Chapter Text
Leaning on the wooden railing was anything but comfortable, but it was preferable to thinking about whatever was up with Chance.
And Guest is fun to talk to as well!
The chatter from the others bubble up but words don't reach their ears. Neither of them are talking to each other, just enjoying the silence.
“Does Chance hate me?”
Well there goes that peace.
Guest blinks, his blue eyes flick to Elliot, startled by the sudden question,
“I don’t believe so, if anything I would say the opposite.”
Theres another pause.
“What makes you say that?”
Elliot frowns a little, his mellow facade cracking as his eyes grow hazy. He rubs aggressively at his hazel eyes in frustration at the realization that, in order to be understood himself as he longs to do others, he’s going to have to share how he feels.
Urgh…
“I feel… Ugh” Elliot sighs shakingly, “He just always feels too far away even though he’s so close… Y’know? Like we’re physically together but mentally words apart.”
He struggles to get the words out, fighting back stuttering and tears.
The straw that broke the camel’s back is when Guest pulled him into a side room, where neither of them could be seen by any others.
“For privacy,” He explains, “I know it’s hard to talk about this kind of-”
A wail erupts from Elliot, his wraps his arms tight around Guest as harsh sobs wrack his smaller body. Guest doesn’t miss a beat, curling his arms around Elliot’s back and rubbing small, soothing circles that somehow made the fabric of the blonde’s work uniform feel less suffocating.
When Elliot settles his breathing and pulls away, Guest loosening his grip to allow Elliot room, he swallows thickly and continues.
“It feels like Chance wants to be far away from me… Like he can’t stand to bare me but is required to be around me… like it’s a chore or a dead-end job.”
He blinks, his eyes darting back and forth as he thinks, grip tightening on Guest’s tank top.
The latter notices this and hums to get the other’s attention, snapping Elliot from his anxious daze,
“I understand why you feel this way, I have definitely seen him run away from you. But he does always come back. Even if it makes him look like a stray cat only coming back for food, it still means he relies on you and cares about your wellbeing. Like how the employee of said dead-end job needs that job for money and to be able to live comfortably, or how chores need to be done in order to have a clean house.”
“I know it sounds like he's using you in these examples, but I’m here to restate that he cares, more than uses. You both care, it’s why he runs away, in fear of startling the fawn.”
Elliot blinks, and startling himself, a small laugh leaves his lips,
“You think I’m a fawn?”
Guest snickers and rustles his blonde curls, earning a warmer giggle from Elliot,
“Maybe more like a wolf in sheep’s clothing?”
“How cruel! I am not a sheep or a wolf!”
Chance stepped up the stairs slowly, deep in thought.
Should I explain myself to Elliot? He deserves that much…
What have I done to deserve his forgiveness?
He’s so good at reading people, he definitely knows something is up.
But I don't know if I can tell him he reminds me of my ex
That would open the floodgates, I’d never be able to go back…
Should I just apologize and then not elab- What is that.
As he makes it to the top, he spots Guest’s hand on Elliot’s back, guiding him to a hallway closet.
He stops in his place and scowls, no one around to see his face means no use in hiding it behind a mask. And he certainly can’t hide this.
He knows jealousy is a rotten feeling, but whenever the person who you care about the most and maybe-sorta-I-don't-know-probably-perchance-mayhaps-like-like-in-(far)more-than-friends-way, goes off with the guy he was just privately talking to and smiling…
Laughing…
Talking with…
Chance rubs the bridge of his nose. What is he doing?
Guest was so good to Elliot, it’s cruel of him to pray on their downfall when this is what Elliot deserves.
It avoids any hard conversations.
Avoids Chance seeing Elliot much and therefore being reminded of-
And it also avoids feelings growing.
That’s what’s good for Elliot.
That’s what’s good for me.
Leaving the room with Guest in a much better mood, Elliot spots Chance at the pool table, leisurely playing billiards against himself.
Guest gives Elliot a thumbs up before turning on his heel and promptly going back downstairs.
So, deep breaths!
“Hey, Chance.”
A twitch in the shoulder and pause in his movements gives Elliot all the information he needs to know that Chance is caught off guard. Meaning he was very deep in thought. Curious.
With a smirk on his face and chin tilted to the side, his mask was back on,
“Hey Ells! Whatcha up to?”
Elliot takes a step fully into the room and meets as much of Chance’s gaze as he possibly can, considering the other wears sunglasses religiously,
“I want to talk about us.”
Uh oh.
“What about ‘us’? You make it sound like we’re a young couple!”
“Funny, but this is serious, Chance.”
The corner of Chance’s mouth twitches, he nods for Elliot to go on.
“It feels to me…” Elliot picks his words carefully, ready to throw himself into dirt if Chance even acts offended by what he’ll say.
“Like you don’t really like me, and you stay around me for necessity.”
Chance pauses, a silence drawn so thin that it makes Elliot squirm like a worm on a hook.
“Oh Elliot! Of course I like you! We’re pals! I wouldn’t be around you if I didn’t like ya’”
Chance grins and walks towards Elliot, standing in front of him.
“I feel like you’re not taking this seriously right now.” Elliot challenges, albeit hesitantly, but he stands his ground with a fierce look in his eyes.
This makes Chance hesitate more, this was what he was wanting to avoid, if he lets anything slip, it’s over for him and for any chance (a/n: get it) at them being… i’ll stop that thought there.
So in order to keep his dignity, and friendship… it’s time to put on a show.
“I’m taking this as seriously as possible, but I don’t hate you!” Chance’s smile falters,
Shoot this is getting a little emotional, Elliot looks very upset
What the hell does Chance think he’s doing right now? This makes everything even worse…
Oh Telamon he really does hate me!
I really hope he’ll drop this and we can go back to normal
I really wish I could drop this, but if he doesn’t say anything productive…
He’s making me lose my mind!
“If you really don’t like me, just say it. We don’t have to be friends because I heal you, I heal 007n7 even before we talked stuff out so you wouldn’t lose your healer. Please just be honest with me Chance, for once, about something serious”
Chance stares at Elliot, his face blank, which scares Elliot more than his smug facade.
But then the smile is back.
“I am being honest, Elliot.” His voice is noticeably softer,
“It’s just… hard.”
Elliot blinks, his eyes around in confusion, “Hard? To be honest with me?”
“To be honest with myself.”
Chance finally looks Elliot in the eyes, expecting an unforgiving, icy blue glare.
But all he sees is the gentle doe eyes of someone who cares about him… of all people… staring back.
“Oh Chance, please, we can talk-”
Instead of a verbal response, Chance just smoothly turns around, back to Elliot, and strides back to the pool table.
“What else is there to say.”
And he goes back to playing.
And pulling away.