NERDBAE

Part 4

It was impossible not to feel the electricity budding between them. It was everywhere and everyone could feel it just as much as Tre and Elle did. She'd had a little too much to drink after the banquet and got a little too drunk. Tripped on the steps and into Tre's arms like in the movies, all the wide eyed passion between them only for the impending kiss to be interrupted by Gina opening the front door. Then a week of meetings and R&D for Tre that had been planned for months.

"Y'all need anything?" He asks finding Elle and Gina in the movie room giggling after midnight.

"Ice cream, the one we just bought and chips" Gina fans making Tre chuckle.

"Please" Elle reminds her demanding friend.

"I got you" Tre nods getting the snacks happy to see them comfortable in his home theatre. He hands them their requests before Gina gets up.

"Gonna go call my boo"

"Gi!"

"This shit is boring and Tre will enjoy it more" Gina says leaving with her snacks only to be ice grilled.

"He's a better cuddler anyways" Elle shouts throwing a pillow playfully. She opens her pint of ice cream stopping herself from taking a spoonful and offering it to Tre.

"Want some?"

"You good" he refuses.

"Too much sugar or something"

"Yes and sugar isn't good for any part of our bodies, especially highly refined and processed" he begins making Elle smile. She could see the wear of him from the stressful week taking the spare eye mask from the vacant chair beside her.

"We'll invent something to save me from my sweet tooth" Elle mutters eating the spoonful anyways. It was her response to anything. She opens the package placing the jelly like substance under his eyes.

"I'll give you all the sugar you need" Tre smiles grabbing her and smothering her with kisses while tickling her mercilessly. He'd missed her a lot.

"Thank you, as much as I appreciate that affection attack this is still my shit, taste it. Then sit still this is good for your eyes" Elle hands him the spoon and he understands the minute it melts on his tongue.

"Wow"

"Uh-huh" she responds as he continues having some. It takes her no time to smooth the patches onto his under eye area. "See this is how you need to be around the competition, confident and yourself. Relaxed" Elle adds.

"Business gets to me because it's how I provide. All I've ever wanted to do was take care of you guys"

"And who takes care of you?"

"All of you do, except Gina but I'll give her a pass cause she loves me"

"Does she?" Elle teases with a raised brow. "I'm joking, she's always singing your praises. We both are and we love you Tre. Even if you couldn't provide" Elle admits. He'd grown up with a chip so big he wanted to be what they all needed in exchange for all the love he got as a kid. All the laughs, adventures, whoppings.

Her phone rings from a blocked number and she ends it immediately.

"Cameron?"

"It's likely but I'm done. Haven't been this happy in a long time to be honest, had to learn the hard way I guess. Thanks for inviting us all here and being you" elles words are sincere. He wants to kiss her lips. She was never this sweet with other men, not even Cameron when they were together. He'd seen them together a few times - she wasn't under him, cuddly or so soft spoken.