Master of Slaves

A/N: It is a good day on earth that Miss Dincht has risen from her grave and reviewed my story after she swore off fanfiction! I may die in peace now.

I told Chemotaxis that I’d update either when I had the time or when I reached 100 reviews, and it just so happened that they both coincided. Hooray to Carabel for being my 100th reviewer on ff.net! And I want to say thank you to everyone who has continually supported my endeavors in tackling this epic!

I apologize for the huge delay on the chapter, but it was becoming too much of a chore too quickly to write this. I just needed a break, the last thing I want is to produce something contrived and forced. What I need is some fan love. Come on guys, tell me how much you love this story and want me to continue, or else I fear this epic may take decades to finish!


Master of Slaves
Chapter 12: Dancing for Dollars

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Beads of sweat rolled down his sleek forehead and past his moist lips. Lips that parted with every rushed exhale and jagged inhale of air. He hastily brushed his plastered bangs from his squalling eyes, eyes that were transfixed on the powerful blonde’s body moving in front of him.

Seifer had never seen Squall’s eyes so alight with excitement before.

It made him unhinge.

In a swift motion he breached the distance between them and met the hard resistance of Squall’s wooden sword with his own.

The ensuing grunt of animalistic fervor that came from those plush parted lips made his blood pulse quicker betwixt his veins.

The animal was alive.

He could devour him.

With a lick of his lips Seifer delivered a fancy twist and slash.

The clanging of heavy wood against wood echoed through the vast outdoor atrium.

Squall stumbled over his footing trying to sneak a counterattack, his bare feet kicking up the sand. He swayed awkwardly, as did his marking of manhood between his legs.

Watching the flex of gently toned muscles in Squall’s thighs and stomach reminded Seifer why he forbade his slaves clothing and why the ancient Galbadians were geniuses.

Despite the brunet’s nudity, he was enjoying this almost as much as Seifer was…

While Seifer got the show, Squall got the opportunity to impart physical damage onto his captor, even if he had yet to score a hit.

The scar on the bridge of the blonde’s nose crinkled as he smirked lecherously at the defiant brunet.

He wanted him… Hyne above hyne he wanted him.

With his gloved hand he beckoned the little lion. It was an emasculating gesture.

And Squall answered with an angry rush.

It was exactly what he wanted.

As anticipated the flustered brunet hastily delivered a sloppy attempt at a side-swing.

Seifer easily disarmed him, sending Squall lurking forward with his own momentum, and for good measure, smacked his bottom lightly with his sword.

“ Rule one in sparring, never attack in anger. You must keep a level head if you expect to score a hit on your enemy.” Seifer exclaimed smugly with a loop-sided grin.

Squall growled and kicked his weapon aside.

“ The playing field isn’t level!” Squall shouted coarsely, canines flashing beneath his lips.

Seifer arched his brow and straightened his stance.

“ Are you accusing me of cheating?” The blonde remarked seductively.

“ You have more experience. And clothing! I don’t!” Squall huffed, pointing to the blonde’s attire while still trying to catch his breath.

Seifer stared at the boy for a moment, and then slowly the most feral grin crept over his lips. It was enough to make Squall straighten up and take a step back.

“ And you’d like to level the playing field?” Seifer asked huskily, licking his lips.

Stormy eyes narrowed suspiciously. However, he nodded.

“ Very well. That’s a fair enough request.” The blonde answered succinctly.

Squall’s brows knit in confusion as he watched Seifer stab his sword into the sand and shrug out of his coat.

He tossed his coat haphazardly across the sand pit.

Brows drawn and lips quirked in the most lecherous way Seifer captured Squall’s gaze as he undressed.

Squall’s eyes grew wide as he watched Seifer disrobe. The blonde’s smirk growing as he watched realization dawn upon Squall.

Stuttering sounds of protest sat strangled upon Squall’s lips, but died completely as the blonde’s breeches slid down his thighs and he stood exposed in all his glory.

Eyes drawn down involuntarily Squall quickly looked away as he noticed the slight erect state of Seifer’s manhood.

His thoughts immediately went to the image of Nida sucking off a very erect Seifer.

He looked like a Galbadian God. The golden rays of light flitting across the body that looked like the hands of Hyne had sculpted it.

He tore his eyes away and fiercely ground his teeth in anger, a slight tinge to his cheeks.

Seifer smirked hands on hips.

