"I'm Not Just a Sniper....."

Part Ten

By Domino

"I don't know what to do. He's a good friend, but he basically asked me to marry him."

"And this upsets you?"

"Yes! Because another client asked me to marry him. I'm not ready, nor am I ready to give all this up. I'm too young, and the money..."

"I can see where you're coming from. I think this 'Zell' does care about you, but hates to see you like this. In a way, he wants to control you and your lifestyle. How old was the other man who asked you?"

"In his fifties."

"Hmmmmm.... I believe he wanted you for the wrong reasons. He saw 'Pretty Woman' one too many times and wanted you as his young, former-hooker trophy boyfriend. Zell might want you for slightly less sinister reasons, but it's your life. I can definitely see where you're coming from."

"Thank you. I'm eighteen... I just don't want to give this up and be tied down...."

"I understand completely, Irvine."

"Sorry to dump all this on you...."

"Quite all right. That's what I do for a living. Are you ready for another romp?" The man playfully asks as he and the cowboy lay in his comfortable office couch.

Irvine winks and purrs, "Always... want me to ride?"

"Fine with me..."

Zell sits in the training center, clutching a small, velvet box. He opens it, revealing a beautiful platinum and onyx ring. Looking at it gives him mixed emotions. It is, or was, meant for Irvine as an engagement ring. "What a waste of money. I finally got the courage to ask him to be with me and then I find out he's a FUCKING WHORE!!" He is about to throw the box when his former instructor stops him, "Zell!"

"Don't start with me Quistis! Why didn't you tell me Irvine was fucking men for money?! You knew how I felt about him!"

"I know.. you said it was love when you saw him all grown up. Don't give up so easily."

"I already tried to offer him love and security so he won't have to do this anymore. And what does he do? He leaves!" He kicks a rock into the dense, artificial jungle.

"Zell, remember the song, 'Roxanne'?"

"The drinking game?"

"No... It's about someone who loves a prostitute very much and is willing to take her out of that lifestyle. If you love Irvine as much as you say you do... you wouldn't be giving up so easily. Tell him how he's worth much more than a good lay."

"I tried that already..." Zell sighs.

"Then try again.. Like you I don't want to see Irvine losing any more of his dignity than he already has. I know you're the one who can save him from self-destruction," Quistis hugs her former student.

Zell hugs back, "I just hope he won't reject me again. I don't know if my heart can take it a second time..."

"Twenty-one... Twenty-two... Twenty-Three hundred... you're amazing, Irvine..." The older man smiles, "I hope things do work out for you."

"I hope so too..." Irvine accepts his payment after getting dressed, "Thanks for the advice. I'm glad someone sees things my way."

"It's no problem. Listen, if you ever need anything else, here's my card," He offers Irvine his business card. "Thank you," Irvine playfully kisses his cheek and leaves the office with a clear mind and quite a bit of money. "(I knew I was right.... It's my life.. Why should I change for anyone?)" Irvine thinks as he returns to his dorm in Balamb. As he's calculating the fifteen percent for Ms. Darlene, he notices a single white rose taped to his door. He takes it down and blinks, reading the simple card that came with it:

I'm sorry, but I love you.

-Zell

"That little..... I told him I dont't want to fucking quit!!" Irvine growls to himself, ready to throw the rose away. For some reason, however, he cannot. He enters his dorm and slams the door behind him, almost in tears. "Why can't he just leave me be?? I'm not doing anything wrong!"

"You're giving yourself to men who don't deserve you. That's wrong to me..." A voice tells him from his bedroom.

"What the fuck?!" Irvine storms into his bedroom, where he finds a more sophisticated Zell Dincht, dressed in a tuxedo and holding eleven red roses and the velvet box.

"Z... Zell!!"

"The white one symbolizes your lost innocence, something that I'm willing to spend the rest of my life restoring within you. Irvine Kinneas..."

"Zell... please... (Don't...)"

The small blonde gets on bended knee, "Will you marry me?"

END PART 10

Return to Archive | next | previous