FIFTEEN
In Orbit
"Oh."
Elias anxiously glanced at Roman, who was sitting nearby. He had refused to let him leave just in case this went badly. It was a good thing he didn't seem to mind.
Mars, however, was a different story.
She was frowning, looking down at her lap. "I don't know what to say," she mumbled. He had told her everything. "What â um, what was she like?"
Elias inhaled shakily. "She was the best sister I could've asked for," he told her honestly. "One of my best friends. She was so obsessed with the moon, you know. Whenever she would talk about you, she'd call you her little sun."
Mars looked up, brows sewn together. "But she didn't even know me yet."
"She loved you anyway," Elias said, smiling softly. "Even if she hadn't met you yet. You were her world by default."
"I wish... I could meet her."
"I wish you could, too." Elias watched her quietly. She didn't look angry, or upset. Just a little confused, a little lost, which was expected. "You know, you're a lot like her."
She blinked, the wrinkle between her eyebrows smoothing out. "I am?"
"Mhm. You're both not the best with strangers, but you still have an attitude with me."
Mars laughed, and Elias did, too. "You're both funny, a little sensitive, smart. She told some of the best stories â she knew how to make you invested, even if it was something about how she had to run through the rain. Just like you. So similar, but so different at the same time."
"Thank you for telling me," Mars whispered. "I'm sorry... for getting mad. And yelling and ignoring you."
"It's okay," Elias said. "Your feelings are valid, and that reaction was justified. You're still young. I should've told you sooner anyway. It was just not something you could so easily bring up."
"Yeah, I can see that now..." She trailed off, then pointed at Roman. "Why is he here?"
The man blanched. Elias pinched the bridge of his nose. "He's my friend, Mars. I invited him over."
"I didn't mean it in a rude way! I'm just wondering."
"I didn't get to um, introduce myself last time," Roman spoke up, holding out his hand to her. She stared at it for a moment before shaking it, glancing at Elias to see if that was the correct thing to do. He nodded. "My name is Roman, in case you didn't hear last time I was here."
"I'm Mars."
Roman cracked a small smile. "I know."
"I know you know. I just wanted to say my name because it sounds cool."
"I heard you say you chose it yourself?"
She nodded, already relaxing a bit around him. Elias was relieved. "My name is Margot, but people kept pronouncing it wrong when they saw it, so I shortened it. It sounds cooler anyway, and I like it more."
Mars paused, then looked between Roman and Elias. "I have a question," she said.
"Shoot," Elias replied.
"Are you two dating?"
Elias' eyes widened, and he frantically looked at Roman, who was hiding his face as he averted his gaze in the opposite direction of them both. "No, no," Elias said quickly. "We're just friends."
"Oh. So I was wrong about you being gay?"
"I-I mean, you're not completely wrong. I'm bisexual, Mars."
"That means you like guys and girls, right?"
"Something like that, yeah."
She frowned. "What do you mean? Is that not what it means?"
"Definitions change over time," Elias explained, shrugging. "It means you like two or more genders. So, really, you're not too far off. But, yes, I'm bisexual."
"What about him?" She pointed at Roman, who was hunched over in complete embarrassment. Elias felt bad.
"None of your business," Elias scolded, flicking her forehead. She scowled. "You can't just ask people those things. Let them tell you themselves, okay?"
"Okay. Sorry."
"Um, it's okay," Roman spoke up, mumbling into his hand. His face was flushed. "I'm, uh, I'm bisexual, too."
"So you could date!" Mars exclaimed.
"Mars," Elias hissed.
"I was kidding," Mars said, sticking her tongue out at him. "Jeez â oh! Guess what?"
Elias couldn't hold back his smile. They were back to normal, finally. "What?"
"Lily broke up with the jerk," Mars stated proudly. "And now I don't have to worry about him ruining everything!"
Elias exchanged a brief look with Roman, grinning. "That's great, Mars."
"Yeah!" She waved her hand at Roman to grab his attention. "Do you wanna know how sucky he was?"
"Oh," Roman replied, sitting up straighter. "Sure. Tell me."
She told him everything she told Elias, except with small extra details she probably forgot about the first time she ranted about the kid. Roman had all his attention set on her, nodding along and adding his own two cents whenever she stopped to expect a comment or two in response.
Elias hid the curl of his lips behind his hand as he watched them. It was cute. Despite Roman saying he wasn't the best with strangers, he seemed to be doing a pretty damn good job with Mars. Maybe it was because she was just a teenager? But regardless â it was nice to see. And nice to hear.
"What a jerk," Roman said when she finished. "Good for her that she dumped him. She deserves better. And so do you."
"Yeah!" Mars nodded fervently. "And also â "
"Mars," Elias interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "It's getting dark out. I'm sure Roman has to get home soon."
"Wait, no," Mars said, frowning deeply. "Can't he stay for dinner? You can drive at night, right?"
Roman cleared his throat. "I can stay, if your father is okay with it," he said, casting a nervous glance at Elias. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous. Why wouldn't he say it was okay? "I don't mind driving when it's dark out. I've done it plenty of times."
"I don't mind you staying," Elias said. "I'd like you to stay for dinner, actually. I just want you to get home safely."
"I will," Roman promised. "I'll text you when I get home."
"Okay." Elias stood up. "Then, stay if you want. Is there anything you're allergic to or don't like?"
"I'm not a fan of seafood, but that's it. I'm fine with anything."
"Good, neither am I," Elias mused.
