Disclaimer: All of Final Fantasy 8 belongs to the demigods at Square Enix and Sony and it makes me sad
Warnings: Angst, CHARACTER DEATH. Don't say I didn't warn you. >>
Written for fated(underscore)children at livejournal, for the themes Justice, Courage and Saying Goodbye.
I steal titles from Harry Potter. I have no shame.
He knew, as he leaned back against the wall, appearing more relaxed than he should be, that this was the only way. It was the only way the people of the world would be able to rest at ease and sleep without keeping one eye open in fear of midnight raids. It was the only way for SeeD to finally be able to say that the war was over and done with and, really, it was what he deserved.
He'd joined the sorceress out of his own free will and now he was paying for it. It was true that, later on, she had manipulated him, misguided him, used him as a mere puppet, but that first decision, that first lunge for the power he'd so desired, he'd done that all by himself. He had no excuses and, despite what everybody else thought, he was very much aware of that. They still considered him that same callous murderer, but they didn't know all the things he regretted, all the things he wished he'd never done, all the blood he wished he'd never spilled. They didn't know that he was glad it was finally going to end, for all of them, that he was happy to finally be brought to justice.
They had offered him a blindfold, but he'd only snorted and asked if they thought he was afraid. The fire in his eyes, still burning as brightly as ever, had scared them and they had run off quickly, hiding behind the safety of the Garden walls, watching him through cameras, washed out colours on small television screens.
His hands were tied behind his back and he stood proudly, defiantly, sneering at them, the lowly soldiers, until the very last moment, when the guns fired, the noise ricocheting off the walls surrounding them, and he staggered, taking one step back, holding on to life for one more painful moment, only to let go when his back was against the wall and his legs gave in.
Even years later, Squall Leonhart swore that the last look in Seifer's eyes had been one of peace and acceptance, something they would never be able to fully understand, a look that had bid them farewell, till never again.