Unusual Habits | Leon Gvardia

[Leon.]

TRIGGER WARNING: Story intimately discusses the process of using addictive drugs.

My first character story of Leon Gvardia: http://www.argonathrpg.eu/index.php?topic=117082.0


Unusual Habits, Part I. The Problem.

     One thing every human has in common, is that for each of us, there is no such a thing as "having had enough." Our very life depends on the continuous intake of water and nutrients in the form of food. Some of us savor the process of preparing, marinating, seasoning, and slow-cooking a fine steak to a perfect shade of pink that is enjoyed paired with a Cabernet. Some are simply gluttons, preferring the instant gratification of a cheap greasy meal from a fast-food establishment. Either way a person chooses to go, it's only a matter of time before they are hungry again. Hunger exists, because one meal, is simply never enough...

     "Hold it up to my face," a man said, hardly able to conceal the anticipation in his voice. The air smelled of rubbing alcohol as the man held a syringe in his left hand, pointing it carefully towards the crook of his right elbow. The whole process was obsessive and meticulous; the site of injection absolutely had to be free of any pathogens or dirt - just like when the doctor does it. He took a deep breath.

     "Alright Leon, if you say so." The other man carefully untied a densely inflated balloon, pinching it shut to ensure the air does not escape. The balloon was noticeably moist with condensation on the outside. "You ready?"

     "Damn right, baby," Leon said, and carefully, precisely, he penetrated a plump vein in the crook of his arm with the needle. His partner in crime held the balloon to his mouth, which Leon happily took within his lips. He pushed the plunger of the syringe, and the solution entered his veins, as he simultaneously deeply inhaled the contents of the balloon. The balloon emptied out at exactly the moment he finished his injection. He held his breath as he reached over and grabbed a sterile piece of gauze off of a plate on the coffee table in front of him. He held it over the point of injection until his friend had carefully placed a band-aid over it, as to secure it in place.

     "Oh yeahhhhh," Leon said in an unnaturally deep voice. The nitrous oxide was significantly denser than air and caused a distinct change in voice when exhaled while speaking, similar to how helium will cause one to sound like a chipmunk.

     "You sound just like the fuckin' Kool-Aid ,man, you are absolutely fucking wild," the other man said. Leon exhaled the contents of his lungs completely, snatching a straw from his lap and leaning over the coffee table. He took a large amount of powder into his nasal passages. Within seconds, Leon was consumed by the euphoria of a carefully portioned drug cocktail trio. His next exhale was riddled with quivering of pleasure. It was a few minutes before Leon spoke another word.

     "Turn it on, Alex."

     "Whatever, man," Alex said, sauntering over to the Hi-Fi stereo system installed in the living room, playing The Rain Song by Led Zeppelin on the MP3 player. Alex let out a sigh, as he sat on the couch next to Leon and lit up a cigarette. "What's next man, you want me to hide a dead body or something?" Leon paused for a moment before sitting up straight, looking Alex dead in the eye. Something clicked.

     "My friend... you just gave me a great idea," Leon said, his face being consumed by an unconcealable smirk. "Yes, this is truly, a most excellent idea..." He let out a goofy-sounding deep chuckle.

     "Do you have any idea how fucking crazy you sound right now?" Alex took a puff from his cigarette, ashing it on the ash tray on the coffee table. Leon paused for a moment, soaking in the sights around him through the lense of absurd intoxication. The juxtaposition of the walls' red paint against the white trim of the baseboards and the ceiling trim stood out to him as a beautiful work of craftsmanship. The table was a dark, almost red-colored oak, hand-crafted by the Leon himself, situated over an ornately designed Armenian rug. The floor was not made of wood, for, in Leon's opinion, hard-wood floors do not last as long as a good stone tile. The stone tile was disguised as acacia hardwood by design. The couch they sat on was a plush brown microfiber, wide enough to comfortably sleep on. The orange tinge of afternoon sunshine peered through red curtains, rays beaming through cigarette smoke.

     Leon blinked. Before he knew it, it was night time. "God fucking damnit."

     "Let me guess, you time traveled again," Alex said, apparently exhausted.

     "Well, it looks like it." Leon sighed, a bit disappointed in how unsatisfied he was. There was a glass of water placed in front of him, which he immediately obliged in drinking."

