Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

1.

The world outside is already going dark around 17:00 when Yann steps inside the small apartment where his best friend now lives.

He sighs when the warmth of the small apartment wraps around him, and calls out, "Lucas?" 

He shuts the door behind him and places his coat on one of the hooks on the wall. 

"Yo!" Lucas skids to a halt in the door opening, wearing a pair of light jeans, fluffy socks and a hoodie that is slightly too big to be his own. 

"How are you?" Yann asks as he pumps his fist against Lucas's. 

Lucas runs a hand through his messy hair. "Good. A little tired but apart from that, I'm fine. I haven't had a full night's rest in a few days, but nothing I can't handle." 

There are dark circles beneath his eyes, evidence of his sleeplessness. It worries Yann. A few months ago, Lucas' insomnia had gotten so bad that he was barely functioning anymore. Yann had been so scared for his friend's life when Lucas had collapsed during PE. A therapist had given him medicins, but Lucas refused to take them because it didn't help at all.

They enter the living room that Eliott insisted on decorating himself. Yann is sure that Eliott must've been an indoor architect in another life because he had done an astonishing job. A dark L-shaped sofa is against the wall with a light coffee table placed in front of it. There's a cabinet with an old-fashioned record player on top of it with a few plants. A few drawings, probably that Eliott made because there's no way that Lucas could draw, are stuck on the walls. Close to the illustrations hangs a TV with an XBOX installed beneath it. Leave it up to Lucas and Eliott to make an apartment that used to be a dump feel like a home. 

"Do you want to talk about it? Why you can't sleep, I mean." Yann approaches the subject carefully. He knows that Lucas hates talking about it. 

Lucas purses his lips as he grabs two soda cans from the fridge and hands one to him. "Not really."

They clink their cans together, and Yann smiles. He can't help but feel proud to where Lucas has gotten. At the beginning of last year, he was closeted, scared of coming out and not himself. A year later, he's living his best life, living together with his boyfriend.  Speaking of said boyfriend,  "Where's Eliott?"

The small brunet swallows a sip and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "Working. The video place got him working overtime. He mentioned something about a new shipment. I think he's going to be home around, 8-ish?"

"Cool." 

The two best friends head back into the living room and flop down on the comfortable couch. 

"You want to watch a movie and order pizza tonight?" Lucas asks, and Yann nods excitingly. 

They settle on watching a Batman movie and Lucas orders a pepperoni pizza.

Halfway through the movie, when Lucas had claimed the couch to himself what stuck Yann with the love seat, he turns to look at the brunet. He hasn't said anything in a while, so when Yann looks over, Lucas is fast asleep. He's curled into a ball, snuggling into Eliott's hoodie and Yann can't help but think how young he looks. 

He pauses the movie, grabs a blanket that hangs off the sofa's backside and places it over Lucas' sleeping body.

Deciding to clean the mess they made, he throws the pizza box and the empty soda cans out. When he comes back in from throwing the empty box and cans in the garbage dispenser, he notices a big whiteboard hangs in the entrance of the apartment. Yann can't help but read what his friends wrote on it. 

There are grocery lists: (apples, pasta, condoms, bread, butter)  appointments: (LUCAS THERAPY 16:30 LUNDI, 13 JANVIER.

ELIOTT NEW MEDS!!), small sketches and small notes to each other. He recognises Lucas' handwriting in the corner:  I love you! 

His heart swells a few sizes, and he wonders how Lucas got it right on his first try. 

He jumps back when he hears keys rattle in the front door and a few seconds later, Eliott steps into the hall.

"Hey!" Eliott greets Yann with a fist pump, the surprise evident in his eyes. 

"Yo, how was work?" Yann asks.

The video store where Eliott works is a place where le gang comes a lot. Sometimes to pick up Eliott, sometimes to rent a movie the old-fashioned way or sometimes to pry Lucas from Eliott's hold somewhere in the back of the store. 

"Fine, we got a new shipment in today. It was absolute hell," Eliott grins, hangs his brown coat on the hooks and kicks his shoes off. "Where's Lucas?"

"He's asleep on the couch," Yann points his thumb over his shoulder to the living room. "He fell asleep during the movie, and he told me that he wasn't sleeping well lately, so I let him sleep."

A fond look appears on Eliott's gorgeous face, a look reserved for his boy and his boy only.  "Yeah, it has been hard on him. I hate when his insomnia gets worse, I can't do anything for him."

"I know." Yann agrees.

Eliott smiles at him before he quietly passes through the door to the living room/the kitchen and Yann follows him but stays in the doorway.

The elder boy crouches down beside the still sleeping Lucas and gently removes the hood from Lucas' head. His grey eyes stay focused on his boy, and his hand gently pushes through the messy strands atop of Lucas' head. 

Yann watches Lucas open his eyes and blink a few times to get himself to focus on the boy in front of him.

"Eliott?" He whispers, his voice slightly rough from sleep. 

The blond smiles and presses a soft kiss on Lucas' forehead. "Hi, baby. Go back to sleep. I'll bring you to bed."

