LEONARD ROMANO

“i mean i don’t know, your secrecy is allowing my brain to come up with all the crazy ideas, august.” he shrugs his shoulders, raising his eyebrows but not being able to stop himself from chuckling as he notices the other’s reaction to his well overthought idea. “.. d.. you did? to everyone? everyone important to you knows?” it’s something he’s been expecting for a while, only that he never thought it would come this fast, leo’s smile grows wider as enthusiasm is clear in his eyes. “how did it go? how are you feeling?” he takes another sip of his drink despite the struggle to fit his lips into the rim of the glass with the smile still gracing his lips, these were beyond great news, even if what has happened between them was now only a memory he could only cling to, uncertain of how the other felt about leonard still or if anything at all.

“Maybe you are, but I never said that I didn’t like to be spoiled, so you can continue.” Jamie said with a small chuckle, looking outside of the window for a little bit, before he looked over at Leonard. “You’re right, I am a responsible adult… I guess they just see me as their little sibling still, but I’m twenty-one now.” He said with a shrug, sighing. “I just wanted to know. Do you think she’ll find it weird that we’re hanging out? Or do you think I’m overthinking all of this? Because I like spending time with you!”

“Oh okay, now that I have your approval, sir.” He jokes, copying the other’s chuckle. “Amelia? How is that her business? She doesn’t need to know either, we don’t owe an explanation to anyone, Jamie.. unless you feel it’s weird. I mean you just said you’re twenty-one, an adult, how can Amelia influence your friendships? Is she trying to mom you too?” He asks, narrowing his eyebrows. “I genuinely like to have you around too, someone that won’t be judging me on the inside you know, you’re a breath of fresh air from all the bullshit I have to deal with on the daily basis, I wouldn’t want anyone ruining that for me if I can be honest, Jamie.” 

“oh leo, you’re an absolute charmer, and a sweetheart. Thankyou.” She had some rouge in her cheeks as she smiled softly. “–Well, you know you can speak to me right? I am here for you, whenever and wherever…-” She trailed off. “The iconic shakira song, should be my instagram biography.” She joked trying to keep the tone light. “Ah…Yeah–I mean Amelia tells me things, but not a lot of family things..And she can be–” She exhaled smiling softly. “Amelia.” She said affectionately knowing how stubborn her friend can get. “Just…give her time okay? And give yourself time. It’s all about…mending and building bridges innit?”

Amelia hated him. She hated him because he reminded her of everything she used to be. “Fine then… I won’t talk. I won’t talk anymore, Leo. But I’ll listen… you need someone to listen to you because she won’t. Annette’s not willing to listen to you. Alex doesn’t give a shit about you at all and as much as I try to deny it, I…” No, she would never admit it. “I’ll listen to you, if you do have something to say. I know you do. So not saying those things won’t do you any good. Annette would listen… to me, if you just make my life a little easier and let me… be there for you. You say that you don’t have anyone around you but… you have me and I’m not going anywhere, regardless of whether I’m here because Annette told me to be here or not. You also have Monty, by the looks of it. Why else do you think he would have dropped everything he was doing in New York with his firm and move all the way here?” Millie could be doing something worth much more of her time, she knew that. But she could not help but frown at the sight of him, her eyes glazing over as she grabbed his face gently. “I know she did and she kept him, you’re not wrong. But I owe her this much because she was actually there… Margaret wasn’t but Annette was there. I don’t prey on you. I don’t keep tabs on you just because she asks me to. I do care about you and… every time I try not to, every time I try to stop, you just… make my job a little harder. Just look you? How am I supposed to keep my mouth shut when you’ve managed to… what even happened?” She looked down at her phone, seeing that she did not need to be at work until another hour anyways. If anything, she could just text Noah and ask him to manage without her. “Come on then, I’ll drive you home. There’s no way in hell I’m letting you drive yourself like this.”

