Once Nico and Toby had everything sorted out with Hoody, and had made sure that he had both his gun and knowledge of the person who had been following them they left him to watch Jay and Tim. They weren't sure yet where they were going to go. Nico thought they would just go back to Clockwork and Bloody Painter's place, but Toby wanted to go to a café first. Nico didn't know where it was, so he let Toby take his hand and lead the way.
They ended up in a small café without that many people in it. As they got in, Toby shook his head like a dog to get some off the water out of his hair, splashing Nico and making him laugh. At the counter Nico ordered a latte and Toby ordered a hot chocolate. They waited at the counter for their drinks and talked. Well mostly Toby talked telling, Nico about a series of comic books called the X-Men that he liked.
Nico didn't know anything about it, but Toby's enthusiasm was cute and the stories of the characters seemed to be interesting. Nico broke in to ask questions now and then and that would set Toby off on another rant, which Nico would listen to with interest. When their drinks arrived, Toby reached for them but Nico laid his hand on Toby's arm.
"Let me, if they're hot you'll burn yourself without noticing." Nico said taking the drinks. They were indeed hot enough that Nico had to a hurry to a table and put them down so they wouldn't burn himself. He was glad he hadn't let Toby take them. Toby seemed to notice.
"If they're too hot to hold, I guess they're too hot to drink, huh?" he asked grinning crookedly sitting in a chair on the other side of the small table from Nico.
"Ya, I'm afraid so." Nico agreed.
"That's fine just let me know when it's cool enough okay? My mom sips of hot drink I got and gave it to me once it was cool enough. I think that's probably the best way to do it." Toby leaned his elbows on the table and his chin on his hands. His foot was twitching, shaking the table a little but not quite enough to spill their drinks.
"Alright." Nico said and then noticed that Toby was staring off into space again. He seemed to be listening to something and from what Nico had been told about the voices in Toby's head he probably was. "Tell me more about that character, Rogue." Nico said, quickly redirecting Toby's train of thought before it could be lead anywhere bad. "She sounds really cool." Toby started and then smiled at Nico.
"Oh she is." He said gratefully and quickly launched back into the twists and turns of Rogue's backstory. He seemed to forget about everything else until Nico decided that Toby's drink was cool enough and pushed it across the table to him.
"It should be fine now, just take small sips for a couple more minutes. It's still kind of hot." Nico said pulling his own latte towards himself and starting to drink it in small sips. He grimaced, it certainly wasn't the best latte he'd had, but it wasn't bad. He spotted a container of sugar on the table and added some to it before noticing that Toby had fallen silent. Nico looked up and saw that, Toby was looking down at the table and seemed to be blushing. "Toby is something wrong?" Nico asked softly stirring the sugar into his late with the small spoon they had given him at the counter.
"I'm sorry?" Toby said softly. Nico tilted his head to the side slightly.
"What for?" Nico asked in confusion putting his cup back down, reaching across the table to take Toby's hand. He didn't pull away at least, Nico gave Toby's hand a gentle squeeze.
"I know, I'm really weird." Toby said still not looking up.
"Toby, normal people don't want to be anywhere near me. I'm glad you're weird, it's a good thing." Nico assured him softly. He had no idea where this had come from.
"No not that." Toby said shaking his head in agitation. "It's this stupid disorder It makes me need so much looking after and worrying about. I know it's enough to drive anyone crazy." Toby played with the handle of his cup as Nico finally realized what had brought this on.
"Toby, it's okay. I don't mind." Nico assured gently. "I care about your well being, so of course I don't mind doing what I can to keep you well." Toby looked up at Nico skeptically and Nico couldn't help from rolling his eyes. "Honestly I thought that when we agreed we were going out it was excepted we were also agreeing to look after one another." Toby looked up and gave Nico a hesitant smile.
"Ha ya I guess we did." Toby straightened suddenly and grinned. "Wait does that mean this our first date."
"Ya I guess it is." Nico said smiling and it was his turn to look down and blush. Toby laughed and leaned across the table. Letting go of Nico's hand he grabbed Nico's shirt collar and pulled him closer, until their lips met and they kissed gently. They separated quickly when someone cleared their throat from next to their table. They both looked up to see an old woman with her hands on her hips disapprovingly. Nico was about to look down in shame when Toby's voice stopped him.
"Yes? Can we help you?" His voice was cold and completely unashamed. Oh dear. Well, Nico certainly wasn't going to let his actions contradict Toby's so after taking a deep breath and putting on his best cold mask he looked up at the woman as well leaning on his elbows casually.
"Is that really appropriate behavior for in public?" The woman said, completely unfazed by their glares. "There could be children here!" Toby scoffed.
"So? We certainly won't be the first people they've seen kissing." Toby sneered. "And you wouldn't have seen it either if you had a life of your own that didn't involve prying into other peoples." Nico laughed and Toby shot him a genuine smiled before going back to sneering at the woman.
