Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Love By Moonlight ❯ I Know Something You Don't ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter Eighteen.

Irvine came to Zell's house, later than he'd planned to, and his mother had already left for her card game over at Estella's house. "You ready to go?" Irvine turned on a charming smile and Zell looked away from him to the clock.

"It's nine thirty Irvine, I'm not even sure I'm supposed to be out this late." Zell said turning back to him.

All hope seemed lost at that point but, Irvine didn't give up and pressed on with his invite. "Well, it ain't no real worry. We can get up early for school, right?"

Zell forced a smile to his face and turned back inside his house. "Let me get my jacket." He said.

"You might wanna get a little fancier than a jacket hombre." The cowboy commented.

"What for?" Asked Zell, pausing by the stairs. "I can't afford anything other than pizza."

Irvine waved his comment away. "Don't worry, we can split it. I've got enough to cover both of us anyway."

"Aha, you really thought this out, huh?" Irvine grinned in triumph and Zell walked up the stairs to go change, saying over his shoulder. "I'll get dressed, but we can't go anyplace too fancy. Okay? It's too far out of town."

"Alright." Assured the cowboy.

'I hope I don't end up regretting this.' Thought Zell, slipping a shirt over his head. 'But no, I'm gonna have a good time even if I have to force myself.'

...........................

Irvine and Zell are sitting in a rather fancy restaurant having their date. The two of them are quiet because they don't know what to say to the other. So instead they chose to just eat- it was easier. 'Great,' Thought Zell taking a bite of his fish. 'They would be the people that serve you the stuff that has the runny sauce.' As Zell brought the bite to his lips a droplets beaded up and fell onto his lap. 'Uuugh. Okay fish was a bad idea. I'm glad Seifer and me won't have our first date like this.' He wiped his lap clean with a napkin.

Looking over at Irvine, he saw that he wasn't having any problems with his dinner. 'I see he's eating alright.' The little blonde looked back down at his food holding a hand under his chin to catch the sauce that fell the next time.

"Wasn't that funny?" He heard Irvine saying, but Zell didn't seem to have heard him.

"Huh?" He asked.

"...Well, it ain't funny if you gotta explain it." Irvine said and quieted afterwards. 'This was a bad idea.' The cowboy was beginning to think. 'Zell doesn't wanna be here with me...He's probably thinkin' about this other person anyway.'

"So like, it's a good thing you're Ma let you off from your grounding." The cowboy said taking another bite.

"Yeah, I hate having to lie to her sneaking out and everything." Zell replied, and got Irvine's attention back to the subject of that night.

"So between us, where did you go the last night?" He asked. Zell's throat tightened around the food he was about to swallow and he began to cough. "You alright?" Irvine asked standing up to pat the little blondes back.

"Yeah, I'm...." But he continued to gag on the food. "I have to go to the bathroom." He said instead and rushed off.

"Strange boy." Irvine said to all the people looking over at their table suddenly.

Zell shoved the bathroom door opened and three guys in there eye balled him. He paid them no attention before going into a stall. "Alright Dincht, think." He started saying. "How can you tell a guy he makes you uncomfortable without hurting his feelings?" Two of the men in the bathroom laughed and one of them kicked the door, making Zell jump out of his skin. "It's occupied, stupid."

Letting out a heavy sigh, he flushed the unused toilet out of habit and walked out to wash his hands. "You know what you should do," A guy at the mirror was saying.

"No, but I'm opened for suggestions." He replied.

"You should just sit the date out and if things don't go well, tell him about it. Because you'll never know what could happen from just three quiet minutes." Zell cocked an eyebrow at the guy but thought about what he was saying. "Trust me, try compliments or school or something else you two might have in common." The guy shook his hands free and reached into a purse taking out a tube of lipstick.

"I'll do that." Zell said not meaning to stare but he couldn't take his eyes away from the guy.

"Guess it isn't as obvious as my friends think," Said the man noticing the boys gaze was on him. "I'm a drag queen honey." He explained. "I work a club up town and stopped in to get a bite to eat but, now I'm running a little late and have to change here." He placed the lipstick down and grabbed a bit of eye liner.

"Well, thanks for the tip. I'll do just that and good luck with....well what ever." He said walking out.

"Anytime sweetie, and thanks for the luck I'll need it." The guy said.

When Zell opened the door Irvine was a step away from him. "I came to make sure you weren't sick or nothin'. You alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine just felt a little nausea and better in there than out here, right." Irvine nodded and the two walked back to the table taking their seats.

"I ordered us another plate the first stuff got cold. Hope it's alright with you."

Zell nodded to what his friend said and looked down to see what it was he had ordered for him. "Spinach and cheese stuffed manicotti. Yum." 'Irvine, always a weird one.' Zell thought with a smile.

"So what are you doing this weekend?" The blonde asked.

"I don't know yet, I figured if you weren't busy we could go to Dollet, they have that fair thing coming up and maybe we could go together-" He caught his words and added. "..-with Selphie of course." The cowboy said.

