Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII, the characters, names, places, et cetera. I just get to make stuff up about them.

Final Fantasy VIII: Safe

"Commander?" a male voice said from the door. Squall looked up from his desk where he'd been staring at a request for SeeD assistance for the last hour. "Mitch Crawford is here to see you, sir," Nida said with a smirk. Squall blinked then remembered the appointment and nodded. When the Garden wasn't mobile Nida liked to busy himself with helping his commander in the offices. Actually, he liked to busy himself with Squall's secretary, Mira.

He leaned back in his chair. He just couldn't concentrate on work today. Someone was on his mind--three someones for that matter. Seifer, Zell, and Irvine were sent on a small mission to Dollet to fight the monster numbers around the communication tower back down. The tower was back up and running permanently with a full staff, but every year the native beasts got it in their heads to return to their previous breeding ground. The three of them have been gone five weeks and he could hardly stand it. For a while their absence was bearable because originally the job was only two weeks. But then the phone rang and the cowboy had to explain to a very sex deprived commander that the eliminating process was looking to take a little longer than expected. Now three weeks later than their original return date Squall found it impossible to function.

He glanced at the clock as footsteps approached his office. They were flying in tonight and he couldn't wait to see his boys. The gun blade master sighed heavily, his eyes closed. Just three more hours, he said to himself as the door slid open.

"Mr. Crawford," Squall said getting to his feet and shaking the elderly man's hand before offering him a seat. "What can I do for you?" he faked through the pleasantries. Mitch grunted as he lowered himself into the chair and rested both hands on his cane with an unpleasant frown.

"It has come to my attention that you live a less than …" the wrinkled jowls shook as he searched for the right word, "traditional lifestyle." Squall's brow lifted at this.

"Where did this come from?" he asked without much expression.

"Your father's own tongue." Squall almost smiled. Almost.

"It seems my father's mouth has run away with him. It's not the first time," he said simply.

The old man cleared his throat. "I have known your father since the time he was held prisoner in Esthar. He is many things, but he is not a liar." No, Laguna was not a liar. However, Squall was not yet willing to let someone like Crawford know about his personal life. Not that he worried the councilor would tell anyone; that would present too much risk to Mitch's own image in the government. Mitch was a man after his own desires and blind to everything and everyone else. The man was here for his own interests.

Squall cocked his head. "He did not tell you intentionally." It was not a question.

The man had the decency to look embarrassed. "Um, well, no. It slipped out a week ago after his birthday celebration. A few of us took him out for drinks…he got a little drunk."

"A little?"

"Yes."

"Tell me then, Councilor, why I should even consider this accusation credible?" Before Mitch could muster up the courage to explode into some kind of excuse, Squall continued. "Who is a 'few of us'?"

"Well, Kiros and Ward, of course," the man said a little confused.

Ah, Kiros and Ward. Well, they already knew about it.

"It is known to any who know my father very well at all, that when he is out with those two he tends to drink more than is necessary to get, excuse my language, drunk off his ass. So if you'll excuse me--"

"You're trying to draw me away from the issue at hand…"

"What issue is that?"

"Are you?"

"Am I what?" Squall asked.

"Are you…" the man's hand waved. "Gay!" he finally blurted out.

"What does it matter?" Leonhart asked calmly.

"Such a thing would lower your father's credibility as President!"

"Why should it do that?"

"It--It just gives the Estherian government a bad image--"

Squall jumped to his feet. He'd had enough of this conversation.

"I don't give a damn about your image. You are not here on my father's behalf. You are concerned only with yourself. Laguna respects my decision. As a matter of fact, he encouraged it. I will not change simply because you're uncomfortable. In case you've forgotten…myself and my SeeDs are the reason you have the time and freedom to worry over such trivial issues." The icy glare, intensified with Shiva's own anger, was enough to shut the councilor up in obvious fear. "Now," Leonhart said coldly, "if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." He sat back down and busied himself with the same assistance request as before.

