Elvis One Shots/Imagines

A Fool Such As I - Austin Butler

A/N: this one is Lowkey a little sad. Moulin Rouge is my favorite movie of all time, I really love Baz Luhrmann's directing.

"Come What May,
I will love you (I will love you)
Until my dying day
Come what may..."

The television blared the end to 'Moulin Rouge!' and despite having seen this movie many times, you began to feel tears well up as the curtain closed. You knew what was going to happen but it didn't make the pain go away. When Ewan screamed for his lost love, all sense was lost and you reached for the tissues to wipe your nose. You looked over at Austin, who was curled up on the couch under a fuzzy grey blanket. He was asleep.

For a second you were astonished that he could even think to fall asleep during one of the best movies of all time, let alone seem so content while Ewan's Christian cried out. But he had a soft smile on his lips while he slept, and he looked so thoroughly rested. You couldn't bear to wake him.

As the ending credits started to roll, you clicked the television off and began to clean up from today. You and Austin had been friends since you were teenagers. A movie night was practically habitual at this point, and it usually ended with you cleaning while Austin sleeps. He probably wouldn't fall asleep so much if you didn't insist you rewatch your favorites all the time, but he never argued. You took the dishes to the kitchen, rinsing them slowly to avoid any loud, sudden noises.

You never needed to clean up, he would have done it. But you loved him. So you put the dishes in the dishwasher and started it, you replaced the row of sodas in the fridge and you even made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for him when he wakes up. You went into the living room and set the plate on coffee table, careful not to wake him.

He looked peaceful. His blonde hair was laid out on the pillow and he had his arms wrapped tightly around his body. Austin loved to curl up and even in his sleep he did it. You sighed at the sight of him. He was beautiful and you were so, irrevocably, in love with him. But he would never know. There was no chance in hell you were going to ruin the most valuable friendship you have over your romantic feelings that definitely weren't reciprocated. You had to make your peace with these small moments of seeing him sleep and just being with him. Before you left, you wrote a small note letting him know where you were going and what you did - just so he knew.

———

The next day, Austin shot you a good morning text at 11am. You smiled and told him that it was practically the afternoon, which he denied.

The picture he sent you made your heart flutter. Austin was posing with the peanut butter and jelly sandwich you made him, shirtless, on the couch where he presumably slept all night. You gawked at his tanned chest, the collections of freckles on his shoulders. He had a light layer of chest hair that travelled lower than even the camera went. You had to remind yourself that friends don't lust over friends, even if they look like Austin Butler.

You sent a quick mindless reply and tossed your phone on your bed, determined to continue working on your laptop. Then you heard it buzz on the sheets and you picked it up, knowing it was Austin. He was FaceTiming you.

You took a deep breath, collecting yourself before having to fight every natural instinct to stare, then answered the phone. Austin appeared on the screen, blonde tousled hair from the night's sleep, mouth full of sandwich and completely topless. At least he held the screen up so you only really saw his shoulders.

"Thanks for the sandwich," he said, giving you a grin before he went in for another bite.

"You're welcome."

"What'd I miss last night?" He asked, and you watched as he moved towards his bedroom. He was getting ready for the day with you on the phone. It was a pretty typical routine.