If you missed the previous story: Part 1 | Most recent part
Everybody in this story is over 18.
I wake up in almost the same position that I fell asleep in. Leo is still asleep and I feel so peaceful, feeling his deep, calm breath and his warmth. I can't remember when I last slept through a night like this.
I yawn and stretch, before I look for my phone. That's right, I left it in the living room, after texting Ben. I don't want to leave the insanely comfortable Leo alone in bed but I also need to inform my family that I'm still alive. So I quietly slip out of bed and pick up my briefs and the joggers from the floor, before I go to the living room.
I finally put on the shirt he gave me, it smells a little bit like him. Then I pick up my phone. To my surprise: Not a single message from my siblings. Nice. If I had been kidnapped or something, they wouldn't even have known. Instead I have a million missed calls from Lynn and a response from Ben. I decide to read the text first and then call Lynn back.
"Are you with a girl? Dude does that mean the Alex the virgin era is over? Imma miss that joke."
I roll my eyes. I definetely will not.
The phone rings for a while but then Lynn picks up.
"Alex, where the fuck have you been?" She greets me. I sigh and climb into the hammock.
"You were just gone yesterday and nobody knew where you went." She says.
"Sorry, I was really drunk and left, the rain pretty much sobered me up though. Ben knew, I thought he told you guys."
"Yeah maybe he would have if the only thing he cared about wasn't his new best friend, whatever his name is." She sounds like she's in a sour mood.
"Noah."
"Yeah, they left pretty early. Can't believe he's leaving us hanging like that."
"You broke up with him, understandable that he's not really crazy about chilling with us at the moment. Besides, Noah seemed really nice yesterday, I don't see why he can't hang out with us."
"Come on, look at that guy, he doesn't fit with us at all. I don't even think Ben really likes him. That's just because I called him boring…"
"Come again, WHAT did you call him? That's cruel."
"Am I wrong?"
"That doesn't mean you have to say that. That's rude as fuck."
"Whatever he's just trying to overcorrect so he'll get my attention back."
"I think you're overthinking this, let him do his thing."
For a few moments there's silence, but I know her. She absolutely will not just let him do his thing. Then she tries to change the topic.
"Did you really walk all the way home in the rain?"
Suddenly I hear the floor creaking and as I look up I see the sleepy Leo stepping out of the bedroom in boxers.
"Not exactly…" I mumble and get lost in the sight of his hot body, while he looks super cute with the messy hair and the tired eyes.
"What do you mean, 'not exactly'? Are you with someone?"
"I gotta go Lynny, I'll talk to you later." I say and hang up. "Sorry, did I wake you up?" I ask Leo.
He yawns. "No, but I was a little sad to not have you next to me when I did."
I blush a little, but now in the daylight it feels a little weird to flirt with him again. How am I still not sure about this?
"I'm gonna go and take a shower, are you coming?" He asks.
I don't know. Even though last night felt amazing I'm still scared. Maybe I subconsciously didn't like it as much as I thought? What am I afraid of?
Leo inspects my face and sees something is wrong. He comes over to me and climbs in the hammock on the oppsite side so I face him. Then he gently strokes my arm.
"Are you okay?" He asks and I look down at his hand on my arm. It feels good and soothing, but weird somehow.
"I don't know. I don't know if I like…this."
He frowns and looks at me worried. "Did you feel pressured by me?"
"No, no. Just…now that the sun is up I feel extremely confused and l think that I need some time to think it over, before I…you know, step in the shower with you again. Is that okay?"
He smirks. "Of course it is. I would still like to get to know you better, is that okay?"
I nod.
He eventually lets me take a shower first and then takes one afterwards. I chill in the hammock again and inspect the books around. Mostly corny love stuff, and weirdly, some astronomy and biology. I open one of the biology books and look at the pencil sketches of gorillas in their natural habitats.
Leo is so fascinating to me. I could have never guessed that he reads stuff like this in his free time.
When he comes out of the shower I look up. I watch wistfully as he buttons up a black dress shirt and his perfect body disappears beneath it button by button. He notices my look and gives me a smile.
"I like the way you dress." I say.
"Really? I rarely hear that, usually it's just 'weird'."
"I mean it is a little weird for your age, but not bad weird."
"What do you mean, I'm forty, Europeans just look like this." He says and bursts out in laughter at my puzzled look.
"Don't play with me like that, man." I sigh.
"No, I'm twenty four."
"And you came all the way from Italy at such a young age." I mumble. "Why?"
"Let's say my conservative catholic parents and I had a slight disagreement about wether being gay means worshipping the devil or not. So I wasn't exactly jumping up and down about the perspective of living with them for years to come."
"And fleeing to another continent was the only option?"
He stops in his movement and I can see pain fill up his face. Suddenly his beautiful eyes look dull and his jaw clenches a little. It's sad to see but sort of interesting. So far I have only ever seen him smile.
"My family used to be everything to me. Just three words made me lose everything overnight. My sister is all that I have left so I even if she moved to Mars I would have followed her. Besides…It didn't hurt to run from all of that as far as possible. I left without a word and haven't spoken to my parents since. They probably think I'm dead…and it probably doesn't bother them either."
His voice sounds bitter and I have the urge to hug him, but I know that I can't soothe a pain like this. So I just stay silent and watch his gaze drift worlds away. Then he snaps out of it and puts on his upbeat smile again.
"Coffee?" He asks, but I shake my head. He raises an eyebrow.
"I don't like the taste."
"Ah no no, Americano sprovveduto, I don't think you know what real coffee is supposed to taste like. Can I make one and you at least try it?"
I laugh at his sudden burst into Italian and nod.
We drink coffee together, which tastes fine, better than the one I had tried before, but I'm still not crazy about bitters. I talk to him about the books laying around and he tells me a little about how he wanted to go to college and study biology, before he inherited his grandfather's antique store. Then he looks at his kitchen clock and sighs.
"That reminds me, I have to open soon. Don't you have class today?" He asks.
I shake my head. "The reason why we partied on a Tuesday of all days is that college has inventory day today, no class. Besides, I take most of my classes online anyways, because I hate having to take the train into the city. The people you saw yesterday mostly went to highschool with me, I didn't really make friends at college as I'm rarely there."
He nods. "Are you planning to move into the city?"
I frown. "Not as long as mum needs help with her leg, she needs my support."
He smiles and then gets up. "Her book didn't arrive yet, I suppose you have to come back tomorrow."
"Oh no." I say playfully. "I definetely planned on never coming back here." Then I get up and collect my things.
So we stand in front of the apartment door and don't know which gesture of farewell would be appropriate.
I look up at him like I did yesterday and I can tell by his look that he's thinking if I'd be okay with a kiss. I lean up a little and he gets the message, leaning down and softly pressing his lips on mine. That still feels incredibly intense.
He gently strokes my cheek and whispers: "Please come back."