Credits: My beta reader. March Hare. ^-^ She polished this up, real nice, for me. Isn't she sweet?

Don't Try to Save Me

Chapter Five

By Sniffles

He didn't cry.

I was expecting him to. I shouldn't have though. He is Squall Leonhart, after all. He's spent a lifetime disguising his emotions. Still... when she told him that Seifer was dead.. the expression on his face was horrible. I was sure he was going to cry.

He just got this shell-shocked look on his face. He turned, and quite calmly walked away. Laguna wanted to go after him, but Quistis told him not to. 'He needs time alone.' She said.

Laguna cried.

I held him close, not knowing what to say. I just let him cry.

Laguna doesn't know how to handle pain. There hasn't been enough pain in his life for him to get used to it. Which is a good thing. People like Squall and Seifer... they've experienced so much pain in their lives that they don't enjoy life anymore. When you experience too much pain you become bitter, and cynical. You stop believing in people. You stop trusting.

There is nothing so beautiful in this life as trust.

I held Laguna while he cried.

He cried a lot. He was devastated over Seifer's death. He wanted to tell Squall, but when it came time to do it... He just couldn't.

He was devastated...

And Squall...

Squall who was closer to Seifer than any of us....

He just walked away.

He didn't cry.

I look up at Laguna. I can see on his face that he doesn't know how to deal with this new development. He was expecting Squall to come to him for comfort. He shouldn't have. Squall doesn't trust anyone enough to come to them for comfort. Not even his father. I take Laguna's hand and squeeze it tightly.

Laguna turns to me.

His eyes are full of tears.

I wish he wouldn't look so hurt. He doesn't understand why Squall reacted the way he did. Who could understand? Who else but us, the people who have been to Hell and back with Squall. We came to understand Squall in that battle with Ultimecia, but Laguna... Laguna has never had a chance to learn how his son works.

I don't care if everyone does find out.

I can't just stand here while Laguna's heart breaks.

I wrap my arms around him and hug him close. The moment my hands touch his back he starts to sob.

So devastated....

And Squall didn't even cry.

Suddenly, much to my surprise, I feel arms wrapping around me. I turn my head and see that Quistis is hugging me. And Rinoa, she's got one arm wrapped around Laguna, and one around me. They're both crying. Seifer... He was a dick, but despite this we have all come to care about him. Especially after we defeated Ultimecia. We learned in that battle how precious life is, and how important friends are.

Seifer didn't have any friends.

We accepted him, but he never accepted us.

I run my hands into Laguna's hair, pulling his head to my chest.

It's all right to cry...

It helps relieve the pain.

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