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 Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 6:05 am
Chad could have easily stayed out all night with Elliot on the swings, but he knew that wasn’t fair and that they both needed to sleep. Sooner or later his father would likely come looking for him. Probably to make sure he wasn’t doing anything that would make him happy.
He ignored both his father and father’s girlfriend’s chastising as best he could. He was lucky that his father worked late and was trying to sleep most of the time that Chad slept. He got up early to grab his lunchbox, under the watchful eye of his father’s girlfriend, and left for school before they could come up with another way to make him miserable.
As suggested, he packed up as much of his clothes as he could fit into his backpack. He wore extra layers, too. Just to make sure he could sneak out of the house without drawing too much suspicion. He was grateful for Elliot, whom he needed to ask for help in tugging off some of the layers of shirts he’d pulled on. Wearing a few layers of pants and socks wasn't fun, either.
Chad was able to laugh about it, at least. Because he was having breakfast with Elliot. Real French Toast, which was amazing and so very thoughtful.
School took forever that day. He ate lunch with Elliot, of course, and laughed about the uncooked package of Ramen Noodles that had been put into his lunchbox. He normally would have made himself eat it, but Elliot seemed to have even more food with him today -- because his dads packed extra for him, specifically. Chad didn’t cry about it, but his eyes did get misty at how thoughtful they were.
So he didn’t know why he was nervous as he waited with Elliot for one of his dads to pick them up. He stood as close to Elliot as possible without actually touching him, and held plastic bags of the clothes he couldn’t shove into his backpack.
“Would it be okay if I left some of my clothes at your place, too? I don’t want my dad to know I got them cleaned somewhere else…” Chad explained, trying to ignore a couple of the girls whispering about why Elliot Reid would be hanging out with Chad of all people. He knew they had a crush on Elliot (who didn’t?), but Elliot didn’t seem to care what anyone else was saying, so Chad tried not to care, too.
“Do you really think your dads will like me?” he asked his nervousness out loud, and then shuffled his feet a bit because he didn’t want Elliot to think he was being dramatic.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 6:24 am
Elliot checked his phone and rocked on his heels a little while he waited. He seemed aware of how close Chad was but didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered by it, and even leaned closer so he could tell him, “It’s that silver car down there.”
He could see his father, Asher, driving; he was wearing a white, button down shirt with a slightly loosened tie. He was handsome but must not have taken himself too seriously because he was visibly singing along to whatever he was listening to and tapping on the steering wheel. His black hair was smooth and framed his face, but it was shorter and cut much cleaner than Elliot’s. He was waiting patiently for the car line to move and it seemed like they’d only have a minute or two before it would be their turn to leave.
“My dads will absolutely like you. They know I’m excited to have you over, so they’re excited. I never have anyone over for dinner.” If he heard what anyone else was saying, he ignored it, but he seemed like he was in such a good mood that he might not have even been aware of it.
“You can leave some clothes at my place. I can bring some in tomorrow, too, if you wanted to keep a few changes in your locker? We’ll figure it out, but I’m good with any of that, whatever works best and will get your dad off your case.”
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 6:33 am
That Elliot was so supportive was such a relief. Chad felt… excited. But also very nervous. He didn’t go to other people’s houses. He didn’t tell his father he was going to be hanging out with a friend, either. Something told him that his father wouldn’t approve. Especially when Elliot had two dads. In fact, Chad felt as though his father would do something just to spite him and everyone else if he knew.
But he didn’t tell Elliot. He didn’t feel the need to worry him when he was already doing so much. Chad would just be careful and make sure his dad didn’t find out.
More importantly. Elliot was excited that he was going over? The butterflies in Chad’s stomach were already having a field day, but now he ducked his head and smiled to himself. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do at someone else’s house, but he would do his best not to make Elliot regret the invitation.
“Thank you. That’s a good idea.” Elliot was so smart and kind and Chad felt his face flush when he caught himself smiling, doe eyed at his new friend.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 6:44 am
Elliot rocked on his heels and smiled again. “I just want you to be comfortable. It’s okay, my dad’s cool. If you get nervous, just elbow me and I’ll say something. Here–”
The car pulled up; Asher had turned down the volume and Elliot pulled open the door and gestured for Chad to get in first.
“Hi, Dad!” he called.
“Hey, El. Hey, Chad,” Asher answered; he turned around just slightly so he could flash a quick smile. “Come in, get buckled up. You two have a good day at school?”
“Yeah, but I’m excited to be home.” He smiled at Chad while he held the door open and did his best to silently communicate that he was very much welcome to answer and make himself comfortable.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 6:54 am
It was easy to be comfortable when Elliot was around. When he might have been nervous before around strangers, he felt more at ease with Elliot there to keep him feeling like he was meant to be there and not as if he’d wandered in uninvited.
