Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Mine. ❯ Mine. ( Chapter 22 )

Warnings: Angst and fluff. Language probably, sex definitely.

 

Pairings: Stuff.

 

Disclaimer: -sigh- Unfortunately, I don't actually own Irvine. Or anyone else.

 

Author's Notes: TADAH! This is the last chapter, kiddies. I know it's taken a long time, but it's a long chapter too, to make up for it. It just didn't leave itself open to being cut, and I didn't want to. So here it is, the end of “Mine”. Now it's time to get to work on all those unfinished ficlets…

 

Mine.

~KittyMeowMaxwell.

 

Chapter Twenty-Two - Mine.

 

Seifer was woken from a fitful doze early the next morning, drowsy and unkempt. They prodded him on the ends of spears out of the bare teepi they'd kept him in and he blinked in the early-morning light, yawning hugely.

 

Irvine was crying when the sheriff laid eyes on him and the stocky savage he'd fought was largely ignoring what appeared to be desperate pleas from the cowboy. His face was stony.

 

“Irvine…” the savage said after a long moment, glancing at the sobbing man. He repeated the name more firmly and Irvine looked up, apparently unable to ignore the summons. The savage said one word, then looked at Seifer and spoke, Irvine translating through his tears.

 

“/You lost to me, but I realise now you have won where it matters. Irvine desires his home and his people. Thus he will return with you. I release him from the Marking-” A long gasp and eddying murmurs rippled around. “-And sever him from all oaths and promises sworn me./”

 

Seifer stared, utterly dumbfounded and Irvine dissolved into more desperate sobs. The slender savage Seifer remembered from the day before stroked the cowboy's hair and drew him into a hug, but Irvine only cried harder.

 

The one who'd spoken wouldn't look at Irvine and his jaw remained set, his posture rigid. Another dark-skinned savage approached him and unreadable eyes slid to him.

 

- - - - - - -

 

“/Why do you do this?!/” Ahshey hissed at Zell, making a violent gesture. “/Why? Your taken cries for your attention, he cries for your love, and yet you remain thus?/”

 

Zell looked away, a muscle working in his jaw. Didn't Ahshey understand how hard this was for him? How difficult to listen to his beautiful cowboy cry and do nothing? How gut-wrenchingly agonizing to hand what belonged to him in every way to the Outsider? Couldn't his brother see?

 

“/I know what I do, Ahshey…/”

 

“/You don't! You have completely lost your mind! Go to your taken and send this Outsider on his way!/”

 

“/No./”

 

“/But-/”

 

“/No! I said no!/” Zell snarled, baring his teeth. Ahshey looked at him, totally bemused, then with a final glare, he turned and stalked off.

 

It was hard. It was so hard to stay calm, to keep his emotions in check. His heart throbbed painfully and he still hungered for Irvine, despite the myriad times he'd taken him throughout the night.

 

The Outsider stood to the side, looking confused, and well he may be.

 

When Zell went to Irvine it took some moments before Krerah would let him go, despite the taker's thunderous looks, but let go he eventually did. However, Irvine would not. He clung to Krerah with a fierceness that made Zell want to cry.

 

Irvine…

 

“/Irvine, let go!/” he eventually growled with enough force that the cowboy's automatic reactions kicked in and he couldn't disobey. He let go of Krerah, the other taken giving a wail and turning into Ahshey's waiting arms.

 

“/Please, Ahshey!/” he cried with a taken's belief that his taker could do anything. “/Ahshey, make him stop!/” Zell saw the pain in Ahshey's eyes at knowing that, for once, he could not soothe his lover's anguish. He could only thread his fingers through Krerah's silky hair and he remained silent.

 

“/Take him,/” Zell growled, voice rough and though the Outsider couldn't understand the words, Zell knew the man would know what he meant as he pressed Irvine towards him.

 

“Seifer, I can't go with you,” Irvine said instantly, turning back to Zell who now stared at the ground, physically forcing himself not to say or do anything that would encourage the cowboy - his cowboy - to stay.

 

“/Zell, please… Please, I don't know what I did wrong!/”

 

Ai! Could he not see how difficult this was already? Every word, every moment longer made it a hundred times worse again! And it was his duty to kiss away those tears and soothe that trembling, but he couldn't!

