Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…
This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)
Hesitation
"I'm sorry."
"Huh?" Zell twisted in his seat to stare at Irvine.
"What for?" was Squall's reply, not taking his eyes off the road as he drove.
"For screwing up the mission."
"Zell, take over driving," Squall commanded as he switched the Galbadian vehicle to cruise control and stood up. As the blonde settled into Squall's abandoned chair, Squall walked over to sit across from Irvine. Leveling an irritated scowl at the cowboy, he asked, "how exactly do you think you screwed up the mission? I need to know what sort of idiotic idea I'm about to… shoot down, after all."
"I hesitated on the tower; if I hadn't then…"
"Then maybe the shot would have hit Edea instead of getting bounced off her shield?" Squall finished. "Wouldn't have happened. The second the gates started falling around her, she was on her feet and waiting for trouble. The only thing that matters is that you still did what had to be done when it counted."
"I… I know that she's probably going to start another Sorceress War, but I'm glad that the shot was blocked," Irvine admitted. Ignoring a squawked 'what!' from Zell, the sharpshooter continued. "We were trained for confrontation against equally armed enemies. Lying in wait to shoot a defenseless person, no matter who, seems… wrong."
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," Squall quoted. "Sometimes there is no right thing to do."
"Squall's right," Zell said to cut off whatever Irvine was about to say. "So stop beating yourself up over 'might-have-been's and maybes. Besides, this mission ain't over 'till the fat lady sings."
"But our ladies are thin, violent, and tone-deaf," Irvine protested, finally smiling again. "Speaking of which… is Selphie seeing anyone? 'Cause… well… she's something special, isn't she?"
"She's not dating anyone," Zell confirmed. "However, as her teammates, Squall and I get to fill in the empty 'protective brothers' position."
Irvine paled as Squall raised an eyebrow. The gunblader had already shifted his expression back into its normal, neutral position.
"I swear my intentions are honorable. Please don't kill me…"
"Stop scaring Irvine, Squall."
"I didn't say or do anything," Squall protested, his hands raising slight as he proclaimed his innocence.
"You don't need to," Zell retorted. "You can scare people through sheer intimidation; you're just creepy that way."
"Thanks," was the drawled reply.
"I'm just surprised you haven't started ignoring me again."
"Don't tempt me."
A/N And thus Irvine finds acceptance. Yay!! Though… it seems that 'sheer intimidation' doesn't work on Zell very well.