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It was a little past nine in the evening when there was a knock on the door.
Leo emerged from the tiny apartment kitchen, Coke in hand, looking over at Percy with raised brows. "Did you invite someone over this late?"
"Nope," Percy shook his head, sitting up on the couch. He paused his TV show, giving Leo a pointed look.
Leo tentatively placed his drink down on the side table and grabbed the baseball bat by the door, moving in closer as the knock sounded again. He looked in the peephole. The figure was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, so it was hard to see his face—but his eyes—
"Nico," Leo breathed, dropping the bat.
It had been over a week since he'd seen him, and three days since he'd heard from him. He was used to Nico being flighty and ghosting him, trying to keep some form of a cover, but they usually messaged each other every day. Leo didn't really use Snapchat because he thought it was for middle schoolers, but he used it with Nico (and his weed guy) as the messages deleted. Admittedly, the god-fearing pessimist had been on his mind quite a bit lately.
Leo opened the door, looking Nico over. His clothes seemed normal—not the usual strait-laced stuff he wore to church, but normal. Leo was pretty sure that oversized hoodie was his own that Nico stole, though he wasn't sure why he had the hood on indoors.
His eyes, though. Big doe eyes so dark brown they looked black, full of hesitancy, with a trembling lower lip. He kept standing there, unsure of himself, and Leo did the same. What was he supposed to do or say with Nico looking like that?
"Nico," Leo held out his arms, offering a hug. Nico was typically very prickly and reluctant towards hugging him in front of Percy, though right now he looked as though he needed it.
Indeed, Nico glanced warily towards Percy for only a moment before rushing into Leo's arms, almost knocking him backwards. Leo held him close, moving a hand to the top of his clothed head.
"Hey, man, what's going on?" Leo asked. Nico just shook his head, nuzzling into Leo's chest. He made the tiniest sound, like a sob, and Leo's heart shattered. "What do you need right now?"
Nico pulled away, glancing at Percy once more, though Leo's roommate read the room and made himself look busy on his phone.
"I," Nico started tentatively. Leo reached out to start to take his hood off, though he jerked back. "I can leave if you want. I know it's late."
"No, it's fine," Leo insisted, shaking his head quickly. "I want you here whenever you wanna be here. Can I get you anything?"
Nico's lips quirked to the side in that contemplative way of his, like when he wanted to ask for something but knew it was a sin. Leo typically couldn't help but grin when he saw that cute look due to the trouble it brought, though he wasn't smiling now.
"I'll have a drink, please," Nico nodded, determined as if he'd practiced that line before.
Leo raised his brows. He knew what Nico meant, though he wasn't so sure that was what he really needed.
"Okay," Leo grabbed his Coke from the table, offering it to Nico.
Nico took the drink, though he looked up at Leo with a frown. "Not...not this kind of drink. Come on, Leo, I know you have stronger stuff."
That was true; Leo had three-quarters of cheap grocery store margarita in the fridge, but he wasn't about to give that to Nico. Not like this.
"You're underage," Leo defended weakly. It was almost a joke, considering he'd had Percy buy him alcohol until he'd turned twenty-one that past July.
Nico simply huffed, shoving his hand into the hoodie pocket and marching off to Leo's room, closing the door behind him.
Percy let out a low whistle, turning off the TV. He stood and stretched, going over to Leo and patting his shoulder. "You let me know if you need anything, alright, man?" He asked. At Leo's absentminded nod, he smiled and went off to his own room.
Leo went to his room, slowly opening the door. Nico was sitting on his bed, leaning against one wall while staring at the other. He'd taken off his hoodie, and Leo could immediately see why he'd been covering up.
"Nico," Leo breathed, moving to sit in front of him. "Baby..."
"You don't have to stare," Nico snapped, though he wiped the tears leaking from the corners of his eyes, avoiding Leo's gaze.
The left side of Nico's hair had been clearly hacked off, cut maybe an inch from the scalp with what looked like safety scissors. The other half of his hair was left untouched, longer and perfect, the way Nico was trying to grow it out.
