"Are you... can you stay in the car by yourself?" Mateo asked as they pulled into a gas station.

Emilio shrugged, then said, "um, maybe not."

"Okay," Mateo nodded, looking around his car. 

The gas station seemed pretty empty, but celebrities got recognized all the time right? 

He pulled off his hoodie and passed it to Emilio, then handed him a scarf he had in his backseat and sunglasses from the side compartment. 

"Can you put these on?" He said.

Emilio nodded like he had just been presented with a task of the utmost importance. 

He struggled with the hoodie, wrestling to get his arms and head through. Mateo kept reaching out to help, but pulled his hand away at the last moment.

Eventually, Emilio was able to pull it on. It was big and baggy on him.

Mateo studied him once he had pulled on the hood and put on the scarf and sunglasses. The scarf was wrapped around him covering his mouth and tip of his nose. Barely an inch of Emilio's face was visible, only patches of olive skin and some of his dark curly hair sticking out from the hood. 

"Yeah," Mateo nodded, trying to sound optimistic, "I mean, you don't look like you, so I don't think we have to worry about anyone taking your photo. But... you look really sus… like you're gonna rob the place."

Emilio gasped at the accusation, he pulled down the scarf to reveal his shocked face. "I would never!" He pointed at himself, "I don't need to rob anywhere, I'm rich."

"Well," Mateo said, "You don't look rich right now." 

Then he looked down at himself, his sweatpants were old and baggy, and he was just now realizing the shirt he was wearing had a little hole by his belly button. 

"Yeah, no, two latinos, looking like this, at this hour, in this neighborhood." He shook his head. "Take off the scarf, we'll look less intimidating that way." 

Emilio took off the scarf, fighting with it a bit, as it kept getting tangled with his arms. 

While he did that, Mateo found a baseball cap in his back seat. 

"Here," He said, taking the scarf from Emilio, "Pull those signature curls of yours back into the cap, then pull the hoodie over, okay?" 

Emilio nodded, his brows knitted in focus on the intricate instructions Mateo had given him.

Mateo looked at their reflections on the windows as they walked into the gas station. 

He sighed, as he rolled up his sweatpants a little more, trying to make them look less baggy. 

Then he noticed Emilio’s reflection walking away from his. He looked up and saw Emilio was starting to walk towards the sidewalk. 

“Emilio!” Mateo whisper shouted. 

The door from the gas station jingled open and a couple stepped out. Mateo nodded at them and started speed walking towards Emilio. 

“Em-” he glanced at the couple, “spongebob!” he whisper shouted again.

Emilio glanced back as Mateo reached him, he grinned at Mateo and pointed at him.

“Mateo,” Mateo said.

“Teo,” Emilio nodded.

“Come on,” Mateo said, turning towards the gas station again. 

Emilio nodded once more and reached out to hold Mateo’s hand. 

Mateo froze, looking down at their hands then at Emilio, who was just smiling at him.

“Okay,” Mateo said, forcing the words out in a calm manner, “yeah, sure, why not?” He nodded looking down at their hands again then began walking, gently leading Emilio to the gas station.

“Don’t be suspicious.” Emilio muttered under his breath as they walked. 

“Yeah,” Mateo nodded, “just stay close to me and don't say anything okay?”

“Don't be suspicious.” Emilio repeated, nodding resolutely. 

Then he repeated it three more times. 

The third time as they entered the gas station. 

He looked right at the cashier and whispered it loudly as they walked past him. 

Mateo was mortified. 

He quickly apologized to the cashier and explained that his friend was just a little drunk and that they we're just gonna grab some things to help sober him up, pay for them and leave. He showed his wallet for good measure. 

"Should I tell them?" Emilio whispered, clinging close to Mateo as they walked through the aisles. “That I’m me.”

Thankfully he was actually whispering now. 

"No," Mateo whispered back, glancing at the people nearby, he gave them a polite nod and smile and kept walking with Emilio.

"No?" Emilio whispered back.

"They don't need to know who you are." Mateo said as he scanned the shelf of pretzels.

"Oh." Emilio stopped walking.

Mateo looked at him, and even with the sunglasses, hat, and hoodie on, he could see the look of confusion on Emilio’s face. 

Then a soft smile spread across Emilio's face, "I like that." 

"Okay, welcome to casa Angeles," Mateo said as he opened the door to his apartment.

In one hand he was holding the grocery bag from the gas station, with his other hand, he was holding onto Emilio, helping him keep his balance.

"I hope this casa has a cubeta." Emilio murmured.

Mateo looked over at him, it looked like he was trying his hardest not to throw up. The stairs had really done him in for.

"Yeah, yeah," Mateo quickly said, letting the bag drop on the floor as he guided Emilio into his bathroom.