#could be read as izuleo but its mostly platonic in this instance

[starswallowingsea]

context

for you i pulled the 10 of swords and the high priestess @izzuleos

word count: 544

content warning for leo's high school depressive episode

Leo rolls over in his bed again. He does not want to move despite the gentle orange of the sunlight peeking through his curtain with the sunrise (or is it the glow of the sun dipping back below the horizon? Leo can’t tell right now). 

He just wants to throw himself to the tides and let the ocean carry his body somewhere else. Maybe he can find a will to continue somewhere else. 

But he just stays in his bed. He brings his legs up to his chest and tries to cry, but the tears don’t come. 

He must still be out of tears from the last time he cried. 

When was the last time he drank? 

When was the last time he ate? 

His hair felt greasy and matted and he needed a shower. 

There’s a gentle knocking at the door and he wants to tell Ruka to leave him alone again, but the voice that greets him isn’t that of his little sister. 

“Uh, hey, Leo-kun. It’s me, Sena.” 

Oh. 

Leo wants to turn him away, send him home. He can’t possibly see him like this, so sad, so pathetic, hardly worthy of the title of King. 

“I know you probably don’t want to see me right now. I wouldn’t blame you if you just cursed me out to my face, but we’re worried about you.” 

There’s a pause and Leo moves to respond before-- 

“I’m…worried about you, Leo-kun.” 

Please just open up and let me take care of you, if only for a minute.

Leo doesn’t have the energy to move from his bed, but he talks just loud enough for Izumi to hear him. 

“You can come in, Sena.” 

There’s another pause before the doorknob turns and the silver haired boy enters the room. 

There are clothes on the floor and crumpled pieces of paper everywhere, but Izumi doesn’t seem to mind as he closes the door behind him and gently pads over to Leo. 

“Your sister told me you haven’t eaten in a few days. She wanted me to bring you this soup.” 

Leo shifted in his bed and sat up. 

“Thanks, Sena.” 

Leo tried to grab the bowl but his hand shook as Izumi pulled his hands away. 

“Why don’t you let me feed you, Leo-kun.” 

Leo just nodded and Izumi went and pulled up the chair from his desk next to Leo’s bed. 

Slowly but surely Izumi made sure Leo ate the soup. 

It struck Leo that this wasn’t something Izumi would have ever done before. Something so small and domestic like feeding Leo soup and wiping his chin when some of the broth dripped down his face. 

But he didn’t mind. It was just what he needed at that moment. Even in the silence, thick with problems that needed to be addressed eventually, just for a moment, Leo let himself just take in the feeling of being alive, of being loved. 

And maybe he would make it past this eventually, even if Izumi had to come back every week, every day and make sure Leo ate something, had wiped his face off with a wet towel, and took care of himself. 

Maybe that was love, and maybe Leo could let himself be loved again one day.