Strength In Our Bonds (The Strength in Generations Accompanying Book)

The Oh-So-Complicated Loires

"Hey, Squall! Laguna here. If you're not busy later, I need you to come by my place later. Maybe around four. I have things I need to talk to you about, concerning your sister. Er... your older sister, but Levi is part of this too. See ya!"

Squall frowned at the phone. It had been years since any of them had heard from Ellone, and he did want to know why. He had worked on his relationship with Laguna. But his other sister... he could come up with an extensive list of reasons that he'd rather take a T-Rexaur on alone than spend an extended period of time in the same room with the spoiled brat that was Leviesse Loire.

Well... Leviesse Villiers. Squall tended to forget that she'd gotten married.

"Dad, is something wrong?" asked Raine as she walked into his office. She'd been visiting for the week, and was helping with things around Garden.

"Laguna wants me to come to his place later to talk about Elle," he replied.

Raine gasped, but remained confused. "I'd think that you would be happy about that."

"He also wants to speak to Leviesse about it."

"Well, of course. She's Levi's sister too, you know."

"I know that," Squall said, a tad more grumpy than usual. "Sorry about that, Raine. I just... really don't want to do this with her around. She has no idea about the relationship between Elle and I and how important it is to me."

"I dunno Dad, I feel like she does. Levi is very intuitive." Raine shrugged. "I wish you guys got along better. So does Mom. Laguna and Maceida too. Practically everyone, really. We just want you guys to give each other a chance. You never even talk to each other."

(Meanwhile, at the Villiers house)

"Uh-uh. No. Hell no." Leviesse shook her head. "No fucking way."

"Come on, Levi. You heard Dad. This sounds important," Gale nudged her.

"I barely know Ellone, and fuck anything that has to do with associating with Squall."

"You need to appreciate the fact that you even have a brother. All I got was an annoying little sister..." Gale sighed, thinking of the eleven-year-old Claire going through his belongings while he wasn't at home.

"A brother would visit more often than he has. A brother would call and check up on me to see if I'm doing okay. A brother would've come to our wedding!" Leviesse held her hand out in a "can you believe this shit" gesture. "Squall has done none of that. It's as if he's specifically been trying to avoid me, so fuck him."

"Levi..." Gale started.

"No, don't you start. I've made my mind up about this."

Leviesse was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost ran into Serah; the younger Villiers couple had just gotten married, so they still lived with Gale's parents, as their things were slowly transitioning to their own home.

"I'm sorry," Leviesse apologized. "Just... screaming at my husband. I'm sure you know how that goes."

"Oh, yeah." Serah laughed. "What's the problem, Levi? Maybe I can help you two solve it."

"My dad left me a message saying he wants to talk to me about my older sister, and I want no part of it."

"You have an older sister?" Serah was confused.

"Yeah, that I haven't seen since I was fucking nine years old!" Leviesse sighed. "I try not to harbor bad feelings toward her, because I know she frequently goes into hiding, but I barely know her, you know? My issue lies with my brother, if you can even call him that."