flicker - knock-knock
An eyebrow arched as Janine looked up from tying the laces of her work-out shoes. Of all the knocks she recognized - luckily she'd put her assists on already - that was Seifer's. She smirked and straightened, taking up her gunblade as she made her way to the door and opened it. Sure enough, Seifer stood there looking damned sexy in black, holding his mug– and a deep red one that said 'I put the 'sex' in 'sexy'' in white letters.'
Her lips twitched, and then she lowered her focus to the duty of hooking her gunblade onto the scabbard at her hips. "Sorry, babe. Can't fool around. Promised Sal gal I'd spar with her and Dincht this morning."
Seifer waited for her to finish with the gunblade before stepping close and presenting her the mug. He always smells so damn good... she thought, hand encircling the warm mug as her half-closed and sultry eyes met his.
Seifer's smirk tilted upward on one side. "You have one hour, Larabie. Then you're to report to the dorm-supervisor's office for... a little one-on-one."
Nodding, Janine leaned in close as she held his emerald gaze. "Yes, sir."
« † »
Seifer buttoned up his black-silk shirt and tucked it into his black slacks.
Janine came up behind and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "How the hell did I miss-out on the damned-awesome rush of 'making out?' Incredible, sir. As always."
Chuckling, Seifer adjusted his black-silk tie. "I'll have to remember to catch you every time after a sparring session with Sally." He turned in her arms. "Or spar with you myself."
Janine lightly scratched at his scalp. "Bring it."
He kissed her mouth. "Don't tempt me, Larabie."
She kissed him again and then pushed him back. "Don't forget to tell Sal gal that you're taking me to the party this weekend. You've put it off long enough, coward."
Seifer opened his mouth to protest.
Janine raised a finger to his lips. "Seifer. You're going."
He smirked and bit down lightly on her finger. "Yes, ma'am."
Janine chuckled and then ran her finger down his scar before placing another kiss on his lips. "See you tonight, babe... Forbidden Area or Training Center?"
Seifer smoothed his hands down her back to her butt and drew her closer. "Come to my office after hours and we'll discuss it."
Janine's smirk widened, and she pushed his arms away with hands on wrists. "Yes, sir." Then she leaned in and nibbled at his lower lip. "Go to work, big guy."
He kissed her mouth with a whispered "Damn" and then stepped and turned away to open and close the door behind him.
Shaking her head, Janine adjusted her uniform jacket and straightened her skirt, amazed again at how many wrinkles and twists could come to a persons uniform just with wandering hands. And the rush of pushing it to the edge was just as addicting as it had been when she'd first met him. Days, weeks, a month? What did she know about time with a man like Seifer Almasy? Each day was different. Each day and night of kissing that mouth and feeling those hands staying just out of reach... It was damned awesome. Thrills, rushes, arguments, make-ups, secrets...
"Damn."
Janine smiled as she pinched and crunched at her hair, spiking it in those areas that needed a bit of help. 'Damn'? Like hell. Seifer moved past 'damn' a long time ago. Why else had she fallen in love with him? And the fact that he hadn't said 'love' to her didn't matter. For the first time in her life, it didn't matter at all.
Giving her reflection a wink, she stepped outside and down the side-hall to the main corridor. Janine smiled when she saw Sally heading down the main corridor toward the cafeteria.
"Hey, Sally."
Sally looked up and smiled, her brown eyes twinkling with it. Janine chuckled. Sally Regal had to be the cutest shy-girl in Garden.
"Good morning again, Janine," Sally greeted cheerfully. "Thanks for working out with me so early."
Janine waved it aside. "Sal, it was a pleasure. Sorry I couldn't stay the entire two hours." She smirked. "Appointments, you know."
Sally nodded. "I wouldn't want you to miss anything important on my account. Did it go OK?"
Janine restrained a laugh. "The appointment?"
"Uh-huh," she repeated with another nod. "It was a good one, right?"
Janine gave a slight nod as she remembered the withheld passion and the whispers and the... Damn.... "Most definitely. Every time."
"Oh." Sally's innocent expression was adorably true. "Tutoring someone before class?"
Janine chuckled. "Something like that." Although she didn't know who was learning more.
Sally smiled. "You're so nice." And then her smile faded to annoyance. "Most Instructors just tell the candidates to go study on their own in the library, or find a study partner. It doesn't really help if your study partner doesn't know how to find the answers either." She stretched her hands toward Janine. "I mean, how would I have known the quarterstaff was all wrong for me if Zell hadn't offered to help?"
Janine suddenly started laughing.
Sally blinked. "What?"
Janine shook her head as she waved it aside, desperately trying to hold back the laughter. "Nothing," she struggled out. "I just realized that you've never..." And she broke off with another fit of laughter.
"Never what?"
Janine took in a deep breath and let it out slow. "Nothing. Never mind. You're fine." She motioned down the corridor. "I better git. I'll try and show up tomorrow morning, but I don't guarantee anything."
