Chapter Text
To say that Irvine Kinneas was amused would've been an understatement.
In fact, the scene at hand was downright hilarious to the cowboy.
Really, it was all he could do to not actually burst into outright laughter.
Some ten or so feet in front of him, he was watching Squall practically flailing erratically in a futile attempt to ward and push away Zidane, who apparently was, yet again, making another attempt at 'stealing' Squall's heart.
Honestly, he had to give the blond thief some credit. He was certainly tenacious and definitely didn't take no for an answer.
Were he the jealous type, Irvine may have felt the slightest bit inclined to put a stop to said antics, but he was not. Besides, it wasn't every day he got to see Squall so out-of-characterly flustered and making such awkward squeaky-squawk noises as he'd try to avoid Zidane's advances.
He was content to let it all escalate until finally Squall's blue eyes turned pleading in his direction. He gave a sigh.
Dammit, Squall. Really, he knew he couldn't resist his eyes.
As much as he idly wanted to try to ignore the look, there was something about the way the shade of colour in Squall's eyes changed slightly, dimming even more than their usual storm grey-blue that changed his mind immediately.
Pushing from the wall he'd been leaning against, the cowboy cleared his throat.
"Give it a rest for the day, would ya, Zidane?"
The blond thief looked his way, pausing in his grab-attempt which gave Squall an opening and allowed him to slap the other's hand away and put several feet between them.
"Aww, but Irvine!" Zidane whined, waving his hands in frantic gesture.
"Mm-mn, no buts, mister." He tsk'd, wagging a finger at the other.
"You've about brought Squall to his limit and I'm pretty sure your head would become the next to join his collection if you don't lay off. I for one, don't want to see that happen again." He bluffed.
Zidane blinked a few times before his eyes widened before his head whipped to look at Squall. "Wh-what? You're kidding!"
Irvine kept his face carefully serious, nodding. "It's probably a good thing we're here and you can't see the collection he has at home. You're pretty lucky, but I wouldn't push it any more, y'know? Karma does come around to bite, after all."
Zidane continued to stare wide-eyed at Squall for a moment longer, who by now had composed himself and had his arms crossed and was staring his typical antisocial blank stare his way.
"Y-yeah, okay... If you say so. I'll just... Be on my way then." He mumbled before he practically beat feet and scrambled away.
Both watched the thief go before Irvine let out a chuckle and relaxed back against the wall.
"I have a skull collection now?" Squall asked, brow raising at the cowboy.
"You may as well." Irvine responded with a careless shrug, giving a faint grin.
Irvine caught the colour of Squall's eyes lightening with humor just moments before the other rolled them before they disappeared behind eyelids.
That was good enough for the cowboy.
-End-