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Elis winning the race now, his hands concentrating on nothing else but the games controls, his heaving breathing matching the adrenaline he feels. “Well someone is sure taking MarioKart seriously.” Demetri says from the side of him. “And someone obviously doesn’t know how to drive well.” Elis snaps back, careful to throw a smile over it just to Demetri knows hes kidding. He’s about to win now, he can see the finish line and he crosses it, which leaves Demetri to throw his controller and groan, as Eli laughs. They discuss Demetris poor driving skills for a moment before Demetri brings up exactly what Eli wanted to avoid. “You know, we were supposed to be catching up on eachothers lives more, not treating a game of Mario Kart like Greed Island in Hunter X Hunter.” He says, and Elis stomach twists. It had been a month since the house fight, and 4 weeks since Eli joined the Miyagi-Kai Dojo, and Eli was finally really fucking happy. Cobra Kai had lost its true fun after the school fight, and having fun back in his life made him feel like a kid again. For days now Eli had been glued to Demetris side, staying at his house for 5 days straight, just doing what they always used to do. It was the 3rd week of back and forth sleepovers and although Eli and Demetri had already gone through apologies at 3am, a Doctor Who marathon, and the embarrassment of falling asleep on eachothers shoulders, they hadn’t talked about stuff going on in their lives not revolving around karate. Eli didn’t want to because well....
He was bisexual.
And although he knew Demetri would never judge him for it, he didn’t really know how to casually say he realized his sexuality over the course of their broken friendship when Demetri asks, “So whats new man?” So everytime Demetri would ask him what else is new, he would dodge the question like it was a curse. He wanted to tell Demetri the truth, he wanted to tell his best friend that he realized he likes boys just as much as he likes girls, but he was having a hard time when it came to how.
So he doesn’t reply to Demetris statement, he just nods and he grabs another chip from the bowl in front of them and presses “New Game” on the MarioKart screen.
It doesn’t take long for Eli to start winning again, he’s obviously skilled and concentrated at this game. “Well, since you don’t want to catch me up on your life...” Demetri says quietly besides him, just as Eli grins at his perfect crossing over the bridge to the finish. “I made out with Yasmin.”
Eli crashes the car. His character dies.
“You...What?” He replies, suddenly his hands don’t know how to the play the game anymore. He tries desperately to play it off as a crash, but he’s failing miserably.
“Yup! Twice in fact, I mean to be fair I didn’t know what the hell I was even doing, but wow... she really knows what she’s doing.” He says, and for some reason Eli finds his breath stuttering. “Are you... dating her?” He asks, eyes not daring to look away from the screen. “I don’t know, it’s complicated.” He responds, with a shrug on his shoulders. “Mom likes her though, at least I think. They bonded over some expensive purse brands when she came over a few months ago.” Eli crashes the car again, and now Demetris far ahead of him in the race. She’s been here. In the house, Demetris personal space. He’s not even thinking about the race right now. “She bullied us, Dem.” Eli says, probably way too roughly, because it causes Demetri to look over for a fraction of a second. “Well, I mean you got to date Moon right?” He answers, and Eli finds himself clutching the game controller even harder, to the point where it cracks a little. He tells himself it’s not the same, but he knows it is. He’s angry. So terribly angry because Yasmine doesn’t deserve someone as good as Demetri and Demetri doesn’t deserve someone as horrible as Yasmine. “She’s changed you know.” He says, probably able to read Elis passive aggressiveness. He scoffs. He finds himself pushing harder against the controller, seemingly taking out all his anger on this damn game of Mario Kart. Is this how Demetri felt, is this how Demetri felt when Moon and him started dating? Did he feel scared, like Hawk did right now, like Demetri was going to throw Eli away the moment Yasmine called his name? Was he angry? Angry because he was supposed to be his best friend, not some popular girls tool? But the more and more he tried to remember, he never remembered Demetri not being happy for Moon and Hawk.
Something about that made him even angrier. He didn’t want to alarm Demetri with anger after all the anger mangement he’s worked on for the past month, so instead he tried to control his breathing and focus on the game. He jammed the buttons and his lips sealed into a tight line. “Crazy right? We used to dream about coming closer than 10 feet near her as kids, now look! I swapped spit with her and the whole thing!” Eli doesn’t answer. He knows he should say, “That’s cool! I’m so happy for you!” Or “No way bro!” But he can’t. He can’t do anything but stare at the screen and press his fingers down on the controls. He didn’t know why he was so angry at it, he just knew Yasmine shouldn’t ever get the chance to kiss Demetris lips.
As the night goes on, the image hes created of Demetri and Yasmine gets even worse. He’s sleeping side by side with Demetri on his king size bed, eyes wide awake watching Demetris closed ones. It’s 3am and he’s fast asleep, just like Eli should be, but he can’t help but think about Demetris words over and over. Elis air mattress had been thrown out by Demetris mother long ago, back when she noticed the two weren’t friends anymore, and based on his tone, Demetris mother burned it, along with all of Elis sleepover things, shortly after the arm breaking incident. He didn’t blame her, he really didn’t. He was a shitty person back then, and he’s lucky to even have the trust of his best friend again.
