Longing

Summery: Zell is hurting every day and the pain only seems to get worse. Can a certain raven haired girl help him before its to late? A Zell/Rinoa fanfic please R&R

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing, just the story!

Zell was in the Secret Area inside the Training Center just staring off into space. It was nearly midnight but Zell always came here around this time. He just thought about life and what his could have been like.

Then he went back to his dorm to get some sleep. It was about a year after they defeated Ultimecia, nine months to be exact. But for the life of him, he couldn't help feeling empty inside. Zell along with the rest of the gang went face to face with the Sorceress from the future and lived to talk about it.

Zell's friends could tell something was wrong with him because to tell the truth there was. He no longer fooled around and he didn't let his emotions get the better of him. He became quite quiet. The only time you would hear him speak were to his friends and even then it was unlikely. In a way he sort of turned into the way Squall used to act before the whole ordeal with the Sorceress.

No one could figure out what was wrong with Zell. He just told 'em it was nothing about a million times, but any idiot could tell that wasn't true. He started acting this way ever since they killed the Sorceress. He could stand the two of them laughing and being all gushy over each other, but what made it unbearable is that they flaunted it in his face constantly.

Zell fell in love with her since the moment he laid eyes on her, but of course she only had eyes for our dearest commander. He couldn't blame her though, who could possibly love a dumb ass chicken-wuss anyways? He even tried to show her how much he cared for her a couple of times. The first time was when he told her he'd make a copy of Squall's ring but that obviously didn't do it. But I guess it would help if he actually gave her the ring.


(Flashback)

Zell was in the Shopping Center in Esthar along with his fellow companions Irvine and Selphie. Squall, Quistis and …her were up in that spaceship thingy. Zell practically had to make Squall let him stay down here to help protect Esthar. They still had about an hour left before they had to go meet Dr. Odine for the battle plans. Zell was sitting on one of the couches looking at the ring he had made. (I hope she likes it… but what if she hates it?)


Zell had to mentally tell himself to stop thinking negatively, he always over analyzed things. Zell then put the ring inside a blue velvet box that he had bought. "Hey I was only seeing if she needed any assistance!" Irvine yelled. Two big muscular men were carrying Irvine out of a lingerie store.


They threw him out and slammed the door on his face. (Irvine ladies and gentleman.) Zell thought and chuckled. Irvine got up off the ground and dusted himself off as if nothing happened. He then spotted Zell and sat down right next to him. "You know it's the weirdest thing I was just in there to see if Selphie needed any help trying anything on, and then those two bozos kick me out of the store! Huh…?"


Zell shook his head (I guess he's never going to change…) "Hey what's in that box?" Irvine asked looking at the box in Zell's hand. Zell started to panic and quickly tried to stuff it in his pocket. "Oh it's nothing…" But before he could get it into his pocket Irvine had snatched it out of his hand.

"Just a ring." "Uh huh…" Irvine said and opened up the box. "Wow this is nice. How much it send you back?" "…Nothing." Irvine looked at me in shock.

"No, no I didn't steal it…I uhh… sorta made it." Zell stuttered and he nodded still looking at the ring. "Well you did a great job…" He was about to hand it back to Zell but then took it back. "What's this…" He took the ring out of the box, taking a closer look "My Angel…" He said reading the inscription Zell made on the side of the ring.


Zell was about to say something but couldn't think of anything. After a couple of seconds Irvine broke the silence. "…It's for her isn't it?" Zell didn't say anything and Irvine took the silence as a yes. "You know it's a great ring and everything but she's never going to look at you that way…I mean she's so in love with Squall." (Don't you think I know that Irvine!) "I gotta at least try." Zell said and he just merely nodded, putting the ring back in the box.

"Just don't get your hopes up kid." He handed Zell back the box and he popped it into his pocket. For some reason Irvine was the only one who knew how Zell felt about Rinoa. Zell once asked Irvine how he knew and he said that he just knew.


Zell made him promise him that he wouldn't tell anybody or Zell would kick his ass. After some reasoning he agreed. "So how long do you think Selphie's going to be? We have to meet with Dr. Odine soon." Zell asked looking at my watch trying to change the subject. "I have no idea. Uhh Zell…?" "What?" "Could you…make me one of those?"

"A ring? Don't take this the wrong way but I don't see you as the ring wearing type…" Zell said stifling a laugh. "Not for me…for Selphie. I'm thinking about proposing to her after all this is over." He said looking at the ground. (He and Selphie hadn't even started dating yet. Plus this is Irvine he couldn't hang onto a relationship if his life deepened on it.)

"Wh-What about the whole ladies man gig?" "I'm giving it up. I can tell she's the one, whenever I'm with her I get this funny feeling I can't explain it…" (I knew what he was talking about I got that feeling whenever I'm with Rinoa.) "Well that's great man…what did you buy?" Zell said still trying to get over the shock. "Oh just some shot gun ammo and the 'Girl Next Door' magazines." Zell was about to say something but Irvine cut him off.

"I said I would give up on being a womanizer I never said I'd stop reading dirty magazines." He said defensively and Zell busted out laughing. "What'd I miss?" Selphie asked walking up to us with a few bags. "Nothing." Zell said and glanced down at his watch. (Oh shit!) "Come on guys we gotta meet Dr. Odine now!"

(End of Flashback)

Zell reached into his pocket and studied the golden ring that was now in his hand. "I can't believe I never gave it to her…" (Why didn't I give it to her?) He knew the answer to that as soon as it popped into his mind. Its because Zell was too afraid of what she'd think. He punched the ground and started crying he just couldn't hold it in anymore. Zell took the ring and chucked it off into the training area below. He glanced down there again.


(This is pretty high from the training center…) Zell climbed up onto the ledge and looked down. (If I did this I wouldn't have to deal with seeing Rinoa and Squall together anymore, the hurt would finally stop.) Zell could feel the breeze and it slowly began to pick up. (I guess this is it…) "Zell what the hell are you doing!" Rinoa yelled startling Zell and he lost his footing and fell. (I love you Rinoa.)

Well that's the first chapter do the right thing and review