eyes wide, mind blank. she tilted her head, blinking as she watched the sight in the restaurant.
they were still friends?
she intertwined with her fingers, picking on her nails before looking down.
they were still friends...
she inhaled, wiping the corner of her eyes. it was her fault though... she left them.
she ran away. she escaped. without them.
looking down at her plate, she frowned and looked across the table. "damien,"
he looked up and smiled. "yes?"
"they're still friends."
he looked over his shoulder and shrugged. "i guess so. you regretting it?"
"just wondering how it'll be if i didn't escape. that's all," she whispered before standing, her food untouched. "we should go..." she looked around. "i wanna go back to dante—"
"el?"
she covered her ears, looking down as her eyes shut. "it's back, it's back. they're back. damien, they're back. it's evil— it's—" she cut herself off when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
she looked up in shock, turning to look over her shoulder slowly.
"hey el," dustin smiled and she smiled weakly. "hi,"
he grinned from ear to ear and hugged her tightly. "ITS BEEN SOOOOOO LONG!"
she took a second before hugging back. "yeah,"
"come to our table, ellie!" he smiled happily and dragged her over but she looked back. "but damien!"
"who?" he turned. "oh, your imaginary—"
"HE ISN'T IMAGINARY!" she stomped her feet and he let go of her. "sorry, el. he's real, i just couldn't see him. he can come along too!"
she instantly brightened up. "come on, damy!" she hopped on the spot and then followed dustin to the table.
"is el!" he exclaimed as they all looked up with smiles.
"hi el," max stood with a weak smile and el gasped, grabbing her cheeks before squishing. "you are smiley! happy maxy!?"
"i am happier." max murmured and then tapped el on the nose. "crazy, crazy. crazy el is back,"
"i've never left," el giggled and then turned. "you all look very very very different." she then gasped. "did you guys escape!?" she let go of max and cupped her own face. "ohmygod!"
turning back, she gasped again at damien. "hear that, damy!?"
he nodded at her with a smile and then el waved dramatically at will and lucas. "hihihi!"
"cant believe we're back together!" dustin pulled out a chair for el to sit before he sat down himself.
el pulled out the chair next to her for damien and then grinned. "we only miss one person!"
lucas, will and max pointed to damien's seat and el glared. "no, idiots. not my damy."
"mike?" they asked and el nodded proudly. "obvi! he is the one not here!" she sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically.
"we can see," lucas nodded. "but he's go—"
"NO HE ISN'T! HE JUST DOESN'T REMEMBER AND THATS OKAY BECAUSE HE WILL!" she bursted out angrily and slammed her hands down on the table.
"ellie, i think you should haven't had escaped," will said quietly and she frowned. "booooooo!"
he frowned back and she just giggled. "mikey will remember. he will," she said with full confidence. "he is..." her voice softened. "my mike,"
max watched her closely before titling her head. "are you sad, el?"
she looked up. "are you?" she remarked and max nodded. "yes, but some days are better,"
el smiled at her. "same,"
max beamed back and leaned forward. "where are you staying?"
she turned to the side. "i stay with damy, xavier and blaze and dante!" she giggled. "i am a good dolly..."
"are we still on with the dolly thing?"
"i make evil PERISH!" el exclaimed passionately, raising a hand. "EVIL GO!"
lucas tilted his head. "how?"
she covered her mouth with a fake gasp. "i kill them of course!" her gaze remained on his before she bursted out into laughter, leaning back as they eyed her with a smile.
they were glad they were back together now.
✿
dante: you saw them?
el: yes. can i have dinner with them?
dante: of course, el. text me and i'll pick you up afterwards, okay?
el: i can go home myself!!!!!!
dante: i know that. i want to make sure you're safe though.
el: 🙄 fineeee
el: tanks dante!! damy is coming home
dante: got it
el turned back, jumping up and down with her hands on max's shoulder from behind. "maxy! maxy! sad maxy! don't be sad! they're evil!"
