Yep, I have absolutely no free time around here. (sigh) I haven't stopped running around like a headless chicken for days, and I don't personally think it's going to get any better until after football season ends. Oh well. Therefore, I shall be on hiatus from One Day Too Many, as I have previously said, and I shall be working primarily on Twilight Gaze, and perhaps some one-shots and Turbulent Waters. There's no telling…I have too many stories to write in college…
Twilight Gaze
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Chapter 3: Jerk
Tidus wasn't sure about the new kid. Zell's actions in his own kitchen earlier that morning had given off a horrible first impression, and everyone knows how hard those are to overwrite. Wakka had been somewhat quiet the following afternoon, after he and Chappu had gone off to talk about something-or-other. Strangely enough, Chappu had been left out of the ring, so he had no idea what the two of them had been talking about. Chappu kept giving Tidus nervous glances throughout the evening, but neither he nor his older brother would spill the beans.
Tidus wasn't a very happy person about that.
Sora and Riku were off doing something together, alone, on their own, somewhere else, out there, out of sight, but not out of mind, away from the others. Selphie and Kairi had gone to the island to hang out and watch the sunset. Wakka and Chappu had gone off to the docks to talk about something, which left Tidus all to himself. He sighed, looking out over the ocean. He, for the first time in two years, felt completely abandoned, and he didn't know why.
Sitting on a grassy hill down the street from the docks, Tidus sat with his elbows propped up on his knees and his chin in his hands. He sighed again, but held his breath as he heard someone approaching from behind. He didn't even twitch when he saw strange, red and black shoes and naked shins.
Zell sat down as comfortably as he could on the sloping hillside and propped himself up on the heels of his hands, gazing out into the deepening sky.
"Sure it pretty, ain't it?" the new kid asked nonchalantly.
Tidus didn't answer. What was this, he was trying to make up for earlier today? Tidus shook his head. That wasn't going to happen – Zell had made an ass of himself in front of every kid on the island and his own mother, and Tidus didn't think that it would be very easy to make it up to anyone.
"Hey, mind answerin'?" Zell demanded.
Tidus rolled his eyes and huffed. "What do you want me to say? 'Sure, it's beautiful, wanna fuck?'"
Zell laughed. "Not quite, but it'd be nice to be acknowledged."
"You mean like you acknowledged us this morning?" Tidus shot back. "Nice try. You messed up big time this morning."
Zell looked down at his feet and sighed. "Yeah, I did mess up. I'm not like that, normally. I'm usually a lot nicer than that, believe me."
Tidus shook his head and looked away from the blonde next to him. "Wish I could, but you were horrible."
Zell sighed, growled, and stood up quickly. "Give me another chance! I can make it up to you guys. Let's hang out some time. What do you guys do for fun around here?"
Tidus didn't say anything for a moment, then he looked up at Zell. "You're serious?" he asked sincerely.
Zell looked down at the younger blonde with wide, truth-filled blue eyes. Those eyes could hypnotize.
"We're heading out to the island tomorrow," Tidus said, glancing out to the island where Kairi and Selphie were doing whatever they were doing.
"What's on it?" Zell asked, gazing out at the island.
Tidus rolled his eyes. "Come by the docks early tomorrow morning and you'll find out, won't you?" Tidus moved to get up, but a gloved hand stopped him by being placed on his shoulder.
"Tidus, please," Zell said quietly behind the blonde.
"I've already given you a second chance," Tidus replied. "We'll see how it goes tomorrow morning."
Zell nodded.
Tidus rose to his feet, continuing to stare out at the glistening ocean. The sun was completely under the horizon now, and only traces of sunlight were shining from its previous position. "Don't be late," he said.
Zell nodded and turned back towards the lines of houses up the hill from the docks. As he started back, the older blonde could only wonder if Tidus seriously hated him so. It seemed unlikely, considering the fact that he'd only met Zell once. The fistfighter knew that first impressions were hard to override, and he had made a huge mistake the morning prior to this encounter, but he was determined to get the other teens on the island to like him; especially one of them.
Tidus turned his head just enough to watch Zell walking away. He growled in his throat as the older blonde trudged towards the houses up the hill. First impressions. How could anyone override those? Zell seemed determine to do just that. Tidus sighed and turned back to the island, where he saw a small boat leaving the shore. Kairi and Selphie were heading back to the main island. Tidus started heading down the hill to meet them at the docks. Wait until they hear who's coming to the island tomorrow!
