Soundless Music

"Why aren't you crying, Zell?" "A few years of torment can teach you a few things." Zell grunted from another blow of Seifer's magic in a no- mercy battle. Blood began to sting Zell's left eye. His strength was depleted and his energy shot. Another hit. Another bolt of pain. He felt himself waver and fall sideways against the earth. There was a slight moment of drunken consciousness mixed with pain before blackness. The world closed its door and he was alone in darkness for what felt like two seconds, yet longer indeed.

Sheets, white and blue in color, surrounded his head. He was in his dorm room; still sore but patched up like a pair of trousers. He tried to keep his eyes open, but seeing any type of color was rather headache forming so he decided against it. "Crybaby Zell, you stupid ass, why did you have to take me on, huh? Damn it!" The voice sounded far away, like it was over a muffled loud speaker. Zell knew who it was though.

"You idiot, why do you hate me so much? I saw that look in your eyes! You fuckin' despise me! It's not like what I did was really my fault. The Goddamn sorceress bitch was controlling me! I don't even remember half of it! The other half is kinda...fuzzy." Zell heard Seifer stand and turn, so he managed a peak at the larger blonde through squinted eyes. The other was pacing the room, wearing an imaginary hole in the floor. He turned profile to show the immense disappointment and confusion. Zell closed his eyes again and settled. "Why are you so unmanageable? Why." Seifer dropped the end of his sentence into the deadly silence. Zell knew he wasn't discovered as being awake, but Seifer did discover himself in an odd way. Zell didn't know which way though. "Fuck this, you'll be fine. Talking to an unconscious person is like talking to a corpse." Seifer left like a storm, leaving a bit of destruction in his wake. Zell let a slow and easy sigh escape his lips.

The martial arts master drifted in an out of sleep, every once and awhile glancing at the red numbers on his alarm clock. Five forty-one.Six seventeen.Eight thirty-two. Somewhere around nine, there came three tightly woven knocks at his door. Clamoring himself out of bed, he reached for the knob and answered the only way he knew how: big and loud! "HEY! WHAT'S UP?!" He froze. It was Seifer. The Gun blade Specialist was in a performed pose: One foot on the wall, leg bent, back leaning and head cocked to one side.

Zell blinked as he met Seifer's emerald green eyes. "Wow, I banged you up pretty good, eh, Chicken Wuss?" Zell went on defensive, "Call me that again, you fuckin' ass, and there'll never be a next time." Seifer grinned and through up his hands lazily, acting like he was scared. He shook his head and pushed off the wall, "I could say that isn't likely, but you need to rest and keep your temper down in two ways. So, I suppose I'll spare you that ONE luxury. Can I come in? THANKS!"

Zell sighed as he was pushed by, not roughly, but enough for Seifer to maintain his cocky self. "You're welcome," Zell replied sarcastically as he shut the door. Seifer sprawled out over the bed, his white trench coat falling open enough to show his bare chest, six pack flexed relaxing like. Zell's eyes touched the sigh before giving him the urge to sigh. He took a seat.very slowly.in a near by chair.

He heard Seifer snicker momentarily, rolling on to his and propping his head up with his hand. "So, how bad ya hurting, pretty boy?" Zell growled and flexed his own bare upper body painfully as he sat up to fix his loose sweat pants. "Why do you care?" Seifer laughed and sat up, "Because I want to know how GOOD I am!" Zell let a small growl writhe its way from the depths of his throat, "If that's all you came here for, there's the door. I hope it hits you on the way out."

Seifer shook his head and smiled, reach over and beginning to casually go through Zell's drawers and such. He withdrew something Zell couldn't see and stuck it in his pocket. By that point, the martial arts master was at his wit's end. He stood, but a little too quickly. Zell cringed slightly and had to lean on the chair for only a few moments, looking at Seifer, who in turn, looked up at him and shook his head again. "Man, I really fucked you up, didn't I?" Taking Zell firmly by the arm, not enough to hurt him, Seifer led him to the bed and laid him down. "Don't go through my shit, Seifer," was all Zell could muster in an angry voice.

Seifer withdrew a salve and gave a growl of annoyance, " Zell, you idiot! THIS is what I was looking for. Since we both used up all of our cure magic, you have to heal the old fashion way until we can find someone with a fucking curaga!" Zell was speechless in any case. He couldn't say anything if he wanted to. So he decided to just lay back and enjoy the coolness that was being applied to his wounds.

"Why are you doing this?" Seifer just smirked, "I need a training partner, don't I? Squall is too busy teaching classes, same for Quistis, and I don't like to train with anyone else." Zell laid his head back and stared at the ceiling, "But you hate me." The burst of laughter that echoed off the walls drew and pulled on Zell's temper, "What the fuck is so funny?" "You think I hate you. Okay, I don't like you, but I don't hate you either. So I get to help you gain fighting experience WHILE kicking your ass!" Zell gave a slight twitch of his shoulders, supposedly a shrug. "Makes sense."

"Chicken Wuss." Seifer muttered.

"Asshole." Zell replied.

"Bastard."

"Jerk-off."

