SEVENTEEN
Gray Clouds

Elias picked Mars up from school that day. When he texted her to let her know, she responded with a shit ton of prayer hand emojis.

She threw herself into the passenger seat when she reached his car, letting out a heavy sigh. "I hate the bus," she stated, shoving her backpack down at her feet before tugging on her seatbelt. "The AC is broken like, most of the time and everyone is loud. Also my seat partner doesn't stop talking even if I'm blasting music in my headphones."

Elias cracked an amused smile. "Sounds about right. I was so excited for when I finally got my license so I didn't have to take the bus anymore."

"Waiting impatiently," she mumbled. "Wait, so how were you able to pick me up?"

"Had a surprise off day."

Her lips formed an 'o.' "Nice. I bet you still worked all day though."

Elias frowned. "I didn't."

She gasped dramatically. "You did something other than work?"

"You act like that's shocking. When did you get so sassy? I could take away your phone."

Mars pursed her lips. "You already said you'd never do that."

"Correct. But I still have some tricks up my sleeve."

Mars snorted. Elias smiled to himself. There was a reason why he'd never take her things away from her just because she did something wrong. Several of them, actually. Everyone had something they relied on for comfort, entertainment, socializing, anything of the sort. It was obvious she resorted to her phone and computer for those things.

He'd be a shitty parent for punishing her by taking away the things she found comfort in.

He knew well enough what that could do to a kid. Having his stuff taken away when he was growing up solely because he talked back or forgot a chore, didn't do his homework or got one bad grade — it made him loathe his parents. And for good reason. He didn't want Mars to deal with what he had to.

There was no need for punishments as long as you communicated with your child in a healthy manner. It was that simple.

"Oh, guess what?" Mars asked suddenly. Elias hummed in response. "So, Lily goes on a spring break trip with her parents every year. She invited me this time. Can I go?"

Elias glanced at her before looking back at the road. "Where?"

"Just to Galveston. It's like, an hour away, right?"

"Yeah..." It wasn't that bad of a distance, but he still didn't know Lily's moms that well. He was sure they were responsible, but anxiety ate at his brain. "I'll think about it, okay?"

"Why can't I just go? They're nice. You've talked to them. There's two adults, and it's just me and Lily."

"Do you want me to come with?"

"No," Mars groaned. "Two adults, remember? I'll be fine. Please?"

"You said you got anxiety from being away from home though," Elias pointed out, frowning a little. "You're doing well with sleepovers now, but you'll be an hour away this time, Mars. I can't just go and pick you up if you feel bad."

"I'll be fine!" she exclaimed again. "I'm comfortable around them."

Elias sighed. "I'll think about it," he repeated. "Okay?"

Mars slumped in her seat and nodded silently. When Elias casted a look her way, she was pouting.

He just shook his head.

___

"I have a genuine question," Elias said to the main three men that always stopped by. It was busy, and he was finally getting the chance to talk to them that day. It was one of those times where he really needed someone else's thoughts.

Marco glanced at him. "What's up?"

"Not from you," Elias said without looking at him. His attention was instead on Felix and Roman. "Can I ask?"

Felix chuckled lightly. "Go ahead."

Elias pressed his fingertips into a hand towel. "Mars wants to go on a trip with her friend and said friend's parents. It's only an hour away and for a few days, but I don't know if I'm comfortable with it. I'm not sure if I should let her go or not. Am I being too overprotective?"

Felix blinked, then shrugged. "I don't think you're being overprotective. I mean, it's normal to be nervous about your kid going somewhere fairly far without you."

Marco pitched in despite Elias ignoring him. "Yeah," he piped up. "Do you trust her friend's parents?"

Elias frowned. "I've only talked to them once. They seemed nice and responsible. I wouldn't say I trust them, but I don't distrust them either."

"At least she isn't going crazy far?" Felix offered. Elias appreciated that he was trying to reassure him, but the key word there was 'trying.' "Maybe you should get to know that girl's parents more and ask questions. That'll probably ease your worries."