     "You know, I've been sitting here with you for the last 7 hours making sure you were still breathing." Alex held out his hand expectantly. "I should've slapped the shit out of you."

     Leon looked to his hand, cocking an eyebrow in confusion. "What, do you want some too?" Before he had a chance to react, Alex had already slapped Leon across his cheek.
 
     "No, motherfucker! Pay me like you said you would pay me!" Leon simply blinked again.

     "Oh, right...." Leon carelessly dug into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and pulling out a handful of uncounted crumpled bills. "Here, keep the change for not robbing my ass."

     Alex slapped Leon again. "First of all, who the FUCK do you think I am?" Alex took the cash, counting out $500 and throwing the extra onto Leon's lap. "You said you had a job for me, and I showed up exactly at the time you told me to show up." Alex stood up, throwing his arms up in a rage. "Instead of a fucking job, you have me sitting here playing a fucking babysitter, on the edge of my fuckin' seat contemplating, am I REALLY going to have to take this moron to the hospital tonight?"

    Leon blinked. "Look, obviously you're not fucking listening, and obviously you're alive and fucking well. I need to catch some sleep in my own bed, and I think you should do the same. Good fucking night." Alex stormed out the front door.

    With that, Leon was left to his own thoughts, still heavily under the influence of a comedown. He began to come to the realization, that none of this was enough. This, was never going to be enough. His mind began to rapidly race down different avenues, twists and turns. Without abating, Leon became overwhelmed by the shear existence of excess unfulfilled desires. He let out a primal yell as he stood up, turning around and flipping the couch. He picked up the ash tray and flung it into the flat screen TV, then flipped over the heavy-set coffee table as if it were a paper weight.

     "FUCK!" His unkempt fingernails dug into his palms as he unconsciously clenched his fists, steam boiling from his ears. It wasn't until the faint sound of blood dripping on the floor that he realized how hard he was squeezing. He opened up his fist, and noticed how long his fingernails were.

     This prompted a trip to the bathroom, where he looked himself in the eyes, one of them half-shut by the stinging sensation of sweat dripping into it. His face was flushed and his eyes had survived a thousand deaths, sagging far beyond his years.

     He took a deep breath as he washed his hands of blood. He took a seat on the toilet and began to calmly trim his nails to perfection. The seeds of death were planted deeply into Leon's soul as he hopelessly sought to the fill the void - the sinking, insatiable pit in his stomach. The anxiety of wanting to claw his skin off of his body brought him to a rage on a regular basis. He undressed carefully, revealing a huge scar down the inside of his right thigh. He observed the scar, recalling first hand that this feeling cannot be quelled by directing it towards himself, as he did when he once carved a knife through an artery in his leg.

     He directed his mind to the sensation of the warm water as it came in contact with his shoulders, and ran down his body. Feeling. For the moment he is present; he is absent his undeniable desire - the ultimate sin, second only to cursing God's name - even as he actively reflects on it. Yet it is only a matter of time before his hunger can no longer be suppressed. And no amount of intoxication will ever conceal it.

To be continued...

[Leon.]

Unusual Habits, Part II. Hunger.

"Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways." - Sigmund Freud

     Leon sat up in his bed within seconds of opening his eyes. It was 8:59, exactly one minute before his alarm was set to go off. Unwilling to be annoyed so soon within waking up, he decided to turn the alarm off before it sounded. Letting out a sigh, he did not hesitate to throw off his covers and stand up. He quickly realized that he had made a mistake as his vision tunneled into a shade of gray and stumbled over. He was decided it was a better idea to sit down until he got his bearings. His stomach growled viciously, his mouth smacking from dryness as he let out a yawn. Needless to say, he was sufficiently dehydrated from the previous night's ventures.

     After recuperating from a spell of lightheadedness, he rose slowly, snatching a cup from his nightstand and making his way to the bathroom to fill it with water. He guzzled a few cups down quickly, and went about his morning routine.

     Only after a minimum of 30 minutes would Leon start cooking his breakfast after brushing his teeth. The smell of applewood filled the air as Leon fried thick-cut bacon, eggs, and hash browns on separate pans. He preferred his eggs sunny-side up, coated with black pepper. His hashbrowns, crispy and well-seasoned. And his bacon, thick and meaty.