“ We’ll use hand to hand combat.” Seifer proclaimed.

Squall looked up scowling at the irony of ‘leveling’ the playing field.

He forgot to account for Seifer’s sadistic tendencies.

“ No.” Squall deadpanned turning his back to Seifer and trekking through the sand back into the manor.

“ The ancient Galbadians did it…for sport. Using nothing but their bodies, no swords, no armor, just flesh on flesh and hand to hand.” Seifer voiced against the complaints of the sullen brunet.

Squall stopped. A small shiver usurped his being at the implications of Seifer’s statement.

With his back still towards the naked blonde he gave his final answer, “ No.”

Behind him Seifer’s smirk turned something lustfully wicked.

“ What makes you think you have an option here?” Seifer asked amusedly his eyes glued onto Squall’s backside.

Squall stopped again clenching his fists.

“ What makes you think I’d willingly fight you?” He spat out looking over his shoulder.

Seifer chuckled darkly, “ Because you always do little lion.”

And like something from a legend, as if the wind carried him across the sand pit, Seifer was behind him in barely a breath’s time.

“ And passivity doesn’t suit you.” He breathed huskily into his ear, then in a brisk motion snaked his arm around Squall’s front and grabbed his limp manhood.

Attesting to his accusation Squall’s instinctual reaction was to swing his elbow into the blonde behind him.

But the blonde had baited him and knew that was coming and easily ducked and skillfully played the momentum of his strike against him and led him to the sand with an easy shove.

“ What’d I tell you?” Seifer laughed.

With a contrasting snarl Squall scuffled off the sand and charged into the blonde.

He aimed low knowing that was the only way he would be able to take the brute of twice his size down.

When the crown of his head connected with his lower abdomen a surprised chuckle came from Seifer as he was driven backwards and down into the sand.

Squall scrambled with ferocity to pin the larger man down but ended stomach down in the sand as Seifer rolled away and mounted his back.

The blonde was big but also agile.

Squall hadn’t accounted for that either…

Seifer shoved a knee into the middle of Squall’s sweaty back and twisted a flailing limb behind him, bringing him into submission.

“ Look at where all that anger lands you. Not that I’m complaining, I quite like you in this position.” The blonde taunted and sniggered lightly.

Every chuckle, every laugh scalded his ears and incensed him further.

He was laughing at him,

Mocking him,

Emasculating him.

His vision blurred red and a guttural growl ripped past his sand painted lips.

Calling upon some supernatural force he managed to throw Seifer’s weight of balance and roll away from the offending hold.

Rolling into a low crouch Squall turned towards the blonde and watched, a deathly fervor glazing his eyes.

Seifer recovered into a crouch and leered at the predatory gleam in Squall’s eyes that usually lay dormant.

The lion had come out to play.

Flexing his fingers the blonde steadied himself.

“ How about we raise the stakes a bit? Loser does the winner’s bidding.” Seifer rasped his eyes melded with Squall’s.

Gray eyes narrowed into slits.

“ Fuck you.”

And the lion charged, the muscles in his thighs and calves straining with the force of his lunge.

Two sweaty hard bodies collided into the other and commenced into a cyclic dance.

Rolling against the sand and sliding against the other’s wet flesh one would gain the upper hand and then it would be stolen by the other.

Squall could feel the numerous places across his limbs where Seifer’s large hands gripped with purpose. He knew tomorrow there would be bruises of all colors.

Grinding, struggling, and grappling against each other two bodies melded into one extension of indistinguishable flesh. Both so consumed in battle, both driven to wild abandon that neither realized their aroused states until both were on their sides, Seifer behind Squall, deadlocking his limbs. His arms wound around Squall’s and forcing them up and over his head and his glistening thighs girding Squall’s hips and legs entwined with legs.

Squall felt the power with which Seifer’s muscular thighs gripped his hips, his own trembling with exertion. He felt Seifer’s shallow breaths in his ear and a sudden chuckle.

“ Feel that Squally-boy?” Seifer grunted out and ground his hips roughly into Squall’s backside.

Squall thrashed against him but Seifer held him completely subdued. And so he was forced to recognize the feeling of a very erect penis rubbing against the sweaty cleft of his ass.

Squall growled in warning, chest heaving with exertion.

Seifer forced out a laugh, “ Hypocrisy isn’t very becoming of you.”

Squall managed to rasp out an incredulous ‘what’ between jagged breaths.

