Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Beauty and the beast. ❯ Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

~

"Zell! Zell!" Laguna had searched the whole castle for his son the only place he hadn't been to was the tower. He didn't really want to go up there in case he ran into that monster. Laguna had gone out of his way to avoid the beast; he didn't trust him all that lurking in the shadows and creeping up on people, it was scary.

He wasn't very calm around the furniture either and because he couldn't tell what furniture was stationary and what was alive, he was constantly jumpy.

How did Zell live in a place like this?

Do he void the beast as much as Laguna did?

"Problem?"

The brunette jumped and squealed like a girl at the sound of the sudden voice. He turned to see Kiros him an amused look.

"Oh, it's you."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Have you seen my son? I'm looking for him."

"No, have you been in the tower?"

"No." He looked ominously up at the stairs in front of him.

"I know you fear Squall but you don't have to, he's harmless. Zell was afraid of him as well as first until he got used to Squall."

Laguna shot the clock a nervous, near horrified look. "Zell doesn't trust him, does he?"

"Maybe you should ask him."

"I will when I find him." The brunette edged towards the tower.

"Want some company?" The clock hopped off the table to follow.

Laguna bent and picked him up. "He might not mind me being there if you're with me."

They passed a few doors when Kiros held out a hand. "Stop. Do you hear voices?"

Laguna pressed his ear to a nearby door. He heard someone laugh, it sounded like his son. He tried the handle. It wasn't locked.

"Zell? What are you don't up here?"

The little blonde leapt and immediately the room spun and he clutched his head. The empty bottle of whisky fell to the floor. When the room had stopped spinning he smiled drunkenly and bounded towards Laguna.

"Hi, daddy."

"Have you been drinking?"

The blonde boy shook his head causing the room to spin again. "Maybe a little."

Kiros smirked until Laguna shot him a look. "This isn't funny?"

"Zell? Why are you up here drinking all alo-" He trailed off as another figure rose from the same chair Zell had been sitting in.

"God, I'm gonna be sick."

Laguna's eyes widened. "Were you sitting on his lap?"

The beast leant on the wall to stead himself, Zell giggled insanely until his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed. Squall dove forward to catch the blonde before he hit the floor. The beast lifted Zell into his arms, pausing to get used to the extra weight and his blurred vision. He pushed past a stunned Laguna and out of the door.

Kiros smirked. "See? Squall's not so bad, Zell likes him."

"He got my son drunk!"

"Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe Zell got Squall drunk."

"Stop jumping to his defence!" Laguna put down the clock and walked after the beast.

Kiros struggled to keep up. "Oh come on Laguna, be reasonable. Wait for me!"

~

The blonde regained consciousness on the journey to his room; he stretched himself out making it difficult for Squall to carry him. The beast opened the door to Zell's room without some difficulty and dumped Zell on the bed.

The boy giggled and clung to Squall when he tried to let go. The beast sat on the side of the bed while Zell lay across it.

Laguna suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Zell are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

The beast frowned at that comment.

The intoxicated blonde sat up sluggishly. "You're not afraid of him are you?" Zell giggled and ran his fingers through the fur on Squall's shoulders and arms. "He won't hurt you, think of him as a giant kitten."

Squall glare at the blonde. "I am NOT a kitten."

The blonde nodded and rested his head on the beast shoulder. "Big, fluffy kitten."

The beast stood up quickly causing Zell to fall to the bed. "Go to sleep." He nodded to Laguna on the way out.

~><~

Tbc