Because it's you (Rei x Arlo)

30

"Arlo?"

"Shut up."

Rei sighed allowed himself to relax into the warm water. His back stung, everytime water splashed over the cuts he wanted to throw up. In fact, when he came to he passed out immediately after because of the pain. Plus, he was pretty sure Arlo was mad at him. But the blonde had stayed silent the entire time. The only noise he had made was instructing Rei to lift his head or cover his eyes while he helped wash the blood off of him. Rei had insisted on doing it himself, but Arlo had glared at him so hard that he found it better to shut up and do as he said.

Arlo on the other hand was holding back tears. He had to bite his tongue to restrain letting out a sob when he rubbed his hand over Reis back and felt him since. He wanted to apologize but he was just so...

Pissed was an understatement at this point. 

Arlo huffed before pushing away from the bathtub. The water was a light pink, and most of the bubbles were beginning to dissipate. This was actually the third tub of water he had ran. The first one had turned a nasty shade of brown with the mix of dirt and blood, but the second run had been such a bright red that it looked like a murder had happened. "Can you stand?" Arlo asked, and he grimaced when Rei slowly nodded with a wince present on his face. 

Arlo shook his head however and grabbed a towel, "dry yourself off, then come to the living room, don't put a shirt on." He tossed the towel to Rei before swiftly leaving the bathroom. Rei blinked, the white walls of the bathroom were beginning to hurt his eyes and the silence after Arlo left was filled with a growing ringing sound. Rei didn't want to stay in there longer than he had to, so as fast as he could, he stumbled out of the bathtub, pulled the plug, and left the room.

"Sit on the floor." Rei hummed finding Arlo sitting on the couch with a number of ointments and bandages sitting next to him. Rei looked to his face, hoping to meet his eyes and perhaps get a smile out of him. But Arlo avoided his gaze and instead kept his head pointed down. The greenette sighed before typing the towel around his waist and sitting in front of his boyfriend. Arlo shuffled forward on the couch, brushing a few wet strands of hair away from Rei's neck, and if this were a better situation he would've kissed him in an attempt to tickle him. Instead, he grabbed one of the creams and gently applied it to the several cuts lining Rei's back.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rei's fist clench, and he heard him draw in a sharp breath. As mad as he was, Arlo couldn't help but run a comforting hand through the green strand of hair. Subtle brushing out the tangles as his other hand worked on Rei's back. Finally, Arlo spoke about the situation, "how do you plan to explain this to your family?" Rei hummed, "I'll tell them someone challenged me." Arlo scowled, "is that what you planned on telling me?" Rei tensed, and in front of him he played with his fingers. The blonde scoffed, "never picked you as a compulsive liar." He was being mean, and he knew it. But he wanted Rei to tell him the truth, he didn't want any secrets between them. "I'm sorry." Rei whimpered and Arlo teeth clenched, "I accept your apology, but I want an explanation." Rei's lip trembled as he tried his hardest not to cry, out of pain or heartache. 

"You're a vigilante aren't you?"

The air between them was tense, as Arlos hands still and Rei held his breath.

"Yes."

"Which one?"

"X-Static."

Arlo took a deep breath, setting the cream down next to him and grabbing a roll of bandages. "Why?" Arlo didn't have anything against the vigilantes, but he hated how some people praised the "heroes" and scorned the authorities. "Why not let the authorities handle things?" 

"Because that doesn't work."

Arlo paused, "pardon?"

"Letting the authorities handle things doesn't work. Not when there are organization out there that the authorities are not doing anything about." Arlo growled, removing his hands from Rei before he accidentally hurt him. "And what makes you say that?" Rei turned around to where he was facing Arlo. "It doesn't work, when there are people living in fear of a midtier, when ability disabled exist, when ability enhanced exist and are extremely addictive."

"Wait what? Slow down, ability what?"

"It doesn't work when there are people dying on the streets, and not even their families know what happened to them." Rei was glaring at him now, and it was the first time that Arlo had ever seen such an expression on his face, even less so directed at him. Arlo scoffed, "there's only so much the authorities can do Rei. They're doing their best, and they're people just like us, they can't do everything at once." Rei's expression softened, "I know that. I'm not saying they're bad, I have nothing against the authorities. But like you said, they can't cover everything, and that's what we- what I'm trying to help with." Rei lowered his eyes, "I...I know that there some, vigilantes who don't have the best morals. I know that some of them are only doing for, fame and fortune. However," Their eyes locked, and Arlo saw the determination that he both loved and sometimes hated burning like a fire in his eyes. 

"This isn't high school, and there's enough of us that are good, who can actually help. If the authorities actually work with us that is." Arlo shook his head, 'I can't change his mind. I know that, once he's set on something he follows it through to the end.' His hands trembled and he reached forward and cupped Rei's face in his hands. "What about EMBER?" Rei smiled before resting his own hands on Arlos. "I'm not alone, and I know when to back out." Arlo but his lip, trembling as the pressure in his chest finally blew and tears fell down his face. "Then promise me." His voice shook, growing in volume as he held his boyfriend. "Promise me you'll back out. Promise me you won't die."

"I promise-"

"No!" Arlo leaned forward, resting their foreheads together. "Promise that you won't die. Promise me that every time you fight you'll think of me. Promise that you won't leave me." He felt Rei's hands leave his own and rest upon his face. "Arlo, swear, I will never leave your side." Fresh tears ran down his face as Rei pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I love you." Arlo whimpered reaching his arms around Rei's neck and brining him back into the kiss. Rei smiled against his lips before pulling away, "I love you." Arlo sniffed, an ugly sound considering the tears and snort that was caught in his nose, "I love you too."

"Hello?"

Both boys jumped away from each other and found Luca standing by the stairs. "Luca, hey buddy what are you doing up?" The boy walked over to Rei before sitting in his lap, "it got cold without you guys." Rei smiled, running a hand through the little boys hair. Arlo snorted, "Rei, how about you go out some clothes on." Rei paused, face turning bright red before he gave Luca to Arlo and bolted up the stairs. Arlo shook his head with a fond sigh, "hey wait! When you're done you better come back. I wasn't done putting bandages on you."

"You just wanna touch my body!"

"Shut the hell up!"