Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ When Darkness Falls ❯ Chapter Thirty One ( Chapter 31 )

That day after school. Selphie is walking along the sidewalks, casually humming to herself. She carried a math book under her arms and a little slip of paper in her other hand. She stopped her steady pace only once to peek into the window of a nearby bakery. "Mmm" She smiled wishing she'd brought more than lunch money with her today. "Maybe tomorrow." Looking both ways, the happy teen made a mad dash across the street. "Oooppss!" Selphie's foot caught on the curb and she dropped the book she was carrying. "Shoot." Bent over, she reaches to pick up the fallen object, but stopped when seeing another set of hands reaching for the book.

"Selphie Tilmitt?" The person asked.

Selphie stood up, locking eyes with the person directly. She had never seen him before but he was handsome - - very handsome! Long blonde hair drapped his back and some of his shoulders, his eyes were earthy brown and narrowed, and his skin complexion was pale and creamy, except he was a...

"I get the staring a lot, but yes I am a girl." The blonde said rather flatly. "Are you Selphie Tilmitt or not?" The stranger asked again.

"Mm... Mhm. Who're you?" Selphie asked, as curious as a child whose house has just been invaded by strangers.

"My names Ferris, I'm a friend of Sabin's." The young woman said.

"Sabin?" Selphie muttered, a sudden flash ran through her eyes as she pointed a finger out saying. "Saaay have you seen him today, he didn't pick me up to go to school this morning." She took a shy step forward, "Is he... mad at me?" She wondered outloud.

Ferris shook her head. "I have no idea about that. But, Selphie..." She looked sadly into the short brunette's large green eyes and sucked in a breath.

"What?"

"...You'd better come with me, this is a little impersonal for what I have to tell you." Gesturing with her head, Ferris indicated for Selphie to climb onto her bike. Selphie walked closer to the strange girl and climbed onto the offered seat while the owner of the bike stood up on the pedal. "Hang on if you're afraid of falling." Said Ferris, pedaling away when she felt the girl's arms around her waist.

...

"He can't be..." Selphie was saying after Ferris dropped the heavy news on her about Sabin.

He didn't make it home that night after he had left Selphie's house, and the police had just identified his body that morning. Ferris walked over to the merry-go-round and sat herself down. Selphie remained standing.

"They found a picture of you on him." She turned her gaze away from the girl. "...I figured you didn't see the news this morning because high school kids have to go a lot earlier than college students."

Selphie's eyes remained blank and her face expressionless. "He can't be..." She shook her head. "I just saw him last night... He can't be de-..." Her eyes watered and she fell down onto the playground equipment next to Ferris. Selphie's face went into her hands and she wept silently.

Ferris reached out and craddled her in her arms, rocking back and forth. "I'm sorry... I just thought I'd tell you before the cops came pounding on your door." Selphie continued to cry, leaning on the older girl's shoulder she let all her tears roll onto the fabric. "They say that Sabin was probably a victim of that seriel killer that broke out of jail, but seeing your picture on him, they might claim suicide."

Selphie choked on her words before she could say them.

Ferris moved her back looking at her asking. "Yes, what is it?"

Selphie ran her forearm across her eyes and sniffled saying. "It's my fault... I shouldn't have blown him off yesterday."

"You can't blame yourself, it wasn't anybody's fault." Ferris said in a soothing tone to try relaxing the torn up emotions. "...Would you like to come to my place and calm down, it's right up the street from here."

Selphie was still for a moment, then she nodded. Ferris smiled and stood reaching a hand out to help Selphie to her feet as well. "I think it would be better if we walked." Said older young lady, grabbing her bike and walking it beside Selphie and herself.

'I can't believe he's gone...' Selphie thought with a lone tear rolling down her face.

...

"Look at this one." Reno was saying, pointing a finger at a poster on the wall of the tattoo parlor. "It's a snake with snake eyes."

Zell moved his head slightly left to look past Reno to what he was pointing at. Shadow said something and laughed to himself.

"Which one are you getting?" Asked Zack. He was standing beside Zell eyeing a set of prints that he thought might look good on himself.

Zell shrugged, he never thought about a tattoo ever - well, there was that one time when he was a kid and got one from the box of a popcorn snack. He felt like the coolest kid in the neighborhood, until Seifer smudged it with his thumb at the playground.

Zell narrowed his eyes, thinking sarcastically. 'And that guy was one of my options to live with.' He shook away the thoughts and continued looking at the posters and things. "How 'bout this one?" He pointed upward to some funky looking design that was kinda like flames or an expensive looking logo on a sneaker.

The color choices are black, yellow and red for the design. Zell was pretty sure he didn't want something tacky like yellow, and red was officially out in his book, so it looked like black was his only other option.

"I'll take this one." He said to the tattoo artist.

The man walked over to Zell, looking at the design and he nodded for Zell to come into the back with him. The others gave him a thumbs up for good luck, but were mostly ready to laugh if their new friend happened to scream. The blond teen sat down on a worn leather chair in a bundle of nerves, extending his legs outward along the rest of it.

