Reluctant Knight, The

  The woman motioned very slightly to Janine. "You are?"

  Janine straightened and produced a hand, which the woman shook very firmly. "Janine Larabie. Instructor of Battle Theory. Filling in for Quistis come Monday."

  She slightly raised an eyebrow. "Ahndra Kelley. Chief Special-Ops Investigator."

  "Ahndra." Janine motioned to the security offices while again sipping Seifer's coffee. "You have a nice set-up."

  Ahndra didn't comment; she only turned and walked away.

  Janine raised an eyebrow. "Damn. Miss Ice Queen." She looked down to Sally while gesturing to Ahndra's retreating figure. "What's up with her?"

  Sally continued to watch the silver-haired woman. "That's just who she is. Although she used to practically shout at people all the time. Only spoke in one-word sentences, too." Sally met Janine's curious gaze. "Zell says she's had a hard life. So does Marshal, the Chief of Security at Galbadia Garden? I believe them, too. But she's never let it keep her from doing her job."

  Janine leaned against the desk again. "Good, is she?"

  Sally nodded. "She's the best investigator/interrogator we have, and I'm glad I've had the chance to work for her. I've learned so much. That's why I wish. . . ." Sally looked down at her desk.

  Janine examined the shy girl's face. "What?"

  "I just wish I knew how I could get her to respect me," Sally admitted, meeting Janine's gaze.

  Janine absently nodded while lowering her focus to the coffee. "You do your job don't you?"

  "Yes."

  "You do your best?" Janine noticed Sally's nod. "Then that's all you can do. She more than likely already respects you."

  "You think so?"

  Janine smirked and straightened. "You could always ask," she observed as she moved toward Seifer's office. And something told Janine that Sally really needed to take that step. And if she's anything like who I think she is, she'll ask.

  Pausing long enough to lightly knock on Seifer's door, she immediately opened it to step inside. Seifer's desk was covered with reports and records, some neatly stacked and some not-so-neatly. He looked to pour over them with a fine-tooth comb, comparing data within three different reports at the same time.

  "Set it down there, Regal," he informed absently, waving his hand toward his inbox.

  Janine smirked and moved to stand beside his chair to the left. Then she held the coffee mug under his nose.

  Seifer sharply sat back and looked to his left.

  "As ordered," she said, setting the coffee down on the most level section of the collection of reports. Then Janine moved to lean her left hip against the side of the desk and motion to the litter of records and reports. "Looks like you need a break."

  Seifer lowered his gaze to the reports and moved the coffee aside.

  Crossing her arms, Janine arched an eyebrow as she regarded him. His entire attitude had changed from earlier. It returned to the harsh aggravation and irritation from their first meeting. Hm. She absently tapped her fingers against her upper arm. "So whose head was rammed up their ass this time?"

  Seifer actually grunted some unrecognizable answer before motioning to the door with a clearer "Dismissed."

  Janine shrugged and straightened. "Fine. I'll just go be bored somewhere else." Turning, she made her way to the exit. Another unrecognizable mutter was heard, so she turned and faced him. He had looked up this time. Shaking her head, Janine once more stepped toward him. "Didn't catch that." She reached up to tap a specific pattern on the inserts behind her ears. They crackled as they tried again to focus on the dialogue and translate it to her brain. "Mind saying again?"

  "How good are you with that gunblade?"

  Janine's smirk twitched upward as her brown eyes twinkled. She pressed her hands against his desk and leaned forward. "Challenge me to a fight and find out."

  Seifer regarded her as he slowly crossed his arms. "I don't hold back."

  "Neither do I." Janine leaned even closer. "Up to being beat by a woman?" Hyne, I hope so.

  He held her gaze a moment longer before lowering his eyes to the reports on his desk and taking a sip of his coffee. "I'll think about it."

  Janine watched him, a slowly growing frown darkening her face and eyes. She'd seen that look before, every time a guy held back because she was deaf. Every time she could tell a person spoke in simpler terms because she was deaf. She slowly straightened. "What the hell was that?"

  Seifer looked up again. "What."

  "You ask how good I am and then blow me off?"

  "I didn't blow you off. I said--"

  "You'll think about it." She scoffed and then roughly pointed at him. "I took the same tests as you, asshole, and I'm damn good. Deal with it."

