Bi-Weekly challenge: If only they would listen...
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
Oh God I shouldn't feel this way Reach down your hand in your pocket Pull out some hope for me It's been a long day, always ain't that right And no Lord your hand won't stop it Just keep you trembling It's been a long day, always ain't that right'>
"Two days off," Leo says with a yawn as he follows Vance out of the studio. They're headed toward a cafe close to where they are working. Leo's not really hungry, but he was lightheaded earlier and Vance caught it.
"You have to remember to eat sometimes," Vance told him. Leo shrugged, but agreed to go to lunch with him. The walk is brisk, and the day is beautiful. He'd like nothing more than to lay out by the lake outside his villa and soak up the rays. Not today though, tomorrow. Two days off finally.
"There is a party Thursday night. Small one, really, but Diane is holding it. You should always attend her parties." Vance always has advice for him. He knows which parties can be skipped. Which ones are worth the go even if they aren't important. He also knows which ones are important to the career. Leo's starting to trust his advice. It's nice to have a mentor. Vance has already learned the ropes of the business.
Leo nods at the mention of Diane's party. He yawns again as they approach the cafe. "I need coffee."
"Didn't you take your medication?" Vance asks, a look of concern etched across his face. When Leo shakes his head, the concern turns to frustration. "Leo, you're supposed to take it as advised. You're probably crashing."
"I want to be able to sleep tonight. Do you have any idea how hard it is to sleep when you're on those pills? Even shagging only put me out for a couple of hours." He caught the rolling of Vance's eyes, but didn't say anything as they were seated in the back. He orders a coffee and a salad with dressing on the side. Vance orders the same with dressing on his salad.
"Your body is adjusting to the medication. It will be easier to sleep in time. You can't take yourself off that way. It's not healthy." He checks his watch and then looks at Leo. "The coffee should help, but don't do this again. Crashing isn't something you'll enjoy."
Leo looks past him at two pretty girls who are whispering and smiling in their direction. Normally he would flirt back, but barely pays them a second glance. His stomach hurts, and his mouth feels dry. He's tapping his foot impatiently while waiting for the coffee and salad. How long does it take to make a salad anyway?
"Leo, you're a little pale. When was the last time you ate?" He hears the question, but it doesn't quite register that Vance is waiting for an answer. Instead Leo's attention is on a young couple outside the cafe arguing loudly. He can barely make out what they are saying, but her hands are gesturing wildly and he looks annoyed with her. "Leo?"
He gives Vance an annoyed look of his own for taking him away from the show outside, but the waiter soon has his complete attention. He's setting coffees and salads in front of them. Just as he's about to ask if there will be anything else, Leo shoves his salad toward him with more force than he intended. Vance's reflexes manage to keep it from going off the side of the table. "Leo, what the hell?"
"DRESSING ON THE SIDE," Leo shouts out as he stands up and tosses his napkin on the table. "How hard is it for you to listen when your customers are speaking?!" he demands of the clearly horrified waiter. "DRESSING. ON. THE. SIDE." He reaches for the salad and holds it up to the waiter. "What is on my salad?"
"It was a mistake, I'll fix it," The waiter with flushed cheeks says quickly in Italian.
"What's on my salad? If only you would listen you would have known not to screw up my lunch by putting dressing on it." He shoves the bowl at the waiter, pushes past him, and storms out of the cafe.
Leo can't remember the last time he was this pissed off. He's practically running back to the studio because he's so irritated. When someone grabs hold of his arm he is half expecting it to be the waiter ready to brawl with him. Leo is not a fighter. He doesn't even like physical fights from the sideline. Right now he finds himself disappointed that it's Vance that has caught up with him instead of the humiliated waiter. He really wanted to throw a punch.
"What in the hell was that? He made a mistake and gave you my salad instead of your own. If you'd calmed the hell down I would have pushed yours over to you."
It was a mistake. That was what the waiter had said in Italian that Leo absolutely understood. Breathing heavily, he shrugs out of Vance's grasp and leans against a wall. He's so damn tired despite the adrenaline that is pumping through him. His stomach feels so sour. He's hungry, but he can't imagine shoving anything down.
"I think I'm getting sick. I don't feel so well."
"You're crashing. Take a pill, and I'll go to another cafe and get you food." Vance looks at him with concern, but Leo shakes his head at him.
"No, I want to be able to sleep tonight. I haven't had more than four hours sleep in awhile. I need real sleep. Not another pill." He sounds sullen and childish. Like a toddler about to stamp his feet and demand his way. He's even pouting. He looks like his mother when he sulks.
Reaching into his jacket, Vance pulls out a bottle of Valium and hands four to Leo. "Take your Adderall now, and when you're ready to crash tonight take one of these about a half hour before you're ready to sleep. I'll call the doctor to have him call you in your own script. This will balance you out at night when you have the time to sleep without having you crash out because you're taking yourself off the pills against doctor's orders. You have to be careful, Leo. Follow the instructions the doctor gives you, please."
Leo looks at the four pills in his hand, and nods his head. If they will let him get some sleep he's all for it. He heads back to the studio where he takes his regular medication. When Vance arrives with a salad with dressing on the side and a slice of pie he finishes both quickly. His mood has improved within a half hour of the pill and the food. He's his usual laughing joking self by the time they leave for the day. He even laughs when Vance warns him to never have lunch at that particular cafe again because the waiter is likely to spit in his food. Leo would apologize to the waiter if not for the fact he is anxious to go home, spend some time with his boyfriend, and get some sleep. Two days off. Thank Merlin for that.
