Chapter Text
This night was supposed to just be hang out, a promise that this young version of Leo made to Casey right after the invasion was over, just two guys going out for a pizza after one has just recovered from what might as well be the nearest death experience he's ever had and the other is somehow trying to process such a calm and mundane scenario after never knowing anything but war with a version of his master that is way less serious, put together or even worried about anything, it's such a dislocated feeling, like meeting your parent years before you were even an idea in their minds, in a time period you've only ever heard of but never experienced, and not only that but Leo is so... well, there's no way to put it lightly, he's a complete goof compared to his sensei, or at least the idea Casey had of him, this whole sittuation feels foreign and... unsafe, not like there's any active threat but if feels so surreal that it seems fake, luckily, Leo notices his discomfort, and grounds Casey with an arm around his shoulders, holding him steady with a friendly rub to his arm, it feels safe, familiar, his sensei always did something like that to him, though... it never made his heart flutter like this.
The hidden city was very pretty at night, it reminded Casey of the stories he's heard from his family and even other yokais, the dashing creatures it inhabites, the population of varied types of creatures and cultures, all living in surprising harmony, Leo knew how to appreciate the peace of that place, though he never talked about it much, he was very observant, such a place like this feels like something out of a fantasy movie, maybe mixed in with some sci-fi, Leo really wanted to explore more of this place with his family, he couldn't even fathom a world where he would never get to experience more of this with his loved of, but thanks to Casey they managed to save the world, and it just feels right to take him out to this awesome place, not only to thank him, but to also allow him to experience the wonders of a world he has only ever heard of, though... it was better to just take him somewhere he already knew was safe, it wouldn't be as nice of a hangout if they accidentally stumbled upon some diner that preyed on humans or something, so Hueso's sounded like a safe bet.
On the way there, Casey and Leo stumbled through awkward attempts at conversation, turns out they have very different ideas of a "normal/casual interaction" while Leo tried talking about pizza flavors and their ingredients, Casey went on a bit of a ramble on some of ingredient's nutritional contents and values, something he learned from helping with the Resistance's rations, then Casey tries to talk about the weather, but all he'sever known was dark red clouds and acid rains then Leo has to try and keep a straight face while explaining that the weather is not as hostile (yet) and that there's a bunch of beautiful natural phenomenas they could still watch some other day, from simple things such as rainbows to the stunning spectacle of the Northern Lights, and that's when Leo realized that maybe... just maybe his near death experience might have awakened something in him, something exciting, curious, a yearn for new experiences, a lack of contempt over his life, a desire for a little more adventure.
A renewed will to live...
And Casey... felt that, on the way Leo spoke, on the way his eyes lit up as he gestured passionately to the sky, almost as if he could see the ecstasy rushing through Leo's veins, it felt inspiring, epic even, Cadey sensed a kind of hope in his voice that he never even heard from his Sensei, it wasn't a call to duty or a lift to the spirits of broken soldiers, it was something more... like what he was saying wasn't something he hoped was true, but something he could genuinely and easily make true, like a traveler mapping out their route through wonderland, his words were so compelling, his tone was so confident, his narrative was so enthralling, it all had Casey gripped by the throat, he wanted to follow Leo everywhere he went, trusting that it would all be amazing as long as Leo said it would, god he feels that if Leo told him in that voice to jump into an active volcano, then *damn* he WOULD, he'd do anything for this Leo notices matter how... how...
Oh shit he's got a crush on him.
Thankfully Leo seems to not have realized this yet, still stuck somewhere around his fantasy and processing Casey's ever changing facial expressions, trying to read the room and act accordingly, but never-ending that, they're here!
Good old Hueso's...