Freddie Cook is NOT a Sex God

early mornings

There were no plans for Freddie and Leo to see each other again, not officially anyway. Leo was going away for a while, and Freddie was busy. It seemed stupid to make plans, they'd catch up when they both happened to be at the centre next. That was that, except Leo happened to mention he might try to get in an early workout before he left in the morning. It was a throw away line, probably not an invitation. And yet Freddie found himself setting an early alarm just in case.

Freddie arrived about five minutes before the centre opened to the public. He thought about trying the guest pass to see whether it gave him after hours access, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that question. Leaning against the glass next to the door Freddie waited, and he didn't have to wait long. Leo came striding across the concrete path in front of the centre and Freddie's eyes sparked until he saw that Leo wasn't alone.

Walking with Leo was a man, older than Freddie, shorter than Leo, sandy beard framing his face. Disappointment began to flood Freddie from his feet up. He shouldn't have come without asking, he shouldn't have come at all. He shouldn't have expected Leo would want to see him. They hadn't made plans, after all. Freddie pulled away from the wall ready to runaway with his tail between his legs when Leo spotted him.

The moment Leo saw Freddie he seemed to forget there was someone with him. He shifted course forcing the man into a sort of confused catch up race. Leo didn't notice, his eyes were focused entirely on Freddie.

That made Freddie smile, he couldn't help feeling like he'd won something, though he wasn't entirely sure what the prize was.

"You sleep in then," Freddie teased when Leo reached him.

Leo looked at the smart watch on his left hand before replying, "you're early."

"You can't be early for plans you didn't make," Freddie replied.

In lieu of an answer Leo looked pointedly at the closed doors of the centre quite clearly saying that it wasn't open yet therefore he couldn't be early.

Any witty reply Freddie had up his sleeve was lost at the arrival of the man Leo had been walking with earlier.

"Kid, keep wandering off like a toddler at a toy store I'm gonna put a leash on ya," the sandy haired man said.

Leo didn't seem bothered by being referred to as a toddler but Freddie was offended on his behalf. He let his smile slip a little as he stepped forward to greet the new addition. 

"Oh hey," the man said to Freddie as though he only just noticed he was there.

"Hey," Freddie said a little sharply.

Leo rolled his eyes and Freddie felt the reprimand lowering his head. 

"Sorry," Freddie said. "I think it might be a little early for me."

"I know how ya feel mate," the man said seemingly oblivious to any tension. "I'd be in bed if this guy hadn't said he was coming in early, tryna make me look bad I swear. It's bit weird though usually this guys the last to wake up, but lately —"

Something seemed to click for him, he looked between Freddie and Leo with concerned interest.

"Are you here to meet Lee?" He asked.

Freddie said no at the exact same time Leo said yes. The sandy haired man shifted from concerned to amusement. 

Freddie laughed nervously, as Leo stood next to him looking as bored as ever.

"It's not like a plan plan," Freddie said shaking his nerves away. "We're just here at the same time a lot."

The guy did not look at all convinced by Freddie's explanation, and Freddie couldn't figure out why he felt so exposed.

"Kye," Leo said the name like it was a sentence.

"I should go..." Freddie said suddenly feeling like a third wheel.

"Nah mate you're right I'm the one intruding," Kye said. "I caught Lee on his way out and tagged along."

There was a moment when all three of them just sort of stood waiting for someone to move, in the end Kye took the lead.

"We're off at ten," he said heading towards the centre door. "Don't be late."

Leo nodded in acknowledgment, his attention quickly back on Freddie.

"That was weird," he said. "I should have stayed in bed."

A strange expression flickered across Leo's face. He turned away from the centre door and started walking, Freddie found himself following on instinct.

"You know you're going the wrong way right?" Freddie said.

"You're tired," Leo said like it explained everything.

"Yeah it's 7am everyone's tired," Freddie said. "I thought you wanted to work out?"

"Later," Leo said.

Out of curiosity and some strange invisible tie propelling him to follow Leo. They walked all the way to the edge of the car park, and Freddie thought for a moment Leo was going to take him home, but they stopped at the coffee van.

"We're getting coffee?" he asked.

Leo gave him a look that said 'what did you think' and Freddie hid his face to hide the blush.

"How do you like it?"

"Uh I don't," Freddie was really too tired to understand anything that was happening.

Genuine pain fell upon Leo's face and it hit Freddie in the gut. He kind of wanted to change his taste buds just to impress the guy.

"You don't drink coffee?" Leo asked.

"Only if it tastes like sugar not coffee," Freddie admitted.

Instead of turning around, or getting embarrassed, Leo found something worth hearing in Freddie's words and continued on his way to the coffee van leaving Freddie behind. Feeling a little slighted, Freddie planted his feet where he was and waited for Leo to get back.

Five minutes later Leo returned with two cups, handing one to a very confused Freddie. Out of mostly curiosity with a little bit politeness, Freddie took a sip of the drink and almost choked on the sweetness.

Leo smirked.

"I told him to make it so sweet you couldn't taste the coffee."

"He did that," Freddie said taking another sip of the sickening concoction. He didn't hate it.

They didn't end up working out that morning, instead they sat on a garden wall, close enough to be almost touching without ever actually touching.