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Magic of Valentine	By : Zierra Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 664 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Chapter 6

�Are you done yet?� Squall asked impatiently and tapped his foot against the linoleum floor. Apparently, Zell was the only one in Garden who actually preferred the plastic carpeting to wooden floors. When confronted with it, Zell had excused himself by blaming splinters and difficult cleaning.

�Yeah�, Zell called back. �In a minute!�

Squall sighed. �The same minute as 10 minutes ago?� he asked silently, roughly rubbing his temples.

Picking out a new shirt to wear should be an easy enough task, unless your name was Zell Dincht and you had serious color-coordination problems.

�Maybe I should just pick one out for you?� He had never had much patience with people to begin with, but Squall had found a rather effective cure for that; Don�t talk to them and they won�t talk to you.

It worked, most of the time, unless he was dealing with Selphie, Zell or his father.

�Fine!�

He opened the door to Zell�s bedroom and eyed it carefully. He�d never spent much time in any guy�s bedroom, least of all Zell�s, and it was with a curious fascination that he took this new experience in. It was clean enough to avoid being messy, but fell short of being neat.

�Sorry for the mess�, Zell said absently and didn�t sound the least bit sorry, only offering the phrase out of courtesy. He hadn�t turned from his closet, staring into it like it was a SeeD-exam.

How much clothes could he have to choose from anyway?

When he joined Zell�s side, he got his answer.

Apparently, some people actually used their closet space for clothes and clothes alone. Squall�s was his storage room for unwanted and (for the most part) unnecessary things, because his wardrobe consisted of enough clothes to hang over a chair. At least those he wanted to wear.

�Oh�, was all he could think of to say and Zell gave him a questioning look.

�Don�t like what you see?�

�No, it�s not�. I mean, yes, I�� He groaned. �Only Yes or No questions, please.�

Zell grinned and elbowed Squall roughly in the side. It did hurt, but the brunette had learned long ago that no matter how aware Zell was of his own strength, he would still be stronger than most people and therefore just a touch rougher.

An excited shiver ran through him at the wording and a fierce blush colored his cheeks. Luckily, Zell�s closet held all of the blond�s attention and Squall quickly stored away the dirty thoughts where he could find them later and cleared his throat.

�What about that green shirt?� He pointed absently at the jade colored short-sleeved shirt hanging right in his field of vision.

�Yeah? Selphie says it�s Seifer�s color. But then again she also said I�d look good in red, cos of my skin pigments and stuff, but I don�t think it goes well with� my eyes�.�

Zell�s face took on the aforementioned color, eyes going wide as he realized what he�d said. �Eh, I meant� Hmm.�

Squall only smiled, running a hand over a multicoloured Hawaii shirt - in silk.

�I know what you meant�, he assured. �And I agree. With Selphie. She was debating it with me when we visited Esthar once and she did have a point about it going well with your skin tone, at least in the summer.�

The shocked look that the blond gave him made him sigh heavily in played boredom. �Maybe now you understand why I stick to black and white. It�s difficult to mismatch.�

�I just didn�t think you had an eye for that stuff.� Zell leaned forward and stole a chaste peck on his cheek. �Now, I�m choosing from this t-shirt and that black knitted thing.�

��

�Do you think we should check Zell�s room first?�

Selphie was all but clinging to Seifer�s arm as they made way through the corridor, leaving the soft romantic music behind. Seifer�s strides were long and determined and Selphie was having a hard time keeping up, already panting form the fast pace.

�No�, Seifer said, voice taking on a strange edge. �We go to Squall first. If he�s there, then we can beat the shit out of him before going to see Zell and��

�Apologize?�

�Yeah, sort of.�

�Shouldn�t we apologize to Squall too?� Quistis had managed to catch up with them, running barefoot with her shoes dangling from her hand and her question caught them off guard and Seifer missed a step, almost tripping over his dark-haired partner in crime. �Why would I ever apologize to that prick! He�s-!�

Quistis� stern gaze shut him up like a gunshot and he settled for a glare.

�I think that if things didn�t go as we planned, we�re responsible for a problem between the two and it�s not like Squall asked for our intervention.� They both stared at her dumbly so Quistis sighed. �You mentioned something about Squall�s room?�

Selphie and Quistis had to run to keep up with Seifer and by the time they stopped outside Squall�s door, they were all short of breath.

�Alright, knock the door, Selphie.�

�I�m not knocking on no door! Quistis, you do it.�

�You two are such babies.�

Quistis stepped up to the door and only hesitated long enough to hiss a sharp �cowards!� at her friends before knocking rapidly. They stood waiting breathlessly, and let out a unanimous sigh as no one opened.

