My Lion. || BXB

chapter nineteen.

"okay well," and with a deep breath, i told him. "in primary school, in my fifth year, i got bullied quite a bit. mostly just because i was interested in different things, and then my big mouth didn't particularly help." lionel laughed at that, which reassured me slightly. "it was usually just name calling and petty stuff like that so it didn't bother me too much.

but one day, i came to school and then it all happened. the group of boys who had been bullying me, there was five of them, decided they were going to actually beat me up. yes, a group of five boys jumped me when i was only in my fifth year. my bullies were all in the year above me so they were automatically stronger due to the age difference and the number of them. i got beat up badly and um, one of them actually kicked me in the eye. it was bad, like really fucking bad and i was blind in one eye." i paused momentarily, taking deep breaths and wondering if i was doing the right thing by telling lionel.

"its okay, keep going." he mumbled, looking at me, but i didn't look back at him. i was too ashamed.
"i remained blind in that eye for the next few months until i was eventually booked in for surgery the next year. most of my sight is back now but my left eye isn't as good as it used to be. since then my dad refused me to go back to school, too worried i'd get bullied again."

and there it was, my secret was out.
"thankfully it hasn't been like that at this school. i have friends this time, real friends who actually care for me." and then i stopped myself from talking, wondering if i had already done too much.

"well fuck, i didn't expect that." lionel said, and i felt him lift his hand from my knee onto my chin and turn my head so i was now looking back at him. "i'm sorry hunter, you didn't deserve that." he whispered, and i felt myself getting teary eyes. absolutely not, i wasn't going to cry in front of lionel. i wouldn't.

"yeah." i mumbled back, staring back into his dark green eyes. with a swift motion, lionel leaned in and placed a kiss on my cheek.
"i'm glad this time you've had a better school experience. even if i don't like your friends, i like the way they treat you." and i smiled at that.
"yeah. yeah me too."

lionel smiled to me, pulling me in for an embrace. i squished my head under his chin and blinked back the tears. my hands wrapped around his back and his did mine. this was nice.

"i'm glad you're better now." he whispered into my hair, stroking my back slowly. i pulled out of the hug to look at him. he looked kinda hurt from what i had told him, and i understood that it was a mouthful to process.

losing your vision isn't easy. its your most important sense, so it fucking sucked even if if was just in one eye. i felt a part of me had gone, and its only now partially back. i still feel different, and i know i always will.

"sorry for killing the mood." i forced a laugh, feeling kinda awkward now.
"nonsense. i'm glad you told me." lionel spoke gently, and i was glad he was being so mature about this. "but if you want we can talk about something else."

i thought for a moment, and then remembered something. "i can't believe you're a senior, i didn't even know until i found out today."
he chuckled at that, "how didn't you know that?"
"i don't know!" we both laughed, and i went pink once again.

"your sister told me though, stella."
"ah. me and her don't get along too well, i'm surprise she even spoke about me." he said, and i shuffled in my seat.
"why don't you get along?"

"we're just too different i guess?" he mumbled, "in the family shes the golden child, she's smart and does loads of clubs. i'm kind of just there."
"oh. well damn that must suck." i said, hating myself for not knowing how else to reply.
"i'm not too bothered. i hate them and they hate me; it's always been like that so i'm used to it. ever since she was born everything was about her, i don't even care anymore." he shrugged, but a part of me didn't believe him. how could you not care about how your family thought of you?

"i'm sure they don't hate you. they're your family at the end of the day."
"oh trust me, family means nothing to them. its your accomplishment's that truly solidify your place in the family and i don't have many of them." his tone had now quietened, and i could tell he was upset. who wouldn't be?

"i'm sorry, lionel."
"why do you call me that?" he asked, and my eyebrows furrowed at the abrupt change in topic but i didn't mention it.
"it's your name."
he flattened his mouth, looking around the trees for a moment before turning back to me. "but everyone calls me lion, or lio. why do you have to say the whole thing?"
"you call me huntley, which i hate by the way. and i don't understand why people call you lion, you're not that big snd scary in my opinion." i giggled, and he smirked at my thoughts.

"i'm only not big and scary because its you, but with people i hate i'm different i swear. i guess they just haven't seen me like this, so they call me lion. i don't even remember when the nickname started, i've always been lion to what i can remember."
"well why aren't you all big and scary with me?" i asked even though i was quite scared of where this conversation was headed.

"because you're different." he said simply, looking down into my brown orbs.
"why?"
"well, because i like you, i guess." he shrugged, and then turned to look ahead at the trees instead of my pink face.

he likes me? but— how? does he mean as a mate? surely not, who kisses their mates? but if he meant it romantically how could he say it so calmly?

"say something, then." he spoke again, and i looked back up at him, but he still wouldn't meet my eyes.
"what do you want me to say..?"
"tell me if you like me too."
"like you.. in what w—way..?" i hated this. i hated feeling so vulnerable, so shy and so scared. but it was worth it because the feeling that came after was beautiful.

"in the way that i want to kiss you every time i see you." and finally, our eyes met and my breath hitched in my throat.
a small smile lingered on my face at his words, and i couldn't but blush even more; if that was even possible.

"i... i like you too. in that way."
"i'm glad." he said, bringing a hand to cup my face. he leaned in, and i knew what was coming. the butterflies, the nerves, the passion. and i absolutely loved it.