synopsis: every conversation ends in an argument. each harsh glare feels like a challenge. you know what they say — keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
warnings: brother’s!bestfriend!ellie who is a meanie, reader who is a former shy bookworm turned semi-confident diva, swearing, drug usage (smoking and drinking), a little suggestive for maybe two seconds. the start of the lore build!
brother’s!bestfriend!ellie x afab!reader
18+ MEN & MINORS DNI
wc: 4.3k
a/n: WHY GET USED TO SOMETHING NEW! CUZ NO ONE BREAKS MY HEART LIKE YOUUUU!! anyways hi there ive been working on this for a grip. lots of thoughts on the concept. 3-4 parts perhaps…dont hate me if it takes a minute! i do (unfortunately) have real world responsibilities bleh. but i hope you like this first little glimpse! comments, reblogs, likes and constructive criticism always appreciated. also if you have a drabble request or idea im super open to that! okay i’m done ily bye
jesus, it’s hot.
hottest summer yet, or at least that’s what your local weatherman is saying.
you’re certainly experiencing the sweltering wrath today — there’s not a single cloud for protection. a bead of sweat trickles down your temple as you flip to the the next page.
every cell in your body is aching to cool off, but you swore you’d finish one of your readings for next semester first.
only a few chapters to go.
you take a lazy sip from your glass of lemonade. the ice melted the second you walked onto the patio, and now it's perfectly sweet.
you’re in the middle of setting it down when you hear it.
feet slapping the pavement. a brief yelp.
by the time your eyes dart up she’s already launched herself toward the pool. the world operates at half speed.
you watch her hit the surface in slow motion, hard, and the splash comes flying toward you before you can recall how to perform basic motor functions.
it absolutely drenches everything. you shriek and jump out of your seat, shaking the waterlogged copy of the death of the heart.
“fuck!” you yell at nothing in particular, scrambling for your towel so you can attempt to dry it off.
the pages are beyond repair though. ink is beginning to smear, and stress is suffocating your lungs.
a familiar rumble of laughter shatters the thin veil of sanity you had left.
you whirl around, and as expected, ellie is grinning from ear to ear. she pushes her wet hair out of her face, and you swear to god she’s flexing her arms on purpose.
your brother is a few feet away, nearly doubled over as he wheezes like it’s the most hysterical situation in the world.
but you zero in on her. the goddamn bane of your existence.
you didn’t used to hate ellie so much. she’s been carter’s best friend since forever; so long, in fact, that she’s practically a part of the family at this point.
things were normal back in the day. he’s unfortunately been a bit of a dick since he learned how to talk, but she wouldn’t feed into him.
for the most part she was considerate and left you alone.
they both eventually went off to college — MIT, because they’re obnoxiously smart and completely inseparable. you left for school shortly after, and everything felt exciting.
you found a great group of friends, threw yourself into your studies, and made sure you checked out the party scene.
it was all starting to click, finally.
then you returned over break, and life morphed into an unavoidable nightmare.
ellie’s attitude was completely different. the moment you walked through the front door after your freshman term, she was intent on tearing you down every chance she got.
even if it meant taking herself with you.
carter naturally made things worse. you still haven’t figured out what prompted the change, but she’s kept at it for two years.
this is clearly her welcome home present.
“you owe me a new book.” you snap at her.
her green irises shine insidiously, and she sends more water your way.
“put it on my tab, peach. you shouldn’t read so close to the edge.”
that nickname. it drives you crazy. she found it fitting for someone so naive, so easy to bruise.
but you’re not as delicate as you used to be.
“and you shouldn’t be acting like a child at your big age.”
carter snorts as he catches his breath. “chill out. maybe you need to take a swim too.”
“everything is already ruined,” you hold up the bleary pages and motion to your damp hair, “so don’t even bother.”
his smile fades. you know it’s because he wants to partake in pissing you off but can’t figure out how.
