"Mr. Seagil?"
Kiros Seagil turned around and saw Cid. "Yes? And you can call me Kiros, Cid," he answered. Cid nodded.
"Um… Kiros. I was wondering about Squall and Laguna-"
"It's hard for both of them," Kiros interrupted. "Squall hasn't spoken to him since we got back from Fisherman's Horizon and Laguna has been acting strangely. The last time Laguna was this depressed, he had just found out Raine was dead…"
Cid sighed. "I'll talk to Squall…"
"He's outside, with the presidential guards. It seems he gets along well with them," Kiros answered, pointing the route to the door. Cid nodded and walked in the direction that Kiros had pointed. After a short walk, he came to a door leading outside. Cid pushed it open and saw Squall standing in the midst of some Estharian soldiers.
"Squall?" Cid called. Squall looked at Cid and grinned widely.
"Hi Cid!" he said, waving. He turned to the soldiers and said something that Cid couldn't hear, and then ran over to Cid.
"Squall, I need to talk to you," Cid said uncertainly. Squall nodded.
"Okay," he answered. Cid guided Squall to a nearby staircase and sat him down.
"I want to talk to you about Laguna," Cid began gently. Squall frowned.
"I don't wanna tawk abowt him."
"You're not getting around this Squall. Laguna does not deserve what you're putting him through. He only did what was best for you-"
"I wish he'd never come at awl," Squall pouted.
"Squall, don't say that. You don't mean it."
"YES I DO!" Squall shouted at Cid.
"Squall," Cid said with a sigh. "You miss everyone don't you?" Squall bit his lip and turned his head.
"No. I don't need anybody. I can take care of myself."
Kiros and Ward watched the pair from a distance.
"Do you think Cid can fix it?" Kiros asked. Ward shrugged. "I hope so… It hurts to see Laguna like this…" Ward nodded in agreement. Suddenly Cid stood up. Kiros stiffened, waiting. Squall walked toward them, staring at the ground, with Cid by his side.
"Where's Laguna?" Cid asked, stopping in front of the two men. Kiros blinked and glanced down at Squall, who was looking very ashamed of himself.
"Uh… I think he's still in bed…" Kiros answered uneasily.
***
Laguna heard the other cadets snicker as he walked by their table. He ignored them and proceeded to his regular spot in the back corner of the mess hall. Laguna sat down with his tray and started eating slowly, staring off into space. He listened to the conversations around him. The topic of discussion was the same as it always was, everyone was talking about him.
"I hear he's gonna get promoted…"
"They say that he's always alone because…"
"He's just a weirdo…"
"I heard that…"
"Well, I heard…"
After a week at boot camp, Laguna had gotten used to the gossip surrounding himself. He was the youngest guy on the base, only seventeen, and the higher-ups were considering sending him to an officer training camp. There were lots of theories, and none of them were right. He was the illegitimate son of a politician, he was a spy, he was there to root out spies, the list went on and on.
"Hello."
Laguna looked up and saw a tall, dark-skinned man standing across the table from him.
"Mind if I sit down?" he asked, setting his tray on the table.
"Yeah, I do. I'd like to eat in peace if you don't mind, so go back and tell those assholes that their ploy isn't going to work," Laguna snapped. The other man shrugged and sat down anyway. Laguna ignored him and continued eating.
"…My name is Kiros Seagil," the man said, trying to make conversation. Laguna continued ignoring him. "…That was a typical Galbadian greeting to which the response is usually 'Pleased to meet you, my name is…'"
"…Laguna Loire…"
"Loire? As in General Clay Loire?" Laguna blinked.
"…What?"
"General Clay Loire. He's the leader of the Galbadian Infantry Corps. You know, the guy coming for inspection tomorrow."
"He's coming tomorrow?" Laguna asked, his eyes wide. Kiros nodded and took a bite of his food. Laguna suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Clay Loire. It had to be, how many Clay Loire's could there be in Galbadia? Laguna stood up quickly and stared blankly at the floor. "I need some air…" he said, walking away from Kiros. Kiros stood up and watched Laguna practically run out of the mess hall.
Laguna started to gain momentum until he was sprinting blindly through the hallways of the compound. His father? Was coming here tomorrow? Laguna slid to a halt, slamming into the door leading to the courtyard. He pushed it open and stepped outside. There were games going on all around him, basketball, street hockey, some joggers and tennis. The sound of gunfire could be heard from the nearby firing range. Laguna walked to a bench and sat down, putting his head in his hands, and closed his eyes. He was a candidate for the officer training school, which meant he was to be paraded before the General tomorrow and then interviewed. There was no way he could get around the fact that tomorrow morning, whether he liked it or not, he was going to have to face his father for the first time in fourteen years.
"Laguna?"
Laguna looked up sharply and saw Kiros.
"Can't you just leave me alone?" Laguna growled, standing up. Kiros shrugged.
"It's not in my nature to let sleeping dragons lie..." he answered. Laguna narrowed his eyes.
