"What?" she asked, looking up from the little piece of dough her hands were kneading with precision. Turning the beige paste over and rolling it out, clapping one half over the other and making them melt into one round piece. Her hands and pants dipped in flour, little pieces of hair falling out from the up-do she arranged her hair in before the baking started, tickling her face. The uncomfortable feeling of it urging her to try and blow it away, the very scene that caused him to chuckle next to her.
"Nothing," he shrugged, arms crossed over his chest that was still free of dough or flour or any other ingredient she used for the cake in process. Head leaned against the kitchen cabinet they stored their good hardware in. Watching her as if it might heal the cold he caught just after coming back from a week spent on the road again.
"You know, you could help instead of just standing there like a pretty face with no hands," she said, teasing him. Moving her head to the side to still get the piece of hair our of her vicinity.
"Alright, alright," Eli mumbled. Laughing at the edge that she carried in her tone while tethering him. "Bossy." Pushing his long sleeve up to elbows, helping her move the strand from tickling her nose.
"Wash your hands first. Even when we're one household you're still infected." She pointed at him to get her point across.
Watching him as he shuffled over to the sink, moving a few of the dirty dishes and previously used baking equipment before letting the water run down his fingers and palm and let the soap mix into the cold liquid. Drying them on the towel that hung over the handle of the oven which she stood before, he wrapped his hands around her waist. Kissing her neck, breathing her in. Squeezing her once before letting go and concentrating on falling into a rhythm while the two of them started forming the dough. His hands dipping into the flour to make the rolling out part easier for her. Dapping it on the surface and her nose.
"Cut the apples, Eli," she said, trying to remove the flour from her nose with her sleeve hunched up to her elbow just like his. Still laughing at his antics but also exhausted from the hours spent in the kitchen.
"You good?" he asked, listening and moving to the other side of her but keeping his focus on her half lidded eyes and small smile she tried to keep on her lips for his sake.
"I'm fine, just tired. It's been a lot at work lately and baking—as fun and rewarding as it can be—is just taking the last bits off me," she confessed. Sliding the edge of the knife through the dough with her hand over the dull side of the blade too keep it steady. She could hear the sounds of him working steadily combined with the low music she put on halfway through the recipe.
And from there on, Eli did more than she ever anticipated him to. He buttered the tin as she turned around to ask him where it had gone from where she previously put it. He made sure the dough was nice and flat against the metal. He did all the dirty parts that would make her hands sticky. He put the form in the oven when it was ready to bake and he did all the reading while telling her what she should set each adjustment on. Letting her fall into his chest when the small hum of the heat finally took over her brain.
"It looks absolutely horrible here," she mumbled against his chest without having to look around the kitchen. Ready to push herself back up and start the cleaning process. Ready to not let herself rest once more to keep him from having to do the part no one ever wanted to do.
He knew about her habits of putting everyone else before her own needs, prioritizing them before she even considered herself. He knew how exhausting it was for her but also how she couldn't shake the guilt off if she stopped doing it. "Go sit down, watch something, don't know. I've got this." Eli gently pushed her out of the kitchen, kissing her head when she tried to argue with him. Not leaving space for an argument as he got to work. Moving around the space steadily even if it was slower due to his on-going sickness.
summary: dreading the time it takes to wash his hair, you volunteer to help
warnings: nudity (implied), teeny tiny mention of toxic masculinity
Josh's head was tilted back toward the shower head. Weekly, he was reminded of the downside of cutting his dreads- washing and wearing his natural hair took quite a bit more work. But, this time was going to be easier, as you asked to help him out.
"You don't have to," Josh said.
"I want to," You responded, "It's not an issue."
He nodded. He didn't want to acquiesce your proposal, there was something deep inside him that told him not to. Maybe that was just how he was raised. He wasn't one to let people help him, but he supposed he should for you.
So that's why he's standing here, getting his hair drenched. "Can you like... crouch down?" You asked.
"Just sit on the ledge," He said, once you followed he sat down inbetween your legs.
