AN: Insidious has 100 reviews! Yay! As a reward, I'm posting what I can! Yay!
IN
IN
IN
Sora and Kalos were the only ones that noticed Leon's hands fisting. He managed to cover it up with the sudden action of standing up from the pillar.
"I have no desire to be in it, that's all."
Layla crossed her arms as she held a superior pose, "Your decision wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you have made so many enemies in France, would it?" With a pseudo tilt of her head in thought, she amended, "Europe in general."
Leon noted the wide brown eyes staring at him from a little ways behind and to the side of Layla. He wondered how bad the damage would be after all of this…
"I saw your name on the roster three years ago," Layla ruthlessly pushed, "You and your partner never showed up."
Leon's eyes were frosted as he looked over at Layla. "I'm surprised you bothered to remember something so insignificant," he bit out.
The barest trace of confusion flitted through Layla's eyes at the man's tone, but it was quickly pushed aside in favor of getting him to participate.
"Don't you want to redeem yourself? Wouldn't another chance cover over the blemish of your previous 'no show' score at the festival?" Layla then remembered something, some statement her partner made years ago during the festival. "Many people had been looking forward to competing against you; Yuri included."
That final sentence brought out a severe reaction.
"Do not speak of Yuri Killian" Leon seethed, spitting out the man's name like it was poison in his drink "unless you want to make an enemy of me."
His words stilled Sora.
"I highly doubt that you'd notice another enemy, what with all the careers you've ended." Layla's blue eyes were sharp. "Many on the festival committee hate you because of that."
Ended… Sora's hands trembled a little.
"That festival had been my duel with fate," Layla said with conviction, "and you…you ran away from yours before it could truly begin."
Leon's eyes were slated stone. "Your ignorance is appalling," he murmured.
He walked over to the door of Kalos' office and opened it. "If you want representatives there so badly, fine." He continued talking with his back to the room, "Whoever wants to go better be prepared to face me."
With those words, he walked out and shut the door behind him.
IN
Sora was off her game at the pizzeria.
She was crouched down, picking up the pieces of the plate that had broken. The discussion about the festival and Leon's past distracted her, making her wonder about many aspects of what she had heard. Enemies, careers ended, facing Leon…
Should I be afraid of Leon?
Her hand trembled a little, answering the question for her.
IN
She sat on the bench of the bus stop, not surprised that Leon had not shown up at the pizzeria like usual. She zipped up her jacket even more as the night air made her shiver.
"Would you like a ride?"
She started and turned around to see Leon behind the bench.
That's the first time he's asked me if I want a ride.
Lately, he was asking her a lot of things rather than assuming she'd come or answer in the positive.
"…Ok."
IN
The car was silent.
Sora had many things she wanted to ask and many things she was afraid of finding out the truth about. She looked at him from the corner of her eye and she couldn't help but think of how she'd seen him laugh, tease her, make love to her, and even his sleepy expression in the mornings.
She was having trouble reconciling those moments with his stony expression in the Boss' office.
"…Do you really have a lot of enemies?"
"Yes."
She played with her bag's strap. "Layla wants me to try for the festival," she softly said, "she didn't outright say it, but…" She helplessly shrugged. "Before she left the stage, she asked me to be her dream, become the star she always wanted to be."
Leon parked the car and then turned to her.
"I stand by my statement," he quietly said.
She knew which one he meant and she found no comfort in it.
IN
IN
IN