Hello everyone!
This chapter is a longer one woo! I got inspired toward the end and bam, 6k words it is.
Anyways, onto reviews…
Davie Wilson: I'm so glad!
Silverleone: Haha, irk? I've pointed out stuff and my family is all like 'it's just a movie' and I'm like, 'that doesn't mean it can get away with this!' But anyways, guess it's just part of having a critical mind! A for your review, yeah, it ain't okay to traumatize people, especially with the same trauma they first experienced. And a vacation huh? Hmm, I'll have to think on that.
TU4QU0I5T4IAN6L3: Yes, it is good that they finally have found the kids, and yeah, good news is pretty surprising around here but it's refreshing when it comes around! And yeah, the children will continue to be important going forward. And hey! Good call back! And perhaps that is the case! As for the music woman and druggie? Well you shall see below!
I own nothing but my characters and ideas
Credit to Selkiesong22 for all her help
Chapter 62
Piper Reyes
"…and so we needed to scare Leo in order to encourage Fox out of him so he could give the recipes to this guy and…not get tortured." Enix finished with a breath, everyone was either sitting, or lingering nearby arms crossed.
Leo was still on the floor with the woman next to him. She had listened quietly with an unreadable look on her face.
There was quiet for a moment as Leo glanced occasionally at his spontaneous rescuer.
Even if he had just been extremely over dramatic for no reason…
"Agreed. It was quite a pitiful display." William muttered and Leo tensed but nothing more.
"Okay…but this seems like it was a rather extreme…if not cruel attempt at solving your problem." The woman claimed, making Leo blink and look at her wide eyed. Her brow was furrowed in a disapproving way. "You take a man that you claim has been repeatedly traumatized by animatronics and subject him to that trauma…again? In some hope that it will be Fox and not William who emerges? What would you have done if it was the murderer who showed up instead?" She challenged, and Jamie frowned.
"We hadn't gortten that far yet." He countered and she frowned.
"Well you should've planned for that. This isn't just a black and white choice. This was a man's sanity, something which seems rather fragile from what you've explained. But you didn't take that into consideration." She scolded, and Bonnie shifted in place.
"I don't think you have much of a right to come in here and scold us on a situation you know very little of." He countered with a bit of a growl that made Leo tense up.
"Well I think someone should say something when a man is screaming for his life." She countered with a snap.
"Ooh, someone is feisty." William chuckled, but Leo didn't remark on it.
"Okay…okay, while I agree this is not the best course of action, we really don't have another option. How else are we supposed to deal with this guy?" Enix asked, and the woman stared at him unimpressed for a few moments.
"We could always tip off the cops in the bigger city that a drug lord is here. That may solve our problem. Especially if he has threatened harm upon a citizen. Leo may be a criminal but he served his jail time." She then took a breath, "or we could just lie to him."
"Lie?"
"Give him recipes, doesn't have to be the real ones, then when he comes back all enraged, we call law enforcement." Everyone was quiet for a moment, "sometimes the easiest solution is not the best one." That resulted in another moment or two of silence. "I also think you should apologize to Leo." She ordered, and several blinked at her.
"Apologize? Why? He agreed to this." Freddy protested, and the woman sighed.
"Apologize for doing it in the first place. It doesn't matter that he agreed to it. You scared him half to death. Reminded him of things you''ve done to him before. You did him wrong. Now apologize." Leo couldn't help but stare at her confused, but his eyes widened even more when the bots shifted on their feet and muttered respective apologies.
Guilt flooded him, they shouldn't be apologizing! He agreed to it!
The woman then turned to him. "Leo, do you think you can lie convincingly to this guy?"
The guard couldn't help but swallow. "…I don't know…"
She hummed looking contemplative, "well…there is another option, but I'd rather not do that unless I have to." She took a breath and turned to the others. "So do we want to call the cops then?" She prompted, but was met with silence.
There was a beat or two before Freddy finally asked.
"I don't mean to be rude. But…you just showed up here. We barely know who you are, what makes you in charge of this situation here?" He asked guardedly, the lady gazed up at him.
"I don't presume to know everything that happened. Nor to be the smartest in the room. Or the most experienced." Then she paused, her brow pinching, "but I don't think anyone deserves to be as scared as Leo was not a moment before. And if I have to argue with seven foot robots to make sure it doesn't happen again. I will." She said firmly.
