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Well. He felt like a piece of shit. Glancing back and forth between the road and Leo, who was crying heavily, Jin panicked. It was supposed to be a routine trip to the grocery store. They all took turns so the shopping wouldn’t always fall on Jun. Sometimes Asuka and Jin would go, sometimes Leo would come. Yesterday they both volunteered to do the trip since Jun was a little under the weather.
But if either one of them had any idea of how unpleasant the morning was going to be, they probably would have changed their minds.
“I’m sorry.” The older man apologized, quickly reaching over to brush the tears out of Leo’s eyes. Her response was to only shy away, pulling her knees to her chest in an attempt to shut him out.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He held her hand instead, given that it was difficult to steer his car with only his left hand, he just wanted to comfort her. “I was an ass; I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
She had forgotten to clean up her paint mess from the night before, and Jin had come down to a clogged sink again. His response was one of impatience and irritation. Yes, it was a pain to unclog the sink, but he knew she didn’t mean any harm by it. She was in a hurry to get to bed, and she just forgot about it. It wasn’t some underhanded attempt to annoy him. But the moment she had come downstairs, getting her red sweatshirt on, he snapped at her.
Poor Leo. She looked like a little kid getting reamed out by their parent. She had tried to take it with a brave face, but she looked terrified. God he felt like such an asshole. She was just a sixteen-year-old kid. He knew better than to get so miffed at her. It didn’t take long for the tears to come. She could take Asuka getting annoyed at her. But not from Jin.
“Please don’t cry. I overreacted over the sink. It doesn’t matter.” Not that saying that would fix all of this, but he didn’t know what else to say. Jin wasn’t warm or open in the same way his sister was. It was easy for Asuka to bridge the gap. She always knew what to say.
Him? He was loving but distant. He had always been like that. Words and intimate gestures didn’t come to him as easily as they did for Asuka. She always had a special way with people, something he sorely lacked. His friends and family always knew he cared though, because they knew how Jin was. But Leo didn’t. She hadn’t lived long enough with them yet to learn that about him.
He wanted to tell her how much he cared, and how much he saw in her. And now, it was more important than anything. He didn’t want that gap to grow between them again. Quickly he found a random parking lot. It didn’t matter where, just somehow to pull over. When they did, Leo looked up, confused.
“Where- why-“ Leo blinked blearily, but before she could say or do anything, she found herself being enveloped into Jin’s arms, pressed into his large frame. She froze, uncertain how to react. At first, she tried to shy away, pulling from his grasp, but he wouldn’t let her.
She stiffened, but slowly relaxed and returned the embrace, pressing her face into his shoulder. She smelled like his cologne. She must have been sneaking into his room after school and spraying some of it on herself. It suited her. He felt some fresh tears beginning to soak his shirt, but he didn’t care.
He didn’t have words. He wasn’t good with them. So, he hoped this would express what he felt for her. She quietly cried into his shoulder, letting her tears flow freely, no longer trying to hide from him. They stayed like that for a long moment, until Leo calmed down. When she pulled away, her face looked red, blotchy and very tired.
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” Jin apologized, brushing some of her hair out of her eyes. She tried to smile, shaking her head.
“No, i-it’s okay.” She replied, voice shaky. “L-let’s just get this shopping done and-“
“After we get you a coffee.”
The blonde seemed to perk up at the idea but remained hesitant. “No I- you don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.” Jin urged. “Anything you want.”
Leo looked up at him, hopefully. She had the prettiest eyes. A light blue that almost looked like a frost covering glass. They were piercing, right to his heart. “Uh…” she trailed, “I guess- an iced latte sounds good.”
“All right. Let’s go.”
He put his car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot. The silence between them didn’t feel so heavy now. Leo searched the compartment of the dashboard, then the side of the door, probably for napkins, some tissues. Jin fished some out of his pocket, a little package of them he had kept stashed there some weeks ago when he had gotten sick. He got tired of getting up and confiscating the class tissue box so he just brought his own instead.
“Oh, for me?” Leo asked, as he held it in front of her.
“Yes, take it.”
She did. And it sounded she really, really needed it. Jin felt some hope. She was beginning to calm down now. Her eyes still looked red, but at least she wasn’t crying now.
When they got to the star bucks he parked and went inside. He didn’t have to wait long, seeing as how it was only a latte. At the last second though, he got her a little scone too, though at random, as he wasn’t sure what kind she liked. When he got back to the car, she eyed the bag with interest.
“What’s this?” she asked, opening the top of it.
“A scone.” Jin answered. “I wasn’t sure what you liked. So I just got the chocolate one.”
“Oh I love those! Thank you!” Leo beamed, a real smile spreading across her face now. Jin could breathe a sigh of relief now. She didn’t look sad anymore. Before she broke into it though, she paused. Taking the baked good into her hands, she broke it in half, giving him the larger one.
“Here. You should have one too.” She said. Jin’s felt a lump in his throat. Of course she would do that. Leo was always like that. Kind and always inclusive to others. He tried to decline at first.
“I- no. It’s all yours.”
