Chapter Text
Leo never slept well without Fiat in his arms. He'd arrived home late enough that Leon had already turned off the lights, a task he typically left to Leo. Leo couldn't regret the unusually fun group project, or the grades he expected to follow, but the price appeared to be a night alone. Fiat must have been bored and gone home. (Or out.)
He turned to his phone for any sign that Fiat was fine. The complete lack of activity in far too many hours put paid to any hope that he had gone home.
Leo had put the phone on the side table, lain down, and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, before reaching back. Repeatedly. Sometimes he even quelled the urge to look for a few extra minutes.
It was nearly two when he levered himself out of bed, tripped to the bathroom, then down to the kitchen. The intended forage was set aside on seeing the lights outside. Leon always slept like he'd taken a steel pipe to the head; what could possibly have driven him out there at this hour?
Concern turned to relief twice over before make a quick about turn as he registered first the black hair, then the curled shape.
He joined Fiat at the pool's edge, dangling his feet in the cool water while reaching to pull Fiat to his shoulder. Damp hair tickled his neck; at least Fiat hadn't been here long. Fiat must have been out, then felt the need to shower, before coming straight back to Leo's and curling up outside. Ice and fire waged war through his veins at the implications. He banked them. Their time would come; the Fiat of now was his priority. Horror and anger wouldn't help this Fiat.
"What happened?"
"I just. I thought. I thought I'd solved it. Found it. Stupid."
"Found what?"
"The right guy."
His mind and body froze entirely. Deliberately relaxing his muscles, he forced through the ice "Did he hurt you?"
"No! No, he did nothing wrong. I'm. I can't love him. Not like that. Why not? It's perfect. Solves everything. Leo, why can't I just love him? And now what? Don't sleep with friends. But I thought. If I just. Have I ruined everything? Trying to fix it?"
Leo twisted to wrap him fully in his arms, squeezing momentarily to cut off the rising panic, before speaking forcefully. "If he's worth a moment of your thoughts, he'll know how lucky he is to have you in his life. Whatever form that takes. You've ruined nothing. He may need some space, but you've ruined nothing. Is he worth your time?"
"Yes"
"Can you give him space?"
A nod.
"Then you'll get past this. You'll keep your friend. You'll find the right guy. And tonight, you'll get some sleep."
The clamber back to wet feet was ungraceful, but lifting the precious weight into his arms was a relief. Water to offset dehydration and a damp cloth to clean his face, then cradle him to sleep. The morning would require a painkiller for the headache, more water, and breakfast with a terrifying amount of sugar. Then trying not to parse through every friend Fiat had for this one.