They both looked at each other and smirked, laughing a bit. Three knocks came at the door, sounding somewhat excited. Seifer stood, strutting towards it, only to be surprised and knocked back by an excited Selphie. Shit. "Dude, dude, dude, dude, dude!" Zell looked up, "What, what, what?!" She stopped and stared at him with an odd look, "What happened to you?" Zell returned her look. She shook her head, "Guess what?!" Zell twisted his head in an angle and squinted his eyes, pretending to think for a moment before answering her sarcastically, "There's a giant meteor hurtling towards the planet and we're all doomed unless Seifer can pass a SEED Test, which is a fat chance." Zell rocked himself painfully with laughter at the dumbfounded look on Selphie's face, not to mention the venomous glare on Seifer's. "That was a cheap shot, Dintch." Zell shrugged. "Still good."

Selphie growled, "Listen to me! Squall wants your help to demonstrate some Karate stuff tomorrow at nine. Can ya make it?" Zell glanced at Seifer. That was when their battle time was scheduled. "No.I can't make it. I have a date. How about Monday, at four?" Selphie looked at him again; "I can see why ya moved it."

Seifer stepped forward, "Speaking of which, Selphie, do you have any curagas? We used all of ours." She thought for a moment before smiling and nodding, "I do have some indeed." She smiled and curtsied to Seifer before beginning her magic on Zell.

After awhile, Zell stood, taking the patches off, "Thanks, Selph." She smiled her silly little grin, "No prob!" And took off to tell Squall what he had said. Seifer watched her go, yelling "nice ass" after her. She glanced back, "Bite me!" "Where?" Seifer replied with a grin. Zell snickered and tossed the patches in the trash. "Ya know? You've come a long way since last year, before the war."' Seifer glanced up and shook his head, handing Zell his normal clothing, "Don't get all praise full on me. I might have to kill you next time." Zell shrugged.

The tattooed man glances at the Gun blade Specialist, asking a question out of the blue, "Do you think I hate you and am unmanageable?" Seifer's face drained of all color as he looked up, "What? You were awake?" Zell nodded. Seifer thought, "It was right after a heated battle. I was just blowing off steam. Why do you care?" Zell shook his head, "No changing the subject and you weren't blowing off steam. Why are you really being civil to me?" Seifer peaked the ends in his eyebrows, the special crease wrinkling his nose, which was famous for him being ultimately ticked off. "HEY! I already explained this." Zell pushed out a growl, "You're not telling the whole fucking story! You're lying!" Seifer stood closer to him, towering over him by four inches. Zell didn't back down. "Look, Dintch, we're no six anymore! I don't have to tell you everything!" The watery blue met Seifer's fiery depths, finding for one moment the real reason. He held on to it and slowly piped up the courage to say it, "You like me.Like lover- like me.Don't cha?"

CRACK! Zell was on the floor, holding his jaw. Seifer stood above him, his face turning red from anger and embarrassment. "Fuck you, Zell. Fuck you." Zell's eyes lifted to see only the end of the white trench coat leaving his room. "Ugh. He called me by my first name with nothing attached. He DOES adore me." The Martial Arts Master leaned his head back, tasting the sweetness of blood in his mouth. He was, again, very much alone.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Seifer sat in the cafeteria early one morning, facing the window, watching the smoke from his cigarette curl in the sunlight and floating into the air. He sighed and looked into his coffee mug. He needed a refill. Fujin glanced at him stand with her one good eye before resting her sight behind a closed lid.

It had been four days since he took time to train with Zell, or even see him. After Zell discovered his secret, he had been too angry and embarrassed to even look him in the eyes. Seifer missed being able to gaze into those drowning spiritual pools. What surprised him the most was that he was actually admitting this to HIMSELF. He missed a lot of things: the way his pearly white teeth would show in a smile when he landed a shot, the way his muscles bunched during an attack. But what Seifer missed the most was the way they left the training center. Together.

Taking a seat again without even looking up, he glanced into his coffee to watch he swirling reflection. "What am I going to do, Fuu? He knows." While Seifer was so intent on his vision and self-ridicule, he had failed to notice, Fujin was replaced by Zell. "Ask him out. Maybe he'll say yes." Seifer laughed, "Are you joking? He's probably willingly ruined my reputation by now. And even if he did say yes, I still wouldn't.know." Seifer looked up, ".how to act."

Zell stared at him as he watched the crease of Seifer's eyebrows smooth to a blank, "Oh-shit" look. Zell smiled slowly, "Fujin told me to come early for you and a bite of the best breakfast hot-dog there ever was. I don't think she meant the real hot-dogs." Seifer's expressions slowly slid into a smirk then laugh, tasting of true ring, like Zell's.

People began to pour into the cafeteria like ants, moving about with anticipation. Today was an exam day and people were dying to get out on the town as early as possible to relax before the big test. Seifer glanced at him, "Care to go to the back of the training center?" Zell nodded, "Let's."

