Leo's Gold

Twenty Three | "The Rest of my Life is Right Here with You."

Sage could hear her own heartbeat pounding out her chest, the loud echo in her ears as she walked up to Leo whom was waiting for her outside of a local Italian restaurant. Her heels clicked against the pavement of the sidewalk, her bracelets shaking back and forth ringing. This was it. This was the night that she would tell Leo how she feels about him, hoping that he too was in love with her.

Earlier that day, when Sage's name showed up on Leo's phone, he wondered just what she had mind. When she told him that she wanted to go to Giovanna's Italian Grill and Bar, he was rather surprised that she was arranging the date - their first real date - but he shrugged it off and agreed to meet her and have dinner.

So, here he was. Smiling at Sage as she came around the corner, her beautiful dress clinging to her body, her hair fixed in curls. He looked down at his attire, the what he called fancy dress pants and button up shirt, wondering if that fit the dress code in the fancy restaurant. He sighed, looking up to see Sage in front of him, smiling nervously.

"Hey." She mumbled, biting her lip. Leo had picked up on the simple thing, the thing she did every time she was nervous. Biting her lip was a simple motion that let Leo know that he should be nervous too. And soon after realizing that, he was extremely nervous, to the point where he too could hear his own heartbeat pounding out of his chest.

He breathed out, his voice shaky. "Hey."

Sage, looked down and tried to escape from the nervous feeling she had deep in her stomach. "So, y-you wanna go in?"

"Sure."

The clinking of their silverware was the only sound that surrounded them as they had dinner. It was rather awkward this time, no one could speak, no one could move. It was certainly their most awkward setting that they had ever been in.

As the waiter came around and served them more wine, Sage took a generous drink of it. She sighed, placing the shaking glass on the table rather loudly. Leo ran a hand through his hair and placed his fork down on the table and looked up at Sage whom was already staring at him. Their breaths hitched at the same time, and before they knew it they were looking down at the floor again.

Leo groaned, "what are we doing?" Sage shrugged, rolling her eyes at the whole concert of the dinner.

"Honestly, I don't know. I don't know why this is so awkward."

Leo looked up, "then tell me why you arranged this, babe, because I'm very confused."

Sage bit her lip again, trying to find the right words. "I-I... I need to tell you something. Something that honestly scares me, but it's something that you need to know." Leo nodded slowly, "what's the thing you need to tell me?"

"Oh shit." She mumbled, signaling the waiter for more wine. She hurriedly drunk the whole glass, swallowing it slowly so she wouldn't have to talk. "Sage, come on. Just tell me. I'm nervous."

Her hands were clammy, sweat building on her forehead. She had never been this nervous before. She had never told someone that she loved them first. It was all new to her, it was very scary to her.

"Sage?" Leo looked at her worried, as she gripped the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white. "It's really hot in here, lets go outside, yeah?" He pushed himself out of the chair and held Sage's hand to bring her outside with him, where the cold flurried around.

Leo leaned up against the wall of the restaurant, his hand still intertwined with Sage's. "Now, just breathe," he paused, moving her hair out of her face, embracing the side of her face. His thumb lingered on her neck, moving in slowly circling motions. "And tell me what you need to tell me."

Sage nodded, melting into his embrace. She breathed out, and opened her mouth to speak. "L-Leo when I first saw you, I didn't know what was in store for me. I didn't know that I would easily have so many feelings for you this fast. But this whole new world that you introduced to me, this way of life, not caring what others think, and just being free has changed me forever," Sage paused, swallowing hard, "and I just know that we are soulmates, in some other life we were together and happy and I'm so glad that the universe chose me and you to carry out that destiny. A-and when I look at you, I-I look at you, and... I see the rest of my life in front of my eyes. It's right there, you're right here. The rest of my life is right here, with you."

Leo felt a sense of relief in this moment, because all of his insecurities about the relationship vanished. He knew what she was going to say, he knew that she loved him. Because when he looked into her eyes, he saw home, he saw the rest of his life staring back at him.

Tears formed in both of their eyes as Sage continued, "and, I don't know why it took me so long to notice, but Leo, I want a future with you. I want to grow old with you, and I-I want to love you for eons." Leo smiled, tears falling down his face, his hands shaking. "Because, Leonard Calathey, I love you. I'm so in love with you, that I don't know what to do with myself when I'm alone, because when I'm with you, I'm home. I-I just love you so fucking much."

Leo slowly leaned into her, putting his head on her shoulder. He sniffled, his hands wrapping around her so she couldn't escape from his arms. "I love you too, Sage Amor. I've loved you since that day in the park, and I know that I won't ever stop loving you. You are my home, my future."

Sage gasped, more tears falling down her face. For once in her life, she knew that she would spend every second of the rest of her time with this man. This man that was once a stranger that she thought was just hitting on her, that's now her life, the person that keeps her breathing.

Leo looked up, their eyes meeting. The twinkling in Leo's jade green eyes, the honey that poured from Sage's hazel eyes. Their eyes traveled to each other's lips, and slowly they connected them. Feeling every curve in their lips, every movement that was made. Every spark, every tingle.

They both pulled away, breathless. Sage started giggling, smiling happily. "I can't believe I fell in love with a bar tender."

Leo laughed, throwing his head back. "I can't believe it either."

this is easily my favorite chapter I've written so far. :)