzzled his cheek against Seifer’s bare chest. “This is rather nice…”

“Yeah, it is,” Seifer agreed, reaching his arm out and tilting his head back so he could see what he was doing while he reset the heater to only go on when the tent reached a certain temperature. It wouldn’t have to come on for a good while yet.

When Seifer was finished and pulling his arm back, Zell grabbed it and wrapped it around himself, snuggling tight against the older boy’s body. “Let’s nap,” he suggested, a yawn making his second word sound odd. “We can always go for the night-time surprise attack method.”

Seifer smiled warmly. “You are the mission leader. What you say goes.” He pressed his lips softly to Zell’s then pulled away and rested his chin on top of the fighter’s head. “Have a good nap.”

“Can’t see how I can have anything but…” the tattooed boy smiled and placed a little kiss on Seifer’s shoulder. “Night, Seif.”

“Afternoon, Zell.” He smirked and Zell could feel it.

“Same difference,” he mumbled, already slipping off to a nice, warm, happy place called sleep.

- - -

Zell was first to begin to wake, finding himself spooning perfectly with his back against a tall, strong body. He smirked and wiggled his bottom around a little. “Wakey, wakey, Seifer.”

The well slept reply was nothing but a grunt and an arm tightening around his stomach.

The mission leader gave a slight chuckle. “I said wake up. We don’t have to get up. We just need to eat and have a next-part-of-mission briefing.”

Seifer really wanted to suggest the next part of the mission entail another mind-blowing fuck followed by more sleep, but alas and hoorah! Zell had not fallen into another, or the same, lake.

“As long as I can keep my eyes closed and you don’t move, I don’t care what you do.”

Zell snorted in near perfect Almasy impression. “I have to move a little to get the food.”

“That stuff isn’t food, Zell.” Seifer secured his arm further around Zell’s waist and gave a firm tug back against his hips. “Okay, now you can move, as long as I am not forced to let go.” He smirked wide, eyes still closed.

The martial artist squirmed a bit in his attempt to lean forward and up a little to grab the bag of rations. When he heard Seifer grunt he just did it again to spite him. “We don’t have time for another, so you better calm down.”

“Then stop moving that arse of yours around so nicely.” His hand slipped over Zell’s stomach to his hip and pinched him as a form of punishment.

Zell jerked slightly away from the pinch. He grabbed a couple of food packets marked dinner and flipped around onto his other side, tossing one of the two at Seifer’s chest.

“Myah! Cold!” the gunbladist complained, grabbing the thing fast and tossing it over his head in annoyance. Zell reached to grab it once more, then snuggled back up to Seifer and offered the meal more nicely.

Seifer cracked one eye open, then gave up and opened both. He took the proffered “food” and tore the packet open with his teeth. Zell did the same and they started eating.

After they had finished Zell called the meeting to order. Both had a fleeting thought of two naked SeeDs curled up together not being the most common or ethical meeting, but since when did either of them really care anyway?

“So, what do we know about the Snow Lion thing at the present time?” Zell queried.

“Well, we know it moves in straight lines,” Seifer said, trailing a finger up and down Zell’s thigh, which caused the fighter to shift a little, then hook his leg over Seifer’s. The taller blond’s hand slipped over and around to cup Zell’s leg, just below his arse, and gave him a little tug closer.

“Yeah,” Zell replied, smiling. “And we know it heats hearts…” he trailed off as he ducked his head in to kiss Seifer’s chest.

“And brains,” Seifer finished the statement, then placed a gentle kiss atop Zell’s golden-blond head.

“Mhmm,” Zell murmured, pulling himself once again closer to his scarred comrade by way of his hooked leg. “And it lives in that cave we are not actually going in.”

“We could always just poke our heads in,” the gunbladist smirked as his hand slid up from Zell’s thigh to run two fingers between the cheeks of his arse and teasingly against his entrance.

The martial artist gasped softly and arched his body against Seifer’s. “Can’t do that.” He shook his head, forehead pressed against a strong chest. “Cause if we do that, we’d get curious, and want to keep going.”

“It’s not like we’ve never gone into a cave before,” the older boy said, grinning, as he pressed his finger’s into Zell’s body and caused him to jerk forward again.

The meeting was getting very off track. Severely off track, in fact. Zell reached for Seifer’s hand and pulled it away, cupping both his hands around it and holding it to his chest. “Seifer,” Zell began, trying to bring the conversation back to the mission at hand. “We don’t know what’s in there, and I don’t want to take the risk with just the two of us. I just want it dead as soon as possible, so we can go home.”

“So you can go home to Irvine,” Seifer nearly growled, and he’d really tried to sound civil that time.

Zell uncurled Seifer’s fist and kissed his palm. “Yes, so I can go back to Irvine. I love him, Seifer.”

“So? Just because you love someone doesn’t mean everything’s fine and perfect and-” He was cut off by one of Zell’s fingers pressed against his lips.

“I’m sorry, Seifer,” Zell said softly, voice and eyes filled with the apology. “I’m sorry I didn’t see… how you felt. I thought you just didn’t like Irvine… I didn’t realise you were jealous.”

