Disclaimer: I've run out of funny ways to say that I don't own this.
Grinning Reaper: WOW! 20 whole reviews!! The encouragement continues!! Yay!!
Squall: To all of those who have reviewed...I hate you.....
Seifer: Yeah well this chapter has a special dedication because it's Cliffe's birthday...or at least it was....
Zell: Happy birthday Cliffe!
Selphie: Heyy! It's my birthday in this chapter too!
Grinning Reaper: Coincidence? I think not!
Squall: Can we go ahead and get started?
Grinning Reaper: Lemme think about that...no. First I want to thank everyone who reviewed this. You all mean a lot to me because that tells me that my writing isn't *complete* trash.
Squall: I wouldn't go and say all that now....
Grinning Reaper: ::punches Squall into oblivion:: Okay. We can get started now.
Chapter Four: Second Chances
"/Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Selphie! Happy Birthday to you!/" Quistis, Irvine, Rinoa, Zell, Nida, Xu, and even Squall sang.
"Annnnnd maaaaaaaannny moooooooore!" Nida added with a grin. Selphie giggled and blew out her 18 candles. The happy group had spent the day at the beach in Balamb and had even gotten hotel rooms to stay in for the night. Currently, dusk had fallen and they were having a bonfire.
"So what's it feel like to be 18 finally?" Quistis asked the short brunette. Selphie thought for a moment.
"Really cool!" She said jumping in the air. Everyone laughed.
"So, feel like opening your presents birthday girl?" Irvine asked handing Selphie a square package wrapped in pink with a Cactuar ribbon. Presents were opened, cake was eaten, weenies were roasted and marshmallows were tragically burnt. Zell never *could* get the hang of making s'mores. Speaking of whom, the short blonde was currently sitting beside the fire, staring into the flames.
"Hey Zelly?" Selphie began, leaning over and shaking the shadow boxer's shoulder lightly. "Something the matter?" Zell blinked his blue eyes.
"Huh? Oh. Nah, everything's cool." He said grinning his fanged grin. There was something familiar about this day...something for some reason reminded him of lantern light, birthday jellybeans, truth or dare and romance. He took a sip of his root beer and thought on it. He wasn't particularly fond of root beer, the flavor reminded him of licorice, but that was also the exact same reason that he drank it. Something about the licorice taste made the back of his brain tingle and his lips twitch into an almost half smile.
"You sure?" Selphie persisted. She wasn't used to seeing Zell who was normally noisy and rambunctious so quiet. She wondered if it was because of that girl with the pigtail that was in the library. But really, Zell hadn't been talking about her that much. Not at all actually, the other day she seemed upset when Zell said that he didn't want to hang out with her. It was odd. The one girl Selphie had actually seen Zell take something of a small interest in, her friend suddenly goes and drops. Zell nodded in a vacant sort of manner, his eyes set far away on something and he took another sip of his root beer.
"Okay well we're going in to the hotel now. You wanna come?" Selphie fidgeted, slightly unnerved. Zell looked directly at her for the first time since she had come over to him.
"Nah, that's okay. I think I wanna sit out here for a while. Thanks though." Zell replied smiling. Selphie said that was okay and then left to catch up with her departing friends.
"Zell's been actin' funny." She said as Irvine wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"He had a little to drink." Quistis replied. "He's....different when he has alcohol. He does some pretty funny things actually."
"He had a crush on me once." Squall said suddenly. "When he was 16 he said." Rinoa blinked. "He told me that when he had been drinking....heh." The brunette added, attempting a laugh.
"He doesn't still does he?" She asked scowling. Squall shook his head.
"Zell's gay?" Irvine looked slightly confused.
"Bi actually...I think." Quistis interjected. Irvine shrugged underneath his heavy coat.
"Makes sense now that I think of it. I thought I saw him staring at my ass when we were on that train." Squall blinked.
"I don't think you're his type." Rinoa made a face.
"Guys why are we talking about this? It's gross. Can we talk about something else?" She asked.
"Yeah sure." Selphie said shooting Quistis and Xu a look. They both seemed considerably more solemn since Rinoa's remark.
Zell tipped his head back and took in a deep breath. A brisk wind blew in his face and his loose flaxen locks tickled his cheeks. He grinned.
"What a great day." He murmured. He swam; played volleyball (his team kicked everyone's ass!) ate, laughed, helped Irvine and Selphie throw Squall off the pier, ate, danced and ate. He stood and brushed off his long khaki shorts. He began walking, not headed in any particular direction, just walking. It was nice to walk. It helped him think. He knew what he was partly remembering was from one of Selphie's birthdays. He could remember that much. Slowly, images and voices started to creep out of the fog. Zell, who had made it back to the fire, sat down with a thunk suddenly.