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
Oh God I shouldn't feel this way Reach down your hand in your pocket Pull out some hope for me It's been a long day, always ain't that right And no Lord your hand won't stop it Just keep you trembling It's been a long day, always ain't that right'>
"Two days off," Leo says with a yawn as he follows Vance out of the studio. They're headed toward a cafe close to where they are working. Leo's not really hungry, but he was lightheaded earlier and Vance caught it.
"You have to remember to eat sometimes," Vance told him. Leo shrugged, but agreed to go to lunch with him. The walk is brisk, and the day is beautiful. He'd like nothing more than to lay out by the lake outside his villa and soak up the rays. Not today though, tomorrow. Two days off finally.
"There is a party Thursday night. Small one, really, but Diane is holding it. You should always attend her parties." Vance always has advice for him. He knows which parties can be skipped. Which ones are worth the go even if they aren't important. He also knows which ones are important to the career. Leo's starting to trust his advice. It's nice to have a mentor. Vance has already learned the ropes of the business.
Leo nods at the mention of Diane's party. He yawns again as they approach the cafe. "I need coffee."
"Didn't you take your medication?" Vance asks, a look of concern etched across his face. When Leo shakes his head, the concern turns to frustration. "Leo, you're supposed to take it as advised. You're probably crashing."
"I want to be able to sleep tonight. Do you have any idea how hard it is to sleep when you're on those pills? Even shagging only put me out for a couple of hours." He caught the rolling of Vance's eyes, but didn't say anything as they were seated in the back. He orders a coffee and a salad with dressing on the side. Vance orders the same with dressing on his salad.
"Your body is adjusting to the medication. It will be easier to sleep in time. You can't take yourself off that way. It's not healthy." He checks his watch and then looks at Leo. "The coffee should help, but don't do this again. Crashing isn't something you'll enjoy."
Leo looks past him at two pretty girls who are whispering and smiling in their direction. Normally he would flirt back, but barely pays them a second glance. His stomach hurts, and his mouth feels dry. He's tapping his foot impatiently while waiting for the coffee and salad. How long does it take to make a salad anyway?
"Leo, you're a little pale. When was the last time you ate?" He hears the question, but it doesn't quite register that Vance is waiting for an answer. Instead Leo's attention is on a young couple outside the cafe arguing loudly. He can barely make out what they are saying, but her hands are gesturing wildly and he looks annoyed with her. "Leo?"
He gives Vance an annoyed look of his own for taking him away from the show outside, but the waiter soon has his complete attention. He's setting coffees and salads in front of them. Just as he's about to ask if there will be anything else, Leo shoves his salad toward him with more force than he intended. Vance's reflexes manage to keep it from going off the side of the table. "Leo, what the hell?"
"DRESSING ON THE SIDE," Leo shouts out as he stands up and tosses his napkin on the table. "How hard is it for you to listen when your customers are speaking?!" he demands of the clearly horrified waiter. "DRESSING. ON. THE. SIDE." He reaches for the salad and holds it up to the waiter. "What is on my salad?"
"It was a mistake, I'll fix it," The waiter with flushed cheeks says quickly in Italian.
"What's on my salad? If only you would listen you would have known not to screw up my lunch by putting dressing on it." He shoves the bowl at the waiter, pushes past him, and storms out of the cafe.
Leo can't remember the last time he was this pissed off. He's practically running back to the studio because he's so irritated. When someone grabs hold of his arm he is half expecting it to be the waiter ready to brawl with him. Leo is not a fighter. He doesn't even like physical fights from the sideline. Right now he finds himself disappointed that it's Vance that has caught up with him instead of the humiliated waiter. He really wanted to throw a punch.
"What in the hell was that? He made a mistake and gave you my salad instead of your own. If you'd calmed the hell down I would have pushed yours over to you."
It was a mistake. That was what the waiter had said in Italian that Leo absolutely understood. Breathing heavily, he shrugs out of Vance's grasp and leans against a wall. He's so damn tired despite the adrenaline that is pumping through him. His stomach feels so sour. He's hungry, but he can't imagine shoving anything down.
"I think I'm getting sick. I don't feel so well."
"You're crashing. Take a pill, and I'll go to another cafe and get you food." Vance looks at him with concern, but Leo shakes his head at him.
"No, I want to be able to sleep tonight. I haven't had more than four hours sleep in awhile. I need real sleep. Not another pill." He sounds sullen and childish. Like a toddler about to stamp his feet and demand his way. He's even pouting. He looks like his mother when he sulks.
Reaching into his jacket, Vance pulls out a bottle of Valium and hands four to Leo. "Take your Adderall now, and when you're ready to crash tonight take one of these about a half hour before you're ready to sleep. I'll call the doctor to have him call you in your own script. This will balance you out at night when you have the time to sleep without having you crash out because you're taking yourself off the pills against doctor's orders. You have to be careful, Leo. Follow the instructions the doctor gives you, please."
Leo looks at the four pills in his hand, and nods his head. If they will let him get some sleep he's all for it. He heads back to the studio where he takes his regular medication. When Vance arrives with a salad with dressing on the side and a slice of pie he finishes both quickly. His mood has improved within a half hour of the pill and the food. He's his usual laughing joking self by the time they leave for the day. He even laughs when Vance warns him to never have lunch at that particular cafe again because the waiter is likely to spit in his food. Leo would apologize to the waiter if not for the fact he is anxious to go home, spend some time with his boyfriend, and get some sleep. Two days off. Thank Merlin for that.