"It's been a bad week," Nico started, his voice soft and fighting off a sob. "A lot of people talking, poking around, and...it's been harder to hide. Not just you, but...everything. Who I am. What I like. Mom said she'd heard some things from people around the church. She offered to set me up on a date with the a girl from church. I...I said okay, but I was too hesitant. She got mad. She told me to cut my hair, and...and I said I liked it this way. She said I looked so handsome when my hair wasn't shaggy like a delinquent. She said that if I was living under her roof, I needed to look the way she wanted me to..."
"She...she pulled me by my ear into a chair and just...started cutting." Nico continued, bringing a hand up to his hair, his shoulders shaking. "I begged her to stop, but she wouldn't. I finally pushed her away, and...and she said she'd talk to the police. Because I assaulted her." He sobbed. "I didn't mean to hurt her. She's my mom, she's been my mom since I was twelve, and I love her, but...I was just tired. I am tired. I'm tired of trying to live as someone I'm not, Leo..."
"Nico," Leo's eyes stung, and he moved to sit next to Nico. Nico rested his head on Leo's shoulder, linking their arms together. The way he trembled against Leo made his heart drop. "I'm so sorry. You're safe here, okay? No one's gonna make you do anything you don't want to do."
Nico buried his head into Leo's shoulder, crying harder and more unabashed than Leo had ever seen. Leo traced his fingers down Nico's neck, murmuring comforting words. He hated seeing Nico like this, but he knew that sometimes it was better to cry things out than to be forced to calm down.
Just as Nico showed signs of calming down, probably from exhaustion, Leo did some deep breaths. Nico took a few tries to match him, each breath longer and less panicked than the last. Leo ran his fingers through Nico's hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"I'm so tired," Nico murmured. "I'm sorry that it seems like you only see me like this. I don't know how you deal with it, and...and I'm just really sorry..."
"Don't be," Leo insisted. "I...I really missed you while you were gone. I almost thought of signing up for VBS just to see you."
To Leo's pleasant surprise, this forced a laugh out of Nico. It was like a birdsong on a bitter winter day. "I would've liked to see that. You probably would've had the stupidest dances to all the songs..."
Leo hummed in agreement, squeezing Nico close. "Anything to make you laugh, Neeks." He paused, contemplating his next words. "And Nico, I mean...about your mom...you're not gonna get in trouble. If you ask me, she sounds like a crazy middle aged lady making a threat to scare you. Even if she does go to the police, you literally have evidence that she assaulted you first. Hacking someone's hair off without consent is way worse than pushing someone back in self defense, and she probably knows that."
Nico nodded, his eyes still shining. "I...I just don't know what to do about any of it. It's like my entire life is falling apart in one night, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I know I need to go back home, but...I just don't feel safe to right now..."
Leo shook his head. "You don't have to go back there ever again if you don't feel safe. You can stay here with me for as long as you need, I promise."
Nico looked over at Leo incredulously. "But what about Percy?"
Leo shrugged. "He'll be cool with it. Ever since that time you made us chicken Alfredo, he's been asking me to pop the question anyway." Nico gave off an involuntary tremor at that, and Leo added. "That was a joke. The point is, he likes you, man. He won't have a problem."
Nico's brows were still furrowed with doubt, though his shoulders relaxed slightly. He kept bringing his hand up to his hair, fingertips brushing the chopped off ends.
"He's gonna see that I look weird," Nico said softly. "Everyone's gonna see...when I go to get it fixed. They're gonna laugh at me. I..." Nico sniffled. "I don't know what to do..."
"Hey, it's okay," Leo said, moving in front of Nico to grasp his arms. "You don't look weird, okay? You...you look beautiful. But I'm gonna fix it right now. But first...for the sake of evidence, I'm gonna take a few pictures of it right now, is that okay?"
Nico gave him a panicked look at that, though he managed a nod.
"We probably won't even need it," Leo said. "But just in case..." he snapped a few pictures from every angle, then a video to be safe. Nico's expression was so heartbroken in each one, Leo could hardly stand to look at them.
