I listened to 'Good Life' by One Republic while writing this. It makes me think of these two for some reason. Enjoy!
Today Eli and Steve agreed they would scarf down their lunches and use as much of that period as possible to talk in the library. There are still more people than they would like in there, so they take a seat at the old, barely functional computers in the back. Steve intended to focus on creepslaying, but after only a few minutes Eli manages to turn the conversation around.
"Come on," Steve whines. "I didn't come here to study." He sets his face in a pout. "I want to talk about monsters, or tv shows, or anything else."
Eli shoots him a disapproving look. "You promised." He points his pencil at Steve. "You said that you'd study harder if I got better at rope climbing. I got better, so now it's your turn."
"Yeah, but I'm not failing." He smirks. "Unlike somebody I know."
"I was not failing," Eli's voice cracks worse than normal. "I was just really close." He huffs.
Steve chuckles. "Close enough. I, on the other hand," he lays a hand on his chest, "am passable with a solid C."
"Steve." Eli taps his pencil against the table.
"Yeah, yeah, Peppers." He focuses on the paper set before him and internally groans. "What does the tiny two mean again?" Cheating off of other people's answers is so much easier.
Eli leans closer. "Oh, that means you square it. Multiple it by itself. So, twelve times twelve."
Steve makes a face. "Why the heck is it called squared? That makes no sense. Squares have four sides, not two."
"That's…not really what it means by that." A thread of logic like that had never even crossed his mind. Is this what people who don't understand math think? Well, whatever. "As long as you just remember that it means multiple the number by itself then-" he jerks to attention as his eye catches on someone walking toward them. He squeaks and drops like a rock, scuttling beneath the computer desk.
Steve starts and blinks down at the empty space Eli once occupied. When he looks up, he narrows his eyes at the boy approaching. Eric. He curls his hands into tight fists beneath the table.
"Steve?" Eric stares incredulously. "What the heck are you doing here?"
Steve shrugs. "Studying." There was a time when he would have faltered with his answer, but he has used this excuse so many times now that it passes his lips with ease.
Eric laughs. "Seriously?"
"I do have to get a passing grade to stay on the team, you know."
Eric makes a soft sound of acknowledgement. "I guess."
"And what are you doing here?" Steve raises a brow. "Shouldn't you be chowing down?" Or beating up some poor defenseless kid so he can steal their lunch money. He wants to say it, but he knows that will only make Eric suspect something is up.
"Finished early." Eric cracks his knuckles. "Had some unfinished business to take care of." He surveys the back of the library.
"Unfinished business?" Steve is careful to keep his tone even.
"Yeah, have you seen Eli? That nerd owes me money."
Steve instinctively moves a hand over Eli's head, both to stay his own hand and reassure Eli. "Money?" He really doesn't want to know what for, it will surely just make him angrier. There is no way Eli did anything at all.
Eric nods. "He got blood all over my new sneakers. Name brand too. So he has to compensate me." He sneers, his eyes shining with malice.
Steve grinds his teeth in order to bite back all the vicious responses bubbling just beneath the surface. Even harder is playing along with Eric. "Yeah, that loser ruins everything he touches." He tries to find a laugh, but he comes up empty. "Just last week the same thing happened to me."
"Right?" Eric chuckles. "What a waste of space."
Steve can feel Eli shaking beneath his hand and his fury shoots through the roof. "But sorry, haven't seen him." If he can't get rid of Eric soon then he knows he'll do something he'll regret. Well, regret for blowing cover, but not any other sense. Smashing his face in would be oh so satisfying.
Eric shrugs. "Well, if you do, let me know." He waves as he turns away and heads for the exit.
Steve breathes deeply in and out. He lets a few minutes pass like this before he says, "You can come out now." Eric clearly isn't coming back at this point. Only then does he remove his hand from Eli's head.
Eli crawls out and dusts himself off before taking his seat.
"How long has that punk been trying to track you down?"
Eli keeps his gaze down and twiddles with his fingers. "A while. But it's nothing." He's used to ducking in and out of places, used to be from Steve in particular. It's just a part of his school experience.
Steve stares in disbelief. "Nothing? You were trembling under there. I'll more than gladly beat him up for you." He hits a fist against his palm.
Eli frowns as he looks up at Steve. "What good would that do? He wouldn't know it was over me, not unless you broke cover."
Steve sighs and slumps, his head resting in his hand. "I guess."
"Besides, violence doesn't solve anything." Eli gives a firm nod.
Steve scoffs. "Spoken like someone who has never had to raise a fist in their life. Let me assure you, violence solves plenty."
Eli bristles. "And as someone on the receiving end of just as much violence, I can say it has only made my life worse." Of all people Steve should understand this.
Steve is taken aback by the fire in Eli's normally calm green eyes. He is completely lost for words, unsure of what kind of response is even appropriate to an outburst like that. Sorry? Probably. He realizes he was most likely the main source of the violence Eli is talking about. But the longer the silence stretches the harder it becomes to get out until so much time has passed that he feels completely paralyzed.
Eli sighs and averts his eyes. "Look, if we're going to be friends, you can't go beating people up, not even for my sake." He stands. "Okay?" He waits for a reply, but when there is no response he simply walks away. "We'll study later…" Sometimes people just need some space.
Steve sits there and stares blankly at the math on the page before him. Sorry. Sorry. Is it really that hard to say? He managed it in the woods after he hurt Eli. So why can't he do it now? Fear? No. Eli would forgive him in a heartbeat. Then maybe- A bell buzzes and snaps him out of his thoughts. He blinks and fully registers the fact that Eli is no longer there. Half of him considers going after his friend, but the other half insists there's no point and that it's better to just get to class. Being late for a class will only make Eli more upset with him. Besides, there's always tomorrow to fix things.
Oops, my hand slipped and this ended on a less than happy and a bit unresolved note. Honestly I don't even know you guys. This started out as me wanting to do a protective Steve and scared Eli thing, but then in the end I could not think of any way their conversation didn't turn into a disagreement. I tried. haha Please review!