"Quite passionate for someone she just met. Suspicious, don't you think?" William muttered, crouched down next to him.
But Leo hardly paid mind to his words, instead he stared at the woman next to him confused, and utterly bewildered
Why…did she care at all?
He was a druggie, a foolish man who let themselves be used as a host for a undead child murderer.
She heard all of that.
So why?
"Okay, okay, lets just calm down. Piper wants to help and that's what matters right now. And the more pressing matter is Benedict. He is going to be here in less than an hour. So whatever we are going to do, we are going to need to do it fast." He claimed glancing at everyone.
"…whatever we do…won't be fast enough." Jamie muttered, drawing all attention to him, and then what he was looking at.
At the door humming to himself and with a cigarette in his mouth stood Benedict. Everyone froze, uncertain of what to do, until Enix turned to the bots.
"To the back." They opened their mouths to protest but he gave them a look, "now." There was a moment of hesitation but they then hurried off into the other room.
The humans then stood there before Enix took a deep breath and headed over to the door. He looked back at them before turning to their new guest and opening the door.
Luckily the place didn't open for another two hours.
As Enix went over, Leo got to his feet, Piper following suit.
"Benedict." He greeted pensively, "you are a hour early."
The man turned to him and flashed a grin, "thirty six minutes actually, and I just got too impatient to wait any longer!" He stepped inside and looked around pulling the cigarette from his mouth.
One that Leo eyed enviously.
"Whoa…creepy place here." He turned to look at Enix, "you know, I worked at one of the old locations. As a manager actually." His statement made everyone blink.
"You….did…?" Enix asked, and Benedict chuckled.
"Yup, worked at a parts factory as well." Then he held up the cigarette. "Found a more lucrative business though." He then turned to face everyone, "speaking of which! Foxy boy! I've been so anxiously awaiting those recipes!" He came over, Leo stared up at him guardedly. Especially when the grin dropped and he bit onto the cigarette hard. "I hope for your sake you've been taking memory supplements." He warned, and Leo could feel his hands shaking, but not wanting to let it show, he curled his hands into fists taking deep breaths.
"Excuse me." Piper chirped from next to him, making Leo jump slightly and look at her confused.
But she had a determined look on her face, as she stepped forward, brow pinched.
"You came early. Before the time that you said." She informed, but Benedict just raised an eyebrow amused.
"Yes…and what's it to ya sweetheart? You the time police?" He questioned with a tilt of his head, a amused smirk on his face.
"What's it to me? Well, despite your impatience. You are too late." At that he blinked confused.
"Late? For what?" He questioned, and it was her turn to smirk.
"Sane Snake Enterprises. That's your business yes? Your black market business?" That made the man frown before he took a breath and nodded.
"Yes. I don't see how that's relevant, but yes." A slow smile spread over her face.
"And your name is Benedict Naga. Yes? The man with five warrants out for his arrest?" Benedict was staring at her with a pinched brow now.
"Yes. Are you trying to threaten me young lady?" He asked carefully, and Piper just shrugged, clasping her hands before her.
"Maybe, I've never been very good at it. Despite how much mother said it was important." That made the drug lord raise an eyebrow.
"Your mother is a wise woman."
That made Piper smile, almost like she had won, which Leo did not understand.
"I know, that's why they call her Raimunda." At the name her voice hinted at an accent that had been watered down over time.
Leo was trying to mentally place the significance of the name. But he couldn't understand why Piper said it with a smile like that.
Or why Benedict went a shade paler and swallowed, looking suddenly uncomfortable.
"Raimunda is retired." He said resolutely, but Piper just kept smiling.
"Yes but mama still has a great influence does she not?" Then her smile dropped and she frowned. "And her name still provides protection does it not? These are my friends, and thus friends of my mother. If she were to hear about a slimy little snake creeping in and sticking his pointy little nose where it doesn't belong, what do you think she would do?" Benedict didn't respond, only swallowed, "now you are young, up and coming, we wouldn't want to mess up your reign now would we?" She smiled and Leo blinked as she then grabbed the lapels of Benedict's cardigan and straightened them, with a small and calm smile on her face. "Leo Byrd, all his coworkers and friends are under Raimunda's protection." She lifted her gaze from his shirt and up to him. "I'm afraid mister snake, that you have just arrived…a little late is all."
