Author: Mistigri
E-mail: [email protected]
Pairing: Seifer/Zell
Rating: R
Summary: Post game. Seifer pays the Dincht residence a little visit.
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine and I can't even charge them rent for setting up home in my head.
Notes: Inspired by a txt from Lipstickcat
***
Ma Dincht answered the polite knock at the door to find a young man standing outside, his back half to her. He was tall with blond hair cropped very short.
�Yes?�
He turned to face her and she saw that he was handsome in a cold, almost distant, kind of way. There was a scar across his forehead and over the bridge of his nose, but rather than being disfiguring, it merely seemed to draw attention to his jade green eyes. He smiled slightly, briefly.
�Hello,� he said. �I hope I�m not disturbing you. I�m a friend of Zell�s. Is he in?�
�He is,� said Ma Dincht. �He�s just upstairs, come on in.�
The young man hesitated. �If it�s no bother.�
�Not at all, please.�
With another brief smile, he entered. Ma Dincht left him in the kitchen while she went to the foot of the stairs and shouted up.
�Zell! You have a visitor!�
Her son�s voice answered indistinctly from upstairs. �Kay, I�ll be down in a minute!�
Ma Dincht returned to her visitor. �He won�t be long.�
Her guest was looking around. �It�s very cosy here; I see why Zell comes home so often.�
�Oh, it�s a mess, really!� Ma Dincht beamed, starting to take a shine to him. �So are you at the Garden too?�
�Well, Zell and I took our SeeD practical test together.�
�Oh, really?� she frowned slightly. �I�m sorry, I don�t think I caught your name.�
�No, I�m sorry,� said the young man. He held out a hand. �I�m Seifer. Seifer Almasy.�
Ma Dincht shook his hand, noting his firm, sure grip. �Nice to meet you.�
�Hasn�t Zell mentioned me?�
Ma Dincht pulled an apologetic face. �Unfortunately, I�m really terrible with names. Faces I never forget, but names�well, it gets so confusing. I remember Squall; he�s the one who always comes nosing around here, pestering me to play cards. Do you play?�
�Not really,� said Seifer. He noticed the saucepan bubbling away on the stove. �Oh, you�re cooking? If you�re about to have tea, I can come back later.�
�Don�t be silly! Why don�t you stay? There�s plenty for everyone � you really must taste my special hotpot!�
Seifer kept a perfectly straight face. �Is that what you�re calling Zell these days?�
The remark slipped straight past Ma Dincht as at that moment Zell came bounding into the room.
�How many times have I told you not to run down those stairs?� she chastised. �Don�t come running to me when you tumble and break your leg!�
�Seifer?!� Zell cut short his Ma�s lecture. �What�s he doing here?�
�He�s come to see you,� Ma Dincht threatened her son with a clip round the ear. �Now don�t be so rude! Seifer�s going to stay for tea, aren�t you dear?�
�I really don�t want to put you to any trouble,� said Seifer politely.
�No trouble, it�ll be a pleasure,� Ma Dincht insisted. �It�ll be nice to have a guest. It�s almost a waste just cooking for the two of us.�
�Well, if you�re sure?�
�Of course I am,� Ma Dincht took Seifer�s coat. She secretly hoped her Zell would learn some manners from this nice young man. �Now, why don�t you two sit down while I see if it�s ready.�
Zell opened his mouth to object, but Seifer slipped his arm around his shoulders. �C�mon Zell, let�s not get in your mother�s way. Smells delicious, doesn�t it?�
Ma Dincht smiled at the flattery. �Shoo both of you!�
Seifer slid his arm from Zell�s shoulders and sat down at the table. Zell dumbly followed him. It was kind of surreal; this guy looked like Seifer, sounded like Seifer, but definitely didn�t act like Seifer. It had to be some sort of prank; Raijin and Fujin were probably waiting outside with a video camera. Checking that his ma wouldn�t overhear, Zell leaned forward and hissed at Seifer.
