Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Teasing the Lion ❯ Part 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: FFVIII and its characters belong to the rightful Squaresoft. And Squaresoft, I love you, so don't sue me! (what a lame defense....~__~;)

Note: Irvine x Squall pairing, Irvine's POV. A bit AU and a bit OOC (perhaps).

Teasing the Lion

Part One

A fanfiction by Sumeragi Sakura

He was just beautiful. Truly exquisite. That was the very thought that crossed my mind when I first laid my eyes on him. A slim, lean figure clad with the dark, formal SeeD uniform that looked perfect on him. His dark hair fell on his forehead in thin strands, elegantly covered his pair of blue sparks of eyes that shone brilliantly. His face was statuesque, with high-cheekbone, a perfect nose, sharp eyebrows and an unstained white complexion.

He was perfect.

Even the long scar that ran from above his right eye to under his left eye seemed to add more artistic features on his face. I prided myself as an admirer of art, someone who appreciated beautiful things in life. But this….. Even I, whose eyes were very used to extreme beauties, had to stop and took the time to feast upon the sight of him.

I admired him, completely.

A hidden beauty I never thought I would see, especially not standing alone in the dim corner of this brightly lit grand ballroom. There was something about the surly look on his expression that just caught my eyes. The next thing I knew was that I couldn't tear my eyes off him. No matter what I did, I couldn't help stealing a look at his direction again, and again. Even though someone interrupted me with a conversation or two, or someone asked me to dance, I kept finding my eyes searching for him all the time.

And every time I saw him still standing there, leaning against the marble pillar, sipping his drink quietly, I caught myself feeling very much relieved. This had intrigued me. Why would I find this complete stranger, who happened to be unbelievably gorgeous but still a perfect stranger, very appealing?

Irvine……

Ah, he just finished his drink with one last sip, only to take another glass from a passing drink-server, who carried a tray of blue-liquor filled tall glasses. He took a brand new sip, bending down his head and staring at the dance floor surly. He turned his head to another side, as if he didn't really want to see the dance floor.

Irvine…… Irvine……

He took another sip; his eyes winced a little. Perhaps the second drink was a little bit too much for him, I mused. Oh, his hand was raised and it stroked his hair a little, sweeping the brown-toned hair to the back of his head, only to let it fell again graciously against his forehead.

Ah, what a gorgeous sight to beho….

"IRVINE!"

There was a not-so-gentle squeeze on my left hand. It stung as much as to force my head to snap back to where I was standing. Er, no, actually, it turned out that I was dancing. On the dance floor. With this red headed girl in a striking flame-colored dress. One of her carefully sculpted eyebrows was raised at me. A mild irritation took a reign over her boldly beautiful face.

"Irvine, I would really appreciate it if my dancing partner would only look at ME when he is dancing with ME," her voice was calm but dangerously emphasized.

I threw her my most charming smile. "I'm sorry. I lost myself in my thoughts for a while. And it's not because of you, Beautiful, believe me. You're my favorite dancing partner tonight."

She still looked into my eyes with suspicious honey-colored eyes. For a while. Either she believed what I said, or she didn't think it really mattered, she didn't pursue the matter further. Instead, she sunk herself deeper in my arms and smiled.

"What were you thinking?"

"About how Balamb Garden does throw better parties than our Galbadia."

Her laugh tinkled like little bells. A pretty girl, in a pretty dress with a pretty laugh. Too bad, I couldn't remember her name. Or care so much to find out.

"Oh, really? I heard that Galbadia Garden has better facilities. More sophisticated technologies, with highly-qualified teachers and stuffs."

"Those things you said, do they really matter when there aren't any parties as fun as this to enjoy?"

"Is that why you left it and got yourself transferred here?"

"Of course."

She was still laughing when the music changed. I bent over to her ear and whispered my wish to call off the dancing. I told her I wanted to meet a fellow student I knew back from Galbadia, who also studies here in Balamb. She let me go with a promise to take her as my partner if I would ever feel like dancing again tonight. I said yes.

