DAMAGED FOOL

She offers him a weak smile, maybe she could get him to help her with the grimoire Leven had given her to look through. Of course she was trying to be of use, but she wasn’t a witch and she figured Leo would know more. As he looked away, she only kept her focus on him. She knew she couldn’t truly understand what he was going through, but she tried. She always did. She just wanted to help him in a way she only knew how to. How he was telling her how he felt for that split second? How he felt okay? She wanted him to feel that all the time. Not just for a second. She wished he could feel happy, okay, at ease— she wished for a day where he wouldn’t have to look over his shoulder and think everyone was out to get him. “Okay..” she spoke quietly, a small nod of her head, “Then you don’t have to.” that wasn’t yet to say she wouldn’t, but she could understand his point of view and she could respect it. “But we need to work on how you feel when talking to new people and..” she paused, only briefly, “Water.” if she could help lessen the time he spent thinking about Dante, that would always be a progressive start. “We can tackle it together.”

“And neither do you.” He was quick to add, shooting her a look that was silently asking for her to let it go. Although, he didn’t actually expect her to, not completely anyway. He knew she felt a certain way over him asking her not to have done anything before so if something happened to him now? He could imagine how much that would weigh on her no matter how many times he told her it was all on him. The mention of water caused him to shift a bit from the position he had been sitting in. Avoiding it, for the most part, had been the way he chose to handle it but that wouldn’t get him very far, would it? If his goal was to put Dante behind him, then he’d have to do some things he didn’t want to. Didn’t mean he’d go straight for t. “Or...” He stood up from the bed. “We could just get ready to like, storm Area 51. Seems more fun.”

“No, nothing.” it might have seemed pointless, that they were trying to recreate something when they didn’t know how it was made, but as far as she could tell, it was all down to the engraved symbols. Of course it wasn’t that simple, but it was a start. “We’re looking into those symbols. Leven says they’re ancient.” Leo might have guessed too, if he knew anything about them. Madeline thought, if they were capable of grabbing the attention of Dante and knowing where he was? It gave a slight upper hand. Briefly looking down, she sighed as she listened. She knew he wouldn’t like what she thought, but that was always going to be the case. “If it works and he can be killed with it, wouldn’t you want to do it? For everything he did?” not to him, but his parents too. All she could do was imagine a world where Leo could relax knowing the one thing he feared, was gone and she didn’t think there was a harm in trying to achieve that for him.

“Well, I'll help any way I can.” Even if he wasn’t entirely sure how good of an idea it was to try and recreate it, if he could help them in any way he still would. For now, he figured the most he could do was help in finding what the symbols were. He looked away from her, staring off at anything else in the room. He didn’t need to think of the answer, but it was always going to be difficult for him to get into it. “No.” He shook his head. “You know when you first wake up in the morning and for those first couple seconds that you’re still kind of out of it?” He looked back at her. “I don’t wake up thinking about Dante. Or that I’m basically dead. Or that my parents are dead because of him. And me. That I basically have nothing left. And for that second I really do feel okay but then my mind catches up and I get up for the day and he’s always kind of just there.” He motioned with his hand behind his head almost. “I mean it’s in such basic things. I use to meet people all the time because of my job and now if someone I don’t know talks to me, I think what if it's him? Or what if its someone he sent. I’m just so tired of thinking about him all the time and being afraid and yeah, it would be ideal to take this knife and go after him so I don’t have to worry about him just showing up. Get rid of the problem once and for all but I give him so much of my time already without even wanting to. I can’t do it anymore. And I’m sure as hell not going to risk what little I have left.”

“If they don’t find out, no.” in her mind, if nobody knew, it wouldn’t be a problem. Any demon that she would come across if the recreation did work, would be dead in theory so there wasn’t any worry when it came to any extension of what ifs because she wasn’t thinking about them. “Dean Winchester.” she didn’t see the point in hiding that fact, because she didn’t need to. She didn’t know if anyone else knew, of course her siblings did and Dominic, but he wasn’t around anymore. “Both.” she answered truthfully, knowing that he meant Dante. But she knew it wouldn’t work on him. Or maybe it would with the change in leadership in hell. She didn’t know. “Dante’s not king, anymore.” the only reason she knew was because of the drama that occurred at work, she hadn’t told Leo to begin with, because she didn’t want him to worry. “I don’t know if that means he’s weaker now, but killing the demons close to him would get his attention.” or so she thought, anyway.

“Do you know anything about how that one was made?” It obviously wasn’t going to be something that was done easily or ever hunter would have one. So if they were trying to do this and it didn’t work, whatever demon it failed on could be a problem on its own. He wasn’t exactly in the loop of things as of lately but he wasn’t so surprised to hear something like that about Dante. It didn’t give him any ease though, he didn’t get handed the top spot after all, he had taken it. He would always be Leo’s worst nightmare, didn’t matter who had the title. “Get his attention?” His brows furrowed, shaking his head. “So what? Go after someone like Stas? You’re not going to do that. Recreate the knife if that’s what you want so you have it just in case but it’s not going towards anything with Dante.” 