Especially with the way Elliot smiled at him.
He carefully lowered his bag from his back, and pushed it and the plastic bags with his clothes in so he could set them on the seat farthest in, which --
Oh, he supposed he could probably push everything to the ground so he could sit next to the door… but there was a seat in the middle.
“Hello. Thank you for the ride and letting me come over,” he said, quieter than he would have liked, but he cleared his throat and hoped that whatever he said next wouldn’t seem so shy.
He did glance up at Elliot to make sure he wasn’t going to be crowding him if he sat in the middle. Elliot did say he could be as close as he wanted, but maybe that wasn’t the intention for car rides.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 7:01 am
When Chad glanced in his direction, Elliot just smiled reassuringly and settled himself next to him. He closed the door and buckled up, never once seeming like he was anything less than absolutely comfortable to be sharing the space.
“It’s my pleasure, we’re happy to have you over. It’s going to be just me for a little bit, Oliver’s got some work to finish up and I’m going to run out to pick him up when he’s done. I’m thinking we’re going to have tacos for dinner tonight, but I wanted to make sure that was okay with you, Chad? Do you have any allergies or anything? We’re not too picky in our house, so if there’s something you don’t like or can’t eat, let us know.”
Asher waited until they both buckled up, and then his eyes were on the road as he pulled out and began to drive home.
Elliot held his bag in his lap and looked excited again; Chad once again had his attention. He was attentive, both because he was curious and wanted to know the answer as much as he wanted to make sure Chad wasn’t uncomfortable with the attention.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 7:32 am
Elliot was so sweet. He didn’t even have to say anything, just his presence was enough. Chad buckled up, but didn’t settle too fully into the middle. If anything, he was still leaning pretty close to Elliot. He was nervous, but Elliot being there made it better.
“Oh, um, tacos sound amazing, thank you!” Chad said, quietly still, but at least he was saying something, instead of just keeping his mouth shut like he likely would have if Elliot wasn’t around. He glanced at Elliot once more to make sure he wasn’t doing anything that might bother him. Maybe he shouldn’t be sitting so close.
And maybe he shouldn’t have anxiously hooked his fingers around the looser fabric of Elliot’s pant leg as he rested his hand between them.
“I don’t have any allergies that I know of. I’m not very picky either.” Not at all, since he was used to picking up scraps and trash to survive.
“Um… is there anything I can help with? For dinner I mean?” He didn’t know what he could do, but if he was being treated to dinner, he wanted to at least help a little.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 7:39 am
At first, Elliot didn’t quite seem to know what to make of Chad holding onto his pants. He peered down at the fingers and then at Chad’s face, and then without really thinking about it he reached down to rest his hand over Chad’s.
“You want to help make dinner?” Asher repeated; he hummed thoughtfully and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “Well, I don’t know that we should make a guest do any work, but I won’t tell you no if you want to. We can find something for you to do. Setting the table, slicing tomatoes. Have you ever cooked anything before?”
He sounded friendly enough, and there was only curiosity in his voice. He stayed focused on the road and obviously took driving very seriously.
Elliot squeezed Chad’s hand slightly without even thinking about it; he was still smiling.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 7:59 am
“Oh… no, sir, not really,” he mumbled embarrassedly. He’d never cooked before. He’d never been allowed. At least not since his grandmother passed away, and even then it was just microwaving things.
“But! I can… I can definitely help set the table and… help.” The anxiety that bubbled up was tempered by Elliot’s hand on his own. The gentle squeeze and its warmth pulled Chad from falling into a chasm of self doubt.
For a few moments, he was comfortable with just having Elliot’s hand on his own, but then twisted his own to be a bit more comfortable as he took hold of Elliot’s as well. He just hoped he didn’t come off as too clingy. After all, he had no reason to be nervous around Elliot’s parents, and yet he just wasn’t sure what to expect.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 8:11 am
Elliot squeezed Chad’s hand again; their fingers were laced comfortably and he smiled once more.
“Oh, would you like to learn? Tacos are a really easy one to start with. Elliot’s helped me make them before.”
“They’re easy,” Elliot promised. “We can help. It’ll be fun. Dad’s a good teacher. Can we have nacho cheese?”
Asher considered this for a few seconds and then nodded. “Yeah, we can make that work. If I’ve got both of you helping me, absolutely. The kitchen might be a little crowded, but we can all fit. Only if you want to, Chad. It’s your choice, if you two want to just relax or work on homework, I can do it all myself.”
