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Demetri couldn't believe it. He had made it to the Sekai Taikai. He wasn't sure how but he did and it was a thing he could brag about, even if he didn't win. Which, to be honest, he probably won't.
Everyone had congratulated him on his victory over Eli, but all he could think about was the fact that Eli wouldn't be there with him. He would be going to Barcelona, out of all places and he would be alone. Or well, not technically alone. Obviously Miguel and Sam and Robby and everyone else would be there but Eli wouldn't.
But he didn't care. He tried not to at least. It was Eli who hadn't even told him that he wouldn't be applying to MIT. It was Eli who had promised to be his friend again but then kept this huge secret from him. It hurt more than Demetri thought it would.
During their fight all he could think about was how weird it was. Them fighting again. He got Hawk’s arm in the position that he had had his own just a few years ago. He saw himself. On the ground. Begging for Hawk to let him go. He heard the hard snap. He heard screaming. And he let go.
But then something happened. Tory left and Eli took her place in the Sekai Taikai. Demetri didn't know how to feel about it. Obviously he was happy that his best friend would be there, but he wasn't sure if they really were best friends anymore.
Arriving in Barcelona had been a little weird. The flight there had also been a little weird. He stayed silent while Eli tried talking to him. It hurt, ignoring him that is. But Demetri just couldn't shake the feeling that Eli was hiding something else too. Not just the MIT thing.
And with his luck they had obviously been paired in the same room. When they had walked in they saw that the room only had one bed he really knew that this was just his luck.
“We could go ask for another room?” Eli suggested and put his duffel bag down. “It's fine. It's not like we haven't slept in the same bed before” Demetri mumbled and walked over to the bed. The two of them had had countless sleepovers and sleeping in each other's beds was not new to them. Recently they hadn't slept over at each other's houses for obvious reasons.
Eli nodded. “I mean, if you're sure”. He stayed a bit further away and dropped his backpack. He sighed. “Demetri, can you please talk to me?”
Demetri stayed silent.
“Dem, please.”
“What do you want me to say?” Demetri asked, looking over to his friend before sitting down at the foot of the bed. “That you lied to me? That you kept this secret from me?”
“I’m sorry, okay? I just… didn't know how to bring it up.”
“Well you could've at least said something.”
Eli looked down, picking at his cuticles. For a second he looked like the old Eli, the one that Demetri had grown to love.
“Demetri, I am so sorry. I know that I messed up and I know that I’ve been a huge asshole and I’m trying to make it all right and I just don't know how to and I’m really really fucking sorry and-”
“Shut up.”
Demetri stood up and walked over to Eli.
“I’ve already forgiven you for all that but I want to know why you couldn't just tell me.”
Eli stayed silent for a moment. Then he looked up again, meeting Demetri’s eyes.
“I didn't want to disappoint you” he simply said.
Demetri took another step closer. Eli looked so vulnerable. His hair was down and messy from the plane ride and he looked just so familiar to the Eli Demetri used to know. He wanted to put his hand on Eli’s cheek, comfort him. Make him feel okay. But he pushed those thoughts down.
“Eli, you couldn't disappoint me, okay? Yeah I might've been a little sad because we’ve been talking about MIT for literal years but it's me, I would've understood.”
Eli turned his head to the side, looking at the door. Demetri could see tears forming in his eyes. It's been so long since he was like this. Even in private he kept the Hawk act going. He never even had his hair down like he had now.
Demetri carefully raised his hand, pushing just a small piece of hair behind Eli’s ear. He looked back at Demetri and just slightly leaned onto the familiar touch. It had been so long since they had been this close. Freshman year, actually.
“Still. I’m so sorry” he almost whispered.
“Stop apologizing idiot” Demetri whispered back.
They both knew what the other was thinking. Being best friends since 5 years old really teaches you some things about a person. The way they think, the way they speak, the way they see the world. They knew each other. They had always had that little spark that just didn't seem to go away. No matter how hard they tried to disguise it as something else. No matter how hard they tried to repress it, to replace it. That little spark had never left even if they did.
They could feel it now. Standing oh so close to each other. Demetri’s hand on Eli’s cheek. Eli leaning on the touch ever so slightly. They could see it in each other's eyes. It was subtle but still so obvious. It was always there, always just out of reach but so close.
