Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lightning. ❯ Chapter, The Twentieth: In Which Seifer Pins Zell Down. ( Chapter 20 )

Eoko: Well, Kit’s missing again. Must have done something else after her visit. But that’s alright. I decided that I’m officially moronic and everyone should expect the update on Friday now, but I’ll continue to think it’s Thursday, which should mean it’ll update on Friday unless I actually remember.

Aaaannnnd… FF dot net is on crack and down so you all have to hold out til Saturday morning. Sorry!! So here it is, nice title eh? Enjoy!

Chapter, The Twentieth: In Which Seifer Pins Zell Down.

Zell woke to the bright light of morning shining through his windows, his arms wrapped around one of his pillows which he had pulled close against himself as he slept. He snuggled under his covers, caught between waking and not wanting to leave the cozy warmth of bed.

Eventually warmth was not the only thing invading his senses, and soon the knowledge that breakfast was being prepared was made evident to his nose. He stretched and yawned, pulling back his blankets and stepping out of bed.

He stretched once more, arms reached high into the air, moving up onto his tip-toes, and still nowhere near touching the ceiling. He shuffled across his floor and went into his bathroom to do all the things young men do just after waking.

When he came back into his room his hair was brushed, but not gelled, falling softly down by his ears and around his eyes. He couldn’t ever decide if the down look made him seem younger or older. The spikes were like those of a rebellious teenager, wanting to stand out and be noticed. They were hard, rigid and controlled. Letting them down was a softer look. He was pretty sure he looked gentler, but the lack of social defiance to it seemed to bring a more mature air about him. Not that he was anymore mature than he was normally. He just sometimes looked it.

He changed into some clean clothes before heading over to make his bed, smoothing the sheets, the cover, fluffing and placing the pillows. After it was all pretty he dropped his clothes from yesterday in the hamper and headed downstairs for breakfast.

- - -

A loud, annoying beeping from an alarm clock was what woke up Irvine. The cowboy’s eyes opened slowly to the sight of the glowing numbers. He groaned, having forgotten to turn it off the night before. It was a Saturday dammit, he didn’t need to be up yet.

Only half looking he fiddled with the buttons until he was sure the bugger was off, then collapsed back against his bed and pillows, smiling happily and curling tighter under his cover. At the moment, his mind was fogged and happy with thoughts of kisses and warm, strong arms. He fell back to sleep thinking about the biker.

Irvine woke again a couple hours later, blinking his eyes open and stretching out over his bed. He looked over to his clock again and smiled. That was a much better time to wake up on a Saturday.

He slid out of bed, slipping into the bathroom for morning activities and a nice hot shower. He turned on the water, leaving it to warm up while he brushed his hair quickly, just to get the knots out. Then he checked the temperature and stepped under the spray.

It was so nice and soothing and Irvine made a little pleased sound. It wasn’t until half way through his shower that he remembered what had happened after the kiss, after the arms and the man he realized he was starting to care about.

He frowned a little, rinsing the shampoo out of his hair. Why had Rubedo looked so upset? Even the lines of his mouth showed it clear as day. Why had he left so suddenly? Was it something Irvine did wrong? Could he fix it? Would he ever see Rubedo again? He bit his bottom lip. He didn’t want to think about Rubedo disappearing on him. This was such an important part of his life. He was learning something new and special about himself and it was the sweet biker that had helped him to see it.

- - -

Zell had been avoiding him since Wednesday- well Thursday really as neither thought it was a good idea to see each other the night he’d walked in on the little blond. But this was getting out of hand.

Seifer had looked all over Garden for Zell on Friday, but the only thing he concluded was that he was hiding in his room, and then went directly to his class and back again. He had learned later that several people saw him, with his helmet on, heading to the car park but had heard from no one that he had returned.

He didn’t want Zell to keep avoiding him. Sure, it was embarrassing for the little guy but it wasn’t like he was doing something taboo. It wasn’t something that was frequently brought up in conversation, but everyone knew that everyone else did it.

