ｒｅａｌ ｌｉｆｅ :

It had only taken minutes with Tom in the apartment for Levi to figure out he was staying over, even when he still was a little shaken up from the events of that afternoon, his excitement about the fact that his hero would have a sleepover with him, overtook all of his thoughts.

Both Tom and Elijah were basically playing babysitter for the two young blondes, but seemed enjoyed it thoroughly.

The four of them were currently playing cowboy, where Tom and Elijah played cops who had to prevent Mallory and Levi from stealing a treasure; two chocolate bars.

It was a full blown war only four minutes in, with the two brunettes crouching down behind the couch in the living room, making gun noises while trying to 'shoot' the younger blondes that hid behind the kitchen counter.

Both young adults didn't seem to mind how ridiculous they looked and continued, getting into their roles and now talking with incredibly cheesy southern accents, teasing the young kids.

It went on for a while, before Levi yelled out 'smoke grenade!' and both the brunettes started to cough dramatically, while yelling out for each other where they were, even when they could see each other perfectly fine.

"I can't see nothing, partner," Tom spoke in the horrible accent, his lips curling upwards as he put his hand on his forehead, looking around.

"Wait, partner- I think I see one of them little rug rats right over there!" Elijah exclaimed, pointing in the direction of Levi, who had come out from behind the counter.

The young blond turned his hands into finger guns, before sticking them up, pointing at Elijah, "Stick 'em up, partner."

The brunette complied, raising his hands in the air, "Oh no- you've got me!"

"Now turn over those chocolate bars of yours." Mallory spoke, also appearing from behind the kitchen counter, holding one hand with the other, shaping the top hand like a gun.

Elijah sighed, "Alright, alright."

He turned around slowly, before quickly reaching to his pockets, making finger guns as well, and quickly spun back around.

Before he could say it, he was interrupted by Levi who made loud 'pew' noise, meaning that Elijah was now shot.

A strangled scoff left his mouth, and he let himself stagger backwards, falling onto the couch,

"Oh no! Save me, partner!" The brunette exclaimed, reaching out to Tom, who stood half a metre away, with an exaggerated look on his face.

The Brit crouched down dramatically while putting his hand on his arm, "No! Not my partner! Everyone put my partner."

In the meantime, Mallory and Levi had made their way over and watched the scene unfold in front of them.

"Take care of my kids when I'm gone," Elijah spoke as he still laid on the couch, pursing his lips together to prevent him from bursting out in laughter.

The British brunet took a hold of the American's hand and squeezed it lightly, "It's not your time, partner."

He then turned around to Mallory, "Is there any way I can save him?"

A mischievous smirk grew on the young blonde's face, making her eyes sparkle, "Well.. there's one way."

"Oh please tell me, kind lady."

"The only way to save this guy, is to kiss him.." The girl spoke nonchalantly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

A slight blush formed on both the brunettes' faces, as this was definitely not what they expected.

The first who could find his words back, was Tom, "Oh the things you do to save a person's life-"

The British brunet leaned down and pecked the pink lips of the hazel-eyed boy sweetly, who's lips tingled with electricity at the touch.

Tom leaned back a bit and gave the brunet, who still laid on the couch a goofy grin, which the the brunet happily returned.

"Ew!"

Both brunets whipped their heads around to look at Levi, who had a disturbed look on his face,

"Kissing's gross!"

Elijah let out a scoff before sitting up straight and making his way over to the young blond, picking him up from the floor and dangling him off the ground by his legs,

"Take that back, you little demon!" The brunet exclaimed, shaking the young blond, earning childish giggles in return.

"Never! Kissing's gross, kissing's gross, kissing's gross!" He shouted with a slightly strained voice, caused by the way he was being held upside down.

Tom couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the two brothers. He was amazed by the way Elijah acted around his younger siblings, and seemed to totally give into their needs and whims, but in the best way possible.

Elijah looked to his side, searching for the black clock that was placed on one of the walls of the apartment, 9:30pm.

"Alright, you two. It's bedtime." He spoke, beginning to make his way towards Salem's bedroom, where the young blondes would be sleeping, while still holding onto Levi's legs.

There was no extra sleeping place in the small apartment he shared with Salem, so because of this, Salem stayed at Teddy's for the night. Normally Salem and Elijah would share a bed when the two young Becks stayed over, but the blond had insisted to stay at Teddy's for some reason.

"Tom, make yourself at home while I make sure these two will go to sleep." Elijah said, poking Levi in the side with his free hand, while still holding onto his leg with the other, walking off to Salem's room, leaving Tom behind.

After watching the two brush their teeth and making sure they changed into their pyjamas, he tugged them into the large bed.

"Are you and Spider-Man boyfriend and girlfriend?" Levi asked while getting comfortable in the bed, giving his older brother a curious look.

