Author's Note: It's been a really long time since the last time I wrote and I really miss it. So I'm trying to get back into it. And, of course, it's nice to have a story about ZELL FINALLY. I've noticed there haven't been any lately. So, here we go, chapter 13 of "It's Raining In Winhill."
Quistis opened her eyes to another day in Winhill. She would just keep pushing him until he opened up to her. She really felt completely isolated from everyone she loved and knew. Zell would barely speak to her and she was an entire flight away from a pair of comforting arms.
She quickly got ready and rushed off.
(Ready for another day of Zell-filled HAPPINESS?) She thought to herself.
She traveled to his house trying not to imagine the vicious things he'd say to her today. When she reached the clearing that surrounded the house, she noticed he was on the beach. He was shirtless, standing there as if watching an imaginary foe. She had forgotten completely about his martial arts. He probably trained a lot with nothing else to do out here.
She slowly walked closer to him, not wanting to disturb him but wanting to get a better view.
He started quickly and she thought he had seen her. However, he had only begun attacking his intangible opponent.
His body moved with a fluid grace that she had never seen in anyone else but Zell. It was always there hidden behind his usually jagged martial art style. It had never been more evident than it was right now though. Each motion his body made flowed right into the next action with graceful elegance. It was like watching a sculptor work with his chisel. Zell used his medium with pure precision, yet it seemed so natural and not a movement was out of place. That medium was his body. He was in complete control. His hands danced around him as if conscious thoughts weren't even necessary to move them. His feet glided in ways that made her think they were their own entity. He suddenly stopped, turned on his heel and his style became the much more typical rocky, jagged art that she was much more accustomed to. Each strike looked like it could kill, as power was consciously exerted into each fist that lashed out, each foot that whipped out from his body.
Quistis stopped looking at the actions and started noticing his body. Her eyes glided down his toned features and stopped at each defined muscle. She had seen Seifer's body, it was great. It was toned like a man who wielded a gunblade should be, to master a heavy, unstable weapon like that required an extreme amount of dedication. But, Zell's body looked like a man who had to use it as his only weapon and defense. His body was his weapon. So, it looked as if he had spent years defining and toning each individual muscle that rippled along his weapon. On top of that, it was a pretty compact package, taking Zell's size into account. His face was so intent and focused in on what he was doing.
She loved just watching him do something…anything really. His face was always saying something to her. Like he had a secret joke hidden behind the mask that adorned him. She just loved looking at the flames that somehow danced on his face, although they were permanently etched there. And, of course, those deep blue pools that had been set in his head. So much passion was embedded there; so much heart and soul were wrapped up in those brilliant sapphires.
Still staring directly at him, lost in thought; she didn't realize he was looking right back at her with an irritated look on his face. It wasn't until she saw a drop of sweat roll down his forehead and past his eye that she realized he was staring at her. She was startled for a second and afterwards she sat there smiling at him.
With the same irritated look on his face, he walked past her shaking his head. He didn't so much as glance at her as he passed by. He flung his shirt and jacket over his shoulder and kept an even pace back to his house.
Quistis got up and walked after him. He opened the door, turned around to look at her and even held it open while she walked through.
(Hmm…at least he's being civil today) Quistis thought, pleasantly surprised.
He walked up the single flight of stairs and she continued following him upstairs. She had never seen what she only presumed to be his bedroom. She was surprised when she did get up there. A large king-size bed resided in the middle of the rather large room. A door led to what she figured was the bathroom, because she hadn't seen one anywhere else in the house. On the side of the house facing the ocean was a small balcony with two beautiful wicker chairs. She stepped into the doorway of the bathroom and Zell had begun to change. He stood in front of an extremely large mirror that was inset into the wall. He turned to face her and spoke.
"Am I gonna get a few seconds to myself or you wanna come in and watch me change?" Zell said agitatedly. Quistis' face flushed and she reached for the door handle and shut the door as she headed to the small balcony.
She opened the sliding glass door and stepped out into the cool midday air. She didn't think it was this foggy out but as she looked out at the water she noticed the seemingly ever-present Winhill fog.
After a minute of silence, she felt another presence beside her. She looked to her left and saw Zell, still shirtless, mimic her position and stare out at the sunset. Resting his elbows on the guard rail and leaning forward he had such a faraway look in his eyes. As if he was pondering things she couldn't even begin to see. He shifted and placed his hands on the railing.
Quistis shifted as well and softly, as if not wanting to scare it away, placed her hand on his. She felt him tense and start to shy away. As quickly as it happened though, it stopped.
(That's progress; he's actually letting me touch him.) Quistis thought happily but kept her face indifferent. (The question is, Should I push it or not?) She threw caution to the wind and gently guided her fingers to the gaps in his. She gently entwined them, making each movement with slow, concentrated precision. She felt him open his fingers and grasp hers in return. Quistis couldn't help but smile, however she tried to keep it as hidden as possible.