 

Oh, Irvine…

 

“/Go, Irvine. Go home to your people. I see now that you cannot remain here. Go with him./”

 

“/No…/” Irvine whispered, and he fell to his knees at Zell's feet, head bowed and hands folded in his lap, the picture of submissiveness. “/Zell, my lover… my taker… Whatever I did you anger you, to upset you, to… make you send me from you… Please… please,/” His voice broke on the repetition. “/Let me have the chance to make up for it. Don't make me go…/”

 

Zell's throat tightened, his heart pounding, but he took Irvine's chin in his hand and he lifted that beautiful head, thumbing away the tears. He belonged to Zell, it was his right to keep him, but the native knew he couldn't. Ai! He could not!

 

“/Your place is not here,/” he said with all the cold finality he could muster and he turned away. “/Go with the man…/”

 

- - - - - - -

 

Irvine's heart broke at those words. It was Zell who had made this his place. If the native no longer thought it was so, then what point was there to staying?

 

He gave a long, low whistle and Whipcrack trotted up, Shir'nis at his heels. Zell laid a hand on the pie-bald chocobo's neck and she warbled softly as Irvine mounted.

 

“Ready…?” Seifer wondered warily, obviously confused by everything going on around him.

 

Irvine nodded mutely, making no move to stay the tears which rolled down his cheeks.

 

“/Farewell, Krerah, my brother… Farewell, Ahshey…/” Irvine whispered. His eyes turned to Zell who stared doggedly at the ground. “/I love you, my taker…/” he said with all the feeling he possessed. He saw Zell tense, but there was no other reaction.

 

Seifer clucked his tongue at his mount and they moved off.

 

“/Remember us!/” Krerah called after him in a choked voice and Irvine bowed his head as the native gave a long, wailing cry of mourning. Much of the encampment took it up and the tears ran more swiftly down Irvine's face.

 

He wanted to turn back, but there was no place for him anymore if Zell didn't want him. Whipcrack warbled unhappily, but he was well-trained these days and he followed in Knightly's wake as Irvine dictated, while the man on his back fairly sobbed.

 

- - - - - - -

 

“/Why?!/” Ahshey demanded the moment they were alone. “/Why would you send him away? Why?! And to break the Old Law so! To sever the bonds of your Marking so easily, and without even consulting the HeartSeer! Zell, what's in your head? What causes this ill-advised behaviour? Why do you do this?/”

 

Zell had fallen to his knees on the sleeping-furs he so recently shared with Irvine, clutching desperately at them. Tears pooled in his eyes, then spilled over and streamed down his cheeks in two shining rivulets. Of course he didn't want to let his cowboy go. Of course he didn't! Couldn't Ahshey see that…?

 

It was Krerah who approached and saw the tears while Ahshey remained well behind Zell, still telling him off. The taken lowered himself to his knees as well and reached out, touching Zell's face. What little control Zell still possessed failed him and he fell upon Krerah, clutching at him and sobbing into his chest with gut-wrenching, throaty cries of utter pain and misery.

 

Krerah was surprised for only a heartbeat before he wrapped an arm around the broad shoulders, his other hand going into Zell's hair. His eyes fell shut as he pressed his lips gently to the taker's hair, whispering soothing nonsense.

 

Ahshey stared. He opened his mouth to speak, but a look from Krerah stilled his voice.

 

Oh, it hurt. Nothing in all his life had ever hurt like this. He had known he loved Irvine. Had always known it, but he had never realised being so parted now would be so very painful. And it was. Ah! It was.

 

He didn't even realise the native had moved, but Ahshey was suddenly at his back, arms around his waist as he offered yet more comfort. Not until the sobs had faded did the question come again.

 

“/Why, Zell? Just tell us why you would do this…/” Ahshey persisted, though far more gently.

 

“/He longs for his home,/” Zell said tiredly, struggling his pain into some sort of submission as Jirrah approached and draped himself across a knee. “/You didn't see the look on his face when I would have done away with the Outsider. I… I believed I had pressed all thought of… his past life from his mind, but I had not. Sooner or later, he would have asked to return…/ He trailed off, rubbing his eyes. “/I could not keep him here when he longed so to return with the Outsider, even if he didn't know it himself. He would have slowly come to hate me, and I… I could bare that even less than letting him go…/”

 

“/Oh, my brother… My little brother,/” Ahshey murmured. “/I am sorry for those things I said to you. You act in the best interests of your taken, always./”

 

Zell nodded mutely and Jirrah cooed.

