Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ TKO- Total Knock Out ❯ Chapter 14 ( Chapter 14 )

chapter 14

Zell was running the treadmill holding onto the sides of the machine. Squall was beside him walking on his own. He looked deep in thought and was staring off in front of him. Zell kept glancing his way wanting to say something but couldn't get it out.

'Why won't he just talk to me? This isn't fair I always tell him everything. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I won't understand.' He sighed and stared down at the buttons on the machine.

'Sorry Zell, I just can't think straight right now. I know I should talk to you but I can't, not now anyway. I need to talk to Irvine first- gods I can't even bring myself to do that either.'

"Zell?" Squall said after finishing his thoughts. Zell looked up at him. "Can you handle this on your own?" Squall stopped his machine and got off. "Yeah I'm good. You leaving?" Squall nodded. "I have something to take care of. I'll see you later." He patted Zell's hand and left the gym. Zell watched him go out the door and Squall passed Seifer on his way out, they gave each other a glance but that was all.

'What's he doing here, not that I mind.' Zell thought smiling to himself. He watched Seifer until he noticed Seifer spotted him too but then he looked away. 'Damnit, could I have been more obvious.'

He turned his attention back down to the machine but after a minute when Seifer didn't come up to him he looked back up and searched for him. He found Seifer sitting at the food and drink bar with his head down.

'Well that's depressing I wonder what's wrong.' He stopped his machine and grabbed his towel wiping sweat off himself. 'I should just go for it be a man and go up to him and say something. Its not like we haven't talked before.' He sucked in some air, mustered up the strength he had and walked over to him. He sat down on the stool beside him and waited but Seifer didn't seem to notice he was there or didn't care.

Zell cleared his throat before speaking. "H-hey how's it goin?" Seifer looked up and turned to Zell. "How does it look like things are going?" He put his head back down. 'Ouch, don't take it personally Zell he's just upset or in a bad mood or something.' He assured himself.

"I know what you mean, things aren't so good for me right now either." Zell said for a moment forgetting who he was talking to, hoping it'd make things easier. Seifer lifted his head back up and looked in Zell's direction. "Really? What's wrong in your world?" He asked, Zell snapped out of his mental world of Squall and his own problems and looked at him in shock. "Uh well its nothing big just having problems with my coach that's all." He turned quickly and stared at the menu's on the wall.

"What, you mean the leather guy?" Seifer asked sitting up completely now. "Yeah Squall. I don't know what's wrong with him some kind of relationship thing I guess but he won't talk to me. Its making it harder to focus on the game and training." 'And with you constantly on my mind isn't helping much either.'

"Yeah well at least your coach thinks about other stuff besides his fucking reputation and winning. I don't know who's worse him or the shit heads that run the league. I'd hate to see if I lost some day." Seifer spat out.

"What about the league guys?" Zell asked confused. "Nothing." Seifer waved the comment off. Zell nodded in respect to leave the issue alone and Seifer stared at him. "You know without that feather on your head you almost look normal." He said touching a piece of Zell's fallen hair.

'Breathe.' Zell kept repeating to himself in his head but it was getting harder to do that every second.

"You hungry?" Seifer asked. "Yeah practically always." Zell said he was starting to get more comfortable with being so close and having a real conversation with Seifer Almasy.

"Great I'll pay. Hey bar tender." He called the man over. "We'll both have a small salad, one large turkey sandwich and two chocolate milks. Be quick about it." The man nodded and went to get their order. "Who gets the sandwich?" Zell asked "Both of us, its cheaper to get one large than two, we'll just cut it in half." Seifer said pulling a pocket knife from his pocket and whipping it off in front of Zell's face. "Oh." Zell said looking kind of scared but Seifer smiled and put it away.

'I can't believe this is happening, I'm about to have lunch with fucking Seifer Almasy. I can't wait to tell- wait no ones gonna care because no one knows I like him. Right and it should probably stay that way. Well better enjoy the moment now by myself.'

"So what's the problem in your world?" Zell said repeating what he'd heard Seifer say. Seifer looked at him and smiled. "Kid you're somethin' else." "Kid? I'm only a year under you!" Zell said getting a little defensive. "Calm down it didn't mean anything, its just an expression. I've been listening to Irvine talk to much." Seifer explained. "Oh sorry, its just all my life my mom and everyone I knew back home treated me like their precious little child. I didn't mind so much at first but it gets annoying." "I can imagine."

