vest & boxers

[theo lovett]

Riding up in the elevator to his floor, Theo takes the opportunity for one last glimpse at himself in its mirrored wall. He'd been at work all day but had rounded it off with a trip to the gym, catching a shower after his workout so he could be as fresh as possible when he walked through the door. He frowns at his too-short haircut and the slight stubble he should probably have shaved off, but overall it could be worse. He would usually rock in from one of his long shifts just as he came, but tonight he wanted to look good, doused in his signature cologne, Y by YSL, and his hair tousled just so. In his left hand he has their regular order from the nearby taqueria, in his right the keys to the apartment, which he turns gingerly, pushing the door ajar. "Hey, it's me."

[elyse condon]

Ellie’s leg shakes slightly as she sits on the edge of the bed she's neglected for weeks. Her eyes catch the various decorations she has on her walls. They move from the clock next to her bedside table to the framed photo of her and Theo. She’s missed the familiar scents and feelings of this little apartment. It's been weird for her to not be here, even though she knows it the right move. He said he’d be here around eight with their dinner and each moment that passes she gets more nervous. She stands up from the bed and does a toss of her hair, a nervous tic. It’s just Theo, she murmurs to herself. As if on cue, she hears the key fit into the lock from the outside. Theo’s voice then fills the apartment. She swallows; the lump of nerves so prevalent in her throat and responds from her bedroom. “I’m back here.” Exiting the bedroom, Ellie finds him with food in hand. A smile tugs on her lips. Just seeing him makes her heart stir a bit. “Hi. Should we set up out here or in my bedroom?” When Ollie was around, her room was their spot. But it was just the two of them now. “The tacos smell so good. I can make margaritas?”

[theo lovett]

Most people would have been pleased to have a three bed apartment suddenly to themselves, but Theo had hated it. He wasn't sure which was worse; Ollie's barren bedroom with his few mementos now gone, or Ellie's, still brimming with her things, looking as if she might waltz back in any minute. He missed the way she'd hum to herself in the kitchen,  he missed the glimpses of her leaving from the bathroom to the bedroom, her hair wet, the smell of her vanilla body wash momentarily engulfing the whole place. He had missed his twin too, his sullen silence more credible company than he had given credit to in the past. Seeing Ellie back in her rightful place, a natural smile spreads across Theo's face. "God it's good to see you," he says, dropping his work stuff by the door and the food on the coffee table. He engulfs her in a hug and she feels tiny, so much tinier than he remembered. "Let's stay out here. Fuck yeah, margaritas would be great!"

[elyse condon]

It’s been hard for her to be away. Her pride took a bit of a hit when she confessed her feelings to her so-called best friend. At the time, she didn’t regret it. But the repercussions they’ve been dealing with now - maybe it had been best to keep everything she felt hidden. She’s missed the way it was and how it felt to have Theo cuddle her in his big, warm arms. Even if it did cross so many lines. Engulfed in a hug by Theo, Ellie’s nerves slip away. He smells magnificent. His signature scent surrounds every bit of her now. She hates to admit it feels like home. He feels like home. With his arms wrapped around her, she can feel the progress he’s making at the gym. The muscles stronger than before when he held her. “It’s so good to see you too..” she trails off, and pulls back. Ellie gives his arms a slight squeeze. “These feel bigger than the last time I saw you,” her voice teases as her right eye drops him a wink. “Okay margaritas it is!” She makes her way to the kitchen, opening up the cabinet with their cocktail shaker. Thinking about how much she missed their small little kitchen, Ellie assembles their drinks. Once finished, she hands the glass to Theo. “What should we do tonight?” Her body comes in contact with their comfortable couch, reaching for the take out boxes Theo has begun to open. Ugh,” Ellie moans as she takes a peek at their favorite Mexican displayed in front of them. ”I’m really looking forward to this.” She murmurs, her words having a double meaning as she looks over to Theo and smiles.

[theo lovett]

All of his fear of awkwardness eased away as Theo held Elyse in his arms, what felt like a lifetime of friendship making anything awkward feel like a blip on his radar. Theo was fundamentally an optimist and being with Elyse made that feel legitimate, their friendship feeling authentic and lifelong, however long they had actually known each other. He released her, still enjoying her familiar scent. "Ha, I've been bored," he says as she feels his oversized biceps, not letting on to the fact that his obsessive working out had been tied to his deep unhappiness. After all, going to the gym had been a happier prospect than going back to an empty apartment. He eases into the couch, taking the drink from her and taking a healthy gulp as he does so. "What do you want to do?" he asks, opening up boxes and grinning at her from across the couch. "To be honest, I'm pretty tired."

