All Night
By: ChibiRaccoon
She stood there all night.
I'm not really sure if she noticed me, sitting a few feet away ontop of the rail, the night's shadows concealing me as I kept my hazel eyes tied to her unmoving figure. Her face was in an uncommon frown and her hands were at her sides limply. Green eyes were focused on something outside the Garden's gate; something I had yet to see.
It was past midnight. We were both most definetly breaking curfew. It's just...the moment I had crossed paths with her in the halls earlier today, I knew something was up. I knew she wasn't her usual happy-go-lucky self. So I followed.
I was worried to be honest. Selphie has been my best friend for a long time now; I hate seeing her without that bright smile on her face. Whenever something's happening to her, I want to be there for her. Because that's what friends do.
So here I am, sitting as still as a gargoyle while she stands as still as a porcelin doll. What was she waiting for? I had no clue. Yet, something told me to stay there, silent, and to wait with her. To be with her, even if she wasn't aware of my prescence.
She stood there all night.
It wasn't long before my back and rear end began to ache. I had been sitting in the same position for well over four hours. I couldn't risk moving though. Selphie would hear. If she did, there was either the possibility of me being pummeled or her lying to me to cover up whatever she was doing.
I didn't like either option. A beating wasn't on my agenda today, especially not directed towards me, and to hear Selphie lie to me about whatever's bothering would probably hurt more than I would ever admit to anyone. My only choice was option three, sit there and endure the pain.
And I did. I endured it in the same way I knew Selphie was. She had been still in the same spot as long as me so I knew her legs were killing her. Yet she still waited. Statue-like with the moon's opaque beams lighting her up like an angel.
She stood there all night.
It was four'o'clock in the morning when she finally moved. I blinked several times, ridding the sleep from my eyes at the surprise of her movement. Her face had set into a harder frown, a grimmer line, and her hands had fisted. At that moment, my little Selphie was the very image of a vampress, fire surrounding her and anger radiating from her in the same way Squall could send chills down anyone's spine with a certain look.
I turned my head, without her noticing, to see what it was that had caused her to suddenly become a dragon in a yellow dress. At first I couldn't see a thing. Everything was dark. Then I saw something move into the streetlight near Balamb Garden. I could recognize that figure anywhere. It was-
"Irvine."
She said the name in an uncharacteristic cold tone, a hint of grit teeth evident. I got a bit concerned when I saw her tighten her already tight fists so that they were white.
Then my attention was focused on the man who was making his way up the stairs. At first I couldn't figure out what was so off about him, but as he got closer I saw it. He was swaying. His movements were terribly uncoordinated, so much that he slipped on one of the low steps, barely managing to catch himself. But he got up, dusted himself of weakly and proceeded forward.
The truth hit me like a ton of bricks.
And in knowing the truth, I felt a red raging anger spread through me. I couldn't keep the furious glare off my face as I watched Irvine stagger closer, hair unkempt around him.
He caught sight of Selphie when he was only a little more than a foot away from her. At first his eyes were disoriented, almost as if he didn't recognize her, but then he seemed to light up and his lips pulled into a half smirk.
"Heeeeeeey Sefie."
She twitched.
SMACK!!
Irvine's head had realed to the side. That was when I saw tears glimmering in Selphie's eyes. I tensed. If Irvine started anything, I was going to personally make sure he regretted it.
He didn't. He did seem to sober somewhat after the slap though. He actually stood up straight and locked his eyes with Selphie's own furious ones. He didn't even bother to lift a hand to the noticable red mark on his cheek.
Selphie was now breathing hard, struggling to keep herself from crying. Her lower lip trembled.
"Why..."
Irvine flinched. A few tears escaped Selphie.
"Why'd you do this?"
I cringed. Selphie may have looked as mad as a hornet, but her voice was nothing more than a puppy's whimper, begging for an answer.
It made my blood boil.
I was officially pissed off.
