Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Magic of Valentine	By : Zierra Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 664 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
Squall� sister looked bewildered at their sudden appearance and gave them a hesitant smile.

�Hi, guys. What�s going on?�

Answering her questions with a question, Seifer crossed his arm. �What are you doing here?�

�Squall called me yesterday and said he wanted a favor. I came by to see if everything was all right. But judging from your looks right now, I�m guessing it isn�t all right.�

Seifer shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. Selphie thought she could hear him mutter �fucking idiots�.

�What kind of favor?� Quistis asked. �The magical kind?�

Ellone nodded hesitantly. �Yes, the same as on Halloween. What�s going on?�

�Oh Hyne!� Selphie exclaimed as Quistis gasped behind her. Seifer just frowned, with a mean look in his eyes. Through all this, Selphie hadn�t once stopped to ask why Seifer was investing so much of his time into this. He was almost as known for his kindness and gentility as his happy-go-lucky attitude and respect for others, not to mention his friendship with Squall�

�No wonder things moved so fast.�

Quistis was chewing on a well-manicured nail, tapping her foot. It would be a grave understatement to say that she looked anxious. She looked about ready to have a panic attack.

�Could someone please tell me what the hell is going on!?� Ellone wasn�t much for shouting, or cussing, which made her outbursts even more important to listen to. The glare she served them all made even Seifer shrink, and it took only an intake of breath before Squall�s sister was told the whole story, from the first set up to the second. When they were finished, Ellone stood gaping.

�Squall�.and Zell?� she asked, utterly baffled. �I knew there had to be someone, since he asked for that particular spell, and on that day to boot. But I never would have thought it was Zell.�

�Does it matter?� Selphie challenged, crossing her arms. The last thing the two lovebirds needed were narrow-minded relatives.

�Of course not! I love my brother, no matter what -or who- and I think Zell is a great guy. It�s just that it came as a surprise, they�ve never shown any romantic interest in each other.�

�Tell me about it�, Selphie muttered, and couldn�t help the look she sent Quistis� way. When it all came down to it, all blame and credit should go to Quistis, for making the assumption to begin with.

�So you�ll help?�

Ellone shrugged as she looked at Seifer. �I don�t know what I can do, but I won�t stand in your way.�

�Excellent!� The Gunblader clapped his hands together with a smack. �You�re with me then. Let�s move out!�

��

Selphie knocked on Zell�s door before she should change her mind and run back to her room, and to Irvine. She had already had to lie to him once today. Ok, so maybe it wasn�t so much a lie as it was holding back information, but she still felt guilty. Not to mention the turmoil of feelings she was having about lying to Zell - again..

He opened almost immediately, half dressed in boxers and a white tank top, and he looked haunted, with his eyes unnaturally bright, scanning her for recognition.

�Oh, it�s you.�

She could only smile at his disappointment and oddly enough found reassurance in it. She took a deep breath and tried to act as if nothing was wrong.

�Don�t sound so happy to see me, you might make Irvine jealous.�

The attempted joke fell flat on the ground, but the ice was broken and Zell gave her a grin.

�Sorry, Selph. Did you want something?�

�Yeah.� She had wracked her brain about what to tell him and settled for something simple. The one that said that if you�re gonna lie, do it big, had obviously never had anything to do with Zell. Then again, it was hard to cheat the master. �I was just wondering if you could help me clean up the Quad.�

Zell frowned and leaned against the doorpost.

�I thought you had people to do that for you.�

�I did, but they bailed (after a job well done).�

She had asked Seifer and Ellone to empty out the full garbage bags onto the floor again, so it wouldn�t be too obvious. And it gave them something to do in case it took Quistis a while to get Squall to come.

�Can�t Irvine help you?�

�He�s busy, but if you don�t want to, I�ll just do it myself.� Playing wounded was surprisingly easy and she had to keep from snickering as she turned away dramatically and heard Zell sigh.

�Alright, I�ll come. Don�t twist my arm.�

��

Quistis had been standing outside Squall�s room for almost five minutes, and twenty minutes before that trying to figure out the best way to lure the most suspicious person she�d ever met to the Quad. She thought she�d found the best excuse but once she�d reached his door, it sounded hollow and forced, which it also was.

