It's the day after my and Leo's late night talk. I'm just getting away from school. Today there was a celebration for the last day of f/a. It's getting close to the end of the school year. Which means this will also be the last time Leo has to pick me up late at night. It doesn't seem as if he's around yet while I start walking, so I wait a few minutes, and call his cell. He doesn't pick up. I guess he and the guys are preoccupied with something. Looks like I'm getting to the lair myself today.
As I briskly walk along the streets, I pass a line of a few stores just closing for the night. I glance in the windows. One is a comic book store. A Space Heroes comic catches my eye. The title reads Space Heroes: The Next Generation. I remember Leo saying something about that. That he didn't have the last "issue" or something. I step closer to the window. A green sticker reads *For Sale: $9.99!
It's still a few minutes before closing time so I walk into the store to buy it. I get to the cash register, with the mint condition comic in hand. The cashier's a guy; tall and lean. Purple and black plaid shirt, brown hair that's ruffled to the side, with a youthful and chiseled face, and black glasses. So by definition, a hot nerd.
"Oh, we got ourselves a rare Space-nik. We hardly ever get those in here."
I hand him the comic, smiling slightly, and pull out my money. "Actually it's for a friend. I've never read a comic book in my life."
"Ah. Now that's usually what we hear when it comes to Space Heroes."
As he rings it up I look around during the awkward silence. Or at least it felt awkward to me. I'm bad at social interactions, especially with people I don't know, but out of the corner of my eye it looked like he looked back at me once.
"$9.99," he finally says. I start to count the money in my hand. He looks at it for a second then at me and shakes his head. "It's on me. Free of charge."
I look at him. "Really...? Are you sure?"
He smiles at me and takes the price sticker off. "Consider it a gift for your first time here."
"How do you know I haven't been here before?" I smile and test him.
"I would've remembered." He says, grinning. I realize what he means by that as he pulls out a bag with the store title, Midtown Comix, on it.
"So... is this for your boyfriend?"
"Uh, no actually..." I say awkwardly. He looks at me as he slides the book into the bag, looking for elaboration I guess. "I don't have a boyfriend..."
His smile widens just a bit and he hands me the bag. "Hope your friend enjoys. Have a nice night."
"You, too." I shove my money back into my bag and walk out.
• • •
It's silent when I get to the lair. Maybe they're still out? I look for Leo in case they aren't. I look in the dojo and kitchen, then go to his room. Knocking on the closed door, I hear no answer. But there's some weird noise coming from the other side. It sounds like low grumbling and something loud falling over.
"Leo, you in there?" There's still no answer, but another loud noise. Concerned, I turn the knob and walk into the room, standing next to the doorway. "Are you okay?"
Leo's standing next to a pile of broken pieces from a lamp. And looking mad as ever... His hands are balled into fists and he's breathing heavily.
"... Leo?" I say quietly.
He glances at me and takes a strained breath, teeth gritted. His hands slowly unball at his sides. "Yeah?" He says lowly.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing... Don't worry about it." He turns his back, cutting off my sight of his face, but I couldn't help my curiosity.
"Are you okay?" I ask again.
"I've been better," I hear him mutter. His hands were shaking.
Wait a second.
"Oh my gosh, your hand is bleeding–"
"Y/n– I'm not in the mood."
I grip the store bag in my hand tighter. I can feel I'm treading on thin ice. What could possibly be bothering him so much? I've seen him stressed out before but, not like this...
I step forward, coming into his room between the door and the edge of his bed. "It looks really bad..." I continue softly. "Leo, what's bothering you?"
He angrily throws something in his other hand, and a knife impales into the floor next to him. Deep enough in that it stands up on its own, and making me jump. He turns and storms over to me. "Y/n, I told you it's fine! Please just go!"
"You're bleeding–"
"You're in my way."
"There's glass in your hand, let me help–"
"I can handle it myself."
"Can I just–"
"Look, I don't need any help with this, I need to be alone." He mutters, outstretching his arm to move me aside, none too gently while passing, and I stumble back into the wall when he moves me back.
When I make contact, my head hits the doorframe. Hard.
My back hits the frame too, the bag slipping from my hand in shock. I yelp and nearly fall over but manage not to.
Gripping the doorframe tightly to keep my footing, my other hand goes to the back of my throbbing head. I feel my eyes tear up, see my vision going blurry. Whether it's from the shock of the impact or the oncoming pain, I don't know.
When I look up, Leo is just standing there, looking at me. All the anger is drained from his face and body. Instead he looks shocked, frozen as he watches me. "Y/n... I–"
"Don't." I choke and step away from him, almost stumbling as I run out of his room.