Three O's

LATE NIGHT CALL ~ Eli ~ request

"Hey," You move your phone towards your ear. "I didn't expect you to answer so quick."

It's past 12, and your call had rang through barely twice before it was picked up.

"Oh sorry," Eli's on the other end, prompt and soft. "I had my phone with me."

"It's okay." You turn the volume up too, before deciding to just put it on speaker and set your phone back down. "You were waiting for my call though huh."

"No." He replies, quickly trying to correct himself as you woww through his speaker.

"No, that's not what I meant." He says, less on defense and more ready to laugh. "I just didn't want to sound, I don't know, weird."

He pauses.

"Like, clingy? Or something?"

You snort, dismissing the thought. "I like clingy."

He does his own dramatic okay after half a scoff,  half laugh-his face probably scrunching into a little sign of disbelief. "Then, can't you just come over now? Or can I?"

"We said the morning." You point out. "And I would say yes but it's late and I don't want you driving."

"I'll be safe."

Although you were far from averse-especially with the little time you'd gotten together recently-you keep your stance anyway.

"Morning."

Eli sighs. "This sucks."

You can imagine the pout on his face now, and it keeps the smile on yours.

"Even us being on the phone?"

"No," He draws. "But I don't only want to talk on the phone."

"I know." You laugh. Neither did you, but you'd get past it later; do a little more. You hear shuffling on the other end of the line, after you say so.

"Do you um, do you have some time right now though? Instead?" Eli asks.

You're full, cheeky because he's hoping you do, and you can think of quite a few reasons for it. Quite a few reasons he didn't only want to talk, and maybe it had something do with the instructions you'd given him earlier. The plug you'd had him put in and leave.

So, you give him an invitation.

"Yeah. Why?"

And he's taking it.

"Can we do FaceTime?"

You go to change the call as soon as he asks, the screen dark before it lights up and you see his midriff, then up to his face as he leans back towards the phone; away from his dresser and lamp to lay down.

"Hi." Eli sounds even softer than before. He seems it too, so more than the last time you saw him.

"Hi." You respond as he looks at himself in the corner of the screen, immediately trying to fix the slight mess of his hair. "Were you headed to bed?"

"Can you tell?" He pushes on his headband, shifting it all up.

"Stop you look cute."

Now you get to see his little scrunch of disbelief, and he pauses this time too, responding with a definitive no, you do, even as a smile passes him.

"Well, not cute but...pretty." He rests his phone against his headboard, then pulls a pillow to his chest; close and crossing his arms over it. "Really pretty."

"Thank you. But don't try to change the subject." You tilt your head up, pointing towards his apparent mess, which was actually just another part to the instructions you'd given him yesterday-everyday recently. "I like that you kept your headband on."