Elias huffed, standing up and picking up the groceries. "Alright. What are we making?"
Louis hummed, thinking for a moment as he leaned back on the sofa, one of his legs crossed elegantly over the other, his arm thrown across the back of the couch. He let his gaze roam over Elias from top to bottom before looking away, his expression turning contemplative. "Hmm... pasta? You don't have any food allergies, right?"
The blonde shook his head. "Not really... but I don't eat meat."
"You don't?" Louis asked with a slightly surprised look. That was new to him. The other didn't have this preference in high school. Still, he didn't question it, just nodding in acknowledgment. He made a mental note to cook only vegetarian dishes from now on. It would suck to have to change habits in the future, but if it was for Elias, it didn't matter. "No meat. Got it."
Once again, there was silence as they both worked in the kitchen on their respective tasks. Soon, the pasta was done, and everything was almost ready. The scene felt strangely... domestic, peaceful, and comfortable. All that could be heard was the clinking of utensils and the faint sound of boiling water. The silence was comfortable, and neither of them seemed to mind. After a few minutes, the quiet was broken by Louis.
"Hey, Eli..." he called out, almost unconsciously. His tone was surprisingly soft, and almost... hesitant. He didn't know why he felt this way or why he was acting like he did when they were younger.
"Hm?" Elias answered, waiting for the question as he chopped the lettuce for the salad.
Louis kept his gaze fixed on the pasta, which he was pouring into two plates in front of him. His mind was preoccupied with the words he wanted to say out loud. He knew he shouldn't say them, knew they weren't part of the charm he was supposed to maintain. But before he could stop himself, the words slipped out.
He paused for a moment, then finally spoke, his voice softer than before. "Why..." He hesitated again. "Why didn't you contact me? At all?"
Elias's hand, which held the chopping knife, stilled on the board. His gaze remained fixed on the lettuce as he tried to think of a response, something to say. But how could he? How could he explain that? He knew he owed Louis an explanation, but he just... couldn't give one.
A bitter smile crossed Louis's face at Elias' silence. He should've expected this. He knew he should stop now, but something inside him clawed for answers. He watched as Elias' hand, which had frozen mid-air, slowly came down, continuing to chop the lettuce in silence. A frustrated chuckle escaped Louis's lips.
"Oh, who am I asking for answers from? My apologies," he muttered bitterly. They were standing less than five steps away from each other, yet Louis felt like Elias was far, far away. But it didn't matter. If the other was far away, he'd just pull him closer. He wasn't going to be abandoned again.
He rephrased his question, asking the one that had plagued his nightmares. "Fine, just tell me this. Was it me? Was it something I did? Because I can change that, Elias. I swear I can. Just..." His voice grew softer, tinged with vulnerability. "Just... tell me that much."
A gulp was heard from Elias, followed by a deep breath. Then another. Finally, he spoke in a quiet, guilt-ridden tone. "No... it was my own reasons. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." His voice cracked, as if on the verge of tears. And maybe he was. his back remained turned to Louis.
Louis stared at him for a long minute before finally tearing his gaze away and fixing his eyes on the marble countertop. A soft sigh escaped his lips. He didn't say anything, as if he hadn't heard the apology. A tense silence fell across the room while they both focused on their respective tasks.