"…This is one you should let lie. For your own sake." Laguna walked past Kiros, back the way he'd come.
"He's your father isn't he?" Kiros called after him. Laguna stopped.
"…I don't have a father…" he replied softly, and walked away.
***
"Atten-tion!"
The five cadets came immediately to attention and waited. A man walked around to face them. He was older, around forty. He had grey streaks running through his short hair and was wearing a Galbadian dress uniform.
"At ease. Hello. I am General Clay Loire. You five have been chosen by your superiors to become officers. You are the quickest, the smartest, the strongest, in short… the best," the man said, gazing at the boys. He sat down at the desk in front of them and pulled out a pen. "We'll start with you," the general said, pointing at the first man in the row of five.
Laguna was at the end of the line. He was nervous. The palms of his hands were sweating, his head hurt and his leg was cramping up. (What should I say to him? What can I say to him? Oh Hyne, why me?)
"And you?"
Laguna blinked and looked at the general, who was speaking to him.
"…Sir?" Laguna said cautiously. He glanced around and saw that all the other cadets had left, it was only him, the sergeant and the general. The general smiled warmly with an odd look on his face. Like he knew Laguna, but he didn't remember.
"Your name?" the general asked, poising his pen over the paper.
"…Laguna Loire, sir…"
The pen stopped. The general's eyes became very wide as he looked up from the paper, at Laguna.
"…Laguna… Loire?" the general inquired softly. Laguna stiffened.
"Yes, sir."
"…Sergeant, take a walk…" the general said, not taking his eyes off of Laguna. The sergeant nodded curtly and left the room with a puzzled look on his face. As soon as the door closed behind the sergeant, the general motioned for Laguna to sit.
"I'd rather stand… Sir," Laguna replied, suddenly feeling very brave. The general blinked.
"…Laguna Loire…" he repeated. Laguna remained silent. "…Are you…?" Laguna narrowed his eyes.
"The son of Brook Loire, from Deling City, and my father, Clay Loire left when I was three years old? Yes… Sir," Laguna said coldly, he spat the last word out, disgusted. The general stiffened. He wasn't used to such brusque treatment. He stood up and walked up to Laguna, looking into his eyes.
"…You have your mother's eyes…" the general said after a brief silence.
"Really? Do you actually remember that far back?" Laguna said sarcastically, staring indifferently at the other man. The general grimaced. Laguna couldn't have done better if he'd slapped the man.
"…You hate me don't you?" Clay Loire asked quietly.
"I didn't have a chance to hate you," Laguna replied rigidly. The two men stood in awkward silence for a few minutes. Clay coughed, breaking the tension.
"…How is your mother?"
"She's dead," Laguna answered viciously. "…Not that you would have cared."
"Sh-She's dead? …How?" he stammered, blinking.
"Your own stupidity. All thanks to the great general who didn't leave any reinforcements in Deling because the Ryndelians would never dare attack the almighty Galbadian capital!"
"…The Ryndelian raids last fall?" Clay sat down on the edge of his desk, in shock.
"Yes. They came into the house looking for valuables and when we resisted, they shot her and left," Laguna answered, swallowing the guilt that was pushing its way into his eyes. He turned away.
"…I'm sorry…" Clay whispered, staring numbly at the floor.
"That's it? You're sorry?" Laguna snapped, looking back. "Well you know what Mr. General… Sorry don't cut it."
***
"Laguna! …Laguna wake up!"
Laguna rolled over and mumbled something incoherent about getting a machine gun. Kiros opened the door and turned on the light. Laguna groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.
"Laguna… It's Squall…" Kiros said, crossing his arms. Laguna sat up immediately.
"What? What's wrong?" he asked, panicking. Kiros took a step to the side to reveal the little boy. He was standing in the doorway of Laguna's room, his eyes pointed at the floor. Laguna blinked and looked at Kiros, confusion apparent on his face. Kiros just shrugged and left the room, closing the door behind him.
(What the hell…?) The room was silent. Squall just stood where Kiros had left him, gazing blankly at the carpet. Laguna just sat there, not knowing what to do or say. Finally, Squall looked up.
"…I'm sawee…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. Laguna caught his breath. Did Squall just speak to him?
"…I'm sorry too, Squall," Laguna answered softly. Squall looked up.
"Why r yoo sawee?" Squall asked, cocking his head. Laguna sighed and gestured for Squall to come closer. The child approached the bed warily, stopping next to Laguna.
"Squall… I'm sorry for taking you away from your friends and the place that you've called home your whole life. I'm sorry that I screwed up and wasn't there for you. I'm sorry you were alone…" Laguna stopped, his eyes had begun to tear up. He wiped them and continued, "I'm sorry for everything Squall." Squall stared at Laguna for a second and then took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Laguna's torso. The man jumped at the sudden contact from the small boy who, just twenty minutes ago, was refusing to speak to him.
"I'm sorry 'Guna…"