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 Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 5:12 pm
Elliot’s lip twitched into a smile that he tried very hard to conceal. It helped that his mouth was full, but that only lasted for a few seconds.
If he’d had any doubt that the artwork in the hall was Chad’s, it was very rapidly diminishing. But that was good, because he really did like it, and he had phenomenal respect for artists who could just make images appear out of nowhere.
He didn’t know of anyone who talked about paint like that if they didn’t like it.
“What sorts of things do you like to paint?” he asked between one bite and the next. He kept his eyes on the hallway before them, maybe because he thought Chad might be a little less shy if Elliot wasn’t looking at him when he asked.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 5:30 pm
He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until he started eating, and it was difficult not to just shove the whole poptart into his mouth.
“Anything, really. I like painting and drawing plants. Not just on them, I mean. And people and landscapes. I’m not too good at any of it, yet. Maybe some more practice,” he sighed again. He felt as though he would be able to practice more if he had the right supplies, but he usually ended up having to wait until he could get to his art class.
“I like drawing hands. They can be difficult because they’re so versatile and unique, but I think it’s fun. Eyes, too. I would like to make my own beads, but I need clay for that. Oh, or little sculptures. I’ve seen what others can do with clay and they’re really impressive.”
But clay was also a pain to get his hands on.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 5:38 pm
“Wow,” Elliot said, careful to make sure that his surprise couldn’t be mistaken for mockery. “That’s impressive, you’re really creative.”
He’d noticed how Chad seemed to become more animated when he was talking about painting and sculpting, and it was the first time he’d really seemed to voluntarily share something substantial. Elliot liked it, so he had to work very hard not to enthusiastically ask him about everything.
It was hard to be so interested but have to tone it down, but he thought it would be worth it if it meant he got to learn more about Chad.
This time, he allowed himself to sneak a glance over. “There are a lot of scholarships for art things. I hope I get to see more of your work some time. I really do like the one in the hallway. I had a brief inspiration of hooliganism and wanted very badly to take it down from the wall and keep it for myself.”
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 5:56 pm
Chad realized he was smiling to himself around the time Elliot commented on hoping to see more of his work some time. And how he really did like the one in the hall.
He tensed suddenly as it dawned on him that he had been sharing things about art and Elliot must have decided that the painting in the hall was his.
“Oh,” he breathed, his smile fading just a bit into something more distressed. “Are… are you sure? It’s not that good.” Maybe Elliot was just saying that to be nice. But… what if he really did like it…?
“Um… If you like it you can have it. I… it would probably end up thrown out if I take it home.” He’d been warned before about bringing garbage into the house.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 6:03 pm
“Would you let me? When they take it down, I’d love to keep it. It’s good, I promise. I like it.”
Elliot was watching carefully now, doing his best to take note without being too overwhelming or obvious about it. “My room’s got a lot of those colors. And it looks like you spent a lot of time on it, it would be a shame for that to get thrown away. I wouldn’t tease about something like that. Artists pour a lot of themselves into their art, right? I can’t do it. I’ve tried. But I’m just putting color on the page, not making a picture out of it.”
He smiled, an easy, laid-back little thing, and took another bite of his Pop Tart. “Anyway, I think art’s really cool. I think it’s neat that you’re into that. I’m sorry your dad’s not supportive.”
Elliot really didn’t know what that was like; he couldn’t imagine parents that didn’t want the best for him and support him in practically anything he wanted to do.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 6:11 pm
Elliot thought art was really cool? And he really did like his art and wanted to keep it? Put it in his room even?
Chad had been trying very hard to keep his emotions under control, to smile and be pleasant and not make himself look too weird in front of the boy he’d been crushing on for years now. The boy he’d only just started talking to the week before.
He sniffled and quickly scrubbed at his eyes with his free hand, not wanting to send poptart crumbs flying everywhere. He did not want to cry in front of Elliot, especially over something like saying that art’s really cool. And that he knew how artists pour themselves into what they do.
So he just nodded a few times to let Elliot know that yes, he could keep the painting when it was taken down.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 6:24 pm
There were little instances where Chad did something that made Elliot’s stomach flip. Sometimes he was worried that he’d said something wrong and ruined everything, and sometimes he was just elated when Chad gave him something to work with.
Right now, he wasn’t completely sure, because he knew Chad couldn’t be upset--or was he? Did he really want his art but was afraid that it would get thrown away at home? Elliot could just hold onto it if that was the case! He didn’t have to keep it!
“Hey, um. This might be a weird question.”
His ears were burning and he felt his stomach twisted a little. He shouldn’t ask, he should just be cool. What did he even want to ask anything?
“Well, no, it’s not weird,” he decided when he talked himself out of asking anything else. “Do you want to have lunch with me today? The cafeteria’s kinda loud, we could eat at the table outside by the library. I bet no one will be out there with the weather like this. And if it’s too cold, we can just go hang out in the library to warm up before we go back to class.”
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 6:37 pm
How was it that Elliot was always saying such nice things to him? And they were always so sweet and he hadn’t said anything to make him feel bad about himself. He knew he liked Elliot for a reason, but he also thought that maybe he just put it in his head. Talking to him now made it obvious that everything he thought about Elliot was absolutely right. Well. No. That wasn’t true. Elliot was even nicer than he imagined. And he liked his art?