"Okay, now I'll get my scissors..." Leo started to stand, though Nico stopped him with a hand on his wrist, looking at him expectantly. For a moment, Leo thought Nico was going to kiss him.
He'd only done that a few times while sober.
"Leo, I..." Nico leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you. For making me feel safe. I don't know what I expected but...I appreciate it. And I know it's a sin, but I...I can't help how I feel. I love you, Leo. You don't have to say it back, but I just wanted you to know."
Leo's heart soared, and he smiled in spite of himself. "You took my line, Neeks. I didn't want to freak you out, but...I love you, too...and I don't think it's a sin to love someone."
In that moment, Nico beamed, his dimples pressing into his cheeks. He was so, so cute, and Leo needed to move mountains to if that was what it took to make him keep that smile.
"'M gonna get my scissors," Leo murmured, kissing Nico's head once more before retreating into the kitchen. He returned with the scissors and a hand towel, wrapping it around Nico's shoulders. "I'm only gonna cut off what I have to in order to make it even, but...it'll grow back, okay?"
Nico nodded, and Leo began to trim nervously. "I know I'm being childish. It's just hair, I shouldn't be crying so much over it..."
"No, it's totally understandable," Leo shook his head. "It was part of what made you look like you, and to have someone come in and just cut that off...that sucks. Hopefully, though, it should grow back in a couple months. I know that's a long time, but...maybe in the meantime we can work on everything else, like finding what clothes you like to wear instead of having your mom dress you like a Mormon."
Nico managed a laugh. "She does make me dress like a Mormon. I like the clothes you wear, they look cool. I liked having your hoodie on because it was like you were there, hugging me. I never wore it around mom, though, because it smells like weed."
"Yeah?" Leo snickered, pausing his work to wrap his arms around Nico from behind and kiss his neck. "Well, I'll just have to borrow it back so I can make it smell even more like me. And for the record, you can borrow any of my clothes you want until we go shopping."
Nico let out a sad little hum. "With what money? I mean, I have some savings, but...I'm probably gonna have to get a new job. That coffee shop I work at is owned by a lady from the church, and...she's probably gonna like, let me go once she finds out I'm...going rogue."
"We'll get you a new job, then," Leo said. "That coffee shop I work at near here is hiring, or...they will be when I leave..."
"When you leave?" Nico faltered, turning around. "Why would you be leaving?"
Leo smiled shyly. "Well, uh...it's kind of a funny story. I was just cleaning tables like I usually do when I saw this, like, business exec working on some code. He seemed frustrated, so I looked over his shoulder and asked what was up. He said it was some complicated stuff, and I wouldn't understand. And you know me, I was like 'okay, asshole, just let me know if you want me to fix your data leak problem'."
Nico's breath hitched in that cute way it did when they watched a scary movie. "You really called him an a-hole?"
"Yeah," Leo shrugged, fighting a smile. "He was acting like one, and I call it like I see it. Anyways, he was curious about what I was on about, so I asked to drive and fixed the bug that was leaking the customer's birthdates. Took, like, five minutes. The guy was super impressed and said that issue was costing him hours. He asked where I went to school—and you know me, I only went to community college for a year before dropping out, and the rest is self-taught. He seemed even more impressed with that and offered me an interview right on the spot. He said he kinda liked that I had the attitude to call him an asshole with the intelligence to fix his issues. I aced the interview, and...I got an entry level programming job. I'm starting in two weeks."
"Wow," Nico's eyes were wide with an admiration Leo had never quite seen from him, though he wanted to anything to keep winning him over. "Leo, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you. I mean, I always knew you were smart, but...I mean, I know no one was giving you a chance before because you didn't have a degree."
Leo nodded. "The company still wants me to go back to school, but they said it can be part time and they're covering it. They're also paying me a lot...like, three times what I make now..."
"Three times?" Nico's eyes were as big as saucers, and Leo couldn't help but laugh. "Well, heck, I guess we won't have to worry about twenty bucks towards a couple thrifted pairs of jeans. But...I still wanna hold my own, obviously. I still want to do what I can to help if you're gonna let me stay here."
