Upon seeing Anne once again gush about Sprig and Ivy's relationship, Leo makes it his goal to find out what exactly love is, wondering if it is something he can even feel, turning to the only frog he thinks can help him.
...
...
It was another bustling day in Newtopia.
Marcy and Andrias had relayed to them that they were still researching what they could about the music box, so they'd decided to once again wander through the streets of Newtopia, there weren't any necessary plans, but with a royal credit card, there didn't need to be.
Despite finally getting out of both the hotel and castle, Leo still felt nervous, like it was something that was constantly looming over him, his stomach wasn't stirring but it didn't stop a chill from creeping down his back.
"Leo, stop lagging behind. Anne and Sprig are gonna get all of the good frog bites!" Polly had chosen to stay behind, struggling to hop with just her bucket.
"Right, I don't think that's what's lagging you behind..." Coming to his sense, Leo planted the pollywog on his shoulders, picking up the pace as he arrived with the others.
They had once again snagged the credit card Hop Pop had supposedly meant to be keeping an eye on, spending it to their heart's content whilst the older frog was completely none the wiser as he spent his time lounging about the hotel.
"Sprig you better get one for Ivy, trust me, girls love getting gifts from anyone not just their boyfriends.." Anne insisted, having already made the decision for him. Sprig took it trying to fight the urge to eat it.
'Won't this just go stale by the time we're back in Wartwood..'
"I mean...sure Ivy might appreciate it. But is it really that big of a deal Anne, it's not like your last advice about me and Ivy worked out.."
"Dude! How long are you going to hold that against me!? I almost got you killed by birds one time!" Anne argued, throwing her hands up in the air.
"...What?" Leo turned to Polly, looking for any kind of explanation.
Breaking the fourth wall, the tadpole stuffed her face with the frog bites already buying more without even realizing it, "Don't worry, it's not really relevant to the plot."
"Mm.." Leo droned, unfazed.
Sprig stashed the food away, for now, trying to ignore the smell, "How are you so confident in relationships Anne? As far as I know, you've none dated anyone back on earth, besides me and Ivy aren't the kind of couple that needs to buy things for each other.."
Unaware to them, Leo couldn't help but eavesdrop on them. Usually, he'd end up tuning out when it came to a conversation on love, it didn't really interest him, he knew why people got into a relationship, but at least he was somewhat confident he did.
But after seeing how much Sprig and Ivy got along as a couple as well as Hop Pop and Sylvia, it only got him more and more curious, to know why they did, what got them to see something else in someone to want to start something more with them.
For a single second, he snuck a glance at Anne, the idea wafted in his head for even less of that time. That wasn't something he felt at all, or even could to his knowledge.
Anne was the closest person to him, she was the first person he'd met in Amphibia and she'd let him stay with Sprig, Polly, and Hop Pop, he owed a lot to her, but he was sure that all he felt was appreciation and gratitude.
There was nothing more, he was like a robot. He could feel Sasha's petty comments from Toad Tower becoming more and more apparent to him like she'd picked him apart with ease even when it was their first meeting.
Admittedly he tried not to let everything she'd said get to him, after all that's what he'd said to Anne, that her words didn't matter, Sasha didn't understand him or even wanted to, yet everything she said stayed at the backlog of his thoughts.
Anne managed to pull him back out of his thoughts, much louder than she had been previously staring at Leo with a bright red face, looking plenty embarrassed.
Sprig seemed oddly pleased with himself smirking at both him and Anne, it was probably something he'd said, "Look, I may not know much about...dating. But that doesn't mean your any better, I've got to make sure my best friend isn't unknowingly ending his relationship with his childhood friend, do you have any idea how textbook that is!"
Leo, Polly, and Sprig just blinked, her words falling on deaf ears, "...Let's just get some more frog bites, Anne. Sorry, I didn't think you'd react like that."
Anne could only stay angry for a few moments, "J-Just hand me the card, and you better let me at least give you a few tips!"
"Well, I'm not staying around for this noise, Leo wanna steal the card and go brow...se."
Polly turned to look for the white-haired boy, but he had disappeared completely.
Leo had wandered off yet again, not purposely mind you, he just simply hadn't registered where he was going once he'd taken himself away from the stall Anne and the others were sitting at.
It gave him a chance to clear his head though, he felt as if he'd been needing to do that a lot lately. Part of him felt grateful that he had Sprig, Anne, Polly, and even Hop Pop to give him at least some comfort to it.
