Author's Notes: It's been a long time…too long. Today, I just sat down with the keyboard, said it's time to write and now have decided to bust this entire chapter out. I love writing and time to get back into it. Plus, I've still got people waiting to find out what happens next…so here you are. The next installment of "It's Raining in Winhill."
As Rinoa and Zell cut through the grasses back towards the motel there was utter silence. Rinoa turned to speak to Zell but before she opened her mouth she looked at him. She decided to hold her tongue; he was obviously deep in thought and the way he stared at the ground he walked on sunk her heart.
After a while of silence, the motel appeared before them. Rinoa could see Quistis looking out the window searching for them. When Quistis made eye contact with her, the motel room door opened and Seifer and Quistis walked out. The awkwardness increased significantly when Rinoa and Zell reached the pair and stood in front of them. Seifer reached his hand out towards Zell in what appeared to be a gesture of peace and after a moment Zell extended his own hand.
Their hands met in a very strange precision. One shake and the participants both quickly let go of their grasp. What transpired between the two is a mystery, but when they broke off their handshake, Zell's eyebrows were furrowed and Seifer had a smirk across his face.
Rinoa looked at the other three members of their pseudo-reunion.
"It's really great to see you Zell." Rinoa's voice cut through the icy silence. Zell nodded without his expression changing. When he looked at her, his face softened considerably.
"Yeah, I think it's great of you two to come pick up Quistis so she doesn't have to fly home alone." Zell's words, although meant to cut, came out sounding fairly sincere.
Seifer's tone was that of a man who was laughing internally.
"Yeah, I thought she'd love to fly home with her one and only."
"Yep…well it's getting dark, I should probably go home." Zell spoke softly.
"Wait Zell…" Rinoa interjected. "No, I really need to get going."
Although it wasn't that late in the afternoon, the skies had begun to darken considerably Winhill's all too moody weather began to sink in.
Zell awkwardly waved goodbye as he began to walk towards his house. Quistis covered her mouth with her hand and sighed. Seifer put his arm around his girlfriend as he waved proudly to Zell. That same small smirk plastered on his face.
The closer to his house Zell got, the colder the weather began. Yet, the lower the temperature got, the more the sky cleared. It had been a long time since Zell had seen the moon. It hung in the sky lighting up the beach he stood on. Zell looked over to his left where the thick forest began to dissipate. He saw a large stump that was nearly on the sand and he walked to it. He climbed upon it and crossed his legs underneath himself.
The trio spent the day talking and generally doing nothing. Rinoa couldn't believe how absolutely boring this place was. At one point during the day Rinoa decided to go for a walk. She had thought of going to Zell but she decided against it. As she walked around the town of Winhill she realized how beautiful it was. It was so sad that such an astonishing place held so much hurt for so many.
When Rinoa finally made it back to the motel she entered to see Quistis and Seifer entangled in each other's arms on top of their bed. Although they weren't doing anything other than holding each other, Rinoa surmised they had been up to more than that earlier.
Rinoa felt sick to her stomach looking at the two of them.
(How dare Quistis say loving words to Zell, then turn around and break his heart over and over.) Rinoa thought angrily to herself.
It was still only the early evening when they decided to go to sleep. Rinoa and Seifer both talked of how long and rough the flight was. Despite it being fairly early, the night sky loomed overhead. The blue night illuminated by stars and the moon alone.
Rinoa laid on the floor of the room in a sleeping bag closest to the window. She laid there and just stared out at the sky. Quistis and Seifer laid in the bed near her facing each other and whispering. Rinoa just ignored it and continued staring. Thoughts of Zell flooded her mind. She wondered if she'd ever see his joyful, smiling face at Garden again. She felt like crying but she held back her tears.
Rinoa didn't know how long it was but at some point Quistis turned over so she was facing the window. Rinoa could tell that Seifer must've fallen asleep.
"Rinoa…" Quistis whispered. Rinoa continued to lay there still.
"Rinoa…" Rinoa ignored her.
