Author: Lipstickcat
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: Not mine, only playing with them. That is what they were designed for after all, ne?
Rating: Nc-17
Pairing: Zell/Irvine
Notes: Excuse any OOC. Pwp, just had this scene in my head, had to write it down. My first Final Fantasy fic. Hope someone out there likes. Oh, and excuse my Englishness, fringe=bangs, I think.....
***
Zell grinned to himself as he plunged his hands into the water. He pulled them out again, cupped together, and listened to the sound of the water sluicing though his fingers. In a short sharp breath, he blew at the remaining mound of bubbles. White wisps of foam drifted into the air and floated down to gently touch the bare damp skin of his arms.
Easing himself backwards into the tub, he allowed his eyes to drift shut. His aching muscles began to relax, the soft warmth of the water massaging them and coaxing them to uncoil. He let his head sink under the water and pushed his hands through his hair, encouraging the water to wash out the dust and dirt. Sweet lavender filled his senses as he breathed in deeply. Pure heaven. Everything began to shut down. Even the racing mind that fuelled his endless energy started to take a break.
-Dumpth. Dumpth-
Zell peeled one eye open, then the other.
-Dumpth. Dumpth-
He sat up, the sound of water roaring in his ears as it spilled down his face. His long fringe flopped into his vision.
-Thud! Thud! Thud!-
�What?� He shouted as he pushed his hair out of his eyes.
�Are you done yet?�
Zell groaned. It was Irvine. He had been given the bedroom next to his, they had to share the living room, kitchen and bathroom facilities. It was always the same story when they got back from a mission together, a fight for who gets to bath first.
�Come on. I reek!�
�Nothing new then, baby!� Zell joked, smiling a little to himself.
�Aw, please. I feel awful and sticky. I have sand in places I really shouldn�t have sand. I just want to get cleaned up and go to sleep.�
Zell could sympathise with that, the desert had been baking. He was grateful that he�d made it to the bathroom first, but as he looked around himself, at the steaming water that was close to sloshing over the edge, he began to feel guilty.
�I....I think I used all the hot water.�
�WHAT?!?�
�I�ll save the water, you can use this after me.�
Silence. Suddenly the aromatherapy wasn�t helping. He felt like a jerk.
�Don�t bother.�
�Eh?�
�I said �don�t bother�. I don�t want your dirty lukewarm water. I�ll just go and use the communal showers...... They�re probably all cold by now too.�
Zell was climbing out of the tub before he even knew what he was doing. Water lapped over the edge, following his movement, and thundered onto the blue rug, leaving a dark wet puddle. He reached for a towel and wrapped it around his waist as he strode towards the door. He raised his hand to undo the lock and the door slid open.
�Hey!�
Irvine stopped mid pace. He had his back towards Zell, his towel and shampoo in hand, facing towards the exit. His hair fell loose down his back, sleek and shiny, as if it had been lovingly brushed a hundred times over. He wore a red flannel dressing gown, tied at the waist, so that the bottom part hung from his pronounced hips. It just reached the back of his knees. Zell thought how the cowboy could be mistaken for a girl, if it wasn�t for the fact that Irvine towered over him. Not that Zell wasn�t frequently overshadowed by the likes of Quistis.
Irvine turned his head to scowl at him. Then he moved to continue to walk away.
�Hang on.�
�What?� Irvine asked as he turned around to face Zell. There was more than a little bite in his voice.
�......Why..... Why don�t you join me?� Zell offered hopefully.
Irvine�s brow creased in answer. Zell decided to push a little further.
�Its a big tub, plenty of room.�
Irvine�s frown increased as he thought about the offer. He scanned Zell�s face for any hint of whether he was kidding or not, but the only thing that he could read was his eyes. They looked hopeful, and maybe a little concerned. His gaze began to wander further down, over Zell�s torso, his muscles shining in the artificial light. Irvine�s eyes reached a hand grasping the top of the towel around the smaller man�s waist and flicked back to his face.
Irvine shook his head sadly.
�You�re twisted, Dincht.�
Zell stepped back in shock at what Irvine was implying. The thought hadn�t even crossed his mind, he just didn�t want Irvine to have to take a icy shower because of him.
�No! I mean, its not fair to make you take a cold shower. You fought as hard as I did. It was selfish of me to take all the water......�
Irvine began to walk towards him, but his gaze was fixed on the room behind him. He thought that Zell was giving him his bath. Zell held out his palm to stop him.
�....But, I got there first and I intend to stay there until I feel totally refreshed. I�m willing to share, not give it up.�
Irvine was gazing over his shoulder at the steam filled room. He looked torn.
�It can be a male bonding thing.� Zell ventured. The look that Irvine shot him cut him straight to the soul. �No. I mean, sportsmen, they have communal baths all the time. Its good for team spirit. That�s what we are, a team.�
Irvine simply nodded, his expression unreadable, and walked past him into the bathroom. Zell punched the air triumphantly. If he ever got bored of being a Seed, maybe he should become a diplomat.