The brunet puckers his lips, a silent way of asking for a kiss, what Eliott gladly gives in to and kisses Lucas gently. His eyes close again, and Eliott smoothly raises Lucas in his arms bridal style. The small boy cuddles into Eliott's chest, his hand clutching the fabric of his dark green hoodie, and the latter presses a kiss on his forehead. 

"I'll be right back," Eliott says, directed to Yann, who nods, and disappears into their bedroom. 

Yann hears Lucas and Eliott exchange a few soft-spoken words before Eliott comes back out and shuts the door behind him.

A smile appears on his face. "Can I offer you a beer?"

Chapter Text

The housewarming party that Daphné had desperately wanted to organise for Eliott and Lucas had been a great success. It was around three AM and the party was dying down. The alcohol had begun wearing off, making everyone sleepy. Alexia and Arthur settled themselves into a corner of the sofa, speaking softly. Their heads are close together, Arthur's arm resting comfortably on Alexia's shoulders. 

Emma and Alex had disappeared at the beginning of the party and Imane and Sofiane had to leave early. 

The music has turned from loud, bass-boosted music to slow, acoustic music. 

Manon is sitting on a chair at the dining table, nursing a vodka-cola. She absolutely can't help but feel lonely. Arthur and Alexia being cosy, Basile and Daphné are making out against the wall (something that she isn't jealous of, but they have someone). Imane and Sofiane are together and of course, Lucas and Eliott. The latter two began cleaning up half an hour ago, currently cleaning up the kitchen. She can hear their still-tipsy laughter from the kitchen. She throws back her drink, the vodka slightly burning her throat. 

"Rough night?" A voice speaks up beside her. It's Idriss. Idriss and Eliott had made up a couple of months ago, and the two were back to best friends. Manon looks up to him. 

"Something like that." She purses her lips and Idriss takes a seat next to her. He studies her face and taps his fingers on the table.

"You feel lonely too?" He questions quietly, and Manon doesn't react for a moment before she nods. 

"I don't want to, but look at everyone here. I mean, Alex and Arthur, Basile and Daphné, and your sister and Sofiane." She sums up. "I hate to be lonely, I mean - being single is great, but sometimes I want to have something like that too." she points to Alex and Arthur who seem content in their bubble

Idriss chuckles. " I know. Don't forget our power couple back there." He nods his head towards the kitchen, where it has gone suspiciously quiet. 

"It's the little things that I see Eliott do for Lucas." He adds and takes a sip from his Cola. "He brings him coffee, buys him flowers, leaves him notes. They're wearing each other's clothes, it's disgusting." Idriss furrows his eyebrows and Manon chuckles.

"I'll bring you coffee if you want, but I won't bring you flowers Bakhellal."

Idriss puckers his lips and pulls a face, "No, Demissy, I want my roses. Fuck off with your coffee." 

Manon laughs wholeheartedly, and they fall into a comfortable silence. 

"Guys, we're heading out. I'll see you on Monday!" Daphné smiles and presses a kiss on the top of Manon's head, and Manon smiles at the blonde, "Bye Daphné."

A chorus of "bye Daphné"  and "bye Basile" follow them out of the door. 

"Do you think Eliott and Lucas have passed out in the kitchen, or are they secretly making love?" Manon wiggles her eyebrows and Idriss throws his head back in a burst of loud laughter.

"How about we go and see? I'll bet we find them naked and passed out." Idriss proposed, and Manon shakes his hand with a grin. 

The two make their way through the mess towards the kitchen, where the door is slightly open. Manon hears music coming from the kitchen, a song she thinks is "Falling", by Harry Styles. 

She opens the door a bit more so she and Idriss can peak through it, and a fond smile reaches her face when her eyes fall upon the couple. 

They can see Lucas' back and Eliott's face from where they're standing. Wrapped up in each other, they gently sway from side to side, slow-dancing to the music. Lucas is resting his head against Eliott's chest and Eliott resting his head on top of the smaller boy's fluffy hair. Eliott's fingers are tracing shapes on Lucas' back, and there isn't an inch of space between them. Eliott suddenly raises his head and places a kiss where his head had previously been resting. His eyes are droopy from the alcohol. Lucas leans back, and Manon can't see his face, but Eliott smiles softly back at him so she can only assume that he smiled at the older boy. Eliott tightens his hold on Lucas' small waist, before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss on his lips. They part and Manon hears Lucas murmur, "I love you" like it's a secret between the two of them and her heart flutters in her chest. 

She isn't jealous: on the contrary, she's so happy for them. There's nothing more beautiful than their love. Of course, they have rough spots; she's heard them all when they both were living in a coloc, but she has heard them make up, laugh, and has seen them share soft moments where they seem to forget about everything but each other. 

The song changes to another slow song, one that Manon doesn't recognise, and watches as Lucas raises himself on his tiptoes to nestle his nose into Eliott's neck. The taller guy presses a small kiss on Lucas' exposed neck, and they go back to swaying softly.