“No, we want to help. Please.” Elliot hoped, at least. Chad had been so insistent on paying for help, he hoped he wasn’t misreading any of this. And, he could learn to cook! Maybe he wouldn’t need to know how to for a while, but he didn’t really trust his father or his girlfriend to help him.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 8:19 am
Chad nodded eagerly. Anything that would prove that he was useful to keep around, he was willing to try. No, not just try. He would do his best. He didn’t want Elliot’s dad to think that he was just there to take advantage of their kindness. Elliot seemed to understand that he didn’t intend that, but he wasn’t sure about their dads yet.
“Please,” he said as well, almost the same time Elliot said it. He couldn’t help but smile as he glanced over at Elliot. Oh, and Elliot had the sweetest smile on his face. Chad could have stared at him for hours but-- Oh, he should be paying attention to what was going on.
And dinner plans sounded so delicious already. If he hadn’t shared a big lunch with Elliot already, and breakfast, his stomach might have started growling.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 8:26 am
Asher laughed when they answered in tandem and he nodded. Briefly, he glanced at the two in the mirror but he just smiled. “Good, we’ll have some fun with it.”
“We always have fun,” Elliot chimed in, but it wasn’t clear if he was talking about with Chad or Asher so he probably just meant everyone.
“Good! Do you two have a lot of homework tonight?”
“Not so much, but I want to run a load of laundry when we get home, and we’ll work on our homework and have a little snack. And I want to show Chad my art supplies.”
All things Asher already knew, but he listened intently and nodded as Elliot spoke. “Good, solid plan. I like it. Try to have a healthy snack, I know how many cupcakes we’ve all had recently.”
Elliot sighed, heavily, but didn’t protest; he just seemed excited to be home. They didn’t live too far from the school, and they were already back in the neighborhood and nearing their house. “We have–Chad, do you like peppers? We have vegetable dip, I think they taste good. Do you want to try that or do you want an apple or something?”
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 8:44 am
Chad was happy to just listen to Elliot and his dad talk to each other. He felt comfortable with Elliot there. More so now that he was holding his hand, as if the small connection was enough to soothe his troubled heart.
“Oh, um… I’m not sure,” he admitted a bit sheepishly. “I don’t remember. But I would like to try if that’s okay?” Healthy things weren’t really part of his diet, although that wasn’t by choice. It was easier to throw some frozen chicken nuggets onto a plate and heat them in the microwave than figuring out things like what vegetables to eat.
“Whatever you’re going to eat, I will,” he decided, because how was he supposed to find out if he liked something or not without trying it? And he already knew he didn’t have to worry about whether or not the food Elliot had at home was fresh.
He tried not to smile at how exhausted Elliot sounded about the cupcakes, but he guessed after eating so many, it was bound to get boring after a while.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 8:56 am
“Good! You just have to tell me when you don’t like something. I don’t want you to eat something you aren’t enjoying. There’s plenty of food, so you can be picky. It’s kinda like ranch dressing? But it’s got a little more, um. I think vinegar? I don’t know, but you can tell me if you like it. How was your day, Dad?”
“It was good,” Asher answered, slowing the car at a stop sign and then turning onto their street. “I had lunch with your father and Michael, we talked about how big you’re getting. We invited him to your game next week.”
“Oh, is he going to come?” Elliot asked; he sat up in his seat a bit, visibly excited.
“Maybe,” Asher answered. He sounded like he was teasing but he was smiling almost as much as Elliot was.
“He’s a teacher at Azure, he’s really cool. He’s the one we get to hang out with over the summer. But he seems like he’s been kinda busy recently. He’s had some stuff going on, though. But I hope you get to meet him, too.”
He squeezed his hand again because maybe that was in the future but it wasn’t now, so he didn’t have to worry about meeting so many new people immediately.
…He just wanted Chad to have a good support system like he did.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 9:07 am
Chad appreciated the reassuring squeeze, and he swallowed down his nervousness and nodded to Elliot. He wasn’t sure if his heart could handle meeting too many people in such a short amount of time, but if this was someone that Elliot liked, then Chad was willing to at least try.
“I’d like to meet him,” Chad decided to say, because he did want to meet this Michael person if Elliot was excited about it.
He knew he wasn’t talking as much as Elliot was. He was trying not to be nervous, but he didn’t know what Elliot’s dad was thinking, or if he would be concerned that Elliot was hanging out with him and not someone else. There were so many other friends Elliot could have brought home to hang out with, but he picked Chad.
“El is a cute nickname,” he whispered to him, because he couldn’t stop thinking about it. “Do you only like your family calling you that?” Because if he did, then Chad would keep to calling him his full name. “I wish Chad could be shortened. It’s really the worst name,” he laughed quietly, even as his cheeks flushed. His name really was the worst.
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