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Eight-thirty the next morning, Tidus and Wakka were waiting on the others to reach the docks. Chappu had to clean the garage – he'd be down to the island once he was finished. Wakka had already moved their boat to the dock, and the muscled redhead was already moving Riku and Sora's boat there, too. They were hoping to save a little time that way.
When Wakka had put Riku and Sora's boat into the dock and tied it down, he climbed out of the boat and onto the docks with Tidus. Tidus wrapped his arms around Wakka's waist and smiled up warmly into the redhead's face. Wakka's hands found their way to Tidus' hips, and the two men just stood there for the longest time, just gazing into each other's eyes.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer," a female voice giggled.
Turning their heads, the couple saw Selphie giggling hysterically on the end of the dock. She had on a purple tanktop that didn't very well hide her considerable assets and a pair of hip-hugger jeans. She was wearing her special red tennis shoes with violet shoe laces – those were her "special" play shoes. Tidus raised an eyebrow at the youngest of their friends, and chuckled. Was something special supposed to happen today?
"No one asked you, eh?" Wakka laughed, hugging Tidus closer to him. Tidus reached up and turned Wakka's face towards his. The two of them shared a long, sweet kiss before Kairi's voice sounded.
"Think their faces will freeze like that?" she asked, parking herself at the side of the boathouse and taking off her skates, her white tennis shoes slung over her shoulder.
"Probably," Selphie said with another giggle.
"Where are Riku and Sora?" Tidus asked her after he and Wakka had broken their liplock.
"They're coming," Kairi said.
"And our other little guest?" Selphie demanded.
"Haven't seen him yet," Tidus shrugged.
"Guest?" Wakka repeated blankly. "Who's comin' with us?"
"Zell," Kairi answered. "Tidus invited him to come with us today to give him a second chance."
"Second chances are always good, ya?" Wakka laughed, turning his head back to Tidus. "Aren't you the little Jesus today? Forgivin' everyone."
Tidus chuckled and opened his mouth to say something else, but someone else's voice interrupted his own.
"Made it!"
Sora hopped off the front of Riku's bike and landed almost daintily in front of the group. Riku piloted the bicycle to the bike rack next to the boathouse and set it there. He then rejoined the group.
"Okay," the silver-haired teen said, giving the group a quick glance over, "looks like we're all here. Let's get going."
"I'll pull our boat out," Selphie said, heading into the boathouse.
"Bring out Kairi's too," Tidus called. Selphie nodded and disappeared into the boathouse.
"Why do we need both of the girls' boats?" Riku asked.
Tidus and Wakka separated and looked over at the other couple. Tidus answered. "Zell's coming with us."
"Why?" Sora asked, crossing his arms. "That jackass doesn't deserve to know about the island."
"Give him a second chance," Tidus said. "He bugged me last night about how that wasn't really him, and how he wanted to try to make it up to us."
Riku shrugged. "Sounds good. If he ever gets here," he added, giving the area a dark glance.
"How long are you guys just going to sit there? I thought we had an island to go to?"
Zell was sitting on top of the boathouse, watching the others. He lifted off, dropping to the dock below. He wore a similar outfit to yesterday, but this one had an overall blue theme, not red.
"How long have you been there?" Wakka asked.
"Long enough to know that you guys are gay," Zell said, pointing a not-exactly-accusatory finger at Tidus and Wakka.
Tidus blushed and shrugged it away. "Whatever." Selphie waved from the end of the dock. Both of the girls' boats were out of the boathouse. "Let's get going."
The seven of them paired up, leaving Selphie in her own boat alone. Tidus and Wakka and Riku and Sora were in Wakka's and Riku's boats, respectively, and Kairi took it upon herself to take the new kid to the island in her boat. She was the most emotionally stable of anyone in the group, so it made sense to everyone.
The boat ride was short, of course, and before long everyone was stretched out on the sand, taking in the bright sunlight and gazing out into the distance, where the sky and sea became one and the colors became difficult to differentiate.
"This is a cool island," Zell said, giving it a glance. "What do you guys do around here?"
"Just hang out and things like that," Sora said with a slight shrug. "When we were little, we'd spar in the sand, collect seashells, even build rafts and pretend to want to leave the island to look for other worlds."
