The idea that Leon needed to maybe try and smile once a day, to prove that he was happy or content with life... well, that idea seemed very structured and like somebody who had his shit together would do something like that. Leon and Zatka were very different in that respect. Well, in Leon's perspective anyway.

Sure, he'd come a long way since being in Kalos. He wasn't nearly as outwardly destructive, but in turn had become very self-destructive, so. Either way, he had to think of the last time, other than this coffee date that he had smiled. Well, anytime with Vannah was definitely a time to smile. Cooper made him cringe and smile all at the same time a lot. Huh, he didn't think this would be so... well, so challenging! Seemed like forcing a smile was like forcing happiness. To Leon, anyway. Zatka didn't seem to see it that way.

"If I made a vow like that to myself, I think I'd fail myself a lot and end up unhappy." Leon was half joking. "I don't know, I just don't smile that much. I'm content with life. I'm still living it and alive. But to make myself smile at least once a day to say I'm happy? Maybe you're brighter than me." Leon admitted, taking a drink of his coffee.



words. 230+
notes. Zatka Matrick

Didn't have to be happy. Huh. Was it odd that Leon didn't strive to be happy and instead took whatever emotion was thrown into the day upon first waking up? Maybe that was weak of him, or just the type of person he was. But Zatka made a solid point. Be yourself. Good to know Zatka and him agreed on that.

On the point of his smile lighting up the room, Leon's brows furrowed and he made a face. "Oh, I highly doubt that." Despite his pessimism, he did end up smiling. Damn. Leon tried to cover it up by taking a sip of coffee.

He took the Coffee cup down from his lips and waved his finger in front of him. "I didn't really answer your hobby question very well, let's rewind." He swirled his finger in a circle like he was rewinding time. Which he couldn't, but he would pretend for the moment that he could. "I enjoy spending time with people and pokemon, that is my main hobby. Aside from that, it's pointless things on social media that have no real impact on the world and watching coordinating competitions."

Leon hadn't been as considerate with his pie and part of him wondered if maybe he should have been. The other part of him won out the battle though and he shrugged off the idea with a really quick, Oh well.

Though hearing Zatka talk about all the silly things people could get addicted to on social media made him feel a bit better about himself.

"I'm not entirely sure how, or why, but I always seem to get stuck in those videos. Like, from funny, to serious, to make you cry, to make you cry because you're laughing so hard." It sounded like a complaint because half the time it was.

Leon enjoyed the internet for what it had to offer, even the drama from time to time, but he was less involved in the drama ... come to think of it he didn't really contribute, he was just a cyber stalker. Oops.

"I have seen that one though, the lady with the Combee. It was adorable." He admitted before leaning back in his seat and looking up at Zatka for a moment.

"What made you interested in me?" Wow, that probably seemed random or slightly off-kilter. "I mean, what made you want my number?" Was he just cute? "Just cute is definitely an okay answer." He laughed out, grinning into his cup as he took another drink.

Well, damn. Didn't that just sound perfect? He could use somebody who cuddled, and a hopeless romantic. Given circumstances, his complete singledom, he could use the attention. Being that he was a creature who craved attention, anyway. Truly, he was worse than most divas. He didn't want a spotlight everybody could see him beneath but he did want a spotlight of somebody's eye. Somebody to admire him. Somebody that cared.

With a deep breath, Leon gave Zatka an honest smile without even realizing he was doing it. "Are you asking me out on a proper date, Zatka?" There was a hint of a scolding tone in his voice. That hint was a sort of scolding that hinted if Zatka didn't ask Leon out on a date than he'd be somewhat disappointed by the turn of events.

Leon could see the attraction in wanting to talk to somebody who understood a bit of where one had come from. It was rare for Leon to have those sorts of conversations. People identified with him on the level of not being from Johto, but being from Kalos? Well, nobody seemed to identify with that fully. Or with the shame that comes from doing what he did and fleeing.

Leon furrowed his brows with disapproval. The idea that Zatka was a has been- well, it just didn't sit well. Maybe a used-to-be but not a has been. Used to be something else, decided to be what he was now instead. It sounded much better than a has been.

Zatka didn't give Leon the opportunity to mention his opinion, a compliment was given and a question was asked. The small lift in Leon's brow suggested he had to think about the question asked, which he did for a moment.

Ideal date... that was a tough question for Leon to answer. He'd had ideal dates in the past but none had been out in the open, free, judgment-free. They'd all been a secret or a one night stand. It was so very strange to Leon that Zatka wanted more than just a quick fuck. He clearly wanted to date Leon, to take this thing they were blooming seriously.

Finally, Leon took in a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders. "Anything is usually fine with me. I'm just a fan of spending time with the people I date. If I ever date." Leon laughed. "I'm needy, I'm clingy. I am picky and I tend to be territorial. I'm protective." Leon snorted as he took another drink of his coffee. "I'm literally the neediest, worst sort of partner." He waved quickly because that wasn't the question.

"I like to go out, I like to stay in. Everything, as long as it's with somebody, is usually fun enough. I don't really have an 'ideal date,' I don't think..." He frowned at Zatka apologetically. "Sorry." He hadn't made it any easier to ask him out.

"I can cook, so, no worries there." Leon admitted with a smile as he watched Zatka's movements for a moment. The whole situation was silly. They'd gone out for coffee and within the date had established that they actually wanted to, well, go on a date for real. In a way, Leon was relieved. He still had it! But in another way, there was a lot going on with work, and with certain individuals in his life that he still didn't know how to word or even handle... or process, really.

With a sobering intake of air, he thought on it. Usually, he'd just date Zatka and shamelessly accept the attention while flirting with whoever he liked or wanted. But honestly? Zatka was a good guy. A really good guy. And Leon didn't want to subject him to anything that Leon wasn't ready to take seriously.

"Honesty time," Leon groaned, sitting up in his chair to show his seriousness. He set his empty coffee cup down on the table and looked at his fingers, then at his knees, then toward Zatka with a frown. "I've got... a lot of complicated relationship shit happening at the moment that I want to work out before I even think about actually dating you." He was clearly disappointed with his big boy decision.

"Usually," he began to explain. "I wouldn't care so very much about your emotions, but, I actually respect you and sort of like you." Cue his blush. "So I don't want to tease you with something I might not be able to actually commit to, or give you, you know?" Hopefully Zatka would understand.

Leon physically relaxed. He was so happy that Zatka wasn't frustrated with him. Instead, he'd offered what Leon was hoping, friendship. He frowned because he did like Zatka, but he honestly didn't want to twist Zatka up into all the shit he had going on with Cooper. There were a lot of unanswered things in that realm of life, and even in the realm of Vannah and Ken. They'd been spending so much time together lately that Leon had to go get coffee with somebody else. While it was a good thing to branch out, Leon wanted to be sure they were serious and completely together before he threw the idea of Vannah out the window completely.

Because yes, she was a fucking option. If Ken burned her, if Cooper ended up far more straight than Leon knew or realized, then Vannah would definitely be the rock he crawled under for solitude and attention. Because, well, she offered that to him all the time.

Either way. "I'd love that, really." He smiled and leaned forward, no longer withdrawn from the conversation because of unknowns. But instead, engaged, because they were moving forward instead of dancing around in flirtatious circles. "I mean, I love the flirting and everything, but I really didn't want you to feel like... feel led on? I also didn't want you to think that I wanted to get with you just because of your fame. That's not fair to you, really."

Even if sleeping with him would be a dream come true. Literally. He was trying to become a better person, dammit.