Everyone was quiet, tense, Benedict stared down at the young woman with a tense jaw. And she gazed up at him with a calm smile.
"Well, my biggest flaw has always been my tardiness, hasn't it?" The man explained, the tenseness in his posture disappearing. He sighed dramatically, "oh well. It's unfortunate I won't get those recipes, but I wouldn't want to displease Raimunda now would I?" He asked no one in particular.
But Piper answered anyways, "no, you wouldn't."
Benedict glanced at her a moment before then turning to Leo. "I hope that you will find it in your heart to one day hand them over. But I shall leave you be little fox." He gave a mock salute and walked by Enix, he smirked at him. "Keep at it guard doggy." And with that…
He left.
Quite a bit after the bell stopped chiming everyone stood there in silence.
Before finally…"…um…I have some questions…" Enix claimed.
Not even a few minutes later the original bots had returned to the main room and were lingering about. Enix had updated them on what happened. Leo was now sitting at a table slouched over.
All eyes were on Piper as she leaned back against the stage with a breath.
"My mother's name is Alejandra Reyes. She…well her late husband was a crime boss? Drug lord? I'm not sure exactly what he did. But he was killed…and she took over. She is retired now, but she still has influence." Piper shrugged, before pulling at her hair a bit with a breath. "I don't like throwing her name around, it stirs up trouble, but I didn't see an alternative…especially with him showing up unexpectedly." She explained, and there was silence for a moment.
"That's…oddly convenient…" Leo finally muttered, but with his gaze still on the table. "You show up around the same time Benedict did and solve a crisis we didn't have a solution for. One that Benedict caused in the first place." He turned his head and gazed at her, "how do we know this isn't some elaborate scheme?"
"Someone has gotten more suspicious." William muttered with a smirk, Leo glanced at him briefly and bit back a look before taking a breath and turning to Piper.
"I don't mean to be rude…and if you are being honest and this is just a coincidence I'm grateful for what you did. But I'm not going to be caught unawares again." At the last bit he glanced at William who just smirked at him amused.
Swallowing, Leo turned back to Piper, who took a soft breath before coming over and pulling up a seat across from him.
"Well, for as much as my word is worth, I'm not working with Benedict. My mother would have my hide if I ever got involved with that snake. However, the story of how I was hired is a bit…fussier. Remington didn't seek me out, my mother told me to come here, it was a happy accident that I ended up running into your boss. He was on his way to find a musician to rework the songs and everything…I told him that I was a musician from the big city…which is a bit of a stretch. I preformed a few times in my home town…but nothing that was note worthy." She explained, and Enix, who was now leaning against the chair that Leo sat in raised an eyebrow.
"But why lie? Fazbear's isn't exactly Broadway." At that she let out a breath.
"…because mother said I needed to work at Fazbear's."
"Why on earth would she want you working here?" Jamie asked incredulously.
Piper paused, wetting her lips as she took a soft breath, "cause she heard that Fox had resurfaced." At the name drop Leo couldn't help but scowl.
His other half wasn't subtle at all, was he?
"No. That he is not." But Leo decided that the comment wasn't worth his acknowledgment.
"…so why did she feel the need to send you here?" Enix asked after a moment, eyeing her carefully.
Piper lifted her gaze and raised an eyebrow, "I'm not here to kill him, and I have no interest in obtaining drug recipes." She stole a breath and turned to Leo. "She wanted to see how you were doing…after getting you out of jail and all." At that Leo couldn't help but blink, eyes widening and brow furrowing.
"What?" He had known someone had posted bail…he had assumed it was some charity or something.
Idly, part of him had hoped it was his forgotten parents.
Though he had never stuck around long enough to find out.
"She actually sent someone to pick you up and bring you to her place. She…has a soft spot for people forced into bad situations." That was said with a small breath and an odd look in Piper's eye, but before Leo could inquire more about it, she looked up at him and continued. "But by time my brother got there…you were already gone."
Leo sat there, brow furrowed deeply, a mixture of feelings stirring within him.
Part of him spat and swore she was lying, that part still stung bitterly with the betrayal of the specter that stood not three feet from him.
Another part of him was just…confused.