Confused, he looked down as best he could and saw what Seifer was referring to.

He was also hard.

Fuck, Hyne above…

Denial cloaked his mind, his only reaction was a subsequent growl, and he resumed thrashing against Seifer.

His struggling served to only rub the blonde’s erection harder and faster between his buttocks.

Seifer released a throaty moan behind him and bucked his hips against Squall, “ keep it up Squall this is a win-win situation.”

Sweaty and sandy Squall snarled, “ Let go!”

Seifer leaned forward, his abdomen flexing in the process and he bit Squall’s ear. Somehow he managed to lock both of Squall’s hands in one and his newly freed hand took bold liberties.

In a firm grasp he took Squall’s slick shaft in hand and gave it a firm stroke. The flesh twitched of its own volition.

Adrenaline surged through Squall’s veins and caught in his throat, stealing his breath from him.

“ Relax.” Seifer whispered gruffly against his ear as he worked his fist up and down Squall’s stiff organ.

The brunet bit his lip and tried to arch away from the offending hand, but only succeeded in pushing his butt into that pulsating erection behind him.

And it encouraged the blonde.

Feeling Squall’s throbbing erection hot in his hand made him harder.

The predator was out to play.

He wanted to take him right there, claim him, mark him with his seed.

But his little lion was still unwilling.

As Squall continually thrashed and arched against Seifer in futility, Seifer laughed, a strangled laugh.

This was far more amusing than any other game he had ever played before.

“ I know you want release, just submit and I will give it to you.” Seifer bit out hotly, his face contorting in the efforts to keep the brunet restrained and continue to toy with his genitals.

Squall answered with a half groan half growl and willed his limbs to dance against Seifer’s again.

Seifer knew most of the brunet’s sounds by now, having been the one to evoke a majority of them. The brunet was close – and angry.

“ Come on Squall, just say it.” Seifer forced out against another wave of lashing limbs.

Sweet hyne above say it! Even with all his stamina the blonde was quickly dwindling.

Every arch of the brunet’s back sent sweet friction through his loins.

He was beyond ready to explode.

And because of this sweet torture, Seifer was going to make Squall feel the same.

Pushing his hips up forcefully into the brunet’s cleft, his erection slide between sweaty cheeks and his hand furiously pumped the stiff organ, trying to milk it.

Squall writhed against him in agonizing pleasure. He arched his neck and bit his lip to stifle the moan that he couldn’t quite hold back.

The sweat against Seifer’s palm mingled with rivets of pearly fluids that leaked from Squall’s twitching cock and made a sloshing noise as he picked up his speed.

Suddenly Squall stilled, a choked growl joining his rapid panting. Seifer felt every limb he held tense and he knew he was about to bring the brunet over the edge. And so he released the pulsating organ and strangled the brunet’s balls in his hand, pulling tight.

“ Say it Squall.” Seifer hissed, voice burning with lust.

Squall arched back painfully as his climax was withheld from him by violating hands.

Seifer closed his eyes against the sensations the arching sent to his cock, and bit into Squall’s shoulder, but it was too late.

Tensing, he gripped with bruising force as his shaft twitched and his seed splashed between the clefts of Squall’s cheeks and onto his lower back.

Seifer’s moan came muffled against Squall’s shoulder while the brunet hissed in pain at Seifer’s python grip.

Squall felt light-headed from the adrenaline that came with feeling Seifer’s sticky seed coat his back.

Panting harshly the blonde chuckled, released Squall’s balls, and circled his thumb over the leaking tip.

“ You want it so bad you’re wet, just say it.”

Utterly incensed by the pleasure the blonde gave him and the guilt that came with it, that finger teasing his overly sensitive head gave Squall enough adrenaline to somehow writhe an arm free from Seifer’s grasp.

Still slow from the sensations of his ejaculation, Seifer couldn’t catch the arm in time.

With lightening speed Squall forced it back into Seifer.

The elbow connected with Seifer’s mouth, forcing his teeth to cut his lip.

Acting instinctually from the shock of pain waves Seifer moved on top Squall’s back, twisting the arm behind him and pinning him on his stomach.

Cheek pressed roughly into the sand Squall grit his teeth and growled. He felt Seifer’s knee slide down his sleek back, the combination of cum and sweat displacing it.

Squall wheezed with one last jolt of strength in trying to thrown Seifer off his back. Seifer quieted his struggle with an overly firm press into the back of his neck.

