Dewdrops
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2023 3:36 pm
Eyyyy these two are back! I’ll be honest, I just started writing more chapters right after I finished Rain on the Pavement (even though I didn’t think I’d post them), just because I wasn’t done spending time with these characters lol. But then I found a way to continue their story while *also* still keeping some SW content in there so I figured what the heck, I’ll go ahead and post these~
Part 1 (Rain on the Windowsill): https://shrunken-women-board.com/phpBB3 ... f=9&t=4206
Part 2 (Raindrops): https://shrunken-women-board.com/phpBB3 ... f=9&t=4248
Part 3 (Rain on the Pavement): https://shrunken-women-board.com/phpBB3 ... f=9&t=4441
Or, here’s a recap of everything: https://www.deviantart.com/littlest-lil ... -928676102
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Chapter 1
“Hello! Long time no see.”
I stare at the text on my screen for a few seconds, and then quickly hit backspace. I try again.
“Hi. Want to get coffee sometime?”
I pause. Stare. Delete. Try again.
“Hey Leo. How have you been?”
This doesn’t feel right either, but I’ve been agonizing for twenty minutes. Fuck it. I hit send.
I put my phone down, knowing that if I don’t I won’t be able to stop looking at the screen and waiting for a response. I leave it on the kitchen counter and try to keep myself occupied by cleaning some dishes. I’ve been finding mundane tasks like this very therapeutic lately. It’s something I can control, something that keeps me grounded. I’ve been no stranger to bouts of anxiety over the past three weeks. Little things like this help.
Speaking of anxiety. I almost drop the cup I’m drying as I hear the buzz of my phone after ten or so minutes. I hurry over and frantically turn the device on.
“Hey, it’s good to hear from you. I’m doing alright, how about you?”
Even just seeing his name on the screen is making my heart beat faster. I take a deep breath and text him back. “I’m okay. I feel like I’m mostly settled back in.”
A few moments later he responds with a simple “Glad to hear it!”
I can feel the conversation stalling before it even really starts. I’m sure he probably doesn’t know what to say. I start typing without really thinking, see I’ve just written the words “I miss you” and then immediately delete it again. Ugh, I hate that this is so complicated. Time to get to the point.
“I think I’m ready to meet up. If you want to.”
I wait. His response is very quick. “I’d love to! Let me know when and where and I’ll be there.”
Letting out a slow breath, I let myself smile. As always, there’s a small voice in the back of my head reminding me that this very well might all be a terrible idea. I vaguely wonder if I’ll ever see the day where I’m not paranoid about every little thing. We continue texting.
“Well, full disclosure, I’m nervous. Ok if we do it sooner than later? Like, tomorrow?”
“If it makes you feel better, I’m nervous too lol. Hell, I’m free today if you want. But otherwise tomorrow works!” And then he adds a second text, “Also, if you’re actually uncomfortable, we don’t have to meet up at all. No pressure”
“No, I want to. Let’s say 3pm today at Quali-tea?”
“See you then!”
Okay. Now to just get through the next couple of hours without throwing up.
*~*~*
Maybe I shouldn’t have picked the place where we had met up for the first time. It feels incredibly weird to be back here. But it’s too late, it’s almost three and this is happening no matter how I feel about it at this point. The first - and last - time we’d met up here, I’d arrived quite a bit before he did, and I’m early again this time. Which is why I feel particularly shocked when I walk into the coffee shop to see Leo is already sitting at one of the tables.
He glances up at the sound of the door opening and his eyes light up when he sees me. I feel frozen on the spot, taken aback by the sight of him. He looks the same as the last time I saw him - maybe his skin’s a bit more sun-kissed, maybe his sandy blonde hair is slightly longer. His eyes haven’t changed, though. Those mesmerizing deep brown eyes... Funny how he looks the same and yet the sight of him still feels so weirdly foreign to me. The size of him is all wrong.
He stands to make his way over, smiling warmly, and I wonder how we’ll greet each other. The last time I saw him we had kissed, but I can’t imagine doing that right now. I almost want to reach out for a handshake as if we were starting over, but that feels stupid too. Leo reaches me and pauses, holding his arms out tentatively in gentle invitation.
Finally I snap out of my frozen state and smile at him in turn, stepping forward and accepting the hug. It’s not a particularly long or passionate one, just the slightest bit of intimacy at the weight of his chin on the top of my head. It feels nice.
“Hey, Lily,” he says as he pulls away, and it’s good to hear his voice again too. “Thanks for coming.”
