Disobey

Chapter 18- Hidden

*Leo*

"Alright," Paige said, her hands gently bracing my sides, "one step at a time."

I tried not to lean on her, really, but it was hard. The solution she'd made that worked well with my magic, or whatever, was healing me at a really really fast rate. Maybe dangerously fast, she'd said, but we had a deadline to meet. Whatever that meant. Apparently, I was healing so fast that my magic was entirely focused on just that, so I was pretty weak. She said it was a good opportunity to build up strength, so that's why we're here now.

My legs wobbled a little. When I thought I was going to fall, she was always there to catch me.

"I'm good," I told her. "I'm good. I got this."

Her grip loosened a little, but she hesitated before moving away. 

She held her arms out, like you do when kids walk for the first time.

"How do your ribs feel?" She questioned, stepping back when I stepped forward.

"Better," I answered, watching the space between our feet. "Whatever's in the pasty stuff works really well."

"I can tell that mu-"

I lurched, she caught me.

I groaned a little when the bruised sides of my ribs hit her brick wall of a body.

I blushed.

She didn't care.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah-yeah, I'm good. Just tripped a little."

"Wanna take a break?"

I nodded, pushing myself back up. "When I get to the kitchen and sit down on my own."

I took a step, wobbled a little, then took another. 

Ever since that...moment or whatever we had a week ago, I was flustered. I mean, what even was that? She was genuine, with me of all people, and her expression had changed so drastically that it was overwhelming. How many other people got to see that face? Did I really want to know the answer to that question? Why did I care?

Okay, I knew the answer to the last question.

I knew why I cared.

Every time my hand brushed against her hands, or her clothes, because she always wore long sleeves and lately I had been leaning on her a lot, I remembered why I cared.

I dared a glance up at her.

Her black hair cascaded down her shoulders - the first time I saw it down, a few days ago, I was amazed by how long she kept it. She let it down when Tori and Kyan left, which was pretty often since both of them were fierce workaholics. Apparently keeping it up was a work thing. 

When I dared another glance up, she was staring down at me, and I was dangerously close to her.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yep, all good. Promise."

She nodded and stepped out of the way, letting me take a seat in her overly expensive kitchen.

"You haven't been working as often."

She walked away for a moment and came back with a cup of water. "You are work."

I took the glass gratefully.

When I was done, I set it down in front of her.

"We need to work on your powers," she informed me. "So pick a topic."