"You know, I was expecting Spongbob or something."
"I'm gay, Lake, not camp."
Brown eyes searched along the familiar corridor leading towards his front door, while arms shifted to better position the body on his back for easier carrying. The duo had been out all morning, and on the way home, Lake had demanded a piggy-back ride from the taller, older male. For some odd reason, Lake was asking questions on underwear. Obviously Raleigh's answer of "Plain black" did not satisfy him enough.
"I'm going to search your drawers when we get..."
He never finished his threat. His own gaze settled on the same figure that had caused Raleigh to stop in his tracks. There on the floor just beside Raleigh's door was a blond familiar to them both. Knees pulled up and head in his hands, it was obvious from the way his shoulders were shaking that he was either crying, or close to it.
Raleigh looked over at where Lake stood, nibbling on his bottom lip in worry. "Do you want to talk to him?"
Lake shook his head. Patting his friend on the arm, he turned to go. "Let me know how it goes later," he said with a bright smile that only Lake could have. With a final glance to the lad on the floor, he went.
As Lake walked away, Raleigh moved to kneel beside the figure on the floor. "Ellie?"
There was a sniffle, and slowly the teenager lifted his head to focus tear filled red eyes on the older male. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have come."
Raleigh shook his head. Reaching out with his arms, he helped Elliot up and into his apartment with barely a word, but a look in his eyes that spoke a thousand things. Lowering the younger male to his couch, Raleigh looped an arm over Elliot's shoulders and pulled him to his side. Finally, he spoke; "Do you want to talk about it?"
Elliot shook his head and snuggled closer.
With his other hand, Raleigh reached over and wiped away some of the tears coursing down Elliot's cheeks. "Well, when you do want to talk about it, you know I'm always here for you." He leaned in and placed a soft kiss to Elliot's forehead. "You don't have to feel bad about coming over." From the things he could piece together from Elliot and what other's told him, Raleigh knew about Trace and what had happened to him. He wished he could make things better for the younger male. Someone as young as Elliot shouldn't have had to go through what he had.
Attempts to get up and make himself a drink at first were futile. Elliot clung to him, and while he didn't say anything, the looks he gave Raleigh every time the older man tried to move broke his heart. Giving in to him, Raleigh put on some films for them to watch. The films were mainly anime spin-offs and stand-alone from the main series. He didn't know what or where Elliot was with the current favorites, so opted to put on things that wouldn't majorly affect the storylines.
After a few films, Raleigh looked down to where Elliot was curled against his side and the teenager had fallen asleep. Slowly and carefully, Raleigh extracted himself and then carried Elliot to his bed, putting him down gently and pulling the blanket up over his shoulders. Leaving him there to sleep, Raleigh went to his small kitchen ans made himself a drink. Leaning against the counter with a mug of tea in hand, he checked his phone for messages.
Lake had sent several asking on the state and wellbeing of Elliot. Taking a sip of his drink, Raleigh informed Lake that it would be unlikely Elliot would be back in his dorm room tonight. A message was then sent to Madeline to let someone of more authority know about the current location of one of the students. He'd let her know more tomorrow when he went to visit (and because she was worried he was taking the term 'starving artist' too literally), and set his phone aside once the message was sent on its way.
"Raleigh...?" The voice sounded so tiny, and lost.
Putting his mug down, Raleigh strode over to his bed and lowered himself down next to the obviously tired Elliot. "I'm here, Ellie. I'm not going anywhere. I was just letting people know where you are." He leaned down and kissed Elliot's temple. "I told Lake you'll be staying here tonight. I didn't think you'd wake up."
Elliot shook his head. "No, I...I want to stay. Thank you."
Raleigh smiled, and stroked his fingers through Elliot's hair. "I've got some work to do, but I'll come to bed later." Fingers stroked down Elliot's cheek. The look in the blue eyes, however, prevented him from moving away from his bed, and lying down, Raleigh ended up falling asleep with his arms wrapped around Elliot.
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