With his free hand he palmed his bloody lip, looking at the bright crimson smear. Licking his lip he tasted the bitter metallic of his blood.

He heard the blonde above him laugh coarsely, throat closed up with exertion.

“ Though impressive, you will be punished for that.” The amusement in his throaty voice was evident despite his wound.

He moved to stand, pulling Squall up by his arm, keeping him close and restrained.

“ And you will not be granted release either.” Seifer whispered hoarsely into his ear.

Squall jerked in Seifer’s grasp but the blonde held him with hard purpose. Both men scuffled back into the manor with sand and sweat plastered bodies. Squall stubbornly fought him every step of the way, because they both knew he was entirely too drained to accomplish anything.

The weeks of remaining sedentary under chain and shackle had made him weak. He tingled with rage to think that he would actually stand a chance against Seifer if the blonde hadn’t robbed him of his liberty to move freely.

The confines of the manor were cool compared to under the blaring sun and he immediately shivered upon stepping foot inside. He felt the smears of Seifer’s bodily fluids drying rapidly on his skin and become disgustingly sticky.

It didn’t make him want to hurl like it should have. And that worried him. How fucked in the head must he be to not feel anything but utter disgust against the ultimate degradation against him?

He had been marked!

And marked by the most sacral of fluids, most vile of fluids!

Letting his head sway in defeat he allowed Seifer to lead him through the winding corridors of his manor, dropping off into deep internal thought.

His hard-on slowly wilted as his mind became more removed from the physical.

Seconds later Squall looked up at the shrill female gasp that sounded, he could only assume it had to do with their appearances. Rinoa swayed on her feet at the sight of two naked men, one her beloved master, her hands cupping her nose and mouth.

Squall kept his eyes averted, his cheeks burning slightly, but none of his embarrassment was evident against his already red face. But thank Hyne his erection had disappeared.

Her initial shock wore off as she trained her eyes quickly back onto their faces and saw blood dripping profusely from Seifer’s lip.

“ Oh my! Master! Are you alright! What happened!? How-” She began in a fluster.

“ Just some sport, follow me.” Seifer silenced her in his all authoritative tone.

And she trailed behind them, in a bit of a daze, trying very respectfully to keep her eyes off her master’s backside.

Seifer turned them sharply into a room with cobblestone floors, a water pump, and a large basin in the back. He released Squall and their forward momentum made Squall stumble slightly on his own feet before turning sharply to glare at Seifer.

“ You will bathe here until I get back. Rinoa will tend to your wounds.” Seifer spoke sternly though the amusement still held rein over his tone.

He smirked and though Squall should have taken comfort in seeing his handy work bleed down the blonde’s chin, it seemed he barely succeeded in marring that infuriating smugness.

Without even a glance at Rinoa he turned and slammed the heavy wooden door behind him. Seconds later he heard a lock latching from the outside, locking the two of them in.

Sensing that escape for the moment was hopeless locked in a room of heavy stonewalls with iron bars across the windows, he resigned to his fate.

The two of them remained motionless for a few awkward moments.

Squall felt more awkward about his nudity in the presence of Rinoa than Seifer, which irked him more his vulnerable state.

From under fallen bangs he looked up shyly at Rinoa. Immediately the raven-haired girl averted her gaze to the ground and rubbed her arm.

Her nervousness made him slightly more uncomfortable. He had no idea what to say to her, nor much impetus to say anything at all.

They could have drowned in the awkward silence that elapsed.

Finally bored with the petty exchange of glances Squall let out a heavy sigh and moved to the water pump.

He pumped water and when the bucket filled, emptied it into the basin. He repeated this several times in silence, all the while conscious of Rinoa’s silent gaze on his back. He wondered if she was staring at the translucent streak of cum dried onto his back.

He shuddered.

And then he felt self-conscious.

He glanced over his shoulder at her to see her indeed gazing in mild shock at that very thing.

He ground his jaw tight wishing that wrath of a thousand needles at Seifer. His idea of ‘fun’ always amounted to extreme acts of degradation where Squall suffered the consequences long after the deed was done.

This was just another example of how sadistic the master of the manor could be.

Being witness to this Squall could not understand Rinoa’s seemingly undying loyalty to Seifer.

Stupid girl… he’d never understand.

