A/N: OKay! Don't kill me! I've updated, sorry it took so long (well it was long compared to how often i usually update) I've been busy with the new college thing and i had a bit of a block going on. but anyway, here it is, i'll try to put the next one up sooner. Thanks for all the encouraging reviews!
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."
Zell went flying at Irvine with his right fist coming into contact with the sharp shooters face. Selphie shut her eyes but heard a sickening crunch.
When she opened them again, Zell had landed a fist into Irvines stomach, making the breath whoosh out of him and sending him into a somewhat crippled stance. Blood was coming out like a river from his nose and dying his lips and chin a scarlet red.
"Zell! STOP!" Selphie cried out, aware of how trained Zell was in martial arts.
He wouldn't. He was so angry with him for making Selphie suffer so much, and then making it worse by accusing them of fooling around.
Selphie ran over to Irvine, her hair fluttering behind her.
"Zell! Leave him be!"
The blonde stood there clenching his jaw and breathing heavily through his nostrils, making them flare out like an enraged beast. He sent one last punch into Irvines stomach and walked off to stand a few foot away.
Irvine was coughing like crazy, and blood was streaming out of his nose, soaking his shirt. Selphie stared at him, then at Zell, and began to cry again.
Watching his friends emerald green eyes fill up with water was almost too much for Zell.
He turned his back on her and took in deep breathes of the cool night air to calm himself down. When he turned back, Selphie was on the ground with her knees clutched to her chest, crying her eyes out and rocking back and forth.
Zell felt a lump forming in his throat and no matter how many times he swallowed, it wouldn't go away. He walked over to Selphie and kneeled in front of her.
"Selph . . . I'm sorry. Please don't cry."
Gingerly wrapping his tanned arms around her small frame, he brought her closer to him. She was shaking and breathing deeply but made no attempt to push him off her.
Looking over Zells shoulder, she saw Irvine stumbling away holding his gushing nose, which, thanks to Zell, was broken.
Not entirely sure on what she was doing, Selphie gently pushed Zell away from her and hopped to her feet, ready to run after Irvine.
"IRVY! Wait up!"
It didn't take long for the young girl to catch up with his slow wobbly pace.
"I'll take you back to Garden. Doctor Kadowaki will patch you up."
Irvine didn't say anything, but glanced quickly at Selphie's concerned face, then looked away before she could see the guilt in his eyes.
She hooked her arm through his and smiled a little at the memorable feel of his soft coat against her bare skin. She longed to bury her face into his firm side, but held herself back, knowing that this was hardly the time to attempt to do anything but get back to Balamb Garden.
Zell watched them walk away and sit down on a bench nearby. He was suspicious of Irvine and didn't want Selphie to get hurt again. Standing there beside the dock with the cool wind hitting his face, he decided to leave Selphie to do whatever she will, he couldn't watch over her 24/7. Zell lifted his clenched hands up and rubbed his blood stained knuckles. He hadn't worn his gloves tonight, but his hands didn't hurt from the punches he'd given Irvine, they were too familiar to being used in such a way that they'd grown some sort of weird invisible pain barrier.
Zell decided that he may as well go back to the club and have some fun as he didn't feel like catching the ship back to Balamb just yet.
Selphie rooted through her small yellow satin bag and came out with a strip of bandages that she always carried around for first aid needs. Handing them to Irvine next to her, she focused in on Zell walking back to the brightly lit club entrance. He had his head hung down with his hands stuffed in his pockets and was forlornly kicking at a can on the street.
'He was only sticking up for me . . . yeah, by beating the crap out of his friend. NO, Irvine was being a bastard; I guess Zell had a right to hit him. Nothing should be solved with violence though, unless you're on a mission . . . or something.'
Selphie sat once again battling with her turbulent thoughts and almost forgot Irvine was sitting beside her, flinching with pain at cradling his broken nose.
At that moment, the medium sized ship bound for Balamb tooted its horn, signalling its arrival.
Selphie looked over to Irvine, unaware that he had also been arguing with numerous thoughts creating a whirlwind in his head. They both got up and walked slowly, without words, to the waiting ship.
Later on, in the club . . .
Zell sat at the club bar once again, getting smashed out of his head. Some girl in a white halter neck dress and short blonde hair was attempting to get him to dance with her.
"Look, I'm really not into blondes." Zell snapped at her and watched her give him a dirty look and float off looking for another guy. Normally he would've jumped at the chance for a bit of action, but not tonight. Too much had gone on and the last thing he needed was to wake up with some strange girl clinging to his side.
Rinoa came running over to him. Her lipstick was a little smudged, an obvious clue to what her and Squall had been doing most of the night.
"Heey Zell! What's up sweetie?"
