double update! don't forget to read chapter six before this one. also, trigger warning for a slight mention of abuse.
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5 years ago
Leo smiled to himself as he finished packing the teddy bear, he didn't really do a good job with the gift wrap, but it would suffice. He had worked all summer helping the old man that lived down the street with his garden. With his saved up money, he got his younger sister a birthday present. She was turning four in a couple days.
"What do you have there, Leo?" Asked Mason, one of the older boys at the foster home. Leo turned around to look at the seventeen year old, who was with another of his cronies, Richie.
"Birthday gift for Maya," Leo answered. He had long learned that telling the older boys to mind their own business only pissed them off further.
"Show us," Mason stated.
"I just finished wrapping it," Leo frowned as he held the gift behind his back.
"Aw, he just finished wrapping it," Mason chuckled as he looked at the younger boy, who was now starting to get frustrated, "what's with the face, Leo? Someone getting a little angry?"
"Leave me alone," Leo snapped.
"No need to get so rude, Leo, we just wanna see what you got for your sister," Mason said as he reached forward to grab the gift, but Leo dodged, making Mason laugh again, "stop being so difficult, just give it to us."
"Fuck off!" Leo yelled.
"Leo!" Yelled a very familiar voice. The three boys turned towards the door to see their foster parent standing at the entrance, her arms folded in front of her chest as she stared at the fourteen year old.
"Mrs. Harper," all three of them greeted politely.
"You two," Mrs. Harper looked at the older boys, "out."
The two nodded before leaving the room. Leo was scared, Mrs. Harper wasn't exactly the kind mother figure one would want raising them. He would much rather be in a room with Mason and Richie than her.
"Those two are too old to learn, they're already a menace and cannot be taught manners now," Mrs Harper began, "but I've taught you better, haven't I, Leo?"
"Yes, Mrs. Harper," Leo said as he looked at the ground.
"Now what have I told you about language?" Mrs. Harper asked.
"Not to use any bad words."
"And what did I just hear you shouting?" Mrs. Harper raised a brow.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Harper," Leo said.
"There are always consequences, Leo, an apology doesn't fix magically fix mistakes," Mrs. Harper paused, "you know what to do."
Leo nodded as he kept the gift on his bunk bed, before walking towards Mrs. Harper and raising his hand, he opened up his palm and closed his eyes, waiting for the ruler.
~~~
present time
"You've got to be cheating! How do you have three complete property sets!?" Kai groaned.
"Because you suck at strategising?" Roan retorted.
"No, I don't! Don't be an asshole!" Kai frowned.
"Hah! Dad said a bad word!" Maya spoke up.
"Very disappointing, dad," Roan shook his head in fake sorrow.
Leo subconsciously rubbed the palm of his hand as he watched the interaction. It was game night, and they were all playing monopoly. Leo wasn't one for board games, but he knew how much Maya loved them, so he always played along.
They played for another hour or so, until Kai got frustrated by how badly he was losing. He was about to turn over the board, when Maya accidently tipped it over instead when she was getting up to grab some juice from the kitchen.
"Do you have any plans for tonight, Leo? It's Friday," Roan asked.
"Not really," Leo answered.
"Why not? I think Delilha Halstead is throwing a party tonight," Kai spoke up.
"How do even know that?" Leo looked at the history teacher questioningly.
"I'm a teacher, it's my job to know about my students," Kai answered.
"No, it's not," both Roan and Leo said simultaneously.
"Wow! There's two of you now!" Kai exclaimed, raising his hands in disbelief.
"Actually," Leo spoke up, "I was thinking of getting a piercing."
"Another one? You just got your ears pierced," Kai said with a slight frown.
"It's been over a year," Leo replied.
"Really?"
"Yeah," Leo deadpanned, making Kai frown even deeper, "I was thinking of getting a nose ring, maybe."
"Are you sure? I've heard they hurt a lot. You know uncle Kingsley, right? He got his nose pierced as a dare in college and I still have the video of him screaming in pain when they—"
"Actually," Roan interrupted his husband, "I was thinking I'd get an ear pierced too."
"Wait, what—"
"Come, Leo, I'll drive," Roan said, cutting Kai off once again.