"el," max placed a hand on hers. "im not sad. you need to calm down,"
el pouted and hugged her tightly. "i am calm..."
"i missed you, el," max hugged on tightly, placing her chin on el's shoulder. "i thought you... that you... you left without saying goodbye, el,"
"im sorry," el's voice cracked. "i had to go... i had to,"
max nodded understandingly, "i know. but we're back together again!"
el giggled, leaning closer. "how did you guys leave?"
"we left one by one. we made a pact to have a meeting spot every month so we could meet if any of us gets out. we met up a year or so after will left,"
"of course he left first,"
max grinned and nodded. "i'm happy you're back, el. seriously. even if you're crazy,"
"i'm not crazy!" el stomped both of her feet repeatedly. "not crazy! not crazy!"
"okay then,"
el huffed but continued to hug her.
"guys, we have a seat!" will exclaimed, walking into the restaurant as el let go of max and went to hold her hand.
swaying it, el led max into the restaurant, skipping as she did so. "maxy, sit with me,"
"i will," max sat next to her before max reached over and rubbed el's cheek.
el frowned, narrowing her gaze. "what?"
"you look like a dolly. you need to blend your blush," max told her and el frowned. "not pretty?"
"no, no! it's just— you have to blend it, el. or did you want to look like a doll?"
el shrugged. "i dunno..." she looked down. "people find me scary," her voice trembled and she looked up again. "but i'm not!" she exclaimed in a serious tone. "i just make the evils go AWAY!"
"of course you do," max played along and pulled back. "has there been less evil in the world?"
she nodded in response.
"good!" max smiled from ear to ear and handed her a menu before looking through one herself. "what do you wanna get, ellie? i'm thinking this!" max pointed and el looked over. "looks good,"
"do you want to share it?" max asked slowly and el nodded instantly. "yes,"
"great," max murmured and el sat back in her seat and pulled out her phone.
dante: damien is home. don't need to worry.
el: i wasn't worrying
dante: you always do. you care about them more than me.
el: ...
el: that hurt my feelings cuz it's not true
el: wanna see my friend maxy?
dante: i've seen her.
el: attachment: one image
dante: she looks happier. tell her i said hi
el: but maxy doesn't know you.
dante: i assure you, she does.
el turned to face max. "dante says hi. he says you know him,"
"ya,"
el narrowed her gaze into a glare. "what? how?"
"because he broke you out of the insane asylum?"
el froze, tilting her head. "oh. right." she then giggled. "oopsie!" she picked up a glass of water and took a sip before smiling again. "where do you guys stay? do you live together?"
"we all live in a tiny loft." dustin cut in. "we're pooorrrr!"
el frowned. "that's concerning,"
but the she brightened up into a smile before giggling. "it's better than the little little cell we were in," she smiled widely, resting her chin on her palm before setting her elbow on the table.
"by the way," lucas spoke up. "you said mike will remember or something? what was that all about?"
el looked down at her lap and picked at her fingertips, glaring at the long sharp nails that couldn't do shit. "he doesn't remember me—"
"he's fucking alive?" dustin looked around. "are we all ignoring the fact that this girl, ms ellie, makes up her own friends?"
"SHUT UP! IT WAS HIM!" el exclaimed, slamming a fist down. "HE SMELLED LIKE A GOOD DOLLY AND HE HAD WARMTH!"
"i'm not doubting you," max intervened and el instantly frowned harder. "why doesn't he remember?"
"i don't know!" el cried in frustration, flailing her arms. "i don't— i don't know!" she shut her eyes tightly and max hugged her from the side.
"it's okay, el. we don't have to talk about it." max murmured and el nodded slowly. "he just... he's not my mike,"
"that's okay," will slid over a basket of bread. "bread?"
el looks up, blinking her tears away before nodding and ripping the tiniest piece. "sure... why not?"
what's to lose anyway?