Chapitre 43: Chapter 43 - Dog's lunch
When the black chevette had finally passed through the rusty gates, Leonardo sighed, relaxing his shoulders. Not as naturally as he would have liked, but he forced himself to repeat in mind that he could rest for at least an hour and a half.
It wasn't the stress of college that plagued him. Much less the agonising case of the mysterious girl in the hospital. What made his heart beat fast in anxiety and his thoughts filled with memories was a certain sly and shameless trapeze artist.
He had run away from Benjin that morning, but the said one was too clever managing to notice his absence and make a point of pulling him back close.
Lunch was just a way to make Leonardo not run away from Benjin.
Getting down from the vehicle and keeping the keys in the pocket of his dark jeans, Leonardo had a brief look around the mansion without seeing any sign that someone was there. And so, with dragging steps, he could follow the trail until the heat and noise of the park echoed in every vein of his body.
The park was working as usual, despite the latest events. Children were running around playing, parents were taking pictures looking like they were enjoying themselves, and the costumed and uniformed staff were working with smiles on their faces.
In no way did it make it look like some lunatic was kidnapping people.
Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans, Leonardo had passed through the plaza finding the shops working. However his destiny wasn't that way. He was at the end of a street, in the farthest part and full of mess where a tent was erected.
Only when Leonardo passed the circus portal did he begin to feel his own heart beat fast in pure anxiety.
Right. They had already spoken on the phone earlier, which made it clear that Benjin was not strange with him. His excitement was the same as always, stupidly bright and blinding.
No need to worry about nonsense. Just act natural, right?
Walking into the circus tent, past the aisle of show posters, Leonardo noticed the last week's notice on the puppet poster. The space next to it was covered by a cloth, creating a suspense about what would be the next show to be presented.
The puppet would end its performance season... On one hand it was sad, as if he saw a part of his childhood being kept in an old trunk to be forgotten.
Making a face the boy walked back, entering the empty and silent circus. Stopping in the middle of the bleachers, he looked from one side to another looking for any sign of the presence of that perverted puppet, but without finding it.
He descended the steps approaching the central stage, jumping on it to go to the back. And it was there that he found the trapeze artist sitting with his elbows resting on the table, smiling like a happy jester.
― I found you.
As soon as he heard the low voice of his young master, Benjin turned his head and cracked the biggest smile. A bright, spontaneous smile that made clear, very clear, his genuine joy at seeing Leonardo.
― At last you have arrived! I thought I would starve to death if it took any longer.
Leonardo had cracked a slight, ladish smile at the mere imagination of Benjin languishing in hunger, but kept the comment only in his mind.
― You could have eaten without me. I warned you it would be a while.
― And miss the chance for us to eat together? No way, sit here!
The trapeze artist had pulled Leonardo's arm to sit beside him at the small round table. The bag with the snacks was soon opened by Benjin, who seemed eager to serve his young master.
As soon as the delicious smell of the snacks reached Leonardo's sense of smell, his stomach complained of hunger. He had completely forgotten the anxiety of earlier, and soon grabbed the sandwich to take the first hungry bite.
A pleasurable sigh escaped his lips as he ate, being watched by a smiling trapeze artist. But Leonardo hadn't bothered either, he just wanted to eat.
― Go slowly, or you'll get indigestion ― Benjin warned, rubbing his thumb over the corner of Leonardo's lips, where there was a bit of sauce.
It was that gesture that brought back, for the thousandth time, the memories of the other night. Hiding the sudden blush on his cheeks, the university student had taken a napkin to cover his mouth while coughing lightly in pretence.
― I told you, you were going to gasp ― mumbled the trapeze artist, hurrying to grab a can of Coke and open it for the other ― Drink up, but slowly!
In the haste to hide his own shame, Leonardo pulled the can and took a sip, running away from those bright light eyes. If that damned trapeze artist kept acting so careful, it would be difficult not to choke.
― I'm fine now, thanks.
― Are you that hungry? If you had waited a bit I could have prepared your breakfast.
Leonardo chewed slowly, doing his best not to remember his morning shame.
