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Loneliness.
For a long time that’s all Elliott had known.
Between losing his siblings and his mother's condition he’s had to do a lot by himself.
Joining the games allowed him to meet many new people that he now considered a part of his family.
Like Wraith, who’s warmed up to him more after he helped her find out more about her past, or Rampart who became like a sister to him, and even though he might not show it Elliott cares for Crypto as well even with all of their banter. As well as most of the legends he has at least a decent relationship with. Well besides Caustic and revenant.
And he’s thankful for them, they helped ease the feeling of loneliness.
But even though he now has some of the closest friends he’s had in a long time there was always something missing.
He was surrounded by adoring fans and close friends yet he couldn’t shake the hollow feeling in his chest.
Elliott loves his friends and he loves his fans, but he, like any other person, craved intimacy. He wanted someone to hold, someone to come home to at the end of a long day at the bar or from the games. Someone who waits for him and holds him when the days get tough. Someone who cares for him as much as he cares for them.
He had tried for so long to find someone either from dating apps or by going out and meeting someone on a night out on the town but none of his previous relationships ever stuck around for longer than a few months before breaking it off.
He didn’t know where he went wrong, he tried everything in his power to please the other person. But yeah maybe his shifts at the bar did run a little late and his schedule was a bit hectic due to the games, and his concern for his mother’s condition would always be at the forefront of his mind but he really did try in his relationships.
It was safe to say Elliott was desperate but he was still hopeful that one day he’ll find the one.
And tonight he had brought someone home the night before. Was it someone from a dating site or was it just a bystander in the bar he went to last night? Was it a woman? A man? The alcohol he had ingested made the memories fuzzy. But one thing he knew for certain was that they hit it off. He had a great time talking with them. They were easy to talk to and they had fun that night drinking and partying together. Enough for Elliott to invite them back to his place.
It was late and they had stumbled through the door, all drunken giggles and sloppy kisses. And one thing led to another and they ended up together in his bed, their bodies moving together in a dance of pleasure heightened by the buzz of the alcohol in their systems.
Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe even just the high of having someone in his bed but he was sure that this could be the start of something with this person.
Elliott hated the morning after drinking.
Especially because of the splitting headache or the cottonmouth that accompanied waking up.
The space next to him in bed was vacant and cold; its occupant had long since left while he slept.
Elliott is naked, laying on his side, vacantly staring at the wall, his chest heavy.
He’d been like this ever since he had woken up to find yet again like every other time in the past his bed devoid of a warm body next to his.
He probably should’ve been used to this by now it’s happened way too many times to count.
Meeting someone at the bar, having one too many drinks, taking them home, and then waking up the next morning alone.
It’s basically a routine at this point but Elliott still gets his hopes up every time.
A weight behind him caused the bed to dip and the blanket was raised before suddenly a warm equally naked body was pressed up against his back.
The person softly settled their hand upon his waist and rubbed circles with their thumb as they pressed soothing kisses along the side of Elliott's neck.
The familiar sensation of facial hair rubbing against his neck gave away who it was.
Craning his neck, Elliott turned to see his decoy’s brown eyes staring back at him.
“Hey, there handsome.”
Elliott just stared at him before sighing and turning away facing the wall again.
His decoy frowned before wrapping his arm around Elliott's waist and pulling him closer against his body.
A moment of silence passed before Elliott shifted around until his face was pressed into his copy’s chest.
The clone immediately tangled his fingers in Elliott’s hair and cradled him as he hugged the decoy’s midsection.
Elliott took a deep breath, taking in the musk and the leftover lingering sweat and cologne that his clone managed to replicate.
It was soothing, having his own scent surrounding him, having his clone run his hands through his hair, and lightly scratching at his scalp.
“Wanna talk about it?”
Elliott scoffed.
“What’s there to talk about? I’m just a loser who can’t get a date and who’ll probably be alone forever.”
His decoy waited a moment to see if he would continue and when he didn't he pulled back and looked into Elliot’s eyes.
“You’re not a loser I mean c’mon look at us were the most handsome and coolest legend in the Outlands!”
Elliott avoided his gaze, looking down and picking at a loose thread on the blanket.
“I’m not that cool, I mean Wraith can open portals and do that teleporting thing and Dr. Somers has a black hole in her backpack.”
He pushed his face back into his copy’s chest muffling his voice.
“And I’m not that good looking. I mean Fuse is right there.”
The clone suddenly pulled away from Elliott, sat up, and looked him in his eyes.
“Hey, stop being so hard on yourself because even if you don’t think so I think you’re the most amazing and handsome man I know.”
Elliott pushed himself up to better face his clone, his cheeks heating up.
“You really think so?”
The decoy gave him a smile and patted Elliott’s shoulder.
”Yeah, I do. I mean look at me, are you gonna tell me that I’m not good-looking?”
The trickster could only smile lightheartedly and shake his head.
“I thought so.”
The both of them slid into a companionable silence, the tension fading away.
Elliott's eyes wander from his decoy's eyes to admire himself.
He never really sat down to admire the way his holo-tech accurately replicated his features.
Elliott wouldn’t necessarily call himself vain but with his clone’s reassurance, he couldn’t deny that he was a handsome man.