He felt like he should know something, that there was something within the locked vault of his memories that should tell him why this retired crime lord cared so much about him.
But of course.
There was nothing there.
"Okay…so…say we believe you. What is it that you want now? Are you going to return to your mother? Give a status report?" Enix asked, watching her from behind Leo.
Piper lifted her gaze, "well…I don't really want anything." Her eyes fell to Leo, and the man could only meet her gaze briefly before he had to look someplace else.
Why'd they look so…soft? Kind?
It felt weird.
"But…if there was something I wanted…" she lifted her gaze to Enix again, allowing Leo to lift his to her. "…I just want to help, I suppose. I mean, I was hired to do the music right? I still have a job to do." She then turned to Leo who tensed as he was caught staring at her, but she didn't seem to care if she noticed. "I still want to work here…I want to help out. If you'll let me."
It took Leo a moment to realize she was asking him.
When he did, he blinked several times, glanced back at Enix and gave an uncertain little shrug. "I…I've got no objections."
The taller man shrugged as well. "As long as you don't cause any problems."
At that Piper smiled, and Leo couldn't help but note how bright and happy she looked, the smile lit up her whole face.
He wasn't sure he'd ever met someone who smiled that bright before.
"Thank you, and I won't be a problem. I swear." She got up and took a breath, glancing at everyone in the room. Before landing on Leo and then lifting to the others again. "I hope there won't be any more attempts made to traumatize anyone." She claimed, the smile disappearing. "I don't care what the circumstances are. There is always another way." Then after waiting a moment she turned to Leo. "Oh, and Leo?" He glanced up at his name, "don't let anyone push you into something you don't want, no matter what happened in the past."
Those soft amber eyes gazed at him with an earnestness that made his stomach twist up all funny.
His mouth was mysteriously dry, but he did manage to get out, "I…I won't." She smiled again and nodded.
"Good." She turned to Enix, "I'll be in the office working on the music." Then without another word she left the room.
Leo couldn't help but watch her go, brow pinched as he tried to discern why he wanted to follow after her.
"Um….Leo…" Enix started, and Leo jumped a bit before looking up at his coworker and straightening.
"Yeah?"
Enix took a breath and pulled out a chair sitting next to him. He was gazing down, his hands clasped. He looked…ashamed. "I'm sorry. I…shouldn't have let the plan go through." He paused, taking a hard breath, "I don't understand all of what you went through…but it's obvious that it affected you…and I should've acknowledged that."
Leo stared at him wide eyed before swallowing and turning a bit toward him, "Enix, it's alright…I agreed to the plan…and all of what happened to me, it was my own fault, not your-"
"No Leo, I'm well aware that I had my own part into pushing you toward William as well as the bots." Enix finally lifted his gaze, and despite how it made Leo fidget, he got the feeling that he shouldn't look away this time. "I don't think you are a useless druggie…and I never wanted to make you feel like that." Leo swallowed, and was relieved when Enix broke eye contact first, "ma always told me never to speak in anger…and I did. And I've done it a lot around you." But his words prompted Leo to sit more forward in his seat, brow pinched.
"Enix." The man raised his gaze and Leo stole a breath, casting his down. "I…I haven't been the easiest guy to be around. I'm…not the easiest guy to be around. And sure, yeah, you guys messed up, but so did I." He glanced behind him at the ever observant specter. "In many ways." Turning back to Enix he shifted in his seat. "You've always been good to me." That made the blue haired man give a smile.
"So…are we good then?" Leo let out a breath and nodded with a small smile.
"Yeah, we're good."
Over the next few weeks, Piper continued to show, with consistency that wasn't required for a job like hers. Her presence however started to become a consistency within the pizzeria. Leo slowly found himself getting back into the swing of things. Dealing with people was never fun, and with the snarky shoulder devil always on his shoulder. His temper was tested more then he'd like.
The bots were still all separated, and often it was either Jamie or Enix who would look after the originals. And Leo was usually required to try and manage the children on stage.
It was…difficult.
Suzie more often than not would have to be talked down from a tantrum when she wasn't allowed to go play with the other kids. Gabriel was the most temperamental of the bunch. If things didn't go the way he liked them, he would have to go back stage where he would have a tantrum. He could hardly be prevented from one.