She jumped when Squall�s door opened and the brunette eyed her wearily.

�What?�

�Ellone�s here.� It was so well rehearsed on the way over that the words were out of her mouth before her mind had registered that they were needed. For a moment she was uncertain if she�d said the right thing (blurting out that Zell was waiting for him would not be a good idea) with all the activity in her head and almost slapped a hand over her mouth. But she forced her arms to hang passively at her sides and her face was kept slack with forced neutrality. And judging from the flicker in Squall previously so dead eyes, it might have been just the right way of saying it.

�Where?�

�She�s with Selphie in the Quad.�

She was pleased to notice that Squall�s mind was too preoccupied to call Quistis on the fact that Ellone knew the way to his room by heart and could have come by herself. Now he only nodded and followed her out into he hallway. She grinned when she observed his outfit in the strongly lit surrounding. A pair of faded denims without a belt and a worn Gunblade-shirt that she vaguely remembered from one of his birthdays. Unless her memory completely eluded her, which it did occasionally, it was from Zell. So he had expected someone, just not her.

Squall didn�t even object to her following him to he Quad.

��

Zell stumbled ungracefully on his own feet when he saw Ellone, but the skinny girl only smiled brightly at him so he walked over.

�Uh� Elle? What are you doing here?�

�I�m helping Selphie clean up. Looks like you people here at Balamb sure know how to party.�

�No� he said, feeling a flush coming on. �I meant in Garden.�

She gave him a wide grin, so unlike the ghost of a smile that Squall would rarely give him.

�Visiting friends. How are you, Zell?�

�Fine.� He wondered if it sounded like an obvious lie to her ears as well, and although he thought he caught a glimmer of something indefinable in her eyes, she kept smiling.

�Good.�

�Looks like Selphie didn�t need my help after all.�

�No, she does. I mean, look at this place.�

Zell agreed that it did look like a pigsty in there, and wondered how wild the party had gotten after he and Squall had left.

�Besides�, Ellone said and pointed over his shoulder, �I�m helping Seifer, and we only made a pit stop so he could fix something.�

Zell turned and saw the tall blond messing around with some cables, obviously talking to himself.

�Maybe I should help him instead. He�s not too good with anything involving live currents.�

Ellone giggled as she resumed her cleaning up, so Zell sauntered over to Seifer.

�Fucking electrical piece of shit��

Zell chuckled as he crouched down beside him, looking over his shoulder.

�Didn�t you learn you lesson last time?�

To answer his question, Seifer suddenly jerked back with a snarl, rubbing his hand while he glared at Zell with green eyes. �Then you do it!�

Zell sighed. �First of all, don�t curse at it, that�s why you always get shocked.�

�It�s electricity, Zell. Not a damn dog.�

Eyeing the cables on the floor, the fighter removed his gloves. �What are you trying to do anyway?�

�Connect that box to the timer-thingy.�

Zell only shrugged and grabbed to two cables, rolled them together and spat on the crossed wires. A spark flashed and the timer started ticking away.

�There. You happy?�

Seifer stood and stretched, one knee popping as he did, and Zell wondered how long Seifer had been at this.

�Fucking thrilled�, the Gunblader answered as they both stood admiring Zell�s handiwork. �Why did you spit on it?�

�It was something my grandpa always did.� Zell shrugged. �Don�t know why, but it works.�

Seifer examined his shocked hand closely, glancing at Zell. �Did you talk to him?�

�My grandpa?�

�Don�t be a smartass, you know who.�

�No, never got the chance.�

Seifer groaned. �You said you would.�

�Yeah, well it�s not like he made an attempt to speak to me either, so don�t put this all on me.�

Seifer suddenly straightened and looked at him, fiercely determined.

�Then here�s your chance.�

Without a word, he turned and walked to the door, beckoning Ellone with him and the door closed behind them. Zell barely noticed, because when Ellone had come running, he�d caught sight of Squall.

