Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ When Darkness Falls ❯ Chapter Twenty Seven ( Chapter 27 )

"Please, help me."

"No way." Squall said with a wave of his hand, turning up an arrogant nose.

"But, why not?" Asked Zell with sadness and plead in his voice. He had to go to the hospital as fast as possible, and he couldn't drive himself! Running would never get him there as quickly as he would like. So Squall just had to do it.

"Do you see what time it is?" The vampire pointed out. "It's damned near two; I shouldn't even be outside this long." He started walking towards the mansion.

Zell's mouth came out in an unknown pout, his head dropped between his shoulders.

Squall looked over his shoulder, wondering why Zell hadn't asked again; his heart sank, at least he thinks so, he's never really felt it after a time. That must mean something, right?

"Please," his hands came up over his head as though in prayer. "you've just gotta take me. I need to see my mother, and make sure she's ok." He was begging now. Begging!

Squall's mouth twitched in slight annoyance. He really didn't wanna be out playing good Samaritan. But he couldn't refuse his pleas. If only this one time. "Alright, but we've gotta hurry." Insisted Squall, walking to the garage, waving a hand over his shoulder for Zell to follow.

Zell's head shot up and he looked after the vampire with wide eyes. "Th-thank you." He really didn't think his words stood a chance in hell, but it looks as though he were wrong. Following after Squall, quickly, he hurried the car door opened and sat himself inside. He grunted trying to pull the thing shut, but Squall slammed it closed on his way to the driver's side.

Climbing in as well, the vampire started the car and wheeled forward out of the garage. "Put your seat belt on." He commanded his passenger, who did as he was told. The car started out slow then cruised down the street as though it was the only car on the road for miles.

Zell tried looking out the window for some clue of where they were, after all, he doesn't know Squall very well. How was he to be sure the newly discovered vampire could be trusted? No. Something inside him told him that he would be fine and Squall would keep his word, and take him to the hospital.

Looking over at Zell, Squall could tell he felt weird about being in the car with him; to lighten the mood, he turned on the radio. "You got a favorite station or something?" He asked.

Zell looked at him as though he hadn't a clue what he was talking about. "Uh... No."

With a shrug, Squall turned to a rock station and raised the volume as loud as he could tolerate it. The song playing was one of his favorites by Linkin Park called Don't Stay.

Forget our memories, forget our possibilities. The song played.

Squall laughed to himself and turned to Zell saying. "I hope that isn't indicating something, eh?" He laughed again.

Zell really didn't know what the guy was talking about. So, being polite, he laughed as well but said nothing in response.

Squall cocked his head and sighed. 'Humans, they think far too hard about nothing...' Glancing at Zell again then back at the road he thought quietly. 'You will be happier this way... my way.'

The two had made it the hospital in no time. Squall parked right in front of the building. A female nurse rushed out shouting at him, telling him to move the car immediately - or else.

Through the window the vampire made a face at her than turned his attention to Zell. "Don't stay forever."

"I won't. I'll be out in a flash, I promise." Assured Zell. He opened the car door then slipped out. "And, thanks again!" He called over his shoulder running into the hospital. The woman continued yelling at Squall to move the car.

Flipping her off, he wheeled the vehicle lazily to the parking lot around the side of the building.

Zell rushed over to the receptionist desk, slowing to a stop he then hunched over leaning on his knees to catch his breath. The woman cocked an eyebrow at him, she smacked her mouth around the Tic-Tac in her mouth when asking. "What can I do for you?"

"My mom, um Brandy Dincht. Is she here, I have to see her." Said Zell, straightening up.

The woman typed rapidly into the computer then waits as a screen pops up. "She's in rooooom, ah here we are. 39."

Zell sighed with relief at how easy it was to get in, and thanked the woman before speeding off down the hall. 'Wait a second.' He turned himself around and the woman waved a hand to the right.

"The elevator is around the corner to your right, you can't miss it."

