Bi-Weekly challenge What are you willing to do to get what you want?
Who? Leo Black
What? Being 16 and naive in Italy, but suddenly with a bit more energy.
Why? Because this happens more than people realize.
When? 17 years after grownhp6words
Choking on your smile A fake behind the fear The queerest of the queer'>
Vance was right when he told Leo that the pills would kick in fast. He coasted through the day with no problems. There was a bounce in his step. His smile was a little bit brighter. His pout a little more sexier. The photographer had a good time with him. Leo was on, and the camera loved him. By the time he finished the day he was looking forward to going home and getting some sleep.
Except when he made it home he couldn't sleep. His body felt wired up, and he had energy to burn. When asked if he was alright, he smiled and said it was a little too much caffeine. Sinclair had no reason to doubt it, and Leo had no reason to tell him he took pills from someone that Sin didn't really know. It wasn't that he thought the pills were drugs, because they clearly weren't. They were prescribed by a doctor after all. It was just that he knew he probably shouldn't have taken someone elses prescription. Especially since he wasn't even sure if the doctor would find that he needed a prescription of his own. It was easier to just use caffeine as an excuse. It was easier to distract himself by coaxing Sinclair into doing things that would ensure Leo slept.
He did sleep. For four hours, and when he woke up he felt amazing. His shower was a little longer than usual as he enjoyed the feeling of actually being awake for the first time in weeks. Normally he was half falling asleep in the shower. He popped two of the pills with his morning coffee. There were two left, but his appointment was after lunch. He was a little nervous. Leo didn't exactly have medical records to forward to the office. Not ones that would make any sense to the Muggle doctors at least.
"It's cool, Leo," Vance assured him as tugged Leo along with him toward his motorbike during their long lunch break. He'd promised to take Leo to the appointment since Leo was still learning his way around the city. Plus Vance had the bike, and he was of age to drive it. Leo hadn't looked too closely into what the age requirement was to drive in Milan. "You'll find doctors don't ask a lot of questions sometimes."
"They need to ask questions do they not?" Leo asked, as he climbed up on the bike behind Vance. Wrapping his arms around him he smirked when Vance didn't require that he wear a helmet. Vance didn't wear one either.
"Not really. He's treating work related exhaustion. That doesn't require a lot of need to know info." The drive was made quickly. When they arrived, Vance walked in with him, filled out the paperwork and left blank anything that Leo couldn't recall without pausing to think of an appropriate answer. He noticed that Vance added two years to Leo's age on the paper.
"I'm not eighteen," he whispered, and Vance rolled his eyes. His hand reached over and patted Leo's thigh.
"You are right now. Unless you can make your parents magically appear to accompany you to this consult." The words were supposed to be a joke of course, but there was enough truth to them that made Leo pause for a moment. Perhaps he should have firecalled his father and asked him to come with him.
No. No, he was sixteen and he was living on his own. He didn't need anyone to come with him to see a doctor. It was just a consult anyway. Twenty minutes after he arrived, his name was called, and he followed the receptionist to the back. Vance remained in the lobby flipping through a magazine. Leo took a seat in the office and looked around. The walls were painted a light green. He wasn't sure what would have possessed anyone to choose that color. It was a bit nauseating in his opinion.
Fidgeting a bit on the table, he checked his watch, and hoped he wouldn't be kept too long. He was surprised to find his stomach wasn't growling in protest. Normally he would be famished by now, but he had barely touched his breakfast and wasn't at all hungry now. Curious. Must be nerves, he told himself, as the door open and the doctor appeared.
His worries were all for nothing. The doctor was fine with him not having complete medical records. He was a kind man who was a bit younger than his parents. Well, actually he was probably considerably younger than his parents since Muggles aged faster than Wizards did. There were a few basic questions about his medical history. Any previous problems with his heart? Any allergies? Once the doctor had all of his questions answered to his satisfaction, the prescription was written. He was informed that he wouldn't give him refills as he wished to see him again to do a follow up before writing a new prescription. That was fine with Leo. It seemed to him that all the worry about modeling was for nothing. If the agents were sending their models to doctors, and the doctors were being cautious with the models then that was a good thing, was it not?
