Of course caden maher had seen his work before. It wasn't like Elliott's pictures were hidden or anything. He modeled for clothes, video games, promotional things... it wouldn't be hard to find an image of him.

But it was something about Caden having seen his pictures before that made his stomach twist, flop, and his cheeks burn brightly as he wiped his face with a napkin to give himself a moment to calm down.

Embarrassing.

"I mean... I guess I take selfies occasionally? My parents ask for them, to see what life is like and stuff. But it's not like I do it a lot."

He picked at some food before putting it in his mouth, chewing as he thought.

"So you want me to take pictures of myself?"

caden maher

☉

The grab and go was swift. Eli grabbed when he needed, practically filling the entire bag with the whole display case that they were targeting along with ana fell's help. Once it was done, it was time to bail.

"Only a few more minutes of cover left. Let's go."

He used his Poke balls to pick his Pokemon back up, ensuring they were all contained before reaching the place they had opened to descend into.

Pulling his LUNATONE out again, his climbed on as it LEVITATED up to the roof again, allowing him to step off before he put, too, back into a Poke ball.

Once they were safely out of the way, Eli did a quick sweep of what items they had gathered. Seemed good enough. He grunted to himself, waiting for his partner to approach the rooftop again.

ana fell

☉

If stares could kill, Eli's and his Pokemon's would be stabbing Cian to death right now. His ARCANINE was especially intimidating, fur fluffed as he came to sit at the door as though he was guarding it.

Almost like he trapped Cian in the room.

"You deserve it," he said with a harsh tone, turning his back to him.

CIAN MAHER

☉

The knocking finally stopped. Elliott had half the mind to think that Cian finally gave up and left. The thought truly didn't comfort him as much as he thought it did, as he buried his face further into his pillows.

But then, he heard his ARCANINE growl, felt his sheets shift as his HOUNDOOM and NINETALES sat up.

Someone was here. And hearing his voice confirmed that Cian got in.

"The fuck... how'd you get in?" he croaked, giving away his location if his growling Pokemon hadn't already.

CIAN MAHER

☉

If Elliott had heard Cian calling out for him, asking him to wait, he didn't respond as he walked with long strides away from the bar, away from Rustboro. All he heard was static in his ears.

It was a miracle in itself that he managed to hold himself together by the time he opened his apartment door in Sootopolis.

Eli had curled into a ball on his bed, his dog-like Pokemon surrounding him like blankets and guards as he let out his frustration, anger, sorrows... misery. Why did he feel like this? He knew that this wasn't supposed to be anything.

Why?

Eli wasn't sure how much time had passed when there was a pounding on his door. It was constant, wouldn't stop. Which meant...

"Go. Away!" he shouted, though his voice wavered and was hoarse.

CIAN MAHER

☉

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

☉

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

☉

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

☉

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

☉

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

☉

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

☉

Home. But, really, Rustboro didn't feel much like home anymore. It was just a place he visited on occasion, to see his parents, give them money.

However, he'd heard his local school, the one he and CIAN MAHER went to, needed some help with some costumes for a play. He decided that maybe, the both of them could help.

"Hey. You free?"

Text sent.

Delivered.

Read, 21:07.

CIAN MAHER

☉