A lie.

I didn't plan to dance again tonight. At least not with her.

I slipped through the dancing crowd. I found myself a quiet space near the refreshment table. It was secluded enough without being far too isolated from the rest of the party. And from there, I could scan the whole room easily with my eyes. From the dance floor, to the music stage, to the area where people gathered to talk to each other, to the dim corner under the marble pillar where my one-night obsession had been standing.

And he was still there. He was not alone now. There was a guy with striking blonde hair and a short brunette girl, standing there with him. Or rather talking near him, as I observed more closely, I didn't see him do as much as responding to their conversation. But then, the blonde boy wrung his arm around the beauty's shoulder and talked energetically. My dark-haired boy just stared at him, coldly tossed his friendly arm away and turned his face to the opposite direction.

The blonde boy looked hurt. The short girl gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. She said something I couldn't manage to figure out, and then took the blonde boy to the dance floor.

My obsession of the night just stood there, still looking away from the dance floor, looking surlier than ever. My, this was interesting. I was only attracted to his beautiful appearance before. But now after seeing him sulking, I couldn't help but feeling very amused.

His sulking mode was even cuter.

But then, I found out that I was not the only one who found him interesting. Something in the corner of my eye pricked, making me turned to look. There was a girl, black-haired and pretty, with a femininely, sensual, creamy dress, who watched him from across the room. She was holding a glass of liquor with her right hand, playfully turned the tall neck of the glass around, slowly, as if she didn't realize she did it while admiring the dark-hair boy.

Oh, no.

No, no, no, no. no.

The dark-haired beauty was mine. I found him first. You have no right to go and approach him, Lady, claiming what was not yours to take from the beginning. At least, I was not going to let her do it. Hah, I planned to have some fun after I got transferred to Balamb Garden and I wasn't going to let some ebony-haired stranger to take it away from me.

I emptied my drink in one, refreshing gulp, before I put aside the now useless glass on the refreshment table. Then I straightened my jacket, stroked my hair, preparing for the direct assault. My luck had been shining brightly tonight. Might as well push it to the very limit. Let see who was going to win the beauty tonight. Me or the silly black-haired.

He didn't realize my determined approach right away. It was after I stopped walking, a few steps away in front of him, had he raised his head at me. The brilliant blue of his eyes looked even sharper in this close a distance. His face bore no expression, other than bored and uninterested.

But he was wary, I could tell. An instinct shaped by his military training here, I supposed. His SeeD honed muscle jumped to the quick reflex at the approaching stranger. Me. He didn't say or do anything more, though, besides standing there leaning against the marble pillar, giving me the steely eyes.

Which was the most gorgeous feature I found on him. So far.

"Not particularly a dancer, are you?" I started, feeling a cat-like smile to slowly crack on my lips.

He stared at me, without any indications of returning my greeting.

Never talk to strangers. Or bad things will happen to you if you do.

Interesting.

"Is that why you took this post, away from the dance floor? Or do you just happen to like that pillar very much?"

His empty stare suddenly stopped being quite so empty anymore. It began to thrust an icy-cold glare into my eye, as if determined to pierce it through my skull. I managed to hide a wince. Not someone who appreciated any jokes, apparently.

I smiled wider.

"Kidding. No offense there. Irvine Kinneas."

He blinked.

"What?"

Ah, I finally lured his voice out of those deliciously looking rosy lips. Score.

"That's my name. Irvine Kinneas. And what's yours?"

"It's none of your business."

Hmm, the snap returned to me quickly. I raised one of my brows, highly amused with his reaction. Ooh, a tough shell. Great, I always love challenges. Life will definitely be very boring without them, won't it?

"If you don't feel like dancing, then why did you come to a dance party after all?" I pried further, taking my place beside him while turning my gaze at the dance floor.

He made a slight shift, sensibly annoyed with the privacy intrusion I made on him. He grew warier, even though he didn't show it much on the outside. A natural soldier, I noted. Sharp and beautiful altogether, a combination rarely found in one person these days.

"Its out of consent."