They placed the prescription in at one of the local pharmacies so that Leo could pick it up when he finished his day. The rest of his day in the studio went by in a blur. He was actually enjoying his time in front of the camera. He had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the Marc Jacobs designers while he was waiting in between takes. There was a lot of waiting with modeling he found. When he wasn't chatting up the other models and designers, he was keeping busy with his sketches. By the time seven pm rolled around he found he was still not all that hungry despite Vance offering to get him dinner after they picked up his prescription.
"How serious are you and the other guy anyway?" Vance asked after Leo paid for the medication and followed him back outside.
"Serious enough, why?"
"It's bad for business to have a boyfriend. He could wreck your career before it even gets started," Vance warned, plucking out a cigarette and then offering one to Leo as they headed toward a cafe a few blocks away. "People want to believe their fantasies are attainable. They aren't, of course, as we would rarely pay a second look to most of them, but they need to believe it. The designers want you to present that image, and the agents want to keep the designers happy."
"That's rubbish. They are paying me to take pictures of me. They do not get to dictate my social life." There was a laugh from Vance that made Leo uneasy.
"You're kidding yourself, Leo. They get to dictate whatever they want. You could really make it. They're already offering you better campaigns than I got when I was your age and first starting out. They don't give a fuck if you want to design clothes." He stopped suddenly and grabbed Leo around the waist, pulling him close as he stared him straight in the eyes. The cigarette dropped to the ground as Vance smirked at him. "You're sixteen and beautiful. They want to make money off you, and you can use that fame to start your own line. The boyfriend? He's hot, but he's going to hold back your career. Keep that in mind." He let him go with a smacking kiss to Leo's cheek.
"I won't allow them to dictate my life, Vance. I'm not like the lot of you. I'm only doing this to get an inside look at the industry. I don't need the money, and I don't especially like the work." He paused when Vance simply stopped walking again to glare at him. "Did I offend you?"
"No, Leo, why would I possibly be offended by some sheltered spoiled sixteen year old twink who has the world handing him his dream on a silver platter and you're turning your nose up at it because you prefer gold? Some of us don't have rich families and boyfriends to buy us pretty houses and things and support us if the modeling shit doesn't work out. If you hate it so much why are you even doing it?"
Leo stubbed out his own cigarette and gave Vance an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I honestly didn't mean to offend you. I was on my way to applying for a job in a boutique when they approached me about modeling. I didn't intend to enter this profession. That was all I was saying."
"But you did enter it, and you have your reasons for doing so. I get it, and I even admire it a bit. You know what you want, and you're willing to do whatever it takes to go after your dreams. Great. Just keep in mind that what will end up standing between you and what you want is the boyfriend. There is a reason most of us stay single."
Leo shrugged, as he fell into step with him again. "I've never been satisfied with following the crowd, Vance. I prefer to do things my own way."
"Oh yeah?" Vance asked with a grin, any trace of being annoyed was gone from his face. "Talk to me when you're a veteran like me in four years."
Leo shook his head, but he managed a laugh. "You'll be wearing my clothes in four years. Just you wait and see."
They slipped inside the tiny cafe to have their late dinner. There was a party to go to later, and Leo found he was actually looking forward to it. All thoughts to his eleven pm curfew were far from his mind, but he would call and check in with Sinclair before he went to the party. Maybe he would even want to join him. Leo didn't give a damn what was wanted of him when it came to his personal life. He was not one to make compromises, and he had every belief he could accomplish his goals and make his dreams happen on his own terms.
In fact, he was feeling so brilliant right now that he truly believed he could take on the world and win. It was nice to have his confidence back. He'd missed it while he was struggling with the self-doubt that his friends and family's reaction to his moving had inflicted upon him. Now he felt like himself again; better even. He was a new and improved Leo Black and the world was his for the taking.