She was also drunk and buzzing and failed to notice Squall was walking up behind her with a strange look in his eyes.
"I'm having soo much fun! Hey where's Sef? OH and I haven't noticed Irvine about. Maybe they made up and are in a closet somewhere fuc-,"
Her speech was interrupted by Squall placing his lips on her and pulling her to him.
Zell rolled his eyes and went back to staring at his drink.
He heard Rinoa giggling and saying something about Squall being 'too horny'
She tapped Zell on the shoulder and said, "Go find a girl Zell, it might do you some good."
He took this the wrong way and shouted, "What the fuck is that s'pose to mean?!"
Rinoa blinked at him, shocked a little at his reaction.
"I was only trying-,"
"Yeah well get lost."
Squall stepped up beside Zell.
"Don't talk to her like that."
Zell realised he was still angry from what happened earlier and apologised.
"Erm, Squall, can we talk?"
"Sure. What's wrong?"
"Err . . . can we talk alone?"
Rinoa stood holding squalls hand and staring up at him doe-eyed. He bent down and said something to her to make her go skipping off into the crowds of people.
Pulling up a chair beside his shorter friend, he asked once again what was bothering him.
Zell finished off his drink and began.
"Well, you know the deal with Irvine and Selphie don't ya?"
Squall looked a bit puzzled, and then remembered, "The whole thing with them not being as close?"
"Yeah. Well, there was kinda more to it."
His brunette friend hoisted an eyebrow. Zell realised what he must be thinking.
"OH, no way. Had nothing to do with me. Not in the sense you're thinking anyway. Nuh-uh."
Squall looked relieved, "So, what is it then?"
"I can't tell you everything, because Sef told me some stuff she doesn't want you guys to know, but I'll just say that she wasn't as happy as she made out. Have you noticed Irvines posse?"
"Those sluts. Yeah, couldn't miss them, they look a state."
"Yup. Well, Selphie didn't fall down the stairs; they beat her up in the girls toilets."
Squall had a look of shock on his face, but only for a second.
Zell continued.
"They've all been bullying her for a while, and she got really upset and confided in me. Irvine was being a massive dick to her; he didn't even tell her why he was being nasty. I asked him some stuff in the guys restroom, but he got all arsey on me-,"
"Were you drunk?" Squall interrupted.
Zell looked slightly annoyed. "Well yeah, but that's not the point. Anyway, after that, Selphie must've gone outside for air, and Irvine must've too, I don't know, I wasn't there. When I did go outside, they were arguing and he made her cry."
"What were they arguing about?"
"I'm not sure. The current situation most probably. So, I went over to her, as a friend would, then he made some crude comment referring to us sleeping together and doing stuff. I kinda got mad and . . ."
"And?"
"I decked him one. And I sorta broke his nose."
Squalls eyes widened a bit, "You sorta broke his nose?!"
Zell sighed, "Okay. I did break his nose. And punched him in the stomach a few times."
Squall put his hand to his head for a second, then took it away and said, "Zell, you've really got to control you're anger. I know you care for Selphie, we all do, but she can take care of herself."
"No she can't."
"She can. If she wanted to break Irvines nose, she could've done it pretty easily I'm sure. You know what she's like when she gets angry. Remember that time when we were in her dorm and you accidentally spilt yoghurt on her bed?"
They both laughed at the thought.
"Yeah, she went crazy and tried to stab us with her stilettos she'd just bought, and then chased us down the hall with them."
"She's lethal. So, where are her and Irvine now?"
Zells smile dropped off his face as the present came back to him.
"They went to sit near the dock. I think they were waiting for the ship back."
"Right. How long ago was this?"
"About two-three hours ago maybe? They would've got back ages ago."
"Yeah, maybe we should head off too, it is getting late."
As is on cue, Rinoa bounded over again and hung her arms around Squalls neck.
"Hey Rinoa, is it okay if we head back now?" He asked, knowing how much fun she was having.
Rinoa pouted a bit. "Where's Selphie and . . . thingy?"
"Irvine. They've gone back home already."
Rinoa giggled again and fell against squall.
"They've gone back to gettt ittt onn!"
Zell glanced at Squall who did the bottles up sign and said quietly, but loud enough for Zell to hear, "She's had a bit too much alcohol."
"Figured."
"Come on Rinoa, we're off now. Try and walk in a straight line, okay?"
She giggled again and looked up with starry eyes at Squall as they went to get the boat home.
When they arrived back at Balamb Garden, it was around four in the morning and Rinoa was complaining about feeling sick. Squall took her back to her dorm and sat with her for a while, until she fell asleep.
Zell said good night to them both and walked back to his dorm. He half expected to see Selphie snuggled up in his bed, but she wasn't there.
'Maybe she's sleeping okay tonight . . . today, this morning . . . whatever it is.'
