Elm Tree (Part Two)

🍃Elm Tree (Part Two)🍃

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Synopsis: 5 times Dominic felt something more for Elliot, and 1 time he realized someone else felt the same.

A/N: I just realized I haven’t had to use any content warning for this fic. I didn’t even realize how often I write characters swearing until this one. But despite how fluffy and wholesome this fic has been, I still don’t believe in happy endings. So good luck, Dom. I have two sequels for you in the works.

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“…How did you trip into the rose bushes, Dom?” Elliot asked, holding Dom’s sleeve as he lead them back to the greenhouse.

And in all honesty, Dom didn’t really know either. One moment, he was yelling to Faye from across the garden, and the next, he was tripping over a watering can and stumbling straight into the roses. Luckily, none of the flowers had gotten damaged, but Dom’s face was left covered in scratches.

Bradley had been the first to notice him stranded, and was quick to free him from the thorn’s clutches. Faye, meanwhile, left to get Elliot, thus leading to the situation Dom currently found himself in.

“I think our watering cans are haunted.” Dom eventually answered. And Elliot blinked, looking back at him with wide eyes.

“Huh?”

“It came outta nowhere Ellie! Think it has it out for me.”

“…Why would the watering can have it out for you?” Elliot questioned, and Dom shrugged, crossing his arms as he followed Elliot inside the greenhouse.

“Ask the watering can.” He said, earning a small chuckle from the pink-haired boy as he made his way over to the wooden table pressed against the wall. After clearing some space, he turned his head back to face him.

“Come here.” He said softly. And Dom tried not to think about the butterflies suddenly swarming his stomach.

He sat down on the table just as Elliot instructed, and watched as the taller boy reached into a small box underneath, pulling out a familiar med-kit. Dom lost count of how many times Elliot must’ve used it on him.

He placed the kit on the table, opening it and pulling out a small pack of disinfecting wipes. Dom could already imagine the sting they’d bring, and instinctively, his grip on the table tightened.

“Hey uhm… is that really necessary this time? I mean, it’s only a few scratches-”

“It’s always necessary.” Elliot interrupted him. “They could get infected otherwise.”

“Mmm…” Dom hummed, glancing down at his feet.

“It’ll be okay. I’ll try to be quick.” Elliot assured him. He rested a hand against Dom’s arm, and Dom couldn’t help but smile at the feeling.

But the moment he felt the cold burn of the alcohol wipes, he recoiled, letting out a hiss of pain.

“Sorry!” Elliot squeaked, his voice cracking slightly on his words.

“You're good! You're good.” Dom managed, nails scraping the wood. “Just… get it over with.” Elliot nodded, and Dom closed his eyes, biting down on his lip to suppress small winces as Elliot cleaned off the rest. Dom wasn’t sure how many times he’d been through this process. It never got any easier, but at least it got a little quicker.

Eventually, Elliot pulled away, and Dom finally opened his eyes.

“Okay… I’ll just cover the bigger scratches.” Elliot whispered to himself, opening up a small box of band-aids as Dom found himself staring again. He wasn’t sure when it became so common of him to admire Elliot’s features like this, but he decided not to question it.

So instead, he focused on Elliot. On the way certain strands of his hair would curl more than others. On the way his brows furrowed slightly as he concentrated. On the way his brown eyes squinted and his lips pursed ever so slightly. On the way the sunlight danced along rosy cheeks, painting him in a gentle golden glow. It was… almost ethereal…

Ethereal… was that a word people used to describe their friends?

“There you go.” Elliot’s voice snapped Dom out of his trance, suddenly realizing that Elliot had already finished bandaging him. “You’re good to go now.” He said, giving Dom that same beautiful smile he’d grown so fond of. And Dom returned the expression, leaning forward and sliding off the table.

“Thanks, Ellie! I appreciate it!”

“My pleasure! Just… be more careful around the rose bushes, alright?” Dom chuckled, giving a small salute.

“I’ll try my best, Prez!”

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“Alright, I think that’s everything. Thanks for staying so late, guys.” Dom let out a sigh at Elliot’s dismissal, leaning his head back to see the sky. It was a soft shade of yellow, indicating the sun would be setting soon.

To say it’d been a long day would be an understatement. Club was supposed to end almost an hour ago, but due to the changing seasons, there was a lot more work to be done. Hence, the additional hour spent in the gardens.

Not that Dom was complaining at all. He loved working in the garden. But what he didn’t love was having sore limbs and a shirt soaked with sweat afterwards.

“You okay, Dom?” Elliot asked. Dom whipped his head forward, brushing the hair from his eyes as he turned to face him.

The club president didn’t look any better than he must’ve His pale pink hair was messy, bangs damp with sweat and clinging to his forehead. There was a little dirt on his cheeks, and his glasses were a bit smudged, too. His usual brown sweater was tied around his waist, leaving him in a dirty white button-up, with the collar loosened and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

…How did he still manage to look so beautiful?

“Yeah, I’m good!” Dom responded, giving a thumbs up for good measure. “Oh, you got a little dirt on your face, by the way.” Elliot tilted his head, and Dom pointed at the spot on his own cheek. With a small nod, Elliot wiped at the spot with the back of his glove, but that only seemed to smear a little more dirt on his face in the process.