"Rinoa…" Rinoa was far too angry with her to respond. At this point, Rinoa figured Quistis had assumed she was asleep.
After what she was sure was a few hours, Rinoa slowly began to get up. She looked over and saw Quistis arm draped over the edge of the bed, blissfully asleep. Still dressed only in her nightgown, Rinoa headed for the door.
She began to open it slightly and thanked God that the door wasn't creaking. She unlocked it and shut it softly behind her. When she opened the door she noticed how chilly it was but it wasn't until she was full outside that she realized it was nearly freezing. However, instead of going back in for a jacket she set off in the direction of Zell's house.
Not that Rinoa would've known but the night was one of the clearest Winhill had seen in years and years. The stars were absolutely perfect as Rinoa stared up at the sky. In Balamb, the stars were definitely gorgeous but it was never this quiet. Rinoa stood for a moment and just breathed in the moment. She continued onward towards where Zell was.
When the beach in front of his house entered her view, she turned towards his house. However, as she turned a dull reddish color caught her eye and she turned back around. It was Zell. He was sitting on a stump that was at the edge of the forest near the beach. She wondered how long he had been there. He looked freezing yet he didn't shiver once. She began to walk over him, he seemed to be so caught up in the heavens that he didn't even notice her.
Rinoa wrapped her little arms around his midsection and pulled herself close to his chest. Zell looked down at her. He put his arms around her neck. His skin was colder than the night around them was and Rinoa found herself struggling to not throw his arms off of her.
She overcame the temptation when she felt him lay his head on her shoulder. She squeezed him tighter. As quickly as he had fallen into her embrace, he let go of her. He jumped down off the stump and looked at her.
"Rinoa, you have to be freezing." He said softly.
"It's not that bad." Rinoa said with a tear in her eye.
"Come inside, it's far too cold out here for you." Zell forced a smile.
He escorted her inside and walked her upstairs and under the covers of his bed. She fell asleep almost instantly and Zell placed a kiss on her forehead. When he was sure she was snuggled in enough he walked back downstairs and laid on the couch. His just couldn't seem to get his eyes to close though.
When Quistis awoke the next morning she found a note on her bedside table. It was from Rinoa.
(I just couldn't stay any longer Quistis. It's just too heartbreaking. I've already left for home and I pray you'll return soon. Love, Rinoa.) Quistis read to herself.
When she turned over, she noticed Seifer wasn't in the room either. She went to the bathroom and found he wasn't there either. When she looked out the window though, she saw Seifer positioned a few feet away from Zell, the vehement anger had returned to his face; the way it was when she first saw him here.
When she threw open the door, a blast of icy chill hit her and she realized that the world seemed to have frozen overnight. She started to hear the words the two were exchanging.
"I just want you to leave now…and take Quistis with you." Zell's angry voice whispered.
"She's intent on staying Zell, she won't leave." Seifer's voice was intensely furious and Quistis wondered what had so angered him.
"Then make her." Zell exploded. Zell then noticed Quistis' face peering out of her motel room. Seifer followed Zell's gaze and turned around.
Seifer's voice softened as he spoke to Quistis. "Is it true? Is everything he said true Quistis?"
Quistis' heart ached as she nodded back at him. (Zell must've told him everything that has happened since I arrived.) Quistis thought to herself.
Seifer turned back to Zell. "You can't have her Dincht. She's mine." Seifer lifted his fists in front of him as he spoke.
Zell scoffed. "I don't want her Seifer. She's all yours."
"I'm going to teach you a lesson about messing up a relationship!" Seifer exploded.
"I don't want to fight you Seifer." Zell sighed. As Zell breathed, the air that escaped from his lips became visible clouds that rose from his mouth.
Seifer ignored the remark and threw himself at Zell. Seifer's right fist came up towards Zell's stomach and Zell absorbed the blow, soaking in the impulses of fighting. Seifer saw Zell's eyes as the fist impacted and he saw a noticeable change. Zell, instead of becoming angry and fierce became calm and collected. His breathing slowed and he seemed to react to everything with a cool precision.
