How could the girls do this to me? Irvine thought as he glanced across the room. The hotel room was empty. He was sitting on one of the beds cleaning his gun and trying to ignore the noises coming from the bathroom.
It was obvious that the girls didn't understand his situation here.
"You guys need a vacation." Selphie had said.
"Yeah! You should all get away for a while!" Rinoa had added.
And now here he was on "vacation" with Zell and Squall.
Irvine was the only person who knew they were lovers. Especially since Squall was supposed to be with Rinoa, who apparently never "put out". But Zell did. And that's what it was about. Sex. They weren't just sexually active. They were hyperactive. They were at it every chance that they got. They were at it now in the bathroom.
Irvine didn't particularly want to know about them but it was his own fault for walking in on them three months ago.
He thought that it was wrong but Squall said that he wasn't cheating. It was just sex and that Zell could give him something that Rinoa couldn't. At first he believed him. He wanted to calm his own conscience. But after a while he noticed the way that they looked at each other. The stolen glances in the hallway. The saving of seats in the Library. The use of potions and cure spells during battle. They way they always looked out for each other. The jealous look on Squalls face whenever Zell talked to the library girl. The hatred of Rinoa, which Zell tried to hide for Squalls sake. It all added up. They were in love. They wouldn't admit it but they were. And that infuriated Irvine. He felt so guilty. He it was wrong to keep it from Rinoa, and Selphie would never forgive him for not telling her. He was stuck in the middle and didn't know what to do about it.
The noises stopped and he sighed. He put his gun down laid back and tipped his hat over his eyes.
Zell walked in wearing only his baggy shorts.
Irvine looked up from under his hat, "Finished for the night?" He said which startled Zell.
"Huh?" Zell said as he turned to Irvine and started to blush.
"Hmp." Irvine closed his eyes. "Squall in the shower?"
"Yeah." He walked over to one of the beds and sat on the edge.
"He loves you ya know."
"What!" Zell almost jumped off the bed.
"He loves you."
"B-but he's with Rinoa."
"He doesn't love her." Irvine sat up and took his hat off. "He loves you." He looked him square in the eye. "And you love him too."
Zell was stunned. Was he that transparent? He had been in love with Squall foe ages, he just didn't want to ruin what they had together by telling him. "I do. I . . . . I do love him." He hung his head.
Irvine heard a shuffle in the bathroom and he made a decision that he hoped he wouldn't regret. He got off his bed and took his top off. Zell looked at him in confusion. Irvine walked over to him and stoped right in front of him.
He looked up at Irvine not exactly sure of what was going on.
Irvine ran a finger along Zell's jaw-line and gave him the trademark "lady-killer" grin. Zell raised an eyebrow.
Irvine held his chin and lent down so their noses touched. He ran his fingers though the blonde hair.
"Interesting." Zell said as he suddenly got a fierce look on his face. He moved his arms to encircle the taller man.
Irvine held his breath, hoping that he was doing the right thing, he pressed his lips against Zell's. The blonde wasted no time taking out his companion's hair band and freeing the mass of hair.
Irvine decided that it was time to turn things up a notch. He pushed Zell back onto the bed and climbed on top of him, their lips never parting.
The taller man was trying hard not to enjoy himself as the blonde ground his hips against his and moaned in pleasure. He forgot about Zell's appetite. Zell's tongue dove hungrily into Irvine's mouth tasting every inch. He was just starting to enjoy himself when Irvine was forcibly removed from his position by a very pissed off Squall.
"SQUALL?" Zell jumped up.
Squall threw Irvine onto the nearest bed. "What the hell were you doing?" Squall screamed.
Irvine got off the bed and stood up. He grinned noticing what Squall was wearing. It was hard to be scared of somebody who was wearing a fluffy, pink bathrobe with matching slippers.
"Oh you are so cute!" Zell glomped Squall from behind.
"Not now Zell." He replied trying to sound menacing. He turned back to Irvine and gave him a death glare.
"Hey, Zell is a single guy why should I have to explain myself to you?" He turned and picked up the hairbrush from the bedside table. "It isn't like you guys are a couple or anything," he started to brush his hair, "beside, you're with Rinoa aren't you?"
Squall didn't know what to say. Everything that Irvine said was true. Zell may be his lover but that was all. He had a right to have a relationship of his own but the thought of him with anybody else made Squall sick to the stomach. He looked over at Zell who could not look him in the eye. It suddenly dawned on him how ashamed Zell was with what they had been doing. He knew that it was wrong but when he was with Zell he felt like everything was going to be ok. He looked back at Irvine.
"So?" Irvine continued to brush his hair, "What do you say Squall? Feel like sharing?"
That infuriated Squall. He didn't want to share Zell with anybody. But Zell had to share him with Rinoa. Sadness clouded his eyes as he looked back at Zell. "I haven't been very fair have I?"
Zell looked up and managed a faint smile. "It's ok."
He shook his head. "No it isn't. All this time that we have been together you have had to share me with Rinoa." He looked at the ground. "I don't even know why I'm still with her. I don't love her. I don't even think I like her. It's just that we went through so much together and I was expected to stay with her when it was all over. I just didn't want to let everybody down. I didn't want to let you down." He looked back up at Zell. "You all tried so hard to get us together but you never bothered to ask me if I actually liked her."
Zell embraced Squall. "I'm sorry. I had no idea."
Irvine tied his hair up and walked over to them. "I think that you have something that you need to say to each other."
Zell shuffled his feet and looked up at Squall. "I love you Squall."
Squall stood still his eyes went wide.
Zell felt uncomfortable in the silence and tears started to well up in his eyes.
"I . . . . . . I love you too Zell. With all my heart." He pulled Zell close and held him to his chest.
Irvine knew when to make an exit. He gabbed his top, coat and hat and headed out the door leaving the "Do not disturb" sign on the doorknob. He dressed in the hall and headed out for the night. If he was quick he could catch the last train back to Balamb. Squall and Zell needed time to rejoice in their newfound love and to think of what to do about Rinoa and everyone else at Garden.
Irvine breathed out heavily. It wasn't going to be easy for them but what they had was worth fighting for. He realised that now. Finally he could go back to Selphie with a clear conscious. He couldn't wait to get home. He hoped that Zell and Squall would have the decency not to tell her about what he had done. If she found out there would be hell to pay. He grinned as he boarded the last train home. Won't she be surprised to see me back so early?
End