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You know you shouldn’t be here right now, not when you should be at home getting for- you don’t even want to think about the date right now.
Especially not when Leonard looks so cute in his non-official uniform, a jacket that has a zipper and gym shorts or as you like to call them basketball shorts (followed by innocent teasing from Leonard and Ron mostly, although the latter takes it further by making jokes about you two getting together which somehow manage to go over the former’s head).
Your eyes wander around the room, checking on the others, making sure no one needs anything like water or a first aide care. There have been too many times when that’s happened plus, you’re the only one who can even do a proper stitch.
You inwardly groan at the sight of Dick Rick.
Sometimes you wonder why he couldn’t have been named something else because you guys already have a Rick and he has a much cooler nickname, Hollywood (not given to him by you, thank God he’ll always say during his interviews).
You pretend like you don’t see him and let him sit near you.
Even knowing he’s sitting there beside you pisses you off, good thing no one likes him. Honestly, the only reason he got the job was because he has the qualifications… and his uncle is the one in charge of this whole thing, but everyone can admit that he genuinely does have what it takes to be here and that’s ALL you give him credit for.
The new fighters always wonder what he did to make you hate him so much and then they hear him open his mouth and some understand while others join in.
Now, usually you’d have one of the guys sitting with you (more like babysitting you) but today, no one could because they have a fight they need to train for.
You’re on the edge of your seat watching as Leonard practices, always giving everything, he’s got no matter what. “Kill ‘em!”
“Ease up on the coaching there.” (Fake) Rick advises. “He’s got enough to worry about right now. We don’t need you trying to get into his head.”
Your head snaps over in his direction. “You know what I think? I think that you’re actually worried that your uncle is gonna lose out on big win and making me seem like I’m the bad guy is your way of coping with it, which isn’t gonna get you very far. All I’m doing is supporting him. Now, either you shut up or lose it.”
He opens his mouth to say something, but you cut him off.
“Listen here, Dick. I’m going to cheer him on. I will be screaming as loud as the other people in the crowd. I get this is practice, but I am proud of him, and I will show it any time I can. Either you shut up or I do it for you.”
He stares at you with his every day sour expression. “The names Richard-”
“Dick can be short for Richard. Think about Dick’s sporting goods, a place you don’t own, so sad.” Was it necessary to bring that up, no. Did it feel good, hell yeah.
“I prefer Rick and they’re practicing. Tonight’s the big night so you’re “supportive” screaming isn’t helping anyone.”
You raise your brows, “I say otherwise because he’s doing a real good job right now.”
He doesn’t need to look over at Leonard and Tom, he knows they’re doing good. “It’s practice. You don’t need to scream.”
“I'm going to scream as loud as I want because he’s a good fighter and I am going to show it.”
“I understand what you’re saying but-”
“But nothing. I’m gonna go check on him and our friends because this conversation is going nowhere and you’re pissing me off.”
Dick Rick doesn’t try to argue with you knowing this is the smartest thing to do.
-
You get out of the chair and head over towards Leonard (who exited the ring right before you started to walk over) and Tom who sits in the chairs closest to the ring, sweat dripping down their heaving chests. “You two did good today.”
“You mean, he looked good, and you assume I did good because you were too focused on screaming for him,” says Tom before he drinks some water.
You scoff, glancing over at a non-focused Leonard, “someone is totally, not completely off?”
The man with frosted tips raises a brow. “Everyone but dogboy knows you’re horny for him.”
Your eyes widen, “what the hell?” You smack his shoulder. “Don’t say that.”
He chuckles, “am I wrong?”
“Shut up,” you walk away and head over towards their boxing partners, Ron and Rick.
-
“You two feeling alright?”
Ron lifts his head, staring at you.
“Has anyone come over to check that out?” You point to the blood trail on the edge of his eyebrow closest to his temple.
“Yeah,” he says.
“He’s lying and you know it.”
You take the first aid kit from Rick. “Yeah, yeah.” You grab the items you need and start by cleaning the wound.
“He’s staring.” Ron hisses, you mumble an apology.
“He’s preparing for the fight.”
“He’s staring at you,” the two say.
“Why do I even bother trying to fight you two anymore?” You finish with the wound and start cleaning up.
“You ever gonna tell him?” asks Ron.
“If I haven’t told him and I’ve known him for- God- as long as I can remember-”
“Hasn’t it been more than five years?” asks Ron.
“Thank you, Mister know it all.” Your brows furrow together, “how do you know that?”
“He won’t shut up about you. Plus, you showed up around the time he did.”
“That seems like it could be true.”
