Looking for a Hero

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

After leaving Jade in the TV room, Gwendolyn made her way up to her room, speaking with Jade made her miss Leoette. Surely she could of asked Peter Pip if Leoette was allowed to be there. She had seen or heard of other animals per say inside the inn. But something stopped her. What if she was told that Leoette was not permitted to stay. She could not be parted from her little friend, nor did she wish to leave the Inn. So for now, once more that matter was settled in her head. She did not think a thing of speaking to Jade about the kitty. No fear that Jade would do anything that would cause her to have to get rid of her, the kitty not Jade.

Once she reached her room, she was greeted by the kitty in question as she moved between Gwen’s feet, causing her to be unsteady and laughing. “Why hello there Leoette!” Her voice was rather happy, as she bent to pick up the kitty, curling it up in her arms, fingers of her free hand stroking the kitties head. “Have you had a good day Leoette?” She did speak to her, though she did not expect a reply, and she would carry her over to the area that she had set up as a feeding station for her. Letting Leoette down, she would fill her food and water dish, before another pet upon her head, hearing the purr. She smiled to herself then walked over to her desk.

Setting down, she took a small breath, this was something new. How did you write to someone to ask for something? She was not used to asking for things. But if she wanted to learn this and learn this she did, she wanted to have someone she could trust teach her. A part of her thought that it might make it easier. Pulling open the top drawer on the desk, she would take out a few pages of blank paper, and a pen. Yes one more modern convenience she had learnt about, thankfully. Staring at the blank paper, a moment or five, before lowering ink to paper.

‘Leo ~’

She had been unsure how to start the letter, so she figured his name would be good. A small nod of her head before she wrote some more.

‘ I hope that your doing well with your travels and with business things. It was good to see you at the Halloween party. I do hope you had a good time. I was curious if the next time you stop by the Inn, if you have a bit of time, if you could perhaps, maybe, teach me how to punch. Jade thinks it would be good for me to learn. If you can’t I understand. I know your busy. ‘

And she read what she wrote shaking her head, this was not such a easy thing, but she had something. She couldn’t quite get a feel on how she should ask such a thing. She knew she was beating around the bush in her wording, but she did not wish to impose upon him. Just thought he could at least teach her how to make a correct fist. How to sign it? She would go simple.

‘ Thank you,
Gwendolyn ‘

She frowned at the letter, but she could not think of anything else to put in it, and she did not put the rest of their conversation in the letter either. That was probably for the best. Not that she was hiding anything, just she had one thought and that was put to the paper. Taking the paper she folded it over in three, and slipped it into a plain white envelope. Sealing the envelope, then she flipped it over and wrote his name on the front. Peeking over she noticed that Leoette was still eating, so up she got, she might as well get it delivered while she thought about it.

Leaving her room, she slipped down the hall, up the steps until she found the door she had slipped a Christmas card under, and slipped this envelope underneath. And then back to her room she went.

[Leo]

"Teach me to punch?" Leo, he had to look at the letter again. Re-read it to see if he had read it correctly. He had. Folding the letter he scratched his chin and the small bit of scruff collected there as he was in thought. Why was she having the need to know how to punch? 

This was a question that he was not knowing the answer on. From his memory of her she was a kind individual, not one that started the fighting or who was involved in any of it. Even when he had seen her dressed up as she was as a Dark Angel she did not put off that persona well. It was something that he would have to see for himself. Folding away the letter he prepared to leave the room. 

Where has Leo been all this time? That was surely a question that many would like to know an answer to and the easy answer was that he had been 'around', using a few tricks or two that he had at his disposal to move between here and the office at the shop or the Marquès' manor without making any intrusion on the lives of the people here. Today, this day, it was so happened to be the hour he was in the room looking for papers. He had been doing that act when he heard then saw the note slip under the door. 

That is what brings us back to the present of this story and Leo taking on a deep brown heavy wool waist coat over beige button shirt and pant. His hair was still rather short and cut to not be in the way and he left the room without any more of a delay. Gaitto's letter held in the inside pocket. 

Down the hall and the staircase he did travel until he was at her door. Being the casual man that he sometimes could be Leo leaned on the framing with his right foot crossing the left in a bend and knocked three times upon her door. 

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

After she had dropped off the letter under the door, she had scampered quickly back to her rooms, quiet like a mouse. Once she reached her rooms, she shut her door, and changed into a black halter top. Moving to her chest of drawers she opened the second from the top one, and pulled out two long fabric tubes. Pulling out a pair of bright blue ones, she slipped them on her arms, up as far as they went, at the ends her fingers peeked out from holes meant for them to be visible.

