Hey all. Bare with me here, cause there's all sorts of weird plot
development type stuff going on. I hope you're all going "What the heck?!"
Thanks again soooo much for the reviews. And for those of you who don't
like the descriptive love scenes, I'm sorry. But I like romantic stuff.
Hey, at least it's not a lemon (though I might try my hand at one of those
soon enough ^_^ )
Anyway, I don't own any characters or places or ANYTHING from FFVIII.
Enjoy!
Chapter 14: Stuck In The Middle
The knock was soft and subtle, an act that definitely didn't suit her demeanor. But Selphie was nervous, very nervous, and it wasn't just the butterflies in her stomach. She had sworn to herself since day one that she would never again get in between Laguna and Squall. It was too awkward a situation for her to get completely involved, and the fights that often broke out between her and Squall over the subject had eventually convinced her silence was probably the best policy. It was difficult for her to watch the two of them struggle constantly, but it was a discomfort she had agreed to live with in order to ensure her husband stay in a relatively good mood. But with the most recent news, she couldn't stay away, and if Squall didn't like it, well…what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, for the time being.
The door swung open at a mumbled response from inside the office, and Laguna didn't bother to look up for several moments. Selphie cleared her throat, and when Laguna finally did look up the shock in his eyes brought a wide smile to Selphie's face. Within seconds came the hug and the onslaught of questions, each given so fast that Selphie had no time to reply. "What the heck are you doing here?! How's Squall? Is he here?!? No, of course he isn't…You look great! When did you stop wearing your hair up? Are you on vacation? Do they give SeeD vacation? Do you need a place to stay?" Selphie was laughing so hard that by the eighteenth question, she had to put one hand over his mouth just to shut him up. It was her turn to talk.
"Breathe! I'm not on Vacation, unfortunately. Just took a little break from classes to come bring some news your way." She smiled to ease the look of panic that swept his face momentarily. "And to catch some shopping. You can't find a decent dress in Balamb to save your life anymore." The tension in his body loosened, and he grinned a bit. "Not that I'd know," he said, taking a seat in one of the guest chairs in front of the massive desk and gesturing for her to do the same. She took her seat and Laguna smiled.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't make the wedding," he said, his voice soft with guilt. Selphie shook her head, resting a gently hand on his. "Laguna, it's okay. I understand why you didn't come." Laguna's eyes drifted to the deep green carpeting at his feet as one foot shifted around sheepishly. "I still don't think it was a very good excuse." Selphie smiled gently at him. "It was good enough for me," she said, wanting more than anything for the subject to change.
"So," she said taking a deep breath to lighten the mood, "You look really good! You loose some weight?" Laguna chuckled a bit and patted his ever so slight belly. "I wish," he said. "One too many ice cream sundaes from the kitchens is starting to take its toll on me." Selphie giggled flirtatiously, a bad habit she had picked up when working with the man- years ago. "You'd never know," she said with a wink. Laguna watched her with an amused eye. More than once the two had talked about her flirtation, but it had always been a mutual agreement to keep it at just that, and now was no exception. He rested his chin thoughtfully on his hand while looking at her with a small smile, pleased with the subtle blush that rushed into her cheeks as she giggled nervously. "You really do look good Selph," he said, and she smiled. "Well don't get too used to it," she said with a wry smile. "Soon I'm gonna be as fat as they come."
Laguna blinked in confusion. "Whys that? You sick or something?" Selphie merely shook her head and pulled out the small notice that dismissed her from any field related SeeD activities for the next twelve months and handed it to Laguna, who took it with a puzzled look and started reading. Ten seconds later the paper dropped to the floor and he looked up at Selphie with wide eyes. "D…does Squall know?" She nodded in, hoping and praying quietly to herself that his reaction would be as cheerful as Squall's had been. The man settled back in his chair, eyes still wide, and one single phrase escaped his lips. "I…am so…old!" Selphie couldn't help but let a loud laugh escape, and Laguna looked at her, still in a daze.
Selphie looked at him, mock hurt on her face as her lower lip jutted out into a silly looking pout. "What? No hug?" Laguna jumped to his feet and threw his arms around Selphie, trying for every bit of him not to let her see the tears welling in his eyes. His smile could have easily split his face in two. "Selphie, thank you so much…" Selphie hugged the man back, a little out of breath, but smiling. "For what?" she asked. He just hugged her closer and sniffled a bit. "For coming to tell me about it. You…You have no idea what this means to me." Selphie managed to dislodge herself from his hug and wiped the wetness from his cheeks with a smile. "Come on, no crying. You're supposed to be happy." Laguna nodded, wiping at one eye with his sleeve like a child. "I am. I just…" He sighed and sunk back into his chair. "God Selphie, I'm gonna want to be there for so much." His eyes drifted up to his daughter in law from the chair as his hands lifted in a helpless gesture. "But…Squall…" Selphie sat back down and caught the man's hands, her eyes focused. "That's why I came to talk to you," she said.