"Hasn't anyone ever taught you to respect your elders?" The woman said drawing herself up taller and this time Nico just couldn't stop laughing. Toby looked at Nico in confusion for a moment before a look of realization crossed his face and he started laughing too. They probably looked like they were crazy but they just couldn't help it. This woman had been born in the 1960's at the earliest, and since Nico had been born in the 1940's technically Nico was her elder. The woman stared at them confused and a bit unnerved until she finally just wandered away in confusion.
"Gods I wish I could have told her the truth." Nico said giggling once she was gone. "Her face would have been priceless."
"It was already great." Toby snickered "I guess not all of the world is okay with gay people though." Nico shrugged.
"Oh ya but it's mostly just that generation left." Nico and Toby looked over at the woman at the counter who had spoken. She smiled at them apologetically. "Once they die out I think this country will be pretty homophobe free. That's what my girlfriend and me are hoping anyway. Don't worry about people like that here, they'll get kicked out before you do."
"Thank you." Nico, too shocked to say anything else instead taking another drink of his latte which was now just the right temperature. Toby and Nico finished their drinks without any more interruptions after that, talking quietly to each other about anything they could think of that wouldn't sound too strange to the regular mortals wandering in and out of earshot. Nico spotted one monster across the street from them. But it just snarled at, Nico in a way that made it clear it's be back later and then disappeared again.
Once they finished their drinks the rain had almost stopped. They took their glasses up to the counter and thanked the woman behind it one more time before leaving. This time as they walked down the sidewalk on their way back to the place they were staying, Nico felt completely comfortable linking his fingers with Toby's.
"Toby!?" Yelled a voice, Nico didn't recognize from behind them. At his side Toby froze suddenly, Nico glanced over at him and saw a look of pure shock plastered on his boyfriends face. "Toby!" the voice called again more certainly this time and this time Toby broke into a sprint dragging Nico behind him. Nico didn't question it running as quickly as he could to keep up with Toby as soon as he had gotten his feet under him again.
Toby's urgency and the sound of feet pounding on concrete behind them fuelled Nico's adrenalin allowing him to keep up with Toby as he dove into the dark of Rosswood. Nico let Toby drag him deeper into the woods until the shadows were dark enough. Jerking them to a halt he wrapped his arms around Toby's chest from behind, he pulled Toby back into the cover of shadows feeling the slight tingle as he blended them both into them.
"Shhh we're part of the shadows now, just don't move and she won't see." He assured Toby, Nico could feel his love shaking and there was a catch in his breath that made it sound like he was about to cry. He leaned back against Nico as if all the energy that usually filled every inch of his body had continued to flee without them. The woman burst into the clearing after them, she skidded to a stop and looked around franticly. Nico could see the reflection of light on tears dripping down her cheeks.
"Toby?" She called again and there was a definite hitch to her voice. From the way Toby's chest was heaving Nico realized he probably looked the same. There was something going on here that, Nico didn't understand. "Toby dear, please come out?" She called. Her voice strained and quiet. Dear? Nico looked at this woman more closely, wild brown hair, pale skin, and the bags under her eyes. She looked a lot like… Oh.
"Please dear I won't call the police again. I just." She was cut of by a distressed hiccup and she took a phone out of her purse. Toby tensed but she threw it away from her, it gave a muffled thump as it hit the leaf carpet. "I just wanted to tell you it's okay. I'm sorry a reacted the way I did." She reached up and wiped tears of her cheeks, Nico could hear Toby sobbing quietly now for all he was keeping quiet. "You were right, things have gotten better since you… did what you did. I wish I hadn't called the police on you I was just. I miss you, I love you."
Her voice drifted off until they almost couldn't hear it, she seemed to have given up hope that, Toby was really there to hear. She fell to her knees and started sobbing silently, the force of them only showed by the shuddering heave of her shoulders.
"Mom." Suddenly, Toby was struggling in Nico's grip and he let go staying back in the shadows. He wouldn't interfere, but he would be here if anything went wrong and Toby needed help. "Mom." Toby choked out again. The woman looked up shocked. For a moment they stared at each other then she leaped to her feet and lifted her arms to Toby and Toby rushed into them. He wrapped his arms around her waist leaning down to bury his face in her shoulder. She turned her face into his hair wrapping her arms around his shoulders like she would never let go again. "I missed you. I love you too. I was so afraid that you hated me now. I thought you would never want to see me again I missed you so much." Toby's sobs were muffled by her shoulder and she shushed him laughing through her tears.
"No, no, baby, you're my son I could never, never hate you. I love you." Nico looked away as they clung to each other for a length of time that it didn't seem right to measure. Finally, they backed up a little bit. Though, Toby still clung to her hand like a four year old that had been found after being lost for long enough to wonder if they ever would be.
"You say you are better off now?" Toby asked her, his eyes wide and hopeful. She nodded smiling and wiping off the last of her tears with her free hand.