I should have known�

��

Once he and Quistis had arrived at the Quad, he�d cornered Ellone, keeping their conversation hushed. He had explained his rather uncharacteristic predicament to her and maybe he should have noticed her poorly hidden lack of surprise. She�d given him almost exactly the same advice as Quistis and that should have made him wonder as well. But it wasn�t until Seifer had called her over, and she�d given him that sympathetic look that he had become to detest before running over to he blond that the warning bells went off for real. He turned to call her back, to stop them from getting involved unbidden again, when he caught sight of a familiar blond head and had to fight down the urge to vomit.

Shit, he wasn�t ready for this.

A series if expressions passed over Zell�s face, before he settled for cautious curiosity and slowly approached him.

�Another set up�, he stated, stopping within talking distance, but still a good bit away.

Squall nodded and it took him a moment to realize that the ball was now in his corner.

�I�ve been meaning to talk to you�, he said, trying desperately not to avert his eyes. He hated showing any weakness, but right now he would have to put all that a side for a moment. Straightening things out with Zell was more important than his need for appearance.

Zell looked down at his own feet, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

�Me too�, he confessed.

�And when you�re done with that�, Selphie yelled through the door, �you can clean up the Quad.�

They heard the door being locked from the outside, and Zell raised his head with a defeated smile, looking at Squall who couldn�t help but bite his lip in bitter amusement.

�We�re not letting you out until you guys kiss and make up!�

And suddenly, the stage was set.

Zell was, naturally, the first to speak.

�Why didn�t you wake me up when you left?�

�Would it have made a difference?�

In a display of annoyance, Zell straightened and put his hands on his hips. �It would have avoided the crappy day I�ve been having. If you�d been honest with me then and told me that you had doubts, I would have known and understood why you left. Waking up alone after what happened last night, and I mean everything not just the sex, was not fun, Squall. And maybe it would have kept me from talking to Seifer about it, or being suspended for slaughter.�

�I heard about that.� It seemed he couldn�t avoid Zell, even in the deepest corners of the library.

Zell tilted his head and Squall suppressed a shiver. Hyne, but he had beautiful eyes!

�I�ve heard a few things about you too. Never took you for the type to slam doors. In your own room.�

Squall sniffed indignantly. That could hardly be called slamming.

�And you�ve never been one to cuss in public.�

He looked away, remembering the cadet that had just happened upon him in the corridor back to his room. Poor kid had just glanced at him.

�Maybe I was a little high strung.�

�You and me both, man.� Zell�s face turned suddenly innocent and Squall swallowed hard. �You said you wanted to talk to me. How come you never tried?�

�I did. About twenty thousand times. Never got out of my office.� He crossed his arms and looked cautiously at Zell. �What about you?�

�Pretty much the same. Thought you wanted nothing to do with me, or something.�

�Or something, what?�

Zell studied the hardwood floor closely and was silent for a long time.

�That you regretted it, never wanted to see me again, hated my guts, would never think about it again� you pick.�

Squall did pick, but none of the above. He felt like he needed to add his side of the story, tell Zell something that would put his mind at ease before he chewed his lip clean off. He had such soft lips; it would be a real waste.

The brunette shook his head to rid if of distracting thoughts, because the last thing he wanted was the fighter thinking that he didn�t care.

�It�s kind of hard not to think about it.� He hoped he made it sound like it wasn�t completely unpleasant either.

Zell offered a quick smile, of sorts. �Thought something might�ve been wrong with the spell.�

Squall shook his head vehemently �no�.

�The spell worked fine, and you ought to know what that means by now.�

�Yeah, it leaves your guard down and I used you.�

�No! If anything, I used you.� Trying not to stumble over his own line of thought and unintentionally hurt Zell, Squall went to sit down on a chair. �I figured what would happen if we ended up in a situation like that. I knew it was a possibility.� Zell still stood turned away, but kept stealing glances his way. �I know you�re spontaneous and that you would seize a moment like that, if you wanted to take it. I set you up for it.�

�And if I hadn�t taken it?�

�I would have insisted, threatened, ordered, begged�.� Squall was only half-joking. �I just need you to know that I wanted to�you know. You didn�t�rape me.�

��

The air went out of him completely at those words, head dropping low at the release of the tension in his shoulders.

After his conversation with Seifer, the thought having Squall thinking if him as his rapist had discouraged him from being the one to make a confrontation. He didn�t want to make things worse by forcing his presence onto the brunette, but at the same time he needed to apologize.