He splashed with face with cold water and brushed his teeth to get the stagnant taste of beer out of his mouth, before stripping down to his boxers and lying atop his bed.
'Should I go check on her? She might think I'm being a perv. When has she ever thought that, dumbass?! I s'pose. But what if she's having it off with Irvine? As if. She's not that easy. But Irvine has his ways of making . . . nah, she wouldn't. What if he made her? Nooo, he's a ladies man, not a rapist. Dammit, I can't sleep.'
With his head still busy with thoughts, Zell got up and slipped on a pair of old grey joggers, then headed out to Selphies dorm.
He knocked lightly on her door and waited for any sound of movement inside. There was none. Knocking again, he heard a slight groan and then 5 seconds later, the door clicked and inched open a bit.
Selphie stood there in her blue bunny pyjamas, which Zell had to admit, looked adorable on her.
Rubbing her eyes, she scowled at him and then let it drop; remembering that she did to him what he was doing to her almost every night.
"Come in, Zell." She said with a yawn.
He scanned her room quickly, looking for signs of Irvine, even though he knew he was being paranoid and stupid.
Selphie got back into her bed and invited Zell in beside her. At first, he shook his head, but then decided that her room was rather cold, so he slipped in next to her.
After five minutes of staring up at the white ceiling, which was decorated with little glow in the dark stars, he decided to turn to his side and talk to her.
"Selphie, you awake?"
". . . Mmm . . ."
"So, what happened after I'd gone?"
Selphie also turned around so that she could face her friend whilst having a conversation with him.
"Irvine went to the Infirmary and Doctor Kadowaki patched up his nose."
"Then what?"
"What makes you assume there's more?"
"Coz I can see it in your eyes."
Selphie smiled a bit.
"You shouldn't be studying them so hard, perv."
"Wha?! Me?"
Selphie smiled again. She liked winding up Zell, even though she was really doing it to change the subject.
She ruffled up his hair and hid under the bed covers waiting for him to pounce after her.
Instead, he stayed up top and asked, "So, are you and him on speaking terms now or what?"
Selphie came back up and layed on her front, with her arms under her chin.
"Don't know. We were speaking, but it was kinda awkward. I asked him about Celia again and then I asked if he would come and hang around with us like he used to."
"What did he say to that?"
"Not much. He said it hurt his nose to speak, but I think he was lying to get out of answering my questions. Oh, but he did thank me for taking him back, then he gave me a good night hug."
Selphie got a dreamy look in her eyes.
"It wasn't a fake hug either. I could feel it."
Zell smirked, "Feel what?"
She tutted and gave him a light slap on the head.
"You know what I mean. It was like he really meant it, like he really wanted to hold me and not let go. But, I got embarrassed and let go first."
"Erm, you haven't forgotten all the shit he put you through, right?"
"No, but I don't exactly want to remember either. I'm just gonna work on getting him back to normal."
"You can't change a guy like him, Sef."
Selphie rested her chin on her hands and sat up slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I don't really wanna remind you, but he's obviously got hold of Celia for one reason. He's a guy, and he's not gonna turn down an easy screw, to put it in a crude way."
Selphie chewed at the inside of her mouth.
"Well, you would."
"What?"
"You would turn down Celia if she tried to hook you into a closet or something."
"Yeah, but Irvine's perpetually horny and you're not easy, so he couldn't exactly turn to you, could he?"
Zell realised that last sentence came out sounding different than how he'd meant for it to.
Selphie frowned at him and had a hint of irritation in her voice.
"What?! Are you calling me some sort of no-go sex zone?!"
Zell cowered a bit and replied, "No! I just mean that . . . err . . . well, you're far too decent to open your legs to just anyone."
'Shit'
Selphie punched Zell in the arm. It was quite hard, but it didn't really cause him any pain.
"Sef! Im not insulting you, i'm saying . . ."
'Think about this man, else you're gonna get a knee in your nuts.'
". . .I'm just saying . . . that Irvine knows you're a decent girl and he wants it to be special if he ever did something intimate with you . . ."
Zell was almost waiting for another punch but instead, Selphie smiled, her anger melting away.
"Aww, Zell! You really think so? That's so cute."
Selphie sighed happily and hugged Zell.
'Man, she's so unpredictable!'
"You still want me here? Or can you sleep okay tonight?"
"I guess I'll be okay, but you're kinda serving a purpose as a human hot water bottle, so do me a favour and stay till I'm asleep. Or you can stay until dawn, I don't mind."
"Okay. G'night."
"Good night, Zell."
Selphie gradually drifted off to sleep, lulled by Zells radiating heat. Before she finally went off into dream land, she wondered what tomorrow would bring for her, and if Irvine would be involved.