"Ah, the rule, isn't it? That every SeeD members must attend the party that is thrown to celebrate their inauguration. Right. You're a new SeeD, then, because if you're not, you wouldn't have to be here out of consent, would you?"

His sharp brows knitted. I could feel the cold stare directed to me. He was officially annoyed now. He didn't like to be disturbed from his surly reverie and he deliberately showed it. I found it fun to disturb him. Call me weird, but I was glad when he stared at me that way. Now he was completely aware of my existence, standing just right outside the barrier of his own gloomy world.

I was this irritating stranger who barged into his world.

Didn't it sound just nice?

"Oh, by the way, you can call me Irvine. I'm a transfer SeeD from Galbadia. Just came in today and there's a party already in the night. Talk about lucky."

He didn't stop staring at me. Perhaps he thought he could will me away just by staring at me so hard that way. I chuckled, mentally. Oh, no, no, no, soon he would find out that I was not the kind of person one could easily be shunned. Pushing my hands into my pants' pockets, I turned my gaze at him. Never for one second I quit smiling at him, knowing it would irritate him even more.

"Hey, how should I call you if you don't want to tell me your name?" I asked.

"Then, you just don't call me."

"Hmm, that's going to be pretty hard. See, you're the first friend I made here in Balamb. I WILL have to talk to you some time soon, you know. And all of those times, how should I call you? The Sulky Boy?"

If a glare could kill, I was sure I'd already been dead by now. But I didn't come to back away. I returned his sharp, soul-stealing glare by another sharply teasing stare.

He was the one who looked away first. Ah, I score again, said the childish boy in me. It was so much fun to tease this gorgeous boy. Seeing him from afar had already been fascinating. But watching him from this close a distance, however cold his reaction was to me, it was even more exciting. His statuesque face looked even more gracious from where I was standing now.

"I'm not your friend."

He turned away.

Eh?

With one swift motion, he turned away and left me alone. I blinked in surprised. I didn't expect to see a sudden movement from someone who spent half through the party by just sulking and drinking quietly. I watched his departing back in a stupefied gape, catching a glimpse of his lean figure a few seconds before he disappeared behind the tall, French doors.

Hey, I just got dumped. Ouch.

Hpmh, he didn't know me yet. Irvine Kinneas never get dumped. Back in Galbadia, or anywhere else I've ever had the chance to visit, girls fell crumbling to my feet and boys shyly 'invited' me to 'befriend' them. With my looks, my silky light-brown hair and my appealing tall body, I could just have anyone I want.

And I meant anyone.

So there was no way that this gorgeous imp could ruin my invincible, perfect record in love life. I smirked. He would see. I would have him.

But first, I would need to catch up with him.

I followed his trail, also going for the tall French doors. But when I reached the doorway, I stopped and turned.

I shot my stare across the dance floor, right into the eyes of the black-haired girl in the creamy dress. She stiffened a little, staring me back with a strong-willed look. I let a small smirk to crack on my lips, and threw it across the room to where the girl was standing.

I leant my right hand on the glass-pane of the doors --the other hand was still in my pocket-- marking my territory, claiming my property. Such a simple, primal gesture, almost animalistic, but very clear in the meaning.

She understood. She had just lost her claim.

She turned away slowly and began to mingle with the festive crowd, while I turned my back on the ballroom, to begin my stalking steps through the French doors.

He stood by the edge of the balcony, looking at the garden below that sparkled with party lights and the stars shining above. The music could still be heard from out here, carried away by the cool evening breeze up to this balcony. I closed the door silently behind me and leant my back against it. I watched his quiet figure, standing there, dimly illuminated by the lights from the garden below.

Whatever it would cost me, however long it would take, I would have him.

Just for me.

This is the silent vow my heart declared, witnessed by the starlight and the glimmering moon in the sky.

I strode toward him, in cat-like movements, so silent and graceful like a predator stalking its prey. I approached him and stood by his side, leaning my arms on the balcony railing. I whistled in amazement when I looked down to the garden.

