Blood Brothers
WARNINGS: (Only applies to certain chapter) Implied yaoi
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* = Time/Place/POV changeß it's all written in 3rd person. Stupid me. I may choose to do a small 1st person later, but I'll warn you.
Chapter 2
Zell awoke to pounding on his door and a throbbing in his head. He heard a woman's voice, but it was fading in and out. He pulled the pillow next to him over his head to stop the noise. He willed the woman to go away, but it wasn't happening. She just _kept _knocking.
"Shut dup!" he finally yelled at the woman, his patience breaking. There was blessed silence for a moment, before it was shattered into a million pieces.
"Chicken-wuss!" an obviously male voice boomed through the door, sending Zell into a state of panic. He scrambled up from his bed, ran to the door, and bolted his extra lock before you could say, 'I'm back.' Zell got down on the ground and looked through the small crack underneath the door. He saw three pairs of shoes; he knew that Quistis was out there, the high heels said all, and he could've sworn he'd heard someone call him chicken-wuss----but Seifer couldn't be back. He couldn't.
"Chickie chikie chikie! Time to come out and play! You can't be afraid of little old me, can you?"
Zell immediately, on reflex, yelled out, "Don't call me that!!" Zell grimaced at his words. He'd wanted Seifer to think he wasn't there. "Waddya want, Seifer?" Suddenly the smaller blonde was greeted with Seifer's face. Seifer was leaning down close to the floor, and they could see each other through the crack between the door and the ground. Seifer was smirking, and Zell jumped back from the door, his memories of all the times Seifer had punched him in the gut rushing back to him in a moment. Zell scowled at him through the door.
Quistis face soon joined Seifer's, and she said, "Zell, today is your first day as an assistant Instructor, remember? Seifer will be one of your students." She pulled back and Squall's face replaced hers.
"Zell, come out of your room. You still have to clear up a few things with Headmaster Cid; he called for you and Seifer."
Zell unbolted the door and poked his head out; he was greeted with the site of three impatient people who were all glaring daggers at him.
Quistis and Squall both walked away; out of the corner on his eye Zell saw Nida walk up and wrap his arms around Quistis. Zell glanced at Seifer, who, unusually, didn't make a crack out of Zell's taste in nightwear. (blue bunnies on a pink background)
"Ready to go, chickie?" asked Seifer, making a show out of tapping Hyperion on his shoulder.
"No, I'm not! And DON'T call me that!" replied Zell hotly. "I have to change!"
"Why?" Seifer drawled, "I like this just fine." As if too emphasize his point, he reached up and stroked one of the bunnies near Zell's collar. Zell jumped back as if stabbed with a hot poker. Seifer's sneer returned to his face. "You've got five minutes. Hurry up."
Zell needed no more nudging, and he quickly turned around and slammed the door in Seifer's face --just a bit harder than necessary. The smaller blonde never failed to amuse Seifer.
Zell was dressed in 2 minutes, and had just had enough time to drag a comb through his hair. No, he didn't gel his hair. It all stuck up on it's own, contrary to popular belief. Zell careened out of the door; he'd already forgotten that Seifer would be waiting for him. The smaller blonde ran into Seifer, and was promptly sprawled out several feet away. The blonde merely sneered and offered Zell a hand. The martial artist looked dumbly at Seifer's offered hand, and Seifer stood there for a few moments before waving his hand in front of Zell's face. The boy snapped out of his reverie, and slowly took Seifer's outstretched hand.
"C'mon, chicken-wuss, I don't want to get kicked out again on my first day back." The moment of sincerity was ruined by Seifer's smart remark. Zell quickly dropped the gunblader's hand and scowled. "Don't.Call.Me.That."
Seifer ignored Zell's request and said, "I'm getting tired of waiting. Let's go up to the Headmaster's office already, chicken-wuss."
Zell regarded the other man warily, and took a few tentative steps in the direction of the elevator. Seifer threw up his hands in frustration, and started walking swiftly toward the lift. Zell immediately started to tag along behind him like a dog following a master. A million questions were going through Zell's head as they boarded the lift, and he choose one of the worst ones.
"Don't call me CHICKEN-WUSS! You should be dead! How the hell did you get back here?!" Zell practically screamed out while Seifer pushed the elevator's button.
The martial artist quickly covered his mouth with his hand. He slowly backed into an angle of the lift like a cat when it's cornered. Seifer gradually turned around. The suppressed anger in his eye's made Zell gulp internally. Seifer slowly stalked over to Zell's corner and picked up the lithe SeeD by his shirt.
The smaller blonde closed his eyes, waiting for the Sword of Damocles to fall. Zell felt Seifer's hot breath on his cheek, and the painful jab in his rear where the buttons of the control panel were pushing into his back. He clenched his eye's shut harder, hoping that whatever Seifer was going to do would be quick. When he felt Seifer's knee slide in-between his legs, Zell's eyes flew wide open and he softly gasped.
DING
Seifer immediately let go of Zell, letting him fall the two feet to the ground. Zell lay there, gasping for breath; -- why he was panting, he couldn't think of. The elevator door started to shut on him, but a gloved hand stopped it.