 

“/But he wished to stay…/” Krerah put forward timidly, fingers stroking through Zell's short hair.

 

“/For now he did, but not forever,/” Zell replied miserably. “/But I will love him forever…/”

 

- - - - - - -

 

“Oh, my! Ladies, you gotta come see this…”

 

It was the `seamstresses' afternoon off, so they all hurried to the window at Penelope's soft exclamation, including the Madam.

 

“Hyne…” Quistis breathed as her eyes settled upon what was so interesting - a tall, slender young man who sat a chocobo behind the Sheriff. He was well-muscled, as they could all tell, owing to the fact that he was clothed only in a scrap of Torama skin and three black tattoos. There was a feather in his hair as well.

 

“His nipples are pierced!” one of the girls almost squealed. “Both of them!”

 

“He must be a savage,” Luanne hissed, giggling into her hand at the thought.

 

“He can't be!” Drucilla shot back with an arrogant tone. “His hair is red and his skin is fair.”

 

“He's dressed like one.”

 

“So? Ain't you never heard've costumes?!”

 

“`Course I have! You callin' me stupid?”

 

“Well, if the boot fits…”

 

“I ain't stupid! Bitch!”

 

“Cow!”

 

“Dog!”

 

“Whore!”

 

“Hey, now! That's-”

 

“Girls!” Quistis broke in before their name-calling could escalate. “I think that could be the Kinneas boy.”

 

“Oh, right!” Trixie cried. “They said he got stole by savages. He must've been living with them.”

 

“I call him! I saw him first,” Penelope said suddenly. That caused a whole new set of arguments and squabbling.

 

Quistis let their waspish words wash over her, watching as the sheriff lead the other man through town. Her elegant brows lowered, blue eyes narrowing behind clear glasses and she hmm'd in thought.

 

“Very, very interesting…” she whispered.

 

- - - - - - -

 

Leanne Kinneas was, relatively speaking, a calm woman. She took everything in her stride, the perfect rancher's wife. She had barely even batted an eyelid the day the chocobos broke down the fence and feasted upon her vegetables and flowers. “Oh well,” she'd said. “guess the critters needed a bit of variety.” And she had stood patiently and supportively by the fence the year there was no rain, and Eli had been forced to shoot half the birds.

 

When, however, she left her house to see why her husband was whooping and hollering when little more than mumbles had come from either of them since Irvine's disappearance, all that failed her. At first, she didn't recognize him, then she couldn't believe it. In the next moment, she went fying down the stairs and across the dusty yard, throwing herself at her son before he was even off his chocobo properly. Whipcrack staggered and skittered away a couple of steps and Irvine tripped over an up-thrust rock, ending up on his back with his gleefully squealing mother atop him. He laughed softly and hugged her tight while Seifer averted his eyes and tried to pretend the scrap of Torama skin had not flown up.

 

“Oh, Irvine! Irvine my boy, my son!” she cried, tears running down her face.

 

Eli was much the same, though he swallowed his tears and remained more restrained. He smiled at Seifer, then suddenly reached out and hugged the man, smacking him heartily on the back.

 

“Thank you kindly, Sheriff,” he said gruffly.

 

“It was just luck, Mr. Kinneas. Nothing more.” He watched as Leanne lead Irvine up to the house, firing questions at him and wondered just how much the cowboy would tell her.

 

“Will y' be joinin' us fer a drink?” Eli asked, but Seifer shook his head.

 

“Naw. Left the Deputy on his own long enough. He's probably going crazy thinking that Malboro swallowed me.”

 

“Oh, did y' git `im?”

 

Once again, Seifer shook his head.

 

“Irvine did. Irvine and… a friend.”

 

Eli arched a brow, but Seifer said no more. He swung up into Knightly's saddle and clucked the chocobo into a tired trot. Eli watched him go, then turned to Whipcrack and wondered how he was going to get the bridle-free bird into a stall for the night.

 

- - - - - - -

 

If the Kinneases had thought Irvine spent a lot of time with the chocobos before, it was nothing compared to how much time he spent with them now. He taught them all the various whistles Whipcrack already knew, and used them to protect himself from being forced to do cow chores. Even Eli couldn't push through a solid wall of yellow birds, and he wouldn't harm them.

 

He wore jeans, but nothing more and even these sometimes vanished mysteriously, to be replaced by the loincloth. He just couldn't stand the restriction of clothing anymore. He refused a new shotgun, instead fashioning himself a bow and sitting for hours whittling shafts and carving arrow heads, then fletching the arrows.

