Leo sighed heavily as he parked his motor scooter in the garage of Klaus' huge mansion. He released the chin strap on his helmet and pulled the thing off with a gruff sound of impatience, before hanging it on one of the scooter's handlebars and finally climbing down. His steps were hurried as he headed for the old servant's entrance to the kitchen toward the back of the house, though he was weary and the effort felt like it cost him more energy with each one. Leo unlocked the door with his key and entered the kitchen, being sure to relock the door at once. He found Brikley, Klaus' cook and housekeeper, at the sink washing dishes.
The pink-and-pale blue humanoid face with two trunk-like appendages under its chin turned to smile at him. One trunk waved at him, as its hands were submerged in the sink.
"Welcome back, Leo! You're late today. Mr. Reinherz missed you at dinner, but I saved some for you. It's in the fridge."
The young man smiled at the alterworldly creature and nodded his head.
"Thanks, Brikley, I appreciate it."
Brikley was Leo's newest friend of late, since he moved in with Klaus a handful of months ago. The male creature was nearly ten years his senior, and yet he had a youthful wit and charm that made him easy to get along with. He also cooked all of the meals that Leo and Klaus ate at the mansion, which was another reason to like him. It was difficult not to befriend someone who always smiled, joked, and served delicious food, while also keeping the house in perfect order.
Leo went to the fridge and pulled out a plate of food with plastic wrap over it, plunking it down gracelessly on the heavy wooden kitchen table. He plucked a fork out of a drawer, tore off the covering, and sat down to dig right in.
"That's supposed to be heated up again, you know." Brikley rebuked in a friendly tone, glancing over his shoulder to see the young man stuffing his face.
"It's pasta." Leo said, through a mouthful. "It's good either way. Besides, I want to finish this fast and go see Klaus. Haven't glimpsed him since yesterday morning because our schedules conspired to keep us apart."
Brikley hummed, and the same trunk rubbed at one temple on his hairless head.
"Mr. Reinherz actually retired early, right after dinner."
Leo paused and looked up at that.
"What, you mean, 'retired'? Like, he went into the library?"
"No, he said he would be going straight to bed."
Shoulders drooping, Leo slowed down the pace of his eating upon hearing that. There was no need to hurry anymore.
"Oh." He said softly. The obvious disappointment in his tone and bearing made Brikley chuckle.
"Humanity is worth it, Leo."
Leo stabbed a forkful of penne from the plate with more aggression than was necessary, frustration written in his features. His voice came out low and bitter,
"Sometimes I want to say 'screw humanity, I want time with my freaking boyfriend.'"
Brikley shrugged.
"Your schedules will sync up again eventually. Besides, you've been able to spend a lot of evenings together here this month. It's just in the past week where you seem to have been divided by fate."
"Yea, we've been working, eating, and sleeping." Leo mourned. "We barely have time to say 'good morning' and 'good night' to each other. The criminal elites of this city are working overtime recently, so we have to keep up."
Brikley didn't respond, understanding that Leo was upset and just needed to vent rather than receive encouragement. Given the space to do so, Leo went on, through a mouthful of pasta,
"I mean, I've been told before that I'm selfless, but if anything has taught me that I'm not, it's this past week. All I want to do is sit down to dinner with my Klaus, have a nice conversation, or maybe go on a date…hell, I'd be thrilled with pj's, ice cream, and a bad movie, just something! Then I feel stupid because we chose each other; we knew that our relationship would be hard because we're Libra, and here I am, complaining at the first sign of difficulty. Some boyfriend I am…"
Leo trailed off into silence then, reaching the end of his dinner and standing up to take the plate to Brikley.
"Sorry to add to the workload." Leo said sheepishly, sliding the plate and fork into the sudsy water.
"I only have silverware left before I go home." Brikley told him. "One more plate won't delay me. And for your information, Leo, you are a wonderful boyfriend. It's alright to get upset, you know; it shows how much you care about Mr. Reinherz. Just keep sticking with him."
"As if I'd ever do anything else, I love the big guy too much."
"That's the spirit!" Brikley chirped, smiling. "Go on and get some rest, ok?"
Leo gave him a thumbs up, and then went to try and do exactly that.