“Did I get it?” He asked, and Dom chuckled, shaking his head.

“Not even close.” He answered, before pulling off his own gardening gloves and stuffing them into his pocket. “Here, lemme get it.”

Dom closed the space between them, resting a hand against Elliot’s cheek as he carefully thumbed away the dirt that had gathered there.

And for some reason, Dom decided to glance into Elliot’s eyes. And once again, he found himself getting lost in them.

His hands lingered even after he’d gotten the dirt off, and he found himself in what felt like another trance.

That soft, warm feeling of fuzz came drifting back to him, making his whole head feel a little cloudy. It was so weird how a feeling he’d never once experienced before had become so common around Elliot…

And the feeling only seemed to grow stronger when the two were close like this. Close enough for Dom to admire every feature. To note every subtle mark and crease along his skin. To feel his breath, and to wonder what his soft, thin lips would feel like against his-

…

“Dominic?”

Dom could feel his heart skip a beat, his breath catching in his throat.

And suddenly, his whole world tilted. The warmth, the fuzziness, the butterflies, the nervousness, the excitement…

Everything had shifted into place. It all made sense now.

…He liked Elliot.

…He wanted to choke.

Quickly, Dom pushed Elliot away, his hands resting on the taller boy’s shoulders as he took in a quick breath. How long have I just been standing here?!

“Are… you okay, Dom?” Elliot asked, and Dom forced his gaze to the ground.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He mumbled. “You’re really cute-” He shut his mouth.

“…What?”

“What?”

The blood was rushing to Dom’s face, and he wasn’t sure if he was about to have a heart attack, or pass out from heatstroke. Either way, he had to get out of there.

He finally took his hands off Elliot’s shoulders, placing them awkwardly on his hips.

“Uhm! D-did you hear that? I think Faye’s calling me.”

“No I’m not.” Dom flinched. He didn’t realize Faye was right behind him. He turned his head around slowly, his brain frantically trying to figure out something for him to say.

“…Yes you were!” He managed. “In your mind!” He pointed to his temple. “Remember? Twin telepathy?” Faye’s eyes narrowed.

“I wasn’t even-”

“You were just thinking about how it’s time for us to head home. And I agree! We don’t want to miss the next bus, do we?” Before Faye could respond, Dom grabbed her by the shoulders, practically shoving her towards the garden entrance.

“-Hey!” She shouted. Dom ignored her, and glanced back over his shoulder to Elliot, giving him a smile he prayed looked natural enough.

“Cya, Ellie! Say bye to Brad for us!” Elliot frowned, but didn’t say anything, giving the two a hesitant wave.

Dom turned back around, his smile falling almost immediately. The moment the two were out of the gardens, he let out a defeated sigh.

“What the heck was that about?!” Faye snapped, and Dom didn’t answer, simply resting his head on her shoulder in a pathetic attempt to hide from the world. “Dom?”

Dom took a slow breath.

“Can I ask you something?” He whispered.

“Yeah?”

“…Can you feed me to Bitsy when we get home?”

“…What?”

“I need you to feed me to Bitsy. Immediately.”

“Why would I even do that?” She asked.

“Because, Faye. Think of all the money you’d save on buying crickets! I’d be good for a couple months, I bet!”

“You’d only make Bitsy sick! Now what is going on with you?” She asked, and Dom sighed again, finally lifting his head from her shoulder.

And he considered telling her what had happened. He always told her everything, afterall. But he was quick to realize how little that would actually help with anything. Faye was possibly the worst person to go to for romantic advice, considering how little the topic actually interested her. In all honesty, he’d have better luck talking to Bradley about this. And Bradley couldn’t even look at a girl without freezing up.

Not only that, but Dom didn’t even know if this was a crush or not. It felt like one, but… what if it wasn’t? What if this was just… some sort of phase?”

“Dom?” She asked. And Dom suddenly realized he’d zoned out again. Crap. What do I say?

He thought for a moment longer, before finally answering.

“…I made a total idiot outta myself in front of Elliot. Felt like I was gonna die.” Faye stifled a laugh.

“Of course you did. When do you not make an idiot out of yourself?” She mumbled, and Dom gasped.

“Excuse me?!”

“You heard me.” She teased.

“Uhm! Says you!”

The two started bickering after that, comparing their test scores and bringing up all the times they’d outsmarted one another. And it was a nice distraction for a while. It kept Dom focused on something that wasn’t… him.

But the conversation ended when the two reached the bus stop, just barely having caught the bus in time. The two hopped on, and Dom reached into his school bag to fish out his wallet, handing a few dollars to the driver before taking a seat with Faye somewhere in the middle. Considering this was around the time most people were getting off work, the bus was pretty full. It was lucky they were even able to grab a seat in the first place.

The twins sat close together, and Dom placed his back-pack on his lap, using it to rest his head. Faye, meanwhile, leaned against his shoulder, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pair of wired earbuds, taking a moment to untangle them before plugging them into her phone and handing a bud to Dom. He placed it in his ear, listening to the songs she had queued up, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Elliot would like them, too.

