#leoxarthur

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony sent: [ bloody ] sender arrives at receiver's doorstep bleeding and injured arthur & leo.

Her days no longer revolved around the obsessive thought of Arthur coming back. They had never been gone this long before; never ceased communication like this. He had broken her heart. Fractured it into tiny pieces that sliced away at her every time she thought of them. Although time had made it somewhat easier, it still hurt – right at her very core.

Any trace of them had been scrubbed from that dingy apartment. Pictures, clothes – all folded away in boxes and locked behind a closet door. Any drawing of him had also been hidden where she couldn’t immediately see it. These disappearances were torturous for her. Never knowing where he was, if he was even alive. Jazzi had no information to give either… or, at least, none that she would own up to.

She had tried to move on. It took a while, but eventually, she invited another man into her bed. It all felt so empty. As if it were nothing more than a formality, a steppingstone to getting the fuck over it. It doesn’t work – if anything it makes her feel worse. Makes her question if Arthur is somewhere out there doing the exact same thing. Not a fair feeling for her to have. He didn’t love her.

This boy is nice enough. A year older than her, much taller; conventionally attractive, but she also doesn’t care. He’s there to fill a void and nothing more. A random swipe on tinder or whatever app she had found him on. It’s one in the morning when he leaves and she stares, deadpan, as he leans in to kiss her goodbye, some empty promise of I’ll call you tomorrow.

A knock comes some time later, and briefly she wonders if he’s forgotten something. Looking through the peephole, all she can see is a head full of curly hair. Arthur. Standing there, looking down at his feet. Leo’s mouth twitches. Her whole body twitches, actually. Both in a fit of relief and rage. The door swings ajar only slightly, just enough for her to peek out at him.

“What do you-" Her sentence is cut short the wider the door swings. He's covered in blood - so much of it that the pungent smell makes her cringe. Leo just stares at him, her mouth slightly ajar. Wordlessly she steps aside to allow him in.

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony sent: [ fears ] sender talks to receiver about their fears & [ blood ] sender notices that receiver is bleeding | arthur and leo.

The gentle waves lap at the shore, sand cold beneath her body as she stares at the stars. One hand is twined with Arthur’s, both engulfed in silence. The only light trickles down from the moon, reflecting hauntingly across the water. Behind them, the dune grasses dance in a soft breeze.

She had been to the beach plenty of times, both as a child and as an adult. Summers spent on yachts, trolling boardwalks, and getting kicked out of bars for being underage. A completely different life than the one she was living now. This life where she had somehow found peace even if on the surface it was more chaotic than the previous.

Her hand releases from theirs as she props herself up on her elbows. She looks at them once, then back out across the sea – back again, except,

They’ve become taller. Their curly hair replaced with a short, side-swept style – no longer Arthur at all, in fact. Eric rolls on his side, a wicked smile on his face. His hand closes around her neck so quick there’s little time to react. He drags her under him, choking, choking, choking –

Leo wakes up gasping for air and hideously clawing at invisible hands on her throat, catapulting herself backwards and off the bed. A few kicks have landed against Arthur’s skin – a terrified scream peels from her mouth as she hurriedly shoves herself into a corner. She flails against the wall, hitting a nail head that’s jutting out and ripping her skin. She doesn’t notice the blood – only thinks she sees Eric when her eyes pop open and Arthur is in front of her.

“No, no, no, NO!” She kicks at them, terrified – trapped in the throes of her nightmare. “Don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me.” Eyes are wide and wild, feral almost. “Eric I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony arthur & leo

“Oh my god, here we go again!” Leo whips around to him from her position at the sink – flinging dishwater and soap as she tosses up her hands. “Please do not start on this bullshit with me!”

It was always the same old mess. The same lame excuses, the ramblings – the self-pitying bullshit and right now wasn’t the time. She flings her hands again, wipes them clean on the thighs of her jeans then crosses her arms. Stares at them with anger burning in her eyes.

“You- you – fuck, Arthur! I’m so sick of it. ‘I’m too old for you.’ Who fucking cares?” Her damp hands lift and push through her hair, tugging through knots. “I don’t care! You don’t care until you get into your fucking head!” For a moment, she thinks she could strangle them. "So what - what's the matter now? What fucking happened this time?"

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony sent: "What if I'm someone I don't want around?" arthur & leo.

“Don’t say that.” Her tone is soft, fingers brushing though xyr curls as xe lays in her lap. “Please don’t say that, baby.”