 

One day, he took Whipcrack and just left with nothing but a bag of various things and his new bow and arrows. He came back three days later with a mesmerize carcass which he carefully skinned, keeping the choicest pieces of meat which he showed Leanne how to cook, much to her surprise. He cured the hide, too, and the shining fur pelt soon adorned his parents' bed.

 

Selphie visited the moment she learned of his return. He was preparing to leave on another hunting trip when she came riding up their track, sitting daintily side-saddle atop a calm old female chocobo.

 

"Howdy, cowboy," she said cheerfully as she approached him, hips swinging. Her chocobo made a displeased sound - Selphie had tied the bird up in sight of the Kinneas chocobos, but she was completely unable to get to them.

 

"Mornin'," Irvine said softly, not looking up from the new arrows he was fletching.

 

"Aren't you gonna give me a hug?" Selphie asked after long moments of waiting in silence for just that.

 

He glanced up at her as though she were an idiot, then the look slowly vanished from his face and he nodded.

 

"Oh, right," he said and he stood, briefly hugging her. He began to step back but she giggled.

 

"That's it?!" she teased and her skirts flew and swung as she leapt on him, arms wrapping around his neck. He caught her reflexively and she pressed a deep kiss to his mouth. His lips parted for a sound of surprise, but she took that as invitation and her quick little tongue dipped.

 

Whatever else Irvine was, he had always been a ladies' man and that was not something he could just ignore. Not now. His tongue ran along hers and his body reminded him just how long it had been since Zell's talented fingers stroked his skin.

 

Selphie giggled as he lay her down.

 

- - - - - - -

 

It was disgusting really, the way Seifer hovered around Irvine, like a bee around a flower. It almost made Squall feel sick enough to abandon his beer, and that was saying something.

 

For once, a very rare occasion these days, Irvine had entered the saloon, his blue eyes furtive and bright with wariness. He was at least wearing pants and a small vest which hung open, showing the wink of a gold hoop every so often, but he was barefoot and his hair fell free around his shoulders in auburn waves.

 

To anyone else it would likely appear that Seifer was being diligent in his duties, keeping close to the strange and unpredictable 'wildling' as he'd been quietly dubbed. Squall knew better. Seifer was almost drooling. It was vaguely embarrassing and very irritating and the Deputy wanted to hit him. The fact that Rinoa was hanging around like a bad smell did not improve his mood at all.

 

- - - - - - -

 

He couldn't remember why he'd liked this place so much now that he was here. It was loud and hot and the tobacco smoke almost choked him. He wished he was sitting around a fire, tapping his foot to rhythmic drumming and ululating song, drinking with Ahshey and Krerah and knowing that the night would end in Zell's arms.

 

Selphie had not satisfied him. Her female twitterings and soft murmurs barely affected him. His body was too used to responding to that masculine purr, and the expectation of obedience. Truthfully, he knew he was here two weeks after that event to find something more appealing.

 

He was sitting at a table, Seifer keeping him company, when a woman he didn't recognise entered, accompanied by several other girls. The general crowd hailed them cheerfully and each woman save the one with glasses was soon ensconced in a lap and deep in conversation. It took his brain a long time to supply him with the word 'whores' because there was no such thing where he'd spent the last several months.

 

"So, what was it like...?" a voice purred close by his ear and he jumped, looking up from his drink. Seifer was scowling at the blonde woman who'd appeared at Irvine's elbow, but the cowboy was intrigued. She carried an air of power, of expectance that she would be obeyed. He liked that. She was blonde and blue-eyed too, though her blue was a paler, icier colour than Zell's.

 

"What're you referrin' to ma'am?" he asked softly, entirely aware that a large part of him had already slipped into that recent need for submission.

 

"Your time with the savages..." she cooed, stroking his hair a little.

 

"Well for one," he said firmly and clearly. "They ain't savages." Some of the people around them fell silent and the woman's brows lifted.

 

"No...?"

 

"No, ma'am. They care about each other, just like we do and they've strict rules for relationships. They wear markings, so as no doubt arises as to who's who and what's what. And, in fact, in some ways, they're more civilised than we are."

 

That sent mutterings around the saloon and Irvine glance around, glad of the small bone-handled daggers secreted in his vest.

 

"How so?" the woman asked apparently genuine interest.

