Praying Under Pressure

14 - Sex On Skates

"Elliot, babe, it's not that hard. Aren't skaters supposed to be nibble and shit?" Ward was grinning ear to ear while he watched Elliot attempt to rollerskate along a beach path. 

Elliot looked up from his feet with a vicious glare before he went back to watching his feet fumble around. Ward, however, was skating around like a fucking wizard. Sheri loves rollerskating so when he joined the gang she ruthlessly trained him to be a master on inlines. He was in the same place Elliot is now but it doesn't make it a whole lot less funny.

Elliot has said anything to anyone since his horrific conclusion last week. He sat in a bath thinking and thinking if it could be real. And if it was real, who? Warren wasn't close to anyone but his brother, Kenny, and Mr. Locke. Unless it just...happened with a relative over during the holidays, forced in the boy's bathroom, neighbors. Elliot tried to think of how someone like Ward could be raped. It ended in a massive migraine and red, puffy eyes.

He didn't see Ward much the week after. Sometimes he might see him at the house for a few minutes with Tom or Andy. Sometimes he would see him at the gym. Each time he found himself staring at the confident man, imagining little Warren Baxter being held down in a basement. Ward never showed a sign of his childhood -his innocence- having been ripped out of him. He was always smiling and jokes and being dramatic.

Even when he showed up today with his own pair of roller skates dangling over his shoulder and a big fat grin on his face. Ward wanted to be out today, but Sheri and Noel were on a road trip to San Fransico for some shit Ward had to miss for work. Tom and Elliot were the only ones home and Tom swore off skates after he sprained his ankle. Elliot was innocent and secretly biting to be around Ward more for a variety of reasons.

"Come on, Speed Race, if we don't get going I will steal someone's food on the boardwalk. We have to make it to the restaurant," Ward had picked up the nickname with glee, Elliot not exactly approving of the whole thing. 

Elliot sighed, slowly lifting his heavy foot to take a step forward. He stumbled, his arms flying in the air to catch his balance. Ward smiled warmly at the man trying his best to stay stable, faintly proud that Elliot was still trying. It was fun watching Elliot fumble around, the man never truly giving up. It was like neither of them had any worry in the world than not falling down and moving forward.

Ward glided over to Elliot, scaring the man when he took his arm and laced his own through it. He placed his hand on the small of Elliot's back, both to get him to straighten up and to get them moving forward. Elliot slowly straightened up, hyper-aware of the hand on his back. When he managed to stand up, he glanced at Ward next to him who was already watching with a grin.

"Who even fucking rollerskates anymore?" Ward had discovered that Elliot could catch a bit of potty mouth when he was frustrated enough. 

Ward smirked, "Me, some Sonic carhops, girls under 14." Elliot grunted in annoyance. Though he knew he was right, "Let's hit it, Speed Racer. One foot..." Slowly and shakily, they got a groove that had them en route to the joint on the beach. Ward would laugh and chuckle when Elliot's eyes grew in fear at the faint notion that they could be tumbling down. 

When they made it to the restaurant, Elliot was sweating profusely and fucking sore already. The place Ward pulled him to was named Joe's Boat. It was a joint where you walked up to a window, ordered, then sat at one of the outside tables until your order was called. It wasn't the ideal place to eat seeing as Ward dislikes the outdoors and eating outside but it was the safest seeing as they weren't wearing real shoes.

Ward had to help Elliot to the picnic table, chuckling slightly when Elliot clung to it. He smoothly sat across his date, smiling at the irritated face that made Elliot seem stuck on.