Their shared suffering - ELU

Exhaustion

"Could never live with your expectations,
today I'm gone (Today I'm gone)
Everything okay, it's all said,
it's all perfect (It's all perfect)
I ran away from the feds,
then I ran away from demons,
I run up a check (I run up a check)
I don't feel love, girl, but let's fly
Say when, if not now?

When, if not now?
When, if not now?
Run up a check, then I'm gone, ey
When, if not now?
When, if not now?
When, if not now?
Run up a check, ey, then I'm gone."

The alarm went off.
Lucas' eyes were twitching, he hadn't been able to fall asleep all night.
He'd cradled Eliott to sleep again last night, desperately trying to make up for all the wrong he felt he'd done.
But now he had to get up, it was Friday and Lucas was looking forward to going out with his friends after school.

Eliott wasn't feeling great. He found himself feeling awful more and more often.
Maybe he should give his new medication another shot, he hadn't even given it time to actually make some noticeable changes after all.
He noticed that Lucas had gotten up to get ready, the cold air slowly crawling up his back, nestling in between his skin and bones.

After a while, he got up to see what Lucas was up to.
Lucas was standing at the kitchen countertop, taking the tiniest bites out of an apple.
It was a really small one at that, he'd be busy for a long time anyway, considering how small the bites he took were.
Eliott sat down at the kitchen table, scrolling through his messages.

One (1) new Message from 'Baz'
Three (3) new Messages from 'Tuturo'

Baz: Saluuuut Eliott! I've noticed that you haven't been hanging out with us in a while. Do you want to join us on our trip to our favorite club tonight? I'd love to see your pretty face again, hope you're alright!

Eliott couldn't help but smile.
Despite everything that was going on, he could always count on Basile. And Arthur too, of course.
Speaking of which, Eliott decided to read the three messages Arthur had sent him.

Tuturo: Eliott, my man, I hope you're doing well. Haven't seen you in a bit and I miss you, to say the least. Hope the episodes haven't been too bad. Remember that you can always reach out to me if you need anything.
Tuturo: Oh and uh, do you want to stop by at our favorite club tonight? You know that one that always has these blue neon lights up outside.
Tuturo: I'd love to see you again, the gang misses you.

How considerate his friends were.
Eliott was proud to call these guys his friends, they were everything you could ask for in a good friend.
Kind, compassionate, and supportive - what more does one need?

As Eliott was re-reading the messages over and over again, Lucas walked up to him.
"I have to leave for school now", he said, "But I'll see you later. If you feel like it, you can come and join me and the guys at the club we were at a couple of weeks ago."
Eliott was about to be offended by Lucas' little side comment of if you feel like it as if he didn't know himself.
But then he stopped and thought about Lucas' comment again, it wasn't meant as a jab.
It was considerate, Lucas must've noticed that he wasn't feeling well.

"Ouais, I'd love to join you and the guys later", he responded before getting up to press a kiss to Lucas' forehead.
"Hey", Lucas said as Eliott was on his way to his room to get changed for Uni, "Je t'aime. Despite everything that we struggle with, together and individually, I'll never stop loving you and telling you that I love you."
Eliott turned around as Lucas finished his last sentence, looking into his lover's eyes.
"Lucas", he said as he saw the first tear roll down on Lucas' face, "Je t'aime."