“Sorry to… I mean… thank you. For coming,” I say awkwardly. My expression breaks a little as I laugh. “I told you I’d be nervous.”
“That’s okay. This was probably going to feel weird no matter what,” he responds with a chuckle. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Nah, that’s alright, I got it. I’ll be right back,” I say, and he doesn’t insist. That’s another thing that has felt good, being able to provide for myself again. Even something as simple as buying a cup of tea.
I meet him at the table in the back corner of the room - the downside with meeting in public is potentially dealing with other people overhearing, but it’s pretty empty in here today. Leo’s waiting for me with a smile and a keen look in his eye. He doesn’t look particularly intimidated, although I know him well enough to sense a little bit of nerves. When I sit down he’s ready with a question, asked softly.
“So how are you, really?”
“Uhh,” I say, settling into my seat, “You first.”
“Dangit,” he laughs, bested. “Alright. Sooo… Honestly, I’m really not too bad, all things considered? Um…”
He seems to hesitate on oversharing and there’s a heaviness in the air. But I think it’s clear to the both of us that we’re here to really catch up and be open with one another. There’s no point in wasting time on small talk.
“I guess I’ll admit that the first week after getting home was really hard. There’s just so many… reminders everywhere. I just… I… missed you. I mean…” He lets out a sigh. “I guess that part hasn’t changed too much.”
My mouth feels dry and I nod, not fully sure what to say. “It’s better now, though?” I ask.
“Yeah, a little. I put things away, did a lot of resting, a whole lot of reflecting. Saw friends. Went back to work. I’m finding a new rhythm. I'll be just fine.” His gaze lingers on me a little longer as he seems particularly hesitant to say the next thing on his mind.
“Go on,” I say, trying to sound encouraging. “If I wanted to meet up it’s because I want us to be open and honest.”
“Okay… I’m trying to figure out how to say this,” he mutters pensively, “I’ve really been trying to give you your space. I know I don’t have the right to intrude on your life. And I’m scared to screw anything up. But after everything that happened I also can't help feeling really… really worried about you.”
I’m picking up on it more now, the subtle tells in his posture and his expression giving away some of the vulnerability that he’s feeling. As cautious as I’m trying to be about everything, I can’t help it right now - I reach out and take his hand. He gently squeezes my fingers in his.
“I’m…” I begin, and I can’t quite get myself to tell him I’m okay. It was easier to sound more confident about that over text than in person.
Leo reaches out to my shoulder with his free hand, and at first I think he's aiming for the sleeve of my shirt, but then his fingers make contact with my skin. He trails a thumb over the thin pale line that runs down my arm, almost to my elbow. The cut is barely visible now, it wasn't deep enough to leave much of a scar. All of the real scars are invisible.
“You’ve been through a lot. No thanks to me,” he says quietly. “I know you need time to yourself, but... sometimes it doesn’t feel like I let you go free. Sometimes it feels like I just… abandoned you.”
Ahhh shit, I feel like I might cry. He sees me tearing up and lets out a wince, pulling his hands away.
“Crap. Five minutes in and already I’m fucking up. I shouldn’t have said that, Lily, I don’t want to burden you with–”
“Stop, stop, I’m fine," I laugh, blinking away the tears without letting them fall, and I take his hand again. "That just… means a lot, I guess, is all. This was bound to be a bit messy, on some level. Okay.” I take a deep breath in. “How about I just… take my turn and tell you how I’ve been?”
He smiles weakly. “Yes, please.”
“Some of it has been really hard, for sure. Definitely took a lot of adjusting at first - physically, I mean. It’s weird how I got so used to…” I glance around and even though there’s no one near us I still lower my voice, “...being small. I had to get used to being like this again. Still not quite there, I think. And it took me a little while to feel comfortable being by myself. I more or less lived with Cherri for a bit, I’ve only been alone back at my place for about a week now.”
Leo’s hanging on my every word. A part of me feels bad that I didn’t keep him looped in more, but I do also think it was good for me to really hone in on my own needs for these couple of weeks.
“Otherwise, I’ve just been focusing on my health,” I continue, “Trying to eat right, exercise, that kind of thing. Obviously mental health is probably what I’m most worried about, but thankfully my closest friend is a psychologist - or well, studying to be one. So I’ve kinda been doing… therapy?”
He smiles widely at this. “Thank god for Cherri,” he says.