"Is this the shampoo I should be using?" You asked, showing it off. He nodded.
With a squirt of it into your hands, you started to scrub it into his hair. His eyes shut and he leaned back into your body. Drop by drop, stress left his body. His shoulders relaxed and he hooked his arms over your legs. For several moments, he wasn't sure whether the warm sensation in his chest was from the water hitting it or your hands in his hair.
"You need to detangle it," He mumbled, too lost in the pleasure of a rare moment of relaxation.
"Is there a brush somewhere for that?" You asked. He pointed to the caddy. Some awkward shuffling around later, you had the brush in your hand and were prepared to start detangling.
"Not like that!" Josh immediately said as you started. His body tensed back up and he was back to square one. "Brush outward, like up. Not like how you brush your hair," He explained, trying to relax again.
Softly, you spoke, "Im sorry." You left a kiss on his cheek as you followed the instructions. It felt like such an intimate moment, much more vulnerable than anything done before. He slumped back into you, creating a positive feedback loop. You kept brushing his hair, he kept falling deeper and deeper into some sort of sixth dimension. "Don't worry about it," He mumbled, only realizing he should respond after more than a few minutes.
You noted how long his hair was every time you brushed it up, his shrinkage causing it to remain close to the root. Once you were done, you tapped his shoulder to let him know to wash it out.
His hands routinely found their spot on his head, scrubbing out all the soap and making him miss your hands that were right in front of him.
"I can't remember the last time someone did this for me," He said as he sat back down. You ran the conditioner through his curls, which had been loosened from the water and shampoo.
"Really?" You were met with a hum.
"Not since I was, like, a baby."
You nodded. His hair was so soft, like a fine silk. It worked against your fingers, you brushed straight through it and it snapped back to a curl. "Did it take you this long when you had dreads?" You asked.
He responded with a shrug. "It took like... twice the time to dry. Didn't have to detangle it though. I mean, I would have to get like retwists, but…” His voice drifted off as he let you continue. There wasn’t a time that he could remember being treated as nicely as you were treating him. There was love and affection in your fingertips. All of his barbers just wanted to get it over with. With a tap to his back, he stood up and washed it out. Despite no change in the routine, his hair felt softer.
It was interesting seeing Josh’s hair like this. His curls were loosened by the water and the method of detangling he had you use. It hung down by his ears and over his forehead.
You both stepped out the shower and wrapped towels around you. When you moved in together, you splurged on some fancy towels. You supposed it was a sign of growing up, getting excited by the little things.
The guitarist grabbed the hairdryer from under the sink. There was a diffuser attachment that he would use. “Do you want me to?” You asked, having slipped into one of his shirts.
With an indifferent look on his face, he replied, “I’ve kinda got my own method. Plus you’ve done enough for me today.”
You smiled, stepping forward and meeting his lips with yours.
The living room welcomed you as you sat down and ordered food. He didn't tend to be picky, so you just settled on pizza.
Josh came back out later, with dry hair and sweatpants on. He didn't often go shirtless, but after earlier, he wanted to feel you as close as possible. He would never tell you that though, fearing it too embarrassing and complicated to convey in words. You trusted him and he trusted you, enough that you could communicate through touch alone.
Nearly autonomously, his arm wrapped around you and pulled you in. “I ordered pizza,’ You said with a peck to his lips. He hummed in response.
“Thank you,” He said.
“For?”
“My hair,” He smiled, “It's nice to have someone do something like that for you."
You were sure that there was something more to it, but you didn't push. Instead, you relaxed into his skin and let him do the same. His chest was a strong pillow, like a concrete wall made from a mold of your own body. You fit eachother perfectly, and when you looked up to his eyes, you saw your own reflection in the deep brown.
"I love you, you know that?" You asked
"Of course, I love you too." He said, staring back into your eyes.
"I just don't want you to hesitate asking for help, or letting me help you."
"I'll try," He said, looking away. He hated when you did this, confronting problems head on. You were always so good at it. Sure, he could point it out, but he had no clue where to even start to fix it.