"You can," Leo insisted, getting back to cutting Nico's hair. "Really, it's okay. I hate that these are the circumstances, but I'm glad you're here..."
"I'll have to transfer schools," Nico said solemnly. "The church was helping pay for college..."
"You can transfer credits," Leo said. "I bet community college would be cheaper anyway, and you can get some good scholarships with your grades."
Nico nodded, and Leo leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Overwhelmed?"
Nico nodded again. Leo noticed his breathing growing quicker, and he placed a hand on his thigh with a gentle squeeze.
"I...I'm just a kid," Nico's voice was broken. "And I'm glad you're here for me, and that everything's gonna be okay, but...I just wish I had stuck it out for a few years. If I was...better at being who they wanted to be, it wouldn't have caused all of this trouble..."
"Nico, no," Leo murmured, resting his head on his shoulder. "Your mom, the church, everyone...they're the ones causing trouble. You didn't do anything wrong, I promise. It's better that you're here with a little bit of mess than...other alternatives..."
Nico swallowed, wiping another tear as he leaned back into Leo's touch. "I want to believe you, it's just...it's hard. It's hard to know who's right and wrong. My mom said that god was disappointed in who I was becoming, but I don't know what to think..."
"I know, baby," Leo sighed, holding him close. "To me...I'm not religious, and you know that. But I always figured...humans are gonna sin, it's within our nature. And all sins are supposedly equal. So, you need to use religion to navigate being a good person to others. Don't judge people, love one another, that kind of thing. To me, you're way better at being Catholic than any of them. You're one of the best people I know..."
Nico let out a shaky breath. "You seem to be pretty understanding of religion for someone who's not religious. I...I know it seems crazy, but I can still feel God's love for me. Sometimes I feel like He guides me to good things and away from bad things, and...it seems oxymoronic, but I think he guided me to you tonight. Not to convert you or anything, just...to be with someone who loves and supports me. Is that crazy...?"
Leo hummed in thought, putting the finishing touches on shaping Nico's hair. "No, I don't think so. I mean, I'm not gonna say if god fully does or does not exist, but for all I know, that could be what happened. And if it is, I think that makes god a pretty cool guy. I don't think he'd want you to be somewhere where you'd have to hide who you are. And...I think he'd dig the new haircut, too." Leo pulled away, placing the scissors down on his desk.
Nico stood and stretched, padding down to the mirror just down the hall. He took in his reflection, tentatively touching the short ends. It was only a little bit longer than when Leo first met him, though at least it was only in the back.
"At least you still have your bangs," Leo observed, ruffling Nico's fluffy hair. "They're cute. You're cute. Even if you were bald, you'd still be really cute."
Nico laughed, and Leo wrapped his arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. Nico took his hand and lead him back to his bedroom, laying out on his bed.
"I have all of these thoughts about what happens in places like this," Nico said. "Things mom and the kids at church whispered about, but...I'm starting to think it's not true. I've been doing research, but there's still so much I don't know. Like...is this the part where we do hard drugs and have sex?"
Leo made an incredulous noise in his throat. "Uh, no. I only have weed, and even that I've been trying to cut back on. What kind of stuff did your mom even say?"
Nico grimaced and swallowed. "She said...she said that when two men have sex, they use blood as lubricant. But that can't be true, I watched gay porn and didn't see any blood..."
Leo shook his head quickly. "Yeah, no, there's no blood. We—er, these hypothetical guys would use real lube, and a lot of prep to make sure it feels good."
Nico hummed with interest. "That does sound like it makes more sense. And if I ever...if I ever used my mouth on you, would I get permanent strep throat?"
Leo's brows furrowed. "Would a girl get permanent strep throat if she sucked me off?"
Nico's face flushed. "Yeah, that's fair. Sorry, I...I know it sounds stupid, but I have a lot of catching up to do, and I'm worried you're not gonna wanna deal with it..."
Leo sighed, coming over to lay beside Nico. "Dealing with you has been one of the greatest things that ever happened to me, Neeks. You've made me want to be better so that I can do better for you. I said that I love you, and I meant it. I...I wanted to share one more thing with you, if you promise not to freak out."
