Leon
'What the hell did you kiss her for' Leon scowled at himself as Yuffie slowly backed away 'She's going to bolt, stop her you idiot!' He was slow to react to his thoughts, but eventually got moving towards her. "Yuffie, I...I...want to help you"
"You can't" she replied. The tears had dried and he noticed for the first time how exhausted she looked. There were bags under her eyes that went for miles; she looked like she would fall right where she was. 'Why are you pushing yourself? Please let me help you' Leon thought to voice his opinion but he couldn't. He couldn't show he cared further than guardianship.
"Come back to the Hotel and rest, you look like crap" 'Good one Leon' she shook her head.
"I can't Squall"
"It's Leon. You can leave in the morning, I promise I wont stop you" He wasn't totally lying. He wouldn't stop her, but Aerith and Cloud would. 'Your being unfair. She'll trust you now and then she'll see that she wont be able to leave and she will hate you' his inner voice started an argument. But his mind pushed back ' At least she'll be here' But Yuffie caught his act, and smiled, but there was no authenticity to it, no sparkle.
"Aerith will, and what she wants, Cloud wants. They will stop me and we both know it" she began "but you put up a good fight. I haven't slept in...hmm...a week at very the least" Leon watched her yawn. 'A week? You're going to kill yourself' he thought bitterly. Yuffie watched him and he noticed that she shrugged "When your full of fear, you learn not to sleep. Or sleep with your eyes open, but good luck with that" 'Its like she mind reads. How did she know what I was thinking?' he bowed his head as he thought of her words a few minutes ago "I see right through you Squall. Your afraid I'll get too close in here. I'm forever a part of you"
She was right of course, he was afraid yet he would never admit it out loud. He put up his wall, his façade to hide emotions from people. Through these few minutes he'd let it slip a brutal mistake that couldn't be taken back. He wondered if it really mattered, he could tell her, but then she would bolt. Leon decided that if he told Yuffie about his pain that she would try to comfort him, and the last thing he need from her was fake sympathy. Not when Yuffie was furious with him, he hadn't forgotten her words; they'd hit him hard. "YOU WEREN'T THERE! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MY GUARDIAN!" she had screamed at him. And she was right.
"I'll go with you, if you want me too" it was almost too silent to hear, but he caught it. He raised his head slowly as he felt his face go into its usual indifference appearance. 'I want you too, just say it to her' but he couldn't bring his voice to say those words. Instead he stared at her, mostly at her eyes, and what he saw there was heart wrenching. Yuffie was done hiding from him; she showed her emotions openly now. All the pain and suffering was in her eyes, and there was something else there too, for him. It wasn't really sympathy; it was more like she understood what he had been thinking moments before she said she would go. An accepting, supportive something. Leon shook his head 'you fell for someone once. Look what happened! Fall again and you may never be able to get back up'
"I wont make you. If you really don't want to come, then don't" he said a bit hardheartedly. 'There, its not my decision, its not on my shoulders anymore. I'll probably kill myself if you leave' Again Yuffie read his mind
"What would you do? If...If I left right now?"
"I don't care Yuffie, your old enough to make your own decisions now. I wont force you to do anything" Leon answered 'Don't leave' "Aerith will be pissed though, and Cloud"
"I don't want to talk about Aerith and Cloud. I'm talking about you Squall. If you really don't care then maybe I will leave. Say hi to them guys for me" and with a nod goodbye she turned toward the World Exit. 'What! No! Stay! Please don't make me say it' But Leon knew she wouldn't stop unless he said anything 'Dammit!'
"Stay" Leon said quietly "At least for tonight" He watched her freeze, and her body stiffen. Yuffie turned to him, an unconcerned expression on her face, as if sizing up his request.
"Alright" she responded slowly. "For tonight. But in the morning I leave." 'Maybe' Leon added silently 'We will see'
Yuffie
'What did you do? You should've walked right out that World Exit and you know it! You still can, just turn around and walk right out. Do it! ' But Yuffie couldn't bring her legs to go back. Leon had been right, she was terribly exhausted. She did need rest. And food she realized suddenly. " Where do you stay? Do you have a house? Or what?" she asked roughly, she didn't want him to know that she really was happy to stay here tonight.
"In the hotel, I stay in the Green Room and Aerith and Cloud sleep in the Red Room" he responded indifferently. Yuffie looked at him, she tilted her head. 'You look...confused, or sad or something.' She thought 'Are you mad I came back? God I hope not'
"What are you staring at?" he looked at her distressingly.
