the hunt - 2 - [rottmnt Donnie - COMPLETED]

#79

"Leo..." repeated Shiro, and there he was with her, pulling her into his arms - so surprised that he couldn't even exclaim aloud!

All at once, she felt his flame was back in full, present and bright - it lashed out, flickered, and with its trembling, Leo began to sob. She felt his body struggling under his ragged breath. Had his arms locked tightly around her, his hands lay strong on her body - as if he could never let her go.

But he had to. Just like herself.

"You're back...!" whispered Leo, stunned.

Shiro closed her eyes briefly and sighed, then began to gently push the agitated turtle away from her, squirming out of his embrace.

"No. I'm not." she replied.

Flustered and surprised, he looked down at her, his cheeks wet with tears.

"Shiro...what...what's-?" he stammered.

"I want you to calm down, Leo. We have something to talk about." Shiro said softly, lifting her hands and gently wiping away his tears, but he grabbed them and pulled her back to him.

"What to talk about? What do you mean you're not back?" he said, his voice hoarse from days of silence.

"First, you have to calm down. Come, sit down."

Shiro tried to pull Leo to the bed, but he just stopped like a rock, and she tried in vain.

"I don't want to sit down." he declared.

Shiro nodded and sighed.

"Fine, standing then." she said, looking at him seriously, "Listen. In Casey's future, there had been this huge fight between you and Donnie that had divided you. And I was gone. I know what it was about now. My future version was cheating on Donnie with you."

Leo stared down at Shiro, and he thought his legs were about to give way, but Shiro continued to speak unperturbed.

"I suspect my future self did it to..." she hesitated for a moment, biting her lip, "To get the second Orb."

Leo still stared at her, speechless for a moment as all the information fell into place.

"We... share an orb? One like Donnie and you?" he breathed, remembering the feeling of charging when he'd only seen Shiro then in the protective suit that was like a second skin over her body. As if of their own accord, his hands lifted, wanting to cup her face, but she pushed them aside.

"We could share one." she said, "Both your energies balance mine."

"But you pulled Donnie's Orb out of you... At the hospital..." began Leo, and Shiro nodded.

"Right. And I'll leave it at that." she said now in a choked up voice.

"Does that mean... that means we-?" Leo's eyes grew wide, barely daring to breathe, but her gaze grew hard, her voice thick.

"No."

Inside Leo, everything collapsed like a house of cards.

"But I... Shiro... I... I love you and I-" he stuttered, taking her by the shoulders.

"Leo...." she shook her head and looked down.

"What about the flames in the sphere? Our flames within us? I can feel how you are! Can sense the distance between us!" Leo whispered urgently, taking a step towards her. They were very close now, "Please, don't go away. I need you."

Shiro raised her head, her voice soft but determined:

"No. I won't do this, Leo. With my Ninpo - my Ninpos - I can balance myself. An Orb would upset the balance again, make me tilt. I can't risk that - not with you, not with Donnie. And it's not just me who would suffer, both of you as well."