The Distance Between You and I

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

AN: I know, I’m bad. Haven’t updated in like three weeks or something. Sorry guys! Hopefully none of you have given me up for dead and will continue to give your wonderfully endearing reviews. We’ll all screaming for blood here, aren’t we? So am I! Death to the mayor! However, I do believe ol’ Squall deserves some sap. No smut, but there will be…I promise. Not the best bit of writing here but hopefully you’ll read it and tell me what you think. Anywho, on with the chapter!

Chapter Warning: none…just enough sap to make you wanna strangle something. (hopefully not me...)

The Distance Between You and I

Chapter 9


It was well into the next day when Seifer was woken by a small twitch of movement. He looked up in a daze, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Laguna had arrived right before dawn, and was now slumped in a chair on the other side of the bed. He looked at Squall, the machines still attached and beeping softly in the silence of the room. His hand strayed to brush a lock of hair from the closed eyes and leaned over to place a soft kiss on the pale forehead.

Another twitch.

He watched with anticipation, staring at the hand he still held in his own, waiting for another movement.

“Selphie!” He ran out the door. “He’s waking up! Selphie!”

Said girl came running, grabbing a nurse on her way down the corridor. Without a word, she brushed past Seifer as Laguna stood up with a confused and fearful look on his face. As Selphie checked the monitors, Squall’s eyes cracked open weakly. She smiled gladly and continued her once over before announcing the boy was fine but weak so not to agitate or bug him. The last comment directed at the blonde who was hovering over her shoulder with bright eyes.

Left alone after Laguna gave the boy a kiss on the cheeks and praised Hyne, Squall reached out, grasping with all the strength he could muster onto the warm hand that had held his own. Unable to speak, he smiled vaguely at the blonde, bringing more sting to Seifer’s eyes.

“I’m here, baby.” He muttered through a dry mouth and leaned down to bury his head in the soft chocolate strands. “I’m right here.”

O---O

“Don’t touch it. I’ll be right back!”

After three days in IC and another week in bed, Squall was finally released from hospital with strict orders to not strain himself and more bed rest. Selphie had threatened to visit everyday if they didn’t adhere to her strict protocols leaving him unable to reject Seifer’s insistence on them living together. So he stood at the exit of the large shopping complex with a walking stick in his right hand watching the rather large collection of shopping bags.

Seifer had apparently tossed all his old stuff and then gave him the choice of either wearing new clothes or walk around in a hospital gown. A moment later, the blonde returned with the car, another tiny thing in his apparent extensive collection. Having heaved the bags into the boot, Seifer returned and helped Squall ease his fragile body into the passenger seat. It was annoying to Squall having the blonde help him with everything, but with the wounds still raw, it was more than necessary.

“All set?”

Squall squirmed a little more and settled with a feint smile. It was odd to turn his mouth upwards into a smile, but it seemed to happen without him being able to assert any control. Especially when he was looking at Seifer. It was awkward at first, particularly the first night when he was still having trouble walking on his own. The blonde had carried him from the car to the apartment and straight into bed without allowing his feet to touch the ground. Squall had blushed hotly and grumbled something about being treated like a girl. Another thing was the sleeping arrangement. For the first few nights, they had shared the same bed since the blonde hadn’t managed to leave the hospital long enough to purchase another one. But when they finally found the time, they ended up deciding to keep things the same. It was an odd feeling at first, Squall was constantly startled out of restless sleep with his heart in his throat until he remembered who it was lying next to him. Since then, he found himself gradually getting used to sharing a bed and liking it.

Even weeks after the incident, Seifer hadn’t asked him a single question as to what happened. Every time he winced at the sharp, the blonde seemed to freeze and would be tentative towards him for the rest of the day. But Squall was glad, he didn’t want to talk about it or remember it. Unknown to Seifer, he had more than once dreamed about it and woken up covered in cold sweat while thinking it was happening again. Thankfully, the details were blurred in his head.

“When are you going back to work?” Asked Squall after they’d gotten home and Seifer helped him change into loose house clothes.

“When you can manage on your own.” The blonde was in the kitchen, attempting to make something edible with the help of a large cooking book. Squall looked at the mug of hot chocolate in his hands and sipped at the scolding liquid. With the help of the cowboy, they had managed to keep twenty-four hour surveillance on Ellone. Everyday at 6pm on the dot, a faceless man would call through with a report on the day’s happening. Leaving Squall a little relived and making the healing process a little easier.

“I can manage on my own now.”

“Yeah right, Leonhart. You can barely stand long enough to cook water.” Sounds of pots and pans banging around the barely used kitchen and the occasional muttered curse kept the softness in the grey eyes.

“You don’t cook water, you boil it.”

“Whatever Squally-boy. Either way, you’re not being left alone until you prove self-reliance to my satisfaction.”

“I think you’re just using me as an excuse not to work.” His attempt at a joke brought the blonde out of the kitchen, dressed in the most ridiculous apron. Squall suppressed a laugh.

“As if I want to be stuck with your grumpy ass if I had a choice.” Seifer leered at him, smirking mischievously while wiping his hands on a tea towel. “Even if it’s the cutest grumpy ass I’ve ever seen.”

“Prove it.”

As soon as he placed the mug back onto the coffee table, Seifer lunged, pushing Squall onto his back and throwing his weight above him. Large hands tickled at his sides until tears seeped from his eyes and he heard himself beg for mercy. Then they were staring at each other, panting from exertion and excitement.

“I want you.” The blonde whispered, holding their gaze.

“Me too.”