And that’s what brought Elliot back to his mind. Despite all the people around him, Elliot was the only one he could think about.

Dom stared down at his feet, his arms tightening around his back-pack. Memories of Elliot were stuck on replay. He couldn’t shake them from his mind no matter what he did.

And even after the moon had chased away the sun, Dom had yet to chase away Elliot. He still couldn’t get over that moment in the garden, and he wasn’t sure if he ever would.

He turned to lay on his back, letting out a sigh as he stared at his bedroom ceiling. He should’ve been asleep by now…

…This has to be a crush, right? He wondered, pulling his blankets up just enough to cover his mouth.

…Of all people… why did it have to be him? Why did it have to be…

Dom blinked, the answer hitting him almost immediately.

Elliot was everything…

He was kind and gentle. He treated everyone he met with an unconditional warmth no one else could replicate. He was caring and patient, and had a way of seeing the beauty in everything, no matter how small.

He was practically an angel. A wisp of heaven in human form…

Dom turned to lay back on his side, staring down at the little night-light plugged into the wall. Even its soft, white glow managed to remind him of Elliot’s smile.

So, the question was never: Why do I like Elliot?

It was: Why did Elliot have to like…

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“M-Milly?!”

Dom glanced up towards the sound of Elliot’s voice, only to catch a glimpse of the pink-haired girl herself making her way over to him. Dom’s eyes widened slightly, a little surprised by her presence as well.

“H-Hey, Ellie!” She greeted. Two words in, and her face already matched the color of her hair. It was so painfully obvious she liked him, and the way Elliot’s eyes seemed to sparkle as he made his way over to her made was just as telling.

Dom never missed the way Elliot would brighten whenever he got a chance to talk about the girl. And he’d he lying if he said it didn’t bother him a little.

He bit the inside of his cheek, turning back to the flowers he’d been watering. And he couldn’t help but listen in to their conversation.

“What- what are you doing here?” Elliot asked.

“Oh, Hailey and Zander had to leave early today.” Milly responded. “I still got a little bit before my dad picks me up so, figured I stop by?”

“Oh! Yes! I’m glad you came! I-it’s always really nice to see you.” Dom stole another glance at the two, and Milly’s face had somehow gotten even brighter than her hair.

“R-really?” She stammered, her voice so soft it was barely recognizable.

“Yeah, I-”

“Hey, lovebirds!” Dom found himself talking suddenly. Words were escaping before he could even think about them. “Get a room, why don’t you?”

Both of them turned to face him, blushing madly.

“I- s-shut up, greenbean!” Milly shouted. “W-we’re not even-!” Dom laughed. Trying not to think about the sinking feeling in his stomach.

“Why so defensive? Might give us the wrong idea.”

“I’ll give you a wrong idea-” She mumbled, cracking her knuckles as Dom chuckled, praying it sounded genuine.

Before Milly could actually act on her threat, however, Elliot placed a hand on her shoulder, which alone seemed to ease a bit of her tension. She turned to face him, and was met with soft, caring smile.

“W-why don’t I show you the flowers we’ve been growing? We just planted a bunch of new ones recently!”

“Y-yeah! Okay!” She agreed, and Dom turned back around to the flowers he’d been watering, watching the way the leaves drooped a little under the water’s weight. He hadn’t even registered the puddle forming on top of the soil.

“Great! Well, uhm, come with me!” Elliot said. He sounds so happy with her…

“Dom?” Faye’s voice suddenly snapped him out of his trance, and quickly, he looked up.

“Hey, hi- uh, what’s up?” He said, and Faye pointed down at the flower bed he was watering.

“I think they’re good-” Dom glanced down at the soil, suddenly realizing how much water he’d given them.

“Ah, shoot! Heh, my bad.” He laughed, scratching the back of his head.

“Are you doing okay?” She asked. And Dom smiled, giving her a nod.

“Yeah, yeah I’m cool. Uh, I’m gonna go refill this. Looks like I used up most of it.” Before Faye could respond, Dom turned to leave, heading over to the hose to refill the watering can.

He kept his gaze fixated on his feet, telling himself over and over again to be supportive. Because Elliot was happy. And that’s all that mattered.

…Wasn’t it?

…

Maybe… in another life, Elliot would’ve been able to look at him that way.

Maybe in another life, they could been something.

Or maybe, in another life, none of this ever happened. And Elliot was nothing more than a friend with the prettiest face and the kindest soul Dom had ever seen. And Dom never once found himself wondering what Elliot’s lips would feel like against his…

Maybe, in another life… he could’ve saved himself. Saved himself from falling hopelessly for his best friend.

…But not in this life.

More Elm Propaganda🌼

(Unrelated but OMG I LOVE DOM SO MUCH he has taken over my brain and I’ve forced his silly ass shoulder metric tons of angsts I need more content of him please send me Dom asks or any asks I just want to yap-)

OKAY SO IT’S FINALLY TIME FOR THAT IN-DEPTH JOMIES DYNAMICS ANALYSIS!!

(Aka: My own interpretations of their relationships based on the canon interactions in the show. Warning this is going to be a long one.)

