Morning in Musutafu was... quieter than Leo Blackwood expected.

The sun had barely risen over the sleepy little city, its rays filtering through the partially open blinds of his small but decent apartment. The soft hum of life beyond his window — the distant rush of morning traffic, birds perched somewhere unseen, and the occasional bark of a stray dog — all of it blended together into this oddly peaceful backdrop.

Peaceful. That was still a weird word for Leo.

He sat at the edge of his bed, ruffling a hand through his eternally messy brown hair, the strands stubbornly defying any sense of order. His green eyes — sharp, vibrant, yet always seeming a little tired — stared blankly ahead at the quiet room he now called his own.

This was it. His place. No looming shadow of Toshinori Yagi — the world's Symbol of Peace, All Might himself — hovering just beyond the next wall. No sound of a TV playing some cheesy drama Toshinori claimed he "totally wasn't invested in." No clumsy attempts at American-style breakfasts in a Japanese kitchen. No overbearing presence asking, "Are you alright, my boy?" every ten minutes like Leo might spontaneously combust without supervision.

Just... him.

And it was weird.

Letting out a low, gravelly sigh, Leo stood — his tall, muscular frame stretching upward until the faint creaks of his joints filled the air. At 5'11, pushing close to 6'0, Leo looked far older than his fifteen years suggested. His body — shaped by years of training and the after-effects of his Quirk awakening — was lean, powerful, but carried none of the stiffness you'd expect from a gym rat. No, Leo moved like a predator that learned how to hide its claws until necessary.

Crossing his apartment, he grabbed a shirt from the chair he definitely shouldn't have been using as a closet substitute. The fabric slid over the old scars on his torso — faint lines of a past that refused to be forgotten, no matter how many fresh starts he chased.

His place wasn't fancy. A small kitchen that still smelled faintly of cup ramen, a living room just big enough for a worn couch and a second-hand TV, and a bedroom that screamed bare minimum effort. But there were little touches of him already scattered about — weights in the corner, a few hero figurines he'd been given by Toshinori (still in their boxes, because c'mon... embarrassing), and a battered punching bag hanging by the window that looked like it had seen better days.

Leo liked it this way. Quiet. Simple. His.

The morning routine was automatic — shower, brush teeth, glare at his reflection like it personally offended him. That resting scowl of his never really went away, a product of sharp features and eyes that seemed permanently narrowed. It wasn't that he was angry all the time... he just looked like he was ready to throw hands with life itself.

"Ugh... I look like I'm about to jump someone in an alley," he muttered dryly, pulling on his Aldera Junior High uniform with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Toshinori had practically begged him to try and make a good first impression.

Yeah... sure, because looking like the love child of a delinquent and a retired street brawler was really going to win people over.

Pulling open the fridge, Leo stared at the contents — or lack thereof — before grabbing a protein bar and stuffing it in his mouth like it had personally offended him by existing.

"This is gonna suck…"

But that was life, wasn't it? Leo Blackwood — former punching bag of bullies, now walking anger issue with a heart too stubborn to stay bitter — was about to step into a whole new battlefield.

Junior High.

He snagged his worn-out sneakers by the door, sparing one last glance around his empty apartment. A small part of him expected to hear that familiar voice calling out — the same one that had woken him up for school for five years straight with terrible dad jokes and worse English slang.

But there was only silence.

Leo stepped outside into the fresh morning air of Musutafu, the sun glinting against his eyes as the wind tugged at his messy brown hair. The streets were alive now — kids heading to school, salarymen grumbling into their coffees, the distant echo of a Hero swooping overhead on patrol.

And for the first time in a long time... Leo Blackwood was on his own.

His lips tugged into the faintest smirk.

"Alright... let's see what kind of crap today throws at me."


Aldera Junior High.

Leo stared up at the building like it was some final boss dungeon he was about to reluctantly enter.