Zell was thankful that he chose to leave the subject of he and Seifer alone, at least for now if not forever. "That sounds fun, I'm not really doing anything anyway."

Outside. Someone is watching the two through the window.

"I hate olives," Zell mumbled.

"Ha, now I'm gonna choke." Irvine said.

"Well, I don't hate them, I just don't like that creepy ring they leave when they fall out of place on a pizza and these ones aren't even black."

Irvine laughed hearing that and took an olive from his plate and threw it at Zell saying. "Then quit pickin' at 'em and leave it there."

Zell swatted the flying food away with his hand and laughed at his friends feeble throw. "You throw like a two year old puppy." He said tossing two in Irvine's direction. "Aim it for my mouth."

A low growl came from the bushes as it watched the two interact with each other. Zell and Irvine laughed their heads off breaking away small pieces from the manicotti to toss at each other.

"Disgraceful." A woman said and covered her sons eyes.

"I wanna throw food too mommy."

Zell and Irvine laughed harder taking bigger pieces off with their forks and flicking them across the table at each other. "Stop stop!" Irvine called. "You're gettin' it in my hair."

"All the more reason to keep tossing it." Zell replied.

After what felt like two minutes, a man walked out and grabbed the boys by the arms. "Have you lost your minds?" He asked them as though they were three years old. "If you insist on throwing food I suggest you take it else where, I hear chucky cheese is in your age range. Why not go there." He yanked them up from the table and escorted them to the door.

"Chill out man, it ain't like we wrecked the place." The cowboy said the leaned down to Zell and whispered. "Something I would have liked to do." The little blonde laughed as they were shoved out the doors and onto the streets. "You are banned from here, don't come back!"

The manager turned around and Irvine laughed to himself pointing. "I always knew everyone in power had something in their ass." He said referring to the noodle on the managers backside stuck between the part in his suites jacket.

"Yeah well, it's late anyway I gotta go home. Ma worries when I'm out late on a school night." Zell was saying.

"Mine too." Irvine replied. "Come on, I'll walk ya." The two placed an arm around each other and walked to the little blondes house.

A short distance away, a dark shadow is following them. It seems like it wants to keep it's distance at first, but then it moved forward- closer. "Zelll." A low voice whispered.

The little blonde turned his head in the direction of the forest next to them and blinked. 'Did someone just call me?' He wondered. 'Couldn't have.' He walked along beside Irvine and looked up at him. 'I wonder what he's thinking right now. I wonder if he heard the voice too?' Looking back ahead Zell sighed.

"Somethin' wrong?" Irvine asked.

"What? Nah, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about how nice this all was." Zell said glancing back at the wooded area.

"Really? Me too." Stated the cowboy pulling Zell closer with a slight arm rub. "Maybe we could do it again sometime." Irvine suggested hopefully.

"Maybe we will." Said Zell. "Come on I know a short cut." He said leaning his weight to Irvine's side to direct him to the way he wanted to go.

"So what's the hurry?" Irvine asked, when Zell started walking normally again.

"Nothing, it's just that Ma hates it when I go by the woods at night, some guy was killed there." He stated.

"Really? I didn't hear about that." Said Irvine looking in the direction they had just come from, and he wasn't sure but it looked as though someone were standing under a street light watching them but when he blinked there was no one there. "Guess she was right." Irvine commented. "Too bad though, I could walk like this forever."

Zell smiled up at him and nodded. "Me too." He said in all honesty. There was silence for a moment and Irvine looked ahead and saw Zell's house. "Well there's your house." He broke away from him. "Guess I'll see you in school tomorrow." He added.

"Yeah," Zell said. They were quiet again staring at each other then without even feeling their own weight moving they leaned into each other and kissed.

Zell didn't have to lean up as high as he did with Seifer but he still had to stand on his toes. Irvine put his arms around the little blondes back and picked him up. Just as Irvine's mouth opened to kiss him a little better Zell pulled away and let himself drop to the ground. "I better go." He said.

"Yeah, see ya tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Zell replied and the two separated with a wave. "Maybe dating Irvine isn't gonna be so bad after all." Zell said watching his friend leave.

The little blonde walked up to his front door, but threw a glance over his shoulder. 'There's no way Seifer saw me.' When he walked inside he made sure to lock the door after him. In the distance two red points glowed in anger then vanished.

* * *

In Winhill. "Uuuuahhh...." Squall panted. He was sitting in an ally way with a vampire's face planted in his crotch. The vampire had his hands dug into his hips holding him in place as he sucked. Squall caressed a hand over his back and down to the vampire's waist line.

The vampire repositioned himself a bit to undo his pants to give more slack for Squall to slip his hand in.

"Um...Sir....?" Said a familiar looking vampire. Squall just turned his head looking at him, then turned his attention back to what he was doing, letting out another soft moan. "Sir, it is important." The vampire insisted.

