Happy Birthday SQUALL!! :D :D well this is a smaaaaall Leon centric fanfic, not much really, but i had to update SOMETHING for his birthday, so this is what i came up with. enjoy! PLEASE REVIEW! for Leon's sake? :D :D hehe

Thoughts of A Leader

who has issues

:D

He stood on the Cliff, surveying what had been called Hollow Bastion not long ago, but due to the Committee's hard work they had managed to get back its previous name, Hollow Bastion was now Radiant Garden, A magnificent beauty; filled with water, plants, animals and happy citizens. The Committee had even managed to create a defense system in which neither Heartless nor Nobodies could enter Radiant Garden.

Soon after the job was done, much of what once was Radiant Garden, resumed itself in its new and replenished state. Due to this, the citizens of Radiant Garden decided that they needed a leader; one who could lay down the law yet at the same time, be gentle on his or her followers. All fingers pointed to the inhabitants of Merlin's House, many picked Cloud, others picked Merlin himself, and a few picked Tifa or Cid, but in the end, they all chose Leon; the perfect Leader. Everyone was happy with this decision, not one citizen rebelled.

Everyone was happy, everyone but him.

He never really liked to be in a position of authority, due to the fact that he disliked being held responsible for other people's mistakes. But all that was said and done with when he was back in School, when he was chosen as Commander of Balamb Garden's Elite Mercenary Forces. Balamb was a large facility much like a crossover between school and boot camp, yet it was filled with soldiers, trained in the use of weapons and magic, SEEDs to be exact. Back then he truly despised his post, but at the time he had someone to help him cope, he had Rinoa Heartily.

But now… now he had no one…

He stood as he surveyed his handiwork and wondered; who was he to share his kingdom with?

In the distance he could see the frolicking form of Yuffie, he trained his eyes on her, a minute later the girl fell flat on her face, he smiled, resisting the urge to go and help her, but the distance was far too great, and even on an emotional level. He wondered when it all started but his memory gives way, he didn't remember, it happened a long, long time ago.

A few moments later the girl –or in this case woman, because she had done a great deal of growing up- appeared behind him, telling him that she had been looking all over for him, then after a while she began to poke, joke and tease him, yet all she got from him were a couple of irritated glances, he said nothing, as the girl continued her quest to torment him in an effort to get him to smile or to even speak up, but to no avail.

Eventually, Cloud arrived and dragged her away, telling her to let him be to his thoughts, he smiled faintly, mentally thanking Cloud. The two had so much in common they practically read each other's mind and knew when the other wishes to be left alone to his thoughts, this being one of those many cases.

The man returned to his thoughts. He stood there, as he surveyed his handiwork and wondered; who was he to share his kingdom with?

Time passed.

"Hey, Squall- I mean, Leon?" Tifa called behind him, he turned his head, glancing at her over his shoulder, "what's up? Is there anything… wrong?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"No, nothing's wrong," he replied, shaking his head, he turned back to stare down at the water coursing around Malifcent's castle, "just.. thinking."

"Aerith's making everyone go out and look for you," she said, chuckling lightly, "she worries over you,"

"Yeah, I know, she worries over everyone." He said, smiling at Aerith's antics.

"Well, if you wanna talk, Leon," she took a step closer to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "you know we are always here for you."

He nodded, smiling faintly. Tifa always wanted to help everyone, fix all of their problems, because she didn't like seeing them sad, while Aerith didn't like seeing her friends get hurt, and so she never let them out of her sight. It was fairly strange for Leon at first, not used to someone caring so much about his physical or emotional wellbeing, but now that he was used to it, he knew how to respond.

Tifa walked away, and was intercepted by Cloud midway.

"Just give him some time, he'll talk…"he told her, knowing full well what she must be thinking, she nodded knowingly.

Leon stood on his Cliff, staring down at the water, and wondered; who was he to share his kingdom with?

And the same answer kept coming back. Leon turned, and headed back into town, walking towards Merlin's House. He opened the door halfway, and glanced at everyone there; Merlin was reading a book on potions, with Tifa standing over him.

"C'mon Merlin!! Find the damn potion!" she ordered, hands placed on her hips.

"I'm trying, I'm trying! But all I've found Is a potion called Vertasirum, and all it does is get the truth, but I cant find anything on getting someone to-"

"spill the beans? Cough it all up? Let the cat out of the bag? Confess? Own up? Tell all? Give the game away? Speak up? State? Blab? Go yakkety yak? Run off at the mouth?" Yuffie suggested, who was sitting on the couch in front of the TV, looking very frustrated, she had her hands crossed over her chest, and a frown in place.

"I never knew there were so many words that meant 'talk', you've out done yourself, Yuffie." Cloud commented sarcastically, looking up from an apparently interesting spot on the wall, chuckling followed after.

"I baked Leon's favorite, Chocolate Crinkles." Aerith said from the kitchen, she walked into the sitting room and noticed the door half open; she walked towards it wondering who was there, "Leon, you're home!"

Leon smiled faintly and met the worried gaze of all its inhabitants, he walked in, sat on the arm chair, and leaned on the arm rest, a small playful smile playing on his lips, Cloud walked over and sits on the couch, only to be joined by Tifa, who sat between him and Yuffie, Aerith walked out of the kitchen, placed a dish full of Chocolate Crinkles, and sat down nearby. Everyone fell silent, all attention focused on Leon. The door opened and in came Cid,

"I saw Leon headin' over here, anda- oh Leon, y-you're Home!"

Leon looked up, nodded, and smiled politely, as Cid moved to sit as well.

Leon finally realized who he was to share his Kingdom with, he glanced around at all the familiar faces, so full of concern and worry, and Leon smiled a true smile, and began to speak, voicing his worries. Eventually, each one of them was assigned a post, and Leon shared his Kingdom, his duty and his worries with them, after all, they were his friends, were they not?