The Distance Between You and I

Disclaimer: All characters of FFVIII belong to the talented people of Square-Enix.

AN: Once again, thankyou for the reviews. They were really nice and made me all happy especially when school wasn’t working out. Anyway, my friend came back for a week from interstate and I showed him and his girlfriend some of my yaoi scanlations, (Gamerz Heaven Director’s Cut and Hoshi no Yataka if anyone’s interested to know). Because I was trying to shock them with just how deep my perverse nature really ran, it was a little surprising when his girlfriend (real darling) came out and said “hey this is cool! I always liked bondage cuz it’s so much more interesting than normal porn!” I do believe there is yaoi fangirl potential in her. Now that the pointless rambling is over, on with the chapter! It’s probably not what everyone is hoping to read but I do hope you enjoy it to some extent anyway. Review me and tell me what you think! Thanks guys!

Chapter Warning: None…but I will warn again a few f words if anyone is offended.


The Distance Between You and I

Chapter 7


There seemed to be a break in his memory. From between leaving Laguna’s office till arriving back home. He couldn’t remember exactly how he managed such a feat in his current state of mind. It was like a nightmare, words spilling out of the older man’s mouth in an endless stream while he sat helpless, unable to stop himself listening and unable to stop what was being said. He pictured Squall, ten years younger, trudging through thick snow with a baby sister in tow until he was picked up and sent to an orphanage. Then he pictured Squall, seven years younger with his hands pinned against the floor and legs pried apart, raped, before he even knew what it meant to be embraced. And finally, he saw Squall with Dallas. Grimy hands groping over his body as he submitted under the threat of his sister.

He was suddenly nauseous again. Bent over the bowl, heaving until there was nothing but bile. Laguna didn’t know who had adopted Squall but Seifer had all the pieces of the puzzle. At the same time, he realised how futile it’d be to report Dallas. Everyone knew the Mayor had an adopted daughter, but no one actually knew he also adopted a son. When it came down to his word against Squall’s with the rest of them as hearsay, Squall would be lucky if he doesn’t get counter-sued for defamation. They’d be lucky if they don’t get prosecuted for statutory rape.

Seifer’s thoughts turned darker as he rinsed the sourness out of his mouth. Murderous thoughts swimming through his head, Irvine was sure to know someone who’s willing to make a quick buck. But first, he needed to find Squall. Spitting out the last of mouth wash, Seifer washed his face and rushed out the door. Laguna had given him Squall’s latest address, he just hoped the boy hadn’t manage to move just yet in hopes of shaking off the long haired man.

Morning traffic was light as he flew down the highway. Gradually, the scenery around him grew dirty and grime. There was a distinct sense of hopelessness in the stale air. He pulled up into the street and stopped in front of the written number. A run-down three storey flat, with rusting roof and crumbling brickwork. The front lawn was littered with garbage and human waste. Seifer ignored the smell of urine and raced up the stairs.

Banging frantically while his phone dialled and redialled Squall’s number, the neighbouring door cracked open. “You just missed him, mister. Squally moved out not five minutes before you came.” A small voice squeaked out through the gap of a chained door. Seifer raced back down the stairs, jumping three steps at a time and back onto the street. He looked around, hoping to pick out the figure. Squall couldn’t have gone far. He turned a corner and just in the distance, was a thin body with a overnight bag in his hand. Seifer recognised the same leather jacket with furry trimming.

He ran after him, not calling out until Squall was within reach. When the boy turned and saw the blonde man only meters away, he heaved the bag onto his shoulders and tried to run.

“Don’t go.” Strong arms encircled his waist. Holding him in place as a warm face nuzzled his neck. The smell of Seifer’s spicy cologne and his hot panting breath sent a shiver down Squall’s spine. He settled back into the hold for a moment to enjoy before struggling lightly to get away.

“Get off me.” He said quietly. “You forfeited our deal.”

Seifer snorted aloud and spun Squall to face him. “You think I’m here because of that?”

“……..”

“I know everything, Leonhart. About you, Laguna, Ellone --”

“You don’t know anything, and I don’t need your pity for whatever you think you know.”

“I know about Dallas.”

Squall tensed suddenly, eyes wide with shock. No one knew about Dallas, not Laguna, not anyone. Everything he’s strived for was coming apart. Seifer would leak it to the media, Dallas would be slandered then cleared, but the man would want revenge and Ellone would be… He dropped the bag in his hand and aimed a punch at the blonde’s stomach. The stupid bastard has ruined everything, for almost two years he’s lived through every one of the sick man’s cruel fantasies, all in the hope that he’ll be able to get Ellone away. But this egotistical idiot thought he could march in and save the day.

“What have you done, Asshole?” He landed another punch, Seifer pulled them tighter together, grunting with each blow. “You stupid fuck, you’ve killed my sister….oh Hyne, Ellone…” His anger drained away with his energy until he stood weakly, supported against the broad chest. All of a sudden, tears were flooding through his eyes at the thought of losing Ellone, like a burst floodgate. Seifer was whispering something in his ear, soft and soothing. Blended words of assurance and shushes, hands running up and down his back, it was warm and safe to be encased and sheltered in that embrace.

