[3] 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒 ― p.jackson, l.valdez

021.

「021. a game of hide and seek 」

THE DAYS before they found leo (though not that cherry had any clue that would happen. this is simply just chronologically speaking) were tough- but not in a way that was noticeable. leo had been without them for so long that cherry was sort of confused as to how she should act. after her outburst, things were slowly coming back to normal. they were talking to each other more, there were even a few laughs here and there. they were becoming a team again. most things were looking up. they'd all promised themselves they'd find leo- and that's what they were working towards. every day jason was conversing with wind spirits, and every day cherry was busying herself. feed goldie, box, help out, water plants. it wasn't as if anybody forced her to do it, it was just her way of gaining control.

but those were the days before they found leo.

the day they found leo, however?

eventful. very eventful.

for starters, they found him at the top of the city fortifications. he was sitting at an open-air cafe, overlooking the sea, drinking a cup of coffee. he was dressed in clothes cherry swore he'd burned accidentally (she remembered the day quite clearly. it was a few months ago at camp before they set out. cherry had to stop barbie from whacking her sketchbook at him after he'd burned the new clothes she'd given him in the first five minutes). the very same black t-shirt that had been tucked into the same baggy red corduroy trousers, with chains she'd gotten nyssa to forge to tangle across the belt loops.

she remembered leo running around grinning like a maniac ("look it has a fire-shaped one!" "oh my gods i can die happy-" "leo!" "...sorry guys! just a joke!") and showing anybody who'd listen. he'd gotten so excited he quite literally incinerated his clothes (it was mortifying for him in the moment but absolutely hilarious).

cherry damn near tackled him when he stood up. it was like one of those cliche movies- where the two of them run to each other in slow motion. except cherry had no idea if her feelings were one-sided; leo was crying; she was crying, because why wouldn't you? ... and the two of them were hugging tightly (cherry was pretty sure that in all those movies they always kissed).

"where the hell have you been?!" she hissed, squeezing him tightly as they rocked back and forth, "i- we missed you so much!"

"i'm sure you have," he chuckled, squeezing her back, hugging her even tighter causing butterflies to erupt in her stomach. "how've you been, cherry baby?" she groaned- though it was hardly a genuine stop being annoying one, more of a i missed you sort of thing. "any juicy gossip? any-"

"valdez!" coach hedge grinned. then, he seemed to remember he had a reputation to protect and he forced a scowl on his face. "you ever disappear like that again, you little punk, and i'll knock you into next month!"

frank, forgetting all composure, squeezed leo in a hug after cherry had let go- sort of making it look like leo was being strangled. leo, to add to this, let out a wheeze of air as he patted frank's back, making out what must have been the words, "there there, lizard boy."

frank let go, shaking his head, "you scared the shit out of us dude- i... don't do that!"

leo whistles after he clutched his chest, staring at frank with a brow raised, "frank's swearing? man, you guys became monsters whilst i was gone."

"shut up, idiot," grumbled kenji, glaring at them, "we missed you-"

"yeah, kenji started sining opera, it got dark," teased val, patting leo on the back before giving him a quick side hug, "good to see you though, leo."