//dear leo// barsandmelody︱au︱

AVA

My conscience burning,
my eyes are too;
Cuddled up with hard contempt,
Does she love you? And I swear I do.

- FAMY; AVA

07:05

By the time Monday morning came, Leo's bruises turned into dull aches that were more annoying then actually causing him any real physical pain. He woke up in Charlie's bedroom on Saturday morning, completely alone. He hasn't seen Charlie since then and maybe it was better that way; how could he possibly explain what happened?

'Hey, you know, I got super drunk on Friday, found a guy that looks exactly like you and then hooked up with him, because, well - you're not gay.'

Yeah, not likely to happen. Ever.
With a slow sigh, Leo pulled the ratty t-shirt over his head and gathered the various notebooks that were thrown around his room. Monday's are a bitch.

"Leo! So nice of you to grace us with your presence!" Tilly and his mum were sat at the kitchen table that really didn't fit into the room, since it was basically the same size as the said room, but his mum wanted to keep it "for sentimental value, you silly". To Leo, it still looked ridiculus. Taking a seat at his usual place, with a mandatory cup of coffee in his hands, he simply shrugged off the sarcastic jab and reached for the bowl of oatmeal that was waiting there for him.

"Sooo, how was the sleepover at Charlie's?" Tilly wasn't subtle, that's for sure, and usually Leo didn't mind the playful banter and the teasing between them, but he just wasn't in the mood for it this morning.

"It's none of your damn buisness." he snapped back and a couple of things happened simultaniously. His mum dropped her spoon back into the bowl in front of her and Tilly's mouth opened in a slight "o" shape.

"Leo!" this time it was Vicky who snapped, but Tilly gathered herself quickly and fired right back.

"Huh, that good, is it? Well, I'm sorry that Charlie didn't live up to all of your expectations, but you will not take your frustration out on me." his sister had the ability to be a nasty little creature, when she wanted to be one. Apparently, Leo crossed over the imaginary line and offended her, which in turn provoked this situation - she struck where it counted. She was a pacifist, but even they had their limits. And Leo just ended up on her shit-list. Lovely.

"Stop fucking snooping through my business, like always, and I'll stop."

"Leo! Don't talk to her like that!"

"Why the fuck not? She's always pushing her nose where it doesn't belong and it's getting super annoying, like really fast." they were both shouting now, but Tilly just sat there, still as a statue.

"Are you quite finished yet?" Tilly's voice was quiet and if he wasn't looking right at her, he wouldn't even know that she said something. But it was the nasty look that she gave him that really did him in.

"Till -"

"Stop. Talking. I believe you said what you wanted to say. I'm sorry for being "super annoying" - I'll stop." with that, she stood up and opened the back door "You're not even worth the time I spend trying to help your sorry ass." the doors slammed after her and Leo dropped back to his chair, unable to say anything.

"Leo, I'm sure she didn't mean it like that - Leo!"
Vicky's efforts to comfort her son fell apart; Leo shrugged off her hand, picking up his bag and leaving through the same door that Tilly did just moments ago.

08:15

"And there he is! The belle of the ball!"

Jake's obnoxious voice carried through the entire courtyard and his charade was starting to attract viewers. Leo just wanted get through this day, avoid both Tilly and Charlie - if it was possible - and go back to his bed, so he could pretend that none of these people even existed. But Jake had plans that were, apparently, much different then that.

"How was your Friday night Leo? Did you get any sore spots?" Jake's malicious tone made him look up and - dear heaven above, that was a decent black eye that Jake was sporting. There was a small part of Leo that wondered how in the hell did Jake get that black eye and who was the poor soul that was dumb enough to cross him, but there was an even bigger part that insisted on Leo minding his own business. He might be on Tilly's shit-list, but he'd rather stay the hell away from being on Jake's shit-list.

"I asked you something, chink." the usual tactic of ignoring Jake and his bullshit didn't seem to be working today and with a sigh only he could hear, Leo prepared for the worst - black eye was the best possible outcome of this situation; bruised ribs were the worst. Leo wasn't particularly fond of either, but if he had to pick, he'd still chose bruised ribs - at least he doesn't have to explain those to his mother.

"Not so vocal today, are you? What's the matter, Leo? Your guardian angel isn't around?"

Now that got Leo's attention - what was Jake talking about? Not giving him enough time to even gather his wits, Jake took a few steps forward and closed the gap between them, while Leo tried his hardest to not flinch away from him.

"Listen here, little shit - Charlie saved you twice already, but I promise you - there won't be a third time." Jake was talking so quietly that even Leo had to strain to hear him. The words didn't make much sense, but it didn't matter anyway; Jake and his gorillas were gone before he could even mutter a word.

The hell is wrong with everyone today?

12:55

He hates rain. He hates it with a burning passion. That's decided while he's walking home - his home that's very, very far away from the school - while it's raining cats and dogs outside. The school bus was too risky; partialy because of Jake and partialy because of Tilly, who was still very mad at him and made sure to very clearly let him now that he is, in fact, still on her bad side. Tilly's patience with him went to a certain point, a point that he not only crossed this morning, but rather obliterated. She was pissed and truth be told, he'd be pissed too if he was in her place. He was acting like a jackass this morning. Tilly didn't deserve that.

The thoughts haunt him all the way home and he's blessed with complete and utter silence once he enters the house and closes the front door. Mum probably took Tilly for some "feel good" shopping - to make amends for his earlier screw up, undoubtedly. But the silence that seemed as a blessing turned out to be a curse, because now he was actually all alone with his thoughts and there was nothing to hold back the utter freak out.

It was easy upp to this point - he liked Charlie, that wasn't something he could deny, but it was easy. A stray thought here and there would appear, wondering how it'd be like to kiss him, but all of that was easy to ignore; wishful thinking and all that, right? But now, everything has changed - that stupid rescue; not that Leo would ever call it that exactly, changed everything. It was bad enough to have a crush on someone who didn't feel the same, but it was even worse to have a crush on someone who wasn't even remotely interested. And now, Charlie was all he could think about. And yes, it sucked.

"You're not gonna cry. You're not gonna wallow in self-pity. Get up and move on."

With no one else around, it was easy to tell those words to himself. Now he just had to start believeing them.

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Okay, updated (and yes, i apologize, i know i'm slow af with the updates). welp, a lot has changed (happy new years?), i turned 21 this year, big negative woop for that, still like writing, still obsessed with certain things, still stressed out by work and voluntering >:( - but here's to new beginnings, ay? I hope you all had great holidays and that an even better year is in front of us!

As per usual, special thanks to everyone who bothers to read/vote/comment - any questions, comments or concerns, be sure to leave them down below and i'll try my best to answer.

small ps. while chapters are named after songs that were used during the writing process as inspiration, this isn't a song fic. so yah, enjoy the music if you want, but you don't have to, but it also kinda sets the tone and the mood? idk tbh.