Jake and Drew: Messy. Oh so very messy. It’s obvious these two care about each other, but they possibly have the worst way of communicating. Neither of them understand each other because the way they communicate does not at all reach the other. There’s a lot of examples of this in the show, one being the infamous laptop scene from Episode 6 that’s already had so many wonderful analyses done on it before, so I’ll keep mine brief:

Drew’s love language is obviously gift-giving. He gives expensive gifts to his friends as a show of his love. He gave Jake a laptop so they can play games together, and Jake nearly gave it away almost on a whim. Metaphorically, he nearly gave away a symbol of Drew’s affections. Carelessly.

We know Jake became friends with Drew partially because he didn’t want to be bullied again. Drew was a bully, and he could protect Jake from other bullies. So I believe to an extent, Jake never lost that image of him. Sure, he grew to care about Drew, but in the back of his mind, Drew was always a bully. Someone to be feared. And I think this view is probably what prevented him from ever trying to understand him.

And Jake was terrified of getting on his bad side. So, he did what he does best: he lied. He lied about himself, kept his embarrassing interests hidden. He probably didn’t open up much to Drew in fear of being ridiculed or rejected. Therefore, not allowing Drew to understand him, either.

Now, we don’t know exactly how Drew feels regarding Jake, but we know he’s very attached to him. It’s very clearly shown to us in scenes where Jake interacts with anyone outside their little group. He’s always sliding his arm around Jake’s shoulders whenever Hailey’s around. And when Jake isn’t around, Drew’s usually looking for him, only ever glancing up from his phone to see if Jake’s around and only putting it away when Jake shows up. (I’m not just talking about the Spin-Off, he does this in Episodes 9 and 10 too.)

Drew is a very blunt person. And his actions are very telling of his intentions: Jake is mine, and Jake is off-limits. And ironically, the only person who doesn’t seem to get the memo is Jake himself, who remains obliviously indifferent. Anyways, all this to say that Drew’s method of keeping Jake close is being blunt and possessive. Whereas Jake’s method is to hide who he is. He’s very subtle with how he expresses his desires. Sugar-coats his words so the truth becomes somewhat obscure.

They’re complete opposites when it comes to communication. And because of this, it leads to this little tightrope game the two of them play. Both don’t want to lose each other. But the actions they take to avoid that ultimately lead to them falling to their demise. Drew grows possessive, Jake gets nervous, Jake lies, and Drew grows confused and frustrated, leading to him growing more possessive, and the cycle continues.

Until it eventually reaches its breaking point in Episode 10, which honestly highlights how deeply these two do not understand each other. Jake directly says to Drew: “I know deep down you knew I wasn’t doing this just because of her!” To which Drew (understandably) gets confused and defensive. Because Jake never once mentioned this to him. And Jake just somehow expects him to know this, but obviously Drew doesn’t, because Drew probably relies on blunt communication. He doesn’t understand the subtle glances and occasional frowns Jake gives. So it doesn’t reach him.

Meanwhile, Drew tries to tell Jake the truth about the Music Club (or what he viewed as the truth, because the actual truth Jake kept hidden) and he does this thinking he’s protect Jake from being used. He’s blunt, he’s straight to the point. He tells Jake that the clubs using him, and that the club is bad. Because that’s what he perceives as the truth. Whereas to Jake, this only comes across as being toxic and possessive. This blunt method of communication comes across to assertive. So it doesn’t reach him.

And in conclusion: these two were essentially destined for tragedy. 💔

Jake and Liam: I’m pretty sure these two interact the least throughout the show, but honestly they give off such a chill dynamic. Despite their lack of dialogue, it’s obvious these two care about each other, and they have each other’s back. I mean, Liam brought Jake Haribo Peaches. Asked if he was coming to school that day. A silent question of: are you alright? It’s a subtle show of compassion, and I think that’s all their relationship is really. Soft, subtle signs of care. And probably why he looked so defeated when Jake admitted the truth to them.

Jake and Henry: I almost see them having a brotherly dynamic. I mean, Henry picks on Jake a lot throughout the show. Teasing him about Daisy and Hailey, poking fun at him, laughing at him, stealing his jacket, all sorts of stuff. But I think picking on people’s sort of Henry’s love language. Just look at him and Liam.

Jake’s never really shown to say anything about this though, beyond just making a little face whenever it happens. (Actually, the image above is a perfect example of this. Henry teases Jake, and Jake just sort of accepts it.) I imagine he’d be a little bit annoyed with Henry at times, but at the end of the day, Henry is his clown and he does care about him. And I feel it’s very obvious he’s very fond of Jake as well.

I think that’s sort of why he tried to step in during Drew and Jake’s argument. He cares a lot about both of them, and wants to try and figure out things peacefully. I also think this is why he doesn’t say anything either after the fight, because what can he say? He cared a lot about Jake, and Jake lied.

Drew and Henry: These two are honestly a little more complicated, because honestly, I feel like a majority of their interactions are either Henry annoying Drew or Drew snapping back at him.

Like, yes, these two are in the same friend group, but I’d honestly say they’re the least close to each other. I’d imagine Drew genuinely finds Henry’s antics annoying at times, but Henry isn’t exactly sure if Drew’s being serious or not. And I’ve seen people make the argument that this is just normal friend bickering, but Henry genuinely looks a little defeated or nervous whenever Drew snaps back, which is why I think it’s a little more than that. (Or maybe I just need to rewatch every scene they have together lol.)

