Leo prioritized sleep. He made sure to only stay up so late, and wake up nice and early so the sun's new rays would brighten his skin.
With a groggy start, he realized that The Beast did not like to be woken up with outside forces, either.
He sat up when another bump could be heard, along with a, "You fucking asshole!" The voice only furthered his sour mood. What is that disgusting insect yelling about now?
Leo knew, deep down, someone was going to snap at someone else eventually. To be fair, Aries had already thrown Capricorn out a window, but pissing Aries Ramirez off was no difficult task. Anything could have set him off. No, Leo knew it was only a matter of time before the other guys would attempt to kill each other. Leo was proud that he had yet to lose his temper in that manor.
After getting dressed, he stepped out of his room, and the mystery was revealed. Taurus was desperately struggling to hold Scorpio back from apparently attacking Aquarius, who was clearly cowering behind Aries. Capricorn was nowhere to be seen, but maybe, that was a good thing right now. "What the fuck is happening?" Leo demanded with raised ears. "And it better be good. I hate it when your bullshit wakes me up."
Scorpio dramatically rolled his eyes. He dug his claws into Taurus - who yelped, the poor fairy - and said, "Awww, poor kitty. I didn't mean to wake you up from your fucking cat nap. I could put you to sleep again, but that's gotta come after I kick Aqua's ass!"
Leo sucked in his cheeks. He was already fed up with Scorpio, and he had been for the past three years. The Beast felt the same and, for a split second, took over. Leo didn't even panic when his control was snatched from him. There was hardly a transformation, only a bristling of his ears and a growl so deep he almost flinched himself.
And, just like that, Leo de la Cruz felt himself in his body again. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. He made it this far without really hurting anyone. That wasn't going to stop now just because Bug Boy was acting like a maniac. "Whatever," He mumbled. "Why do you even want to hurt Aqua."
"Ask him."
Now, all eyes were on Aqua. He swallowed and stepped away from Aries, who looked as confused as possible. "I..." The oldest started. "It was an accident! I didn't think that would have happened-"
Scorpio cackled. "Yeah right! Fuck it... Taurus let go." Leo flinched when Scorpio's claws scraped across Taurus's forearm. Blood dripped onto the hall floor, and with the same hand, shoved Aqua into a wall as he stormed down the stairs.
Everyone watched him, but Leo moved to Taurus when he heard the biggest Sign wince. "Let me see," Leo told him, and bathed his arm in a soft, but warm light. Already, his skin grew healed and slowly stitched skin back together. Keeping his eyes on his healing, he asked Aquarius, "Aqua... what happened?"
"Last week... I hurt him. It was an accident, I promise! I... was already upset and he just-"
"Be careful next time," Aries interrupted with a hard look. Finished with Taurus's arm, Leo dropped it and focused on how serious Aries had gotten. "That could have triggered him. He has the same problem I have, and if you thought what I did to Cap was bad... what he would have done to you would be ten times worse. Watch it, alright?"
Aqua swallowed but nodded. Aries nodded once and left downstairs. Taurus thanked Leo and followed him, rubbing his chocolate arm. Leo stayed behind, taking in how disheveled Aqua appeared to be. There weren't any bruises, but his hair was in bunches and his eyes were wide. The Beast was intrigued, at least Leo thought so. Trying his luck, he leaned against the wall and asked, "What did you really do?"
"I..." Aqua sighed. "I used my Sacred Weapon on him. I hoped he had forgotten by now, but I guess not..."
Leo shrugged. "That's the thing about that dirty insect. He never forgets. But, that can be a good thing, sometimes."
"How?"
"He never forgets the pain," Leo said, creeping closer to Aqua as his sharp smile grew. "So the next time you do it - and don't give me that bullshit that you won't. You will. Make sure you leave him scared of you. He doesn't deserve to be angry. Leave him afraid to look you in the fucking eye and cower from you for the rest of our days. That is what he deserves."
"That's what you would do." He wasn't wrong. Leo would gladly take any opportunity to drag Scorpio down back where he belongs, by any means necessary. "And I'm not like you."
Leo only smiled. "You're right. But if you were smart, you would be."
No more words were exchanged as he jogged down the steps.
Leo forced a smile when he greeted Gemini and Pisces in the kitchen. The two were talking about something but stopped when he showed. "Hey, Leo," Gemini said. "What's up with Scorpio? He seemed pissed, way more than usual."
Inside himself, The Beast clawed at the mention of the damn insect. Leo's ears pressed down as he winced. Relax... he told it. And, of course, The Beast refused to listen. Shivering, Leo tried to focus and answer. Try as he might, he couldn't stifle the growls as he said, "Fuck if I know. Aqua did something to him."