"Just don't worry too much," You said, making him wonder if you could read his thoughts. "You stay in that head too much, and it's a real lonely place."
"I suppose so," He twiddled his thumbs, too embarrassed from all the attention and care he was receiving to look at you.
"Thank you. I'm gonna go pick up the pizza," You said, standing up, "Come with?"
"Do you really have to ask?" He remarked.
a/n: the amount of time i spent looking at photos of joshs hair to try and figure out his hair texture... anyways when are we getting his curl routine. title from chosen by blood orange
HELP WHAT IS GOING ON PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE SEEN
LET ME TRY AND READ YOUR MIND....ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE INHALER GUITAR PHOTO BC IF WE ARE IM SO READY
Dear Inhaler, I AM SAT. I need the album right now or atleast 'Haircut' bc the RAGEBAIT🙏🙏🙏 they always just drop photos/videos and don't explain anything!!! We all remember when bobby broke his frickin head open and said nowt after
❛ ⸺ rockstar!bf x rockstar!gf .ᐟ.ᐟ ꒰ reader is inspired by olivia rodrigo and implied to be irish꒱
♡ liked by inhalerdublin, phoebebridgers and 345, 328 more
youraccountxx been writing lately xx new things coming & if u haven't already, go grab your tickets for @/inhalerdublin !!! i better see you there (or else)
💬see more comments
user: OMG THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!!! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOREVER
ynfan4ever: guys i think the new album is going to be pink!! she's been wearing a lot of pink during recent interviews.
scottstr33t: i'm gonna miss the purple
user: GUYS THAT IMAGE??? IS THAT AN MV COMING???
chappellroan ohhh!!! ❤️❤️
liked by inhalerdublin, ryanmcmahon_15 and 134, 495 more
youracountxx congratulations @/inhalerdublin on the release of this absolutely banger of an album. the lads have been working very hard on this, so please go give them loads and loads of luv.
💬see more comments
inhaler.and.ynfan: soo good to see that eli has good inspiration for his songs. please keep him writing queen
youracountxx: haha, i may or may not have helped them with a few things here and there...you will have to listen and guess which chorus i wrote and which riff is actually my guitar.
carpenterlcver: i love how they support one-another. i remmember eli posting some stuff when she announced 'drop dead' a few months back.
inhalerdublin: She's right. Listen to her.
bobbyskeetz Best album you'll ever hear.
youraccountxx: ok i wanted to give u a shoutout but let's not exaggerate.
ynmywife: inhaler is nice, but when are YOU releasing that album 🤨
youraccountxx: i'm not telling. you just gotta stay tuned....
♡ liked by elijahhewson, sabrinacarpenter and 834, 934 others
youracountxx: leeds, oh my god!!! you guys were amazing. i still get giddy every time i get to play at stages this big, even more when the crowd is full of people who know the lyrics to every song. thank you always and forever for your love.
💬see more comments
elijahhewson: ❤️⭐️
usertwo: I was there last night!!! she changed some of the lyrics to brutal 😕 she's grown so much since releasing that song omg my girl
sabrinacarpenter: best girl ever, you were amazing as you always are.
says the queen herself!!!
yourbestfriend: i am incredibly proud of you. i always knew you were going to be big, even when we were teens and you played covers in the school. you have so much passion and love for your art.
youraccountxx: in tears. i adore you with all my soul.
yourbestfriend: love you more. 🥹
♡ liked by conangray, radvxz nd 328,130 others
youraccountxx: life lately. touring is fun, but sometimes all a girl needs is her hometown.
💬see more comments
yourbestfriend: so good to have you back angel
youracountxx: i missed u so much
elisstartattoo: eli what are you doing....
jordanjoyhewson: you can come hang out now that you're around....
youraccountxx: i absolutely will. missed u and eve so much.
sunk1ssses: SHE'S SO GORGEOUS OH MY GOD 😫😫😫
useruser: home town, uh huh. more like boyfriend. we have seen the pictures ma'am...
youraccountxx: 🤫🤫
♡ liked by radvxz, phoebebridgers and 102, 345 others.
youraccountxx: I have teased you guys enough. my new single 'drop dead' comes out 2nite !!!
