Disclaimer: (See Part I.)
A/N: Chayn is a character that I made up; I own nothing else but the plot of this story.
To my readers/reviewers: I am SOOO SORRY that I haven't updated in so long, but I have been SO busy with school and getting all my info into the universities that I've applied to, that I haven't been able to update at all! Please forgive me! I've dropped two of my courses now, so I hope that I will have a little more time to write as well as keep up with my Math homework. Also, I am VERY sorry that the last few parts have been missing "?" "." and "!" after some sentences. I think that's because I am typing on a very old computer and then uploading on a newer one. I will try to fix up the mistakes. OK! Here is the next chapter! Please review!
.-.-.-.-.-
Dr. Kadowaki took Zell's temperature and handed a some tablets to Irvine. "Give these to him in the morning with a glass of water," she instructed.
"Is his condition serious?" asked Irvine.
Chayn, who had accompanied Dr. Kadowaki, shook his head. "No sir, it just seems that he is not fully recovered from the Grat's sleeping spell yet."
"Then why was he let out of the Infirmary?" Irvine demanded.
"He was well enough to leave at that time. Maybe he is under some stress; that may have caused him to have another reaction and the onset of this sudden fever," Dr. Kadowaki replied in her logical way. "Just give him the medicine in the morning and he'll be fine," Dr. Kadowaki assured.
Irvine nodded his head and the doctor left with Chayn close behind.
Holding the medicine bottle in his hand, Irvine rolled it over and inspected it. Then he looked at Zell who had fallen asleep again.
Although it wasn't necessary, Irvine decided to spend the night in Zell's dorm room in case the shorter boy's condition was to become more serious. That way he would be right at his side to help. After clearing a spot on the incredibly messy floor, Irvine was able to set up his pillow and blanket on the floor in the main room of the door. He settled in and quickly fell asleep because he didn't have to spend countless hours worrying about Zell, ill and alone through the night.
.-.-.-.-.-"Irvine! What are you doing here?"
Irvine's eyes immediately flew open at the sound of Zell's voice. He jumped up in the dark room, flicked on the light switch and moved to Zell's bedside. "I just thought I'd stay here until morning and-"
"Come in... but we have to be quiet," Zell mumbled, and rolled over.
Irvine furrowed his eyebrows. Zell was talking in his sleep. Irvine sighed and moved back to the main room, switched off the light, and laid back down.
"Irvine, no so loud, Ma is downstairs."
Irvine blushed as he thought about what Zell could possibly be dreaming of. He was flattered that he was occupying his friend's dreams, but he wished that it would be done more quietly. He was just thankful that his friend didn't sleep walk.
.-.-.-.-.-
Irvine awoke the following morning to the beeping of his watch. He felt the face of the watch with his eyes shut and turned it off, not ready to get up yet. He pulled on his blanket to wrap it more thoroughly around himself, but he found that it was difficult to do so. He scrunched up his face and pulled harder on the blanket. Maybe it was caught on something.
Irvine sighed, but found the air in the room rather stuffy and humid. He wondered, eyes still shut, if the temperature had automatically risen during the night. Or maybe he had caught whatever Zell had had the night before.
He thought that he should get up and check to make sure that Zell was all right, and turn down the heat, but he felt so warm and snuggly that he didn't want to get up yet. So he lay there a while longer.
He was on the verge of falling asleep again when something moved behind him. It breathed on his neck and put a hand around his stomach. Someone was there and he was positive that Zell didn't have a dog. Irvine's eyes shot open and he jumped up faster than lightning.
There, lying on the ground wrapped up in his own sheets was Zell. He scrunched up his face at the sudden loss of Irvine's body heat and pulled the blanket up to his chin.
Irvine gave a sigh of relief and relaxed a little.
Zell opened one eye and watched Irvine in his briefs and undershirt, move to get something from off of a table. "Why do ya have ta get up so early?" he asked.
"Unlike your lazy self, I have to go to class today," Irvine replied, moving to the kitchen and pouring a glass of water.
"I'm not lazy, I'm sick," Zell corrected and gave a fake cough. "See?"
Irvine looked down at Zell on the floor to see him perform an act of fainting. "Sure, whatever." He walked over and held out the glass of water and tablets to Zell. "Take these."
Zell sat up. "What is it?"
"Dr. Kadowaki wants you to take them."
Zell shrugged and took the medicine, watching Irvine out of the corner of his eye as he slipped into his pants and jacket.
