Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ TKO- Total Knock Out ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )

chapter 12

The fight was over half an hour later, both competitors were equally matched but Seifer came out victorious in the end. The crowd was still hyped up and cameras were surrounding Seifer and Irvine for a quick interview. Zell tried to get to him to congratulate them but had no luck breaking through all the other people.

"Just forget it, he probably wouldn't talk to you anyway." Quistis said "Yeah you're probably right. I'm gonna go home." Zell said trying not to sound to depressed. "Ok, hey maybe we'll bump into each other at school." They said their goodbyes and Zell made his way out the arena, but watched Seifer on the TV monitor as he went.

"So Irvine, did you know Seifer was going to show up like that?" A reporter asked "I knew he'd be here but didn't know it'd be like that. Ya know the boy has his own agenda sometimes." Irvine said smiling brightly at the camera and patting Seifer on the shoulder. "Well the crowd sure enjoyed the entrance." "Yeah always a show stopper this one." Irvine said.

"Seifer tell us do you think you're ready for the championship game, think you'll win?" A female reporter asked. "I'm always ready for a fight and I'll win because of that." "Lots of confidence, well we still wish you the best of luck in your future fights and we're all looking forward to seeing your performance." The people around them cheered and hollered, shouting for pictures and autographs.

Seifer leaned in to kiss the female reporter on the cheek and shook the other guys hand. "Time for us to go now, the champ needs to recuperate. Excuse us." Irvine pushed Seifer through the news crew and they slid under the rope to get out of the ring. Irvine hurried them both to the locker room avoiding the crowd but Seifer wasn't keeping up. Irvine looked down and noticed he had a slight limp. He furrowed his brows but waited for them to get inside before saying anything. Once inside he locked the door and stood against it watching Seifer.

"What happened?" Irvine asked trying to keep his voice down but stern. Seifer turned his head to where Irvine stood and started pulling off his gloves. "Nothing happened, I showed up didn't I and won just like you wanted." He started splashing water on his face and chest. "Yeah almost too late, now what happened to your leg?" "Nothi-" "Damnit Seifer! you tell me where the hell you've been and why you're fucking limping now!"

Seifer stopped what he was doing surprised at the sudden authority in Irvine's voice, after a moment he started toweling himself off. "I went to the bar ok, and I left to rush down here and a car-" "You got run over?" Irvine asked moving from the door to stand beside his protégé. "No I just got hit a little from the side, the guy tried to stop but nicked me anyway. It was my fault..... I ran the red light and he came out of no where."

Irvine put a hand to his forehead and swore under his breath. "What the hells were you thinking, what's wrong with you huh? Suppose something worse happened and you were left lying on the street injured or dead? Huh then what?"

"Let me guess you'd be devastated because I missed a match and you'd have no one to flaunt to make you look good like your the best damn trainer alive right?" Seifer said and headed for the door. "All you care about is your fucking image, making money and using me to make you look good! Well someday you're gonna find yourself alone, unwanted and poor."

He unlocked the door and left slamming it behind him, Irvine winced at the sound and stared blankly at it. He heard the sound of Seifer's motorcycle ride off and screams from fans leaving the arena.

"Twice in one night, must be my lucky day." Irvine pulled his hat down tight around his head pulling it slightly over his eyes. He took a deep breath and left the locker room.

* * *

"Squall? Squall ya still here?" Zell closed the door behind him and locked it, then tossed his jacket on the couch. He walked to Squall's room and listened to the door. The music from before was gone so Zell figured he'd go in. "Squall you alright?" He asked slowly opening the door.

The room was dark except a small glow from a blue lava lamp in the corner. "Squall?"

"Do you know what time it is?" Zell jumped at the sudden sound of Squall's voice and he flicked the light on. "Hyne don't do that." He calmed himself down and stared at his coach who was on the floor beside the bed doing push ups.

"What are you doing?" Zell asked and sat beside him. "Its late you know." Was all Squall said back.

"Yeah the match went on for awhile."

"No excuse. Go to bed you need to get up early tomorrow." Squall ordered. "But, I thought we could talk for a while." Squall stopped what he was doing and stood up, Zell stood up himself. "Not now. Go to sleep." They stared at each other for a moment and Zell gave in and left the room. Squall followed him to the door and turned out the light.