The kiss was hot, gentle, hungry and frantic. Lips locked and tongues dancing. He tasted the sweetness of honey, burn of chilli and the bitterness of burnt cooking, but underneath it all was Seifer. A flavour that was indescribably good, it tasted like the heat of summer laced with the freshness of spring then chilled with the purity of winter and softened by the fleeting warmth of autumn. It was intoxicating and addictive like a drug. Their hands were running over the uncharted planes of their bodies, feeling every ridge and dip of muscle and bone in a furious attempt to familiarise with one touch.

“Hyne, you’re going to give me a heart attack.” Whispered Seifer when they broke away for air. Squall could feel the evident erection of the blonde digging into his thigh. He smiled and brushed his finger tips over the blonde eyebrows and kissed the lips softly.

“We can… if you want to.” He blushed at his words. Feeling suddenly shy.

“Not until Selphie tells me you’re all healed up.” Seifer pecked a kiss on his nose. “Then my lovely, I’ll show you what it means to make love.”

Squall smiled uncontrollably, and pulled the blonde head down into an embrace. He felt good, none of the claustrophobic heat of being confine and pressed. Then he wrinkled his nose as a smell drifted into the living room.

“What are you cooking?”

“Shit!” Seifer was on his feet before Squall could blink. Already, the kitchen was filled with smoke pouring from a burning pot. He fanned at the smoke and turned off the stove. Apparently, even though several people had confirmed for him, you can burn water.

“Guess we’re eating out again?” Came Squall’s smiling voice. Seifer took the pot off the stove and dumped it and its contents into the bin.

“I hereby officially deem all cooking to be evil and a waste of precious time that could be spent groping you.”

“Bastard.”

“I know.”

O---O

Another week had passed and now Squall was sitting once again on the sofa, watching as Seifer rushed around the room gathering pieces of paper with an apple in his mouth. With urgent work piling up at the office and Selphie giving them the green light, Seifer had reluctantly assured Quistis that he’ll be back in the office. The weekend came and went and now the blonde was dressed in a fresh suit with a loose tie around his neck.

Earlier on in the morning, Seifer had walked in with a puppy look on face and a neck tie in his hands. Squall protested about not knowing how to do a tie but had given in at the blonde’s pleading. After his fifth attempt, Squall succeed in making a rather tight knot and Seifer took over the process. The brunette grumbled again about not being a woman, while Seifer smirked and called him darling. In mid-punch, Squall’s wrist were caught and a kiss that lasted for too long had resulted in the blonde running more than a little late.

“I’ll be back as soon as possible. There’s left-overs in the fridge, some money on the side table and call me if you need anything.” A quick peck and the blonde was out the door.

Squall sighed and pushed himself off his perch, leaning heavily onto his cane as he looked around the apartment. It was the first time he’d been left alone for more than ten minutes at a time. The rooms felt cold and lifeless without the boisterous blonde around, leaving the brunette with his thoughts and lack of things to do. He limped into the mess of the kitchen and began sorting through the fridge. Amidst their growing collection of plastic tupperware, Squall found bits and pieces of grocery left over from Seifer’s cooking attempts. Though he may not know how to cook, but Squall thought he might have better luck. After all, how hard can it be to follow step by steps instructions? He grinned despite himself and imagined the surprised look on the blonde’s face when he came home that night.

Yeah, home. What a strange word to be associated to Squall.

O---O

Seifer studied at the pale coloured broth in his bowl. It looked like water mixed with orange food colouring with a strange if not pungent smell wafting from the surface. Squall was sitting across the table chewing on a piece of day old bread and peering through his eyelashes while pretending not to stare. He grabbed the spoon and gently stirred through the liquid, unsettling various bits of murky coloured foodstuff from the bottom.

“It’s bouillabaisse.” Squall stated, chewing down more bread. “The picture in the book looked better.”

“That’s only aesthetics. Makes the book sell easier.” The blonde forced a smile and lifted his spoon, quickly dropping it back to hide the bit of plastic wrapping he fished out. With deliberately exaggerated motions, he took a spoonful and gulped down the liquid. As for the taste, it was interesting to say the least.

“Tastes like crap, doesn’t it?”

“It’s great! Better than eating out.”

“Liar, why do you think I’m not eating mine?” Squall smirked and pushed the bowl in front him towards the middle of the table. He winked his eyes, which had turned bluer than usual and limped into the bedroom with the blonde hot on his trail.

They collapsed onto the bed together, laughing and rolling over each other until Squall straddled over the larger blonde with a triumphant look.

“Looks like I win.” The brunette smirked slyly, lifting himself up slightly to avoid the mild ache every time he stretched.

“Not from where I am.”

Seifer reached up and pulled him down for chaste kiss, rolling spontaneously to flip them around until he was ravishing the luscious and swollen lips. Squall tasted of bitter sweetness, like rich dark chocolate that was unflavoured by anything. Hauntingly mournful but so beautiful that he could cry. He pushed at the yielding tongue, tangling with it as he drew it into his own, wanting to explore and wanting to be explored. He could have stayed under that kiss for the rest of his life, and still die a happy man.

“You’re birthday is coming up soon.”

Squall nodded, flushed and breathless. “Ten more days.”

“Ten more days.” Seifer repeated under his breath. It was so closer yet so faraway, like a deep dive, holding their breath with their goal in sight but hadn’t quite reached it. He wondered if Squall was feeling the same way, feeling excited and apprehensive about the things that could go wrong. “Worried?” He looked into Squall’s stormy eyes as it shifted into thoughts.

“A little.”

“You know I’ll be here, right?”

The boy below him hesitated for a moment and nodded. Maybe this’ll actually turn out to be his first good birthday.

TBC…