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 Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 5:48 pm
“Really? He seems like the kind of guy who’s been to a lot of places and has a lot of stories.” Especially if he’d been stabbed. Plenty of times.
“I want to go to the zoo and aquarium. And the planetarium, we should go there, too. They have really neat shows, so if you’re on an educational tour within city limits, that’s another good place to hit up. They have a really good telescope so you can see the planets up close. Oh–I mean, yeah. I want to go with you to those places. We can hang out anywhere. Is Michael going to be there?”
Atticus had been here for a little while, he’d spent time with Devyn.
He rolled to face him a little more. “Hey, is something going on with those two? Like have you noticed them, I don’t know, being close? Because, Michael’s important to me, so like. I just wanted to make sure. Like. Are they good friends? Is Michael happy?”
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 5:53 pm
Atticus laughed softly and awkwardly when Elliot mentioned a really good telescope to see the planets up close. He really hoped that the secrets he knew about Jupiter and Alastor avoided being seen by any telescopes. But to make sure Elliot didn’t think he was nervous about going to a planetarium he smiled and squeezed his hand.
“I think Michael would go. He usually likes going places with Devyn,” Atticus hummed thoughtfully as he smiled at Elliot.
But his question had Atticus pausing to think. Was something going on with Devyn and Michael?
“Devyn told me that Michael was very important to him. He said Michael was brave and hard working and he worried about him. They worry about each other.”
Maybe it was wrong of him to tell Elliot all the things Devyn told him about Michael. But he liked Devyn! He wouldn’t say anything that he thought would get him in trouble.
“So… yeah, I think Michael is happy. He seems calmer when Devyn is around at least. Otherwise, he seems like he worries all the time.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 6:03 pm
Elliot pursed his lips a bit and hummed, looking back up at the ceiling while he mulled things over. “Well,” he finally said, “I guess that’s the most important thing. That he’s happy and calmer. I don’t want him worrying.”
Maybe if Devyn wasn’t getting stabbed so much, Michael wouldn’t worry.
He’d known the two were friends, known they were close. But now he was replaying it all in his head and–
You know? Maybe he was just overthinking.
Michael didn’t really have a lot of other friends, and he knew that Devyn had been gone for a week with Atticus. Maybe Michael had just been worried about Atticus, or about Devyn getting into trouble and not being able to help or something. He’d been worrying, too!
But hadn’t Devyn been staying in the guest room? In Atticus’ room?
Where was he staying right now?
Wait, it didn’t matter. He’d think about it more tomorrow.
Instead of thinking more about any of it, he squeezed Atticus’ hand. “And you like Devyn? I don’t know him like I know Michael, but I think I’ll get to know him more now that you’re living here.” And now that Michael was spending so much time with him. “I want to make sure he’s taking care of the both of you. Because you and Michael are important to me.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 6:10 pm
Atticus was glad that the room was dark, because his cheeks burned with delight when Elliot said he was important to him. He knew he was important to Elliot! He just liked hearing it. It was always so sweet and earnest that Atticus had no reason not to believe him.
“I like Devyn,” he said easily, but he was also busy staring at Elliot’s face and how he could just barely make out the blue of his eyes in the light of the nightlight. “He’s very patient. And strong. He doesn’t seem to get nervous when I start to cry -- oh, not because of anything bad. I mean I guess I cried about some bad things. But… I cry about good things too. You know that,” he mumbled sheepishly, because obviously Elliot knew that about him.
“Did you see any of the paintings that are around the house? His husband painted all of those. Oh, but he passed away a long time ago. He likes to talk about him -- Percy. I think I remind him of Percy. He was also really emotional about things. And really into art.”
But he definitely wasn’t as cool as Percy, and that was okay! He was just happy that Devyn talked to him about everything.
“He had a son too. Marius…” He paused, wondering if he should be saying all of these things when Devyn wasn’t even around. “Um… I think Devyn and Michael have a lot in common. They’re good friends for each other. And I think you’re good for me, too. I care about you a lot, Elliot.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 6:24 pm
The more Atticus spoke, the more interested Elliot was, in things that he didn’t think he’d have wondered before. Devyn was married to a guy named Percy, okay. Good to know. (He was standing really close to Michael).
