Part 12.

IIIIII

The manager of the hotel in Winhill seemed more upset about the couple leaving and going to Deling than the thought that they might not come back. It seemed like the hotel had lost a lot of business to the bigger town. The staff seemed to welcome them back with open arms, asking if they needed anything, wanted anything. Zell shooed them, saying they were fine. They finally got up to their door and shut everyone else out.

Squall sighed, leaning on the wall. He was never one for crowds, or for being the centre of attention.

"Thought they'd never leave." Zell said, standing directly in front of Squall. With his hands on either side of his head he leaned in for a kiss.

Squall managed a small smile, lips turning up slightly at the corners. "So now we're back in Winhill, what should we do to pass the time?"

"I've got a few ideas." The blonde grinned.

"I bet you have."

Zell pulled his lover off the wall and into the bedroom. "Come on, come to bed with me."

They disappeared in the bedroom together and didn't really emerge for two weeks.... except for food.

Two weeks later Squall was packing up his case to go home, he was silent as he folded his clothes neatly fitting everything inside. Zell threw stuff in his case and sat on the lid to get it to shut.

"Do..." Squall looked up at Zell. "Do you want to tell everyone about us?" He asked hesitantly. "You.... do want there to be an 'us' when we get back right?"

Zell's eyes widened. "Of course I do if you do." He paused. "And as for telling everyone err.... m-maybe they already know."

Squall frowned. "How could they already know? I didn't tell them and you didn't...." He trailed off, eyeing Zell's guilty expression. "You told them?!"

"I didn't mean to! I told Selphie! But- but she had me on speakerphone......." He looked up guiltily. "Are you mad?"

"Did you want to keep it a secret?"Squall asked.

"God, no!"

"Neither did I, then it doesn't matter."

They packed in silence for a few minutes, both of them thoughtful. "I err we..." Squall glanced at the blonde. "We might not be able to be together as often back home..... Not that I don't want to, but...."

"I know." Zell said. "You're a workaholic, I remember." He grinned.

Squall nodded, closing his case and zipping it up easily.

"Although I have thought about me and you in your office." Zell said.

Squall looked surprised. "You have?"

He nodded. "I've spent many afternoons, mornings, evenings and Quistis' lessons imagining bending you over your desk." He grinned.

Squall blushed, turning his head away for a minute, shyly looking back. "Maybe that can be arranged." He said.

The blonde's grin widened. "Really? Cool, I'll hold you to that." He chuckled.

Zell shut his case with difficulty and tried to zip it up. Squall had to hold it down for him while he zipped it up. "How much did you pack?" The brunette complained.

"Not too much, unlike you I need underwear." He grinned at him.

"I wear underwear.....sometimes." Squall picked up his case and walked to the door with it. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Zell slung his bag on one shoulder and picked up his suitcase with the other hand. "Goodbye room." He said at the door, ignoring the amused look from Squall.

"You've been hanging out with Selphie too long." He said, walking out of the hotel followed by Zell. They headed for the Ragnorok, which was parked at the edge of the village. They walked up the ramp with their cases, leaving them in the conference room.

"I'll drive!" Zell said quickly.

Squall gave him a dark look. "You don't have to keep mocking my driving skills."

"Or lack of driving skills." Zell added, not looking at Squall because he knew there would be a glare aimed at him. The blonde sat in the pilot seat and powered the engine.

Squall sat the seat next to him.

"Goodbye Winhill." He said, glancing at Squall. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to Winhill Squall?"

"No, it's a village it can't hear me."

Zell shrugged with a smile and set off for Balamb.

IIII

Selphie bounced around excitedly on the field where the Ragnorok was due to land any minute. "They'll be here soon." She bounced. "Are they here yet?" She bounced more. "Why aren't they here yet?"

A hand landed on her shoulder calming her. "Easy darlin' they'll be here soon. We got a call from Squall saying they would be home around this time."

"I can't wait to hear about their trip! About their relationship! I can't believe my plan worked!"

"I wouldn't let Squall know about your plan if I were you." Seifer said. "He'll probably break up with Zell just to spite you." He made a face. "Personally I don't know what Squall sees in the little chicken."