Drew and Liam: Okay, I will admit. This one will probably be the most speculative, because there’s not a lot of actual interactions between these two in the show. However, I am a hardcore Driam shipper so obviously I have crafted my own interpretation of these two’s relationship. (Which I’ll try to keep unbiased.)

And honestly, it’s sort of similar to the dynamic Liam has with Jake, but… also not? It’s sort of hard to explain.

Drew and Liam obviously care about each other, but I think there’s a distance between them. Because the show makes it abundantly clear that Henry and Liam are each other’s person. And Jake was Drew’s person. And because of this sort of unspoken alliance, there’s obviously a gap between Drew and Liam. (Just like with Drew and Henry.)

And I like to think Liam and Henry are trying to close that gap, Liam specifically. However, Drew almost always seems to sabotage this attempt by refusing to put away his phone until Jake shows up.

Liam’s also a lot more observant compared to Henry and Jake. And I feel he’s able to read Drew’s behaviors slightly. And similar to how Liam offered the Haribo Peaches to Jake as a silent show of support, I like to think he’d do similar to Drew. (I’m probably reading way too deep into the Haribo Peaches message lmao.)

I also think Liam would help keep Drew more grounded when they’re together. He’s not ass eccentric and random as Henry, but he’s also… not Jake. (Meaning Drew doesn’t have to walk around glass around him.) He’s less afraid of losing Liam because that’s not really what he thinks about. So Liam’s probably the most calming to be around. They’re able to talk and bicker back and forth peacefully.

Henry and Liam: They’re married, they just don’t know it. Yet.

I would say I’m kidding, but I’m genuinely not. These two are genuinely so damn perfect for each other. It’s so obvious how close these two are. I mean, the way they’re able to practically read and finish each other’s thoughts. How they always look at one another before saying anything. How easily and happily they go along with each other’s antics. How protective they can be of one another.

They’ve truly seen each other at the most cringe and embarrassing points of their lives. They’ve been through so many ups and downs together. And they’ve had each other through it all. Whether platonic or romantic, there’s no denying they love each other. And that love truly is beautiful.

TDLR: I spend too much time thinking about the Jomies. 😭😭😭

Spoilers for my next (and most likely final) Drew fic:

(Scene taken from S1 Ep. 2 of Helluva Boss)

And for anyone curious as to why this’ll be my final Drew fic:

I’ve lost motivation. And I’ve run out of ideas for where I want to take this. To be honest, my fics weren’t initially supposed to follow a timeline. It’s sort of something that happened after I’d written Glass Hurts. (The order I post my fics is not the order I write them btw.) But now I don’t really know what direction I want to go in. I’ve also started two other fanfic projects, so I’d like to focus on those instead and come back to my Drew-centered self-destructive timeline when I have more ideas for it.

Okay, just ONE MORE Dom and Faye headcanon, I promise:

They’re fucking broke. (The end.)

Just kidding! Of course I’m gonna elaborate. But as a quick disclaimer: I have no canon evidence for this. I’m going off minor details, vibes and daydreams.

The way they’re dressed is actually what got me thinking about this. Maybe it’s just me, but it almost seems like their clothes don’t really fit right.

Dom’s clothes look too small for him; the sleeves don’t reach his wrists and his jeans don’t reach his ankles. Faye’s, meanwhile, look too big; the sleeves are huge and her pant legs are rolled up a bit. Probably just a stylistic choice, but it sort of got me thinking about the idea that they were hand-me-downs or something. (And I’m also delusional, so-)

Dom’s hair also looks like he cuts it himself. (Just look at it, it’s so uneven. Cute as hell though he’s doing a wonderful job.) Which I could honestly see him doing because: “Ew, hairstylists are a scam. I have scissors, I can just do it myself.” But also because: “Oh, I only have two dollars-”

And just considering how excitable they are and how invested they are in their special interests, I could totally see them being horrible at managing their money. (Which they’d probably get from doing odd jobs for their neighbors or something.) Every time, they tell themselves they’re gonna save more, but then Faye’ll go and blow all her cash on spider plushies and toys for Bitsy. (Which she never plays with.) Meanwhile, Dom would spend all his on like Squishmallows or something.

I also like to think they live in a more rural area; somewhere just outside the school district. It’d probably be a lot cheaper to live out there, but there wouldn’t really be much to do, either. So I’d imagine Dom and Faye would just go out and explore or something, hence why they prefer being outdoors. (Also, with them being outside the school district, they’d probably have to take public transport to get home. Which is sort of something I have them do in the fic I wrote lol. That may or may not finally be dropping soon. Anyways bus cool. 👍)

(@ratkingnezu also gave me another headcanon that Dom and Faye could’ve moved away to financial reasons, leaving behind their old friends, hence why they’re only seen with each other. I think this would also be a really interesting concept to explore.)