Irvine had gone off, had left to go chasing after some sluts on the streets, leaving Selphie here to wait for him to come back home. He had torn my sweet Selphie into shreds. Seemingly used her. And I as I continued to invade on the private exchange, I saw something that made me want to smash Irvine's face against the gravel.
"Irvine..."
"I'm sorry...Selph."
A sob escaped her and she moved, closing the short distance between them to cry into his arms.
She couldn't hate him. That was what really irked me.
Irvine, the bastard, he never thinks with his head. The only things he ever uses are his eyes and the thing in between his legs that seemed to be permanently erect. He had the world's best woman right there in front of him, in his damn undeserving arms, and he decides to spend a night in the town getting drunk and probably screwing a whore on every street corner in Balamb! What gave him the right to hold someone as pure as Selphie anymore?
Goddam dick-head.
I turned my head. I couldn't watch this anymore. I didn't care now. Didn't care if they found out I was there. I just couldn't stand to watch Selphie throw herself to someone who had just tossed a sledge-hammer into her trust. Irvine is my buddy and all, but what he's done to Selphie is straight up wrong.
And I'm the horrible best friend who's letting Selphie fall back into Irvine's cheating embrace. I'm just as bad as he is.
Shit. I need to punch something.
I was about to get up when I heard a small yelp. My head shot up, ready to defend Selphie in case Irvine tried to pull something, but I needn't have bothered. The two of them were just on their way back to the dorms, Selphie with one of Irvine's arms around her shoulders as she supported him.
I didn't want to get up after that. I felt sick. A little bit guilty too. I shouldn't have come I kept trying to tell myself. I should've just left her alone.
To what? To Irvine?
I sighed after that. Even if I tried, I knew there was no way I could ever believe it. I was truly glad I came. I was able to know what was wrong with my best friend and she hadn't been physically injured so I knew she would be safe. I wouldn't have to worry anymore.
Nevertheless, I sat there all night.
My face was pressed unceremoniously to the top of one of the cafeteria's tables as I fought with the oh so blissful temptation of sleep later that morning. My hair was mussed and my clothes were a scraggly mess but I couldn't care less. Rinoa was sitting in front of me and on Squall's lap as he read a newspaper. Quistis was to my right and drinking coffee as she graded some of her student's papers.
"What's the matter Zell?" Rinoa asked, all concern.
"Nuttin." I answered.
"Are you depressed because there arent' anymore hot dogs?"
"Uh-uh."
"Did you not get enough sleep?"
"Uh-uh."
"Are you saving your energy for the mission later on today?"
"Uh-uh." Hyne, was this ever going to stop?
"Then why are you all limp like that?" Rinoa asked with an impatient gesture of her hands.
"He didn't get much sleep last night." a honey voice answered for her, setting down something onto the table. A familiar scent enfulfed me and I used my few remaining bits of energy to draw my head up. What I saw brought tears to my eyes.
A mountain of hotdogs piled right there in front of me.
For some reason, just looking at them gave me the energy to sit up and look at Selphie. She smiled back shyly, a strange look in her eyes.
"Thanks for looking out for me last night Zell. I really appreciate it."
I could only nod.
"And don't worry. I'm not letting him off the hook that easy. I just came to give you a sort of an appreciation gift. Thanks for always having my back."
I grinned at that. "Anytime Seph."
With my words she positively beamed, gave me a quick hug, before skipping out of the cafeteria.
The others looked at me in confusion but before anyone could start nailing me with questions, namely Rinoa, I stuffed a hot dog into my mouth.
-Owari-
Okay, I'm seriously surprised with how this came out. I had meant for it to be a fic of how Zell observes Selphie and Irvines relationship. But for some reason, it seemed to start leaning a bit to ZellxSelphie. That wasn't what I had originally wanted, I just wanted to Zell to come off as the overprotective friend. I'm not sure I achieved that.
Ah well. BTW: If characters are OOC, SORRY!!!!! I TRIED!!! Please Read and Review, but no flames please.