“I don’t know what I’d do without her. It’s going to take a lot of time. I have my moments where I’m in a really bad place. And then I have days like today where I feel like things are going to be okay…"
I drift into thoughtful silence for a moment. Doing my own evaluation of just how much to share. Seeing him in person, seeing how hard he's trying to do the right thing and how much he cares is encouraging to me. I'm really feeling for him and follow the urge to bridge the gap.
"One thing I did want to say, Leo,” I add, “I want you to know that most of the trauma and stuff that I’m dealing with is not about you. It’s from those last few days. Not all of it. But the worst of it is that.”
We're still holding hands on the table like it's a lifeline. He softens his grip now, running his thumb gently over mine.
"Thank you for saying that, but… Make sure you're not suppressing anything, okay? I don't want you making excuses for me just because the other guy was worse…"
There's a pause, and then I ask, "You're still dealing with a lot of guilt, aren't you?"
He contemplates this. "Shouldn't I be?"
"I don't know… I guess guilt can be healthy if it helps you be a better person. But shame for the sake of shame doesn't sound very productive."
He smiles. "You're the one sounding like a therapist right now."
"Ha. Yeah right. You think therapy could help though? I can ask Cherri if…" I trail off as a thought hits me. "Oh wow. I guess you don't really have anyone to talk about this stuff with? Have you told anyone?"
"No. Well, not really. A little bit with a couple of friends, but it's kinda hard to get into it without talking about the whole shrinking thing."
"Seriously, want me to ask Cherri about you having a session with her? She's so good at it, it's been making all the difference for me."
"Uhhh, are you sure she would want that? I'm assuming she's not the biggest fan of mine at this point if she knows everything that happened."
"I… guess it's complicated. I just hate that you're dealing with this by yourself."
"I really appreciate it, but please don't worry about me. You have enough on your plate and I'll be fine, little one, so-"
We both freeze for a second as he stops himself short. I see a wave of embarrassment pass over him. "Oops. Sorry."
I keep my eyes downcast for a moment. And then I look up at him sheepishly. "I probably shouldn't admit this," I say, "But if we're being open and honest… I've missed hearing you say that. Which is not an invitation for you-know-what," I add that last part quickly, jokingly.
Now it's a wave of relief washing over him instead. He grins a little and pats me playfully on the head. "I know. And I mean, you are quite a bit shorter than me as is. So I guess it can still apply."
I blush and just stare at him for several seconds. "Yeah… I really miss you, man," I finally say.
Leo falls silent, taken aback by the sincerity in my voice, and closes his eyes for a moment. When he opens them again they're glistening. He can't quite get any words out.
I lightly slap him on the shoulder, a casual gesture to try and lighten the mood. "Cool, we both made each other cry. A successful reunion!"
We laugh at this and I appreciate the ease that I feel is starting to return between us. It's still so weird talking to him like this, at a normal eye level, using normal speaking volumes, in public no less. I still have so much adjusting to do.
"Oh, hey, you know what I need your help with?" I say, figuring that's enough emotional talk for the moment. "I need a new game recommendation. Remind me what's still on our list?"
"Hmmm, let me think. You still don't have a Switch, do you?"
"Nope. But I have been meaning to get one…"
"In that case, I think it's time."
"For?"
"Breath of the Wild! You will absolutely adore that game."
"Oh my god, how could I have forgotten Zelda? That's it, I'm buying it on the way home."
We fall into a discussion about other Switch games I could play and soon time is slipping away from us. Our dynamics are a little different than how they used to be, maybe more reminiscent of how we interacted before his big betrayal. Except we’re closer now than we were then. We pick up on subtler cues from each other, know more details about each other’s interests. This… this is what I would have wanted, at the beginning. To reach a level of friendship with him like this before we rush into anything else. It's going to be impossible to just ignore everything that happened between us. But this is a breath of fresh air.
Before I know it, over two hours have passed. I suddenly notice the clock on the wall and feel a little flutter of surprise. “Whoa, it’s past five! Sorry, I need to start heading home, I have to grab groceries on the way. Especially if I’m getting a Switch too.”
“Well we better send you off then! Zelda takes precedence.”
We tidy up our area and head out the door together. My car’s parked right out front so I go ahead and wish him goodbye, hesitating just a bit before going in for another hug, of my own initiation. His arms wrap around me easily, hands linking up against my back. It’s a bit of a tighter embrace this time, and we hold it for longer.
“This feels weird, right?” I say as I squeeze him for emphasis, “Hugging like this?”
I can feel Leo’s quiet laugh ruffle my hair. “It’s a little weird. I could definitely get used to it, though.”
