September 29th.
"You really should consider coming tonight." They were in Leo's kitchen and she could barely keep her eyes open. Maes had offered to pick her up from the train station and bring her home. Apparently he was throwing a surprise birthday party for Roy. For some reason she thought his birthday was in the summer.
"Hughes, I just got back from a really unpleasant and week long trip…I'm beat," Leo yawned. "Plus don't even have a present for him."
"Why don't you take a nap and Gracia and I will come pick you up at six? We've already bought a present for you to give him. You don't even need to sign the card." "Please don't tell me you forged my signature…" It was three o'clock…She had run on less than three hours of sleep before but she was pretty sure once she got into her cozy bed she would not be able to get out of it for at least a day.
"Okay, I won't. Besides I didn't, Gracia did."
Leo gave a defeated sigh. "Fine, just don't expect me to be pleasant."
"That's nothing new," Maes teased. Leo was too tired to protest. "See you at six!" He rushed out of the apartment before she could change her mind.
Leo groaned and trudged into the bathroom. She turned the hot knob of the shower and started to undress as the water slowly warmed up. She pealed off the layers of dirt and blood covered clothes. Her body ached from new bruises and fresh cuts. Leo stepped into the shower and breathed in the steam as the water burned her skin and the blood washed off of her. She had gone to a small town on the border to deal with a Chimera problem. Some psycho was making chimeras out of the various local animals (including some mountain lions). The villagers tried to convince Leo to stay another night so she could clean up and rest but she politely declined and instead caught the first train home. The entire time she had been there she had felt an unbearable twist in her chest but as she got closer to home the uncomfortable knot loosened. She sleepily washed her hair while resting on the wall of the shower for support. After almost falling asleep standing twice she got out of the shower, wrapped a towel around herself and collapsed into her bed.
"Leo, time to go," a soft female voice said. Leo felt a hand on her bare shoulder. Had she not just lain down? Leo gave a groan and opened her eyes. Gracia was smiling at her understandingly. "Hughes said you were tired but…are you going to make it?" Gracia moved to Leo's closet and pulled out a pair of black slacks and a dark red cardigan.
"No, go on without me," Leo said dramatically as she buried her face into the pillow.
"You can be such a baby." Gracia walked over and pulled the pillow out of Leo's grasp.
"Give that back!" Leo flailed in vain and finally sat up as Gracia threw underwear and a bra at her and the left the room to give Leo some privacy. "I think you're secretly worse than your husband…" Leo muttered under her breath as she pulled the clothing on. She listened for a moment and then collapsed back into her bed and smiled to herself.
"Leo get dressed or I'll call Armstrong over to get you" Maes threatened from the living room. Leo gave a cry of frustration before getting up to put her pants on.
"Happy Birthday!" Everyone jumped out of their respective hiding places when Roy walked into his apartment with Hawkeye. Roy's smile lit up his face. Leo could not take her eyes off of him. Her eye caught his and he smiled and made his way across the room to where she was leaning against the wall.
"You made it." He smiled at her and she could not help but smile back.
"I was dragged. Have a present," she said and shoved a wrapped box into him.
"Long day?"
"You have no idea."
Roy was about to say something else but he was dragged off by a group led by blond man Leo did not know. She soon wandered over to a soft looking chair in the corner and fell asleep.
"Leo…" She felt a hand of her face. She wondered why did people touched her when she was sleeping. She opened her eyes to find a pair of dark eyes looking into hers.
"Morning," she said sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
Roy laughed and sat on arm of the chair.
"I can't believe you slept through all of that drunken singing. It's not the morning but it is almost midnight, want me to take you home?"
"Only if I don't have to move."
"Fair enough," Roy smirked and slid one arm under her back and the other under her legs and picked her up.
"I was joking you idiot," Leo laughed squirmed. "I'm awake."
"And you missed my whole party."
"I was here, just not mentally. Did you have fun?"
"Yea, thanks for the gift." With her still in his arms he sat down on the couch.
"What did I get you anyways?"
Roy's brow furrowed in confusion. "A book."
"Hughes got that for me for you" Leo explained. "He didn't tell me about this little shindig until I got home. How about I take you out to lunch or something?"
"Sounds like a deal," Leo's stomach made a loud grumbled and it was only then that she realized the last time she had eaten was about twelve hours ago. "I saved you some food in the kitchen," Roy said sliding her off his lap and standing up. She followed him into the kitchen and he grabbed a plate of pasta and another plate with some cake on it from the counter. "Eat up." He said passing her the pasta and a fork.
"Gracia made all of this didn't she," Leo asked, mouth half full of food.
"Yep, Maes was raving about it the entire time."
Leo snorted and gulped down the rest of the pasta. They sat at the table and he pushed the piece of cake in front of her.
"Want some?" Leo gestured toward the cake with her fork.
"No thanks."
"Come on I feel awkward stuffing my face like this."
"I promise you I'm full.
"Eat!" she got a fork full of cake and put it in front of his face.
"Leo, I already had some."