Jeremy was the shiest, and it was the most difficult to get him to preform. They had to reduce the lines that Bonnie normally got, and had to have a track playing instead of the guitar being strummed by him.
Now out of all of them, Fritz was the most well adjusted, he loved playing with the kids, and he loved that he got his own area to play in. So long as he got time with Enix, he was happy.
Leo wished he worked with Fritz.
It was after a long day of three tantrums and a breakdown from Jeremy that Leo found himself slumped over a table, his body achy and his head thrumming with anger and pain. It had not been a fun day, the children were rowdy and the adults were difficult.
And of course, William had been no help.
It was difficult to approach and deal with the ghost children, they could sense William, and Leo knew that. Luckily they couldn't see him…but they knew he was there. Leo could never get too close to the likes of Gabriel lest he risk getting hit.
Yup, it was fun working at Fazbear's.
The originals?
Leo honestly avoided them, he knew he shouldn't…but he did. Despite how much he tried to look past their appearance, he couldn't help it.
"Leo." Enix's voice made him look up, the taller man offered a smile before taking a breath. "Colt is coming by for a maintenance check, I didn't know if you wanted to step out…the toys and kids get tense when he checks on them."
Leo probably should've said, no he'll stay, help out Enix and such.
But he was ***king tired and did not have the patience to deal with more animatronic drama.
So, he got up and took a breath, "okay…thanks for the heads up. I'll be in the office." Then without waiting for another word, he headed into the office. Eyes drooping with exhaustion.
However, just as he was about to enter, he stopped at the doorway with a frown.
"When did you come in?" The question left his mouth before he had time to register it.
Piper looked up from where she had been scribbling things down, a set of headphones on her ears.
She lifted one of the muffs off and blinked, "oh hey Leo." She greeted with a smile, he swallowed, avoiding her direct gaze.
"Hey…uh, when did you get in?" He repeated, in a less abrupt way when he realized she hadn't heard his initial question.
She blinked and then it dawned, "oh, yeah, uh, I got in an hour or so ago. When…well when Jeremy was having a breakdown." She admitted, "sorry, I just was hit with inspiration." She paused before grabbing her notebooks and standing, "I can go if you'd like to be in here-"
"No…no, no, it's fine. You can stay." He shuffled a bit, "if you don't mind company that is." His voice trailed off toward the end as his eyes dropped to the ground.
Why was he so sheepish?
"Bots giving you trouble?" She asked, already getting up, he lifted his gaze blinking.
"No, no it's okay, no…I just…I'm just tired is all." He let out a breath as she nodded, sitting down again. "I won't bother you, promise." He slid down the wall till he was sitting on the ground. With a breath he rested his head against the doorframe behind him.
Piper nodded and turned back to her work…only to pause, bite the end of her pencil and turn to him again.
"Actually…if it's not a bother I was wondering if you could help me."
Leo turned his gaze to her and raised an eyebrow, "I'm not much of a music guy." But she just smiled and got up from her chair and came over, sitting down next to him cross legged.
"Well, don't worry, you won't need a musical ear for this." She turned to her notes, before scooting closer to him and pointing to something on the notebook. After a moment of blinking at how close she was now sitting, he turned his attention to it as well.
"You know the bots and brand better than I. Do you think these lyrics work?" She asked, lifting her gaze to him, but he was reading over the lines.
After a moment of reading he shrugged, "they sound good to me, the only thing I'd say is to add the slogan in." He advised lifting his gaze to her, her brow pinched as she thought before she tilted her head.
"There's a slogan?"
"Yeah, something along the lines of 'Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria, where fantasy and fun come to life.'" He recited, and then turned to her, "you don't have to, but the kids always get a kick out of that line."
Piper tilted her head, eyes lifted as she mouthed the slogan a moment or two before nodding, "yeah, I think I can make it work." She flashed him a smile before turning to her notebook and scribbling more things down.
Nodding to himself, Leo let out a breath and rested his head against the wall expecting her to get up and go back to the desk.
So he was surprised when she lightly tapped his shoulder, and it was only then when he realized he had started dozing off.
Blinking, he sat up more and let out a breath, "sorry…you need more help?"