Irvine laughed. "That's because you're a grumpy asshole."

"I never heard you complaining." Seifer said smirking at him.

"Look!" Rinoa got up off the grass where she had been sitting cross legged picking daisies.

The Ragnorok flew through the sky towards, landing in the next field.

They all walked forward, Seifer grumbling about Zell bad flying, him parking so far away and them having to walk. Most ignored him, Irvine tried to elbow him but he leaped out of the way. The girls were walked ahead, out of the corner of her eyes Quistis saw Irvine lunge for Seifer and rolled her eyes.

The blonde yelped in an unmanly way, they all looked back quickly. Seifer pushed Irvine away hard. The cowboy stumbled back laughing. Seifer glared at him.

The girls glanced questioningly between the two. "You've got to tickle him." Irvine said, wiggling his fingers at them.

"You're ticklish?!" Selphie questioned.

Seifer just glared at the grinning cowboy purposefully walking far away from him.

"HEEELLOOO?!" Zell's voice called over to them from the next field.

"ZEEEELLLLLL!" Selphie and Rinoa both yelled, running off at full speed to get the Ragnorok. Quistis followed at a more sedate pace with Irvine and Seifer lagged along in the distance.

"Hey girls!" Rinoa and Selphie leapt all over Zell who dropped his bags on the ground. Squall cautiously came down the ramp not wanting to get jumped on.

"Squall!" Rinoa greeted, hugging the brunette who went rigid in her arms. He moved out the way when Selphie tried to hug him as well.

"Tell me everything!" Selphie said, eyeing both of them but mostly looking at Zell.

"Well.... not much to tell." He shrugged.

"Not much?! I want the details!" Selphie grinned.

Quistis caught up. "Squall." She said.

"Quistis."

"Welcome back."

He nodded.

Irvine offered them a wave and Seifer didn't say or do anything. He was just there to get out of garden for a minute and because Irvine was there.

"Let's get them back first before we start grilling them, shall we Selphie?" Quistis said.

Irvine picked up Squall suitcase, Quistis picked up Zell's bag and they turned and walked back to garden. Zell filling in some blanks on the way, mostly he remembered the food.

"Oh!" He suddenly said on the way back, looking back at Seifer. "Remember that club we snuck out to when they were cadets?"

Irvine blinked. "You two went to a club together?"

"Not 'together' together." Seifer said. "There were a group of us."

"The limping lion." Zell said.

"The what?" Irvine laughed.

Zell nodded. "Seifer discovered it." He grinned.

Seifer sneered. "I was thirteen when I first heard of it I didn't know any better."

"But you were sixteen when we went there." Zell pointed out.

"Shut up Chicken Wuss."

"Anyway, we went back there, we stayed in Deling for a weekend." He explained.

"Is that where 'things' happened?" Selphie asked, grinning.

Zell glanced back at Squall, the brunette had dropped back to walk behind the others not liking all the attention. "Yeah, he couldn't resist my dancing skills."

Seifer scoffed.

Zell whipped round. "What was that asshole?"

"You dance like a chicken whose been set on fire."

"I do not! Asshole!"

They made it back to garden without too much problems. Zell and Seifer were fighting, arguing back and forth.

Squall ran off to his office the second they walked through the door. Quistis was reluctant to let him go and get back into his workaholic routine, but Selphie grabbed Zell and said. "Good that'll give us time to talk."

Squall hesitated, seeing Selphie drag Zell over the cafeteria. "Talk about what?" He asked suspiciously.

"Things." She shrugged. When he stood there she added. "Don't you have work to do?"

Zell leaned in to whisper to Squall. "I'll come and find you later."

The brunette nodded before going up to his office.

"Come on." Selphie pulled Zell's arm. "I want to know everything." Rinoa took his other arm and lead him to the cafeteria. His case and bag were taken by Irvine and Seifer had Squall's. The two disappeared to the dorms with them.

Zell was sitting at the table with Selphie and Rinoa when Seifer and Irvine walked in.

Rinoa frowned. "I can't imagine Squall being with a guy again.... I mean another guy after........." She trailed off, looking sheepish.

