Elijah (3)
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My dad (love him to bits but damn) wanted me to make a three point turn before even learning the biting point properly. Thank god my mama was in the car to talk some sense into him.
also jojo references at the end because im a weeb
~***~
(1), (2)
Summary: You come home grumpy after a terrible driving lesson, and Elijah reminds you that things will work out. Eventually.
Pairing: Male Spider Kin x Gender Neutral Reader.
Words: 1328.
You couldn't turn the key fast enough, giving the lock a well needed jiggle before the door swung open, only to be slammed behind you. The hinges screeched, but you paid no mind to their protests as you slumped against the door. The embarrassment you were drowning in moments ago dissipated, leaving exhaustion in its wake.
Your husband's sonorous voice piped up from the kitchen. “(Y/n)? That you?”
“Eli, who else has the key to our house?”
“... Doesn't your sister have a spare?”
“Right. Forgot about that.” A hollow thud echoed in the narrow hall as your head hit the solid wood. You slid down its surface rather gracelessly, settling as a pile on the floor.
“Sweetheart, are you okay? You sound kind of -” Elijah rounded the corner, letting loose a gasp when he saw you huddled up against the door. “Oh, honey, what's wrong?”
“I’m just tired.” He tilted his head, eyes focused on you. All six of his hands were fidgeting, his brows knitted together as he looked at you with tentative concern. Yet he did not say anything. “Eli, you gonna tell me what you're thinking or what?”
“Dinners ready. Come on, let's get some good food into your tummy.”
You shrugged off your coat and kicked off your shoes. “My legs kinda hurt.”
“Well it’s a good thing I’m a strong boy then, isn’t it?”
The faint smell of his earthy cologne clinging to his shirt enveloped you as Elijah gathered you into his arms. You heard the crinkle of your jacket as it was hung, accompanied by the thump of your boots being dropped back onto the shoe rack. You thanked him quietly, splaying your fingers over his neck, his steady pulse and warmth relaxing you. Your eyes fluttered shut, and you snuggled closer.
“It’s not a problem, love. However, you being sad and tired is.”
“I never said I was sad.”
“Maybe not sad, but definitely frustrated.”
“I never said I was frustrated.”
“When you get frustrated you do this thing where you kinda flare your nostrils and squish your mouth into a squiggly line and try to avoid looking at me like you’re doing now and -”
“Okay I get it, I’m very bad at hiding my emotions, you don’t need to tell me, jeez!”
“But that’s the thing, I don’t want you to hide your emotions.” A mattress creaked below you, and immediately you knew you were in your bedroom. “Are you going to tell me what the problem is? I know it’s got something to do with the driving lesson you just had. You were really chipper before you left the house for it.”
His fingers found their way into your hair, gently brushing through the stands, occasionally scratching your scalp tenderly. “It was just… bad.”
“How bad is ‘bad’?”
“Like I stalled multiple times.”
He laughed, the rise and fall of his chest making your head bob. “Oh, sweetheart, I thought something actually bad had happened. That’s normal! You think I managed to pull off without stalling in the beginning? It took me ages before the whole biting point thing clicked, and then I had to get used to it in different cars.”
“I know, I know I won’t get it straight away, but my inferiority complex won’t let me live it down.”
“I understand honey, really, I do,” Elijah cooed, placing a kiss on your forehead, the curve of his smile soft against your skin.
“I also slammed the breaks. And I’m pretty sure I’m damaging the driving instructor's clutch, but I don’t know.”
“Is that so?” He stroked your face, coaxing your eyes open.
“Hi.”
“Hello sweetie. Care to explain why your legs hurt?”
“I was, uh - I was clenching my leg muscles. Like real bad.”
“Aw, my poor baby.”
“Oh, hush,” you groaned, rolling over and smothering your face into a pillow, the mortification of reliving the moment more than you could handle. His fingers ghosted along your legs, and you rolled over into his lap.
“Want me to rub your legs for you?”
“No, I think I’ll be fine, I’m being kinda dramatic honestly.”
“You, dramatic?” He raised a brow. “Never.”
“Right answer.”
Elijah hummed, twirling your hair around his deft fingers. “I know it’s a part of your process to have a breakdown before you’re fine, but can you skip the falling apart bit and just get to the part where you get super confident and happy and all?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Come here sweetheart.” Elijah effortlessly lifted you into his arms yet again, and just as easily strode he to the far wall, flicking on the bright white fairy lights as he pulled you further into his chest. “Tell me what these are.”
“A bunch of picture pegs and fairy lights?” You ran your fingers over a glossy picture of Elijah standing awkwardly with your family and smiled fondly. The picture was taken soon after your first date, and you knew from the way he tried so hard to garner the approval of your family that he was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with.
“Well, yes, but do you remember when you refused to hang these? I remember it clearly.” His hand ran up and down your spine soothingly. “You had taken a whole bunch of photos using that lovely polaroid camera of yours, and then you were in a slump for days after I suggested you hung them up. And why was that?”
“... Because they weren’t good enough to hang.”
“No, because you thought they weren’t good enough to hang, there’s a difference. But look at them now.”
“What about them?”
“They’re all hanging, pretty and proud. Kinda like you.”
“Very funny.” You shoved a hand into his chest, little force behind it.
“How about this,” he delicately pulls a photo from the string of lights and lay it on your face. After a giggle you took a peek. On its glossy surface you were splayed out on a floor. You recognised it as your old dorm room when you were at university. Papers were scattered everywhere, like a wind had whipped through the room and you were bundled up in your favourite blanket. Scoffing, you reached over and pinned it back up.
“The last day of final year exams.”
“Precisely, and how many times did you try to give up, only to get off your butt and try again?”
“I can’t remember.”
“Exactly. Look at this one - house hunting. We had finally signed all the paperwork. Again, you thought you’d never make it through, and again you did. And you’re always stronger when you pull through on the other side. You’ll get through this, no problem. And even if you don’t -”
“W-woah -”
You were expertly flipped, your legs tucked around his slender waist and your arms guided around his neck. Elijah leaned in, nose touching yours for a moment before he placed a quick peck on your lips. “I’m here. And I’ll try my damndest to help you through this, just like you do with me and all my troubles. Yeah?”
“... Yeah.”
“That’s my baby. Now, it’s probably a stellar idea to go down and eat the lasagne I made before it goes stone cold.”
You nuzzled into the spot just below his ear and mumbled, “Can you carry me?”
“What’s the magic word?” he asked, his tone more than a little teasing. Despite his question he began to take leisurely strides towards the kitchen.
“Please?”
“Actually, it was Kakyoin, but please works too.”
“How in the world -”
“Don’t you mean ‘za warudo’ -”
“- was I supposed to guess that?”
Elijah shrugged with a broad grin, your whole body moving with him. “Luck I guess.”
“... Hey Elijah, how many more lessons do you think it’ll take before I get the hang of driving?”
“Oh, god, um, like twenty?”
“Ugh.”