Sally nodded. "It's OK. I understand about how important the tutoring can be. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't had the time with Zell before my Fire Cavern exam."
Janine smirked. "I'm glad he was there for you, Sal gal. Now I better scoot. See you 'round."
Janine stepped past, her smirk widening. Tutoring. The smirk blossomed to a chuckle. Tutoring? That was one way of looking at it. Janine burst into another fit of laughter.
« † »
Janine chuckled. "Sal gal, if you don't stop bouncing up and down, I'm going to bop you."
Selphie nodded and giggled. "No doubt. Calm down. The boys will think you're high."
Sally's eyes twinkled as her smile outshone the lights of the parking structure where the trio waited for the boys to pick them up and take them to Sally's 20th birthday party.
"I don't care," she cried in an excited tone. "I am! It's my birthday and I'm going to a birthday party and all my friends and family are going to be there." She bounced over to Janine and Selphie and pulled them into a hug.
Janine laughed and pushed back. "Please. Watch the hair. It took me an entire fifteen minutes to get it like this."
Selphie giggled. "Janine, I wish my hair took only fifteen. I had to wrestle it into these curls for three hours!"
Janine scoffed. "I woulda shaved myself bald before spending that much time on hair. It took me nearly that much time to get into this dress. Damn thing's like a second skin!"
Janine looked down at her dress as she spoke... well, if it could be called one. It was an absolutely skin-tight black-leather dress that had long sleeves, a low neckline, and a zipper that went all the way down... Well, to mid-thigh anyway, because that's as far as the dress went. She looked damned good.
Sally giggled and Janine looked up. The doll had dressed in pale orchid. Silk like Selphie's dress, it had short sleeves and went down to her knees. It also had a slit on the left side that Sally hadn't been all that excited about, but Janine had insisted and Sally had caved. Her hair was down, making her look even more like a dress-up doll from Janine's childhood, and little pearldrops had been twisted into her hair.
Zell would drop dead the minute he saw her.
"I think I hear it coming," Selphie squealed.
Janine looked over at the girl, dressed in pale yellow silk, and grimaced. "About damn time. I couldn't believe it when Seifer told me he was dragging me to this thing in a damn--"
"There they are," Sally squealed.
And three white carriages drawn each by a pair of white horses pulled up into the parking structure. Sally and Selphie squealed. Janine just smirked and crossed her arms while raising a single eyebrow.
Sally hopped and bounced until Zell came up to her in a black tux with a matching bow-tie and presented her with a white flower as he bowed. Sally took the flower with another squeal and threw herself into his arms with a giggle and an "Oh Zell you look gorgeous I love the matching bow-tie and the carriage" and "Is it the same one you rented before I hope so that would be so romantic Did you see Selphie Isn't she pretty" all the while that he laughed and tried to answer Sally's questions as he led her to the carriage and helped her up.
Janine chuckled, shaking her head as she turned away-- "Damn."
Seifer leaned against the carriage in a white tux as he watched Janine with a smirk and an all-too-recognizable glint in his emerald gaze. "Larabie."
Janine stepped up to him, wrapping her fingers around the lapels of the tux coat. "Damn you look good," she said in a low tone.
"So do you." Seifer drew her closer, and then his eyes were drawn to Zell and Sally when she giggled. "Shit. Better move this somewhere else."
Janine chuckled. "Fine by me."
Seifer lifted Janine into the carriage with hands under arms. Then he stepped in after her, following her into the corner of the carriage and drawing him against her as lips caressed against neck and throat.
Janine chuckled. "That tickles..."
Seifer's breath tickled against her throat as well... Then he raised his head. "You're not wearing them," he said, and his expression held surprise.
Janine's eyes twinkled. She raised a hand to his face to caress the scar and his lips. "Nope. Like watching that damned sexy mouth."
The smirk returned. "And how the hell are you supposed to hear what I'm saying when I'm doing this..." He nuzzled her neck.
"Just don't... say any... oh Hyne..." And Janine's eyes fluttered as he hummed her name against that sensitive area behind her ear.
Seifer chuckled and nipped at her ear before slowly pulling back and sitting close beside her, arm draped around her shoulders and fingers caressing her skin.
Janine slugged him in the ribs. He laughed. "Damned tease. Don't kiss me like that and then pull back."
Seifer turned toward her, a hand going to the zipper and easing it slowly down. "You want me to keep going, Larabie?"
Janine smirked. "Yes and no... sir. I don't think Sally would appreciate it."
Seifer laughed, a finger caressing the skin between before leaving the zipper and lightly touching her jawline. "True. She has definite ideas about things like that."
Chuckling, Janine snuggled in against him while still watching his mouth. "Just imagine how shocked she will be on their honeymoon... If he actually asks her."
"Oh he'll ask. Why the hell do you think he's been driving me damned insane about Winhill and the council decision on the contract for the security office."
"Speaking of that..." Janine snaked a finger under his shirt between sections and tickled his chest. "Have they approved the recent contract submission? Seems to me they need some ass-chewing by either you, Commander Squall, or President Laguna."