Placated slightly by a full belly, Leo climbed the stairs to the second floor, and went into his room to shower and dress in his night clothes. Clean and exhausted, he then opened the door that joined his personal room to the one he shared with Klaus. Inside, the fire flickered beautiful reds and golds over the walls. Since living here, Leo had had to adjust to the light of a fire dancing against his closed eyelids while he tried to fall asleep, but overall it was wonderfully cozy in these colder months. There was one major downside, however. If one of them came to bed much later than the other, the firelight was no indication of whether or not their better half was still awake or not. A lamp would mean that they were deliberately still up, reading or otherwise just waiting on the other, but the firelight was constant regardless, so it gave no clues when it came to guessing whether their counterpart was liable to be accidentally woken, or was awake waiting for them. Therefore, when Leo entered the room, he was still cautiously quiet until he spotted the still, giant Klaus-sized shape beneath the covers of the bed. His dark red hair lay unruly and stark on the white pillow that supported his large head, and one muscled arm lay out along his side. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was deep and steady.
The young man quashed the rising ache of disappointment again, having clung to the hope that Klaus might still be awake. Leo carefully slid into bed on his own side, pulling the covers to his chest and relaxing into the softness of the expensive mattress and pillows. Barely a minute passed before Klaus stirred next to him, as if wakened by instinct that Leo was nearby. Leo had lain facing away from the other man, but turned his head hopefully when he felt the shifting and heard the light grunts of coherence. Klaus' green eyes flicked open, blinking tiredly but growing a little more alive when they saw Leo looking back at him. Klaus smiled softly and shifted closer to him, reaching up to brush large fingers down Leo's face.
"I missed you today." Leo muttered, as Klaus hooked his chin and gave him a few chaste kisses.
"Same." Klaus sighed, fingers drifting up into the longer curls at the base of Leo's neck. "The days when you have to work your other job seem longer than the others."
"It does seem that way, but I've got a paycheck to earn."
The bigger man grunted in displeasure, reminding Leo that they'd gone back and forth numerous times about Leo quitting his delivery job now that he was living with Klaus, and no longer had rent to pay. Instead, Leo saw his would-be-rent money as more allowance for Michella, and kept working. That was just one of a few topics of disagreement they'd discovered since growing so close.
"Hey," Leo said, as a way to avoid the subject, "you were asleep…don't let me keep you awake if you've had a hard day…"
Klaus responded to that by pressing lazy kisses into his chin and neck, and a subtle heat of arousal rippled through Leo. It never took much, but between all their work, necessity of sleep, and differing schedules lately, abstinence had been thrust upon them all week. That just made him all the more sensitive.
"It's been too long," Klaus said sleepily, his voice muffled by Leo's neck, "I need you."
"You're half-asleep, you dummy!" Leo protested weakly, as Klaus' hand began stroking down the backs of his shoulders, setting his skin jumping with sensation under his thin shirt.
"Which means I'm still half-awake." Klaus parried. "I don't care. I want you, Leo, please…"
Klaus was irresistible to him in any instance, but Leo did have a fondness for Klaus when he was tired and eager like this. He was simply too adorable and puppy-doggish with his huge paws and quiet, begging whimpers. Leo wanted it, too, he really did. He answered Klaus' advances by fitting his body in closer and sliding his arm and leg over Klaus, meeting him for a kiss. It was languid, slow burning, and not what Leo would prefer, but it was what they could manage right now. The longer they kissed, the quicker their hearts beat, the less gentle it all became. Lips became rougher, the space between their fitted hips became full and hard against each other, throbbing need into each other's flesh through layers of clothing. Their hands finally gained enough strength to roam, Leo rubbing his palm over Klaus' firm chest, Klaus gripping at his hip. Klaus moved suddenly, rolling onto his back and wrapping hands around Leo to pull him roughly atop him.
At the spontaneous movement, Leo let out a sharp, unmistakable cry of pain, body going rigid in Klaus' hold.
That instantly woke the man up, and he froze. Leo bit his lip too late, as if to take back the sound. A few beats of silence fell, and then Klaus carefully pushed Leo back by his shoulders, and sat up to face his lover. Without a word, large hands grasped at the hem of Leo's thin sleep shirt.
"Don't-." Leo tried to say, grabbing at his hem to try and stop Klaus, but the big man only paused and pinned Leo with an intense stare. After a few seconds of that, Leo timidly released his shirt, and let Klaus pull it up over his head, and off. A small breath left Klaus, and his expression hardened.
Large, purpling bruises trailed up the smooth white flesh of Leo's torso, in an ugly, blotchy line.
Leo avoided Klaus' eyes as the man used his height to curl over him and look at his back. A similar pattern of bruising smattered his slender waist, back, and shoulders.
A large hand came to rest very lightly on Leo's chest, as Klaus settled back to study at him.
"These are fresh."
