Singing Robin (Part 2)

Chapter Eight Fears

Dedicated to MajenBeos02, Babyalex34, Cvstina
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March 11, 2016, 3:54 pm, Darío's POV

    'Escalating voices in the hallway. Here comes take-five. When Leonard angrily carried Violet off after her beatdown of Jess, Riot's simmering freak out at Leonard's sudden presence during the first round consumed him. The Heirs, though, seemed to be having some telepathic conversation, but Riot, trying to follow Leonard, made them pause it to order him back to his seat. If Violet didn't seem so helpless, I would have agreed that Riot had no reason to follow, but as it was, I wanted to follow, too. If I had known more about where Leonard had been, I would have ignored the Heirs completely, but alas, shoulda-coulda-woulda.'

    Victor set a timer on his phone, and when it went off, he nodded that Riot could leave. Riot didn't address Victor before racing toward where Leonard and Violet disappeared. I followed because his urgency became nearly contagious. When we reached, I wanted to throttle Riot for pumping that much adrenaline through me because Leonard and Violet looked happy... for a moment. Leonard was doing the typical introductions to his Dad and Violet. And Violet, in all innocence, remarked that Leonard must take after his Mom in looks. It was implied, not said, but she is sheltered and had no idea how radioactive, even hinting at Leonard's mother is. And that is when Leonard is otherwise normal and not heavily medicated.'

    'So when he froze, Riot and I tried our hardest to separate Leonard from Violet before he could react. Our way would have been smooth, but Marrok Parris, Leonard's Father, protectively moved her away from Leonard. Using this action, Parris practically waved a red flag at a bull. A normal Leonard would have fought. This Leonard is unfamiliar and extremely cruel. With sharp words that brought Violet to tears before we could intercept, Leonard was immediately smacked across the mouth by his highly horrified Father. Which, of course, helped so fucking much. Leonard's jaw locked, and he glared so hatefully at his Father that Violet cowered away. Leonard didn't wait for a dismissal. He just spun on his heels and left the room, we thought. It turns out he left the entire building and then drove to the house like a maniac, according to far too many witnesses.'

    'We, except Riot, believed Leonard would bounce back and apologize to Violet. But he is pretending she doesn't exist. In such a way, if I didn't see and hear Violet myself, I would also think she didn't exist. It is cruel but also concerning because it genuinely doesn't seem like he knows she is there. But like he decided she no longer exists, then convinced himself that was true.'

    "What do you think you're doing?!" Leonard snarls louder, and I sigh and quietly walk toward the door of Violet's closet. 'Treatment of Violet is one thing, but even Riot isn't spared. Leonard doesn't need much to reduce Riot to ash and is very good at it. These actions are practiced, experienced, and rehearsed. To the point, Victor held me in my chair so I wouldn't knock his teeth out after his last taunt about 'how stupid Riot looked' when Riot was picking up bits of food and the pieces of his shattered plate that Leonard shoved to the floor after telling Riot 'he was not fit to eat with us.'

   'I'm unsure what deluded universe the Heirs are in, but someone has to do something because this isn't Leonard. It is like he is possessed by something. And something is trying to destroy Leonard's entire world before Leonard becomes alert again.'

    "I'm taking it to the wash," Riot tells Leonard softly, and I peek out the door to see Leonard snatch his bedsheets back from Riot and glare hatefully at Riot.