“go be boring alone then.” ellie chirps as she wades around.
you turn to her and she gives you a quick once over as if you’re not even really there.
boring.
that label was given to you by many classmates over the years. mostly because you preferred the company of your novels and kept to yourself.
it bothered you then, but the thought of being uninspiring to her specifically gets under your skin more.
she never stops poking and prodding, testing you to see what hurts. it’s impossible to brush it off.
that doesn’t dissuade you from trying, though.
you wrap your towel around your body haphazardly and shove past your brother.
“sounds great to me. fuck you both.”
“see ya!” carter calls, but you can barely hear him over the ringing in your ears.
you’re seething as you yank the door to the deck open, slamming it closed behind you with an equal amount of ferocity.
the air conditioning doesn’t help cool you down. your head is a scrambled mess of profanities as you watch the pair through the glass.
it’s like they’ve already moved on, and you’re once again an outsider in a place that’s supposed to be safe.
that feeling sticks around until you start to grow restless in your room. you’ve been refusing to leave it for the last several hours.
avoiding ellie is serious enough to skip dinner.
your parents are always gone for one reason or another now that you and carter are grown, which only guarantees an increase in the torment.
they aren’t much of an improvement, but they at least provide a buffer.
without them, she’s too close for you to truly relax.
at this point, though, you’re dying to go outside for a smoke. lord knows you could use a distraction.
so you grab your lighter and your freshly rolled joint and book it for the stairs.
it’s quiet, just the creaking of the floorboards as you descend to the main level. the living room is empty. shadows greet you in the kitchen as you pass through.
best possible scenario.
you’re unscathed when you reach the yard, which is far more mild than it was earlier. the night has stifled the temperature.
a breeze ripples through your baggy sleep shirt as you pad over toward one of the lounge chairs. critters trill and the trees around the house rustle.
you plop down in your seat and put the j to your mouth, flicking your lighter to life. it starts to burn, slow and steady, and you exhale your first hit.
the fog climbs toward the sky only to dissipate moments later. your troubles float away with it, becoming more and more insignificant the longer you savor the fresh air.
there’s a certain peace about the evening. like you’re the only person alive.
you could do anything, be anything, and none of it would matter because the rest of mankind is dormant.
stars twinkle down at you from thousands of light years away. the universe seems undisturbed now that the two idiots from earlier are gone.
but then you hear the familiar whine of hinges in the distance, and your stomach bottoms out.
think about her and she shall appear.
you roll your eyes as ellie strides into view, silently wishing that you could melt away from this interaction.
“i thought you hated the smell of weed.” she says as she settles into the chair across from you.
uninvited, of course.
you ash the soot onto the deck. it falls dangerously close to her bare feet.
“and i thought you found me boring, but here you are.”
she chuckles under her breath, scratching her jaw casually. “you were being boring. there’s a difference.”
“mmm…not really.”
you bring it back up to your lips for another long drag. ellie watches this intently.
“care to share?”
you scrunch your nose and blow the rest of the fumes her way.
“no. you’re literally evil.”
she considers this. “i’m not above begging, if that helps.”
“oh i’m sure.”
the insinuation doesn’t even register for a while. ellie raises her eyebrows, shocked but equally as amused.
you clear your throat awkwardly and pass the joint her way. she takes it, fingers slipping over yours before she puts it between her teeth.
there’s remnants of your fruity chapstick on the filter. it’s like she’s tasting you, and the thought sends a chill down her spine.
you can’t help but stare. it’s funny — she’s exactly the same as she was when you were kids, but somehow completely different.
still lanky, but far more toned. her cheekbones are prominent, her lips are fuller. the extra sunshine has made her freckles stand out against her flushed skin.
“thanks.” ellie hands it over, breaking your train of thought.
you nod in response. a beat goes by.
crickets hum somewhere in the distance, and the high has you more at ease than usual.
“so where’s thing two?” you ask.
“asleep downstairs.” she keeps it brief.
you get the sense that she’s withholding something every time you talk. shortening her answers, only speaking in riddles and cruelty.
“and you're out here because…?”
ellie offers you a shrug. “i heard you moving around, figured i should investigate.”
