Chapter 8 - Isn't it Romantic?

The doctor didn't let us go to the hotel the next day, but she did let me go the day after that.

"Are you ready yet?"

I giggled and lowered my mascara wand. "Hold on a sec, Zell. I want to look perfect."

Another tap-tap-tap sounded on the door of my room. I refused to let Zell come in until I had completed my ensemble of make-up, dress, and slippers. I had on my sleeveless pale-blue satin formal, my arm-length silver gloves, and my pearl necklace. I had only to finish my mascara and slip into my shoes and the effect would be perfect.

"Not yet," I repeated, smiling.

Selphie had come by earlier and curled my hair, putting it up on the crown of my head so the ringlets fell around it like... well, like something pretty. I could hardly wait to see the look on his face, and I had noticed the stealthy return of the Thrustaevis. This time they were of nervous excitement and not of dread or fear. Definitely a welcome change, and I actually enjoyed having them there.

"Come on," Zell whined. "I wanna see."

I giggled again, nearly putting an eye out with my mascara wand. "You will, Zell," I promised.

I finished with the mascara, reapplied my lipstick, made sure none had colored my teeth, and then turned from the mirror in a search for my shoes. They weren't anything dramatic; just some silver slippers that would be very comfortable for a night of dancing and walking. Since my accident with Garden's transformation, I couldn't walk on anything but special shoes, cross-trainers, or slippers with special inserts. Anything too high made my back go out of whack or my hip pinch a nerve.

I spotted the slippers under the chair of my desk. "There you are."

I slipped into the them and then straightened with a deep breath as I smoothed the front of my dress. Here I go. I walked deliberately to the door. "Ready?" I asked with my hand on the knob.

"Dude! Meg! Just open the door!"

I did as I was told, my eyes zeroing in on his face. "Ta-da," I whispered.

The smile on Zell's face vanished and his eyes widened, traveling to my toes and then back up to my face with an expression I didn't know. I flushed crimson and adjusted my hold on the door as my gaze lowered to the floor.

"Damn," he whispered.

I slightly smiled as I glanced up. "Is that good?"

"Good?" Zell blinked and leaned back in surprise. "Good? Damn straight it's good! You're hot!"

I flushed so bright I thought I would melt. Instead, I just giggled and released the doorknob to self-consciously clasp my hands in front of me. "Thanks." Zell remained quiet, still standing across from me, and I sheepishly looked up into his grinning face. "What?" I asked amidst another giggle.

"I'm afraid you'll break if I touch ya."

My eyes crinkled at the corners as I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around one of his. Then I smiled up at him with what I'm sure was a very silly smile. "I won't. I promise."

Zell grinned down at me for a second before motioning down the corridor. "Come on. We better jet before I do something stupid."

I fell into step beside him, adjusting my arms around his. "Like what?"

Zell laughed. "Yeah. Like I'll tell you."

I sent him a sidelong glance, still smiling that same silly smile - can you pinch me please? - and finally noticed he wore his SeeD uniform. "Wow," I breathed.

He looked down at me. "What?"

"You're wearing your uniform," I whispered with wide eyes.

Zell instantly grinned. "Damn straight. You didn't think I'd embarrass you by wearing sweats and a T-shirt, do ya?"

I shook my head. "No, but... wow, Zell. You look... wow."

Zell's ears pinked. "Thanks, but it's all you from where I'm standing."

I giggled and gave his arm a tight hug as I looked away. "I feel like I'm trapped in a happy dream," I confessed in a hushed voice.

"I'll try not to wake you," Zell laughed.

We entered the main corridor to a chorus of whistles and hoots and hollers from those SeeDs and candidates that still lingered in the halls at 6:30 in the evening. Zell saluted them with an expression of 'ohhh yeaahhh' and straightened, shoulders back. I felt like a princess, and Zell definitely looked like a prince.

When we arrived at the front gate, I found out that my prince had rented a carriage complete with a pair of white horses.

Tears brimmed as I looked over at Zell. "Omigosh," I whispered.

Zell must have stood at least 6 inches taller than normal. "Cool, huh? Selphie said you'd love it better than a limo."

I moved my tear-filled gaze back to the open-faced carriage. "I do."

Zell helped me up and waited to get in until I'd made sure my skirts wouldn't get in his way. Then he sat close beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close as he told the driver to "Go ahead."

The carriage gently lurched to a start, the clop-clop-clop of the horse's hooves proving that I wasn't imagining things. That I sat in a carriage next to Zell in a beautiful dress, and he in a uniform, and we were going to Balamb for a night of dinner and dancing. I stared up at the stars within a bubble of disgustingly sweet happiness.

"Dude. Check out the stars. Must be millions of 'em."

I snuggled as I gave a slight nod.

"Kind of reminds me of the night of my graduation party."

I nodded again with a little sigh.

Zell chuckled. "You sure don't talk much, do ya?"

I shook my head with a giggle, my eyes crinkling at the corners. What could I have said? Any word could have popped my bubble and made me hear my alarm clock.

"That's okay. I talk enough for the both of us. Drives Seifer crazy."

Zell tightened his arm around me, and I closed my eyes.

Zell released a long breath. "Man. This is what I call relaxing. Hanging out. Cruising the streets with a hot chic. Decked out to the hilt." Zell kicked out his feet and rested them on the seat opposite. "Yup yup yup. This is the life."

My lips twitched upward, and I sighed, "Sure is." Pinch or not to pinch. That is the question... I snuggled.

"It's a first, too," Zell went on, his tone adorably serious. "Never been out dancing or anything swank like that. Just graduated, did our missions, kicked butt and saved the world. It's kinda cool to know we can kick back and not get blown to hell by Galbadia Garden. It's cool to know it was all worth it."

