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."
"He's barely conscious and curled up in your hothouse." Yes, Paco had dumped him outside but he had to keep him close and he didn't feel like lugging him all the way up the building until he confirmed everything. "It's cool, I gave him my jacket. He has no idea where he is and last I checked, he thought aliens had come after him and taken him somewhere green."
It was cute in it's own weird way.
He turned to Hartley and shrugged. "Like I said, he's pretty sick. He won't care. And when he does care, I'll make sure he doesn't cause a fuss for you."
"Oh. I'll see about getting him settled then, shall I?" Hart looked troubled, just at the idea of Barry out there alone and sick. "We can have a doctor come, it's no problem. He'll be as safe as milk here, I promise. You both will be."
He took another sip from his tea and smiled a little. "I'm glad that you know that you can always come to me for help. I know I can never repay you. But the hot chocolate is really good."
"... Safe as milk? What does that mean? Doesn't sound very reassuring." That was a dumbass saying if ever he'd heard one. Still, he rolled his eyes and held up his hands. "Let me go get him, if anyone else goes out there, he might freak out. I'll be back in five to get my cocoa." Paco got to his feet and stretched out, smiling at Hart a little. "Yeah, well, you're the only guy who'd help just cause, rich boy. You can afford to be selfless."
As he moved to the window, he did pause, giving him a sincere look because teasing aside, he was a good guy. "Thank you." And with that, he unlocked the door and leapt back out.
Five minutes later, the front doorbell rang and Paco waited outside, awkwardly balancing Barry's gangly form on his back and trying not to fall over himself.
Hart was already there, with Leonard in tow. The latter gave Paco a look and then stepped forward to relieve him off Barry, given the kid looked like he was about to collapse under him.
"I'll get him to one of the guest bedrooms."
"Can you call a doctor?"
"Of course. Street kid hospital, if your parents knew." Leonard rolled his eyes, but he carried Barry up the stairs and Hart watched them before turning to Paco.
"His parents are the reason Barry doesn't have any, you jerk. These rich assholes, they started this stuff." Paco snapped at Leonard angrily as he watched him take Barry from him. Barry was not conscious and his head fell forward into Leonard's neck, breathing slowly and softly. "Be careful with him!"
Paco frowned turned to Hart, looking at him apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean you. I just meant -- I just hate the way people talk to us. Like we don't matter. Barry isn't a street kid, that's why he like this. He's just alone and afraid."
And he hated people talking down to them like that.
"I'm sorry. I know and I'd not talk to you like that." Hart was fighting tears, but he knew that was thin-skinned. He couldn't afford that and he had to pay for his parents' mistakes as well as take responsibility for his own privilege. "Please don't be worried. Leonard grew up on the streets himself. He just always has to act tough. He'll be nice to Barry."
"He better be." Hart looked so wounded though, he knew that Hart felt hurt by every little thing, whether he waned to or not. Paco sighed and held out his hand to Hart, smiling the best he could. "I'm sorry, Hart. Really. It's not on you, you're a good person. Now come on, let's go share some cocoa and we'll work out where to go from here."
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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?"
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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."
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"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."
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Well, that was the way Paco saw it. No one did anything for free.
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"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."
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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."
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"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?"
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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?"
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"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."
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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."
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"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."
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It was cute in it's own weird way.
He turned to Hartley and shrugged. "Like I said, he's pretty sick. He won't care. And when he does care, I'll make sure he doesn't cause a fuss for you."
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He took another sip from his tea and smiled a little. "I'm glad that you know that you can always come to me for help. I know I can never repay you. But the hot chocolate is really good."
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As he moved to the window, he did pause, giving him a sincere look because teasing aside, he was a good guy. "Thank you." And with that, he unlocked the door and leapt back out.
Five minutes later, the front doorbell rang and Paco waited outside, awkwardly balancing Barry's gangly form on his back and trying not to fall over himself.
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"I'll get him to one of the guest bedrooms."
"Can you call a doctor?"
"Of course. Street kid hospital, if your parents knew." Leonard rolled his eyes, but he carried Barry up the stairs and Hart watched them before turning to Paco.
"...the hot chocolate is in the kitchen."
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Paco frowned turned to Hart, looking at him apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean you. I just meant -- I just hate the way people talk to us. Like we don't matter. Barry isn't a street kid, that's why he like this. He's just alone and afraid."
And he hated people talking down to them like that.
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