Leo

CH 2

     There was an energy between them. Like if she just looked at him. He'd just look back. Life is both simple and both dull to them. Mason has a look to him, he's muscular, tall, white, deep blue eyes, dark military cut hair. It's funny how Leo could really care less, what she likes is the deep voice, and his calm and detached demeanor. Initially he intimidates Leo. Like an American soldier off duty. But initially she intimidated him. Like a clever British spy. The feeling was very mutual. Leo's beyond beautiful right now, hair up with just enough falling apart. In a big t-shirt starting her homework at the dining room table while he helps his mom with the dishes. "You could try Macey's phone, maybe his service might be better" Mace's adorable little sister was beyond excited to meet who she thought was his girlfriend.
"You can stay here as long as you'd like, just make sure your parents know where you are" his mom offers, Leo's surprised that people are nice to her. Genuinely, it's been years.
"Thank you so much" Mace usually doesn't care when girls come over, the last girl that came over didn't go very well. At all. Her name was Mia.
"So... you like video games?" Mace was silent, "my brother loves video games, he plays Rainbow six"
"On Xbox?"
"Um... I think so, yeah"
"Mmm" Mia was currently texting a group chat of her friends desperately for ideas. All the girls in the group chat knew about Mace, the guy from the United States that they heard say a few words and only made eye contact with for about two seconds before they looked away nervously. This is before he could speak fluent Dutch, he'd have words and no way to say them. He learned shutting up was easier, not that he wasn't already silent, "Can you... like. Can we... do something?" Immediately he turned his PlayStation off. He stood and she expected him to come and give her attention, instead he stepped over and moved her shoes somewhere less... in the middle of the room. Then he looks back at her waiting for an answer on what they were gonna do. She didn't know... he didn't know...
"What do you want to do?"
"I don't know, what do you want to do?" That meant taking her out somewhere, Mace.
"I was going to work out" she stares, "you want to work out with me?"
"What kind of workout?"
"Close contact" that didn't mean sex. She definitely thought that meant sex. "Combat and superset bodyweight workouts" he corrected, she looked very disappointed and he wasn't surprised that after she got bored of watching him she had better things to do.
 
     Unlike that he likes that Leo's there, comfortable just existing, more than if she wasn't at least.
"So, how long have you been in Amsterdam?" His mom asked.
"A week"
"And you're from... hmm, let me guess. East London?"
"Correct" correct, he thought.
"I don't know a lot about it, but Is yours like the cockney kind?" Lek realized Masons mom sounded a bit southern herself.
"I tried to keep up normal, but it's my dad. He's quite the cockney" He'd look up at her as he did the dishes, she'd glance up at him during homework. They'd look away.
"Awfully quiet"
"you're the only one talking" Mace mumbled
"What was the Hun, I didn't hear you, you mumble"
"Nothing important" She liked how honest he was, how internal he was, and how sometimes. Just sometimes. They talked.
"Do you want to Play?" Now in his room He looked over to her with batteries for the empty remote she held. She was using his screwdriver, taking it apart, putting it back together. She kept herself entertained, what else would she do? She wasn't sure what this was, her staying at someone's place for shelter or her spending time with this new... guy. But whatever it was it's soon to become a habit and she knew it.
"I'd rather watch" she's been watching for a while. He's continuously looked over and she's kept herself entertained... for a while. He chose the only game he had that involved cars. Sometimes she'd spit out the exact model he was racing in her delicate accent. I mean how could she not?
"I built a car, I wanna see how you like it" this was intriguing. She sat up on his bed, gave him a long distrustful look and leaned her hand out. He carefully left the batteries in her palm. He knew nothing about cars, but he knew what he wanted. She knew everything about cars, and would never know exactly what she wanted.
"Rally car" she says quietly and observed. The ultimate EVO coupe, upgraded for off roading. Mason didn't feel the need to explain. She began and race, which was hard for her to get until they were off. It annoyed her how unrealistically unfair the games aspect were, in a real race this and in a real race that kept buzzing through her brain. It was a good car, one she wanted to actually drive. Once the race was over they heard three knocks on the door.
"You said you wanted me to tell you a few minutes before the bus came"
"Yes, thank you" She set the remote down and stood to pull on her jacket, Mace turned everything off and walked her out to the bus with his umbrella. It arrived and she went to hand it back.
"It's yours now"