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If Eli had a nickel for every pretty boy he’d fallen so hard for that he would let them ruin his life, he could afford enough therapy to beat that weak spot out of him.
But therapy was expensive — and worse, it was boring. Hanging out with Yuno was much more fun.
Who wanted to sit in a grey office when they could sit in shotgun in a sports car, doing reckless jumps and mapping out getaway shortcuts for cop chases? Who wanted to unpack the traumatic relationships that had led to their self-destructive attachment style when they could cuddle with their best friend on the pavement after crashing yet another test car, feeling blood seep from their head as they waited for EMS to come and save their stupid asses?
Yuno lived in the fast lane just like he did, and Eli would drive down that lane together with him every second he got the chance, risk of bodily harm be damned.
He couldn’t even remember the moment he’d realized he loved him. It just felt like he always had. Like he’d known him longer than either of them were aware of, and had loved him dearly all that time. He would ask if Yuno thought they were friends in another life, but the hacker would likely just sass him about it. (Not that he didn’t enjoy the sass, because he very much did, but some soft little part of him would be sad if the question wasn’t taken seriously.)
He couldn’t recall the defining moment that cemented for him that he was in love, but he remembered how nerve-wracking it had been at first, before he’d grown bolder with his affections and Yuno had more or less gotten the message. Afraid of scaring him away with how much he adored him, not wanting to make Yuno feel pressured into anything but still wanting to express how much he meant to him.
But Eli wasn’t subtle, and Yuno wasn’t stupid. He knew.
He’d caught him staring in the car, witnessed Eli get jealous when he praised someone else, he’d even received a few (half-)joking love confessions. He’d done his best to deter it at first, trying to set his friend up with literally anyone else he showed interest in, but nowadays he seemed to have accepted that Eli’s puppy crush wasn’t going away.
Thank God for that, too, because it meant he could be (almost) as affectionate as he wanted without the fear of pushing him away. Yuno was known to be easily scared off when it came to letting people love him, but he seemed to have grown used to Eli’s expressions of fondness, enough so to let him ramble about how great he was and only get a little bit embarrassed.
He seemed to have struck a perfect balance with how he handled his feelings for the hacker, getting the message across loud and clear without actually saying anything that would drastically change their relationship.
Sometimes Yuno even played into it, taking his friend on little outings that he never called “dates”, but that definitely felt more intimate than a normal hangout.
Like this one.
Sitting on the roof of the apartments, their legs dangling off of the edge, one little slip away from falling to their deaths — even in relaxation, they couldn’t resist just a little bit of danger.
Both held cold glasses in their hands, lazily sipping mixed drinks. A portable cooler full of cocktail ingredients sat on the floor behind them. After all, what better to stave off the nighttime chill than a fruity drink and some good company?
Yuno had been rambling for a while now, something about the latest bank and how close they were to finally jumping the last hurdle after what must have been half a dozen attempts by now. He was noticeably vague about who he was hitting it with, but Eli didn’t care all that much — every good criminal had their secrets. Besides, his friend had a lot to lose if someone ever decided they had it out for him (which was becoming increasingly common these days), so he likely didn’t want word getting around about who they could go after in order to hit him where it hurt.
(He would likely find out who Yuno worked with the first time a job went horribly wrong anyway. He’d just have to check the newspaper to see who all went to jail alongside him, and then he’d have a list of all the people he would be smart to avoid pissing off.)
His friend didn’t look at him while he was talking, instead looking off to the horizon, occasionally gesturing in the direction of a location relevant to what he was saying. Somehow the topic had shifted from bank heists to the various NVL bullshit he’d been roping more and more of his friends into — this time, Eli could actually speak with him instead of just listening, because more often than not, he was present for the NVL bullshit in question.
He still wasn’t doing much talking, though. He was a bit distracted.
