Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Undercover Lovers ❯ Good Guys and Cough Drops. ( Chapter 33 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

CHAPTER 33: Good guys and cough drops

Squall turned and smiled just a little sadly at his assembled guests and said softly, “Thank you.” Standing he picked up the extinguished candle then added, “Excuse me for just a few minutes.” And walked silently into his bedroom where he wrapped the candle and candleholder in a piece of black silk which he replaced in the cedar box that held them.

Seifer rose from where he was sitting and followed Squall into the bedroom, where he saw that Squall had his head bowed and his shoulders were shaking slightly.

Crossing the room Seifer drew Squall into the strong warm comfort of his arms and held him close, whispering soothing words against his silky dark hair and asked tenderly, “Are you all right Squall?”

“Damn it! What kind of an idiot was he? Of course Squall wasn't all right, he was crying for Christ sake.” Seifer cursed silently.

Squall pushed up closer against the body behind him and wrapped his arms over the tops of Seifer's. “I'm fine Seif. It's just that this year that bastard is going to be paroled.” Squall laughed darkly, “Life in prison my ass, 19 years Seifer, that's all that son of a bitch has served. My mom's life was snuffed out and all he got was a lousy 19 years.”

Seifer didn't know what to say. What could he say? There was nothing that he could offer to make the hurt that Squall was feeling go away. He couldn't say it would be all right, because it wouldn't. Squall was no longer his 25 year old lover but a six year old little boy whose mother had just been killed. No! Not killed, murdered. He wished that he could make it better. Wished that there were someway to take all the pain away from his Squall. It broke his heart seeing him hurting so badly. Since he knew there was nothing he could say he just stood there and rocked the trembling body back and forth.

Squall finally stopped crying and just relaxed in the strong comfort of Seifer's arms. He whispered “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” Seifer replied and kissed the top of his head.

Out in the living room Laguna was weeping quietly on his wife's soft shoulder.

“Is Squall okay?” Yazoo asked Cloud sotto voc. Cloud had put his guitar away and rejoined his boyfriend on the couch and responded by simply nodding his head yes.

Carrie was sitting on one of the wingback chairs, it was times like this that she hated being single. Squall had Seifer to give him comfort, Cloud had Yazoo and her father had Shauna. There were times that her father could be really self-absorbed only thinking about his own feelings. He had seen that she had also been moved by Squall's dedication to his mother and hadn't even thought to include her. Crossing her arms over her chest she sat and cried silently. She wished that she had had the love from her mother that Squall had so obviously had from his.

Carrie was startled when she felt a strong set of arms go around her and felt fingers gently stroking the side of her face, “Was she your mom too?” Kadaj's voice filtered softly through her grief.

“No. She wasn't my mom” Carrie answered and took the comfort that Kadaj offered her and added tearfully, “My mother just up and left one day. Told my father that she couldn't be bothered with raising a baby.”

“Share your grief with me.” Kadaj soothed her and held her head against his shoulder running his long fingers through her soft dark curls. She was breaking his heart he had always hated it when females cried. But with this lovely young woman he wanted to slay all her dragons and not caring about the consequences kissed her on the forehead.

Laguna choose that moment to glance across room and saw one of those silver haired boys kiss his daughter. Jumping angrily to his feet he pounded across the room and yanked the youth up and slapped him in the mouth.

Kadaj shook the blow off and on reflex alone he reared his hand back and returned the hit that he had just received except his wasn't an open palmed hit he backslapped the older man who was standing in front of him the force of it was enough to knock Laguna back a couple of steps.

“How dare you, you little shit. Who do you think you are? Coming in here to family function and putting the moves on my little girl in her time of grief.” Laguna roared and stepped forward again.

“Daddy that's not….” Carrie shot out of her chair and tried to explain but was abruptly cut off when her father interrupted.

“Don't try and defend him. I know what I saw. And what I saw was him taking advantage of you.” Laguna continued to rage and started to hit Kadaj again. His hand didn't make contact because his wrist was grabbed in mid-swing by the silver haired youth.

“Don't you ever hit me again.” Kadaj's voice came out in a low growl as he continued to hold the older man wrist.

Yazoo groaned, “Ah shit!” And pulled his tall muscular body off the couch, he knew that his little brother could take care of him self. Kadaj had a powder keg of a temper and the least provocation would cause it to explode like it was starting to do right now. Saying a silent prayer he cautiously approached the two combatants. He wasn't a coward. Far from it he just didn't like violence, especially if it could get him hurt.