"No word yet, but Squall already informed them that if they didn't approve this contract, they'd be considered reluctant allies with all Gardens."
Janine chuckled. "That'll make them damned nervous, especially after the shit that Ahndra and Marshal discovered with that black-market arms trafficking."
"That's what we're hoping."
Janine unfastened a button and submerged her entire hand to stroke the skin of his chest. His muscles tensed and twitched as his lips twitched upward. "And if they don't take the hint?"
Seifer chuckled. "Janine..." He pushed her hand out from under his shirt. "Squall and I will have a meeting if it comes to that."
Janine contented herself with stroking his chest through his shirt. "I volunteer for presenting the ultimatum to the council. Damned exciting."
"Submit a request and I'll talk it over with Squall."
"Yes, sir."
"But I'm not sure I'll approve it." He caressed the skin of her temple with his lips.
Janine pulled slightly back to watch his lips. "And why's that?" she asked, smirking.
"I haven't finished training you on all matters of security," he said against her mouth.
« † »
Seifer watched Janine with a slight smirk as she laughed and teased Regal and Dincht off in the distant section of the Hotel in Balamb. But when he heard the words again... 'I love you, Seifer, dammit...' His smirk faded, and his hold on his club soda tightened. The thrill had changed. Everything about their secrets had been changed by those words.
Janine loudly laughed before sending him a seductive glance the same moment the tip of her tongue flicked out to lick her lips. Then she lifted her beer slightly toward him and winked. His smirk returned, and he lifted his glass in a return, all the while asking Why do I keep after her? Seifer Almasy doesn't need anyone. He had Garden. He had his job. Garden was his life... So why did he... need her?
People like them didn't fall in love. They... They just didn't. 'I love you, Seifer...'
Seifer lowered his gaze to his glass, lifting it when the scent of her lifted the hairs on his entire body as she drew close and kissed his neck. "Hey, big guy," her alto tone practically purred. "You've been hiding here in this dark corner almost all night. No play?"
Looking down into her damned sexy brown eyes, he kept thinking how Garden was his life... but he had been as close to hell as ever when she had hated him. ...the hell? "Not in the mood," he murmured, and his voice sounded a mix between gruff and harsh. He... he needed her, but it was more than that. And as she once more caressed his neck with her lips and whispered his name... For the first time in his life... "...shit..." he hissed, drawing her closer.
Janine chuckled, her breath tickling his skin. "I bet you say that to all the girls, you big romantic, you." Then she pulled slightly back, half-closed eyes meeting his. "Having fun watching and being cynical?"
Seifer smirked, teasing the zipper of her 'dress' by zipping it slightly down and then up and then again. "Trying to figure how you got into this damned thing."
Chuckling again, she took hold of the lapels of his tuxedo. "What a coincidence. I was trying to figure out to get you out of this damned thing."
"Heheheheheh." He teased her lips with hers. "Not yet, Larabie. Too much fun driving each other mad with the wondering..." He'd never had a woman hang around this long before. Never wanted to drag her on... His lips migrated down her jaw and to the area just below her assists. ...damn... He'd never wanted her to keep coming back. Never wanted another life to be responsible for... "...shit..."
Janine laughed and pushed back to take another firm hold of his lapels. "Come on, big guy. Let's get under the balcony here and do some...," her sultry smile returned, "heheheheheheh. Secret stuff."
"Damn straight," he agreed as she dragged him along behind her to the balcony behind the Hotel, not caring about the somewhat hazardous climb downward. He was about to tell a damned sexy SeeD a secret he'd never admitted to even wanting before! What the hell did he care about maybe breaking his neck? And how the hell does a jackass like me say that to someone like her without sounding a dickhead?
Marshal would laugh his ass clean off.
Frowning, Seifer grunted as he followed Janine up and over the balcony railing to drop to the ground those several feet below. Janine was actually giggling, and damn... was all he could think as he ducked under the support beams after her. It was the sexiest sound he'd heard yet.
Making her way toward the extreme back of the area, she turned and leaned seductively against one of the support beams, lids half-closed as her hands reached out to pull him close. "Now let's see... what to say, what to say..."
"Shut up, Larabie," he grumbled, kissing her mouth as his hands held her face. "Just shut the hell up." But how did he say it? It was the one secret that anyone and everyone could use against him. "Janine..."
"...just say it," she whispered against his lips, pressing herself closer.
Hostage. Kidnapping. Murder. Killing. All the possible scenarios kept running through his brain, choking off the words... "...damn it..."
"...don't think. Just say it." She kissed him again and again, entwining her hands behind his neck. "Say it, Seifer."
He'd never had it to say before. ...lips across jaw to neck...
"'I love you.' Say it," she whispered, breath fanning his skin with fire.
Never thought he'd want it. ...lips down her neck and throat...
"...say it..."
Gruffly, "...I love you..."
...and damn, what a thrill.