Thus, Love

Part 12

You woke up slow. Brain buzzing, taking in the sensations around you, before your body followed suit with a deep stretch. Then your eyes opened.

Sleep had come to you easily, somewhere in the game of twenty questions - between celebrity crushes and favorite TV shows. You felt a little guilty, you hadn't meant to pass out on Leo, or maybe he fell asleep first. You weren't sure. The giddy high of a sleepover and the fact that he had admitted he liked you too had sent your brain into a dopamine fuelled stupor.

You stretched one more time, rewarded with your back popping, and rolled over, the cold morning air hitting your thigh, back.

"Leo." You whispered.

No response.

"Leon?" Curiously you peeked over to where he'd been, expecting some kind of reaction to the nickname he had divulged to you in the early morning hours.

He wasn't there. Pushing aside the sheepish feelings you swung out of bed and wandered back through the rooms. It was eerily quiet. The humming buzz of Donnie's electronics, the faint noise of a large vehicle rumbling above. The ground was freezing on your feet.

You found yourself in the living room. There was more here. The sounds of the brothers and your boys breathing rhythmically. The tick of a clock. The drip of water.

It was comforting compared to the forlorn from moments earlier. But Leo was still not here. The sound of a gentle curse drew your attention. You followed the noise further into the expanse.

The room was set aside, quieter. Dark padded flooring. Upon closer inspection they looked like old tumbling mats. Some were repaired with duct tape. Weapons lined the walls, real and fake - bokken beside katanas, rubber and metal sais. The collection of weapons was astounding.

A small gym in one corner, beat up punching bags, half broken wing chuns. In the midst of it all was Leo. Bandana back on, katanas and sandals missing. Both unusually bare and regularly clothed.

"Hey." The word was grunted and he threw a kick, spun to deliver a punch in the opposite direction.

"Hey." You responded, feeling it difficult to greet him as you sat off to the side. Observing. 

He looked beautiful. It was awe inspiring to see his body moving so fluidly. Leo looked like he was dancing, no hesitation, no faltering. Muscles rippling and relaxing, breathing steady.

So much so you found yourself breathing in time with him.

You lost track of time. Till he stopped.

"What was that?" You watched him approach, grab his shirt off the floor to mop his forehead.

"Katas." He responded.

"Ah." You nodded, "I asked you about that before."

"Yeah." He sat beside you, his breath barely labored despite the exertion.

"We were up so late last night." You leaned back, shooting him a look. "But you're back up here doing this."

Leo shrugged, you could feel the heat his body was radiating despite the distance. "Crime doesn't take a day off." He shot you a glance, grinned. "I had a little frustration to work off too."

That took you back. Curiously you shot him a glance, but he was busy examining his shoulder, poking at it.

It was then you noticed the wound. "What happened?"

Fingers stopped prodding, Leo froze for a moment. "Ah." He shifted. "That fight I told you about. I got hit-"

You scoffed, frowning. "That's something to tell me. Not let me find out!"