"Thank you." He flashed her a bright smile. 'Hang on mom, I'm coming.'

Squall remained in the car; he's nodding his head to the base from the music that was playing on the radio, a Korn song he's never heard before, but was pretty sure it was an old one. His thumbs drummed the steering wheel lightly. Peeking past the tint on the window he watched as daylight prepared to take over the sky.

'Fuck...'

Inside. Zell took the elevator found it right where the receptionist said it was, and he's making his way down the hall counting the doors mentally as he went. It was hard to find anyone so quickly when almost all the doors were opened not revealing their numbers.

"39." Zell stopped in front of the door and straightened out his clothes and ran a hand through his hair wishing that he'd let Squall give him that bath. But this would have to do. Stepping into the room, it was hard to see. The lights were off but the television was still on. The honeymooners. His mom's favorite show.

Looking around with his eyes, he saw the woman at the far corner of the room holding the remote and laughing quietly. A serene smile came across Zell's face, he'd seen this sight many times before, at home when he was a little boy, and he was scared of the dark. His mother had always comforted him then, but will she do the same now? After what he's done?

"...Mom?" He said quietly.

The woman looked towards the door and slit her eyes to squint through the slight darkness of the room. "Whose there?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"It's me, mom, Zell." He walked closer to her.

"...Zell..." Those were her only words.

The homeless teen walked over to the bed grabbing a stool pulling it up beside her. He reached out for his mother's hand and she shockingly allowed him to take it. The two of them shared the silence until finally Zell caved and asked.

"Are you ok?"

Brandy made a strangled sound in her throat and turned her head away. "I've got an ulcer, from working myself up so damned much about your... little show in our home." She took her hand back, practically giving her son the cold shoulder. "My stomach bled from it, now I'm here."

"Well," still remaining sweet to the woman who had raised him, he said. "You shouldn't let yourself get worked up like that... not over me. I thought I was a lost cause anyway." He hadn't meant to say that part it had just slipped out.

"Ha." The woman shook her head in disbelief. "You... why did you even..." she bared her teeth clearly biting back her words.

"Mom... It doesn't matter that I'm gay, I'm still your son." He reached for her hand again, but she pulled it away.

"Don't you dare touch me..." Her face was just as cold as her words.

It pained Zell, causing him to wish he had never come in the first place. Why did she hold so much hatred towards him? Her son, her only son... "Mom, I... thought you were supposed to be my parents and love me no matter what?" Zell began, but a snort sound from his mother told him she didn't care. He sat quietly with his head lowered. 'What am I supposed to say now?'

Back outside.

Squall had opened the glove compartment and was now smearing on some sun block that would ward off the rays. He hoped. He hummed the Nikelback song that was now playing, smiling particularly at the part about his hands around her neck.

He turned the container around reading the back, though he didn't understand a word of it. Gods he hated daylight. He was using the thick based kind that that clown Kefka used whenever he was out in the daylight, but he didn't know if it actually worked or not. Kefka's being out in the day seemed like a rumor to him.

With a pinky going in for a second coating Squall glanced out the window again, trying to look past all the cars to see if Zell had come out yet. Looking back in the rearview to make sure he didn't miss a single spot on his face, Squall thought quietly to himself.

'Hn. Zell probably thinks I left him,' he smirked at the thought of Zell standing out there waiting for him. Sure it was rude, but the picture was still pretty funny in Squall's eyes. 'He doesn't know I'm in the parking lot.. Maybe I should go get him.'

Inside.

"Mom, I don't care what you or dad says, nor how you feel about me... I love you.. you're my parents, and you always will be." He stood up. "Just like I'll always be your queer son." He walked to the door before turning back around seeing his childhood fading, replacing a stranger in the bed instead of his mother.

"For what it's worth, I hope you feel better." Turning away, he left the hopsital.

