Bright neon eyes.
They seemed to stare into his soul, illuminating in the darkness. Leo felt tears well up in his eyes as they looked into his, such a simple moment yet for the two of them it was so very important.
He had been looking for her. Searching every inch of the city. The thought of finding Karai turned in to an obsession. The need and desire consuming him and replacing all his thoughts with her. He couldn't sleep. Couldn't think. Couldn't meditate. All he could think about was her. The girl he loved in ways he never even knew were possible. The girl that lit up her heart that night that now seems so far away. That girl that made butterflies flutter in his stomach every time he'd even think of her. That girl that made him a complete idiot. But that crush, that stupid little crush, and everything that came with that seemed so small and irrelevant after everything they'd been through. None of that mattered anymore.
Reaching out, he suddenly felt her dry scales brush against his hand. The feeling made his stomach knot and his heart begin to physically ache. This wasn't Karai, at least not who Karai was supposed to be. Her skin is supposed to be silky smooth, her hair black and soft, her eyes a beautiful amber color and filled with so much deception and fun. What he saw in front of him now was a lost and lonely mutant. A girl that had lost her way and had no idea who she was. A creature that should've never been created. And it wouldn't have been created if it wasn't for hi-
Bright neon eyes.
There they were again staring into his face. Taking him out of his thoughts and asking, begging for his help. For Leo to take her out of this nightmare and show her everything would be okay. He wished he could do it so easily. That he was the one who could take her out of it. But of course he couldn't, he's the one that put her in it in the first place. And it drove daggers in his heart knowing that.
"Leo."
His name left her lips in a soft whisper it was almost inaudible. But Leo heard it, he treasured that sound and made sure it'd never leave his memory. He felt her lean into him and he grabbed her, the embrace made him finally crack. After all these weeks of keeping himself composed, putting on a face so everyone would feel like it would be okay, being embarrassed by how he felt: Leo finally cried. The tears came rushing down his face and moistening her scales and her body tightened around his in response.
"I'm so sorry Karai." Leo spoke through sobs and Karai shook her head, pulling away so she could see his face again.
Bright neon eyes.
There they were again. Staring back at him. They looked so broken and… tired. He could tell Karai had been through so much, she must be so tired of fighting. Of trying. But he noticed something different about her eyes this time. They held compassion and this sense of comfort he had been longing for these past few weeks but could never find on his own. It made him never want to look away from her eyes again.
"It wasn't your fault."