"Boyfriend and boyfriend you mean," Mallory corrected, shooting Elijah a look as well, but this one was laced with mischief more than anything.

"Tom and I aren't boyfriend and boyfriend," Elijah sighed, readjusting the white sheets that covered the two young blonds, "Not yet anyways. Maybe someday.."

The youngest Beck let out a yawn, closing his eyes for a second, "It would be pretty cool if you and Spider-Man would be boyfriends.."

The brunet chuckled, kissing his younger brother on the forehead, "Yeah, I guess it would be."

He turned to give a goodnight's kiss to Mallory as well, before standing up and switching off the lights of the small bedroom, "Alright, goodnight you two. You know you can always wake me up if something happens."

He was given two short 'goodnights' before he shut the door and walking back to the living room, where Tom was watching tv.

Elijah offered to watch a movie in his room instead, as it would be further away from the two sleeping children, to prevent them from staying up and listen to the noises that came to the tv.

It took the two a good five minutes before they settled on a movie to watch, as Elijah really wanted to watch Iron Man, but Tom wanted to watch a horror film. The American brunet managed to get his way however, and so the two watched Iron Man on Elijah's bed.

Around half an hour after the movie had ended, the two brunets ended up laying only inches apart, faced to one another, while they talked quietly.

"You and Carrie seem really close," Tom spoke, looking the hazel-eyed brunet in the eye.

Said brunet nodded slowly, meeting the Brit's gaze, "She's been with me through everything.."

"Even..?"

Elijah swallowed slowly, "She was the one who found me. I didn't know her at the time, but she pulled me through the first night."

He sighed, "We were complete strangers, but she offered to stay with me and to call my parents.. She stuck with me ever since. To be honest, I think she saved my life."

A sympathetic smile overtook Tom's features as he slowly caressed the other brunet's cheek.

"I'm so sorry for everything that happened to you, El.." The Brit sighed, as his sympathetic smile turned into a sad one, "If it weren't for me, everything would still be normal, and you would still be anonymous.."

Elijah placed his hand over Tom's, which was still placed on his own cheek, "Please don't apologise. You're the best thing that's happened to me in a very long time. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"..I really love you, not in a weird way, because I don't know you, but I do – your nose buddy.." Tom spoke softly, letting his head rest into the comfortable pillows while still gazing at the other brunet.

"You remember," Elijah whispered in realisation, a toothy grin spreading across his face.

It had been quite a while since he wrote that under Tom's Starbucks cup. He remembered feeling absolutely terrified while writing it, scared to look like an complete idiot, even when he acted like exactly that nighty percent of the time when he was around the Brit.

"How could I forget?" Said Brit questioned jokingly, letting his index finger slowly trace around the features of the other brunet's face lightly, "I was so confused for a moment when I read it, but I figured it out pretty quickly."

"Please kiss me," Elijah whispered quietly, almost incomprehensible – like he didn't want to be heard.

The British brunet seemed to understand perfectly fine however, as he reached over to hazel-eyed American and connected their lips softly, still caressing his cheek.

The set of firework Elijah felt the first time they kissed when they went on their first time, seem to reappear in his stomach as he closed his eyes, moving into the tender kiss.

He let himself fall onto his back slowly, with the Brit leaning above him, while he let his hand run through his hair.

The two continued like that for a while, kissing one another, but neither of them advanced, as Tom didn't want to overstep the other brunet's boundaries.

After the two disconnected their lips, Tom let himself lean down on the bed again, but managed to lie even closer to the American now.

"Levi asked if we were boyfriend and boyfriend," The slightly younger brunet spoke up, a small smile appearing on his face as he looked at the other brunet.

"Well, are we?"

It got quiet for a moment, as Elijah seemed to disappear in his own thoughts for a bit, before turning to his side again and looking at the older brunet, "Maybe.. I don't think one date will be enough to determine that though."

Tom playfully shoved the younger brunet to the side, making him fall on his back again, earning a chuckle that seemed to resemble more of a giggle if anything.

"You're sneaky. But alright, we'll have to go on that second date then.."

A proud smirk appeared on the American's features in victory, before turning back around to face Tom, who had his eyes closed for a moment.

"You sleepy yet?"

"No, never," The brit replied, but after receiving a doubtful look of the brunet next to him, he spoke up again, "Fine, maybe a little. Now come here."

He padded a spot next to him, for Elijah to lay down, who complied happily.

There the two young adults laid, the British brunet holding the American one softly in his arms, whilst rhythmic breaths escaped both their mouths.

If Elijah were to be honest, he felt great. He felt great and never wanted the feeling to end again.

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[ 12 - 7 - 19 ]

okay, but honestly- i want to cry. these two own my heart and are way too pure

aLSO - WE NOW KNOW WHAT'S WRITTEN ON THE CUP- HOORAY. for the people that forgot- it's a bit of a call back to chapter 6~