"Wow." He whispered. Then he said louder: "I can't believe Irvine!" Where upon he made a resolution to himself to do something really nasty to the cowboy later.
"Well, look who it is." Leered a voice from behind. Zell's eyes widened. He recognized the voice.
"Seifer??" He asked, glad that his voice didn't shake from surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Fujin, Raijin, and I fish here." He replied. Zell nodded. "What about you?" The blonde picked at the sleeve of his dusty blue hoodie.
"It's Sleph's birthday." He answered.
"Yeah I know that." Seifer replied. "So the party was here huh?" Zell nodded again.
"Why are you here?" He asked. Seifer clucked his tongue.
"I told you, Fuujin, Raijin, and I fish here." Seifer said irritably.
"No I mean why are you talking to me?" Zell explained. Seifer glared down at the younger boy staring up at him.
"I wouldn't have even come over here if I hadn't seen the fire light. I just wanted to see who it was. Tell Selphie I said happy birthday Chicken- wuss." Seifer spat bitterly. He turned on heel and began to go.
"Yo, uh...wait." Zell called half-heartedly. Seifer stopped without turning. "You...want some root beer?" Zell automatically berated himself for asking such a stupid question. Seifer would laugh. Seifer would call him a Chicken-wuss like he always did.
"Yeah alright." The tall blonde said without thinking. He walked over slowly and took the root beer from the martial artist's out-stretched hand. He took a sip.
"So...how are ... ... ... things? Zell asked clearing his throat. He was feeling awkward. He was feeling nervous. It was all Seifer's fault. Big stupid Seifer.
"Okay I guess. Why you ask?" Seifer replied. Zell shrugged nonchalantly.
"Dunno." He replied. He almost wanted to hear Seifer say that things were going bad. That he missed everyone.
"What about you Chicken-wuss?" Seifer asked at last. Zell stared into the can of empty root beer.
"Yeah it's okay I guess. They party tonight was really fun." He said absently. Seifer gazed off into the distance for a while, his dark and cold green eyes stared off at the shoreline, or maybe just past the shoreline at some secret thing that Zell couldn't see.
"Hey....do you remember when we used to have parties for each other in the orphanage?" Zell swallowed and felt his pulse pounding in the hollow of his throat.
"Yeah. Yeah I do. They were really fun huh?" He said his eyes searched the horizon frantically, trying to find a cloud or a shadow or a star. Something *anything* that he could pinpoint his attention on so he wouldn't be tempted to look at the tall lanky frame sitting in the sand next to him.
Seifer carefully watched the boxer sitting next to him. So Zell remembered then. Was that why he was acting so uncomfortable? Usually by this point Zell would be lashing out at him in both the verbal and physical sense. Seifer had given him ample opportunities. Was Zell acting this way because he was embarrassed and ashamed or because he was nervous and anxious? Seifer grinned. Chicken-wuss could be such a dork sometimes. But this was in a very cute way of course. Well maybe not...but then again maybe so also. Seifer growled softly. He wasn't used to being so confused. Maybe this was why he got so mad at Zell sometimes. He was so damn confusing! What with his angry pout/glares and his heart wrenching smiles and how he could go from jovial and cheerful to hopping mad in 2.5 seconds. Maybe that was also what was so appealing about him as well. The confusion. It gave Seifer a challenge. Or at least he was an amusing hobby to pass the time with.
"Yeah, you remember that one time we played truth or dare?" Seifer asked, his voice didn't shake, he didn't stutter. Zell didn't see how he pulled it off. Zell nodded, too shaken up to do anything else. Seifer was going to kill him! "Yeah. I do too." Seifer said after Zell's non-verbal response. Seifer took another sip of root beer. There was a silence.
"What? You embarrassed or something Chicken-wuss?" Seifer asked with a slight snicker of amusement. Zell's brows furrow.
"Shut up...ass." He muttered. Seifer suddenly threw his head back and laughed. Zell looked at him, startled.
(I didn't realize how sad he looked until he laughed just now.) He thought unconsciously. The next thing that registered in his mind was that Seifer was kissing him. What shocked Zell further was that he had wrapped and arm around Seifer's neck and was responding. So wait, why was this happening? And further more, if Seifer didn't like him as much as he always said he did, then why was he doing this? Or had they both just been fooling themselves about their REAL feelings in that cliché romantic-comedy-that- Selphie-and-Rinoa-always-watched sort of way? Or maybe could there be a reason behind this madness?
(Shut up brain. Ask questions later.) Zell told his sub-conscious as Seifer wrapped his arm around his waist. And for once, his sub-conscious listened.
Grinning Reaper: AHAHAHAHAHAH!!! ::falls over laughing:: THAT WAS GREAT!!!! ROOT BEER!!! THAT WAS SO GREAT!!!
Everyone else: ...
Seifer: Dear God we've all been damned.
