nysalogs | (no subject)

_{[NO HE DOESN'T NEED AIR HE CAN BREATHE UNDERWATER IT'S HIS SUPER POWER OKAY only no that's bullshit he really does need to breathe which is proven with a loud, audible gasp once Elliot himself surfaces, his own bangs stuck to his forehead and some of his hair in his eyes. He pushes it aside with a hand, trying to act casual.]}

Wouldn't it be neat if we could breathe underwater?

_{[CHANGE OF SUBJECT??? Yep.]}

[ subtle... ]

Are you looking to relocate underwater? I don't think it would make our lives any easier to be honest.

[ it's leo's turn to stare, but he's staring because elliot dodged his question and it's still a little strange... maybe he should put his hair back over his face after all. he's considering it. ]

No. I just think it would be interesting.

_{[Just. Stop staring at him. Who's the rude one now?!]}

[ nope, still staring. ]

What about seeing underwater?

I can see underwater...sort of.

_{[Not this water though. It's too hot.]}

You can only keep your eyes open for so long.

Of course, if you could see under this water, I'd be worried.

I won't try.

_{[So you needn't worry.]}

So why were you staring at me?

I wasn't staring.

You were too.

No I wasn't!

Is it my face?

No! Your face is beautiful shut up!

_[Wait-]

I MEAN, YOUR FACE IS JUST A FACE THAT'S IT!

--What?

_{[Just. Going to dunk his face into the water again and just...scream.]}

[ this time leo doesn't chase after that, letting elliot stew in the spring because... what. What.

maybe it's the shock. he's in more disbelief than he is embarrassment. more than a little self-conscious. it's something he's never ever heard before in his life, and leo certainly doesn't describe himself as good looking or anything of the sort...

maybe it's the steam. elliot is just having steam vision. maybe elliot needs a girlfriend. ]

_{[Ew he doesn't need a gf get that het shit away from him k thx.

Once Elliot finally runs out of breath and surfaces he ends up swallowing a bit of water instead, coughing at the unsavoury taste that offends his taste buds. This is it. This is how he's going to die.]}

[ by the time elliot comes up, leo's wet hair is over his face again, flopped messily and parted just enough so he could kind of see out of one eye. ]

Are you trying to see if you can breathe underwater?

It wasn't successful.

_{[Yeah, call him stupid. It's fine. He'll take it if it means he can forget the embarrassment he's feeling just now.]}

Of course not.

[ and then leo falls silent once more, for a while. the air feels thick, no thanks to the steam but mostly because he doesn't know what to say. he can't quite look at elliot this way, either, suddenly very aware of their undressed state. the spring is big enough to provide adequate distance, but it's still. awkward.

at least hair over his face once again makes a makeshift cover for his expression. he steals glances at elliot from time to time, but his mind unhelpfully keeps echoing elliot's earlier words.

they can't be true, anyway. ]

_{[There's nothing Elliot wants more to do than erase the awkwardness the both of them are soaking in right now. It's not like Elliot was lying...his face was beautiful, features objectively pretty. At least he thinks so.

Why did he have to make it weird?

It's only after a few minutes of silence between them that Elliot decides to break it. It's suffocating so...screw it. There's a glance to the soap nearby that he brought.]}

...Do you want me to scrub it?

_{[It being Leo's hair, of course.]}

[ leo, who has basically abandoned his hair washing plans and is actually trying to find an excuse to leave the bath, looks back up at elliot and blinking through his wet bangs. ]

Are you sure you want to?

Why would I offer if I didn't?

_{[Really though, he wouldn't if that were the case. Leo should know him well enough to know that.]}