Chapter 11 – Innocence
"Leo can we… can we talk privately?" I whispered, taking Leo by the arm as I turned him away from his brothers.
Leo looked over, making sure everything was sound before turning back to me, "Let's talk in the dojo, no one will bother us in there."
He guided me into their training room, closing the sliding door behind us. The room was sound proof, made for absolute concentration while the brothers trained in hopes of mastering ninjitsu. Leo took out two mats for us to sit on, setting mine down first before he sat on his.
"Tell me what's wrong Vickie, I want to help you," Leo whispered, despite the sanctity of the room.
I shifted over to him, needing to be comforted as I knew how soon the tears would come, "It's…today is when my parents…when…they passed away, seventeen years ago."
He stared at me in silence until he bowed, head touching the ground out of the highest respect for my family and I.
I started to cry, burying my face into Leo's chest, clutching tightly to him as he did his best to comfort me.
"Does Mikey know about this Vickie?" he asked quietly.
I shook my head through my tears. I tried to speak but the anger and absolute sadness was too controlling. The truth was that I didn't tell Mikey, he had no idea about my biological family. It wasn't that I felt like I needed to keep it a secret from him, just that above everything, I didn't want him to worry over me. We were both so outwardly happy, both so strung up in this high of natural innocence and happiness – I couldn't take that away from him as much as I tried to hold onto my own.
I had calmed down quite a bit, Leo still hugging me quite tightly. I had begun to move away, no longer needing physical comfort but before I could realize it, before it made it's meaning to my brain and what was happening, Leo cupped my face and brought it close to his, kissing me slowly, trying to cover or even, erase my sadness.
Leo, the honorary leader, kissed me with full knowledge that I, was with his baby brother, Mikey.
As Leo took his mouth away from mine, we both heard the sound of the sliding door close quickly. My heart dropped, someone had seen, someone knew. I hoped, prayed that it wasn't Mikey, anyone but him.