His eyes wandered to the scars that adorned his decoy’s face mirroring exactly where they were on his own.
Elliott raised his hand to stroke a scar on the apple of his clone’s cheek with his thumb.
The decoy immediately leaned into his touch nuzzling his face into his creator's skin.
His clone reached up to caress the back of Elliott’s hand, turning his head to place soft kisses to his wrist.
Elliott’s gaze drifted from his clone’s face down to his lips and swallowed hard.
The feeling of his decoy’s lips pressing kisses on his skin sent small jolts of electricity through his body and he wondered what his lips would feel on his own.
It can’t be that weird right? It’s basically like making out with your reflection in the mirror or even your hand when you're a teenager. Which is much more embarrassing than kissing a physical copy of yourself.
Fuck it.
“H-hey.”
His decoy stopped kissing Elliott’s wrist and looked at him.
“I was w-wondering if uh- can I- um can I kiss you?”
Elliott didn’t know how he expected his decoy to react to his question.
Maybe a strange look or he laughs at him, or perhaps the decoy would fizzle himself out.
“Nothing’s stopping you.”
Elliott froze, pulling his hand away from his cheek, shock written all over his face.
“Really?”
The decoy chuckled at his creator's expression and shrugged.
“I mean, it’s just a kiss, nothing wrong with that is there?”
Elliott cleared his throat.
“I-I uh guess n-not.”
His decoy shrugged.
“Then I guess it’s settled. c’mere.”
The decoy shifted, pushing the blanket off his lap exposing his naked body to rest on his knees facing Elliott beckoning him to come closer. Said man hastily listened and mirrored his clone's actions, sitting equally exposed to him.
Now they were face to face, sitting completely naked.
A shiver ran down Elliott’s spine from being exposed to the chilly morning air. But the cool air did nothing to quell the burning embarrassment as he faced his clone.
Was he really about to kiss his decoy? While being naked?
Maybe he should back out and shut his holotech off and forget this ever happened.
Maybe—
“Hey, look at me.” His decoy gently cupped Elliott’s face in a soft but firm hold. “Don’t be so nervous. I’ve got you.”
Elliott felt the embarrassment eating away at him even more.
“A-are you sure this is okay? Isn’t it weird that I want to uh k-kiss myself?”
The decoy shrugged.
“It’s only weird if you make it weird.”
The decoy moved to let go of Elliott's face.
“But if you’re uncomfortable and you don’t want to, we don't—“ “W-wait!”
Elliott grabbed onto the decoy’s hands before he could pull away and placed them back onto his face.
“I-I’m sorry but-but I want this. I want to do it. I want to kiss you.”
His decoy looked at him surprised at his outburst, blush spreading along his face, before chuckling.
“Alright then. Do it.”
Elliott bit his lip and let go of his decoy’s hands, shuffling forward on his knees, reaching out, and placing his hands on his bare waist.
The feeling of warm flesh both shocked and delighted him. He’s touched his decoys before but never like this. Never has it ever been so… sensual.
Elliott swallowed the lump in his throat, gaze shifting from his copy’s lips to his eyes.
“A-are you sure?”
The decoy smiled and gave him a quick nod.
Elliott took a deep breath and leaned in, closing his eyes, and pressing his lips softly, almost timidly, against his decoy’s.
The first thought in Elliott’s head was that his lips are surprisingly soft. He took care of himself outside of the games of course but being out fighting in a blood sport for hours on end usually left his lips a bit chapped. But the feeling of his lips as rough as they were was nothing like any of the previous people he’s kissed; this was different.
This was himself. The feeling of his slightly cracked lips against his own.
It just feels so right.
Elliott sighed into the kiss, shoulders gradually relaxing as he wrapped his arms tightly around his waist and pulled his decoy closer until their bare chests were flush against one another.
His decoy’s tongue poked through his lips and swiped over his bottom lip. Elliott softly moaned, wasting no time parting his lips to welcome the tongue that entered his mouth.
The decoy tangled his hands in Elliott’s hair as he explored his mouth, gently massaging his scalp as he softly worked their tongues together.
Elliott’s head was spinning and he didn’t know if it was from lack of oxygen or from the overwhelming sensuality of this moment.
But from the feeling of his clone's mouth working in tandem with his own to the hands in his hair, he wouldn’t have cared if he had died because as far as he was concerned he was in heaven.
Though his clone could go on forever Elliott was still human and needed to breathe so eventually they had to part.
Elliott gently pulled away, breaking the kiss and pressing their foreheads together.
The only sound in the room now was that of their labored breaths as they held each other as close as possible, hands holding on tight as though if they let go this moment would fade away.
Elliott opened his eyes and admired his clone’s face. Even though it was an exact replica of himself Elliott couldn’t help but think that his decoy was the most beautiful person he’s met.
It was an exact copy of his own red face and though he didn’t need to breathe as Elliott did. The decoy was panting seemingly as out of breath as he was.
His decoy didn’t have to do this. He didn’t have to comfort Elliott and make him feel so good, so… important.
No one had ever made him feel this way before.
Suddenly as he stares at his clone he realizes that he doesn’t feel so alone anymore.