•Wilted Rose•

|Chapter 2|

Lucas was finishing his shift, a little nervous that that Leo guy was sitting at his favorite table near the window. Where he usually waited for Mai to pick him up.

Leo didn't even try to hide the fact that he was staring at Lucas like a food deprived man.

The officer from earlier noticed this too. His eyes narrowed and he stood and walked over to Leo's table.

He took the seat across from Leo. Assessing the man in front of him. He looked like one of those tough guys that bullied other people for fun.

The officer cleared his throat. Leo glanced at the man, scanning him up and down and turning back to gazing at Lucas bending over to clean a mess on the floor.

Leo smirked a little. So small.

"Is there a reason as to why you're staring at the boy across the room?"

Leo's paradise was destroyed.

Leo turned his body to face the officer fully.

"There is actually. He's my friend and he's new to this neighborhood. I don't trust this place yet, therefore I'm here to make sure nothing happens to him."

The officer blinked.

"If that's the case, why don't you just assign an officer to keep watch overr-"

The officer drew out the word over, hinting that he wanted Lucas' name.

Leo just stared.

The officer scratched his neck and continued.

"You seem as if you're a very high class individual. What makes you come.. here?"

The officer was obviously taking a jab at what Leo was wearing.

Leo gave another small smile. Nothing this officer can say could get under his skin.

Leo heard a plate crashing to the ground and a small whimper from across the room.

The two men looked up, only to find a teary wide eyed Lucas going to pick up the shattered glass with his hands.

"LUCAS, NO!"

Leo shouts, startling Lucas away from the glass.

Lucas sniffled and put his head down when Leo came to stand in front of him.

"What happened?" Leo asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

Lucas clutched the towel in his hands nervously.

"I was.. t-taking the dishes back to the cleaning station, a-and I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking."

Lucas felt stupid. First embarrassing himself in front of the bathroom, and now breaking things. But surely his clumsiness would run away Leo.

But then again.

Maybe his clumsiness is one of the many attributes that Leo cherishes.