Irvine placed his hat firmly on his head and moved to the door. "I'll be back later for my blanket and pillow," he informed before leaving.
Zell placed his empty glass on the floor beside him and snuggled back down into Irvine's blankets, which still maintained his sent, even with him gone.
.-.-.-.-.-
"Oh Irvine."
Irvine glanced back behind him to see the overly perky Rinoa skipping up behind him. "Oh... It's you..." He continued walking on his way to his next class.
"I know you're happy to see me, but you don't have to overdo it," she teased. "Have you talked to Zell yet?"
Irvine scratched the back of his head. "No, not really."
"What do you mean, 'not really'? Is that a yes or a no?" she demanded.
"It's a 'not really'," Irvine tried to clarify.
"As in...?"
"As in, I talked to him, but didn't get a chance to ask him anything, okay?" Irvine said, become more frustrated by the second.
"Okay! Geez!" Rinoa crossed her arms. "You don't have to be all mean about it. It was just a question!"
Irvine knew that nothing Rinoa ever asked was 'just a question'.
"So... you want me to talk to him for you?"
Irvine rolled his eyes at Rinoa's enthusiasm of his and Zell's non-existent relationship. "No."
"Fine. Be like that!" Rinoa turned on her heal and skipped away in the opposite direction.
.-.-.-.-.-
Irvine found it had to concentrate on his classes the rest of the day, as his mind was constantly switching back and forth between Zell and having to eventually confront him, and did he remember their kiss? He didn't seem to, but Irvine couldn't be sure. And how much longer was Rinoa going to pester him? He knew that he would have to talk to Zell soon. He couldn't stand being pestered.
As his classes came to an end for the day, Irvine packed up his belongings and made his way back to Zell's dorm room. He knocked only once before the door was swung open for him, as if Zell had been counting down the seconds until his return.
"I was waiting for you," Zell said with enthusiasm.
"I know..." said Irvine. "I just came to get my stuff." He walked casually into the room, picked up his pillow and blanket, which Zell had folded neatly for him on the floor, and then he made his way back toward the door.
Zell knew that he had to do something quick or else lose his chance to have his private talk with Irvine. He quickly stepped in front of the door, blocking Irvine's exit.
Irvine stared into his friend's face with confusion. "What is it?"
"Irv... I've been meaning to talk to you..."
"Yeah?" Irvine fidgeted nervously with his pillow case. "About what?" he asked, know exactly what about.
"You and me... We've been friends for a while and... I just wanted to know if... uh..." Zell blushed and looked away from Irvine's handsome face. "Do you think that..."
"That what?" Irvine prompted.
"That we could ever be... more than friends?" His words came out in a croak. He looked back at Irvine with schoolboy bright eyes.
Irvine had practiced what he might say to the boy to be prepared for this question, but now nothing was coming to him. "I... don't know what to say," he said truthfully.
Zell remained silent, holding his breath.
"Yeah, we've been friends, but I don't want to rush into another relationship. Not so soon after what happened between me and Selphie." Irvine moved his hand to his heart. "It still hurts."
Zell nodded his head, mentally kicking himself for ever having asked. "Yeah, I know, but Rinoa said that you were into me, and you have been spending a lot of time with me lately."
"Well that's because you're the only one I feel comfortable talking to, and then you were careless and got hurt, so I wanted to help you... Wait a minute..." A smile took over Irvine's previously serious expression. "You talked to Rinoa? Rinoa told me that you had a mega crush on me."
Zell blushed again. "Well, you're one of my best buds." He shook his head. "This is all Rinoa's fault! She's the one who started putting ideas in my head about us."
Irvine took a step closer to Zell, who flashed Irvine a fleeting expression of fear. Irvine smiled with amusement at the shorter boy's discomfort. "Well... We could always..." Irvine's voice softened and he leaned in toward Zell, "see how far things go."
Zell backed into the door, only to find that he couldn't get farther away.
Irvine's lips met Zell's, and stunned for a moment, Zell didn't know what to do as he stared into the face to his best friend, but he quickly banished his fears from his mind and became lost in the moment.
Irvine pulled away and smiled slyly. "I'll tell you what. I'll think about this you and me thing, okay?"
Zell stupidly nodded his head, as no words would come out of his mouth. He moved aside and let the taller boy leave.
Zell walked around his dorm in a daze, until the reality of what had just happened sunk in. He jumped into the air and landed in a victory pose. "Thank you Rinoa!"
.-.-.-.-.-
End of Part VIII.