Shuffling softly to the basin he stepped into it and slowly lowered himself into the room temperature bath. His body went slack as his tension was released. The cool iron of the tub lip against his back felt nice against his overwrought muscles.

His eyes slid shut and he allowed himself to enjoy the serenity of the silence that ensued, and the rare absence of a hotheaded blonde. A nagging pain began in the pit of his stomach, throbbing ever more prevalently. His face creased into a deep frown.

Blue-balls.

His hand unconscious went to his pelvic region. Though he was filled with a dull throb, he welcomed it over being humiliated by having spilled his seed by Seifer’s cunning hands.

Quietly Rinoa padded over and knelt beside the basin, washcloth and soap in hand, and dipped them into the water.

Squall cracked one eye open to at the noise. Seeing Rinoa reach over to wash his arm he opened both eyes and grabbed her wrist.

They locked eyes, his tired and hers surprised.

“ You don’t have to do that.” Squall spoke quietly, almost inaudibly.

Rinoa blinked, those large doe eyes huge with confusion and contemplation.

Squall let his hand drop back into the tub but continued to watch her reaction with unconcerned eyes.

“ It is Master’s wish that I wash you, so I will do as he requested.” Her meek voice piped up.

Squall’s shoulders made the barest of a movement with his inaudible scoff at her attempt to sound resolute, but failing miserably.

Too tired to argue or care he shrugged and let his eyes slide closed again while he felt the course fabric of the washcloth work up his arm.

For a time silence resumed it’s place and Squall allowed Rinoa to scrub his limbs clean of the grim, when suddenly she spoke up again, in the barest of voices.

“ Your defiance amuses him.”

Slowly peeling his eyes open he arched a sandy brow, casting a lazily curious look at Rinoa.

Rinoa looked down sheepishly, retracting her hand from washing and putting them in her lap.

“ My…Master Almasy is entertained by your defiance. It is why he keeps you around. You entertain him. ” She spoke in a small voice, avoiding Squall’s eyes as if she were ashamed.

Squall merely watched her, waiting for her to continue.

Looking up with urgent eyes she began articulating her meaning, “ The more you obey the quicker he will become tired of you. And then he will release you… or sell you. Then you can escape.”

It took a moment for her words to fully settle. And another moment for Squall to ponder how curious it was that a devout servant of Seifer seemed almost desperate for his escape.

“ I won’t admit defeat.” He replied stoically.

She flinched at his sharp tone and fidgeted with the washcloth, her eyes growing wider with a heightened sense of urgency.

“ You don’t have to. Just…pretend.” She paused, her forehead creasing in contemplation, “Don’t you desire freedom again?”

Taken aback by her bluntness Squall furrowed his brows.

Of course he desired freedom! He felt insulted that she would even ask that! Who in their right mind desired a life of servitude?!

The answer clearly written across his troubled features, Rinoa’s intense gaze softened.

“ Then you’d be wise to take my advice, or he’ll never let you go.” The finality with which she spoke her words made Squall’s limbs grow cold.

His eyes glazed as the gravity of the situation coiled around his being like a snake constricting to kill.

Returning her hands into the basin she wrung the cloth out and looked up at him, “ Would you like me to wash the rest of you, or would you like to do the remaining parts?”

He yanked his gaze back to reality and forcefully took the cloth from her and began scrubbing himself like he was infesting with the plague.

She slowly backed away from the side of the basin and watched as Squall, in a semi-conscious state of awareness, tried to rip the skin from his limbs.

She folded her hands in her lap and nervously fidgeted with them, feeling increasingly guilty by the minute. Though her intentions were to do right by her master, she couldn’t help but feel like she was also wronging him. She exhaled shakily and inhaled sharply, filling herself with steel determination. She knew what needed to be done; she could repent for her guilty conscience later.

But as if Hyne was warning her, the lock on the door was unlatched and none other than the man on her mind stepped in, smelling strongly of leather and linen.

Squall snapped his head up abruptly, his eyes burning with a newfound intensity, a thoughtful intensity.

His whole demeanor reeked of haughtiness. Stepping in cautiously he shut the door behind him and locked it. Shackles and a robe were tossed haphazardly over his right shoulder. A smug grin easily curled his lips in spite of the cut that seemed rather inconsequential now that the blood was gone.

And it made Squall’s unconscious frown deepen.

“ Master do you need anything? Is there anything you wish for me to do?” Rinoa was the first to break the silence.