She narrowed her eyes before eating the piece herself. Leo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and failed to see Roy's worried expression when he saw the gash on her neck.
"How was your trip? Gracia said you looked pretty beat up."
"Hm, it could have been worse. I'm really getting tired of putting animals down though. They keep sending me out on chimera duty."
"Did you catch the guy?"
"Not before one of his creations caught him." Their eyes met and Leo returned her attention to the cake. For a while there was silence. When Leo finished eating she placed the dishes in the dishwasher.
"Do you want some help cleaning this place up?" Leo gestured to the rest of the dishes which were piled in the sink.
"I'll do it tomorrow," Roy yawned as he said this and Leo chuckled.
"You can go to bed. I'll walk home, it's not too far and I'm pretty awake now."
"I'll drive you" he said. Leo opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it and just shook her head instead.
When they opened the front door of the apartment building they were both shocked to see a giant bank of snow covering the sidewalk.
"Well…" Roy said as they both stared at the snow slightly dumbfounded. Suddenly a smirk crossed Roy's lips. "I guess you'll just have to spend the night…" He gave her a suggestive smile but her attention was elsewhere. A part of the snow that was covering something…black. She brushed the snow off it and it felt…fabric?
"My saviors!" The black thing sprang up. Leo jumped back and bumped into Roy who instinctively put his arms around her.
It ended up being the blond man from the party. He was Roy's neighbor and had gotten locked out of the apartment building. He had sat down to wait for someone to open the door but he had fallen asleep. Giving up on the idea of going home Leo followed Roy back into the building. As they were walking towards the elevator the lights flickered out. Various swears were grumbled as Leo and Roy trudged up the stairs with Clark, the blond, babbling in the background. When they reached their floor Clark looked between the two with suspicion.
"What is it," Roy asked with exasperation.
"Well, I was just thinking that it's rather scandalous that this beautiful young woman stay in the same apartment with you overnight Roy. Especially with your reputation…you know he's a shameless womanizer don't let him fool you!" Clark made a move to pull Leo toward him but Roy swiftly grabbed her and stood in front of her.
"Goodnight Clark…" Roy growled but the tall blond slipped around him and wound his arms around Leo who stared at him in shock when he gave her a peck on the lips. Roy grabbed the back of Clark's collar and nearly threw him into the wall. "Goodnight Clark" Roy quickly opened the door to his apartment and pulled Leo inside before slamming the door.
"Well you certainly have interesting neighbors…" Leo laughed and subconsciously wiped her mouth.
"Sorry about him." It was all Roy could do to not go into Clark's apartment and fry him.
"I'll live," Leo said with a shrug. "Although that idiot did get my clothes all wet."
"You can go into my room and borrow some of mine. I'm going to get a fire started." Roy was so annoyed he could not even make some sexual joke.
Leo found her way into his room and was bombarded by his smell. She went over to the dresser and opened the first drawer. Boxers and socks…In the next she found ties and more socks. In the third drawer she found shirts and took the smallest one she could find which ended up being a white button down.
"I always pictured you as a tighty whities sort of man," she teased and took a seat next to him on the floor as he prodded the fire.
"Picturing me with my pants off are you?" A huge smirk appeared on his lips.
Leo made grossed out face and stuck out her tongue. "You wish." This only made Roy smirk more.
"Don't make me hurt you." Leo shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Got any blankets in this place," she asked, not because she was particularly cold but in order to change the topic.
"I'll go get some," Roy said and stood. As he walked away he let his hand graze across her shoulder. She tensed and it suddenly hit her that she would be spending the night alone with him. Before should could form a possible escape plan she felt a blanket being placed on her shoulders.
"You could sleep in my bed if you wanted. I'll take the couch. It might be cold though…" Wasn't this the part where he tired to sleep with her? Though now that Leo thought about it with a slightly calmer head there wasn't really any reason for him to want to sleep with her in the first place.
"It's okay here," she said and inched closer to the fire. Roy chuckled and pulled a cushion off the couch and tossed it at her. "Ow!"
"Oh, come on that didn't hurt you."
"Remember that whole 'pretty beat up' thing?" She threw the cushion back at him.
"It's for you to sleep on stupid." He grabbed the other cushion and threw it at her with more force this time and ended up hitting her right in the face. "Shit, you alright?" Roy leaned over Leo who was holding her face with her hand.
"Jerk," her voice was slightly muffled. Roy went to put his hand on her shoulder but she grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it. Roy fell over and Leo (who had been fine all along) grinned in triumph.
"You're going to pay for that," Roy said as he grabbed a pillow and lunged at Leo. She blocked his attack with another pillow and with not much effort overpowered him. But suddenly she slipped and ended up on the floor next to Roy. "You know, for such a well respected solider. You're a class A klutz." He rolled on top of her and her face flushed red. She pushed him off and they both sat up. Leo was staring at the floor. Roy looked at her and smiled when he saw that she was still blushing. She bit her lip and glanced over to him.
"What,' she asked defensively.
