[PRP] The Promise (Oliver & Elliot)

[saedusk]

When Eli claimed he knew exactly where to take Ollie on their date-as-long-as-we-survive, he hadn't just been blowing smoke. It was a small, mom and pop type diner, one he'd found online and watched as it racked up good review after good review. The drive was a bit of a killer, almost an hour each way, but it would be worth it. If everyone else's experiences were to be believed, Ollie would absolutely love it.

The table they were seated at was decorated with a forget-me-not centerpiece. It was fake, of course, but each table in the restaurant looked to have a different flower.

"I've heard they have amazing chicken and dumplings," he said, his voice almost uncharacteristically soft. It matched the atmosphere here, one dotted with color and smelling of floral soaps. "Not that you have to get it, but I know how you enjoy it."

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

What the ******** was it with cute men in his life taking him to diners all the time? Did he really seem like that kind of person? He was, but still. When Ollie thought about Elliot Labelle, he got the full four-course meal, steaks prepared table side with red wine reductions, the works. Not... this.

But Ollie wasn't complaining, nope. Not at all.

"I mean, it is my favorite." That being said, Ollie wasn't even looking at the menu at all. There were a million questions at the tip of his tongue; did you do this with the other Ollie? How close were you two?; but this wasn't about the other Ollie. This was about him. This Ollie. And this Elliot.

And this date.

Should he consider this an actual date? It was, right? But the outings with Horace were definitely dates too. He hadn't expected Eli to actually follow through with this, and yet he totally had.

"They have really tasty looking milkshakes." They had been given a multitude of menus; one for entrees, another for desserts, a smaller card for beverages. Three crude pictures of said milkshakes were superimposed over the front of the laminated card, each boasting their chocolate—vanilla—strawberry flavors proudly with a cherry on top to boot. "Are you sure I can get anything Ellie?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

Whether it would've made him feel any better about all this or not, Eli definitely considered it an actual date. To be fair, he also considered a majority of his outings with Horace to be dates, too. Funny how that worked. Funny how he didn't really put too much thought into it when maybe he should've.

For now, he'd enjoy this.

"Absolutely anything," he assured, "You're right about the milkshakes. I might get a vanilla one. Or maybe a shirley temple. Hell, maybe both. It feels like a go all out sort of day, doesn't it?" For now he was nose deep in the entree menu trying to decide what he wanted.

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"A shirley temple." Oliver snorted, "That's so you. Always wanting the best, never wanting to just settle..."

He trailed off.

"I guess you settled for me though, huh?" He laughed, "I might get a strawberry milkshake then... it looks pretty tasty." He kicked his feet under the table a little bit, tapped them against Eli's. "After they come to take our drinks, can I ask you something?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"Settling is boring," he said matter-of-factly, allowing zero seconds for it to set in before continuing. "Now me, settle for you? I did no such thing. I wouldn't call it settling if that was the only word left in the dictionary. You're better than that." In grand Eli fashion, he crossed his arms and sounded very set in this.

"But of course you can. Anything." There was no denying Eli was curious what Ollie wanted to ask, and his stomach did the strangest little flip as he raised his own foot to bump against Ollie's, but thankfully he was saved by the server.

He ordered a vanilla milkshake and a shirley temple, just like he'd said.

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

And Oliver ordered a milkshake in turn, with a water for the side.

Left alone again for at least a solid five minutes while the server did their thing, Oliver spoke up again. Short, sweet, succinct. It was such a stupid question, because it had such an obvious answer, but unless he got a definitive remark—unless he heard the words from Elliot himself (and honestly, even still after)—there would be a tiny voice in the back of his head, picking away at his insecurities and questioning all of his doubts.

He took a deep breath, but he didn't look terribly nervous or flustered. "Do you like me?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

In that moment, Elliot supposed it wasn't a very surprising question. The fact that he'd liked the previous Oliver was common knowledge, but sometimes it felt like they were playing an awkward game of cat and mouse as they got to know each other. He was not the Eli that Ollie had known and vice versa. It was unusual.

Still, in the time they'd known each other, he'd grown unbelievably fond of this Ollie. It was the little things, the way he'd fall asleep on the couch or the way he'd thrum his fingers or the way he'd nurse his tea. It was how he opened up when you hit just the right topic. It was the smiles that made his stomach flutter.

"Yes." What else could Eli say? "I like you."

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Oliver—for once—seemed to accept that. There wasn't a follow up question about the other Oliver, and there wasn't any clarifying ask about this Oliver either. Instead he watched the forget-me-not display in all of its fake plastic glory, his mind turning over little nuances in his head. After a moment, he set his hands up on the table.

"I wanted to tell you during the bomb thing." He confessed, "But it didn't really feel right. I think I had my mind in too many directions at once..." A strange look crossed his face, "I mean, I'm trying to say I like you too. But I guess I always did."

It didn't take long. One gentle look for him and an act of kindness had his heart tied up in all sorts of silly knots. It would've been the same thing had the other Elliot done that—but the other Elliot hadn't been that kind of a person either.

"It's just really complicated..." At least he didn't look... awkward or regretful. Just pensive.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"Hearing that... makes me happy." Even in the face of that pensive expression, he couldn't help smiling. It was complicated sure, but really, when wasn't it? Don't get your hopes up, don't assume. The last thing Eli had wanted was to stifle Oliver's choice, or to force him, no matter what his eventual decision was.

I like you too was a weight off his shoulders.

And yet, something had changed. Not his feelings for Ollie, of course, but something else had cropped up in the interim. Someone else. Weird, complicated. A problem he thought was his own and not Oliver's, too.

"Is it the kind of complicated we can talk about?"

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"Mmm..." Oliver hummed thoughtfully. "I mean, if it's something... like... if you ever wanted to be serious about things, we'd probably have to talk about it." He was so obviously procrastinating on the subject. "It'd bother me quite a bit to go on pretending like it wasn't something affecting me, I mean. So I suppose we should."

He lightly kicked at Eli under the table again.

"Say, she's been gone with our drinks for a while, hasn't she?"

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"I'll be honest," he said, meeting Oliver's foot with his own without missing a beat. Eli had expected a nice, quiet date—he hadn't expected footsie under the table. Not that he was complaining, of course, even if all of this had been a surprise. "I'd... like to be serious. Eventually. If it's... possible."

That's when the server finally came back, setting their drinks in front of them and asking if they were ready to order. Eli, quite honestly, hadn't given it any thought at all.

"What about you, Oliver?"

Melancholies