The stars were beautiful, as were the lights of the city, but he would forget both of them if it meant he could stare at Yuno all night. Dots of light reflecting in bright green eyes, cheeks flushed just slightly red from the alcohol, dark circles overshadowed by the relaxed smile on his face as he took in the sights before him.
Seeing Yuno’s face was a rare and special experience for anyone, but it was especially intimate for Eli. For all of the playful bullying Yuno put him through, he still trusted him enough to take off not only his helmet, but even the mask he wore underneath. Even some of his closest friends hadn’t seen his face yet, but Eli had, and his chest swelled with pride whenever he thought about it.
Sitting on the edge of the apartment roof, sharing summery cocktails on a chilly spring night with the most beautiful boy he’d ever met… it was like all of his problems just melted away.
Hey, I have an idea.
Yuno broke the comfortable silence and immediately piqued his interest.
What is it?
Back in the old days, I used to sit on the roof at night with my brothers and make up constellations. Wanna give it a shot?
He must have meant the Cleanbois. Eli would have to ask more about them someday, Yuno always loved talking about them.
Yeah, sure!
Alright, you go first!
Presented with a challenge and eager to impress, he immediately looked to the stars, mentally drawing lines between the various little dots to see which ones made the most coherent shape.
When he settled on one, he pointed in its general direction.
That one looks like a star!
The hacker cocked an eyebrow at him.
They all look like stars, Eli.
Eli glared at him, and Yuno was sent into a fit of giggles, trying not to spill his drink all over his sweater.
You know what I mean, asshole! Here, follow my hand.
He traced out the points of the constellation with his finger — he could see Yuno’s eyes following him in his peripheries.
Oh, yeah, I see it! Like a little cartoon star!
Exactly!
His friend’s chuckling brought a fond smile to his face.
Okay, now you find one!
Hmm…
Yuno paused to scan the night sky, although he paused once to sip his drink with a contemplative look on his face.
After a moment of studying the sky, he pointed upwards.
That one looks like a potion bottle.
Ooo, show me!
Yuno traced the outline, and Eli followed him with his eyes, slowly carving out the image of a round-bottomed flask.
I see it!
The hacker smiled and soon started off on another ramble, as he did. Something about Dungeons & Dragons and a mage character he was playing that carried bottles just like that one full of various potions — mostly healing, but some were meant to be thrown to inflict damage. (He and the rest of the Gworls really had to get Yuno in on their D&D campaign. Max was making for a great dungeon master.)
It got harder to follow along with what his friend was saying as Eli got distracted admiring him again. God forbid he glanced over at him right now and saw the lovesick look on his face. (He wasn’t ashamed of how he felt, but still. Getting caught staring was embarrassing.)
When Yuno paused his infodump to admire the view again, Eli put his drink down on the cooler behind them (noticing in the process that his friend had done the same when he wasn’t paying attention) and rested his head on his shoulder.
I love you, man.
He’d said it many times before, but Christ, he meant it more every day. How could he not? How could anyone not adore Yuno with every fibre of their being?
His friend chuckled, far too used to him by now, but didn’t say anything.
Eli took that as an invitation to say more, and he hugged Yuno’s arm.
Thanks for being here.
At that sweet little addendum, the hacker sighed and leaned on him back, resting his head on Eli’s hair.
They’d gotten close like this before — mostly while they were lying on the pavement in excruciating pain after one of the many disastrous car crashes they regularly got into. Eli had cuddled with him once, Yuno hadn’t pushed him off, and it had almost become routine. (The little devil on his shoulder that sounded an awful lot like Yuno would often try to coax him into crashing the car on purpose, just for an excuse to get close to him again, but he never wanted to see his friend in pain, so he pushed down the temptation whenever it reared its head.)
But this time felt different. Buzzed on fruity cocktails, their legs dangling off the side of a tall building, overlooking the beauty of the city lights and the stars that hung above them. Yuno made no attempt to free his arm from Eli’s grasp, instead relaxing against him and soaking in the affection.