But today he hates it because he’s forced to sleep next to Demetri and he finds himself staring at the lips Yasmine kissed. It absolutely disgusts and revolts him, to stare at Demetris lips now, knowing that they’re tainted by blonde poison. His hands curl in the sheets as he thinks about it, how Yasmine must look at Demetri the same way she looked at Kyler or Brad or those ugly jock dudes; or how Demetri would look at her back, with a loving gaze and kiss her lips like a married couple.
Demetri was good. Forgiving, funny, smart, perfect, everything good. And Yasmine didn’t deserve that. Eli didn’t think even he deserved to be friends with someone like Demetri, because of how evil he looked standing next to such an angel. So why, why should Yasmine get to? Elis brows furrow as he thinks about how Yasmine came over, about how she’s the only person other than Eli himself to see Demetris house, to talk to his mom, to bond with her. His body gets ever hotter as he imagines her in his room, probably making fun of his nerd shit, her perfect blond hair in Demetris mirror, her pale and feminine legs crossed over Demetris bed.
Did she lay here in the bed with Demetri? Did she stay the night that night like Eli was doing right now? Did she stare at Demetris beautiful face as she fell asleep? Did Demetri intertwine their hands under the covers like he did when Eli had nightmares? Did she fuck him in this bed? Did Demetri loose his virginity with her in this bed?
Eli almost throws up.
He rises from the bed with a quick jolt and he doesn’t even know where he’s going, he just knows he cannot fucking take this. No way is he sleeping in a bed, a bed reserved for the bodies of him and his best friend only, when it could be possibly tainted by Yasmine. He runs to the bathroom, to wipe the beads of sweat off his forehead, and when he looks in the mirror he sees her face.
Did she put on makeup here in this mirror? Did she take one of those corny couples selfies with Demetris hand on her waist in this mirror? Eli runs out of there again, and he’s scared, so scared, because what used to be just Eli and Demetri around the house is turning to Demetri and Yasmine, and he doesn’t know why he hates it so much but he does.
Eli goes to the kitchen to pour a glass of water, because his throat is dry and heavy, and when he opens the cupboards he almost smashes all the cups. What if she drank out of these too? Her lips probably touched a glass of Demetris favorite tea. What if this whole house was replaced by her?
“It’s in the second cupboard, Eli.”
His head snaps up, and he didn’t even realize Demetris mom has been sitting on the living room couch the entire time. She has blankets sprawled out in front of her, along with pillows and a movie is playing on the screen.
Elis heart breaks.
She doesn’t trust him.
She’s sleeping here because she’s afraid, afraid of going upstairs and waking up to find Demetris arm broken again by Hawk, afraid that Eli will hurt Demetri again. It would explain why Demetris mom sleeps during the day, because she’s scared in the night that Hawk will replace Eli and Hawk will attack her son again.
He almost cries, realizing just how much he’s hurt his second family over the past few months, realizing how lucky he is to have such a forgiving friend, when Demetris mom reaches over his head and pulls out a Doctor Who Cup from the back of the shelf. She rinses the dust out it and fills it with cold water, handing it to him.
This cup wasn’t just any cup. It was a cup Demetri had bought for Eli for Christmas when they were 11, a cup that had its own special place in the cupboard where Eli could use it everytime he came over to spend the night. Along with the air mattress, Elis changes of clothes, and Elis specially designated blankets, these were permanent things that stayed in Demetris household for these countless sleepovers. But like Demetri had said, the air mattress and Elis old clothes and blankets were gone, probably burned in a fire of anger by Demetris mother, but why had this special cup stayed?
“Thank you.” He says, trying to calm down from his earlier burst of anxiety. She nods and starts making her way back to the couch. “He made me keep it, you know.” She says, gesturing to the cup.
His heart swells. The faith Demetri had in Eli never really left did it? When everything had been burned, he still wanted some piece of Eli to cherish. But it still hurt, knowing Demetris mom still didn’t trust him. He feels his eyes burn, burn of tears of regret, and he’s struggling to hold them in.
And then her eyes widen, and she’s reaching out for Elis arm. “Oh my god!” She says, “Eli!” She looks back at the makeshift bed on the couch, and then back to Eli. “Don’t think— don’t think that I don’t trust you.” She says quietly, looking down at the floor. “Although I wasn’t happy with your actions, I knew Demetri still cared about you, and I really, truly am so happy to see you be friends again.” She says, her own eyes filling with tears.
“You probably think i’m sleeping here to— to watch you— but I’m not.” Demetris mom says, her voice cracking. Eli didn’t expect this. “Y-You’re not?” He asks. “Me and my husband, Demetris dad, we uh— we’ve been having a few b-bumps in the road.” She says, a single tear falling down. “It’s better if I just sleep alone down here.” Elis heart almost breaks for the fifteenth time tonight. Maybe this was the reason Demetri wanted to catch up so badly, to talk. He needed to talk to someone about what was really going on at home. He feels bad as he nods sympathetically at Demetris mother, wrapping her in a one armed hug. She wipes her face and steps back, apologizing for crying in front her sons friend.