But as usual when Seifer addressed her, his eyes were solely trained on Squall.

“ Not that is necessary. Thank you Rinoa. You may leave.”

The raven-haired girl hesitantly began to move towards the heavy wooden door, a look of sheer desperation shining in her doe eyes. For the first time Squall realized how utterly hopeless she was. A servant girl in love with her master, a master who loves only domination. She would never be able to conjure an emotional response from him.

He pitied her.

A fool caught in her folly.

He would rather be the bitter fool than the sweet one…

She left in a hurry, struggling to close the heavy door in her wake.

And then she was out of sight and out of mind.

Seifer took an advancing step towards Squall who remained motionless in his tub of grimy water.

Squall felt those lecherous eyes racking up and down his naked body. Squall gripped the edges of the tub firmly.

Cocking a small grin he tossed a towel to Squall who caught in just before it touched the water.

“ Dry off.” He commanded emotionlessly.

Tossing him a harsh glare Squall stood up from the tub and vigorously rubbed his skin dry, again trying to rid his skin of Seifer’s markings.

Not even looking at Seifer he felt those emerald eyes hotter than the sun burning him. He felt more vulnerable in his nudity next to Seifer who was fully clothed. But he knew it would not have made a difference if Seifer was clothed or not, he would always be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

The appearance of the perfect gentleman with the prowess of a predator.

He stood tall, back straight and eyes hard as best he could considering he was the sheep who’d caught the wolf’s eye.

And that wicked smirk that followed disarmed him.

“ Did you enjoy your training today?” His tone was mocking.

Squall glared, hardly considering the events that transpired to be ‘training’.

Seifer shifted his weight from one foot to another, as he seemed to be mulling over an idea in his mind.

He opened his mouth but then stopped short, his brows furrowing as he looked at nothing in particular. Then slowly closed his jaw and smiled a calculating and contemplative smile.

“ Let’s make a bargain.” He uttered, his fingers rubbing the stubble on his chin.

In that moment Seifer transformed into the reincarnation of Mephisto. And Squall knew that nothing good could come from this bargain.

“ It really is unfulfilling to practice against a shadow. So…” He drawled, tapping his chin with his finger and taking another step towards Squall.

The brunet wearily regarded Seifer.

“ Every morning you’ll wake early and train.” Seifer spoke seductively looking Squall dead in the eyes.

Squall opened his mouth to vehemently protest.

“ You’ll train to properly weird a blade.” Seifer finished.

And Squall shut his mouth in confusion.

Seifer watched the brunet’s face shift from confusion, to contemplation, to consideration, and back to confusion.

“ Irvine lacks respect and…grace with a blade. I need a sparring partner.” The blonde added with a smile, a genuine smile.

Squall’s eyes went alight. He was hopeful yet skeptical. There was so much amiss with the proposition, so much at stake for the blonde. Seifer was giving Squall the opportunity to best him in battle, and a chance at escape.

Seifer wanted to level the playing field.

He was offering him the chance to become his equal.

…He wanted him as an equal.

Squall wasn’t sure where that fit in with the master and slave dynamic.

Seifer watched Squall’s brows furrow as he frowned, considering Seifer’s proposal. He laughed which snapped Squall from his mind and earned him a deadly glare.

“ You can trust my word. Have you ever known me to renege?” Seifer chuckled, his eyes sparkling as he regarded his skeptical slave.

Squall’s frown deepened as he realized Seifer spoke the truth. Anything the blonde said he’d do… he did. He had yet to lie.

The ridiculous morality of a monster…

Meeting sharp emerald eyes Squall nodded curtly.

Seifer smirked, “ Settled. However, I have two conditions.”

Squall sneered.

He knew there had to be a catch…

Seifer chuckled at the offensive sneer across Squall’s face, “ Now hear me out.”

Taking a step closer and holding up one finger, “ One is that you have to maintain my blades. If you wish to wield them, you must tend to them. You will polish and clean my collection after every practice.”

Squall’s sneer slowly dissipated, illustrating his approval of the first condition.

It was actually a favorable condition for him, if got to toy with the blades for long periods…perhaps he could…

“ And two…” Seifer smirked, snapping Squall from his reverie, “ You will willingly accept your punishment for that stunt you pulled today.”

Squall’s initial instinct was to spit in Seifer’s smug face and hiss obscenities, however, he held his tongue when he realized what was at stake. The thought of submitting to Seifer in any respect made his stomach curl and his temper flare, however, he had to remind himself that this would benefit him if he could forget his pride for a time.