“Yeah… same here. It was good to see you, Leo.”
“You too, little one.” He doesn’t apologize for it this time. I smile into his chest.
Part 1 (Rain on the Windowsill): https://shrunken-women-board.com/phpBB3 ... f=9&t=4206
Part 2 (Raindrops): https://shrunken-women-board.com/phpBB3 ... f=9&t=4248
Part 3 (Rain on the Pavement): https://shrunken-women-board.com/phpBB3 ... f=9&t=4441
Or, here’s a recap of everything: https://www.deviantart.com/littlest-lil ... -928676102
----------
Chapter 1
“Hello! Long time no see.”
I stare at the text on my screen for a few seconds, and then quickly hit backspace. I try again.
“Hi. Want to get coffee sometime?”
I pause. Stare. Delete. Try again.
“Hey Leo. How have you been?”
This doesn’t feel right either, but I’ve been agonizing for twenty minutes. Fuck it. I hit send.
I put my phone down, knowing that if I don’t I won’t be able to stop looking at the screen and waiting for a response. I leave it on the kitchen counter and try to keep myself occupied by cleaning some dishes. I’ve been finding mundane tasks like this very therapeutic lately. It’s something I can control, something that keeps me grounded. I’ve been no stranger to bouts of anxiety over the past three weeks. Little things like this help.
Speaking of anxiety. I almost drop the cup I’m drying as I hear the buzz of my phone after ten or so minutes. I hurry over and frantically turn the device on.
“Hey, it’s good to hear from you. I’m doing alright, how about you?”
Even just seeing his name on the screen is making my heart beat faster. I take a deep breath and text him back. “I’m okay. I feel like I’m mostly settled back in.”
A few moments later he responds with a simple “Glad to hear it!”
I can feel the conversation stalling before it even really starts. I’m sure he probably doesn’t know what to say. I start typing without really thinking, see I’ve just written the words “I miss you” and then immediately delete it again. Ugh, I hate that this is so complicated. Time to get to the point.
“I think I’m ready to meet up. If you want to.”
I wait. His response is very quick. “I’d love to! Let me know when and where and I’ll be there.”
Letting out a slow breath, I let myself smile. As always, there’s a small voice in the back of my head reminding me that this very well might all be a terrible idea. I vaguely wonder if I’ll ever see the day where I’m not paranoid about every little thing. We continue texting.
“Well, full disclosure, I’m nervous. Ok if we do it sooner than later? Like, tomorrow?”
“If it makes you feel better, I’m nervous too lol. Hell, I’m free today if you want. But otherwise tomorrow works!” And then he adds a second text, “Also, if you’re actually uncomfortable, we don’t have to meet up at all. No pressure”
“No, I want to. Let’s say 3pm today at Quali-tea?”
“See you then!”
Okay. Now to just get through the next couple of hours without throwing up.
*~*~*
Maybe I shouldn’t have picked the place where we had met up for the first time. It feels incredibly weird to be back here. But it’s too late, it’s almost three and this is happening no matter how I feel about it at this point. The first - and last - time we’d met up here, I’d arrived quite a bit before he did, and I’m early again this time. Which is why I feel particularly shocked when I walk into the coffee shop to see Leo is already sitting at one of the tables.
He glances up at the sound of the door opening and his eyes light up when he sees me. I feel frozen on the spot, taken aback by the sight of him. He looks the same as the last time I saw him - maybe his skin’s a bit more sun-kissed, maybe his sandy blonde hair is slightly longer. His eyes haven’t changed, though. Those mesmerizing deep brown eyes... Funny how he looks the same and yet the sight of him still feels so weirdly foreign to me. The size of him is all wrong.
He stands to make his way over, smiling warmly, and I wonder how we’ll greet each other. The last time I saw him we had kissed, but I can’t imagine doing that right now. I almost want to reach out for a handshake as if we were starting over, but that feels stupid too. Leo reaches me and pauses, holding his arms out tentatively in gentle invitation.
Finally I snap out of my frozen state and smile at him in turn, stepping forward and accepting the hug. It’s not a particularly long or passionate one, just the slightest bit of intimacy at the weight of his chin on the top of my head. It feels nice.
“Hey, Lily,” he says as he pulls away, and it’s good to hear his voice again too. “Thanks for coming.”
“Sorry to… I mean… thank you. For coming,” I say awkwardly. My expression breaks a little as I laugh. “I told you I’d be nervous.”