But at his question she smiled softly and shook her head, "no, nothing like that. I was…I was just wondering…" she paused and looked away pursing her lips. "Well, I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to help you guys." She turned back to him. "I mean, not a lot of people know about the whole sentient bot stuff right? So…since I do know, I wanted to know if you needed any more help. Like, I can come in more if there's anything you need." She turned back to him and gave a small soft smile. "I just…you guys seem really tired."
Leo blinked and shifted before taking a breath, "uh…I mean, we always could use more help, I just don't know if you'd get paid for extra work-"
"I don't mind. I'm staying with one of my cousins, and what Alder's paying me is more than enough for everything else." She interjected swiftly, he blinked at her before taking a breath and giving another shrug.
"Well, uh, how are you with kids?"
Should he let her be around the ghost children? Would that be okay?
He really shouldn't should he?
"Kids? Yeah, I'm great with kids." She paused, "…are you referring to the guests? Or more permanent residents?" She asked the last question in a hushed voice, leaning in and down like it was a big secret.
He couldn't help but smile slightly at the action before letting it fall and clearing his throat. "Well…I mean, either I suppose. The guests are certainly less…volatile."
"But the guests don't need nearly as much tending to as our residents…do they?" She asked, sitting up again.
"Well…no, they don't. But there is also a much…much slimmer chance that the guests will try and kill you."
"The last thing we'd want to do is upset the woman who posted your bail by letting her daughter get harmed." William muttered from the hallway, he glanced at him and bristled a bit at the 'we'.
Piper seemed to catch his gaze, as she looked over her shoulder before turning to him, "is…he over there?" She asked quietly, his eyes flickered back to her and he opened his mouth to fib, say it was a shadow that tricked him.
But one glance at those ***n earnest and kind eyes and he faltered before taking a breath and looking at the office chair instead of her. "He's always there." That was more so muttered then anything.
Piper was quiet a moment, "…is he…I mean…does he…" at her hesitance he glanced at her as she tried to find the right words. "…if he tells you things Leo…like, if he says that everyone is against you…and that he is the only one who is on your side…he's lying. Okay? Don't listen to him." She claimed, and Leo let out a breath.
"It's mostly just snide comments and insults."
He wasn't sure why he was telling her this. He hadn't even brought up William to Enix unless the man directly asked about him. Even then he only gave vague details.
"Well then don't listen to him all the more." Piper claimed, cutting off his thoughts. He lifted his gaze to her before dropping it again.
"It's not like he's wrong-"
"No." Leo jumped, but it wasn't the word, it was when she put a hand over his that rested on the ground.
He blinked looking down before up at her again, she had a determined look in her amber eyes. "No. He is wrong. He is a insecure idiot who feels the need to be more powerful then those around him. And the only way he knows how to do it is to demean, hurt, or kill those around him." She said firmly, and Leo glanced up at William only to find him glaring.
"Idiot? The only idiot I see here is this Pom Pom haired brat with too much ego up her **s." William growled, and Leo blinked before bristling.
"Hey! Don't call her that!" He retorted with a frown, and William turned to him, narrowing his purple eyes.
"I can call the ****h whatever the ***l I want, what exactly can you do about it?" He challenged, and then smirked, "you gonna cry about it? Run to your coworkers and beg like the pathetic little man you are?" Leo flinched but grit his teeth, eyes narrowed, he hardly noticed Piper as she glanced between him and where he was staring. "If I forcefully took over right now and strangled the ****h where she sat, what could you actually do? Curl up and cry about it?" He taunted, and Leo swallowed suddenly feeling smaller.
"Shut up…I don't cry about everything." That was muttered, and his face turned red as William laughed.
"Leo? Leo whatever he's saying don't listen to him." Piper ordered, but he couldn't fully register what she was saying as William stepped closer, and his eyes started to glow.
Realizing what that meant, Leo scrambled up and away from Piper. She blinked and got up as well to come over but he held up a hand.
"No! He….he can sometimes control my arms!" He barked, pressing back against the wall. Piper paused but stayed where she was.
"Leo, this is your body. He only has as much control as you allow him. If he makes you think he can control you, he will be able to…because you believe he can." She explained taking a small step forward. William just laughed.
"What does she know? I don't see any restless souls in her." He eyed her up and down and pulled a face, "don't see much of anything really." Then he lifted a hand and smirked at Leo, eyes glowing again. The guard shook his head pressing against the wall.
