Once he started talking the more obvious the sense of guilt became on her face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left in the first place. It was stupid and a mistake. I should’ve known better and I should’ve listened to what the others had to say. But I was so restless, I felt like I couldn’t stay.” In moments like these she had to swallow her pride. “I wanted to ask you so many times to go with me but I couldn’t. I am okay risking my life but never yours.” She smiled lightly at him. In that moment she wanted to tell him everything. About Samuel and how she was desperate to find him again after he died but instead she met Austin. But her mouth was sealed, just like it had been for the past years.
Elena noticed his gesture to lighten the mood again and accepted it gratefully. “Me, the survivalist shit? I was just lucky, you’re the one who kicked ass and helped others.” She chuckled before only a gentle smile stayed on her face. “This better be a promise, Tiger.”
“We’d be in a whole different world if you had been okay with it, huh?” he pondered, having an odd image in his mind of himself and Elena, armed and trooping along with his cat friend by their side. He only smiled modestly, looking down when she called herself just lucky and him the helper.Â
“I feel like it’s the only purpose I have sometimes. Helping people, I mean. I don’t particularly have a family that I’m fighting to find again, or fighting to defend-hell, these people are the family I’m fighting to defend. Till they came along I was alone, just living for me and truth be told, that didn’t seem like enough to struggle so hard for...” Leon shook his head, as if trying not to let the mood between them get too dark again. “Kicking ass is fun too, so there’s that.”
He smiled wide at the mention of a promise and in a juvenile but meaningful gesture, held out a pinky finger to her, “Promise. On my stripes and tail, I promise.” He commented, accepting the nickname he was given.Â
