#cw:homophic slur

[awanderingdeal]

O'Knutzy Week - Day 5

Prompt: Harvard || NOLA

Rating: M (for general themes - no sexual content)

CW: Homophobic slurs, past emotionally abusive relationship.

Credits: O'Knutzy belong to @lumosinlove and thank you to @oknutzyweek for organising all this.

“Uncle Leo!”

“Hey pumpkin,” Leo said, bending down so Nova could clamber into his arms. Her father, Mikey, was Leo’s childhood best friend, having lived two doors down until he’d moved out his parent’s house.  

She wriggled around, making herself comfortable as Leo rose back to full height. Her grin revealed that she’d lost another tooth since Leo had last seen her. “Daddy said I’m too big to be up now.”

“Never!” Stop growing so fast, kid.

"I came to tell you Finn is going to take me to the science museum tomorrow ‘cus Daddy has to work -' Nova took a hulking breath. “- And I would have to stay with Mawmaw and I don’t want to because it’s boring, Leo.”

“Oh, Finn said that, did he?” So much for a lazy morning. Leo looked over Nova’s head, finding his boyfriend sitting around the large iron table in the 'finished' area of the yard with Mikey. Finn looked up, meeting his gaze and gave a sheepish smile. “Well, it wouldn’t do to have you bored, would it?”

Leo couldn’t be angry at Finn for wanting to make Nova happy. With the spring sun warming him to the bone and the chaos of his big family surrounding him, nothing could ruin his mood. He searched for Logan too; the last he'd seen of him he'd been charming Leo's grandparents, which was when he saw.

"Nova, pumpkin, go and tell your Dad that Finn is too soft, and you may as well stay here tonight. I'm sure I have a old shirt you can sleep in."

Nova pumped her fist in victory and scurried off to deliver the message. Leo waited just long enough to make sure she was on her way before he stormed towards the lone man.

“Heck, you scared me." His ex stumbled back from the vegetable patched he'd peering in, eyes widening as he took Leo in. "Leo," he said. "What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” Leo scoffed. ”It’s my mom’s birthday. What are you doing here?”

Kyle took a step back. Leo had always tried to seem less intimidating than his 6 foot 3 frame naturally made him. He worked hard to earn the moniker of a gentle giant, but right now he was glad of the presence. 

“I…I was invited to come with…” Kyle stumbled over his words. “I thought you’d be y’know…out of town.”

“Hmm, it’s almost like I prioritize the things that are important to me,” Leo huffed a laugh. Then it dawned on him. “Are you dating Rylee?” 

“Not Rylee." 

Leo thought he saw a grimace flicker on Kyle's face. If not Rylee, then who? He started to run through the list of guests, not getting very far before Kyle's stare gave him the answer. "Elliot?" 

Kyle gave the tiniest of nods. 

Leo pulled at his collar, sure that the t-shirt hadn't been this tight this morning, and Logan was right, it was too hot. 

"Leo, look, I'm sorry…" Kyle said. 

There was more. Leo could see Kyle's mouth, but all he heard was a low mumble, his own thoughts drowning out the words. 

It was worse that it was a boy. God, that was horrible, wasn't it? It's not like you didn't know he was attracted to them. Kyle had just been so repulsed by the idea of people knowing about them. He'd threatened to tell everybody Leo was obsessed with him. That Leo had got him drunk and then kissed him. Maybe it had Leo he'd been disgusted by. 

"You called me a fag," Leo spat. "You let me fall in love with you, had sex with me and then you called me a fucking fag."

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry,” Kyle winced. It almost made Leo feel a tiny bit of sympathy for him. “I was just a kid, I was scared.”

There went that sympathy. “You were a coward.” Leo cocked his head, assessing Kyle. His sandy blonde hair was cut short now, rather than the longer slicked back look he used to sport. He was softer now. Even now, Leo hoped that meant he’d gotten a handle on what, in hindsight, had been an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise. Perhaps he had changed, perhaps he was better to Elliot. “Does he even know? Elliot? Do you even sign?” 

Kyle blinked at him “Yeah. I’m pretty good now. Not perfect at all. I’ve been learning for a little over two years.” He scratched the back of his neck, chewing on his lip. “No..No, he doesn’t know. I didn’t want to -”

Leo snorted a laugh. “You’re still a coward.” He jumped at the weight of a hand on his shoulder, relaxing as he recognised the familiar knead of Logan’s fingers. 

“Le? Ça va?” 

Leo tried to smile as he looked at Logan. “This is Kyle,” he said.

“More cousins?” Logan laughed. “ I thought -” The pieces of understanding snapping together like a jigsaw was almost visibible. “What is he doing here?” He said it with such ferocity, Leo knew the only reason Logan hadn't punched Kyle was because he respected Leo's ability to fight for himself.

"He was invited," Leo sneered. He was being an asshole. He didn't care. "Dating Elliot now."

"Oh." Logan said.

"It's alright though, because Kyle here is going to go tell Elliot everything and then he's going to leave."

"No, Leo, come on," Kyle argued. "E's been looking forward to this."

E. God, Leo really didn't need to hear their nicknames for one another. He sought out Logan's hand and squeezed it. "I said you were going to leave. Elliot can do whatever he wants."

Kyle opened his mouth, as if to speak, and then closed it again. His pinched the bridge of his nose, grinning his back teeth. "Fine. I'll go."

"Tell him Kyle, or I will," Leo said. "If you want to run away from your past then don't date my family." What Elliot did with the information was his business, but he deserved to know.

"Hey, loves of my life. What's happening," Finn sang as he barrelled over. The tip of his nose and his cheeks were a little pink. "So, next time we're down here Mikey is going to -" His gaze moved rapidly between Leo and Logan. "Pea?"

"You can tell him," Leo muttered, letting himself be pulled into Finn arms. Logan, still holding firmly onto his hand, followed until Leo found himself enveloped between the two.

It felt like both two seconds and two hours later when Finn was stepping back. He cupped Leo's face. "Are you okay?" He whispered.

Leo nodded once, then again, because he realised he was. "Am I horrible if I don't forgive him?"

"Non."

"Absolutely not," Finn added.

"He was young though. Maybe he's changed?"

"And if he has changed then he'll carry on being changed whether you forgive him or not. You don't owe him anything."

Finn quirked a smile and Leo found himself matching it. He'd once given Finn same advice, almost verbatim about his own ex.

"Somebody wise must have told you that," Leo said.

"Very wise indeed," Finn laughed, pressing his lips to Leo's gently.

Logan hummed. "More people are coming. Do you want to go upstairs? Until you feel better."

"No," Leo shook his head. He was okay. He'd been okay for a long time. No matter what Kyle had told him or what that college recruitment office had said, he could have it all. He had it all. A family that loved him. Not one, but two boyfriends who were more than proud to be seen with him. A team that had his back. He wished he could go back and tell his 16 year old self it'd be alright.

"Leo, honey, here you are." His mom sounded frazzled. He'd tried to take over managing the food, but nothing stood between Eloise Knut and the potluck table. "Sorry to pull you away but I need you to tend to the grill. Your father is burning the shrimp."

"On my way, Mama."

"Wait right there, young man."

Leo groaned. "Mom?"

His mom looked him dead in the eye, smiled and patted his cheek. "You can tell me all about it later, honey. We'll have a kitchen chat."

There was no point telling her she was fine. Besides, it had been forever since they'd sat in the kitchen, nursing cups of sweet tea, just talking.

"Okay, Mama."

Yeah, Leo was going to be okay.