Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lightning. ❯ Chapter, The Twenty-Sixth: In Which Zell Gets Wet. ( Chapter 26 )

Kitty: Ooo... wet Zell. XD

Eoko: I swear, the titles are getting more and more dirty as this thing progresses.

Kitty: :behind hand: And the readers get let down eeevery time. :giggles:

Eoko: -looks over at Kitty and grins- I don't know what you're talking about.

Kitty: Oh! :looks innocent: Me neither! Oh, oh! All our faithful readers, you must send thought-vibes to Val to get online!

Eoko: Yes! We miss her! Everyone think Val get online. Val get online. three times every day.

Kitty: Three times every hour!

Eoko: Or whatever you can manage! For now, enjoy the fic.

Chapter, The Twenty-Sixth: In Which Zell Gets Wet.

Irvine and Zell sat across from each other at a table inside a little seaside café. The cowboy nervously pushed his food around his plate, looking intently at it, feeling Zell looking at him and trying not to blush.

This is a date, he thought worriedly despite the fact he had actually been the one to suggest it. Zell and me are on a date. My first official date with another man…

Irvine jumped a little in his seat when he felt something brush against his calf. He glanced up at Zell to see him smiling and stretching.

“Sorry,” the blond commented with a touch of mirth in his voice. “Didn’t mean to do that.”

“Like hell you didn’t, Dincht.”

Zell only grinned a little wider. “Got you talking and looking at me. Didn’t know leftovers were so interesting.”

The auburn haired cowboy blushed and looked back down at his plate, trying to hide it. “It ain’t that.”

“I know. And I know what it is, so don’t worry. I’m nervous too, ya know?”

Irvine blinked and looked up at Zell. “You are? W-why are you nervous?” He wrung his hands together in his lap and chewed on the inside of his lower lip.

“I got a lot to lose here, if I screw up, and I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to drive you away anymore.” Zell caught the sharpshooter’s eyes, not letting them fall back to look at his plate or his lap. “You’re too special.”

Once again Irvine’s cheeks were a bright shade of pink, but he couldn’t break the spell of Zell’s eyes. It was so easy to get caught up in their depths and see right into the mind and soul of the other young man. Zell was letting him see so much deeper into him than he previously had. Not that Irvine ever dared look him or Seifer in the eyes if he could help it.

Off to the side there was a quiet sound of rattling. Unfortunately for the two at the table, the noise was only quiet because they were off in their own little world, and the fact of the matter was, a waitress had unbalanced her tray and was seconds away from spilling several varying levels of finished drinks on one, Zell Dincht.

“Zell! Watch out!” another waitress called from a few tables down, causing Zell to look away from Irvine and up to see the even closer toppling tray. His eyes widened as he attempted to make a move, to help steady the tray or to leap to the side, it was not clear, and it was not effective.

The next second Zell was soaked in pop, juice, milk, and whatever else the patrons were drinking, sitting on the floor, chair toppled and looking up at the waitress.

The waitress who had been carrying the tray was staring down at Zell with both hands clasped over her mouth, pure dread all over her features. The whole café went suddenly silent and all eyes were on the table and the mess.

“Zell… I’m so sorry…” the worried waitress whispered through her hands.

Zell looked down at himself and then back up at the girl. He ran his hand through his bangs, pushing the ruined spikes back against his head. He coughed twice and got to his feet, setting the chair back upright before turning around to face the waitress.

“Good that all the glasses hit me and not the floor. Don’t have to worry about paying for those then.”

Irvine and the waitress both stared at him like he had said the strangest thing in the world.

“I… I… I…”

“Calm down, Rena. Breathe will you,” Zell said, stepping forward and placing his hands on her shoulders. “It was an accident, okay? Now, you pick up the stuff and get it into the kitchen.”

She nodded and crouched down, hurriedly placing the now completely empty cups and glasses back on the tray before scurrying away with them.

