Final Fantasy : Historical Bonds

Chapter 7 - He Who Dares

By: Fat Zombie

And you've still got starry eyes my friend,

How many times until you learn.

Chase the part so you can fit,

Get too close and then you burn.

Life was returning to some sort of normality in Balamb Garden. The students once again saw the happy and vibrant team that saved the world going about their normal business, and even Quistis had returned from her 'trip'. The only difference they noticed was that Seifer was with her for most of the time. It was confusing for the students. The two seemed to be friends of some sorts, but seemed awkward around each other. Quistis was never seen in fits of laughter like she might be found when with her five world-saving buddies. And Seifer just seemed quiet. He didn't take any notice of anyone around him, didn't make any sly comments, didn't offer observations.

Right now, the two sat in the cafeteria at a table tucked away at the side of the room. Several people watched, puzzled and excited. Seifer didn't show any signs from the outside, but on the inside he was slowly reeling through a line of thought that had seemed to have occurred to him a million times since Quistis had been out of the infirmary. Maybe they should take a little more interest in their own lives instead of his, then maybe they wouldn't seem so pathetic. Still, whatever you do to make the time pass by, he thought.

Across the table, Quistis hadn't even noticed the gawking students. She was too deep inside her own head to even know what was going on around her. Two weeks. Two weeks since she had been shot by that bastard, she thought. Still, she had healed incredibly quickly, and was now at least able to sleep in her own dorm and go about the Garden as she pleased.

"Hey" Seifer snapped Quistis out of her daydream. "Do you wanna, y'know, maybe go somewhere where we haven't got slack-jawed morons staring at us?" The question was posed in more of a playful manner than an insulting one.

"Like where?" asked Quistis. Where in the Garden could they go where people wouldn't be observing them?

"I don't know" said Seifer. "Maybe the dorms".

"The dorms?" Quistis quickly blurted out, sounding more worried than she meant to.

Seifer paused and frowned at her. "Yeah?" The word was drenched in sarcasm. "Or we could go somewhere else. I don't care".

"Uh, fine, yeah. Okay, yeah" said Quistis. She almost seemed tense.

"What's up with you?" Seifer asked.

"Well, people might get the wrong idea" Quistis explained. "They might think we're some sort of, well, item".

"Who cares. I didn't think you where that bothered about what others think" Seifer stopped and looked around the room. He suddenly turned back to her. "And why does that have to be the wrong idea?"

Quistis looked to him and laughed lightly. "Very funny" she said. "C'mon, let's go". Quistis stood up and began to leave the cafeteria. Seifer got up shortly after, his movements looking slightly rigid.

"Quite a chunk you just took out of my self-esteem there Quistis" Seifer mumbled to himself, so only he could hear. "At least the others weren't around to see it happen". Seifer thought a simple 'Because that's the way I want it' would have done.

* * * *

"I'm sorry you didn't get to do the festival again this year honey" said Irvine suddenly. He was sat with his arm around Selphie, while she leaned back against his chest. They had been watching some TV show that Selphie liked quietly until Irvine had spoke.

"It's okay" Selphie replied, sounding somewhere between bored and irritated. "You've said it a million times. Besides, it wouldn't have seemed right without Quistis". Selphie's attention went back to the TV as Irvine looked out of the window at the small harbour town of Balamb. "There's always next year" said Selphie, momentarily leaning her head back to meet Irvine's gaze before going back to her show.

Irvine didn't really like the TV show Selphie was watching. It was probably why he was currently staring at Balamb, feeling insanely bored. But in someway absolutely content. Just having her sat with him made anything bearable. Evening the poorly acted, poorly scripted soap on TV right now. A 'Chick-Flick' as Irvine liked to call it. He stereotyped just about everything Selphie watched on TV under this category. The things just never had any gunfights in them. It was all emotional this, and someone died that, and someone else is getting married to the same person for the eighth time. But Irvine sat through it nonetheless, just in order to spend time with her. The chore wasn't without its rewards, after all.

Even sat with a dumb grin, seemingly in another world as a knock sounded on the door. Though he didn't awaken Irvine from what seemed to be a rather entertaining daydream, Selphie got up and answered.

"Hello" said a somewhat cheerful sounding Zell as he appeared from behind the door.

"Hi" said Selphie. "What are you so happy about?"

"Well, um" Zell faltered, scratching the back of his head as his excitement turned to awkwardness. "Me and Nevaeh are going into Pelin for a meal tonight, and I wondered if you and Irvine wanted to come too".

"Like a double date?" asked Selphie, deliberately putting Zell on the spot.

"Yeah, I suppose. Whatever you wanna call it" Zell answered, looking to his right, down the corridor. He tried to make it look as if he was uninterested and didn't really hear the question. Selphie didn't really think he'd done a very good job of it.

"Hang on" Selphie said as she turned around and walked back into the dorm. "Come in" she said without looking at Zell, motioning over her shoulder with her hand.