Elias rubbed the side of his neck. "Maybe. I just don't even know how to go about that. This is new to me, believe it or not."

"Would you feel better if you could go with?" Felix asked. Roman nodded his agreement. Elias' gaze lingered on him before turning back to Felix. "Maybe being around would — "

"Mars didn't hesitate to complain about me going," Elias mumbled.

"What? Why?"

"Probably because she knows Eli would be a helicopter dad," Marco commented matter-of-factly, shrugging in indifference when they all turned to glare at him. "What? It's true. The way he's acting right now is proof. What are you so worried about exactly?"

Elias clenched and unclenched his jaw. "She already had anxiety over sleepovers — "

"But she got over that," Marco interjected. "You'll never be able to let her get used to something like this if you hover around her all the time. I'm sure she knows her limits. It's her brain."

Elias hated when Marco was right. And when he was right in a mature way. It made him want to throttle him even more than he already did.

"And besides, if she's been okay this whole time with her friend's parents, they're most likely trustworthy." Marco gave him a tiny, reassuring grin. "You gotta use your head a little more, man."

Elias sighed and braced his hands on the edge of the counter, lightly shoving himself back. His eyes landed on Roman, who nodded twice. "You agree with him?" Elias asked, then looked at Felix. "What about you?"

"He said what I was going to say, so, yeah."

"I say you let her do what she wants as long as it isn't dangerous," Marco added. "Some kids don't get that luxury, you know."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

"I know I am," Marco proclaimed. Instantly, the serious mood was ruined. "Anyway, while she goes with them, you should come with us."

"Excuse me?"

"If we're not all busy, it's tradition for us to go somewhere around this time of year," Marco explained, waving a hand. "Adults should get to have fun, too."

Felix sighed from beside him. "Lord knows you have plenty of it."

"Shut up."

When the two of them started quietly bickering, Elias slid over to stand in front of Roman. "Care to explain?" he asked, smiling softly when Roman quickly sat up.

"Um..." Roman scooted forward so he could speak quietly. "You don't have to go with if you don't want to. I know work and Mars are your top priority. But, uh, we just rent a hotel for a weekend next to the beach. To relax and stuff like that. We all need breaks from time to time, I guess."

Elias hummed. "Where is it?"

"It's about two hours away, I think."

Elias inhaled deeply, then exhaled through his nose. "I can think about it for now," he decided. "I just..."

"It's okay," Roman assured. "Don't, uh, don't feel pressured or anything."

"You're making me feel guilty," Elias joked.

Roman looked surprised. "No, no, that's not what I was trying to do — "

Elias laughed, halting his words. "I was kidding," he mused. "You're just so nice that it makes me feel bad if I say no to you."

"You – You can say no."

"I'm aware," Elias told him. "I just don't think I'll want to."

Roman exhaled and pressed the heels of his hands under his eyes. "You really need to stop doing that."

Elias furrowed his brows. "Doing what?"

"Just — "

"Excuse me!"

Roman stopped talking, and he looked with Elias at the lady who called for him sitting at a booth. She had three kids with her and was waving her hand obnoxiously. Elias gave Roman an apologetic look.

"You can finish when I get back," Elias told him, but right after he took care of the woman, it was as if everyone suddenly needed help. He was swamped with work for the rest of the day, and he hadn't even been able to say goodbye to the three who came.

Damn, Elias thought, exasperated. I wonder what he was going to say.

He hoped it wasn't anything bad. He didn't want him to be uneasy around him.

___

A/N: rise and grind gaymers a new character came out in genshin and he's the most excited i've ever been for a character since xiao !! his name is kazuha and he's . so cool and his design is even cooler

anyway i got him three times so guess who's having the time of their life in genshin rn

i also got jean while pulling for him!!! which makes me very happy bc i've wanted her since the beginning!!!

only genshin players will understand any of that my bad

hope y'all are doing well tell me about ur day !