"Isn't past your bedtime, Gremlock?" Asked Squall, returning his vision to the day walking Upyr. The vampire at Squall's hips swung a hand out trying to swat the creature away but he dodged it.

"Yes, yes and I'm very tired but the boat got in late, but I have news....about Seifer." The vampire said.

Squall sniffed at it and pushed the other vampire away from him. "I'm listening."

The Upyr smiled hearing that then moved closer to him. "I've seen him...with the boy...." He said lowly. "And they've been getting very friendly, he even spared his life out in the woods." He reported.

"So it's true, the great Seifer has fallen for that human." Said Laguna, who was watching up in a tree. He returned his attention to the closing of the conversation.

"What are you going to do master?" The now excited Upyr asked. "First I'm going thank you for being such a good little spy." Squall said taking the vampire by the neck and it blushed.

"You do not have to master I-....Aaahhhh!!!!"

Squall placed his mouth over the vampires, and released a poisonous gas into his throat. "Master please no....spare me of your wrath." He asked. But it was too late, his skin was turning purple and his head was shrinking inward.

"I'll take care of Seifer, myself." Squall concluded, standing up. When the Ch'Iang was out of sight Laguna laughed to himself while turning into an owl, then he flew off into the distance.

* * *

Seifer slammed his fangs deep into a mans neck, the child of the man was held underneath his foot firmly planted to the ground. "Som-...!!!!" Was the most the man could get out while his life was pulled away. The child started crying and Seifer tossed the father away kneeling down to scoop up the child.

"Ssshh, don't you cry stupid thing. I won't hurt you..." His eyes sparkled as he added. "much." He bit into the crying child's neck nearly breaking it in two pieces because of it's size and weakness.

Not caring whether or not he slit their throats this time, Seifer dropped the child and heard a woman gasping in the distance. "Did you really think you could hide?" He growled and ran walked towards the tree.

In a panic the woman took off screaming. "Help me! Heeeelp!" The Slav appeared right up on her back and shoved her forward into a tree busting the front teeth in her mouth. The woman curled into a ball and began to cry, hearing Seifer's feet approach her in loud thumps.

Whimpers are heard in the short distance that parted them. The woman kept her eyes closed and her head covered, but something had changed. The footsteps were moving away from her. Taking her hands from over her head she looked outwards seeing that Seifer had turned away and was leaving. Letting out a little cry she sighed slumping against the tree. "I'm safe." She said to herself.

"Not quite." A pair of hands came from behind the tree, along with the face of whom they belonged. Seifer dug his nails into her neck, following it up with his teeth.

Her scream could be heard a good distance, but no one heard her clearly enough over the noise that went on in town, between the harbors and the people and buildings she might as well of been screaming in silence.

The Slav stood and walked away from the tree to lean against another one. "That should be enough to show you not to fuck around on me." He said imagining the air as Zell. The vampire sighed lazily and walked ahead a few steps before hearing an owl hooting in the distance. 'There are no owls in Balamb, or anywhere else for that matter.' Looking around in the trees he spotted the spy looking down at him with large glassy eyes.

"Why don't you come on out Laguna, I'm in such a good mood right now, and I'm pretty sure you can make it better." He said. Three seconds after his words came out of his mouth, he saw the strigoi sitting on the tree branch as his human form. Seifer smiled sharp fanged and whispered. "Come here."

But Laguna shook his head and sang tauntingly like, nah nah nah boo boo. "I know something you don't know."

Frowning, Seifer turned away. "I'm not in the mood for your games."

But Laguna wasn't finished and continued singing. "It's about your lover Squall." Seifer was looking around for a rock to knock him out of the tree until he'd heard what the owl had just said.

"What did you do, spy on him like you do me? Cut the singing shit and just tell me." He ordered.

Shaking his head to the demand he hopped down from the tree with a huge grin. "He's coming to Balamb town." Walking over to Seifer he danced his fingers along his chest.

"When, why? Do you know?" Seifer asked getting a bit of concern he didn't even know would be there.

"..-'Fraaaid noooot." He paused in front of the Slav and grinned, and speaking without song. "But it could be soon."

A quaint laugh came from his mouth as he turned away. "I wasn't spying on you, or Squall for your information. I was in Esthar with the rich crowd. I simply missed my old friends and decided to visit when I over heard the conversation between him and Gremlock." He leaped into the air curling his body in returning to an owl. "I'd worry if I were you, he seems pissed." With that he flew off into the night.

"Zell..." Seifer whispered. He wanted to go to his house but he'd spent so much time in killing people he hadn't noticed that morning was creeping up on him.

'I'll have to do it tomorrow.' The Slav thought. 'Squall will have a slow movement pattern even on boat so he'll be shipped here and brought into the warehouse like the others, maybe I could talk some sense into him then.' Heading towards the warehouse in a hurry to escape the sun Seifer was blissfully unaware of what would come across the ocean.