✰♡✰ Beautiful Boy ✰♡✰

🌸‹𝟹 Chapter 12 ♡☺

Leo opened his eyes, awakened by shouting. "-Old enough to understand the consequences of your actions! I trusted you with-"

The two had stayed there for a few days, since Usagi practically passed out from fatigue. He insisted that the two of them hear the story together, so his Auntie was just gonna have to wait.

Leo shifted in bed and reached his arms out, but felt confused when his hands were met with thin air. He sat up and looked around, remembering where he was. His face grew warm as he slowly remembered what had happened that night. Shaking the thought out his mind, he threw back the covers and walked out the room. He was met with Usagi stomping back to the door. Leo flashed him a smile. "Good morning-?"

The rabbit's gaze softened for a moment before he went back to looking angry, walking past him. 'Oookay...?'
Usagi grabbed his sword and a strange looking yo-yo, strapping them both to his waist. Leo looked confused. "Hey, what's up?"

He didn't answer and grabbed the turtle's hand. "Come on. We're leaving." He said, dragging him out the room with haste. "Leaving? But don't we still need the story from your Auntie-?"

"I don't need her and she doesn't need me, so let's just go..." He replied, walking past the woman with his head down. His Auntie furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Leo. "He won't listen to me. Maybe if you tell him what I've been trying to do for the past hour, he'd do so."

Usagi shook his head and kept his eyes down. Leo looked between them back and forth. "Uhh it's very flattering of you to come to me for this, but...What happened?"
They were both quiet for a moment before the woman spoke up. "He told me that after you and him get the full story on Miyamoto Usagi, he's also going to help save Neo Edo from the Yokai. Like a reckless fool. It was his fault in the first place, who would trust him now?"

Usagi clenched his fist and turned away from her. Leo's mask creased in concern. "Ma'am, I think that he could redeem himself with this second chance. I mean, he's even got friends in Neo Edo! Once they learn the truth about Miyamoto Usagi, they'll be-"

"I know, they'll see the Usagi family as noble heroes and he regains everyone's trust. He told me the same thing. But what happens after that? He refuses to come back home. Says he wants to find himself as a samurai. But what kind of samurai acts on impulse the way he does-?"

"I'm going to make mistakes, everyone does! That doesn't make me less capable!" Yuichi blurted out. Leo saw that he was ready to leave, but he couldn't leave just yet. Auntie continued. "Whether the Usagi name will be redeemed or not, many people will still have different opinions about us. It's just the way the world works, you can't fix everything."

"Oh yeah? And what are you doing about it, hiding here at this boring farm? I've made more progress in a few weeks than you have in your entire life!" This time Usagi fully turned around to face her. "So many people tell me what I can and can't do, and I still prove them wrong! You allowed me to go to Neo Edo because you trusted me, why can't you trust me with this?!"

"Ma'am, with all due respect, I think this it's his decision to make-"

"You don't understand. He hides behind his fighting skills and dreams for the future so that nobody knows how he truly feels! He's never had parents in his life to guide him, he lacks a father figure. A real mother figure. Setting off on some adventure isn't gonna take the pain away any time soon..."

Leo's eyes widened and he turned to look at Usagi, who stared at the floor. His mind flashed back to the night Usagi had cut his hand, refusing help. "You don't want to ask for help so that people won't worry about you..." He whispered loud enough for the rabbit to hear. Usagi furrowed his eyebrows. "I-I don't need help from anyone. Not for something like that..."