After several minutes of building up her courage, she was ready to try and lay her head on his shoulder. As she began to, Zell let go of her hand and walked back inside.
(Dang it. Oh well, nothing lost yet.) Still, she wondered if he had noticed her and that's why he had gone back inside.
She followed his lead and went inside. He had gone downstairs and she continued down the steps. She was worried about how he would take it if she broke the silence.
"Zell…can we just sit and talk for awhile?" Quistis asked him sincerely.
"…Sure." Zell laid down on the couch and she took a seat on the armchair adjacent to it. Quistis figured she might as well throw something down on the table.
"Zell, what are you running away from?" Zell paused for a long time before answering and Quistis thought he was going to yell. She braced herself.
"…I just felt I needed to get away…away from the life I was living." His response shocked Quistis. He spoke in a hushed tone like he was trying to figure it out as he told her.
"What life was that, Zell? The one with all your friends and all the people that love you?" Quistis asked incredulously.
"I guess I just felt like I needed some time alone." Zell replied.
"Oh really Zell, that's why you packed up everything you had and resigned from SeeD. You ever heard of something called a vacation? You could've just taken one of those." Quistis said, a hint of anger residing in her tone. Zell stood up and walked over to his kitchen.
Quistis felt horrible, she hadn't meant to come down on him. It just had hurt everyone so much when he had left.
"I'm sorry Zell. It's just I don't get why you would leave and hurt all the people that love you."
Zell's voice took on a sudden firmness at her previous remark.
"Don't you dare lecture me Quistis."
"All I'm saying is we could all be happy if you'd come back." Quistis said sympathetically.
"You could." Zell muttered.
"What?" Quistis questioned.
"I said, YOU could all be happy, I still wouldn't." Zell snapped at her.
"Why wouldn't you?" Quistis got a little defensive, yet she had presumed his reasons.
"Because not everyone can have your perfect fairy-tale Squally ending." Zell said mockingly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Quistis stood up and began to walk towards him.
"Oh quit kidding yourself, you know exactly what it means." Zell replied.
"I don't have the slightest clue to what it means." Quistis said trying to comprehend his meaning.
"I'm saying you have this happy fairy-tale contentment now that you've found Seifer." Zell looked at her and gauged her reaction. His remark was on the verge of revealing his feelings.
"SO WHAT ZELL? I'm happy now; can't you be happy for me now? I finally get a great guy and you're all of a sudden jealous. And on top of that what does that have anything to do with Squall?" Quistis had worked herself up into a frenzy. She was fuming inside.
"To answer your first question, I am happy for you. Extremely happy for you." Zell said sincerely.
"And what about the Squall comment?" Quistis asked furiously.
"I was just commenting on the fact that you couldn't get everyone's favorite gunblader to fall for you so you settled for the next best thing." Zell smiled slightly as he revealed the "secret" meaning of his earlier remark. Quistis jaw hung open, not believing what he had just said.
"HOW DARE YOU ZELL? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Quistis screamed at him. Zell held up his hands in mock defeat.
"All I'm saying is you wanted to pick up Rinoa's trash." Zell smirked as he spoke.
Zell saw Quistis' hand fly towards his face long before he felt the slap. When he looked back into her eyes, tears had already been falling from her cheeks and she sniffled like he had wounded her so deeply. Zell's heart wrenched. He hadn't meant to hurt her, just ruffle her feathers a little, he realized his remark was way out of line but it was too late now. Still crying, he noticed a spiteful vehemence in her eyes before her lips parted.
"Well, at least it's not because of me that there's only two gardens now." Quistis regretted the words as soon as they had left her mouth. He had taken that so hard, and blamed himself for it for so long, it was like tearing the sutures out of a freshly stitched scar.
Quistis noticed flames dance in his eyes and his expression changed to stone where previously there had been flesh and emotion.
"Get out…now. Get out of her right now." Zell said in a deathly, venomous whisper.
She started to walk to the door and looked back at him. He hadn't moved his gaze or body at all. She felt tears sting at her eyes again as she shut the door behind her and she began to walk back to her makeshift home.
Then she heard something that scared her more than anything else in their altercation. No yelling or breaking glass or furniture being destroyed. No fists or feet leaving various imprints in the wall. She heard nothing. It was just an eerie silence. That frightened her extremely. She kept walking slowly, but she never heard a sound, not one noise came from his house. Sobbing, she headed back towards the town.
WOOHOO! Another chapter done. I really enjoyed writing this one. I'll try to update more often but life's been pretty hectic lately. Anyway, thanks for all your reviews and support. LOVE YOU ALL AND MAY GOD BLESS.
Until Next time,
GrayFox