Chapter 10 : Hana-A Place to Call His Own

Minus 3 years

Light flickered in the room as he cupped a small flame on the candle he was holding, before looking around and sighing. He shivered as cold air burst in from the broken windows. He pulled the sweatshirt he was wearing more tightly, shivering and coughing slightly.

"Its not much, but…I guess…its….mine…my…home…" he trailed off as tears suddenly poured down his cheeks.

Choking back sobs, he curled into a corner and wept until the candle was blown out and then he sat in the dark and dwelled on memories of what he had lost. As he did he clutched a picture in one clenched fist.

He fell asleep curled into corner and woke to the first rays of light on his face, he jerked awake and rubbed his eyes.

He staggered to his feet and stumbled toward the patched together bag he had left by the doorway last night and hastily changed out of his sweat shirt and jeans before pulling on dress slacks and I white dress shirt that covered all the scars on his arms. He struggled to smooth out the wrinkles and put the tie on, hands shaking as he frantically got ready. The black, worn out, leather dress shoes in the bag were dragged out and replaced the former battered tennis shoes he'd been wearing prior.

After stuffing everything into his bag and hiding it in a crack in the wall he scrambled out of the run down building and down the lane.

He darted into the kitchen of a small restaurant and clocked in just in time. His boss cleared his throat as Leo froze before turning around.

He flinched under the accusatory glare.

"This is the fifth time this week you've either been late or have been scrambling in here. Now tell me, what is going on? Leon you've worked here for almost a full year and suddenly we're having issues what's going on?" the man said firmly.

Leon bowed his head.

"I…I don't have an excuse sir," Leon mumbled.

The man frowned, before eyeing the mutant's skinny frame and haggard appearance. His gaze softened and he sighed.

"When was the last time you ate kid? Or slept for that matter?" the man asked.

Leon swallowed.

"Last night," he managed.

"I meant decent sleep and a decent meal," his boss said firmly.

Leon shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting past his boss toward the others in the kitchen, who despite their busy appearance were listening closely.

"I…I don't sir," Leon mumbled.

A pan crashed to the ground as a young woman gasped, turning to look at Leon. Nobody moved for a few minutes. The shocked silence was broken by Leo suddenly covering his mouth to cough and then freezing, before recovering and not making eye contact with anyone.

"Leon?" a mutant girl asked.

"I'm fine," he mumbled softly, "I really should start working sir…I'm on the clock and I don't want to waste your money sir."

His voice trembled as he finished speaking.

"Enough with the sir, Its Rich, and you nor anyone in this building are a waste of my money. I'll tell you when you can work the front. Right now you're eating a decent breakfast, on me. Kale! Whip something up!" Rich ordered before walking away leaving Leon standing by the punch cards.

Leon seemed to shrink in on himself as the mutant girl who had gotten his attention earlier walked up to him.

"You ok?" she whispered, touching his arm.

He flinched, jumping nearly a foot off the ground.

"Yeah," he mumbled, looking around him slowly.

He seemed weary, whole frame sagging.

She placed a calming hand on his shoulder. She was a koi fish of all things, or had been. For some reason her mutation allowed her to merge her feet into a tail and fins or split into legs to be on land. She had waist length pure white hair, with a burst of gold on part of her bangs. Her skin was pure white, shapely, but not overly so. Her hands and feet were "booted" and "gloved" in gold and black.

"I'm fine really Hana," he mumbled, eyes darting away.

"Where'd you sleep last night?" she asked.

She knew he didn't have any place to stay and often slept on doorsteps or in back alley's bathing in the river when he could and spending most of his money of what food he could get and to wash his work clothes.

"I moved into my new place," he mumbled.

Her eyes brightened.

"Oh Leon that's great!" she whispered, "Where is it? We'll have a party."

Leon seemed to flinch slightly.

"Leon?" she whispered.

He wouldn't make eye contact with her.

"Leon? Where are you staying?" she hissed, grabbing his arm.

He cringed, jerking back as if he thought she was going to strike him. Hana froze in shock. She'd never seen anyone react so obviously to the possibility of physical attack. He was shaking and pale.

"Leon?" she murmured, reaching forward and soothing his trembling frame with a gentle hand on his arm.

"I'm squatting in an abandoned warehouse off of fifth avenue," Leo managed.

Hana's shoulders dropped sadly.

"Oh Leon…what about your checks?" she whispered.

Leon dropped his gaze before gripping his arm and bowing his head.

Hana frowned before slapping him sharply, before jerking his face up to look at her.

"You swore…you swore you stopped," she hissed.

He choked back a sob and pulled away as Kale walked up with a plate of food. If anyone had noticed the exchange no one said anything.

"I'm sorry Hana," Leon managed, "It just…it helps…being alone."

He pushed past with the plate of food and squatted in a corner before proceeding to eat as much as he dared with his shriveled stomach.

Hana sighed before walking over and crouching next to him and lifting his face to hers.

"Its ok, I'm sorry…I just want to see you healthy and happy," she managed.

Leon leaned against her shoulder and nodded.

"I know," he mumbled.

Six months later

Leon clocked in and paused as he saw Hana watching him, he ducked his head and slipped by her.

Hana smiled as he slipped past. He'd gained weight, started stashing his money for an apartment and had been clean for four months now. It had been a rough ride but she'd helped him through it and tonight, he'd been staying the night in a real home rather than the warehouse he'd been squatting in for the past few months. His cough hadn't quite gone way but she hoped that after he got to stay in a warm apartment at night his health would continue to improve.

He was skittish about physical contact and she had to remind herself not to scare him. She knew bits and pieces of his past, but nothing in conclusive. She knew at least that he'd been beaten and nearly killed multiple times during the five years he'd been in jail and he'd began to associate physical contact with pain.

Knives scared the hell out of him. They all knew that, after he'd been cornered by an angry Anti-Mutant customer with a steak knife. After Rich had thrown the man out they had found Leon hyperventilating in the pantry back in the kitchen.

But now he was adjusting to her gentle touches meant for comfort.

End of the shift

Hana laughed as Leon stumbled out the back door of the kitchen and followed her toward the bus stop. He was skittish as they passed by dark allies and continued to twitch nervously as they waited.

"You ok?" she laughed.

"Yeah, just…don't like the dark much," he whispered, his gaze kept flicking upward, toward the tops of buildings.

She raised an eyebrow but shook her head and took his hand. He flashed her a weak smile.

"Sorry," he mumbled as the bus pulled up.

As they got off the bus roughly ten minutes later Leon paused at the sight of the rundown apartment building he was now a resident of before walking forward and carefully pulling his key out of his pocket and fumbling with it as they climbed the stairs.

Hana stepped back once he opened the door of A505 and stepped inside. It was a small, one room apartment that needed a great deal of TLC but had potential.

Leon turned and smiled weakly.

She nodded.

"Welcome home," she whispered.

"Thank…you…for caring…" he whispered.

"What are friends for?" she replied with a smile.

A/N: Sorry I broke my promise! ACK I blame finals and final projects and such. Well here ya go and hopefully I'll be able to get another chapter up tonight or tomorrow.