My Fearless Leader | Leonardo x Reader

Back to School - Part 2

I've been standing in front of the mirror for too long. The void of silence made it seem like maybe a minute or ten had passed as I stared at my reflection. Other teenagers do this, I'm sure... looking out for any noticeable blemishes before daring to enter school halls. Only, right now I'm trying to judge something completely different.

It was almost time to go, my backpack sitting at the edge of my bed in my peripherals in the mirror reminded me. But my eyes stayed locked onto my face, onto the few areas of discoloration that remained there. It's looked like this for months, I realize, and I'm still not anymore used to the scarring than I was the first time Donnie stitched me up. Although, I guess I haven't allowed myself to look in the mirror often enough to. But now it's officially time to go back, and I'm hoping on everything these healed over scars that just don't belong on my face won't stick out to anyone passing by.

My hand comes up, lowering over my cheek. There's just the faintest of bumps lining my jaw along the cut, and otherwise it's like nothing ever happened. The thin line stretching a few inches from the side of my chin and back make it more obvious, and Roosevelt's going to have better lighting than this room... Now I'm really starting to wish I had a bottle full of foundation. Why didn't I think to get some with the rest of my school supplies?

Because makeup to cover up torture scars isn't a regular item on a back-to-school list, Y/n.

My shoulders slump as an exhale sighs out of my chest. My fingertips brush down past my jaw before I hear a knock. I turn toward the door quickly, pulling my hand down. "Leo?" I hope. I haven't gotten to talk to him this morning since I got up early and he slept in.

"Yeah," he peeks in slowly and finds me ready by the mirror. He smiles when his eyes land on me. He always does. "Hey."

"Hi." I'm already making my way over to him, feeling a smile spread across my face, too, now that he's here.

The blue in his eyes glimmered as he stepped in and closed the door behind him. "Whoa–" he chuckles as I throw my arms around his neck, pulling him down to me in a hug. I don't know why he sounds surprised since I left bed before he woke up to get ready almost an hour ago. "I missed you, too," he pats my back in a playful joke, and I almost roll my eyes.

"I'm about to leave and not see you all day. You can't blame me."

"I know, I know," his arms squeeze me tight, his tone turning slightly somber when I remind him. "I wanted to give you something before you left."

"Hm?" I lift my head from his shoulder, curious. He lets go of me to reach in one of his belt pockets, and when I caught sight of that little blue charm hanging from the silver chain, a soft gasp dropped my jaw. "I thought I lost this..."

He stared down at the chain his thumb was moving around in his palm as he spoke softly. "April gave it to me after the fight and... I needed it for a while." He explained. I look up to see his anguished expression, and it let me know exactly what he meant. "Um, I asked Donnie to put a tracker in it." I turn back to the jewelry when he sets it in my hands. It was still intact, but I notice a very subtle lighter blue outline around one of the patterns. A button in the middle of the shell. "It sends an emergency alert straight to my phone. In case anything ever happens and you can't get to a phone, or you need to call me without someone knowing, push that." My eyes slowly lift to his face, listening as his tender words and voice cause a warmth to crawl up my neck and spread through my ears and cheeks. "I know you're still scared and you just wanna feel safe. So, whenever you need me, day or night, no matter where you are, I'll find you."

I'm gonna melt, why is he so perfeeeect–

"Thank you." I breathed out instead, and threw my arms around him again, hugging him tighter than I think I ever have. I felt my eyes water, and nuzzled my face deep into his neck.