Chapter 19 - Meeting a new friend

Thanks to his move to the mansion, Leonardo's whole routine had changed. He had classes in the morning, in the afternoon he worked with Barley and in the evening he went back to college for his night classes. On the weekends he still played at the bar with his friends and continued working. To add to his busy schedule, Vicente had started private classes to train his young heir.

Especially after a certain detective had become a constant in Dreamland.

At first Leonardo didn't want to care about charts and lists of suppliers, or about payment lists. However Benjin's words vibrated in his mind incessantly. That everyone depended on him.

He didn't know well the feelings of people depending on him, but he already recognized the weight on his back that made him stay in that place.

What was wrong with being the young heir they wanted so badly?

Reliving painful memories?

Marrying a perverted trapeze artist?

Put up with a magician's attempts to irritate him?

Just as annoying as pondering the idea of being an heir was realising that there was no problem at all. Just his stubbornness in not accepting it.

It was frustrating to live just under ten years on your own, and then have to return as if you had failed miserably. He didn't have the comfort that place afforded him. If he left, he would leave with one hand in front and one behind.

Once again Leonardo found himself in the middle of his internal storms, eating himself up for not seeing the most obvious way out. In moments like these the boy took the opportunity to explore the mansion. Large as it was, its finite silent corridors certainly hid enough intriguing surprises to make him feel better.

This time, he walked occasionally down the corridor opposite where his room was. There were a few doors there, but only one was open. Stopping in front of it, he noticed the figure of Aslan sitting in front of a computer.

Was that his room?

Leaning against the door he noticed the several posters and papers stuck on the wall of characters and celebrities. There were also mannequins with some of the clothes Aslan used to wear in the park. The room was relatively bigger than his, but it was crammed with things like a studio.

― Oh, Leo!

Aslan had risen from his chair when he noticed the young master's presence. Caught by surprise, Leonardo smiled as he entered the room.

― Your room is bigger than mine, how unfair.

― It was supposed to be my creation studio. ― Aslan laughed, pointing to the mannequins in the corner of the room. ― But I usually spend the night here, so Vincent put a bed in it. What are you doing hanging around?

― Just exploring, I'm bored.

Aslan crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow.

― Ben is at the circus and you feel lonely?

― That's called freedom, Aslan! So what were you doing there to be so focused?

Aslan looked at the computer behind him, where a spreadsheet was open.

― Work, nothing exciting.

― I thought you were watching anime.

― I don't have time to have fun. ― sighed the boy, a little discouraged. ― I wanted to catch up on some episodes, but it's hard when work piles up.

Aslan usually wore make-up when he wore his costumes, but at the mansion he remained clean faced and in ordinary clothes. Only that way Leonardo could notice the dark circles under his eyes.

How long has it been since that boy slept?

― Don't you go out to have fun with your friends?

Aslan shrugged his shoulders as he sat up again, hugging his legs. A melancholy aura surged around him, making Leonardo regret asking that question.

― It may sound depressing or dramatic, but I have no friends. ― Aslan whispered, lowering his eyes ― I live for my job at the plaza.

Leonardo sat on the floor, leaning his arm on his knees. Smiling friendly, he faced the boy, even if he didn't reciprocate. Now he could see him as a boy of his generation and not a super machine of the adult world. It was comforting to see that Aslan could make sadder expressions.

― You're right, it did sound dramatic. But you can make some, right?

A not-so-cheerful chuckle had escaped the blond's lips.

― He waited for the young master to answer, but his silence was enough for Aslan to continue. ― Only you and Vicente can leave Dreamland.

― What a lot of nonsense! ― Leonardo laughed incredulously, but his smile slowly died when he noticed the sadness in Aslan's face. ― Are you serious? Why are you serious?

― Each one must have his own reason, I can only speak for myself. ― Leaning his face on his knee, Aslan seemed to grow more and more melancholy. ― Life here is more magical than outside.

For Leonardo this was a new reflection. He had always seen the circus as a prison that prevented him from living. But for Aslan it seemed to be the opposite. That feeling he knew very well. That of not wanting to go anywhere, wanting to avoid it at all costs.

Could it be that for Aslan the cost was freedom itself?

It made sense now when he'd invited Aslan to see him play and Ray had intervened. He had no idea they couldn't go out, he imagined the mansion served only as a sort of boarding house for those main attractions. If Aslan hadn't told him about not being allowed out of the park, he never would have noticed.

― Don't you feel like going out? The world is too vast, you won't always find what frightens you.

Aslan lifted his head, resting his chin on his knee as he smiled at his young master.