💬see more comments
radvxz: bangers bangers !!
elijahhewson Best girl, best music.
youraccountxx: ilysm 💓💓💓
ynmywife: drop dead??? oh she's in loveee.
evehewson: so excited ✨️
aimee's note: hi hello hi... this was my first attempt at a smau, and my second time writing for eli. i had loads of fun and i hope u can enjoy this.
summary: eli is trying his hardest to keep his new identity a secret, but you're the only one who isn't oblivious to his odd behavior, solving his mystery.
warnings: fluffy oneshot!
word count: 3,145
author's note: i came across the wonderful @cloudyneptune's moodboard for spiderman!eli and had to create a fic for it because it's my favorite of hers and she's the queen of moodboards on tumblr 🕷 enjoy spiderman!eli...he'll hopefully return!
"shoot!" eli squeezes his eyes shut as he spills over a glass of soda on his desk. "stupid, stupid webs!" he mumbles under his breath. he was trying to grasp a glass of refreshing coke on a hot summer day, but these shooters were not letting him.
he runs a hand through his hair, eager to try again. this time its safer because the glass is empty. the sticky soda dries on the floor, leaving a dark puddle certain for slipping in. "come on," he whispers, nodding to encourage himself. he extends his hand with a small tilt, pressing his middle and ring finger onto his wrist.
a web shoots out, grabbing his empty glass. his eyes nearly shoot out of their sockets as he lets out a breathy laugh, so proud of himself. "oh, hell yeah! who saw that?-" he looks around like the nerd he is, but its just him alone in his bedroom, as expected. his words are cut off when he relaxes his hand on the bed and the glass tumbles off the desk.
"aw shit." he sinks back against the white sheets, looking up at the ceiling.
"knock, knock," you sing as you create a drumbeat on the wooden door to eli's bedroom.
"whats up?" you ask when you see him defeated on the bed. he jumps to see who it is, expecting his aunt who's supposed to be in the garden pulling weeds. instead, its you. the girl from his class that he totally forgot he promised to study with this weekend.
"y/n?" he asks, his voice a high-pitched gasp, his tongue being swallowed in his throat. he covers his wrists and shakes off any remaining webs, letting them simmer to the ground.
"hey," you squint just the tiniest bit at his panicked expression, letting out a small giggle.
"what are you doing in my room?" he asks, looking down at his shirtless chest, only in his sweatpants. your gaze follows and you chuckle, shaking your head.
"put some clothes on, hewson. you told me we could study this weekend?" you set your books down on his desk, taking a peek at him with a puzzled look.
his nose scrunches in confusion, just like you. "uhh, i did?" he asks, twirling a excess piece of a white web between his fingers, behind his back.
"yes. chem test?" you lift a brow at his questioning.
"oh." his lips part as he moves across his bedroom like its an obstacle. he steps over dirty clothes on the floor and action figures that stab his feet. "ouch" he mutters and squeezes his brows together, directing your attention to him.
"you really should clean your room," you look around, especially at a pool of spilled soda, your expression unreadable to him. he chuckles and picks up a red shirt that he finds curled up at the foot of his bed.
you remove a pen with a pink pom pom at the end out of your pencil case while he sniffs his shirt to make sure he doesn't smell.
"are you okay?" you ask with a tiny laugh and glance back at him. he drops a small bottle of cologne onto his shelf with wide eyes, clearing his throat. the last thing he wants is for you to tell the whole school he smells.
"sound." he shoots you a smile, flashing his teeth as he continues to pull his shirt over his head. you turn back around, flipping your shiny hair over his shoulder.
"okay, lets start with-" you turn around to find him, but he's gone. your brows knit together in confusion. where did he go?