But the fact that Squall hadn�t once looked afraid since they�d been locked into the room had eased his worries, but only a fraction. Squall was an expert at putting on brave fronts.

�I thought I had.�

Squall didn�t rise from his seat, but leaned forward as if to close their distance. �That�s stupid, and you know it.�

�It�s not stupid�, Zell objected. �You weren�t you. Tell me honestly, would you have slept with me if you hadn�t been bewitched?�

�Don�t say �bewitched�, Ellone would go crazy.�

�Then whatever! Would you have?�

Squall was about to answer when the Quad suddenly went dark. Every overhead light had been shut off and someone had thought it fun to cover the windows with dark fabric from the outside. A soft tune began playing, and almost on cue, a coil of lamps outlining the ceiling started up, the light rolling in slow waves around the room.

�That�s so like them�, Zell said, embarrassed and amused at the same time. �I just wish they wouldn�t be so obvious.�

�You didn�t know?�

�Nope. Must be Selphie�s idea, you know how she enjoys surprises.�

They both looked at each other in the little light they were allowed, but whenever their eyes met, one would look away. The question Zell had asked still hung over them, but he wouldn�t make another move until Squall had offered him something about his intentions.

Squall simply sat there on his chair, seemingly unaffected by everything. Ok, so not totally unaffected. There was the slight nervous shake from his hands and the frantically darting eyes whenever Zell looked at him.

Suddenly all those things stopped, the Commander seemed to freeze in his seat and then he stared up at Zell.

�This is gonna sound unbelievable juvenile�, he said and stood, but not walking closer. �But I need you to make the first move. Technically, you already know how I feel, but I can�t act on it if I don�t know what you�re thinking.�

Zell looked up from underneath fallen bangs, a smirk on his lips.

�I was thinking that you look really hot in this light.�

��

Squall ducked his head, a grin roaming freely over his face, because that was just the kind of straightforward answer he could expect.

�I mean, not that you don�t look hot otherwise too, I just--�

�I know what you meant�, he interrupted. �Thank you.�

They settled into a comfortable silence, drifting just a little bit closer once Squall had stood up. But after replaying their conversation in his head, Squall realized that for things to move along, he needed to answer Zell�s question and Zell still needed to make the first move.

Just as expected, the blond was the first to break the silence, fidgeting with the hem of his tank. �I thought there was no way we could be together after this. I mean, you�re you, and I�m me. We�re good friends and all, but we�re not compatible. If you know what I mean.�

Squall nodded, feeling a heavy lump in his stomach. This was the reason he�d been avoiding Zell all day, knowing that when they saw each other next, whatever they could or couldn�t have would be determined.

�But after thinking about it, a lot, I realized there�s no way we can go back to just be friends. I like you a little too much for that.� He looked up expectantly. �Now you give me something.�

Squall had butterflies in his stomach, and he hadn�t felt those in a long while. Last time had probably been when he�d let the first team of SeeD�s go out on his orders, taking on full responsibility. But unlike then, these were excited butterflies.

�I probably wouldn�t have slept with you. But that doesn�t mean I wouldn�t have wanted to.�

He couldn�t stress that fact enough. If they couldn�t be together, or friends, he would make sure Zell knew he hadn�t gone through this experience unaffected. That it had meant something. Something good.

�So what do we do?�

Zell still stared a hole in Squall, who took a shaky breath. Hyne, he hadn�t thought about this enough. He�d spent the entire day wondering if he could survive in a relationship, and then specifically in a relationship with Zell. And if he could survive without it.

�Obviously we like each other more than just friends�, Zell offered helpfully, �and it would be really stupid not to do anything about it. But I think we can both agree that us as a couple will be tricky.�

Yes, but tricky doesn�t mean impossible.

Squall nodded, urging Zell on to give him something he could take a stand to.

�We could start small�, Zell continued, unperturbed by Squall�s lack of verbal response. �You know, hang out and stuff. I�m not expecting us to hold hands or anything, because that would just be weird.�

�Yeah�, Squall agreed, frowning on the image of him and Zell holding hands.