"No…no, I can't stop him…I can't…I can't do anything I…" he stammered, his left hand lifting of it's own volition.
Or rather, William's.
He grabbed it with his right and tried to pull it down gritting his teeth.
"First, I'll kill this ****h, then I'll go stab that ***king blue haired doofus until his own mother doesn't recognize him." William threatened with a chuckle, "and what will you do? Cry? Plead? Beg for my mercy?" He continued to taunt, and Leo took in sharp and heavy breaths, struggling against his own arm.
Piper tried to approach but he lifted his gaze, "no! Stay back!" He ordered, "I can't stop him! I…I can't…I can't…"
"Yes you can." Piper said, grasping his rebellious left arm with him.
He lifted his gaze to her panting hard. "This is your body. He is only allowed to do as much as you allow him." She clasped his left hand in both of hers looking at him earnestly. "So don't let him."
He stared up at her, not realizing he was trembling until his knees shook under him. "I…I can'-"
"Can." She insisted, squeezing his hand, "say it with me. I can stop him. This is my body….not his." But Leo just swallowed.
"Piper-" Then he tensed as without his consent, his hand grasped one of hers and started to squeeze, digging his nails into her arms...a trickle of blood wound itself down her arm. He inhaled sharply at the sight pulling at his arm more.
Piper took deeper breaths but was otherwise unaffected.
"Say it with me." She ordered, and Leo wet his lips nervously before shakily nodding.
"Okay, okay, I'll try…"
Piper nodded and took a breath, "I can stop him. This is my body….not his."
"…this is my body…not his…" he finished a little after her. Swallowing again, but tensing more when William chuckled.
"Really? You think that will work?" He then squeezed his hand harder and Leo's reflected that. Piper inhaled a bit but nothing more, despite more trails of blood trickling down her arm and dropping to the ground.
Leo however struggled with his hand harder now. "Piper you have to go he said he was going to-"
"No. Stop. We're not focusing on that. Because he can't do that." She insisted, and Leo made a small noise of frustration.
"There's no way for me to stop him…" he whispered before grunting as he gripped his wrist tighter.
Piper went silent a moment before taking a soft breath. "I know your last name."
That brought everything to a full stop as Leo blinked looking down at her.
"You….what?"
She gazed at him firmly, "I know your last name and the names of your parents." Leo blinked, staring at her, a mixture of feelings surging in him.
"W…what….what is it…?" He whispered, sure why he wanted to know...but he...he...needed to know...
She gave his hand another small squeeze, "Leo Vega Silveira." She took a small breath, "you're a first generation American. Your parents are immigrants from Cuba."
Leo stood frozen at the name and information.
"You're mother's name is Neoma, you're father's name is Julio." Then she smiled gently, taking his hand again, "and look at that, he isn't controlling you anymore." At her words, his eyes fell to his left hand, which he moved and flexed of his own volition.
Lifting his eyes he found William gazing at him darkly eyes glowing, "I will kill them. And you will not be able to stop me then." And then, before Leo could get in a word, William vanished from his sight. He blinked looking around confused and was unable to help but feel nervous.
"Leo?" Piper asked, and he swallowed.
"He vanished." At that she lit up.
"That's good right?"
Leo however swallowed and wet his lips nervously, "…I don't know." His eyes fell to the small cuts in her arm where his nails had pierced her, his stomach did a wallop and he inhaled shakily, gently taking her arm in his hands.
"Leo...it's okay, it doesn't hurt that bad." Piper claimed offering a soft smile, Leo swallowed William's threats bouncing around in his head.
"...this time." That was whispered, and before she could respond, he looked around before taking a breath. "There is some bandages in parts and service. Lets get that fixed up." He turned and started toward the door, only to stop when his hand was grabbed.
It was then that he realized his hands were shaking.
He lifted his gaze to Piper, who gazed at him with those ***n too earnest eyes, "Leo...remember. You can stop him. He only controls you as much as you let him." She explained gently, Leo however took a deep and shaky breath eyes dropping to the ground.
"...yeah. For now."
So woo for long chapter! And lots happened in it.
What do you think of Piper? Her interactions with Leo? What of William? Do you think his threats hold any merit to them? Do you think Leo will be able to stop him?
I'd love to hear what you think!