The waitress that had called a warning to the fighter walked up to him after Rena had gone into the kitchen. She signed irritably and huffed, one hand on her hip. “It’s her first serving job,” she said simply. “Of course, your meal is on us for the inconvenience.”

“Don’t give her too hard a time, Michie, she knows she did something wrong already.”

The waitress now known as Michie’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Don’t call me that at work, Zell!” she hissed at him.

“Sorry, Michie,” Zell grinned and he could tell she was holding back the urge to do something evil to him.

She pulled her lips up into a hugely fake smile and asked if they needed anything else.

“Two cheesecakes if you would. To go, since I don’t think I’ll be staying in these clothes for long now.”

“Michie”, whose nametag read Michelle, walked back into the kitchen to get the two desserts, head twitching at the nickname until she came back. “Thank you for coming, we hope to see you again. Have a nice day.”

Zell smiled and pushed in his chair. He picked up the two clamshells(1) and went over to Irvine’s chair, pulling it out for him with one hand.

Irvine eeped and sprang to his feet. “Do I look like a girl to you?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?” Zell said, voice light and playful and Irvine just couldn’t find it in himself to get even the slightest bit angry at what the comment had implied.

“You’re all wet…”

“Refrain from making dirty comment in family café, and… let’s go.” Zell smirked and headed out the door.

Irvine scooped up his hat and dropped it on his head, grabbed his coat and followed Zell out the door.

“Could you take these for me, Irvine?” Zell asked, holding out the two cheesecakes.

Irvine nodded, sliding his second arm into his duster sleeve before taking them. “I ain’t holdin’ on to ya all sticky and wet.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to,” Zell said, shrugging out of his jacket and working his shirt off right in the middle of the street.

“Zell! What are you doin’??” Irvine asked startled, eyes immediately scanning the fighter’s body as it was revealed.

“You think it feels nice to be covered with all that stuff? Ick! I’m going to wash up and get changed.”

“Where? In the middle of the main street??”

Zell turned and looked at the cowboy like he was crazy, also giving him a nice three-quarter view of his pecs and stomach. “Did you forget I live in a nice little house on the main street and I have a bathroom and clothes there?”

“I, uh… er… guess I did.” Irvine looked down at his feet again.

“Well, come on. You can meet Ma while I wash up.” Zell threw a smile over his shoulder before headed down the street, hearing Irvine’s boot-steps following behind him.

“Couldn’t you just wait to get home before you, like, started strippin’?”

“And pass up the chance to show this body off? Pu-lease!(2)” Zell chuckled, sauntering a few paces before sliding back into his normal pace.

Irvine blinked after he realized he’d been staring at the blond’s arse and focused his attention back on the blond’s head instead.

Zell walked down the steps to his front door and opened it, stepped inside and held it ajar for Irvine to step through. He turned his head to the side and called out to his ma. “Hey, Ma! I’m home!”

The brown haired woman came bustling in from the living room, smiling brightly, then stopped half way to the door. Her initial shock was the cowboy she had not often seen, but knew him to be Irvine. Only after she partially got over that did she notice her son’s half naked state.

“Why are you topless?” She inquired, cocking a brow and loosely crossing her arms.

“Got some drinks spilled on me at the café,” he answered shrugging.

“And you just had to take your clothes off?” she shook her head, small smile tugging at her lips. She knew he was a bit of an exhibitionist… a bit, ha.

“Woulda had to do it sooner or later, and sooner was less sticky. Ma, this is Irvine, Irvine, Ma. And you better call her ‘Ma’ too or she’ll make a fuss.”

“Right I will!” she said, coming over to the boys to take Zell’s sopping clothes. She looked at them, both eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline. “How many drinks?”

“I dunno, a tray full.”

“I’ll get these in the wash. Irvine, make yourself at home. Can I get you anything to drink? Tea, water, milk, pop? Not from Zell’s shirt of course.”