Okay this kind of derailed a little bit but in conclusion I think they’re lower class. Or maybe I’m completely wrong and they’ll actually be revealed to be richer than Drew. I don’t know why I’m trying to hyper-analyze characters who only have 5 minutes of screen-time instead of just waiting until more lore drops. Side effect of being delulu I suppose. Regardless of whether or not my theories are disproven, I won’t complain. I just want to see them again. 🥺

❤️Bridges (Pt. 1)🖤

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Synopsis: Drew spends most of his time suspended ignoring phone calls and withering away on the floor, until a certain someone decides to show up at his doorstep in hopes of changing that.

A/N: It has been a hot minute since I’ve posted a Drew fic, so for anyone who’s kinda forgotten the timeline: Drew and Jake got into a fight resulting in the both of them being suspended. Drew keeps ignoring Liam anytime he tries to help and is only spiraling further. And fun fact! This is arguably the softer of the two fics! (I hope I portrayed Drew’s worries properly.)

Contains Swearing, Arguments.

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Unsurprisingly, Drew received a two-week suspension from school for his fight with Jake. Which honestly seemed more like a blessing than anything. He wouldn’t have to deal with anyone for a full week. He could finally just… do nothing.

Countless messages remained unanswered. Nights passed without an ounce of sleep. And it felt…

Well, he wanted to say nice, but it was hard to feel anything anymore. Anything positive, at least. All he felt was exhaustion.

He found himself on the floor one quiet evening, once again ignoring Liam’s messages as he watched a video someone had taken of his fight with Jake. He didn’t know who had posted it, nor did he bother to check how long it’d been up for. But, he found himself drawn to it, watching it over and over again, focusing on the same part every time: the moment he’d snapped.

His own voice rang through the phone, sounding almost scratchy due to the poor audio quality. But that wasn’t something he found himself paying much attention to.

Instead, his eyes were drawn to Jake, soaking in every detail of the blonde’s expression. The subtle twitch of his brow, the slight tremble of his bottom lip, the faint red hue tainting his eyes as they began to grow watery.

It didn’t make sense… Why did he look so hurt?

He deserved this… he deserved to hurt. He deserved to feel this betrayal… to feel even a fraction of Drew’s pain.

Yet Drew could feel knives digging deep into his chest, piercing his heart, his lungs. It was hard to breathe. It was hard to want to stay alive…

And every time he rewound the video, the knives twisted further. Yet some sick part of him wanted to keep watching… to keep enduring the pain…

He deserves this… He deserves this… Stop feeling guilty…

It’s not your fault.

Suddenly, Drew’s phone began to ring, and the sound startled him so badly he nearly dropped it on his face.

He took a breath to compose himself, before glancing up at his phone screen to find Liam’s contact photo staring back at him.

With another breath, Drew hit declined. He wasn’t sure how many times Liam had tried to reach out to him, yet Drew made sure he never got through.

You think he would’ve figured out I don’t want to talk to him right now. Drew thought, almost instinctively declining Liam’s second call.

But in typical Liam fashion, he called a third time, and a fourth time. And in typical Drew fashion, he declined every one, before eventually deciding to power off his phone all together, tossing it to the side and likely adding to the collection of cracks taking up his phone screen.

He let out a sigh, glancing up towards the sunroof to see a silver half-moon hanging high in the sky, partially obscured by dark grey clouds.

And as he watched them drift through the sky, he began to think back to the start of Junior Year. How different he was back then.

How he was once a person who couldn’t stand the idea of being alone, terrified of the silence that came with it. How he used to do everything in his power to escape it, chasing distraction after distraction like the pathetic coward he was.

And how a distraction was what ended up hurting him the most in the end…

…Maybe that’s why he stopped running from the silence. Because it was the only thing that could never hurt him.

It was constant. It would never leave him, no matter how much he ran. At first, he thought it was a curse. But maybe it was more of a blessing. In one form or another, it always came back…

And it’s not like I could ever hurt it either…

Drew shoved the thought to the back of his mind. Damn Jake. Why’d I let him put that stupid idea in my head?

Drew rolled onto his side, wondering if he should get off the floor now. He wasn’t exactly sure how long he’d been down there. Probably too long.

But something didn’t exactly feel right about sitting in bed right now either. It felt more… fitting, to stay here. On the cold, hard ground.

Drew nearly jumped when he heard the doorbell ring. What the hell?! Who’d be at the door this time of night?!

The doorbell rang again, and again, over and over, so many times, and Drew didn’t even need to get up to figure out who was at his door.

“Christ, I’m gonna kill myself.” He mumbled to himself, dragging himself off the floor. He made his way downstairs, pulling the door open to reveal none other than Liam himself. Figures.

“Hey-” Liam’s usual greeting was interrupted the moment Drew came into view, and his eyes briefly glanced him over. “Damn. How come you always look like shit when I come over?” Drew rolled his eyes, biting back a groan. Thanks for the reminder, idiot.

“I wasn’t exactly expecting you.” He remarked. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Have you even been outside? Like, at all?” Liam asked, completely ignoring Drew’s prior question.

“Why the fuck would I go outside?” He grumbled, dragging a hand down his face.

“Because it’s healthy? Or something like that?”

“Yeah, I think I’m good.”

“Well, what have you been doing?” Liam questioned, and Drew couldn’t think of an honest answer that didn’t sound insane.

