[PRP] Not a Real Date (Elliot & Horace)

[saedusk]

That settled it. French toast, scrambled eggs, sweet, sweet coffee—it sounded like a perfect combination. "I'm ready to order whenever you are," he alerted Horace, finally setting the menu down entirely. Nothing beat a good meal, especially when it was free. Hopefully Horace hadn't forgotten that end of their bargain.

"Oh, and just so you know, I'm plenty good enough. If you ever want to make that third option the truth, I'm easily bribed with waffles." And then he shook his head, the expression on his face becoming a little softer, a little more genuine. "I'll admit, I also enjoy messing with people. I like to think I'm pretty good at it, too. It's, well, it's all in good fun, though. Usually."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Cheap date." He grinned. "My criteria is pretty high, though. You sure you'd be up to it?" Horace set down his menu. Ordering, right.

He leaned over the table towards Eli. "Speaking of messing with people, should we do something to give Wendy something to talk about? Something shocking, I dunno. You got any ideas?" The only ideas Horace had would literally be shocking for Elliot, so there were likely best avoided.

"Show me what you're made of."

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[saedusk]

"I can guarantee you I'm more determined than anyone you've met." Stubborn, more like, but that was a minor detail. "I'm up to anything I need to be." Instinctually, Elliot leaned in, as well, elbows on the table. "Oh? Is that a challenge? I do hate to back down from a challenge. Don't blame me if you're too embarrassed to come back here afterward."

And just like that he'd accepted, still leaned forward, the softer look from before never leaving. It was part of the scene he was already weaving in his mind. "We have to wait for her to come over on her own," he said, "Act like you don't notice her coming. I hope you're a good actor."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I guess we'll see who'd the most determined, hm?" One of Horace's eyebrows arched perfectly (a learned move, that - practiced many, many times in the mirror).

He smiled a little, gazed adoringly at Elliot. "I'm the best actor there ever was." That was a flat out lie. He was good at acting if it meant hiding his problems, but his expressions were broad and Horace tended to wear his heart on his sleeve. "Bring it on, Eli."

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

From the corner of his eye, he could see Wendy moving, grabbing what he assumed was a small notepad and pen on her way over. "You're on," he told Horace, "Don't choke."

Once she was in earshot, Eli turned it on like flipping a switch. He pretended he didn't notice Wendy. How could he? He was far too wrapped up in their personal drama, after all. This was the end of the road, he was desperate—it was their final chance.

"Don't you get it?" he asked, voice thick with emotion and loud enough for Wendy to 'overhear.' The world outside the window was suddenly more interesting as he looked away. "We... We can't take back what we did. No one would understand."

Then his head snapped back around, his eyes intense and squared on Horace. "Not that anyone will find out. You won't tell, will you? This is our chance, we leave here and we can be together, always. No one will ever know. They'll miss us, but it won't matter..."

"Horace..." he muttered, low and shaky, and leaned in so their faces were too close. That's when he reached out, too, ignorant to the shock that might be waiting for him on the other end. One hand was white-knuckled and clenched in a fist on the table, the other was only inches—no, less than inches—away from covering Horace's.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Something magical happened in Eli. It was kind of amazing to watch the change. Even thought Horace knew it was a load of bullshit, it felt like it'd be so easy to be swept away by it...

"I... Eli, I won't tell. I can't do that to you." Eli was getting really, really close and Horace fought the urge to shy away. He kind of wanted to bolt, but he'd agreeing to this. Eli was going to touch him, was going to put his hand over Horace's oh god he was going to diiiieeee.

"But, Elliot, what about Oliver?" And his own hand closed the distance between then, interlocking fingers with Elliot's and sending a painful, short shock through them both.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

What about... Oliver? At first it felt like part of the act. Elliot went along with it because he was already too deep in the act. "Oliver... c-could we possibly t-" but that's all he was able to get out. It was a span of mere seconds or less. Horace's fingers were twined with his in what would've been a suitably romantic gesture were it not for magic deciding to be a d**k. What else was new?

"Holy hell," he exclaimed, his arm jolting, a very notable reaction. "What was that?" Despite it, their hands were still closed together and Eli seemed too shell shocked to try separating them. "That... could not have been static."