�What in Hyne�s name are you doing here?�
Seifer leaned back in his chair making himself comfortable. �I�m having tea.�
�You know what I mean!� Zell clenched his fists under the table. �What are you doing /here/?�
�I came to see you, chickenwuss, why else?�
Zell�s forehead creased in confusion causing a smirk to flicker at the corner of Seifer�s mouth. �What d�you wanna see me for?�
Seifer crossed his ankles and gave Zell a predatory look. �Guess.�
Zell shifted uncomfortably under Seifer�s gaze, unsure how to read it. �How am I supposed to know what�s going on in that twisted head of yours? Quit playing around, Seifer!�
The other blond straightened up as Ma Dincht approached the table. �Mmm. Looks like tea�s ready.�
Ma Dincht served up the steaming soup. Zell shot a glare at Seifer, but he just smiled slightly. The gunblader inhaled the vapours of the soup, rubbing his hands in anticipation. Ma Dincht sat down and they began.
Seifer tasted a little. �Mmm, this is delicious! I can�t remember the last time I had a real home cooked meal, at least not one that tasted this good.�
Ma Dincht smiled. �Eat as much as you like.� It was a nice change to be appreciated.
Zell scowled and shovelled in another mouthful. Seifer was starting to creep him out and he couldn�t believe his mother was falling for it.
�Thank you,� Seifer blew gently on a steaming spoonful. �I could do with something good and hot inside me.�
Zell spluttered and choked. Something about Seifer�s tone of voice implied it wasn�t the soup he was referring to.
�I�ve warned you about wolfing you food,� Ma Dincht shook her head as she got up. �Hang on while I get some water.�
Seifer helpfully patted Zell�s back. Zell wanted to shove him off, say irritably that he was fine, but all he could do was cough, tears streaming down his burning cheeks.
�You all right?� Seifer asked.
Zell tried to nod and shake his head at the same time. He grabbed the glass his mother handed him and took a swig. A couple of weak coughs and he could breathe again. Seifer still had his hand on his back.
�Are you all right?� Seifer repeated, his voice was soft, like he actually cared. Zell nodded and shrugged his hand off roughly, quickly wiping his face.
�Better now?� his ma asked.
�I�m fine,� Zell sipped his water, eyes lowered. Seifer was going to have a field day teasing him about this when he finally dropped the act.
Seifer turned his attention back to his food. �No matter how eager you are, you mustn�t try to swallow it all at once. It�s better to take your time and savour it, roll your tongue around, take pleasure in it. Make it last a bit longer.�
Zell coughed again and shot Seifer a look. The other blond was innocently enjoying his food. Zell scowled.
�So,� said Ma Dincht between mouthfuls, �what weapon do you specialise in, Seifer?�
�I�m a gunblader,� said Seifer. �Much as I admire Zell�s agility, I can�t match it myself.�
Zell pretended his last mouthful had been a little too hot to disguise the slight flush on his cheeks, but no one seemed to have noticed.
�Isn�t Squall a gunblader too?� Ma Dincht was saying. �I imagine you two must train together?�
�Yeah,� muttered Zell with his mouth full, �and they have the scars to show for it!�
�Scars?� Ma Dincht looked a little shocked. Seifer held back a smirk as he imagined what the expression on her face must have been like when Zell first came home with his tattoo. He traced a finger over his scar.
�Training accident,� he explained. �We both got a little carried away.�
Ma Dincht pursed her lips. �Well, you boys will be boys.�
Zell couldn�t believe it. If it had been him he would have got a five hour lecture on how he should be more careful and take things more seriously, yadda, yadda, yadda�
�Did Seifer mention he was the Sorceress�s Knight?� he blurted.
�That�s nice, dear,� Ma Dincht was going somewhere with this and wasn�t about to be distracted. �So is the gunblade a difficult weapon to use?�
�Uh, kinda,� the question caught Seifer off guard. When Zell had opened his mouth, he�d expected to find himself out the door. �It takes quite a bit of practise, but it�s a very effective weapon.�
�Zell will insist on fighting with his bare hands,� Ma Dincht disapproved, shooting a look at her son over a spoonful of soup. �I don�t like thinking about him out there without a weapon to protect himself.�
�My fists /are/ my weapon!� Zell whined. If his mother had her way, he�d be a sniper like Irvine /but without that long hair, young men should keep their hair short, however nice it is! / �Besides, I don�t fight barehanded! And if it wasn�t for these fists, I�d still be in the desert prison, and Seifer �� he shot him a look, �-would probably still be electrocuting Squall!�
Seifer coughed to buy time to think of an excuse for that particular, uh. mistake, but Ma Dincht merely chuckled.
