Taking Back What's Mine (7.2)

Meanwhile, Leon and Risále had left to see the movie the moment the blonde had gotten back from his excursion with Kaedan, which included Mina fretting over him getting punched. Eventually, though, she deemed him alright to go, so long as he didn't provoke any other guards.

"So...What did you think of the movie?" Leon asked Risále. She glared at him, her eyes red from crying. Leon put his hands up, "Look, I'm sorry, but I didn't know you'd react that much."

"He had a family. A sister, a girlfriend, a mom, and he—He didn't want to stay but he did a—and he died to save everyone and his m—mom—" Leon sighed and covered her mouth.

"Okay. I'm making you shut up now before you make yourself cry again," Leon rolled his eyes before Risále pouted and turned to him.

"Don't act so high and mighty, Mister Song, I heard you crying too," She complained.

"Oh, I openly weep at this movie. I love it because it makes me cry and the message is so beautiful. And also the person who first introduced this movie to me was very important to me," Leon grinned. Although Risále noticed his slightly red eyes. She opened her arms. 

"You need a hug. Come. Now," She ordered, "You need hugs right now, small, sad child."

"Hey, who the fuck are you calling small, I'm literally—Please give me hugs," Leon cut himself off as he saw her holding out her arms. She was much shorter than him, that was just a fact, and yet she somehow had this way of making him feel so safe. It probably helped that she was much stronger than him and he had slightly lost his mind when he saw her carrying a couch in a sleeveless shirt.

Yeah, that was certainly an experience.

 Leon didn't hesitate to put his arms around her. His hands rested just above her mid-back and her arms were around his waist, her face was pressed into his shoulder, just barely reaching there.

"Leon?" She mumbled into his shirt.

"Hm?" Leon asked, still dazed from the feeling of holding her in his arms.

"Someone is staring at us. I think it's a guard," Risále muttered as she lifted her head slightly to look over his shoulder, and that pulled Leon out of his daydream.

"Keep your face hidden. Which direction from us?" Leon asked quietly, his eyes darting around, trying to place who it was.

"He's to your left, dark clothing, mask, sword," Her voice was muffled against his top and Leon could barely make out what she said. He subtly looked in that direction to see that indeed, there was a person looking in the shadows, staring at them.

 "Did you bring a weapon?" Leon asked, cursing himself for deciding to not bring a weapon, but who could blame him, he was literally going to see a movie. Risále nodded, looking over his shoulder.

"It's not going to be very effective over those guns, though. I only have a small dagger in my boot right now. We need to get out of here with the least confrontation possible," She said. 

Leon nodded and looked around the area, to see if he could find anywhere to hide. His eyes landed on the nearest open shop, which was a jewelry store, "Come on, let's head in there. I can see people so we should be safe there," He pointed and Risále quickly nodded, and they headed into the store. They noticed the guards following them at a slow pace.

"They're unsure," Risále whispered to him, "I think they have their suspicions but are too worried about maybe being wrong to actually confront us," The two walked into the crowded store, and kept walking in a random direction. Risále turned to face Leon and walked backward, so she could pretend to be talking face-to-face with him while keeping an eye on the guards. 

Leon had to grab her before she walked into a glass case and Leon shyly apologized to the man behind the counter, who seemed to be looking at them amusedly. 

"It is quite alright, however, my friend, isn't it a bit too obvious to bring your lady here? I thought proposals were meant to be surprises. But perhaps the times have changed, what would I know? I'm simply an old man," He said, and Leon finally connected two and two, looking at the models of rings in the glass cabinet. 

Oh.

He heard Risále laugh, as she seemed to have connected the dots as well, "Oh, we're not like that. But let's face it, if we were, I'd have to be the one to propose," She said jokingly, and Leon groaned, shoving his red face in his hands.

"Risá, please shut up before I spontaneously combust. I don't think that would be an easy thing to explain to the others," He said into his hands, and Risále simply patted him on the shoulder, "Besides, if anyone was going to get engaged, it would probably be Xander and Kaedan, the two practically are married," Leon said.

Risále actually took a look at the rings, "You know, some of these rings would be something that Xander would definitely propose to Kaedan with. Fit for a Prince," She said, and the old man looked at them with a surprised look, raising an eyebrow.

"Strange. I could swear I heard someone say that recently," He said thoughtfully. Risále made some sort of excuse to walk away and look at a couple of earrings, her eyes catching on a pair of diamond ones. Leon nodded, both of them wary of the two guards walking towards them. Risále turned away and began talking to a woman about what type of diamonds were used for the earrings. The guards seemed to have caught wind of her conversation and changed their path towards Leon.

"You know," The man who Risále and Leon had been talking to started talking to him at the perfect moment, "I've seen that look in many people's eyes. It's quite obvious, even if she doesn't see it." 

"Huh?" Leon asked, surprised.

"You're eyes. They grow so soft when you look at her. You seem to really love her, are you sure you both aren't together?" The man asked and Leon flushed red.

"She...Makes me feel safe. Everything has always been so hectic in my life, and she's just like this island of calm in an ocean of chaos. She...Takes care of me in a way no one has for a long time and I feel like I can just be myself around her and not have to worry about, well, everything…She gives me back a sense of something that I wouldn't let myself have in the past," He said, "Ah, sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you—"

"Don't worry about it, kid. Just call me 'Uncle', most people do. This is a normal occurrence. If you'd like, you can tell me how you feel," The man said, waving off Leon's apologies.

Leon took a deep breath, "The last person who took care of me like this was my...My ex-boyfriend," He hesitated, looking to see the uncle's reaction. There was none, so he took it as a sign that it was safe to continue, "We...Really loved each other. We didn't want to break up, it was mostly horrible circumstances and timing. I had to leave the sector we were from and then I realized going back could put him in danger. It would be better if he forgot me and moved on. I'm fine with just my family and my friends taking care of me...really, I am...But it feels nice, having someone like those two in my life," He said.

Uncle hummed, "Do you think that maybe you're just lonely? You mentioned an ex-boyfriend...If he were to ask you to be with him again, would you accept?" He asked.

Leon thought about it, "I...Don't know. I don't know how I'd feel if he showed up in front of me, but I do know my feelings for her are definitely real as well. Besides, I doubt I'll ever see him again," He said, staring at her wistfully. Then, he panicked as she met his eyes and smiled, walking over to him with a box in her hand.

"Hey, I thought you'd like this," She handed the box to him and he looked at her, puzzled. He took the box and opened it, and had to hold in a gasp, "I noticed you had your ears pierced so I thought these would suit you," They were beautifully cut diamond cuff earrings. 

"I—Risále, how much did these cost? I can't accept—" Risále cut him off by pushing his hands back towards him, covering his hands with her own.

"Don't worry about it, I like buying you gifts," Leon felt his face heat up at that, "Do you like it? I know you aren't the type to care but I know it's a pretty feminine one—"

"No!" Leon cut her off before looking away, feeling the blush heat up his face, "I mean, it's perfect. I love it. Thank you, so much," He smiled, and he thought that he saw Risále's breath catch, but he wasn't sure. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Uncle grinning.

"Well, I wish both of you good luck, especially you, my friend," Uncle said, clapping Leon's shoulder, "And I'm beginning to believe your cause isn't so lost. I hope to see you both in here soon for a different reason," He laughed, and Leon let out a whine.

It took Risále a while to understand and she opened her mouth but closed it again, and Leon led her outside. 

The earring glinted on his ear, shimmering in the cloudy winter weather.