[elyse condon]

The hefty amount of tequila she used tingles her lips and tongue as she takes a big gulf of her drink. Ellie leans back into the couch after taking a bite of a chip dipped in salsa. She’s always loved this plush couch and the way one instantly sunk into it. “Do you wanna finishing eating and then we can go to bed?” If she was being honest, all she wanted was to lay in his arms. To see if it felt the same way as it had all the times before. It was going to have to be their secret. She had Josh, he had Dolly. Thankfully it was just the two of them in the apartment. No interruptions. And best of all, no judgments coming from Ollie. The drink in her hand now suddenly empty. They’ve got plenty of food to finish one more margarita. “Let’s have one more and we can go to bed.” Ellie giggles as she excitedly stands up to pour their night cap. “Be honest…” comes out of her mouth as she’s standing behind the counter, shaker in hand. “Does it feel good that I’m back? Or does it feel weird?” All the nerves she felt before were stirring up in her stomach upon asking this question. “I was nervous at first but that’s all gone now.”

[theo lovett]

Once upon a time it had been easy for Theo to pretend this was an innocent act, his hands easily finding their way to some part of Elyse whenever they hung out. He'd make margaritas with her in the kitchen, towering behind her and letting his hands rest on her waist. He'd play Mario Kart with her and Ollie, playfully pushing her knee when she won-- or when she lost. But now it was harder to pretend, the energy between them electric, each small gesture so much more illicit. He finishes his drink easily, taking a huge bite out of a steak taco. "You're a bad influence." He sits back as she heads to the kitchen, his blue eyes fixed on her as she goes. "It feels good," he says quickly, not needing to think about it. He finishes the taco, wiping his hands on a napkin as she remerges with the replenished drinks. "You shouldn't feel nervous, it's just me. What's the worst that could happen?"

[elyse condon]

”I’m not a bad influence at all, I’m not sure what you’re talking about!” Ellie smirks at her favorite person and waves him off. Her cheeks are very warm now that she’s onto the second drink. It’s bringing back all of the memories. The three of them had some of the best time in this small little area they called home. Towards the end, it was usually just Ellie and Theo. As much as she loved Ollie too, it was always best when it was just the two of them. Ellie felt most like herself with Theo. Maybe it was his protectiveness towards her, or his ability to make her smile even on her toughest days. Deep down she knew the cuddling and the lingering touches were not platonic. It was if they were in their own world when they were together and she was caught up in it. Just looking at Theo right now, in their familiar territory Ellie feels the same sensation of being in over her head. “I know it’s just you…” she speaks softly almost as if she’s vulnerable. She makes her way back to sit beside him, handing him the second glass even though she’s had a few sips of her own. “I was worried, you know? We didn’t talk or see each other for a while!” She leans a bit closer to him and wraps her arms around his neck. “It does feels alright though…Thank god.” She sighs as she breathes into his neck.

[theo lovett]

A buzz settles over Theo, one he's unsure is driven exclusively by the alcohol. Elyse's cheeks are flushed and her lips look fuller than he remembers, full and impossibly pink. He forces himself to drag his eyes away from them, settling on her distinctively green eyes. It still feels like Ollie might wander out of his bedroom at any second, making some disparaging comment about their PDA. The fact he won't emboldens Theo, his breath becoming more shallow as his best friend laces her arms around his neck, her body pushing against his. "I didn't think you were going to come home at all," he admits, breathing in the all too familiar scent of her skin, mingling with her perfume. He feels drunk. He lazily slips his arms around her waist, squeezing her against him as he speaks into her ear, her hair brushing against his cheek. "It feels good. Too good."

[elyse condon]

”Well, I’m here now. We just have to enjoy to while we can?” She’s awfully aware of their bodies flushed together and feels herself become even more warm. As Theo’s arm slips around her waist, Ellie feels her body relax even more. The fuzzy tingling throughout her body. Why did this have to be feel so good yet be so wrong? He was supposedly happy with Dolly and she had Josh. Although she’d never mention to Theo that Josh was how she was mending her broken heart. It hurt her to be away but being back here in Theo’s arms, she questions if she should have fought harder to make Theo take a chance or even stayed away longer. His voice in her ear makes little goosebumps appear on her arms. It’s then she pulls back to stare at Theo. Her body suddenly sad to miss their contact. “It does feel too good..do you want me to move back a little bit? Is this too close? I don’t want to make either of us uncomfortable.” She pauses to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I know we said we’d keep all this between us but I wanna partially do the right thing. And care about your feeling comfortable.” She finishes the last sentence while staring at his lips. Pondering if she should be bad or not, his lips temping her to potentially make a wrong but right decision.

