Saving Herself

Joe SUCKS

 Leonard whistled a tune, walking along the remote path beside the park. He stopped whistling once he saw Joe. Joe was walking in Leonards direction, and once he realised Leonard, he abruptly looked away, walking across the street to switch pavements.

Leonard scoffed to himself, and walked across the street as well. As he came close to Joe, who kept his head down and mumbled a small greeting, he grabbed Joe's arm and dragged him towards the park. "What the heck-", Joe exclaimed. A cocky smile was all over Leonard's face.

Once they were at the park, Leonard's grip loosened a little, enough for Joe to forcefully yank his arm away.

"What do you want?", he snarled.

Leonard looked around, making sure they were truly alone. After feeling sure, he turned to Joe with a devious smile.

"Oh, just talk."

"I don't want to talk.", Joe said irritated, drawing his eyebrows together.

"Why so serious? Relax a little.", Leonard drawled. "You're being tense."

Joe scoffed. "Tense? I'm relaxing just fine."

"Really?", Leonard grinned, "You look like you're going to write a paragraph about how you can't stand me in a cute little diary."

"Say what now?", Joe's voice dropped low. He was easily provoked. He stepped closer in order to intimidate him. But maybe that was exactly what Leonard was aiming for.

"You're on the verge of a storm, it seems. Trying to sweep me away?", he teased.

"You-", Joe started, but held himself back. He turned away.

"Where's the fun when you decide to leave? Come on, loosen up."

Joe halted. He swirled around, offended. "You think you can tell me what to do?", he snapped. Leonards cologne is overstimulating.

Leonard shrugged, looking Joe up and down. "I could make you."

"Hah. Who do you even think you are?", Joe scoffed, stepping away, trying to regain space. But Leonard relentlessly followed. "I am me. Always have been. Trying to convince me otherwise?"

Joe opened his mouth to say something, but Leonard mercilessly interrupted him. "Besides, you seem like you're expecting something. As if you're waiting for something. You could've left, but you decided to stay... well? What are you waiting for?"

"What are you talking about?", Joe hissed. His eyes were wide in anger, darting around Leonard's face, as if trying to find a mistake in him, something to embarrass him with. The stupid blue eyes that were flickering with mischief, the smirk playing on his lips that Joe desperately wanted to wipe of that darn face of his. He was trying to keep his cool. He couldn't think straight.

"You act like you hate me...", Leonard took another step closer, "but when I get close, you're betraying the words you spout." He raised his eyebrows, his voice smooth and unwaveringly confident.

Startled, Joe was speechless. His heart was thumping, his anger reached new heights. The air felt tense. "You're being fucking ridiculous."

"Are you scared to admit it?"

"You're-"

"You like this, don't you?", Leonard interrupted, coaxing a reaction out of Joe.

Joe stood there, frozen in spot, not knowing what to say. His pulse skyrocketed. He pushed Leonard. "Woah, woah, there.", Leonard chuckled. The audacity. "Shut up.", Joe growled, grabbing Leonards shirt.

"Make me."

That was it. Joe's patience had finally snapped. He couldn't think straight, his angered, unclear eyes darting to that stupid smirk on Leonard's lips. Impulsively, he yanked Leonard towards him, lips crashing down on his in a fierce, rough kiss. Joe could feel how Leonard smiled into the kiss, as if he had been waiting for this.

When they finally broke up, breathless, Leonard was grinning wider than ever. "Took you long enough.", he uttered with a hoarse voice.

Joe's face flushed deep red, trying to catch his breath.

He was baiting me?

"See you. Don't miss me too much.", Leonard drawled as he walked past Joe.

--

Joe stood there for a while, trying to register what just happened. His fists were shaking.

Why did I do that? Why??

For sure, it was pure impulse after seeing Leonard's lips.

No – he provoked me. It's all his fault.

But in the end, it was him himself engaged in the spontaneous idea of kissing someone who apparently didn't like. Can't help you there, buddy. Currently, his heart was pounding like he had run a mile, and that weird tingle on his lips was still there.

Frustrated, he rubbed his face, as if that was going to help him get rid of the feeling.

How could I have let it happen? No, no... stop thinking about it. I'm making it worse for myself.

(Reminder: He seemed kinda into it a moment ago.)

He provoked me, he pushed me to do all this, FUCK. It's all because of HIM, that IDIOT.

Funny, Leonard wasn't the one who kissed him. It was Joe.

I like Troy. He can't take that away from me.

(Gosh, son. You kissed Leonard two times and still think you're meant for Troy?)

Joe started to move, walking to where he wanted to go in the first place.

Somewhere, buried deep in the depths of his consciousness, he was battling which was worse: kissing Leonard or the fact that he actually didn't regret it.

--

Meanwhile, Leonard was walking, barely aware to where exactly, and running his hand through his hair, rubbing his lips.

I had a plan and it succeeded. I provoked him to find out if he has caught feelings for me. I have provoked him far enough to kiss me to keep him off Troy.

But truly – was it really that simple? He had leaned into the kiss with a smile, after all. Why'd you lean in?

It was to provoke him. So that he latches onto me and not onto Troy.

Leonard stopped. He looked around, and realised he was at the wrong street. He silently cursed and turned around. He walked back, back to where he had seen Joe not long ago.

Troy is kind. He is easy, full of life, sweet. And Joe was just rough, rude, serious about it all.

Would that really be enough to erase how Joe sparked such blazing fire of desire and passion in him? How the kiss was more than he had expected? Could Troy ever give him that burning feeling?

He walked and walked, picking up pace.

I did this all for Troy. There's nothing more than that. I care for him, he is good to me. Joe has not cared for once.

But in the end, it was him who enjoyed the push and pull, who never hesitated to tease Joe when he saw the chance. It was him who thought the idea of getting close to him was rather enticing, to provoke him into liking him.

As he reached the spot where Joe had kissed him, no one was there. Joe was long gone.

I should clear my mind.

He started taking a walk in the park, trying to get some order in his chaotic thoughts.

What would Troy think if he even saw that?

--

It was only once Leonard had walked eleven laps around the park, when he finally decided to go back home.