Title: Bedside Manners Part One
Author: nanthimus
Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII
Pairing: Squall/Zell
Rating: PG I guess
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor am I making money off of this. Yay.


“Selphie, c'mon! We've got to get out of here!” Zell yelled, ducking his head at the gunfire that rained down, uncomfortably close. He jerked the petite girl's arm. “Let's go!”

“Right!” She cried, slinging her nuchakus one last time before heading down the corridor to the left, Zell behind her. “How much time do we have?”

Zell threw a punch, expertly throwing back the soldier. He checked his watch, eyes widening. “Damn. We've got thirty seconds.”

“What?!” Selphie exclaimed shrilly, nearly stumbling as she glanced back at Zell.

“No, no don't look back!” He said, shoving her forward. “This place is gonna blow in twenty eight seconds, just keep running!” They came to the end of the corridor where the elevator sat open, beckoning them forward. The stumbled in, slamming to the back wall. Selphie darted forward, fingers jabbing at the 'close' and '1st floor' buttons. The elevator lurched, going to downward at a frighteningly fast pace.

“Shit! Is the cable broke?” Zell exclaimed, looking up.

“How the hell should I know?!” Selphie snapped, performing a simple 'cure' spell on the both of them. The elevator jolted to a stop. “We don't know how crowded this level will be so get ready to run!”

“Gotcha,” Zell muttered, pulling his gloves on tighter. “I hope there's less fighting down here. We've got sixteen seconds.” The elevator door opened ever so slowly and the dashed out. It was surprisingly, fortunately empty.

“Thank God!” Selphie cried as they ran down the 1st floor main hall.

“We've got ten seconds!” Zell yelled as the ran desperately through the outside gate. “We'll be fuckin' lucky if we survive this, man!”

“At least we're not inside!” Selphie said, jumping over a tire. They were running through brush now, heading for the nearby forest.

“Three seconds, get down!” Zell said, pushing Selphie down and falling beside her, covering his head defensively. There was a pause of utter and complete silence, as if Time itself were holding it's breath. Then the explosion. The blast was deafening, raising and throwing debris everywhere.

Selphie was thrown much farther than Zell, slamming into a tree and slumping over, clearly unconscious. Zell skidded over the brambles and landed on his side, clutching his abdomen, a low groan ripped from his throat.

It seemed like it lasted for hours but Zell knew it was over in minutes. He lay there for a moment, eyes closed. 'Am...I alive? Wait, I'm thinking so I have to be alive. Unless you can think after death. Hmmm...Selphie!' He opened his eyes ans sat up slowly, painfully. 'Ow, goddamn it. How many ribs are busted?' He quickly cast one of his two remaining 'cure' spells. 'That's a little better. Still feel like shit. I'll save one for Selphie though.' He stumbled to his feet and hobbled forward.

“Selphie!” He called out and nearly fell over at the strain it put on his ribs. “Selphie can you hear me?!” No answer. He took a few more steps and looked toward the forest. There what...? He gasped. “Selphie!” He stumbled forward, tripped, and crawled to her. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open taking shallow, barely-there breaths.

Zell wiped blood from his eyes. “Hold on, Selph,” he whispered, casting his 'cure' spell on her. A low whine came from her throat and her eyes opened.

“Zell? Are we still alive?” She asked and winced, her hands groping her legs. “Owww, my legs!”

“Are broke,” Zell said grimly. “Do you have any restorative magic on you?”

“No,” she admitted, in too much pain to be ashamed. “I didn't think this mission would be so hard.”

“Great,” Zell said, “we're going to get reamed by Quistis and Squall.” He didn't get a reply and looked down. Selphie had fallen back unconscious. He sighed and got to his knees. Throwing her arm over his shoulder he climbed to his feet, giving a cry at the intense pain.

“We gonna make it,” he muttered to the unconscious girl eyes watering from the blood steadily running in his eyes from his forehead. “You hear me? We...we're both gonna be okay. It's not gonna end like this, man.” A sudden burst of air caught his attention and he looked up.

“Hey look. It's Garden,” he said, vision blurring. The large, mobile building landed near them and the door opened. Zell got a view of Quistis's worried face before his vision dimmed and he fell, taking Selphie with him.

Consciousness came slowly to Zell. 'Am...I alive? Wait, I've had this conversation before. Better just open my eyes and get it over with.' He did, slowly, just a sliver of blue showing between his eyelids. A warm face was smiling down at him and he smiled back reflexively. Then winced. That hurt!

“Mr. Dincht,” Dr. Kadowaki began. “You're healing up nicely. How are you feeling?”

“I'm...okay,” he said, stretching his arms out cautiously. A thought occurred to him suddenly. “Selphie?! Is she alright? Is she...”

“She's fine,” the doctor said. “She woke much sooner than you did. She was released last week. She's in a wheelchair but she's well are her way to a full recovery.” Thank God.

“Why can't you just cast a curaga on us and get it over with?” Zell asked rather grouchily.

“Zell Dincht! You should know by now that there is a time limit on how long you can wait before restorative magic becomes useless! Honestly, you're a SeeD.” Zell flinched.

“Okay, okay. Sorry, jeez,” Zell said crossing his arms cautiously. “How much longer do I have to stay in here?” He'd never spent much time in the Infirmary and he really didn't want to start now.

“For at least another week and even after that, you're going to have to take it easy. Understand?” She raised her eyebrows at him as if trying to cement how important it was.

