Elias couldn't lie about or avoid the fact that Roman had an oddly pretty sleeping face.

It sounded weird. He knew for sure it did, which was why he'd never say it out loud. But it was true — his features were completely relaxed, so every hard edge softened, giving extra attention to his long lashes. His bed head added to the effect.

Elias looked away and sat up before he could be caught staring. Any other time he wouldn't care — but he was pretty sure waking up to someone looking directly at you wasn't exactly ideal. In fact, it'd probably be fucking creepy. If it happened to Elias, he would for sure think so.

The morning sun was out, which he always enjoyed, so he got up to open the curtains just the slightest bit to let in that golden light. He glanced back to make sure it didn't wake Roman up (it didn't).

He dropped down into an armchair and looked at his phone. He'd gotten three texts from Mars since he last talked to her.

best daughter ever :DD -
we went to the rainforest cafe for dinner!!! it was so weird but the food was good

best daughter ever :DD -
[Sent a photo] look at this. the elephant was so creepy

best daughter ever :DD -
good morning i kept waking up throughout the night but i'm ok!! it's been v v fun (-:

dad (-: -
That elephant does look very creepy lol

dad (-: -
I'm glad you're having fun (: Don't be afraid to call if you have trouble sleeping again

Elias heard rustling and looked away from the screen to see Roman rolling over onto his back, blinking, then squinting against the light streaming in. "Good morning," Elias spoke, amused by how disoriented he seemed to be.

Roman didn't reply right away. Verbally, at least. He glanced at Elias, to the window, then promptly rolled back over to bury his face in the pillows. Elias grinned.

"Rise and shine."

"No."

"No?"

"Mm-mm."

Elias sighed and got up, walking over to carefully sit down on the edge of the bed. "Guess I'll go get breakfast without you then," he commented innocently, leaning back onto his hands. "Tea, maybe. I was thinking I'd look for a donut place nearby. Kinda have a sweet tooth at the moment."

There was a sniff, and Elias looked behind him to see that Roman was staring at him, still pressed against the pillow. "Don't go without me," he mumbled.

"Hmm, I don't know." Elias went to get up, but Roman latched onto his wrist. Maybe yanked a little too hard, because Elias stumbled and dropped right back down, catching himself before he could land on Roman. It would've been painful for them both.

"Please?"

Oh. Oh.

Elias blinked, mildly surprised by the butterflies that entered his stomach. Roman was looking up at him with those puppy dog eyes, tired, hair a mess and voice deeper than it usually was. It really wasn't a good combination after last night's revelations.

Elias cleared his throat and looked away before Roman could notice that he was becoming slightly flustered. "Uh, okay. I'll wait."

Roman let go, but their fingers still grazed against the sheets. "Thank you."

Elias nodded, biting at his bottom lip. He really, really couldn't afford these types of feelings. But he couldn't even fathom the thought of pushing Roman away. He had become far too attached. Him and the others were his friends. He hadn't been able to call anyone that in a long time.

He dragged his free hand down his face. He wondered when it all started, because those feelings sure as hell didn't just randomly pop up yesterday. They'd been there, but for how long? Since when? And how had he not realized?

Elias was snapped out of his thoughts when there was a quick round of knocks at their door. Roman groaned in complaint, but it was muffled. Elias released a small laugh and went to the door, cracking it open to find the other half of their group standing outside.

"Let us in," Marco declared, getting up into Elias' face and making him recoil.

Elias frowned. "Why should I? Ask nicely."

"Are you stalling?" Marco tried to peek over Elias' head. "Is there an undressed Roman in there? Hey, Roman! Let us in!"

Elias rolled his eyes and reluctantly unlocked the door, opening it fully to let them in. Thing 1 & Thing 2 with the addition of Marco bee lined it toward Roman, pouncing on top of him and making him complain. Elias looked to Felix, who looked equally as exasperated as Elias felt.

"Good morning," Elias greeted, closing the door behind him.

"Morning," Felix replied, throwing out a small, tired smile.

Elias raised an eyebrow. "Did you get enough sleep?"

"I did," Felix said, then yawned, completely contradicting his answer. "I did, seriously. I think my brain is still foggy from drinking. I don't know how Marco is functioning."

"You drank?"

"When we got back to the room," Felix clarified.

"Ah."

Felix nodded, then gestured toward the crowded bed further into the room. He gave Elias a curious look and asked, "Did you two sleep in the same bed?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Felix shrugged. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

Elias narrowed his eyes as Felix strolled further into the room, going to pull the other men away from Roman. He wanted to know why he had that knowing tone to his voice, but he didn't have the time to think about it.

