Chapter Two: Lost In Blue Eyes
"What happened?" Zell asked, his strong hands moving from her arms to her shoulders. Rinoa looked up, taken aback by his beautiful blue eyes. She had never really looked into them. She was lost. Lost in blue eyes.
Rinoa shook her head, her raven hair flowing in the soft breeze that came in through open windows. "It's…it's embarrassing, really."
She offered a weak laugh. Zell scoffed at her obvious pain. She was trying to hide it from him. This he new.
"Tell me," he said, helping her up from her uncomfortable position, sprawled out on the cold marble floor.
"I…I can't," Rinoa mumbled, her simple words rich with modesty.
Zell let out a soft sigh. His blue eyes looked at her. So calm, yet a fierce anger could be seen deep within them.
Those beautiful, fierce blue eyes.
"Please?" Zell managed, desperate to get through to his raven-haired friend.
She flashed a feeble smile at the spiky-haired blond, and bowed her head slightly. "I just found out something."
"About who?" Zell asked, cocking his neck to the side.
"Squall," Rinoa said shortly.
"Whatcha' find out?" Zell inquired in his adorable child-like accent.
"He's gay," Rinoa whispered, barely loud enough for Zell to hear. "Him and Seifer are gay. They've been gay together for a while now. Off and on, they said. They said that they didn't want to hurt me. It's like I couldn't take it or something. That I was too weak."
"You're not weak at all, Rinoa," Zell said, doing his best to heal the broken heart of his porcelain-faced friend.
Rinoa offered a small smile, nodding slightly. "Thank you," she replied in a sweet voice.
"Of course!" Zell said eagerly, flashing his fang-like canines at a broken-hearted Rinoa.
"But…I'm still hurting," Rinoa murmured.
"I understand," Zell replied, patting Rinoa gently on the back. Even though he was touching her oh so gently, she could feel his incredible strength screaming through his large hands. She nearly swooned in his heavenly touch.
"I'll…I'll be fine," Rinoa whispered. "I can heal."
"Of course you can," Zell said with a small smile. He wanted to help Rinoa cheer up. He hated seeing her so sad. Hell, he hated seeing *anyone* sad, for that matter.
"I…I think I'll…be going now," Rinoa mumbled, not wanting to leave Zell.
"You don't have ta' leave if ya' don't wanna'," Zell replied happily, flashing a grin at the beautiful dark-haired girl.
"Thanks," Rinoa said, nodding. "But…but I…I guess I should. I mean, if I didn't go back to my dorm, then where would I go?"
"If you wanna' talk about it, I'm here for you," Zell offered, closing in on the small distance between him and Rinoa.
"…Thank you," Rinoa said, looking up at the powerful blonde.
"Sure," Zell said with a smile.
"Um…About your offer?" Rinoa managed, tugging at her silver pendant with her small hands.
"Yeah?" Zell asked, tilting his head up in response.
"I wanna' take it. I…I *do* wanna' talk about it. Um…but not here…" Rinoa forced, fighting the emotions that swelled within her broken heart.
"I know," Zell replied, nodding. "We could go to the Secret Area if you want."
The Secret Area. Oh thank Hyne for that beautiful place! The secret area, hidden by the depths of the Training Center…Those three, simple words were like music to her ears.
"The Secret Area?" Rinoa repeated. "So…so nobody would be there?"
"Nah," Zell replied. "All the students who sneak out after hours always end up back in their dorms by midnight."
"I see," Rinoa said, nodding. "Well, shall we go?"
"Yeah," Zell said, blue eyes bold and daring.
She found herself once again, lost in those beautiful blue eyes.
"Well, here we are," Zell said, panting slightly after a surprise battle with a T-Rexaur.
Rinoa came in a few seconds later, wiping dropleats of sweat from her forehead. "Thank Hyne…I'm exhausted!"
Zell nodded. "The T-Rexaurs seem to be getting stronger and stronger everyday. Before ya' know it they'll all overrun Garden."
"That'd be bad," Rinoa said, smiling slightly.
She felt so much better when around Zell. She almost forgot how her heart was broken. She almost forgot the fact that Squall was gay with Seifer.
"Yeah," Zell breathed, shaking his head. He was exhausted. That T- Rexaur had been pretty strong, even to him. And he was easily the strongest fighter at Garden. He had done all the fighting in the battle. Rinoa merely summoned Carbuncle to keep their defenses up and cast a few Cure spells when needed.
Heading over to the edge of the Secret Area, Zell reached at the thin sleeves of his black muscle shirt, pulled it over his head, and continued walking.
