Crumbling Walls

A/N

Note that this story has plot and buildup, so do not expect any smut right away. Thank you. Please leave a comment and I'll put up more.

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Once things had been normal; as normal as a family could be, that is. Squall Leonhart was only five-years-old when he was ripped from this 'perfect' little life, forced to grow up a lot faster then any five-year-old should.

His mother did everything she could to explain to the child why she and his father had to get a divorce; why his siblings had to be split up. Really, she did, but being only a child, Squall didn't understand.

It wasn't right. It wasn't right at all.

Not only was he and his big sister Ellone leaving their father and younger brother Riku, they were leaving their friends, their very good friends.

He didn't want to leave his friend, Cloud. He liked Cloud.

Squall grew into himself, even refusing to answer to his very name.

Two weeks after Squall was forced away from his happy family, he told his mother not to call him Squall anymore. Very smart for a five year old, he had told her squalls were birds. Birds were free to fly and he wasn't free.

Raine cried that night, but at the doctor's suggestion she went along with her son. They told her it was the child's way of moving on. He was starting a new life with his mother and big sister and now with a new name.

He was just Leon now.

Years passed, and Leon continued to grow more anti-social and seemingly uncaring. It scared Raine. It really did. Leon acted this way even with his family.

There were the rare moments when he showed what he was feeling, but then pain flashed before his smoky eyes, as if he was remembering his past.

When he showed emotion, no matter what kind, he soon shut down all together, becoming even more withdrawn. People who 'know' or at least think they know him, see him struggling with his emotions.

He was not a heartless person. Leon cared probably more then anybody, but he was scared that if he showed that, as soon as he did, everything would be taken away from him again. Just like when he was five-years-old.

"You're going to look into colleges soon, right?" Ellone tilted back in her chair, looking behind her at her little brother. The dark haired, pale skinned boy was half hidden behind the refrigerator door, obviously looking for something to eat.

Ellone got a grunt in reply. It translated to, "yeah."

"Oh really?" The twenty-five-year-old said. "Sounds interesting. What kind of college did you have in mind, Leon?"

Leon pulled back from the fridge, sending Ellone a icy stare, before turning away from the girl.

"Oh, so mime college?" Ellone sighed, watching her brother leave with out saying a word.

"Honestly Leon..."

The brown-haired girl stood up, dusting none existent dirt from her ankle length orange and peach stripped skirt. She crossed her arms, glaring in the direction Leon just left. What would it take to get the boy to be her cute little brother again?

She could remember how it had been. Being twelve before the split, she remembered everything, to the fights, to how cute his brother was with the neighbor boy Cloud. Like two peas in a pod.

"Being five, I doubt they'd even remember each other..." Ellone murmured.

---

"Drat!" Selphie slapped a hand over her face as her handful of posters blew out of her hands and down the busy street. Being somewhat of an air head, she ran right after them, oncoming traffic or not. Besides, she reasoned, she wasn't going to go in the street! Luckily the papers were so far staying on this side of the road.

Leon walked out of his father's house, rather annoyed, though to anyone looking, he just looked bored and uninterested. It was so awkward being here again after thirteen years. He didn't know Laguna or Riku at all. They tried being buddy buddy with him after he had only been in the house for twenty minutes. Worse, they were touchy feely.

The dark-haired teen lost track of how many times he ducked or moved out of the way from an on coming pat or, even hair ruffling for goodness sakes. His father was unbearable.

His hair? Why would anyone want to ruffle a eighteen-year-old's hair? First off, why was Laguna acting like a 'father' around him? He was nothing but a stranger, who at one point had been married to his mother and then God only knows why, they got a divorce.

He had only come back to the town of his lost childhood memory at Ellone's suggestion that the area had quite a few good schools well worth checking into. Of course he refused at first, but Ellone kept bringing the subject up; every time her mouth opened, she talked about the oh-so-wonderful colleges where they used to live. She had been twelve; how in the world did she know?

In the end, he finally agreed, though reluctantly.

As usual with the stoic teen, Leon's thoughts were in the clouds and he wasn't paying much attention to his surroundings, though when a soft female voice started to call for his attention, instead of ignoring like he normally would, Leon looked up.

The girl was a small built teenager with brown wavy hair that was flipped up in a curl. She looked to be around thirteen-years-old.

"Can you help me, please?" Selphie asked. She had noticed Leon coming out of Laguna's house just after she started to chase the posters and brightened up a little. She had most of the papers, but it was all too much for her to do by herself; they kept getting away from her.

Leon was going to ignore her as was typical for him; he grunted, "whatever," halfway out of his mouth.

He didn't get to finish his word, as he was watching Selphie step out onto the street, intent on grabbing a poster that kept fluttering out of her reach. But of course that is not what stopped his word. The car was what stopped his word. Selphie was completely unaware. Leon could see what was going to happen; the timing would be just right. As soon as she got to where the poster was now laying, the car would round the sharp corner and...