Zell stepped inside and suddenly felt as if luck was just not on his side at this particular time. He saw Irvine staring at out of Selphie's window, obviously thinking about something he deemed as good. It's not that he didn't like Irvine, he just knew he wasn't the most delicate of people. All he needed right now was the sort of questions Irvine would ask. He could prepare himself for the dinner, where Irvine would probably do much the same. He just didn't expect it right now.

"Hey Irvy" Selphie said, grabbing the tip of Irvine's hat and shaking it about until he woke out of daydream and looked up at her. "Zell's here" she said and pointed in Zell's direction.

"Oh, hey Zell" Irvine said, getting up and smiling.

Selphie walked over to the side of the room and opened a small refrigerator tucked away in a corner. "You want something to drink, Zell?" she asked as she looked over the contents of the cooled-cupboard.

"Uh, no" Zell said. "Thanks" he quickly added.

"What're you doing here?" asked Irvine, Zell looking away from Selphie and back to him.

"Uh" Zell faltered as he had with Selphie, but this time wasn't as forthcoming with the information.

"Zell wanted to invite us to dinner in Pelin tonight" said Selphie, picking out a soda form the refrigerator and closing the door. She walked over towards the two men. "With him and Nevaeh".

"Oh" said Irvine, drawing the word out, slowly turning his gaze from Selphie to Zell as he did so. "Well that's nice. I haven't been on a double date in a long time".

"Nothing fancy" Zell started, trying to play down the hype that Irvine was already building up. "Just a quick dinner. Something different for a change".

Just as Irvine was about to reply, Selphie looked at her watch. "Oh shoot" she said. Both men laughed quietly. Despite the fact that it sounded like she wanted to, she could never find it within herself to use slightly more extreme expletives. "I've got some stuff to take care of. I'll see ya later, K?" Selphie stepped closer to Irvine and pushed herself up on her tiptoes, kissing Irvine on the cheek.

"Yeah, okay" replied Irvine, smiling at her.

Selphie turned and walked towards the door and past Zell. His eyes said 'God please, don't leave me with the cowboy right now' but she didn't notice. "See ya later Zell" was the only response he got from her as she closed the door to the room behind herself.

Zell turned away from the now closed door and back to Irvine. The cowboy stood with wide grin on his face. "So" said Irvine, drawing out the word again. "Dinner with Nevaeh, eh? Very nice". Irvine continued to grin as he took slow, heavy steps across the room and let himself fall onto the sofa.

"Don't start" said Zell, walking over to the chair opposite Irvine. He slumped into it in an infinitely less confident manner than his friend sat in front of him.

"Start what?" Irvine asked. "She's a pretty girl. I think I understand the attraction".

"It's probably best that you don't with you and your reputation" retorted Zell.

"C'mon Zell. I only got eyes for one lucky lady" Irvine said, raising his feet up and stretching out across the sofa. He raised his arms up and leant his head oh his hands.

"And if I didn't know as well I would never have invited you" said Zell, laughing a little. Maybe this wouldn't be as hard as he had thought.

"Bah" Irvine shrugged. "You got no cause for concern here. I'm happy with what I got". Zell believed it too. Just about everyone knew that what Irvine had said was true. "I ain't gonna hound you about this" Irvine suddenly stated.

"Huh?" Zell blurted out confusedly.

"Sure I gave Squall a rough time with Rinoa, but I think you deserve this". Irvine sounded sincere, which told Zell that he should keep his guard up. "Squall was bumbling. He kinda stumbled into his relationship with Rinoa" Irvine continued to sound like he meant what he was saying. "But you surprised me". Zell frowned. Had Irvine been watching his every move? "You were discreet" Irvine continued. "I thought you were gonna practically fall into this kinda thing, but I'm beginning to think I underestimated you".

"I didn't think you put this much thought into relationships. Especially other people's" said Zell.

"A common mistake on the part of just about everyone who tries to assess my character" said Irvine. "And anyway, I've been forced to put more thought into it. So many failed ones in the past and all".

"So your not gonna make a big scene tonight?" asked Zell.

"Assuming me and Selphie go?" said Irvine. He noticed that Selphie had left before a decision had been made. "No, I shouldn't go too crazy". Irvine emphasized the last statement with a grin and raise of his eyebrows.

"Thanks dude" said Zell, standing up in the process. "If you guys do come, meet us in the hanger at about seven. Try and get in touch with me before hand to tell me whether you can make it or not".

"Okay. I know how these things run" said Irvine knowingly. "Just promise you'll keep it together and not mess up".

Zell smiled as he walked to the door and opened it. He turned back towards Irvine and raised his hand. "See ya" he added. Irvine merely raised his hand to tap his hat, then waved once with only his index and middle finger raised.

Author's Note: - This one has taken a really long time, but I have had exams and AVCE courses to deal with at college. Anyway, hopefully this chapter will signify the beginning of an extended period of work on 'Historical Bonds' but I can't say for sure. There are far more complications for me to deal with now than there were when I started writing the fic. Who knows if I will ever finish it!

C ya...