(Review?? Thankees much!)
Grinning Reaper: WOW! 20 whole reviews!! The encouragement continues!! Yay!!
Squall: To all of those who have reviewed...I hate you.....
Seifer: Yeah well this chapter has a special dedication because it's Cliffe's birthday...or at least it was....
Zell: Happy birthday Cliffe!
Selphie: Heyy! It's my birthday in this chapter too!
Grinning Reaper: Coincidence? I think not!
Squall: Can we go ahead and get started?
Grinning Reaper: Lemme think about that...no. First I want to thank everyone who reviewed this. You all mean a lot to me because that tells me that my writing isn't *complete* trash.
Squall: I wouldn't go and say all that now....
Grinning Reaper: ::punches Squall into oblivion:: Okay. We can get started now.
Chapter Four: Second Chances
"/Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Selphie! Happy Birthday to you!/" Quistis, Irvine, Rinoa, Zell, Nida, Xu, and even Squall sang.
"Annnnnd maaaaaaaannny moooooooore!" Nida added with a grin. Selphie giggled and blew out her 18 candles. The happy group had spent the day at the beach in Balamb and had even gotten hotel rooms to stay in for the night. Currently, dusk had fallen and they were having a bonfire.
"So what's it feel like to be 18 finally?" Quistis asked the short brunette. Selphie thought for a moment.
"Really cool!" She said jumping in the air. Everyone laughed.
"So, feel like opening your presents birthday girl?" Irvine asked handing Selphie a square package wrapped in pink with a Cactuar ribbon. Presents were opened, cake was eaten, weenies were roasted and marshmallows were tragically burnt. Zell never *could* get the hang of making s'mores. Speaking of whom, the short blonde was currently sitting beside the fire, staring into the flames.
"Hey Zelly?" Selphie began, leaning over and shaking the shadow boxer's shoulder lightly. "Something the matter?" Zell blinked his blue eyes.
"Huh? Oh. Nah, everything's cool." He said grinning his fanged grin. There was something familiar about this day...something for some reason reminded him of lantern light, birthday jellybeans, truth or dare and romance. He took a sip of his root beer and thought on it. He wasn't particularly fond of root beer, the flavor reminded him of licorice, but that was also the exact same reason that he drank it. Something about the licorice taste made the back of his brain tingle and his lips twitch into an almost half smile.
"You sure?" Selphie persisted. She wasn't used to seeing Zell who was normally noisy and rambunctious so quiet. She wondered if it was because of that girl with the pigtail that was in the library. But really, Zell hadn't been talking about her that much. Not at all actually, the other day she seemed upset when Zell said that he didn't want to hang out with her. It was odd. The one girl Selphie had actually seen Zell take something of a small interest in, her friend suddenly goes and drops. Zell nodded in a vacant sort of manner, his eyes set far away on something and he took another sip of his root beer.
"Okay well we're going in to the hotel now. You wanna come?" Selphie fidgeted, slightly unnerved. Zell looked directly at her for the first time since she had come over to him.
"Nah, that's okay. I think I wanna sit out here for a while. Thanks though." Zell replied smiling. Selphie said that was okay and then left to catch up with her departing friends.
"Zell's been actin' funny." She said as Irvine wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"He had a little to drink." Quistis replied. "He's....different when he has alcohol. He does some pretty funny things actually."
"He had a crush on me once." Squall said suddenly. "When he was 16 he said." Rinoa blinked. "He told me that when he had been drinking....heh." The brunette added, attempting a laugh.
"He doesn't still does he?" She asked scowling. Squall shook his head.
"Zell's gay?" Irvine looked slightly confused.
"Bi actually...I think." Quistis interjected. Irvine shrugged underneath his heavy coat.
"Makes sense now that I think of it. I thought I saw him staring at my ass when we were on that train." Squall blinked.
"I don't think you're his type." Rinoa made a face.
"Guys why are we talking about this? It's gross. Can we talk about something else?" She asked.
"Yeah sure." Selphie said shooting Quistis and Xu a look. They both seemed considerably more solemn since Rinoa's remark.
Zell tipped his head back and took in a deep breath. A brisk wind blew in his face and his loose flaxen locks tickled his cheeks. He grinned.
"What a great day." He murmured. He swam; played volleyball (his team kicked everyone's ass!) ate, laughed, helped Irvine and Selphie throw Squall off the pier, ate, danced and ate. He stood and brushed off his long khaki shorts. He began walking, not headed in any particular direction, just walking. It was nice to walk. It helped him think. He knew what he was partly remembering was from one of Selphie's birthdays. He could remember that much. Slowly, images and voices started to creep out of the fog. Zell, who had made it back to the fire, sat down with a thunk suddenly.
"Wow." He whispered. Then he said louder: "I can't believe Irvine!" Where upon he made a resolution to himself to do something really nasty to the cowboy later.
