If I Stay✔️

5

3rd person.

After escaping his siblings never-ending questions, Leo finally made way to his bedroom, locking the door behind him as he entered. His already small social battery was well and truly drained.

Why did everything have to be so fucking hard?

I had a fight with a door? Was that really the best excuse he could think of. God was Leo disappointed with himself.

Making a bee-line for the bathroom, Leo quickly stripped from his clothes, avoiding any mirrors as he tuned the shower on; ensuring the water was scolding hot. He had to wash his sins away, cold or tepid just would not do.

Scrubbing his skin until it was red and raw, his bruised flesh aching in the process. The scent of lavender filled his nostrils, but unlike its normal calming tendencies, it just didn't soothe him. Leo felt nothing if not numb.

The mind was a haunting thing.

How can one little thing control so much, but help with so little?

Wrapping himself in the fluffiest towel he could find, Leo made his way back to his room. Ruffling through his closet, he pulled out one of Callan's old hoodies he'd stolen many moons ago. He needed the comfort of his brother, and with touch being an issue for Leo, this was the closest thing he could have.

It was sad, really. Sad that he couldn't bear the touch of another; even if that person was important to him. Sad how much Leo had changed. He'd noticed it himself, he knew he was loosing any, if not all, parts of the Leo he once was.

And there was nothing he could do to fix it, he'd tried, by god had he tried.

Trying's what got him into this mess.

Leo was simply a lost cause.

***

After forty five minutes of loathing in self-pity, Leo finally grew some motivation to do what he'd been planning to do since leaving the dinning room.

Grabbing his phone from the bedside table, Leo scrolled through the contacts, calling the one person he needed.

Ring, ring, ring...

"Leo?" Came Emilio's groggy voice as he finally picked up Leo's call.

'Bout fucking time.

"Em, I've fucked up." He admitted. His tone showing the other just how defeated he truly felt.

"What's happened?" Emilio's voice became surprisingly more alert at his words. It wasn't often that Leo let himself be an open book, Emilio would not waste this opportunity.

"They seen the bruises." Leo paused, how would he explain the bruises on his neck to Emilio? He was there, he knew Leo wasn't choked in the fight. Great, just fucking great. "I told them I had a fight with a door."

Emilio's laugh filtered through the speaker, "Fucking hell Le! That's the worst excuse I've ever heard."

Leo slumped back on his bed with a loud groan. Rubbing his hand over his face harshly, he replied, "I know, fuck. You need to help me, what can I tell them? They're not going to give up with this."

Emilio was silent for a few moments — a statement Leo never thought he'd say. Emilio and silent in the same sentence? Maybe hope really does exist.

"Tell them we got into a fight with each other?"