The bodyguards desire

Chapter 2

Leo sits silently in the hospital room, watching over Hael's sleeping form. However, he can't help but notice that she seems restless, her eyes flickering beneath her eyelids. He decides to speak up, breaking the silence.
"Hey," he says quietly, his voice gentle. "Can you hear me?"

Hael's eyes flutter open, and she looks up at Leo in a dazed sort of half-consciousness. Her voice is weak and ragged when she speaks.
"Yeah... yeah, I can hear you."

There's a moment of silence as Leo takes in Hael's appearance - her bruised and battered form, the exhaustion etched on her face. He feels a strange pang of sympathy, despite not knowing her.
"How are you feeling?" he asks, his voice softer than usual. 

Hael manages a weak chuckle, her voice raspy and strained.
"Shitty," she mutters, her lips curling into a wry smile. "Everything hurts like hell."

Leo can't help but let out a small huff of amusement.
"Yeah, I bet," he replies, his eyes roaming over the various bandages and casts covering her body. "The doctors say you're a real fighter, though. Tough as nails even when half-dead."

Hael lets out another hoarse chuckle, her eyes flickering up to meet Leo's.
"Damn right," she croaks. "It would take more than this to take me down for good."

Leo smiles appreciatively, his eyes fixed intently on Hael's face. Despite the pain and exhaustion, there's something undeniably captivating about her. He's seen his fair share of tough people in his line of work, but there's something about her that draws him in.
"I believe it," he says quietly, his voice softer than usual.

Hael's eyes flicker with a hint of curiosity, and she glances at Leo sideways.
"You really think so?" she asks, her voice a bit stronger this time. "You don't even know me."

Leo shrugs casually, leaning back in his chair.
"Maybe not," he admits. "But I've seen my fair share of people, and I can tell when someone's tough as nails. You're giving off major tough-girl vibes, even lying in a hospital bed half-dead."

Hael lets out a dry laugh, her eyes flickering down to her bandaged body.
"Yeah, I guess I don't look so tough right now," she says, her tone somewhat self-deprecating. "But the truth is, I'm not as tough as I act. I've got a lot of fear and pain and doubt swirling around in my head, just like anyone else."

Leo's expression softens, his eyes studying her face intently. He can sense the vulnerability behind her tough act.
"Hey," he says softly. "That doesn't make you weak, you know. It just makes you human."

Leo pauses for a moment, considering how to ask the question delicately. He can tell that Hael's past might be a touchy subject.
"Hey," he starts, his voice gentle but curious. "Can I ask a personal question?"

Hael hesitates for a moment, as if debating whether or not to divulge more information. But something about the way Leo is looking at her - with a hint of sympathy and genuine curiosity - compels her to answer.
"Sure," she says quietly. "What do you want to know?"

Leo studies her face carefully, trying to gauge her reaction.
"I was just wondering..." he begins, choosing his words carefully. "...what was your life like growing up? Were you... happy?"

Hael's eyes flicker with a hint of sadness, but she keeps her voice steady as she responds.
"My childhood... wasn't exactly 'happy', to be honest. My parents weren't really around much, and we didn't have a lot of money. I had to grow up fast, had to learn to take care of myself from a young age.

Hael's voice becomes flat and emotionless as she recounts her past.
"I was abandoned by my parents at the age of seven," she says bluntly. "Left on the streets, with nobody to take care of me. I had to fend for myself, learned to survive any way I could."