“Well, I’m so thrilled you finally figured it out.” He didn’t look pleased. Actually, he looked down right cranky. But Zell could fix that. He could make it all better now that he knew… or, he could try.

The tattooed boy withdrew his finger and replaced it with his lips, kissing Seifer softly as his arms curled around the gunbladist’s neck to draw him closer.

Their lips move slowly, the kiss going on for ages and ages, their tongues sliding between both of their mouths, neither seeking dominance, only each other.

Seifer was the first to pull away, with a long sigh. He wrapped Zell tight in his arms and nuzzled his nose into the shorted boy’s messy hair. “But you won’t leave him. You can’t be mine… No matter how much I love you.”

A shiver ran down Zell’s spine at the admission. No matter how obvious it had become, or how much he knew it to be true, hearing those words spoken with so much emotion behind them nearly sent his mind reeling.

“Seif, you know I love you too. You’re my best friend in the entire world.” Zell felt the warm embrace tighten around him. He knew that a friend’s love couldn’t compare to what Seifer felt for him.

“Let’s just stay here for the rest of the night. We can wake up early and attack just as it’s leaving its cave. Does that sound okay to you?” Zell asked as he snuggled up against Seifer, running his hand over the other’s hip.

“Yeah. Yeah, that sounds fine, Zell.” At that point in time he was going to take and cherish every moment and feeling he got. If right then he could spend the rest of the night pressed close to the young man he loved, then that was exactly what he’d do.

“Don’t we have to radio back to Garden tonight?” Zell asked, tilting his head back to look up at Seifer’s face. “I think I’m a little off track with sleeping all afternoon and evening.”

“Mmm, I think you’re right. I’ll handle this one.” He smiled down at the fighter when he gave his okay, then reached over to grab the transmitter out of his coat pocket.

“Garden, this is Seifer, over.”

-“Hello, Seifer,” Squall’s calm voice crackled over the little speaker. “Why isn’t your mission leader making the call? Did something happen?”-

Seifer was starting to really wonder what the fuck Squall was on lately. “As a matter of fact Zell happened to have an encounter with a frozen over lake today, Commander.”

Squall blinked. He hadn’t expected anything bad to have actually occurred. -“His status?”-

“I’m fine, Squall,” Zell’s voice came over the radio waves after he’d pulled Seifer’s radio to his lips and pressed down on Seifer’s finger holding the button. “Seifer saved my life. You should give him a promotion.”

Seifer took back the radio and held it closer to himself so Zell might not hear the brunet on the other end as clearly.

-“I’m sure you took all measures possible to bring Zell’s body temperature back up to normal as quickly as possible, Seifer.”-

“I did my duty to my mission leader,” he smiled warmly at Zell, who mouthed the words ‘thank you’ and smiled back.

-“Oh, I’m sure you did. And the monster?”- he questioned, getting back on track. They were on a legitimate SeeD mission after all.

“It’s some sort of Snow Lion. We plan to engage it in battle at first light tomorrow morning. You should be expecting a transmission requesting transport.”

-“Well, I’ll advise Pirash Tana but don’t get too ahead of yourselves. There’s no limit to this mission.”-

Seifer cocked a brow. Squall wanted them away from Garden, and he didn’t think it was out of the kindness of his icy heart to help him get closer to Zell. So, what the hell was he up to? He shook his head to clear his thought. “We’ll be home tomorrow, Squall. Over and out.”

With that Seifer turned off his transmitter and tossed it atop his coat. What did he care what Squall was up to. He had Zell with him right now. And that was much more important.

Seifer shifted one hand around Zell’s shoulders, the other around his waist and rolled them over so the little fighter lay over him. Then both arms slid around his waist.

Zell’s arms came to rest on either side of Seifer’s head. When he stopped his slight sway from the rolling motion he lowered himself down against the taller blond with a small smile, which Seifer returned.

The fighter ran a quick trail of butterfly kisses along the gunbladist’s jaw before moving his lips to meet Seifer’s again. He couldn’t sleep with him. He wouldn’t be unfaithful to Irvine, but he couldn’t resist soaking up Seifer’s love through his kisses. And maybe also show the older boy the true feelings he held for him, even if he didn’t remember them, buried under friendship and the love for a cowboy.

- - -

They woke early, which was no surprise after they slept through a great deal of the previous afternoon, only waking up for a few essentials before snuggling back into dream world. The tent was still only half lit without the aid of the lamp. It must have only been dawn, or drawing near to it.

This time Seifer woke first, opening his eyes to see Zell with his top half still over him, and felt his lower half next to his, one of his legs twined together with his own.

He smiled at the fact they’d spent over half a day naked and in each others’ arms. Since Zell seemed to hold no objection to kissing, this was the gentle method which Seifer chose to waken his sleeping companion.

Zell woke quickly, but still found his mouth was quite capable of working without the help of his conscious mind. There was a slight hitch in the rhythm of the kiss as the fighter’s woken mind started to take over the process.

