Love me like this (Supernatural Re-up)

Chapter 24: Sweet and Bitter hangout

Xander paced nervously in the hallway outside Leo's dorm room, his mind racing with thoughts he hadn’t yet sorted out. He had been thinking about asking Leo to hang out for a while now, but something always seemed to hold him back. Whether it was fear of rejection, uncertainty about his feelings, or the nagging worry that Leo might not see him in the same way, Xander could never bring himself to ask. But today, after weeks of avoiding it, he had finally mustered the courage.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

Leo opened it moments later, looking up in surprise when he saw Xander standing there. "Oh, hey, what's up?"

"Hey," Xander started, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "I was, uh, wondering if you wanted to hang out? Maybe tomorrow after class?"

Leo blinked, slightly taken aback by the sudden invitation. Xander wasn’t usually the type to initiate hangouts, and given how distant he had been lately, it caught Leo off guard. But he smiled, glad that Xander was making the effort. "Sure, sounds fun. We haven't done that in a while."

"Great!" Xander said, trying not to sound too eager. "I'll meet you after class then?"

Leo nodded, and Xander felt a wave of relief wash over him. It was a simple plan, but for some reason, it felt monumental. He smiled a bit awkwardly before saying goodbye and heading back to his own dorm, feeling lighter than he had in weeks.

---

Later that day, as Leo was walking down one of the quieter hallways of the school, he felt someone approaching from behind. Turning around, he saw Cassian—his classmate and someone he had grown friendly with over the past few weeks—catching up to him.

"Hey, Leo," Cassian greeted with a warm smile. His voice was as smooth as ever, and Leo always found his calm demeanor relaxing. "I was actually hoping to ask you something."

"What's up?" Leo asked, falling into step beside him.

Cassian hesitated for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. "I was thinking… maybe we could hang out tomorrow? There's this spot in town I think you'd really like."

Leo’s smile faltered for a second. He had just agreed to hang out with Xander the next day, and as much as he wanted to accept Cassian’s offer, he didn’t want to blow off Xander either. But Cassian didn’t know that, and Leo didn’t want to make things awkward. "Oh, uh... actually, I'm already hanging out with Xander tomorrow. But we can hang out the day after, if that's okay?"

Cassian’s eyes darkened for a split second, a flicker of something unreadable passing over his expression. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced with his usual friendly smile. "Of course. The day after works for me," he replied smoothly. "I'll plan something fun. Looking forward to it."

Leo relaxed, glad that Cassian had taken it so well. "Awesome. I'll see you then!"

As they parted ways, Cassian’s smile faded, replaced by a much colder expression as soon as Leo was out of sight. The friendly demeanor he maintained around Leo slipped away, revealing the calculating side of him that was always lurking beneath the surface.

*Xander.*

Cassian—no, Casper—had heard the whole conversation. His heart simmered with jealousy, the thought of Leo spending time with Xander before him fueling his frustration. Every time he saw Xander and Leo together, it ignited something inside of him that he could barely contain. Leo was his. Xander didn’t deserve him. And the fact that Leo had chosen to spend time with Xander first, even if just by coincidence, only made Casper’s jealousy flare more intensely.

He clenched his fists, forcing himself to remain calm. There would be time to fix this. He had Leo all to himself the day after tomorrow, and he would make sure that by the end of their hangout, Leo wouldn’t want to spend any more time with Xander. Casper’s eyes glinted with determination as he disappeared into the shadows, already planning how to make his time with Leo unforgettable.