"Just wondering what's up with you? Are you mad I came back? You look it" knowing this would make him confused that he couldn't keep up his frontage, she smiled. Yuffie sighed to herself, she knew her smiles and laughs weren't genuine anymore, and she knew Leon seen it too. "Like I said Yuffie, I don't care" Leon started walking faster. ' I see right through you Squall. You want out of that façade, and I wish I could stay and help you. But...But I can't...i'm sorry'
Finally reaching the hotel, Yuffie stopped 'Can I do this? Can I handle a reunion?'
"What's wrong? Aren't you coming?" Leon asked. Coming out of her trance, Yuffie nodded 'You can do this Yuffie' she motivated. Then something sprang to her mind. 'Tell him about her, he needs to know the truth'
"Squall, I..." Yuffie started, but then her throat closed off, causing her to stutter.
"What Yuffie?" Leon turned a half confused, half indifferent glare on her. 'I can't do it!' she thought but her mind screamed 'You have to!'
"I wanted to know where I'm going to sleep" she said lamely 'I can't believe that I didn't tell him! Crap! I will, I swear I will later'
"Oh, I don't know. We will figure that out later. Right now you have to see Aerith and Cloud." Leon walked up the stairs and knocked on the Red Rooms door. "Aerith, Cloud?"
"Hold on!" Came their voice through the door
"OH...MY...GOD..." Yuffie laughed "I wonder what they're doing" It felt good to laugh and mean it, she hadn't done that since she was little. Leon looked at her and smirked quickly, but his eyes kept their focus on her, concealing his thoughts.
The door opened to a disheveled looking Cloud. "This better be important Leonhart" he stated impatiently. Leon was blocking me from view so of course Cloud wouldn't know.
"I hope that I'm seen as important" Yuffie stepped out from behind Leon, one eyebrow raised as if questioning him.
"Yuffie? Is it really you" Cloud whispered astonished, his eyes were wide. He reached a hand to her cheek. Yuffie took his hand.
"Hi Cloud. Miss me?" She asked shakily. Cloud was the closest thing she ever had for a brother, he always looked out for her best interests, 'Maybe he'd have been a better guardian for me' Yuffie thoughts stood still 'Wait... Am I mad at Squall for not taking care of me?' She had no time to be troubled over this thought because she was pulled into a tight hug by Aerith who had ran out the door.
"Oh Yuffie! I was scared I'd... that I would never" she started
"I know Aerith, but I'm here now, it will be okay, I promise." She soothed her crying friend ' I hope it will anyways' Aerith released her taking her free hand ( Cloud still tightly held her other one) and walked her into their room. "Yuffie Do you think you can tell me...everything?" she asked hesitantly, not know how Yuffie would react to her request.
"I already told Squ- err Leon' she began, "I suppose I could handle telling it over" She weakly smiled. Leon, obviously knowing how it pained her to even say what happened, sat down beside her on the bed and took her hand. Yuffie looked at him "Thank-you" she whispered. He nodded.
"Moral support" he mumbled. 'Oh Squall your so understanding sometimes. Don't make me feel guilty that I cannot help you!'
By the time Yuffie had finished telling of her past pain and how Sephiroth had treated her, she was sure Leon's hand would have to be amputated from loss of circulation she was holding on so tightly. She had gone more in- depth with her story than she had when she was yelling at Leon. When she finished, she looked up at Leon with tear-streaked eyes. He was staring at her unnervingly, his eyes held remorse. 'For what?' she wondered.
Cloud on the other hand had decided to release his anger and started punching walls vigorously screaming in fury "Damn Sephiroth! It's not right"
"Calm down Cloud" Aerith stated, "Yuffie when did he begin...hurting you?" Yuffie sighed 'I knew they'd want the whole story, but I wasn't really prepared' She refused to look at them as they stared at her, her gaze locked to the floor covering under her feet.
"Well... he took over when I was seven right?" she felt more than saw them nod, "so it must've been three years later? I think I was ten" Leon squeezed her hand and she her directed her head slowly to stay under his gaze. She couldn't waver from his watch, mostly because she was shocked. She could see the tears lingering in his eyes. 'He's a rock Yuffie, he'll hurt you. Don't fall for him'
"Is that everything Yuffie" Aerith asked quietly, tears were streaming down her cheeks endlessly, and Cloud came up behind her, hands resting on her shoulders. Yuffie nodded in response. Then she remembered the promise she made to herself earlier. 'Do it now Yuf, before you can't' Yuffie let go of Leon's hand and stood up causing confusion from her friends.
"I just remembered something I have to tell Leon" she stared at him. Leon looked at her expectantly.
"What is it Yuffie?"
"I met someone when I escaped. I helped them escape too" Yuffie was shaking visibly and Leon came to support her "No don't" Yuffie said backing away slightly.
"Who did you see Yuf?" he asked edgily, totally unaware of the bombshell Yuffie was about to drop.
"I...I.."
"Who Yuffie!" he demanded, shaking her roughly.
