His Last Love [BxB] COMPLETED

Part III

He recognized Charlie the moment he saw him at the Christmas party. Leonardo could never forget those golden curls and rosy cheeks. But he was surprised when Charlie recognized him.

Leonardo will never forget that night.

"From Physics last year? Mr. Graham?"

Charlie's eyes looked different. The steady arrogance in himself from high school had melted away, lost in the sea of high achieving Harvard students. Leonardo thought it suited him more.

"Oh, yeah! Fucking hated that school."

"You don't miss it?" Charlie asked.

"Fuck no." Leonardo handed Charlie a beer. "Do you?"

Charlie glanced down. "No. Not really. Some things."

"Like what?"

"Friends."

"Fuck them. Most of them didn't give a shit about you." Leonardo downed the rest of his can and took off in search of another. Charlie trailed behind him like a puppy.

"Do you like MIT so far?"

"Yeah, except there's, like, zero gay people." After he said it Leonardo wondered if he was testing Charlie.

"True." Charlie was blushing, staring at the ground. Leonardo was annoyed that he had not seen that coming.

"You're gay?"

Charlie blushed darker. "Yeah. Yes."

"Am I the first person you told?"

"No."

Leonardo took a long gulp of his beer and listened to his pulse quickening. He gestured to Charlie's beer.

"Want another?"

Charlie hesitated. "Sure."

The Christmas lights pinned on the wall faded in and out of focus. Leonardo clutched his stomach, unable to stop laughing. Charlie smiled next to him, cheeks as red as his lips.

"Oh fuck. I don't know how you remember all of these things. High school...so fucking stupid. Can't remember anything."

"Maybe. Maybe I remember too much. Maybe I need to, like, let go. Embrace my gayness more."

Leonardo burst into laughter again. "I never thought I'd hear Charlie fucking Benedik say those words. Let me tell you...baby...I can help you there."

"You," Charlie hiccups, "would?"

"For fucking sure." Leonardo smiles. "We can do it right now."

"Now? Here?"

"What's better than the now and here!"

"I think it's actually the here and now."

"You're so fucking hot when you correct me like that."

"Oh." Charlie's neck flushed pink.

"Hey, don't be shy now. You said you wanted to embrace your gayness."

"You're very straight forward."

"Honey, nothing about me is straight."

Charlie stared at him. His eyes flickered down at Leonardo's lips. "Alright."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me if you're sure."

Charlie took a step closer. Then another. He wobbled a little and put a hand on Leonardo's arm. Charlie's eyes up close were a miracle. A swirl of blue and green and gold that Leonardo will never forget. They haunt his dreams at night.

Their lips brushed. Leonardo stiffened, waiting. He could smell the sharp tang of beer.

An arm circled his waist, and their mouths pressed firmly together. His lips were warm but his mouth was cold. Charlie pulled away. Too soon. Leonardo studied the blond tips of Charlie's eyelashes. His finger traced Charlie's bottom lip.

"Okay. Let's go." Leonardo took Charlie's hand and they left.

When Charlie stormed out of his dorm the next morning, Leonardo was sure he would never see him again.

He was wrong.

Leonardo returned from winter break to find Charlie waiting outside his dorm. He could see the determination set in his blue green eyes and let out a sigh.

"What do you want?"

Charlie crossed his arms. "I think we should talk." Leonardo felt a clattering breath choke his lungs, the whispers of the many scars on his heart. The fact that Charlie could rouse his demons made him angry.

"If it's about you getting the hell out of my face, then I agree."

"No, it's about what happened at the Christmas party." Charlie wasn't sarcastic.

Leonardo couldn't help but laugh. "No motherfucking shit." He liked how Charlie's neck flushed whenever he cursed excessively.

"Just―five minutes. Please." Charlie kept his eyes on the floor.

Leonardo stared at him. "Fine."

Charlie followed Leonardo inside the dorm. His roommate's suitcase was inside, the contents spilling onto the bed, but there was no sign of their owner.

"Okay, talk." Leonardo flung himself back on his bed.

Charlie's gaze shifted over him and then away. "You can't tell anyone else."

"That you fucked me?"

"Please don't."

"Don't tell anyone or don't mention that you fucked me?"

"Both. No one can know."

"Anything else I can assist you with?"

Charlie's jaw tightened. He took a deep breath. "I want to do it again."

"No." Leonardo didn't think twice. Fear clutched his heart.

"Why not?"

"If you can't hear me say that you fucked me, you shouldn't fuck me again." Charlie began to protest, but fell silent when Leonardo held up his hand. "And I don't do relationships."

"Who said I wanted a relationship?" Charlie asked, but Leonardo could see his defiance flinching.

"You didn't have to." Leonardo got up. He couldn't deal with this anymore. "The door is behind you."

"What made you such an asshole? Did someone break your heart and now you just hurt other people who get close to you, thinking you're getting back at the world?"

Leonardo became very still. Charlie continued, seeing that he found Leonardo's weakness.

"Well let me tell you. Everyone can see the hurt, broken boy you still―"

His hands shot out and pinned Charlie's shoulders to the wall. Beating drums filled Leonardo's ears.

"I'm not gonna explain a single fucking thing to you," Leonardo spat.

Charlie raised his eyebrows. "You don't have to."

The door opened before Leonardo could think of a reply. His roommate looked at them, then shook his head.

"Didn't we talk about not bringing them here?" he asked Leonardo.

"Get your hands off me," Charlie said quietly.

Leonardo released him and took a few steps back.

"Just leave, he's not worth it. Trust me," his roommate said, not pausing in unpacking his suitcase.

"Shut the fuck up, Bryan," Leonardo said, but with no malice, just resignment.

"Someday you'll realize that the world doesn't care about your revenge plot," Charlie said, "and the years you wasted on it only held you back."

Leonardo forced a mocking smile on his face. "Someday you'll realize that it's not my revenge plot, just who I am, and the time you waste trying to fix me will only hold you back."

"You're a piece of shit."

"And the door is behind you."