It was a beautiful setting. The garden itself was beautiful for its arrangements of flowers and ornamental bushes. Tonight, it was even more beautiful with the addition of delicate ornamental light posts, flower-adorned garden benches and luminous fireflies hovering in mid air. A few feet away, right in the middle of the garden was a huge fountain. Its water sprayed a few feet up to the air in harmony with the music. The fountain was illuminated with seven different colored-lights, which made it look like a dancing rainbow.

"Ch', I knew it. Balamb is better funded than Galbadia. No wonder we don't have any of these back home," I muttered.

The boy turned his irritated face toward me, even though he didn't stir from his place. I turned my face too, to meet his. I smiled at his irritation.

"Why are you following me?" he asked coldly.

"I'm not. I just thought that I need a fresh air too. And I was right. This place is better than the ballroom inside."

"That's a lie."

"Oh? Can you tell?"

"What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't fool me around."

Actually, I wanted to fool around with you, if you know what I meant, I sighed inwardly.

"I'm not fooling you around."

"Then, just leave me alone."

"Why? You're my first friend here. If I leave you, then I'll be alone."

"You were dancing with some girls before. Make friends with them, instead."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You noticed?"

His mouth was already opened to say something, but he closed it again, turning his face away from mine. He took a few steps away, into the corner of the balcony, avoiding my questioning stare.

Ooh, this was very, very interesting. The boy had noticed me when I was dancing with…….with..….Gods, who cared who I was dancing with! The boy noticed me, that was more important. Perhaps…..

I took another step closer to him. I leant my back and elbows on the railing, tilting my head so I could see his face. There was a faint streak of embarrassment smeared on his face, but apart from that, nothing else. That was enough for me, though.

"You noticed me when I was dancing?"

"I didn't notice you. I just happen to see you when I looked at the dance floor."

"But you're not interested in dancing. Why would you look at the dance floor."
"What else I could see in a ballroom if not the dance floor? Leave me alone!"

"Oh, no, could it be that….. could it be that you actually want to dance, but you don't have anyone as your dancing partner?"

He glared at me with the most deadly stare. But the effect of those killing eyes was made subtler by the brilliant flush on his cheeks. Ah, he was truly gorgeous. I have to strain my self from touching those delicate pink cheeks and caressed them with my hand. Also from touching those angry, trembling lips, so rosy and moist, they glistened under the luminosity of the garden lights. Or those strands of hair intricately framing his perfect face, which I wanted to take into my hands and kiss right now.

"If I have my weapon with me right now, you won't live another second," he said with a shaken voice.

"Or, you can just dance with me."

He growled low. It was an angry growl, but to me it sounded like a sensual act of invitation. I raised before him, lifted up his chin with my fingers, and dove my lips onto his soft ones.

He jerked. He froze. He gasped.

I nibbled on his lower lips with intensity that I knew I caused him the tremble in his body. I ran my hands on his hair and felt I was melting in his lips. He was sweet and tender. Behind the mask of his deadly glare, his lips were innocent. His lips were virgin, untouched and unbreeched before my touch. They tasted sweet, almost as sweet as wine.

He raised his hands to block me, elbow pressed against my chest. I pulled his waist to grind against mine and he shuddered.

I licked the lower part of his upper lips. He gasped and left his mouth opened. I blissfully sunk my tongue into the warmth of his mouth, caressing, exploring, and searching for his. And when I found him, I made love with him using my tongue.

I ran it on his, stroking it gently but passionately. I felt as hot as liquid fire, when his tongue responded, timidly, shyly, but it responded. I dove deeper and sucked his tongue with my mouth.

The force of my suction left him powerless. I could feel one of his hands clutched my suit tightly. Whether it was meant for rejection or helplessness, I could not tell. I could not tell anything while his tongue was timidly scorching fire onto mine, gently licking and tasting.

I ground my groin against his in my desperate attempt to cease the ache in it. What I found there pleased me so. Very pleasing, indeed. He was hard. I ground my groin to his, hardness met hardness, and he growled low again.