What? Being 16 and naive in Italy, but suddenly with a bit more energy.
Why? Because this happens more than people realize.
When? 17 years after grownhp6words
Choking on your smile A fake behind the fear The queerest of the queer'>
Vance was right when he told Leo that the pills would kick in fast. He coasted through the day with no problems. There was a bounce in his step. His smile was a little bit brighter. His pout a little more sexier. The photographer had a good time with him. Leo was on, and the camera loved him. By the time he finished the day he was looking forward to going home and getting some sleep.
Except when he made it home he couldn't sleep. His body felt wired up, and he had energy to burn. When asked if he was alright, he smiled and said it was a little too much caffeine. Sinclair had no reason to doubt it, and Leo had no reason to tell him he took pills from someone that Sin didn't really know. It wasn't that he thought the pills were drugs, because they clearly weren't. They were prescribed by a doctor after all. It was just that he knew he probably shouldn't have taken someone elses prescription. Especially since he wasn't even sure if the doctor would find that he needed a prescription of his own. It was easier to just use caffeine as an excuse. It was easier to distract himself by coaxing Sinclair into doing things that would ensure Leo slept.
He did sleep. For four hours, and when he woke up he felt amazing. His shower was a little longer than usual as he enjoyed the feeling of actually being awake for the first time in weeks. Normally he was half falling asleep in the shower. He popped two of the pills with his morning coffee. There were two left, but his appointment was after lunch. He was a little nervous. Leo didn't exactly have medical records to forward to the office. Not ones that would make any sense to the Muggle doctors at least.
"It's cool, Leo," Vance assured him as tugged Leo along with him toward his motorbike during their long lunch break. He'd promised to take Leo to the appointment since Leo was still learning his way around the city. Plus Vance had the bike, and he was of age to drive it. Leo hadn't looked too closely into what the age requirement was to drive in Milan. "You'll find doctors don't ask a lot of questions sometimes."
"They need to ask questions do they not?" Leo asked, as he climbed up on the bike behind Vance. Wrapping his arms around him he smirked when Vance didn't require that he wear a helmet. Vance didn't wear one either.
"Not really. He's treating work related exhaustion. That doesn't require a lot of need to know info." The drive was made quickly. When they arrived, Vance walked in with him, filled out the paperwork and left blank anything that Leo couldn't recall without pausing to think of an appropriate answer. He noticed that Vance added two years to Leo's age on the paper.
"I'm not eighteen," he whispered, and Vance rolled his eyes. His hand reached over and patted Leo's thigh.
"You are right now. Unless you can make your parents magically appear to accompany you to this consult." The words were supposed to be a joke of course, but there was enough truth to them that made Leo pause for a moment. Perhaps he should have firecalled his father and asked him to come with him.
No. No, he was sixteen and he was living on his own. He didn't need anyone to come with him to see a doctor. It was just a consult anyway. Twenty minutes after he arrived, his name was called, and he followed the receptionist to the back. Vance remained in the lobby flipping through a magazine. Leo took a seat in the office and looked around. The walls were painted a light green. He wasn't sure what would have possessed anyone to choose that color. It was a bit nauseating in his opinion.
Fidgeting a bit on the table, he checked his watch, and hoped he wouldn't be kept too long. He was surprised to find his stomach wasn't growling in protest. Normally he would be famished by now, but he had barely touched his breakfast and wasn't at all hungry now. Curious. Must be nerves, he told himself, as the door open and the doctor appeared.
His worries were all for nothing. The doctor was fine with him not having complete medical records. He was a kind man who was a bit younger than his parents. Well, actually he was probably considerably younger than his parents since Muggles aged faster than Wizards did. There were a few basic questions about his medical history. Any previous problems with his heart? Any allergies? Once the doctor had all of his questions answered to his satisfaction, the prescription was written. He was informed that he wouldn't give him refills as he wished to see him again to do a follow up before writing a new prescription. That was fine with Leo. It seemed to him that all the worry about modeling was for nothing. If the agents were sending their models to doctors, and the doctors were being cautious with the models then that was a good thing, was it not?