"We're going to break through that wall of his once and for all." Laguna's face didn't hide the panic he felt. Squall was notoriously unbending when it came to his stance on Laguna, and the last thing the man wanted was to see Selphie's marriage go up in flames because she tried to fix that. "No," he said resolutely. Selphie looked a bit taken aback at that, but Laguna was insistent. "No," he said again, "I won't let you get in the middle of this." She frowned. "I'm carrying his child for Hyne's sake. The man has got to learn to stop being so stubborn." Laguna was impressed with her stance. She honestly wasn't afraid to do this, which deserved at least a medal of honor or something in his book, but he still wasn't going to let her do this. "Selphie," he sighed, "Squall is mad at me. Don't bring that down on you."
The girl grinned. "You can't stop me, you know." Laguna felt his blood heat at that. Sometimes the girl reminded him so much of Raine it was frightening. The same stubborn mind, the same biting wit…it was uncanny. "Selphie, I'm serious!"
"So am I," she said quickly. "Look, I know I'm walking into the Lion's den here, but I will not live like this when this baby is born," she said resolutely. "He has to learn to give you a chance and you," she pointed calmly, "have to make an effort to help him." She watched as Laguna visibly winced at her words, then bit her tongue. Maybe that had been a little harsh. "Look, Laguna," she said in a more gentle tone, "I know that hurt, and I'm sorry. But you have to do something."
"What the hell can I do, Selphie? The boy won't even return my calls!" Selphie picked up the small piece of paper now at her feet and carefully tucked it into her pocket, then looked Laguna straight in the eyes. "Are you sorry?"
Laguna, taken aback, just stared at her until she said it again. "You told me about a million times when I worked here that you were sorry for the way things turned out," she said steadily. "So, are you sorry? Or are you going to sulk in it for the rest of your life?" Laguna's face showed the slightest amount of bitterness, but it was more because he knew somewhere she was right on target. "Selphie, you know how I feel." She tilted her head to one side. "Then you have to make that known to him. Look, I know Squall. If it's approached just the right way maybe we can convince him to at least talk to you or something." Laguna's eyes fixed on the carpet at his feet again, unwilling to look anywhere else. "I…suppose it's worth a shot."
Selphie stood and set a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You know what you have to do Laguna." She gently drew his chin upward with her fingers and offered him an apologetic smile. "Just…please remember I'm part of the family too, okay?" Her hand drifted off his shoulder as she headed for the door, leaving Laguna with that same empty feeling in his stomach. Of course, he knew she was right. He had to do something, make some sort of effort to show his son that he did give a damn. It was so hard though…Laguna couldn't even send out a thank you note without someone getting the cards and the stamps and everything else, and even then they always went out two weeks late. He sank back in his chair, feeling very tired.
No doubt about it, Kiros was right. He was getting old.
Anyway, I don't own any characters or places or ANYTHING from FFVIII.
Enjoy!
Chapter 14: Stuck In The Middle
The knock was soft and subtle, an act that definitely didn't suit her demeanor. But Selphie was nervous, very nervous, and it wasn't just the butterflies in her stomach. She had sworn to herself since day one that she would never again get in between Laguna and Squall. It was too awkward a situation for her to get completely involved, and the fights that often broke out between her and Squall over the subject had eventually convinced her silence was probably the best policy. It was difficult for her to watch the two of them struggle constantly, but it was a discomfort she had agreed to live with in order to ensure her husband stay in a relatively good mood. But with the most recent news, she couldn't stay away, and if Squall didn't like it, well…what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, for the time being.
The door swung open at a mumbled response from inside the office, and Laguna didn't bother to look up for several moments. Selphie cleared her throat, and when Laguna finally did look up the shock in his eyes brought a wide smile to Selphie's face. Within seconds came the hug and the onslaught of questions, each given so fast that Selphie had no time to reply. "What the heck are you doing here?! How's Squall? Is he here?!? No, of course he isn't…You look great! When did you stop wearing your hair up? Are you on vacation? Do they give SeeD vacation? Do you need a place to stay?" Selphie was laughing so hard that by the eighteenth question, she had to put one hand over his mouth just to shut him up. It was her turn to talk.
"Breathe! I'm not on Vacation, unfortunately. Just took a little break from classes to come bring some news your way." She smiled to ease the look of panic that swept his face momentarily. "And to catch some shopping. You can't find a decent dress in Balamb to save your life anymore." The tension in his body loosened, and he grinned a bit. "Not that I'd know," he said, taking a seat in one of the guest chairs in front of the massive desk and gesturing for her to do the same. She took her seat and Laguna smiled.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't make the wedding," he said, his voice soft with guilt. Selphie shook her head, resting a gently hand on his. "Laguna, it's okay. I understand why you didn't come." Laguna's eyes drifted to the deep green carpeting at his feet as one foot shifted around sheepishly. "I still don't think it was a very good excuse." Selphie smiled gently at him. "It was good enough for me," she said, wanting more than anything for the subject to change.