Mitch huffed loudly and stomped as best he could out the door. After the door closed Squall rubbed his eyes. Then he signed the contract and glanced at the clock: five o'clock. This work day was more than over. On his way out he dropped off his completed work with Nida. "Make certain she gets it," he ordered as the young SeeD twirled in Mira's chair waiting for her to return from the restroom.

"Yes, sir." He jumped up with a salute and Squall wanted to box his ears. However, he nodded and gladly left the Garden offices behind to return to his apartment.

The large suite-like faculty apartment felt so empty--much too big when he had only himself and two very large cats to share it with the last five weeks. For Squall's eighteenth birthday two years ago, Laguna gave his son the felines with the excuse that they would watch over his son since he could not. Squall didn't argue. In honor of his Guardian Forces he named the snow leopard Shiva and the black panther Griever. His lovers welcomed the additions to their apartment without complaint and Squall couldn't be happier with his great many body guards. Not only his lovers, GFs and now cats, but Rinoa, Quistis, and Selphie all made a point of watching out for him as well. He frowned slightly outside his door. It was almost as if they expected the hero of the world unable to keep himself out of trouble. Oh, well, it was nice to finally be loved. If he had to put up with a little over-protectiveness to feel that way then he knew he could get over it.

The moment he entered his code and the door opened there was a loud roar and a blur of black fur. Any other person would have freaked, but Squall smiled when two large paws slammed into his chest and knocked him back into the door that had thankfully quickly slid closed behind him. He wrapped his arms abound the heavy warm body and winced as the rough tongue slid once over the underside of his chin.

"I missed you, too." The feline dropped back to all fours with a heavy thud. Squall looked around. Shiva lay on his side on the couch looking at his master indifferent, tail flicking lazily. Squall walked over, hands on his hips and Griever at his side.

"What's this?" he demanded. Shiva blinked up at him. "You know you're not allowed on Seifer's sofa." The feline gave him a look that seemed to say, that's the point. "He'll skin you alive." A yawn. Squall put his hands on either side of the leopard's face and shook it playfully back and forth. "You have your own stuff to lounge on." Then he squished the folds of furry skin together into a humorous, unnatural 'smile'. "So happy," he mocked in an overly adoring voice.

Shiva hissed, which only made the expression funnier and Squall laughed. A large paw swiped his hands away and he stood back allowing the leopard to get up and off the sofa. Walking into his own room, Shiva looked back at his master with a look that said, you will pay for this indignity.

Squall walked to the fridge and opened it. The bright glow bathed his face as he lowered to examine the contents. I really need to go shopping, he scolded himself looking at the condiments and spoiled milk. An empty kitchen is not a welcome his three boys will appreciate. Oh, well, I'm not hungry and I'm too damn tired to go to the store right now. He looked down at the sniffing black nose and smiled.

"Git your nose outta there." He flicked Griever's ear and closed the fridge. "Selphie's already fed you your dinner." The panther had a sudden urge to scratch his ear and Squall looked at the wall clock--5:44. Ugh! Time was not going by fast enough. Thinking a quick nap would make it go by faster, he moved to the master bedroom. After shedding his jacket and boots he leaped into the middle of the king-sized bed. Not a second later Griever leapt up after him and stretched out beside him. Squall laughed as poky whiskers and hot cat breath tickled his sensitive neck. While scratching the ribs of the purring feline he caught the eerie glow of eyes watching him from the doorway. He lifted his head as best he could with Griever rolling over his right arm.

"All right, come on," he said with a smirk. Shiva sat on his haunches and tried to appear disinterested. Squall frowned. "Are you angry with me?" Shiva looked at him. "I'm sorry. Daddy didn't mean to make you feel bad," he said sincerely. He couldn't bear for his pets to keep their distance. Shiva seemed to contemplate his apology. Then with the sound of soft, padded feet, the snow leopard leapt up and stretched next to him on his other side. Squall scratched behind the white and black ears nuzzling his face into Shiva's. "You know I'd never hurt you, love," he said softly and closed his eyes listening to the two loud, content purring motors on either side of him.

Hyne, sometimes I could swear these two are smarter than people.

TBC

Next chapter: Seifer, Irvine, and Zell return…