Delicate

Chapter Twenty Three

"Quinn keeps asking me about updates," Milan said as he read his best friend's messages.

"For someone that's not even on the team, they're really into the Mathletes," Leo responded.

"I told them we won the duo team round, and that you got the most correct answers. They said congratulations and good job," Milan said.

"Yeah, they texted me too," Leo replied, "they're also asking when they can hang out with Maya again."

"Those two got along well."

"Too well," Leo muttered.

"Maybe we could, you know, do like a game night or a movie night? The four of us? Only if you're okay with that, that is," Milan suggested.

"Sure," Leo shrugged, "sounds good."

"Good!"

"Good," Leo repeated.

"Great!"

"Cute," Leo commented, "how long do we have to wait for the next round?"

"Twenty minutes, I think," Milan said as he glanced at his watch.

"I hate waiting," Leo groaned, "do you want to catch a movie tomorrow?"

"Just us?" Milan asked, and Leo nodded in response, "like a date?"

"Yes, you idiot. Exactly like a date," Leo said.

"Oh, ye—" Milan was about to agree, when he remembered that he had told his brother that he would meet him tomorrow, "I'm going to meet my brother for lunch, so I don't know when I'll be free."

"Your brother?"

"Yeah," Milan replied awkwardly, "he's driving down to meet me."

"You don't talk about him much," Leo asked, trying to be mindful of what he was saying, since he knew it was a sensitive topic for Milan.

"He, uh, my family has kinda disowned him," Milan muttered.

"Disowned him? Why?" Leo questioned, making Milan sigh.

"It's a long story..." Milan paused, "he was a troublemaker ever since he was a kid. And you know about my parents, they're very... strict. They somehow tolerated him but then he went into juvie for, uh, for breaking and entering. They kicked him out after that, and my dad has forbid everyone from talking to him."

"But you still talk to him," Leo pointed out.

"Of course, he's my brother. And he's a good brother too," Milan licked his lower lip before he continued, "I did stop talking to him for a while when I was younger. I was an impressionable kid and I didn't want to piss off my dad but... I miss Ben. He was always good to me and we were close despite our parents basically comparing us every chance they got. Somehow it never drew a wedge between us."

"Family is complicated like that, huh?"

"Very much so," Milan agreed.

Leo couldn't help but think about his own actions, and how he had gotten into trouble quite a few times over the years as well. Many of his foster parents had given up on him. Some punished him, some simply ignored him and didn't bother.

Roan and Kai had always been by his side, though. Sure, he had never done anything bad enough to make him land in jail. But every time he messed up— those two were there for him. They corrected him when need be, and defended him when such was the case. They said it was human to make mistakes, and they were always there for him.

Always.

Leo had stayed in his shell, in his isolated little bubble for so long that he never thought about all this. He was always cynical, he believed that everyone had an ulterior motive. He never believed that someone could love just because.