Roan grabbed his keys and started walking towards the door, Leo glanced at a stunned Kai, before following Roan to the garage. As they were strapping in, Leo spoke up.
"You really wanna get a piercing?" Leo asked.
"Nah, I'm just fucking with Kai," Roan answered.
"You could get a clip on, he'll probably faint thinking it's real," Leo suggested, making Roan grin.
"Smart," Roan replied, the corner of his lip rising in a smirk, as he started the car.
~~~
"Can you hurry up? We'll be late for class," Milan groaned as Quinn tried to find their assignment sheet in their locker.
"I swear to God I kept it in my locker, shit, where is it?" Quinn said.
Milan looked at his watch, their biology teacher always came to class five minutes after the bell, so they still had a couple of minutes to get to class. Milan hated being late, he was the type of person that would show up fifteen minutes early, and would rather wait than risk making someone else wait.
"Found it!"
"Quinny! Still dressing up as a boy?" A voice interrupted the two best friends. Quinn groaned, recognising the person behind it.
"Leave them alone, douche," Milan spoke up, glaring at Nick.
"What did you call me, nerd?" Nick stepped forward, glaring at Milan.
"He called you a douche, douche," Quinn said.
"You're gay, right? If she dresses up like a boy then does that mean you can fuck her?" Owen, another ignorant prick, asked.
"You're disgusting, all of you," Milan said.
"What did you say?" Owen hissed, grabbing Milan's collar as he glared at him.
"You weak of hearing?" Milan retorted.
Owen pushed Milan against the locker, and he was about to raise his fist when they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Fearing it was a teacher, Owen froze, but he relaxed when the person that walked around the corner was a student.
Leo frowned at the sight in front of him, it didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. He had overheard some of it as he was walking towards him, and if there was one thing he absolutely despised, it was bullies.
"Keep walking," Nick said, when Leo stopped in front of them.
"Or what?" Leo rose a brow, he stepped in front of Milan, guarding him from the pricks.
"Our beef is not with you, man," Owen said.
Milan rolled his eyes at the comment. He knew why Owen and Nick were picking on them. Nick had asked out Quinn a year ago, but Quinn had told him that they were strictly into girls. Nick didn't take the rejection well, and had been an ass to them ever since.
"It is now," Leo replied.
"Leo, it's fine," Milan muttered. Leo glanced back at the boy, giving him a look that Milan couldn't quite decipher.
"Listen to the nerd," Nick said.
"Seriously? Using nerd as an insult? What is this? 2014?" Leo scoffed.
"This is your last warning, bitch," Nick said as he gave Leo a push. Leo looked down at his chest, where Nick had pushed him, before looking back at him and sighing.
"Listen, I'm not going to pretend that I understand why being mean to others makes you feel like you're some big bad alpha. I don't know if it's some sigma male complex you've got, or if there are some deep rooted psychological issues at play here. But I suggest getting professional help—"
"I told you to—"
"—because ten years from now, when you're in the real world where you can't go around bullying people considering the serious consequences that'll have... You'll look back at your behaviour and feel nothing but guilt and shame at how terrible of a human you were. Is that what you want? Your present to haunt you in the future? To wake up every day, share some post about being nice to others on Instagram while deep down knowing what a hypocrite you are? Because it'll keep killing you inside, slowly and bitterly until you hate every inch of yourself."
"I... That's not... I'm not a bully..." Nick stuttered.
"Do you think just because... just because you can throw words around that you're some—" Owen was cut off by Leo.
"Trust me, if I start throwing fists, you're gonna beg me to go back to words," Leo warned, his voice low and deep.
Nick and Owen looked at each, before giving Leo a middle finger and walking away.
Leo watched their retreating figures, a satisfied look on his face. If there was anything Roan had taught the boy, it was that if you spill any amount of bullshit, but do it confidently, then most of the job is already done.
"Damn," Quinn spoke up, "I was expecting some fists flying but those words would definitely hurt them more."
"Never throw the first punch," Leo said.
"But what if—"
"Always throw the second, third, fourth and fifth, Leo continued, "until they're down."
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