Trickle - 11 - Radiant

[The world I lived in was quickly recovered from its death a day ago.]

.

He's Alive!

"Oh my goodness Seifer, come in. Come in."

I backed away from the door, and watched him step in slowly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't have anywhere else to go."

He looked at my body. When he saw that I was only wearing a towel, he gazed at the ground.

"No, no don't apologize! Are you okay?"

He nodded his head.

"What happened to your arm?"

"I was attacked roaming around outside of Balamb."

He moved his hand away from his arm and I noticed through the torn sleeve of his coat that his arm was cut pretty deep. The blood was still pouring through; sinking into my carpet and leaving it a deep brownish-red color.

"Oh my God! Wait here."

I rushed to the bathroom quickly, threw a robe on and returned to him carrying a cloth, bandages, and a cup of water.

"I don't keep alcohol or peroxide in here, but this is better than nothing."

Setting the cup down on the floor, I helped him remove his coat and motioned for him sit next to the water.

"As you can tell, I don't keep chairs in here much either."

I laughed and sat down beside him, dipping the cloth into the cup of water.

His face was vacant.

Is he still angry? No, he can't be; otherwise, he wouldn't have come to you.

I decided I'd better stay quiet.

.

"Quistis, I really am sorry for showing up here. To be honest, I don't think there's anyone else who would've taken me in."

I moved the rag slowly across the wound, collecting blood.

"It's okay, I'm really glad you showed up. There have been really awful rumors that you were found dead in the Roshfall Forest. I was pretty much breaking down about the whole thing. I didn't want it to be true."
"Can I ask you a question?"

He grabbed my hand to stop me from cleaning the injury.

I let my hand down quietly and looked at him with an inquiring face.

"Why do you care about me so much? I mean, why do you like me? I need to know what's so extraordinary about me."

I blushed at his question.

"Well."

I reached down for the bandage and began binding it around his arm.

I don't know what it is about him.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. There's something about you. You're honest, you tell what you feel. I guess I kind of deserved what you said to me that night. I had no right to tell you that someone wouldn't know you're alive. I--"
"Oh, you're talking about Rinoa?"
"Yeah."
"Your tears do mean something to me Quistis. You don't know how much I wanted to just throw myself into an ocean, or jump off of a cliff for hurting the only person that listens to me; the only person fond of me. The main reason I pushed you away is because I didn't want to get close to anyone, since the feeling of tranquility would eventually go away. I didn't want to long for it again."

I looked down at the blood soaked rag.

Listening to him say these words to me made me want to throw myself in his arms and ask him to escape with me to someplace beautiful. I'd promise him that I'd never hurt him like that. I'd vow to him that he'd wake up beside me each morning.

When I looked back up, his eyes were fixated on me; glistening, holding back tears of misery, regret, and uncertainty.

"No one's ever made me feel the way you do. I'm living in a world of mental images. I've been trying to revive something that's died a long time ago. Sometimes, I'd look at Rinoa and want to run up to her and beg her to at least touch me. Remind her that I still care, and think about her when it's hard to sleep at night. But then, when I see you, I realize that I didn't have to beg for someone to worry about me, because, you do it without asking."

He flinched as water swam into his wound.

"All of my life I've been so afraid to open up to people mainly because I'm the one who isn't supposed to feel. Hurting people comes freely because it's all that's been done to me. No one had stopped to ask me how I'm doing. No one cares to notice that some days I'm more silent that others. No one seems to recognize me when I walk into a room unless I create a diversion. "

Everything about him came flowing down his cheeks; his tortured, sheltered life, while I sat and watched.

He stood up, and turned his face from me. I walked to the front of him.

I wanted to touch him. Comfort him, and tell him that I do notice when he walks into rooms. I notice when he becomes silent suddenly. I notice how much air he breathes in each day.

Without thinking, I reached out and ran my hand down his face. His tears soaked into my fingers and I could feel everything he felt. The damage done to him was something I could relate with so accurately.

He stood there defenseless, as I continued. I ran my fingers across his eyebrows.

"I'll take care of you Seifer."

Looking at me, he raised his hand cautiously and stroked my hair.

.

"I need you Seifer."

His eyes shifted left and right analyzing mine as he's done before; this time as if asking "Are you sure?"

He moved forward, and delicately put his lips on mine.

God. Please freeze this moment. Don't let it end.

He pulled me closer to him and I just gave in. I stood there helpless, melting with each kiss he took. His hands traveled down to my waist giving me a firm hug, trying to pull me in closer and closer. Placing my hand behind his neck, I began stroking his hair.

He had a beautiful taste.

Before I knew it, we were backing up moving towards my bed; the only space between us was when we stopped to breathe and even that was scarce.

I finally pulled myself away and removed my robe. The ends of my hair were still a bit wet from the bath and I got this unusual feeling as water drops trickled down my back. Dropping my only form of clothing to the ground, I felt my face become a warm crimson color at the thought of standing naked in front of Seifer Almasy.

He looked down at the robe, back at me, and moved me slowly to the bed positioning him onto me.

I was waiting for any moment now, when I'd wake up, and find out that this was only an illusion, but as his kisses swallowed me, I knew it was real.

Extending my arms, I reached down and began to unbuckle his belt. He reached down quickly, and stopped me.

"Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?"

Giving him my approval, I continued removing it.

.

Things were happening so fast. Before I knew it, he asked me if he could enter me. I was so nervous. Having such a deprived childhood; I never had affection like this before. But I was calmed down as he stroked my hair and kissed my fingertips.

"Yes."

He slowly pushed into me. It was a beautiful kind of pain; one that I couldn't get enough of. It caused me to cry in a low tone, which made him to come to a sudden halt.

"Do you want me to stop?"

Breathing hard with my eyes closed, I told him to continue as I pulled him closer to me.

The world I lived in was quickly recovered from its death a day ago. The sound of laughter and everything considered radiant was flowing into my head. My whole universe was spinning. It was like I was in a trance. I was no longer roaming the earth alone; I had Seifer's hand held in mine.

I pressed my lips tight, trying to silence the sound of pleasure but it slipped out every now and then. Running my fingers down his arms, I was careful not to touch the bandaged area.

"You're so heavenly."

He traced his fingers over my closed eyelids. To my surprise, he left them feeling warm.

"I adore you Quistis, you make my life flawless."

I opened my eyes, and looked at him.

"Do you know how long I've waited to hear someone say that to me?"

I smiled happily, pulled his lips to mine and slowly, daintily kissed him.

.

[All that no one sees; you see deep inside of me. Every nerve that hurts; you heal.]
-Björk