The words were spoken in a controlled, soft tone. Leo didn't answer right away. The larger man very softly ran broad fingertips over the tender areas of bruising on Leo's chest, his mouth twisting slightly as though he felt the pain himself. The younger man could not help but shiver and wince at the delicate touches. He still wouldn't look Klaus in the eye. Leo had been so caught up in the moment and the joy of being with Klaus after so long that he'd forgotten all about his injuries. That was one worry he'd had about when they would be together again this week; how Klaus would react when he discovered them.
It had not been uncommon for Leo to take beatings almost every week, with varying degrees of severity. For better or worse, it was just something that he accepted as the inevitable shitty reality of living in Helsalems Lot. Before, the rest of his Libra team members never really talked about it, or questioned him, or even helped him. They might throw out the odd comment about how it sucked, but beyond that, what happened to Leo on the streets was treated as none of their concern.
Then he began dating Klaus.
Since they'd been together, Leo being beaten and robbed so regularly had become a source of conflict between them. Klaus revealed to Leo that it had never sat well with him, how Leo would choose to let himself be harmed just to avoid trouble, when he was more than capable of ending the situation without even harming any of his attackers. Now that they were a couple, Klaus had become very vocal on the importance of self-defense, but Leo had always managed to wiggle his way out of the conversation. The more time went on, however, they both discovered that his injuries interfered with their relationship in the physical sense as well as the emotional; Leo simply couldn't be handled in bed like they both wanted, not when his body hurt so much. The younger man admitted that he hadn't thought about it at all when they'd first become official, since no one had been touching him or trying to hold him intimately all the other times he'd been beaten. He couldn't deny forever that it was becoming a consistent problem.
And this time that problem struck in the middle of a frustrating dry spell for both of them, compounding into a heavy weight that strained them both.
Klaus seemed to be thinking very carefully about what to say for the next moment, while Leo just sat there on his knees, already feeling his nerves begin to rise and cause his muscles to quiver. He had the distinct impression that this time would be different. There would be no compromise or ignoring the problem. This conversation was going to get ugly, one way or another, he felt it in his bones.
"Did I hurt you very badly?" Klaus asked softly, still stroking very light circles over Leo's chest.
"N-not that bad," Leo lied, "I just wasn't ready for your fingers to dig into me like that. Besides that, I'm fine, really."
A short puff of air came from Klaus' nostrils at the words, almost like an angered bull. Leo flinched and nervously rubbed his hand along Klaus' arm, trying to soothe him somehow.
"How did it happen this time?"
"I got jumped on my way home last night." Leo explained quietly. "In the alley behind the pizza parlor. I hadn't made it to my bike yet."
Klaus' hands began to tremble slightly. Leo could practically feel the tension screaming through him in his struggle to remain calm and not frighten his smaller lover.
"Did they take anything?"
"Just some pocket change."
Klaus' breathing became audible at that, and Leo glanced up at his lover. The man's chest was expanding and deflating quickly with his breathing, and his expression was fierce.
"Pocket change…" He said, his voice wavering with anger. The knuckles on his free hand cracked as he made a fist. "They did this to you for pocket change?"
Leo was shaking too, now, having only seen Klaus get this upset a few times before, though with less words. He could see the fiery anger that blazed around the man as his eyes took in the multitude of bruises on Leo's pale flesh. It was nearly too much to bear, and Leo flinched away from Klaus, snatching his shirt back up and pulling it on once more.
"Thugs in Helsalem's lot would kill for any scrap they can get." Leo choked out lamely, turned away from Klaus now with his legs hanging off the side of the bed. "You know that."
There was a markedly uncomfortable silence after these words, before Klaus said,
"I can't bear watching this happen to you, Leonardo. You know that."
Leo tried not to coil in on himself when the bed shifted and Klaus' heavy footsteps came around the bedframe toward him. He kept his gaze downcast as the bigger man stood in front of him.
"This can't go on." Klaus declared firmly. "I've seen you suffer enough at the hands of fate, I won't tolerate you allowing yourself to suffer."
Klaus was wise enough to know not to touch Leo, a common persuasive gesture, as he confronted him. Leo tended to freeze up even more if someone tried to pat his shoulder or head when the tension was so high. This time was no exception, but Klaus merely let the enormity of his presence looming over Leo convey his seriousness instead. The smaller man seemed to shrink even more.
"It's not that easy." Leo gritted out, clasping his cold hands together in his lap. "I…I can't just…use my eyes for myself. It feels wrong… It never matters when it's happening to me, it's not worth abusing their power…just to save myself some bumps and bruises."
