𝕊𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕃𝕖𝕠𝕟𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕥 (dotdotdot) wrote in wtnvgame, @ 2021-08-03 22:46:00 |
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He sneaked glances at Seifer as they headed out of the immediate area of town, trying not to be obvious. The pink was weird, but also kind of cute. But he wasn't sure his boyfriend would appreciate being told that. He'd brought his gunblade along on the trip, knowing there was every chance this would turn into sparring, especially if Ifrit was pink.
"So...how's Ifrit's mood?" he asked, because that was a good early indicator if the Guardian Force was affected
Seifer was honestly less worried about his own pink predicament. Compared to some of the other effects Night Vale had thrown out at this point it seemed pretty tame. He didn't feel weird he just looked weird. He could live with that. Although hopefully not permanently. Not that it meant he wasn't still annoyed, but he wasn't in such a sour mood that a good spar wouldn't put him right if things went that way.
Glancing around briefly, he reached over and grabbed Seifer's hand with his own and giving it a quick squeeze. Neither of them were much for public displays of affection, but he liked for Seifer to know he did care. He wasn't always the best at showing it. He'd never really been good at any emotions.
They walked a bit farther, before they reached an open area. "This looks like a good place," he said, closing his eyes. The ground around him went cold as Shiva pulled herself into the material world, curling around him. When his eyes opened, they were a colder icy blue. He figured having her out would be good if Ifrit had a tantrum. "You can let him out."
The squeeze to his hand was more than enough reassurance. Neither of them were the type for grand gestures when it came to affection but that didn't mean that he didn't appreciate the smaller ones. Especially when Squall was the one actually initiating the contact. They both had their reasons for being emotionally stunted in some ways but he was glad they were working on it together.
The open space was perfect and once he could see Shiva had settled in he felt more confident about releasing Ifrit. If there was any force that could temper him it was always her, even if their back and forth could get a little dangerous in the wrong setting. Seifer took a few paces away from the sudden chill partly out of reflex but also because he wanted to make sure there was enough room between the two of them.
Ifrit burst forth like he always did. With the usual rush of hot air and Seifer had to resist that ever present urge to let the fire come forth from his own fingers in response to the creature's presence.
"WHAT IS THIS?" Ifrit, as anticipated, was several impressive hues of pink from top to bottom. His fire, by contrast at least, was still it's natural color as it licked up the GF's arms in a clear show of aggravation.
Shiva was another story. Her laugh rang out, a cool crystalline sound that sent a chill down the back of his neck. To anyone else it would have been freezing, but for him it was comfortable. Shiva was a part of him. He wasn't even sure they could be separated now, entwined as they were.
He glanced at Seifer, hoping at least his boyfriend wouldn't take offense at Shiva's reaction. Shiva and Ifrit tended to find themselves at odds. In that way, they weren't so different from him and Seifer - except that they'd managed to work it out. He wasn't sure the GFs ever would.
"YOU FIND THIS AMUSING, ICE WITCH? COME LAUGH IN MY FACE IF YOU'RE REALLY SO BOLD!" The veiled threat was followed by an impressive snarl that was enhanced by the way flames were manifesting along Ifrit's massive jaws.
Shiva would protect Squall from any lashing out. Seifer wasn't at all afraid of that. But he couldn't help but smirk about Ifrit's posturing anyway. A less mature version of himself might have taken the laughter as personally as Ifrit but time and temperance had at least taught him to find humor in his own faults on occasion.
"Your anger makes you brash, djinn," she said, flicking her hair and seeming utterly unconcerned. "You always rush into things. It's your biggest weakness."
Squall sighed, knowing the Guardian Forces were definitely going to be squabbling. "Guess we're sparring then," he said to Seifer, shifting his stance slightly. He wasn't exactly bothered by the outcome. He did enjoy trading blows with his boyfriend.
"I guess we are," Seifer couldn't help but sound a little pleased. The pink think was just annoying enough that a good spar would work out any of his negative energy. And he'd thank Squall for his commitment to the cause properly later on. And maybe ask him about that little show of unease, too. But sometimes he knew it was better to let his boyfriend talk about his discomforts in his own time.
"Don't pretend you're not excited!" Once he saw that Squall's stance had shifted, he came darting for the other man, flaming Hyperion at the ready.
Squall, meanwhile, watched Seifer with a similar caution. He'd often been called cold and heartless, by people who didn't know better. Who didn't recognize the way he internalized his emotions. He felt things, and deeply, but didn't like to address them or let them show. Or examine them for any length of time.
"Maybe I'm just humoring you," he said with a quirk of his lips, bringing Lion Heart up to greet Seifer's strike in a clash of blades and a hiss of steam as fire met ice.
The familiar sound of blade against blade sent a rush through Seifer that he just couldn't quite compare to anything else. Long before they'd ever been together he'd lived for these fights and sought them out as often as Squall would allow. Back then maybe Squall had been humoring him from time to time, but he knew better now. Despite Squall's chilly exterior (literally or figuratively) it was the little hints of excitement that told him everything he needed to know.
After their initial clash Seifer took a step back but only so he could come at him again with equal intensity. He wasn't aiming to harm him, of course. They'd taught each other how to spar with out causing any more scars by now but that didn't mean he'd ever go easy on his boyfriend.
Squall saw no reason to hold back with Seifer. They were both experienced fighters and knew how to spar without doing any real damage. This was mostly for fun, and a little bit to deal with the tension both of them constantly had. They weren't used to peace or particularly built for it, so they needed this release to keep from getting too anxious. Maybe that wasn't exactly healthy, but it worked for them.
After several more clashes, their blades met again, the two of them fairly close to one another. Struck by a sudden impulse, Squall leaned forward, pressing his lips to Seifer's. It wasn't a distraction technique he ever would have used back home, but it seemed like a fair play here.
Seifer knew it would be better for both of them if they could just settle in but he wasn't sure that they were capable of that. At least not yet. All those years of conditioning to become soldiers and the lingering effects of the Sorceress' War left them both restless. If sparring helped, and no one was at risk, he didn't see the problem. He didn't actually want to hurt Squall. He'd already done enough of that and had so much to make up for. But tiring him out? Seifer was all for that.
And maybe it was that focus on making sure each of his strikes were intense but never crossing the line that allowed him to be distracted enough not to see the kiss coming. Squall usually wasn't one for distractions, always chasing victory by virtue of his own skillset. So, the surprise of both the tactic and the kiss itself were probably why Seifer found himself relaxing enough to let the strength behind his blade relent enough for Squall's own gunblade to shoulder tap him. A clever victory point. Though he didn't pull away from the kiss right away.
"That's cheating," Seifer was sure Squall could feel the smirk on his lips when they were this close. "I'm so proud of you."
Squall, meanwhile, was just pleased his gambit had worked. He wasn't usually the sort to use distractions in a fight but he was trying to loosen up and be less solemn. So much of their lives had spent in battle - training for it or fighting in it. They'd given up so much of themselves from childhood that he wasn't entirely sure that he and Seifer - or even Quistis - were capable of being functional people. He'd been trying and Fang and Bev and others had helped over his time in other worlds.
So something as simple as this - sneaking a kiss to win a fight - was a rebellion and a kind of victory all in one. He knew that, as much as Seifer was being his usual sarcastic self, he genuinely was proud of him. They were both doing their best to leave their pasts behind them, to divorce themselves from a life of neglect and service. Some days were better than others, and this felt like a good day.
He kissed Seifer again, the action quick but fond. "I won," he said soft and teasing, more emotion than he generally showed. "What do I get?"