Disclaimer. Squaresoft owns all these guys and places. I don't mean to infringe you guys so........ just chill, eh??? This ficcie is set a year after the end of Final Fantasy 8 and eleven months after my other fanfic "The Hardest Words......" This is gonna be a multi chapter fic and is dedicated to all my reviewers. First of all, my good friend nakiko! WARNING YAOI AND SWEARING PRESENT. Hey! how come I haven't had any flamers saying the usual stuff about "This fic sux like a sucky thing!"? I feel left out. Should I have said that? Now on to the story.

The Longest Road.

"Knowing him is heaven.
His very touch goes to your soul
And when you are with him
Is the only time you ever feel whole. "

Part of poem, "For the love of Angels". By Nicola J. Wilcox.



Chapter One; In Times Of Peace.

As the dark haired man moved across the room, the sunlight playing across his naked skin like a lover's caressing fingertips, the blonde watched with interest. In a feigned sleep, Zell Dincht half-smiled.

"I do know you're awake you know....." he heard Squall whisper faintly.

"Spoilsport. I was hoping you'd come over here and wake me up."

"Whatever....." He went back to sit on the bed.

"What time is it babe?" Zell asked as he stretched.

"Six thirty AM."

"HUH?" He said suddenly feeling rather tired. "I didn't even know that six thirty had an AM when we're not on a mission. I'm going back to sleep...." He closed his eyes.

A matter of moments later, he felt a warm body slip between the sheets next to him. He heard his lover speak to him again. "I love the sunrise almost as much as I love sunset......., and you." The blonde smiled as Squall said those words again. Some time before, it had been so hard for him to speak them.

A warm hand was suddenly lain on his stomach. On reflex, his muscles contracted then relaxed, allowing Squall to feel the definition that Martial Arts had given Zell. The hand moved upwards towards Zell's neck, and his most vulnerable spot to Squall's attacks of this nature. That part of skin where the neck meets the shoulder and where he loved to be touched. Biting his lip, he strived to keep up his facade and to keep his eyes closed.

Suddenly, a mouth replaced the fingers. He gasped and then moaned as he felt warm flesh against his skin. Then the lips travelled further up to meet his own.

Kissing back hungrily he opened his eyes.

Squall smiled. "You wanted me to wake you up."

Zell pulled Squall into a tight embrace, feeling the heat of Squall's body against his own he sighed contentedly. The faint light caused Squall's hair to appear as a dark mane and his eyes seemed almost feral in it's shade making him into a true lion.

"God, you're fucking gorgeous." He whispered through his gritted teeth.

Squall pulled away a little and the illusion passed. "What makes you say that?"

"Because it's true. You're beautiful."

"Whatever. So are you......"

"Whatever." He grinned.

"That...." Squall poked him in the chest. "Is my line."

Zell laughed and said; "maybe I oughta fight ya for it."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "Training center?"

"Nope."

"Outside?"

The trademark maverick grin confirmed it.



********



In the darkest depths of the forest near Balamb, a man in black leather jeans and a white tee shirt faced off against a man wearing baggy blue shorts and a tiny black top.

"Quisty'd kill us for this ya know."

"So? And stop saying 'ya know'..... You're beginning to sound like Raijin." He crooked one finger to Zell, saying 'bring it on'.

"You better be ready for this baby." Zell launched himself towards the dark-haired man, striking him square in the chest, throwing him over backwards.

Leaving Zell in a crumpled heap Squall leapt up and somersaulted backwards. Waiting for Zell to charge once again, and as he did, dropping to the floor, sweeping Zell's legs from underneath him. A flash of a grin before Zell hit the dirt.

On the sandy soil of the Balambian forest Zell grabbed Squall's ankle and he joined him in the dust.

"You've been learning." He said as he jumped on Squall, pinning him to the ground, effectively immobilising Squall as he tucked the the lions gloved hands gently below his blue cotton covered knees. "I do believe I've won!" He said.

"Well, never count your chocobos before they've hatched Zell."

"Huh?"

With the faintest glimmer of a smile Squall lifted Zell clear off the ground using the strength in his legs. As the martial artist rose, Squall turned to the side, throwing Zell off neatly.

This time, the smaller man was pinned.

"Neat trick Leonhart."

Eyes the colour of gunblade steel travelled over him, drinking in every detail like a fine wine. "I learn fast Dincht."

"You get to keep the phrase 'whatever' I guess."

"I tell you what, I'll let you use it every now and then." Squall grinned, his smile playing across his lips making all of his features light up with the pleasure. His whole body changed when he smiled, his posture shifted and his eyes changed..... His eyes laughed.

Squall looked truly beautiful when he smiled. Which, unfortunately, wasn't all that often.

Squall placed a gentle kiss on Zell's lips. "Shouldn't we be getting back Squall?"

He rolled his eyes. "Please Zell, no more Garden functions! If I have to sit through another dinner I'm gonna make a pass at the nearest visiting General just to get the hell out of there!!!!"

Zell reached up and rubbed a smudge of dirt from Squall's cheek. "Quisty and Selphie'd kill us." Squall looked into his eyes with confusion. "You don't remember? It's the first of the summer festivals and the whole of the garden is gonna be at the barbecue!" This signified the start of summer for all of the members of Garden, one of the quietest periods of the year. "And you said you'd buy me a hotdog."

Squall groaned at the admission of Zell's second addiction. Hotdogs. "Oh, alright." He sighed and shook his head, letting Zell up. "But I think we'd better get changed first, don't you?" He tied to brush the sandy soil off but it remained on his clothes. "I look like I've been rolling around on the floor for the last half-hour."

"You have been."

"So? I don't want the others to know that, do I?"

"Why not?" Zell looked a little disappointed.

"Come on, let's just get back."





Author notes. Slow start, gets juicy soon. Keep reading.