"I'm a criminal," Leonard told Barry, rather unimpressed by his display, "This is what I do. Works well for me. What do you say, Rathaway, ten thousand for now? I'll open a dummy account and you can wire the money to me asap."
And so he could send him the account number, Leonard started to save his number to Hartley's phone, which he had taken when Hartley attacked him. He watched Hartley pat himself down when he saw the phone, then just lower his head, apparently resigned to his fate. "Leave it, Barry. I can deal with this."
"No. No, you're not giving him any money. You shouldn't even be in here." Barry was not going to just relent, he knew there was little he could do but he was just angry on Hartley's behalf. It wasn't even like he was going to get to date him and he was getting shit for it already, it wasn't fair. Barry moved forward swiftly and snatched Hartley's phone back out of Leonard's hands.
And, because he was on a protective high, he shoved Leonard. Hard. "You're a scumbag. You don't deserve any of his money."
"Sure I don't. Ain't mean I'm not gonna get it, does it?" Leonard looked at Barry and smirked, then stepped back instead of punching him. Couldn't really blame him for protecting his boyfriend, who was glowering at him, but underneath it looked pretty ready to fall apart. "How about you kiss it better for him? Anyway, Rathaway, Barry? Pleasure working with you."
Barry gritted his teeth hard and wished he could throw a punch at that smug face, he wished he could hurt him but in the end, he looked down and relented. Fuck. He hated this. He hated it so much. "We're not dating, you asshole." He felt a surge of guilt inside him. This was on him, he let Hartley down because he wasn't strong or smart, he wasn't sure how to stop this from happening. He watched Leonard leave and he felt so much fury. He turned back and looked at Hartley. All that hurt and pain, it made him ache. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault, Barry." How had things escalated like this? Barry hating him for kissing him would be better than this. He didn't even know this boy, he had no way of knowing whether or not he could actually keep him from publishing those pictures. That's what he got for not controlling himself. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to kiss you." It was as simple as that. Now he had to figure out how to even get ten thousand dollar he could actually send to some bank account without his parents' knowledge. "I'll pay him off. It's fine."
"No, it's not fine, none of this is fine. You're a good person and ... no, this isn't right." And with that, Barry stormed out of the room because he was angry and he had no idea what to do with it. Hell, he found himself looking around for that weird kid. Maybe if he could find him or where he was going, he could talk to him. Persuade him to better. It could happen?
Leonard had already taken off his tie and put it in his pocket, frankly just looking forward to being back in his own clothes - or Mick's. He didn't expect to be followed, but when he heard the kid come up behind him, he just looked over his shoulder and smiled, not attempting to make a run for it. "What's up? Want my number too? Sorry, I'm taken."
Barry didn't know what he wanted to do, he came all this way, so full of anger and hurt, and he had no idea what to do. In the end, all of those emotions came out in a punch. Yep, Barry sunk that slow, he lashed out. And he hated himself but he hit Leonard as hard as he could and... yep, that really hurt his fist. He didn't back down though, he just glared at Leonard. "You're a horrible person. Where do you get off acting like this?"
"Working out pretty good for me today. You're the one making out with Mr Billionaire in a room with hallway windows, as far as I'm concerned, this is on you too." Leonard didn't seem overly impacted by the punch, though he did rub his face. Smarted a bit, was probably going to bruise. Nothing major. "Hey, I made bank. Want me to buy you a coffee?"
"No, I want you to leave my friend alone. Because that's all he is. He's a friend. He can't be anything more than that, do you have any idea how hard this is going to be for him? And you're just going to use him like that? Don't you have any shame?" Did this guy not care that he was going to ruin someone's life? It wasn't right. He drove him nuts that anyone could be like this. "How is this not bothering you? To act like this, to be like this?"
"I really like money and I got none. Your "friend" got a lot. That's about it, really." Leonard stopped next to the worst looking car in the parking lot, leaning against it as he glanced at the coffee shop, just to check on where Mick was. "The world's not a very good place. If it was, your "friend" could just happily be dating you. That's not on me. But I can't change the world all by myself. I can profit from it."
"It's not his money though, is it? It's his parents. Just because you have no money doesn't mean you're entitled to it." Barry knew never in his wildest dreams could he ever hit the ten thousand Hartley needed but he had to try. For Hartley. "Look, I'll give you all I have today, a one off payment, and you leave him alone. It's not ten thousand but it's enough." Well, it wasn't even a tenth of what he'd want but it was his last penny he could offer. "I can give you more later. Just leave Hartley alone."
"Please. The ten thousand is just to ease him in." Hopefully that would drive the point home. The Rathaway kid was the big one, he wasn't going to give in to the temptation of going after two with one stone, not with something like that on the hook. He wouldn't risk getting sloppy. "You don't play in this league, do you?"
