Things Change
Chapter 13
by Mariye
======
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8.
======
Sionna seemed to move closer to Zell, when she suddenly stopped.
"Zell, please..." Sionna started to push back from Zell. "This isn't what I want."
~Whoa, mixed signals...~
"What about what you said on the stage and at the coast? About me wanting you? I thought you had a crush on me and that you were falling in love." Zell said, still holding her.
"I never said that I felt anything for you."
"Not even friendship?" Zell let her go. Sionna looked him in the eyes.
For the first time she looked him in the eyes.
"Sionna, did you ever even consider me a friend?" Zell said, his hands turning into fists.
~She shouldn't be taking this long to answer. Its a simple question. A stupid question even. Would she have told me everything she just did if we weren't friends?~
"Sionna!" Zell watched as she shifted on her feet. She looked down.
"Zell. You are my patient. We strictly have a patient-aid relationship." Sionna said, slightly losing her composure. "Listen, you should probably go. Your friends are waiting for you." She regained her cool. Zell looked at her.
"What just happened? I thought we were sharing and actually starting to find some common ground."
"Reality happened. You're a cancer patient who is going to most likely be a SeeD until 19, then become an instructor here. I'm a hospital aid who is going to stay in SeeD until 19 I'm finished with my schooling, then I'll move to Balamb or Esthar and open a private practice. Plus I'm an Almasy and you're a Chicken-Wuss."
Zell looked at her. She had regained her confidence and was standing tall. She wasn't looking him in the eyes, and she was still looking down, but he assumed her eyes had the defiant icey blue glare again.
~She's back. That other side is gone again.~
"I'm sorry. I just made a terrible mistake. I assumed I was talking to the Sionna Almasy who I thought had a heart. I guess I was wrong."
~Great. Just great. I connect with her, and now I insult her. With my luck she'll go back to being kind again and I'll feel even more guilty. Why can't I keep from insulting her?~
"Goodbye." Sionna said as she walked slowly off the deck. Zell turned and looked out over the deck.
~Why do things always have to be so difficult for me?~
He looked at his hands.
~I get dumped by one girl, who, despite the fact that I know I honestly really didn't care about anymore, I still felt hurt over. I meet another one who is essentially a bitch. Then I find out she was acting that way on purpose after I attack her nad try to beat her up. Then after I talk to her and think that maybe we've, at the very least, become friends, she regains her old attitude. Some guys get all the luck.~
He turned and opened the door.
"So if she's such a terrible person why is this bothering me so much?" Zell asked aloud. Fujin was standing outside the door.
"YOU WUSS." She said. She walked out. "CHICKEN-WUSS. You give in to the easiest way. She's just confided a deep secret to you. On tv when that happens the leading man scoops the maiden in his arms, kisses her, and makes everything better. You're no Matt Damon. She's no Julia Styles. You have to try and work with her. If she wouldn't trust you to even hold her hand, what would make you think she'd kiss you? Plus she admits that she doesn't even let people she always talks to get close to her. She's only known you two days."
"You know when you do that you're really annoying? Changing from commando to normal I mean." Zell said. Fujin shrugged.
"And you feel terrible because I'm assuming you just found out about her and Seifer's past..." Fujin looked at Zell. He nodded. "Plus you feel drawn to her because of what I call the Almasy Appeal."
"Almasy Appeal?"
"Tough on the outside. An Almasy always acts in charge and like they have something to prove. Determined. Calm and collected. But the real charm kicks in when you find out what's on the inside. Unsure. Troubled. Lost. Kind. A man..." Fujin stopped and blushed. "I mean a woman who wants to keep herself bundled up and protected behind a wall, but also wants someone to help her. She'll never admit how she truely feels. Plus he has the most incredible blue eyes..." Fujin walked past Zell and looked out into the heavens, getting caught up in her own thoughts.
~Fujin in love... kind of hard to imagine.~
"Does this appeal ever wear off?"
"NO." Fujin stood staring.
~Well, she's back to one word sentences. I guess that means she wants to be alone.~ Zell looked away and walked out.
He walked towards the elevator.
~Well, at least it'll be a pleasant dinner. No arguments or interruptions.~ He pushed the button and waited for the elevator to come.
~How dare she accuse me of being drawn in by some Almasy Appeal?~
Zell walked into the elevator.
~That's just crazy. Who cares about her? In a few months she'll mean nothing to me.~
He walked out as the elevator hit the first floor.
~Well, I won't let her attitude bother me. I'll just go and have fun with my friends. Maybe I'll even move out of Garden while I'm having my treatments done...~ Zell stopped.
~Oh, I have such a good idea.... but would it work? Who would know? Not Fujin... She's got the Almasy Appeal for Seifer and look how far SHE'S gotten. And she's known him for about 8 or 9 years now...~ Zell looked around.
~Quistis isn't good with stuff like this. Squall either. Rinoa is, but she'll want to bring Squall in on this... Selphie isn't... Irvine might know, but he isn't exactly all that happy with me after I attacked Sionna...~
"Here I have a plan that is pure genius to find out someone's true feelings and what happens? No one to help me fine tune it and tell me it will work." He grumbled as he threw his hands up into the air. "All I want is a little luck."
"Ah, so my sister was smart enough to know a Chicken-Wuss isn't worth her time." Seifer walked up.
"Go away Lapdog. I'm trying to find a loophole in the Almasy Appeal."
Zell said, acting like he was in deep thought.
"Why? You like my little sister? Don't get any ideas." Seifer pulled out Hyperion. "I don't think I'd approve of her dating someone like you. Almasy Appeal. So you've been talking to Fujin."
"Yes. And don't worry, there's no way I'd ever want your sister. I'm just trying to perfect a little plan I have for her..."
"Don't even think about hurting her. She's been through enough."
"I think she already told you she can take care of herself. Besides, this wouldn't hurt her at all."
"Listen. If you are planning to do anything to my sister, I have to hear what it is and approve it first. And if I don't approve, then I'll be forced to beat you up."
~Getting an Almasy's opinion on a plan to make someone show how they really feel... This might not be a bad idea.~
"Listen, I want an intelligent person's opinion on my plan. Not some Lapdog's. She's been a witch to me, and I want to expose her. See if it was all a joke. An aid-patient relationship. I want to see if maybe she thought of me as a friend even. I don't want someone who doesn't care about me at all working in the infirmary on my case."
"It involves my sister. You're telling me about it."
Zell thought for a second.
"Actually, for this to work I probably would need your help. Fine."
======
What is THE PLAN?
(BTW: I know I said 14 would probably be the last chapter, but I want to do a possible epilogue, so it might turn into 15. Any complaints?)