"Japanese lessons," Leonard said, just as he shut the window. The door was already locked. He had suspected that this kid would show up and, no, not because Hart had ratted him out. He just wasn't quite as subtle as he thought he was. Neither of them were. "You should have really kept sticking to the schedule the young master gave you, kid." Leonard leaned against the wall, eyeing him. "What do you want?"
His inevitable demise. "I-I-" Paco had no idea what to say, he slowly backed up to the door. Maybe he could pick the lock from behind and run when he had it open. He didn't really have many other choices. "Look, I'm sorry, he invited me to come over and I must have gotten the time wrong. I didn't need nothing. We were just gonna hang." How was he going to get out of this one?
"You're not exactly what I'd call savoury company." Leonard watched him, not overly worried. The doors in this house weren't easily picked, even by him. Definitely not by some kid who couldn't even see what he was doing. "Now, how about you do me a favour and tell me just what exactly the two of you discuss when you're 'hanging'?"
"TV." What? Like he could prove him wrong. Paco eyed the window and paced around the room carefully, knowing that if it came down to it, he'd just have to fight back. "We talk about normal friend stuff, dude. What do you think we'd talk about?" He stuck his chin out, trying to look defiant. He was going to be okay, this guy wasn't going to hurt him and if he did, he was going to have Rupture set loose on his ass. "You don't want to mess with me, dude."
"Right. Have you met the kid? He doesn't even know how to talk about anything normal. Last time I tried watching television with him, he stopped so he could take the TV apart instead. Now it's connected to the toaster." Not that he had any idea what purpose that served. "Are you really standing here and threatening me? Ain't nobody ever teach you any manners?"
"I talked about TV, he listened. Big dif." He was so screwed, of course he wouldn't believe him. He kept moving around the room, close to the wall, eyes on his target. "No one taught me any manners. Look, you're gonna step aside and let me leave, you don't want to start shit. It's none of your business what me and Hart do." He slipped his hand slowly into his pocket and gripped his pocket knife. "Now, one last time, step away and let me leave."
"Or what?" Leonard rolled his eyes and lifted a finger. "Relax. I am not gonna hurt you unless you make me. The thing is, I know what he wants from you. But you care for him, don't you? That's why you come here. That's why you cover for him." Leonard took a step closer. "I care about him as if he was my own son. He is family. Nothing is more important than family. And the best way for you to protect him is to stay far away. Got that?"
"I let Hart speak for himself." Paco did like Hart, he cared a lot for that naive little puppy dog but what was he supposed to do? Leave him alone? There was no way. He'd get hurt! The best way to protect Hart was to stick by him. He pulled his knife from his pocket and flipped up the blade, standing steady as he stared Leonard down. "Stand aside, old man, or I'm gonna gut you." He'd never done this before but hopefully the bluff would be enough.
"With that stance? Oh yeah, I'm terrified." Leonard didn't even tense. That kid had never done anything like he was threatening him with before, if he was any judge and he definitely was. "I've no problem with letting you go, kid. I got a problem with you coming back. Are you going to come back or am I going to have to get serious about getting rid of you?"
"I'm coming back. Hart is my -- Hart is my problem too. And even if I stopped coming, he'd still be my problem. You can't make me go away." He approached slowly, edging in carefully, not wanting to have to do anything but he was clearly ready to stab him if he did come at him. He was as careful as he could be. "I'm leaving, I don't have to listen to this. Now stand aside."
Right. Apparently the kid thought he was joking around. Leonard struck quickly, grabbing Paco's wrist and giving it a tug, the knife falling to the ground and there they were, seconds later, with Paco forced against the wall and Leonard pinning his arm to his back. "Maybe we can start this over, yeah?"
"What are you doing, Leonard?!" Hart had only just opened the door, confused why it was locked in the first place, and really surprised at what he found. "Let go of him! He is my friend!"
"Fuck! Hurt me and I'll sue." Paco tried desperately to stomp on Leonard's foot to get himself free, struggling against the hold. "I came to see Hart, not you, you can't stop me from--" As soon as Hart was in the room, Paco renewed his struggle, trying to twist his head back to look at Hart. "Hartley? Dude! Help me, he attacked me out of nowhere. He tried to imprison me!"
Leonard rolled his eyes, but he followed the order and Hart was over immediately, pulling Paco into his arms and glaring at his bodyguard. "What were you thinking? I told you that he's my friend. He can come by any time he wants and stay for as long as he wants to. This is my house. My property. You don't have the right to manhandle anyone on my property!"