'Damn it!' He fumed. 'Why are they so...?' He couldn't even think it. He hated this all so much! When the two large doors slid apart, Zell looked around for Squall but didn't see him. 'Did he leave me?' wondered the downtrodden. 'I guess it's better that way, I need to think.' He began to walk away from the hosiptal with his head down, and hands stuffed into his pockets.

A black car drove up beside him, and the window came down. "Hey baby, what are you charging?" Asked Squall smiling at the pedestrian.

Zell looked up hearing his voice and he smiled as well. "Too much for you to afford."

Squall laughed, glad to see that Zell was at least in a joking mood reguardless the scent of sadness and anger he was giving off. "Get in." He gestured, tossing his head to the passanger side.

Zell walked around the car, pulled the door opened then climbed inside. Making sure his seat belt was on he closed the door and nodded that he was ready to go. The car sped away from the hospital causing an oncoming ambulance to swirve out of its way.

The horn honked at them but Squall merely looked into the rear view with a smile. Turning his head to Zell breifly before looking back at the road he asked. "How did it go?"

"...It went." Replied Zell.

"What the fuck kinda answer is that?"

"It means, I don't wanna talk about it." Zell shifted his position so that he had his back to the driver. He gazed out the window, he watched the light that was coming up in the distance. 'Oh no.' He'd just remembered. "Squall we have to..." But a waved hand silenced him.

"I wanna take you somewhere first." The vampire said with a mysterious tone.

"But it's daylight." Persisted Zell, feeling a bit worried.

"You didn't seem to care before." Answered Squall. "Why do so now?"

Zell had to bite his tongue there, he didn't wanna seem like the kind of person that only thought of himself. The two of them said nothing for the rest of the ride to.. where ever they were going to. The car started to slow to a stop about five minutes later.

Zell stared out the window trying to figure out where it was they were. "What is this place?" He asked.

"The edge of the world." Squall opened his door climbing out of the car.

Zell opened his and did the same. He had never seen this place before but he was pretty sure he knew of it, what with a rather large satellite being seen in the distance from where they were.

Squall climbed up onto the hood of the car stretching out his legs while placing his back against the windshield and arms behind his head. He watched as Zell walked out to the edge of cliff, then he turned back around coming over to the car. He climbed on as well, and mimicked the position that Squall laid in, and he smiled.

"Now I see why people leave the car running."

Squall snickered quietly, knowing exactly what the homeless teen was talking about. Nothing like a warm vibration underneath you to get you really... horny.

Squall turned over onto his side ready to kiss Zell, but froze seeing the teen's smile fade into a frown. Wrapping his arms around his waist, he pulled him close just as they were before at his home. Zell rested his head on Squall's shoulder and sighed.

Nuzzling his nose into Zell's hair, Squall closed his eyes and smiled, saying. "What's the matter with you anyway?" He asked. "Are you retarded?"

"Excuse me?!" There was warning in Zell's tone. He lifted his head as much as he could to try looking at Squall with death threat, but he only caught a glimpse of his neck. Why was Squall suddenly picking on him? He didn't need or want it.

"No, all I'm saying is that you've gotta be riding a little yellow bus upstairs to care what the hell someone, who doesn't even like you, thinks."

"Yeah, well, I do." The teen snapped. "So, fuck you."

"Fuck you." Squall retorted. "...It's not like I'm saying anything that isn't true..." He continued cuddling up with him, not caring that he felt Zell's hands trying to push him away. "I think you're an idiot for caring at all, I never got that about humans."

"Oh yeah, and you're the supreme race." Zell chided.

"We are, we don't give a fuck about anything or anyone but ourselves."

"Ha! That's not true." Zell sat up on his side looking the vampire in the face. "I see the way you and that Edgar guy look at each other, you'd probably wanna die if anything had happened to him, wouldn't you?"

"Yes."

"See!" Zell smirked and crossed his arms, lying his back against the windshield again.

