Finding You Always

A Bitter Draught, Pt 1

Chapter 126: A Bitter Draught, Pt. 1

Leo waited anxiously at Granny's that evening, though he tried to seem nonchalant. Granny kept watching him in amusement and decided to take pity on him.

"He'll be here, you know. You're early," she said. He looked up at her and sighed.

"I know...I guess I just don't have a great track record so far," he mentioned.

"No...you don't and I'd be lying if I said I thought there was anyone good enough for you or any of your siblings for that matter. I'm a bit fond of this family, after all," Granny mused and Leo gave her a half smile.

"Look...I can't tell you what to do and it kills us all when you get hurt. But don't close yourself off. There's no reason to think that this Chad will be like Penny or Luka," she mentioned.

"What if he decides to leave, like Elsa?" Leo muttered and she put her hand on his.

"Then he's not the one. Doesn't mean you won't find it," she reminded. He nodded, as Chad came in from the Inn and Leo looked over, as his heart quickened when he smiled at him.

"Hey..." he greeted. Leo swallowed. He was in so much trouble. He'd been attracted to people before, but he was absolutely enamored by Chad.

"Uh...hey..." he managed to say.

"So...this place is nice, but I thought maybe you could show me the rest of the town?" he asked. Leo nodded.

"Yeah...we can do that. And then if you want, we can stop at the Rabbit Hole for a drink. My Uncle Will and Aunt Ana run the place," he mentioned. Chad smiled and nodded.

"Lead the way," he said, as they took to the streets of Storybrooke.

After showing him around a bit, they came upon the Rabbit Hole and went to the bar.

"Leo...long time no see," Will greeted.

"Hey Will...it's good to see you. This is my friend Chad, from the Land of Untold Stories," Leo replied.

"Good to meet you. Beer?" he asked.

"Sure, that sounds great," Chad replied.

"Beer for me too," Leo said.

"Nice try lad, but you've got two more years before you're old enough for that," Will retorted. Leo shrugged.

"Yet you assume he's old enough," Leo complained.

"Oh this lad is at least twenty-two," Will said. Chad nodded.

"Twenty-three actually, thanks," he replied, as Will put a beer in front of him and a soda in front of Leo.

"You know, Gramps says there really wasn't a drinking age back home," he mentioned.

"Thus why Storybrooke is superior, not to mention that your mother would kill me and she is scary," Will retorted. Leo frowned and Chad chuckled, as he heard a ruckus over at the billiard table. He saw Leo crinkle his nose at the man that was boasting some kind of victory.

"You know that guy?" he asked.

"Aiden Slade...Storybrooke's biggest jerk," he replied, hoping that he wouldn't see them, but there would be no such luck.

"Hey look...it's Dances With Wolves himself!" Aiden called, as his friends snickered in amusement.

"I heard your crazy family went traipsing off to the Underworld. You're all a special kind of crazy," Aiden said. Leo clenched his teeth.

"We went to save my father...it wasn't crazy," Leo growled. Aiden chuckled.

"Lighten up, dog whisperer. Man...you really need to get some, boy. One night with me and I know I'd take all that fight right out of you," Aiden leered, as Chad got between them.