“Could be?” He scoffs, “it is true, and you know it.” He pushes himself off the bench and walks over to where Tom is.
“He’s not wrong, you know,” Rick informs you. Always the one to tell you the truth when it comes to this kind of thing (plus it’d be nice [for all the guys] if the two of you got together).
“If what you’re all saying is true, then why hasn’t he said anything?”
He doesn't think he heard you correctly. You’ve never agreed with them or even thought about the possibility of Leonard liking you to be true. “What was that?”
You shake your head, grabbing the first aid kit, “nothing. I’ve- Dick Rick pissed me off today and I’m not making sense so I’m gonna go.”
“Come on, don’t be like that.”
“How else am I supposed to be, Hollywood? I mean… seriously, if he hasn’t said anything by now, even when all you guys say is how much he likes me. Why hasn’t he tried to ask me out?”
He shrugs, “maybe-uh- maybe he thinks you’re not interested.”
“Do you honestly think that’s why?”
He struggles to give you a response. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Look, I’ve got to go.”
“Wait- where are you going?”
You huff, the strand of hair blocking your view moves off to the side of your face. “I’ve got to go. I- I didn’t tell anyone but I have a date tonight and I wasn’t going to go on it but now I think I will. Maybe see where things take us, you know.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“I’m all out of good ideas when it comes to my love life but I’m ready to put myself out there and see what happens.”
He clearly doesn’t approve of this idea, but you could care less right now.
“I’ll be here for your guys’ fights, alright?”
He says nothing.
“Rick?”
He blinks, processing what you’ve said. “Yeah, yeah. Have fun.” He keeps an eye on you as you walk out.
-
He rushes over towards Leonard and smacks his arm.
The latter breaks out of his daze, rubbing his arm with a confused expression. “What the hell was that for?”
“Because you’re an idiot and everyone here can agree with that.”
“That’s not true.” Various “yes's” and “he’s not wrong” can be heard through out the area.
Leonard scoffs, “whatever.”
“You need to get off your horny butt and go after the woman you’ve been fawning over for the last thousand years.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“What if I told you that she’s out on a date right now?”
“Is she?”
Rick shrugs, “you tell me.”
“Do you know with who?”
“She didn’t tell me that much.”
“What if she winds up really liking this guy?”
“That means you would miss your chance.”
He pushes himself out of the chair, “I have to go find her.”
“And then what?”
“What do you mean?”
“You mean to tell me, you’re gonna crash her date with absolutely no reason?”
“Well, I mean, technically, I have a reason… she’s gonna know right?”
“No because you haven’t given her any signs you moron.”
Leonard stops, taking a deep breath, “I’ve got to go, man. I can’t stand here and wait anymore.”
Rick chuckles, slapping his shoulder, “go man.”
-
You sip your drink, not at all enthralled by what your date is saying and no matter how many times you try to give your two cents, the man just… won’t… shut… up.
“And then he was like-”
A handful of flowers are shoved into your face. “I love you.”
You set the glass down and take the flowers, finding them to be one of the prettiest combos you’ve seen, sunflowers and roses.
“I love you,” he says again.
You turn to see your the cowboy. “Leonard? What are- what are you doing here?”
He opens his mouth to respond when your date interrupts him.
“I’m sorry, whoever you are, but we’re,” he gestures to the two of you. “On date here so if you could just go back to wherever your redneck ass came from, that’d be great.”
The man in the cowboy hat bends down to whisper in his ear.
Your dates eyes widen before he rushes to get out of his seat, practically tripping over the legs of the chair.
Leonard sits down in the, now, unoccupied chair with a cocky grin dancing across his lips. “What did you tell him?”
“Nothing much. A little “harmless” threatening.”
“What kind of threatening?”
He shrugs, avoiding your gaze, “harsh enough to ensure that he doesn’t come back… here… on a date with you… ever.”
Your jaw drops. “Wait- wait.” You remember he said something. “What did you say earlier?”
“I don’t want him to date you.”
“After that.”
“I threatened him.”
“No!” you set the flowers down on the table. “What did you say?”
He gulps, unsure if he should tell you again or not. “I- do I really have to repeat myself?”
“Please?” your tone wavers, thinking you may not have heard what you think he heard.
He smiles, reaching for your hand. “I- I think I made the dumbest mistake waiting to tell you this but, oh boy. Here it goes, I-" he looks around, seeing how many people are here. “Actually, could we do this outside?”
“If we do, will you ever tell me? Because when we need to have a serious conversation, it never happens, and it feels like you’ve shut down on me.”
He leans forward, rubbing his hands across his faces.