The artist pulled a stool up beside him and smiled at the cute blond while grabbing the needle. "You ever get a tattoo before?" The man asked. His breath, Zell noted, smelled a lot like Juicy Fruit which is probably the flavor of gum he was chewing.

The guy looked nothing like Zell had pictured a tattoo artist to look like after having seen tons of shows and movies with tattoo scenes. He's clean and well kempt. He has a tattoo but it's small placed just on the bone of the wrist. Then there is the brand of gum he's chewing. But there was also the guys hair, blonde and long. It's yanked into an odd style, though, pointed right up on top of his head with a head band across his forehead.

'He must use a lot of gel to get his hair to stay up like that.' Thought Zell, not listening to a word the man was saying.

"It doesn't hurt as much as they say it does." The man went on as Zell continued studying his appearance.

The artist's skin is tanned, and his body was well-toned. Zell could see the muscles on his arms even through the long sleeves of his shirt. The tattoo artists legs were bared at the calve and Zell could see a display of tattoos that the man has. One dinosaur, one moon shape and a demon of some sort. Seems he prefers leg art more.

"Where do you want this?" The man asked, tapping Zell on the shoulder to snap him out of his visual probing.

"Oh ummm," Zell was a complete virgin to what looked good on him. Which is why his mother mostly did his clothes shopping for him. "Where do people usually get this one?" He figured it was a safe enough question.

"Most people get it on their leg or arm." The man was saying, all the while rubbing a clear liquid onto Zell's face. "But you seem like a face kinda guy."

Zell's eyes widened comprehending what the man had just said. "My face!? ...I don't know Mister..."

"Just call me Wakka." The artist informed.

"Like Fozy bear?" Zell bit his tongue suddenly. He hoped he didn't offend him. But Wakka seemed not to care, in fact he smiled as though it was his first time having someone say that to him.

"Ha. I guess so." He replied. "My real name is Reggie if that's what you prefer, but everyone I know calls me Wakka." The artist explained.

"Wakka it is then." The two smiled at each other briefly before Zell remembered what the artist had suggested. "But I don't think I'm ready for something that extreme, how 'bout on my leg or arm like the others."

Wakka shook his head. "No way man, I heard you talking to your friends when you walked in that you wanted a change in life." He began to dip the needle point into the ink. "Might as well make it one nobody can miss."

"Uuuuuhhh," Zell began. His body tensed waiting for the pain, but to his surprise it didn't really hurt.

Wakka grinned seeing Zell's face relax and he chomped down on his gum saying. "Yeeah you see, the Wak' man has a delicate touch, right." Wakka continued with Zell's tattoo wiping away any blood that came, still chatting away to Zell about this and that. It was a comforting distraction. When the man was finished he reached behind his seat to a countertop where a hand held mirror lay.

"Viola." He turned it to Zell, showing the boy the beginning of his new life.

Zell turned his face this way and that admiring how natural and good the tattoo looked on him. "Wow... This is something I could get used to."

Wakka nodded standing up, smacking Zell on the shoulder. "All the girls will adore it, all the boys will die seeing it." The artist swung an arm around the shoulders of the human canvas, walking him out. "You're basically good with any crowd now."

Zell still had a hold of the mirror, looking at himself inside of it. 'A new me... for a new life.' He thought with his thoughts re-directed towards Squall.

Wakka gave him instructions on how to care for it then he let him go.

"Shit." Shadow whistled when he saw Zell leaving the curtained off room. "That looks hot."

"You think so?" Asked the blond; he was struck with a sudden shyness in his posture. He was gonna have to get used to this kind of attention if everyone who saw it would react in the way Shadow and the others were.

Reno reached out and traced the air around it knowing from personal experience that tattoo's burned for a while after getting them.

"Very cool." Complimented Zack.

"Thanks."

"It was my idea." Wakka congratulated himself.

Outside of the shop. Locke was walking by with his head down and his hands stuffed into his pockets. He had been searching for Zell for hours after school, and so far came up short. As he passed by the tattoo parlor he heard laughter from inside and he turned his head, glancing through the window. He continued by the small shop until his mind just replayed what he saw.

"That was Zell!" The brunet turned around and looked into the window to make sure, and surely enough, it was Zell. Was this his lucky day or what? Locke opened the door to the tattoo parlor and walked inside. Everyone was still making comments and jokes, saying this and that about the new Zell.

Wakka was the first one to notice Locke, who was just standing at the entrance. "Take a look around and I'll get right to you, okay guy."

Everyone turned to see who he was talking to.

Zell's heart nearly jumped up into his throat. 'This can't be real.' The blond thought. He was feeling shy in exposure before, but now he truly wants somewhere to hide.

Shadow and Zack recognized him, and they took a step forward to shield their friend.

"Zell... Can I um... talk to you for a minute?" Locke asked. He was almost shy about it, and he kept his voice low and his eyes lowered to the floor. It would seem the emotion was running mischief in the small parlor.