“It’s a good thing to have.” perhaps the most obvious response, but it was true. If it worked, that was. Expanding her collection as a hunter was just one of the reasons of wanting to try and recreate the weapon. “Don’t know, probably safe so I can’t steal it again.” even though she had done so a couple of years ago now, she wasn’t stupid enough to think the Winchester’s were just still keeping it in the back of a trunk— and if they were? More fool her for not having a look. “Might not work, but once we,” maybe more so Leven, but Madeline was trying to help on the witch side of things— to the best she could anyway. “Crack the symbols, it’s worth a try.”

“But if people find out you have something like that, doesn’t it just make you a target as well.” One that demons would have to be more creative with because of it, which seemed daunting. “You stole it? From who?” He imagined it wouldn’t be any easy thing to get your hands on for most but for Leo? He knew now there was little he couldn’t get past but he wasn’t exactly looking to repeat something she had already done. Placing the paper down he looked over at her again, leaning back as he took a deep breath. He didn’t really like the idea of them messing around with something like that, but he also knew that both of them were going to do whatever they wanted. “Do you want it because you’re a hunter and you want to have it against demons or because you want to have it against one specifically?”

She shook her head, chuckling slightly. “No.” she had previously considered telling him when he was high, purely because he was relaxed but that would have only benefited her. So she she chose not to. “Nothings happened, let me just–” she was quick to get up from the bed, moving across the room to reach for the small folder she had laying on top of her dresser. “So..” turning around, she starts to move back back towards him. “I had this idea and I– with Leven’s help, am trying to put it into practice.” she now gets back onto the bed, legs crossed as she sits comfortably at the bottom of it. As she pulls out a few pieces of paper, she puts them in front of him, so they were within his reach. “That,” she points to the drawing of a knife with symbols along the side of it, one that wouldn’t mean anything to him, but it still held importance. “The real thing, can kill demons. So I had this idea to see if it could be recreated..” she paused herself now, purely so he could digest and mainly, so she could see his first reaction.

Watching as she moved around the room only to come back with a folder in hand, which he kept his eyes on even as she spoke. His eyes glanced over the papers she put out but were snapped back over to her when she talked about the knife being able to kill demons. “Why?” It came flying out of his mouth before he even realized it had. It was obvious though, she was a hunter after all, so having something like that made sense but it felt like it was asking for more trouble. “And where’s the real one?” He asked, reaching for the drawing of the knife to get a better look at the symbols.

“Sorry, man.” She pulled a face and shook her head. Maybe she had seen it but she wasn’t entirely sure what it was he was talking about. “That’s what he said.” Lucy poked her tongue out and chuckled. She always found herself hilarious even if nobody else did. His eyes let her know he was stoned, the obvious smell lingering in the air was also a big give away and she laughed when he asked his question. “Would you listen if I did?” She imagined not. “I wasn’t going to say anything but since you’re already swinging in the rainbows how about you just hand it over. You know, share the rainbows and such like.” Cheeky? Sure, but it could hurt to try. “Why this place?” Lucy wondered why he’d chose here to chill. 

“That’s what who said?” He looked confused for a second, but was chuckling shortly after. He might’ve felt the affects but he wasn’t that gone. Still, he found the whole thing amusing, no matter how childish it might’ve seen if anyone else was walking by to hear. “I would.” He nodded his head. Leo had no issue putting it out or throwing it away even if she asked him too. Maybe that was stupid on his part, but it wasn’t like it was something he was committed too. He already felt the relief, he knew it wouldn’t last forever, so whatever he had already gotten was good enough for him. Sharing it wasn’t so bad either. Smiling he held it out for her to take if she really wanted to. “People don’t really come to parks at night.” He shrugged, looking around them. Always packed during the days, but at night hardly anyone crossed. “And I like the stars. When I was younger, my mom she use to take me to the backyard with her and we’d lay in the grass and we’d try to find constellations. I don’t know when we actually stopped.” He paused, giving it a thought, trying to recall the last time they did but he couldn’t. “Anyway, she was into space and all that, which made me into it but it’s been a long time so I thought what better moment.”

* Ruby tilted her head towards him on his question. Although a vast majority of her was telling her not to trust people… her curiosity was begging to find out. “You’re not going to try blow another smoke ring are you?” She joked. She left a moment to pause before shrugging. “Sure. What’s your trick?”

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to.” He chuckled shaking his head. Once she gave the green light, he looked around them just to make sure. For Leo, it had become easier to pick up on certain things. Before, growing up, he use to be afraid of such feelings. That instinct, the pull that the supernaturals all gave him without realizing it. It caused him to be the ball of nerves he was, always panicking at the slightest sign of something he could siphon because he was afraid of himself and upsetting the people he cared about. He knew now, that knowing how to use what he had was all it came down too. That he didn’t have to be this abomination that had his real mother running in the first place. That process of recognizing himself and others though, its what let him know that she fell under that umbrella too just by a simple passing of the joint. It made him stupidly comfortable to do what he did. The leaves all around them suddenly floating through the air, slowly moving towards each other somewhere in front of them. They began to circulate, picking up in the speed that they did so until there was a mini tornado of leaves. Suddenly, like a balloon being popped, they dispersed and floated back down to the ground. “I would win America’s got talent with that.” Maybe not, it was basic even for him which was saying a lot in itself.