He didn’t seem like he was old enough to have had a kid for a long time, but–
Elliot’s stomach filled with something a little bit like guilt, twisting and churning. It felt like taffy being stretched. He tried not to think about how upset or worried Atticus was that he was crying in front of Devyn, but at least he was quickly reassuring Elliot, who found it incredibly easy to worry about tears that were already long shed and dried.
“I care about you too, Atticus. And we’ll be good friends for a long time to come.” Maybe forever.
He tried to close his eyes but it didn’t make him feel any sleepier; he still felt like he had so much to say, so much he wanted to know.
“I did see the paintings,” he said; he’d noticed them but not really looked. A lot of new things had been coming into the house this past week, and honestly he’d been a little too distracted to pay much attention to Michael’s decor. He’d look closer now that he knew what they were, maybe Atticus could tell him all about them tomorrow.
He wanted to ask what happened to Percy. To Marius.
His gut twisted again and he squeezed Atticus’ hand instead and scooted just a little closer.
“Maybe you can tell me some more about it later. I want to get to know him too. He must trust you a lot if he’s telling you stories like that. I mean, I guess he did adopt you, so you’ll have to get to know him sooner or later,” he laughed. “...He seems like he’s a really interesting guy. I want to know all about him. Sometime.”
Maybe not tonight. He wanted to know now, but. He’d be happy just to have Atticus here, and he didn't want to set a somber mood before bed.
“I mean, I better get on his good side so he trusts me to take care of you when we’re hanging out late.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 6:30 pm
Atticus had scooted closer about the same time Elliot did, but it worked out because it meant he could press their foreheads together. Like this, he could at least close his eyes even if he wasn’t tired--
Except that he had to use his free hand to stifle a sudden yawn. Okay, maybe he was a little tired. But only physically! His mind was wide awake.
“We can talk to him together if you’d like,” he offered and curled his free arm between them, resting the back of his forearm against Elliot. “He’s really nice. And I think he knows how important you are to Michael, so you’re important to him, too.”
There was so much he wanted to learn. Not just about Elliot, but about Devyn and Michael, about Oliver and Asher. He looked forward to all of it.
Just as he looked forward to spending as much time as possible with Elliot.
“If he doesn’t trust you to take care of me, I’ll just cry and he’ll have to let me hang out with you,” he said quietly, obviously joking. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling a little since apparently that was Elliot’s go-to method for getting the adults to let him do whatever he wanted.
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 6:40 pm
Elliot laughed and pulled Atticus’ hand closer. “Now you’re getting it. And hopefully those will be the only tears you ever cry. Well, and tears of laughter. Maybe of happiness, too.”
Atticus was so friendly and polite and easy going. Maybe they should talk to Devyn together, so he could see how Devyn talked to him and make sure he was as nice as Atticus said. In his heart, maybe he already knew. He trusted Michael, he didn’t think Devyn could be a poor choice of character. He didn’t think Michael would let him live here, or let him help with Atticus, or let him take care of him for a week if that were the case.
The yawn was contagious and it wasn’t long before he was trying to stifle one of his own.
He smiled, and didn’t want to let go of Atticus’ hand. Now, maybe ever. Maybe it was tacky. It just felt nice, and he couldn’t remember the last time he was this comfortable in bed. “Maybe we should try to sleep. So we can wake up early tomorrow. I’ll make you breakfast, unless Devyn or Michael beats me to it. But I want to help take care of you, too.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 6:42 pm
“I can’t imagine being sad when you’re around,” he admitted quietly, hoping it wasn’t too cheesy. He couldn’t stop smiling even with his eyes closed. “You make me so happy, Elly. Thank you for staying with me and for being my friend and taking care of me.”
He didn’t know how he got as lucky as he did. He didn’t want to lose this… whatever this was. Friendship was fine, he decided. He didn’t have to push for more than that. If he had to secretly like Elliot more than just as his friend, then that was just what he’d have to do.
Atticus wanted to ask Elliot if he could teach him whatever he planned on making for breakfast. He never got the chance to help out before. Not in a way that mattered. But he was so comfortable, and with his eyes closed it was surprisingly easy for him to quickly drift off, with dreams and promises of an amazing future together.
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