The switch

Car ride

This shouldn't be complicated. He and Len had often swapped when they were younger. Sometimes for fun. Sometimes not. Whether it was for the sake of a heist, a meeting or simply for fun, they had always successfully managed to pass off as the other. This wasn't any different.

But no matter how many times Leo told himself that, his brain kept circling back to every detail of Len that he couldn't do. Anyone who really knew him or Len would be able to tell something was off. Luckily for him, there was only one person who could cause any danger and that was Lisa. Even their father couldn't tell them apart. That was mostly due to the fact he'd never truly cared about them as children.

Now that Leo thought about it, his father didn't know anything about him. It shouldn't bother him but it did. The same way a slightly uneven picture frame would. He didn't care about his father. He was an asshole. Leo should want nothing to do with the man. Who cared if Lewis couldn't name his own son's favorite color! Not Leo! That was for sure! No sir. Leo totally didn't care that his only parent couldn't tell the difference between him and his brother.

But the thought stuck to him like a pebble in his shoe. Logically this was good. If even his family couldn't tell the difference, then fooling the mob bosses and Ray shouldn't be a problem.

Ray. His husband. His silent and.. really cute husband. Ray was about an inch shorter than him but much broader. His eyes were a deep brown that stood out to Leo's light blue-greenish ones. Leo couldn't see much with the tux Ray was wearing but Terrill definitely worked out. Or didn't. Who cared! This was political. Nothing more. But at least he was married to someone hot..

Leo slid out of his thoughts and threw a subtle glance at the man on the other side of the car. He was asleep. Which meant Leo could really look at him for once. Take his time learning every one of his features. The shape of his face, its details. Everything that made him unique. Leo didn't want to be creepy. Obviously. But Ray was just so.. attracting. His entire body asleep and yet, he did not seem calm. Even while in slumberland, he looked tense and uncomfortable.

Leo felt a wave of pity for him. Ray hadn't asked for this anymore than he had. An overwhelming wave of guilt hit him. He knew this wasn't his fault and yet he couldn't stop himself from feeling responsible. It was in his nature to want to offer affection to those he felt were in distress but he couldn't. Not here. Not now. Not ever.

He desperately wanted to give Ray a hug, stroke his back and tell him everything would be okay, hold him and let all of the pain out, not just Ray's but his too.

Together they could get through this.
Together they could work on a way to overthrown their fathers and give the city back to the people.
Together they could find another way to end the bloodbath that didn't end with them being forced to marry each other.

All he had to do was win Ray over, get him to like him, to trust him. It should be pretty easy. Leo was charming, or so he was told. Getting someone to like him wouldn't be a big challenge. All he had to do was get Ray onboard and they could find a way out of this.

Ray who was sleeping next to him, whose chest rose and fell with every breath he took, whose beautiful features seemed relaxed but tense at the same time. Ray, his husband. The reality of the situation felt like an insane pressure on his chest. Everything had happened so damn fast.. It was so overwhelming, Leo wanted to cry. He wanted to let all of this stress and anxiety and pain out with every tear and knowing he couldn't allow himself to be weak anymore.. it just made everything worse.

Tearing his eyes away from the sleeping man, Leo couldn't stop himself from wondering if Ray also felt like crying. If he also felt that pressure in his chest. If he also wanted to.. Leo slowly brought his hand to to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose to calm down from the horrible realization. ..if he also wanted to fall asleep and wake up when all this was over.