But there was simply too much that he felt overwhelmed by, that he just didn't understand.
Once again, sat on a top outside what seemed to be a fancy restaurant, Leo honestly wasn't sure all of the décor of Newtopia looked the same to him. There he saw a newt couple sharing a meal together, seeming more affectionate than what he'd seen before.
It was something he just didn't get. What was the point in all? He couldn't wrap around his head what it benefited...falling in love.
Was it to stay happy? He could maybe understand that, but he was happy now, with everything that had happened in the past months, he felt happy without the need for love.
People fell in love because they cared about one another and wanted to stay together, Leo had picked up the basics from the ramblings Anne had spouted off on her teen magazines whenever she could.
How could they though, what if it just ended, what if they just ended up more hurt than when they'd started?
There was so much he just didn't get.
Not keeping track of where he was going, he was completely unaware that he was about to walk right off the dock he'd seemingly strolled into.
"Leo what the heck are you doin'!?" It was Hop Pop, pulling him back from nearly plummeting into the water below, "You were so lost in thought I barely recognized yah.."
"Sorry...I was just thinking," Leo said distantly, he felt like he didn't belong, that he yet again wasn't like everyone else.
Hop Pop could see painted clearly across his face, it was plain as day, "Yah wanna talk about it, sometimes it's best to get these things off your chest," The old frog suggested, hearing Leo exhale deeply.
"Hop Pop, you love Sylvia...don't you?" Leo questioned, almost slapping Hop Pop right in the face it came so far out of the left field.
He'd expect this much from Anne, maybe even Sprig, but he'd never think he'd see the day when Leo was asking such a question, his thought was racing especially after he recalled what Anne had accidentally spilled about her own feelings.
"W-Why do you wanna know?" He stammered.
"It's just recently...I've been thinking. What the point of love is?"
"Oh...so that's it," Hop Pop murmured trying not to sound too disappointed, he'd expected a little more, but then again it was Leo.
"What did you expect?" The red-eyed boy questioned, once again catching himself staring at the newts passing by, getting most of them to quicken their pace past him, a fearful look on their faces.
"No, don't worry about it. I never would've thought that you would be asking something like this.."
Leo silently agreed, he wasn't even sure if asking Hop Pop was the right thing to do, he wasn't exactly the type of frog you could get advice from.
Yet again, it was the best he had right now, asking Anne seemed...awkward.
He hadn't realized that Hop Pop was still talking, "If you want to understand love Leo it all comes down to feelings!" The orange frog was already giving a horrible answer to his question.
"That's not an answer. I just don't get it; I can see why two people would get together, but I just don't see the point in love.."
Actually, taking a moment to think, an idea popped into Hop Pop's head, "I don't have much of an idea, at least not one that would help you, Leo, I feel like anything I try you'll just brush off, and ignore so..."
Without so much as a warning or a clean cut to the next scene, Leo was suddenly thrown into the midst of what looked like an utter horror show.
"Speed dating? As inexperienced as I am Hop Pop, this seems a tad too far," Leo glanced to the frog, now on the other side of the room trying to turn away from the elderly newts and even some frogs trying to make conversation with him.
Trotting his way over, a tired look glazed over his face Leo pulled him away dragging him by the ascot, "As I said, I asked you for your help because I don't know anything, but getting me to do this," Disgusted, Leo gestured to the scene ahead of him, "..Seems a bit ethically and morally wrong."
"Oh, get your mind out of whatever deep and dingy gutter it's in, I brought you here to show you different kinds of affection, some people meet the loves of their lives here!"
Admittedly, it did look cheery, everyone was talking amongst themselves before immediately switching to someone else, having just as much enjoyment.
It at least made a little sense.
Leo brushed off the slight nerves that were jittering up his back and sat at the first table. As he'd expected, pretty much everyone was put off by his face opting to sit anywhere else.
It was typical, and something he'd honestly grown sick of.
Eventually, though, an elderly newt sat across from them, wearing glasses that were bigger than her own head, it was clear to him that she was blind. A moment passed before she spoke up, "You don't say much do yah?"
Leo blinked, unsure of what he was supposed to say choked on his world a little, "I just wasn't expecting someone to talk to me, I creep out everyone due to how a look.." He said a little frustrated, it hadn't changed one bit since he'd come to Newtopia.