― There are some things I am curious about. Every time you come back here you seem to have had a good time out there.

Leonardo laughed, finally relaxing.

― It's fun to go on stage and hear the people singing along with me. Sometimes I'm surprised. But when it's exam week in college, I can't get that energy.

― College sounds cool.

― You'd be old enough to go to college, wouldn't you?

Aslan had blushed when Leonardo tilted his head, sketching a soft, natural charisma to himself. The genuine interest in knowing more about him despite respecting the boundaries was like the sun in summer. Wiggling his toes somewhat shyly, it was the first time the boy had shown that side.

― I am twenty years old, but I don't know if someone like me could go to a place like this.

― Ah, you are older than my drummer. ― Leonardo laughed ― Of course I could go. If someday you feel brave, you can come with me.

A childish gleam came into Aslan's clear eyes, even though he tightened his arms around his legs.

― Go with you? As in... Without being a student?

― Some people bring their kids to class. The teachers don't mind, as long as they don't disturb the class. At least mine are like that.

Leonardo started to tell some curiosities about college, and some problems he had in the first year. In the end the curiosities about college became funny stories of Leonardo and his friends, which could not be left out.

The more he told Aslan to hear his laugh and let loose, the more Leonardo felt curious to find out why he didn't want to leave Dreamland.

It had been his innocence not to pay attention to every event in that park. He kept himself trapped in his own regrets, forgetting that the people who lived with him also had their pains.

What would happen to Aslan if he left Dreamland, whether by his own desire or by external forces?

That mere question had made him remember Benjin's words of old. Everyone there depended on him.

Did Aslan depend on him too? To keep the magic of Dreamland functioning as his home?

Inheriting that place was a burden Leonardo had yet to make up his mind about.

The two boys continued to chat animatedly without caring about the time. Aslan had even gone to sit next to Leonardo, not caring to laugh too loudly at the stories being told. He was loosening up for a great friend.

An alarm called both of them attention. Leonardo took his mobile phone out of his pocket and turned off the sound.

― Do you need to take some medicine?

― It's an escape alarm. I need to get out before that damn puppet gets here.

― Are you running away from Ben? ― Aslan let out another loud laugh. ― I can't believe you even set an alarm for that.

Leonardo had got up from the floor, also laughing.

― It took a lot of watching his time patterns, so now that damn thing must be closing the show. If I lock myself in the room, he won't be able to get in. See you later.

A devilish grin appeared on Leonardo's face as he hurried out of Aslan's room. The blond man had crawled to the door where he had seen the young master crossing the corridor to the other side of the mansion. And he remained there until he heard the door slam.

― Impossible... He won't make it, will he?

Curious, Aslan stood up and went to the mezzanine, silently looking at the ground floor. Patiently he waited, looking at a fixed point. Even though he felt the presence of a certain magician approaching to his left, Aslan hadn't taken his eyes off the ground floor.

― What are you waiting for, you piece of cloud?

Ignoring the nickname given by the magician, Aslan crossed his arms over the mezzanine blinking curiously.

― Ben. I wonder if he can get into the young master's room.

― Oh, are you interested in those two? What a naughty boy.

Immediately the blond had blushed kicking Ray in the shin, who laughed amusedly hugging him from behind.

― Shut up!

― Don't worry, our puppet is more fearless than you imagine.

A knock on the door announced the arrival of the big attraction. Benjin had soon appeared at the foot of the staircase, looking up like radar. Aslan had noticed that the trapeze artist hadn't even taken off his costume, which was too thin to be worn outside the circus.

Faced with the determination of a certain trapeze artist, Aslan could see the thirst (or should I say hunger?) to reach a certain floor where a certain room was located. He imagined he saw smoke coming out of his mouth, such was the fire that Benjin emanated only in his presence.

Literally a hunter eager to get his game.

In a flash, Benjin climbed the stairs every two steps until he reached the bedroom floor. Without blinking he had crossed the corridor reaching the door of the isolated room.

― How quickly.

The thud against the door had been loud, with Ray laughing as the trapeze artist tried to turn the knob repeatedly.

― Leo! No way! Open the door, I'm cold. ― Benjin leaned his face against the door so that he could hear something and then formed a pout on his lips. ― I'm staying here until you open the door! And when you come out, you will have to deal with someone hypothermic.

― I'll bet you fifty bucks that Ben will break down the door. ― Ray joked, leaning on Aslan's head.

― 'I think Leo will give in and open the door.

The two boys shook hands, sealing their little bet.

The winner was Aslan.