“Liam, I’m really not in the mood for this today. Leave me alone.”

“You’re really just gonna send me away? After I drove all this way for you?”

“You drove 10 minutes-”

“15, actually.” Liam corrected, and Drew rolled his eyes again. He was about to reach for the doorknob and close the door, but before he could, Liam grabbed his wrist.

“Drew, please.” The shorter man blinked, surprised by the sudden desperation in Liam’s voice. Liam seemed a little taken aback himself, and he was quick to mask it with a soft chuckle. “Seriously, I…” He paused for a moment, as if unsure what to do. “It’s not healthy to stay in your room all day and not talk to anyone. It’s- it’s gonna drive you insane.”

Why do you care? Drew wanted to ask. The words were on the tip of his tongue, yet his lips remained sealed.

He could feel Liam’s thumb rub his wrist gently, and his deep crimson eyes looked up to meet Drew’s.

“How ‘bout we go on a walk?” He suggested, his voice regaining its usual cheerful tone.

“Really?” Liam nodded. “Do I get a choice?”

“Not at all! You go back inside, I’ll just throw rocks at your window, all Romeo and Juliet style.”

“Oh, God, please don’t.” Drew groaned, and Liam slid a little closer.

“I’ll even recite some love poems too. I’ll be on my knees crying ‘Oh Romeo! Where thou art Romeo?!’ And make it look super gay.” Drew pulled his hand away.

“Fucking gross.”

“Then put your shoes on! And- maybe grab a jacket, too. It’s pretty cold.”

“Fine. Give me like, 5 minutes.” Liam smiled, and settled himself down on the front step.

“Alright, Romeo!”

“Fucking kill yourself.” Drew mumbled, closing the door behind him before letting out a low sigh. Why does he always pull shit like this? He wondered, throwing on the pair of shoe he’d left by the door.

And why do I always go along with it?

Making his way over to the couch, Drew grabbed a jacket he’d left lying on the back, throwing it on and checking the pockets to find his keys still inside.

…Liam doesn’t care. He’s lying, remember? It’s all a lie…

…

Before Drew knew it, he was out the door again.

Liam was in the same position Drew had left him in, and he glanced up when he’d heard the door creak.

“That was fast.” The taller man commented. “Sure you got everything?”

“Yeah.” Drew replied, and Liam stood up.

“Awesome. Let’s go, then.” He said, motioning with his head for Drew to follow him.

“Where are we going?” He asked once they’d reached the sidewalk. Liam shrugged.

“Dunno. Wherever, I guess?” What did I expect?

Drew didn’t respond, instead following Liam down the street in relative silence.

And despite the time, the surroundings weren’t all that dark. Street lamps lined the sidewalks, providing a gentle glow for the two to follow. The half-moon shined brightly overhead, with only a few clouds dotting the sky.

The breeze was cool and gentle, and it felt nice against Drew’s cheek. Everything was quiet. Peaceful, almost.

But Drew couldn’t stop his mind from wandering.

Why is Liam doing this? After everything, he still won’t tell me what he wants. Does he… genuinely just want to help me?

…That’s what Jake had said, too. But Jake lied…

And Liam has Henry, so… why does he want me? If not to use me, too?

Drew shoved his hands in his pockets, his gaze drifting down to the sidewalk. And he suddenly realize Liam had yet to ask him about-

“So… how's it been, being suspended and all?” There it is. Drew shrugged.

“Fine, I guess? It’s been a nice break from everything.” Liam nodded.

“Have your parents found out yet?”

“If they have, they haven’t said anything.” He mumbled. “And even if they're mad, what are they gonna do? They’re out of town for another week.”

“Lucky.” Drew glanced up at him.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“I mean, having your parents out of town all the time and being able to get away with whatever you want.” Drew bit the inside of his cheek.

“Yeah.”

“If I had that kind of power, I’d-” Liam paused. “Probably get arrested, honestly.”

“That’s because you’re an idiot.” Drew commented, and Liam elbowed him in his side.

“Ass.” Drew’s lips twitched slightly, a soft hint of a smile appearing on his face.

He’s lying. He doesn’t care about you.

A familiar frown tugged at Drew’s lips, and the two fell silent once more.

“…You picked a pretty good week to get suspended.” Liam said after a while. “Pretty much nothing’s been happening at school. Just a bunch of review and shit.” Drew nodded.

“It’s like, the opposite of the whole ‘only cool stuff happens when you’re absent’ thing. You know?” Liam added, and Drew shrugged.

“Maybe because I’m suspended, not absent.”

“Heh, true.”

He doesn’t care about you.

Liam’s pace slowed they passed beneath another street lamp, and he took a deep breath before coming to a halt.

“Okay, I can’t keep ignoring this.” He mumbled, and glanced over his shoulder to look back at Drew. “Can we please talk about it now?”

“…Talk about what?”

“You know what! The reason you were even suspended in the first place?” Drew blinked, before letting out a groan.

“That’s none of your business, Liam.” He stated, brushing past him and leaving him alone in the light.

“It absolutely is my business.” Liam claimed as he followed him. “You’re my friend, and Jake- well…” He thought for a moment. “Whatever. Point is, I saw the video, and I want to know what happened. What- what led up to that?” Drew thought a moment before he spoke.

