Chapter Two: The Lone Wolf
After Cloud stormed off, Tifa turned on Cid. "That was pushing it."
"He needs to learn to lighten up," said Cid. "Don't know what's crawled up his ass…that isn't even the worst comment I've made this week."
"That's what did it," said Tifa as she turned towards the door. "You've been on him about it for too long. I need to go ask Zack about something. I'll see you guys later."
Yuffie waved and Leon inclined his head before the mahogany-eyed woman left.
"You know I like tormenting Cloud and all," said Yuffie, "But maybe you should back off the Jailbait issue for a bit. It seems to be really getting to him."
"He's the one lusting after a damned minor," commented Cid. "At least I'm just heckling him; he makes a move on Jailbait and some people are going to react a lot more strongly than some jokes. He needs to learn to let it roll off him, or back off Jailbait before he goes too far."
"The town isn't that big, Cid," said Yuffie. "How's he supposed to avoid him without it being obvious? He'll hurt Riku's feelings if he just stops talking to him."
"He's going to hurt Jailbait no matter what he does," stated the Gummi mechanic. "He needs to decide if it's worth it."
"Aww," Yuffie smiled at the older man. "I didn't know you cared about them so much."
"Well someone has to look out for the idiots," Cid grumbled. "Of course, stone-face here seems to be taking care of Jailbait." He turned to Leon, "What are you going to do if Spiky puts the moves on the kid?"
Leon did not answer...he could not. After a moment, he turned towards the door as well. "I need to check something in the computer room. Let me know if you make any progress with those schematics." He left without waiting for a response.
The scarred man walked straight to the computer room at a brisk pace, without paying any attention to his surroundings or acknowledging anyone he passed. He silently made his way through the labyrinth of halls in Ansem's office building, making his way through with an ease that suggested all the time he spent working there. His thoughts drifting to a silver-haired boy he should not be thinking of in such a manner the entire time.
Once he reached the computer room, Leon closed the door behind him and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. He needed to get a hold on this.
"You know," Leon's eyes snapped open at the sound of Zell's voice. "I really am going to have to meet this kid. Anyone who could not only get past Strife's self-pitying emo ways but also get under your defences and have both of you fall for him -and at only sixteen- has to be something special."
"I have not fallen for him," snapped Leon.
"Oh come on, Squall-I mean Leon," Zell held his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "Just a slip, I meant Leon…that stoic bitch act might work on some of the others but it doesn't fool me. You like this kid...a lot."
"He is a kid," stated Leon, temporarily forgetting his earlier denial of the accusation. "I'm ten years older than he is. Even if I were interested, you have to admit, that's quite a problem."
"Yeah…physically the kid isn't going to have the same needs, psychologically it's going to affect him differently, and it's going to be really conflicting with emotions and hormones and all that," commented Zell with a wave of his hand. "But…you are one of the few men I know with the willpower and self discipline to handle that. Besides, we both know there's a lot more to a relationship, and honestly, do you think that kid is going to find anyone his own age who can understand him and relate to him well enough for a relationship after everything he's been through?"
"Thanks Zell, I needed to be reminded of that," commented Leon.
"Of what?" asked the blonde man, knowing his friend was not referring to the point he had intended to make.
"Everything he's been through," replied Leon seriously, most of the anger had drained from his voice, but it still held a bitter edge. "He might seem cool and collected, but considering he was only fifteen when all of this started, and the fact that it hasn't been over for more than a few months, we both now that kid has to be torn up inside even worse than we would be. It's only a matter of time before he either has a complete meltdown, or becomes like me or Cloud…He doesn't need this on top of it."
"Well he might have to deal with it anyway," stated Zack. "The kid's observant; now you might be able to hold off on any urges and keep him from figuring out the truth, but Cloud won't…Personally, I think Riku's better off with you and in any case, the kid deserves to be able to make that choice knowing all his options."
"That's another problem," commented Leon, "Cloud…He likes the kid too, and he's made it much clearer than I have."
"So what…he has first dibs or something?" questioned Zell with a sour expression. "I've never known you to objectify someone like that. I think it's just another excuse."
"They're already emotionally involved, Zell," stated Leon. "They haven't been together physically, and they're not technically together, but they might as well be…there's an attachment there."
"So you're just going to wait until Cloud decides he can't hold off and moves in on the kid?" asked Zell incredulously. "You think the kid deserves to be in that kind of position…that he even knows how to handle that without getting hurt? …And you're just going to watch it happen? You're better than that, Leon."
"The kid-"
"-And that's another thing," interrupted Zell, "Do you think that always referring to him as 'Kid' is going to help you? You obviously don't need a reminder of his age, so why do it? Is that supposed to keep him at a distance…make sure he doesn't feel like you have any sort of attachment to him? ...Because you're better than that too."
Leon sighed and looked at his friend. "I can't fall in love with Riku, Zell. He deserves…"
"He deserves the truth," Zell placed a hand on the brunette's shoulder, "And you deserve to start living your own life again…Squall. I don't think Riku's the only one you're holding back because of."
The tattooed man walked past Leon and out of the room after that, whether to give his friend some time to think alone or out of fear that he might have pushed too far, Leon was not sure.
The Gunblade wielder walked over to Ansem's old computer. He fingered a pen that contained a few small bite marks, and remembered telling Riku that he needed to slow down if he did not have time to set his pen somewhere when he had walked in and found the boy typing away whilst reading some notes he had made and holding the pen in his mouth.
Leon smirked as he remembered the witty remark the boy had replied with before they had begun a friendly banter. He paused for a moment and the smile faded. Thinking of several similar moments between him and the teal-eyed boy, Leon was surprised that Zell was the only one to call him on his feelings for the adolescent.
Steel blue eyes squeezed closed for a moment. There was no use in denying it any longer. Leon loved Riku, and he knew it. He decided he needed to talk to Cloud first. Then, he would talk to Riku after they settled it.
That thought gave him pause. He had no idea how Cloud would react. They had never truly discussed how the former SOLDIER felt about the silver-haired boy. He was not sure if it was simply attraction on top of friendship or if Cloud actually loved Riku as well.
Leon wanted to find out exactly how his friend felt about the boy before he did anything. However, he was not sure what he would do if Cloud also wanted to pursue a relationship with the silver-haired teen. He could only hope that their shared interest in the teal-eyed boy would not come between them as friends.
The scarred man schooled his features once more and left the room with the intentions of finding his old friend.