Did this mean something to him? The atmosphere was so different now than it had ever been before, he had to notice it too. Yuno was known to struggle at reading the room, but he was far too smart to not realize how intimate this moment was.
All of Eli’s doubts washed away in an instant when the hacker sat up straight again, only to reach over with one hand and gently cup his cheek.
Instantly his heart was racing in his chest, so fast he could almost feel it shake his ribcage. He let go of his arm to better angle his upper body, turning to face Yuno so he didn’t have to crane his neck to look him in the eye.
Even if he could have spoken in this frozen state, he didn’t want to say something stupid and ruin the moment. This couldn’t possibly go in any other direction, why else would he stay like this for so long? Yuno, the man that panicked and fled upon receiving any kind of romantic gesture from anyone else?
He couldn’t inch forward like this, not without pulling away from his friend’s touch, and that was the last thing he wanted.
Fortunately, he didn’t need to, as Yuno seemed to get tired of waiting and finally closed the gap between them.
He’d imagined kissing Yuno a thousand times, whether he was sitting in shotgun admiring him as he drove or lying awake at three in the morning pining after him again, but no fantasy could compare to the real deal. His lips were so soft and tasted just as sweet as his drink, and the little sigh that left his mouth when Eli kissed him back had to be what dreams were made of.
Even when it deepened, it remained chaste, Yuno’s hand tilting Eli’s head to pull him closer. The intimacy could have killed him, almost too much for his infatuated heart to handle. He gave in completely, letting his friend guide him — what else could he do?
In a different timeline where he could somehow catch a break even less than in this one, they probably forgot where they were sitting, slipped off the ledge, and plummeted to their deaths. (He wasn’t sure if that would be the most romantic or the most humiliating way to die. Probably both.)
But in this one, Yuno simply separated their mouths and pulled back to breathe, leaving Eli starstruck.
He could only imagine what he must have looked like from Yuno’s point of view. Flushed completely red, his pupils blown wide with adoration, the tiniest hint of a shy smile peeking out through the pure awe that otherwise dominated his expression.
But he hardly cared what Yuno was seeing, because he knew for a fact he had a better view.
Yuno’s cheeks had taken on a lovely red tint, dots of starlight reflected in those kind green eyes, and his lips were slightly shiny from the kiss. Pair all of that with the star-and-city backdrop framing his beautiful face, and this image would be burned into his head forever.
You’re so pretty.
He’d barely registered himself speaking before the words were out of his mouth. Still breathless from the kiss, serotonin flooding his brain, he was so hopelessly in love with this man and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
His friend shook his head in playful dismissal.
You’re an idiot.
Yuno always insulted his intelligence, but never with any malice, only to tease. This time, though, his tone was much softer than usual, the fond look in his eyes enough to melt Eli’s lovesick little heart.
He leaned into his palm, soaking in his friend’s body heat with a dreamy smile.
I’m your idiot.
He wasn’t sure if he meant it as a hopeful offer of his love or a promise of his unwavering companionship. One way or another, he would stay by this man’s side to the end.
Something flickered across Yuno’s face, like Eli’s words had reminded him of something. The flicker was gone before he could put his finger on it, but the twinge of sadness remained, as did the hand that caressed his cheek so gently he could cry.
Masking his sudden mood shift with a warm smile, Yuno sighed and pulled him forward to softly bump their foreheads together.
Something like that.
Weak as ever, Eli closed his eyes.
He would stay here for years if Yuno let him. Basking in his presence, in their closeness and in the knowledge of how perfect the hacker’s lips felt against his own. The stars could crash to the ground around them and he wouldn’t move an inch, more than happy to burn up and fade out of consciousness if the last thing he felt could be his friend’s hand gently stroking his cheek.
Eli would die for Yuno. Would he do the same?
Probably not, but he didn’t care much.
Knowing how dangerous this city could be, he likely would give his life for Yuno someday, but he was okay with that.
Anything to stay by his side.