�I know you�re not a fan of public affection.�

But he knew Zell was, always touching everyone, no matter the situation. It could be a hand on a shoulder, a stroke of a cheek, a slap of a hand, but he clearly communicated better with physical touch to accentuate his words. It worked for him, and Squall could probably get used to that. Eventually.

�Not really�, he admitted, but giving Zell a look that showed that it wouldn�t be a problem.

�So, let�s just keep this between us?� Zell looked questioningly at Squall. �Well, us and Selphie, Seifer and Quistis.�

�Don�t forget sis.�

�Right, and Ellone.� Zell cocked his chin up and sported a thoughtful pout. �For a secret relationship, a whole bunch of people knows about it.�

Squall smiled and resisted the strong urge to pull Zell into a hug. He knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt that after Quistis had left them, she�d taken her henchmen and gone straight to his office to observe over the cameras. They already knew enough, he wouldn�t give them the satisfaction of seeing that.

�I know�, he nodded towards the door where one of the three cameras in the Quad was situated. �And they�re watching, too.��

�Shit�, Zell followed his indication and eyed it suspiciously. �Can they hear us?�

�No, the Quad�s too big, all they hear are echoes and static.�

�So you mean they�ll keep us in here until they see us kiss?�

Squall hadn�t thought about that, but right now he really didn�t want to be let out. They might have talked, but not nearly enough.

�I suppose we just wait. They can�t keep us in here forever.�

�Yeah, but I�m getting hungry. Didn�t have much for lunch.�

Neither had Squall and at the mention of food, his stomach made an appreciative sound. He looked around for something to distract himself with and caught sight of a blue plastic bag. �Might as well clean up�, he said to himself, and went about picking up cups and candy wrappers. Zell soon followed suit and as they methodically went about cleaning up, as a busy silence followed.

After ten minutes the Quad looked almost useable again, and only needed a round with a vacuum. In the midst of tying off the bags, Zell suddenly stopped.

�Hey, Squall?�

�Hmm?�

�You never said what you thought of my plan. About us.�

Squall tilted his head and tried to imagine what Zell had suggested. Spending some free time together - avoiding detection, sleepovers - extended time away, lazy conversation - worrying, cuddling� No matter how much he twisted and turned it, there was always something that outweighed the negative.

Opposite of him, Zell was waiting impatiently, bouncing on his toes and worrying his lip even more.

�I think�� Squall began and reached out to release Zell�s lower lip from the attack of sharp canines with his thumb. He felt the blond draw a deep breath and hold it.

This is it, Squall.

�I think it�s a good plan.�

Zell grinned, teeth sparkling in the near darkness and before Squall could react, Zell had dropped his bag on the floor, scattering garbage all over, and tackled him to the ground. The blond gave him a quick but thorough kiss before moving off.

�As of right now, no smooching, no holding hands and especially no inappropriate groping�, Zell declared with finality as he stood.

Squall struggled to his feet and suddenly felt several pounds lighter. With the issue of Zell resolved, he could finally relax. �At least not in public�, he added and winked.

Zell grinned back, but broke eye contact to retrieve his garbage bag. �Now, where was I?�

��

Quistis' grin was almost maniacal when they left Squall's office and Selphie made sure she kept a safe distance (and a Seifer) between them.

"That worked out well", Seifer said casually, rolling his shoulder like he had just quit a hard days work. "If I may say so. Is anyone hungry? I've been craving waffles all day."

"Me too!" Selphie made a skip in her step, punching the air. "With lots of syrup. Yum!"

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Right, and whipped cream."

"You can't mix syrup with whipped cream, Selphie. She means chocolate sauce."

"No way, that's gross!"

"Uh, guys?" Selphie and Seifer stopped to look back at Quistis, her thumb pointing left down a corridor. "You don't think we should let them out?"

"Let who out?"

"Let them stay in there a little longer", Seifer mused. "I'm not so sure I want to be anywhere near the Quad in next..." He checked his watch, "45 minutes. Let them get weakened by hunger first."

"Right."

THE END!

Please let me know what you thought of this, I know it�s been a little erratic and rushed, but it�s been written periodically for six months�. Just a short comment is fine!
Hugs, Z
- 10
- 11
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Magic of Valentine