Zell closed the door, letting his towel drop to the floor and quickly climbed back into the tub. He sucked in air between his teeth as he eased himself down, readjusting to the change in temperature again. Then he gazed up at Irvine expectantly, who looked down at Zell with a pointed expression, his hands resting on his gowns cords. He raised an eyebrow slightly and nodded his head, the movement barely visible. It took a few seconds for Zell to realise what he wanted.
�Aw, come on! I know you�re not shy! Its not like you�ve got anything I haven�t seen before!�
Irvine didn�t reply, he just continued to look at Zell. His cheeks seemed a little more rosy than normal, but that could have been attributed to the steamy room.
Zell forced his face to become serious, even though the corner of his mouth kept twitching with the guffaws of laughter that he was trying to suppress. He turned his head to face the wall.
�Fine. Have it your way.� He tried to sound serious and annoyed, but he couldn�t hide his amused tone.
He heard the rustle as Irvine�s gown fell to the floor, followed by the gentle splash as he eased himself into the water. The water level rose, creeping up Zell�s skin like warm caressing fingertips. He pulled his legs up and crossed them to allow Irvine more room, but their feet still brushed as the cowboy sat down.
�Can I look now?�
�If you must.� Irvine�s tone was bored, but when Zell looked around, Irvine was smiling. �How come I get the tap end?�
�I bagged this end first.� Zell replied as he began to lie backwards against the tub, teasingly demonstrating an action that Irvine wouldn�t be able to copy without having freezing and boiling metal pressed against his back.
Even though the tub was more than average in size, Irvine sat as close to the taps as possible, with his legs pulled up to his chest. Zell took advantage of the space and stretched his legs out so that they were on either side of Irvine�s feet. He wiggled his toes, brushing briefly against Irvine�s bare thigh. Irvine�s body tensed, but he didn�t say a word as Zell rested his head against the rim of the bath and closed his eyes.
He watched for a while as Zell took deep relaxing breaths. The top of the younger man�s chest steadily rose and sank, glinting as the water lapped back and forth over it. His hair was a darker blond when it was wet and made his pale skin seem milky, his long fringe curling slightly on his forehead and around his eyes as it dried. Zell�s mouth was curved in a gentle smile, a look of pure bliss radiated from him. It was hard for Irvine to believe that this was the same hyperactive blond that was a constant source of annoyance to him. In his silence, he was almost attractive.
Irvine quickly shook that thought out of his head and reached behind himself to find the plastic jug that he kept in the bathroom to wash his hair. He paused, looking for a space where he could collect some water from without disturbing Zell, whilst at the same time, trying not to peer too deep into the water.
He picked a spot and plunged the jug in. Then he poured the water over his head, gasping slightly at the first contact. He repeated the process several times, until his hair was plastered to his head and shoulders.
As Irvine twisted around to retrieve his shampoo from the side, Zell opened his eyes. He watched the sleek roll of Irvine�s shoulder blade as his body twisted, his dark hair clinging to his arm and the part of his back that the movement made visible. He let his eyelids fall shut again before the gunslinger had turned back. Oblivious, Irvine squeezed out a dollop of shampoo and began to rub it into his hair.
�Why don�t you let me do that?�
Irvine froze. He had thought that Zell was napping. After a pause, he answered with a non-committal grunt, hoping that it masked his surprise, and continued to wash his hair.
Zell opened his eyes and pushed himself up, propping himself up with his hands behind him. Irvine eyed him suspiciously as he began to grin.
�Promise I won�t pull all your hair out.� Irvine blinked at him, so Zell continued. �It�ll help you relax.�
Irvine didn�t say anything, but Zell took the fact that he wasn�t violently protesting as an agreement. He pushed himself fully upright and rearranged himself so that he was kneeling in front of Irvine. He gestured to Irvine, who was still staring blankly at him, flipping the palms of his hands in an upward motion.
�Turn �round then. I�ve seen it all before.�
Irvine surrendered to Zell�s enthusiasm and obeyed him. He reluctantly stood, turned and sat down again. Zell had been wrong. Now, he had seen it all. He tried to push the vision of Irvine�s lean body out of his head. Slick and shiny, rivulets of water running over the gentle curves of his muscles. He tried again.
Still not quite in total control of his thoughts, he scooted closer to Irvine and began to massage his scalp. Fingers moving in circles around his head, quickly building up a lather, Irvine�s body began to melt as a feeling of bliss washed over him. Zell�s fingers pressed hard and should have hurt, but they didn�t, they seemed to chase away headaches that he hadn�t even been aware that he had. It was better than cure, softer and warmer, as if his head was completely detached from his body and he was lolling in a bed of baby chocobo feathers. A sigh escaped from his lips as he was transported to sun kissed fields of lavender. He barely noticed as Zell tipped warm water over his head to wash the shampoo out.
