Matchmaker, matchmaker.

…

Zell tucked into his hotdogs heartily only glancing up when Selphie walked in.

"Oh hey Seffie." He said around a mouthful of food.

She had her arms folded and she was frowning at him. "I just spoke to Linda."

"Oh." He went back to his food.

"Oh? Is that all you're going to say!"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want to know why you dumped that poor girl?"

He shrugged. "It wasn't working out."

"That's what you said when you dumped Jamie too."

"So?"

"Yesterday she seemed so happy about the two of you."

"That was yesterday."

"I thought you were lonely."

"Lonely?"

She smirked. "At Irvine's party you broke down in tears about how no one loved you."

Zell grimaced. "Well I had had quite a lot to drink."

"Hadn't we all?"

Zell smiled suddenly. "Oh yeah and Seifer fell off his bar stool, I am so glad I remembered that!"

Selphie smiled too, dropping into the empty chair. "I thought you were jealous of what Quistis and Nida had, I thought you wanted someone like that too."

"I did but I'm only 18 and it doesn't have to be Linda."

"You know I could help you out if you like."

"Oh no offence Selphie but you're not my type."

She frowned. "Not me, idiot!" Sighed. "When I spoke to Linda, me and Rinoa got to talking and-"

"Oh no what stupid idea have you two got now?"

"This is a good idea!" She insisted. "We want to start our own garden dating agency."

Zell's eyes widened.

"And even if you don't want to join I'm sure they are lots of other willing vict- err- volunteers."

"I don't know Selphie I know the sort of people that go into that type of thing, lonely desperate people."

"See? You'll have something in common with them already then!"

Zell frowned. "What!"

She laughed. "I'm joking! Look all it will involve is making a profile of you with a photo and your interests and the type of guys and girls that you go for. Rinoa and I will set you up with similar people and send you on dates if the date doesn't go well then you never have to see that person again.

Zell chewed his lip.

"At the very least you might get a few new friends from it. Give it a go, what have you got to lose?"

"My sanity?"

She laughed. "I think you lose that ages ago, when you met me."

Zell chuckled. "Okay I'll do it."

"Great!"

"Am I your first client then?"

"Rinoa should be getting another one right about now."

….

Squall looked up over his new reading glasses that he didn't want anyone to see apart from Rinoa and Quistis who knew about them already.

"You want me to what?"

He stared at his ex, pen poised over the paperwork that he was working on.

"It's this new idea that Selphie and I have been working on."

"You want ME to join you're dating agency?"

"Well you said yourself that you were alone."

"Not necessary a bad thing."

She clamped a hold on the desk in a scary Selphie like way. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea for those two hang out so much.

"Oh please Squall we're just starting out and we need the practice."

"I don't think so, I hate dating I never know what to say on dates."

"But you never say anything so what's the difference?"

He frowned. "No, go find yourself another guinea pig."

He went back to his work, trying to ignore that he could feel her watching him.

He risked a glance up at her, probably the worst thing he could have done. The puppy dog eyes were in full force and she added to it by holding her hands up like little puppy paws.

"Pleeeeeaaase Squuaalllll!"

He rolled his eyes, trying to ignore her.

"Plleeaaase, for me."

He glanced at her one more time and glared at her. "Oh fine, but only to stop you sulking."

"Yay!" She jumped up and threw her arms around him, ignoring how he tensed up when she touched him.

"Thanks Squall!"

"Yeah yeah whatever." He shrugged. "Don't expect me to enjoy it, I only did this to help you out."

She smothered a smile and tried to look as serious as he did. "Of course."

"And don't expect to find me anyone, I don't want anyone."

"Right of course." She nodded along with him.

Squall went back to his work, not noticing as Rinoa walked absently back around the desk.

"Although-"

He glanced up.

"It would be nice to see you happy for once."

"I'm happy now."

"Really? Sitting alone in your office, doing work all the time."

