Chapter Text
Jason POV
The campfire had burned down to a low, breathing glow, the kind that made shadows cling to people instead of scattering them.
Jason hadn't meant to stare.
But Leo was sitting across from him, half-turned toward the fire, and the light caught in his dark curls in a way that made them look almost molten—soft, unruly, falling into his eyes no matter how many times he pushed them back. His skin was warm bronze in the firelight, flushed from alcohol and heat, freckles faint but there if you looked closely enough.
Jason looked closer than he should have.
Leo's eyes were darker than the night around them, unfocused but sharp when they landed on Jason, like he was seeing too much and not caring enough to hide it. His nose—slightly crooked, like it'd been broken once and healed wrong—cast a small shadow over his mouth.
Jason's attention snagged there.
Leo's lips were parted just slightly, fuller than Jason ever let himself think about, curved into a faint, lazy smile that wasn't playful so much as open. Unprotected.
He's drunk, Jason reminded himself. Stop looking.
"You're doing it again," Leo said.
Jason blinked. "Doing what."
Leo turned fully toward him, movement unsteady, knee brushing Jason's thigh. The contact sent a sharp awareness through him. Leo didn't pull away. He leaned in instead, forearms resting on his legs, posture loose.
"That thing where you look, like… you're trying to memorize me," Leo said, voice low and amused.
Jason's face reddened.
"You've had too much," Jason said, because it was safer than the truth.
Leo smiled—not wide or goofy. Just enough to deepen the lines at the corners of his eyes. "Enough to stop pretending I don't notice you noticing me."
The fire popped. Jason's gaze dropped despite himself—took in the slope of Leo's shoulders, the way his jacket hung open, the rise and fall of his chest with each slow breath. He looked solid like this. Not buzzing with motion, not hiding behind his jokes.
Leo leaned closer. Close enough that Jason could feel the heat of him, smell smoke and alcohol and something unmistakably Leo.
"You always look so controlled," Leo murmured. "Like if you let go, something bad would happen."
Jason swallowed. Something would.
Leo tilted his head, studying him, eyes dragging over Jason's face in a way that made his skin prickle. "I kinda want to see it," he added softly.
Then Leo kissed him.
It was messy immediately—off-angle, uncoordinated, Leo's mouth catching Jason's lower lip before sliding away, a quiet laugh breathed out like he found the whole thing funny and overwhelming. The taste was sharp and warm, alcohol and smoke and heat.
Jason's mind went blank.
Leo kissed him again before he could react, lips pressing harder this time, still sloppy, still searching. Their teeth bumped. Leo huffed a breath against Jason's mouth, hands bracing clumsily on his knees to stay upright.
Stop him, Jason thought distantly.
Instead, his hand came up, gripping Leo's waist—firm, grounding—pulling him closer so he wouldn't fall.
That was all it took.
The kiss deepened without either of them planning it. Leo leaned into Jason fully now, mouth open, breath uneven, all restraint gone. Jason felt it everywhere—the warmth of Leo's body, the softness of his mouth, the way his control was slipping too fast.
He's drunk. He's drunk and I want this.
Jason broke the kiss with effort, breath coming too fast, forehead dropping against Leo's temple. His hand was still at Leo's waist, thumb digging in like he needed the contact to stay upright himself.
"Leo," he said quietly. "You're drunk."
Leo laughed softly, lips swollen, eyes dark and focused despite everything. "Yeah," he said. "But you're not telling me to stop."
Jason squeezed his eyes shut.
That was the problem. He didn't want to.
He pulled back just enough to look at Leo again. The curls falling into his eyes. The flushed skin. The mouth Jason couldn't stop thinking about now.
"Come on," Jason said finally, voice rough. "Before I forget how to make good decisions."
Leo studied him for a second, then smiled faintly and leaned into Jason's space without hesitation. "You already forgot," he said.
Jason wrapped an arm around him, steady and protective, guiding him away from the fire before either of them could make things worse.
Behind them, the embers glowed low and hot.
Jason knew—without a doubt—that he was going to be thinking about Leo's lips for a long time.
And next time, drunk or not, he wasn't sure he'd stop him.