Leo isn’t looking at him – her head is craned back, eyes pinned to the ceiling. It felt easier to hold back tears that way, keep herself composed as long as possible. So many uncertainties but at least for now, with their head in her lap, she knows he’s safe. That both of them are safe.

“I wish I knew how to help you.” There it is, the warbling of her voice – the choked sound at the end. “I just want you to be happy.”

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony sent: "where’s your first - aid kit ?" arthur & leo.

The knock at the door is drowned out a bit by the music blaring in her ears. She was in the middle of cooking with headphones in, badly dancing around the kitchen as water boiled on the stove. After a minute she hears the sudden banging and yelps, a splash of soy sauce flying out of the open jar she’s holding and splattering across her shirt.

“Damnit!” She groans, grabbing a rag and trying to dab the mess off her shirt as she heads to the door. Opening it, she sees Arthur and nearly rolls her eyes. “Oh my god you scared the absolute sh-“

Where’s your first-aid kit?

“Uh.” Her eyes fall to his wrapped up hand, watching blood drip off his fingers. The color drains from her face and she swallows, stepping aside and shakily answering: “It’s… in the bathroom.” She turns slowly, half jogging towards the end of the hallway to set it on the counter. “Here – I… um. What happened to you?”

[gollldrush]

cute thing @exquisitexagony didn't ask for arthur & leo.

Stolen blankets and pillows litter the truck bed, a makeshift sleeping area arranged for the two of them. It was too hot to sleep in the truck itself, and they didn’t have the gas to turn it on and off again to let the ac run for a bit. It’s not so bad outside, especially with the breeze reaching them easier out here.

She’s not quite sure where Arthur’s gone for the moment. But she’s laying back, staring up at the stars through the wispy branches of the trees. The moon’s hung high, illuminating the area just a little bit, but not by much. They’d gone off the beaten path, pulled the truck over into an abandoned campsite. Just the two of them in the wild. Her favorite thing in the world.

“Hey.” Leo grins when she hears xem approaching and scoots over in case they want to settle next to her. “I tried my best but it’s not very comfy.” Not that it mattered, she knew Arthur could and would fall asleep anywhere. She nudges him gently, grinning, mocking his accent a bit as she says, “it ain’t no motel six.”

[gollldrush]

random cute leo & arthur thing for @exquisitexagony because why not

It had taken some doing (more like begging) to convince Pete to look through Arthur’s paperwork to figure out his birthday. Much to her delight it wasn’t too far away. It gave her enough time to plan something, giddy as hell about the chance to celebrate something for once. She picks a day – not the day – to surprise him.

“You and me, 7 o’clock, movie night.” Leo slams down a 6 pack of beer on the counter, her face lit up with a grin. “Dooon’t even bother trying to get out of it, I already talked to Pete and he said you can take off early. And if you don’t show up just know I know where you work.” She points at him, sliding the beer off the counter and walking swiftly to the door before he can utter a word of protest.

The apartment isn’t overly decorated but still enough to be considered cheesy. A ‘happy birthday’ banner hangs in the doorway of the kitchen, colorful balloons scattered about the living room. On the dining room table is a cake that she had baked and (hideously) decorated herself, sat next to two small boxes delicately and perfectly wrapped with bows on top. Two party hats – one of which she would force them to wear – and their favorite type of beer chilled in the fridge.

And now she waits. She hovers anxiously by the door, a grin so wide on her face that it hurts. A little bounce of excitement each time she hears someone draw near, only to be disappointed when it ends up being a neighbor. She shifts her weight from side to side, beginning to pace.

6:57.

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony sent: [ BREAKDOWN ] for one muse to ask the other if they’re okay prompting them to finally stop bottling things up. arthur & leo.

It’s dark in the room, Leo barely able to see Arthur in the dark. She’d been awake for a while, just listening to them breathe. Her hand growing numb from tracing patterns down their back as they slept. His nightmares had clustered together, leaving them both exhausted. Even Bandit has been on edge, choosing to sleep out on the couch rather than in the room with them.

Just as she begins to drift off, she can hear the change in their breathing. The panicked twitching movements, the soft groaning. She moves closer, wrapping her arms around their frail frame and holding them. She quietly shushes him, pressing a kiss to his face, his forehead. Softly stroking his hair. Letting him know he’s safe.

