Leonia and William? Yeah, they don't exactly get along.
She thinks he's an arrogant show-off. He thinks she's allergic to fun.
Basically: oil, meet water.
But then life decides to throw in office drama, family meddling, and-oh yeah-marriage papers.
...
“Ah, this is my girlfriend, Leo. Leo, this is Sid, my good friend since school.”
“Nice to meet you, Leo. Can’t believe you convinced this guy into dating! No offense,” Sid said, laughing. “You should’ve seen the number of girls—and guys—who tried to woo him since sixth grade. He never even blinked. You’re lucky. My homeboy acts all cocky outside, but he’s a softy underneath. Hahaha… ouch, man! Stop kicking me.”
“Then shut up.” Will turned to Leo. “Just ignore him. He’s crazy.”
Leo’s lips twitched, and for the first time, a tiny smile appeared. Will hid his own grin as Sid led them inside, who was clearly entertained by the new dynamic.
-----
The warehouse interior was vast and open, split into three sections by glass walls. Each section had people engaged in different tasks. Walls were lined with soundproof microfiber material, and ambient yellow lights glimmered across the dark surfaces like stars, giving the feeling of standing under a night sky.
To the left, painters and tinkerers worked, creating beautiful pieces from scraps and chaos. Broken parts lay scattered across the floor as they searched for inspiration.
The center held bean bags, cozy chairs, and walls lined with books, games, and art pieces curated for viewing pleasure.
Far to the right—where William led her—was the most exhilarating sight of the day. People of all shapes and sizes, from casual wear to boardroom attire, wielded bulky hammers, smashing anything within reach.
Leo raised a hand to cover her mouth, awestruck. William grinned at her reaction. He gently released her hand, returning with a safety hat, goggles, and a hammer of her own, helping her buckle the hat. He held her jacket as she lifted the hammer, testing its surprisingly light weight.
“Have a good time. And try not to make the other kids cry!” William laughed, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Sid shook his head beside him, chuckling at his friend’s antics.
-----
Loading... Please wait while the FL has loads of fun...
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One bucket load of destruction later....
Dear reader, you can confidently assume that Leo had to be coaxed out of the smash zone after obliterating three hours of carefully built projects. She cried out warrior-like chants with every swing, releasing pent-up emotions until she could barely breathe.
William watched in awe, mouth agape. This was the same woman he had called a robot with no personality. She moved like an Amazonian warrior goddess, embodying the essence of the Hulk. Sid had left, laughing so hard that he wiped tears from his face.
-----
They now stood in the parking lot, awkwardly contemplating what to say.
“Tha—” “Wha—”
“Oh, you go ahead.”
“No, you go ahead.”
“It’s fine, you go.”
“No, you—pft! Hahaha!”
They laughed, the absurdity of the situation breaking through.
Leo spoke first after catching her breath.
“Thanks for today. I really, really appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“No, I can’t express how grateful I am. I was in a really bad headspace, and as if you were psychic, you brought me exactly where I needed to be.”
He stared at her, caught off guard. His ears tinged red as he hid his mouth, flustered.
William had always been a social person since childhood. He always attracted a crowd wherever he went and was always in the center of everyone's attention. But after a certain point, he couldn’t help but notice that this attention came with shallow conditions and never went beyond that. He had learned to take others at their surface value, since no one ever wanted to treat him as if he were capable of having any depth. So it shook something deep in him when he looked at her sincere eyes, as if she were looking at William, the human, not William Oswald, the shallow vessel whose purpose changes with her needs.
“You’re welcome.”
Leo smiled genuinely. For a moment, William forgot how to breathe. It was the first time he had seen that directed at him. His brain buffered briefly before he squashed the feeling trying to penetrate him.
It’s just a smile, Will. Chill. You’ve seen people smile. No big deal.
Calming himself, he opened the car door for her, closed it after she was seated, and slid in himself.
Leo leaned against the door again, unaware of the storm brewing in William’s mind as they drove away from the warehouse.