Leon could only see the car because of the angle he was standing away from Selphie.

Not really knowing what to do, Leon ran. Oh he cared. He cared more then anyone. Right now, he let his walls fall for the little girl in the street.

The man grabbed Selphie around the middle, pushing her hard to the pavement on the other side of the street. The car, as he had predicted passed not seconds after.

His eyes for a brief moment flashed in worry down at the small teenager, before he quickly pulled away, putting his walls back up.

Selphie was looking up at him with tears in her bright green eyes.

Leon didn't dare return the gaze, slightly trembling.

Fear? Relief?

It wasn't every day that Leon let his walls so completely down; that scared him. Specially because he didn't know the girl and he was two steps away from asking if she was okay... Leon wasn't cruel. He didn't like tears.

But he didn't want to open up and show he cared. Bad things only happened when he did.

"Thank you..." Selphie whispered, standing up, her legs wobbling. She grasped Leon's shirt sleeve, holding tightly. "Thank you.."

Leon tried to pull away, but the girl was stronger then she looked. She buried her face against Leon's chest, hugging him! She was crying fully now.

The stoic teen looked as stiff as a board; like Selphie was a snake and if he moved, she would bite him.

Awkwardly, he patted her back two times, then pushed her away from him.

He nodded to the girl, turning to leave her.

"No wait!" Selphie pleaded, rubbing at her eyes. Leon froze.

"Please, I'm Selphie. At least... can I know your name?"

Leon didn't answer for a good five minutes, but he wasn't walking away either. Selphie waited patiently.

Finally the eldest muttered, "Leon."

This was too much already. Names were exchanged. Next thing, Selphie would want to hang out. She would start calling Leon her friend. Leon would start to naturally care for her, then Selphie would get bored with the older teen, going back to people her own age.

Then Leon would be hurt again...

"Leon," Selphie whispered. "That is a pretty name... well, for a boy... you know what I mean?" She laughed nervously.

Leon was trying very hard not to feel amused; the girl was only babbling to get him to stick around a little longer. That much was clear.

When Leon didn't answer her, Selphie frowned, continuing, "Um, so... Leon... I've not seen you around here before? You came out of Laguna and Riku's house..."

The dark-haired teenager shifted his body weight to the other side, in a sense indicating that he was listening.

"So... Leon..."

She sure liked saying his name a lot.

"How do you know them?" Selphie asked, biting down on her lower lip. Why wouldn't he talk to her? He just saved her... This wasn't how it was supposed to be. When you were saved, the person was heroic and and... Selphie knew obviously that a fairy tale had not just come true.

'Family, if you can call them that,' Leon thought, shrugging his shoulders.

"You don't know how you know them?" Selphie asked.

'Why do girls talk so much? She's like Ellone...'

"Can you talk?"

That made Leon glance at the girl sharply. Nobody was that direct with him, though Selphie probably had no idea that Leon just wasn't really the type to hold a conversation.

He could and he did when it was needed, but he couldn't see why the stuff the girl was asking would be relevant.

"Yes."

"Oh..." Selphie smiled.

'Don't smile at me, please...'

"Um, you are just shy?" Selphie fished around for the reason he wouldn't talk when he could.

"No."

"Not shy...?" Selphie nodded. "Okay..."

"Do you hate your voice?"

"No."

"Then why won't you talk then...?"

Explaining it would mean saying a whole sentence, so Leon just shrugged.

"Do you hate me?" Selphie asked.

"No."

"Hmm..." Selphie smiled. "Oh well, I like you anyway, even if you are too quiet. I'm loud and hyper and I like noise, but I can try to get used to a friend who doesn't talk..."

Leon paled. She didn't just say friend.

"Leon, will you please, please come with me to eat dinner at my house? I promise you don't have to talk if you don't want to!" Selphie begged. "Please, you saved my life... please, can I at least make you some food to say thanks?"

No way. No way was he going to socialize, talking or not...

"Oh Leon, don't you want to be my friend...?" Selphie asked in a small voice.

"N..." Leon stopped the word from coming out of his mouth, seeing the pain in Selphie's eyes. It looked like the pain he felt when he feared everyone he cared for leaving him.

Not sure what to do or say, the eighteen-year-old sighed, "I'll come."

The thirteen-year-old beamed.

"Thank you... You'll meet my two brothers. One is hyper-ish like me, some times and the other is quiet, though not like you. He talks and stuff... He's a retard though..." Selphie crossed her arms. "He doesn't even let me watch R rated movies..."

'You are a kid,' Squall thought, sighing when Selphie grabbed his hand and started to lead him down the street, forgetting all about the posters.

Well how does everyone like it so far? And who might Selphie's brothers be, hmm?

I guess that will be found out later. Please comment.