FOREWORD: This is an ongoing fanfic. To start reading from the beginning, click here.
Series: Final Fantasy VIII (8)
Pairing: Zell Dincht & Squall Leonhart
Theme: 30 Kisses #24 - Good night
Status: part 3 and ongoing
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Search keyword: ff8_where_i_belong
Notes: Not much to say except that it's short. Just an end-of-the-day wrap-up for the boys.
Dinner was short and quiet. The pub was small, and there were only two other tables of customers besides the boys. Squall acted like everything was normal, being his usual self, and Zell being fidgety as usual, glancing between the bouquet on the chair between them and Squall. Nothing unusual.
Except that Zell didn't say much either.
Was he going crazy or was Squall incapable of showing emotions to anybody but Rinoa? Was he imagining things when he felt Squall's lips graze his own? Maybe, he told himself quietly and fidgeted some more. Did Squall notice?
What had come over him? Flowers from fawning girls was one thing, but flowers from Zell? For the past few hours, his whole friendship seemed to turn upside down. Not only that, but somehow the bouquet elicited a strange response from within - he kissed Zell, voluntarily. Zell, not Rinoa, but Zell. Would that be considered cheating on Rinoa? Most definitely, a voice inside his head said. It also said to pretend it never happened. Whether Zell would understand was another thing, but did he himself understand? In contemplative thought, Squall resumed his usual thoughtful demeanor and ate dinner peacefully.
The bill quickly taken care of by Zell and his change, and the duo headed back to their temporary abode for the night. The sun had settled beneath the horizon and a floral fragrance lingered about the crisp night air. Bouquet in hand, Squall stepped inside first. Eyes on Squall, Zell followed.
Then he couldn't take it anymore.
"Squall," Zell said, turning around halfway up the stairs. Squall, who had sat down on the couch, looked up inquisitively, but he didn't respond. Zell quickly eyed the bouquet Squall had placed on the kitchen counter. "Uh... good night."
With that, Zell retreated to the room upstairs, leaving Squall's gaze fixated at the point where Zell vanished. He felt cold and uneasy, but why? He was Squall, and he had a girlfriend by the name of Rinoa, who happened to be beautiful in his eyes. She was talkative, funny, and a bit lightheaded, but all-round sincere. And on top of that, she loved him. So why was he feeling queasy thinking about Zell? In the same day, he had been kissed and kissed the guy, and somehow, he wasn't disgusted, granted that he initiated the second kiss. Something was weird and he couldn't figure out why. He concluded that he was tired, and that the five-hour drive had exhausted him both mentally and physically.
Alone again, the blonde sat down heavily on the cushiony bed. Sir Laguna's room felt very homey for the boy, but it still felt foreign. Unlike Squall, Zell preferred company to solitude, unless he had a bad mood to work off. It was still relatively early in the night, but Zell felt just as tired as Squall. He would just have to wake up early the next day and maybe find a few monsters to fight before a morning shower, he planned as he took off his shoes. The bed was so inviting, albeit an invitation to another night of solitude. Pulling the pillow out from under the covers, the boy began to drift to sleep laying on top of the sheets, snuggling into the soft white pillowcase.
"Good night, Squall," he murmured softly and absentmindedly nuzzled the pillow, kissing it sleepily before falling out of consciousness.
Standing outside the ajar door and with a towel in hand, Squall gazed at the sleeping chocobo. "Good night, Zell," he whispered, shutting the door, then headed to the bathroom.