The frustrated huff that left Klaus ended in something like a growl, and Leo wrung his hands a little, not wanting to see the expression on Klaus' face. His tone was unlike anything that Leo had heard from him before, bitter and grating as though he was trying hard to soften his words but had waited so long to say them that they cut on the way out,
"Your excuses are poor, Leo. Misusing your power and preserving your wellbeing are a far cry from each other. I know you're a passivist, which makes it even more infuriating for me to understand why you won't use the one ability you do have to avoid violence. You could escape any bind by flicking open those eyes of yours and moving your attackers aside to run. No punches from either side, just a clean escape. Why is that so difficult?"
"I don't know!" Leo said rawly. "It just doesn't seem worth it! Would you use your blood brain grid battle technique just to take out some trash? It's like throwing pearls to swine!"
"That's entirely the wrong metaphor and you know it. The trash can't lay blows on you that threaten the stability of your bones. And you're damned right I'd throw pearls to swine if they were my only defense and those swine were capable of severely injuring me."
Leo rarely head Klaus swear, and it surprised him enough to make him look up at the man's face. His lover was frowning, a very intimidating sight for a man with fangs, and Klaus had the ability to look terrifying even when he was staring at a computer screen or in a good mood. What was worse, he didn't let Leo rebuff his words, just went right in with his next set of them. They sounded as if he'd been storing them up for months, and now they poured out without regard for how they might come across.
"Why do you keep making me worry, Leo? Why would you make me think that one of these days some overenthusiastic thief will go too far and kill you? What about Michella? Would you have her suffer the loss of her brother because you rolled over and let it happen? Because at this point, Leo, I don't know what your reasons are for constantly letting yourself be assaulted. I've kept my mouth shut for long enough, I want answers, and I want you to promise me that you'll keep yourself safe."
Leo knew, rationally that Klaus was right. Knew that he should try to smooth the issue over. But that comment about his sister, however relevant, sent him into an angry spiral.
"I'm made of tougher stuff than you think! I haven't died yet, you know! Sometimes it's better to take one for the team rather than take away someone's free will. In my opinion that's something the bad guys do. I can take care of myself just fine."
Klaus turned his back in him, running fingers through his hair in frustration as he stalked away toward the opposite wall. He took a few audible deep breaths, and his huge frame was outlined by the fireplace as he leaned with both hands on the mantle. Any other time, Leo might have been turned on by the display of muscles that position created. At the moment, his emotions were too high for him to respond so basely to the man who was upset with him.
"I'm just scared for you, Leo." Klaus said a moment later, his tone more controlled now. "I can't bear to see you in pain."
"Life is pain, right?" Leo tried weakly. "Besides, I happen to know that you take on more than your share of dangerous situations at personal risk; I don't think you should be throwing stones."
"I use my gifts to defend myself." Klaus pointed out ruthlessly. "You don't, unless it's during a team operation."
Leo was about to open his mouth, but realized that anything he was going to say had already been said. He closed his lips, and took a cleansing breath, trying to organize his thoughts calmly, and ease himself down. Finally, he said, very softly,
"We're just going around in circles here."
Instead of answering, Klaus gave what could've been a huff of joyless laughter. Leo sighed, and decided to try to man up. All he wanted was to resolve this conflict and be able to enjoy Klaus' company again, snuggle up beside him in their bed and sleep. He slipped off the mattress, and walked up behind Klaus. Cautiously (he'd learned his lesson about sneaking up on Klaus) he placed his hands on the broad back. Klaus was a wall of tension and quivered slightly when Leo touched him. Leo leaned his curly head against Klaus' spine and let out a little breath against his skin.
"I hate fighting about this." He said, doing his best to sound vulnerable and soft. "I'm sorry I make you worry. You make me worry sometimes too. You challenge that mob boss for info with your life on the line, don't think I've forgotten about that. I feel like we just need to trust each other."
Another quiet sound left Klaus, but he remained rigid, unyielding.
"Then compromise with me." Klaus said, his voice low. "Let me teach you some basic defensive moves so I know you'll have them."
This topic had come up before, but so had the roadblocks.
"When would we have time?" Leo asked, doing his very best not to sound like he was deliberately trying to be contrary. "We barely have time to say more than ten words to each other lately, when would you suggest we start a routine training regimen? Our days off rarely line up like they sometimes did."
"We could perhaps practice at the office." Klaus suggested, a barely-noticeable hint of desperation in his voice. "We can work something out."
When Leo didn't respond, Klaus turned to face him. His large body hunched as he cupped Leo's shoulders, pleading without words for a few long seconds as Leo studied his forlorn expression. When he did speak, his voice was still quiet, but trembled with an undertone that thrummed with his earnestness.
