Knowing Innocence
(Working title)
Chapter 7
Disclaimer: Squaresoft owns all the characters. I don’t own anything.
Knowing Innocence
(Working title)
Chapter 7
I sniggered at the crowds of girls outside Nida’s dorm. I was glad we weren’t the only ones getting attention. The hordes from around our dorm had disappeared I wondered where they had gone, now I knew. They were losing interest in us, they had no proof and we denied it over and over. I had armfuls of videos that I’d burrowed from everyone I knew in this place, we were having a video fest just the two of us. This was operation make up with Zell; I was determined to make him comfortable around me. I was getting annoying, if I rubbed up against him he’d jump. He wasn’t too keen on the idea at first I had to talk him into it.
I was always telling him to calm down and stop being so jumpy.
I entered my sector and run straight into Xu, I moved to walk around her but she stopped me.
“Seifer, I need to ask you a question and I need an honest answer.”
I looked at her questioningly.
“Do you fancy Zell?”
I stared at her. “You don’t beat around the bush do ya?”
She placed her hands on her hips. “Well? Yes or no?”
“Er.... I..... don’t know...”
Xu rolled her eyes. “God, men, you’re all useless. I don’t know what you see in them.”
I frowned at her comment.
“Well?”
“Yeah.... I suppose. Do you fancy Quistis?”
“We’re not here to discuss me this is about you.” She eyed my pile of videos and raised an eyebrow at me.
“We’re having a video fest, just me and Zell.”
Xu smiled. “Good.” Her expression turned sympathetic. “Is he still avoiding you?”
“Yeah. I was hoping these would help.”
“It’ll take more than videos ya know?”
“Yeah.” I muttered quietly.
“Anyway.” She smiled. Do you know what happening on Friday?”
“No.”
Her smile faltered. “How can you not know? It’s the welcome party for the new comers.”
“I thought that was cancelled.”
“It was but now Selphie’s hosting it.”
“Selphie?” I smirked. I could just see Zell refusing to go, hiding under the bed or even handcuffing himself to it.
“Everyone has to go so don’t think of skipping it.” She gave me her best strict teacher look. “I was...um... thinking of asking Quistis to go with me, do you think she would?”
I smiled at her. “She’d be crazy not to.”
She smiled and stepped aside so I could leave. “Good luck.”
I speeded up as I felt the videos start to slip from my arms, I tried to move my arms to hold them better but it only speeded up their descent. I made it to my dorm before they crashed to the floor in a heap at Zell’s feet. He stood in the doorway shooting a questioning look at the videos. His hair was wet and plastered to his head. He was only wearing a towel around his waist, drips travelling down his upper torso. Once I had managed to tear my eyes from his body, I bent to pick up the videos. Zell was dripping on the floor beside me it was distracting. I kept thinking how nice it would be to lick the drips off his chest. Bad Seifer, stop it!
“What are those?”
“Videos.”
“I know that. What are they for?”
I looked up at him from the floor. “I thought we could stay in and watch a few but I didn’t know what type of movie you liked, so I brought a selection.” There, that didn’t sound too pathetic did it?
His expression softened. “Where’d you get all these from?”
“Burrowed them off everyone I know in this place. Why?”
He shook his head. I knew he had something else to say but he chickened out. I started to pick them up and Zell knelt to help me, we took half each, he walked in front of me. I had to suppress a chuckle as his towel travelled lower and lower on his hips. He tried lope-sidedly to pick them up tried to pull it up without dropping any videos. He made a mad dash to the living room, throwing them onto the sofa and grabbing his towel as it just slid past his ass. He gave me a perfect view of his cute, little backside.
He blushed deeply and I burst out laughing, I couldn’t help it. Zell ran and locked himself in the bathroom. I walked up to the door.
“You’re still coming out to watch these right?”
I heard a muffled reply, which I took as a yes. “What do you want to watch first?”
“Anything.”
I rummaged through the pile for something Zell would like to watch something with action or violence in. I frowned at the lack of both of these things. Lots of romance, what a bunch of saps we had in this place. The Titanic, that’s sort of action, the ship does sink it’s dramatic right? It’ll have to do. I set up the VCR and put the tape in as Zell existed the bathroom. He was wearing a pair of tracksuit bottoms; a baggy black T-shirt and his feet were bare. His hair was still wet and it was slicked back from his face.
“What are we watching?”
“Titanic.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. I shrugged. “It’s the closest thing I’ve got to action.”
Zell dug through the videos. “Wow, loads of romance.”
“I know, it’s sickening isn’t it?”
“There’s nothing wrong with romance.”
“Really?” I hadn’t expected him to say that.
“Well, you’re in luck then. Do you still want to watch the Titanic?”
He looked sheepish. “My niece made me watch that three times in a row. It’s put me off for life.”
I smiled. “Right, well pick something.”
He quickly handed me something. “My mum’s favourite movie.”
I put ‘City of Angels’ in to the VCR and sat back with the remote control. I sat in an armchair while Zell was on the sofa. I figured he would appreciate the distance between us. I don’t usually watch romance but I didn’t complain. I’m not very romantic.
Zell glanced over at me a few times, I looked more at him than I did at the screen, must have been the mushy movie getting to me. We sat in silence until the end. As the end credits were going up I looked over to see Zell wipe a few tears from his eyes. I smiled. He saw my smile and hastily rubbed his eyes. He must have thought I was mocking him. Okay, so I’m a jerk but I don’t mock my friends.
When he next glanced at me I smiled in a friendly manner at him, he shrugged sheepishly.
“I teased my niece for weeks when she cried at Titanic and now look at me.”
“You have a niece?” I didn’t even know he had any siblings.
“Yeah. I have two brothers; one of them is 26 and has two kids.” He beamed but his grin faltered almost immediately.
I knew he had family problems so I tried to keep the conversation light. “You the baby of the family then?”
“Yeah.”
“So, movies. What else do you want to watch?”
“Something funny. Nothing sad or I’ll flood the place.”
I smiled. I was glad he had lightened up.
“What about this?” I held up ‘The full Monty.’
“Okay, one of the guys in that is fit.”
I frowned. He had to be kidding. They’re all horrible.
“You know, the gay one.”
“Not the ginger guy?”
“No, his boyfriend.”
“Oh.” I couldn’t see it myself. “Nah, I like blondes.”
“Me too.”
I looked over at him and he blushed causing me to smile. I put the tape in the VCR and sat down beside Zell on the sofa. He didn’t even flinch when I sat next to him, I was glad. I liked being near him.
By the time the movie had finished it was late and Zell had fallen asleep, his head was inches from resting on my shoulder and his arm lay on my thigh, I wasn’t complaining. I traced the tattoo lightly with my fingers before I moved and gently lifted the sleeping beauty into my arms. I took Zell into his room trying hard not to trip over the clothes that littered his floor. He was even messier than I was. I set him down on the edge of the bed, pulling the covers down and tucked him. The blonde unconsciously nuzzled into my arm, holding onto me. I had to gently pull away. He made a small noise of protest but he shifted in his sleep and went silent again. I bent down, kissing him on the forehead softly. I glanced at him to see if he noticed but he didn’t seem to, I sighed and returned to my own room.