“you’re not investigating shit, you’re just a mooch.” you chuckle and go for a quick pull.
she matches your smile, which is a rare sight.
“maybe. but i’ll repay you. name your price.”
“okay. give me a compliment.”
the words come out on an impulse. you don’t even remember them traversing through your brain before you hear them in your ears.
ellie is stunned as well. “what?”
there’s nothing to do but dig your heels in.
“i want to see if you can actually think of something.”
she puffs out a breath and runs a hand through her cropped auburn hair. she’s acting like she’s nervous, but that can’t be right.
“this is stupid. i don’t know, you’re…self-assured?”
you snort. “that sounded more like a backhanded question. try again.”
ellie peers at you curiously, and it’s like she’s actually seeing you as a person.
she studies your face without shame. insecurity creeps in as the time stretches, but she’s really giving herself a buffer to play this right.
“your eyes are nice. even in the dark.”
it sounds genuine. your body softens a bit since you’re no longer waiting for impact.
you grin and give her the j as a reward. “alright, i’ll take that.”
for a little while you swap it back and forth in comfortable silence. this doesn’t seem real, and you can’t tell if it’s the drugs or her bizarre behavior.
the roach finally dwindles down, and it startles you that you’re disappointed.
ellie does the honors and puts it out on the cement. she straightens up afterwards and you meet her heavy-lidded gaze.
“you staying the night?”
“why, you wanna have a sleepover or somethin’?” the corner of her mouth curls slightly.
you feel yourself get defensive before you can explain why.
“can’t really call it that when you’re here more than your own house.”
“there’s plenty of room. it’s not like your parents are kicking me out.”
it infuriates you that she’s using them as a dig when she gets to reap the benefits of their absence. you suppose a punch to the gut was overdue.
“nobody’s calling to ask where you are either, but i’m not a dick about it.”
truthfully, a lower blow on your end. ellie’s face contorts into a real grimace, and you know she’s thinking about her dad.
he’s frequently away on business, always putting in long hours or traveling to different sites. it’s easy to see that she misses him, and has for a while.
joel is by all accounts a good man. a hard worker. but he’s somewhat of a ghost, whether he intends to be or not.
it used to be a topic you wouldn't consider touching. but that was when you still saw her as human.
“i don’t need a chaperone.” she’s far more serious.
you glare harder. “you need your own life.”
“coming from the designated third wheel.”
“better than being the co-dependent parasite.”
ellie remains unamused. you expect her to fuel the fire, but she shakes her head and stands up.
you despise the way she towers over you, the blank glance she casts your way. like you’re nothing important.
“if it helps you sleep. thanks again for the smoke.”
her tone is impassive, bordering on flippant. she’s already heading inside, and shouting at her would be fully admitting defeat.
so you swallow the rest of your remarks and leave it be. ellie doesn’t bother looking over her shoulder.
that shouldn’t hurt, considering you were throwing stones just as carelessly. but it does.
you peer at the sad remains of the joint, the only evidence of a conversation that already feels like it was ages ago.
for a brief minute there was a sort of kinship between you, one hadn’t experienced with her in so long. she wasn’t your enemy. not a threat.
she was someone existing alongside you.
it’s never that easy with her, though. you’d be dense to believe she’d let you matter.
and you refuse to play the fool.
—————
as the french once said, revenge is best served cold.
and that must be the truth, because the seltzer you’ve been nursing is freezing your fingers.
the chatter from the crowd is beginning to swell now that the sunset is fading. you’re completely uninterested in being an active participant — your main motive is free alcohol.
it tastes sweeter when it’s on carter and ellie’s tab.
when you first heard that they’d be throwing themselves a graduation party, it sounded like the perfect opportunity to get some pay back in the form of loitering.
if she wants to call you a third wheel, then you’ll be the best damn pain in the ass to exist.
you take another sip of your citrusy drink, tucked away in the corner of the patio. a giant ‘congrats’ banner is strung up above your head.
it’s lackluster decorating on their part, but everyone is just here to get fucked up anyways.
you recognize a few faces from high school; girls that never really knew you and boys you hadn’t thought about in ages. even the people you don’t know seem to be having fun.
