cian's out and about crawling bars when the text hits his phone. it buzzes, he reads it, but he forgets to respond until later when he has a pee break.

yo what's up

sent: 21:35.

Elliott Jenkins

☉

He's already left the school, deciding to hit one of the local bars since he never got a text back from Cian. However, just as he was approaching the door, he got a text back.

"There's a project going on for the school. Was wondering if you wanted to help out."

Send.

"We could start on shit tonight?"

Send.

Delivered.

CIAN MAHER

☉

sure but not tonight. maybe tmr or thursday?

sent: 23:36

still in the bathroom, cian may have missed elliott walking into the same bar he's at. he pockets his phone for now and stumbles over to wash his hands.

he stays at the sink for a while, enjoying the running cold water.

Elliott Jenkins

☉

Elliott frowned as he received the texts. Usually, he and Cian would immediately jump on something like this. Get something done, drink along the way. It wasn't their normal.

Then again, they hadn't been doing their normal lately, had they?

"K."

He entered the bar, going to get a drink as he decided to relax for the night.

CIAN MAHER

☉

with things still being casual across the board, cian finds himself out with a friend with a clear idea of where he wants the night to end: not alone.

walking out of the bathroom, he walks back over to the bar and takes up his spot next to his beautiful friend and partner for the evening, totally unaware that his best friend's a few spots away.

Elliott Jenkins

☉

Elliott had ordered a beer, looking down at the text that wasn't read. How depressing, drinking alone. Being by himself, instead of with a friend...

Until he saw his friend, clearly not alone, with a partner. Some girl, looking like she was flirting with him.

Something made him angry, as he stood up from his seat. His drink was left abandoned, as he stared with a harsh, red gaze at the two.

"This is why you can't answer my texts, huh," he said, trying to stay casual while he seethed with jealousy on the inside.

CIAN MAHER

☉

"down in one?"

cian is in the middle of downing his beer with his friend when a familiar voice calls out to him. he tilts his head but never stops drinking, not even at the sight of elliott.

when he's finally done, he places the glass down on the counter, winks at his friend, then turns to elliott.

"man, how do you do it? my throat always feels like it's gonna close up when i chug."

Elliott Jenkins

☉

The wink irked Eli more than he'd like to admit, and he didn't know why. Why this was all bothering him so much, why seeing Cian in a bar with someone else in a bar late at night when it could have been him was making him-

Jealous?

No. This was no strings attached. He couldn't be jealous.

"Why are you with a lowlife when you could've had more fun with someone else?"

It slipped out of his mouth before he could even think about stopping it. But, there it was, out in the open. A challenge.

CIAN MAHER

☉

"LOWLIFE?"

well, that certainly sobers him up real quick. cian suddenly wishes he had another drink — actually, he gestures at the bartender for another round including one for elliott.

"OKAY! okay."

cian straightens up a bit, muffling a burp into his shoulder.

" i think what my friend eli meant to say was that he's a bit upset that he wasn't invited as well. right?"

Elliott Jenkins

☉

This was ridiculous. He was ridiculous. Elliott crossed his arms over his chest, unable to help an ugly smirk from crawling on his lips.

This wasn’t him. It was like some spirit possessed him as he spoke.

”You heard me. Not even cute…”

His dangerous glare shot to Cian. He wasn’t safe. In fact, he was far from it.

”Jealous? Jealous? What the fuck, Cian?”

CIAN MAHER

☉

"WOAH woah WOAH!"

cian sounds amused at the situation more than anything. he isn't built for this. he's not a problem solver — he's a shit stirrer.

the moment their drink returns, cian reaches for his then simply walks away, leaving both of them behind as he heads out the door.

Elliott Jenkins

☉

Eli knew his best friend more than anymore. Maybe not as much as his twin brother, perhaps, but he knew him pretty well. But, in his current state, seething and boiling with rage and jealousy, he couldn't believe what just happened.

He was fucking walking about.

Stomping after him with his full glass of beer, Eli slapped the back of his head before going off on a tirade.

"You're an asshole, Cian Maher! I thought you were fucking better, but I was stupid. This was stupid. All of it! I can't believe you! I... you... fucking whatever. Leave me alone."

He threw his glass of beer angrily on him before leaving. And he didn't go back home to Rustboro. No, he went as far away as possible, back to Sootopolis, to cry, sulk, be miserale.

Everything was a mistake.

CIAN MAHER

☉

the glass collides into him, beer splashing out and drenching his shirt as a result. he's quick to catch the glass against his chest to stop it from falling, however.

"huh? eli, wait—!"

but he's out the door and gone before cian can string together the right words to say. he's left soaked, standing in the bar with most of its patrons looking at him.

"no worries, all! that was simply a..."

lovers' quarrel?

shit.

fuck.

some time passes before cian knocks on eli's door in sootopolis. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—and so on.

Elliott Jenkins

☉