Chad couldn’t stop himself from looking up in surprise when Elliot asked him if he wanted to have lunch with him. He couldn’t remember anyone actually asking if he wanted to have lunch with them. And he knew it was for a variety of reasons that he didn’t blame anyone for. He was just glad he was able to sort of wash his hair that morning so it wasn’t as gross.
“Are you sure?” he also asked without realizing it, and maybe it caught up to him that he’d already asked Elliot if he was sure about wanting his art, too. “I mean… If… you don’t have any other plans. That would be really nice.”
He scrubbed a little more at his eyes, wanting to make sure they weren’t wet.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 6:52 pm
“Really sure, yeah. And I wanted to ask this time so I didn’t just blindside you by dropping in. I didn’t mean to surprise you last time. I’d like to hear more about your art, and making beads? I don’t think I ever thought about where beads came from before, I think it sounds neat.”
And maybe Chad wouldn’t have to be so nervous about anyone seeing them together if they were somewhere private. Elliot was mostly looking forward to being able to hear him.
He liked this, though. Elliot usually liked meeting new people and making friends, and was amazed that there was this kid he knew but didn’t know.
And, maybe he was a little more interested in him after some of the things he’d been able to piece together through their brief conversations.
He didn’t understand why anyone would have told him not to waste his time with Chad, he was cute and sweet and shy. A little fragile, it seemed. Elliot wanted to handle him carefully.
Elliot wanted to be friends.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 7:11 pm
Chad chewed his lip nervously, but nodded -- wait, no, he shook his head when Elliot said he didn’t mean to surprise him.
“It’s okay. I just… um, people usually don’t want to sit near me. I’m sorry for… I mean, it’s my own fault for getting dirty in the first place. My dad wants me to learn about things like… consequences and how to take care of myself, so I… um…”
He knew he was jumping around with what he was trying to say. He kept going from wanting to talk to Elliot more, to being afraid of what he would think. Not to mention how embarrassing it was to try and explain why people don’t usually want to sit near him. Although, he wouldn’t be surprised if people already told Elliot to stay away in order to try and save him some time by figuring it out for himself.
He also really, really didn’t want Elliot to change his mind. What if he found out he had a crush on him?? That was a bad thing, wasn’t it? They were both boys, after all.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 7:20 pm
Elliot gave him a look but there was nothing reproachful about it. He was confused, trying to decipher what he meant. Another piece of the puzzle, but when it clicked into place he still didn’t have enough to figure out what he was looking at.
“What sort of lesson are you supposed to be learning?” Not to go in the dumpster? He’d thrown his bagels in there, he shouldn’t be blamed for that. Besides, under other circumstances, it might have even been fun.
Maybe.
He knew he didn’t have the full picture, but it seemed like asking too many questions risked scaring Chad away, so he thought he’d take it slow. The consequences of getting dirty were–well, taking a bath and doing laundry. Right? And those weren’t even bad things. Chores, sure, but he got dirty all the time. You weren’t supposed to go home from a game in clean clothes and without working up a sweat.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 7:28 pm
Chad opened his mouth, but quickly closed it as he glanced around them, as though making sure no one else was watching. They were still there earlier than everyone else, but it seemed as though the first set of buses finally got there. There were more people starting to fill the halls. Which was a bit distressing, because Chad had wanted some more time with Elliot. But now the cafeteria was probably going to have more people there, and they would see him with Elliot, and what if Elliot’s friends wanted to know why he was hanging around?
“That I shouldn’t get dirty, I think,” he mumbled, not really sure what the lesson was. He didn’t want to say that sometimes it didn’t make sense what his dad made him do, but there wasn’t much he could do in retaliation.
“Sorry,” he said as he ducked his head down again. He was making things weird, probably.
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 7:41 pm
“Huh. You don’t have to be sorry, Chad. I don’t think you’ve got anything to apologize for. That’s a strange lesson, I think. You can’t live your whole life without getting dirty.”
It was totally impractical. Maybe if you stayed in the same room and never moved? No, there was still dust. And what kind of a life was there if you just stayed in the same room and never moved?
He looked at his Pop Tart, at Chad’s, and then back up at him.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 7:59 pm
He blinked at Elliot’s question, as though it was such a foreign concept that he had to process exactly what Elliot was saying. Of course he heard what Elliot said, but… he wasn’t sure if he really understood what he meant.
“I don’t…” Understand? Know what he was asking to help with? “I don’t know,” was what he went with, because he really didn’t know what Elliot could do to help him. “Thank you though. That’s really sweet of you to ask. I’m okay. I’ll be okay. I just…”
Chad paused to draw in a deep breath and then let it out slowly.
“I just need to do better.”
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Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 8:07 pm
Elliot watched, but not for too long because he was getting used to Chad’s squirming and didn’t want to be responsible for making him uncomfortable. He’d only known him for a short while and already it seemed like he’d have crawled out of his own skin if he had the chance.
Honestly, he didn’t know what was going on with Chad. He wanted to, more now than he had when he’d mistaken him for a bear in the dumpster. Just, for different reasons now.
It wasn’t just because he was curious, now there was something akin to worry. It was the feeling he’d had before, that something was wrong but he couldn’t place why.
He knew they didn’t have long before they started running into others, and he assumed Chad would go back to being tight lipped as soon as another face showed up.
“Do you have to do it alone?”
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