Zell looked back into the room across from his and saw Squall sitting on the bed with his head down. Then Zell slowly closed his door. 'This isn't good' He thought pulling off his shoes and then pants. He climbed into the bed and sighed. 'The boxing world just got a little more interesting.' He thought, closing his eyes he started drifting off.

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

In apartment 13E a few floors up Seifer just got in. He went into the bathroom and started undressing. When he took his pants off he stared at the large bruise on his leg from the car ramming him. He was lucky it wasn't broken or that'd be the end of his career. He turned the bath tub water on and took a bottle of bubble bath from underneath the sink and poured it in. While the water filled he looked at himself in the mirror. He had a black eye and a small bruise on his cheek from the fight.

"Is it really worth all this?" He asked himself out loud touching the bruise. What he said brought on a dejavu of a time he'd said that same thing before.

(It was his first week as an official boxer, he'd just started his sophomore year in high school. Irvine had just taken the job as his trainer that year. One night Seifer was finally in the ring for his first match and things were tougher than he expected. He won the match but just by a hair. He went back into the locker room and stared at himself in the mirror. He looked and felt like shit from being hit so badly.

"Is it really worth all this?" He asked himself out loud. "Sure is." Irvine said coming up behind him. Seifer turned to look at him and Irvine handed him a rag to wipe the blood off his face. "As long as you do it because you love the game every consequence that comes with it, the bruises, blood, broken noses whatever, its all worth it when there's love and pride involved. And kid you've got that. It'll get easier though and soon you'll be comin' out of fights without a scratch."

"Yeah right." Seifer said examining his eye. "Course ya will ya know why cause I'm gonna help you get there. You'll be the best there is." Irvine threw an arm around Seifer's shoulder, even though he was younger than him Seifer was still a bit taller then his coach.

"Me and you are gonna partners till the end, we'll be world famous." The cowboy said. "Yeah and no one will be able to stop us." Seifer added and smiled at Irvine who returned the smile and laughed. "Now you're gettin it. We'll fight to the end together." "No matter what?" Seifer asked cautiously.

"Exactly, now lets get you fixed up and go home. We'll need to train hard tomorrow if we're gonna get you to the championships." Irvine took his arm from Seifer's shoulders and headed for the door.

"You think we'll get there?" Seifer asked raising an eyebrow. "Hombre if we stick together there ain't nothin' we can't do. Now lets go before I get all fatherly and someone hears, wouldn't wanna ruin my image." He said laughing and left the room. Seifer laughed and shook his head following Irvine.)

"As long as we stick together. I don't know how much longer that's gonna be." Seifer said to himself and finished taking the rest of his clothes off. "Yeah and who's fault is that?" He asked himself. He climbed into the tub and eased himself into the hot water. Then lied his head back against the rim closing his eyes.

"Its my fault." When he heard Irvine's voice his eyes shot open and he looked towards the door.

They stared at each other for a moment not saying anything until Seifer looked away and stared at the white foam around him. "No its my fault too." He said quietly. Irvine went further inside the room and sat on the toilet seat resting his arms on his legs. "We just seem to be growing farther apart lately, I don't even know why." Seifer said still staring into the suds. "Well we'll figure that out soon, but we're gonna hang in there right?" Irvine said hesitantly glancing at his partner then away again. It was silent for another moment before Seifer spoke. "Right."

Irvine nodded and slowly got up and left the bathroom closing the door behind him.

When he was gone Seifer turned his gaze to the door and caught sight of himself in the mirror. His eyes were watery and he looked miserable. He quickly turned away and leaned back against the wall closing his eyes. Realizing just how pathetic he really was- for being a jerk to the one person that really cared about him and letting his life fall into a mess all on his own- he let the tears fall. He thought about what Irvine said to him earlier that day.

("Now you're gettin' it, we'll fight to the end together." "Ya know Almasy you're a real ass sometimes, but you're a damn good boxer and friend.." "I know what you're doin' and gettin' high and plastered ain't the way to deal with your problems. You can always talk to me.")

Thinking about how much Irvine's done for him, making him the best fighter he can be, giving him a place to stay when he'd left home, putting up with his attitude. Remembering all he'd said to him Seifer cried silently angry with himself for not giving Irvine the same in return.

Outside the bathroom Irvine sat against the door feeling the same way but thinking it was himself that wasn't returning the friendship. 'The only two people that actually care about me think I'm a selfish stuck up bastard and they're right. Now I might just lose them both if I don't fix it if its not too late.'

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