― Stop staring and go eat. You have rehearsal later.
The blush on Benjin's cheeks grew along with his smile, pulling out his bag to get his snack.
― Yes sir! ― Laughing, the trapeze artist started to eat too, but without taking his eyes off the university student ― Ah, Vinnie is going to the hospital this afternoon to take Aslan's place, he asked me to warn you.
― What for?
― Aslan has work to do here, doesn't he?
Leonardo nodded his head in agreement. He had taken his colleague's morning off, he couldn't do the same with his afternoon. And just as the man himself had said earlier, Leonardo could count on more people to help him take care of his business.
Sighing, he went back to drinking his coke without much to discuss. His hand on the table had been held by Benjin, who had soon intertwined their fingers and squeezed them. Leonardo raised his dark eyes to the trapeze artist, noticing a certain reluctance in his face.
― What's up?
― About last night...
Once again Leonardo had a coughing fit, this time a real one. As expected from Benjin, he would touch on the subject directly.
― Are you all right?
― Yeah... I'm fine. Fine ― clear throat the college student is still clumsy. There was no escaping it, Benjin would bring it up sooner or later, and until he heard Leonardo's opinion, he would surround him until he got it ― What about...?
Benjin had pursed his lips as he took hold of the university student's hand again, starting with his slyness.
― You ran away from me this morning....
― I told you I did not run away! ― Vociferate Leonardo, his cheeks reddened denouncing the opposite.
Realising his own desperation in trying to hide what was obvious, Leonardo pulled himself together, sighing heavily.
― Anyway, what did you want me to do? Stay in bed when I have a lot of things to do?
― Of course ― Answered the other promptly, leaving Leonardo incredulous.
― You're kidding, right?
― Why would I be? Then you would have more time for me, I'm not against that ― Benjin sees Leonardo's eyes roll up and then pulls his hand ― Besides, college doesn't seem to be very good for you.
― Huh? What are you talking about?
Quickly Benjin started to whine.
― I heard it on Vinnie's phone! They are bullying you.
A snap in Leonardo's mind made him pay attention to a detail that had almost gone unnoticed. He had almost run Alex over in the car park, letting his anger get the better of him. Besides that strange sensation he had felt when he heard Benjin's voice sounding so different on the phone.
― Speaking of which, your voice is very different on the phone.
― What do you mean different?
― More... Serious ― Leonardo arched his eyebrow ― Colder, it doesn't sound like you.
― My voice is a bit thick, but not that thick. Maybe you've confused it with someone else's.
― No way, you were the only one I was talking to at the time ― Leonardo grumbled annoyed ― Anyway, I won't stop going to college just to be with you.
― Stop being mean to me, Leo ― whined the trapeze artist, grabbing the university student's arm ― You already have a job here at the circus, why would you need college? We could spend more time together doing the same thing we did last night...
Immediately Leonardo covered the trapeze artist's mouth, feeling his own heart racing at the mention of what had happened.
― Stop being a pervert for five minutes!
Benjin held Leonardo's wrist and pulled him to free his own mouth.
― But at the time I don't remember hearing you think it was so bad.
― I didn't say I thought it was bad.
― So you liked it?
Leonardo squinted his eyes at Benjin, not missing the sight of a horny dog. He wagged his tail from side to side as if proud to see his prey fall into the trap.
― You... you're a pest, you know that?
― I just want to know what you thought of last night. Because you bet I loved it, and I'm looking forward to the next time I get to explore every bit of your...
― Young master.
― Bless you Vicente! ― murmured the university student, opening a smile of relief when the figure of the park administrator appeared ― I thought you were already on your way to the hospital.
― Ah yes, well... I am. But I would like to ask you for permission.
Benjin had glared at Vincent, but had not let go of Leonardo's arm. The university student had noticed the discontentment of the trapeze artist at being interrupted, so he stroked his bleached hair in an attempt to calm the tantrum dog.
At least if he had a tail, he would swing again.
― Permission for what?
― For the girl to remain in Dreamland Mansion, young master.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone