Simple Times
Author’s notes: Not a song fic, the song is played in a club. Song doesn’t really fit in with story. Short, spare of the moment thing. Could do with some constructive criticism please.
Disclaimer: The characters, places etc belong to Squaresoft, the song belongs to the company/singer. I own nothing.
Simple Times
The fluorescent lights on the front of the club glowed brightly. Inside, the blue lights played on the smoke that filled the air. The music was loud without being deafening. The dance-floor was filled with bodies moving to the music. Straight couples, gay couples, lesbian couples, all sorts. No one seemed to mind or even notice, everyone was focused on their partner. The dance floor was packed, the couples were so close that they were touching. There was nothing sordid about it everyone was just open minded.
I stood by the steps at front door, fidgeting nervously and staring at the floor, too embarrassed to look up, too embarrassed to be here.
For ages I’ve wondered about this place, I’ve always been to normal clubs but since I discovered I was gay I was curious.
I quickly moved around the outside of the room towards the bar.
I ordered a coke and sat slumped in my seat.
I was convinced I looked really stupid, like a little lost kid drinking coke, too afraid to look up at anyone else in the room.
I had sneaked out from Garden after curfew to come here. At least I was never going to find someone from Garden here.
As the current song ended lots of couples stopped dancing and headed for the bar. My little space suddenly became very crowded, I tried to ignore them but two guys decided they wanted to sit right where I was, I thought about fighting them for it but for a lousy bar stool it wasn’t worth it. I could have taken them though, they were bigger than me but everyone’s bigger than me. No one’s better at hand-to-hand fighting than me.
I moved from the bar to stand back beside the entrance stairs. I turned to the steps just in time to see a tall, blonde walk in. I did a double-take not believing my eyes. The guy wore a grey trench coat with red crosses on the sleeves.
He glanced towards the bar nervously like he was looking for someone.
"W-What the hell are you doing here?!"
He jumped and spun round to face me looking like he was about to run. His expression surprised me it was very un-Seifer-like.
"C-Chicken?"
"Don’t call me that."
"Didn’t expect to see you in here. What are you doing here?"
I shrugged. What was I doing here? On one hand I was mortified to get caught in a bar full of gay people, by Seifer of all people. On the other hand it was comforting to have someone I knew here when I was all alone.
"Have you been here before?" He asked.
"No. Have you?"
"Yeah..." He looked like he was going to say something else but he trailed off.
"Are you meeting anyone here?"
"No."
"Then what are you going to do stand alone in the corner all night."
I glared at him. "I don’t know."
He glanced around the club chewing on his lip thoughtfully.
"What?" I asked, wondering what he was thinking.
"Dance with me?"
"WHAT?!"
"It’s not rocket science, chicken. Yes or no. Will you dance with me?"
I ignored the insult. Do I stand around looking stupid all night? Or do I dance with a guy who’s tormented me for as long as I can remember?
I shrugged. "Alright."
He nodded and walked out to the dance floor, not waiting for me.
I struggled through the moving bodies to meet Seifer in the middle of the floor.
The current song ended just as we got there.
Seifer loosely wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him.
I hesitantly put my arms around his neck. I was more than a bit uncomfortable with this, not because Seifer was a guy but because he was Seifer.
He didn’t seem to mind that he was dancing with someone he hated, someone he had teased for years.
As the new song started Seifer started to move to it and I followed his lead. Great they pick now to put on a slow song, they’ve have all night.
~Does an angel contemplate our faith~
~And do they know the places where we go when we’re old and grey~
~Cause I’ve been told that salvation lets our wings unfold~
~So when I’m lying in my bed thoughts running through my head~
~And I feel love is dead~
~I’m loving angels instead~
I sneak glances at the other couples and the floor, my eyes look everywhere except at Seifer. One couple in particular, two guys were all over each other, if they got any closer they would be having sex. I couldn’t take my eyes off them.
One of the guys was a tall red-head with a long ponytail, the other was a bit shorter with black spiky hair.
