Mi Flor~ (Leoxoc)

Past Scars

*Leo*

Leo took a few hesitant steps towards her. Valentine's eyes went crossed and her knees wobbled weakly. She suddenly began to fall backward, head aiming towards the rock. Leo scrambled from his place by the tree stump, sprinting towards her. Just as she was about to hit the boulder, Leo somehow managed to grab her by her waist and lifted her back up. Her head rolled, and she opened her eyes halfway, staring at him.

"Are you okay?!" Leo asked frantically, his heart pounding in his chest. Without answering, Valentine slipped unconscious, falling forward onto him, completely limp. He managed to hold her up, then looked around the meadow. He spotted an area of tall grass and had an idea. Picking her up bridal style, Leo focused on not letting his feet stumble under her weight. He didn't want to cause her any more pain.

"Alright, I'm just going to set you down over here." He spoke to her softly, finally making it over to the grass. Her face switched to an expression of pain, and she whimpered slightly. As gently as possible, Leo lowered her onto the cushion-like grass. He reached into his toolbelt, pulling out a small throw pillow that he was surprised was in there. Then again, he had pulled out stuff to make tacos before, so it wasn't too exciting. Plus, Valentine began moving her head from side to side.

Leo slipped the pillow under her head, about to stand up to grab her nectar and book. Before he had the chance to, he felt her hand grip on his wrist. Looking down, he noticed she was still knocked out cold, but her eyes were watering. She moved restlessly, mumbling under her breath words that Leo couldn't quite decipher.

"Hey, hey. Shhhh." He rubbed her hair with his free hand to calm her down. She stopped fidgeting as much, but she still seemed distressed. Then Valentine started doing something Leo wouldn't have ever expected. She started crying. He quickly pulled out a few tissues from his belt, wiping them away as they fell. Leo noticed her glasses beginning to fog up, so he gently removed them, cleaning them with a white part of his shirt.

"Dad..." She whispered quietly, her body shaking from crying so hard. Valentine started to move around more, her movements quick and frantic.

"No! You can't! Take me back to him!" She said louder, hyperventilating. Leo had to hold her down to keep her from hitting any nearby plants or rocks. "I'm sorry..." Valentine sobbed, then Valentine suddenly went shock still, then jerked forwards, screaming in pain.

Leo scooted towards her, lifting up her head and placing it in his lap. He continued running his fingers through her hair, pushing her bangs away from her face. She calmed for a second, then jerked again, with another scream.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Please..." Her voice cut off as she choked on another sob.

"Valentine, listen to me." He said to her, his voice stern yet gentle,"I need you to wake up." He had the urge to comfort her during her bad dreams. He had experienced some of his own. She only screamed again, rolling into a fetal position, shaking uncontrollably.

Leo gripped her shivering hands, leaning his face over hers. "Wake up, Valentine. It's okay, I'm here." Her sobs became choked hiccups and she stirred in her sleep, groaning.

"That's it, just open your eyes. It'll be okay. I'm right here." Either the nectar was starting to work or Leo had charm speak. Valentine's eyes slowly opened, red and crystallize from crying.

*Valentine*

Valentine suddenly felt extremely dizzy. Her legs grew weak, and she just didn't have enough strength to hold herself up anymore. Her vision was filled with black dots, and she felt the sensation of falling. She attempted to roll to the side to avoid the rock, but she couldn't even open her eye's. Suddenly, warm hands wrapped around her waist and she felt herself stop, then get pulled back up. Valentine's head rolled to the side, and she could just barely open her eyes.

"Are you okay?!"Leo's soothing voice asked. His face looked desperate and worried, and she attempted to say she was fine. But nothing came out. She felt herself drift out of consciousness and fall forwards, landing on a warm chest.

She was suddenly 6 years old again, standing next to her dying dad on the hospital bed. She took his hand, whispering in his ear, "No, dad! You can't leave me!." beep. She didn't trust herself to speak out loud, she was afraid she would start sobbing.

Her dad squeezed her hand weakly, offering her a small smile, "It's okay my little rosemary, I'll be fine." beep. After he said it, she knew it was a lie.

Valentine's eyes teared up, "You can't leave me, dad. Y-You promised you wouldn't!" beep.

Her dad attempted to reach out and rub her head like he always did, but he winced from the pain and stopped.

"You've always been my strong little girl, Valentine. Continue my garden for me, will ya?" beep. He chuckled weakly. Valentine started crying, burying her face in her father's chest.

"Dad, you can't leave me... you just, can't.." Her dad kissed her forehead one last time then said, "happy birthday my little rosemary, celebrate for me..." resting his hand on hers. In that moment, she felt his heartbeat stop. He breathed his final breath, the heart monitor went silent. He still had a smile on his face. She looked up at his face, her eyes widening even more.

"D-Dad... No!" She shook his shoulders, but he didn't budge. Two nurses walked into the room, holding onto her arms and saying stuff like It's going to be okay and He's in a better place now. Valentine screamed at them, yanking her arms as hard as she could.

"No! You can't! Take me back to him!" She yelled at the nurses dragging her down the hall.

Time shifted, and she was 10 in her 3rd and worst foster home. She frantically tried to pick up the glass plate that she had accidentally dropped when one of the foster parent's sons had tripped her.

"How dare you!" Her foster mother, Mistress Ella growled at her, her voice deathly low. Her cold eyes narrowed at the shaking girl who was completely starved and absolutely terrified.

Valentine picked a few pieces of glass out of her hands, wincing when she felt how deep they were. Before she could continue cleaning up the mess, Valentine felt a heavy kick in her stomach. She yelped, falling into the pile of glass and cutting her back.

"Travis, hand me your belt please."

Travis grinned at Valentine, unclipping his belt. "Of course, mother." Mistress Ella gripped the belt in her hand, examining it. Valentine got up trying not to show weakness again.

"I let you into my home, feed you, and take care of you, and THIS is how you repay me?" She said, raising her voice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! It won't happen again!"

"And I will make sure it doesn't."She gripped Valentine's shoulder, turning her around. Raising the belt, she slammed it full-force onto her already tattered blood-stained shirt. Valentine screamed in pain, fresh tears falling down her face. She struggled not to fall down again, knowing that would result in more punishment.

Mistress Ella raised the belt again, slamming it down on her back and making another deep cut as she screamed. Valentine fell to the floor onto her hands and knees.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Please..." She begged, her entire body shaking. Travis chuckled from the side.

"Hit her on the head this time mother. Get it through that thick skull of hers." His mother seemed to consider the idea, then agreed on doing it.

"This will teach you a lesson, girl." She growled, raising the belt as high as she could. She smacked the back of Valentine's head, sending her face planting into the ground from the force. A wound opened where she was hit as she screamed. When she reached back to touch it, she felt the warm stickiness of her own blood. She rolled into the fetal position to protect her head from any more hits.

"Wake up, Valentine." She suddenly heard a quiet and soothing voice echo in her head. "It's okay, I'm here." Mistress Ella raised the belt again, but as she slammed it down on her back, she suddenly froze in place. Everything did. The old clock stopped ticking. Travis stopped laughing.

"That's it, just open your eyes. It'll be okay. I'm right here." Valentine felt her whole body relax, and the pain almost completely disappeared. Along with everything else. Her eyes slowly began to flutter open.