Elliot

21 - Tears

Nate sat on Elliot's couch, holding him tightly as the blond cried in his arms. The gentle rise and fall of Elliot's body against his chest was a stark reminder of how shaken he was. Nate could feel the dampness of Elliot's tears soaking through his shirt, and it broke his heart to see him like this. The fear that had clouded Elliot's eyes earlier still lingered in the air, a heavy reminder of Aaron's explosive entrance.

"It's okay," Nate whispered, his voice soothing as he stroked Elliot's hair gently. "You're safe now."

Elliot's sobs gradually quieted, though his body still trembled against Nate's warmth. The feeling of being held, of being cared for, was comforting, but the emotional weight of the morning pressed down on them both. Nate couldn't shake the anger that bubbled within him at the thought of Aaron storming in like that, demanding to be let in, demanding answers that Elliot wasn't ready to give. It had scared Elliot, and that made Nate's blood boil.

After a moment of silence, Nate spoke, his voice softer now, yet tinged with something unresolved. "I dated someone like Aaron once."

Elliot shifted slightly, his teary eyes lifting to meet Nate's. He was listening, his attention fully focused on the words Nate was offering.

"His name was Simon," Nate continued, his tone even, though his jaw tensed briefly. "I thought I loved him. And for a while, I think he loved me too. But he was jealous. Possessive. It got so bad that I stopped hanging out with my friends just to avoid upsetting him." Nate hesitated, pulling back slightly to meet Elliot's gaze, searching his face for any sign of lingering fear. "You didn't do anything wrong today, Elliot. Aaron shouldn't have pushed you like that. You deserve to feel safe, always."

Elliot sniffed, a faint, watery smile breaking through the haze of his tears. "What happened with Simon?"

Nate let out a deep sigh, his shoulders sinking as if shedding the weight of the memory. "He met someone else. Left me without warning. At the time, I was devastated, but now..." He trailed off, his lips quirking in a humorless smile. "Now I know I was better off without that narcissistic asshole. But he left his mark. He's the reason I have trouble letting people in, why I keep people at arm's length even though—" Nate stopped himself, exhaling heavily. "Even though I want to."

Elliot reached up, brushing a stray tear from his cheek as he nodded. His voice was soft, thoughtful. "You were hurt," he said, the empathy in his tone unmistakable. "It takes time to heal from something like that."

Nate smiled faintly, his hand still resting gently on Elliot's back. "Yeah," he murmured. "But sometimes, someone comes along who makes you want to try again."

Elliot's cheeks flushed slightly, his heart fluttering at the sincerity in Nate's words. He didn't respond right away, but the warmth in his gaze said enough. "Me?"

"Yeah, you," Nate replied softly, his gaze steady and sincere. "You're different. You make me want to take those walls down." He chuckled, "I really wanted to kiss you that day, I just couldn't, a voice in my mind kept insisting I would get hurt again."

Elliot's expression softened. "I get that. I really do."

Nate reached for Elliot's hand, intertwining their fingers. "You deserve better than that, though. And at first I thought Aaron was a better choice."

Elliot felt a swell of emotion at Nate's support, and he squeezed Nate's hand tightly. "I just... I didn't want to hurt him. I know he cares about me."

Nate smiled softly, a mix of understanding and relief flooding through him. "You're not responsible for Aaron's feelings. It's his job to work through his own emotions, not yours. You have to do what's right for you."