"I got money I have connections, how do you think I got here?" Barry challenged as he moved into Leonard's space and glared at him. How did he stole him from doing this? Hartley suffered enough. He didn't want him to get exposed to his parents but how was it fair to pay this asshole all of his money. "What do I have to do to change your mind?"
Right, this was just funny. He really shouldn't, but he just had to. Leonard looked at Barry and raised an eyebrow, hoping that Mick wouldn't get here right then. He could have a bit of fun. Luckily the coffee shop seemed fairly busy. "Get on your knees. Maybe begging will help."
HBrry felt his face go red and he knew it was just kind of stupid to give this easily but if it helped Hartley? He'd do it. Hartley always helped him, he always had his back and he defended him when everyone else just looked elsewhere. He owed Hartley. That was why he dropped down onto his knees and lowered his head, only just managing to grit out his words. "Please."
Leonard looked down at him for a while, considering taking a picture of that too, but no. He had been awful enough for one day. Well, almost. He couldn't resist to make this a little worse. "Nah, not feeling it just yet. How about a blowjob?" He said it with a straight face. He really just wanted a funny reaction here, that couldn't be too much to ask. "Blowjob and your boyfriend gets off."
"What?!" Barry head shot up and he looked at Leonard with wide eyes. Was he serious? He wasn't going to do that! "Like here? Are you insane? This is school property, I could get expelled." And he couldn't lose his scholarship because he was sucking cock. What the hell would he tell his father or Joe? Or even Doctor Wells? Barry was a new shade of red as he looked at Leonard and once again, he lowered his head. "I can't do that."
"We'll drive somewhere private. How about it then?" This was hilarious, his instincts had definitely been right in leading him to greater entertainment. Now he almost regretted that Mick wasn't there to witness this. He would have to recap it to him later.
Barry was frozen in confusion and he didn't make a move, he just stayed locked in place as his mind ran through it. Was it worth it? If he did that, he'd save Hartley? It was just one gross thing for one stupid asshole. It wasn't like he could do much. If he went to the cops, it'd get worse. Hartley could get disowned, he could lose everything and he had done so much for him already. "... Okay." He whispered it, keeping his head low.
Mick stood there, holding the coffee, looking at Leonard with some kid on his knees in front of him. Weird. He didn't interrupt, he just watched. He was curious.
"Hey, Mick. Kid's offering me a blowjob, it's my lucky day." Leonard shook his head and almost felt sorry for him. Oh, well. "Relax, I was just joking. But that's a lot of commitment, you and Rathaway should give it another shot. I'm rooting for you two crazy kids, I'm sure you can make it work."
Barry felt himself get redder as he realised he just degraded and humiliated himself for nothing. Leonard wasn't serious, he was playing him. Barry felt a strange crushing sensation as he looked up at Leonard again, embarrassed and hurt. "But--"
"Ten thousand. Tell your boyfriend." Mick grunted as he held out the coffee to Leonard, giving the kid a look. "He's not very bright, is he?"
"Don't make out in places people can look into again, that's my last tip for you. Come on, go and love your boyfriend in the face of adversity. I just made your life a hundred percent more romantic, you're welcome." Leonard took the coffee from Mick and shrugged. "Don't know. He's devoted, it's cute. I like him."
"He's dumb. Don't suck a criminals dick, dumbass." Mick informed the kid, who seemed too shell shocked to move. Mick got into the car and beeped his horn a few times. If the kid didn't move, he was running him down. Barry eventually rolled out of the way, still looking at Leonard with such hurt in his eyes.
"You're a bad person."
"Oooh burn." Mick mocked, rolling his eyes as he wound up the windows. Dumbass.
"I'm so much worse than you think," Leonard assured him, then he got into the car and put the seat belt on, taking a sip from his coffee. "This is disgustingly good, what the hell is that?" No, he didn't really waste any more thought on Barry.
no subject
And so he could send him the account number, Leonard started to save his number to Hartley's phone, which he had taken when Hartley attacked him. He watched Hartley pat himself down when he saw the phone, then just lower his head, apparently resigned to his fate. "Leave it, Barry. I can deal with this."
no subject
And, because he was on a protective high, he shoved Leonard. Hard. "You're a scumbag. You don't deserve any of his money."
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
Mick stood there, holding the coffee, looking at Leonard with some kid on his knees in front of him. Weird. He didn't interrupt, he just watched. He was curious.
no subject
no subject
Barry felt himself get redder as he realised he just degraded and humiliated himself for nothing. Leonard wasn't serious, he was playing him. Barry felt a strange crushing sensation as he looked up at Leonard again, embarrassed and hurt. "But--"
"Ten thousand. Tell your boyfriend." Mick grunted as he held out the coffee to Leonard, giving the kid a look. "He's not very bright, is he?"
no subject
no subject
"You're a bad person."
"Oooh burn." Mick mocked, rolling his eyes as he wound up the windows. Dumbass.
no subject
(no subject)