“Morning,” Seifer murmured against his lips. “Ready to go kill that big, ugly thing?”

“Yeah.” Zell nodded and smacked his forehead right into Seifer’s nose. He lifted his head quickly and blinked a few times. “Sorry…”

“Maybe we should let you wake up a little bit before we go on Mission: Kill Snow-Lion of Doom.” He smirked as he rubbed his nose a bit. Zell really hadn’t hit him all that hard anyway, but it was always fun to rub it in.

Zell pouted cutely, resting his elbows on Seifer’s chest and cupping his face in his hands. “Sorry.” Zell shifted a little, careful not to injure the taller blond with his elbows. “How do you think we should do it?”

Hot, hard, fast, and damn good (3), Seifer’s mind supplied helpfully. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose to make the idea go away. “Sneak up from behind with a bit of GF oomph. Could cast Ifrit, and then Quetzacotl right at the tail end. Then, while its brain is working out why it just got burned, then has to think it through again because you short circuited its central nervous system, we charge in on opposite sides and take it out.”

“I assume we cast our defensive magics before that? And Triple. We’ll need to be shouting too, and to pass by each other pretty frequently, so we can keep up with the curing.”

Seifer nodded. It was pretty straight forward. Find out what did the most damage, out of melee or magic, and keep that up. “I have a few Hastes too. Might be useful when it’s getting weak and hyped up on adrenaline.”

Zell smiled. Seifer really knew how to fight, how to kill things, and be strategic about missions. He just didn’t like being told what to do. And making him mission leader never helped because that was just secondary leadership. He was still following the orders of SeeD, wasn’t he?

“I think we’ll be just fine, if not a bit tired by the end of the day.”

- - -

They packed up the tent and the rest of their supplies after eating a “hearty breakfast”. They left the snowmobiles where they were parked and trudged off toward the monster’s den.

Zell had a Triple ready for use and a second right behind it. When they neared the cave they slowed, peeking their heads over top of the same hill they had before. Because of the location it was best to wait for the Snow-Lion to move off down one of its paths, then fall in behind.

They could tell the beast was still inside because a flap of old carcass and skin, near the entrance, moved back and forth with the long breaths of the creature. The two blonds ducked their heads behind the snow bank as a loud snuff, followed by what was most likely a yawn bellowed out of the dark cave entrance.

They listened as the heavy footfalls started, then stopped. Next came a shuffling of what Seifer’s suspected to be the Snow-Lion turning around to choose a pathway. When the footsteps started again and then began to fade, the pair lifted their heads, located the beast and began their chase.

As they walked behind the monster Zell cast Triple on himself, then Seifer. Next he dished out a couple of Protects while Seifer cast Shell on himself and Zell. They grinned at each other and charged up, Seifer already in the middle of summoning Ifrit. The great, horned god of fire came forth, driving a powerful Hell Fire down upon the unsuspecting foe.

Zell began summoning Quetzacotl half way through Ifrit’s furious attack, instruction the lightning god to focus on the pooling water around the monster’s feet.

The initial attack worked just as planned. The creature finally began to turn around after the second GF blast, but it was slow, not quite as slow as the SeeDs had expected, but slow enough to give them a bit of an advantage.

Seifer charged around the Snow Lion’s back and around to its right side, Hyperion drawn, ready and dangerous. Zell took the quick route to the left and was the first to hit the great beast, Seifer slashing seconds later into the thick hide.

Zell danced back as the thing tried to turn again and cast a trio of Firagas along its spine. Despite his Holy-enhanced Ehrgeiz, blunt trama was not going to be the downfall of this hulking brute. Not when a trio of high level, elemental attacks could do more damage to the beast than his hands ever could in one go.

The Snow Lion kicked out to the side Seifer was slicing at, the blond dodging out of the main blow, but catching a large claw across his thigh. He fell back to half-circle to Zell’s side, the fighter casting a Cura on his leg as he cast a Firaga on the monster’s head.

The battle lasted over an hour, both boys weakened to the point of having a powerful limit break rush through their weary bodies more than once before having a Curaga or two wash over them.

By the battles end no amount of curative magic could relieve their tired, sore muscles. Clothing had been torn, bodies had been cut, bashed and bruised. The two had seen their fare share of close calls and some things they wanted to forget.

Zell’s arm found its way around Seifer’s waist and the taller boy’s arm came around his shoulders. “Remind me to kill Squall.”

“Again? That makes the both of us.”

“Yep… Uh, guess we should tell ‘em to come get us. They can send some scouts to check out that cave, or maybe we can volunteer Squall and Quistis.” An evil smirk spread across his lips, making Seifer grin.

As they trudged back to their snowmobiles Zell radioed back to Garden to ask that they send the transport for them. With luck they’d reach the shore near the same time as the barcoche.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1. Just physics guys. Colder things take heat from hotter things. They’re greedy and stuff.

2. Uh, Zell knows that Seifer has feeling for him and is jealous of Irvine. He might even know that Seifer loves him, but he doesn’t understand how fucking MUCH, thus, that little moment of confusion.

3. Running RP joke, thing…