The bar tender came back with their order and Seifer paid the man. "You guys need anything else just let me know champ." The man said smiling politely. He paused then added. "Can I just get an autograph real quick for my son?" He said pulling a picture of Seifer posing after a match out and handing it to him. Seifer looked at the picture and his eyebrows furrowed. "I don't remember posing for this." He said to himself and took the pen the man held out to him and signed the picture. "Here." He said handing it back to the man. "Thanks." He took the picture and went into the back room.

"That gets annoying too." Seifer said taking the knife out of his pocket to cut the large sandwich. "I think its cool, ya know the recognition, admiration, respect." Zell said thinking more about having the attention himself. "It'll get to you eventually. Here." Seifer slid the other half of the sandwich over to Zell. They both started into the food.

"So you never answered my question before." Zell said putting dressing on his salad. Seifer sighed "Its nothing don't worry about it."

'Why are people always saying that to me?' Zell stabbed his salad with his fork and decided to forget about it like he'd been told. "Are you busy later?" Zell asked to change the subject. "Not really. Why?" "I just thought maybe we could work out a little. I have a match tonight and ya know coaches orders."

Seifer thought about it for awhile sipping his milk. 'Irvine always said its best to train alone, but that won't really be training will it and right now I'm about fed up with what Irvine says' "Sure why not." 'Yes!' Zell's insides were screaming but he kept his cool and just nodded finishing his food.

***

Irvine was in his apartment going through Seifer's room. He knew darn and well that the police would try to come back and search the place and that was the last thing he needed. "Just fuckin' great you try to apologize and make good with people and this happens." He said aloud rummaging through dresser drawers.

"Where the hell is that boy? He should be the one doin' this not me. This wasn't in my job description."

After looking through those he felt under the mattress as far as his arm could go then he stood and lifted it. "Nothin', just like what my life is turning in to- nothin'." He sighed and went to the bathroom to check the mirror.

He opened it up and looked over the bottles of medicine, toothpaste etc but found nothing. He closed the mirror back and before leaving he stared at himself for awhile.

'Look at you Kinneas you're pathetic. Miserable and alone, it shouldn't be this way. I never should have let my life fall into a pit of nothing' He rubbed his head above his eyebrows and left the bathroom. He made his way into his own room and sat on the bed.

"Things never used to be like this." He went to a shelf hung on the wall and picked up one of the pictures. It was taken months after he'd became an official boxing coach. He and Squall had only been together for a few weeks when it was taken. The picture was of them at a party thrown celebrating the return of the boxing season.

"Everything was great then. I thought we were happy, well I was happy why weren't you?" He said to the Squall in the picture running a finger over it. His thoughts drifted back to a few days ago when he was in Squall's apartment talking about Seifer.

("Because I started those rumors about you sleeping with your students." Squall said in a low voice. "You? but I don't get it, why?" Irvine asked confused. "Because I wanted you to quit. You got so obsessed with yourself and your "image" you completely ignored the fact that we were together......")

"I didn't mean to ignore you Squall or neglect the relationship- ah fuck who am I kidding. He was right once again the ego gets in the way." He put the picture back and went out into the living room. 'I don't care if he doesn't wanna listen I need to talk to him now'

He left the apartment but decided to take the stairwell instead of the elevator so he could sort out what he wanted to say to Squall.

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

Squall walked into the building hurriedly but was stopped by the land lord. "Hey uh Squall isn't it, how are things going up there no problems with the place?" "No its fine." He answered walking up to the desk. "Have you seen Irvine today?" He asked the landlord. "Oh yeah saw him this morning things were pretty weird too. He seemed upset but he's back up in his place now." "Great thanks." Squall waved and headed for the elevator.

When he got to his apartment he stopped before opening the door. "I should go talk to him now if I wait it'll never get done." He looked at the elevator but changed his mind and took the stairs. He walked up slowly through the stairwell, the stairs were nicely carpeted and the lights that hung on the wall were a bright blue almost white looking. It was actually very peaceful their Squall was thinking but soon his mind went back to why he was going up the stairs in the first place.

'What am I gonna say when I get there? I don't wanna make things worse but I don't even know how to make them better' He pondered about it on his way up then stopped and sat on a step. Putting his head down he sighed heavily.