"Well, look who it is." Leered a voice from behind. Zell's eyes widened. He recognized the voice.
"Seifer??" He asked, glad that his voice didn't shake from surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Fujin, Raijin, and I fish here." He replied. Zell nodded. "What about you?" The blonde picked at the sleeve of his dusty blue hoodie.
"It's Sleph's birthday." He answered.
"Yeah I know that." Seifer replied. "So the party was here huh?" Zell nodded again.
"Why are you here?" He asked. Seifer clucked his tongue.
"I told you, Fuujin, Raijin, and I fish here." Seifer said irritably.
"No I mean why are you talking to me?" Zell explained. Seifer glared down at the younger boy staring up at him.
"I wouldn't have even come over here if I hadn't seen the fire light. I just wanted to see who it was. Tell Selphie I said happy birthday Chicken- wuss." Seifer spat bitterly. He turned on heel and began to go.
"Yo, uh...wait." Zell called half-heartedly. Seifer stopped without turning. "You...want some root beer?" Zell automatically berated himself for asking such a stupid question. Seifer would laugh. Seifer would call him a Chicken-wuss like he always did.
"Yeah alright." The tall blonde said without thinking. He walked over slowly and took the root beer from the martial artist's out-stretched hand. He took a sip.
"So...how are ... ... ... things? Zell asked clearing his throat. He was feeling awkward. He was feeling nervous. It was all Seifer's fault. Big stupid Seifer.
"Okay I guess. Why you ask?" Seifer replied. Zell shrugged nonchalantly.
"Dunno." He replied. He almost wanted to hear Seifer say that things were going bad. That he missed everyone.
"What about you Chicken-wuss?" Seifer asked at last. Zell stared into the can of empty root beer.
"Yeah it's okay I guess. They party tonight was really fun." He said absently. Seifer gazed off into the distance for a while, his dark and cold green eyes stared off at the shoreline, or maybe just past the shoreline at some secret thing that Zell couldn't see.
"Hey....do you remember when we used to have parties for each other in the orphanage?" Zell swallowed and felt his pulse pounding in the hollow of his throat.
"Yeah. Yeah I do. They were really fun huh?" He said his eyes searched the horizon frantically, trying to find a cloud or a shadow or a star. Something *anything* that he could pinpoint his attention on so he wouldn't be tempted to look at the tall lanky frame sitting in the sand next to him.
Seifer carefully watched the boxer sitting next to him. So Zell remembered then. Was that why he was acting so uncomfortable? Usually by this point Zell would be lashing out at him in both the verbal and physical sense. Seifer had given him ample opportunities. Was Zell acting this way because he was embarrassed and ashamed or because he was nervous and anxious? Seifer grinned. Chicken-wuss could be such a dork sometimes. But this was in a very cute way of course. Well maybe not...but then again maybe so also. Seifer growled softly. He wasn't used to being so confused. Maybe this was why he got so mad at Zell sometimes. He was so damn confusing! What with his angry pout/glares and his heart wrenching smiles and how he could go from jovial and cheerful to hopping mad in 2.5 seconds. Maybe that was also what was so appealing about him as well. The confusion. It gave Seifer a challenge. Or at least he was an amusing hobby to pass the time with.
"Yeah, you remember that one time we played truth or dare?" Seifer asked, his voice didn't shake, he didn't stutter. Zell didn't see how he pulled it off. Zell nodded, too shaken up to do anything else. Seifer was going to kill him! "Yeah. I do too." Seifer said after Zell's non-verbal response. Seifer took another sip of root beer. There was a silence.
"What? You embarrassed or something Chicken-wuss?" Seifer asked with a slight snicker of amusement. Zell's brows furrow.
"Shut up...ass." He muttered. Seifer suddenly threw his head back and laughed. Zell looked at him, startled.
(I didn't realize how sad he looked until he laughed just now.) He thought unconsciously. The next thing that registered in his mind was that Seifer was kissing him. What shocked Zell further was that he had wrapped and arm around Seifer's neck and was responding. So wait, why was this happening? And further more, if Seifer didn't like him as much as he always said he did, then why was he doing this? Or had they both just been fooling themselves about their REAL feelings in that cliché romantic-comedy-that- Selphie-and-Rinoa-always-watched sort of way? Or maybe could there be a reason behind this madness?
(Shut up brain. Ask questions later.) Zell told his sub-conscious as Seifer wrapped his arm around his waist. And for once, his sub-conscious listened.
Grinning Reaper: AHAHAHAHAHAH!!! ::falls over laughing:: THAT WAS GREAT!!!! ROOT BEER!!! THAT WAS SO GREAT!!!
Everyone else: ...
Seifer: Dear God we've all been damned.
(Review?? Thankees much!)