�Try again�, Seifer instructed, nudging Quistis in the side.

�You try again!�

�There�s no on in there, guys.� Selphie gently pulled on Quistis arm to get her attention. The last thing they needed was to get on each others nerves. �Maybe he�s in his office? You know how he despises Valentine�s Day.�

Seifer scratched his head, like he�d find an answer up there.

�Yeah, but work? Not even Leonheart�s that much of a workaholic.�

Selphie suddenly spun around, a new determination in her eyes. �Well, it can�t hurt to look, can it? Now, hurry, we have some damage control to do.�

She took off in a blur of pink and the two blondes that she left behind gave each other a bewildered look before tailing after her.

When they arrived outside of Squall�s office door, Seifer had an odd déjà vu from last Halloween. He remembered standing there, waiting for someone to open the Hyne-forsaken door and waiting in vain. He�d been almost as inclined to kick Squall�s ass that time, as he was now.

That prick is about as sensitive as a�.. something insensitive. I bet all that came out of his mouth when little chickie confessed, was �whatever�.

They all nearly jumped as the door opened, revealing a rather dishevelled-looking Commander, eyeing them suspiciously.

�Yes?�

�Err, are you ok?� Seifer tried to sneak a peak over Squall�s head, but the door had only opened enough to reveal Squall�s mussed head and crooked collar and there was nothing behind him except dull-colored wall and a ugly picture of some former Headmaster that was apparently walled in and impossible to remove.

How thoughtful of the old geezer.

�Of course�, Squall replied, still looking at them funny and kept fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. A rather nice-looking shirt at that. �Why?� he asked, tilting his head in that way he had since he�d been five. It still worked for him, though. Probably why the bastard was Headmaster and Seifer still struggling to remain a SeeD.

�We just thought, you know, about Zell�s dinner�?� Selphie had piped up, her eyes like a dear in headlights and that, luckily, worked for her too.

�Yeah, what about it?�

�Did you go?� Quistis, with her miniskirt and leather whip, had no cute little feature that made people take pity on her and if she ever had one, she�d gotten rid of it a long time ago.

�Yes, and you didn�t .�

The three accomplices looked guiltily at each other, and Seifer felt a hint of a blush.

�You noticed that, huh?�

�You�re not exactly invisible, Seifer�, Squall pointed out. �And Selphie�s not quiet while Quistis isn�t�.� Squall gave the latter a closer look and frowned. �Unnoticeable. Your absence was very obvious.�

�Was Zell very mad?� Again, Selphie and her puppy dog whimper.

�Was?� Squall briefly looked down at his socked feet. That he was shoeless hadn�t occurred to Seifer before, and it apparently Squall hadn�t noticed either because he uttered a perplexed �hmm� at the sight of the Shiva-pattern before he continued. �I don�t think he�s gotten over it.�

�But you gave him the gift, right? Tell me you remembered, Squall!�

�I remembered�, Squall said indignantly, but Seifer thought he heard an added �eventually� under his breath. �Was there something else you wanted?�

Seifer glanced at Quistis over Selphie�s head and shrugged.

�No, Squall�, the blonde instructor said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. So maybe she had her little feature. �We just wanted to make sure you weren�t perishing away in your office all by yourself.�

Or maybe not.

�Thanks, Quistis. Your kindness overwhelms me. Now go away!�

The door swished shut, leaving the three of them standing at a loss outside.

�That went well.� Seifer said, serious. He had had many conversations with Squall in the past, but none had proceeded as smoothly as that. �He didn�t even glare, until the end there.�

�Well?� Selphie asked, incredulously. �You think that went well? Did you hear what he was saying? Zell�s mad at us, and probably at Squall too, and we�re totally to blame here!�

�Selphie, if you calm down�.�

�No, Quistis, I�m not gonna calm down. If it wasn�t for your brilliant plan, they wouldn�t be fighting, and Zell wouldn�t be mad at us and�.and Irvine wouldn�t be tied up to a chair with Seifer�s posse-�

�Probably enjoying himself, Raijin has this great Cid-impersonation-�

�-and I wouldn�t be standing here feeling like the biggest ass in history!� She fell silent, panting heavily and stared into to the hard, grey floor. �I�m going to bed�, she added meekly and all but ran back to her dorm.

Seifer and Quistis stood staring after her, again, much like they had before, only this time they didn�t follow.