Irvine was a little stunned at the conversation. They were really open with each other, especially considering the fact that Zell was a teenage boy. Well, actually he was considered an adult now, being eighteen. “Oh,” he blinked. “Just some water I suppose.”

“Alright, hun. Oh! Let me take those into the kitchen and put those in the fridge for you.” She shifted the clothes and took the two clamshells containing the cheesecake into the kitchen, putting them away before continuing into the laundry room.

“How does she-?”

Zell shook his head. “Never ask how a mother does so many things at once. Your head will explode.” He turned to smile at the cowboy. “I really need to have a shower. You can wait in the living room and watch TV until Ma comes to torment you. Little bit of advice… it’s a lot easier to just answer the questions the first time around. She can even embarrass Seifer.” Zell nodded. “Living room’s this way.”

“What kind of questions?” Irvine asked as Zell showed him the way to the living room.

“Well…” the fighter drew his lower lip between his teeth for a moment. “She knows what’s been happening. She knows how Seifer and I treated you, and she knows about ‘Rubedo’ and my feelings…”

Irvine stared at the blond’s back, startled and nervous about having to answer questions about all those things. “You told… her?”

“Yea,” he turned to look back into sky blue eyes. “The first night we kissed and I left so suddenly… I came back here. That’s when I told her.”

“Why did you leave that night?” Irvine asked, past-worry in his voice.

“It’s not really the time to talk about it. But we can, later, if you want.” Zell patted the couch and Irvine took a seat. “I’m sure she’ll be around in just a minute or two. I better go get cleaned up.”

Irvine nodded and took off his hat, setting it in his lap and waiting for Ma to come in and start her questions. He tried to think up responses but he was too nervous even to do that.

“So,” a gentle voice startled Irvine out of his thoughts. “You and Zell, no killing each other? When did that happen?”

“Oh… uh… today, pretty much…” he fiddled with the rim of his hat.

“Just today? Oh my. No wonder he didn’t invite you up.” She swept over to place a glass of water on the coffee table in front of him. Then she moved to take a seat in a comfortable looking armchair partly facing the cowboy, who was staring at her in shock. “Oh, please, Irvine, you’ll have to get use to such comments if you come around here. I know what goes through teenage boys’ heads, you know.”

Irvine gave a little nod, his cheeks slightly pinked again. He lifted the glass and took a nervous sip.

“I really can’t believe the way he and Seifer treated you.” She shook her head. “If I had known even the slightest details Zell would have been in such trouble. You think Garden can dish out punishment? Well let me tell you something...”

“I wouldn’t have thought he could be so different. From the beginnin’, when we just, like, fought along side each other, then after… and now… he’s like completely different people. I don’t know if I should be rememberin’ things about him, or, like, coming at it like I’m meetin’ someone new…”

“Well, I can assure you that Zell in the middle. That mean one isn’t my boy. He knows better than that and I can’t say I know what brought him to do such things. Even Seifer should know better. Idiots for that, the both of them.”

Irvine smiled softly at the words, whether it was because they insulted Seifer or because they made Zell seem like a better person, he wasn’t sure.

“I think,” she began, waiting for Irvine to look up at her from the rippling water in his glass, “that Zell, just as himself is more like “Rubedo” actually.” Her hands lifted to do the air quotes around the name. “From what he told me anyway, that was more like the son I know. Of course, he’s still the type to act first and think later and sure wouldn’t pass up the chance to take his clothes off- I really don’t know what that’s about. But he’s got a good heart, a big one and lots of emotion to go behind it.”

Irvine hands continued to fiddle with his hat and the glass. “I’m a little embarrassed, Ma’am-Ma… that you know so much about what’s been goin’ on. Even I’m still pretty confused. It’s been a real trip. Gone through hell, in my opinion, but now… I’m gettin’ flooded with good things. Zell got me back my chocobo,” he smiled. “I still can’t believe he did that for me… I’m realisin’ some things about myself that I weren’t aware of before “Rubedo” came along.” Irvine mimicked the air quote gesture.

