WHO: Eliot & Ben Waugh-Solo WHEN: Monday, May 18th WHERE: Galactic Roasters WHAT: Eliot has apologies to make. TRIGGERS: Nope. It's a mini log of fluff.
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Eliot had been late to classes. Thankfully, there'd been measures in place to make up for his absence and he'd done the equivalent of a 'what can you do?' shrug in Scott's direction when they passed by. And though he'd arrived late, and missed the French course he was subbing for, it still felt as though the day had drug on. This was, of course, in part to the hangover and other damage he'd put his body through the evening before; but was also due to the fact he had somewhere else entirely that he wanted to be. He'd delayed his arrival at school to make apologies to his wife.
And now he needed to do the same with his husband.
Bouquet in hand, he pulled the door to Galactic Roasters open and gave a small smile at the sound of the bell. A casual wave was lifted in the direction of Harrington, Michelle and the other regulars of the shop, but he made no move to approach the counter. Instead, he approached the management office.
Eliot Waugh did not need permission to enter that room nor did he feel the necessity to knock. It was pulled open as though he was meant to be there. And as soon as he crossed the threshold, he shut the door behind him. "You know," he began, without an opportunity to let the other occupant speak, "One might question this alleged Force Bond when you are here. Alone." He looked up to him now. "The poor, poor espresso machine."
El's presence felt right, which was the main reason for the smile that bordered on smirk, as Ren turned around and tilted his head in the direction of his husband.
"The espresso machine will be just fine," he told him. "You…" a pause, an obvious check in the Force, and then he glanced at the flowers before back at Eliot's face. "Also seem to be fine. See, I knew if I just kept at it long enough, you'd be right back at charming me. How's the head?"
He'd been prepared with the opening of conversation, a natural smile ready with the words, but he'd not been one hundred percent certain how Ren would respond. Being met with a smirk only made his smile grow wider. Crossing from the doorway towards him, he held out the flowers in offering. "If by fine we mean wiser, matured and happy to see you? Yes. Fine."
There was a moderate chuckle, "Or at least the Portal would realize the error of it's ways and allow me to charm you." As for the head...well. He gave a shrug of his shoulders as though it were nothing. "I've woken from worse." He pulled in a breath, "But, admittedly, not for a while."
"It was a toss-up which would happen first," Ren returned, maybe a little cocky, but hell, some cockiness should be allowed considering that Eliot had definitely been in a constant line of rebuff from the moment he'd woken up his younger self. Ren might understand it, but it didn't mean it hadn't still hurt a little bit.
"I'd feel sorry for you, but…" he shook his head with a tsk. And then he reached for Eliot's hand. "I'm glad you're back to your wiser, more mature self. Tell Harrington to make you a coffee of your choice on the house - see if it won't help with that headache."
"He'd have broke," Eliot noted, though he didn't want to linger on it. His younger self hadn't been immune to the charms of Ren. It was that the weight of it all had been too much for him and that was more powerful than any attraction he'd felt towards the man.
He took his hand, squeezing it gently, before nodding. "In a minute," he agreed before leaning forward, setting the flowers on the nearest surface, freeing his hand to come up and rest against Ren's cheek. "Unless you have something you need to get back to."
There was the smallest of smirks at this, the knowledge that he'd been right always an enjoyable piece of information, but he sobered slightly and stepped so that he was close. "I don't have anything," he told Eliot. "At least nothing that can't wait ten or fifteen minutes." He leaned in, pressing lips to Eliot's. "At least we didn't have to put up with Vader obsessed youth me."
A smile grew through the kiss. Even though he had no gap in his memories, remembering everything his younger self had done, he still somehow found himself missing this. And so when the kiss broke, he sighed out, "Only fifteen?" He leaned his forehead against Ren's and nodded gently. "We'd have managed if we had." It'd probably not have done any good for them as far as public perceptions went. He wondered, briefly, how damaged his own reputation was now. He'd have a better sense once he was around the students more.
"Wait were you wanting longer?" Ren teased. "Demanding." He slipped his hands behind Eliot's waist and leaned in, letting himself relish in just Eliot's presence. He didn't always think very intentionally about how much he wanted this man always there. But this had been a reminder that he very much didn't want him to ever leave. "I love you."