Since Zell wasn’t coming to him, he’d go to the fighter and talk with him, get him to see it was fine. The gunbladist was sure Zell had gone to his mother’s and waited until he suspected his comrade would be waking before setting off down the road to the town of Balamb.

He walked down the main street, walking past Zell’s house and heading into the shopping area of town. It was late enough in the morning that the shops would be open. Seifer decided to pick up some chocolates and the most manly bouquet of flowers he could find. Sure… bouquets could be manly. Toss out all the baby’s breath for one. Stupid filler plant.

Seifer paid and headed back to Zell’s door, smirking at the image he could already picture on the fighter’s face. He looked like he was trying to win back a lover, not tell a best friend it’s alright to touch yourself in the privacy of your own room.

He knocked and took a step back from the door, waiting for it to be opened. He hoped it would be Zell, since Mrs. Dincht would surely fuss over the matter to make both boys embarrassed even though she knew damn well they weren’t an item.

But Seifer was not that lucky, and Ma Dincht was the one that opened the door, smiling brightly before even knowing who had come a-knocking. “Seifer!” she said happily. She didn’t see him very often even though Zell boasted of their friendship almost every time he was over. She was also loud enough for her son to hear.

The tattooed blond, who was nearly finished putting his dishes in the sink, dropped them the rest of the two inches, the clatter ringing through the house.

Ma looked over in the direction of the kitchen, then back to Seifer, eyeing the chocolates and flowers in his arms. Despite the fact she knew they weren’t going out she, one, couldn’t see why not, and two, thought it would be fun to “mess with them” a little. Mainly Zell.

“Oh, Seifer! What have you got there? Have you come to see Zell? Zell!” she asked, questioned and called, not even giving the not-yet-invited-in-guest a chance to speak. “Come in, Seifer. Do come in. It’s so nice to see you.”

“Uh, thank you, Mrs. Dincht,” Seifer said, stepping into the house and catching the tail end of Zell zipping up his stairs.

“Call me Ma, Seifer. I’ve told you before.”

He looked back to the woman who was closing the door. “Oh, yes, sorry, Ma. Do you mind if I go up to Zell’s room? He’s escaped on me it seems.”

Ma walked into the kitchen to double check, and sure enough the little twit had scampered off. She leaned back out and nodded before heading back in to wash the dishes.

Seifer took off his shoes and hung up his grey trench coat before picking up his gifts and heading up the stairs. He knocked on the door but there was no answer. Seifer knew he had a lock on it but he tried it just in case. It was open.

He opened the door and looked in, scanning the room and noticing the closed door to the bathroom. That’s where he was hiding. Seifer headed into the room and over to Zell’s bed. He wasn’t about to break the door so he sat down in case he was in for a long wait. Zell needed a chair in here. There was enough fucking room for one.

Seifer looked around, noting the guns, the punching bags, the number of encyclopedias on the cutaway shelf next to Zell’s bed. The little shit was hyper and bouncy, but damn smart too. “Zell,” he called toward the door.

Zell sat on the edge of his bathtub, glancing at the door. He knew that he was being stupid but he couldn’t help feeling embarrassed, and just the thought of Seifer seeing him made his cheeks feel hot.

“Zell,” Seifer called again. He knew this wasn’t going anywhere. “Wow, those are really nice guns.”

“Don’t even touch those!” Zell yelped through the door. “Irvine already blew a hole in my fucking room!”

“What wonderful craftsmanship,” the scarred blond grinned. He knew Zell was getting antsy and he hadn’t even got off the bed. “Really amazing.”

The bathroom door flew open and Zell ran into his room, towards the gun-rack before even registering that Seifer was not standing there, but sitting on his bed. He squeaked and made a dash in the opposite direction but Seifer’s arms wrapped around him and tossed him onto the bed.

Zell squirmed and struggled, trying to claw, or wriggle, or fall his way out of bed then scurry back into the bathroom to hide. Unfortunately, he wasn’t thinking about the situation, he was thinking about where he’d escape and Seifer managed to get him on his back and straddle his hips.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Seifer said, holding the tattooed blond’s hands above his head.