"I am, I've been staying with my sister and her family. You remember your aunt right? She's happy to have me. What about you, baby, where have you been? You look better than you have in a long time before…" She trailed off and Toby nodded happily.
"I am! I have friends now mom! I've found a group of people who are so much more like me then anyone at school ever was. They understand and I even…" Toby cut off suddenly and lowered his eyes and his voice. "Mom how would you react if I said I was gay?" She stared at him curiously for a moment before answering.
"It was your father who was homophobic, Toby, I wouldn't mind." Her voice was even, unreadable to Nico, but, Toby seemed to take it at face value. He beamed at her.
"I have a boyfriend, if you don't mind I'd like you to meet him." Toby's voice was low again, pleading. Nico fidgeted from his place in the shadows, he wouldn't come out unless he was called.
"Alright dear." She agreed. Nico thought he could read some tension in her, but Toby gave her hand a light squeeze and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Nico are you still hiding there?" Toby said looking towards the shadow Nico was indeed still hiding in. Very slowly Nico slipped out of the shadow. Toby's mother's eyes widened as she watched Nico appear. Nico didn't know how it looked through the mist but obviously it was still surprising.
"It's very nice to meet you ma'am, my name is Nico Di Angelo." Nico said. He didn't hold out his hand for her to shake since, he doubted she would let go of her sons hand. She gave him an appraising look that made him fidget, shifting from one foot to another. Toby seemed to notice.
"Mom he makes me happy, we've been through nearly the same things so he understands me better than anyone. If anything he's a better person than I am." Nico felt heat rush to his cheeks at Toby's soft words of praise. She turned her gaze back on her son and her face softened.
"I just want my last baby to be happy and safe. If he makes you happy then that's good enough for me." Toby smiled at her and Nico could see wetness in his eyes.
"He does mom. I am happy, now that I know you forgive me I'm the happiest I've ever been." There was a moment of silence as Toby and his mother smiled at each
"Will you two let me take you for lunch or something?" Toby's mom asked after a moment glancing between Nico and Toby. "I want to know what you've been up to since the last time I saw you." Toby nodded immediately. Nico glanced at the sky first making sure it would be a while before dark before nodding to. "Great is Swiss Chalet still your favorite, Toby?" She asked beaming at Toby.
"Yep! Nico do you mind?" Toby asked looking at Nico hopefully.
"Not at all." Nico said smiling, he had never been there, but he wasn't picky. Toby and his mother started to walk away. "Ma'am don't forget your phone." Nico reminded her.
"Oh right thank you Nico." She said going over to pick up her phone. "And you don't have to call me ma'am just call me Connie. I guess I haven't introduced myself properly, I'm Connie Rogers."
"Pleasure to meet you." Nico said smiling crookedly, the last name Rogers reminded him of something. The girl. The ghost girl, who had answered Nico's call at the mansion. Her last name had been Rogers and she had been looking for… Nico's gaze snapped to Toby but now was not the time. Nico didn't want to mention summoning the dead in front of his mother, who knew how she would react and Nico didn't want to ruin this for Toby.
Luckily, Connie was already back to talking to Toby so neither of them had noticed Nico's expression. Taking a deep breath, Nico followed them. He would just have to tell Toby later. As they walked to the restaurant, were seated and ordered food, Toby and his mother talked, Nico listened quietly. He was happy to learn more about Toby's early life as they reminisced about what he had been like as a kid.
Nico noticed that Toby avoided telling his mother much about the other creeps, besides how they interacted with each other. He wasn't telling his mother about how the creeps interacted with most humans. Which was probably smart. Nico doubted that Toby's mom would want to know.
"So how about you, Nico?" Toby's mom finally asked Nico who started at being brought into the conversation. "How did you end up living with these people?"
"The same way Toby did." Nico said smiling crookedly. "My entire family is dead or wants as little to do with me as possible. For a while my father stuck my sister and me in a hotel, then we ran away and he tried a boarding school. When one of the teachers there tried to kill us his last try was a camp for 'troubled youth'. My sister died there and I ran away again. This time he hasn't tried to find me, I think he was getting tired of the heavy responsibility of pawning me off to someone else."
"I see." Toby's mom said sympathetically. "And your mother?"
"Killed by my uncle when I was about eight. I don't remember her very well, I expect I've blocked the memories for being to painful." Toby was watching Nico curiously. Of course Nico had told Toby the true version of events not the one edited to make sense to regular mortals.
"So you really don't have anyone left do you?" Toby's mom asked softly. She looked like she was about to cry. Nico shrugged and was about to answer that he didn't when Toby cut him off.
"He does now." Toby said vehemently reaching across the table to give Nico's hand a gentle squeeze. Nico and Toby looked into each others eyes for a long moment. Nico almost felt like he was about to cry. "Don't worry about us mom." Toby said smiling gently without breaking eye contact with Nico. "We'll look after one another."