The girls paused. Leo noticed Gemini flinch back ever so slightly. He bit his tongue, mentally chastising The Beast for scaring his friends. There wasn't much of a response, only the constant rumble and thirst for blood. Leo shifted his weight, growing uncomfortable.
"Leo?" Pisces asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is something wrong? You're... angry inside. Angry and twisted and loud. I saw it before... but it's brighter today."
Cold bumps flushed across Leo's arms. Does she see it?! The Beast pounced on his panic instantly, roaring and filling Leo's head with its rage. It might not have been able to communicate, but Leo could tell it wanted to be seen. It wanted to be free again. Leo grunted and shook his head. "I'm... I'm fine." He stuttered with gritted teeth. "I'll... See you guys later."
He didn't wait for either of them to respond and dashed out the back door to the Field. The last thing I need is anyone finding out about you! Leo snapped, storming his way to the fire Signs. He wished he could just take a few minutes to himself, just to wrap The Beast up again. It felt so loose and tameless, tearing up Leo's insides like a rotten child.
By the time he made it to Aries and Sag, he was a shaking mess. He felt sweat drip from his face as he panted. "Woah, Leo, you okay?" Sag asked, holding Aries' hand.
Seeing the two affectionate calmed Leo ever so slightly. The Beast seemed to ease too, even if it was barely noticeable. Leo swallowed and nodded. "Y-yeah!" He said after he cleared his throat of growls. "Why? Something wrong?"
"Yeah... you look awful."
"Pfft, that's impossible," Leo sneered, running a sweaty hand through his curls. "I always-"
The Beast pounced inside again, making Leo gasp. Its presence widened and grew, threatening to take over Leo's very being. No, not again! It was a struggle to regain his grip of control; the effort brought him to his knees. Blackened spots overcame his vision, and, in a terribly panicked state, Leo pleaded with The Beast.
Please, please!! Don't take over! PLEASE!!
"Please!" The last one escaped aloud, but unfortunately, The Beast didn't subside. If anything, it expressed a primal form of mockery. If it could laugh, Leo knew it would.
He almost fell into his own frustration had Aries not violently shook him. "Leo!" The oldest fire Sign shouted at his friend, a little too loudly. "Snap out of it, man!"
The Beast reeled at the sound of Aries' voice. Leo's vision cleared, and his heart eased ever so slightly. "I..."
"Leo, I swear to God, you better tell us what the fuck is up with you!" Aries still yelled. The Beast didn't seem to want to fight him, to which Leo was beyond grateful. "You keep growing and shit!"
"Oh like you don't?" Leo challenged, pushing himself away from his friend. After running a hand through his hair, he shook off his frustrations with an attempt at a lighter tone. "Everyone's growing these days. Cancer does it all the time."
Leo knew that his strange animal noises weren't even comparable to Cancer's. Sure, she yipped and growled, but there was never any malice. Leo couldn't say the same for himself, and he knew Aries and Sag were too perceptive of him to buy such a shitty excuse.
"Look, Leo," Sag started, grabbing Aries' attention like a puppy. Her tone, however, made them both pout. "You don't have to tell us what's wrong. But why? Do you think we're scared of you or some bullshit?"
She sounded more hurt than angry, and it made Leo swallow. He trusted Sagittarius and Aries with his life, and that was without a doubt. But this... What would they think? How would they react? Leo couldn't help but wonder.
He must have looked uncomfortable, because Sag, still standing over him, put a hand on his shoulder. "We aren't afraid of you." She told him, firm and absolute.
"And we never will be." Aries finished.
"Guys..." Leo stammered, tears clouding his vision. "I... thanks. Really. Thank you."
"Of course, man! We're gonna be there for you, no matter what!" And, in typical Aries Ramirez fashion, Aries seized his friend into a bone-crushing hug. Leo was sure that if he was still human, Aries would have cracked a few ribs. From the hug, laughter squeezed out from Leo, and even more so when Sag managed to worm her way between them.
Eventually, the trio separated, relaxing onto the grass. The Beast grumbled inside, but Leo felt much more capable of ignoring it. With them at my side, I can conquer anything. Even you. The Beast didn't feel amused at Leo's burst of confidence, and maybe it was because it knew the confidence would die the moment it was born.
Leo heard a laugh. His right ear flicked up at the awful sound and immediately grimaced.
He turned to see Scorpio sitting down, and laughing. Virgo was at his side, looking happy and content to be around him. Why? Didn't she know Scorpio Reyes was the shittiest person on Earth and deserved to rot in hell? And, if she did know, why was she smiling with him?
