Droplets of water ran down the lithe body of the Latino as he stood under the stream of water. Steam rose around him but not because the water itself was hot. The water was fully on cold in an attempt to cool down Leo's flaming hot temperature. It was helpful until the boy thought about what happened and then he would reheat and cause the water to steam up again.
'He said I was cute.'
'He said I was HoT!'
'No he didn't. He meant that my fire would be hot. Obviously it was a play on words.'
'But was it? He could have meant it.'
'He wouldn't. He's straight. So just shut up and play it cool.'
This mental conversation was repeated several times before Leo finally calmed himself down enough to not overheat and turned the water off. He quickly wrapped a towel around his waist, trying not to let his eyes catch on his healing thighs or look in the mirror and see his past carved into his skin.
'You know,' a quiet voice spoke in the back of his mind, 'It would be very easy to do it again.'
Leo froze as the voice continued
'Don't you remember how much better you felt after you tore yourself apart?'
Leo flinched. Of course he remembered. How could he ever forget? The somehow pleasant stinging 'the feeling of your emotions leaving. It was such a nice feeling. The feeling of numb. We should do it again.'
A scowl painted itself onto the Latinos features. The voice had finished its deadly prompt and now it seemed every other voice in his head had decided to pick up the suggestion as a chant. Calling over and over.
'Do it again.'
'Do it again!
'DO IT AGAIN!'
'DO IT AGAIN!!!'
Leo couldn't take it anymore. Frantically he looked around for anything sharp. Anything he could use. He opened and slammed cabinets and drawers in his search but was brought up empty handed. He swung the door open, fully prepared to bolt into another room and continue his search. Instead, Leo slammed into the toned body of the person in charge of him.
"Leo? What's wrong?" The aforementioned man asked while placing a steadying grip on the smaller boy.
"Hey, why are you crying?" Jason was concerned. Why was Leo crying? Why was he trembling? What had happened in the short time it took for the boy to take a shower?
Leo didn't know when he started talked, but suddenly he is babbling on and on about missing his cabinmates and wanting to visit and then take a nap later. All while he's talking, he tries inching away. He wants to go and cut. He needs to cut.
The blonde noticed something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Leo was rambling and drawing away. Jason didnt know what would happen if he let him slip through his fingers, but he wasn't going to risk it.
Picking the smaller boy up princess style, he carried him to the bed and gently laid him down. The younger boy instantly tried to get up, his sentences were hardly coherent anymore as the boy began sobbing.
"Leo, what's wrong?'
"Nothing, I want to. Away. Not. Go. Leave. Come on. But. You. Why?-" his words cut off as he dissolved into tears.
Jason slid onto the bed and cuddled against the boy, holding him closely to his chest.
"Jase. Jase. Jase." Leo suddenly gasped and gripped the boy's shoulders. "L-lemme go. I.. I need to c-cut. Please. It'll make everything better."
"I'm not going to let you go. Not if you're going to do that."
"Jase... please." The small boy was shaking in his arms. His nose was running and looked so broken. Jason tightened his grip and wracked his brain for anything he could do, anything that could help.
"Leo," his voice broke but he continued regardless, "Do you remember when we first got here? And you claimed right away and then saved cabin nine from their curse cause you found Festus and he actually liked you?" As Jason spoke, he absentmindedly began rocking the two of them.
"I remember when you were working on Festus or some other project, you would always get so intense and serious, but at the same time you were joking around and having fun. You make everything you do look fun, but you also take your work very serious. I've always admired that about you."
Leo had had his eyes closed as he listened to Jason's voice and began calming down, but now he opened his eyes and stared at the boy speaking. Jason looked down and smiled. "Feeling better?"
The small boy looked away before mumbling, "Maybe if I had clothes on."
He did not expect Jason to bring himself flush against Leo's bare chest. Nor did he expect him to pull the both of them into a laying position and wrapping his legs around the smaller boys.
"Hey, hey! My towel's slipping!" Leo could already feel a breeze too close to his private parts for comfort.
"No homo." Jason shrugged.
Leo felt his jaw drop. 'This dude. He really is gonna act like that? MY BUTT IS TOTALLY EXPOSED!' He growled and tried to wriggle away, but only succeeded in letting his towel slip off of him even more.
"Jassse," He whimpered, trying to somehow cover his exposed area.
Said man sighed before grabbing a blanket and pulling it over them, successfully earning a glare from the entrapped boy. "This isn't what I meant!"
"Shut up and take a nap with me." Jason nuzzled his face into the crook of Leo's neck and sighed happily. The Latino could feel his face burning up and was glad that the other boy couldn't see.
"You're so needy," Leo complained, inwardly really happy that Jason was acting like this with him and thankful that he had helped Leo get through an episode and didnt ask what triggered it. He began playing with the blonde's hair. It wasn't long before the two of them drifted off into sleep
A/N: I wish I could sleep as much as Jason and Leo. Also Leo didn't relapse. Did you want him to?
I hope you all are doing well, stay safe, stay inside, and keep eating.
Wolf out