[theo lovett]

He wishes they had put the TV on, or some music, or something. It feels all too intense in the moment, his rising heartbeat drowning out all thoughts of his girlfriend, and his brother. "End of an era," he repeats, having said that phrase more times than he cared to count these last few weeks. The inevitability of this ending made him feel reckless, this moment feeling less like a normal evening for them and more like a once in a lifetime opportunity. As soon as she pulls away he misses her, yearning for the closeness once more. "Shh, you're talking too much," he says instinctively as she addresses the situation, not wanting to have to say any thing out loud that he may later find to be an incriminating quote. Looking at the remnants of the food, he takes a final swig of his drink, clearing his throat. "Do you wanna go lie down? We can watch a movie on your laptop or something."

[elyse condon]

It was an end of an era. And Ellie was suddenly sad about it again. The boys were her second family until she started to develop feelings for Theo. There’s always been a little something she’s felt for the boy though. It just took some time to discover what it was. Theo halts her bad thoughts momentarily, as he beckons her to be quiet. They seem to both know it’s wrong but can’t stay away. The tension between them is radiating and Ellie knows now she’s not the only one. “Okay, yeah, we can go lay down,” she murmurs as she gives him a shy smile. It’s this part that she’s been most looking forward to. She stands up, leaving him on the couch and begins to prepare the bedroom. All she can hear as she walks is her heart beating, if Theo said something she didn’t hear it. A candle beside her bed is now lit. Her laptop sits on top of the duvet. ”I really did miss my bed. It’s like a cloud.” A sigh escape her mouth as she pulls back the covers and signals for him join her now. “I’ll let you pick the movie this time.” She can’t believe this happening again. But it feels right.

[theo lovett]

There's a guiltiness lying just under the surface, smothered by the heat of her body against his. Theo had only ever had one serious girlfriend before Dolly and he had been convinced that she'd be the one he married, so commitment was not something he had ever felt any fear of. But breaking a commitment, that felt serious, and it was obvious now why he felt so defensive over Ollie's jabs. "Cool," he says, feeling awkward as soon as she pulls away but not nearly enough to stop himself. As she fusses in the room he goes to the kitchen sink to splash his face with water, his skin feeling hot under his fingertips and the blood thumping in his ears. He takes a few settling breaths. Without giving himself too much time to think, he follows her into her room, a natural smile springing as he takes in the familiar sight. "You've definitely got the best bed," he agrees, pushing aside any guilt he should be feeling as he settles in beside her, reaching over her to pull the laptop closer to them. "Knives Out it is. The original though, it's still the best."

[elyse condon]

As he crawls into the bed beside her, she feels a tinge of guilt. The thought of Josh running wild through her mind and how much this was bound to hurt everyone involved. Was this the best decision to do a final hurrah with Theo? When his warmth is tucked into her side she forgets these bad admissions and decision. If this was the last time she ever got to experience a ‘Theo and Ellie night,’ then she’s content it’s happening at this moment. The guilt now burying its self deep within her. Out of sight out of mind. “Your bed is a close second, don’t worry,”she murmurs as he pulls her laptop between them. As the movie begins, Ellie steals a glance at him. “Theo..I wanna do something but I feel it’s a bad idea,” she confesses and this time avoids eye contact with him, awkwardly focusing on the screen.

[theo lovett]

"Mine's pretty good," he admits with a grin. Everything about this apartment building and apartment specifically had worked for Theo, from its laundry room to its location to his view. That was even before you factored in the fact his favorite people in the world also happened to live here. It was truly bewildering to him how much Ollie had resisted it, a sweet place at a good rate with good friends... what more could you want in life? His greatest fear in leaving Anchorage for the bright lights of LA had bene that he would lose intimacy with the people he loved, and this apartment had made that fear an irrational one. Nestled in with her as Daniel Craig's exaggerated southern twang fills the room, Theo can only rally focus on his own breathing, her body heat distracting him from the film. As she speaks he feigns innocence, though her words fill him with a mix between fear and excitement. "Oh? Like what?"