Eliot

[leo_rooks]

"She's nice, Leo. Just go for dinner with her. My treat..."

Leo had such a hard time saying no to his mother. She was always so sweet, so gentle compared to his father. When she did things like this, it wasn't for appearances, it was because she hated him being alone. She worried, hated seeing him so stressed and unhappy. ...And so he said yes, even though he wasn't really interested.

Maya was nice. She was pretty, and she was funny. Had he not been dealing with the stress of school and whatever it was he was feeling about Eliot, he'd have likely been smitten. As it was though he just felt awkward and unsure, even as he invited her back to the flat for a cup of tea.

"If you can spare the night, I could get us tickets to see it," Maya was offering as they stepped inside. "My father is one of their top doners, so we usually get offered tickets. It looks like it's going to be an amazing production..."

And Leo did sort of want to go. He liked the theater, loved seeing up and coming productions. It just felt a bit wrong to say yes.

"Yeah, if I can get time," he nodded, clicking on the kettle.

Maya wandered over, leaning against the counter and toying with his hair. It felt nice to have her full attention. To have those soft brown eyes focused on him. 

"Do, erm, you like milk in your-"

He was cut off as she leaned in and kissed him softly. Her hair was in perfect tiny braids, and a few fell forward and tapped against his cheek. They smelled amazing. ...She smelled amazing. Like honey and chocolate. ...Or, not chocolate, but something just as sweet and rich.

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[eliot_thespectacular]

And it was at that moment that Eliot stepped out of his bedroom.

He hadn't even heard them since he'd had his headphones on, and they were hanging around his neck now when he walked out. He looked visibly surprised upon seeing them there, and his stomach twisted into a weird, unexpected knot.

"Hi," he said curtly, and walked past them to the shelf in the kitchen where he'd set up neat rows off liquor bottles.

[leo_rooks]

Leo looked startled, but Maya just smiled and laughed.

"You must be Eliot," she said. "Leo mentioned you. I'm Maya," she added, offering her hand.

"...We're having tea," Leo said awkwardly. "Do you want tea?"

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot took her hand briefly. "Pleasure," he said, not entirely genuinely.

Then he pulled down a bottle of gin. "No thanks," he said. "Would either of you like a gin and tonic?" Then immediately regretted it, because for some reason he did not want Leo to be drinking when he was with this girl.

[leo_rooks]

Leo opened his mouth to say no, but Maya smiled brightly and nodded.

"Sounds brilliant. I'd love a drink," she nodded, glancing over at Leo and giving him a wink.

"I- Um, yes. Yeah, that would be nice, Eliot, thank you," Leo agreed, though he looked unsure.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot nodded and went about making drinks. "So... you two been out on the town?" he asked.

[leo_rooks]

"We had dinner at Le Gavroche," Maya said. "It was amazing, have you been, Eliot? I'd only been once before myself- They do that amazing lunch menu, you know?"

Leo glanced between the pair, and was almost thankful when the kettle started to whistle. It gave him an excuse to fuss with something as he tipped it out into the sink.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Ah, Le Gavroche," said Eliot. One of those places that would have put him in danger of not being able to pay rent had he ever eaten there. "Yes, quite good. Though I found their caviar to be pretty sub-par."

He handed Maya and Leo drinks. Leo's was weak. Hardly had any gin in it at all.

[leo_rooks]

Maya took her drink and sipped it. "Ooh, lovely."

"Yes, thanks Eliot," Leo said, taking the glass and taking a drink.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot made one for himself too, and it was strong.

"Well I'll get out of your hair," he said, and looked at Leo. "I'm sure you have a lot to... do."

[leo_rooks]

"Not really," Leo said awkwardly.

Maya laughed, shaking her head. "Don't worry, Eliot, we wont keep you up. I can't stay too late, I've got work in the morning. It was nice meeting you though!"

[eliot_thespectacular]

If Eliot heard them hooking up he was going to vomit.

"Mmmm likewise," he lied, and poured a bit more gin into his glass before putting the bottle back and heading back towards his room.

[leo_rooks]

"He's nice," I see why you like him," Maya said as Eliot shut the door.

Leo just hummed a little and drank deeper from his glass.

"You might have mentioned that you guys have a thing for each other," she added, laughing when Leo nearly choked on his drink.

"I don't- Eliot definitely doesn't," he added quickly.