From the outside, it looked like any other middle school — a little weather-worn from years of teenage chaos, with banners half-hanging from the windows promoting the upcoming U.A. High entrance exams. But to Leo? It might as well have been a shark tank with backpacks and Quirks.

His boots crunched against the pavement as he made his way through the front gate, the faint murmur of students gradually building around him like static in his ears. Conversations bled together in rapid-fire bursts of Japanese slang, laughter, petty arguments — the usual mess of youth.

But there was always one constant whenever Leo stepped into a new school.

Stares.

And lots of them.

It wasn't like he tried to stand out.

But it was hard not to when you looked like you belonged on the cover of a combat sports magazine rather than in a middle school classroom.

Tall, broad-shouldered, scar on his cheek, permanent scowl like life itself owed him money — Leo didn't exactly scream "approachable."

Whispers started like clockwork.

"Who's that guy?"

"Is he a new transfer? He doesn't look Japanese…"

"Kind of scary…"

"Is he a third year? He looks huge."

"Never seen him before... American, maybe?"

Leo felt the eyes trail after him like a pack of hyenas sniffing around something unfamiliar. It wasn't new — hell, this had been his life since he hit that late growth spurt after his Quirk awakened back in the States. Broad shoulders, built like a junior pro athlete, and that eternally pissed-off face that made most people think twice about bumping into him in the hallway.

Perfect material for rumors.

Great, Leo thought dryly, adjusting the strap of his school bag across his shoulder. Not even five minutes in, and I'm already a freakin' cryptid.

As he walked through the courtyard, letting the morning sunlight warm his skin, his green eyes scanned the crowd — casually, instinctively — a habit he never quite shook from living with a Pro Hero like Toshinori.

Different kids.

Different faces.

Same old story.

Leo's gaze casually roamed until something off caught his attention.

It wasn't loud at first.

Just... tense.

Near the edge of the courtyard, there was a smaller kid — messy green hair, hunched shoulders, clutching some ratty old notebook to his chest like a shield. The kid's expression was hard to read from a distance, nervous but... focused? Like he was having some kind of internal monologue only he could hear.

Weird little dude, Leo thought, vaguely amused.

But the amusement didn't last.

Because not five seconds later — an explosion popped in the air like someone set off a firecracker.

Leo's brows knit together, gaze zeroing in.

A group of students stood there, surrounding the green-haired kid, and at the center of it all? A blond-haired punk with a cocky grin stretched across his face, smoke curling from his open palm.

Leo's lips tugged down into a slow, simmering frown.

Ah... wonderful. Every damn school's got one.

Loud. Brash. Power-tripping on a Quirk like it made him king of the damn world.

Leo couldn't hear exactly what was being said — too far out — but he could read the body language plain as day.

This wasn't friendly.

This was intimidation. Posturing. A wolf baring its teeth because it could.

And the green-haired kid? He didn't flinch like someone unused to this treatment.

He flinched like someone who expected it.

Leo's jaw clenched slowly.

That shit never sat right with him.

The worst part? No one else cared. The students hanging around watched with awkward smiles or nervous chuckles, probably used to the daily show and unwilling to get in the crossfire.

Typical.

Leo shook his head, starting to walk past — he wasn't about to jump into someone else's mess five minutes into his first day — but his feet slowed when the blond kid knocked the notebook right out of the smaller kid's hands.

Pages scattered like wounded birds across the courtyard.

That did it.

Leo exhaled a sharp sigh through his nose — part tired, part pissed — before turning on his heel and approaching the group without fanfare.

The closer he got, the more obvious the size difference became.

Leo was practically a wall compared to the average Aldera student — taller than most of them by a head, broad enough to look like he belonged in a high school, not a middle school.

It got real quiet, real fast.

The blond noticed him first, red eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"The hell are you staring at?" The blond snapped, brimming with attitude and zero self-preservation.

Leo stared back, completely unbothered.

"...You always this loud, or is it just a performance for your fan club?"

The words weren't shouted.

They didn't need to be.

Calm. Dry. Laced with razor-sharp sarcasm.