“That’s okay. This was probably going to feel weird no matter what,” he responds with a chuckle. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Nah, that’s alright, I got it. I’ll be right back,” I say, and he doesn’t insist. That’s another thing that has felt good, being able to provide for myself again. Even something as simple as buying a cup of tea.
I meet him at the table in the back corner of the room - the downside with meeting in public is potentially dealing with other people overhearing, but it’s pretty empty in here today. Leo’s waiting for me with a smile and a keen look in his eye. He doesn’t look particularly intimidated, although I know him well enough to sense a little bit of nerves. When I sit down he’s ready with a question, asked softly.
“So how are you, really?”
“Uhh,” I say, settling into my seat, “You first.”
“Dangit,” he laughs, bested. “Alright. Sooo… Honestly, I’m really not too bad, all things considered? Um…”
He seems to hesitate on oversharing and there’s a heaviness in the air. But I think it’s clear to the both of us that we’re here to really catch up and be open with one another. There’s no point in wasting time on small talk.
“I guess I’ll admit that the first week after getting home was really hard. There’s just so many… reminders everywhere. I just… I… missed you. I mean…” He lets out a sigh. “I guess that part hasn’t changed too much.”
My mouth feels dry and I nod, not fully sure what to say. “It’s better now, though?” I ask.
“Yeah, a little. I put things away, did a lot of resting, a whole lot of reflecting. Saw friends. Went back to work. I’m finding a new rhythm. I'll be just fine.” His gaze lingers on me a little longer as he seems particularly hesitant to say the next thing on his mind.
“Go on,” I say, trying to sound encouraging. “If I wanted to meet up it’s because I want us to be open and honest.”
“Okay… I’m trying to figure out how to say this,” he mutters pensively, “I’ve really been trying to give you your space. I know I don’t have the right to intrude on your life. And I’m scared to screw anything up. But after everything that happened I also can't help feeling really… really worried about you.”
I’m picking up on it more now, the subtle tells in his posture and his expression giving away some of the vulnerability that he’s feeling. As cautious as I’m trying to be about everything, I can’t help it right now - I reach out and take his hand. He gently squeezes my fingers in his.
“I’m…” I begin, and I can’t quite get myself to tell him I’m okay. It was easier to sound more confident about that over text than in person.
Leo reaches out to my shoulder with his free hand, and at first I think he's aiming for the sleeve of my shirt, but then his fingers make contact with my skin. He trails a thumb over the thin pale line that runs down my arm, almost to my elbow. The cut is barely visible now, it wasn't deep enough to leave much of a scar. All of the real scars are invisible.
“You’ve been through a lot. No thanks to me,” he says quietly. “I know you need time to yourself, but... sometimes it doesn’t feel like I let you go free. Sometimes it feels like I just… abandoned you.”
Ahhh shit, I feel like I might cry. He sees me tearing up and lets out a wince, pulling his hands away.
“Crap. Five minutes in and already I’m fucking up. I shouldn’t have said that, Lily, I don’t want to burden you with–”
“Stop, stop, I’m fine," I laugh, blinking away the tears without letting them fall, and I take his hand again. "That just… means a lot, I guess, is all. This was bound to be a bit messy, on some level. Okay.” I take a deep breath in. “How about I just… take my turn and tell you how I’ve been?”
He smiles weakly. “Yes, please.”
“Some of it has been really hard, for sure. Definitely took a lot of adjusting at first - physically, I mean. It’s weird how I got so used to…” I glance around and even though there’s no one near us I still lower my voice, “...being small. I had to get used to being like this again. Still not quite there, I think. And it took me a little while to feel comfortable being by myself. I more or less lived with Cherri for a bit, I’ve only been alone back at my place for about a week now.”
Leo’s hanging on my every word. A part of me feels bad that I didn’t keep him looped in more, but I do also think it was good for me to really hone in on my own needs for these couple of weeks.
“Otherwise, I’ve just been focusing on my health,” I continue, “Trying to eat right, exercise, that kind of thing. Obviously mental health is probably what I’m most worried about, but thankfully my closest friend is a psychologist - or well, studying to be one. So I’ve kinda been doing… therapy?”
He smiles widely at this. “Thank god for Cherri,” he says.
“I don’t know what I’d do without her. It’s going to take a lot of time. I have my moments where I’m in a really bad place. And then I have days like today where I feel like things are going to be okay…"
I drift into thoughtful silence for a moment. Doing my own evaluation of just how much to share. Seeing him in person, seeing how hard he's trying to do the right thing and how much he cares is encouraging to me. I'm really feeling for him and follow the urge to bridge the gap.