"Rinoa"
'What the hell did you kiss her for' Leon scowled at himself as Yuffie slowly backed away 'She's going to bolt, stop her you idiot!' He was slow to react to his thoughts, but eventually got moving towards her. "Yuffie, I...I...want to help you"
"You can't" she replied. The tears had dried and he noticed for the first time how exhausted she looked. There were bags under her eyes that went for miles; she looked like she would fall right where she was. 'Why are you pushing yourself? Please let me help you' Leon thought to voice his opinion but he couldn't. He couldn't show he cared further than guardianship.
"Come back to the Hotel and rest, you look like crap" 'Good one Leon' she shook her head.
"I can't Squall"
"It's Leon. You can leave in the morning, I promise I wont stop you" He wasn't totally lying. He wouldn't stop her, but Aerith and Cloud would. 'Your being unfair. She'll trust you now and then she'll see that she wont be able to leave and she will hate you' his inner voice started an argument. But his mind pushed back ' At least she'll be here' But Yuffie caught his act, and smiled, but there was no authenticity to it, no sparkle.
"Aerith will, and what she wants, Cloud wants. They will stop me and we both know it" she began "but you put up a good fight. I haven't slept in...hmm...a week at very the least" Leon watched her yawn. 'A week? You're going to kill yourself' he thought bitterly. Yuffie watched him and he noticed that she shrugged "When your full of fear, you learn not to sleep. Or sleep with your eyes open, but good luck with that" 'Its like she mind reads. How did she know what I was thinking?' he bowed his head as he thought of her words a few minutes ago "I see right through you Squall. Your afraid I'll get too close in here. I'm forever a part of you"
She was right of course, he was afraid yet he would never admit it out loud. He put up his wall, his façade to hide emotions from people. Through these few minutes he'd let it slip a brutal mistake that couldn't be taken back. He wondered if it really mattered, he could tell her, but then she would bolt. Leon decided that if he told Yuffie about his pain that she would try to comfort him, and the last thing he need from her was fake sympathy. Not when Yuffie was furious with him, he hadn't forgotten her words; they'd hit him hard. "YOU WEREN'T THERE! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MY GUARDIAN!" she had screamed at him. And she was right.
"I'll go with you, if you want me too" it was almost too silent to hear, but he caught it. He raised his head slowly as he felt his face go into its usual indifference appearance. 'I want you too, just say it to her' but he couldn't bring his voice to say those words. Instead he stared at her, mostly at her eyes, and what he saw there was heart wrenching. Yuffie was done hiding from him; she showed her emotions openly now. All the pain and suffering was in her eyes, and there was something else there too, for him. It wasn't really sympathy; it was more like she understood what he had been thinking moments before she said she would go. An accepting, supportive something. Leon shook his head 'you fell for someone once. Look what happened! Fall again and you may never be able to get back up'
"I wont make you. If you really don't want to come, then don't" he said a bit hardheartedly. 'There, its not my decision, its not on my shoulders anymore. I'll probably kill myself if you leave' Again Yuffie read his mind
"What would you do? If...If I left right now?"
"I don't care Yuffie, your old enough to make your own decisions now. I wont force you to do anything" Leon answered 'Don't leave' "Aerith will be pissed though, and Cloud"
"I don't want to talk about Aerith and Cloud. I'm talking about you Squall. If you really don't care then maybe I will leave. Say hi to them guys for me" and with a nod goodbye she turned toward the World Exit. 'What! No! Stay! Please don't make me say it' But Leon knew she wouldn't stop unless he said anything 'Dammit!'
"Stay" Leon said quietly "At least for tonight" He watched her freeze, and her body stiffen. Yuffie turned to him, an unconcerned expression on her face, as if sizing up his request.
"Alright" she responded slowly. "For tonight. But in the morning I leave." 'Maybe' Leon added silently 'We will see'
Yuffie
'What did you do? You should've walked right out that World Exit and you know it! You still can, just turn around and walk right out. Do it! ' But Yuffie couldn't bring her legs to go back. Leon had been right, she was terribly exhausted. She did need rest. And food she realized suddenly. " Where do you stay? Do you have a house? Or what?" she asked roughly, she didn't want him to know that she really was happy to stay here tonight.
"In the hotel, I stay in the Green Room and Aerith and Cloud sleep in the Red Room" he responded indifferently. Yuffie looked at him, she tilted her head. 'You look...confused, or sad or something.' She thought 'Are you mad I came back? God I hope not'
"What are you staring at?" he looked at her distressingly.
