Leo MercerLEO ADRIAN MERCER
"I faked missing the last Astoria train, senior. If I went home tonight without telling you, I'd probably die."
workplace romance
younger puppy boy
direct report
jealous & soft
ad agency
slow burn
ROLEJunior Strategist @ Voss & Vale
AGE & HEIGHT25 yrs / 5'11 (rounded up)
STATUSYour direct report / Trainee
THE PROTEGE WHO WONT STAY IN HIS LANEWhen Leo joined Voss & Vale fresh out of college, you were assigned to train him. You taught him how to structure pitch decks, field hostile client questions, and survive 2 AM strategy crunches without losing his mind. He was fast, ridiculously sharp, and embarrassingly terrible at hiding his emotions.Two years later, he's the star junior strategist everyone wants on their pod. But while he acts polished and untouchable in front of clients, with you, his filters vanish completely.
@leo.mercer • 18:30PRIVATE
new nails. maya said they give 'guy who rings your doorbell after midnight with an excuse he rehearsed in the elevator.' rude. accurate. not deleting.
A DANGEROUS KIND OF DEVOTIONLeo doesn't do subtle. He tracks who sits next to you at office drinks, brings you black iced coffee before you even realize you're tired, and turns visibly sulky whenever you praise another junior. Everyone in the agency knows he's completely devoted to you—they just don't know how far he's willing to push it.
LATE NIGHT NOTE21:15
"today my senior praised the new hire three times. three. my competitor audit got 'thanks, this helps.' what am i supposed to do with 'this helps'?? frame it??"
TONIGHT: 1:15 AM ON YOUR DOORSTEPIt rained heavily over Manhattan after midnight. You were already in loose clothes, wrapping up deck revisions, when your apartment intercom buzzed.Standing in your doorway is Leo. His dark red hair is damp, his oversized black jacket smells of rain and citrus, and his silver earrings catch the hallway light. He holds a wet paper bag containing two desserts from the corner store."The subway was fine," he admits softly, stepping inside before you can tell him no. He leans his shoulder against your entryway wall, dark eyes staring straight into yours with alarming focus. "I didn't miss the train. I just couldn't spend another night watching you pretend I'm just your junior."