Ch. 2 France
Lena sat next to Leo on the plane. He was next to the window, and clearly asleep. It was actually relatively amusing, because he was snoring loudly. Lena giggled and rolled her eyes at the napping golden-skinned man beside her. He was a really good friend, she knew she was lucky enough for that, not to mention a really good kisser and really really good in… you know.
The one problem with all that was, of course, the fact that she wasn't committed to him. Except for friendly feelings and the occasional strong bursts of uncontrollable lust, Lena didn't feel anything for him. This was, of course, why she broke up with him, but still stayed friends-with-benefits. If her Dad were to find out about this, there would be murdering (of him first, then her.) Then again, if her Dad were to find out that he was her only company to France, there would be even more bloodshed. Or, really, if her Dad were to find out that they had had sex not once but multiple times…
Lena could not let her Dad find out. There would be death.
All her family knew was that Leo was her close friend (hey, that was true) and he was coming with her to France, not mentioning that he was the only person coming with her to France. They didn't question anything else about him, and she was glad.
Lena rolled her eyes one last time at Leo's snoring, and decided to nap herself.
SOTTP
When Lena woke up, Leo was gently nudging her. Lena, startled, looked up and around wildly.
"Calm down! We're just almost there, I was told to wake you up," Leo explained, smirking at her.
"Oh," Lena nodded, sitting attentively.
"Nice nap?" Leo asked conversationally.
"It was okay. I had a dream where my Dad was getting somewhat angry at me, but hey, there you go," Lena shrugged.
"Why was your Dad mad at you?" Leo asked, laughing.
"He found out that you were my only traveling companion," Lena laughed. Leo rolled his eyes.
"Your Dad," he murmured, suddenly kissing Lena's neck, "needs to lighten up."
Lena felt uncomfortable. This wasn't one of those bouts of lust that she had been talking about.
"Possibly," Lena shrugged, looking away and hopefully at the flight attendant. She told everyone to fasten their seat belts, and Lena did it in a relieved manner. She wasn't always in the mood, contrary to popular belief.
Leo sensed this and stopped kissing her neck, moving away slightly. Lena sighed.
"Sorry, Leo, for some reason I'm not in the mood," Lena shrugged.
"It's cool," Leo smirked, "When we get to Paris, you will be."
"What makes you say that?" Lena raised an eyebrow.
Leo laughed, "You'll see."
They left the plane together, and Lena took forever finding her luggage. Leo was just laughing as Lena checked each bag that happened to look exactly like hers, until she finally found it after checking thirteen different bags. Leo was laughing his head off.
Lena kicked him in the shin playfully as they walked outside together. Lena's breath then proceeded to catch in her throat.
Everything was beautiful. The Eiffel, the river, the bustling people all speaking French, the music in the air, the bustle… Lena, wide-eyed, looked at everything in awe and excitement. Leo was rolling his eyes, smirking at her.
"Sorry, it's just… overwhelmingly beautiful," Lena laughed, looking over at Leo.
Leo shrugged, looking up towards the sky.
"I told you so," he laughed. Lena smirked at him, "So, when have you been here before?"
"My Mom took me when I was fifteen," Leo nodded, "She had gotten a big deal for her pottery and we came here to celebrate. It was lots of fun."
"Cool," Lena laughed, "Well, where are we staying, exactly?"
"Follow me," Leo nodded. They ran together through the crowded streets, Lena realizing that you could fall in love with just about anyone in this place.
SOTTP
They had a one bedroom suite, but Leo had already called the couch (he said he was too nice of a guy to be selfish.) Lena put her stuff neatly in the room, set up her easel, and looked around her. She heard Leo doing similar activities outside her room.
Lena thus proceeded to open her window and stare out onto the darkened street below. She saw how the whole city was still lit even at night, how people were walking around and laughing, she saw the brightly lit Eiffel Tower and felt somewhat overwhelmed. What would she paint first? She couldn't even decide. Everything around her was too beautiful for words.
She heard a knock on her door and affirmed that entry was alright. Leo walked in, and smirked at her again.
"Geez, you don't get out much do you?" Leo laughed.
"I do, just never to France," Lena retorted, rolling her eyes.
"Well, okay," Leo chuckled, "So, where do you want to go first tomorrow?"
"The Eiffel Tower," Lena said immediately. Leo nodded.
"I've wanted to sketch it forever," he affirmed, "but haven't really gotten the chance."
"Well, it's settled. Tomorrow we go to the Eiffel," Lena nodded.
Leo leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. Lena smiled at him and murmured good night.