Ma’s head titled to the side very slightly at Irvine’s grammatical error before she smiled wildly. “Oh, how cute! Do you always do that too?”

“I, er… do I do what?”

“You said weren’t instead of wasn’t. Do you always do that? Do you swap the two around?”

Irvine blinked at her. “I weren’t aware I were doin’ that.” Irvine blinked at himself this time as he heard the words in his ears. “I s’pose I do. Guess I’m used to it like how I say ‘like’. I tried to stop once, you know? But it was dangerous to my health.”

“Well, you are a cowboy. Not just a show one either since it seems you ride and all.” She brought her hand up to her lips as she chuckled merrily. She caught herself when Irvine gave her a confused look. “Oh, I’m sorry, dear. Living with Zell does have its side effects. I think the proverbial gutter took up residence in his room and some of the dirty stuff leaks into the rest of the house. Don’t be so startled, I’m not that old, you know.” She nodded and crossed her arms loosely.

“Ma, please, you’ll scare him more than I have.”

Both members of the living room looked toward the figure leaning against the door frame. Zell stood in a white, fitted shirt, which just meant very thin and tight material, displaying every muscle curve and dip, and a pair of butt-hugging black jeans. One hand rested on his hip as the other hung loosely at his side, his shoulder propping him against the frame.

Irvine gave a startled little gasp at the sight, forgetting Zell’s mother was only a few feet away. Zell had that damp look about him, the one you get right after a shower and a good towel drying. And his hair… was un-spiked. His bangs all hung down his forehead, clumped in little points that cut in front of sapphire eyes and he had one of those little half smirks planted on his face, allowing just a sliver of white to been seen through his lips.

Another soft chuckle finally reached his ears and he turned his slightly widened eyes back to Ma Dincht.

“You were staring a bit there, dear.”

“I- er…” Irvine ducked his head, eyes focusing on his hat.

“Ma, what did I just say, hm? Wanna head back to Garden now Irvine? Get you outta- Ma…” Zell warned. “outta the clutches of this evil woman?” He chuckled at her little gasp of feigned hurt.

“Zell, don’t say stuff like that about your ma,” Irvine said finishing the last of his water and getting to his feet. “It was really nice to formally meet you, Mrs. Dincht, but it is about time we headed back.”

“Of course, of course. You boys just get on ready and I’ll go get you those leftovers from the fridge.” She smiled and rose to her feet, bustling by the boys and into the kitchen.

“Hope it wasn’t too bad for you. I tried to hurry.”

“Yea… didn’t even, like, put your hair up.”

“Nope,” Zell smiled. “You don’t look too worse for wear. Sorry if she asked anything she shouldn’t have. Sometimes she forgets other people have bigger boundaries than me. I think I have a boundary deficiency disorder or something.”

Irvine chuckled and reached out his hand for Zell’s, then blushed when they came into contact. “I… um…”

Zell blinked too, but recovered quickly and curled his fingers around the sharpshooter’s. “Hey, I told you not to think about it, right?” Another soft smile. Zell really did seem a lot more like the Rubedo Irvine had met.

The boys headed out of the living room and met a cooing, happy mother at the front door. Yes, she had spotted the hand holding. “Ma,” Zell said shaking his head at her.

She did a little huff and pout, but handed over the desserts. They all said their little “good bye”s and “see you later”s before the boys left and Ma went back to her business.

Irvine and Zell headed back to the café where the bike was parked and got everything set before getting on and heading back to Garden. Desserts at the bottom of the compartment, Irvine’s hat on top of those, the passenger helmet set on the auburn head, and the auburn-haired man sitting on the bike, arms wrapped around Zell’s waist. He still had the shower-warm feel to him, and Irvine pressed close.

I don’t know what you call them. But they’re the Styrofoam things they put your leftovers in. Doggy bags have been out for a while, ya know.

Wooo! First time I used one of his in game comments in a fic! Hyne is he gay…