�It seems you two play a little rough! But I imagine you�re good friends.�
Seifer controlled his smile. �We�re like brothers. I take it Zell talks about him a lot then?�
The martial artist tried to thump Seifer under the table. Unfortunately he missed and hit the table leg instead causing everything on the table to rattle. Seifer managed not to drip the spoonful he was holding all over the tablecloth. Ma Dincht frowned at Zell who feigned innocence.
�Not so much as he used to,� she said. �It was always �Squall this, Squall that�� But you don�t see him so much these days, do you?�
�He�s busy,� said Zell, a little flustered. �But I used to talk about Seifer too, don�t you remember?� He gave his ma a pleading look.
�Oh, I lose track with all those S�s; Squall, Seifer, Selphie... I can�t remember everyone�s name when I haven�t even got a face to put them to.�
�But Ma-�
�Now Zell, you�re the same with people I haven�t introduced you to. Have you had enough to eat, Seifer?�
The blond had put down his spoon. He rubbed his stomach with a satisfied expression. �Thank you. I couldn�t eat another bite.�
�That�s what I like to hear,� Ma Dincht started to clear up. �You haven�t eaten much Zell, have you been stuffing yourself with hotdogs at the Garden again? They�re not healthy you know, you don�t want to get a podgy tummy again, do you?�
Zell wanted to hide under the table. He didn�t want to look at Seifer and see that mocking grin. To his surprise, Seifer paid no attention to that last comment. Instead he rose to help Zell�s mother.
�Can I give you a hand?�
�Oh, you are a love!� Ma Dincht piled everything into Seifer�s arms, not noticing his eyes widening as the top bowl started to slide. She led him into the kitchen. �You can come again.�
Seifer stood in the kitchen, relieved as he was unloaded. �Can I do anything else?�
�Thank you dear, I can take care of the rest,� Ma Dincht was rolling up her sleeves. �You boys go have fun.�
�Yes, let�s,� said Zell, coldly. �We have a lot to talk about.�
Seifer nodded. �Shall we go up to your room?�
Zell was torn. His room was private � no one as allowed in. On the other hand, he couldn�t very well argue with Seifer in front of his mother when she clearly thought the traitor was the best thing since, well, ever.
�All right. But don�t touch anything!�
Seifer followed Zell up to his room. The smaller blond shut the door firmly behind them.
�Dammit Seifer! Cut the crap, what are you doing here?� he demanded.
Seifer didn�t answer. His eyes were scanning the room. He looked surprised. Everything was tidy and neat and organised. It wasn�t what he�d been expecting.
�Well?!� Zell prompted.
�This is really your room?� Seifer walked over to the punching bag and gave it an experimental punch.
�Yes,� said Zell, exasperated. �And I don�t care what you think; it�s my room and it�s how I like it. Leave the punching bag alone.�
Seifer shrugged. �I just expected it to be�messier, I suppose.�
�I get that a lot. You gonna answer my question?�
Seifer had spotted the guitar on its stand. He picked it up.
�You know how to play this?� he asked, giving it a tuneless strum.
�Don�t touch that!� Zell snatched it back and replaced it carefully on its stand. �It�s an heirloom.�
�Those too, huh?� Seifer approached the display on the wall.
�Yes. Don�t touch them,� Zell jumped between Seifer and the guns. �Just sit down, will you.�
�So it�s okay if I touch the bed?� Seifer teased as he flopped down onto it. Zell clenched his fists.
�Why are you here?� he was almost pleading now. He knew Seifer had to have something horrible in mind and the suspense was killing him. He wanted Seifer to just humiliate him, or do whatever it was he was planning to do, and get it over with.