  Seifer's expression hardened moments before he stood and strode to his office door. He closed it and immediately lowered the blinds. Then he strode up to Janine. "Sit."

  She sat back on his desk, arms crossed.

  Seifer pointed at her. "You are an Instructor." He pointed to himself. "I am Head of Network Security. I rank you by default, so you call me 'sir'. Clear?"

  Janine tightened her crossed arms and didn't say a word as she held his gaze.

  He pointed to his scar. "See this? This is what happens when I spar. You want one?" He lowered his hand again when she didn't respond. "So I'll think about it. Clear?"

  Janine uncrossed her arms and unbuttoned her uniform jacket, still holding Seifer's gaze. She pushed the jacket aside and lifted the pale blue tee beneath to show a jagged scar on her midriff. "See this? Got this going toe-to-toe with a Galbadian soldier outside Trabia. Gunblade. Pretty damn good, too. But I got him."

  She turned slightly and showed another scar on her back near her left shoulder blade. Seifer lowered his gaze to the scar. "This one? A shuriken from a rogue ambush." She faced him again and pointed to her ears. His gaze lifted, and the glare was different. "First started losing my hearing when a Wendigo boxed my ears. Ear drums ruptured. But I got him. Like I said, I'm damn good."

  Janine jabbed Seifer in the chest. "So don't you dare patronize me with an 'I'll think about it' just because I can't hear as good as you. I worked my ass off for this 'Expert' insignia," Janine snapped as she pointed at the embroidery on her uniform jacket sleeve. "And I bet I can put your ass in the ground!"

  Seifer smirked and stepped closer, backing her against the desk as he pressed his palms onto the desktop on each side of her. "Anytime, Larabie. Bring it."

  Janine leaned slightly back, frown gone as she stared up into his face in surprise at the sudden change. Then her lips tilted upward. "Name the day, sir," she said in a low tone. "I'll be there."

  "Make sure you're good and ready."

  One side tilted higher. "Oh I'm always good, and I'm always ready."

  Seifer chuckled and straightened. "I bet." Then he motioned to the door while saying "Dismissed" and going around to his side of the desk.

  "Where's the fun in that?" Janine asked as she watched him.

  Seifer sat and began reacquainting himself with the reports before looking up and saying "You want fun? Go find Dincht."

  Janine motioned over her shoulder toward the main security office. "And have shy girl on my ass? No thanks."

  Seifer chuckled and focused again on his reports. "She could take you."

  Janine gave a one-shoulder shrug. "Probably." She straightened and faced him. "I guess I'll go start a fight in a hall somewhere."

  "Be sure to take the bodies to Dr. Kadowaki's office," he said, not even looking up from his work. "She'll give me the report later."

  Janine watched him as he worked--She leaned her palms against the desktop. Seifer looked up. "You work all the time? Or does Seifer know how to play?"

  Seifer raised an eyebrow.

  Janine smirked. "I guess that's my answer." She straightened and started backing for the door. "Don't blame me for what I do." She pointed at him. "You're a challenge. Can't pass it up."

  He lowered his focus back to his reports. "Anyti
me, Larabie. Bring it."

  Chapter Three

  Thrill Seekers

  "Did you need anything else before I go, sir?"

  Seifer looked up from the recently received transmissions from Trabia and Deling security chiefs. Sally Regal stood in the doorway of his office, uncertain and timid as always. Seifer smirked. Regal thought she wasn't good at confrontations, but she faced him every day while doing her job better than anyone had ever done it.

  Regal was damned good at confrontations.

  "What did I tell you about asking that question, Regal? You ask and I'll give you something."

  Regal nodded. "I-I know, sir. I just thought I could help, so you didn't have to stay so late all the time."

  Seifer's smirk widened. "Go home, Regal," he ordered gruffly, waving her away as he focused again on the reports littering his desk. "Or I'll call Dincht to come and drag your ass out."

  "Yes, sir. Good night, sir. See you Monday."

  Seifer waved her out, restraining the plotting and planning of the pranks and sarcastic quips he'd never be able to do without Dincht breathing fire and Squall yanking Garden's best asset from security. Sally Regal was as easy a target as Dincht and Squall had ever been. Only one problem: she took it a little too personal. Even for Seifer.

