Beautifully Imperfect {ON HOLD}

Chapter Fourteen: "Why do you care?"

"Leonora, you know what could save her." Dovey said, sitting next to her friend. Lesso shook her head, "I don't think it would work." "Your love for her is so strong, and hers for you. She may not know it yet, but it's there, waiting to be shown." The blond responds. Clarissa gently takes your arm from Lesso, a look of confusion growing on the ginger's face. Saying nothing, the Dean of Good, attempts to close your injury, giving Lesso time to think.

She loved you so much, even though she was scared. She had loved before and lost it all, and since then she hadn't opened herself up to love. But you brought out a different side of her that not many people got to see. The only ones being you and Clarissa. "I'll try." The redhead decides. Lesso took you in her arms, silently hoping that the kiss would work.

Pulling back from the kiss, Lesso placed her hand on your chest, where your heart was. After a few minutes the Dean of Evil's eyes started to water, the thought that she actually lost you tugging at her heart. "Lesso..." "No, don't, please." the redhead says, her voice a mere whisper. Clarissa says nothing as she watches her evil counterpart fall to pieces. No words could describe the feeling that Leonora Lesso was feeling. The only person that she truly cared about, let see the real person she was, was gone. Anger and sadness washed over her like a tidal wave. Thoughts spiraled in the older woman's head as she sat with you in her arms. No longer able to hold back her tears, the Evil Dean broke down, failing to realise the beating of your heart and the rise and fall of your chest. "Please don't cry, you're far too beautiful." Your words were hushed yet true.

Lesso's eyes widened at the sound of your voice, looking to see you awake with a small smile on your face. "Oh my love, I thought I had lost you." "I know and I'm truly sorry for hurting you so." You say looking away from the ginger. Feeling guilty about your actions and the effect they had on Lady Lesso, your eyes become glossy. "My darling, what's the matter?" She asks. "I'm so sorry, for everything." You cry. "What do you mean?" "I'm sorry for what I put you though, I understand if you want to leave and never talk to me again. I will accept that because I know what I did was selfish and I..." You were cut off by Leonora, who had had enough of your self deprecating thoughts. "Mon trésor, you must understand something. Your actions came from the emotions that you were feeling. Sometimes your emotions become overwhelming and you act on impulses that you believed to be right. I need you to understand that no matter what is going in, in your head, or out. I will be here for you. I will never leave you to fight alone. I am here to support you when you need me." Nodding your head in response, Clarissa leaves back to the School for Good, while Lesso, takes you to her room.

Picking you up, your arms wrap around her neck and legs around her waist. Your head rests on her shoulder as your hands play with the auburn curls. Feeling content in the moment that you are having with the typically cold dean, you are soon back in her room. Placing you on her bed, she looks at you, love apparent in her gaze. "What?" You question, looking at the redhead. "Just thinking about how lucky I am." A light blush covers your cheeks as you hear her words. You're flustered appearance, obvious to Lesso, who had grown to pick up on the silent cues you give. "You look absolutely adorable when you're flustered little one." The comment only makes the red in your cheeks more apparent to the older woman, causing her to chuckle slowly. "Come darling, let's get you washed up." Placing her hand in front of you, you take it, letting her lead you into the adjoining bathroom.

Once the tub was filled with warm water the dean left a pair of silk shorts and a jumper on the sink and a fresh towel before leaving the room, closing the door almost all the way, still wanting to give you privacy but at the same time, make sure you were okay.

— — —

You found Lesso in bed reading one of her many books. "Hello my darling, come join me." She said, setting the book aside. Joining her in bed, she held you close to her, arms wrapped around your waist, you head on her chest. "Lesso?" "Yes, little one." She responds. "Why do you care about me?" The redhead looked at you confused, thinking about the question. Realising that it was a question about how you think she feels about you, she responds. "Well darling, I care about you because you stood out to me. The first day I saw you, I knew that you were different. And not just because of your family life or your past, but because I could feel a connection that I thought I would never feel again." You listen intently to the older woman. "I wanted you to feel safe with me because I never had someone to feel safe with. When I was younger. When I was brought here, there was a man that I thought loved me. And I loved him deeply, but I was mistaken. I found out that he was using me for a "power" he thought I had that would help evil win. But I finally saw past his lies. And since then, I never let myself love or even get close to another person, merely because I was scared that they would use me." You had never talked with Lesso about her past, or who she was when she was younger, before she was the Dean of Evil. So you knew that this had to be a very hard conversation to have for her.

"Are you Leonora?" You ask quietly. The stunned expression present on Lesso's face being enough explanation. "Yes darling, I am the girl from the story. I too was a reader years ago." You smile at the older woman's confession, happy to finally learn more about her. "Can I call you by your first name?" You ask cautiously. "Yes, you are the only one, besides Clarissa who can call me by my first name. "Now little one, let's get some sleep yeah? You had quite the day, and I would love to hold you."

Cuddling with Lesso, the door to her room opens and Dovey walks in, Orion at her side. Once seeing you he runs to the bed, jumping on it. You sit up with the help of the Dean, giving your dog some love, before laying down again to rest with Lesso's arms wrapped around you, your back flush with her front, and Orion at your feet. "I love you, my darling girl." "I love you too Nora."