New Blood | General Chat (Part 2)

[Littlefeets]

@benitz786

Shay sat on one of the big, uncomfortable chairs in the fancy room, her little legs swinging back

Hi Shay!

@benitz786

Grandma and Mommy had both said that everything would be okay, and that Grandpa was watching over her, but it was still so… weird. He wasn’t here. She couldn’t hug him or show him the drawing she made of them together at the park last week

Poor kid…
She’s gotta be what, 9 at this point?

@benitz786

Standing off to the side, not talking to anyone, was a man she didn’t recognize.

Shay, are you supposed to be talking to strangers?

@benitz786

He didn’t look sad, but he didn’t look happy either. He just… looked. That was weird, right? Like, if he wasn’t sad, why was he here?

He’s dealing with some very complicated feelings.
And he’s learned to not let anyone see how he’s actually feeling too..

@benitz786

Did you know my Grandpa? Were you his friend? Or are you someone else’s friend? Like Grandma’s?”

He once was his friend…

---

@Littlefeets

Leonardo Azure had not once in his life imagined he’d be in this situation. Not once did he ever consider the idea of attending Harry Pierce’s funeral. A part of him never even considered the thought that he may outlive his childhood best friend.

Even when they were at their closest, Leo always thought he would be the one to die first, not Harry…

@Littlefeets

There would always be a part of Leo that would hold onto that version of Harry, the one he knew growing up, that he thought of as a brother not simply a friend.

He might not want to admit it, but he misses his best friend… he misses the person he thought of as his brother

@Littlefeets

The person who was once such an important part of his life all those years ago, was gone.

He was so important for years before harry married Addie…

@Littlefeets

When it came time for the funeral, Leo stayed out of sight as best he could. He knew that his presence would be unwelcome when it came to most everyone else there,

His presence couldn’t have been a welcome sight…

@Littlefeets

but he had to be there. For his former best friend, to say goodbye.

@Littlefeets

And for the love of his life.

He’ll always be in her corner

@Littlefeets

even without everything else going on.

How much more could be going on

@Littlefeets

His mind was racing, drowning in the weight of it all, in some ways he had to stay almost numb to keep it all contained.

That is how Leo has learned to cope…

@Littlefeets

The phone call. The email. The will. Addie. Everything.

What phone call? What email? What’s in the will?
That’s a lot for sure.

@Littlefeets

She had to be around the age of one of his grandchildren. Raphael’s daughter, perhaps? Meaning she was probably around nine years old or so.

Ah yes, 9 years old.

@Littlefeets

Leo had never been good with children. Not in the past, and certainly not now. Not with his children, or grandchildren.

Children have never been his specialty…

@Littlefeets

Yet here he was, with a child who had a look in her eye much like her grandmother, that she was not backing off until she was satisfied with the answers given to her.

He knows the look Addie gets in her eye too well.
It’s a trait she passed down to jess, then jess passed down to Shay. Only too easy for him to recognize.

@Littlefeets

“I’m someone your grandpa knew a long time ago.”

There’s no simpler way to say it.
The full answer is far too complicated

@Littlefeets

I just prefer not talking and being left alone.” He was already dealing with a lot, and he did not need a talkative child not wanting to leave him alone on top of it.

Leo just wants to be left alone..

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@benitz786

“You knew Grandpa a long time ago?” she repeated, chewing on her lip. “How long is a long time? Like, before I was born? Before Mommy was born? Was it when you were kids? Did you play tag with him? Or hide and seek? Grandpa was really good at hide and seek, you know. Did you play with Grandma too?”

She’s certainly a very talkative kid

@benitz786

So maybe you shouldn’t be alone. You should be around people like me!

Leo would really rather not…

@benitz786

And maybe you’ll feel better if you talk to people. Why don’t you want to talk?”

Leo is not a fan of talking in situations like this at all.

@benitz786

Are you shy? Mommy says some people are shy, but that’s okay. I can talk enough for both of us!

Oh Shay…
She certainly can talk enough for a whole group of people.
But talking more would not necessarily be helpful if being shy was the problem.

@benitz786

Before she could launch into a story, Shay felt a soft hand on her shoulder. The warmth and familiar scent of lavender told her exactly who it was. She turned her head and looked up into the gentle eyes of her grandmother, Addie Parker.

Leo very much needed that rescue.

@benitz786

exhaling slowly before turning her attention to Leonardo. The years had carved lines into his face, but the weight he carried now made them seem deeper.

So much had happened over those years…

@benitz786

Her fingers brushed against his hand, a fleeting contact that held more meaning than any words could convey in this moment.

So much meaning there

@benitz786

Her voice was a whisper, tender and cautious. “It’s starting soon…” She paused, her eyes softening as she looked at him. “How… how are you feeling, darling?”

Darling

@benitz786

Her lips curled into a sad smile, one that carried the weight of everything unspoken between them.

So much unspoken

@benitz786

She wanted to reach out, to take his hand fully, to comfort him. But there were too many eyes, too many memories. So she stood there, offering him what she could, hoping it was enough.

Far, far too many eyes