"Nothing…" Roy leaned against the couch and after a while Leo moved next to him. He thought about it for a while and then with much hesitation Roy put his arm over Leo's shoulders. She did not react for a while but finally she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. He exhaled a breath he did not know that he was holding. The fire cracked and they sat in a comfortable silence until it was interrupted by a knock on the door. With a grunt of annoyance Roy stood up and walked over to the door. He attempted to look out the peephole but it was too dark to see anything. He unlocked to door and before he could prevent it, Clark had slipped inside and had already started making his way over to the fire…and Leo.
"It was just so cold in my apartment. I thought perhaps you could warm me up." Clark took a seat to the right of Leo.
"You know it's rude to barge into someone's apartment without being invited," she snapped. Roy was not sure whether he liked that she was finally using that tone on someone else or that he was pissed someone else caused her to use the tone usually reserved for him.
"Oh were you two doing something naughty," Clark asked giving them a theatrical wink. Leo stared at him in complete disgust. Roy once again considered the idea of torching his neighbor.
"You have issues," Leo simply stated while she moved up onto the now cushionless couch, away from Clark.
"Clark go home. If you want I'll light the fire in your apartment. Just get out of mine." Roy began arranging the cushions on the ground in a sort of make-shift bed.
"The fire place in my apartment doesn't work…" Clark whined.
"How old are you anyways?" Leo glanced over to Clark.
"Um, I'm 26. And yourself?"
"Bull. You're not a day over 20."
"It's rude to ask a lady her age," Roy cut in.
"I'm hungry…do you have food? I'll go find some!" Clark quickly changed the subject and jumped up and hurried over to Roy's small kitchen. Roy and Leo simply exchanged similar looks of frustration.
"I found some leftovers from the party including wine. But all the glasses are dirty." Clark came back holding a half full wine bottle and a tray of cookies.
"Who cares," Leo grumbled and grabbed the wine bottle then took a gulp right from it. Both men stared at her in shock. "What? Want some?" Leo held the bottle in front of Roy who after a moment took a sip of wine as well.
"You are a very different kind of women," Clark said, with his mouth half full of cookies. Leo was unfazed by his observation but she did move back down onto the ground in order to have better access to the food and drink. It was not long before Leo had fallen asleep again. Roy pulled the blanket around her.
"So what's her deal?" Clark asked after discovering all the wine was gone.
"I'm afraid I'm unclear on what that's supposed to mean." Roy said harshly without looking toward the younger man.
"I should restate. What's your deal with her. She seems a bit too smart to put up with being another name in your book. You usually stick to store clerks, not people you work with." It irritated Roy that this man, this boy, acted like he knew him. Sure they had had drinks together one and a while and talked about women. "I mean maybe when you're done—"
"Don't even finish that sentence." Roy nearly took the bottle of wine and hit Clark over the head with it. Maybe he'd had too much to drink, but he was suddenly taken over by and extreme anger to the other man. Clark raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly before her lay down next to Leo and drifted off to sleep. Roy stayed up for sometime after that, his gaze flickering between Leo and the fire. Eventually he lay down and fell asleep as well.
Roy awoke feeling someone warm wrapped in his arms. He smiled softly as the body pulled him closer but as Roy awoke and his senses sharpened he felt that something was wrong. He was still too sleepy to open his eyes but then he realized that the scent coming from said body wasn't Leo's. His eyes shot open to find a head of blonde hair next to him. He shoved Clark away and jumped up to his feet. Clark groaned and opened his eyes.
"What the hell?..." His voice was groggy and he looked up at Roy before promptly falling back asleep. Roy felt another pair of eyes on him though and he turned to see Leo wrapped in a blanket and sitting on his couch with an amused look upon her face.
"I got up to go to the bathroom earlier and when I came back the two of you were like that," she said casually before looking back to the little black book in her hands. In truth it had been the two men nuzzling up to her in their sleep that had prompted her move to the couch. Roy's irritation was suddenly replaced by horror when he realized what she was reading. He lunged to grab the book out of her hands but she casually moved it out of his grasp.
"I didn't say you could read that." He realized that he was almost upset she did not seem angry about the book which chronicled his dates with women.
"You shouldn't leave these things around if you don't want people to read them," she flipped to the next page. Roy made another move to grab it but Leo sprang up and hopped over the back of the couch.
"Leo, please give that back to me." Her eyes stayed on the pages in front of her as she headed towards the kitchen. He followed her as quietly as he could and dove for the book. She turned to dodge him but he grabbed one of her wrists and with his free hand reached for the book. She held it just out of his reach and with a grunt of frustration he backed her into the nearest wall, yanked the book out of her hand and tossed it onto the counter. They stood in silence for a long time neither giving in to speaking or breaking their gaze. Roy tried to read Leo's expression but her face was blank. Leo was not sure what she felt. She knew he was a womanizer but she had never known his level of arrogance was so high that he recorded all his conquests. And even after knowing this she still felt drawn to him. The fact that he was pinning her to a wall did not help her sort out her thoughts. "You're so fucking difficult," Roy hissed before taking a step back.
"I prefer that to being easy," Leo said with a smirk.