  Tears from someone like Sally Regal took all the fun out of it.

  Seifer gave a slight scoff as he set a report aside. Even Rinoa takes it better than Regal. She even dished it back. Seifer smirked. Not like Larabie, but enough to make it fun. Seifer's smirk molded to a frown, and he absently lifted his coffee mug for a--it was empty. Seifer swore and set the mug firmly down, reminding himself--again--to purchase a coffee-maker for. . . his office. . . ? The scent of strong coffee made Seifer look up. The smirk returned as he leaned back in his chair, tossing a report back onto his desk. Janine Larabie entered his office, two mugs of coffee in hand, wearing a tight-ass pair of black leather pants and a sleeveless black-silk tank. Damn.

  Larabie kicked the door shut. "I hear the tell-tale signs of an empty mug. Good thing I had to come down here anyway to complain about lax security."

  Seifer slowly accepted the coffee mug. "Lax?"

  One of Larabie's lips twitched as she leaned one hip against the left side of his desk and slowly sipped her coffee. "Yeah. Shocked me, too."

  "Explain."

  Larabie's brown eyes held laughter as she rested one hand on the desk and leaned her weight onto it, twisting her body in just the right way. "It seems there's a restricted area in the Training Center where any little ass can go and do gods-know-what without any fear of capture or consequence."

  Seifer's eyebrow rose. He knew exactly--

  "Come on," she said as she slowly straightened from the desk. "I'll show you."

  I bet. He sipped his coffee, but it didn't wash down the curiosity to see just what she'd show him. Seifer's lips twisted in a lop-sided smile as he lowered his mug again. "File a report. I'll look into it tomorrow."

  Raising her chin, she vocalized an "Ohhh. You know about it but take bribes to look the other way. Riiight."

  He lifted his cup. "Oh no. You found me out."

  Larabie chuckled. "I see I'll have to take this up with Commander Squall." She leaned against the desk as before. "Unless you can offer me an. . . incentive not to?"

  Seifer lowered his gaze to his reports. "I'll let you know if I think of something that isn't illegal."

  She laughed. "Hey. What's the fun in that?"

  Lips twitching higher, Seifer watched out of the corner of his eye as Larabie straightened and moved to stand behind his chair. She leaned her full body against it while wrapping her arms around the top of his shoulders. Musk burned the smell of coffee out of his nose and memory.

  Then Larabie traced her lips very lightly along his jaw before whispering "I can think of a couple things that aren't completely illegal" in his ear.

  Seifer could visualize more than that, especially when she continued her lips back along his jaw to tease the corner of his mouth--Hell. Why not?--and he pulled her around to sit across his lap as her mouth accepted his, her arms around his neck and the musk and the silk.

  Larabie very slowly pulled back, nipping at his lower lip with her teeth before smirking up at him. "Hellooo, security," she said in a low tone.

  Seifer chuckled and attempted to lift her out of his lap. She resisted, pushing him back into the chair with hands on his arms as she held his amused expression with her laughing gaze.

  "I don't think so," she countered firmly. Then she moved closer, again wrapping her arms around his neck as the chair tipped back.

  Seifer's hands rested on Larabie's hips. Felt damn good, especially when she settled into his hands and his lap with that sexy smirk that reeked of arrogance. "You going to explain this to the people out in the security office?" he asked.

  "Explain what?" She kissed his cheek to the side of his mouth. "I'm sure they get it." She chuckled against his lips. "More than you maybe."

  Seifer pushed back, pushing her completely out of the chair to stand. "I'm not your joke," he stated in a low and calm voice, face hard.

  Her smirk vanished as she stared up at him. When he moved to step past, she caught him by the arm. His green eyes sparked as he looked down at her. "Seifer, it's not like that." And her voice sounded. . . soft.

  Seifer didn't look away as he clenched his jaw. "Fine. Dismissed."

  "Okay," she said, still holding his gaze.

  Seifer pushed past and opened the door, glaring to the left as she approached, paused in front of him, and then passed into the security office. He slammed the door shut.