"Weirdos," Mars muttered. "Sushi is good."
Roman shrugged. "Fish are scary."
Elias gave him a bewildered look. "What? What did you just say?"
Roman frowned. "Shut up."
"I didn't say anything!"
"You're judging me."
"I am not," Elias replied, offended. "I would never. You're scared of fish though. Why? Hey, Mars â where are you going?"
She stopped in her tracks to the stairs. "Um, to my room," she said slowly. "Why?"
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Ugh. Yes."
"Okay. I'll call you down when it's done."
"Okay!" She darted up the stairs, and once her door was shut, Elias turned to face Roman, giving him an expectant look.
Roman looked embarrassed. "I don't know why," he mumbled. "They're just freaky looking. Especially when they're dead. Their eyes are unnerving. Actually makes me lose my appetite."
Elias laughed. "You're cute. Would you like to help me out?"
"I â um, sure," Roman stammered, looking flustered all over again. Was it because Elias called him cute? Did those types of things embarrass him? Elias bit back a smile as he led him into the kitchen. It seemed like Roman blushed or got flustered very easily. It really was cute with someone like him. That wasn't weird to notice, was it?
Elias passed some vegetables over to him. "Can you chop those?"
Roman nodded, getting to work as Elias got everything else ready. It was quiet for a little while as they cooked together, and at one point Elias paused, glancing back at Roman, who was very carefully and very slowly chopping away. He looked focused.
Elias hesitantly stepped back and bumped against the edge of the counter Roman was working at. He startled, dropping the knife, but thankfully it didn't hit anything except for the board.
"Sorry," Elias whispered. "I was just gonna ask if you wanted music."
"Oh..." Roman trailed off, nodding wordlessly.
"Okay. Any requests?"
"Anything but country."
Elias laughed. "Great minds think alike. I'll do the playlist I use all the time."
He scrolled until he found said playlist, then shuffled, turning the volume all the way up and setting it down. Roman's eyebrows raised. "I know this one," he stated, sounding proud of himself.
"Yeah? It's one of my favorites."
"I like your taste."
"Thank you," Elias mused, brushing past him to return to what he had been doing before. The silence was filled now, even though Elias didn't mind it much before. But there was a chance Roman did. And besides, music changed any atmosphere.
"Here," Roman mumbled, bringing the chopping board over and setting it down near the stove. "This is okay, right?"
"Perfect."
"Do you need me to do anything else?" Roman asked, sliding his hands together in front of him.
"You can just stand there and look pretty."
"O-Oh. Okay."
"Kidding, don't be so awkward," Elias said with a laugh. "Sorry, do those comments make you uncomfortable?"
"No, no, I know you're just... messing around."
"Well, partially."
"Huh?"
"I'm messing around, yeah, but it's not a lie that you're good looking." Elias glanced at him. Roman took a small step back, and he was staring off to the side like he always did when he was flustered or embarrassed. "Sorry, I swear I'm not hitting on you."
Roman shook his head. "It's um, it's fine. Do you â where's your bathroom?"
Elias pointed. "Down that hall, first door on your left."
"Okay. Thanks."
Elias watched him go, then turned back to face the stove. Sometimes he couldn't tell if Roman was uncomfortable or just flustered. They looked the same. If there were any small or slight differences, Elias hadn't noticed them yet.
It was hard not to tease him or make comments like that when his face ended up looking the way it did. His mannerisms were cute. He was cute. He wasn't sure if that was weird to think of in regards to a friend.
It didn't matter anyway. Even if Elias somehow had different feelings, he'd never act on them.
Roman came back a couple minutes later, offering up a small smile. "So, there's nothing you need help with?"
"If you want to help, you can," Elias replied. "But I'm fine without help, too."
"Let me help."
"Okay. Then, here..."
Once they were finished, Roman set the table as Elias called for Mars. She came hurrying down the stairs quickly, and it was safe to say she was hungry, Elias thought, watching her pile food onto her plate.
"Bread is so good," she praised, half a roll in her mouth. "Best thing ever."
Elias grinned. They all sat down together, and for the first few minutes Roman was tense, but he loosened up gradually the longer he stayed and listened to their conversations, partaking in them every now and then. But he was quiet mostly, which Elias didn't blame him for. He could take as much time as he needed to become comfortable.
Eventually, the night was over and Elias was walking Roman to his motorcycle. He decided to bring it instead of his car this time. Elias watched him straddle it and hold his helmet in his lap, lingering.
"I'm glad you came by," Elias commented. Roman looked at him, lips curling into a soft smile.
"I'm glad I did, too," he responded. There was a long pause, Roman biting at his bottom lip before he said, "Hey, Elias?"
"Hm?"
"I â " He stopped, words dying on his tongue when he made eye contact with him. Elias furrowed his brows as he averted his gaze. "Never mind. It's not important."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," Roman said, but his smile looked a little weak that time around. "Bye."
"Text me when you get home."
"I will."
Elias watched him leave, lingering near the curb until he had disappeared from sight. Now he was curious as to what he had planned on saying.
Especially when it caused his entire demeanor to change the way it did.
____
A/N: today is honestly such a shitty day. like â you know what, ifykyk. i'm so tired of this site. so so so so tired
hoping i don't get BS comments bc i'm not in the mood. posted this chapter to distract myself and read the comments
anyway thank you to those who support me and who are decent human beings. you mean a lot to me x
i mean it. the positivity coming from some of you is the only reason i'm still on wattpad. love u guys