"No, I don't see. I love Lord Edgar and he loves me." Squall explained. "I can have feelings for him, because I know he returns them... like with you."

"Me?" Zell was a little surprised by this, but not by much. He had suspected Squall of liking him, but to go as far as putting him up to his obvious lover's status. Knock out.

"You care about me right?" The vampire asked squinting an eye in Zell's direction.

The teen nodded.

"So there you go. Your parents... they don't give a shit about you, not anymore." He turned away from Zell saying the next part. Because he didn't wanna see the look on the hurt expression when he did. "Same thing with Locke; if he ever cared about you at all. Yet you still leave a place in your heart for them,"

"So what."

He shrugged. "Sooo... to me that makes you..." He shrugged again. "Retarded."

They were quiet. Zell didn't wanna hear this anymore, he loves Locke and that's that. He doesn't care if it makes him look stupid to other people. Especially someone whose probably never been rejected a day in his life; then has the nerve to mock others who have, just because they still care for someone.

"...I'm sorry."

Zell looked over at Squall with question. "Sorry, how?"

"For making you think about that asshole again. Y'know, Locke." Squall turned his head and looked at him as well. "I just don't think you should care for someone who doesn't even wanna know you exsist."

Zell was quiet, looking back up at the sky. "...No, don't apologize. I know exactly what you mean. And you're right. But, I need some time to accept it for myself, you see."

Squall nodded. Opening his arms he reached for the misguided; Zell came into the embrace.

"I'm glad we made up." Squall smirked with mischief.

"That's what you call a fight?"

"Sure, we almost got to blows. I would have knocked you out, though."

Zell laughed slightly. "Yeah, sure." His arms found there way around Squall's waist, and he lied his head on the vampire's shoulder. He could feel the weight of Squall's head leaning down onto his own and the vampire nuzzled his hair again.

Zell felt uncomfortably self conscious. His hair must smell awful to him.

"No, I like it... it's out-doorsy." Squall said out of the blue. There's that question again.

"Squall, what's it like... being a vampire, I mean."

Squall's eyes closed and remained that way as he spoke sleepily. "It's nice... you get to roam around at night, and go into restaurants with practically nobody else inside."

Zell had to laugh at that, so simple and innocent for someone who ate people for a living. "It's a lifestyle, ya know? We're almost like humans - - minus the aging, and the need for daylight. There's just - - blood and darkness."

Silence.

After a moment, Zell looked up at Squall the best he could asking. "Were you... gonna turn me?"

Squall took a while before answering, the sleep haze was really coming down on him. "...Yeah, but..." He yawns drowsily. "thinking about it now, I really should have asked you first."

Zell scoffed. "That's rich; I'm such a loser now, I have to be dead."

Squall's eyes slit opened and he looked down at the top of Zell's head. "Don't say that; turning you wasn't meant to be seen that way... I just think you'd be happier like me... With me."

"Why do you want me, though?" Inquired Zell. "I'm nothing.. nobody... besides you've already got somebody." He trailed quietly.

"...Maybe that's why I like you so much. Like you... I'm nothing too." He closed his eyes again, this time trying to ignore the fact that Zell was pressed so closely to him and the heat from the engine underneath them was giving him an erection. "I walk around at night seen mostly only by my kind." The vampire explained. "Nobody really notices you unless you give them a reason to; but even if I were to slap someone in the face they will do nothing in return... just walk."

"Why?" Showing the curiosity of a small child. "Are you invisible or something?"

"Not that I know of... I think I intimidate people, that's all."

"Oh."

They were quiet again, both thinking about something different. "...For what it's worth.. you don't intimidate me... I know someone else who wouldn't be either, if you wanna meet her."

"Sure. Maybe tonight though... right now, I just wanna watch the sun come up and maybe get some sleep." The vampire replied sleepily. The two of them remained still, with their eyes closed, not caring that they were actually missing the sun rising before them. But they were just glad to be in each others arms right then.