#sbl03w13

[changingplumbob]

CW: Domestic Abuse

Elio cleared his throat and looked up from his hands. Crossing his arms to try and feel more steady he stood and waited as Dylan disappeared into the lift. He watched the lights go until at last they indicated it had reached the ground floor. She wasn’t coming back and the weight forced him to the floor. Behind him Molly’s harsh voice barked through the door.

Molly: So she's gone?

Elio: *sniffling* Yes, you heard her

Molly: Good. Now get inside and stop being a crybaby

Elio hadn’t seen it coming. Molly had some family function scheduled for the weekend. He told her casually that he couldn’t go and then the interrogation started. On learning that he planned to go on a trip with Dylan to celebrate them having been intimate for a year she lost it. Apparently she hadn’t agreed to either of them falling in love with anyone else. The barrage of insults and slurs dented Elio until he couldn’t see a way out. If he didn’t end things with Dylan then Molly would leave him, and eventually Dylan would leave him, and he’d be alone, because who wanted to build a life with someone as pathetically unfaithful dumb and clumsy as he was.

[changingplumbob]

Dylan happily wheeled her suitcase out of the lift in Elio’s apartment building and set off down the corridor. She had spent half the morning packing even though they were only going away for the weekend. It was a big deal. Since she and Elio both had partners who needed to sleep in their beds they hadn’t actually spent a full night together. The anniversary of the first time they’d crossed that woohoo line seemed like a good time to change that.

Stopping outside the apartment door Dylan knocked and waited. It wasn’t long before Elio came to the door. Dylan expected to be ushered in with a kiss but instead Elio came out swiftly, shutting the door behind him.

Dylan: What’s happening? Don’t you need a bag?

Elio: I haven’t packed

Dylan: Oh I can help with that. Let’s go and-

Elio: Dylan, you can’t come in

[changingplumbob]

Rina: Well what else did you find?

Ren: Not much before high school... BUT when Monroe did reach high school he bounced around a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Five different schools over five years

Dylan: Perhaps his parents had to keep moving for work or something

Ren: Maybe... but that one time I met Delilah and Apollo after class I just got a violent vibe from him. Dude has no chill, so I reckon he was kicked out of at least one

Delilah: That’s why we keep our distance

Apollo: What did you find out about Audrina

Ren: So we all know she wants to be a social media starlet

Delilah: *forces smile* Totally

Ren: If you go back through her old posts she has a pattern of befriending someone with a larger audience. Then after a few months, that person suddenly gets an uptick in anon or bot hate. Most often they eventually leave the platform and all their followers flock to their “bestest friend” Audrina. Yet none of them appear in her posts after a month has passed. Sure, she could just be falling out with them, but the timings is suspicious. Are suspicious?

Rina: Are suspicious because plural. See, I am smarter than you

[changingplumbob]

Dylan’s voice was shaking now as her emotions threatened to pull her down.

Dylan: I knew she had some problems but this is next level

Elio flinched.

Elio: You can’t say that. You need to leave. I won’t ask you again

Sniffling Dylan drew close, bringing her voice down to a whisper she was sure no one could overhear.

Dylan: I love you Elio and that is not going to change. I can’t imagine how strange the idea of leaving her might be-

Elio’s hands balled into fists and Dylan knew he was fighting to stay composed but he had to hear her. If there was a chance her worst instincts were right he had to know she was there.

Dylan: Know that you will always have a spot under any roof I have. I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night or the middle of a blizzard, if you ever need me just say the word and I will come and get you. I swear

Elio covered his face in his hands and Dylan could hear muffled sobs.

[changingplumbob]

Dylan: *sniffling* Do we not deserve consideration? We love each other. You and me

Dylan lay a hand on her chest, trying to steady herself as her legs begun to feel weightless. Elio looked off in the distance, sniffled, and turned back to face her.

Elio: What we have isn’t love, it’s lust. You'll get over me, I'll get over you

Dylan: *shocked* You don’t mean that

Elio: *sniffles* Please don’t make this harder than it already is

Dylan: Well I don’t accept it. I don’t accept that she can just make demands about what you do with your own life

Elio: Dylan-

Dylan: No! She doesn’t care about you if she’s making you do this

Elio: *flinches* No one is making me do anything

Dylan: Then look me in the eyes and tell me this is what you want. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t love me

Elio wiped a tear from his eye and tried to pull himself together.

Elio: You need to leave Dylan

[changingplumbob]

Dylan couldn’t pretend she wasn’t confused by what Elio had just said. She leaned back on her heels and looked down.

Dylan: Why can’t I go into your apartment Elio?

Elio took a moment, steadying his breath, but Dylan’s anxiety only climbed.

Elio: I’m sorry Dylan but we... *winces* we can’t see each other any more

Dylan felt like she had been hit in the chest. Why would Elio say that?

Dylan: I... I don’t... I don’t understand

Elio: Molly called in veto. You and I can’t be a couple any more

Dylan felt like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the hallway. This couldn’t be right. How could someone that wasn’t her or Elio decide that their relationship was done?

Dylan: That’s not fair. She can’t just get to decide that

Elio: She’s my primary partner Dylan. I’ve been with her almost four years, she deserves consideration

[changingplumbob]

Delilah: Papa you’re here!

I launched into giving him a hug. I hadn’t been amazing at keeping in touch while he was on tour, phones are not my favourite means of communication. Eventually we figured it would be best if we met up on one of the weekdays he was in town. I did go see Mama most weekends but of course that was when Papa had his concerts. Dylan and I ushered him inside and I sat down with him on the couch.

Byron: How is your elective class going?

Delilah: It’s really interesting. I didn’t realise tattoos could have so much cultural significance. I mean yours don’t

Byron: *smiles* Guilty. There’s still significance, just nothing that ties to our heritage

Delilah: I’m still not sure if I want a tattoo or not. Like there are some super pretty designs but... the pain might be too much for me

Byron: There are numbing creams if you ever find one you really want. And me or your Gramp would happily come with you to distract you a bit during the session

Delilah: Thanks Papa, I’ll think about it

[changingplumbob]

Dylan: What about James?

Ren: Right so he grew up in the arts district. During his time on scholarship at a private high school he volunteered at the local community centre to help tutor kids. We know he didn’t get the Delarosa scholarship for university but he did receive one of the merit scholarships for impressive academic performance during high school, beating out many a snobby classmate

Delilah: And you said he now works at a bar right?

Ren: Not a bar, a nightclub

Rina: Which we are not going to again in case he spikes our drinks

Dylan: Honey I think he’s too much of a professional to do that

Ren: But by working in a nightclub as a bartender he gets to avoid the main bartender job of having to listen to people’s woes. Everyone is too invested in drinking and dancing

Delilah: I guess I can see why he dislikes the rich if he spends half his nights at the whims of the young rich elite who spend money like water

Apollo: Still, he could back off a bit. You’re not like that and neither am I