“Baby…” She murmurs, gently trying to wake them without scaring them too much. “It’s alright, Arthur.” She pulls back enough to stroke his cheek and waits a moment for him to open his eyes. After a minute she flips over and turns on the lamp before returning her focus to them. “Are you okay?” Once again her hand is on their face, smoothing over scars – both new and old.

[gollldrush]

a house without power or running water . - flesh!leo & arthur

It’s not much, but at least it’s something. Whoever had owned it must’ve only abandoned it a few months ago. A thick layer of dust doesn’t stop her from tossing her shit on the counters or peeling through cabinets in search of something that might still be edible. She doesn’t dare open the fridge… not with whatever liquid is already seeping through the seal.

A few canned goods are pulled out and shoved into her backpack. Every now and again she’s tossing glances to try to see where Arthur might have gone in the house. It’s dark; a little creepy, honestly. For all that she is, she’s not yet immune to her childish fears. The flashlight she’s holding is shaking in her grip as she tries to turn on the sink. No luck.

More and more cabinets are dug through, kind of lost in her own little world as she searches for candles and matches. Arthur’s got a lighter on xem, but she’s not about to go chasing xem down for it. They’re far enough away from other houses that a little glow in the kitchen isn’t going to get them noticed unless it’s other people doing the same thing they are.

“Find anything good?"

[gollldrush]

“i'm freezing” - arthur & leo cos more cute things tehe

It’s a shared statement; Leo’s also shivering, curled up as tightly to xem as she could get. They’d picked a terrible time to go camping at the Indiana Dunes, and they’d chosen to leave Bandit with Edie for the weekend, so they couldn’t count on his added warmth. A huffing sigh and she pulls another layer of covers over the two of them. At least they’d rented a little cabin…

“It’s not that bad.” She murmurs, face burying into their neck with no apology about how cold the tip of her nose might feel. “Plus, think of all the fun ways we can warm each other up.” Her laugh is muffled against their skin. She’s just joking, much too tired and cold to act on it. “Think we can get a fire going?”

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony sent: I used to tell the truth, you know. leo and arthur.

She’s playing with stones on the bank of the river, her toes just barely dipped into the water. The sun’s warmth is enough to make her knees and arms begin to burn, but she doesn’t mind it too much. She’s lost in her thoughts until Arthur says something, causing her to blink a few times.

“What?” Peeking over, she tosses a stone their way – watching it skip twice before it sinks. “Do you mean about what we are?” A moment of pause. “I don’t think I’d tell anyone… not unless I had to.”

She curls her legs inward, head resting on her knees. Content to just watch them for a moment.

“So, why’d you stop?”

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony continued from here.

She knew he felt out-of-place doing this. And maybe she did a little, too. But it was sweet of them to plan it – to let her live her little romantic fantasy despite the discomfort in their eyes. It doesn’t help much that she’s a terrible dancer, his poor toes would surely be black and blue before the night is over. She’s grateful when they stop moving and instead sway in place.

“That would be the nicest thing to do.” Softly musing, she grins as their noses brush – but she doesn’t make any further move except for her hand cupping the side of their neck. “Could even be considered...” Humming, she brushes their lips together, thumb stroking just beneath their jaw. “...gentlemanly."

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony sent: [ BATHED ] our muses take a shower together and receiver looks over sender’s scars. arthur & leo.

She’s sat on the floor of the bathroom, listening as the water patters off Arthur’s skin. The low hum of the exhaust fan sounds like some sort of haunting melody. Her eyes are shut, head leaned back into the wall. Pete had borrowed Bandit for the day, said he wanted a buddy at the gas station. So it was just the two of them again – shrouded in the silence that had become their normal since Arthur’s kidnapping.

It's a quick decision, maybe a bad one, to strip off her clothes and step into the shower behind him. There’s no intention other than the desire to be close, to feel their skin beneath her hands because she missed them. Missed the days of their wild joy and uninterrupted freedom. Everything had become so bleak. And while she knew she couldn’t fix Arthur, she knew she could love them through the darkness.

As he turns to her, her hands gently cup either side of xyr face, pressing a gentle kiss to xyr lips; then peppers more along their jaw. She stops, leaning back only slightly to trail her fingers along the scars along their neck, their shoulder. There’s a pained look on her face, like she can feel each bit of torture xe had to endure for those to be so prevalent. It was a miracle xe survived, a miracle xe made it home to her.

“My beautiful boy.” She murmurs, her gaze lifting to his; hands raising as well to slick back his hair and rest at the nape of his neck. If she could, she would have taken all that pain from xem and given it to herself.