Then to the window she went, it was large enough for what she wanted, thankfully. Pulling it open, a small shiver as the cold air entered the room. After chatting with Jade, she had the idea to go out and practice flying. Knowing she couldn’t just show anyone that she flew, because of those bad people out there, she thought slipping out her window and coming back in her window, would be best.

Closing her eyes, she was willing her wings to awaken. They seemed to be stubborn, and not wanting to pop out, a small frown as she was trying to figure out why they weren’t waking up. Opening her eyes before she decided maybe she could coax them to come out to let her play. “Come on Wings. You know you want too….” And there was a knock. And that knock scared her, for she was not expecting anyone at this time, and that also did the trick. Wings came out in full force, causing a small whimper, for it had been a while as the skin moved and the wings protruded from her shoulder blades. “There you are, Wings!”

Blink, as she realized what had caused her wings to show themselves, someone was at her door. Oh no! “Okay Wings go to sleep…you need to go to sleep now.” Closing her eyes as she spoke then opening them once more after not feeling them do anything. Oh heavens. She moved over to the door, opening it just a bit, enough that she could peek out. “Hello….” And then it hit her, it was Leo! That was quick, she had not expected to see him for well, a while! “Leo! Hello! Did you get my letter?” Of course, he had probably gotten her letter, she almost blushed at that when she thought about it for a moment. Her wings were forgotten, and she opened the door. “It’s good to see you Leo!” And then, her wings made a flutter, they had the same qualities as a opal, depending on how you looked at them, they had other colors in the white background. Her mouth formed a small O shape when she realized that her wings were out and she had opened the door to Leo, maybe he wouldn’t notice.

[Leo]

The door is where he would wait, being steady in his stance against the doorframe as he waited for it to open. There was no rush and when it did open he would stand off of the framework and offer a smile with the tipping of his head.  To her first questioning hello his smile got a bit wider and he was just about to announce himself when she did it for him and the door went wider. 

Now Leo was a man who notices many things, it was a crucial part of his job to be able to take everything in and not give away that he had. That meant not looking surprised when seeing unexpected things on a person. Like the wings. And the open window. It would be hard to tell that he even looked about what he could see of her room when she opened the door for his attention would be to her when he said, "Bueno Gaitto," and stepped inward of her room to kiss her on each cheek if she were not the skittish type to back away. That action on its own would help him to be able to get a better look at those wings. 

For the party he saw her at last she was wearing wings but they looked different than these. It reminded him of what had been the topic between herself and the one known as Jade. Perhaps she had been flying?

"Is it that I have disturbed you from a task?" asking as he watched her with a grin. "Forgive me if I had but I was up in the room when your letter found it's way under the door."  Now he did look down at her arms to see the wrappings. "The question must be asked of who are you needing to learn to fight against? Who has threatened you?"

The question of the wings would come to light, but the curiousity dis not outweigh the concern.   

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

The tubes on her arms were arm warmers, yes that had come under question, something that would keep the night air from getting to chilly. But those were forgotten, as Leo was there, in the flesh! She might have been skittish, had it been someone else, and had her wings not been out in full force. The barest of blushes crept over her cheeks.

He would see that the wings were indeed sprouted from her shoulder blades. The skin had torn to allow them through, and mended around where they had sprung out. It was why she had changed the top she was wearing, so many of her shirts had the back ripped up. The wings would flutter, not a warning flutter, but a most happy flutter. Which caused Gwendolyn to realize that they were still awake and they were quite very visible.

Had he disturbed her from a task? She thought about how to answer that. Not because she was trying to hide anything, but because she did not know if what she had planned, counted as a task. A small frown formed over her features, before she smiled again. “Not a task, a small…adventure!” She smiled up at Leo. Seeing he did take steps into the room, she would move to shut the door behind him. Then moving to stand before him once more. “Sorry, my wings won’t go to sleep…and one must be careful who see’s that I have them.” She nodded very solemnly at her words, before giving him a look of absolute trust, “You won’t tell anyone about them, will you Leo? Epiphany said bad people might want to do bad things to me because of them.” Obviously Leo was not considered bad in Gwendolyn’s book. But then no one really was considered that by Gwen and that was part of the problem.