Gasps rippled through the small crowd.

Someone whispered, "Oooooh..."

Blondie bristled, tiny pops of combustion sparking in his palm again.

Leo's gaze dropped to it briefly.

Unimpressed.

Unbothered.

Then he shifted his eyes toward the green-haired kid still crouched awkwardly, scrambling to pick up his scattered notebook pages.

"...You good, little man?" Leo asked, voice dropping a notch — not gentle exactly, but far less sharp than before.

The kid blinked up at him like Leo had just spoken an alien language.

"...Uh—! Y-Yeah... I... I'm fine...!"

Leo grunted once in response.

Not convinced, but he wasn't gonna push.

Turning back to Blondie, Leo's smirk barely twitched to life.

"Word of advice, Sparky. If you gotta blow stuff up to feel tall, maybe you're not as big as you think you are."

Blondie's entire face twitched like he'd just been personally insulted by the concept of Leo existing.

Leo, for his part, just turned away — casually, like this wasn't even worth the energy — before calling over his shoulder:

"Later, Pyro."

Whatever Blondie screamed after that?

Leo didn't catch it.

Didn't care.

The morning bell had already started ringing.

And as Leo headed toward the school entrance, he caught one last glance at the green-haired kid — still staring after him with wide, almost bewildered eyes.

Huh.

Quiet kid's got guts, Leo thought with a faint hum of approval.

Might even be worth remembering.


Leo honestly didn't expect to run into that green-haired kid again so soon.

After the little incident with Blondie — or Sparky, as Leo had mentally dubbed him — the day passed like most first days did. Boring. Lectures he half-paid attention to. Teachers who side-eyed his height like he was some sort of exchange student bodyguard. And classmates who whispered behind their hands but didn't have the guts to actually approach him.

Typical.

But as the final bell rang and students started spilling out into the streets like ants from a kicked nest, Leo found himself heading for the front gate at the same time as a very familiar mop of messy green hair.

The kid — still clutching that same beat-up notebook to his chest — slowed when he noticed Leo walking beside him.

There was this brief, awkward moment where their eyes met.

Leo gave him a short, upward nod.

The kid blinked, clearly surprised by even that much acknowledgment, before giving a small, nervous wave.

"U-Um… hey."

Leo glanced down at him, stuffing his hands into his pockets as they walked.

"...Sup."

That probably would've been the end of it — Leo wasn't exactly Mr. Small Talk — but then the kid hesitated before blurting out:

"Uh, th-thank you! For earlier! I mean—um, you really didn't have to say anything to Kacchan—uh, I mean Katsuki Bakugo! Not a lot of people usually do..."

Leo snorted under his breath.

"Kacchan?" he echoed, eyebrow raising slightly. "That loudmouth's got a nickname like that? That's rich."

The kid flushed a little, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"H-He's… uh... complicated."

Leo gave him a look.

"Pretty sure 'complicated' doesn't usually come with handheld explosives."

That actually earned him a tiny, surprised laugh — soft and awkward, like the kid wasn't sure he was allowed to laugh around Leo yet.

Leo sighed, shaking his head as they exited the school grounds together.

"What's your name, kid?"

"O-Oh! Right! Um—Izuku. Izuku Midoriya."

Leo rolled the name over in his head once.

Simple enough.

"Leo Blackwood," he replied gruffly. "Transfer student. Brand new to this lovely little corner of Japan."

Izuku's eyes lit up like someone flipped a switch.

And that was Leo's first real warning sign.

Because Izuku Midoriya? Apparently ran on pure curiosity and adrenaline.

"You're not from Musutafu?! That explains why I've never seen you around before!" Izuku practically bounced in place. "Is this your first time living in Japan? Oh! Wait, that's probably rude to ask—um, I mean—if you need help getting around or if you don't know any good spots yet, I-I could totally show you! I know a lot about the area!"

Leo blinked slowly.

This kid... was like a caffeine-fueled encyclopedia.