"Leo, that man has a crush. ...You have a crush," Maya assured him. "There's nothing wrong with being bi, or, you know... Gay," she added gently.

"I know that, I know- I... My family is well aware that I- That I'm bi," Leo replied awkwardly, staring down at his glass.

"Mmm, which is why you went out on a date with a girl they like?" Maya challenged, raising a brow.

"I- No, I... Look, I like Eliot, but we're very different. It would never work. He has impulsive hookups and nearly gets arrested for being indecent at pride, I mainline caffeine and have nightmares about my grades slipping," Leo said, shaking his head and downing the rest of his drink.

"You're adorable. An idiot, but, really cute," Maya giggled, finishing her own drink and putting her glass down.

"I just don't see anything happening. I'm so boring, and he's... I dunno- He lives in a way I don't know how to," Leo sighed.

Maya shook her head, then leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Want to watch a sad movie and eat something with too many calories?" she offered. "I can stay a little longer if you want to talk. ...Or at least make him jealous. I'll even mix another couple drinks."

Leo seemed unsure, then nodded. "I'd like that, actually."

Maya laughed and grabbed a bottle.

Four drinks in and less than thirty minutes into the movie, Leo was out cold, curled up in the corner of the sofa. Maya watched him for a moment, then quietly got up and tapped her knuckles on Eliot's door.

"Hey, pretty boy, open up," she called softly through the door.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot was on his bed sulking. He'd wanted to go out and get more gin, but in the end his desire not to run into the two of them again had won out. So he'd been watching Roadhouse on his laptop.

After a hesitation, he got up and opened the door. "Uh, hi," he said, surprised to see her.

[leo_rooks]

"Don't look spooked, I come in peace," Maya said, tucking her braids back behind her ears. "Come out here and let's have another drink. Don't worry, sleeping beauty is out cold," she added, nodding at Leo on the couch.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot hesitated, but then said, "Sure," and when he stepped out with her, a smile quirked at his lips when he saw Leo. "He seriously can't hold his liquor.'

[leo_rooks]

"I might have given him a few more drinks," she admitted. "But the boy needed them."

wandering into the kitchen, she handed Eliot the gin bottle and her glass, before perching herself on the counter.

"So you nearly got arrested at pride, huh?" she asked with a smirk.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"He told you about that?" Eliot sighed as he went about making more drinks. "I shouldn't have told him. He probably thinks I'm some kind of degenerate."

[leo_rooks]

"Probably, but, you know, money breeds repression," Maya replied. "Speaking of which, if you're gonna lie about eating at Le Gavroche, the salmon caviar is to die for, but the longe de Veau is pretty mid. Don't worry though, puppy still adores you. He's smitten."

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot laughed. "Oh, please."

He did, of course, remember that moment when he thought Leo was going to kiss him. But he'd been drunk and half asleep.

He walked back over to her and handed her a drink. She... reminded him a little of Margo.

"You're the type of person he wants to be with," he said quietly.

[leo_rooks]

"Obviously, I'm a catch- But he likes you, and I prefer to date boys who aren't quietly crushing on their flatmates," Maya said, taking the drink and sipping. "This isn't me guessing, pretty boy, he told me."

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot glanced over at the couch again to confirm that he did indeed seem to be out cold. Then he took a long drink before blurting, “I’d ruin his life. I wouldn’t mean to. I wouldn’t want to. But…”

[leo_rooks]

"O-kay. So, I can't drink enough to unpack that baggage with you tonight, I really do have work tomorrow, but... So what?" Maya shrugged. "If you like him, just try not to fuck it up too badly. That's all any of us can do."

She finished her drink, then glanced at her phone. "I better go. Tell Leo I can still get tickets for that show if he wants to go. I might be missing out on a 2nd date, but I'm not ghosting someone who'll actually go to the theater with me and not be on their phone the whole time."

[eliot_thespectacular]

“Um, nice meeting you,” Eliot said, and then slowly cleaned up the kitchen after she left, before going to the couch.

He sat on the edge by Leo’s waist. “Hey,” he said softly, “You should get into bed. You’ll wake up with a sore back if you don’t.”

[leo_rooks]

Leo looked groggy, squinting a bit at Eliot, then sitting up.

"Did Maya go?" he asked, fighting a yawn.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Yeah, she... said she had to work early." Eliot tilted his head a little, watching him. "How do you feel about that? Do you wish she'd stayed?"