A/N:Written for the Zellphie Rev. 8/8/08. Enjoy!
Midnight Meandering
"This better be good." Selphie wheezed and bent over her knees, her usual stance whenever she was low on health or injured. Weaving through the Training Center after it had just gathered new monsters was not a good idea. She didn't expect there to be THAT many monsters when she first stepped in after being persuaded by Zell for days. Apparently, he wanted to show her something he claimed to be "amazing" and she sure hoped that whatever he wanted to show her was going to be worth the intense fighting she had to go through.
"Hang on, Selphie!" Zell summoned a quick healing spell on his friend, watching the magic ripple over her battered body before dissipating into thin air. He made sure she was really all right before unleashing a limit break on the T-Rex.
"Be careful, Zell!" Selphie warned as she readied her nunchucks in a defensive fashion, preparing to guard herself in case the monster decided to counter. However, thanks to Zell's impressive string of kicks and punches, it fell before their feet and disintegrated. She let out a small squeal and did a victory dance, the feeling of euphoria from her conquest surging through her at that moment.
"Haha, no problem! You okay though?" Zell asked with slight concern as he checked her over again just to make sure she had no serious injuries. After all, he did feel responsible for her since it was his idea to bring her into the Training Center at this time of the night. It was after regular hours, and therefore they have broken strict regulations. If the Disciplinary Committee were to find out about this, he was sure they were going to be facing Headmaster Cid for their punishments.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks." Selphie closed her parted nunchucks and continued down the tropical path with Zell walking beside her at a slower pace. She could feel his eyes on her as they strolled down a curving trail. "Are you watching me or something?" she asked when she didn't feel his gaze leaving her.
"Er…no…I'm just checking to make sure we don't run into monsters, that's all," Zell replied quickly while silently cursing himself for making it so obvious that he was indeed looking at her. Not only did he want to protect her, but he also wanted to just be close to her. There was something strangely familiar about the woman next to him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He couldn't help but feel like he had known her in the past and they had been good friends. Inwardly, he felt a close bond with Selphie, but he was pretty certain that he was just being crazy and she probably didn't feel the same way he did. Ever since they both became SeeDs, he started to see her more often and the sense of familiarity just became stronger every time he was with her, and tonight was certainly not an exception.
"Hey, I can't help it that I'm cute," Selphie laughed jokingly. She turned to look at him and was surprised to see a small shade of red evident on his cheeks. No…he couldn't be blushing…it's probably the lighting in here… she thought to herself, feeling somewhat disappointed that he denied her question before. Deep down, she was somewhat hoping to hear that he had been staring at her. She knew she was cute and attractive, but her physical features were something she didn't really care about, and therefore she didn't want him staring at her because of that. There was just something special about him that she couldn't quite pinpoint, but she knew that it was there. That was why she made an effort to see him more often and even agreed to accompany him tonight on his midnight excursion.
"Bu you are," Zell admitted truthfully. He resisted the urge to comment further and forced his eyes to train on something else other than her. "So…we're almost there," he said hastily before she could say something about his compliment.
"You know, you never told me where we're heading to, and you said you would explain it to me once we're in the Training Center."
"Oh, well…I kind of followed Quistis one night and she ended up in this really cool abandoned place. I accidentally heard her tell Xu that she planned to bring Squall here tonight."
Selphie gasped. "So are you saying we're here to spy on them?" She really did hate interfering in other people's business and spying was the last thing she wanted to risk getting in huge trouble for.
"Um…well it's not quite spying," Zell chuckled nervously. He was kind of curious to see what Quistis was planning on doing with Squall in the abandoned area he had caught her in a few days ago, but at the same time he didn't want Selphie to get mad at him or feel uncomfortable with the idea. "It does have a nice view too!" He wasn't lying about that part. When he first stepped into the hidden area, he was instantly awed at the sheer beauty of the sight before him. He never thought Balamb Garden could look so beautiful at night.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to see for myself then…" Selphie sighed and continued following the male cadet. When he stopped in front of an entranceway that was blocked by "DANGER" signs, she gave him an awkward look with a raised brow.
"Ah, don't worry about that! I think that's just there to throw people off!" Zell explained quickly and kicked away one of the signs blocking the way. "Ladies first."
"This better be good, Zell! I'm losing sleep over this and we have a mission tomorrow morning."
"I don't think you'll be disappointed, Selphie." He followed after her and walked into the dark path that would eventually lead them into an area of wonders.