Stairs above him Irvine was making his way down to where Squall was talking out loud to himself. "This shouldn't be hard at all right? I mean we've been together before we're good friends just go up to him and make him listen. He can't still be upset not that much anyway. Now what the hell do I say?" He rubbed his chin to think about it.

Still sitting on the stairs Squall was remembering what happened with Irvine when they first saw each other again at the registration building and all the times after that. The time at the elevator after they'd had a night of pleasure was what stuck out in his mind the most.

(Squall was in the elevator about to leave when it stopped but as soon as the doors opened he was pushed back in by Irvine, and he backed him against the wall and kissed him forcefully. Squall was going to protest but didn't. The kiss lasted for a minute and left them both breathless.

Irvine smiled down at Squall. "Mornin' darlin." He kissed Squall on the forehead and Squall blinked. ".........Irvine we can't do this again." "Do what?" Irvine asked backing up against the closest wall near him. "You know what. Fuck each other and act like a couple the next day." He turned his gaze away from Irvine's playful expression. "Who says I'm playin', who says I ever was." He said his voice was becoming more serious as he backed Squall into the corner again.

The elevator stopped and Squall made a move for the door but Irvine backed him farther into the corner and grabbed Squall's chin in his hand forcing him to look up at him. "You didn't ruin anything between us before. We were just scared or unsure of how things were goin'....")

"No I did ruin things and still are." He put his head between his hands and shut his eyes tightly. Irvine was getting closer to him now and Squall could hear his voice in the distance because it was so quiet in the stairwell.

"I'm so messed up I'm starting to hear his voice." Squall said and ignored it like it was just in his mind.

Irvine continued down the stairs talking to himself. "I know what I'll say, Squall I'm sorry I hurt you in any way. I didn't mean to neglect our relationship. I loved being with you and I never wanted to stop being with you..."

When the voice got closer Squall looked up and listened harder. 'Maybe I'm not just hearing things' He stood up and turned around but stayed on the same step and listened.

"I shouldn't have gotten so wrapped up in myself or the game and when you started doin' it too I thought you were done with me and I figured it was over. If I'd have known I was the problem I would have changed a long time ago or we could have worked things out. That sounds good hope it don't come out like I rehearsed it though." Irvine made his way down the stairs and Squall started going up again himself.

They saw each other and froze, staring at each other for a moment. "Uh hey Squall, I was just comin' to see ya," Irvine started pulling at his ponytail again from sudden nervousness. "and well I wanted to say that-" "You don't have to. I heard what you said." He looked down and Irvine went to join him on the step and they both sat down.

"I'm sorry too, if I wasn't so selfish and all...." Squall began "It wasn't your fault. You just wanted us to be a real couple is all and I was actin' like we were just an on and off thing. I didn't really see it then. Forgive me? for being an insensitive jerk and not thinkin' about anything else but myself."

Irvine held his hand out waiting for Squall to take it. "Only if you forgive me too." "Deal." They shook hands and Irvine gave Sqaull a small kiss on the mouth but didn't like the look Squall gave him after.

"There's somethin' else isn't there?" Irvine asked feeling that nervousness come back. "I don't know if we can do the relationship thing again, not now anyway." Squall told him. "Oh." The sadness in Irvine's voice made Squall feel miserable but it had to be that way.

'If we try again now with all that's happening and the competition going we're just gonna end up right where we started'

Irvine watched Squall rub the bridge of his nose and knew he had something else to say but wasn't going to.

"So like we're still gonna be friends right? Hang out give each other coachin' tips and stuff." Squall looked at him a little surprised that he wanted them to stay friends and he brightened up a little. "Yeah of course."

"Great then I guess that's it." Squall nodded and they both stood up and started walking down the stairs. Irvine put an arm around Squall's shoulder and he looked up at him questioningly. "Just a friendly gesture." Irvine said smiling. Squall turned away and wrapped his arm around Irvine's waist as they walked to Squall's apartment.

***

At Deling's news station the reporter that had been at the apartment building that morning was preparing for the nights show to expose Seifer and Irvine. In that same studio tabloid shows had already seen the news and were sending out reporters of their own to find out anything they could.

It'd be all over tomorrows papers and on the news by the end of the day and Seifer nor Irvine were the wiser.

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Finally Seifer is noticing Zell and I couldn't be happier for him. : )

There's still some trouble stuff to work out in the next chapter but things are gonna start getting more interesting with Seifer and Zell soon.

-Linkin