Seifer threw his left fist towards Zell's face and Zell caught it with his left hand. Zell turned his back and pulled the arm over his left shoulder and used the momentum to throw his right elbow into Seifer's solar plexus. Seifer keeled over and Zell slid back as if part of the ice around him.
"SEIFER, ZELL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!" Quistis yelled out. Both of them seemed to be so involved in the fight, they were oblivious to Quistis' cries.
Zell stood there as Seifer caught his breath and struggled back to a standing position.
Seifer ran at Zell and threw a left hook and simultaneously threw up his right knew towards Zell. Zell did nothing. The knee connected with Zell's stomach and as Zell began to double over Seifer's fist smashed Zell down to one knee. Seifer backed up and looked down at Zell with a smirk.
Zell constantly puzzled Seifer. The look he saw on Zell's face was one of sadness as if he was remembering the words he had written to Seifer in that letter when he left. As Zell shot up, the same look stayed on his face. Seifer went in for another punch but Zell wrapped his arm around Seifer's and using Seifer's shoulder pulled Seifer into the knee Zell had raised. Zell then twisted Seifer's arm over his head and grabbed Seifer's head with both arms. Zell then flipped Seifer over his right shoulder.
As Seifer laid on the ground, he saw Zell over him, the same look on his face. Before Seifer could get up, he saw Zell lift his leg off the ground and drop an axe kick onto the center of his chest. The pain that exploded in Seifer's abdomen was one of the most intense he had ever felt.
Zell looked down at the man whose chest had just been axe-kicked. Seifer began to cough uncontrollably. Zell felt Seifer struggle slightly as he reached down and lifted Seifer off the ground. Zell brushed past Quistis and kicked the door to her room fully open. He laid Seifer on the bed and allowed him to cough for a few minutes. Quistis had rushed to Seifer's side and rubbed his back watching him convulse as he coughed harder and harder. Zell went into the bathroom and filled a glass with water.
When Quistis looked up from Seifer, she saw Zell standing there with his hand outstretched, holding a glass with water in it. Zell felt the look on Quistis' face warranted an explanation.
"He'll be fine. He just has a few bruised ribs, they'll heal soon enough. When he's done coughing, give him that glass of water and make sure he doesn't get up for a day or so." Zell instructed her.
"What about you, you've got a nasty bruise on your cheek." Quistis said as she reached out to touch Zell's face. He swatted her hand away.
"Don't." He replied.
Zell turned and started to walk towards the door. When he reached it though, he turned to her. "Take care of him, okay?"
Quistis nodded. With that, Zell left shutting the door behind him.
Seifer healed enough to stand up much quicker than had been expected by either Quistis or Zell. Within 14 hours, he was able to sit up and hold himself there. By the next day, he could stand but it pained him when he did so.
Although Quistis tried her best to console him with hugs and kisses and the other affections of a girlfriend, she could sense his thoughts of her had changed.
"Seifer, I'm going to use the restroom, I'll be right back." Quistis called to him from the bathroom.
When she returned though, she found him at the door with a bag in his hands.
"What are you doing Seifer?" Quistis asked incredulously.
"I'm leaving." He responded. The saddened face she put on made it even harder for him.
"I still love you Quistis, with all of my heart. But you have to make a choice. Me or him. Either leave your feelings for Zell here, along with him or my arms won't be open and waiting for you when you return." Seifer's voice was the softest she had ever heard it.
He gave her one last smile and with that, he was gone.
Quistis began to tear up as the storm clouds rolled in, closer and closer towards the skies over Winhill.
There, chapter 17. Little Christmas present for you who still want to know what happens in this story. Hope you liked it. And if you could comment on the rather small fight scene that would be great. I'm not really sure how it went and I would like to know how you guys felt about it. If it was written well, what could be improved and how I can improve it, etc. Thanks a million for your support. I believe the next chapter will be the second to last. So keep looking for it. Until next time,
GrayFox