He could practically see the gears turning in Midoriya's head, processing information at rapid speed like it might fall out of his brain if he didn't blurt it all out at once.

For some reason… Leo didn't mind it.

It was honest.

Kinda weird.

But honest.

"...Sure," Leo said with a half-shrug, falling into step beside him. "Tour guide sounds useful. Lead the way, Professor Trivia."

Izuku actually laughed nervously at that, cheeks coloring just a little in embarrassment — but he didn't stop.

If anything, it fueled him.

"This way, this way! There's this really cool convenience store about two blocks down — it's small, but their melon bread is the best in town! Oh, and if you cut through the next street over, you can actually see the old site where a Pro Hero fought off a villain like, five years ago! There's still scorch marks on the wall if you look close enough!"

Leo listened with half-lidded eyes, absorbing the rapid-fire commentary like it was background music.

But he was paying attention.

Not just to the locations.

To the way Midoriya moved through his hometown — like he loved it despite how small it was, despite the memories it probably held for him both good and bad.

It was... weirdly grounding.

Different from America.

Different from moving place to place with All Might, never staying anywhere long enough to learn street corners and secret paths.

This place was Midoriya's world.

And for the first time in a long while...

Leo found himself not minding the idea of learning it too.

As the sun started dipping lower in the sky, casting Musutafu in a warm, amber glow, Midoriya pointed out another small store with a bright smile.

"And over there's an udon shop that gives discounts to students if you show your ID! Their spicy miso broth is incredible, though I wouldn't recommend it unless you really like heat—"

Leo snorted quietly.

"Please. I'm American. We deep-fry butter for fun. I think I'll survive spicy noodles."

Midoriya's eyes widened.

"You—deep fry... butter...?"

Leo just grinned at his horrified expression.

"Welcome to America, pal."

And just like that — somewhere between the weird trivia, the terrible jokes, and the easy pace of wandering unfamiliar streets — a small, tentative thread of friendship began to weave itself between them.

Uneven.

Unexpected.

But real.


By the time Leo and Izuku finally made their way back toward their side of town, the sky had shifted into that golden hour haze — the world dipped in warm hues of orange and rose, stretching long shadows across the quiet streets of Musutafu.

It wasn't exactly a flashy part of the city — no towering skyscrapers or sleek Pro Hero billboards dominating the view like in Shibuya or Tokyo proper — but there was something comfortable about it. Cozy, almost. The kind of neighborhood that felt lived-in. Familiar in a way Leo hadn't realized he'd missed until now.

The two walked side-by-side down a narrow sidewalk, Izuku still animatedly rambling on about local hero sightings — his hands flying in nervous gestures while his voice sped up every time he got particularly excited.

"And — a-and right around this block, a couple months back? Eraserhead was spotted chasing a villain through the alleyways over there! He's this underground Pro Hero — super stealthy — uses cloth bindings and capture techniques, it's so cool—"

Leo chuckled faintly under his breath.

"Underground hero, huh? Sounds like a pain to fight against."

Izuku lit up like Leo had just handed him a gift.

"Right?! His quirk's called Erasure — shuts down other quirks just by looking at them! It's so rare! Tactically, it completely flips the battlefield—"

But Leo's attention drifted — not because he wasn't listening — but because just up ahead, something caught his eye.

A woman.

Middle-aged, short, maybe a little soft around the edges — arms loaded down with several heavy grocery bags, practically wobbling as she tried to maneuver her keys out of her purse without dropping everything in the middle of the street.

Leo didn't even hesitate.

His legs moved on instinct — breaking away from Izuku mid-ramble — jogging up alongside her before the bags could topple.

"Here — let me help with that."

The woman blinked in surprise, startled at first by the sudden presence of a tall, broad-shouldered teenager with an intimidating scowl stamped permanently across his face — but the roughness of his looks didn't match the careful, steady way he took the bags from her hands like they weighed nothing at all.