I kept sucking on his tongue, desperately milking more arousing sounds from his sweet mouth again. I reached down his back, grabbed one of his cheeks and pulled it closer to me, so that our bodies were glued together. It was pleasant to feel his toned muscled body moved on mine, feeling every nerve, every muscle and every bone moved. It was a feast of sensations.

I snaked my hand down the front part of his body. I slipped it into his pants and frantically searching for some skin. I found his bulge in my hand and stroked it hard.

He growled. He bit my lip and pushed me back with his elbow. I staggered backward a few steps, breathing hard from the lust overwhelming in me. He was panting, his chest heaved up and down in heavy breathing. His mouth opened partway, his eyes were confused and angry.

Blood trickled down my chin.

I wiped it calmly, while I was looking at him amusedly.

"Now, can I have that dance?"

He gritted his teeth.

He walked past me while bending down his face. I quickly caught him by the elbow and spun him around.

"Hey, where…."

He snapped my hand away. He pierced his brilliant blue eyes at mine, filled with angry and shame. I knew that if he did have his weapon with him now, he wouldn't hesitate to use it against me. But he didn't.

"Get your hands off me," he said in grave tone.

"Don't run away. It's not like you didn't enjoy the kiss."

I didn't see the next thing coming. All I knew was that his fist was already on my stomach, an incredible pain followed and I was forced to bent down. A flood of nausea came swallowing me, plus the addition of the stinging pain on my guts. The boy hit me in the stomach!

Gods…

I bent my body downward while holding my stomach, not willing to reduce myself to crumble to the marble floor and had my dignity trampled furthermore. Under the torrents of pain and nausea, I raised my head only to see the boy slipped through the door and disappeared again.

That bastard…….

I tried to raise my body, and fell staggering back to the balcony railing. I stared at the closed French doors, longing for his figure there.

That bastard…….

I laughed.

It began with a smirk, then it grew into a low gurgling of laughter, before I broke out and laughed hard into the night sky. I laughed and laughed so hard I had to stop and grimaced from the pain in my already hurt stomach caused by the laughter.

Oh, he was totally a bastard. A gorgeous, beautiful bastard. Haha… noone hit Irvine Kinneas and lived to tell the tale before. I too had a weapon, boy, a deadly weapon everyone who knew me feared me for it. I could easily aim it at your head and pull the trigger.

But if I do that, what fun would that bring?

He was something. Not just some pretty boy currently signed into the SeeD. He was a SeeD after all. So surely he had potentials under the pretty shell.

I ran a finger on my lips, reminiscing the touch of his virgin kiss. Virgin lips. Dear Gods,….he did taste incredible. As good as the forbidden fruit, that tastes like heaven but shouldn't be touched. And the way he growled and shuddered under my kiss was even more heavenly exciting.

He did enjoy it.

Otherwise, he would've hit me from the very beginning.

Hmph, I shouldn't rush my way into his pants so quickly. If I could just be a little more patient, I would still have him in my arms and his lips in my mouth. Damn.

And he was hard.

A smile sneaked across my lips. A subtle, devilish smile. I would hunt the boy down and make him hard against me again. Meet Irvin Kinneas, Boy, the guy who won't stop until he gets what he wants.

But….

Damn it!

I forgot to ask him his name again…..

{ tsuzuku }

Sumeragi Sakura's Little Scribbling: Finally, I got myself to sit down and wrote something Final Fantasy. Actually this fic was written a few weeks ago. But since I was caught up in other fic's completion and well,…other mess in life, I couldn't finish it right away.

I've already been in love with Squall since the first time I saw his pic in one of those gaming magazines. Isn't he just gorgeous? And I like to pair him with Irvine. I like to see how their opposing personalities interact with each other. And when the idea of Irvine teasing Squall hit me, I was practically bouncing around my room in excitement. I have to thank the bunny that brought me the idea!

So, I hope you enjoy reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it! See ya in the next chapter!

(July 8th, 2002)

(Last edited: August 11th, 2002, 09:16 p.m.)