With his sweaty shirt in his hand, he strode over to railing, and leaned on it.
Rinoa stood, speechless. She looked in awe at his shirtless body. So many muscles…
Swallowing a moan of awe, Rinoa walked slowly over to the railing, pacing herself. If she walked too closely she could look strange…Walking so fast, just after she had her heart tragically broken.
"I…I guess we finally made it," Rinoa said, offering a smile once she ended up beside Zell.
"Of course!" Zell said, grinning as he looked down at Rinoa.
"So…where should I start?" Rinoa asked.
Zell didn't know what Rinoa meant, and so he rose a pale eyebrow in confusion. He offered a shy smile, a pink color coming to his cheeks. She could tell he didn't have a clue as to what she meant. Letting out a small laugh, Rinoa touched his arm.
"I'm talking about…you know…" Rinoa trailed off, removing her hand from his strong forearm.
"I see," Zell said, nodding. His cheeks returned to their normal color, and his smile faltered. He knew exactly what she meant now. She was confiding her feelings in him. How Squall's homosexuality really effected her.
"I…Well, I passed the SeeD Exam I took this afternoon. Instructor Trepe told me. She said I made a 78. I was so happy…So, naturally I wanted to tell Squall. And so I ran. I ran down the hall, and I kept on running. It seemed so close, yet so far away. And…and when I got there, I knocked. It took a while, but Squall finally answered the door. And…just by how he was acting, I could tell something was wrong. And just as I was leaving, I heard something. I heard someone's voice, and so I followed it. I ignored Squall, and then went into the bedroom. And in his closet, that's where I found him…"
"Seifer?" Zell asked softly.
"Seifer," Rinoa repeated, closing her eyes. The tears were swelling in her beautiful brown eyes. Not now. She couldn't cry now. Not in front of Zell.
She felt a powerful hand touch her shoulder. Zell was comforting her. He was comforting her again.
"It'll be okay," Zell said, nodding. "You shouldn't worry about it too much. I mean…there's plenty of fish in the sea."
Yes, but you're the fish that I want, Rinoa thought.
"Thank you," Rinoa whispered, opening her eyes as she felt Zell's hand moving from her shoulder to her cheek.
He looked down at her with those beautiful blue eyes. Wiping at her tears, she smiled up at the handsome blonde.
Her eyes traced the exotic tattoo on the left side of his face, and then found his gorgeous blue eyes. As deep as oceans, they shined beautifully in the soft moonlight.
Kiss me, Rinoa begged silently.
But he didn't. He removed his hand from her cheek, and smiled again. His blue eyes were so beautiful. She couldn't look away. It was as if they were grabbing her, turning her into a statuesque version of her former self.
"Well…I guess you're feeling better?" Zell inquired, breaking the silence.
"…Yes," Rinoa managed, suddenly sad at the fact that Zell didn't kiss her.
"I'm glad," Zell said softly, smiling.
Taking a step back, Rinoa forced a small smile. "I guess we should probably go now. We've been gone from our dorms for at least half an hour."
"Yeah," Zell replied, nodding. "Well…here we go."
Reaching for the moist black muscle shirt laying on the railing of the Secret Area, Zell pulled it over his head, and then flashed his canines at Rinoa.
"Ya' ready?" Zell asked.
Rinoa nodded, and then the two left the Secret Area to fight their way back through the Training Center.
"You gonna' be all right?" Zell asked as he escorted Rinoa back to her dorm. "I mean…If you're insecure you can stay at my place. I'll sleep on the floor."
"Thanks, but…but I think I'm fine. Really," Rinoa lied through a fake smile.
I just don't trust myself in a bedroom alone with him, she thought intently.
"Tch," Zell said with a smile. "I'm not a perve!"
Laughing quitely, Rinoa nodded. "I know you're not Zell. And I thank you for that. But really, I'll be fine. See you tomorrow?"
"Of course!" Zell said, grinning.
"All right…Good night, Zell," Rinoa said, opening the door to her dorm and then smiling once more at her spiky-haired friend.
"G'night," Zell said, holding up a hand at Rinoa as she walked into her dorm, and then slowly shut the door behind her.
Walking into the moonlit entry hall, Rinoa walked into the restroom and then turned on the light. Turning, she looked into the mirror, smiling a sad smile at her reflection.