"O-Oh my! You don't have to—really, dear, I can manage—"

Leo shook his head once, brushing off the protest with casual ease.

"It's fine. Not about to stand here watching you break your back carrying these. Which floor you live on?"

She hesitated.

"...Top floor."

Leo huffed a small, amused sound through his nose.

"Figures. Always the way."

Behind him, Izuku caught up — eyes wide in that particular Midoriya-way that said his brain was already short-circuiting.

"M-Mom?!"

Leo blinked.

Wait.

Mom?

The woman's eyes crinkled warmly at the familiar voice.

"Izuku, sweetie! You're just getting home?"

Leo turned slowly, piecing it together.

Green hair.

Familiar eyes.

Soft voice.

Oh. Oh, hell.

This was Midoriya's mom.

Of course it was.

Izuku practically gawked between Leo and his mother like he couldn't believe what was happening.

"Wait—hold on—you live here? In this building?"

Leo arched a brow.

"...Yeah?" He jerked his head casually toward the complex ahead. "Top floor. Apartment across the hall, apparently."

Izuku's jaw practically hit the pavement.

"You're—You're my neighbor?!"

Leo couldn't help it.

He snorted — low, dry, and genuinely amused at the sheer wholesome excitement radiating off the kid.

"Looks that way, Professor."

Inko Midoriya, bless her kind heart, just smiled brightly — utterly charmed despite Leo's rough exterior.

"Well then! You must be new here! Thank you so much for helping me, Leo-kun! It's not every day Izuku brings home such a helpful friend."

Leo scratched at the back of his neck, suddenly feeling a little awkward under that earnest praise.

"I-it's really nothing. Just common sense."

Izuku, however, was still vibrating like this was the best possible outcome the universe could have given him.

"Whoa... this is so cool...!"

Leo shook his head with a faint smirk.

Man.

Japan was weird.

But… maybe not bad.

Not bad at all.


Leo Blackwood never thought this was how his first real day living alone would end — not with peace and quiet in his own apartment like he'd originally planned — but instead sitting awkwardly in the entryway of someone else's home, trapped between politeness and the sheer unstoppable force that was a mother's gratitude.

The Midoriya apartment was small, sure, but it radiated a certain kind of warmth Leo hadn't felt in a long time — if ever, really. It wasn't fancy or polished like the places he'd briefly called "home" back in the States. No, this was lived-in. Worn-in. Real. The scent of miso and freshly steamed rice drifted from the kitchen, weaving together with the faintest hint of floral fabric softener clinging to the air — little details that anchored this place as theirs.

Home.

Something Leo had floated away from a long time ago.

"You really don't gotta go through all this trouble, Mrs. Midoriya," Leo tried to insist, scratching idly at the back of his neck, his voice carrying that naturally rough, tired edge that made him sound perpetually unimpressed — even when he was absolutely feeling out of his depth. "I just helped with some bags, no big deal. I'm good, really."

But Inko Midoriya wasn't having it.

Her kind smile didn't budge an inch.

"Oh, don't be silly, Leo-kun! It's the least I can do to say thank you — and it's important to welcome new neighbors properly," she said with a gentle finality that brooked no argument. "Besides... I have a feeling Izuku could use a friend."

Leo blinked, caught a little off-guard.

He risked a glance toward the freckled green-haired kid — Izuku — who was watching him like he'd just been told they were getting a surprise sleepover. The wide-eyed excitement was... almost embarrassing.

Damn it.

Leo sighed in defeat, shoulders slumping.

"...Guess I'm not getting outta this one, huh?"

Izuku laughed, the sound nervous but genuine.

"Not a chance."

As Inko disappeared back into the kitchen, humming softly to herself as she worked, Izuku gestured for Leo to follow him further inside.

"C'mon! I'll help set the table."

Leo hung up his hoodie at the door — force of habit drilled into him after years of All Might's scoldings — and followed, the quiet thump of his combat boots softened by the apartment's tatami floors.