Jaw clenched as the other speaks, shutting everyone off and putting up a spoiled unbeatable persona up had become his normal, it was so much easier to cope with everything that way instead of letting someone in, instead of talking about his problems and maybe, just maybe, even go as far as to see a therapist to deal with his clear mommy and daddy issues. He knew she had been on the same boat, and it bothered him tremendously that she was able to get back on track and into an healthy life, beating all her issues, while he felt he would forever struggle with his. “.. There’s nothing to talk about other than what you already know, I mean all my life I’ve been a fucking disappointment right? Not even my own mother could deal with me.” He begins, but it’s a rant that would go for hours if he wouldn’t bite his tongue and stop himself from talking any further, this time not because he feared she would act almighty and laugh at his childish issues, but because he himself was scared of what would be brought within him if he would only allow that door in his mind to be open, years of resentment and internalised hate that had never been put out into words, something that he would always try to water down with drugs and alcohol and an overall reckless behaviour. “Monty I know I can count on him but you .. I should be able to tell the difference between you and Annette, but how exactly can I do that when you report everything back to her? I feel like you’re just a way to get the news of my latest relapse to her faster than the company will.. I went to a party last night, I didn’t control myself, for the first time in six months..” It’s obvious as to what he meant with it considering Amelia was aware of his struggles. “I can get a cab I don’t want you to postpone anything for me, especially your job.”

“we’re big meat eaters - but we kind of have to be. i feel like it wouldn’t make sense to own a cattle farm and not eat the meat we sell. being vegan or vegetarian wouldn’t really be an option doin’ that.” joshua said with a chuckle. “i enjoyed it. i’ve been missin’ it since i’ve moved to springhill. taught me a lot - about the cattle, the rancher life, and responsibility.”

“i wouldn’t trust you guys if you were, it could mean your meat wasn’t as fine as you were trying to sell it as.. i’m joking” he offers the other a genuine but light smile, recalling the endless times he’s wished to have lived in a completely different storyline that he has been in so far. “it must be peaceful too, it’s a completely different lifestyle isn’t it? did you grow up far from spring hill?”  

James smiled at the stars before turning back to him. “I’ve been in town for about a month now… but I’m surprised that you say that you haven’t seen me before.” He admitted, laughing softly. “I’ve got an identical twin here who’s been here for a while and everyone seems to know him. You might just be the only one in town who hasn’t mistaken me for him, believe it or not.” Looking back up at the stars, he nodded. “Peace… the stars have always brought me peace when I was away from home.” He agreed, recalling his days in outer space.

Head turned towards James as he mentions a twin-brother that Leonard had most likely crossed paths with, squinting his eyes as he begins to feel he’s seen James somewhere before, possibly his twin-brother. “..I know my step-sister has been banging a guy that looks a bit like you.. maybe exactly like you I can’t really remember, but he has a British accent.. is he your twin-brother? What happened, mom in the UK, dad in the US?” He doesn’t give it any sort of reaction as the idea of split parents has been his reality ever since he was five. He would know all about parents in different continents with his mother modelling in Italy, though he would never know of her whereabouts exactly. “D’you travel a lot?” Hazel eyes stuck to him now, one hell of a sight that almost equalled the stars.

Dylan took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. “It’d better be something harmless like stockholders. You know I don’t deal with the drug business. Especially so soon after Carson dying. My parents might have a heart attack.” She playfully smacked at him. “A few years in the business and you learn a thing or two.” She shrugged. “And it depends on what you mean by fun. Pretty sure I probably have an old karaoke machine in there…maybe an old bottle of something I’d hidden from my parents from my teenage years. Can’t promise it’d be any good now.”

“Do you think I’d do that to you or to your parents? Come on Dylan..” He’s not offended but Carson’s tragedy hit him a bit too personal as his smile gave way to an expressionless Leonard. If he wouldn’t stop using he could possibly be in that same path, but he shrugs the idea off at that moment, not wanting to ruin the fun in the conversation they were having. “That sounds like one hell of an afternoon, lead the way, star!” He waves his hand as if politely asking her to walk in front of him, offering a bright smile then.

“this place is honestly in chaos- oh, i got you,” presley gives the male a wink. “waffles…man they’re the best. sunshine diner? they make those the best and oh, you’ll love their maple syrup.”

"it’s terrible right? most people i know would call me dramatic!” eyebrows arched as he scoffs. “’never been there, but i’ll definitely trust your word on that, lead the way, saviour.” he offers her a smile. “i’m leonard by the way, you?”

“That’s really nice of you, Leo. I’m glad that you’re doing this for me, it’s not every day that you get to have a fancy dinner at a fancy restaurant.” He said with a small chuckle, looking at Leonard as he spoke about Luke. “I don’t know, all of my siblings say that it’s a bad idea, but I don’t see it. They don’t like it, but they don’t stop you from seeing you or Millie.” He said with a small shrug. “The wisest O’Connor? I like that actually. And I know, I know… I know how parties work, this isn’t my first party ever… I’ll just have a drink or two, I don’t need to drink that much to have fun. Besides, I wouldn’t want my sibligns thinking that you’re a bad influence on me.” He said with a nod. “Have you talked to Millie lately?”