I slowly opened my eyes to continue to stare up at the stars. "It is, isn't it," I whispered.

"Sorceresses and traitors and rebels... Damn. Didn't think there'd be an end to it, but here I am. Kickin' back like nothing ever happened." Zell adjusted his arm around me. "You know my gramps was a soldier?"

I slightly nodded my head.

"I always wanted to be like him. Don't know much about my real ma and pop, but I knew gramps lived for something. I wanted that, too. That's why I always busted my hump to graduate. To be a SeeD."

"That's why you were sad it took so long to graduate?" I offered quietly.

Zell remained quiet for a bit, and then he said, "You know what? I bet that is. Hm. Never thought about it. I just knew I really wanted to make a difference. As a kid it pissed me off faster than anything when Seifer picked on me or another squirt. I never liked seeing people being laughed at or bullied. So I figured I could keep that from happening. Just like gramps."

I moved to settle my back more into his side. So Zell gently draped his arm fully around my upper chest as I snuggled closer. "I bet he'd be proud of you," I said softly. "So would your real mom and dad." I am, so why wouldn't they be?

"I hope so, Sally," he confessed. "I know it's stupid to worry about it, what with him being dead and all, but... I can't help it."

I sat up and faced him as his arm fell away. "Zell, it's not stupid. It's normal. Who cares if he's dead or not? He's your grandfather. Why wouldn't you want him to be proud of you?"

Zell rubbed at the back of his neck as his eyes only occasionally glanced toward mine. "Yeah. I know."

"I always wonder if my grandfather's proud of me. After all, he was an animal doctor just like my dad. I'm not."

Zell met my gaze. "But you're damn good at what you do, Sally. Of course he'd be proud of you!"

I smiled. "And you're good at what you do, sweetie. I mean not only did you teach me how to beat the Fire Cavern and pass my field exam, you saved the world." I poked him in the chest with each word.

Zell grinned and caught the hand. "I only helped."

I giggled. "Okay. So you helped, but you still saved us. I bet that's what your grandfather wanted to do when he signed up to be a soldier. Only, you actually did it."

Zell continued to smile at me, and then he tugged me close. "Come here you," he said as he wrapped me up tightly in his arms. "All this serious talk made me wanna noogie."

"No! Not the hair!" I protested.

Zell laughed and settled for just holding me tight. "Okay, okay. But the dress is gonna have to get a wrinkle."

I wrapped my arms around him and let out a deep breath as I closed my eyes and pressed my cheek against his chest. "I can handle a wrinkle," I whispered. I listened to the steady thump-thump-thump of his heart and sighed again. "I like it when you give me a reason to be mushy."

Zell laughed. "I gotta confess, Sally. I like it. It feels a helluva lot better than when my submission got published in Combat King."

I released another deep breath. "Can you pinch me please?"

"Sure." One of his hands pinched the back of my arm. "Still asleep?"

I giggled as I nodded against his chest. Zell laughed.

Too soon, the drive ended and Zell helped me down from the carriage outside the hotel. Lights were bright, music was lovely and loud, and people chattered and laughed and talked in a dull roar that made me giddy and grinning. Zell paid the driver, asked him to wait for us near the entrance of Balamb, and then took hold of my hand to lead me into the bright lights of the hotel's lobby.

I entered with wide eyes and slightly parted lips as I released a breath of "Wow" and tightly gripped Zell’s hand. The lobby and the stairway up to the rooms had all been decorated with streamers and lights and garlands of evergreens. Even the deck facing the ocean had been decorated. Candles twinkled everywhere, just like the jewels and sequins and pearls and diamonds on the people that danced and laughed and talked throughout the hotel.

The hostess met Zell, received his name for the reservation, and then went to the back deck to make sure the table had been prepared.

"Oh my goodness, Zell," I whispered as I gave his arm and hand a tug. He looked down at me with twinkling eyes and a wide grin. "This is gorgeous!"

"Uh-huh. Ma said they go all out when they throw parties like this. She wasn’t kiddin’ huh?"

I wordlessly shook my head as my gaze again traveled around the hotel lobby, and then the hostess came back to lead us through the bustling crowd to the private table in a far corner of the deck. I watched the ladies and the gentlemen and the small orchestra with wide eyes as we made our way. I could hardly believe it. Then I saw the view of the moon and the stars reflecting on the water. I gasped and hurried over, releasing Zell’s hand as he spoke with the hostess. I gripped the railing and leaned over, closing my eyes with a smile as I took in a deep breath of the crisp sea-salt scent of the air.

I felt an arm go around me and opened my eyes to look over at Zell with a bright smile. Then I moved my gaze back to the ocean and the shimmering loveliness of the moon’s reflection. "It’s so beautiful," I breathed.

"Yup."

I sighed deep and leaned my arms against the railing. "Thank you so much, Zell. I’m going to have memories forever of this. It’s so..." I looked over at him. He smiled down at me. "Isn’t it romantic?"

Zell leaned one arm against the railing as he watched me, crossing his legs to rest the toe of his dress shoe on the cobble floor in his usual attitude of nonchalance. "Yup."

I flushed and moved my eyes to an intense scrutiny of my gloved hands. I met his gaze when he reached out to take one of them.

"Wanna dance?"

I smiled and eagerly nodded. Zell chuckled as he straightened, and then he stepped close as one arm went around my waist and the other gently held my hand. As graceful in dancing as in fighting, it was the best first-waltz I’d ever had in my life. So I closed my eyes and moved closer, resting my cheek against him as one hand gripped his and the other rested safely and content on his shoulder. Back and forth, around and around, song after song we danced. A perfect dance to a perfect evening and a perfect future.

It was romantic, and I loved it.

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