“Please have it.” Leo insisted. He didn’t want to risk making her feel upset again, so he acquiesced, and accepted the treat, taking a bite. It was a little cold, he didn’t ask them to warm it up, it was sort of a last-minute grab. But it still tasted delicious.
“It’s good.” He said, Leo smiled, reaching up to wipe a bit of the chocolate away from the corner of his mouth. His cheeks grew hot at her touch, tinting like a soft cherry.
“I’m glad.” Leo grinned. Her face was still a bit red, but she looked much better now. Brighter and no longer despondent. The tight feeling in his chest had loosened. Still his eyes lingered on her.
“What is it?” Leo asked.
“I- “I love you.
“I know I’m- not the easiest person to live with.”
Leo frowned, but Jin held up his hand, “Just- let me finish. I’m not the easiest person to live with. I’m kind of a dumb guy. Feelings are- hard for me.” He paused, swallowing uneasily.
“I’m not good with words. I’m not like Asuka. She’s good with people. I’m not… gifted. Like she is.”
“No one is.” Leo shrugged. “And even Asuka has her moments too. No one’s perfect.”
“It’s just, she’s an open book.” Jin said. “I’m hard to read. And I know it's kind of hard to tell what I think sometimes.” He swallowed, thickly. “But… I do care about you. A lot.”
“I know Jin, I know.” She answered, “I never doubted that. Really.”
“Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew that. I don’t know the first thing about anyone’s feelings. So I’m kinda, slower than Asuka.”
Leo chuckled, “That’s not true. You’re very sensitive to others hearts. Way more than you give yourself credit for.”
Jin shook his head. “I’m not anything like my mom or sister.”
“You’re right. You’re not. You’re you.” Leo reassured, patting his shoulder. “If we were all the same, that would be kind of boring.”
“…You, remind of her you know.”
“Who?”
“Mom.”
“Wait- really?” Leo asked, genuinely surprised. It was kind of out of nowhere. But he still wanted to tell her anyways. While he still had the chance too. A small smile curled up on Jin’s face.
“Yeah. You two are a lot alike. You… you see the good in everyone and everything. You don’t judge a book by its cover. You’re humanitarians. Loving and gentle-“
I love you.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re exactly like her. Not a mean bone in your body. And I-“
I love you.
Jin shook his head. “You’re part of our family now. I just hope that, even despite this morning, you know that.”
Leo nodded reaching over to gently take his hand in hers. They felt soft, and like silk. Not rough and torn around the edges like Asuka’s. They looked more like their mother’s. He looked back up at her, and she was smiling, loving and sweet as always. She knew what he wanted to say. Jin sighed and squeezed her hand.
“I do Jin. Really, I do.” Her face wasn’t so blotchy now. Her eyes were still kind of glassy but not anything like before.
Jin could only kick himself for not being able to say it. Those three unspoken words. But Leo didn’t seem to mind. She understood, very well.
“I- that’s good. I’m glad.” Jin said. He reached over and brushed some of her golden hair out of her eyes. “Well… you still up for the shopping?”
Leo beamed, nodding vigorously. “Yeah! Let’s go!” There she was. Back to her regular self. The sun came out.
The trip felt much easier now. She enjoyed her coffee and the rest of her scone, both of which she finished by the time they got to the grocery store, though she quickly made a trip to the bathroom just to freshen up a bit.
They walked up and down the isles grabbing the items they needed. Eggs, butter, milk, bread, cereal, K-cups and so on. He urged Leo to grab at least a couple of things she really had her eye on. Another special treat. She got a package of cookie dough, something they could make for everyone later in the evening. Plus a couple of coffees. She loved the bottled and canned coffees that store carried.
After they finished, they made their way back home and unloaded. Even if Jun didn’t know what happened this morning, she seemed to notice the change between, smiling as the pair sat down to play more of the FF7 game on the old PS2. Leo and Jin were currently making their way through disc 2 and trying to get past a boss she had gotten stuck on a while ago. Asuka sat down to watch them, very soothed by the music from the game.
“Something happen between you two?” Asuka asked.
“Hm?” Leo over from her spot. “What do you mean?”
“You’re close. Like, really close. You best friends now or something?”
Jin and Leo glanced at one another and indeed Asuka was right. They were sitting close to one another, so much so that their shoulders were touching.
“Oh… I guess yeah.” The blonde grinned.
“Huh. Well, I don’t know what magic you worked on him but keep casting your spells. Jin doesn’t let anyone other than her,” She pointed at Jun, “And his little girlfriend Xiaoyu get that close to him. Not even me.” Asuka feigned offense.
Jin rolled his eyes in response. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.” Asuka snickered.
“Hey, be nice.” Jun lightly chided. “If their friends then their friends.”
“Yeah mom I know.”
Leo went back to the game. They had just found Vincent. Or well, the place he rested anyways. She couldn’t land the code just right though to open up his coffin.
“Stuck?” Jin asked.
“Uh, yeah.”
“Here, lemme try.”
Jun smiled, fishing out her phone. No one was looking, everyone’s gaze seemed to be on the screen. So now would be the perfect time for the picture. When she did, she looked over the photo on the screen, a happy scene displayed before her. Leo and Jin close, Asuka chilling out on the chair.
Yes. The afternoon couldn’t be brighter.