#teo (oc)

Ms. Colombia was scared of thunder.

The macaw was big enough to take up Oswaldo’s entire torso, which he knew because that was where she always was during storms – snuggled up against his chest and trembling, a wing over her face. Oswaldo stroked her head and made soothing noises to his avian companion. “It’s okay, chica. It’s okay.”

There had been a lot of thunder storms lately. Teo, the kind-hearted man who’d taken him and Ms. Colombia in when they arrived with the group of refugees fleeing violence, had told him that “all this thunder means Pepa must be having a tumultuous time.” Oswaldo had no idea what sort of superstition the locals had about the weather, but they seemed to attribute it to a spirit named Pepa. Oswaldo was already feeling shy and lost in this new place, so he’d merely smiled and nodded knowingly the first time he’d heard Pepa’s name. At this point, too much time had passed and he felt the window to ask had closed.

He’d arrived in a group of thirty people. Thirty. That was all that was accounted for from his village, and he’d probably never see the others again, if they were even alive. He’d been lucky – he’d made it. And so had his sister and her family, and two dear friends of his. But the rest? His brother? His elderly neighbor whom he’d cared for? His ex-lover? They were all gone now. He didn’t know what had become of them. 

So many of the encanto’s residents had opened their doors to them, and Oswaldo was grateful. Teo had put the word out that he wanted to take in gay and queer refugees specifically, to give them a sense of community. Teo’s friends had been too afraid to reveal themselves; they weren’t sure if they could trust Teo, if it would be some kind of trap, another reason to flee. But Oswaldo had a good feeling about Teo and the encanto, and shaken and lost as he was, he was too tired to hide anymore. He’d missed his community most of all, was wondering if they would be safe even when they’d ended up in someplace that wasn’t touched by violence. He wanted to believe there were Teos all over Colombia, to believe that there was true safety and welcoming for people like them. So he’d taken Ms. Colombia – who had looked very much the way he felt, ruffled and shaken – to Teo’s house, and he’d been staying there ever since. 

That was three weeks ago, and he and Ms. Colombia had been holed up at Teo’s, stuck indoors as the rain pummeled Teo’s house. Teo – a baker by trade – had been feeding them generously, but Oswaldo hadn’t had much of an appetite, and his clothes were starting to hang loose on him. If his mother were still alive, she’d chide him for it. She had always chided him to make sure he ate. Or Nairo… but Oswaldo shook his head. Oswaldo liked to remember Nairo as being more caring than he was, but his on-again-off-again lover had never paid enough attention to him to notice when Oswaldo was neglecting himself. And Oswaldo was prone to neglecting himself, especially because no one but his mother had ever noticed – not even Nairo. But even so. He looked out the window, at the harsh conditions outside his place of shelter. He desperately hoped Nairo was okay.

The parrot jolted in his arms as another thunderbolt shook the house, and Oswaldo kept up his soothing. “It’s okay,” he said, trying to make himself believe it. “We’re okay now.”

(Image courtesy of the talented wizard @chronic85doodler. You should check out her comic @prophetic-hijinks for some great content that will make you go SQUEEE.)

"Ha! Okay, okay, that's cute."

Teo held back a smile to see Gustavo and Ozzy in one of his sweaters - the two of them able to fit together inside comfortably. They struck a pose, their hands spread out wide to show off the full patterns of his sweater while their feet were cozy in a pair of Gustavo's knitted socks.

"You left it at our house yesterday, so it's ours now," Ozzy said.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because it didn’t work out with Virgil, so what makes you think it’s going to work out with anyone else?”

Teo placed Gustavo’s bread order on the counter and leaned against it to talk to him in a more casual manner.

“But you and Virgil are good friends right? I’d count that a success.”

“Not when your end goal is to get me settled down with someone.” Gustavo leaned against the counter too to get the weight off his leg.

“Well I’ve got a good feeling about this guy. Just came into town looking for a new place to live. Very outdoorsy, loves camping, and he’s into older men too.”

“I can see why you two hit it off then.” Gustavo played with the hem of his cuff. “I don’t know…”

“Come on, one more try? I promise if this one doesn’t work out either, I’ll stop pestering.”

Gustavo eyed him. “Mmm…if you promise, okay.”

“Great! I’ll tell him about you and we’ll set up a date. Leave it to me.”

Teo planted kisses down his neck…

Gustavo turned his head to the side and let out a breath, feeling warm from the drinks they shared and smiled at the feeling.

The bar was loud around them where the two of them had snuck away in a corner, and the feeling of genuine affection was such a new and comforting feeling to him. He held onto the baker who held him back.

“Should we go to your place?” Teo asked him.

“Not my place….” He said. “What’s wrong with here?”

Teo smiled, his lips still pressed against the older man’s skin. “Not very romantic when I’m trying to impress my crush.”

“I’m your crush now?” Gustavo turned red.

“Wasn’t it obvious?”

“Not to someone like me…” He faced forward to smile at his eyes. “Then maybe let’s take it slow…”

“Okay.” Teo smiled back to him and stood there as Gustavo leaned forward to kiss his lips.

“I’ll see you Sunday?” Teo asked when he pulled away.

Jfjdjdkflfkajd it’s been less than a day 😂

So far here is what I have:

- Mateo “Teo” Delgado, age 47 in the Lethal Amigos canon where Bruno is 50 and Gus is 53

- He was a bakers apprentice in his youth and opened his own shop by the church where Gus met him

- He has a younger sister who has a daughter of her own around Briana’s age. Her name is Lila - her Tio Teo often looks after her and she’s often hanging around the bakery doing taste tests

- He is on the chubby side with buff arms - dark hair and facial hair with a kind, rounded face. Same height as Gus

- He is gay and only into men