"I've waited, I've advised, and I've tried to help. But at this point, it's you who needs to make a decision about this, Leo. I don't care if you think you've already made it, I need you to reconsider, and make an effort with me."
"I can…try…" Leo said, not meeting Klaus' eyes. "I…I don't know if I can just start using my eyes on people, even if they corner me…so…all I can say is that I'll try..?"
Klaus made it clear with the small grunt he gave that he was not satisfied with Leo's answer. Normally Leo was willing to give his all to everything he did, and even when he was uncertain, he would maintain certain convictions. This promise felt weak, to both of them. Klaus stepped away from him, looking awkwardly upset hovering between the fireplace and the bed.
"I never thought I'd say this to you, Leo…but I don't know if that's good enough."
The smaller man felt lost, and began digging his fingernails into his arms without realizing it, a nervous habit.
"What more do you want me to say?" Leo finally asked, voice tense. Klaus met his eyes and answered at once,
"That you'll do whatever you can to keep your self from harm, for my sake and the sake of all those who love you."
Leo gave a frustrated huff and shook his head sharply. His voice came out tight with anger and regret.
"I…I try…I really do…I run when I can, but…I hate it. When I run, I feel like such a coward…"
Klaus didn't miss a beat, clenching his fists and not turning toward Leo was he spoke,
"You may not run when you can help it, but lying there and taking it can be worse than cowardice."
That one hurt. A lot. Leo rocked back on his feet, stunned.
Klaus had always, always, gone out of his way to convince Leo that he was braver than he knew. From their very first meeting, Klaus had planted a seed of hope in him, that he was better than he thought. Ever since, Klaus had been working diligently to cultivate that seed. At every opportunity he had built Leo up, refuting his repeated assessment of himself as less than worthy or cowardly. Whenever self-doubt shriveled his confidence, Klaus was there to water him back up with encouragement and support. Every single time. Since they'd first met.
And now…Klaus had all but called Leo a coward to his face.
It was too much. Leo felt himself torn up by the root. His heart hurt so much that he could barely stand it.
And so, he did something that he'd never thought he could; turned his back on his lover, and left the room. Leo closed his bedroom door with a little snap of dispelled air, and with trembling fingers he actually locked it for the first time since he'd moved in. He stood there facing the door in shock for a few seconds, contemplating what he'd just done. What must Klaus be thinking of him right now? Would he come after him? Leo felt his entire body shaking with the effort to stay still as he waited for something to happen, for the sound of heavy footsteps to fall at the other side of the door, maybe the sound of the handle being tried and found locked. But he could hear nothing through the heavy oak of the door.
Once he'd worked up the nerve to move, Leo backed away in the darkness toward his rarely-used bed. He threw himself atop the covers without a thought, curling up against the pillows and breathing harshly. The covers and pillowcases all felt cold, even though there was heat being pumped into the room by the manor's regular heating system. Leo already missed the fireplace in the other room. His and Klaus' room…
Bits and pieces of their confrontation flew through his mind, getting tangled up and then separating again, muddling up and then coming into excruciating detail. Leo's heart was thudding quickly, reacting to the suddenness of it all. Klaus' words rang through his mind, and he gripped the sides of his head as though that would keep them from echoing inside it. He'd had no idea that Klaus had the capacity to hurt him this way. Though he'd heard before that those closest to you could wound you the most deeply. Yet he was still shocked by the realization of that truth.
Klaus had been like his safe place since before they started dating. In the midst of this crazy city, when he was near Klaus, Leo knew that he had a valuable and strong protector. Once they confessed their feelings and became an item, moving in and living together, Leo had relied even more on the comfort and security he felt in Klaus' arms, in his home, under his protection in an entirely more intimate way.
Even now, in a very, very tiny and quiet part of his rampaging brain, he knew that in reality Klaus hadn't meant to do this to him, and would still be there to keep him safe. In contrast, he kept hearing the same sentiment Klaus had been expressing, over and over; that he could protect himself, and needed to. As well as he could manage on his own, Leo had often thought that he didn't know how long he would've lasted in this city if he had not found Libra and Klaus. They had given him and entirely new set of resources, friends, and support. Yet on the mean streets…they could only help him so much.
Leo didn't want to think about that right now. He didn't want to remember any of what had just happened. Hot tears burned his eyes as he angrily tore the covers back and then pulled them up over his body. Rational thought had no place with him at the moment. He only wanted to cry himself to sleep and hopefully forget everything.
Unfortunately, he was kept awake, tossing and turning, by the incessant dripping of his wounded heart.
))((