"Come on, Zell." Seifer said. He sounded defeated. "Cid's still waiting for us." Zell once again was presented with a hand, which he took without question. Both men walked down the hall to Cid's office in uneasy silence. Zell interrupted the silence with a barely audible apology.
SeiferI'mreallysorryforsayingthatintheelevatorandcouldyoupleasepleasepleasenotbeatmeup?" Zell took a deep, steadying breath.
Seifer looked amusedly at the smaller man. "Repeat that, I didn't understand. I don't speak chicken." Zell, showing how grown-up he could be, took a deep breath and dismissed Seifer's barb. "I said that I was sorr-" Seifer interrupted him, "It doesn't matter. Answers to your questions- I don't know how I'm alive, or why, for that matter, 'cause I certainly don't wish to be, and as to how I got here—I was escorted be 30 armed Estharian soldiers." Zell stared at Seifer like he was crazy.
"What?" Seifer asked, exasperated. Usually the chickie was as easy as a book to read, but Zell's expression was one Seifer couldn't recall seeing on the smaller boy's face. Zell looked down. "Nothin'…" He scuffed his feet together before continuing down the hall.
When they reached Cid's office, Seifer took the initiation to knock on his door; three sharp taps. They both saw Headmaster Cid poke his rather large head outside of his office before opening the door for them.
"Hello, hello! This meeting mostly concerns Zell, but I've still got a few things to talk over with you, Seifer." Seifer's face showed no sign of outward emotion, not even his usual smirk. "So this is probably about the 'terms' you mentioned when you said I could come back to Garden, eh?" The Headmaster nodded slowly. "Yes, partly. Please, take a seat." He motioned carelessly to the two black seats parallel to his desk.
Cid shifted in his chair, looking like a caged bird, before he turned to Zell. "Zell, I'm going to have to ask you to go into the other room for this." He pointed to a small door that Zell had never noticed before.
"Sure…" the martial artist's usual spunk seemed drained as he walked slowly toward the small door. As he opened it, he heard Cid and Seifer talking in the background. When he crossed the threshold of the room, the sight he saw was not an expected one.
"MATRON!" Zell rushed to the woman's side and promptly hugged her. She smiled at him, her eyes crinkled around the edges.
"Hello Zell! It's so good to see you, my child! How have you been these past days?" Edea asked. Zell pretended to consider the question-, "Aww, you know me, Matron! I'm always happy!" To prove his point he gave her a fanged smile.
"That's nice to know. What about the others? Is Squall still that brooding child?" Edea rearranged a bundle in her arms.
"Yea, Squall's still like he was at the Orphanage…" Zell trailed off.
Edea noticed Zell's unhappiness and switched to a different subject. "Have you met Seifer yet?" Zell immediately thought back to the elevator incident, and he paused a minute before replying. "…Yes." Edea noticed the flash of uncertainty that had crossed Zell's face, but didn't comment on it.
"You know that this is the safest place for Seifer to be now, right?" Edea asked Zell carefully, looking over his every expression. "Whadda mean?! Seifer could destroy Balamb Garden!!" Zell jumped up from his perch on Edea's rocking chair and started waving wildly with his hands. "I mean, if he got into the control room, there'd be hell to pay!"
Edea looked sternly in Zell's direction. "Zell Dincht, come sit down." Zell shuffled back over to Edea. "Now Zell, you know I didn't mean Seifer would endanger you, I meant Seifer is in danger." Zell looked like he'd had his brains fried. "Seifer, in danger?" He laughed.
Edea tried to keep from rolling her eyes. "Yes, Seifer in danger. The Galbadian army would like nothing better than to kill him and get revenge."
"Matron, you know as well as I do that Seifer can take care of himself! And guess what?!! They made me his assistant Instructor! Can you believe it?! Out of every hynedam-"
A baby's crying interrupted the martial artist's rant. "Huh…? Wha-? Matron, what's in the bundle?" Zell looked slightly apprehensive.
Matron smiled deceptively. "A baby, of course."
Zell shook his head. "Have you and Cid been at it again? What are you, 48 years old? Really, Matron!"Matron blushed and said "Of course not! Well, not that Cid and I haven't had any romance.." she cleared her throat "..but of course the baby isn't mine! In fact, he's the real reason you've been called her."
She pulled the baby out from underneath her shawl and showed the little baby to Zell. Edea traced a finger down the small child's left cheek.
The martial artist didn't say anything (for a change), but merely looked at the small bundle that Matron held before approaching the child. The baby's whole left cheek was red, and down the side was an exact duplicate of Zell's tattoo.
AN: A ty to Shootinstar, my 1st reviewer. Sorry about the extra space, I type on a WORD doc. so the spaces are doubled. I'll try to remember to re-check my spaces before posting. To gigglyplex, thank you for your kind words. As to elaborating on Nida/Quistis relationship, if I can fit it into the story, I will. This will be action-oriented, and will revolve around Zell, but I'll find somewhere…^^ Any C/C are welcome, as are flames. I don't see what's so bad about them. *shrugs* And WHO thought of making Zell an assistant Instructor?! Me, of course. *smiles sweetly* Also, this may be YAOI, 'cause one of my friends *waves to A Voice in the Wind* asked for it to be.