which is hard to believe. the music selection sucks.
it must be your brother’s playlist. ellie’s taste isn’t this bad, as much as you resent admitting that.
you spot her across the lawn, standing as nonchalantly as ever. she’s midway through a swig of beer while some guy with a deplorable tan line chats her ear off.
he’s clearly not very engaging, because a second later she spots you over everyone’s heads.
for a moment you forgot that you aren’t invisible. it makes you feel like you’ve been caught in the act.
but you stare her down anyways. there’s no room to show weakness. if you give her an inch, she’ll take a mile.
her mouth stretches into a cunning grin. she raises her hand and motions you over.
a dare.
she’s fishing for a reaction, but she won’t get that from you yet.
so you do the last thing she was expecting and follow orders. ellie watches you saunter through the masses, brushing right past anybody standing in your way.
you’re a woman on a mission.
she excuses herself from the conversation flawlessly. you stop a few paces away from her, hand perched on your hip.
“cool party.”
ellie is still smiling. “didn’t expect you to make an appearance.”
“i live here.” you remind her briskly.
“yeah, but you’re not really the celebrating type.”
you take a pointed sip from your can. “that’s why i’m getting drunk.”
an idea starts to take shape in her brain, an idiotic one at that. but now that it’s there it’s begging to be freed.
so she jabs her thumb toward the white folding table further out in the grass.
“if you’re gonna steal the supply then i feel like you have to prove yourself.”
you contemplate this until you realize your brother is already deep in a matchup with a pretty brunette. interrupting him feels like a death wish.
“they’re occupied.”
“it’s supposed to be a pairs game anyways,” ellie insists, taking a single step closer, “unless you’re chicken.”
you don’t have to establish anything and you know that. but knocking them down a peg does sound fun.
“fine. loser jumps off a cliff.” you snark.
she barks out a laugh in return. “aw, i make you suicidal? how sweet.”
“more like homicidal. you’re going down, williams.”
a glimmer lights her eyes. it registers to you as malicious, but she’s fascinated by the banter.
“well, when i win, you’re getting dunked.”
you shake your head and motion for her to lead the way. “never underestimate the opponent.”
she wouldn’t dream of counting you out early. you’ve grown to be more assertive than she’d ever imagined, and you’re usually right.
that’s not something ellie would dare say to you. instead she steers herself toward carter, and you follow behind her like a shadow.
“you guys mind if we join?” she nudges him playfully.
he’s surprised by the proposal, but not enough to refuse. in fact, it stops him in his tracks and makes him do a complete one-eighty.
“oh hell yeah. gotta get the dream team back together at least once.”
the expression that passes over her face screams i told you so, and you flip her off in your head.
carter waves a hand to his companion in a weak introduction.
“amber, you can be with my sister this round.”
“always the gentleman.” you toss a snide remark his way, which earns you a giggle from your new partner.
there’s practically steam coming out of his ears as you take a moment to greet amber properly.
perfect.
ellie can see this too, and she diffuses it before he can punch back.
“alright, i’m assuming i don’t need to go over the rules for anybody.”
a cleverly concealed jab that’s directed at you. none of the responses you can come up with are dignified, so you don’t bite.
“all good here,” you say as you reorganize the solo cups, “y’wanna do the honors?”
it’s hard for her to play down a smirk. “can you manage to look at me for long enough?”
“i’m not scared of you.”
a lie. but you’re not sure what’s really making you uneasy these days.
is it the anger? the vulnerability? the tension?
in instances like this everyone else seems to melt away, and that makes you sick.
amber interrupts your trip down the rabbit hole and passes you the ball. “we’ve totally got this.”
she offers a thumbs up, a gesture you easily match. it’s nice to have someone on your side for once.
then you roll your shoulders back and turn to face ellie properly. she’s already got her arm raised, aiming at her targets.
she looks like a frat douche in her backwards red sox cap, hair poking out in tufts at the bottom. it’s annoyingly working for her.
“ready?” she’s radiating arrogance.
