Remedy [MxM]

Chapter 13: In Retrospect, This was a Questionable Decision

What the hell was that gesture supposed to mean? Did she want me to talk to the guy, or go over to him, or kill him, or what? What was I supposed to interpret from that? Okay, let's look at the whole situation. My younger sister, who I had specifically told to stay close, just left me alone with, in her mind, our gracious and seemingly innocently nice host. Who was currently in the process of catering to me by getting me a drink that wasn't alcoholic, though I'd probably kill someone for a beer at the moment. Not the point. Lizzie left me alone with the guy, after more or less making a "go get him" gesture, and oh. Oh she thinks I'm interested in him. Or, he's interested in me. Either way, she assumes there's something going on when there very definitely is not. Fuck. Set up by my own sibling. Sent to death practically, by my own flesh and blood. How rude.

I felt uncomfortable being alone with Eliot at the revelation. Hopefully he hadn't seen Lizzie's little gesture, or knew why she was leaving the two of us alone. I tried not to show my discomfort though, leaning against the wall next to the doorway as casually as I could manage.

"So, she's your sister? She's pretty adorable." Eliot commented after a minute, and I snorted back quietly before I could help myself.

"I usually refer to her as the 'Spawn of Satan'." I mumbled. I wasn't thinking about what I was saying in my uncomfortable mood, and the comment was out before I could stop it. Eliot laughed, walking over and handing me the cup of soda he'd gotten for me. I expected him to walk away after that, but instead he stayed close and watched me for a moment before smiling a little.

"What's your orientation, if you don't mind me asking? I know that's sort of personal to some people, so I get it if you don't wanna answer. But I'm very curious," he asked quietly, and I felt my eyes widen. This was not how things were supposed to go. Lizzie and I were supposed to show up, stay for an hour, or less, and then leave. And hopefully never see the guy again.

I was not supposed to be alone in a kitchen with him while waiting for Chris to pop in to his own birthday party, and stand there with the guy hitting on me.

"Um. S-straight. I'm straight." I mumbled back, but my voice wavered and I very nearly swore out loud at myself for sounding so unsure.

"Really? You don't sound too sure about that." Eliot murmured, slowly leaning forward. I was too shocked by what was going on to move, unsure of what to do apart from swallowing tightly and averting my eyes.

"I'm, sure. Very, uh. Very sure."

"Well, if you're 'very sure', you won't mind if we test that out a little."

It was official—I had the worst luck in the entire world. Eliot learned forward more, and when I tried to move back I hit the wall I'd been leaning against, stepping forward again out of surprise. The step was a bad one to make, as it put me right up against Eliot just in time for him to press his mouth against mine.

The kiss was uncomfortable, but that was probably due to the fact that I was already seriously out of my depth with everything going on. It wasn't like kissing Chris—there wasn't any playful nipping or licking. It wasn't exactly bad or violent, which was honestly the kind of thing I expected from someone like Eliot, it just didn't feel right. I couldn't find it in myself to move away as I stood there, shocked and only internally panicking a tiny bit as I felt his lips moving against my own gently, trying to get some sort of response.

"Happy birthday, Chris!"

The loud announcement surprised both Eliot and I, making me look away as he suddenly pulled back. We stayed still for another second, then he glanced back to me before leaving the kitchen. I didn't bother following, instead I slowly slid down the wall to sit on the kitchen floor. I didn't have the energy to go out and see Chris. Or see Eliot kissing Chris, after he'd kissed me. All of this was getting too fucked up. I didn't want to get up and go out to see all those people I didn't know just for the chance to see the one person I wanted to see for a minute, and that was if he didn't try to angrily throw me out. I didn't want to do much of anything but go home and hide in bed for a few days. In order to do that though, I had to get up and go find Lizzie so we could leave. Either way I was fucked.

In the end, I straightened myself out after a few long minutes and stood up, keeping my head ducked as I went back into the living room. I found Lizzie talking to a few other kids around her age, and I grabbed her arm, leaning down to her level. "Alright, we really need to go. Like, right now." I told her. She frowned back as I started pulling her toward the door.

"What? I was just starting to talk to some people I could actually relate to," she complained. I rolled my eyes, pausing and kneeling down to be on eye-level with her.

"Lizzie, I will explain everything if you will please, just come with me and not make a scene, alright?" I begged, watching as she thought it over. Finally, she reluctantly agreed, and I stood back up and began walking again. And then walked straight into Eliot, of-fucking-course.

"Whoa, what the hell—Oh. Uh. Eliot." I mumbled, looking anywhere but at him, but he didn't seem even the least bit fazed about what happened in the kitchen. Well, at least one of us wasn't close to having a complete meltdown.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked with a small smile, and I nodded tightly.

"Uh, yeah. Lizzie's getting pretty tired."

"Oh, well why don't you just drop her off and come back?"

"Well, I would, but. I have an interview in the morning, so. Can't be out late." I lied.

"That's a shame. Well then—Chris! C'mere! Arden and Lizzie here were just leaving, so I figured we could talk to them for a minute." Eliot explained as Chris walked over. Despite how much I really wanted to see him, I kept my head down, not looking at either of them. I didn't trust myself not to stare at Chris, or cringe at the sight of Eliot. Or the sight of them together.

"Oh, they're from the park right?" Chris mumbled. Eliot hummed in affirmation, and I heard him kissing Chris's cheek before speaking again.

"Yup. And he's got a Bachelor's in Microbiology. Food for thought."

"... Ah. Interesting."

Interesting? That's the reaction my degree gets? Well fuck you too Chris. I glanced up at that, though vaguely regretted it. Because, where Eliot probably couldn't tell because he was distracted by someone else briefly, Chris was glaring at me. Hard. In the "if looks could kill you'd be dead one hundred times over" sort of way. I sighed quietly before standing to full height, bringing my head back up.

"Well." Eliot said, coming back to the conversation. "If you really have to go, then I guess I'll see you later."

Chris's glare intensified, if that was even possible.

"Um, yeah. Right." I nodded again, then looked at Chris. "Happy birthday, Chris." I added with a mumble. His glare lightened up slightly, and he averted his eyes, looking away from me.

"Thank you, Arden."

I nodded, and with that, Lizzie and I left the house before any further damage could be done.