"Don't talk to him; kiss his ass off like he did to you." Zack was saying over his shoulder, keeping his position in front of Zell.

"Yeah, you don't owe this asshole anything." Shadow chimed in.

Reno stood confused. This guy must have been somebody special to Zell.

"...No, I'll talk to him." Said Zell stepping from behind them.

Shadow's hand came down on the blond's shoulder and he leaned close to his ear saying. "If you need anything, just call we'll be right out."

Zell nodded breaking free of his friends grasp. He walked over to Locke then past him out the door.

The two of them had a little extra discomfort knowing they had four pairs of eyes on them. But Locke was the first to break the ice saying. "I... like your tattoo, it's really... cool."

Zell wet his lips, swallowing trying to clear his voice from the huge lump in his throat. He replied. "Thank you..." Stealing a full look at his ex, he took notice to a little bruise under his eye. "You look like shit, what happened?"

An absent hand came up to Locke's cheek, and he paled with embarrassed red ears. "Um... I got into it after school, it's no big deal."

Zell took a step forward touching the black eye. "It looks like a big deal to me.." He said.

Reno tapped Zack's arm saying, "Who's the guy?"

"Locke, Zell's old boyfriend... that guys a major asshole."

"Oh."

Locke backed away from Zell's touch, then said a very low. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Zell couldn't believe his ears! Locke was apologizing for something.

"For backing away from you. I'd always thought it was rude and... I'm sorry." They were uncomfortably silent after that.

Zell took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. This was getting to him, if Locke had something to say he wished he'd just say it already.

"I didn't know you'd be kicked out of your house, and I'm sorry... I'm also sorry for saying you couldn't stay with me; and all that other shit I said or did..." Locke rambled idly. Zell stood their listening to this as though his ex was speaking a foreign language. "I... I'm messed up in the head and... it's unfair the way I've been treating you... please accept my apology. I'm really sorry."

'Wow...' Zell was speechless. What was he supposed to do - - forgive him? He was probably only saying it because he's getting harassed at school now. That must be it. "How can I?" Inquired Zell. "You treated me like shit... then you expect that all can be forgiven? I wanna know what you would do if the shoe were on the other foot."

Locke looked like a small child being scolded for breaking something, his hands were behind his back and his foot was kicking at the concrete. "I probably wouldn't... but... I don't know what else to say. Sorry is all I have."

"That's tough though, isn't it?" Zell was getting angry now. Locke had no right to be asking this of him - - now or ever. Not after all he's been through. "The only way I'd ever accept your apology is if you were put through it too, because I think you need to see what it was like for me to be out on the fucking streets!"

"Zell, I..." But his words were cut off.

"You need to see what it's like to eat out of the fucking trash for months," Zell growled. "To be afraid for your damned life because tonight could be the night you're killed, or raped, or beatin and dragged the fuck off somewhere you've never been before; so on top of homelessness you're fucking lost!"

Locke swallowed, his eyes shaded over heavily. He had no idea what it was like and the idea of it scared him shitless. But he still wanted to make good with Zell, if even for himself. Zell could hate him all he wanted, but he had to tell him how he felt. He needed to let Zell know how much he regretted doing what he had done to him.

"Zell, please listen... I know I fucked up; and I know this whole thing was nothing short of hell for you, but... I still wanna tell you that I'm sorry." He reached out for him, and Zell surprised him by allowing him to take his hand. "I forced you away like I forced everyone away... only... nothing like this has ever happened before."

Zell remained silent. "I don't know what to do... but if you wanna stay at my house... then you're welcomed to it; my mom's pretty stand up, I'm sure she'd let you."

Zell thought it was kinda odd how Locke was talking like he wasn't gonna be there with him if he did. Which he would never. "What are you talking about?" Zell asked restlessly.

"Zell, I'm glad I caught up with you when I did because I'm leaving - - I don't know when, but soon." Locke shrugged and dropped Zell's hand. "But I'm just telling you, if you talked to my mom... I'm sure she'd let you stay; she's gonna need someone other than Conrad to bug."

"A...are you saying that you're gonna run-..." Zell's words were silenced when Locke jerked him into a tight hug. 'What is going on?' Wondered Zell. 'Is Locke planning on running away from home or something.'

When the brunet pulled back, he took one last look at Zell, up then down and reached out brushing his hand over the, now hidden by a bandage, new tattoo. "I've gotta go." He turned away and started to walk, but Zell reached out for him.

"Locke, wait."

The disheartened just spun a circle waving a hand to his ex, who tearly waved back.

'What is going on?'

Locke kept his gaze down and walked. He didn't think it would go well, but it was better than he had imagined it, actually. 'As long as he knows that I'm sorry... I'll be okay.' He passed a man dressed as a clown who was playing with a deck of cards on the edge of the street.

'That scent,' The clown noticed when Locke passed by, he had to be sure. 'it's of that human, I just know it.' Kefka turned in the direction Locke was walking in, deciding to follow this young man wherever it was he were going. Because where there's one, there's the other.