GENERAL OPEN POST/IC INBOX/WHATEVER IDK

[burnination]

"Busy. Send a text."

[ that's right. it's been a decade and he still hasn't changed his voicemail message. ]

Comments

2tru 2tru UGH ELLIOT Y U SO GR8

[burnination]

[ it takes max a couple times reading over the message to feel like he's really absorbed it, and after that, there's max trying to type something back. but he's never been good at this - putting anything that thrums up so intensely in his chest into simple enough words to convey the same meaning. it's never felt like right. so as much as he types and erases and types and erases, what he ends up sending is much simpler. ]

i love you. you know that, don't you?

[ he doesn't say it much, he types it even less, because he's always felt awkward and out of sorts and stupid putting the feeling to the words, but max had hoped they'd all known. and it still doesn't feel like enough, so he's already tugging out one of the predrafted spells to port over to elliot's. even if he's not home, he has to be somewhere in the city. it'll at least make max closer. ]

i'm coming over.

[ he can't do this like this, with oceans between them. with elliot so far out of reach. so he'll be poofing into elliot's apartment shortly after, and scouring the rooms for him, and when he finds him, elliot will barely have a moment to breathe a 'hi' before max has lifted him up and off his feet into a tight hug. the kind that says i need you, you can't leave, you're too good. ]

he's just a gross sad.

[despising]

[ Silence. There's a long silence. Elliot isn't sure if Max is processing or ignoring. No, he figures he knows the man well enough to know he's processing. Reassuringly, a text comes through. The weight of the words cause him to hold his breath for a moment, he hasn't heard them, at least not seriously in a long time. Hell, he can't remember the last time he's heard someone say it, maybe the hollowed out phrase from his mother, or perhaps from his father, but he hasn't spoke to them in months. ]

I love you too.

[ When was the last time he's expressed that sentiment? And meant it? The scarier part is he knows how much he means it. It's not the response he was expecting from Max, but he's not going to complain about it.

i'm coming over.

That he'd complain about, but he figures Max won't listen, not after what he's told him. Elliot wants to snap at him, tell him no because the thought of Max looking at him with anything akin to pity makes his throat dry. It's almost immediate that he hears Max treading through his apartment. Elliot sort of imagines like an elephant stomping around in those mud crusted boots, angering the lovely couple below them. He gets the greeting out, as he moves to his feet from the chair he was sitting on, phone left on the table. ]

Hi.

[ But there's nothing after that, not with the force that his lungs are being crushed into his ribs and back. His arms manage to worm free to wrap around Max; there's no matched intensity but he can't help but press his face against the German's shirt. The same shirt that his fingers have found and curled into maybe in a way that says I need you too at least. ]

smooshes him

[burnination]

[ for a long moment, max doesn't say anything, and it isn't a look of pity on him. more one of needing, longing, concern perhaps. maybe guilt for not having known, despite the fact he couldn't have. that's beside the point. he only holds to him, face tucked against elliot's shoulder, with an arm wrapped around his waist to hold him close, and a hand splayed between shoulder blades, carefully curling a bit into the fabric of his shirt. ]

Hi. [ max mutters into his shoulder, before reaching lower to scoop elliot's thighs up, and push his legs to wrap around max's hips, carrying him like a koala, as he paces his way over to elliot's bedroom. toeing his shoes off, he sets elliot carefully down, and scoots him over to join in with him, comforter tugged up around their shoulders. tugging elliot over, Max curls up to his back, spooning up to him with an arm tight around his stomach, and the other hooked under his neck to cross over his shoulders, a couple short kisses left on the side of his neck. ]

Okay. Now we can talk. [ he murmurs, hand searching for elliot's, before he tugs it up enough the he can press another couple kisses over the inside of his wrist, tangling their fingers together after. ] You know if you die before me, I'm going to punch my way into the spirit world and drag your skinny ass back, right? I'm selfish that way.