"Get up, dickhead. We're getting breakfast together like a big, happy family."

Roman gave Marco the nastiest look Elias had ever seen him make. He sputtered out a laugh into his palm, gaining everyone's attention unintentionally. "Sorry," he said. "I've never seen Roman look so annoyed before. It's funny."

Marco snorted. "It happens all the time. Hey — get up, man. Come on. No more sleeping. Food awaits."

Roman still didn't budge. Elias exhaled quietly and walked over, kneeling onto the mattress so he could reach out and gently shake Roman's shoulder. The man looked up at him, the glare leaving almost instantly. Elias wondered how he hadn't noticed before — that Roman liked him. He'd been so oblivious.

Elias absently thumbed at his shoulder from over his t-shirt. "Come on. I know you don't want to get something alone. Remember? You begged me to not leave you al — "

Roman sat up quickly, cutting Elias off. He grinned, watching as Roman silently grabbed a spare change of clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. When he averted his attention back to the others, his smile faltered.

"What?"

"What?" Marco mocked. "That's bullshit. I've known him longer."

Elias sat down, leaning against the headboard. "Jealousy is very ugly, Marco."

"You're ugly."

"Aren't you the same one who called me 'pretty — '"

"That's irrelevant," Marco dismissed, waving a hand. "Anyway, what the fuck was that?"

"What was what?"

"That." He pointed to the bed, then to the bathroom.

"I was nice about it."

"You literally threatened him."

Elias scoffed. "That was not a threat."

Marco rolled his eyes. "Okay. Anyway — that was sexual tension."

"What the fuck are you talking about."

Marco placed his hand over his heart and repeated dramatically, "You begged me not to leave you alone – " He was cut off by Felix slapping him upside the head, causing him to curse.

Elias frowned. "Head out of the gutter, please. I was trying to get him to get up before you came, and I told him I'd get breakfast without him. He told me not to go without him. I was just messing around."

Felix shook his head. "You don't owe him an explanation. Marco is dumb."

Marco shrugged, plopping down in the armchair. "I can get all the details from Roman anyway."

That made Elias wonder if they knew. About Roman liking him. They had to — they were his best friends. There was no way they didn't know. And there was a chance Roman would tell them about everything, which Elias didn't mind. He just wasn't looking forward to Marco's side comments.

Then again, Marco found a way to tease about anything. It had to be a talent or something.

The door to the bathroom creaked open, and Roman walked back out into the room, movements sluggish. He really was still tired. Had he gotten enough sleep? It didn't seem like it. If he had, getting changed and moving around would've woken him up at least a little bit.

"Ready," he said, grabbing his phone and wallet off the bedside table. "Where are we going?"

"I'm fine with anything," Elias said. Thankfully, no one pressured him for specifics and they all decided, in the end, that they would go to a pancake house.

Elias managed to convince Roman to drive with him. He wanted to ask him if he slept at all. He was a little worried, seeing him still look as if he could fall asleep anywhere at anytime.

He glanced at Roman once they were both settled in. "Hey," Elias said, grabbing his attention. "Did you sleep?"

"Yeah."

"For how long?"

Roman shrugged one shoulder. "Enough."

"You're lying," Elias said, giving him a soft smile when he casted a quick look at him. "It won't hurt you to be honest. Come on."

Roman sighed. "Fine. I got 3 hours."

"Three?" Elias repeated in disbelief. "Why? Were you in pain? Sick?"

"No," Roman mumbled, covering his face with his hand. "I just..." He trailed off, hesitant. Then, finally, "I couldn't focus. With, uh, with you sleeping next to me. I don't know."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Do I snore?"

Roman frowned and turned to look at him, but his glare faltered when he saw the teasing smile on Elias' face. "You suck."

"Mm. Well — " Elias started to back out of his parking spot. Marco and them were already well ahead. "When we get back, you can go right back to sleep. I'll even leave the room and everything. Give you your beauty sleep. Since I'm a distraction."

"You don't have to do that." Roman rolled his shoulders, relaxing in his seat. "You're not a distraction either. So."

"That means I can nap, too?" Elias asked, keeping his eyes on the road. "I get tired after I eat and all. Would you mind? Or I'd still keep you up?"

"You're having too much fun with this."

"With what?"

"Teasing me," Roman muttered. "You're evil. I never expected you would be so evil."

"Wow, all I did was joke and that was enough to make you give up on me?"

"Stop it."

"Stopping," Elias replied when he could hear him sulking. Maybe he should give him a break. But it was so fun making him shy and getting him further out of his shell. They wouldn't have been able to mess around like this when they first met.

Really, this guy was making Elias feel like he was a teenager again. It was ridiculous.