"I love you, baby girl," he whisper gruffly into her floppy ear before licking it generously and then kissing her cheek and forehead. He gently held her little back foot in his large hand, using his thumb to gently rub the top of her tiny little toes. They'd only been playing for a few minutes now and he already felt that much closer to her, and forgot, if only momentarily, about the serious pain plaguing him in all his major cut wounds. "I'm always gonna be here for you, aight? I'll be here to keep you safe and happy, forever." As long as he had any say in it at least-- you probably couldn't drag him from his siblings, even if you were stabbing something into his spine to force him. Once they were old enough to take care of themselves, he wouldn't have to stress so severely about always being there. He knew they'd be adults soon enough and would have their own rights and want their own freedom... but even then, if he could help it, he'd want the family to stay together. He wanted to be their protector after then, even if he wasn't their caretaker. He would always be their older brother and he wouldn't be able to ever drop that protectiveness from his personality.
Leon speaks