Leo turned to leave and closed the door behind him. Lena sighed and sat down on her bed.
She wished she could just conjure up the lust at will, but she couldn't.
SOTTP
The next morning Lena walked through the suite and ordered room service. She was tired, starving and a little moody. Leo was still asleep on the couch, blankets tightly wrapped around him. Lena shrugged and sat on the kitchen counter, looking around her as she waited for the room service, AKA pancakes.
When it finally came, Lena dug in and watched Leo sleep. He looked so peaceful, but something else was wrong. He also looked torn in his sleep.
Lena needed to sketch this, sketch the current desperate look on Leo's face. She sprinted to her room, grabbed her sketch pad, and ran back.
She slowly began to gently draw his face, working inch by inch to try and capture the look he was wearing. It was slow work, she knew, but she had to go fast before he woke up and the look was gone.
When she was satisfied with his face, Lena moved on to sketch the intricate way the sheets were curled around him, the way his body had grotesquely twisted in the middle of the night, his bare feet barely emerging from the bundle and his toes moving cautiously in his sleep. Lena gently and slowly sketched everything, shading areas of him that were particularly dark, trying to get his personality and pain into the sketch. She didn't know why he looked so distressed in his sleep; all she knew was that she had to convey it into the picture.
When she finally finished and admired her work, Leo stirred. Lena quickly hid her sketchbook and went back over to her now-cold pancakes. It was rather late in the morning, 10:07.
Leo sat up and stretched, looking over at Lena. Lena smiled back at him, rolling her eyes.
"Wow, I feel refreshed. What time is it?" Leo asked, yawning.
"A little after ten, sleepyhead," Lena smirked.
"Wow," Leo repeated, walking over to Lena and steeling a bit of pancake. As Lena let out shouts of protest, Leo noticed her sketchbook lying on the floor. He walked over and picked it up.
"Not like you to leave things lying around, little Lena," Leo laughed, and then opened to the end. His eyes widened when he saw the recently completed sketch, and he looked up at Lena and back down at the drawing again.
"S-See? That's how fast you were asleep, L-Leo. You totally didn't n-notice I was drawing you," Lena affirmed nervously.
Leo looked back over at her, "This is really good, Lena."
Lena smiled and shrugged, "Thanks." She suddenly realized that the ever popular lustful feeling was back, and stood up.
"No, seriously. Is this how I look when I sleep?" Leo raised his eyebrows. Lena walked over to him and kissed him softly on the lips, surprising him somewhat.
Lena pulled away and nodded, her eyebrows raised, "Yes."
Leo pulled her in for another kiss.
SOTTP
They left the suite later that afternoon, sketchbooks in hand, eagerly going down to the Eiffel tower together to sketch what they saw, and probably just talk.
Lena still had shaky legs from before. They had done it many times, but never like that. She was still recovering, and she could tell Leo had been amazed too. Everything in her world was spinning, her lustful side had gone out of control and she was starting to become dysfunctional.
Lena thought back to when they really were dating. She remembered how around that time Kostos had come and, again, shattered her world. Why was it whenever she was starting to pull herself together again, Kostos came and ruined everything? She probably wouldn't have broken up with Leo if Kostos hadn't come back on the scene, or at least wouldn't have broken up with him so soon. She definitely was having second thoughts now.
Lena looked around her as they slowly walked up to the Eiffel tower. She knew the second she affirmed that she wanted to be back together with Leo, Kostos would show up. But Lena was ready to risk it. What she had just done with him just an hour ago proved it to her, proved that she was ready.
They quickly got to the top of the tower, Lena still feeling shaky around the legs. Leo pulled out his sketchbook, but didn't start to draw anything. He just stared around. Lena followed suit, looking over at him in questioning.
"When I came here with my Mom," Leo began, his voice soft, "She took me up here, to this very spot, and gave me a message that I've always remembered. She told me, 'Son, one day you won't be living with me anymore, or if you are, you will be mostly on your own. You will meet many different people, some of whom you'll probably care about very much. If you ever meet someone, whether a girl or a boy, and you feel this way about them that makes you tingle and whenever you see them, you're happy, and you'll settle for anything if you can just be around them, promise me this: that you will take care of that special person, and you will love them to the best of your ability, because that's what they deserve," Leo looked over at Lena, placing his hands on the sides of her face.
"Lena," he murmured softly, "I love you."
Lena felt a swooping sensation soar through her stomach. She looked back at him, and said in all honesty, "I love you too."
Leo brought her face towards his, and kissed her softly. Lena melted into his embrace, but pulled back suddenly when she heard a horribly familiar voice cry out, "Lena???"