“Neither did you.” he happily pointed out that obvious, considering Leo himself was quick to. In truth, he didn’t want anything from Leo at all—- if that was what he was thinking, not that Max cared enough to confess that to him. Of course he was curious as to why he was so quick to get defensive, it made him wonder if the boy was constantly paranoid… his opinion? It wasn’t a good look. “You got some real underlying issues, man, you know what? I’ll pull over.” he thought to make the decision for him, probably was easier. “I know of Madeline through a friend, Aria, sure you know her.” he thought to mention, just to get whatever the guy might be thinking to vanish.

“Yes, I do.” Leo responded, fully agreeing with what was said about him. Sometimes he thought he could pretend he wasn’t all messed up, but it didn’t take much to remind him of the fact that he was and he still had such a long way to go before he could be where he wanted to believe he was already. “Aria?” He repeated the name, though he didn’t need actual clarification of it. Still, the name didn’t bring any ounce of comfort to Leo. Her relationship with Maddie wasn’t one he asked much about but neither of the interactions he had with Aria himself were good so truthfully, he wasn’t very fond of her presence. “How do you guys know each other?” Seemed like it needed to be asked, considering the only other person he had heard of from Aria’s life coming around had kidnapped Maddie.

She nodded, a grin spread across her face. “Yep..” she soon started to laugh, more really at his reaction and how loud his voice actually got. That’s what tickled her. “I was, I want to see what he does.” Riley was always drinking tea, even when it was so hot and it was clear she thought he was mad. “What?” she shook her head, now laughing again. “I’m not breaking in to hide tea bags. That’s so not subtle.” and he’d know it was her, cctv was a bane sometimes. “We can get fries without being criminals.” she started to giggle at the thought. “And I bet you would end up breaking something.” 

“Well...we don’t have to break in. We can just..walk in.” As if what he had just said was any better or different from what he had first said. “You know I can just like..” he blew out a breath and brought a hand up, moving it around, meaning he could just use his magic. The movements did had him laughing at himself. He was perfectly content with just getting some food without the high risk tea bag heist but her last comment caused him to pull a face, brows furrowing. “You don’t think I can be stealthy? I can be stealthy. I know you’re like the real life version of Lara Croft and I’m more like Shaggy from Scooby-doo but we still both get things done.”

It all happened too quickly for her even to react, but what did she didn’t expect was for the vampire that had entered on its own accord, to go for Leo and not her. That’s what threw her. How was that normal? She knew she could have sworn she saw something similar outside when she was making her way through town, but allowing herself to believe that she wasn’t making it up, hadn’t been something she had done. The aggression the unknown vampire was showing caused her to pause, what could she do? She couldn’t aim for the heart because her wooden bullet might pierce straight through the strangers body and into Leo’s and to risk that? Wasn’t even something she was considering. It was becoming clearer that the apparent knowledge of human blood not being enough, was because it wasn’t. The way they both were reacting? Now even Leo as they stared at each other, it was crystal what blood they were craving and perhaps foolishly, she didn’t feel so on guard. Madeline had no intentions of just leaving them to it, she was sure whoever came on top with their struggle, would end up getting what they wanted. Or craved. With the pair of them solely focused on each other, it didn’t take her long to do what she had done so before. The blast from her gun rang in her ears as the wooden bullet shot straight through the side of the vampire’s head, figuring if Leo didn’t show signs of improving soon, she’d have to kill the vampire so they didn’t find themselves in a continuous circle. 

As the sound of the bullet echoed, Leo was momentarily snapped out the aggression he felt. He was quick to throw the vampire off of him but he wasn’t able to feel any relief. He wasn’t sure which felt worse: the wooden leg still lodged in his stomach or the starving sensation that consumed him. His hands instinctively moved towards the piece, yanking it out of himself and tossing it aside as he rolled over onto his now healing stomach, slowly lifting himself up from the ground. Every breath he took there was just one thing his mind could focus on and it wasn’t Maddie, it was the other vampire. He didn’t understand that but in that moment he didn’t really care enough to understand it. He didn’t care about anything but getting what he wanted. He got up to his feet, able to tear his gaze away from the vampire for a second. He wanted to tell her to shoot him. To keep him down however long whatever was happening lasted. To do whatever was necessary too. The instinct that was overwhelming him felt like the instinct he had without his humanity but he did have it. He wasn’t free of remorse when this was over with so if he did something, if he killed more people, if he hurt her, he wasn’t sure what he would do. But, he didn’t say anything and if his eyes were pleading for her to do something it didn’t last for very long with how quickly he moved towards the vampire.