 

"Well, ma'am, I'm afraid I, like, ought not say in front of a lady... nor in front've these fine gentleman drinkin' their share of happy." He stood, nodding politely to both the Sheriff and the woman, then took himself from the saloon.

 

A satisfied smirk found his lips as he heard heels on the verandah behind him, but he didn't turn, continuing into the night.

 

"Mr. Kinneas."

 

"Irvine." He halted, crickets chirruping in the evening hush, and the thin crowing of cockatrice making him cock his head a little, automatically judging the distance.

 

"Irvine. I'd very much like to hear about your adventure..."

 

"I'm sure, ma'am," he said dryly and heard her laugh. He missed Zell painfully. He needed it to go away.

 

"Quistis..." she corrected, then; "Come... I'd dearly wish to speak with you..."

 

He went, but they spoke very little, and the next morning, he left long before she woke and disappeared into the trees to be alone.

 

- - - - - - -

 

It almost worked. Quistis was strong and commanding and being with her masked the intense ache. It even dulled a little, though it would never go away, he knew. He could at least breathe without feeling as though he were inhaling cactuar-spines.

 

He was musing on this one morning as he went to collect some goods his father had ordered. But he found musing brought images and seeing Zell in his mind's eye hurt. And it made him see things for real.

 

As he muscled a sack of flour towards the door, a stocky blonde brushed past, he was sure, and slipped out the door into the early-morning light. But when Irvine left the store, looking wildly around, he was nowhere to be seen.

 

As he moved to the next store, he thought he saw the glint of a feather in more golden hair through a window, but there was no one within save the owner when he entered.

 

He went to the saloon for a drink and there sat a little blonde, dove-grey suit stretched taught across broad shoulders. But the two serving girls crossed paths before him and when he could see again, the suited man was gone - were he ever there to begin with.

 

But, real or not, Irvine's visions had shaken his pain to the surface again, and he knew of only one way to make it somewhat better. He strode from the saloon without his drink past the cart where the patient chocobo waited and made a beeline for the brothel. He was so intent on where he was going, he didn't even see the sheriff crossing his path until the pair of them collided and went sprawling to the ground.

 

“/Sorry,/” Irvine said reflexively, automatic reaction to someone clearly stronger, then he remembered where he was, cleared his throat and repeated himself in the appropriate language. “Sorry, Sheriff.”

 

Seifer didn't say anything for a long moment, but then he murmured; “I know where you're going.”

 

Irvine stared at him with wide eyes and didn't move as the Sheriff stood, brushing off his clothes. The tone in his voice sent Irvine's stomach flip-flopping.

 

“Going?” he echoed pushing hair and feather back behind an ear. Seifer offered a hand and he took it, shifting a little from foot to foot once the blond had hauled him up.

 

Seifer flicked jade eyes towards the brothel then looked at the cowboy again.

 

“Come with me instead.”

 

Once again, Irvine was staring, but there was no deception in Seifer's eyes, and his gaze was as clear and certain as his voice had been; Come with me.

 

“You're…” Irvine whispered abortively, but it didn't matter that he couldn't finish, because Seifer nodded once.

 

“Yeah,” he said softly. “Come with me.”

 

“Yes,” Irvine breathed, a shiver zinging down his spine as Seifer smirked triumphantly. He followed the tall blond his mind had instantly dubbed taker and licked his lower lip in anticipation. This was what he needed.

 

Sapphire eyes burned in his mind.

 

- - - - - - -

 

/Irvine…/

 

/Zell…?/

 

/Feel me…/

 

/Oh, Zell…/

 

/Want me…/

 

/Always./

 

/Need me…/

 

/I do./

 

/…Love me…/

 

/I love you. I love you!/

 

/Love me./

 

/Please. I do./

 

/Show me./

 

/I don't know how./

 

- - - - - - -

 

“/Show me…/”

 

Irvine jerked awake, looking wildly around at the echo of Zell's voice in his mind. But only Seifer was there, one arm laid possessively across his abdomen. The sun had made its way high into the sky and begun its slow descent back to earth, sending fingers of light across them through the slats on the window.

 

A shaking hand came to Irvine's mouth and he bit back a sob, not wanting to wake Seifer. He couldn't do it! He couldn't live without Zell - it was torture. It hurt in every cell, to the very marrow of his bones, and he wanted it to just end.