     Leon always had a semblance of comfort in his routines, thanks to the discipline his father, Cofiliano, had taught him as a child. He always stuck by them no matter how hung over or how late he stayed up the previous night. He stabbed the yolk of an egg, watching with a blank stare as it bled over onto the plate. There was no escaping it, even now as he simply ate his breakfast.

     Leon didn't remember much from the previous night, however he did remember that he made a commitment to himself. He was going to feed, and he was determined to do it soon. With the understanding that no hunger can ever be permanently satiated, he made it up in his mind that he was going to carry out his decision carefully. Whatever mess he makes in the process of preparing his meal, he was going to clean it up - as if the meal had never happened. Alas, his breakfast had already concluded.

     Leon sent an apology to his friend Alex via text message, and arranged to have his living room cleaned and his TV replaced from the previous night. He would pay whoever did it generously. He had also arranged a meeting with a local private escort to meet in a public area. Rather than have her meet with him on family territory, such as the Carpe Diem Bistro, he decided to meet her at a locally popular chain Italian food restaurant.

     They had agreed to meet around 3:00PM, as to avoid a lunch or dinner rush and ridiculous wait times. Leon had sat in plain view at a small view, casually dressed in a grey button-up shirt with black palm tree designs on it and matching pants. He made clear eye-contact with a beautiful, familiar Caucasian woman, giving her a warm, inviting smile. He rose from the booth and greeted her with a hug.

     "It's nice to finally meet you, Miss."
     
      "Well you said you were paying, didn't ya?" She smiled, hinting at a joke. They sat down across from each other at the booth. "We already know each other's names, so we can skip the introductions." The two had an unspoken agreement to not use their real names.

     "Ah, a woman who is straight the point," Leon said. "I respect that." He leaned back comfortably in his seat. A waitress approached their table with two iced waters in hand as well a menus, placing them in front of the pair.

     "Hello there, how are you all doing today?" The waitress greeted them with a hospitable smile.

     "We are doing magnificent, Ma'am. And you?" Leon turned his gaze to his date, offering a smile.

    "I'm doing well myself. Now, from 11 o'clock to 7PM we have our happy hour specials, so for today we are doing Martinis for half off, that's $4.00 martinis. Would you all like a drink to get you started?"

     "I'll take a Manhattan, please," Leon said. "And for you?"

     "I'm good for now," the lady said.

     "All right, I'll have that out in just a moment." The waitress smiled as she departed, leaving the pair to discuss their business.

     The woman began the conversation. "It's very sweet of you to offer to pay for my meal. What do you do for work, hun?"

     "I went to medical school hoping to pursue a career as a surgeon. Turns out my family business pays better than such a skilled profession." The escort raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Leon, noticing her expression, chuckled lightly and elaborated. "My family business is no mom-and-pop corner store, ya' see... I guess you could call me one of those corporate yuppie guys."

     "I've met a lot of guys like you, you know. So many guys who talk themselves up like they're making the big bucks... and for a 'corporate yuppie guy,' you sure have an interesting taste in restaurants," the woman noted.

     "Well, you see, I'm not necessarily trying to impress you with my exotic taste in food or my ability to afford such a thing. I'm a man of many talents. Besides, aren't we here to discuss some business, rather than try to put a front on each other?" Leon crossed his hands in his lap, sitting up straight in a posture of confidence

     "A man who is straight to the point," she jested. The two smirked at each other as the waitress approached with drink in hand.

     "Here you go, sir."

     "Thank you so much, miss," Leon said politely, locking eyes with the woman.

     "Would y'all like food menus or a plate of bread to start off with," the waitress asked.

     "No, we're fine, thank you," the woman said.

     "All right, just let me know if you need anything!" The waitress departed.

     Leon checked his phone, receiving a text message from Alex. I've got eyes on the pimp. He's parked on the street waiting patiently.

     "Who's that, hun?"

     "That would be work following me everywhere I go," Leon retorted. He pocketed his phone.
 
     "So you know the deal," the woman asked. "Correct?"

     "Of course. I'll even bring you a little 'gift.'" The woman smiled at his reply, satisfied. She slid him a piece of paper.

     "Now, I want you to meet me at this address, at-" Leon cleared his throat, attempting to politely interrupt.