The moment, the scene, it was over. Eli thought briefly, very briefly, about what Horace had said. Oliver? Why would he bring up Oliver? And then-

"Oh." Wendy was still there, he'd nearly forgotten. What a mess. "Should we... tell her we were rehersing for a play?" he asked Horace as if Wendy weren't literally standing in the same room as them. Rudelliot.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

That reaction... The shock was sharp and it washed away any of his speculations for the moment. Then Horace came back down to Earth. Wendy was here, ready to take their order, clearly as befuddled as he himself felt. He didn't try to separate their hands because Horace was afraid the movement would send another shock to Elliot. Elliot didn't deserve to be electrocuted...maybe.

He decided to ignored Elliot's question for the most part, giving him a small headshake. "Oh, uh, yeah Wendy - Can I get the Country Omelette Platter with rye toast?" His eyes slanted back towards Elliot.

"Elliot?" Wendy needed to leave, then he could ask.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

Horace didn't have to worry, nor did he have to kid himself, Eli definitely deserved to be electrocuted. Then again, he had been trying to grow up over the past few years, trying to make a better person out of himself. Maybe it would be okay to cut him a little slack.

Only a little.

"I'll take the french toast," he said, seeming to fall back into routine just as easily. If there was one thing Elliot was good at, it was putting on a front. "With a side of scrambled eggs, please. Oh, and coffee. Cream and sugar. Thank you."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Oh, coffee for me, too, please."

"Usual?"

"Mhmm." And with that, Wendy was off, leaving Elliot and Horace alone once more. She hadn't said anything about their little performance, but Horace knew he'd catch s**t later. For now, though, he shot a glance at Elliot.

"Hey, Elliot, can I ask you something intrusive?" Wendy swung by and plopped their coffees down, with extra creams and sugars just in case.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

A simple question, but one with quite a few implications. It was impossible to know Horace's angle, but Eli figured the worst that could happen was he'd hear something he didn't want to answer. In that case, he'd say so. Looking for a moment at his coffee, watching the steam rise, he hmm'd.

"We are still holding hands," he said, but made no move to separate once again. "Might as well go all the way. Ask."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace wriggled his fingers a bit. He felt something similar to a smirk cross his face - the old, easy flirtatious expression a perfect shield. "You can let go anytime, Eli. Unless you love my hands this much?" Honestly, Horace was getting better with hands, especially if he initiated. Sure, he'd shocked Elliot, but only once, and it didn't feel as thought something horrible was looming, squeezing his chest. This was fine.

The smirk slipped a bit as he looked at Elliot. "Well, do you like Oliver?"

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[saedusk]

It wouldn't have been an issue to continue holding Horace's hand, not really. Any other time he might've done it for fun and to keep up this little game they had going. As it were, the question—one he honestly wasn't expecting—was enough that he withdrew his hand the next second. The look on his face was genuinely surprised.

"How do you- Why do you...ask?" Before he even finished, Eli knew he'd given himself away. With a small sigh, he went for his coffee. This could keep him occupied and steady, at least. He took a sip. "I know you're friends with Oliver, but that doesn't really explain why you'd think to ask me something like that," he commented, never putting his cup back down.

"Admittedly, yes." Why should he lie about it?

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace let go of Eli's hand easily, his hand feeling oddly empty even though there had been the shock from before. Kind of cold. Though, maybe he was just getting better with hands? Horace had held Oliver's hand, more than once, sort of - it wasn't too hard. He listened to Elliot, not reaching for his own coffee. Something dropped in his chest, as though the bottom had fallen out of a jar suddenly. He swallowed and carefully blanked his face.

There was no reason to feel so weird about it. But maybe he'd have felt better if it wasn't Eli, if it wasn't Ollie. ...Maybe not. This was how things were supposed to be, anyway. This was the whole reason he was doing practice romance stuff, anyway. Anyway...

"I'll help you," he said, eventually. "Though why are you joking with strange men about ******** them, then?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

Admitting that truth would sound way too shitty, even Eli couldn't out himself that way. How was he supposed to say it? It would go a little something like this: A few months ago I thought Oliver and I were going to hook up because we were so very close, but then he started acting strange, regressing, treating me more like a stranger than a friend. It hurts and I'm not sure how to deal. Flirting is a fun pastime that helps me forget.

Yeah, that sounded way, way too shitty. Selfish, shallow, shitty. Elliot Labelle, everyone.

"What for?" he asked, and it was an honest question. "It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, but I don't get why you suddenly want to help me hook up." Then he took a sip of his coffee again. His throat sure was dry.

"I'm guessing you won't let me plead the fifth about this whole... flirting thing, though, will you?"

The Semblance of Unity