 

Dragging himself out of bed without disturbing the other man, Irvine dressed himself in the soft pants and open vest he'd been wearing before running into Seifer. He stumbled out of the Sheriff's home behind the jail and started on his way back to town. He was half way along the main street, heading for the chocobo and cart when he tripped and fell on hands and knees and just couldn't get up. His betrayal of Zell - several times over - bared by that voice in his dreams tore through him and dragged racking sobs from him, the kind that made his stomach hurt and his throat burn. Tears rained down on the dusty street and he was dimly aware of several footsteps - people leaving the shops and businesses down the main street to see what was going on.

 

He didn't care. He tore at his own hair and heard his own sobbing cries echo from the buildings around him and wished he could just die.

 

“Irvine!” Quistis' voice called softly, and heels clicked across porch, but a far firmer voice demanded;

 

“Leave him. He is mine.”

 

A hand curled over the back of his neck and he twitched away, fisting his own hands and pressing them into his closed eyes.

 

“Don't touch me, Seifer.”

 

“Seifer? This is not good. Has it been so long that you do not even recognise the voice of your own taker?”

 

The knees of a dove-grey suit came into his view, strong hands pressing to his cheeks and tilting his head up. He was sure the thick tears must be fooling his sight, because Zell didn't wear suits, and he didn't oil his hair back against his head like that, and anyway, he spoke native.

 

“Zell…?” Irvine whispered chokingly, hands dropping to grip at the material against the other man's thighs. “Zell?”

 

“Ai! What can this be? You see me right before you, yet you must ask? Could there be anyone else so powerful as I?”

 

Certainly, Irvine thought with desperate hope, there could be no one else so arrogant.

 

“N-no…” he whispered. “No one else.”

 

“Indeed,” the man said firmly. “No one.”

 

A million questions flared in Irvine's mind, but they were all scattered when the breeze shifted and brought Zell's scent to his nose. He threw himself at the man, trying to fold himself into the lap he knew so well, and his tears began anew.

 

“Zell,” he cried softly. “Oh, Zell, I'm sorry… I'm sorry…”

 

“There is nothing to be sorry for, my taken…” Zell whispered, and Irvine relaxed instantly when strong fingers smoothed through his tangled hair. The native tutted. “You have not been taking care of your hair,” he said reprovingly.

 

Irvine laughed wetly, then he lifted his head so suddenly, he nearly caught Zell's jaw with it.

 

“You… you're speaking in…”

 

“Yes.” Zell laughed. “I-”

 

“Zell Dincht. Well I never…”

 

They both looked up at the authoritative female voice and Zell bared his teeth in a grin.

 

“Quistis Trepe. Fancy that.”

 

Irvine stared, completely dumbfounded and Quistis tapped her lower lip with a well-manicured fingernail.

 

“That puts us all here, at once. Uncanny, truly. I mean, I was surprised enough when I learned Seifer and Squall were Sheriff and Deputy here. Then I met Selphie when she came into town on an errand, and later learned that Irvine had been snatched away by a savage. Whoever would have thought this so-called savage was nothing but a wild orphan…?”

 

“Who indeed,” Zell replied.

 

“But none of them remember.”

 

“I know.”

 

“You always did say you would have Irvine to yourself one day…”

 

Zell grinned fiercely, but it fell away suddenly and his eyes narrowed. Irvine reluctantly looked away from his lover's face to find Zell was glaring at Seifer.

 

“Oh, no…” he groaned.

 

- - - - - - -

 

There was no doubt in Zell's mind that what cowboy and Sheriff had done had been entirely consensual. However, as far as he was concerned, the taller blond had taken advantage of his Irvine and, more to the point, had his hands all over what he already knew wasn't his.

 

He stood, brushing Irvine's clinging hands away despite how he hated to do so, and dusted off his suit so it sat clean and pristine again. A wine-purple vest shone beneath the grey and his facial tattoo stood out sharply.

 

“Seifer,” he growled and stalked along the street, black shoes sending up puffs of dust, until he stood toe-to-toe with the taller man. “Leave my taken be, or so help me I will smother you in your sleep.”

 

Zell at least had to admit a grudging appreciation for the fact that the Sheriff didn't even react to his speaking the language perfectly, and even without an accent. He just arched a golden brow and stared defiantly back at the tattooed man.

 

“He-” Seifer begun, but Zell didn't let him continue.