     "Actually, ma'am, I was wondering if you would allow me to provide additional accommodations for you in exchange for my hospitality. I'd rather you came and saw me." Leon had a plan in mind, and he was going to execute it on his own territory, or not at all. He guzzled a good portion of his drink, expecting negotiations to end soon. He slid her a piece of paper with an address and a time frame. "Does this time work for you?"

     The woman glanced over the piece of paper, raising her eyebrows. "Wow, you want me to meet you there? Those are some nice houses there,, but it's a bit far..."

     "Don't you worry, I can cover your transportation if it's an issue."

      The woman hesitated for a moment. "Alright, that'll work just fine." She smiled.

      At the conclusion of their conversation, Leon had finished his drink and tipped the waitress in great excess for just one drink.



     It was two days later at approximately 11:00PM upon the hills of Paradiso, San Fierro, where Leon currently resided. About 17 minutes late, he received a text message from the woman he had met with before, notifying him that she had arrived. Leon waited a few minutes before responding, expecting a text message from his friend Alex. Surely enough, Alex delivered. She's stepping out of the vehicle, same guy as yesterday. Satisfied, he opened his front door, allowing her inside.

     His residence was in pristine condition, and smelled strongly of cinnamon. Leon greeted her in a black bathrobe with a cocktail in a tall glass - a cinnamon stick protruding from the top, burning gently at its tip with a glowing ember. It gave off a light aroma that complimented the taste of his cocktail well.

     "Oh wow, it smells like Christmas in here," she noted. Leon chuckled at her remark.

     "Funny that you should mention that, I've got something for you." Leon nodded to an envelope placed on top of the oak coffee table in the center of the living room. "But you can only have it afterwards."

     "Wow, you are so corny."

     "Speaking of corn, I just finished cooking some cornbread as well," Leon said.

     "Keep it up with the bad jokes and I might just leave," she retorted. Leon laughed as he invited her to take a seat on the couch. The room was dimly lit by a chandelier above the table. Leon thought the warmly colored theme of his abode, the cleanliness, and the facade of his living in luxury would make up for his lack of charm with the ladies. Rather than going about a routine where he picks out a vinyl record and plays it in a classic attempt to seduce a high-class woman, he went straight for the kill. After all, this was all, only business. Within moments, he had completely forgotten about his beverage, and the smell of lotion, profuse sweating, and debauchery flooded the room for an hour straight.

     "We've got another 10 minutes left or so, hun," the woman said.

     "Sheesh, you sound just like my therapist," Leon cracked. The woman paused, looking at him in concern towards his joke. Leon began laughing hysterically at her reaction."

     "You're REALLY bad at this, aren't you... if you weren't such a gentleman I would have left by now."

     "Hey, I'm not so bad in bed though, now am I?" The woman rolled her eyes, neglecting to deny his statement. "Tell ya' what, you can go ahead and get dressed and pour yourself a drink. I'm gonna go take a shower. If you'd like, you can join me."

     "We agreed on an hour, so I am out of here when your hour's up, love." The woman got out of bed put her clothes back on, while Leon caught a final glimpse at her naked body.

     "Have a good night, sweetheart," Leon said to her. She left the bedroom and into the living room, where she pocketed the envelope and took a few huge swigs from the bottle of rum Leon had left on the table. Leon entered the bathroom to shower, expecting her to leave. Rather than immediately hopping in the shower, he checked his phone. He had received a text message about 30 minutes ago from his friend Alex.

     We've got him, and his vehicle is off the premises. Let me know when you're ready. Leon getting his rocks off was only a ploy all along. The moment he had been truly anticipating has yet to come. He took a deep breath as he started a hot shower.

     I'll be ten minutes, wait for her to leave. She might be a while when she realizes her ride isn't here like she expected it to be. Leon smiled, setting his phone aside before entering the shower. This was going exactly according to plan.


     Leon's gift to the private escort was actually a significant sum of cash stated to be a "gift" rather than a payment for sexual services, to circumvent laws against sex work. He felt confident that whatever portion of his "gift" that her pimp would split with her, that his payment to her would not only be much higher, but hopefully enough to set her life straight for a while. Leon's father always taught him to treat women with the utmost respect, or else he would personally see to Leon's death. Leon abided by his father's wishes not in fear of his threat, rather, he incorporated his father''s lesson as his own virtues. Even if he was not smooth, Leon would treat women with respect out of the kindness in his heart - whatever was left of it.


To be continued...

[Thomas_A]