"This kinda stuff happens a lot with you or somethin'?" Leo asked dryly, glancing sideways at Izuku as they gathered plates and chopsticks.

The younger boy chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah... Mom's really friendly. She loves meeting new people."

"Huh. Figures."

As they worked, Izuku's curiosity slowly bled through his earlier nervous energy.

"So, um... Leo-kun... You said you just moved here, right? From America?"

Leo gave a small grunt of acknowledgment as he set a cup down.

"Yeah. Been there pretty much my whole life since I was little."

"Whoa... really? What part?"

That earned a pause.

Leo scratched his jaw, his expression distant in that way someone gets when they've got too many answers to a simple question.

"Lotta places," he admitted with a small, humorless huff. "Born in Maine — tiny place up in New England. But after Toshi—uh, after my old man took me in, we moved around a lot. Fifteen states in total. East Coast, Midwest, West Coast... and, uh... Wyoming was the last."

Izuku's jaw practically dropped.

"Fifteen...?! That's so many..."

Leo shrugged.

"Never really settled long enough anywhere to get attached, y'know? Last place was Cheyenne — middle of nowhere, real quiet. Kinda liked it though. Open skies. Mountains. People minded their business."

"Sounds peaceful," Izuku murmured, clearly imagining it.

"It was... until I decided I wanted to try living on my own over here."

As if on cue, Inko returned — arms impossibly full of steaming dishes — breaking the moment with the heavenly scent of freshly cooked food.

Rice, grilled fish, tender pork slices glazed to perfection, and colorful sides that looked like they belonged in a cooking magazine. Leo's stomach — absolutely betraying him — let out a low, hungry growl loud enough for the whole room to hear.

He froze.

Inko giggled sweetly behind her hand.

Izuku? Oh, Izuku was practically trying not to laugh himself.

"Oh my, sounds like someone's hungry!" Inko said warmly, setting everything down with practiced ease. "Please, help yourself to as much as you like, Leo-kun! And if you're still hungry after, just say the word — I'm more than happy to cook more."

Leo, ever the polite (if awkward) guest, opened his mouth to refuse instinctively — but Izuku leaned over, nudging him with an elbow and a conspiratorial grin.

"Trust me, that's just how she is. You won't win this one."

Leo paused.

Then, after a beat...

"Tch. Guess I'd be a real idiot to turn down home-cooked food like this."

Dinner was... good.

Better than good.

Warmth spread through Leo's chest with every bite — a comfort that had nothing to do with the temperature of the meal and everything to do with the easy, genuine atmosphere of the Midoriya home.

They asked him questions, little things — about America, about his life, about what Wyoming was like.

Leo answered them all.

Unfiltered. Honest.

Yeah, Wyoming was quiet. Yeah, there were heroes over there, but nothing like All Might.

"Only real exceptions I'd say are Stars and Stripes — real symbol-of-justice type — and this other guy, Liberty Fist. Old-school hero from Boston. Hardass with a thick accent, but the guy never turned down a call for help, no matter how small."

"Was it... really different over there?"

Leo huffed a dry laugh, arms folding lazily across his chest.

"Different's one way to put it. Hero scene's rougher. Messier, most heroes over there?"

His gaze sharpened a fraction, mouth twisting into something almost tired.

"Lot of 'em are in it for the fame. Money. Sponsorship deals. Feels more like a business than a calling sometimes."

Izuku's eyes went wide, soaking in every word like a sponge.

"W-Wow... that's kinda sad..."

Leo just shrugged again, nonchalant but honest.

"That's just how it is. Doesn't mean there aren't good ones... just means you gotta look harder. Kinda like Liberty Fist and Stars and Stripes."

Izuku's eyes were practically sparkling by the end.

Of course... the only real hurdle that managed to humble Leo that night was the damn chopsticks.

He tried.

Honestly.

But they just wouldn't cooperate.

Izuku noticed — of course he noticed — and leaned over with an encouraging smile.