[gollldrush]

@exquisitexagony sent: [ HOODIE ] — sender lends receiver a hoodie that may or may not be oversized for them arthur & leo.

It’s cold out at that little house. Pete had insisted on her coming to his bonfire. the first hurrah of fall. She’d hesitantly agreed after prying to see if Arthur would be there. Of course, she could have asked them herself, but she was trying to play it cool. The crush she had developed on him was becoming a bit too obvious.

She finds herself locked into a conversation with one of the mill workers. It’s hard to hear a word he is saying over the sounds of everyone else shouting and talking. For as quiet as the town normally was, they sure knew how to party. Leo leans closer, taking a sip from her cup before going back to staring blankly and giving a nod here and there. She bounces a bit on her toes, trying to dull the chill in her veins.

The search for Arthur begins the moment she’s able to excuse herself from the conversation. It feels like it takes forever to find him – and when she does, she’s disappointed to see him preoccupied with someone else. The other was a girl she didn’t recognize, probably one of the out of towners that was invited by a friend of a friend. Leo turns sharply and is immediately slammed into by a man twice her size. The impact sends her back on her ass, her drink and his spill entirely down the front of her shirt, soaking it.

He’s kind enough to help her to her feet while muttering off some slurred apology through bouts of laughter. Leo grimaces, dusting off her jeans and fixing her hair. She gently tugs on her shirt to get a better look at it. Completely ruined. When she looks up she lets out a frightened yelp as Arthur seems to have suddenly materialized in front of her.

“Oh.” Leo stares at the hoodie in their outstretched hand for a few seconds before taking it and pulling it over herself. It nearly swallows her entirely, the sleeves hanging down past her hands. "Thank you." She purses her lips, biting back a smile. Any prior idea of playing aloof flies right out of the window. "I was looking for you, I didn't think you were going to show."

[gollldrush]

[ SETTLE ] receiver sits in sender’s lap and proceeds to play with their hair. - arthur & leo

It was a stupid idea to come to this. A little reunion-type party in the backwoods of Indiana with her old high school friends. Arthur had obliged her out of the goodness of their heart even though she knew they hated every second. A group of gossips and loser boys still reliving the glory of their football days. She hated it, too; but she just wanted to do something normal for once.

She’s gotten good at skirting questions about her time in New York. Quick and short answers, ones that didn’t leave room for the imagination. Leo’s hand never strays far from Arthur’s regardless of who she’s speaking to. She was proud to be with him. Didn’t care what anyone else thought, didn’t give a damn about the glances the other girls gave them (until the alcohol seeped further in her veins, at least).

The party dwindles down until it’s just the two of them left in a sea of empty red solo cups and napkins caught on sticks. Arthur’s sat in a chair, staring intently at the fire. And Leo doesn’t hesitate to lift his arms and settle into his lap. Her body leans into his, head finding its place into the curve of their neck. One hand itches up their nape until her fingers sift aimlessly through their hair.

“If that girl checked you out one more time I was gonna fight her.” Her speech is mildly slurred, a little hiccupped laugh at the end. Her eyes are focused on the fire, watching the flames lick and sputter into the sky. "I think I coulda taken her."

[gollldrush]

[ APPROACH ] receiver wakes to find sender is already out of bed so they come find them and sleepily embrace them, refusing to let go. - arthur x leo, but like imagine him sitting on the hood of the truck watching the sunrise <3

The absence of his skin against her fingertips jolts her awake. Even if they couldn’t sleep next to each other in the small confines of the truck, she always found a way to have him within arm’s reach. There was a deep-seated fear in her that one day she might wake to find them gone. The lack of their presence in the truck makes her heart stutter and leap, eyes frantically searching for him.

Everything is still dark and blue, it takes too long for her to spot his silhouette through the windshield. With a groan, she pulls the blanket tight around her shoulders and steps out of the truck, shuffling towards the front.

“Hi.” Her voice is raspy with sleep. She makes an awkward climb up the truck to sit next to them (almost slipping off it twice). Once she makes it, she holds out the blanket for them to pull it around themselves as well. “Sleepy.”

Her face buries into his neck after a quick kiss is pressed just beneath his ear. Her body curls into his, legs swinging across his lap to be as close as possible. She drifts in and out of sleep, groaning as the chill of the morning bites at her skin. Her eyes peek open to stare at the streaks of pink and orange beginning to brighten the sky.

“Pretty.” She mumbles, eyes squeezing shut again the higher the sun climbs. “But too early.”