He pushed open the heavy doors, and when he and Selphie walked through them, he heard her gasp in awe as she tilted her head upwards to glance at the velvet black sky that was littered with millions of stars, each one sparkling brighter than the one before. Her sight remained riveted upon the night sky as the faint blue aura radiating from Garden made the area glow with eerie soft beams of light that pulsed like waves, rippling in all directions. It was a calm night and the few people who knew of the location took advantage of the serene environment to be intimate with their loved one. He glanced around the room and saw couples either holding hand, gazing at the peaceful scene before them, or just acting somewhat promiscuous with each other. There wasn't anything too lewd going on and he was relieved of that because he didn't want Selphie to think that he had brought her here because he wanted to do things with her that would involve his inability to control his hormones. He watched her walk towards the railings and he secretly admired the way she bent over to get a closer look of Garden's exterior complex. Her yellow jumper rode up slightly and he was pretty darn close to getting a peek of something he knew he shouldn't even be thinking about.
"So what do you think?"
"It's absolutely…stunning…" Selphie breathed slowly; she was still unable to tear her gaze away from the riveting sight. "You're right, Zell. It's sooo worth it to get in trouble just to catch a glance of this view!"
"Hehe…well you should give the credit to Quistis. She was the one who discovered this place and I just simply followed her here," he said casually as he walked up to the female and looked over her shoulder at the blue and white iridescent lights blinking every few seconds. "Heh, it feels like I'm gazing at stars around me."
"I know what you mean. I've seen how Garden looked when I was outside, but the view in this particular area is incredible. I wonder why they decided to block off this portion of the Training Center?"
Zell thought for a moment. "Some students probably did it to buy a private area so they can…er…do whatever." He glanced at the couples around him again, feeling happy for them that they could share this beautiful intimate moment with each other. He caught a glimpse of two familiar figures when he turned to the front of the area. "Hey, look there. It's Quistis and Squall."
Selphie turned around, momentarily forgetting about what she was previously gazing at and felt a sense of embarrassment. "I don't think it's a good idea to spy or eavesdrop on them, Zell."
"Yeah, I guess…especially when it seems like they're kinda having an…awkward moment there." From what Zell saw, he gathered that the evening hadn't turned out the way Quistis had planned on. He felt sorry for the older woman when he saw Squall turn his back towards her with his arms crossed, the look of annoyance undeniably on his face as Quistis tried to plead with him about something that was out of Zell's hearing range.
"You think they can see us?" Selphie asked. She didn't know how she would explain herself if they caught her and Zell staring at them.
Zell shook his head. "Nah, I think they have too much issues on their own hands to even notice the people around them." He continued watching them in the dark corner, somewhat forgetting that he and Selphie were invading Squall's privacy, but he couldn't help it. He was too curious to see what would end up happening between the instructor and his leader, but from the looks of it, he didn't get the feeling that it was going to be something positive. He assumed Squall probably reached his breaking point when he pushed himself away from the railings and started heading towards the door, leaving a despondent looking Quistis staring at his back with a longing and disappointed expression. The instructor finally snapped out of her daze and followed slowly behind Squall as they both left the area silently with only a few casual words exchanged.
"Wow, poor Quistis…" Selphie whispered when her two friends left the room. She hadn't known Squall for that long and she didn't know what the situation they were in, but she did feel that Squall was being very insensitive towards Quistis. From the looks of it, all Quistis really wanted was to talk to someone, and it made her feel sad inside knowing that Squall couldn't even give her a minute of his time. "I wonder what she wanted to tell him that she didn't want to tell us."
"I think she wanted to confess something to him," Zell stared simply. "Eh, she probably has the hots for him."
"For Squall? But he's so…cold." Selphie shuddered at just the thought of someone who could actually make Squall open up to the people and world around him. Even though he was appointed as her leader, she still didn't feel completely comfortable around him yet. That was going to take more time.
"Heh, well I know Quistis is a very logical person, but when it comes to her heart…it's another story I guess." Zell walked towards the front of the area and tried not to stare at the couples around him. He was sure they would find that to be rude on his part. "This is completely breathtaking," he commented as he stood in the same position Squall was in just a couple of minutes ago. He heard Selphie walking softly behind him, the sound of her boots clanking faintly on the metal floor as she made her way beside him.
'This was where Quistis was standing before when Squall probably said something mean to her. What a meanie," she said sadly, feeling bad for the instructor that her feelings for Squall were most likely unrequited.
"I know, but we should let them work out their own issues, right? Besides, we should have some fun here and just enjoy the view." Zell closed his eyes and leaned forward against the railing. He could smell the salt water and hear the gentle tides rolling from the bay. Even if everything else died in the middle of the night, he knew the bay would always be alive.
"You're right…" Selphie sighed. There was no point in worrying about Squall and Quistis. It wasn't her business and it wasn't like she could do anything to fix their problems. Instead, she decided to take Zell's advice and just concentrate on the scenery before her. "So pretty…"
A few minutes of silence past before them before Zell suddenly asked a question that she hadn't expect him to ask. "Hey Selphie…do you ever get the feeling sometimes that…you think you know someone but…not know them at the same time?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Selphie asked, confused at his perplexing question. She turned away from her view and stared at Zell's side profile, expecting an extended explanation for his question.
