Leif

Cade glanced over at the tug on his sleeve, looking down at the plant Leif indicated. Reaching over, he touched the leaves gently, rubbing them lightly between his index finger and thumb as he paused to listen to what it needed. “This one is fine,” he said as he pulled back. “It doesn’t need anything more than what it’s been given. Move on to the next one.”

~

Leif watched Cade, mimicking him as he took the leaves between his index and thumb to rub them a little. It didn’t need anything. Leif pulled his hand back as he moved on to the next one and then the next and so on, tending to each as needed. 

“I’m fine. Trust me, I’ve had worse,” Michele said, shaking her head. She pulled her hand away from his. “I just wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t know you could do that.” She looked at his scaled hand skeptically. “Is that some kind of fae thing? Your … fae mark or whatever?”

~

Leif shook his head. It wasn’t a fae mark. Leif wasn’t sure he had one of those, and if he did he wouldn’t know that was what it was anyways. The scales moved further up his hand, past his wrist and up his arm. In no time the entire right half of his upper body, including his neck and face was covered in the sapphire scales. 

Beau’s eyes widened slightly as he watched Leif and the way he was tapping. He was communicating. It was a language of some kind. It wasn’t Morse Code, but something similar maybe? 

“Can you teach me more?” he asked softly after a moment.

~

Leif took Beau’s hand, tugging him over to sit on the bed. He moved to sit cross legged on it, so he was facing the other, and took his hand turning it so it was palm up. He thought for a moment before mimicking taking a bite of something and then tapped against his palm. 

If we kissed? [] Quickie. [] Tongue. [] Softly bite your lip. [x] We wouldn’t. [] Long and meaningful. [] Let’s hit up the bedroom. [] You remember last time? [] Awkward… [x] Lol no.

Would I go out with you? [] Yes, definitely. [] No. [] I want to, but it wouldn’t work. [] Maybe. [] Nope, you’re like family. [] You’re cute, but probably not. [] Just simply not my type. [] If I knew you better. [] Already did. [x] I don’t know.

If we took a picture together, we’d be… [] Hugging each other. [] Just chilling. [] Holding hands. [] Kissing. [] Acting dumb. [x] Normal picture. [] You holding me from behind.

You are… [x] Cute/Pretty. [] Good looking. [] Sexy. [] All of the above

You + me + room = … [] Movies. [] Cuddling. [x] Hanging out. [] Kissing. [] Playing games. [] Everything. [] Wouldn’t let you in.

You should… [] Hit me up. [] Be mine. [] Marry me. [] be studying

A late night text

text to Michele: no sleep. 

text to Michele: tree? 

text to Michele: brng snacs

A one word text

If we kissed?

[] Quickie.

[] Tongue.

[] Softly bite your lip.

[X] We wouldn’t. (AKA what is this kissing thing you speak of lol?)

[] Long and meaningful.

[] Let’s hit up the bedroom.

[] You remember last time?

[] Awkward…

[] Lol no.

Would I go out with you?

[] Yes, definitely.

[] No.

[] I want to, but it wouldn’t work.

[] Maybe.

[] Nope, you’re like family.

[] You’re cute, but probably not.

[] Just simply not my type.

[] If I knew you better.

[] Already did.

[X] I don’t know.

If we took a picture together, we’d be…

[] Hugging each other.

[X] Just chilling.

[] Holding hands.

[] Kissing.

[] Acting dumb.

[X] Normal picture.

[] You holding me from behind.

You are…

[X] Cute/Pretty.

[] Good looking.

[] Sexy.

[] All of the above

You + me + room = …

[] Movies.

[] Cuddling.

[X] Hanging out.

[] Kissing.

[] Playing games.

[] Everything.

[] Wouldn’t let you in.

You should…

[] Hit me up.

[] Be mine.

[] Marry me.

[] be studying

If we got married, I’d…

[] Divorce you.

[] Make kids.

[] Take your money and bounce.

[] Smash every day.

[] I would cheat on you.

[] Be faithful.

[] Kill you in your sleep

[X] We wouldn’t

Michele expected him to follow through with the weight, but she wasn’t expecting the scales. They hit against her hand like metal against flesh, and she hopped back with a yelp of pain, shaking out her hand as numbness tingled through her palm. “Ow! Fuck! What the fuck was that? Are you fucking Wolverine or something?” she asked with a hiss, looking down at her hand, which throbbed as the skin looked reddened.

~

Leif tilted his head in confusion, not understanding that reference. Had he not done it right? With the scales still covering his fingers he reached to take the hand she was looking at. Seeing the reddened skin there he frowned a little. Letting it go he took the other to write something on the inside of her palm with his completely flesh finger, OK A question.

