Transfusion

Chapter 22

When we entered the apartment, Leon was pacing in the living room. 

"Where were you guys? It's late."

When he saw that I was limping, his eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

"There was a small complication with the assignment, but Ashlinn is fine." Elias lied smoothly.

"So now you can't even handle a simple operation without..complications."

"Accidents happen."

The look between them was so challenging, I wondered if there was something else going on here that I didn't know about. I cut in before things escalated, "Don't blame Elias, it was my fault for being clumsy."

Sighing, Leon crossed his arms and said "Let me take a look at your leg."

Alarmed, I scrambled to think of an excuse. I couldn't show him my leg because there was no physical injury; the pain was the result of unnatural causes.

Elias seemed to be thinking the same thing because as Leon began to approach, he stepped in front of me, blocking the blonde man's path. "I've already looked at her injury, she's fine."

Surprise flashed through Leon's eyes. "All right, but can I speak to Ash privately for a moment."

Hesitating, Elias looked back at me before walking out of the room.

When we were left alone, I contemplated telling him my secret. Now would be a perfect opportunity to do so, but I barely got to spend any time with Leon, I didn't want to waste what little time we had talking about something as heavy as this, so I held back.

"Are you sure you're okay, Ash?" Concern filled his eyes as he asked me.

"I'm fine, " I said not wanting him to worry, he already had more than enough to be preoccupied with.

"Well, have you eaten anything yet? I saved some food for you incase you were hungry."

I smiled, when I realized he noticed that I missed dinner tonight. Nodding, I followed him into the kitchen, and sat at the table while he brought over a bowl of spaghetti.

Leon sat besides me while I ate, and I found it a bit awkward, but I was thrilled that he wanted to spend time with me, when he must be so busy with everything else. We chatted lightly, and he told be about all the research he and Reina had done today, as well as his recent operation with Dravin.

"I was thinking, if you were free tomorrow, we could go out and do something, just the two of us."

I stilled at his words, the fork halfway to mouth. 

Could Leon actually be suggesting we go on a date? Was it a date? Something inside me held back at the thought of it. But then again, this was Leon. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"There are still things I need to take care of tomorrow, but I think a break wouldn't hurt." He smiled with such warmth, that there was nothing to do but smile back.

Although I was excited for tomorrow, a part of me that I didn't want to acknowledge felt hesitant about agreeing to go. I knew Leon was prone to mood swings; sometimes he would be so attentive and warm like tonight but other nights he could be distant and hard to read. I didn't know if this was even a real date, but instead of thinking about Leon, I was thinking about someone else.