We Are Bulletproof

"No."

He wasn't mad; it was just how he expressed himself. Leo wasn't good at being sensitive. He wasn't good at protecting people's feelings. His words came out hard and blunt sometimes, which unfortunately meant more delicate people like Sage were hurt. Misunderstandings. Leo slid his gaze away and settled back to wait for the mist to pass by. For a long time, he let the silence lay thick between them. After a while, though, he put an arm around Sage's shoulders without saying another word.

They weathered the fog like that, quietly listening to what was going on outside. Whatever had been out there must have found something (or somebody) else to stalk because it left the two of them alone. Time ticked away and Leo felt exhaustion beginning to steal over him. Eventually, he fell into a half-sleep stupor, head tilted toward Sage.

It wasn't until some homeless woman started shouting at the wall that he came back to the real world, alert. By then, it looked like Sage had fallen asleep too so Leo took in a breath and picked him up so he could take him home. The fog had lifted, so he walked Sage to his car and headed home with him.

"Hng." That was his response to the thanks. It was true; Leo wasn't much of an apologetic type and he wasn't much for being gracious and thankful, either. Leo sort of just expected people to understand those things about him but what it really did was alienate them. Didn't matter either way to Leo; he wasn't out to make the most friends. In fact, he liked it best when people kept their GD distance. Of course, there were very few exceptions but lucky little Sage--he happened to be one of them.

Leo reached up and grabbed the hat Sage wore, pulling it down over his eyes and forcing his head slightly downward.

"Shut up." He could read the words in Sage's eyes and his own words were a warning--don't you fucking say it aloud. It was bad enough that Sage was blushing full force--enough to literally light up a damn room if he wanted to. Leo reached up to push Sage's wrist down, moving his cupped hand away from him. Getting awful close there, wasn't he?

"Nah. Just sit down and be quiet."

"Stop apologizing," he growled. He hated it when Sage went apologizing. Apologies sounded like groveling and it was a weakness. Leo never bothered with apologies but then, people kind of thought he was a dick. Like he gave a shit; he was mostly in it for himself. He only cared about a handful of people and Sage was lucky he was one of them.

He was rethinking the way he'd decided to pick up Sage, though. He might just be dumb and look at the monsters in the mist and do something dumb. Get them both in trouble. Every man for himself, they said. They were right, usually. Leo was usually all for the whole motto but... Sage had to call him, of all people. What was he even doing out here alone? Dummy.

His long legs afforded him a good distance from the monster but Leo was also a smoker, so... It sort of evened things out. An old boarded up building caught his eye and he stopped just long enough to kick the damned boards in and enter. It looked like an old store that hadn't been used in a couple months. And there was a squatter, who looked up, startled, when his home was broken into. Turning back and looking out, he saw that whatever had been with them outside hadn't turned down the street. He let Sage down.

"We'll just hunker down here 'til it lifts."

"Away."

Leo wasn't about to say too much at the moment. Right now, they just had to get out of the area. Somewhere behind him, he could hear the soft steps of a creature, he could feel its breath, and he didn't dare look back, lest Sage do it too. Instead, he pulled tighter on Sage's hand to get him moving faster. He was half ready to just sweep him off his feet and get the fuck out of there.

"Don't look back."

It was closing in on them.

A garbage can skittered away as it pushed it away. Now Leo did actually pick Sage up, slinging him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes before sprinting down another alley and through to the street on the other side.

"Tch," he said gruffly. They were wasting time standing there, he was sure. There were things in the darkness, crawling in the fog. It was time to get Sage to safety and away from all that mess.

"We're gonna die if we stay here," he said. The most affection he showed was a gently rub of Sage's head before he looked up and froze. Sage wouldn't see it, since he was too busy burying his face in Leo's chest. But Leo for sure saw that fucker.

"C'mon," he said, lowering his voice and urging Sage away from the danger.

Leo hung up the phone. No use talking to Sage when he was right there in front of him. Sliding his cell phone into his back pocket, he ambled forward. At first, he was going to say something about how Sage was being a little ridiculous and kind of a baby--but then he saw what Sage was talking about. He wasn't alone. Something was lurking in the fog and it had a distinctly inhuman shape.

"Sage!" he hissed in as quiet a tone as he could. "Over here!"

Nothing
But I can see you

Figures

So am I.

Almost there, no worries.

/quiet for a moment, listening, then:

You still there?

Yeah but it keeps you alive, don't it?

Don't fight, baka. You'll get yourself killed.

You aren't gonna die.

Fuck
on my way.