 

“I could care less what he did or did not do. I am telling you right now to never touch him again…” His eyes slid past Seifer, to find that Squall stood there, hand hovering near the gun holstered at his hip, and he bared his teeth in a grin, looking back up at the Sheriff. “Besides, you have your very own pretty taken to be dealing with…”

 

He waved a little to Squall.

 

“Heeey!”

 

“Oh,” came Quistis' dry tones. “Now everyone is here.”

 

Sure enough, Selphie came dashing down from the doctor's, holding her skirts up out of the way as she ran. Zell couldn't help but smile a little at her, despite her constant need to have her female hands all over his lover.

 

“Everyone? I don't understand…” Irvine said helplessly, standing as Selphie threw herself at him. He failed to react and didn't catch her, so she ended up stumbling awkwardly against him and sending him stumbling a step to one side. Zell snickered then reached out and drew Irvine to his side, eyeing her harshly.

 

“We were all there together, Irvine,” Quistis said gently. “You, Zell, Selphie, Squall, Seifer and I.”

 

“Where?” he asked, Selphie looking just as confused.

 

“The orphanage,” Zell put in. “You don't remember… you were all a lot younger when you were taken away, so you didn't recognise us. But… I knew you all when I saw you.”

 

“And so did I,” Quistis said. “It was hard enough to believe five of us were here, let alone Zell turning up as well. You wouldn't read about it.”

 

“No… Ahshey… Ahshey is your brother…” Irvine said, staring at Zell.

 

“Adoptive, only. I was never adopted from the orphanage, because I was… hmm…”

 

“A pain in the arse?” Quistis suggested.

 

“Uncontrollable,” Zell decided instead, smirking at her. After all, it wasn't his fault he was born so strong and so much better than the rules that bound this society…

 

“I can understand that,” Irvine said dryly.

 

“Yes. Quistis was just too smart. Prospective parents don't like children who know more than they do… So she had to leave when she turned eighteen and I never saw her again until now. Then I had to leave when I turned eighteen. I failed to fit in anywhere. I had no desire to be bound by the sorts of rules encountered here… and one day when I was out hunting, I came across a party of braves - one of whom was Ahshey. I saw straight away how they worked, how being stronger put you higher on the pecking order, and how the way I was-”

 

“Arrogant and always wanting your own way…?” Quistis arched a brow.

 

“-wasn't frowned on with them. So I decided I would much rather live there than here. Kiros hated me, from the moment I set foot there, but Ahshey adopted me as his brother, so there was nothing he could do about it. It is why he was so angry about you…”

 

“That's why… Krerah said you and Ahshey… while you were away…”

 

Zell laughed softly and shook his head at Irvine.

 

“Did you never wonder why my `brother' has skin the colour of tree bark and hair the colour of the night sky and my own skin is far paler, my hair golden?”

 

Irvine blinked.

 

“It crossed my mind a couple of times but I didn't, like, want to offend you by askin' about it… I thought maybe you had one non-native parent or somethin'…”

 

Zell laughed harder, reaching up to ruffle Irvine's hair.

 

“My tan must be darker than I thought then.”

 

“So… we were all at the orphanage?” Selphie said, making them all jump. They'd forgotten she was there.

 

Seifer rubbed a hand across his face as Squall came up alongside him, the brunette glaring a little up at the blond.

 

“Maybe we should all go get a drink, and talk this out some more,” Seifer suggested, then made a sudden sound of surprise when Squall reached across to catch hold of his belt, so the Deputy's arm was effective slung around him.

 

“I been thinking some stuff, Seifer…” he said softly. “And I think it definitely needs talking out…”

 

“Whoooa…” Selphie said, eyes nearly popping from her head. Not to be outdone, Zell caught hold of Irvine and pulled him close, bending him back for a deep, passionate kiss. “Whoooa!” the farmgirl cried again.

 

“I am sorry…” Zell whispered when he drew away, then slipped back into the native tongue; “/I never meant to return for you. I know you wanted to be with your family, but I could not bare to be apart from you… Let me stay…/”

 

- - - - - - -

 

Irvine stared up at his taker, completely confused. Zell had never asked him for anything, not once in the entire time since he'd stolen him away. Now he asked to stay here…?

 

“But you… /But you were the one who sent me away…/”

 

“/I knew you wanted to be with your family. I could never bare it if you began to hate me for keeping you./”

 

Irvine was silent for several minutes, considering this and he realised that Zell was probably right. Had he not come home and discovered how little he really did miss it, he probably would have come to resent Zell - though he wouldn't go so far as hate.

