Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Silence ❯ Chapter 8

Silence

Chapter eight

Zell and Seifer are in the bathroom getting ready for the day, and cleaning up after the night before. Seifer takes Zell's clothes off for him, he can smell Irvine all over him. Remembering the hug the two shared half an hour ago he yanks Zell's shirt off roughly. Since Zell has yet to mention the incident to him he decides to punish the little blond for it. When they step in the shower Seifer turns the water on making it hotter than normal. To keep himself out of the heat he pretends he wants to wash Zell himself, making sure to keep the boy under the scald.

"Its kinda hot isn't it?" Zell asked trying not to sound bothered by the heat. This only made Seifer scrub him harder and he made sure not to use a simple rag but one of those rough material lufas.

"Its good for you, kills germs and bad smells." Seifer replied turning Zell around to get the boys back. Zell grits his teeth through the pain of the water hitting his bare chest. Sweats beginning to pour down both their faces now. Zell looks down at the little red spots forming on his skin.

"Ow!" He jumped at the sudden pain of his skin being cut from the scrubber. When Seifer doesn't apologize Zell gets suspicious and even more so when the hard rubbing doesn't stop. The other blond was purposely scrubbing him too hard and Zell wanted to know why now. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?" He asks trying to sound casual.

"You tell me." The gunblader retorts. He stops washing the smaller male and begins on himself, turning away from the boy to hide the anger rising in his face.

"What's that supposed to mean? Come on Seifer what did I do wrong now? Or are you being crazy for no reason." Zell grabs Seifer's arm but its pulled away from him when Seifer turns to face him. He pushes Zell hard, "Ah!" making the small body slip and fall into the back wall of the shower. Zell's head hits one of the faucets then the shower floor.

"So I'm crazy now!" Seifer barked leaning over Zell holding the boy in place under the still sweltering water. A frightened Zell yells and tries to squirm free but, Seifer's grip is too strong on his arms.

"Why are you- you're hurting me."

"No more than you're hurting me." Seifer lifts Zell's head a little then drops it back to the floor.

"Uugh, ow!" He bit his tongue through the new pain throbbing in the back of his head.

"Don't know what I'm talking about do you? Well here's a hint." He leaned down closer to Zell's face. "You smell like Galbadian shit!" He releases his grip on the boy and straightens up getting out of the shower. Zell holds the back of his head now that his hands are free. Hot tears start mixing with hot water streaming down his face.

He thinks 'Galbadian shit....oh god he must have seen me and Irvine in the hotel. Damnit! I knew this would happen. Rrr' He tried sitting up but hurt too much to move. So he reached up and turned the water off instead.

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Irvine's sitting in class staring from the clock to the door waiting for Zell to show up. 'Twenty minutes late, somethin's just not right about that.' The cowboy suddenly felt sick with worry but there was nothing he could do to ease his mind but wait. That and try to silence the bad thoughts swimming in his head. 'Maybe he's just taking his time getting started today. After a night with Seifer, who wouldn't and thats not in a good way.' He sighs in frustration listening to the instructor drone on and on. His eyes find their way back on the clock and again on the door... still nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minutes later, Seifer was dressed and went back in the bathroom to drag Zell out and get him dressed. This time there were no apologies or sweet words of reassurance or explanation. Zell was just silently dried and dressed. Now he's sitting in the infirmary getting his head bandaged.

"Thats a nasty bruise Mr. Dincht. Where'd it come from?" Dr. K asked as she examined it. Zell looked to Seifer not sure if he should speak or not. Hell, he wouldn't know what to say even if he could speak.

"He slipped in the shower." Seifer offered keeping his cool and his voice sincere. The doctor gave Zell a questioning look. He again looks to Seifer for the go ahead before speaking.

"Yeah, it's kinda embarrassing." He answered meekly.

"Well, it's not too serious so you'll be fine." The lady doctor patched the boy up noticing a small mark on his forehead and a few red marks on his arms and wrist. 'Hm.' She finished her job and sent him on his way. "Just be careful now, you hear me?" She said firmly as the boy slipped off the table top to his feet.

Zell gave Seifer a pleading look as he said, "I will." Seifer returned the look a questioning one of his own, saying it all depended on Zell.

"Good, I don't want to see you back here any time soon."

"I'll try not to." Seifer held the door open for Zell on their way out. Once in the hall he put his arm around the boys shoulders and forced Zell to put his arm around his waist. Once again to the naked eye they created the illusion of a happy problem free couple.

"Listen dinky you forced me to push you. I didn't want to, honestly, but I told you to stay away from that.... gunslinger and not a day later I find the two of you hugged up in a hotel."

