Messed Up Love | BxBxBxBxM

-24- The Truth Hurts

As Riley shut the bedroom door softly Leo turned to him "Y-your back early" he stated his eyes travelling up and down Riley's figure.

"Yeah, couldn't be arsed with her anymore. She kept lying to me" Riley answered walking lazily over to the desk and leaning over Leo to look at his sketch, it was just an outline right now but Riley could tell it was the room they were in.

"Looks good babe, great start" Riley commented a small smile flickering onto his face, Leo looked shyly down at the paper blushing slightly.

"T-thanks" He replied sweetly, he got back to work shading part of the outline, then connecting different parts of it together to form a coherent shape.

Riley watched him silently, enjoying the peacefulness of Leo's hand movements, the skilful way he dragged pencil across paper so neatly, producing a piece of art so mesmerising.

"D-do you s-still n-not think you- you have a-ano-anorexia then?" Leo inquired softly, if it was anyone else Riley would have told them to shut the fuck up, but Leo could get away with such a question without even a hint of a harsh word sent his way.

"I don't have it love, I'm just conscious about my weight that's all" Riley answered with a shrug, but Leo's face screwed up and he looked concerned.

"I- I- I asked T-Thomas about it-it a bit whilst y-y-you were in" he confessed, Riley found it really sweet Leo was putting effort in to try understand the condition, even if it was a waste of his energy.

"He s-said y-you p-purge, like v-vomit purposely f-food up, and sk-skip meals. I-if you d-don't h-have anorexia w-w-why do you do t-that?" He posited still focusing on his sketch but clearly keeping an ear on Riley's response.

"I guess just to lose weight" Riley tried to justify, but he felt a pang of doubt in the back of his mind for the first time about it. Hearing it from Leo made it seem... more real.

"I-isn't t-that exactly what ano-ano..rex-rexic people d-do?" Leo asked innocently stumbling over the new word he'd only recently learnt.

Riley stayed quiet, he felt horrible, he didn't. He couldn't have it. He couldn't.

"A-a-and t-the w-weight y-y-your losing, o-once it's gone. W-w-won't you- you just want more g-gone?" Leo continued looking scared.

"I don't know" Riley answered quietly, Leo put his pencil down swivelling round on his chair to look up Riley.

"I- i- I know it's h-hard, but- but I think y-you might have it" Leo told him his soft, innocent expression now unreadable as he awaited Riley's reaction, he was tensing up slightly half expecting Riley to lash out at him or shout at him.

Instead Riley felt the floodgates opening, tears streamed down his face as turned away trying to hide it from Leo, Leo stood up latching himself onto Riley with a hug, Riley returned the embrace feeling the smaller boys warmth.

"I don't have it Leo, I can't have it. I can't" Riley choked out between sobs as the two sat on the bottom bunk together.

"I- I'm sorry Riley" Leo whispered comfortingly.

"You don't need to be sorry my angel" Riley answered wiping his eyes trying to stop the tears flowing, he had anorexia... Leo's kind words meant nothing now, because he was right. He had anorexia.

"I'm fucking anorexic" he confirmed saying it out loud for the first time, Leo let out a breath he'd clearly been holding hugging Riley tighter.

"T-they'll be able to h-h-help, t-t-that's w-why you're h-here" he stuttered out reassuringly, Riley nodded back to him. He didn't want to cry in front of anyone, let alone Leo. He always wanted to be strong for the vulnerable boy, but that wasn't realistic. Everyone cries.

"L-let it all o-out" Leo whispered quietly the bed creaking slightly as he readjusted himself, sitting against the hard plastered wall and crossing his legs, gazing up at Riley lovingly. Not with pity or hurt or resentment. Just love. That meant the most to Riley.

"Yeah" Riley replied shortly, putting his head in his hands allowing himself to just cry. He cried bitterly feeling his chest heave up and down repeatedly. Leo sat by the him the entire time offering soft touches along with the occasional word of encouragement.

"Ok I'm done" Riley announced after some time had passed, he wiped his tear stained cheeks sniffling, then he stood up soon followed by Leo.

"You- you did well" Leo told him in a small voice, it clearly hurt him seeing Riley like this but he was there for him throughout.

"Yeah well, it won't happen again. I don't do crying. Don't tell any of the others" Riley requested.

Leo nodded understandingly "Y-yeah I- I won't Riley. I love you"

"Love you too Leo, take me through what you're drawing" Riley said, Leo eagerly got up from the bed jumping back into the desk seat and beckoning Riley over.

Walking over Riley looked down at the outline, he could still tell it was this room but wasn't sure what else the scene would be depicting.

"Thats o-our beds" Leo stated pointing to a rectangle with little boxes sketched into it. Riley nodded looking down at it.

"Then t-those little circles are poi-pointers for me to draw u-us l-l-lying t-together on it" Leo explained but Riley interrupted him with a kiss on the cheek.

"That's so sweet Leo, I love that so much" Riley said affectionately, he truly couldn't wait for the piece to be done, it sounded so lovely.

Leo blushed looking at his lap nervously "I- I was k-kinda worried you'd find it stalk-stalkerish" Leo confessed shyly.

"Nah no way Leo, and even if I did, you can stalk me any day" Riley filtered back, Leo's face turned redder as he jabbed Riley in the ribs playfully.

"T-thanks Riley" he answered after a brief moment of silence "a-and w-well done, r-r-really well done, I-I'm glad you- you can see the an-ano" he paused struggling on the word again.

"Anorexia" Riley finished for him and Leo nodded gratefully "yeah, I am too. I'm sorry if I worried you" Riley added softly. Leo really turned him into such a softie.

"I-it's fine" Leo answered brushing it off then picking his pencil back up. Riley watched him sketch silently, feeling at peace.