Seifer lay back, propping himself up on his elbows. �Isn�t it obvious?�
Zell threw his hands up. �Gimme a break Seifer. Just do what you�re gonna do already.�
�Well, that was my plan originally� mused Seifer, �but taking my time over it has turned out �quite pleasant.�
�Pleasant. Right. You had a great time lying through your teeth to my mother!�
Seifer frowned. �What did I lie about?�
�You said you and Squall were like brothers.�
Seifer snorted. �I didn�t say we were like brothers who got on together, did I?�
�What about all the sucking up?� Zell put on a mock angelic face. ��Oh /delicious/!��
�Did you want me to be rude to your mother?� Seifer asked. He ran a hand over his hair. �Anyway, I was being honest, actually. Your Ma�s a good cook.�
Zell was confused; Seifer really seemed like he was sincere. This wasn�t like him.
�Yeah, well what about all those suggestive comments you made right in front of her?�
�I can�t help it if you have a dirty mind.�
�I don�t have a dirty mind!� Zell thumped the punching bag, hard. �Quit screwing with me Seifer; just tell me why you�re doing this.�
Seifer sighed. �Fine. But first you have to answer a question for me; you had a major crush on Squall, didn�t you?�
Zell turned his back so Seifer wouldn�t see him blush. �So what if I did? If this is about him, I�m not the one you should be talking to. Squall has someone, anyway.�
Seifer raised his eyebrows. �He�s still with Rinoa?�
Zell snorted. �Squall�s thing for her fizzled out in less than a fortnight, she�s gone back to Zone. She had some pretty stiff competition.�
�Apt choice of words!� Seifer smirked.
Zell felt a blush flood his cheeks. �I didn�t mean...�
�So you had your eye on the cowboy guy too, right?�
�No � Irvine flirts with everyone, it doesn�t mean anything.�
�Did he know about you and Squall when he waltzed in and stole him?�
�There was no �me and Squall�� Zell protested, defiantly turning to face Seifer. �What has this got to do with you being here? If it�s Squall you want, take it up with Irvine.�
�It�s not Squall that I want, not anymore. I just had to be sure.�
�Sure of what?�
Seifer sighed. �Will you sit down? I know you�re not exactly tall, but I�m still getting a crick in my neck.�
Zell sat on the bed, next to Seifer, but not near him. Seifer edged a little closer.
�I never realised...� Seifer began. He shook his head as he changed his mind. �All my life I�ve been searching for something. Something to believe in, I suppose, something to hold on to. Something I�m missing. I thought it was the Sorceress, I thought being her Knight would give me my purpose, and for a while it did. I gave her everything, but it wasn�t enough, or she didn�t care.� He paused and licked his lips.
Zell didn�t move or speak. Was Seifer really baring his heart?
�After it was all over, I remember I was fishing. Badly. Rai and Fu had been pretty much walking on eggshells around me, forcing high spirits, messing around trying to cheer me up. I pretended that it was working. Then I saw the Garden flying overhead and I got this weird sensation of nostalgia and that was when I realised what it was I was missing. I can�t believe it took me so long, but I figured out what it was. You.�
There was a long silence. Seifer patiently waited for a response, his face a carefully controlled mask. Zell licked his lips and finally managed to speak. ��Me.�
�You,� Seifer�s voice was a whisper. Unable to trust himself, he broke eye contact and ran his fingers through his hair.
�I�m supposed to buy this crap?� Zell demanded. Seifer looked at him, startled. �Underneath the bad boy image, Seifer Almasy�s just a hopeless romantic? Yeah right! You just wanna screw with my head some more 'cause you get a kick out of it!�
As much as Zell wanted to believe what Seifer had just said, he didn�t dare. Because he hoped it was true so much, it would only hurt him all the more deeply when Seifer laughed and told him it was all a joke. Seifer must have realised, figured out why Zell had always come back for more, even though he only ever got himself hurt. Still, he�d never imagined Seifer could be this cruel.
�I know how it sounds,� said Seifer. �I pushed you away �cause I couldn�t accept the way I felt about you. I thought you might be able to forgive me. I guess not. I better go.�
He stood up and took a step toward the door. Zell stared at his fists clenched in his lap. He wasn�t going to cry, not yet, not in front of Seifer. He wouldn�t give him the satisfaction.
Seifer cursed himself. He�d arrogantly believed Zell would simply forgive him. He had no right to expect that. No matter what he did or said now, he�d already done too much in the past. He�d lost his chance. But he couldn�t just leave.