If Laguna wanted to trade punches with Kadaj then he was going to be in for a very big surprise, Yazoo had seen Kaj match blows with a man who was at least 6” taller then his 5' 10” frame and outweighed him by a solid 65 pounds of muscle. He knew that Squall was going to be fucking pissed and decided to see if he could play mediator. He had clearly seen what had happened between his brother and Squall's sister and all that Kadaj was doing was offering her comfort.

“Take you're hands off of me.” Laguna yelled at Kadaj and started to take a swing at him with his other hand but abruptly stopped when a cold angry voice demanded from behind him.

Squall and Seifer had been getting ready to rejoin their guests in the family room when they heard the shouting. Without thinking Squall picked up his Beretta 92FS and pounded out to the living room. “What the fuck is going on out here?”

Kadaj instantly let go of Laguna's arm and took a step back and brought his hand up to his mouth and wiped it, bringing fingers away he saw that they were smeared with blood.

“You want to know what's going on?” Laguna bellowed, “Well I'll tell you what's going on. That boy…” He pointed blindly over at Kadaj, “Kissed your sister. He intrudes on something that should have just been family and then he tries to get into Carrie's pants.”

“Daddy that's not true!” Carrie shouted, then the two of them started to yell back and forth at each other.

“Shut up!” Seifer roared over the din.

The room fell instantly silent except for Shauna's weeping. She was mortified and embarrassed over her husband's behavior. She needed to talk to Squall about the fact that Laguna was relying more and more on Vicaden to help him deal with the constant pain that he now had in his leg. There were times that he had really drastic mood swings like now.

“Thanks baby.” Squall smiled at his lover, “Could I get you take Kadaj and see if you can get his lip to stop bleeding. Yazoo if you want to go with them that's fine.” He waited until Seifer had led Kadaj and Yazoo from the living room into the master bath, tucking the pistol in the waistband at the back of his pants he turned and demanded, “Now one at a time, tell me what in the name of Hades happened out here?” Even though his voice had started out soft by the time he was finished asking his question he was almost to the point of screaming.

“Well son it's like this, your sister was very touched by your performance and she was crying and that fiend tried to take advantage of her in her moment of grief.”

Carrie let out a flabbergasted breath, “That's not true.”

“Now sweetness don't try and defend him. I know that right now you're vulnerable and probably feeling less then desirable since your unfortunate breakup with Anthony.” Laguna offered.

“Care, what happened?” Squall asked trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. Their father was being typical Laguna, making the Grand Canyon out of a gopher hole.

“Squall, yes I was touched by your lovely dedication. And yes I was crying, but Kadaj did nothing inappropriate. All he did was give me a kiss on the…” Carrie started to explain her side of what had happened.

“See she admits that he kissed her.” Laguna interrupted.

“Forehead.” She finished as though he hadn't, “He held me and let me cry.”

“And then when I try to defend my little girls honor that hooligan attacked me.” Laguna roared. He was pissed that Kadaj's slap had actually staggered him a little. He thought sourly, “It's all because of this bum leg of mine.”

“Excuse me?” Squall asked the shock apparent in his voice.

“That's because you hit him first daddy.” Carrie seethed. “You do this all the time daddy. And about me feeling like I'm not attractive, I left A.J. I dumped his sorry ass. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to see if Kadaj is okay.”

“I can't believe this. I just can't fucking believe this.” Squall threw up his hands in exasperation and started to pace back and forth. Turning on his father he snarled, “Why today of all fucking days?”

The ringing of the doorbell brought an abrupt end to Squall's tirade “Cloud could you get that for me please?” Squall asked him and started to rub the bridge of his nose to help relieve the tension that was building there.

Cloud rose from the couch and walked over to the front door. He knew that there was something wrong with Laguna Loire he just couldn't put his finger on it. He smirked and thought that if he didn't know any better he'd swear that the older man was on drugs. But this was Laguna, Squall's daddy he was the one that had cared enough to lecture him about the dangers of doing drugs and had reiterated the fact that yes sometimes once was one time to often. Laguna hadn't had to worry about Squall, since his son wanted to be a cop.

Reaching the door Cloud pulled it open and punched the man who was standing there in the head with enough force to knock him to the ground. Then jumped in the middle of his chest and grabbed him by the shirtfront and proceeded to pound his head into the red brick that was in front of the door. Cloud roared, “If you or that piece of shit that you work for ever come near Heartbreaker again I'll kill you. Do you understand me I'll kill you.”