Zell breathed deeply. He wasn't sure where he was going with this or what he wanted to ask. But, he just needed to talk to someone about his…issues. "Well, you might think I'm weird…but sometimes I get the feeling like I've known Squall, Quistis, Seifer…and even you in the past."
"Huh? But I just transferred here. How can that be possible?"
"That's the thing…" Zell continued. "I don't know how it's possible but it just is." His brilliant blue eyes snapped open, and against the soft light, they seemed to be shining just as bright as the stars. "Ever since we all became SeeDs, I've been getting this strange feeling that I know all of you somehow…but I just can't pinpoint where."
"Are you on drugs?" Selphie laughed.
"What!? Hell no!"
"Just kidding!" She laughed again before deciding it was best to dismiss her comment before it agitated him further. "But seriously, I don't know why you feel like that. Maybe it's because you've seen Squall, Quistis, and Seifer around Garden?"
"No…it's not that…" Zell shook his head. Maybe this was all in his mind. "Never mind…this probably makes no sense and I don't know why I brought it up."
"No! If you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen." She suddenly felt bad for making him feel like she couldn't take him seriously. She felt her heart skipped a beat when his piercing gaze fell upon hers and she couldn't help but notice that he had a rather handsome face beneath the faint blue light that highlighted his features.
"Selphie…I just can't shake the feeling that I've known you from before…or met someone like you…and we were really good friends."
"Was this part of a dream or something?" Her heart continued to quicken and she felt like she had to suddenly turn away from his stare.
"A dream? Maybe it was…maybe I dreamed that you were someone really special to me." Zell turned to face the sky again, feeling a bit tense and awkward from what he just told her. Was I really dreaming of her? But…I can't recall that this was all just a dream. But what else could it be?
"But it doesn't matter anymore, does it? We're good friends now and I know we'll be on a lot of missions together. Tee hee, we'll probably be stuck together like glue!" She hesitantly reached out a hand and touched his arm gently. "We're both SeeDs now."
Zell didn't know why but he liked the idea of them being "stuck together like glue." He couldn't shake the feeling that they were somehow bonded in the past, and now he was going to get the chance to have that in the present, and hopefully in the future as well.
"Huh?" Selphie exclaimed as she looked around her.
"What is it?"
"Everyone is gone. Where did they all go?" It was only now that she realized that she and Zell were the only ones left in the room. Somehow, sometime during their small chit-chat, everyone had left. She suddenly felt herself blushing slightly. The notion of her being alone with Zell at a place like this made her feel uneasy, but it wasn't necessarily in a negative way. She looked up at him just in time to catch his eyes upon hers. His striking blue eyes made her shudder as she became awed at how beautiful they looked whenever the faint blue lights reflected off of them.
"Heh, I think it's about time we head back too then. Besides, we both have a mission first thing in the morning, right?" He gave her a lopsided grin, reminding her of her own previous words.
"Oh…yeah, you're right." She hated to admit it, but she was partially disappointed when he broke eye contact with her. "Let's head back."
"Come on, I'll walk you back to your dormitory," he offered politely.
"W-What? I can head back myself!" Selphie protested, feeling somewhat embarrassed and shy by his unexpected offer. There was just something different about having a guy walk you back to your dorm compared to having a guy walk WITH you back because that's where he was heading to at the same time.
"Heh, well I wouldn't want a T-Rex to gobble you up on your way back!" Zell teased.
Selphie jumped and knit her brows together in mock anger. "Hey. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself, Mr. Dincht!"
"Haha, whatever you say. Come on, let's head back." With a free hand, he took her wrist and guided her through the front doors. Her skin was warm and he resisted the urge to look at her reaction as he slightly tightened his grip around her hand. As soon as they walked back out into the Training Center, he immediately drew back his hand and silently reprimanded himself for doing something so hastily without thinking. He hoped that she didn't take much notice in his action and just dismissed it as something casual, which it was for the most part he assumed.
"Um…so what are you going to do afterwards?" Selphie couldn't help but stare at the area on her wrist where Zell had just been holding onto. Bluntly put, it felt…nice.
"Hmm…I guess I'll wait up for Squall and let him know that we got new rooms now that we're SeeDs if he hadn't heard the news yet."
"I see. Well, thanks for bringing me here tonight, Zell. I had a lot of fun and the view was gorgeous." Selphie beamed.
"No problem. And uh…thanks for hearing me out…you know, regarding my weird issues." He felt slightly embarrassed again, but it did feel good to finally let his thoughts out. He had been waiting for the chance to speak to someone about this, but he had to find the right person to speak with. It wasn't like he could just come out of the blue and tell Squall about his sudden revelation that he knew him in the past. It was just too strange.
"Anytime, Zell, anytime. Let's come back here again sometime?" she asked hopefully.
"You got it."
"Promise?" she asked once more just to secure her answer.
Zell chuckled lightly. "I promise. This can be our own secret area."
-Fin
A/N: Of course we all know later on that the sudden memory loss is due to junctioning the GFs P