Seifer’s smiling eyes were transfixed on Squall’s shifting face as he weighed the outcomes in his mind.

Squall focused his eyes on Seifer.

No…he would have to forget more than just his pride…his humility, his dignity, his humanity.

He flexed his fingers, remembering the feel of the blade handle in his hands. He recalled the feeling of freedom in those moments when he wielded the blade, the sense of possibility, and the adrenaline!

He looked again at those emerald eyes, shining with sadistic pleasure.

Not forget…just pretend.

Just pretend…

Pretend.

“ Okay.” The word barely made it past his lips in the faintest of whispers.

But Seifer heard it.

And that lecherous smirk stretched across his face, “ Excellent. We start now. Put these shackles on and I’ll lead you to the weapons room. I have business to attend to in town, but when I return, I expect my blades to be shining, and you… to be ready for your punishment.”

Squall swallowed his resistant impulse as Seifer threw the shackles at his feet. It made his body quiver.

He had just made a deal with the devil…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Irvine slammed his mug onto the wooden table, the contents frothing over the sides, “ So let me get this straight…you’re not going to train slaves anymore?” He barely hid the incredulousness from his voice.

“ Correct.” Seifer nodded calmly.

He hid the smile from his face as he watched Irvine’s violet eyes roll around with skepticism.

“ Isn’t it a little early for retirement?” Irvine retorted with a grin, easily sinking back into his seat and reclining a leg on the tabletop.

Seifer leaned back as well, “ I never did it for the money.”

“ No but you love to crack the whip.” Irvine drawled and chortled bringing his mug to his lips.

“ I did.” The blonde corrected quickly, his face serious.

Irvine laughed, choking on the alcohol he just sipped and shook his head; “ I call bullshit on this one Seifer.”

“ I wouldn’t enjoy training any new slaves.” Seifer replied in all seriousness.

Irvine scrutinized his friend’s face for a moment, his brows knitting briefly before the light-heartedness that defined Irvine filtered through.

In that charming sort of southern Galbadian way that Irvine had, he drawled, “ I’m guessing this has to do with that stormy eyed hell cat that almost got you in serious trouble last night.”

“ His name is Squall.” Seifer deadpanned.

“ Ha, so you finally broke into him eh?” Irvine clapped his hands and sat up in his seat. “ Is that where all this misplaced sentimental bullshit is coming from?”

“ No, I haven’t.” He folded his arms across his chest.

Irvine recognized the telltale signs of his friend becoming slightly defensive over Squall. And it floored him.

Mouth gaping he stared at Seifer again, “ Time out, so you haven’t fucked him…and…” He rubbed the stubble on his chin delicately, “ you’re serious about this kid huh? You really want to keep him.” He finished with a quiet smile.

“ So it seems.”

And it did seem that Seifer did care for the kid that he dragged in from oceans away. However, Irvine was willing to wager that it was only a temporary lapse in judgment, which would be remedied soon enough.

Leaning back casually in his seat again Irvine sniggered, “ Ah, I bet you’ll be singing a different tune once you break his ass in.”

“ I bet I won’t.” The blonde challenged a loopy grin playing with his lips.

“ Whacha wanna bet then lover boy.” Irvine drawled out mockingly. “ How bout this, if I’m right, you go back to being my business partner.”

“ And what do I get if I win?” Seifer goaded.

Irvine’s eyes were shimmering with laughter, “ Well that won’t happen, but hell if it does, then you can turn my ass into a slave!” He launched into a fit of laughter.

“ Deal.” Seifer announced slamming his fist into the table and standing up.

“ Fucking washed up tamer.” Irvine whispered as he took another gulp of his beverage.

Seifer eyed him amiably, “ This washed up tamer has a naked slave waiting for me to discipline, so if you’ll excuse me.”

He took two steps before Irvine stumbled forward in his chair and slammed his mug back on the table. He quickly swallowed his beverage, which burned his throat and made his eyes water.

“ Hey, what am I supposed to do with the new shipment?” He yelled in half amusement half seriousness.

Seifer looked over his shoulder and smiled at the foam mustache his friend was sporting, “ Send them back.”

“ Fucking hell Seifer, I can’t do that.” Irvine laughed nervously.

“ Not my problem, I’m only the middle man.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC…

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