~ 1 ~
He stared out at the cityscape, the lights below illuminating the lines of weariness on his face. His gaze was distant, his thoughts a million miles away.
He'd been through every hellish scenario imaginable in his relatively short lifespan. He'd fought in battles and been left with countless wounds that eventually turned into scars and then faded altogether.
But the scars on his heart never went away. The nightmares never ceased. The guilt and stress ate away at him day by day until there was nothing left in their wake but sorrow and pain.
Oh, yes. Pain. Too much pain.
Normally, he could bury it within himself, lock it away so it couldn't torture him. Some days he could ignore it completely.
But tonight was different, he thought, turning his attention to the two six-packs sitting on the rooftop next to him. He picked up a bottle of the cheap beer and gazed at it for a moment before sighing and twisting open the cap. He pressed the bottle to his lips and took a long drink. Consequences be damned.
Tonight, Hamato Leonardo wanted to hurt.