That man didn't deserve to be happy. No, not while Leo was this miserable, this twisted, this angry. His fist clenched, The Beast's tearing into Leo's resentment like a feast. And, once again, it was powerful and loud inside Leo, essentially begging to be freed.
The more Leo stared, the louder his growls became. None of it was fair to Leo. Here he was, battling with a literal inner monster, and that cucker gets to laugh it up with a pretty girl? No. Scorpio Reyes deserved to suffer. He deserved pain, so much pain.
The Beast agreed, or rather expressed intense agreement. It shook Leo, and fully turned his body to his enemy.
Leo inhaled. Exhaled. No... I... I don't want this. It was a pointless lie, one that even The Beast recognized. Its amusement merged with its strength, and Leo had to bite his tongue. I'll be no better than him if-
His grip on The Beast slipped. And, in that single slip, The Beast consumed Leo in a single swallow.
NO!!
***
Shit. Shit. Shit!
My eyes open and I hear a faint roar, as if it's another room. Far away but close by. I need to wake up. I need to get my body back. This won't be like before...
It's so dark, just like last time... Where is that bastard?
A growl sounds behind me. I turn to face it. It's baring its teeth in a grin, rubbing with power. It doesn't have to speak. I know it's gloating.
Behind it, I can see what's happening outside. The view is much higher off the ground. There's a constant far-away growl that grates my ears. Scorpio is underneath us, his left arm crushed by The Beast's paw. I try not to, but I can't help it. I smile. And it only groans when I hear him cry out.
"Leo, what the hell?" Virgo says from a distance. Our view whips to her, and after that horrible horny wave, The Beast growls. "Snap out of it!" Her scepter is pointed up, but I see she's shaking.
Last time, I fought. I screamed. I cried. I pleaded. And that family still ended up dead. I slipped once, and now it's consuming my every move. I can't fight it. I can't.
So when it raises its paw and smacks Virg halfway across the Field, all I can do is look down. She screams and I wince, hoping someone catches her.
"Virgo, what the fuck is wrong... Shit, she's out cold..." Aries...
"Aries, you gotta take him out!"
"I... I can't. I'll kill him. I'm not stable..."
"Shit, neither is he-"
"Hecate. Get Hecate-"
"On it!"
Another scream, and then-
The Beast and I feel it at the same time. PAIN!!
There's a far-away yowl, and we leap back. Dark blood drips onto the grass. Scorpio's in front of us now, with pitch black eyes and a snarl. His Sacred Weapon is out. Sharp. Bloody.
"You can treat me like garbage all you want," The insect spat. "But you're gonna fucking pay for putting your filthy paws on Virgie!"
Oh. So he's going to fight me. Us. Good, maybe The Beast will teach him a lesson. I want to. We want to. Well, The Beast just wants to hurt and kill and destroy. And... there is nothing I can do about that.
I sigh. "Let him have it." I say, breathless and tired. I want to go back to sleep. The Beast howls, both inside and out, and I will my ears shut. I want to go back to sleep.
The Beast charges. Scorpio charges. He gets slammed into the dirt. With an expert twist of his wrist, his scythe swings up.
PAIN!!
I groan and drop to my knees. That asshole probably sliced it again. The Beast doesn't seem to look uncomfortable, or even in pain. It's tail is wagging like crazy and it keeps panting. I'm not surprised. Of course it likes pain.
After scoring a deep enough scratch on Scorpio's side, our vision tumbled. We roll, and even when I'm sitting, I get dizzy. I feel waves of confusion from it, and then, we're back on all fours.
A white wolf is in front of us, snarling. She's our size, and Hecate is beside her. Somethings in her hand, but The Beast doesn't care. I gasp from its primal excitement. Oh no...
"Cancer, can you hold him off while I enchant this?" Hecate asks. The wolf nods. Cancer? I didn't know she could-
"Don't!" I yell at my monster. And, of course, it charges anyway.
We tackle, and I feel a bite on its neck. The Beast snarls, clawing at her stomach. I squeeze my eyes shut when I hear the wolf whine. Not Cancer... not Cancer...
She whines again, and I feel... satisfaction? Why? No... no! She's beneath us, and I taste blood. Where is it biting her?!
"Stop!!" I scream, jumping up. "You'll kill her! You'll kill us!" It doesn't care, it never cared. Another kick, and it's no use. All I feel is a numbness in my stomach. But I know she's losing. The Beast feels too proud.
"Libra, your chains!"
