One day till I leave, and I just had to update or else!

I hope you like this one, quickly typed up. Sorry for any errors!

Enjoy!

Leon sat alone on the roof of his house, in Hollow Bastion. He had kept his word and returned home.

It was night.

He stared up at the sky, at the brightest star. He couldn't stop thinking about Cloud and Aerith, and it made his head hurt. He was hurting from the fact that she chose Cloud, but he was glad as well.

She was finally happy and the burden was gone.

Yuffie climbed up onto the roof, watching him with concern from behind. Leon didn't glance at her, not noticing she was there at all. Yuffie sighed and put on a cheerful face.

"Hey Squall!" she said happily, walking over to him. He looked over at her as she sat down next to him.

"What are you doing up?" he asked indifferently, looking back up. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Yuffie shrugged, following his gaze to the star.

"I couldn't sleep, so I snuck out."

"You do realize Cid will probably ground you for a month when he finds out."

Yuffie laughed.

"If he finds out, Leon. If." She looked back at him, staring silently for a moment. Her smile faded and a look of concern replaced it.

"I saw you from my room." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Leon sighed deeply, dropping his gaze.

"He proposed to her."

Yuffie watched him, understanding how he felt. She sighed, letting go and looking up at the sky.

"I know," she said. "Aerith told me."

Leon closed his eyes at the sound of her name. Yuffie looked at him.

"Hey," she said softly, moving closer. "You can talk to me about it. I know you've probably just had your heart ripped out of your chest, shredded into a million pieced and shoved back in. I'm here to listen and help how I can." She smiled. "I'm here for you, Big Brother."

Leon glanced over at her. Even though she was immature sometimes, he could always rely on her when he needed someone to listen. Even as a toddler, she knew when he was in pain.

His father and older sister Ellone both died when he was 12, and little 3-year-old Yuffie knew he was in pain. She'd always be there to hold his hand and give him one of her toothy smiles to help him feel better. Leon smiled and nodded. He looked back up, sighing.

"I want her to be happy," he said. "I really do, but it's so damn hard…"

Yuffie stayed quiet, listening. Leon sighed again.

"I know it's wrong to feel this way about her, it only causes more trouble for everyone. I don't want to feel like this…but I just do. It's something I can't change. Seeing her with Cloud… she's happy, and I love seeing her that way, but it still hurts at the same time. I'm not sure if I'm strong enough." He laughed bitterly, closing his eyes.

"And she's getting married in a few weeks."

Leon felt Yuffie wrap her arms around him tightly. He opened his eyes to her. She smiled sadly.

"Before I say anything," she told him. "I want you to know that I love both you and Cloud the same, so I'm not taking sides." Leon looked away, smiling. "But the only advice I can give you is that no matter how hard it is, you can't get dragged back into that mess. Cloud and Aerith aren't going to disappear, even after they get married, they'll always be there, and we're always going to hang out together. If every time you see them and there's tension, it's not good at all." She shook her head. "Look, I know you're hurt, but if this keeps going on, your pain will never stop."

Leon sighed wearily.

"I can't help who I fall in love with," he murmured. "It just happens."

Yuffie watched him concernedly, releasing her arms. She let out a soft chuckled as she stared down at her dangling feet.

"Aerith used to tell me stories," she said after a while. Leon looked over at her. She chuckled again. "Stories about sacrifices. This one story, I made her tell it to me about a gazillion times, because it was so funny." She laughed. "When I was about a month old, I got sick. The doctor said I had a bad heart, and I needed a transplant. My mom and dad couldn't afford an operation, but the doctor said I'd die in three weeks unless I got the transplant." Leon stared blankly at her. It wasn't a very funny story.

"So eventually, I did get the transplant, due to some cutbacks. Like my dad giving up his weekly lottery ticket." Yuffie laughed again. "After the operation, the doctor said I was a healthy baby, and my parents were more than relieved. However, about two months later, the most cliché of clichés happened. My dad's numbers came up." Leon resisted the urge to smile, while Yuffie completely cracked up. "He must have been really mad! 120 million munny!" Leon's eyes widened slightly. "I know! That was so much munny!" Yuffie laughed for a while, but then slowed down. She took a deep breath, her smile saddening.

"I was a lot of munny," she said quietly. She looked at Leon. "But he said even if he won, it would have been much too late for me. "She smiled to herself. "He said the munny wouldn't have meant anything if I had died. Giving up the lottery for my transplant was a hard sacrifice to make, but it did so much good." She patted her chest proudly. "So I live my life to the fullest, as a thank you to my parents. It's like your situation…" She rubbed his shoulder. "Letting Aerith go might be the hardest and most painful thing you'll ever have to do, but she'll be happy. Isn't that what you want for her?"

Leon looked away sadly, but nodded.

"Yeah," he said firmly. "I'm going to step aside, and watch her be happy. I'll try not to interfere, I know if I do I'll just tangle us all in that web again."

Yuffie rested her head on his shoulder, looking sleepy. She smiled.

"I'm proud of you, Leon," she muttered. "Takes a lot of guts to be you." She yawned and closed her eyes. Leon smiled and wrapped an arm around her.

"Yeah," he said. "I know." He glanced at his watch.

11:51pm.

He chuckled to himself.

No matter how mature Yuffie tries to be, she was still Yuffie. Someone who could never stay up to midnight, even if she tried to.

Leon lifted the sleeping girl in his arms and jumped across the rooftops. He stopped at her house and leaped back onto the ground. Her bedroom window was wide open.

He carefully climbed in, quietly not to wake Cid in the other room, still holding Yuffie. He walked over to her little bed and set her down, tucking her in like a baby. Yuffie let out a huge yawn. She giggled sleepily.

"I'm terrible, aren't I?"

Leon just smiled.

"Just go to sleep, Yuffie."

She nodded. Leon turned around to leave.

"Hey," Yuffie called out. Leon looked back at her. She grinned and held out her arms. "Can I get a kiss goodnight?"

Leon let out a scoff and rolled his eyes. He went over and took her head in his hands. He tilted her forward gently and kissed the top of her head lightly. Yuffie smirked.

"Love you lots, Squally," she whispered. "I'm glad you're home."

Leon chuckled softly.

"Yeah, whatever. You too, squirt." He pulled the bed sheets over her warmly. He brushed her fringe lightly with his fingers and went back towards the window. Yuffie sat up a little.

"Remember what I told you, okay?"

Leon smiled and nodded.

"Okay." He climbed out the window.

"Hey, Leon," Yuffie called out again. "There's one more thing." Leon gazed back inside at her. She smiled a genuine smile.

"No matter what happens, I'm always going to be on your side."

Leon watched her for a moment. He nodded and smiled with gratitude. He carefully closed and locked the window. he gave a quick wave and slowly walked back to his house.

Everything Yuffie had said was true. He really had to let Aerith go. She was going to marry Cloud in a few weeks, and there was nothing he could do about it. If he did do something, he knew even Yuffie wouldn't be able to keep her promise to be by his side.

He had to be happy for them. It was the only way to move on.

Took a few lines from The Bold and The Beautiful, between Phoebe and Ridge (daughter and father moment).

Why am I torturing Leon and why will I continue to do this? To get you ready for the finale, of course! XD No one is going to be "Only Clorith", I will not have it, I tells ya! Remember to brace yourselves for Chapter 50, because no one will know what's coming! Anything can happen then, and on the way there too:D

Cya for the year people! Have a great Christmas and New Year!

Daydreamer198 out!