"Whelp I can't see a thing so you're in luck, although to give every newt and frog in this room a freight, you must be something else!" The newt laughed.
"I guess, I can't help but feel annoyed though, that nothings gonna change.."
"Oh, don't be bothered by them, you could show anyone of these withered frogs something that'll save their lives and they won't trust it because they don't understand it!"
Nodding, Leo conversed back with her finding himself smiling, actually enjoying himself a little.
Before they could continue, Leo's chair was yanked back gently, "Excuse me, but I think are times up," It seemed to be another visually impaired newt, not treating Leo as any different than he had for the others.
"See you around sonny," She waved him off, and Leo did the same, even if she couldn't see he felt it was nice to share the sentiment.
Approaching Hop Pop, Leo saw the two of them already talking to each other, they already seemed to have hit it off, it was genuinely surprised how quickly they were getting along, it made Leo feel as if he understood it a little more.
"You alright Leo, I guess it didn't help huh?" Hop Pop soured at the thought, only to see Leo shake his head.
"I think I understand how people can make connections, not just romantic ones but I can see how Anne gets along with people so easily, it's like that.."
Hop Pop couldn't help but sigh, there was progress made but not in the right direction Leo wanted, "Well, there isn't much I have to help, but these ladies gossip more than anything, so I have one last idea."
Leo was a tad optimistic about what he had in store.
Staring off into the distance, watching as every bench was filled with a couple sharing time together, Leo was sure he would never have faith in Hop Pop again.
Right now, both an old frog and an emotionless human were standing amongst a slew of old and young newts sharing a romantic moment together, and they were just there to watch, "Now this just feels wrong," Leo croaked out dryly, devoid of any emotion.
The sun was beginning to set as Leo watched each of the couples together.
There wasn't much to pick out above them, other than the obvious glances they were getting from some wondering what the two of them could possibly be doing there.
One thing Leo could at least point out was the diverse amount of people that were there, so many different newts and connected with one another and it had managed to grow into a relationship.
It did make him wonder whether or not his prior thoughts were wrong, that getting into a relationship was pointless if there were going to end. The same could be said for his bond with Anne and the Plantars.
That was something he would and had fought for, so why couldn't the same be said for romantic relationships, if so, many people could live a life together, then it couldn't be without tribulations.
"There's just too much to it, compared to Anne and even Sasha I'm in a totally different world..."
All of a sudden, several voices boomed behind them, ones that Leo and Hop Pop recognized, "Finally! We've been looking for you two all day, what have you been doing?" Sprig questioned, hopping up and down around them.
Polly was atop Anne's shoulders just as confused, "Yeah, you completely disappeared Leo."
Anne looked the most relieved to find them both, her cheeks were dusted with a light shade of red, and a warm smile, "I'm just glad your safe, what were you two even up to all day?"
"Oh," Leo spoke up, sounding slightly defeated, "We were trying to.."
"I was just showing Leo the sights, I mean look at this!" Hop Pop cut him off getting the rest of them to stare at the setting sun, Anne included.
"Sorry I wasn't much help; all I did was put you in awkward situations today..." Hop Pop apologized, disheartened that he hadn't been able to help, especially after Leo had actually asked him for it.
Leo felt the opposite, he hadn't managed to achieve all that much today, if anything on his journey for love.
It was weird, that he'd gone from being completely uninterested and even bothered by love, to curious about it to want to know what it meant.
He caught himself staring at Anne, feeling his whole body stir moment, part of him felt warm because of it, like his whole body had become hot before he even realized it.
Another felt as if something was wrong, like a computer that had gone against his programming, Leo felt that...even for a second, he reverted to how he'd been back in the woods, it was a strange sensation, one he wasn't sure was good.
"Leo, you good?" Anne turned back to him, having already taken notice of his shaken expression.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Much better," He sat next to the Thai girl, presently aware of the stoking feeling beginning to set alight within him, for so long he'd felt as if he couldn't feel such a strong emotion.
But he at least wanted to try.
...
I'll be completely honest with you all, this chapter is here solely to develop Leo's feelings for Anne and his thoughts on love. Yeah, sure there are some other things I'm using to set up here for a later chapter but this is filler.
I'm so sorry I've made you wait for filler I greatly apologize for this sin. The next chapter will be longer and much better I promise I do hope you at least enjoyed some of it but this chapter was just to develop Leo's character, nothing more.
Until the next one, see yah.
