Elliot

10 - Pancakes

Elliot had fallen asleep before the end credits rolled, his head resting against the arm of the couch, his legs curled up beneath him. His steady breathing filled the otherwise quiet room, the flicker of the TV screen casting soft shadows over his relaxed features. Nate sighed, standing over him for a moment, debating whether to wake him. But something about the peaceful expression on Elliot's face stopped him. He looked so... serene. Vulnerable, even. The usual bundle of energy was finally still, and it caught Nate off guard just how endearing that was.

Grabbing the throw blanket from the back of the couch, Nate draped it over Elliot carefully, tucking the edges around him so he wouldn't get cold. The corners of his mouth twitched into a faint smile as Elliot stirred slightly, his face nuzzling into the fabric without waking. Nate turned off the TV, collecting their plates and glasses from the coffee table. As he rinsed them in the sink, his thoughts drifted back to the evening. He remembered the way Elliot's face lit up during the movie—not just when he laughed at the cheesy lines, but the way his eyes softened during the quieter moments. There was an openness to him, a genuine enjoyment that Nate hadn't realized how much he appreciated until now. It was rare for Nate to feel comfortable around someone so effortlessly. Elliot had this way of drawing people in, of making even the smallest moments feel significant. 

 After finishing up in the kitchen, Nate shut off the lights and got ready for bed. But as he lay there in the dark, he couldn't help but replay the night in his mind—Elliot's laugh, his dramatic commentary on the movie, and the quiet way he'd eventually drifted off. Nate sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He wasn't sure what was happening between them, but something about Elliot had a way of creeping under his skin. And the strangest part? He wasn't entirely sure he minded.

As Nate lay in the quiet darkness of his room, his thoughts drifting to Elliot's sleeping form on the couch, an unwelcome pang hit his chest. It was familiar, a sharp reminder of why he'd built those walls around his heart in the first place.

There had been someone, once—a lifetime ago, or so it felt. Someone who had drawn him in with promises of forever, someone he'd given his all to without hesitation. Nate had let himself believe in it, let himself feel safe in that love. But it hadn't lasted. The betrayal still echoed in his mind, a jagged memory he'd tried to bury. He remembered the look in Simons eyes the day everything shattered, the casual way he'd discarded Nate like he was nothing. It wasn't just the heartbreak that hurt; it was the realization that Nate had handed over pieces of himself to someone who never truly cared. Since then, he'd made a rule—a promise to himself. Never again. He wouldn't let anyone close enough to have that kind of power over him.

But now, with Elliot, things felt different. The blond's bright smiles and endless energy had a way of slipping through the cracks Nate had tried so hard to seal. He was annoying and stubborn, sure, but he was also kind, open, and unapologetically himself in a way that Nate couldn't ignore.

And that scared him.

Because no matter how much Nate tried to convince himself otherwise, he could feel it—the way his defenses softened whenever Elliot was around, the way his chest tightened at the thought of Elliot smiling like that for someone else. He closed his eyes, forcing a deep breath. He couldn't let this happen. Not again. Nate knew what falling in love could do, and he wasn't sure he'd survive another heartbreak. Still, as he drifted toward sleep, a single thought lingered: maybe this time, it could be different. But that faint hope was one he quickly shoved aside. It was safer not to hope at all.

The next morning, Nate stirred awake to the sound of clattering pans and the unmistakable aroma of bacon wafting through the apartment. He groaned, burying his face into his pillow, willing the smell and noise to go away. But as his mind cleared, a realization dawned on him.