"Just wondering what's up with you? Are you mad I came back? You look it" knowing this would make him confused that he couldn't keep up his frontage, she smiled. Yuffie sighed to herself, she knew her smiles and laughs weren't genuine anymore, and she knew Leon seen it too. "Like I said Yuffie, I don't care" Leon started walking faster. ' I see right through you Squall. You want out of that façade, and I wish I could stay and help you. But...But I can't...i'm sorry'
Finally reaching the hotel, Yuffie stopped 'Can I do this? Can I handle a reunion?'
"What's wrong? Aren't you coming?" Leon asked. Coming out of her trance, Yuffie nodded 'You can do this Yuffie' she motivated. Then something sprang to her mind. 'Tell him about her, he needs to know the truth'
"Squall, I..." Yuffie started, but then her throat closed off, causing her to stutter.
"What Yuffie?" Leon turned a half confused, half indifferent glare on her. 'I can't do it!' she thought but her mind screamed 'You have to!'
"I wanted to know where I'm going to sleep" she said lamely 'I can't believe that I didn't tell him! Crap! I will, I swear I will later'
"Oh, I don't know. We will figure that out later. Right now you have to see Aerith and Cloud." Leon walked up the stairs and knocked on the Red Rooms door. "Aerith, Cloud?"
"Hold on!" Came their voice through the door
"OH...MY...GOD..." Yuffie laughed "I wonder what they're doing" It felt good to laugh and mean it, she hadn't done that since she was little. Leon looked at her and smirked quickly, but his eyes kept their focus on her, concealing his thoughts.
The door opened to a disheveled looking Cloud. "This better be important Leonhart" he stated impatiently. Leon was blocking me from view so of course Cloud wouldn't know.
"I hope that I'm seen as important" Yuffie stepped out from behind Leon, one eyebrow raised as if questioning him.
"Yuffie? Is it really you" Cloud whispered astonished, his eyes were wide. He reached a hand to her cheek. Yuffie took his hand.
"Hi Cloud. Miss me?" She asked shakily. Cloud was the closest thing she ever had for a brother, he always looked out for her best interests, 'Maybe he'd have been a better guardian for me' Yuffie thoughts stood still 'Wait... Am I mad at Squall for not taking care of me?' She had no time to be troubled over this thought because she was pulled into a tight hug by Aerith who had ran out the door.
"Oh Yuffie! I was scared I'd... that I would never" she started
"I know Aerith, but I'm here now, it will be okay, I promise." She soothed her crying friend ' I hope it will anyways' Aerith released her taking her free hand ( Cloud still tightly held her other one) and walked her into their room. "Yuffie Do you think you can tell me...everything?" she asked hesitantly, not know how Yuffie would react to her request.
"I already told Squ- err Leon' she began, "I suppose I could handle telling it over" She weakly smiled. Leon, obviously knowing how it pained her to even say what happened, sat down beside her on the bed and took her hand. Yuffie looked at him "Thank-you" she whispered. He nodded.
"Moral support" he mumbled. 'Oh Squall your so understanding sometimes. Don't make me feel guilty that I cannot help you!'
By the time Yuffie had finished telling of her past pain and how Sephiroth had treated her, she was sure Leon's hand would have to be amputated from loss of circulation she was holding on so tightly. She had gone more in- depth with her story than she had when she was yelling at Leon. When she finished, she looked up at Leon with tear-streaked eyes. He was staring at her unnervingly, his eyes held remorse. 'For what?' she wondered.
Cloud on the other hand had decided to release his anger and started punching walls vigorously screaming in fury "Damn Sephiroth! It's not right"
"Calm down Cloud" Aerith stated, "Yuffie when did he begin...hurting you?" Yuffie sighed 'I knew they'd want the whole story, but I wasn't really prepared' She refused to look at them as they stared at her, her gaze locked to the floor covering under her feet.
"Well... he took over when I was seven right?" she felt more than saw them nod, "so it must've been three years later? I think I was ten" Leon squeezed her hand and she her directed her head slowly to stay under his gaze. She couldn't waver from his watch, mostly because she was shocked. She could see the tears lingering in his eyes. 'He's a rock Yuffie, he'll hurt you. Don't fall for him'
"Is that everything Yuffie" Aerith asked quietly, tears were streaming down her cheeks endlessly, and Cloud came up behind her, hands resting on her shoulders. Yuffie nodded in response. Then she remembered the promise she made to herself earlier. 'Do it now Yuf, before you can't' Yuffie let go of Leon's hand and stood up causing confusion from her friends.
"I just remembered something I have to tell Leon" she stared at him. Leon looked at her expectantly.
"What is it Yuffie?"
"I met someone when I escaped. I helped them escape too" Yuffie was shaking visibly and Leon came to support her "No don't" Yuffie said backing away slightly.
"Who did you see Yuf?" he asked edgily, totally unaware of the bombshell Yuffie was about to drop.
"I...I.."
"Who Yuffie!" he demanded, shaking her roughly.
"Rinoa"