“bring it.”
you lift your hand to mirror her without wavering. she nods and holds your gaze, giving the signal for the two of you to shoot.
ellie sinks it. you don’t.
you blow out an irritated breath and ignore carter’s cheering.
“that’s how it’s done!” he shouts as amber pulls the cup from it’s row.
“anyone can get lucky.” you chirp back.
ellie’s doesn’t validate you with an answer. she tosses the ball and takes a second one out.
carter somehow gets even more animated, so much so that a few people start to peek over at the commotion.
“two drinks, ladies.” she puts her middle and pointer fingers up and wiggles them at you.
you begrudgingly take a long chug, tongue flitting out to collect the stray droplets from your lips. for an instant you swear she’s fixating on this movement.
but it's gone as soon as you notice.
her third try falls dead. your turn for a chance at redemption.
“don’t fuck it up.” ellie calls over to you.
“i won’t.”
and you mean it, because this time you land your attempt flawlessly.
amber squeals and shakes your arm happily. “hell yes!”
carter pouts as he bounces the ball back to you. before anybody can get in your head, you lob another successful shot.
“nothing to say?” you quip at the two of them.
ellie shrugs, even though she can’t really pretend like it’s not impressive. “alright. let’s see if you can outdo me.”
unfortunately, the curse strikes you as well, and the ping pong ball misses entirely.
your shoulders sag a little but amber comforts you again. “you tied us up, that was great.”
it stays that way for quite a while — back and forth on the table with some mutual antagonizing along the way. people have surrounded you to watch now that the backyard is even more crammed.
when it gets to the final two cups you’re in a groove.
being tipsy clearly tends to improve your skill level. victory is far closer than you expected.
carter fumbles a shot and it rolls into the grass, which leaves the door wide open.
you bend down to grab the ball, completely unaware that the flowy blouse you threw on earlier is slipping off your shoulder. it hangs to reveal your cleavage, and ellie nearly chokes.
you’re wearing the most revealing of bras, a lacey black number that’s leaving little to the imagination.
fuck, that’s a sight.
a variety of dirty situations play out in her mind before she can reel it in. then you snap up, and she has to close her mouth and concentrate on anything else.
amber takes her turn which is unfortunately fruitless. it all falls on ellie now.
there couldn’t be a worse moment for it.
she’s entirely too scrambled, pretty much six feet deep in the gutter.
“worried yet?” you tease, leaning on your palms so she has to look at you again to throw it.
she can’t hide that something’s up, not from you. you’ve figured out how to read her, and the fact that she’s got no comeback makes it obvious.
there’s not much to do but shoot, so she does. it flies past the intended depth and you end up catching it with a satisfied smile.
“that was horrible dude.” carter runs a hand over his face.
guilt crawls across ellie’s skin. can he see it? does he know?
there’s a certain anticipation as you get situated, and you save her from her own remorseful plunge by pitching an ace.
carter mutters something under his breath as he yanks the cup from the table. but you’re watching her, not him.
ellie dips her head ever so slightly at you, a sign of approval that he won’t pick up on.
interesting.
it gives you the confidence to deliver the final blow, and boy does it feel good to win.
there’s some clapping and clamor from the swarm of others. your brother disappeared instantly, probably headed somewhere to mope.
the odds are in your favor tonight.
“i warned you.” you shout over the noise at ellie.
she puts her hands up in surrender as she drifts closer.
“so did i.”
“huh? hey—!”
you’re not quick enough to jump out of the way when she lunges at you. her strong arms wrap around your legs, and she hoists you over her shoulder easily.
you brace your palms against her back. she has clearly been working out more.
“put me down! i beat you fair and square!”
“someone’s still gotta be the first to get wet.” ellie jokes while she carries you through the mob.
trying to escape makes it worse. she only tightens her grip, one hand on the back of your knee while the other rests dangerously close to your ass.
at least you’re wearing shorts.
“i swear to god i’ll kill you.” you hiss into her ear.
the fluttering in your stomach tells a different story.
she just chuckles. “you don’t believe in god. swear on something that matters.”
you have no idea how she even knows that, but the pool is only a step or two away. there’s no space to dwell, so you wrap your hand in her shirt for protection.