They placed the prescription in at one of the local pharmacies so that Leo could pick it up when he finished his day. The rest of his day in the studio went by in a blur. He was actually enjoying his time in front of the camera. He had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the Marc Jacobs designers while he was waiting in between takes. There was a lot of waiting with modeling he found. When he wasn't chatting up the other models and designers, he was keeping busy with his sketches. By the time seven pm rolled around he found he was still not all that hungry despite Vance offering to get him dinner after they picked up his prescription.
"How serious are you and the other guy anyway?" Vance asked after Leo paid for the medication and followed him back outside.
"Serious enough, why?"
"It's bad for business to have a boyfriend. He could wreck your career before it even gets started," Vance warned, plucking out a cigarette and then offering one to Leo as they headed toward a cafe a few blocks away. "People want to believe their fantasies are attainable. They aren't, of course, as we would rarely pay a second look to most of them, but they need to believe it. The designers want you to present that image, and the agents want to keep the designers happy."
"That's rubbish. They are paying me to take pictures of me. They do not get to dictate my social life." There was a laugh from Vance that made Leo uneasy.
"You're kidding yourself, Leo. They get to dictate whatever they want. You could really make it. They're already offering you better campaigns than I got when I was your age and first starting out. They don't give a fuck if you want to design clothes." He stopped suddenly and grabbed Leo around the waist, pulling him close as he stared him straight in the eyes. The cigarette dropped to the ground as Vance smirked at him. "You're sixteen and beautiful. They want to make money off you, and you can use that fame to start your own line. The boyfriend? He's hot, but he's going to hold back your career. Keep that in mind." He let him go with a smacking kiss to Leo's cheek.
"I won't allow them to dictate my life, Vance. I'm not like the lot of you. I'm only doing this to get an inside look at the industry. I don't need the money, and I don't especially like the work." He paused when Vance simply stopped walking again to glare at him. "Did I offend you?"
"No, Leo, why would I possibly be offended by some sheltered spoiled sixteen year old twink who has the world handing him his dream on a silver platter and you're turning your nose up at it because you prefer gold? Some of us don't have rich families and boyfriends to buy us pretty houses and things and support us if the modeling shit doesn't work out. If you hate it so much why are you even doing it?"
Leo stubbed out his own cigarette and gave Vance an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I honestly didn't mean to offend you. I was on my way to applying for a job in a boutique when they approached me about modeling. I didn't intend to enter this profession. That was all I was saying."
"But you did enter it, and you have your reasons for doing so. I get it, and I even admire it a bit. You know what you want, and you're willing to do whatever it takes to go after your dreams. Great. Just keep in mind that what will end up standing between you and what you want is the boyfriend. There is a reason most of us stay single."
Leo shrugged, as he fell into step with him again. "I've never been satisfied with following the crowd, Vance. I prefer to do things my own way."
"Oh yeah?" Vance asked with a grin, any trace of being annoyed was gone from his face. "Talk to me when you're a veteran like me in four years."
Leo shook his head, but he managed a laugh. "You'll be wearing my clothes in four years. Just you wait and see."
They slipped inside the tiny cafe to have their late dinner. There was a party to go to later, and Leo found he was actually looking forward to it. All thoughts to his eleven pm curfew were far from his mind, but he would call and check in with Sinclair before he went to the party. Maybe he would even want to join him. Leo didn't give a damn what was wanted of him when it came to his personal life. He was not one to make compromises, and he had every belief he could accomplish his goals and make his dreams happen on his own terms.
In fact, he was feeling so brilliant right now that he truly believed he could take on the world and win. It was nice to have his confidence back. He'd missed it while he was struggling with the self-doubt that his friends and family's reaction to his moving had inflicted upon him. Now he felt like himself again; better even. He was a new and improved Leo Black and the world was his for the taking.