FicWad

Final Fantasy VIII
"...And Esthar Mourned"
A tragic tale of love, family, incest,and
suicide set against the backdrop of a world's
greatest city.

-Chapter 1-

Squall took Laguna's hand as he walked into the Presidential Palace.

"It's good to see you again, Laguna," he told him. "I trust you are
well."

"Indeed, I am." Laguna smiled in that way that made Squall's heart
flutter. "And you? How is leadership of Garden suiting you now that
all the battles are over?"

"I like it better and worse than I did during the war." Squall
admitted.

"It's good to not be worried about your friends, but you miss the
thrill of battle." Laguna knew this feeling all too well.

"Yes," Squall nodded. "That's it exactly. But it's just as well that
the war is over. I couldn't bear the thought of losing someone I
love. Not when I've only just met him.

Laguna paled. Did Squall know? "Squall?"

Squall said nothing more. He simply pulled Laguna into an intense
embrace, smiling at the shocked look in the older man's eyes, and
kissed him soundly.

"You're all I think about, Laguna," Squall confessed. "Day and night.
Your name is on every breeze the blows past me. Like the gods are
whispering it in my ear, telling me to love you. And I must obey them,
my dearest. I am compelled to."

"Squall, I love you, too," Laguna told his son, "but not like..."

"If you love me, then let's not wait any longer," Squall said, not
hearing anything beyond the words he'd waited so long to hear. "Come,
let me make love to you. Let me show you the intensity of my love."

"Squall, listen," Laguna told him. "You can't sleep with me. It's just
not proper!"

"Why?" Squall pleaded. "Is it that we're not married? Fine. As commander
of SeeD's armies, I now declare us married." He kissed Laguna with such
intensity, that the older man swooned in his arms. And as Laguna moaned,
desperately trying to find a mental foothold that would allow him to find
his way back to full alertness. He had to stop Squall. Had to tell him.
But the feel of Squall's hands on his body was too good, the kisses were
too passionate, and Squall's lovemaking was too intense for him to find
his way back from the euphoria that had begun with that kiss.

"My husband," Squall whispered in his ear as he came deep inside of
Laguna. "I love you more than words could ever say. I'll always protect
you from harm."

He smiled as Laguna spasmed around him, pleased that his love had enjoyed
it as much as he had.

"I love you, Laguna."

Laguna got to his feet, put on his bathrobe, and walked into the
bathroom.

Squall smiled to himself and waited for his new husband to finish
washing up.

He must have dozed off at some point, because when he woke the sun
was up and the room with bright and cheery, Laguna wasn't in their
bed, however. Squall figured he had decided to get first dibs on the
hot water and looked over at the bathroom door. Water, mixed with
blood, was running out from under it, staining the bedroom carpet.

"What the...?!" He leapt to his feet. Surely Laguna hadn't...! Why
would he do such a thing?! Especially now that Squall had shown him
such affection. Such love!

Forcing the door open, he saw Laguna lying in the tub, which was
was overflowing with water and blood. On the tile, he had written,
in blood, the five simple words he had tried to tell Squall so
many times.


I LOVE YOU, MY SON.

"Oh my god." Squall sank to the floor, too stunned to even notice he
was no longer standing. He turned the water off and tried to pull
Laguna's body from the tub, but rigor mortis had already set in.
Finally giving up, he lie on the floor near the sunken bath, and
held onto Laguna's cold, lifeless body, weeping with a grief that
could never be abated, so stricken with guilt that he never even
heard Selphie, Quistis, and Kiros come in.

"Laguna!" Kiros cried out. "Why, Laguna?! Why?!" He went out to the
main office and pressed the emergency button.

Squall just stared, blankly, when they came and took the body away.
He let himself be led to the funeral. He watched as Esthar's beloved
President was put into the ground. His hand mechanically tossed dirt
onto the grave as he passed.

"Farewell, Laguna Leonhart, father and husband." He whispered softly,
neither seeing nor caring when three pairs of eyes went wide behind
him. He never spoke again.

No eulogy was ever fully given for the President of Esthar. Not a
single person was able to deliver one without breaking down into
thick, choking sobs. And so, in silence, Laguna Loire was laid
to rest.

And Esthar mourned.