"eli?" you call out, searching behind his bedroom door and in the bathroom down the hall. when you're sure he's nowhere to be found, you take a seat on his bed. white sheets, blue comforter. it smells like him, of course. his signature overkill cologne you could smell from a mile away mixed with the smell of laundry detergent. typical.
all of a sudden, you spot something in the corner of his bedroom. you tilt your head with a squint, trying to identify the unusual material hidden near the wall. you push his desk out of the way to access it, kneeling down and taking a look.
"whoa." you breathe out, your eyes scanning over a gigantic spider web knitted together in the corner of his room. half of it is attached to the wooden desk you moved, its stretchy material sticking perfectly. you reach your hand out hesitantly, your fingers meeting the threaded web. your gaze travels from the floor to the ceiling, catching an even larger web watching over his bed. an then another, knitted near his fallen glass of soda.
"what are you doing?" a deep, muffled voice calls from behind you.
your head whips around to see eli standing in the doorway, one eyebrow raised, and a banana in his hand. he's in the middle of chewing, trying to swallow faster so he isn't called out for talking with food in his mouth.
"uhh, nothing." you crawl to your feet, wiping any dust off your knees with your hands.
"are you lying?" he asks, taking a seat on his bed. he peeks behind you, squinting at what caught your attention earlier. you watch his expression deepen the whole time, his eyes widening and his cheeks turning pale.
the grip he has on his banana is concerning. "i think i should be asking you that," you move your head in the way of his gaze, forcing his eyes to yours.
"what'd you mean?" he asks, his voice low as he clears his throat. you only squint harder, knowing he's hiding something.
"why is there a large web over there?" you cross your arms over your chest in suspicion. "large web where?" he distracts, scratching the back of his neck. your expression drops. seriously?
"right there." you don't let up, your finger extending into the corner. in that moment, he makes a "pshhht" sound and clicks his tongue. "seriously? everyone has those, its just a spiderweb." he rolls his eyes.
you lift a brow. "weird. ive never seen one that big." he doesn't look you in the eye still, which makes you even more suspicious.
"its spider season."
"spider season was in spring."
"its still spring."
you laugh. "its basically summer."
"spring lasts until the end of june." he puts up a finger.
"it is the end of june, hewson."
he has officially run out of excuses. he throws his arms out in defeat. "i don't know what to tell you. we get a lot of spiders here. besides, its just one."
"hm." you nod your head carefully, slowly intimidating him with each second. "what about that one?" you ask, pointing your index finger towards the ceiling. "and that one?" another accusation.
his lips part, he inhales, then shuts his mouth. you wait for him to speak. "what do you want me to say?"
"i want you to tell me the truth."
"what truth?" he lifts a brow.
you roll your eyes and let out a long sigh, realizing you might just embarrass yourself if you say it out loud. "i need you to kinda say it."
"why?"
"cause i know its the truth but im gonna sound silly."
he pauses for a moment. "if you know its the truth, then you should just say it-" he's cut off by your loud mouth again, spitting your theory in his face.
"i know you're spiderman." you blurt out, letting out a sigh of relief after. all the pain in your chest is gone now that you've let it out. and now all that he needs to prove is telling you you're right.
he doesn't speak for a minute. "how do you- like, why- what makes you think that?" he stutters, scratching his neck again. you can tell he does this when he's nervous, especially by the excessive sweat beading down his forehead and his adorably reddened cheeks.
it's suddenly getting hot in his room, and you're three seconds away from yelling at him to atleast turn the fan on. you were either going to be laughed at, or scolded for knowing. or maybe he'll just call you insane. but he's hesitating. and that's helping your case.
"there are webs everywhere." you start, your breathing shaky as you take another glance at the ceiling, then on the spilled glass of coke, and back to the corner where the desk sat.