“Yeah, I gotcha,” Zell muttered, slouching back in his pillows. Another week in here? Aw, man.

“Good. Now there are a few people who-” She didn't get to finish her sentence before a small, hyperactive presence wheeled it's way into the room.

“ZELL!” Selphie exclaimed, very nearly running over Dr. Kadowaki in her haste. “I knew you would wake up today, I just knew it. That's way I'm here because I got the feeling that you would wake up and knew I should be here for you!” She threw her thin, surprising strong arms around his shoulders.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Zell exclaimed, “that hurts and you're choking me!”

“Teehee, sorry,” Selphie said, wheeling back and not looking at all apologetic.

The doctor cleared her throat. “I'll leave you two then. There are a few people I need to inform about your awakening.” She smiled at the both of them and left the room.

“So,” Selphie said anxiously, “how're you feeling?” Zell debated telling her about how his entire body ached, his head throbbed and his abdomen felt like someone was jabbing hot pokers in it. Nah.

“I'm good,” he said easily. “I wish I could just get out of here already.”

“Yeah, I know how you feel. I'm lucky though, I woke up before you so I got out first.” She smirked at him.

“Yeah, don't brag about it,” Zell said, waving his hand in the air and wincing, quickly bringing it back down to rest on the sheets. “So, how much trouble are we in?”Selphie's eyes widened and she leaned in.

“Squall and Quistis were furious. Quistis yelled at me about us not being prepared but Squall was scary. And he didn't even mention you at all!”

“Awww, man,” Zell muttered. “And he'll probably come in here while I can't get away.”

Selphie nodded. “Yeah, that's what the did to me.” She cocked her head. “Hey listen.” The heard Kadowaki's voice.

“Yes Commander, he's awake. Selphie's with him now.” There was a bit of commotion, as if someone were hurrying in a small space and Squall appeared in the doorway, gray eyes intense.

“Selphie, out,” he clipped out and Selphie gulped. Breathing out a 'good luck' to Zell she wheeled out. Silence in the small room. Squall was staring at Zell and Zell was staring anywhere but Squall. Finally, it was too much for him.

“Squall, I know what you're going to say. We were completely unprepared for this mission,” Zell said in a rush, hoping to calm Squall down a bit. He chanced a glance. Oooh, that didn't seem to help at all. Squall's face had darkened and he looked liked he was barely controlling violence. “But,” he added, “We completed the mission successfully!”

“And what,” Squall stalked forward, “ever made you think the mission was more important than your lives?” He looked down at Zell's body, taking in the bandages. “Are you in any pain?” Zell was relieved at this new line of questioning.

“Well, I've felt better,” Zell said honestly, leaning back in his pillows. He had to make it seem like he was fine, like this was no big deal. Zell didn't notice how Squall's eyes narrowed as he watched him. “But hey,” Zell continued, “it's nothing new. We've been in worse places than this before.”

“Yes, but I was there before!” Squall shouted, and Zell stared up at him, shocked. Squall seemed enraged as he knelt beside the bed, eyes flashing. “You two made it worse on yourselves than you really needed to and you didn't have anyone there to back you up!” He grabbed Zell's hand. “Don't you see? You didn't take care of yourself. How can I send you out on a mission without me if you don't take care of yourself?”

Zell snatched his hand out of Squall's grasp. “I don't need a babysitter!” He exclaimed. “I'm a SeeD, same as you. I don't need you or anyone else taking care of me in a mission!” Squall's eyes darkened and he snarled, taking Zell's hand back.

“Oh really?!” His eyes traveled over Zell's face as if trying to memorize it. “You don't need me?”

Zell seemed to rethink this. “Well...I don't ever go on any missions alone,” He amended. “I always have either Selphie or Quisty or Irvine with me. Hell, sometimes even Rinoa helps out!” He couldn't believe he was trying to comfort Squall of all people.

“They're not enough!” Squall exclaimed and Zell jumped and fell pitifully to his pillows.

“Squall man, please don't sc-” Full lips descended on his, an almost violent kiss. Zell froze for a moment before shoving Squall away. He did it easily if painfully. He was, even in his current state, able to beat Squall in brute strength.

“Squall, what the hell?!” Zell yelled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Zell. You have to know what a kiss means,” Squall said, arching an eyebrow. This cool reply didn't do anything to kind his current discomfort.

“Well, yeah!” Zell cried, flushing slightly, “but...what...you...I.” Squall seemed to get tired of Zell's useless stuttering quickly and motioned for silence. Zell did, blue eyes wide on Squall's face.

“Zell. You're released in a week, right?” Zell nodded. “Come to my office the day you're released. At 2:00pm. If...if you're interested. In anything with me. If not, pretend this didn't happen.” He added the last part in a rush and looked as if he wish he hadn't said it at all. He leaned down and brushed his lips against Zell's again, this time soft, gentle. “Please,” he whispered but didn't add anything else. Straightening up and squaring his shoulders, he nodded sharply at Zell and headed for the door. Stopping in the frame, he turned and looked at Zell intently, gray eyes studying him. “A week,” he said and stood, waiting for Zell's response.

Zell lay there, head spinning. 'What? What the hell?' “A...a week,” he said in a hush. “But Squall, why...?”

Squall shook his head, an odd, fond non-expression on his face. “A week.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but he shook his head, a slight smile on his face. “Get better, SeeD,” He said and left.


End Part One