Demetri felt like this now. He was so close but he knew that what he wanted was so far away. He could try but it might push it even further away. It was like a snake. A snake that you could never catch. That would just always keep moving until it stopped, just to make fun of you before moving away again.
But now he felt it coming closer. Eli’s breath on his lips. Their foreheads almost touching. Eyes fluttering close.
That's when he felt Eli’s lips on his own.
It felt like the time stopped. It felt like the unspoken spark had finally been caught.
He felt Eli start pulling away but he pulled him closer with his hand that had now found its way to Eli’s neck. He felt Eli’s hands snaking around his waist, pulling his body even closer. Their lips started moving in sync, deepening the kiss.
Demetri was the one to break it first. Taking a shaky breath he looked at Eli in his eyes.
“Was that ok?” he whispered.
“Yes”, Eli simply answered and crashed their lips back together.
This time the kiss deepened instantly. It was passionate. All of their feelings came rushing out and everything that mattered in this moment was just the two of them. Demetri’s hands found their way in Eli’s hair while Eli’s were around him, almost hugging him. Eli’s back hit the wall behind them. Demetri experimentally tugged his hair, making the other let out a sound into the kiss. Who would've thought Eli liked that.
Demetri started kissing down Eli’s neck. He kissed his cheek, just under his ear, pulse, collarbone. Eli’s hand found its way to Demetri's hair. He sucked a mark on Eli’s neck, making him moan.
“Holy shit” Eli breathed out. He didn't even know where Demetri had learned all of this.
Demetri’s lips found Eli’s again, smiling into the kiss. The kiss slowed down a little, feeling more tender than the one before.
Carefully they broke off the kiss, cathing their breath. Demetri let his head fall to Eli’s shoulder while his hands were running up and down his sides. Eli’s hand still in his hair was keeping him in place, the other hugging his shoulder.
“Okay, wow” Demetri broke the silence. “That was… something”
Eli couldn't hold in his laugh. After all, Demetri was still the same nerd as before. More muscular and taller, but still the same.
Demetri took a step back, letting his gaze find Eli’s. Just for a second they stood there silently.
“So” he simply said.
“So?”
“Are we still best friends?”
The silence grew around them.
“Demetri you just gave me the best kiss I’ve ever had. I feel like we're best friends”
“Oohhh yeah, right. Yeah no I just had to make sure ‘cause you know. Why not”
They both burst out laughing.
“I didn't know you liked having your hair pulled but honestly it makes a lot of sense” Demetri laughed.
“Oh you shut up” Eli said before slotting their lips back together.
The next day they met the others in the hotels breakfast restaurant. Demetri wanted to hold hands but he wasn't sure if it was really appropriate at the moment.
“Hey guys” they greeted the others and sat down at the table were they already had some plates filled up with delicious looking food.
The others gave their ‘good mornings’ and continued eating. The only one who kept staring at them was Miguel.
“Hawk, who the fuck did you fight last night? You have a huge bruise on your neck.”
Everyone fell silent, eyes fixated on Eli’s neck.
Demetri froze, turning his head slowly towards Eli. He was staring at his plate silently.
“Umm sooooo… how about we just keep eating. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day after all” Demetri tried and failed.
“Oh. My. God” Sam simply said and stared at the two, almost horrified. “Please tell me you didn't”
“Didn't what?” Eli asked defensively.
Sam looked away, flicking her hand like she was saying ‘nevermind’. Miguel wasn't as subtle.
“Did you guys fuck already?”
Demetri almost chocked on his apple juice.
“Oh god no” he affirmed quickly. Eli stayed quiet and just ate his orange slices. He wasn't even trying to cover up the hickey.
“But you're together now?” Miguel asked, not letting it go.
Demetri looked at Eli. They hadn't really talked about it last night. They had just went to bed because of the jet lag.
Eli gave Demetri a little nod. Like he was answering Miguel’s question without any words.
“Yeah. I guess so” Demetri answered.
They had found the spark, they had caught it. They stopped trying to repress it. They were okay now.
Now they just had to win the Sekai Taikai.