Zell pouted and whimpered. Seifer had caught him and got him into a weakened position. Damn Seifer knowing how to get people into weakened positions! “Whaddaya want?” Zell mumbled, looking to the left.

Seifer transferred Zell’s wrists into one hand, reaching over with the others to pick up the box of chocolates. He set the box on the bed, opened the lid, picked out a chocolate and gave/forced it into Zell’s mouth.

The fighter ran his tongue over it, then chewed slowly. White chocolate with a perfect, light, sweet-but-not-too-sweet strawberry cream filling. His eyes nearly rolled back in his head. Hyne, that was delicious. He slowly looked back up at Seifer, glancing to the chocolates a few times.

Seifer chose another and held it to Zell’s lips. The whole box was white chocolates with various fillings, this one caramel. They were harder to come by, but he knew how much Zell adored white chocolate.

Zell opened his mouth and munched on the chocolate, becoming happier by the second. “You bought me chocolates?” Zell asked, looking up at Seifer and giving a tug of his arms.

Seifer released him and moved off his lap, sitting back on the bed, Zell moving to sit beside him. The taller leaned boy back, picking up the flowers and holding them out to Zell too.

Zell stared at them for a moment before taking them. “What am I? Your girlfriend?” He snorted, then got up to put the flowers in some water. He had a glass on his shelf, so he went into the bathroom with that to fill it up and brought the flowers back out in it. He placed them on the shelf that ran along the length of the wall opposite the bed and returned to Seifer’s side.

When Zell reached for the chocolates Seifer slid them out of his grasp and smiled at the pout it earned him. “About Wednesday,” he said gently.

Zell looked away and down at the ground. “That’s no problem.”

“No, it isn’t. But you’re making it one, Zell. You’re avoiding me. I gave you Thursday to calm down about it, but you still hid all Friday too. And you tried to hide today. I know you don’t want people catching you doing that, but really, who cares?”

Zell glanced up and him as he continued. “Everyone does it. Every man and woman does it. Guys are just known for it more. So what if I saw you touching yourself.” Zell’s cheeks flared up. “I knew you did that. I do it. I’m sure Squall even does it… quietly.” Zell nearly giggled at that. “Be glad it wasn’t Selphie or Quistis. One would dash for her camera, the other for a free fag. I’ll let you chose who would do what.”

The little blond fell into Seifer as way of hitting him, also reaching behind the gunbladist’s back for another chocolate. He was a whore for white chocolate. He’d be a whore for white chocolate. Okay, maybe that was a little over the top, but he did love the stuff.

Seifer felt the movement and drew the box away and into his lap, picking a third treat and holding it out. “Open your mouth and say awww,” Seifer grinned, popping the chocolate into the fighter’s mouth.

“Does that mean I get to walk in on you to make it even?” Zell banged his head against Seifer’s shoulder several times. There happened to be issues if Zell was given white chocolate and no other task…

Seifer cocked a brow at him, looking from the little blond growing sillier by the second to the box of chocolates, then back to the blond. “Tell you what. If you do walk in on me, sit down, shut up and let me finish.”

“Okay,” Zell said brightly, nibbling on another chocolate.

“Would you like me to go out for a bit?” Ma called from the bottom of the stairs.

“Ma!” Zell literally seemed to wark. “We aren’t doing anything that would warrant you having to go out!”

Seifer’s eyes traveled over to the books on the shelf. Warrant, huh? “But you never know, Ma. If you have things to do, now might be good!” Seifer called after Zell.

Zell spun, eyes wide. “Seifer, you fucking liar!” Zell leapt and tackled him.

Ma looked up the stairs and shook her head. She knew the candy and flowers had been something of a joke, to get Zell’s attention for whatever it was they had to solve. It was still cute. Even though she knew both men were obviously tops, she still thought they could have made a good couple.

Instead they went off on a torment spree, and Zell had fallen for the victim. Her eyes lifted to the ceiling, giving it a look and clapped her hands twice. “Bravo, bravo,” she said, talking to Hyne, of course, for his evil little plan against her son. But, he did deserve it so she wasn’t too upset about the matters at hand.