"It's not what it looked like. I was telling him to lay off that's all." Zell tried explaining but Seifer didn't buy it. He spoke back in a hushed tone so the passers by wouldn't hear.

"And how touching that must have been. What was he doing there in the first place, did you tell him we'd be there?"

"No, he was there with Squall."

Seifer stopped their walking and turned to Zell leaning down pretending to hug him he whispered. "If you wanna prevent accidents like this morning from happening again," He gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "You'd better not be lying to me." Straightening up he walked away from the bewildered blond with one last comment loud enough for others to hear. "I love you." Just for show, Zell waved a goodbye to him before the taller male was out of sight.

'Why are you doing this Seifer? It can't be just plain jealousy.' Zell looked at the large clock in the hall, 'Almost lunch.' Although his stomach told him he was hungry, Zell decided to skip lunch today. 'I can't risk running into Irvine again, especially not now.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I went into the cafeteria and saw no sign of Zell in line. Then I checked over all the tables with my eyes, it's not hard to find a spiky haired blond in a crowd. Nothing. "Damnit where is he?" Spotting Quistis and Selphie I headed over to join them and hopefully get some information.

"Boy you look nervous." Quistis states as soon as I sit down. Is it that obvious? "What's with you?"

"Uh I got an exam later today that's all. Say have either of ya'll seen Zell this morning?"

"Uh huh but hey! Where were you last night?" Selphie asked.

"I was on a stake out."

"I didn't know missions were being issued." Quistis chirped in.

"They're not, but that's not important." Guess I'd better tell someone else and who better than close friends. Since Squall hasn't been much help maybe the girls will understand. "Look, I'm worried about Zell. Seifer's been acting different lately, meaner than usual ya know.... and I think he's taking his issues out on Zell."

"What?" Selphie looked confused. "You mean like... abusing him?" I nodded. "No way, Seifer wouldn't do that and Zell wouldn't let him." She laughed it off shaking her head.

'Why won't anybody believe me?'

"Irvine we know how you feel about Zell, it's no secret but tha-"

"You think I'm tryna break them up, don't ya?" They both gave me the "well kinda" look and that just made me damn pissed. Even though that was the plan at first now things have changed and its serious. "I ain't that damn petty."

"Well have you talked to Zell about it or even Seifer?" Selphie asked.

"Not in so many words, but if you saw what I did you wouldn't need to ask questions, you'd just know." After my final statement I got up from the table before my anger flared up and I didn't wanna take it out on them. It's not their fault they don't believe me. I guess if I was in their shoes I'd think I was crazy too.

"Where are you going?" Quistis asked before I took a step.

"To find Zell." The two exchanged concerned looks but continued eating. I wasn't exactly going to look for Zell though, that might take too long and Seifer will most probably be with him. Hell that's if they're even still in the Garden or town for that matter. Instead of going on a wild goose chase, I'll get Squall to do it for me. And I knew just wear to find him, since he likes to eat in the office, he says it's so he can work at the same time. I know he's just avoiding people.

I got to the third floor as quick as I could and knocked on the door while opening, as I always do so he knows its me. "I already ate." Is the first thing he says not looking up from papers.

"That's not why I'm here." I pulled up a chair that sat against the wall to the desk. Being very serious, I spoke. "Alright, I know I said no more favors but I really need you to do this for me." Seeing his expression I rushed to finish. "Could you just please check on Zell for me."

"Irvine." He said sternly.

"I've got this bad feeling alright, and my intuitions are usually right."

"Why don't you go to him yourself then?"

"Because if Seifer's there it'll make things worse," My fist clenched tighter at the thought of what horrible things Seifer would do to him or is already doing.

He finally looks up. "What makes you think this has anything to do with you? They could just be having relationship problems, it happens."

"The fact that Zell is distancing himself from me and Seifer gets pissy everytime I come near them or he sees me with Zell. This has been going on for awhile now." The commander ran his hands down his face and sighed. "Zell missed his morning classes and he wasn't at lunch. When I saw him this morning he seemed petrified that Seifer would show up and see us together and we were just talkin'!"

"Well he knows Seifer doesn't like you, maybe he wanted to avoid confrontation." Uugh damnit! Why do we have to keep going in circles with this. "I mean honestly Irvine you were stalking him at a hotel."

"I know it looks like I'm the crazy one but better that than dangerous. So would you please just check on him for me, call him to the office anything? Once you talk to him you'll see."

"Alright I will, if only to put an end to your paranoia."

"Thanks, I'll owe ya." I got up and took off hearing a faint call in the background something about a chair, doesn't matter. Well now he'll see for himself. I don't care what anybody thinks. 'I know you're in trouble Zell and not Seifer, Squall or even you are gonna stop me from saving you.'