"...right, sir. Shall I just get you two some tea then?"
Was he feeling petty? Yes, yes he was. And he wanted tea. And for Hartley to be here to back him up. He let the other putt him in close and held onto him in return, giving Leonard a 'ha, he's my friend' kind of look before returning to the embrace. He pulled away a little in the end, standing beside Hart with one hand on his arm. "Now go. I want to talk to Hart. Alone."
"Tea would be very nice." Hart stayed close to Paco, partially in front of him. He wanted to make sure he'd be safe and he'd know that Hart wouldn't let him get mistreated.
"Of course, Master H." And there was a glower reserved for Paco, then Leonard left them, purposefully leaving the door open. Hart turned to face Paco and sighed, shaking his head.
"My apologies, Leonard just... He's overly protective these days. He thinks you're going to endanger me. I know you won't."
"Yeah, I noticed. He wants me to never see you again." Rolling his eyes, Paco turned to look at Hart and gave him a shake of his head, moving away so he could pick up his knife. "I actually came all of this way because I need your help. For once. I know, I know. It's rare but I figured I helped you so much, you kinda sorta owe me one, right?"
Well, that was the way Paco saw it. No one did anything for free.
"Of course, Paco. Anything." Hart didn't even hesitate, he looked at his friend and straightened up, hoping his expression showed as much. He would do anything in his power for him, it was true that he owed him a lot. "What can I do for you? What do you need?"
"Okay so I got some shit going down and I don't know how to deal. I need you. Or, more specifically, I need your money." He crossed his arms and paced across the room, pausing at the door before slamming it shut. Well, he didn't need anyone spying on them. He approached Hartley and stopped in front of him, unsure how to ask this. "Barry is sick. He's been sleeping outside, he hasn't been very smart about it, it's cold out and -- look, he's a dumbass. The point is, he needs medicine and he needs a place to rest. Can you help?"
"Of course!" Hart patted himself down and then quickly walked toward his desk, opening a drawer to get his checkbook out. "I can just... How much do you need? I'll give you however much money you need, I'm so sorry he's sick."
"Who's sick? Some Nigerian prince?" Yes, Leonard was back. And apparently capable of a soundless approach, even when he had to open a door.
"No! Paco's friend, he... It's my fault, I have to help."
"I was hoping I could leave him here and you could just call a doctor or--"
He paused and turned his head, frowning at Leonard as he came in. Shit, he didn't want him to hear any of this. He just wanted it to be a secret thing. Barry came here, slept off his sickness, got better and they both split before it became a thing. He had to protect him. He was a fucking idiot sometimes.
"It's for me, I don't have a friend." Paco snapped at Leonard, not really wanting to deal with his eavesdropping. He turned back to Hartley and gave him a look. "It's not your fault."
"My family's and that means it is mine. My burden. My responsibility." Hartley said it very solemnly and ignored Leonard rolling his eyes as he set the tray down on his desk.
"If you have a friend who needs medical attention--" He was going to say that he could go to a hospital, but he caught the look Hartley was giving him, so instead: "--you're both welcome here, if that's what the young master wants."
"It is what I want." Hartley turned to look at Paco. "Please, won't you stay here?"
"Woah. I never said me, I'm fine. I never fell asleep in a dumb box in the rain because I was pissy." Paco protested with a slight pout. "Barry is the sick one, I'm all good. I don't need to stick around." Nor did he want to, Leonard would probably kill him in his sleep or something. And that majorly creepy.
Still, the trouble was, it wasn't that simple. Barry would never stay without him. He bit his lower lip and gave Hart a look. "I'll stick around for a few too, I guess."
It was the least he could do. He turned and looked at Leonard, frowning. "... Did you seriously bring tea?"
"What tea do you want?" Hart presented the selection, already pouring himself a cup of green tea. "If it's not to your taste, we also have cocoa. It's what my sister prefers."
"So do most people." Worth pointing out. Hart merely smiled and shook his head, then looked at Paco again.
"I never have friends over. My parents wouldn't have allowed it and these days... I'm not very popular."
"I told you, you just gotta punch any kid that tries to bully you. I taught you."
"You really should punch the brat who's mean to you. I don't know why you don't. One firm right hook and he'll never tease you again." Paco took his tea despite the offers for other things and sat down, taking a gentle sip of the tea like a grown up.