"Yes ma'am!" Libra.
Her voice makes us both stop. A burning around our arm, getting pulled back. But The Beast let itself be pulled. No more resistance.
She speaks again. "Leo, please... please calm down." I'm trying, baby. I really am. I can't stop it. I can't... "Whatever is wrong, we can fix it, okay? Just relax..."
She's so supportive, even when I literally almost ended her life three times... I don't deserve you. This is why I never told you. You didn't need to worry about this. The Beast whines, and I want to strangle it.
I would have shouted at it, had it not spoken for the first time.
𝐿... 𝐿𝐼𝐵𝑅𝐴...
Its first word! I watch it, hoping it'll say something else. But nope. It only stares. More burning. On my neck. My sides and stomach. Completely chained up. It's letting her.
When we feel her touch, we both shiver. She's now in view, looking so small and crushable. I want to be worried about Cancer... It hurt her. But... Libra has all of our focus.
For some reason, I don't tell it to not hurt her. I know it doesn't want to... it lies down on its front, and Libra is at eye level. She's so pretty... I love her.
"Don't worry. Hecate is gonna figure this out." She says. The Beast whines again, inside and out. I want to punch myself when I whine, too.
"Keep him still, Libra," Hecate says. The Beast growls when she gets closer, but when it sniffs, it stops. Can it smell power? That would explain backing off from Aries... "He won't like it when I put this on."
"What is it?"
"A replica of the Amulet of Sealing. The real one is in the Mythical Realm, but this will have to do for now." She held up the thing in her hand. A necklace? There's a big green gem around it. But how is it going to-
It floats up and around our neck, and we both roar.
PAIN!!
What is that?! It hurts... it hurts so much! The Beast can't feel, I can't think. Everything, everywhere hurts, make it stop! Do I howl, or The Beast? I don't know. One of us do, and Libra... she says, "I'm sorry Leo..."
I get a panicked sensation from The Beast. "You asshole..." I say with gritted teeth, clawing at my neck. "Don't you dare leave me with this!"
And, of course, it flees. Leaving me with its mess, once again.
***
Pain woke Leo up. He gasped and screamed, immediately clawing at his scarred neck. Tears clouded his vision, and pain clouded everything else.
He was so lost in his attempt to take off his new accessory, Leo didn't even notice his appearance furthered his cat-like appearance. His entire bottom half was covered in fur, with his legs having permanently changed to an animal form. His arms shared a similar fate being covered in fur as well. His bloodied fangs were more defined as a perfect cherry to a predatory cake.
"Take it off!" He screamed to no one. "It hates it, take it off..."
"Hecate, what the fuck happened?" Was that Phil? Leo thought so, but then again, it was hard to think when The Beast constantly reminded him that it was in pain and it needed to be stopped. Now. "I sleep in for a few hours and a fourth of the Zodiac is battered!"
"I know Phil. Can you... make sure Virgo's okay?" Hecate said. Someone... someone kind and loving took a step closer to Leo, but the goddess chided them, "No Libra, don't get close... I know you want to but he's too unstable..."
LIBRA!!
"Libra!" Leo cried, grunting and sobbing after every failed attempt. "Please! Take it off...! Take it off!"
He looked up to see her. Her beautiful, full cheeks stained with tears. Her chains were still looped around her fingers. Was she afraid? Leo didn't want to know. Inside, The Beast called her, attempted to speak again. It didn't have to, though. Leo knew what it wanted regardless of words. Don't leave me like this... please. Don't leave us.
"Us..." Hecate repeats. "That monster... that wasn't you, was it, Leo?"
Finally, someone understands. Deep within, warmth bubbled in Leo's heart. Regret chokes him up. Maybe, just maybe if he had said something before, none of this would have happened. Libra wouldn't look so distraught.
Leo panted, and with one last effort, pulled on the amulet. There was only one band, and it didn't even snap. Leo collapsed on his side. The Beast howled so intensely, he couldn't hold it in and howled, too. He hated how natural it sounded.
"I understand Leo," Hecate... He thought Hecate spoke. It was hard to hear with heart pounding so hard. I want to sleep... "Rest. That's the only thing you can do now."
Leo closed his eyes. "Take it off..." He croaked, kicking into the dirt before the last of his energy was gone, and nothing remained but pain as he his consciousness fell into nothing.
𝐿𝐼𝐵𝑅𝐴...
•••
Wow, what a chapter, right? This wasn't the original plan for this one, but I love this so much more! Definitely my favorite Leo chapter!
Now that his secrets out, what will happen? Is there a solution? Find out soon!
Stay Starry! 💫