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.

Comments

[leo_rooks]

"October seventh. When's yours?" Leo asked.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"January seventeenth," said Eliot. "And I'll remember that. You will get a cake."

[leo_rooks]

Leo laughed softly at that, offering a smile.

"Yeah? I never bother celebrating anymore to be honest- But cake would be nice.," he replied. "I'd offer to make you one in return, but asking you to suffer my cooking seems like a cruel thing to do to someone on their birthday."

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot chuckled. "That's fine."

The waiter returned then to clear their plates. "Dessert?" he offered. Eliot looked at Leo.

[leo_rooks]

"We'll have the dessert flight to share," he said, glancing at Eliot to make sure that was okay.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot grinned and nodded. "Excellent choice," said the waiter, and poured the last of the wine into Eliot's glass before moving away.

Eliot looked across the table at Leo. "I'm going to tell you a happy story," he said. And then he launched into one of his favorites, about after he and Margo met at Yale, and they took the train to New York City and they spent a whole day shopping, but then they got mugged and lost everything that Margo had spent her money on, and also the Broadway tickets they had, so instead they just spent the whole day in Central Park and going to free museums. It was great.

[leo_rooks]

Leo smiled as he listened, though his smile faded slightly as he said, "You must miss her."

[eliot_thespectacular]

"I... yeah, I do," Eliot said softly. And the guilt certainly didn't help. He still couldn't help but think it was his fault she was dead. Or at least partially his fault.

He managed a little smile and said, "Will you tell me a happy memory?"

[leo_rooks]

Leo was quiet for a moment, then settled on a story about the time he and his friends went to great lengths to prank the headmaster at his old school. How they'd completely swapped out his office with the office across the hall from his, explaining that the rooms were nearly identical outside the decor.

"He thought he was going mad, they both did. We made sure everything was exactly where it was meant to be, just mirrored," Leo laughed. "We never got caught either," he added cheerfully.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot laughed, genuinely. "Oh, see that's very good. A harmless prank. And unlikely to get you arrested."

[leo_rooks]

"I think if I ever got arrested my father might genuinely disown me," Leo admitted with an uneasy laugh.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot looked at him for a moment and then said, "He would hate me, wouldn't he."

[leo_rooks]

"Well I never said he had good taste," Leo replied, trying to make light of it.

No, his father wouldn't like Eliot. Not at all.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot was quiet for a moment. "Leo, I... I care about you, I don't want to cause problems for you."

[leo_rooks]

"Eliot- Let me cross that bridge should we reach it. Right now, I just- I just want to eat dessert with you, okay? ...Please," he added quietly.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot nodded, just as the waiter returned with a long plate holding four different small desserts. "Bon appetit," he offered pleasantly, and also left a check on the table between them before leaving.

[leo_rooks]

Leo moved the check towards himself, then nodded at the plate.

"What should we try first?"

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot smiled and picked up a spoon. "Creme broulee."

[leo_rooks]

Leo took some as well, but his mind now was on his father. As much as he tried not to worry about it yet, it was hard not to.

"Do you like it?" he asked Eliot.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"It's fucking amazing," Eliot sighed, and then also took a bite off some kind of tart.

[leo_rooks]

Leo ate a bit more as well, then took the check and pulled out his card, slipping it into the book to pay.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot wasn't going to argue with that; they both knew he couldn't afford it, probably not even his share. And though he was curious what the bill was, it would be tacky to look.

So he just said, "Thanks," with a little smile, and took a bite of cheesecake.

[leo_rooks]

"Yeah, of course," Leo said, looking a bit shy and pretending to check his phone.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"This was really nice," Eliot added as the waiter came and cleared the rest of their plates. "Do we need to call the car back?"

[leo_rooks]

"No, he'll be outside when we go," Leo assured him, sending the driver a quick text just as the server came over to take his card.