Oh, my heart, this thing is nearly finished! Only thanks to my darling friends, my sisters, Lisa and Spam though. :P
Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying this fic, even if they don't comment. Enjoy this chapter, too. :)
Laguna is surprised to see me and Seifer, but I don't mind that. He's probably surprised to see me at all. Last time we talked, I hardly said anything, and he didn't call me again. I called him a few days ago, asked him if he wanted to go out again. Of course, Laguna being Laguna – that meaning he's a fool and entirely too sentimental about this family tie - he did. I could tell that he'd been blaming himself for pushing me or something, and he sounded extremely glad that I'd called him again at all.
"Seifer Almasy, right?" he asks the blond at my side, with perhaps a hint of disappointment that this isn't just a 'father and son' thing. Seifer smirks and nods, as if glad that someone still recognises him. But of course, he – and I – sticks in people's minds. For one thing, there are the scars on our faces that we gave each other… not many people have a scar like that. Just two.
"That's right."
He offers his hand to shake, grinning, apparently forgiving Seifer for whatever and ready to accept him if I can tolerate him. The man… my father is too trusting, but I suppose he trusts to his own skills and my strength to keep him safe when he's out with me.
And I do carry Lionheart everywhere, of course.
"So, why did you decide to come and see me?" he turns to me, very curious, with the added, but unspoken, question of why did I bring Seifer too. It'd be too easy if I just told him, and besides, willing to tell him more about myself or not, it'll be a struggle for him to get things out of me too easily.
Old habits die hard. It isn't so much of a problem with Seifer, who has always been able to make me tell him things.
"You're my father," I say, shrugging, as if that answers it. I glance sideways at Seifer before I add, "Thought I owed it to you somehow."
He looks at me with something in his eyes, hope, maybe. Seifer just snorts softly, perhaps amused that I used his way of putting it. "Well," my father says, "what shall we do?"
It's later, sitting in a restaurant that is probably far too expensive, but apparently easily afforded by the likes of the President of Esthar and his son, the Commander of Balamb Garden, that we actually talk.
"So, Squall, why is Seifer here with us?" Laguna asks, smiling quite amicably. I thought he would've got the point by now – Seifer can be damned possessive, and I'm sure he hasn't managed to completely keep his hands off me, despite me asking him to until I could figure out what my father thinks of this.
Of course, I've no experience with reading people and truthfully, I can't tell whether Laguna would freak out over this or not, despite trying to figure it out all day.
Time to take a leap of faith.
"I wanted you to meet him."
He gives me a puzzled look. "I've met Seifer before. Not under the best of circumstances, but I've met him…"
Seifer just settles back in his seat, obviously enjoying the food and watching me and my father. He smirks a little at me, but his eyes are encouraging too. Encouraging me to open up just that much, show my father just a little more of me.
I sigh. Look down at the table. Force the reluctant words out.
"Seifer is my… my lover, dad." Two victories in one sentence, and Seifer looks at me with approval. Maybe that will satisfy him, and my father, that I'm opening up enough for now.
Laguna just blinks at me, perhaps speechless at my bluntness. Or maybe disbelieving, but Seifer doesn't give him too much time to disbelieve, wrapping an arm around my waist and pressing his lips to my temple. "Damn right I am, Princess," he says softly, for my father to hear, but also a confirmation to me.
Despite my reluctance to open up to him, Seifer has yet to hurt me. Although if he doesn't stop calling me Princess in front of my father at least, he's sleeping on the couch, figuratively speaking.
"Well… that's…" Laguna blinks owlishly, my attention back on him.
"It's good," Seifer says, firmly. I raise my eyebrow at him, and he just gives me a look that screams protection and possession, but removes his arm. I knew he wouldn't really hurt me, but his actively not allowing me to get hurt is something new. Something not entirely welcome, either.
Laguna nods, suddenly lighting up, "Yes, it is, it's very good." And he lunges round the table to catch me in a tight hug, squeezing the breath out of me. I've only been a victim of his hugs three times or so, and I really don't care for them. But this time, I hug him back just briefly before pushing him away.
"Thank you."
"Yes, er, congratulations on getting together!" He turns to Seifer, a goofy grin on his face, "Congratulations to you, too, for getting my son to open up."
Seifer just smiles lazily, his arm snaking round my waist again. "It's about time, I've been working on it for years." He reaches out with his free hand to pull my bangs gently, "Haven't I, Princess?"
"Call me Princess again and you'll regret it," the threat slips out, light and mocking, and I start in surprise at myself. Relaxed enough to joke around like this? Surely not.
Laguna laughs, and so does Seifer, and suddenly it doesn't matter. Why shouldn't I relax?
It's later again when Seifer and I are alone. Seifer wraps his arms around me, catching me and holding me still, kissing me gently. "You did well with your dad today, you know."
"Thank you, but you call me Princess in front of my dad again and I'll chop your balls off."
"Duly noted," he says, chuckling softly. I don't think he quite believes me, but I'll let it rest for now. "You enjoyed that, didn't you?"
"I suppose I did."
He smiles and hugs me closer, then shivers. "It's fucking cold out here, let's get back to Garden."