Zell shot her a look. "You knew about that? Squall told me no one knew!"

"Knew what?" Selphie eyes flicked between the two of them.

"Well I was his girlfriend of course he told me... actually I was a girlfriend to both of them." She chuckled.

Zell eyes widened. "What?! You knew about the guy Squall was with before and you dated him too?!"

She frowned. "But of course I did, you knew that.... Oh!" She said. "Oh! I get it."

"Get what?" Selphie asked.

"He didn't mention that part.... Oh well, forget I said anything."

He stared at her. "Wait a minute, I don't want to forget. Tell me about it!"

"What we talking about?" Irvine said as he appeared.

"Squall's past sex life apparently." Selphie said. "Though no one's telling me anything."

"How come you knew? Squall said he couldn't tell you!" Zell said to Rinoa.

Seifer frowned. "Squall told you what?"

Irvine smirked and looked at his lover. "I think you're secret's out of the bag."

Seifer shrugged. "Doesn't bother me, we were kids. We trained together and then one day training turned into.... something else."

Zell stared at him. "Oh my god!! It was you!"

"I thought you said you knew." Seifer frowned.

"He told me it was a guy who graduated two years ahead of him and was transferred to Trabia."

"Ah." The tall blonde said, sitting in one of the empty seats. "Oh dear."

Irvine sniggered.

"This is not funny!" Zell fumed."Why didn't he tell me?!"

"Probably because he'd know you'd act like... well like this." Rinoa said.

Selphie glanced around. "Was I the only one who didn't know anything about this?"

"Yes." Irvine said.

"You knew?!" Zell looked at Irvine.

"Seifer told me." He nodded.

Zell gaped at Seifer. "Why did you do that?!"

The taller man frowned. "What, so it's okay for Squall to tell his boyfriend but not okay for me to tell mine?"

Irvine nudged him. "You said the B word." He chuckled.

Seifer groaned. "I did, didn't I?" He dug in his pocket and pulled up a 10 Gil note. "Okay here you go."

"Thank you." The cowboy took the money and pocketed it.

Zell watched their little exchange. "Squall's going to kill me.... or you." He said to Seifer. "Or both."

Irvine shrugged. "Can't you pretend you don't know?"

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Don't mention it, nobody mention it ever again."

The others nodded in agreement. "I can do that." Rinoa said.

"I suppose that might work." Zell said, looking thoughtful. "And if it doesn't work and he does find out I can always give him a blow job to take his mind off things."

Rinoa choked. "What?"

He shrugged. "That what I did the last time I told him something he didn't want to hear." He grinned.

"And that worked?"

He nodded. "He said he forgave me."

Irvine chuckled.

Selphie leant forward on her elbows. "Are you sure you don't want to give me any sex details?"

Zell rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to speak.

"He's sure."

Zell jumped and so did most of the others at Squall's voice. "Squall?" He said, looking guilty. "How long have you been there?"

"I just got here, thought I'd have lunch with you guys first." He looked over the table. Everyone had gone strangely quiet.

"What were you all talking about?"

"Nothing." They all said at once.

Squall frowned.

Seifer stood from the table. "Is that the time? I have to go and err.... wash my hair." He finished lamely. "Irvine come help me with that."

The cowboy got up and they left together.

Squall frowned. "That was weird."

Rinoa shook her head. "It's not weird; they've been doing that for weeks, running off to have sex with the stupidest excuses like we don't all know what they're doing."

Squall nodded and sat down next to Zell who was silent until Rinoa got up, made an excuse and left with Selphie.

"Why do people keep leaving?"

Zell shrugged and shuffled nearer. "Maybe they're being nice and leaving us alone to have lunch together."

"I guess." Squall said.

"Nice to be back home isn't it?"

Squall nodded. "I suppose it is."

There was a pause.

"My dorm tonight?" Zell asked.

"Sure, I'll come round after work." He agreed.

Zell grinned and nodded.

IIIIIIIII

And they all lived happily ever after.

Notes: I didn't want to drag it on for too long, Winhill's so boring I was running out of things to write.