"One thing I did want to say, Leo,” I add, “I want you to know that most of the trauma and stuff that I’m dealing with is not about you. It’s from those last few days. Not all of it. But the worst of it is that.”
We're still holding hands on the table like it's a lifeline. He softens his grip now, running his thumb gently over mine.
"Thank you for saying that, but… Make sure you're not suppressing anything, okay? I don't want you making excuses for me just because the other guy was worse…"
There's a pause, and then I ask, "You're still dealing with a lot of guilt, aren't you?"
He contemplates this. "Shouldn't I be?"
"I don't know… I guess guilt can be healthy if it helps you be a better person. But shame for the sake of shame doesn't sound very productive."
He smiles. "You're the one sounding like a therapist right now."
"Ha. Yeah right. You think therapy could help though? I can ask Cherri if…" I trail off as a thought hits me. "Oh wow. I guess you don't really have anyone to talk about this stuff with? Have you told anyone?"
"No. Well, not really. A little bit with a couple of friends, but it's kinda hard to get into it without talking about the whole shrinking thing."
"Seriously, want me to ask Cherri about you having a session with her? She's so good at it, it's been making all the difference for me."
"Uhhh, are you sure she would want that? I'm assuming she's not the biggest fan of mine at this point if she knows everything that happened."
"I… guess it's complicated. I just hate that you're dealing with this by yourself."
"I really appreciate it, but please don't worry about me. You have enough on your plate and I'll be fine, little one, so-"
We both freeze for a second as he stops himself short. I see a wave of embarrassment pass over him. "Oops. Sorry."
I keep my eyes downcast for a moment. And then I look up at him sheepishly. "I probably shouldn't admit this," I say, "But if we're being open and honest… I've missed hearing you say that. Which is not an invitation for you-know-what," I add that last part quickly, jokingly.
Now it's a wave of relief washing over him instead. He grins a little and pats me playfully on the head. "I know. And I mean, you are quite a bit shorter than me as is. So I guess it can still apply."
I blush and just stare at him for several seconds. "Yeah… I really miss you, man," I finally say.
Leo falls silent, taken aback by the sincerity in my voice, and closes his eyes for a moment. When he opens them again they're glistening. He can't quite get any words out.
I lightly slap him on the shoulder, a casual gesture to try and lighten the mood. "Cool, we both made each other cry. A successful reunion!"
We laugh at this and I appreciate the ease that I feel is starting to return between us. It's still so weird talking to him like this, at a normal eye level, using normal speaking volumes, in public no less. I still have so much adjusting to do.
"Oh, hey, you know what I need your help with?" I say, figuring that's enough emotional talk for the moment. "I need a new game recommendation. Remind me what's still on our list?"
"Hmmm, let me think. You still don't have a Switch, do you?"
"Nope. But I have been meaning to get one…"
"In that case, I think it's time."
"For?"
"Breath of the Wild! You will absolutely adore that game."
"Oh my god, how could I have forgotten Zelda? That's it, I'm buying it on the way home."
We fall into a discussion about other Switch games I could play and soon time is slipping away from us. Our dynamics are a little different than how they used to be, maybe more reminiscent of how we interacted before his big betrayal. Except we’re closer now than we were then. We pick up on subtler cues from each other, know more details about each other’s interests. This… this is what I would have wanted, at the beginning. To reach a level of friendship with him like this before we rush into anything else. It's going to be impossible to just ignore everything that happened between us. But this is a breath of fresh air.
Before I know it, over two hours have passed. I suddenly notice the clock on the wall and feel a little flutter of surprise. “Whoa, it’s past five! Sorry, I need to start heading home, I have to grab groceries on the way. Especially if I’m getting a Switch too.”
“Well we better send you off then! Zelda takes precedence.”
We tidy up our area and head out the door together. My car’s parked right out front so I go ahead and wish him goodbye, hesitating just a bit before going in for another hug, of my own initiation. His arms wrap around me easily, hands linking up against my back. It’s a bit of a tighter embrace this time, and we hold it for longer.
“This feels weird, right?” I say as I squeeze him for emphasis, “Hugging like this?”
I can feel Leo’s quiet laugh ruffle my hair. “It’s a little weird. I could definitely get used to it, though.”
“Yeah… same here. It was good to see you, Leo.”
“You too, little one.” He doesn’t apologize for it this time. I smile into his chest.