“Okay. Okay. Uh- there’s this- I- I’m having a real hard time trying to tell you this.”
“Let’s start with what you first said when you shoved these beautiful flowers in my face,” you say with a light chuckle.
He cracks a smile. “You caught that huh?”
“I think I did but I don’t know for sure if what I heard was the right thing.”
“Well, that- uh- that depends on your reaction to what I’m about to say.”
“I think we both know what we’ve been denying for so long.”
He leans closer, “and what’s that?”
“That you, cowboy, are completely as smitten with me like I am with you.” You pray he doesn’t turn you as doubt swirls around in your mind.
That crooked boyish grin takes over and that damned hat of his tips forward, covering his eyes. “That’s good to hear.”
“Why? Cause it means you didn’t crash my date for nothing.”
“Hey now. If I knew all I needed to do was this, I would have had Hollywood set you up a long time ago.”
“Like I would have accepted whoever he wanted to set me up with.”
“You... I think you would have.”
“He probably would’ve told me his plan and then tricked the both of us into meeting at the same place.”
He chuckles, “yeah, maybe.” He glances around, “how about we- uh- get out of here and go somewhere you’d actually enjoy.”
A teasing smiles stretches across your lips. “What if I like it here?”
“You don’t, I know it.”
A heavy sigh slips past your lips, “if we must.”
“I’ll make it worth your while.”
-
“I told you not to order so much,” you chuckle, munching on a couple of fries. You kick your legs, the cool air hitting the exposed skin of your lower legs.
He smiles, setting his burger down, wiping his face after you gestured to the mess on his chin. “You look really pretty by the way.”
“You sound like a middle schooler with a crush.”
“I’m just being honest, sweets.”
“We both know you have more to say.” You’re hopeful that he’ll just come out and say it again.
“Okay, maybe I do but I don’t want to scare you off.”
You scoff, “please.”
“Hey! I’d like to keep the woman I love close to me since I was on the verge of being too late and barely gained enough courage to ask her out tonight.”
You cover your mouth, preventing any more food from flying out as you cough.
He pats your back. “Are you okay?”
“You just,” you croak with a hoarse voice. “You just- just said the woman you love.”
“Oh,” he extends the word, finally realizing what he said to you (again).
You grab your drink and gulp as much as you can, wanting to get rid of your hoarse voice. “That’s what you said right?”
“Said what when?”
“Don’t mess with me like that, Leo. You know what you said.”
He gulps, taking a sip of his drink. “You’re right. I know what I said and I’m- I’m scared that you don’t feel the same.”
“If I didn’t feel the same, would I have accepted this date?”
“You’ve gone out with me before,” he points out with attitude.
You scoff, “because I thought that you were asking me out on a genuine date! But then there you were talking to some girl just a few feet away from me.”
“I’m sorry for thinking I never had a chance with you!”
“If you had asked, you would have known!” You set your food off the side, pushing yourself out of the truck bed. “I’m leaving. I can’t do this with you right now.”
“You can’t- you can’t do this with me right now? Seriously?”
You reach for your purse. “I’m not going to sit here and fight with you over how scared I was that you didn’t like me even though I’m in love with you and how much it hurt to see you talking to all those girls when you were the one who invited me to go out with you!” You’re too upset to even realize that he’s pushed himself off the truck bed.
He spins you around to kiss you only for it to end in laughter. The corner of his lips tugs upwards. “Are you really laughing at my romantic gesture right now?”
You chuckle, staring into his pretty eyes. “You know exactly what I’m laughing at.”
He nods, the hat bumping against your forehead once more, in a more affectionate manner. “That I do.”
You snatch the item off his head, tossing it beside the food. You take a deep breath, watching the way his eyes dip down towards your lips.
“This isn’t going to be as dramatic; you know?”
“Just kiss me you-” Your hands slid up his arms, fingers interlocking against the back of his neck. The warmth of his hand on your cheek and your hip causes the butterflies in your stomach to flutter harder than they ever have when you’re with him. You’re the first to pull away, eyes still closed enjoying this moment.
“Wow,” he breathes out. “I think I’m getting a hard on.”
Your eyes snap open, finding that he’s staring at you. The corner of your lips twitch (of course he would say that now), you finally understand what everyone else has been saying, eyes truly are the window to one’s soul because all you can see is the love, he holds for you. “Guess everyone was right.”
“What’s that?”
“We both fell for each other but didn’t want to admit and now,” you stare at the collar of his hoodie for a few seconds realizing what the boys are gonna do. “And now they’re gonna make fun of us.”
“Maybe, but then we can just do this,” he pulls you in for another kiss.
You chuckle against his lips.