“Let’s go.” Seifer pulled away and took off his coat, draping it over the slender figure. He picked up the forgotten bag with one hand and wrapped his other arms over Squall’s shoulders. Slowly, he led them back to the car and began the drive home. Squall neither sobbed nor made a single sound, but the tears wouldn’t stop. Seifer remembered his dead mother, once telling him about grieving. She said we wailed to mourn passed loved one; we wept to mourn our own unhappiness; but when we cry without a sound, that’s when we’ve lost all hope. He didn’t know if there was much truth behind it, but he assumed correctly when he thought Squall was far beyond hopeful.

By the time they arrived at Seifer’s apartment. Squall had stopped his tears but had yet to make a sound. He guided the boy onto the couch, shoved a hot mug of coffee between his frozen hands and sat down with his own mug. Squall was starring blindly into the swirling colours of white and black until the two blended together, and then he was staring into the tan coloured liquid with neither comprehension nor care.

Seifer plucked the mug from the loose grip and pulled the slender body back into a hug. Squall fell limply against him like a lifeless mannequin. “Come on, snap out of it Leonhart. For Hyne’s sake.” But there was no response except the sounds of shallow breathing. He pushed the body to arm length and began tapping the cheeks lightly. There was feint twitch of the lips, as though they were forming words. “What did you say?” Seifer asked, moving his ear closer.

“….why did you do it?” came a almost mute whisper.

“I haven’t done anything, Squall. I couldn’t, not until I saw you.”

Life stirred as quickly back into the younger boy as it had left him. Hands were suddenly gripping at the blonde’s shoulders while grey eyes were staring at him like a cornered beast. “Please, don’t do anything. Don’t tell anyone. Dallas will kill her, but he’ll do more before she’s dead. Please Seifer, I’ll do anything you want.” Squall shifted, pulling himself onto the larger blonde’s lap. With the only thing he had to bargain with, Squall began kissing his way down the neck, unbuttoning the shirt to kiss tanned chest.

Seifer reached, gently grabbing the graceful body grinding against him. He lifted up the pale face, stained with streaks of tears, eyes dark with fake desire and lips curled in a faker smile. He couldn’t help himself as he reached down, kneading gently against the dry and cracked lips to taste the salty tears laced with the metallic tang of blood. Squall opened his mouth without the need to coax, accepting and submitting the hot tongue moving against his own. A moment later, he was pushed away, forceful but without brutality. He saw pity in Seifer’s eyes, and so he closed his own. There was no need for pity, he had accepted his fate a long time ago.

“Take me.” Squall reached out blindly until he found his fingers brushing short strands of hair. Seifer moved, trailing lingering kisses along his throat, feeling the beating pulse against his tongue and the tremors under the skin. “As long as you keep my secret.”

The broken harsh whisper snapped him back to reality.

“Not like this.” Pulling Squall back into his arms. “I’ll keep your secret.”

They stayed like that, huddled close wrapped together and unable to move. Like living statues, Seifer held him close to his chest, until the last of daylight died beneath the horizon. When he realised Squall had fallen asleep, he gathered up the light weight and moved into the bedroom. This would be the first time he had another body in his bed with sleep as the only intention.

O---O

He woke to the soft chirping of birds and the gentle flickering of sunlight through the lids of his eyes. Slowly, the grey eyes eased open and studied the room he woke up in for the second time of his life. There was one exception though, and that was the arm around his chest in a protective hold. Gingerly and tentatively, he let his own hand stray to rest over the larger hand. It felt odd to touch someone else’s hand like this. It made him warm and light, as though an invisible weight has been lifted.

With a little more pressure, he tangled their hands together, stilling the motion for only an instant before lifting the hand off his chest. No matter how good it felt, He couldn’t stay. Because outside the walls of this room, time waited for no one, least of all him. With his birthday approaching, there were things he had to do quickly and secretively before Dallas could catch onto his plans.

“Where do you think you’re going, princess?”

Squall kicked himself for not being careful enough. Now the blonde will never let him leave or insist on tagging along. As though he didn’t notice the question, Squall got off the bed and pulled his jacket on. Behind him, Seifer scrambled off the mattress and placed himself between the boy and the door. Squall felt his face redden, suddenly scared to look at the blonde. The last time he saw the green eyes, he had been shamelessly seducing him in return for his silence.

“Come on, Squally. You weren’t planning to sneak out and break my heart again, were you?”

The brunette turned sideways, trying to get past Seifer’s larger body. After a few attempts, Squall gave up and glared. “You had your chance, Almasy.”

“True, but what’s going to stop me from picking up the phone and call the Timber Maniac’s gossip column?”

Squall clenched his jaw until he thought his teeth would shatter and shot a venomous look at the blonde. “What do you want?” he hissed.

“I’ve got a thing on today, but poor little me haven’t found a date for it.” Seifer crossed his arms over his chest and continued. “Since you’re here already, might as well accompany me.”

“……………”

“Think about it, good food, great company. What more can you ask for?”

“You to leave me alone?”

Seifer chuckled breathily. “Not for all the snow of Trabia. Get ready, we’ve got a funeral to attend.”


TBC……