 

He slowly shook his head.

 

“/I don't want to stay here…/” he said slowly. “/I want you to take me home… back to Krerah, my brother, and the other braves… back where you can be what you are and I can be what I am - yours./”

 

Zell seemed genuinely surprised.

 

“/But… your family…/”

 

“/I can visit… Besides…/” He reached out, plucking at the vest until it fell open beneath his fingers. “/This is too much clothing, and it covers all your perfection…/”

 

Zell smirked.

 

“/Well this is true…/”

 

“/Zell…?/”

 

“/Yes?/”

 

“/Take me into Quistis' place and have me as my taker should…/”

 

Zell just growled, scooped him up, and carried him away, ignoring the stares of those around them. Quistis laughed and followed them back into the brothel, while Seifer and Squall took themselves back to the jail to talk. Selphie was left standing there, looking rather confused, and she scratched her ear, then shrugged and wandered off, kicking a little at the ground.

 

- - - - - - -

 

Irvine ran a hand through his loosed hair and shifted a little on Whipcrack's back, glancing over to Zell who sat Shir'nis with his usual easy arrogance. They had both reverted to the Torama-skin, and Irvine smiled at the freedom.

 

His parents hadn't really understood, but he would try to explain whenever he saw them - which Zell had promised would be regularly. Eventually, they would understand, or if they didn't, they would accept it. And if they didn't… Irvine couldn't say he didn't care, but he would not let it rule him. He wanted this, and he was going to take it…

 

Or rather - he ran his eyes up and down Zell's body - it was going to take him…

 

He grinned and was about to move Whipcrack closer when an excited cry of his name rang through the forest. The bird gave a sudden warble of shock as Krerah burst from the bushes and literally tackled him off the feathered back.

 

“Irvine! /You're back! You're back!/” The native rained kisses on his face and Irvine could only laugh.

 

“/Ah, then you brought him back. For once you have done something intelligent…/” Ahshey remarked laconically. “/Amazing./” He leant against a tree, eyeing the display from his own taken with an amused smile and the arch of a raven brow.

 

“/Yes,/” Zell replied grudgingly. “/For once you were right, and I was not. He did want to come back./”

 

The taller native pushed off the tree with a nonchalant wave of his hand, moving over to the pair of taken and hauling his own bodily off the other.

 

“/For once? I am always right, my brother. Besides, you chose to come and remain with us, did you not? It is a much better lifestyle./” A dexterous toe reached out and flicked back Irvine's loincloth, white teeth flashing a lecherous grin against dark lips. “/And the clothing is infinitely better…/”

 

“Ahshey!” Irvine cried, pushing the cloth back down to preserve what little modesty he had left.

 

Zell merely smirked and helped Irvine to his feet. Shir'nis and Whipcrack had taken themselves off towards the warking of the other chocobos, so the quartet wandered back to camp on foot.

 

The instant they came out of the trees into the currently occupied clearing, Irvine knew he was home. He relaxed completely, and he didn't feel awkward or out of place at all. Krerah slung an arm around his waist from one side, and Zell from the other and a smile curled across his lips.

 

Krerah extracted a promise that they would actually leave their teepi for the evening meal before he would let himself be pried away from the cowboy. Even as he walked away with Ahshey he was calling reminders back to them, and they laughed as they ducked inside.

 

Irvine was only too happy to let Zell lay him down and he breathed a pleased sigh as his taker settled over him. He curled an arm around the strong back and his fingers up into his lover's pale hair, holding him gently.

 

“/I love you,/” he murmured.

 

“/I have always loved you… From the moment I saw you the first day at the orphanage, I knew you would be mine…/”

 

“/I am yours…/” Irvine agreed.

 

“/Mine…/” Zell purred. “/Mmm, yes… mine./”

 

Irvine clutched harder and leaned up, lipping at his lover's earlobe just to feel him shiver, and after a long moment, the cowboy breathed;

 

“/…Mine…/”

 

- - - - - - -

 

The End.

 

- - - - - - -

 

Author's Notes: Omgosh, I can't believe it's finished. -cry- I'm kinda sad but kinda happy as well. Now I have to get to work on all those half-done one-shots while I think of an idea for another long one… Heh. Love you all. I hope you enjoyed the ride. Watch out for my next masterpiece! ;)