"So," she said taking a deep breath to lighten the mood, "You look really good! You loose some weight?" Laguna chuckled a bit and patted his ever so slight belly. "I wish," he said. "One too many ice cream sundaes from the kitchens is starting to take its toll on me." Selphie giggled flirtatiously, a bad habit she had picked up when working with the man- years ago. "You'd never know," she said with a wink. Laguna watched her with an amused eye. More than once the two had talked about her flirtation, but it had always been a mutual agreement to keep it at just that, and now was no exception. He rested his chin thoughtfully on his hand while looking at her with a small smile, pleased with the subtle blush that rushed into her cheeks as she giggled nervously. "You really do look good Selph," he said, and she smiled. "Well don't get too used to it," she said with a wry smile. "Soon I'm gonna be as fat as they come."
Laguna blinked in confusion. "Whys that? You sick or something?" Selphie merely shook her head and pulled out the small notice that dismissed her from any field related SeeD activities for the next twelve months and handed it to Laguna, who took it with a puzzled look and started reading. Ten seconds later the paper dropped to the floor and he looked up at Selphie with wide eyes. "D…does Squall know?" She nodded in, hoping and praying quietly to herself that his reaction would be as cheerful as Squall's had been. The man settled back in his chair, eyes still wide, and one single phrase escaped his lips. "I…am so…old!" Selphie couldn't help but let a loud laugh escape, and Laguna looked at her, still in a daze.
Selphie looked at him, mock hurt on her face as her lower lip jutted out into a silly looking pout. "What? No hug?" Laguna jumped to his feet and threw his arms around Selphie, trying for every bit of him not to let her see the tears welling in his eyes. His smile could have easily split his face in two. "Selphie, thank you so much…" Selphie hugged the man back, a little out of breath, but smiling. "For what?" she asked. He just hugged her closer and sniffled a bit. "For coming to tell me about it. You…You have no idea what this means to me." Selphie managed to dislodge herself from his hug and wiped the wetness from his cheeks with a smile. "Come on, no crying. You're supposed to be happy." Laguna nodded, wiping at one eye with his sleeve like a child. "I am. I just…" He sighed and sunk back into his chair. "God Selphie, I'm gonna want to be there for so much." His eyes drifted up to his daughter in law from the chair as his hands lifted in a helpless gesture. "But…Squall…" Selphie sat back down and caught the man's hands, her eyes focused. "That's why I came to talk to you," she said.
"We're going to break through that wall of his once and for all." Laguna's face didn't hide the panic he felt. Squall was notoriously unbending when it came to his stance on Laguna, and the last thing the man wanted was to see Selphie's marriage go up in flames because she tried to fix that. "No," he said resolutely. Selphie looked a bit taken aback at that, but Laguna was insistent. "No," he said again, "I won't let you get in the middle of this." She frowned. "I'm carrying his child for Hyne's sake. The man has got to learn to stop being so stubborn." Laguna was impressed with her stance. She honestly wasn't afraid to do this, which deserved at least a medal of honor or something in his book, but he still wasn't going to let her do this. "Selphie," he sighed, "Squall is mad at me. Don't bring that down on you."
The girl grinned. "You can't stop me, you know." Laguna felt his blood heat at that. Sometimes the girl reminded him so much of Raine it was frightening. The same stubborn mind, the same biting wit…it was uncanny. "Selphie, I'm serious!"
"So am I," she said quickly. "Look, I know I'm walking into the Lion's den here, but I will not live like this when this baby is born," she said resolutely. "He has to learn to give you a chance and you," she pointed calmly, "have to make an effort to help him." She watched as Laguna visibly winced at her words, then bit her tongue. Maybe that had been a little harsh. "Look, Laguna," she said in a more gentle tone, "I know that hurt, and I'm sorry. But you have to do something."
"What the hell can I do, Selphie? The boy won't even return my calls!" Selphie picked up the small piece of paper now at her feet and carefully tucked it into her pocket, then looked Laguna straight in the eyes. "Are you sorry?"
Laguna, taken aback, just stared at her until she said it again. "You told me about a million times when I worked here that you were sorry for the way things turned out," she said steadily. "So, are you sorry? Or are you going to sulk in it for the rest of your life?" Laguna's face showed the slightest amount of bitterness, but it was more because he knew somewhere she was right on target. "Selphie, you know how I feel." She tilted her head to one side. "Then you have to make that known to him. Look, I know Squall. If it's approached just the right way maybe we can convince him to at least talk to you or something." Laguna's eyes fixed on the carpet at his feet again, unwilling to look anywhere else. "I…suppose it's worth a shot."
Selphie stood and set a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You know what you have to do Laguna." She gently drew his chin upward with her fingers and offered him an apologetic smile. "Just…please remember I'm part of the family too, okay?" Her hand drifted off his shoulder as she headed for the door, leaving Laguna with that same empty feeling in his stomach. Of course, he knew she was right. He had to do something, make some sort of effort to show his son that he did give a damn. It was so hard though…Laguna couldn't even send out a thank you note without someone getting the cards and the stamps and everything else, and even then they always went out two weeks late. He sank back in his chair, feeling very tired.
No doubt about it, Kiros was right. He was getting old.