  ~*~

  Janine paced in front of her computer desk, hands alternating between hips and running through her spiked black hair. "Shit," she hissed again and again, even though she couldn't hear it. Irritation and aggravation always made her take her assistant devices off. Janine liked stewing in silence, hearing only her own thoughts. Of course, tonight she heard the simulated and assisted voice of Seifer saying 'I'm not your joke.' Janine released an exasperated breath. That was one danger with pushing buttons as a hobby: Pushing the wrong damned one.

  "Shit!" Janine kicked a dress shoe across the room as her fingernails dug into the material of her black denims. She threw her hands up in frustration and grabbed up her gunblade, muttering "damned, big-mouthed bitch" as she hooked the gunblade on its scabbard.

  Turning for the door of her room, Janine purposefully forgot to re-attach her assistant devices as she jerked open the door and strode down the hall toward the main corridor. It had been a harmless joke. Innocent. Unintentional, if nothing else. I should've known.

  But how? She didn't know anything about Seifer Almasy except for what everyone else did. Seifer was the reason all the Gardens had agreed to begin working together. He had been the instigator. Seifer Almasy's life had been rough, making him one of the most jaded people she'd ever met. And he's damned hot! Janine gave another shake of her head as she clenched her jaw. Then she turned left into the main corridor and headed for the Training Center hall. Damn it, Seifer. I didn't mean anything! Ever heard 'All work and no play?' But it was too late.

  Janine stopped, hands on hips as her fingers tapped and her eyes glared. "Like hell," she mumbled.

  She stepped forward again, striding past the hallway to the Training Center to continue around and then up the stairs to the main lift. She pressed the call button and then resumed the tapping of her fingers against her hips. Seifer Almasy was a helluva lot of fun, and that hadn't been expected. Sure she wanted to fool around, but she wanted to have fun!

  The elevator arrived and opened, revealing Seifer leaning against the back. When he looked up from glaring at the floor, he continued to lean, arms crossed. Janine stepped aboard and up to him as the elevator doors closed. Sally Regal would likely have fallen all over herself in an effort to apologize for living.

  Janine's frown deepened as she held his gaze. "So now what? Did I slit my own throat? Was th
at the only shot I got at you?"

  Seifer minutely adjusted his crossed arms as he held her gaze.

  Hands on hips, Janine continued to regard him. "Well? I'm not begging. You don't want it, fine. I'll move on. Rather not. Don't think anyone else will be this much damned fun. I'm like that. I click and that's that."

  "You lisp."

  Arching an eyebrow, Janine leaned slightly back. "Huh?" She focused on his lips as she leaned more toward him. "Say again."

  "You lisp."

  Confusion muddled the frown. "What the hell are you talking about? I'm talking about you and me getting it on and you're talking about some damned lisp? What lisp?"

  Seifer watched her face, hard. Then he motioned toward her with a slight lift of chin. "You're not wearing them, are you?"

  Irritation flared. "And what the hell does that have to do--"

  "Can you hear me?"

  Annoyance made irritation burn brighter. "What the--what part of '96% hearing loss' do you not understand from my report? No, I can't hear you!" Janine's voice broke, and she gave a blink of surprise as she stepped back, just staring at him.

  Seifer didn't look away.

  Janine had been deaf or nearly deaf for more than five years, and she had thought all the loss and mourning that came with losing a part of oneself had been dealt with. Apparently not, and now Janine began to understand why he held the position he did. He had a natural instinct about people.

  He straightened, lowering his arms to his sides as he stepped toward her. "Find someone else," was all he said before again moving to pass her.

  Janine stepped into his path, holding him back with hands on his chest. "Why? Because I'm deaf?"

  He lowered his gaze to hold hers. "Garden is my life."

  "And what the hell does that have to do with you and me?"

  "Everything." Seifer pushed her hands from his chest and moved past, pressing the 'doors' button and then stepping off.

  Janine turned to watch him, gauging him with crossed arms and--She followed. "Seifer. Wait." He halted and faced her, eyes guarded. Expression calm. She moved to stand across from him. "Give it a try. What can it hurt?" Seifer said nothing. Janine released a quick breath. "Seifer, I'm not trying to oust Garden. It's my life as much as it's yours. I just want a break. A laugh. A release from the damned seriousness." She smirked. "I want a thrill."