Disclaimer: All characters and settings copyright of Squaresoft. So there.

Selphie paused at the door to Zell and Seifer's room. She could hear someone inside, so she pushed the door open, and stepped in, only to nearly stumble back out as a flash of silver whipped by her face.

She looked at the Gunblade still quivering in the wall next to the door frame, and her mouth was hanging open as she turned to take in Seifer standing looking at her, arms crossed, looking more than slightly angry.

"Huhn. I thought you were Zell." As he spoke, he gave her a nudge and started to close the door. Catching the door with her foot, Selphie finally managed to speak up. "…Where's Zell, what did you…?"

Seifer gave a low growl before replying. "I don't know, and if you see him, tell him I'm just as pissed off at him as he thinks, just not for the reasons he thinks." Seifer pushed Selphie's foot out of the way, and the door came slamming shut.

It took Selphie nearly an hour to find Zell, only to find him beating on some monsters, muttering to himself. Selphie couldn't decipher what he was saying.

"…Zell?"

Zell's head flashed up. Selphie could see his eyes were bloodshot from where she stood. "I, ah, went to your room looking for you…you promised to help me with the planning…"

"Oh." Zell gave a small shrug. "Sorry."

"I saw Seifer." Zell stiffened at her words, before giving an overly fake smile.

"Ah, how is he?"

"…He threw his blade at me."

"I…I should go talk to him…right?" Selphie tried to conceal the look on her face. She didn't like seeing Zell so out of sorts, so off-balance.

"Lets both go that way."

Selphie stood outside the room again. Zell had asked her to wait outside at first, and went in to confront Seifer. She had heard nothing at first, and then a murmur of muffled words through the door, nothing she could make out though.

The bang against the wall next to the door surprised her, and she wondered what caused it when there was another bang, this time it sounded like it came from lower. Then, she heard a low moan of pain; Zell, and after a long moment, she could hear Seifer just laughing. Unable to stand aside any longer, Selphie pushed open the door, and took stock of the room.

Seifer was sitting on the bed, shaking his head, chuckling, while Zell was pulling himself off the ground beside the door. Selphie knew she was almost shaking as she bent to help Zell up, and couldn't hold her tongue any longer.

"That it. I won't let you do this to him any more, if you ever, ever push him again, or hit him, or…anything! I'll –" Selphie's rant was cut off by Zell as he stood.

"He didn't push me. I fell."

"I heard you hit the wall!"

"…" Zell was quiet, flushing redder than ever. "I was turning towards the door…and I kinda missed."

Selphie blinked. It sounded like he was being honest, but… "Then why were you laughing?" Turning to Seifer.

"Because it was funny." Blunt and to the point. Selphie always felt little when she spoke with Seifer when he was in one of these moods.

Silence reigned in the room for a few long moments, before Zell chuckled. "It was…"

"But…your supposed to…protect each other, and, and you were so angry at him before…" Selphie knew she was floundering for excuses now, but couldn't stop herself.

"Do you even know why I was upset at Zell?" Seifer didn't wait for an answer. "He made a comparison between Squall's and my swordplay. He said Squall's looked better. Then he panicked and left, because he thought he insulted me."

"He said Squall's looked better so you got upset?" Selphie's tone dripped incredulity.

"No. How vain do you think I am? I was upset because he drew that same conclusion. I'd rather have the truth than some lie meant placate me, and I'm upset that all of you seem to think I need to be placated!"

Selphie had no reply, and quietly slipped out of the room.

AN: Just a short one because I felt like it.