"I'm lost," she whispered. An image of Zell's beautiful face entered her head, looking back at Rinoa, grinning with those adorable canines. "I'm lost in blue eyes…"
TO BE CONTINUED/PLZ R&R
"What happened?" Zell asked, his strong hands moving from her arms to her shoulders. Rinoa looked up, taken aback by his beautiful blue eyes. She had never really looked into them. She was lost. Lost in blue eyes.
Rinoa shook her head, her raven hair flowing in the soft breeze that came in through open windows. "It's…it's embarrassing, really."
She offered a weak laugh. Zell scoffed at her obvious pain. She was trying to hide it from him. This he new.
"Tell me," he said, helping her up from her uncomfortable position, sprawled out on the cold marble floor.
"I…I can't," Rinoa mumbled, her simple words rich with modesty.
Zell let out a soft sigh. His blue eyes looked at her. So calm, yet a fierce anger could be seen deep within them.
Those beautiful, fierce blue eyes.
"Please?" Zell managed, desperate to get through to his raven-haired friend.
She flashed a feeble smile at the spiky-haired blond, and bowed her head slightly. "I just found out something."
"About who?" Zell asked, cocking his neck to the side.
"Squall," Rinoa said shortly.
"Whatcha' find out?" Zell inquired in his adorable child-like accent.
"He's gay," Rinoa whispered, barely loud enough for Zell to hear. "Him and Seifer are gay. They've been gay together for a while now. Off and on, they said. They said that they didn't want to hurt me. It's like I couldn't take it or something. That I was too weak."
"You're not weak at all, Rinoa," Zell said, doing his best to heal the broken heart of his porcelain-faced friend.
Rinoa offered a small smile, nodding slightly. "Thank you," she replied in a sweet voice.
"Of course!" Zell said eagerly, flashing his fang-like canines at a broken-hearted Rinoa.
"But…I'm still hurting," Rinoa murmured.
"I understand," Zell replied, patting Rinoa gently on the back. Even though he was touching her oh so gently, she could feel his incredible strength screaming through his large hands. She nearly swooned in his heavenly touch.
"I'll…I'll be fine," Rinoa whispered. "I can heal."
"Of course you can," Zell said with a small smile. He wanted to help Rinoa cheer up. He hated seeing her so sad. Hell, he hated seeing *anyone* sad, for that matter.
"I…I think I'll…be going now," Rinoa mumbled, not wanting to leave Zell.
"You don't have ta' leave if ya' don't wanna'," Zell replied happily, flashing a grin at the beautiful dark-haired girl.
"Thanks," Rinoa said, nodding. "But…but I…I guess I should. I mean, if I didn't go back to my dorm, then where would I go?"
"If you wanna' talk about it, I'm here for you," Zell offered, closing in on the small distance between him and Rinoa.
"…Thank you," Rinoa said, looking up at the powerful blonde.
"Sure," Zell said with a smile.
"Um…About your offer?" Rinoa managed, tugging at her silver pendant with her small hands.
"Yeah?" Zell asked, tilting his head up in response.
"I wanna' take it. I…I *do* wanna' talk about it. Um…but not here…" Rinoa forced, fighting the emotions that swelled within her broken heart.
"I know," Zell replied, nodding. "We could go to the Secret Area if you want."
The Secret Area. Oh thank Hyne for that beautiful place! The secret area, hidden by the depths of the Training Center…Those three, simple words were like music to her ears.
"The Secret Area?" Rinoa repeated. "So…so nobody would be there?"
"Nah," Zell replied. "All the students who sneak out after hours always end up back in their dorms by midnight."
"I see," Rinoa said, nodding. "Well, shall we go?"
"Yeah," Zell said, blue eyes bold and daring.
She found herself once again, lost in those beautiful blue eyes.
"Well, here we are," Zell said, panting slightly after a surprise battle with a T-Rexaur.
Rinoa came in a few seconds later, wiping dropleats of sweat from her forehead. "Thank Hyne…I'm exhausted!"
Zell nodded. "The T-Rexaurs seem to be getting stronger and stronger everyday. Before ya' know it they'll all overrun Garden."
"That'd be bad," Rinoa said, smiling slightly.
She felt so much better when around Zell. She almost forgot how her heart was broken. She almost forgot the fact that Squall was gay with Seifer.
"Yeah," Zell breathed, shaking his head. He was exhausted. That T- Rexaur had been pretty strong, even to him. And he was easily the strongest fighter at Garden. He had done all the fighting in the battle. Rinoa merely summoned Carbuncle to keep their defenses up and cast a few Cure spells when needed.
Heading over to the edge of the Secret Area, Zell reached at the thin sleeves of his black muscle shirt, pulled it over his head, and continued walking.
