A/N: I bet you all were expecting Sawatari's chapter now, but nope! His is next chapter.
…Why is Leo getting a chapter, you might ask? It's not because I'm trying to pad out the amount of time I have before I have to write Reiji's chapter. Nope. Not at all. It has to do with what I have planned for both Sawatari's and Reiji's respective chapters. Also because the way Reiji saved Leo in the actual anime just… bothers me for some reason, I guess.
This was, interesting to write, to say the least.
You have been warned.
Akaba Leo has been more than willing to throw down his life if it meant stopping Zarc. Despite what his son said, Leo still believes—still knows—that the creation of the Supreme King Dragon is his own fault. Since he'd gotten the four cards back, he certainly hadn't been planning on doing that, though. Especially not meaninglessly; the cards are in his Graveyard now, destroyed by one of Zarc's cards. Every last part of his plan, and it's a failure in the end. He didn't even get to see Ray.
He is numb while he's flung through the air by Zarc's card. Was there a point in any of this? He should have known that the same plan wouldn't work twice. He should have known that Zarc would have a way to get rid of the cards that had split him apart last time. But he'd blinded himself with the idea of getting Ray back, and now he's paying the price.
When he hits the brick barrier of a nearby castle wall, he hears the sound of bones cracking, and by all rights he should be dead or unconscious from an impact that hard, but he's not. Everything hurts beyond imagine, but he's still awake, still fully conscious for the moment that gravity decides that he's not stuck to the wall and begins to fall…
…until someone catches him by wrapping one arm under and around his elbow. He's absolutely stunned that anyone is trying to save him, even more so that it's his son. After everything he's done to Reiji, and to Himika, Reiji's still trying to save his life. Leo looks up and sees the strain on his son's face. "Reiji… why?"
His son flinches and the hand he has on the wall slips. The sudden drop makes Leo's heart leap into his throat, but Reiji immediately catches him again, this time gripping his forearm tightly with both of his hands. "…Why?" Reiji repeats. He looks away. "Because… even after everything you've done… even though I have every right to hate you… you're still my father. I cannot and will not let my resentment stop me from saving you. So please, give me your other hand!"
…
…
…You really, you really haven't changed, Reiji…
…
…
Leo smiles sadly and shakes his head. He knows, by the fact that he can barely feel his fingers much less his arm, that even if he does manage to move it up, it isn't going to change the fact that Reiji can't pull him up. He can already feel himself slipping, and his son just isn't quite strong enough.
"Please Father! I don't want to lose you!"
…
…
("I don't want to lose my father!")
…
…
He sees the same desperation in his son's eyes that he'd seen in Ray's when she stole the four cards.
It hurts almost more than when he'd lost her.
He has no right to care about his son, not after abandoning him and Himika all those years ago, but he still remembers, he remembers the time before he'd gotten his memories of the United World back. He remembers Reiji's innocent smile when he'd defeated Leo in a Duel for the very first time. He remembers how proud he'd been when Reiji took an interest in his work, how Himika scolded him for keeping Reiji up for hours on end showing their son all sorts of things to do with the Leo Corporation. It had been, simpler then.
…
…
…It's far too late for regrets. I made my choice, I chose Ray. Ray, not Reiji…
…
…
He knows he's going to die soon; if it's not the fall, then it will be to his injuries from hitting the wall, for the pain is finally setting in and his entire torso is burning. There's still so much he wants to—has to—say, and not enough time for it all. "Reiji—"
"Don't you dare start," Reiji hisses through closed teeth, cutting off any last words his father was trying to say. "You're not going to die here, just help me—!"
The castle shakes violently, so bad it tilts, from Zarc deciding to blast the base of the hovering island. Reiji has to use one arm to grip the wall in order to keep himself from falling over. The movement jerks Leo farther away from his son, who is now struggling with every ounce of his strength to not let go.
"Ngh… Father…!"
A single tear slides down Leo's cheek.
He looks up at his son again and wishes for all the time in the world to say what he needs to. But he knows it's a fruitless wish, so instead he chooses to say…
"I believe in you, Reiji. Don't lose."
His arm slips out of Reiji's grasp.
A/N: Somehow, this is the longest chapter of this story so far. Okay then.
See you next time for Sawatari.
(I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V. I would've totally given Leo and Zarc more screen time, and given them their proper tragic villain treatment instead of what the anime did.)