Cloud stopped as abruptly as he had started when he heard a gun being cocked, which was followed by a demanding voice, “Let him go punk.”

The owner of that voice went deathly pale when he felt the cold metal of a gun's nozzle pressed up against the base of his skull, “Ease your finger off the trigger.” Squall ordered and waited until the other man had complied, “Now remove the clip and drop it to the floor nice and easy.”

The platinum haired man complied but asked through gritted teeth, “Do you have any idea who I am?”

“I don't give a shit if you're the fucking tooth fairy push your weapon aside.” Squall replied in an icy voice. He looked down at Cloud who was still straddled across Reno's stomach. There was a feral look on the blonds handsome face, “Cloud let him up.” Squall ordered gently.

Even though he was reluctant to do so Cloud did as Squall had requested of him and got off the annoying red head.

Reno rose to his feet and shook his head to clear the ringing in his ears, “Uh…Squall this is Loz Hinge.”

Squall still had his pistol pressed up against the man's skull he didn't give a damn. Nobody came into his house and drew down on someone. Lowering the pistol he snapped, “Wait outside and I'll deal with you a moment.” Then cast a look over his shoulder at Cloud and smirked, “Someone needs to be punished.”

Reno wanted to question Squall's actions but didn't. He replied, “Fine, we'll wait. Loz let's go.”

Loz started to retrieve his gun but was stopped by when Squall barked out, “Leave it.” Not wanting to piss him off anymore then he already was Loz left the pistol lying on the floor and followed Reno Carson outside.

After the door shut Squall turned to the three people that were still in the room. “Don't! Don't ask me any questions that I can't answer. Cloud please go into my bedroom and keep everyone else in there. Dad, I can't explain but please just agree with whatever I say.” Squall waited until Cloud had went into the bedroom and Laguna had sat back down beside Shauna before he opened the front door again.

“Please come in and thank you for waiting. First and foremost I'd like to apologize for Clouds behavior, he's in his room right now awaiting his punishment.” Squall offered to Reno and Loz with a smile and led them into the house, “This is one of my associates Laguna Loire and his wife Shauna. We were discussing a business venture when you arrived but it can wait.”

Squall smiled at them, “Mr. Loire call my secretary later this week and set up a lunch appointment and we'll finish talking about our unfinished business then.”

Laguna rose to his feet, he was really confused by his son's odd behavior. He knew that there was obviously a reason for it. But for once in his life he kept his mouth shut, saying their goodbyes Laguna and Shauna departed quickly.

After they had left Reno turned to Squall and said, “Squall, its okay Loz is one of the good guys. He's my partner on this particular case.”

Loz was intrigued but he was also still irked that somebody had gotten the drop on him. Especially someone as delicate looking as Squall Leonhart, but he knew that looks could be deceiving. Turning to Reno he said, “So do you actually think that he can help us nail that bastard?”

“Not in my house please.” Squall said shortly.

Loz raised an eyebrow, “Why you hiding something?”

Squall hissed through clenched teeth, “Yeah the fact that I'm a cop. There are very few people who are in the know on that information and I want to keep it that way.”

Loz gave him a questioning look as to ask why?

“Reno give me a time and a place and I'll meet you to discuss this in further detail, but this is neither the time nor the place to do so.” Squall offered the red headed agent.

“Fine. I'll call you tomorrow or the day after to let you know when.” Reno replied. He felt contrite about the fact that Loz had insisted that he meet with Squall right away. There were things that Reno knew about Squall Leonhart that he hadn't shared with his partner. One was the fact that Squall was a private person and didn't like his job stepping into his private life. Another was why Squall Leonhart was so good at undercover work was that his picture had never appeared in any newspaper.

When Loz and Reno got outside Loz turned to him and said, “You're sure about him?”

Reno smirked, “Yeah. I'm sure.”

Closing and locking the door Squall walked over to his bedroom door and opened it gazing in a smile tugged up the corners of his mouth. Treading softly over to the coffee table he picked up Kadaj's camera and went back to the doorway and snapped a picture.

Kadaj was spooned around Carrie his arm around her waist holding her close to his body. Cloud was sandwiched in between Seifer and Yazoo, and Little Seifer was nested in Yazoo's long silver hair. The six of them were all fast asleep.

Placing the camera on the dresser, Squall kicked off his shoes and went and snuggled in on the other side of Seifer and joined them in dreamland.