Under the Shining Lights

Trouble

Leo must have been a little high off his performance that night, stumbling around his room like a drunk, silently celebrating his fantastic dancing. Maybe that was why he didn't notice Donny watching him from his cracked door. He strutted around his room whisper singing Lady Gaga, even pulling a pole over so he could dance with that. Donny saw it all.

He had a pole in his room? How long has this been going on? What else was Leo hiding? Leo had lost his mind! In his free time, he managed to attend pole dancing classes, presumably, and become a stripper?? What in the world made him think that was a good idea!? 

Unless...it wasn't his idea.

Leo was...let's just say, an idiot. He would rather suffer in needless silence than ask for help. No matter how many 'family talks' or therapy sessions they had, it was a habit that they probably wouldn't ever work out of him. Leo had the most rebounds with his mental health than anybody else in the family, especially at the beginning of his recovery. He was doing better, or so Donny thought. What if he was having a moment and got himself into trouble? And given his usual Leo mannerisms, what if he was too ashamed of himself to ask for help?

"Where have you been!?" Donny asked harsher than he meant. Leo tripped and hit the floor hard, stumbling to his feet. He stared wide-eyed at Donny while he stood in front of his pole as if to hide it. "Don't try to hide it! I can clearly see it!"

"I-uh! It's not what it looks like!" Leo stuttered, "You see, um, well, it's—"

"Leo!" Donny huffed, crossing his arms, "Look, I know what that is! How long have you had that? Why do you have that!?"

Leo nervously tapped his fingers, refusing to look at his brother. Donny crossed his arms. This was ridiculous!

"Listen, Aoi Tsuki," Donny spat, watching Leo flinch, "What did you get yourself into? Who's debt do you need to pay?"

"Debt?" Leo finally looked at Donny.

"Yes, Leo, debt!" Donny groaned, rolling his eyes, "Who did you piss off? Who forced you to start stripping?" Donny started tapping at his gauntlet, "Leo, I swear, you know you can ask us for help—!"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Leo interrupted, raising an eyebrow, "What is all this about 'debt' and 'needing help'? I'm fine!" Leo crossed his arms and glared at Donny, "Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

Donny stopped tapping at his gauntlet.

"...Then why are you a stripper?" He asked quietly. Leo looked away again, which made Donny ticked. "Leo, why are you a stripper if not to pay off some debt or to-to, I don't know! Satisfy some sicko! Why, Leo!?"

"Shhh! Quiet down!" Leo huffed, nervously glancing at his door, "You're gonna wake everyone up!"

"Leo!" Donny grabbed his brother by the shoulders, his voice shaking with desperation, "You've been sneaking out at night to go dance for money! Why would you degrade yourself like that!? I don't understand—"

"Excuse me!?" Leo shoved Donny away, his hands clenching. "'Degrade' myself!? Donny, I'm not degrading myself!"

"Oh yeah, going up on a stage to be ogled at by horny yokai, that's totally not degrading!" Donny pinched the bridge of his nose, "Are you acting out or something? Leo this is ridiculous!"

"I'm not a kid, Donny!" Leo growled. He was starting to shake, tears welling in his eyes. "Is it so hard to believe that I'm doing this because I want to!?"

Donny stared at him in disbelief. His stressed brain started taking in unnecessary details, like how Leo's mask was the wrong color, or how he faintly shimmered in the light because of the glitter dusted across his face. He must have been searching for bruises.