Chapter Text
A yawn escaped Elliot's mouth as he left Two Time's cabin. He had spent the entire night comforting them to sleep, and had promised not to leave. If he was being honest with himself, he didn't get even a wink of sleep—not like he'd tell anyone that anyways.
Stepping into the main cabin, Elliot's eyes scanned over the room, taking in how each survivor was asleep on either the couch, the floor, or—in Chance's case—the pool table. He groaned, running a hand through his hair and making his way to the grandfather clock to see how long it was until the next round.
Two hours.
Okay, he can work with that.
All the survivors—excluding Two Time and 007n7—slept in the main cabin, where there weren't any beds or privacy. The only reason 007n7 and Two Time got their own cabins was because the others didn't feel comfortable sleeping in the same room as those two.
007n7 used to be a hacker and had terrorised countless people during those times, so it made sense for the others to be a bit weary of him because of it.
But Two Time? It made a bit of sense for them to sleep alone—they were a cultist, always ranting about the Spawn and partaking in unsettling rituals that made the others uncomfortable.
Even then, Elliot hated how they were being deliberately left out from group activities. Sure, some people—like 007n7 and Chance—tried to interact with them now and then, but it was obvious they would be uncomfortable in the cultist's presence.
Once you got to know them, Two Time wasn't that bad! Okay, sure, they struggled with a few basic things such as eating, personal hygiene, cooking, socialising, etc, but that's nothing to be ashamed of! At least they knew they could always come to Elliot for help.
It made Elliot's heart swell, knowing they could trust him and ask for help when they needed it.
Elliot stood there for a moment longer, staring at the clock. He should probably wake everyone else up, to make sure they're all ready for the round.
But something in him hesitated.
He wasn't sure wether it was due to how tired he was, or if it was something else, but he couldn't help but stand there, thinking about what had happened a few hours prior.
This Azure person was clearly important to Two Time, more important than Elliot could ever be—so why? Why did it hurt when he played along during one of those episodes?
The first time it happened, Elliot was understanding, he didn't care that he had to pretend to be somebody else. It didn't matter in the moment, all that mattered was helping his friend.
But now? Now he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy when they thought he was this…Azure guy.
Elliot didn't know why he felt this way. Surely it was just because they were good friends, right?
Right?
He recalled what had happened, how he had pressed a small kiss to the cultist's forehead. Friends don't do that.
Elliot groaned, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. This was all sorts of confusing.
If only there was someone he could talk to about this. Someone who knew about these kinds of things. Someone–
“Mornin’ Elli!”
Oh HELL no. He did NOT have the energy for this right now.
He turned around, forcing a smile as he turned to face his fellow survivor. “Good morning, Chance.”
The gambler made their way over to Elliot, standing beside him and slinging an arm over his shoulder. “Hey there! Sleep okay last night, bud?” His clothes were slightly disheveled and posture strained—that's what he gets for insisting to sleep on the pool table i guess.
Elliot nodded, trying to push Chance's arm off his shoulder before pausing. Chance had been in relationships before, he was always bragging about stuff like that. So he probably would have an idea on what was going on. “Chance,” Elliot began to ask before he could stop himself. “How does someone know if they’re in love?”
Now that sparked a reaction from Chance, his signature smirk falling for a moment before he replaced it, quirking a brow at the sudden question. “Why’re you asking, Elli? Got a certain someone in mind?” He teased, though underneath his bravado he couldn’t deny his heartbeat quickened slightly as he hoped.
“I think I have a crush on Two Time..”
“Say what now?”
If Chance was expecting anything, it certainly wasn’t that—okay, he might’ve had a slight suspicion, but still—he would be lying if he said it didn’t hurt him slightly. And so, he let Elliot keep talking, watching as the healer began to pace the wooden floors frantically.
“It’s just– I get so jealous when they bring up this ‘Azure’ guy—who might’ve been their partner before this hell—and I feel so protective of them, and have this weird urge to impress them?!? And not to mention i literally KISSED their forehead last night, and–” Elliot rambled, only stopping when Chance put a finger against his lips to both stop him in his tracks and get him to stop talking.
“Elliot, buddy, take a chill pill, okay?”
Chance didn’t continue until Elliot calmed down, nodding slowly. “Well, if you truly want my opinion?” Chance asked, leaning back against a supporting beam and crossing his arms, “You’re helplessly in love with them! And there’s nothing I can say except to tell them!”
They stood in silence for a moment as Elliot’s mind raced with thoughts. It was official, Elliot liked Two Time. Elliot liked the insane cultist who was most likely already taken by some “Azure” guy he didn’t even know.
Would they feel the same? Would they look at him in disgust?
“Elliot?” Chance asked, his voice hiding a small tone of concern behind his grin. “You alright there buddy?”
Elliot snapped out his thoughts and shook his head, turning back to face Chance with a smile on his face. “Yep!” He responded cheerfully. “I’m alright!” It was a small white lie, but it would do no true harm. Not to Chance at least.
Before Chance could respond, Elliot stepped past him to walk up the stairs. “I’m going to take a small nap, wake me up before the round, okay?” He didn’t bother to wait for a reply, instead continuing to climb the wooden staircase to reach the beanbags.
As he sank down on the beanbag, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander. Chance was right, he did love Two Time. But the clarification didn’t help much with the ache it left. Two Time probably already had a partner—Azure—someone they saw in Elliot. So even if they did like him back, it would most likely only be for the similarities he shared with this stranger.
Deciding that dwelling on it wouldn’t help him sleep, he brushed it off, pushing it too the back of his mind where he’d hopefully forget about it.
As sleep claimed him, Elliot dreamt about flowers, the same ones Two Time had a strange fascination with.
What he didn’t notice, however, was that while asleep, another poster appeared within the lobby.
A poster depicting a black and purple silhouette with tentacles and a wizard hat.