“That freak thought he could try to use me again.” He answered. “He got what he deserved.”

“…Are you serious?” Drew turned to face him. “You can’t actually think that. I mean, you got way too personal towards the end there. Hell, half the shit you said even Henry and I didn’t know about. And now the whole school’s-

“Oh, so he’s allowed to break my trust, but I can’t break his?!” Drew snapped, taking note of the way Liam flinched. “He hurt all of us with his lies! And now, he’s paying the price for that.”

“I… guess. But still, it’s just- I don’t know.”

Liam slowed when the two came across a bridge, and he glanced down at the still waters below. He paused for a moment, before resting his arms along the railing.

“Don’t tell me you still care about him?” Drew ventured, leaning against the railing beside him.

“I don’t know, honestly. Henry keeps telling me how he thinks there’s more Jake isn’t telling us. Maybe there’s a chance he still-”

“Of course Henry’s still trying to be optimistic about this whole thing.” Drew mumbled. “Jake chose his side, he’s-”

“What is it with you and sides, Drew?” Drew stiffened at the question. “Seriously. You’re always talking about them, and you’re always acting like someone can’t have-”

“Would you want to be someone’s second pick?” He asked, and Liam thought for a moment.

“Better than third, right?”

“I’m being serious, Liam. If you're not first, you’re not important. You’re… replaceable.”

He’s gonna use this against you…

“You’ll never mean as much to them as someone else does. And then all you can do is watch as they chase after that person, that somehow did everything better than you ever could.”

Shut up. Shut up.

Drew’s nails dug into the fabric of his sleeves, only to feel Liam’s hand rest against his shoulder.

“Did… you ever try talking about this with Jake?” He asked, and Drew could feel his shoulders tense.

“I- what?! Liam, this has nothing to do with Jake-!”

“Oh, come on. This has everything to do with Jake! It’s obvious you miss him, too!”

Drew fell silent, and that ever-familiar flame began to flicker in his chest. Quickly, he smacked Liam’s hand away.

“Don’t assume shit about me!” He suddenly shouted, turning to face him. “I hate how you do that!”

“Then what am I supposed to do?!” Liam yelled back, which caught Drew off guard. “You don’t tell me anything, and you don’t ask me for anything so I’m left playing this stupid guessing game trying to figure out what you need! If you don’t want me to assume, Drew, just talk to me! Tell me what’s going on, or just- tell me what I can do to help! I want to help you!”

Liar. Liar. Liar. The smoke in his mind was growing heavy.

“I don’t want your help! I don’t want to talk to you about this! I’m fine!”

“For Luni’s sake, Drew! What are you so afraid of?!” He yelled. And Drew could feel his breath catch in his throat.

…What am I so afraid of..?

Drew took in a slow, shaky breath, his eyes finally meeting Liam’s.

“You know what I need, Liam? I need you, to take a fucking hint for once in your life and leave me the hell alone!”

Liam took a step back, but Drew moved closer,

“You think I like having my phone blown up 24/7?! You think I like it when you break into my house in the middle of the night and force me to go along with all your stupid ideas?! You keeping saying you want to help me, but all you do is drive me up a fucking wall!”

Crimson eyes glistened. Coffee eyes burned.

“All you fucking do is lie to me! You think I’m stupid or something?! You think I don’t see through your bullshit?! You already lied to me about Zoey, you lied about having my back and I wouldn’t be surprised if you lied about Jake this whole time, too! Because everyone fucking lies to me, and I know you’re no different. I know you’re nothing but a conniving little bitch who’s gonna leave me the second you get what you want, just like everyone else!!”

…Drew could feel his throat tighten, his eyes stinging from… something.

“So, if you want to something ‘helpful’ for once in your pathetic little life, you’ll stop pretending like you care about me, and you’ll finally leave me the fuck alone!!”

…Drew could barely breathe. His chest was heaving from how loudly he was yelling. Half the neighborhood must’ve been woken up from it. But Liam didn’t say anything, and his gaze dropped to his feet.

“Oh…” He whispered after a while, only to choke out a laugh. “I see, so… everything I ever did to try and help you… that meant nothing to you?”

Drew could feel the corners of his lips curve into a twisted smile. His eyes darkening as he took another step closer.

“It’s about time you got the hint!”

“Wow! Okay. Nice to know that-” He paused, and Drew finally caught glimpse of the tears forming in his eyes. “Nice to know that I’m nothing more than a ‘conniving bitch’ to you.”

And it felt as if a knife had pierced through his stomach, cutting through the flames and causing his heart to miss a beat.

“Liam-?”

“Sorry for trying to help you too much!” The taller shouted, before storming off in the opposite direction.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” Drew called, but Liam didn’t look back.

“I’m leaving!”

“And you’re just gonna leave your mom’s car in my driveway?!”

Liam stopped, before letting out a low sigh.

“Fuck.” He whispered, before turning back around.

“Don’t try to follow me.” He murmured as he passed Drew by, and the shorter scoffed.

“You’ve got to be insane if you think I’d want to see you at all after this! Just get the hell out of here, and stay the hell out of my life!”

And Liam didn’t respond.