forum The Rainbow Cafe (Closed)

Started February 08, 2019 by @Vuclan-is-tired

tune

"Just thought I'd remind you." He pecked Elliot on the cheek. He led Elliot over to his grey Camry and opened the door for Elliot.

“Why thank you” they said with a joking smile as they sat back in the car.

"No problem!" He replied with a slight curtsey. He couldn't hold a straight face and busted out laughing.

Elliot laughed with him, finding themselves unable to stop. They liked being around Tyler, that much they knew for sure.

Tyler clambered into the car. "Whaddya say, more starkid?" he asked. "You know you enjoyed it!"

“Yeah yeah whatever you want, loser.” Elliot smiled teasingly.

Tyler put on his Team Starkid playlist. Now, you know you've made it good when the first song on your playlist is Show Stopping Number from The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals. "ITS! A! Show-stopping number!"

Elliot smiled lightly, relaxing slightly. Tyler just had this excitement about life that was very refreshing.

Tyler tried to make as much of a Bob Fosse scene as possible while driving. It seemed that it was entertaining Elliot.

They giggled quietly. “You better not make us crash, Tyler!” They said jokingly. Only half joking actually.

"I won't! I do this every day!" Tyler just kept laughing and laughing. "If you wanna be with me, you better get used to it!"

“As long as you don’t crash us, I’m all good.” Elliot smiled over at him.

The parking lot of the theatre approached way too quickly for Tyler's liking. "Where's your car?" Tyler asked, not wanting this night to end. It had been too perfect, minus the whole Niq thing.

“I actually just walked” Elliot said, feeling slightly awkward about it for once. “But I should be good”

"Nope. I can take you home." Tyler said, not planning on letting Elliot argue. "Where's your place?"

“I-I just stay at the café…I’ve actually lived there ever since I ran away from home at 16” Elliot commented quietly. They hated discussing their past.

"Oh. I didn't…" Tyler stopped. How the hell to phrase this? he thought. "I didn't know. I'm really sorry. I'll take you over there." he backed out of the parking lot and started heading west towards the best rainbow of all time.

“It’s okay, to be fair I don’t talk about it much.” They said, trying not to make this more awkward than it already was.

"I know. You shouldn't have to. The past is the past." Tyler started thinking about his own past. He still hadn't forgiven. He should forgive, but he just can't.

They thought about the way they phrased that ‘ran away from home’ shit… they’d actually told the truth. Most people just assumed Elliot’s parents had kicked them out, but they never even gave their parents the chance.

Tyler couldn't stop thinking about his last night at his house after what Elliot said. He remembered it as if it was yesterday.
Dad? I'm home! I need to talk to you
Get me a beer, kid, and I'll listen.
Tyler brought his father a beer. Dad? You'll love me no matter what, right?
Maybe. Why?
Shit. This part almost always made Tyler cry when he replayed it mentally.
I'm gay, Dad.
His dad paused.
There'll be no (bleep!) under my roof. Get out.
And then it was done. Tyler started to cry softly in the car.

Elliot looked over “T-Tyler? Are you okay?” Their voice was filled with concern.

"I don't even know what okay is anymore…" he whispered through a closed-up throat. "I was thinking about… about the last time I had a family…" Tyler slipped away into tears.

“Pull the car over for a second” Elliot said sternly.

Tyler did as Elliot said. "I… I don't know why it still affects me so much. It's been 10 years. A decade since I've seen the drunken bastard. And yet… here I am, sobbing on the side of the road."

“Hey…it’s okay…” Elliot leaned over, hugging him tightly.

Tyler kissed Elliot, but only for a few seconds. He just wrapped his arms around Elliot. Tyler needed someone close for once in his life. He pulled Elliot closer. "I love you. Thank you." he choked out between sobs.

Elliot held him close. “I love you too, and I get that family sucks, it’s not easy to just forget about them, even if we want to.”

"It's nice to have someone who knows." Tyler's sobs turned softer, saltwater still running down his cheeks. This was exactly what he needed. Someone who knew.

“I’m here for you Tyler” they said, still not letting go of him.