"Oh?" Nico gave him a curious look. "Please don't take off your pants, I'm not ready."
A laugh was forced out of Leo's mouth. "What? No, relax, man. No sex-related stuff until you're ready and the mood is right, promise. I gotta go down to the store and get the right candles and everything. And lots and lots of lube, apparently, since blood is off the table."
Nico raised his arm at the elbow, and Leo took his hand in his own.
"What is it, Leo?" Nico asked.
God, the way he looked at him, with those eyes and that soft smile. Leo didn't know what he did to deserve him.
"Perce and I...our lease ends in two months." Leo started. "We can renew, but we aren't going to. With my new job, we could get a better apartment, but...we're gonna move into the Big House."
"The Big House?" Nico raised his brows. "You mean Annabeth's house?"
Leo nodded. Annabeth had bought the Big House last year with her girlfriend, Piper, with the help of a huge down payment from her mother to make up for her absence. The place had nine bedrooms and just as many bathrooms, and basically their entire friend group had been moving into it over the past year. Annabeth, Piper, Jason, Frank, and Hazel were already there, and they had been talking about having Percy and Leo join them once their lease was up.
"It's bigger, and cheaper than rent, what with all of us paying," Leo explained. "Plus, the chores wouldn't be so bad, what with all of us splitting them. We'd have our own private areas of the house—hell, the whole second floor has its own living room and kitchen that Percy and I would be sharing with Jason. The bathrooms are even big enough to have real bathtubs, not that little shitbox we have now. It'll be great, I'm really excited."
"That sounds great," Nico smiled, though there was a sadness in his eyes. "And I'm sure that I'll find a studio somewhere in town where the rent is manageable..."
"What?" Leo asked. "No, no way, there's another empty bedroom on the same floor—it's just a walk down the hall from mine. If you want to do that, I mean. If you want your own place, of course I can help you look, but...I'm just moving because I think it's easier..."
"Oh," Nico replied. "Yeah, yeah I could go stay there, if it's okay with Annabeth. I mean...if they like me. Your friends might not be as open to me as you are, Leo..."
"Of course they would be," Leo waved a dismissive hand. "They're super friendly, but they also know when to give people their space. Plus, they say I'm the most unhinged out of all of them, so if you can handle me, you can handle any of them." He thought for a moment before putting a hand to his mouth. "Hey, Perce, can you come here real quick?"
Percy padded over, and Nico sat up as soon as he opened the door as if hoping he couldn't tell that they were laying together.
"What's up?" Percy asked.
"Would Annabeth be cool with Nico staying at the Big House with us?" Leo asked.
Percy raised his brows. "I mean, just because I dated her in high school doesn't mean I'm an expert in all things Annabeth. She'd probably be grateful for the help on bills, though. Would he be cool with making chicken Alfredo for eight every now and then?"
Nico's eyes widened, though he nodded.
"Then yeah," Percy shrugged. "Nice haircut, by the way."
"Thanks," Nico murmured, still touching the ends of it.
Percy nodded, strolling back towards his room, and Nico laid back down.
"This is surreal," Nico muttered.
"Hey," Leo rubbed Nico's arm. "One day at a time, alright? We don't have to worry about everything at once. We're gonna get backup plans for our backup plans, and we got plenty of people to help us along."
"Yeah," Nico breathed, his voice small. He rolled over, meeting Leo's eyes, and Leo pushed his shaggy bangs out of his eyes.
Nico managed a smile, then leaned in and pressed a kiss to Leo's lips. Leo kissed him back, grasping his waist and pulling him up onto his lap. Nico cupped his cheeks kissing him more intently with each parting of their lips. Nico didn't need to say it; Leo could tell that with each kiss, he was feeling bolder, less hesitant and more right than the kiss before.
Leo wouldn't expect anything more from Nico, but would simply have fun and enjoy what he was offering. If later in the night or the next day Nico shook and cried again, Leo would help comfort him. He would keep moving mountains for him, so that every day he could see his smile.