“Am I spoiling you too much? I think I am.” He jokes, tossing the other a sly smirk before his eyes could go back to the road, his lips twisting into something more serious as James puts him and Millie in the same phrase when talking about Luke, but it’s only something slightly annoying. “Good, you can drink as much as you want though -- your siblings need to understand you’re a responsible adult now, isn’t it? It’s about time they do.” He tilts his head to one side for a moment. “Millie..? I saw her once this week.. why do you ask?”

“Sure” he said, looking around “Well… And I’m whoever you want me to be to whoever asks to get you out of this situation… whatever that is” he added with a chuckle. He signed with his head so they could make their way out “and you owe me a story about this”

“i have nothin’ against people who don’t eat meat, but i think my father would slap me if i ever turned down a steakhouse. i was raised on a beef farm.”

“you know what, my father would do the same -- a beef farm, how was it like to grow up in one?”

being around leonard again was a hard situation, but it was also nice to see him again. he looked well, like he had been doing good things since they had last been together. he was glad for him that he seemed good, but it still hurt him a bit that august wasn’t there to experience it with him. which august had nobody to blame but himself with the situation. “well, i mean i wouldn’t say it was sudden. i guess it was more a long time coming.” he proposed to him as he glared over at him. he knew that leonard may have thought of it as something so simple and easy, but august had struggled with it for so many years. “good, i like that.” he mentioned as he followed him over to the table and he plopped down on a seat, waiting for him to make a drink for the both of them to have. this would probably help august talk about it a little more if he had a little something in him, but would it ever get any easier? he wasn’t quite sure about that. 

“i don’t think you’d come all the way down here to tell me you’re engaged or.. something similar, would you?” his heart skips a beat at the thought although he plays it cool on the outside, more than used to the facade he needed to put on to others. his eyebrows twist as a smirk shows on his lips, hazel eyes carefully on him as if afraid that would bring the worst news he just suggested. the same image now stuck in his head makes him turn around towards the drinks’ table again to bring the full bottle of alcohol he’s left behind after making the two drinks, on a second thought he would probably need it all - or maybe august did. precaution. he leaves it on the balcony in front of the other as he goes around to sit next to him at a comfortable distance, he had to keep telling himself that they were not intimate anymore, an odd feeling that made it hard to swallow the liquor he was busying himself with. 

“the chilli burger will be delicious and you won’t want to eat a pig again!” Flossie grinned encouragingly. “..Pole dancing? Well, I was putting some good ol’ weight on..And-Well, I just needed to find something I’d enjoy. And that helped. I mean I’m not sexy at all. But a girl can try.” She raised an eyebrow leaning closer. “..Same issues? So have you spoke to Millie?” She asked as she put a straw in her drink and sipped it softly. “Or am I prying? I’m prying.”

Jamie smiled at Leonard and nodded. “Your favorite restaurant? What did I ever do to deserve that? Alright, that seems like a plan.” Jamie said with a chuckle, but his smile faded when Leonard mentioned Luke. “I mean, we’re friends right? Even if Luke doesn’t like that I’m friends with his exes… But I like hanging out with you, I don’t see on why we should stop.” He said with a nod, looking at Leonard. “He also doesn’t need to know, right? I’m not planning on telling him about this… And a party? That seems like fun, we could totally go! t’s been a while since I went to a party.”

“Yeah, why not? It’s my favourite restaurant for all the good reasons, I just want you to have a good time, Jamie.. also, it’s a date, so it deserves nothing less.” Lips parted to reply to his next words but it takes him a moment, hazel eyes focused on the road. “Yeah, exactly, it’s really good that you won’t mix it all, you shouldn’t stop being someone’s friends because it no longer works between them and your brother.. I think you’re the wisest O’Connor.” He chuckles. “Oh definitely, there’s no need for him to know, I can’t remember the last time I talked to him so it wouldn’t come from me.. I’ll take you to that party then, just fair warning that.. you’ll see stuff like alcohol, drugs.. you know. It doesn’t mean you have to do them, I’m just not sure what kind of party you’ve been going to considering your brothers’ idea of fun are strip clubs..” He shakes his head.