Victor and Leo walked off the platform after finishing their speeches. Victor glanced at Leo with a teasing grin.
"That was quite the way to motivate a crowd," he said.
Leo shrugged. "They don't need motivation. Just confirmation. I told them what they needed to hear."
Victor laughed. "And I suppose my speech was unnecessary?"
Leo smirked. "You and your high and mighty words."
"Hey, I'm hurt," Victor said, placing a hand over his heart. "What was so high and mighty about it? I spoke the truth too."
"Yeah, yeah," Leo muttered. "God knows what truth that was. You just like pretending you're some noble hero."
Victor raised an eyebrow. "What, you think I'm not good?"
Leo gave a half-smile, nodded once, and kept walking.
That was their usual banter these days—half teasing, half jabs—but it was their way of staying grounded. Over the past year, they'd grown close, even if they never said it out loud.