Manon feels like intruding in their little moment. 

"Let's go," She whispers and quietly shuts the door. "However, Bakhellal, I believe you owe me."

Idriss rolls his eyes with a smile, "I'll bring you flowers?"

"I like white roses." She winks, and they return to the kitchen table.

Chapter Text

If anything, last night was blurred. Arthur remembers taking shots, and at one point, Basile had made some awful alcohol concoctions. Seeing that Arthur was staying a few nights at Lucas' and Eliott's apartment, he and Lucas had practically crawled home at four in the morning. Lucas had immediately thrown himself in bed next to Eliott, and his friend made himself comfortable on the fold-out couch. 

An inhumane sound left his lips when Arthur woke up the next day. His head was pounding, ━ more hammering ━, his head was spinning, and if death had a taste, it would be the one in his mouth. 

Eliott chuckled who was sitting at the dinner table with a cup of coffee and what seemed like school books. "Good morning, sunshine." He greeted Arthur, who groaned in response. 

"Did you have a good night?" He questions as he heads into the kitchen.

"Never drinking again." The blond mutters, rubbing his eyes as he sits up straight. The elder emerges from the kitchen, holding a bottle of water and a strip of paracetamols. 

"Thank you. I love you, Eliott." Arthur thanks him, and Eliott ruffles dirty blonde hair. 

After he's drunken a bit of water and taken the small pills, he feels a little better. Eliott is sitting next to him, and he rests his head on Eliott's shoulder. The older guy smiles and presses a kiss on his head. It makes Arthur fuzzy inside: not with butterflies, but because Eliott feels like the older brother he wished he had. He definitely should thank Lucas for bringing him into his life.

Arthur nods off again, getting the much-needed sleep his body is desperately craving. 

He wakes up again around one PM, and his head is still resting on Eliott's shoulder. Only now, Eliott has covered himself ━ and Lucas who is laying on his chest ━ with the blanket laying on the pull-out sofa.

Eliott's fingers are tracing up and down Lucas' back as they lazily trade kisses back and forth, lips and tongues chasing each other. 

They pull away after a while, and Arthur can see Lucas' half-closed, red eyes. 

"Feeling better?" Eliott whispers lovingly, pushing back a few strands of dark, messy hair from Lucas' forehead, who hums happily and nods.

"I'm never drinking again." Lucas whispers and Eliott makes a noise in the back of his throat. 

"That's exactly what Arthur said this morning." The room falls into a comforting stillness again.

Lucas breaks the silence with a whisper so quiet that Arthur almost misses it. "I missed you last night."

Eliott presses his lips against Lucas' temple, "You saw me all day."

"I know." Lucas almost sounds ashamed,  and Arthur's heart tenses. He resents how Lucas appears to be exposed and ashamed of himself. 

"I missed you too."

Arthur hears the sound of lips parting ways and a soft whimper that he suspects comes from Lucas.

 Arthur lets out a yawn, faking waking up and both the couple's head turn towards him. 

"Yo." Lucas greets him with a rough voice and swollen lips from being kissed, from being bitten on.

"Salut," Arthur hums and runs a hand through his hair. "Do you guys have breakfast by any chance? I feel like I'm dying."

+ 1.

There's a fog in Lucas' head. Someone stuffed his brain with cotton pads, and he can't think coherently. To no one's surprise, Eliott is the person who caused his blissed-out state: a lazy smile playing at his lips, and his eyes half-lidded. 

A breathy sigh leaves his lips as Eliott sucks bruises into his sweet spot underneath his right ear, the place that makes Lucas' toes curl.

Eliott is straddling his naked waist, his face buried into Lucas' neck. Lucas entered the blissed-out state many minutes ago when his boy had begun straddling his waist and started pressing deep, sloppy kisses against his plump lips. 

"Hey, baby." Eliott's voice reached through the fog in Lucas' mind, pulling him out.

"Hmm?" He hums, looking into the elder's grey eyes.

"You were gone for a minute there." Eliott chuckles and presses his lips softly to Lucas'. Lucas sighs happily when he feels Eliott's tongue trace the shape of his bottom lip. 

Eliott removes his lips from his, and sits back on Lucas' torso, staring at him.

"You look so pretty like this," He speaks, his voice an octave lower than usual after a while of studying his small boyfriend. "All blissed-out. I love it when you look   wrecked."

" Ouais?"  A soft pink colours Lucas' cheeks and Eliott leans down again to press multiple kisses to the apples of the now-pink cheeks. 

"Ouais," Eliott confirms before he slots their lips together again.

His lips make a path down Lucas' chest, down his stomach before they stop at the band of his boxers. 

A moan escapes Lucas' lips as Eliott mouths over his hardening dick. 

Just when Eliott's fingers were about to push down Lucas' boxers and get his mouth on the place where Lucas needed him the most, the door swung open, revealing Basile.

"Oh my God━ my eyes!"

"Bas! fucking idiot, out!"