Later on, Zell shook his head as he listened to why Seifer had nearly died while keeping the secret that haunted him for four weeks. "That's a long time." Seifer nodded. The crease returned. Zell smiled and stood, "I think you need to kick a little ass. Get up. We'll go fight." Seifer grinned and laughed, raising his sight finally. "I can beat you any day, anywhere, anytime!" Zell smirked, "Oh BULLSHIT! Don't think I didn't train when we weren't with each other! I took on a TWO T-Rex and fucked them up!" Seifer stood and glared with a smirk, getting in his face like he would anyone, "HA! I'm more than that, you Wuss! You can't fuck with me!" Zell's features softened. They were so.close. The martial arts master's voice sounded first, "I think.I have a.good idea of.how."

If he had more, it was chopped off by the caress of lips from the other male. The kiss fell into a hopeless passion, the tastes peaking the senses of both men. Roaming hands fell over the buttons and claps and zippers of the other, clothing peeling away. Soon each stood entirely nude in front of each other. Seifer's face began to redden until Zell stepped back and nodded in major approval. Seifer howled with laughter, "I'm glad you like it. I have it polished every day." Zell returned to the warmth of his body and smiled, "Good." With a sudden trip, Seifer found himself being supported by Zell's arms. Damn, the little one was strong for his size.

"So Seifer, being the hopeless romantic that I am, care for a floor dance?" Zell grinned. Seifer, holding his arms close to his chest, fluttered his eyes, "Oh yes, Zell, my sexy bitch, I would love to!" Zell laughed, but was cut short as Seifer pulled him to the floor, both on the edge of the blankets they had brought. Oh yes, both had planned to stay the night since no one except them two ever goes out there anymore. It became their training place. Cross the boundaries and die. But at the moment, Seifer and Zell didn't have boundaries.

Zell's lips skimmed over the surface of Seifer's skin, trailing kisses down towards ample nipples that replied to his touch. The martial arts master arched his back slightly like a cat, rubbing his stiff member against Seifer's erection, a tease indeed. Satisfaction came as he was allowed to hear a moan escape the tall blonde's lips, intensifying it with the use of his talented tongue. Seifer grabbed the blanket under them as he felt the cooling trail of saliva that traced over his chest.

There was a gasp and involuntary buck of hips as Seifer felt the head of his lower organ being tampered with by something appealing; or more over, someone. There was teasing and then there was torture; Seifer wouldn't have been able to tell the difference if someone offered him a cookie! His hips were dying to buck upwards again, threatening to gag Zell, but the smaller blonde held them against the floor with his weight. Fingertips danced over the insides of Seifer's thighs, driving him insane as he cries out, finally managing a hard buck to meet the hard final grasp of Zell's mouth. A shudder moved through out his body, something that clouded his mind into oblivion. One thing held strong though: the thought of Zell.

Zell moved up his body slowly and planted a light kiss on his lips, letting Seifer taste the bitter sweetness that had come from himself. Zell leaned over him and reached into the small pack he had brought with him, looking at Seifer as he did so. "Seifer.I-" Seifer cut him off with a cover of his mouth, "I am yours to lead, oh Yoda." Zell smiled and pulled down a bottle of lubricant. Seifer stayed calm but tilted his head slightly, still as compliant as ever. Not like him in real life. Maybe it was just because he wasn't used to this yet. Soon, Zell would be able to sit back and let Seifer lead, but for now.

Zell prepared two fingers and moved them down slowly, teasing Seifer's cleft. He watched Seifer's eyes roll back as his hips lifted off the ground, giving Zell a bit more access. Worried about him, he tested with his fingers for about a minute, giving him a soft kiss on his chest as he played about a bit more. Eventually, Seifer became hard all over again. Zell timed it perfectly. He pushed on his knees and lifted himself above Seifer, placing the head of his manhood at the edge of Seifer's entrance, "Are you sure?" Seifer nodded, "I'm new. Teach me, oh Yoda." Zell snickered before leaning over to kiss his neck, slowly, easing his way in, like a gentleman.

There was a gasp that escaped Seifer's mouth, each breath quivering slightly with tremors. Finally, there was quick out-crying as Zell reached the sensitive areas, pressing against him. Zell waited, reaching down with one hand to fondle the tall blonde a bit for comfort. Seifer leaned over and began teasing the skin under his ear, pulling on it slightly with soft sucking, leaving no marks to persuade anyone of looking in at them. Zell withdrew a little and thrust once.twice. They touched a rhythm, Seifer's nails digging into the back of the smaller blonde, his head hanging over the other's shoulder.

This continued until Zell found himself peaking, as well as Seifer. The taller blonde had the pleasure of relaxing while Zell had his fun as well as providing it willfully. There was the same oblivion that occupied him before, except it was intensified, better than the first time. For in the crazy fogginess of reality, Zell was with him, right beside his body. When it disappeared, he was still there, slumped over each other's forms like corn stalks.

Finally, they were resting in each other's arms, looking above at the stars, watching them with silent interest. Music played in the background somewhere from a dorm window from around the corner. Zell glanced at Seifer as the Gun blade Specialist listened to him speak, "You know our reputations will be ruined if anyone ever finds out." Seifer thought for a moment before replying, "I won't tell if you won't." Zell nodded and got a little closer, "I'm okay with that for awhile." Another kiss. The morning was approaching. Thank God for off-days.

~FIN~











April 09, 2002