Corpse in the Cupboard

***** CHAPTER 22 *****


Six months had passed since Laguna had woken up and life was slowly returning to its usual routine of board meetings and boring official duties. The President was back at work full time with Vincent still acting as his bodyguard and following him everywhere. At first, Laguna had seemed uncomfortable with the constant presence of the young man he couldn’t remember, but over time he had seemed to get used it and the two could be found chatting together whenever they had a free moment. Kiros was relieved that both men were growing closer again. Seeing them together no longer hurt Kiros, like it had before, even though his feelings for Laguna remained unchanged.

He had resumed his job as the President’s assistant, after Laguna had refused to accept his resignation and announced that he couldn’t do his job without his friend beside him. Kiros had been relieved at Laguna’s insistence and had agreed to come back with minimal coaxing. Spending all day with his two best friends was something he really didn’t want to give up and even a room full of stuck up, arrogant officials couldn’t dissuade him from discovering a new found love for his job.

Squall had returned to Garden weeks ago, after being convinced by Laguna that he was completely recovered and would not over do things at work. He called his father every Monday night, without fail and Laguna was delighted at his son’s complete change in behaviour. Kiros knew that Squall’s new attitude had more to do with a guilty conscious than anything else but he let it slide as long as it made Laguna happy.

Laguna had been told everything that he had forgotten except for one thing. He still had no idea about what really had happened the night of his heart attack. He had been told that he was up late working and the heart attack had been a result of stress and not enough sleep. Luckily, Laguna had seemed to accept the reasons and had never brought the subject up again. Squall had managed to convince both Vincent and Kiros that there was no point in telling him the truth but as time went by, Kiros had started doubting the wisdom of keeping such a secret from the President. If life had taught him anything, it was that these kinds of things were better out in the open and dealt with than bottled up inside. He knew that Vincent felt a huge amount of guilt over what had happened and keeping it from Laguna only increased the gunman’s sense of betrayal.

Vincent had become a regular visitor to Kiros’ rooms, often dropping in after work to have a drink or two and chat. The gunman had moved out of the President’s quarters and had an apartment of his own in the Presidential Palace now, but Kiros was aware that the young man hated being all alone. After living with Laguna for six months, he had become accustomed to the constant company and was having trouble dealing with living alone again. Vincent understood and agreed with Laguna’s need for space and considering the President didn’t remember their previous relationship, it would have been awkward for the two to continue sharing an apartment. So instead, the gunman seemed to be constantly making excuses to come and visit Kiros, not that he minded the company.

Vincent was a completely different person when they were alone and it had taken Kiros a long time to get used the other side of Vincent. Whenever anyone else was around, Vincent remained unchanged but as soon as he and Vincent were alone the young man would constantly touch him affectionately. He hugged him in greeting and parting, and while they were together he would often reach over to touch Kiros’ face gently or run a finger absently down his arm. It was as if he needed something to replace the hole that Laguna’s physical absence had left in his life and Kiros had to admit that he enjoyed the affection of the beautiful man even though he knew that he had become a kind of replacement for Laguna. He also feared that as soon as Vincent and Laguna’s relationship deepened into a physical relationship again, he would be left behind and forgotten. At first the realization had saddened him but eventually he had decided to enjoy it while it lasted. The gunman never attempted to kiss him or take it any further and Kiros grew used to the intimacy over time.

**.**

Two months later, Laguna’s continued reluctance to deepen his relationship with Vincent began to worry Kiros. Considering the fact that the first time the two men had met, they had slept together, Kiros had assumed that history would repeat itself as soon as Laguna had recovered fully from the heart attack. Laguna, however, seemed determined to take it slow.

Vincent insisted that something had changed with Laguna in the last couple of months and he felt as if the President was pushing him away. The gunman had tried to discuss it with Laguna but he had refused to elaborate, instead telling Vincent that he was just busy at work. Kiros had seen the desire in Laguna’s eyes when he looked at Vincent, so he was lost as to what could be stopping the President from wanting more from the gunman.

Laguna’s new found celibacy wasn’t the only difference that Kiros had noticed. To most people he seemed unchanged, but Kiros had noticed that the President had became more serious and had seemed to have buried his more playful side in favour of acting more mature. He also appeared determined to prove to the world that he was not frail or weak as some media reports had claimed after his recovery.

Kiros was most grieved at the distance that had grown between himself and Laguna. Things had been going so well and their friendship had been as strong as ever at first. Then around the same time that Vincent had noticed a change with the President, Laguna had started using work as an excuse to avoid him too, rarely dropping in to visit him like he’d done before. Kiros had tried to ask if he had done something to upset his friend but Laguna would just dismiss his concerns and change the subject.

Sometimes he wished he could wave a magic wand and turn things back to the way they were before but he knew there was no going back. Kiros just wanted to know what had changed. He hoped whatever it was would pass quickly because he was starting to miss Laguna.