EO oneshots//1998//2022

trust

The ride home was quiet. Noah questioned why Elliot was picking him up, then promptly texted his mom and aksed her the same question. He was silent mostly, Elliot let him have radio control but Noah didn't turn it up above 6. Elliot could tell he was nervous about going home but excited to see his mom. And then he spoke

"Is my mom okay?" Noah asked quietly

Elliot glanced at him for a moment "she's okay, they got the bad guys and she's just ready for you to come home"

Noah looked down at his hands "it's my fault she got hurt"

"What makes you think that?" Elliot asked

Noah sighed "I didn't protect her, she told me to go inside and I left her"

"You did as you were told, that's what your mom wanted. This isn't on you at all" Elliot said

Noah shrugged "I should have helped her, they could have shot her or..or killed her"

"Noah, they could have hurt you. It's your mom's jobs to protect you and your job is to listen to her. You did everything right" Elliot said as he turned on to their street

Noah shift in his seat "are you sure they're all gone?" He asked and looked around anxiously

Elliot looked at him as he parked "they're gone, but just incase I'm going to stay with you till your mom gets home"

_ _ _

Noah let them both in and took off to the kitchen. Elliot looked around her apartment as he followed

"Do you know how to make a grilled cheese ?" Noah asked

Elliot smiled "it's 8 'o'clock, you didn't have dinner at your friends house?" He asked  as he came into the kitchen

Noah hopped up on a stool at the island "I did but it was chicken salad..gross"  he said 

Elliot leaned his hip against the island "Well, you're right about that" he said watching Noah pull out books from his backpack

"We always have cheese and bread, my mom doesn't sleep much so she's always making sandwiches in the middle of the night for work or my lunches for school" Noah said

Elliot frowned as he headed over to the fridge "she doesn't sleep much?" He asked getting out the cheese and mayonnaise

Noah scrunches his nose "gross..why do you have that?" He asked looking at the mayonnaise

Elliot looked at him and smiled "it's better this way" he said getting out the rest of the stuff "trust me Noah, I have 5 kids who all went through a grilled cheese phase, im a master at this" he said and began making his samwitch

Noah shrugged and went back to books, he was quiet for a moment as he got out markers and colored pencils from beneath the island "my mom has nightmares, that's why she doesn't sleep much"  he said

Elliot kept his focus on the stove as he cleared his throat "oh.." he said softly

Noah looked up from his drawing when he saw Elliot flip his grilled cheese "dont tell her I said that, I'm not supposed to know, i heard her talking to uncle Fin one time" he said

Elliot put his hands up "your secrets safe with me" he said and slid the grilled cheese on to a plate "here ya go" he said handing him the plate

Noah took it and smiled "thanks"

Elliot leaned his arms against the island and looked at all the coloring stuff "so... you like art ?" He asked

Noah shrugged "I guess" he said with a mouth full as he continued to color