"you're always in the chem lab after hours, which makes me wonder why any teaches haven't noticed you yet," you continue, exhaling long.
he pauses you with a hand to your face. "wait. how do you know i stay after school?" his eyes widen with realization. "have you been stalking me?"
you have to laugh at his words, but when you don't respond for a while you just notice his eyes are getting even wider by the second. he's creeped out. "not stalking you like a weirdo-creep, im just curious about you." you huff out a shaky laugh.
he's still frozen, waiting for your answer. "uhh, i stay for the debate club. we meet down the hall from the chem lab, so i see you sometimes. and you look really focused on what you're doing...up until after five o'clock which concerns me. all students are supposed to leave at five." you mutter.
he's a little creeped out by how invested you are, but a blush still crawls onto his cheeks at how flattered he is. nobody really pays attention to him. "oh." he mumbles.
"anyway," you clear your throat, clasping your hands together to gain some sort of respect for yourself as you carry on. "i noticed there's a lot of talk about this new superhero on the streets and if it could be anyone, i'd say it would be...you." you hesitate at the last part, your face warming as you chew on your bottom lip.
he wants to know more. "me? why?" he asks innocently, his eyes not leaving yours, even though they're partly covered by your luscious hair; blocking the way of your gaze.
"because," you scoop your hair out of your eyes, finally looking at him. his beautiful wide eyes are gazing at you, so intense it makes your heart jump. "you're kind. i see you helping people out...and stuff." your hands are sweaty as you rip at your nails.
"oh. okay." he nods.
"so?" you ask with a squint.
he just stares at you. "so what?"
you roll your eyes. "so are you him?"
he debates telling you, but you're already onto him. there's no point in keeping it a secret. "you can't say a word to anyone, okay?" he says, his voice suddenly deeper and grave.
you nod timidly. "okay."
he sighs then. "yes. its been difficult hiding it, so im not very impressed with my abilities right now."
you nod your head in understanding. "is that why there's soda on the floor?"
he chuckles and wants to hide his face from embarassment. "uh, yeah." he sees you picking at your nails, clearly hesitant. "am i making you nervous?" eli asks tenderly.
your heart warms at his genuine question. "no, sorry. im just a little shaken up that i was right." you can't hide a smile.
he smirks. "do you want a medal?" he asks as he bumps your shoulder with his playfully. you huff a laugh, before a brilliant idea comes to mind. "no, but..." you look to him with a big grin.
"what?" he asks hesitantly.
"can you show me?" you ask. "you know, your abilities." you quote his words.
he doesn't speak for a second, puzzled by your abrupt ask. "what do you want to see?"
"i want to do what you do. experience things from a higher view. maybe we could go to the brooklyn bridge-" your voice travels to an excited length.
"whoa," he cuts you off with an extended palm and an adorable laugh of his. he seems a little nervous now. "you trust me to take you to brooklyn bridge?" his eyes go wide again.
you nod. "yeah."
"really?" he gives you a look of disbelief.
you nod again and roll your eyes. "don't get cocky, hewson." he turns away and looks down at the ground. "but..." you start again with a tiny smile creeping up your lips.
"i do trust you. and i think its pretty cool."
"just pretty cool?"
"fine, it's awesome."
he gives you a warm smile. "then what are we waiting for?"
───
eli's laughing harder than he ever has when he feels you clutch onto his arms roughly, your legs wrapped around his as your screaming at the top of your lungs. "holy shit!" you breathe out, your hands tightening on the red suit covering his chest.
you hide your face in the crook of his neck, feeling the swing as you pass buildings in each burrow, quickly flying for the brooklyn bridge. you repeat his name over and over through screams, and he chuckles.
"its not that bad!" he looks down at you through his mask, his voice muffled.
"its insane!" your voice is shaky once you land on a metal pole that lines the bridge.
"don't get scared, okay?" he asks and starts to release you from his chest.
"you can't just say that, hewson! we're a billion miles off land of course im scared!" you try to focus on breathing, clutching him tighter.
"take a deep breath." he guides you, his hands wrapping around your shoulders. "you don't have to, but if you want to look, i've got you."