And promptly spitting it back into the cup. Ew! It was so strong and hot. He pulled a face and held it out to Leonard.
"What is that? It's gross."
It was tea but to a child like Paco, it was the worst thing. "God, please don't give that stuff to Barry. I want him to get well, not grossed out."
Hartley sipped his tea. Or he had, only to look at Paco with consternation now. "Grossed out?" That didn't sound like something he wanted to do to his friends. He looked at Leonard for help and wasn't surprised when the man turned, heading back out the door.
"I'll bring some hot chocolate."
"...sorry. I didn't know you didn't like tea." He could work past that. "Will Barry even come here? I know he doesn't care for me. Rightfully so."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
His inevitable demise. "I-I-" Paco had no idea what to say, he slowly backed up to the door. Maybe he could pick the lock from behind and run when he had it open. He didn't really have many other choices. "Look, I'm sorry, he invited me to come over and I must have gotten the time wrong. I didn't need nothing. We were just gonna hang." How was he going to get out of this one?
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
"What are you doing, Leonard?!" Hart had only just opened the door, confused why it was locked in the first place, and really surprised at what he found. "Let go of him! He is my friend!"
no subject
no subject
Leonard rolled his eyes, but he followed the order and Hart was over immediately, pulling Paco into his arms and glaring at his bodyguard. "What were you thinking? I told you that he's my friend. He can come by any time he wants and stay for as long as he wants to. This is my house. My property. You don't have the right to manhandle anyone on my property!"
"...right, sir. Shall I just get you two some tea then?"
no subject
Was he feeling petty? Yes, yes he was. And he wanted tea. And for Hartley to be here to back him up. He let the other putt him in close and held onto him in return, giving Leonard a 'ha, he's my friend' kind of look before returning to the embrace. He pulled away a little in the end, standing beside Hart with one hand on his arm. "Now go. I want to talk to Hart. Alone."
no subject
"Of course, Master H." And there was a glower reserved for Paco, then Leonard left them, purposefully leaving the door open. Hart turned to face Paco and sighed, shaking his head.
"My apologies, Leonard just... He's overly protective these days. He thinks you're going to endanger me. I know you won't."
no subject
Well, that was the way Paco saw it. No one did anything for free.
no subject
no subject
no subject
"Who's sick? Some Nigerian prince?" Yes, Leonard was back. And apparently capable of a soundless approach, even when he had to open a door.
"No! Paco's friend, he... It's my fault, I have to help."
no subject
He paused and turned his head, frowning at Leonard as he came in. Shit, he didn't want him to hear any of this. He just wanted it to be a secret thing. Barry came here, slept off his sickness, got better and they both split before it became a thing. He had to protect him. He was a fucking idiot sometimes.
"It's for me, I don't have a friend." Paco snapped at Leonard, not really wanting to deal with his eavesdropping. He turned back to Hartley and gave him a look. "It's not your fault."
no subject
"If you have a friend who needs medical attention--" He was going to say that he could go to a hospital, but he caught the look Hartley was giving him, so instead: "--you're both welcome here, if that's what the young master wants."
"It is what I want." Hartley turned to look at Paco. "Please, won't you stay here?"
no subject
Still, the trouble was, it wasn't that simple. Barry would never stay without him. He bit his lower lip and gave Hart a look. "I'll stick around for a few too, I guess."
It was the least he could do. He turned and looked at Leonard, frowning. "... Did you seriously bring tea?"
no subject
"What tea do you want?" Hart presented the selection, already pouring himself a cup of green tea. "If it's not to your taste, we also have cocoa. It's what my sister prefers."
"So do most people." Worth pointing out. Hart merely smiled and shook his head, then looked at Paco again.
"I never have friends over. My parents wouldn't have allowed it and these days... I'm not very popular."
"I told you, you just gotta punch any kid that tries to bully you. I taught you."
no subject
And promptly spitting it back into the cup. Ew! It was so strong and hot. He pulled a face and held it out to Leonard.
"What is that? It's gross."
It was tea but to a child like Paco, it was the worst thing. "God, please don't give that stuff to Barry. I want him to get well, not grossed out."
no subject
"I'll bring some hot chocolate."
"...sorry. I didn't know you didn't like tea." He could work past that. "Will Barry even come here? I know he doesn't care for me. Rightfully so."
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)