He paused in front of Zell. He touched the other blond�s cheek, sliding his hand to cup the back of his head. The boy squeezed his eyes shut as his face was tilted upwards. Hesitantly, Seifer leant forward and kissed Zell�s lips. With a faint moan, he responded. As Zell�s arms slid around him, Seifer gently pushed him down onto the bed. He pressed against him, the kiss becoming more urgent. Zell pulled him closer, holding him tighter until suddenly he shoved Seifer back, beating the other man�s chest with his fists.
�You bastard!� Zell was sobbing, hot tears streaming down his cheeks. �You hurt me so much!� Seifer caught Zell�s wrists, stopping the rain of weak blows. �I�m sorry, Zell, I was stupid and callous.�
�All I wanted was for you to like me. No matter how cruel you were to me, I kept coming back, I couldn�t stop myself. Then when I thought I�d finally got you out of my head, you turn up here and screw me up again.�
�I�m sorry, Zell� Seifer pulled him close and held him. �After what I did to you, I don�t deserve you, but believe me; I�ll never hurt you again. Please Zell.�
The smaller blond murmured something, but muffled against Seifer�s chest, it was indistinct.
�Zell?�
Zell took a deep shaky breath. �I said �you better not�.� Sniffling, he raised his head to look into Seifer�s concerned face. He managed a slight smile. �I wanted to hate you so much, but I couldn�t.�
�I�m sorry,� Seifer said again. �I was a heartless selfish bastard and I don�t deserve you.� He wiped the tears from Zell�s cheeks and kissed him. �But I do deserve the big bruise I�m gonna have across my chest tomorrow.�
�Damn right! That�s nothing compared with how much you hurt me!�
�I know,� murmured Seifer. He looked truly regretful. �But I never will again. I promise.� He kissed Zell again to seal his word.
�Well, you better start making it up to me, don�t you think?� Zell�s eyes sparkled mischievously. A smirk started to form on Seifer�s lips. His hand slid down Zell�s toned body and came to rest teasingly on his hip.
�Is there anything else I�m not allowed to touch?�
�Well,� Zell grinned, �you have to promise not to break anything!�
�I�ll be very careful,� Seifer�s hand snaked across to caress the bulge in Zell�s trousers. The boy�s grin turned into a moan and his eyes flickered shut. He pulled Seifer close and sought his mouth. Seifer slid his tongue between Zell�s teeth as he continued to rub his arousal. Zell�s muffled moans hummed deep in his throat.
Suddenly Seifer pulled his hand away and pinched Zell�s nose shut. Before the other blond could struggle, he had pulled away and pressed both hands against Zell�s ribs.
�Then you do the chest compressions for five.�
�What?� Zell asked, bewildered.
�Pay attention. The chest compressions," Seifer shot a meaningful glance towards the door. Zell looked over.
Big Bad Rascal was in the doorway, eyes wide.
�What you guys doin�?�
�I�ve told you not to come in here!� Zell yelled. He couldn�t get up, Seifer was still half on top of him and besides, he didn�t relish the idea of explaining to the kid why his trousers were suddenly very tight in a certain area.
�We�re playing doctors and nurses,� said Seifer.
�Can I play?�
�I�ve got a better idea,� Seifer�s friendly smile scared Zell a little. �Do you know how to play sardines?�
�Yeah!�
�Great. You go hide and me and Zell will count to 100 and come find you.�
�Cool!� the boy raced back down the stairs. �No cheating!�
Zell groaned. �Oh man! I thought he�d be at his friend�s all day.�
�Next time we�ll have to find somewhere more private,� Seifer said nuzzling Zell�s neck. �Now, you better start counting to 100�
�Can�t we just-�
Seifer pressed a finger to Zell�s lips. �You�re gonna have to do the counting, 'cause I�ll have my mouth full.�
Zell looked confused for a second before he understood. Seifer deftly undid Zell�s trousers. He started to count.
�One, two three, four,�
Zell raised his hips and wriggled out of his trousers as Seifer slid them off.
�Five, six, seeeeven!�
�You have to concentrate,� murmured Seifer. �Keep counting.�
Zell did as he was told. He tried to concentrate; Seifer did his best to distract him. All in all, Zell did quite well. A few numbers came out in the wrong order and he said 73 four times, but he made it. And the neighbours probably heard him cry out one hundred.