"Here, like this—"

He guided Leo through the proper grip, his instructions patient and clear.

Leo, grumbling under his breath with faint embarrassment, followed along.

"...Stupid sticks," he muttered. "Forks and spoons never gave me this much hell."

Izuku just laughed, bright and unbothered.

"You'll get used to it!"

And maybe — just maybe — Leo thought he might.


The walk from the Midoriya's front door to his own felt strangely... heavy.

It was barely a few steps — a short shuffle across the quiet apartment hallway — and yet, as Leo Blackwood slipped his key into the lock, he could feel the echo of laughter and warm conversation from behind him still lingering in his ears.

Izuku and Inko Midoriya.

Good people.

Real people.

The kind that made this unfamiliar little corner of Japan feel just a bit less like foreign soil.

The door clicked shut behind him with a quiet finality.

Silence settled in almost immediately — the sort of silence that didn't press in like loneliness, but instead wrapped around his shoulders like something familiar... something he hadn't quite decided was comforting or suffocating yet.

He dragged a tired hand through his messy black hair, ruffling it up further, before letting out a breath and lazily pulling his shirt over his head in one smooth motion.

The cotton fell to the floor without ceremony.

Leo stepped toward the mirror hanging on the wall near his dresser — the one Toshinori insisted he buy when setting up this apartment.

"Know yourself, Leo," All Might had told him, a rare seriousness in that deep, gravelly voice. "Look at yourself every day. Remember who you are. Who you want to be."

At first, it had sounded like typical old-man wisdom — dramatic and heavy-handed.

But standing here now, staring at the ink carved into his skin — Leo kind of got it.

He didn't look like a normal fifteen-year-old kid.

No, not with them.

The twin Serpents that coiled around his torso like ancient guardians — starting low at his ribs, winding around his sides in a spiral of intricate scales and power until their heads rested on either shoulder. Their maws were forever frozen in a moment of savage bite — fangs sunken into his flesh, blood-like ink fanned outward like the blossoming petals of some violent flower.

But it didn't hurt.

Not anymore.

It never really hurt because his body — unlike when his Bear manifested years prior — was ready.

The Serpents hadn't come to punish him.

They had come because he was strong enough to bear them.

Leo's fingers ghosted over the scales inked into his left side, feeling the faint thrum beneath his skin — not pain, but power.

Alive.

Always there.

Always watching.

And when he lifted his eyes to meet his own reflection fully — for the briefest moment — they stared back at him.

Twin beasts — purple-eyed serpents coiled like shadows over his shoulders in the mirror, ethereal and patient, their gaze unblinking.

Guardians.

Symbols of growth.

Proof of survival.

Unlike the Bear — his first manifestation, the primal fury of raw will and stubborn endurance that had pulled him out of the pit of childhood trauma and helplessness — the Serpents were cold. Precise. Strategic.

They weren't just strength.

They were control.

And in many ways... that was scarier.

Leo let out a slow exhale through his nose, a small grin tugging at the edge of his mouth — more self-aware than cocky.

"Still here, huh?"

The Serpents said nothing — they never did.

But he didn't need words.

They were as much a part of him now as the scars on his knuckles or the sharp glint in his eyes.

A reminder that even after everything — the screaming nights back in Maine, the lonely, drifting years in Wyoming, the constant moving from state to state as Toshinori tried to keep him safe — he wasn't that helpless, scared kid anymore.

He was Leo Blackwood.

The boy who survived.

The boy who fought.

And the boy who refused to ever be powerless again.

The vision of the Serpents slowly faded from the mirror, dissolving like morning mist — leaving only Leo behind.

Real.

Solid.

Unbreakable.

With one last look at his reflection — at the marks of everything he had earned, bled for, and carried — Leo turned away, grabbing a loose tank top from the dresser and pulling it over his head.

Tomorrow was a new day.

New challenges.

New people.

But tonight... tonight was quiet.

And for the first time in a long time?

Leo was okay with that.