"okay." you take a deep breath just as you were instructed, looking down at your feet as they relax against the cool metal pole. "you won't fall either?" you ask hesitantly, chewing open your bottom lip anxiously.
"no. im sticky everywhere, remember?" he chuckles. you huff a laugh before adjusting in his grip and taking a peek below you.
"oh my God." you gasp, the wind blowing your hair into your eyes as you gaze down at trucks and cars passing by on the bridge. some people are waving at you, some are pointing.
you're actually with spiderman, but you don't feel like you're being saved by a famous superhero. you feel like you're being saved by eli. the shy boy in your class that falls asleep in the chem lab after school and wakes up in the same chair after creating his genius web shooters.
"you're insane, eli." you breathe out.
"nice view, though?" he asks, right about his grip on your body. he was not letting you go.
"definitely." you reply. "can we go somewhere else?" you ask.
"sure. where to?" he gets ready to set off again, adjusting you in his hands.
"somewhere more private." you say. "if that's alright."
he hesitates before saying, "sure."
───
"here's okay?" he asks, landing on a large willow tree in the middle of central park. you let go of your grip on him and carefully crawl onto a sturdy branch, taking a seat. it's not as high as being on top of the brooklyn bridge was, but it's still a little scary.
"yeah." you say as he takes a seat next to you, swinging his legs off the branch.
"did i scare you out there?" he asks another one of his gentle questions which makes you flush just the tiniest bit. "a little. but it was fun."
"really? i thought you'd never want to talk to me after this." he chuckles, a muffled sound through his mask.
you look to him, a smile on your face. you hope he can see through his mask. "eli..." you start, your hands crawling closer to his face, hesitant at first. when he doesn't pull away, you settle your soft fingertips on his mask.
"i didn't want anyone knowing your identity, so i figured we should come here." you say, your voice small as you reach for the hem of his mask.
you pull it off slowly, his pale skin spilling out of the mask. underneath, his hair is mussed up in multiple different places which makes you smile, and of course, his unmistakable blush is set on his cheeks.
"are you blushing?" you ask with a cute smile, trying to hide your laughter.
"no." he nearly scoffs, averting his eyes.
"you're blushing." you whisper in his ear, his eyes slowly trailing back to yours.
"maybe."
you're laughing now. he laughs too, yours far too contagious to not atleast smile. "you're really pretty when you laugh, you know." he mutters it, but you hear it all the same.
your expression falters, turning serious before your cheeks turn red. "really?"
he nods.
"that's sweet. nobody's noticed anything about me in a while."
"i always notice things about you."
"like what?" you tilt your head and look down at his red mask between your fingers, weighing the fabric in your soft hands.
"like the sound of your laugh and the way your eyes crinkle when you smile. oh, and when you raise your hand in class you always have to clear your throat before you spe-" he's cut off with your lips, pressing a tender kiss to his.
if it's even possible, he's flushing darker. deeper. "what was that for?"
you grin wide. "take me home, eli."
he frowns. "we didn't even get to study yet."
"i know. but it's late and my mother wants me home by eight."
"tomorrow, then." he says and lifts his finger to your cheek, a gentle movement that only he can spark butterflies in your stomach.
"okay. tomorrow." your lips part into a smile as you nod.
"lets get you home." he says and you hand him his mask. he puts it on, grabbing your hand, and you travel into the city with your yelling muffled into his chest. as much fun as your having, your stomach is dropping from being so high up and butterflies are flapping their wings in your stomach.
"am i the only one who knows?" you shout in his ear over the loud gushes of wind.
he nods and lands on the tree that lays beside your house. "yes. you think you can keep a secret?"
"only for you, hewson." you bump his shoulder and crawl down the tree trunk, scurrying inside.
"goodnight." you call to him from the doorstep.
"wait!" he hisses at you from the tree. you whip your head around with confused excitement, squinting to him out in the dark.
"don't get into too much trouble." he points a stern finger, but to you it comes out playful.
"if i do, i know exactly who to call." you open your front door and slip inside, a thin barrier separating your rush of feelings for him.
───
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