The spiky haired guy had one hand inside his partner’s jeans while his other hand was resting on his partner’s ass. They looked really hot.
~And through it all she offers me protection~
~A lotta love and affection, weather I’m right or wrong~
~And down the waterfall when ever it may take me~
~I know that life won’t break me~
~When I come to call~
~She forsake me~
~I’m loving angels instead~
The red-head turned and caught me looking at them.
I could feel the blush creeping up my neck as he grinned at me. His partner winked seductively at me. I could have died right there with embarrassment.
Seifer shot both guys the look of death, wrapping his arms protectively around me like a jealous boyfriend. The couple moved away but Seifer didn’t release his hold on me, I rested my head on his chest but only because we were so close, it was more comfortable this way. I saw Seifer look down at me slightly surprised. He relaxed his protective grip but still held me close.
~I look above and I know I’ll always be blessed with love~
~And as the feeling grows~
~She brings flesh to my bones~
~And when love is dead~
~I’m loving angels instead~
The song was ending. I wondered if Seifer would just leave now, I kind of wished he wouldn’t.
A new song started and a few people left the dance floor. Seifer pulled away from me and reluctantly I let him go.
He cupped my chin, I looked up curiously at him. He slowly bent and lightly kissed me.
My mouth fell open with shock and I stared at him like he had three heads.
"Zell?"
Oh my god, he didn’t call me ‘Chicken’ or ‘Chicken Wuss’. I just stared at him hoping he’d kiss me again.
He pulled back with a sad smile. I guess he thought my reaction was a negative one.
"I’ll see you... Chicken." He said the insult in the same way you would say a pet name.
He walked away from me and away from the club.
I stood there for a moment, half of me thinking it was a trick while the other half desperately wanted to go after him.
It took a while before my positive side convinced my negative side. I ran out of the club frantically glancing around for a sign of the tall, blonde.
"Seifer?!"
He was nowhere in sight, I hung around for a while before slowly walking back to Garden. He’ll have to go back eventually.
Seifer hadn’t come back to Garden all night, I asked his room-mate. I haven’t stopped thinking about him since he kissed me last night.
I hope he’s okay. It’s a Sunday so he doesn’t have to come in for classes, I wish it was a weekday then he’ll have to come in. I’ll check again after my training.
I propelled myself off the bed, grabbed a shirt and ran out of my dorm and to the Training Centre.
There’s no point moping about it. I have stuff to-
"Hey, Chicken Wuss."
I froze in mid-step. Only one person called me that.
I spun to see Seifer with the usual smirk plastered to his face, his cronies to either side of him.
"Seifer?"
Fujin had her usual nasty expression she saved for me. I don’t know why she hated me so much.
"Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you to get in."
"Why?" He said it snidely like he didn’t care but his eyes told me otherwise.
He always put on a tough show for his friends. I decided to respect that, to say what I needed to say without letting his friends know that he kissed me.
"I’m sorry for acting like an idiot..."
"You’re always an idiot," Fujin added.
I ignored her. "About what happened last night, I was shocked but not in a bad way. I was glad you did that after I got over the shock."
The blonde’s expression softened. "You mean that?"
"Of course."
Fujin looked worried and a bit jealous.
"What’s he talking about, Seifer?"
He ignored her. I didn’t flinch as the blonde closed the gap between us, gently stroking my tattoo in full view of his friends.
I was shocked he was so open about it.
But this time I didn’t just stand there when he kissed me. Eagerly I wrapped my arms around his neck, smiling as Raijin and Fujin gasped in shock.
He offered me a small smile as he pulled away.
Fujin looked like she was about to faint, she was so jealous. I grinned, smugly at her. Now I know why she hated me.
That was before the war when Seifer and I first got together.
Everything was a lot more simple then. Now I live in a run down building that was once an orphanage, I’ve left SeeD, left my friends and I’m harbouring a known criminal.
I can’t see a way out, I’d rather die than lose Seifer so I guess I’m stuck here.