"Sounds pretty cool," Zell said, gazing out at the ocean.
"Sparring," Kairi whispered. "We haven't done that in a while, you know. We should try it out again."
Tidus laughed. "Sure. First fight: Riku versus Sora!"
Riku laughed, but Sora turned pale. Riku had never been beaten by Sora in a spar. Ever. Riku used to make fun of him about it, but that ended after they had become a couple.
"'We,' Kairi?" Wakka laughed. "If I remember right, you don't fight."
Kairi whipped around in a pirouette and returned to facing Wakka with a wooden dagger in her hand. "I never did it on the island because most of you guys would whoop my butt, but Selphie and I used to practice in my backyard on the main island."
Zell chuckled. "Can I take someone on?" he asked.
Tidus considered. "You're a martial artist, right? It wouldn't be fair to face Wakka or Selphie." He glanced at Riku and Sora. "One of you guys, maybe?"
"Why not you?" Riku asked, pointing at Tidus accusatorily.
Tidus sighed with a grin. "Okay, sure, but I was hoping to break him in a little faster."
"I remember saying that to you when we were eight," Wakka laughed.
Tidus went to the seaside shack and entered, leaving the group momentarily. He reemerged with his trusty wooden sword labeled "Brotherhood." It had been given to him by Sora as a gift and sign of friendship. Brandishing his wooden blade, Tidus took a pose and invited Zell to come at him. Wakka and the others stood back in a large circle to give them room.
"Let's see what you've got!" Tidus called out with a laugh.
Zell grinned back. "Likewise!" he called.
Tidus charged forward and gave a tremendous sideways swipe with the Brotherhood, which Zell easily dodged and delivered two lightning-fast punches to Tidus' stomach. Tidus flew back a foot or so before recovering his balance and slicing downward from overhead, but Zell twisted out of the way and gave a roundhouse to Sora's shoulder, when sent him spinning through the air and landing roughly in the sand. Brotherhood landed beside him, lying flat in the sand.
"Oof," Kairi cringed.
Tidus was back up quickly, grabbing the Brotherhood on his way up. He charged Zell again, but Zell was anticipating it, and ducked into a roll that put him directly in front of Tidus. Springing up, Zell delivered an uppercut to Tidus' chin, sending the swordsman flying backwards. Zell landed in the sand easily and grinned as Tidus landed on his butt in the sand, the Brotherhood far out of reach.
"Give up?" Zell asked, his grin unfading.
Tidus fumed, but he nodded. He couldn't beat Zell because he couldn't get close enough to slash him, and he's a fistfighter! Tidus didn't know how to interpret such a situation.
Wakka walked over and helped his lover to his feet. Wakka looked over at Zell and smiled. "You're pretty good, ya?"
"You bet!" Zell said with a laugh, punching one fist into the other open palm. "I'm the best fistfighter Balamb had to offer!"
Riku rolled his eyes, but Zell wasn't finished.
"No one stands a chance against me in a spar," Zell continued, punching the air wildly. "I'm the greatest fighter around. I'm surprised Tidus lasted as long as he did. Most people can't stand up after one hit. I was holding back, of course. Wouldn't want to break his jaw or anything like that."
"Gee, thanks," Tidus said, now feeling thoroughly trash-talked.
"Hey, let up," Kairi told Zell with a pointed finger.
"Why? I won," Zell laughed. "Winner gets bragging rights, right? Isn't that how you guys did it when you were younger?"
"Yeah, when we were younger," Sora muttered. "We're above the gloating now."
"That's stupid," Zell spat. "The winner should be allowed to gloat, since they won."
Riku shook his head. He'd heard enough. He walked over to Zell and placed his hand on the blonde's shoulder. Without looking at him, Riku said, "Congratulations." He wrapped his ankle around Zell's and pulled forward, sending Zell's leg out, while yanking back with the hand placed on Zell's shoulder. Before Zell knew what was happening, he was flat on his back in the sand, staring up at a very evil glare from Riku.
"Jerk," Selphie said, turning towards the docks. "There's a boat for you at the dock. You can row yourself back."
The six of the original teens from the island headed towards the dock, leaving the new kid lying on his back in the sand, staring up at the empty, emotionless blue sky.
Heh. Sorry for a late update – college is a bitch. I'll attempt to get the next chapter up soon. It will be a real story advancer, so get ready for a shocker. Ready and review please.