“i’ll make sure you come with me if you do this.”
“is that dirty talk, peach?”
the smirk is clear in her tone as she stops near the edge of the water.
“no, i’m telling you to get your fucking hands off of me. what don’t you understand about the words ‘put me down’?” you snap, yanking on the hair at the nape of her neck with your free fingers.
a low groan leaves her mouth involuntarily, and you can’t discern if it’s approval or if you’re hurting her.
you’re also don’t know which answer you want to be true.
ellie lowers you to the ground so fast you’d think you were burning her. the abruptness forces you to stumble back a step, and you fix your clothes hastily once you find your footing.
“you’re free. now go inside,” she dismisses you with a wave, “winning doesn’t mean you’re welcome here.”
more whiplash. fantastic.
you tell yourself it doesn’t matter. after that embarrassing display, you’re not in the mood to hear anything else.
“you’re a shit host,” you poke your finger against her sternum, “and an even worse person. congrats on graduating.”
this time you do get the last word, because you march away and don’t give her a choice.
a scream is stuck in your throat. you don’t let it out until you make it back to your room, safe from judgment and unwanted guests.
you loathe that she can pull this side out of you. the side of you that sees red — heart pumping, fist curling, passionate red.
you pace in circles until you finally exhaust yourself enough to crawl under the covers.
reading between the lines is useless. you don’t think ellie even knows where the lines are herself.
nsfw, minors dni. just rambling about ellie again.
mmmm thinking about southern!ellie. she's always got a toothpick hanging from her lips, just something to chew on ever since she quit dipping because you insisted that was disgusting. she'll pull up to ur house in her single cab square body truck (specifically a '78 ford f-100, brown) and walk you out, opening the door for you. she's wearing such a casual fit: camo ball cap, white tank, baggy jeans & square toed ariats. her cinnamon hair curls slightly out at the bottom from sweating in the sweltering texas heat. you love placing ur hand on the back of her neck, massaging gently to get her attention. she'll give you the sweetest smirk and tut at you. "what're you lookin' at, darlin'? hm?" she drawls out.
she takes you everywhere with her. home depot trips (so she has someone to complain to when she can't find the tools she needs. and no, she will not go asking an employee if there's any in the back. she's hard headed), nature walks, taking you to her ranch so you can help her feed the horses and greet the cows. tonight, she's taking you out on the lake. although it's mainly so the two of you can watch the sunset together, she still brought fishing rods because she can't miss out on an opportunity to catch some. she'll set the rod up for you and teach you how to cast properly. "make sure you don't hook anybody, baby. i've seen jesse do it once. not purty."
she can't help but to chuckle when you get a bite, you get too excited, trying to reel it in but you lose it from too much movement. "awe, baby," ellie coos. "maybe next time. jus' remember to relax." once the sunset's over, she'll take everything back to her truck and take you home. she can't just kiss you goodbye, she has to make out with you for a bit. her rough, calloused hands will be gripping the sides of your head, her tongue circling around yours. she'll quietly whine into your mouth, pulling you closer to her, just desperate to be as close to you as possible.
soon enough, her fingers were dipped into your panties and yours in hers. "yer so fuckin' wet, babe," she hisses against your neck, licking and biting your exposed skin. the windows of her truck are fogging up. she leans back in her seat, making eye contact with you. her brows are furrowed and there's a slight pout on her lips. soft whimpers fill your ears like the sweetest song as she gets close to cumming. "jus'... jus' like that, sweetheart. fuck, you drive me crazy, y'know that?" when she cums, she buries her face into your shoulder, her free hand gripping your shirt. once you cum, she's sucking on her fingers and moaning. "yer so sweet; tastes like honeysuckle." she walks you to your door and takes her hat off to kiss you.
side note: when she dresses up, she wears pearls snaps and leaves the top three buttons undone. she's got a stetson hat, cutter style. she saves her black gator lucchese's for nights out with you.