Irvine�s body began to fall backwards. Zell dropped the plastic jug over the side and held him upright. The blonde�s palms cupped around the other man�s shoulder blades, his fingers curling over his shoulder. Irvine�s body was inviting to touch, the sheen of water making it a little slippery, his skin a darker olive colour in comparison to Zell�s pale skin. Zell risked letting his thumb brush over the fine hairs at the base of Irvine�s neck, before massaging the tops of his shoulders. He kneaded out a knot on his right hand side before moving his hands further down, marveling at the dark silky skin. His hands dipped under the water, curving over his slim waist and resting on his hips. He paused. He really didn�t know what he was doing, but Irvine definitely wasn�t complaining. He began to slide his hands forward.
He gasped as Irvine�s head fell against his shoulder. For a second, his pulse raced as his guilt told him that he had been caught doing something that he shouldn�t be doing. Then he realised that Irvine wasn�t pulling away, in fact, quite the opposite. Irvine was leaning against him, his shoulders slumped against Zell�s chest.
He continued to wrap his hands around Irvine�s waist, hesitating as his fingers brushed the first coarse curls of hair. A low noise rumbled in Irvine�s throat, somewhere between a moan and a hum. Another hand crept over Zell�s, long fingers curling and encouraging.
Zell�s heart was pounding in his chest, a heady adrenaline thundered through him. He realised that he�d long since gone past the point of no return. He couldn�t define when he�d lost control of the situation, but he knew that it was well and truly gone.
With Irvine�s hand guiding him, he tentatively touched the smooth taut skin of Irvine�s erection. Afraid and unsure, he wrapped his fingers around the length and mirrored the long slow strokes of the hand above his. The head on his shoulder turned, so that velvety lips were pressed against his neck. A long drawn out moan vibrated against his skin.
Feeling strangely detached, Zell took stock of the situation. Here he was, chest high in water, holding a moaning cowboy as he pumped his erection. Oh yes, and now he was hard too. Zell concluded that there was only one thing that he could do.
He kissed Irvine.
Suddenly the surrealness of the situation vanished. The languid atmosphere was swept away in a tidal wave of lust. Irvine twisted away from his grasp, rolling in the water so that he was on his front, between Zell�s legs. The older man�s hands twined in Zell�s blond hair, before traveling down his face, tracing his tattoo. Then over his torso, playing with his nipples, causing electric tingles to shudder through his body. His lips were covered by another pair and Zell began to lie back under the force of Irvine�s returned kiss.
He only realised that his hands were hovering in mid air, frozen in shock above Irvine�s back when a cool draft blew over them. Tentatively, he lowered them, feeling soft, yielding skin. He followed the bumps curving down Irvine�s spine, dipping beneath the water and squeezed the soft round flesh of his ass. Irvine thrust his hips forward in response, grinding their erections together urgently. Zell was dimly aware of the wet thud of water overflowing and splashing against the rug, but he truly didn�t care. One of his hands swept up over Irvine�s back again, he wove it into Irvine�s long hair and cupped the back of his head, crushing Irvine�s mouth against his.
As the opened mouth kiss became more desperate, Irvine�s cool tongue delved into Zell�s mouth. A low deep moan echoed between the two, its origin not entirely certain. Zell�s tongue dueled with Irvine�s for supremacy in his own mouth, slick against slick, before forcing his way into Irvine�s mouth.
Irvine�s body slipped and writhed on top of Zell�s. A hand snaked between the two bodies, until it found Zell�s arousal. A slight gasp escaped from between Zell�s lips as he felt delicate fingers begin to gently tug at him. He responded in kind, slipping his hand between themselves and taking hold of Irvine. Meanwhile, smoldering kisses wandered over his jawline and down his neck. Irvine nibbled gently on his collarbone, tasting the diluted sweat of the smaller man. Zell was rendered incapable of doing anything, except move his hand in time with Irvine�s strokes.
Soon, both men were close to climax. Irvine�s head nuzzled against Zell�s, his silky lips brushing tattooed cheekbone as he gasped wordlessly. Zell screwed up his eyes as he pressed into the dip between chest and neck of the man above him. Stray hair found its way into his mouth and he sucked on it thoughtlessly. It tasted of Irvine, salty and dusty, despite the perfumed hint of shampoo.
Irvine called out, his back arching as he came in Zell�s hand, the strange warmth spreading in the water. Excitement becoming too much, Zell quickly followed.
Irvine�s body rested lightly over Zell�s. Zell reached up to hold him closer, as they both drifted silently in post orgasm ecstasy. He thought lazily that Irvine needed a shave, his cheek was resting against a slightly scratchy chin. He liked it though, it wasn�t uncomfortable, in fact, it was reassuring. He began to dose off, lulled by the warmth that surrounded him.
After a minute, Zell was aware of Irvine moving away. The remaining water sloshed as Irvine stood up, leaving Zell feeling strangely lacking in something. He didn�t open his eyes as Irvine left the bathroom, instead choosing to enjoy the now lukewarm water a little longer. He fell asleep with a pleasant fuzzy feeling filling him.