by ~ bloodcraft - bloodcraft@hotmail.com
rating ~ PG
pair ~ galen + leo
pov ~ 3rd person
forward ~ yaoi
summary ~ Galen and Leo are classmates in a college Japanese class. Galen's been annoying Leo for some time now, and finally prodded the boy to spend some time with him.
----=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------
"Kon'nichi wa," Galen said with a bright smile, choosing the seat next to the quiet brunette.
Leo looked up from his study of the Japanese textbook, seeing the blue eyes and blonde haired boy that had somehow come to the conclusion that the two of them were friends.
"Kon'nichi wa," Leo repeated the afternoon greeting softly, turning back down to his textbook. He attempted to look as uninterested in Galen's friendly tactics as possible, hopeful that he would put-off Galen
Not that it would deter the blonde ever; Leo's monotone voice and cold attitude hasn't since the start of the semester. The short answers and long pauses from Leo through the two's conversations hadn't sent any singles to Galen. The blonde didn't seem to understand that Leo wasn't the friend type of person.
Galen was one of those bouncy teens, bright and friendly, always attempting to add new people to his already huge group of friends. Only the Gods know why Galen chose to bother Leo in this class. The blonde could have chosen from a number of other more suitable people to bother each and every day, and it wasn't that he didn't speak to the other class members.
Galen just seemed to be unable to shake the desire to annoy Leo. The blonde would wave to a couple other friends in class, saying the hellos (in their attempted Japanese dialogue), before taking up seat next to the quiet brunette.
Leo, on the other hand, was far more interested in sitting alone, reading through his textbook or notes, reviewing the class material. He didn't speak to anyone, except Galen, but that wasn't by choice. He'd sit at the back of the room, in the corner, and over the semester less and less people were around him.
"Whatcha doing after class?" Galen asked in a curious tone. In earlier days of the semester, Galen had managed to annoy Leo enough so that the boy had admitted to have no classes after this one.
Leo didn't respond. Not that he ever did right away. Every day he continued to hope that maybe he'd deter the blonde enough, or to the point that Galen would just leave him alone. It hadn't worked yet.
Galen looked over at the page that Leo was staring at. Not reading, because Leo wasn't able to concentrate with Galen peering over his shoulder, the blonde seemingly oblivious to the fact that his friendly attitude wasn't appreciated by Leo. Or maybe it was just that Galen didn't see reason to stop talking to Leo; the boy needed a friend after all. Everyone did.
"No," Galen recited the relational.
Leo turned his head to Galen, waiting for the boy to attempt a Japanese sentence. Leo knew Galen would, the blonde was surprisingly learning the basics of the language in class.
"Watakushi no tomodachi no namea wa Leo desu," Galen said with a growing smile.
Leo signed, turning back to the book. Galen had said my friend's name is Leo. There seemed to be no getting around the damned annoying kid.
"So whatcha doing after class?" Galen repeated his previous question.
"Studying," Leo replied softly.
"Ah! Ben'kyoo. Ben'kyoo," Galen said. "Always studying."
"Hai. Yes," Leo said, still using his soft monotone voice.
"Wanna study together?" Galen asked. "I could use the help with Kanji. Those symbols are a pain to memorize!"
"Sure," Leo muttered. After he spoke he has to hold back a grimace. Did he just agree to spend more time with the blonde? Well, unfortunately he had.
----=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------=--------
"I wanna get a Kanji tattoo," Galen said to Leo, sitting next to him in the coffee café of the bookstore.
"Which one?" Leo asked, though his tone made him sound less interested.
"Donno," Galen replied. "Something cool. Like thunder or lightning or something."
Leo nodded, eyes locked on the book that lie on the table, eyes scanning over the words, though he found it difficult to focus.
"Say, Leo," Galen said, his bouncy tone slightly dimmer.
Leo looked up, surprised at the serious voice that came from Galen.
"What?" Leo said, his deep blue eyes meeting with Galen's serious gaze.
"Why're you always so sad?" Galen asked, still looking oddly stern.
"Sad?" Leo repeated. He hadn't realized that emotion was labeled into his aura. He was withdrawn, but Galen thought he was sad?
"You never speak to anyone," Galen explained. "Never hang out. Study constantly. And… um…." Galen raised his left hand, motioning slightly to Leo's shoulder-area.
"What?" Leo asked.
"The… scar on your neck," Galen said softly, moving his hand closer to point out what Leo had to have known was there.
Leo reached his right hand up and pushed his palm to the side of his neck. He knew the scar came up from under his shirt, but he hadn't realized it was so obvious.
"Don't mean to embarrass you," Galen said, moving his hand back to his own side of the table.
Leo dropped his right arm to his lap. "No embarrassment, Galen."
Galen nodded, lips pressed tightly together as he waited for Leo to stay something more. Not that Galen expected Leo to divulge any part of the brunette's history, but Galen did figure Leo would snap something like it's none of your business.
"My father…." Leo started, a small cringe wrinkling his nose and pinching his eyebrows. Leo forced the expression away, trying to look like his normal stoic self. He shrugged before shaking his had a few time. He then turned back to the Japanese textbook.
"I'm sorry," Galen said softly. He placed his hand lightly on Leo's right arm. "You okay? Wanna leave?"
Leo turned to meet Galen's bright-eyed gaze. "It's fine, Galen. I've lived with the scar since I was eleven. It's nothing."
Galen nodded, taking his hand back. He watched Leo turn back to the textbook once more.
"How far down does it go?" Galen asked. That one question had been plaguing him from the moment his eyes had discovered the scar.
"Down to my elbow," Leo answered without hesitation.
"Wow," Galen said softly.
"My father was drunk, had a knife," Leo explained, figuring that he might as well tell Galen something. The blonde had to have been making up some drastic story within his own mind. "I made sure he didn't hurt my sister. For that I was awarded nearly one hundred stitches and a week in the hospital."
Galen paused a moment to grimace, eyes looking back to the always long sleeve that covered Leo's arm. "What happened to your dad?" Galen asked, looking up.
"He lives in another state," Leo replied softly. "I haven't seen him since I was put into foster care."
"That's it?" Galen asked.
Leo nodded. "There was a trial, but I was just taken out of his care." He closed the textbook, knowing the study session was over. He turned to face Galen, watching the blonde with a blank expression.
Galen's eyebrows raised and nose wrinkling.
After hovering his eyes over the blonde, Leo signed and turned to put the Japanese textbook away into his backpack.
Galen watched Leo lean over and fumble with the backpack. He knew Leo was about to stand up, the conversation had gotten too personal and Leo was a private person. Galen might have wanted to be Leo's friend, but he wasn't blind to the fact that Leo was naturally antisocial.
When Leo sat up, Galen was ready to apologize for being so nosy. But when he saw Leo lay down another book on the table, Galen stopped.
Leo flipped the book open, the symbols on the pages obviously Kanji.
Galen's stature straightened and he looked down to the pages as Leo flipped through, looking for something.
Stopping on the page with the lightning Kanji, Leo pushed the book over to Galen.
"I like the lightning Kanji more than thunder," Leo said, pointing out the symbol and the parts. Leo looked up from where he'd been pointing.
Galen smiled at Leo. "Yeah, it's cool. Thanks!"