“Thank you, truly.” She says, making her way back over to the couches. “I cant forgive you for hurting Demetri in the ways you did, I’d never seen him so sad in his life; but i’m glad he has a close friend to support him again when things aren’t perfect at home.” Eli nods. “Demetri is a great person. He deserves the world. I don’t deserve him.” Eli responds, and he truly means it. His mom just laughs softly. “You should get some rest, Eli.” She says, smiling a forgiving smile. Eli nods, starting to walk away, head and heart full when he stops in his tracks at the words coming out of her mouth.
“Oh, young love.” She says, just a whisper loud enough for Eli to hear. He feels his stomach cave in at her words, his heart about to burst, and he has to hold himself against the wall in the hallway. Young... Love? Shouldn’t she say that for Yasmine and Demetri, not two male best friends? And then it all makes one big pile of fucking sense. The anger , the jealousy at Yasmine, the possessiveness over his best friend, the way Elis heart trembles when Demetris hands brush over his own, the way he constantly sees Demetri as a God, a light, a beacon of everything good that he would defend with his life.
Eli Moskowitz was in love with his best friend.
His eyes widen and his heart is about to pop out of his chest. All he can think about is Demetri and right now he has to contain himself enough to sleep in the bed right next to him. His hands ball in his fists and he prepares to open the door, it’s clear he will not be getting any sleep at all tonight.
And then he opens the door.
And Demetris standing right in front of him.
His skins pale in the moonlight and even though it’s dark Eli can see every curve in that beautiful face, and he prays to god that Demetri cant hear his heartbeat. “Oh. Uh. Sorry. I heard you get up.” He says, and Elis heart drops again. Did he hear everything? Did he hear Elis entire conversation with mother? Did he hear Eli say how amazing of a person Demetri was? Did he hear Demetris mother say the phrase, “Young Love”?
“Yeah— I was uh— thirsty.” Eli manages to reply, thanking the darkness for hiding his blush, and he follows Demetri back to the bed. Demetri gets in first, on the right side and Eli follows, but when they lay down he realizes neither of them are comfortable. They stare at the ceiling, in complete silence, not even daring to look one another in the eye. “Sorry If i scared you, I thought it was a nightmare.” Demetri says, referencing to the 3 or 4 times he had to comfort Eli in a nightmare that revolved around a bad dream where Eli broke his best friends arm over and over again, in a constant loop unable to stop. Although as horrible as it was, Eli thinks thinking of Yasmine and Demetri having sex in this bed is definitely something from a nightmare, but he doesn’t say it. “No. I’m fine.” He replies, turning on his back, doing anything and everything to avoid Demetris face because yes, it’s strange to realize you’re in love with someone and then sleep on the bed next to them.
Eli plays with his fingers in the dark, the thoughts of the night replaying in his head, and he feels anything but tired. He doesn’t even know how much time has passed now, because any normal person would have fallen asleep by now, but he can’t, and something tells him Demetri can’t either for some reason.
After some time, about maybe 30 to 40 minutes of silence and darkness, Demetri speaks. “I didn’t like it, you know.” He says quietly, his voice quivering, like he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to say it. Eli swallows before he speaks, his oxygen closing in and his heart rate moves at an alarming rate. “Like what?” He says, and Demetri takes a very long time to answer. He hears Demetri swallow and shift in the bed, closer to Eli, close enough to where if Eli turned over their faces would be centimeters apart. Eli doesn’t dare move when Demetri speaks. “Kissing Yasmine. Or any girls. I don’t like it.” He says, and Elis eyes bulge out of his head. He pinches himself on the arm 3 times and tries to tell himself it’s a dream, that this is crazy and he’s going to wake up anytime now, but when he realizes it’s not he feel his hands start to shake. He can feel Demetris breath of the back of his neck, his words met with nothing but silence. The boy he loves is telling him he doesn’t like kissing girls, and Eli turns slowly over in the bed, and prays, prays that this isn’t just a dream.
He meets Demetris face in the dark, barley able to see him, but it’s real, so real. Eli feels Demetris breath on his face, their lips only millimeters apart now. The stare at eachother, saying absolutely nothing, and then he catches Demetris gaze shifting down to his lips. He panicks, for a moment, but Demetri is staring, staring at Elis lips and Eli realizes he’s staring at Demetris too. And his heart, his world, everything caves in at once.
And Eli leans foward and kisses the boy in front of him. He presses their lips together ever so softly, and he can feel Demetri smiles as he deepens the kiss back, his head leaning in and his arms and legs wrapping over Elis own. And it feels, so perfect, so undeniably right, and Eli starts to cry tears of joy. Demetri pulls back, startled and alarmed for a second, his hands not leaving the back of Elis head. He quirks a brow and looks down at Eli with question. “Sorry—,” Eli says softly, wiping at his eyes, bringing Demetris forehead to touch his own. “It’s just—I love you.”