Then his questions which really had to do with her question to him. How did one word this. The truth always was a good thing. “No one threatened me.” At least no one that she knew of. “Jade and I were talking, “ yes, it normally did involve Jade when she got some ideas in her head, “and we were talking about her and Damon, how they fought.” She moved over towards the window and closed it. No need to let all that could air in the room, she would feel horrible if Leo caught a chill. “And I made mention that I don’t even know how to make a fist properly.” A small frown, “Not that I think I could do any damage if I did hit someone, which I don’t know why I would hit someone, but it seemed right to learn. And I fear it is not something that would be best learnt from a book.” She gave a small pause, as her right hand lifted upwards to tug at the arm warmer on her left arm. “And if one learns from a book, there can not be any steam. When Jade mentioned steam I thought that the rooms had a spot for us to pour water in, and steam would come out of the walls, but that’s not what she meant. I still don’t quite understand it.”

Her nose wrinkled just a bit, before she offered him a smile. “If you want you can have a seat. Would you like some water?” She was trying to be hospitable. She had a few bottles of fresh spring water that she kept in her room. She was a bit flustered and unsure of herself, she had not been alone in a room with a boy, in such a long time. So perhaps she was a bit off of her normal self, though she was sure that strange feeling would leave soon enough. She also was a bit giddy at seeing Leo again.

[Leo]

A closed door had a universal meaning for wanting privacy and he did not think that the privacy was of them together, but of her wings being out. The question he had been thinking of whether or not they were real was answered and he gave a knowing nod when she mentioned that they would not sleep. “It is that at times the things we are wanting to go away do not.” He looked from her arms to the door when it was that it closed and then back to her. He did not move far from the door and into her room. If he was to keep her company in privacy then the rules of conduct and manners dictated that he not impose himself – it kept the thought that he was after physical entertainment to a minimum. If they were to sit and chat in pleasant conversation then the door could have remained open. But for the wings. Still, he would not wander around her room.

He listened to her carefully and watched how she moved when speaking, especially when it came to the part about steam. Leo was versed in many things but the different cultures and races that he has come across all have things that are specific to them and maybe learning with steam was one of them for her kind. When it came to matters he did not have full understanding of the subject needs to be taken by context. People fight when they are angry. Gattio wanted to learn how to fight and you fight when angry or for defense (and sometimes for satisfaction). She said Jade and another named Damon would fight and there was steam. In conclusion: Learning from a book would not get her steamed – or angry- enough to fight properly.

“I am not understanding this,” said as he took a singular step forward in her direction. “The only reason I can think for you wanting to learn how to fight the possibility of people wanting to do bad things to you. Though you can care for that learning to hide your wings so they won’t know. Should you then not be wanting to learn that instead of the fist?” Thinking about fighting caused him to rub his left fist and flex the fingers.

“Engaging in violence it changes a person. Someone like you should not learn to fight.” He did not mention her irony – that she didn’t know why she would hurt someone though admitted that people may try to ‘do bad things’ to her. She didn’t seem to be a masochist, one to enjoy inflicted pain. “If it is that you know you are to be attacked, you should learn to defend and not attack.

For him in the ways of growing up learning to fight meant making sure the other did not get up – or at least not so soon or easily. There was no such thing as a play fight.

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

Even if the shut door was the universal sign for wanting privacy, Gwen would not think a thing of it, nothing more then the door being shut so others couldn’t see her wings. She did notice that he had not said if her secret was safe with him or not. She frowned as she looked back to Leo. “You won’t tell will you Leo? Because hero’s don’t tell damsels secrets. Right?” She lifted big hazels over to him, as she bit upon her lower lip. As for imposing himself and that he was after physical contact those were not thoughts that Gwendolyn would have in her head. Those thoughts would never cross her mind. She might be giddy at the fact that she got to see Leo again, but she was relaxing in his company once more, for it did not take her long. The relaxing would come a lot quicker if she knew he would keep her secret. Perhaps she should not have to ask, but she liked to know things and not just assume them. As long as Leo stayed standing she would too, she would feel rude to sit when her guest stood.

At his words she grew thoughtful, the look was over her features, same as the fingers on her left hand were tugging slightly on the arm warmer on her right arm. “I am trying to learn to control my wings, they do have a mind of their own sometimes. But what if they pop out at the wrong time? Shouldn’t I know how to defend myself?” Of course she could always try screaming for help but that didn’t always work, and then what would happen then? Her wings fluttered towards her body as if laughing, because they had their own mind, and as of now she was unable to get them to listen at all times. She would be rather defenseless. “And I was thinking of venturing into Rhy’Din, but I have heard there are a lot of unsavory characters there, so I need to be prepared.” Not that she knew what that fully meant but it sounded good, right?