Cade nodded. “You can use my tools,” he said, gesturing toward the basket beside him. “Remember to listen to the plants so you know what exactly they need. If you’re not sure, ask me. Don’t just assume.” He didn’t want Leif messing up the delicate ecosystem of his garden, no matter how well-meaning he was.

~

Leif glanced over at the basket of tools and then back at Cade to give him a nod as if to say he understood. He then closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as he concentrated. At first he used the small shears to prune some of the dead and dying bits off of one of the plants. When he got to the next one he paused, tugging on Cade’s sleeve and pointing to it, unsure of what to do. 

Beau didn’t know what the tapping meant, that it was supposed to be words, but after Leif repeated it a few times, he got that Leif meant it to represent him somehow. His name maybe? Was that how Leif communicated with others? Through these strange taps? “Is that a word?” he asked hesitantly. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

~

A small smile formed as Beau understood that it was a word, and Leif nodded a little. This time he started by pointing at Beau and then repeating the tap, going a little slower than he had before. Beau. Instead of repeating the same thing again like he’d been doing, he then pointed to himself and tapped out something different. Leif.

“It’s okay.” She said softly. “It’s okay because he’s still alive.” Ruby had to tll herself that because if she dare let herself believe anything else she might break apart. “He’s far away but I have to believe he’s alive and well.” 

Because what else did she have if she didn’t have that hope? 

~

Leif wasn’t sure what else to do or how to make her feel better about it all.  Dipping a hand into his pocket he pulled out an opened packet of jammie dodgers and set one of the table, sliding it over towards her, before biting into one of his own. 

“I know, sweetheart. It’s not that kind of strength.” She covered his hand with her own, hiding it from passers by. “There’s a force keeping us apart so even if I knew where he was, I might not be able to reach him. That’s the strength I’d need.”

~

His face fell a little and after a moment his scales retracted back beneath his skin. He wrote something again, and moved his hand back so she could read it

no hɘlq

He bit down on his lip, feeling bad that he could be of no use to her when it came to finding him and that he didn’t even have the right kind of strength she needed for whatever this force was. 

It wasn’t the first time Leif had been in the record shop. He usually came in just to listen to the music that played, every once in a while catching a familiar one that he’d heard with Nils or somewhere else before. Going through some of the records he pulled out one with a creature on the front. It had scales like him, though more a reddish tone than his own, but other than that it looked completely different. It was large, had wings, and was breathing fire out of it’s pointy teethed snout. He stared at it, before tapping the person next to him and then pointing at the creature on the front. 

“Okay, that was better. If you’re trying to punch away a fly or something, you got it,” Michele said, nodding slowly, fighting a smile. “But it’s not gonna help much if someone is trying to hurt you. You gotta put your weight behind it. Like this.” She turned and punched the nearest tree hard enough to cause the lower branches to tremble some. She pulled her fist back, shaking out her hand as her knuckles stung. She sucked on one that had broken skin, turning back to Leif. “See? You gotta do it hard.”

~

Leif smiled proudly as she said it had been better. Weight behind it. He wasn’t sure what that meant until she gave her demonstration. A look of concern came across his face as it seemed she had injured herself. He nodded a little to show he understood. Waiting for her to lift her hands up again he threw another punch. This time putting some weight into it, and covering his fingers in his scales. He looked up at Michele with a hopeful look in his eyes as he brought his hand back down by his side. 

Ruby’s heart melted a little at the gesture. “That’s sweet baby boy, but he’s not in town or anywhere near here.” She gave him a sad smile. “He was sent far away. Somewhere I can’t reach him. I’m not strong enough, you wouldn’t be either.”

~

Leif bit his lip, thinking for a moment. He covered a hand and arm in his scales, tapping them with the fingers on his still human looking hand. They could protect him. That’s what Beau said they were there for, to protect him. 

It didn’t take Beau as long to realize what Leif was asking. He recognized the look on his son’s face. He knew how Leif felt. Hadn’t he felt it himself for years? He wasn’t going to let Leif destroy himself the way Beau had. It didn’t matter if Shailene had died because of Leif or not. Beau wasn’t going to let him think it for even a moment.

“No,” he said firmly, shaking his head. He stepped closer and took Leif’s face in his hands. He shook his head again. “No. It wasn’t your fault.”

~

Leif placed a hand on top of one of Beau’s as the other took his face in his. He let his scales cover it, and he curled his fingers around his hand as best as he could. After a moment he pulled his hand away, taking Beau’s with his. Turning it palm up he once again tapped something on it, a new word...a word for Beau, a word for father,  Leif then tapped his other fingers against Beau’s chest. Repeating this a few times.