"I'm not alone… unless I'm imagining you." He grimaced. "I can think of better people to imagine."

Rinoa punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"Ow." He said even though it didn't hurt at all.

"And who would else would you like to have up here with you then?"

"None of your business." He frowned.

"Not even a hint, to give us something to go on."

Squall scoffed, aiming his pen at the paper again.

"Oh well I'm sure there'll be no shortage of guys and gals willing to date you."

Squall continued working, not looking at her.

"All you'll have to do is shake your ass and they'll fall right in your lap."

"Rinoa!" He blushed slightly.

"What? She looked innocently at him.

"I don't want anyone to like me."

"Irvine likes you."

"Yeah Irvine likes everybody." Squall started to work again, ignoring her.

"But he likes you the most."

"Uh huh."

"Has a nickname for you."

"He calls everybody gorgeous."

"Not that. Commander sex on legs he calls you."

Squall didn't look up. "That's nice."

Rinoa put her hands on her hips. "Are you even listening to me?"

"I'm trying not too."

She frowned.

"Was there something else you wanted?"

In response to his question she produced a sheet of questions. "I'm supposed to ask you these."

"What are those?"

"Questions for your profile."

He made a face.

"Now now none of that, you've agreed now." She perched on the arm of the couch at the side of his office.

"Now let's just get a few interests down, what do you like doing?"

"Work."

"And?"

"Training."

"And?"

Squall paused. "I can't think of anything else…."

"Okay well you can out with us to bars and to go fishing sometimes so I'll write going out with friends."

"I only go when you force me."

"You like cards!"

Squall shrugged and nodded.

Rinoa wrote something else. "Enjoying nature."

Squall frowned. "That is not one of my interests."

"You camp outside sometimes."

"That's training, I kill things all day, camp outside and kill more things in the morning."

She shrugged. "Well no one needs to know that bit." She scribbled something down. "You like animals."

"I do?"

"Bite bugs- insects- animals." She reasoned.

He frowned. "I don't like bite bugs I just like to kill them."

"Okay your personality is- err- quiet, shy- umm- ah! Passionate about things you believe in."

Squall made a face.

"What? You are!"

"Now do you just want guys or some girls too?"

Squall grimaced.

"I know girls make your head hurt honey but maybe we can get you some less girly girls."

"No girls."

"Okay what type of guys do you go for?"

"No assholes."

"Tall? Short?"

"Tall."

"Blonde? Red head? Brunette?"

Squall shrugged. "Whatever."

"Cute or sexy?"

"Sexy."

"What things really bug you about guys?"

"Vanity, over confidence, over… hyper-ness."

Rinoa giggled. "Overhyperness? That isn't a word."

"Like Selphie… or Zell when he's been at the sugar."

"The bouncing off the walls type huh?"

"And no hero worshippers."

"No fans? But you know a fan might be willing to- you know-" She giggled.

Squall rolled his eyes.

"Well I think that's all we need for now." She stood from the sofa and straightened her skirt.

"I'll be back with your first date before you know it."

"No rush."

She chuckled. "Don't silly, it'll be fun."

….

"Seifer!" Selphie called.

The tall blonde turned tail and fled, leaving the bewildered girl that he was talking to.

"Wait!" She sighed. "Oh now where did he ran off to!"

She looked at the blonde girl. "I only wanted him to join my dating agency."

The girl smiled. "Ah that's why he ran."

"I mean you two aren't- are you?"

"No! I was just asking about Raijin."

"You like Raijin!"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Is everything about sex to you? I was asking how to best work with him on a project that we have to do together."

Selphie smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." She looked at the girl out of the corner of her eye. "Are you single? Because you know this dating agency I've started is a serious thing, I'm going to set up everyone and have lots and lots of weddings." She grinned.

The girl smiled. "Well I am single but-" She held up a hand as Selphie opened her mouth to speak. "I prefer to get my own husband thank you."

She shrugged. "Fair enough, you know where I am if you change your mind."

Tbc