Blink, small frown, “Is there something wrong with someone like me?” She was rather confused what he meant by that? As told by the sad frown upon her features. Someone like you. Was that a bad thing. Oh she hoped he did not mean something bad, that would probably crush her, and she was not one that was able to hide things very well. Female wiles were still a work no where yet in progress. A moment of pause, “Then you will teach me how to defend myself?” It very well was true, that if she did cause pain to someone, she would feel rather bad. Nor had she learnt yet about her own special abilities, she really needed to spend some more time with her sister, to see if they could figure things out. But for now, she was pinning her hope on Leo’s help.

She would never use violence in a play way, sure a tapish pat there, but nothing with a fist. Not unless she was wanting to make sure that person did not mess with her again. Though there was probably many ways of making that happen. Just when one was curious about things, as Gwen was curious about most everything, these type of questions arrived.

[Leo]

Leo moved in his stand and crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. What was he to do with her? He heard her reasoning but at the same time he was having a time in still finding out why.

"You do not have to have worry of me telling of your wings," he nodded his head towards them, "you should worry of them telling on them. If you cannot control them they will come out at anytime, yes? And put you in trouble, yes?" If what he understood of her words this was true.

"Being that if this is the case before you go to where it may be dangerous you should learn to control them." Leo scratched his chin with the three mid-fingers of his left hand. "That seems to make sense to me." The wings did seem to be her main problem, not that she did not know how to punch.

His hand lowered from his chin and there was a momentary glance to the floor before he went towards her. "You might have the thought that I do not care and that is why I shy from the idea of showing you how to fight." Reaching for her hands he made a boyish grin and a short chortle. "You would damage your hands and your eyes would have the
same look if you learned those ways." Leo was not naive to think that a person would be innocent forever, but the way that she spoke about things said that she had not been exposed to much. Or she never saw the bad things.

"Did you ask me because I look like I've been in many fights?" There had to be some reason why she asked him. Leo did not have the large build and broad shoulders of a fighter, neither was he lanky nor did he pack on extra weight. He looked to be average but if she had let him take her hands she would feel that his hold - while steady - was not weak but secure.

"Despite my better judgment, I will show you how to defend yourself if you can answer honestly a question in the proper way: if I were to strike at you, what would your instinct tell you to do?"

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

If Leo figured out what to do with her, he might very well be the first, that would know. Most people did not know what to do with Gwen, not really, but it was good that she was not what most would consider a high maintenance friend.

Weight shifted from foot to foot. And then she heard his words. Those words soothed her, and she flung herself forward in a quick hug, before stepping backwards. “Thank you Leo. I….didn’t think you would. But you never know.” It was all part of her taking steps to be more careful about whom and what knew stuff about her. Though it still felt odd.

Lids blinked as lashes kissed her cheeks. “Yes, they do have a mind of their own.” A small thoughtful frown, “But in their defense, before you knocked I was trying to wake them up.” A bob of her head, as fingers played with the arm warmer once more. “I was going to go out, and practice flying. You would not believe how sore your muscles get afterward. Still trying to figure out what to do for sore muscles.” She never had them before and now, she did not like having them, but flying was worth it.

She had bobbed her head about, for that was exactly what she thought. Perhaps her hero did not care and that’s why he didn’t wish her to learn. “So…you don’t want to show me because you care about my hands?” That’s exactly what she took out of that, lowering her head to study both of her hands, flipping them over to look at not just the backs of her hands but the palm’s as well.

Did you ask me because I look like I have been in many fights? Now that wouldn’t be something that Gwen knew. She looked up at him from under lowered lashes, as she spoke, a bit shy, even if the wings were still out. Which they did make their presence known by waving…yes her wings waved. “I asked you because you’re my hero. And if a girl can’t ask her hero to teach her things, whom can she ask?” Lower lip was bitten upon, not hard, but enough to know she was doing it.

“But Leo, you’re my hero, you wouldn’t strike me.” Perhaps he meant that question in general, but she took it as if he personally were to strike her, and she couldn’t see him doing that. Not saying that perhaps he never would, but in her mind she just…well she looked rather dumb founded.

[Leo]

The last thing that she said, the answer to his question, made the mood of this Spaniard sink by a drop. It was hard to know of she has answered that way because she did not get his meaning or if it was because of other reasons. He gave her a smile and lowered his hands and placed them just at his sides. "You see things differently, don't you?"

Leo took a step back from her and his eyes swept the ground before he ran his left hand through his hair. He did not think that she understood him and if that were the case then it would be a problem later. He had patience, that he did. "To train I would have to strike at you, and if your first thought is to do nothing or question and not act because of your thoughts of that person....." He did not sigh; he thought of other things that this task was going to take. IT was a difference of how they were that seemed to make an impasse.

