adored

20

Leo DeMarco:

The following day liyana was visiting again, and Leo was much more in his usual state of mind, the looseness of his tongue from the previous day haunting him slightly. Liyana offered to go and grab coffee and snacks as the doctor entered to chat to Leo. He attempted to compose himself knowing full well his face was probably flushed, however he couldn't seem to calm his jittery heart.

As the doctor rattled off about things he needed to do in order to maintain his health, all Leo could seem to think about was the tender way in which Liyana held his hand earlier. He flexed his fingers and could still feel the ghost of her touch. It was unhealthy, he thought, how consumed he was by thoughts of her, but he put it down to the amount of medication pumped through him. However, even beneath the haze of medication he could still distinguish the way she'd burrowed herself deep into his chest beating alongside his heart.

Shortly after the doctor left him to rest, the door handle turned and Leo smiled preemptively just because it was her.

 But it wasn't.

Instead of the pretty pretty brunette, he was met by a bundle of energy bounding towards him. 

"UNCLEOOO"

Daniel charged at him, jumping into his arms and wrapping his short arms around him. He smiled as he returned the hug. His eyes caught onto Marco's. 

"Daniel what did I just tell you about inside voices especially while uncle Leo is recovering?"

Daniel mumbled a sorry into Leo's neck, but he ruffled his hair, "no worries, I missed you both too much to care"

"How've you been Leo? You gave us quite the scare"

"You know how it is. I'm okay though."

Marco and Leo's relationship was built on understanding. Not many words had to be exchanged between the pair, they just got each other.

Daniel smiled widely, "Guess what guess what, I got you a present"

"Yeah?"

He handed him a little parcel wrapped in shark print wrapping paper with what looked like a whole roll of cellotape adorning it.

"wowza is that all of Tesco's cellotape stock?"

"Well I had to make it secure"

He opened it to reveal a necklace with what looked like a shark tooth on the end as well as a switch game; Batman to be specific.

"you like sharks and that an actual real one, and you like Batman and I like playing games with you so everyone wins."

Leo felt like crying. He clasped the necklace around his neck, "look good?"

"no" Daniel responded with a cheeky grin on his face.

Leo hugged him tighter, "you cheeky monkey, you really are my favourite person in the world"

"You're mine too I guess" he rolled his eyes jokingly.

At some point Liyana re-entered and greeted Daniel and Marco as she saw them. Leo didn't hear much of the conversation, his thoughts dancing away as he couldn't shake the thought of how family like this all felt. With her he meant. 

As if they were meant for each other or something.

He was brought back to the rooms conversation as Marcos gently shoved his shoulder, "the little rat didn't even tell me, so how long have you guys been together?"

"Oh uh no we're not-" liyana stumbled over her words, her cheeks turning picker by the second before he stepped in to put her out of her misery.

"We're just friends" 

The words felt like acid along his tongue, because to him they were anything but a 'just'. She felt like everything and more to him so to reduce it down to just friends, even though that was effectively what the situation was, made his heart sink slightly.

It was Daniel who cut in next, "Uncleo said maybe one day though" 

"Uhm no I didn't" 

He was shaking his head and trying his best to avoid eye contact as he mentally berated himself for confiding in anyone about his thoughts, let alone the loose lipped young boy beside him.

"Yes you did"

"No no Daniel, I think you're tired"

"I have perfect memory and it's only 6 pm"

"Daniel-"

"don't you remember? I said 'is she funny' and you said 'yes', then I said 'is she kind to you' and you said 'yes' and then I said 'is she pretty' and"

"Okay, that's quite enough"

"you said 'yes' and then I said 'why aren't you getting married then' and you said 'maybe one day just not yet'. Remember?"

A small "Oh" sounded form liyana although it sounded more like a squeak and Leo wished the hospital bed could just swallow him whole. 

He turned to liyana embarrassedly, "Just uhm let's just forget about that I didn't-"

 Liyanas eyes twinkled, "well I think you're funny, kind and pretty as well for the record."

A/N - lmk what u thought and anything u wanna see