With his sweaty shirt in his hand, he strode over to railing, and leaned on it.
Rinoa stood, speechless. She looked in awe at his shirtless body. So many muscles…
Swallowing a moan of awe, Rinoa walked slowly over to the railing, pacing herself. If she walked too closely she could look strange…Walking so fast, just after she had her heart tragically broken.
"I…I guess we finally made it," Rinoa said, offering a smile once she ended up beside Zell.
"Of course!" Zell said, grinning as he looked down at Rinoa.
"So…where should I start?" Rinoa asked.
Zell didn't know what Rinoa meant, and so he rose a pale eyebrow in confusion. He offered a shy smile, a pink color coming to his cheeks. She could tell he didn't have a clue as to what she meant. Letting out a small laugh, Rinoa touched his arm.
"I'm talking about…you know…" Rinoa trailed off, removing her hand from his strong forearm.
"I see," Zell said, nodding. His cheeks returned to their normal color, and his smile faltered. He knew exactly what she meant now. She was confiding her feelings in him. How Squall's homosexuality really effected her.
"I…Well, I passed the SeeD Exam I took this afternoon. Instructor Trepe told me. She said I made a 78. I was so happy…So, naturally I wanted to tell Squall. And so I ran. I ran down the hall, and I kept on running. It seemed so close, yet so far away. And…and when I got there, I knocked. It took a while, but Squall finally answered the door. And…just by how he was acting, I could tell something was wrong. And just as I was leaving, I heard something. I heard someone's voice, and so I followed it. I ignored Squall, and then went into the bedroom. And in his closet, that's where I found him…"
"Seifer?" Zell asked softly.
"Seifer," Rinoa repeated, closing her eyes. The tears were swelling in her beautiful brown eyes. Not now. She couldn't cry now. Not in front of Zell.
She felt a powerful hand touch her shoulder. Zell was comforting her. He was comforting her again.
"It'll be okay," Zell said, nodding. "You shouldn't worry about it too much. I mean…there's plenty of fish in the sea."
Yes, but you're the fish that I want, Rinoa thought.
"Thank you," Rinoa whispered, opening her eyes as she felt Zell's hand moving from her shoulder to her cheek.
He looked down at her with those beautiful blue eyes. Wiping at her tears, she smiled up at the handsome blonde.
Her eyes traced the exotic tattoo on the left side of his face, and then found his gorgeous blue eyes. As deep as oceans, they shined beautifully in the soft moonlight.
Kiss me, Rinoa begged silently.
But he didn't. He removed his hand from her cheek, and smiled again. His blue eyes were so beautiful. She couldn't look away. It was as if they were grabbing her, turning her into a statuesque version of her former self.
"Well…I guess you're feeling better?" Zell inquired, breaking the silence.
"…Yes," Rinoa managed, suddenly sad at the fact that Zell didn't kiss her.
"I'm glad," Zell said softly, smiling.
Taking a step back, Rinoa forced a small smile. "I guess we should probably go now. We've been gone from our dorms for at least half an hour."
"Yeah," Zell replied, nodding. "Well…here we go."
Reaching for the moist black muscle shirt laying on the railing of the Secret Area, Zell pulled it over his head, and then flashed his canines at Rinoa.
"Ya' ready?" Zell asked.
Rinoa nodded, and then the two left the Secret Area to fight their way back through the Training Center.
"You gonna' be all right?" Zell asked as he escorted Rinoa back to her dorm. "I mean…If you're insecure you can stay at my place. I'll sleep on the floor."
"Thanks, but…but I think I'm fine. Really," Rinoa lied through a fake smile.
I just don't trust myself in a bedroom alone with him, she thought intently.
"Tch," Zell said with a smile. "I'm not a perve!"
Laughing quitely, Rinoa nodded. "I know you're not Zell. And I thank you for that. But really, I'll be fine. See you tomorrow?"
"Of course!" Zell said, grinning.
"All right…Good night, Zell," Rinoa said, opening the door to her dorm and then smiling once more at her spiky-haired friend.
"G'night," Zell said, holding up a hand at Rinoa as she walked into her dorm, and then slowly shut the door behind her.
Walking into the moonlit entry hall, Rinoa walked into the restroom and then turned on the light. Turning, she looked into the mirror, smiling a sad smile at her reflection.
"I'm lost," she whispered. An image of Zell's beautiful face entered her head, looking back at Rinoa, grinning with those adorable canines. "I'm lost in blue eyes…"
TO BE CONTINUED/PLZ R&R