"To fight or defend, to begin to learn how, you will have to have a different mindset. Not think that you are safe with people because of your relationship with them." He had a thought that she would have her guard down around people she trusted simply because she trusted them. "In this world that we live in there are many a-things that can make those that we never thought would hurt us, do."

Gaitto called him her Hero and though he was not going to dispute it and only thought that this came about because he had helped her find the cat. She could ask him things and he would give his honest thought on the things she asked.

“Learning is hard work and will make you just as sore, if not more, than with your flying until your body is conditioned.”

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

She was watching Leo, people often showed different emotions over their faces, even when they did not wish to show so much it did happen. Or perhaps it was the sag of shoulders. Either way, she blinked, before responding. “I see things differently? Doesn’t everyone see things different from each other?” She had always thought that if you took two people and put a situation in front of them, they would view things slightly different, according to their upbringing and the conditioning of said person.

Leo had shown patience every time that they had met. He also took the time to help her understand things, those are things a hero did, and a friend. She frowned just a moment, the emotion flickering over her features before she looked to him once more. “Oh, you mean for training purposes!” She let out a small laugh, before looking back to him. “So, then I am not suppose to think of the person, just the actions?” Her head tilted a bit to the left, “So I can’t think of you as Leo attacking me, but as a no name person?” She was trying to grasp all that he was saying. But it was foreign to her.

She listened to his words once more, and she cast her gaze downwards, fingers playing with the arm warmer once more. Before she lifted her eyes up at him a bit. “So your saying my friends could change and want to hurt me?” Her voice dropped just a little bit, “Even you?” She almost looked like a wounded woodland creature at that thought! She sniffed a lil bit, “Jade wouldn’t…never ever…she’s my bff.”

Leo was her hero as in the fact that he had helped her find Leoette, and he could of easily just left her at any time. But he was also her hero because she had a crush. Poor Leo, she was a faithful little person, not that she would come out and say she liked him. That was not a Gwen thing. She was the sort that fixated on a person, almost like flowering a bit more when they were in the area. Though she functioned just fine when they were not there. Even if her thoughts did wander off to how they were, if that person was okay, randomly.

She looked almost hopeful at Leo. “So you will still help then?” She was not afraid of being tired or sore. If it meant that she got to learn something new. She was always wanting to expand her knowledge.

[Leo]

"Ah mi Gattio, there is so much for you to learn."

There was within him a small confliction involved with this dealing. On the one side there was the obligation of him, as a man, to not have her to be in danger. If he refused her while knowing that people could be after her and that she would not be able to defend herself, then her suffering would be upon his hands. And on the other hand spending time with him could lead her into trouble unwanted. The less of the pair is what he would choose.

Folding his arms across his chest he squeezed them and tapped the floor of her room with the heel of his left shoe. Momentary drop of his head and he scrubbed the back of his neck and up around his left cheek and eyes with a single motion; when he was Leo picked up his head with a sharp intake of breath.

"Yes. Sí. I will help you." Leo had never trained a female before - he had never trained anyone before. Not in the fight. "But you have to give me a few days to a week to have things in prepare." It would give him time to talk things over with his boss. "It will give you time to go and have your flying adventure." he remembered that she was going to do just that before he came in.

"I will have contact with you to tell you when I will come." Leo said while going to the door.

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

Now, Leo had to know, that there was a lot for the girl to learn. And lucky, or rather unlucky depending on how he looked at it, it seemed she attached herself to him to teach her. Not that she could force him to do anything, nor would she actually ever try that, but she could ask! Asking never hurt anything, right?

She watched every movement he had made. She was wondering what he was going to do. She had that curiosity kicked up a few notches. She had a feeling he was having a small war within himself, though she wouldn’t know why, nor would she ask such a question.

When he said he would help her, her reaction was a big smile. “Thank you Leo!” She was good and had resisted the urge to clap her hands together. Nor did she reach out to touch him in a hug of sorts, for she felt his slightly unease of the closed door, and something told her not too. Her wings did flutter against her body though, as if they did approve of Leo’s choice. Perhaps she felt a strange flicker being around Leo, a tickle if you will, but she promptly put that feeling out of her mind, as she did when around Jade.

She blushed a bit at his words, him remembering what she was about to too, though she wondered if she would be able to put her thoughts into flying now. Now that she knew she was going to get to spend more time with her hero.

She gave a nod of her head, and moved to the side, so when he opened the door she wouldn’t be seen. Or at least not her wings. She did not think that she needed to say anything else, Leo was going to help her, and now she just needed to continue her patience until he gave her word.

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