�She�s right�, Quistis said, sounding more regretful that Seifer had ever heard before. �It�s all my fault.�

�Your fault what?�

She looked up. �Selphie was right about that too, where you even listening? Zell obviously wants nothing to do with us at the moment, Squall was acting�.odd, if I may be so vague. And now Selphie�s mad at me too and�.�

She was beginning to choke up, so Seifer laid an around her shoulders and gave her a friendly squeeze.

�Listen, this is not your fault. Hell, we don�t even know what the hell is going on here! Squall didn�t get into any details about what had happened between them and for all we know, that little brat could be in there with him right now. Yes, highly unlikely, but possible. That means your mission was a success. You should hold on to your self-pity until we know the whole story. Maybe we should check on Zell first, before we conclude anything.�

Quistis nodded, straightening herself and forcibly wiped away any tears that she had refused to shed.

�Right, let�s go.�

�After you, ma�am.�

��

On the other side of the door.

�Damn, you think they�re on to us?�

Zell emerged from under Squall�s desk and walked over to his Commander-turned-boyfriend-in-a-matter-of-hours. Squall shrugged.

�Probably not, he was just making her feel better.�

�Yeah�, Zell frowned and worried his bottom lip with sharp teeth. �Selphie was really upset, wasn�t she?�

�Mind on the mission!� Squall said, grabbing a hold of Zell�s shoulders. �This is the means to an end, remember. Let her sweat for bit, it�ll do her good. And it�s even better that you�re not in your room. Knowing your nature, you�d probably let them in after a few minutes of pleading.�

A deep frowned broke Zell�s usually smooth forehead.

�Gee, Squall. Thanks.�

Zell broke free of the tight grip and walked over to the window. Problem with careless and untroubled Squall was not only was he showing emotions, he was being upfront with you. Blunt, even.

He heard Squall sigh behind him and the soft footfalls as he approached him. Zell had always been proud of his keen hearing, but sometimes what you didn�t hear was saying more.

�You know what I mean, Zell.�

�Yeah, I do.� He stared hard at the tree standing down in the field they�d landed in. It looked as lonely as Zell felt. � You know, maybe I liked you better when you weren�t talking so much because the chances of you saying something hurtful were very low. At least then I knew you couldn�t phrase it any other way.�

He could see Squall�s reflection in the window, could see him eyeing the back of Zell�s head.

�I don�t have training in being tactful, Zell. Not when dealing with people. Maybe it worked better when I, as you say, wasn�t talking so much. I�m sorry if I offended you, but you are prone to surrender to your friends. You �. care about them, right? It�s just natural that you should. But they�ve been gambling with your feelings, with my feelings, and it�s not the first time. We�re not doing this�� He emphasized his meaning by gently stroking down Zell�s arm. ��for their enjoyment. This place sees more drama then I care for, they don�t need to drag us into that. This is our business.�

Zell pursed his lips, trying hard to find some sort of retaliation except for agreement. He knew Squall was right, but he had just scolded him for being insensitive towards him, it wouldn�t do to just change his mind when he was trying to make a point. So he decided to be blunt too.

�Alright, so you�re not like Fuujin. Should I get used to that, or are you getting back to �normal� once the spell�s gone and one-sentence-Squall is what I�m dealing with? It may look easy to you, because you�re you to you, you know? To me, you�re a stranger that looks like the guy I�ve had a crush on for almost a year. You have to understand that this is confusing to me and I don�t know who you�re gonna be in the morning.�

Squall had backed away a bit, face blank and he almost looked like he always did.

�I�m not a stranger. This is who I am when no one else is around. I thought this was the guy all of you wanted out and now you don�t like him?�

�I didn�t say I didn�t like you, Squall. Did you miss that part about having a crush on you?�

�You fooled me.�

Zell suddenly laughed, the amusement bitter, but amusing no less.

�Never thought I�d have this kind of conversation with you.� He stood straight and took a deep breath while looking Squall evenly in the eyes. �I just need to get to know this part of you a little better, you know. Just like you need to learn how to be a little considerate about how people perceive you.�

Squall just stood looking at him for a moment, before tilting his head. �You sure you�re not under some kind of spell too?�

�Fairly certain, why?�

�Because you�re using words�.a little out of your �normal� league.�

�Just because one of us has to be the grown up here. I wasn�t the one playing tag on the way over here. Your hair�s a mess.�

It was typical Zell thing to do, noticing people�s hair.

�That would explain why you were always it�.�

TBC
- 5
- 6
- 7
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Magic of Valentine